Destined for Dreams: Book One (24 page)

“Check his ankle,” Jacqueline says.

I lift up each leg of his black trousers and only see a pair of mismatched socks. “Anywhere else?”

“Hunter says not that he knows of, but you’ll need his pass code,” Jacqueline says.

I stare at the doctor and then pull my hand away. He has tears in his eyes and his cheeks are red. He blinks a few times and licks his lips. “Please don’t hurt me,” he says. “I have a family.”

Jacqueline steps closer and touches his face. “I had a family, too, before your board murdered them.”

He cringes. “Please, it wasn’t me. I only heal people, not kill them. Please, just leave me alone.”

I study the doctor for a minute. “But how can you work for them? How do you live with yourself?”

A tear drips on his cheek. “The good I do makes up for it. I am an honest man. Please, just leave, and I won’t call the board.”

Alyssa stares at me. “Tell us your pass code and we won’t hurt you.”

He shakes his head. “If I do, they’ll kill me. Please, just let me go.”

I shake his coat. “We’ll kill you if you don’t.”

“It’s seven, two, two, two, zero, one, two.” The doctor hangs his head in defeat.

Alyssa clears her throat. “Sedate him, Nadia. We’re running out of time.”

HUNTER

Things would go smoother if I could talk to Nadia myself. It’s like Jacqueline is purposefully relaying my messages in an untimely manner. I also feel bad for Dr. Bradley. I’m sure Jacqueline would’ve killed the poor guy if she had the chance. She has a lot of hate toward the board and it shows.

Jacqueline turns away as Nadia injects Dr. Bradley with the tranquilizer from his wallet. She glances at the empty road and then at the looming hospital. “How long does that stuff work for?” she asks me.

“Not long. It’s just enough to knock someone out to restrain them,”
I say. It’s definitely not enough to keep Dr. Bradley down while we go inside and body jump.

Jacqueline swivels on her feet to glance back at Alyssa and Nadia as they lay Dr. Bradley on the ground. “Hunter says the tranquilizer only lasts a few minutes.”

“I’ll take her,” Alyssa says. “You can stay with the doctor.”

Nadia shakes her head. “I have to do this. Find something to restrain him and park closer to the entrance so we can get out of here as quickly as possible.”

“I’m not letting you go alone. Not with the future I saw,” Alyssa says.

“I won’t be alone. Jacqueline is here.”

“You can trust me,” Jacqueline says. I can feel her anxiety and determination. “Are you ready, Hunter?”

“You bet,”
I say.

NADIA

Alyssa leans closer and whispers, “She’ll risk your life to save herself.”

“I’ll be fine.” I turn to Jacqueline. “Ready?”

I hug Alyssa and then dash away, locking my arm with Jacqueline’s. When we reach the aisle of cars nearest to the entrance, we slow down to walk the rest of the way.

An elderly man sits in a small quad area away from the door, smoking. His heavily wrinkled skin hangs loosely on his face and he looks like death incarnate. A cane is propped next to his leg on the bench and a standard poodle rests at his feet.

My eyes meet his, and I notice they’re glazed over with a milky white color. A chill runs down my spine as his head follows us, and I wonder if he is the grim reaper waiting to gather our souls.

“We’re being watched,” I whisper.

“He can’t see us,” Jacqueline says.

The old man grabs his cane and stands up. He points it in our direction and yells, “I’ve been a bad man!”

Jacqueline’s arm stiffens and she tugs me faster.

“You’re going to leave me to die with a guilty conscience?” he asks. “Please, save me.”

Jacqueline looks over her shoulder and whispers, “Only you can save yourself.”

The glass doors automatically open and freezing cold air rushes around me. Fake potted trees are placed sporadically around a seating area and off to the right is a gift shop with all sorts of figurines, stuffed animals, balloons, flowers, and random stuff people don’t need.

A man in a blue security uniform stands at a podium and greets us with suspicious eyes. His thick brows are lowered and his lips are pressed together. I’m terrified he’s an HPA agent, but Hunter said they don’t even have security at this hospital.

“We’re here to visit our mother,” Jacqueline says. It surprises me how in control she is. “She’s in room 4G.”

The guard looks each of us over. We can’t pass as biological sisters, but I doubt he’ll say anything even if I can see he’s thinking it. He nods slowly before pulling a marker from his chest pocket and scribbles something onto two guest passes. He hands them to us. “Visiting hours are over at seven.”

I smile and stick my pass to the front of my shirt. I tuck my hands in my pocket and nudge Jacqueline to move. We head straight for the elevator. The doors slide open and when we get on, my heart sinks. I don’t see a button for the basement.

“You can’t access the basement from here,” Jacqueline says, hitting the button for the fourth floor.

I wish I could speak with Hunter directly. It would be so much easier if it weren’t filtered through Jacqueline. Who knows how much she’s leaving out? “I don’t know why I’m surprised.”

She shrugs. “Because you have no idea what really goes on in the real world. You’ve been so sheltered; I’m surprised you’re actually here with me and we’re going through with it.”

“I didn’t want to die with a guilty conscience,” I say, remembering the old man’s words from the parking lot.

She turns toward me. “You can’t save them all.”

I’m not sure if she’s referring to me or herself—maybe the both of us. “But you should try to save who you can.”

She turns away as the elevator door slides open. I hesitate for a second, letting Jacqueline exit first, and then stay close on her heels as she marches down the pristine white hallway. It smells like disinfectant and loud whispers come from the nurse’s station twenty feet away.

Jacqueline’s hand flies out and smacks me in the chest, stopping me in place. I reel backwards and hit my shoulder on the wall next to me. Fear slices through me like a blazing knife and I press my back to the wall for support.

Jacqueline rushes to me and bows her head to lean closer to my ear. “We have a problem. Security measures must’ve changed since Hunter has been here. An agent is heading our way. Hunter says this particular agent is different. He can see auras and he can tell when someone isn’t human.”

I blow a puff of air through my lips. There aren’t any doors close enough to run into to hide and we won’t make it back to the elevator either. I straighten my back and clench my fists to prepare for a fight. While I’m not trained in combat, I’m fast. I also have the sheer will to live on my side. I will not go down without a fight.

Jacqueline wraps her arms around my neck. “I’m letting Hunter take control. His aura should mask mine,” she whispers.

That doesn’t give me much hope. Sweat beads on my forehead and anxiety grips my chest and squeezes, making it hard to breathe. This could be the end for me. Jacqueline is safe, but no one is here to hide me.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Nadia.” It’s Hunter speaking through Jacqueline.

I sob into Jacqueline’s shoulder. I can’t help it. I’m so scared that I can’t be strong. It’s funny how after everything I’ve went through to get Hunter back to his body and away from Jacqueline, I’m the one who loses in the end.
You knew the risk. Alyssa predicted your future.

Hunter shushes me and hugs me tighter, pressing my back harder into the wall. I wish it were really him and not Jacqueline’s body. It’s not the same. I can’t help that I despise her.

“I’m scared,” I sputter.

“He’s coming,” Hunter whispers.

I hate that the last thing I’m going to do in my life is cry.

25
. CHANGE OF PLANS

HUNTER

“Mom’s going to be okay. Please don’t cry.” I say it loud enough for the agent to hear. His footsteps slow, and I can feel his gaze on my back, but he doesn’t stop.

If the agent from the Special Ability Task Force notices Jacqueline’s life essence with mine, he’ll make it known. He’s highly trained and deadly, and also scientifically gifted with strength and some serious fighting skills. He’s the result of the board’s many experiments and one of their most successful. It’s his job to investigate and destroy supers.

“It’s working,”
Jacqueline thinks.

I nod. “You’re a quick thinker.”

“What?” Nadia whispers through her tears.

“Sorry, nothing.”

Nadia relaxes and I turn my head to peek behind me. The agent rushes past without a second glance and to the elevator. I pull away and meet Nadia’s eyes. She wipes the back of her hand over her cheek and blinks.

“Time’s up, Hunter.”

“I’m really going to miss you,” I say to Nadia.

Jacqueline forces me back into her mind.

NADIA

I almost can’t believe I’m alive. The agent walked by like we weren’t even here. My uncontrollable sobs were pretty obvious and I’m mortified that I couldn’t stay calm in the face of danger. I’d be the first one to die in a horror movie. For being a monster, I’m not as tough as people think.

“The elevator is after the nurse’s station,” Jacqueline says.

I lock my arm through hers and we stroll along with our heads bowed. I don’t look up as we pass the station, even though I sense a pair of eyes on me, and then turn right when Jacqueline nudges me in that direction.

The elevator is about ten feet away and nothing special. It doesn’t say employees only or require the access card, so I push the button and wait. We stand a few feet back in case someone is on the elevator, but it’s empty when the door slides open.

Jacqueline enters first, then I follow and immediately press the close door button. My chest tightens when I see a button marked B, and it takes me a few seconds to gather my courage to press it.

I keep my face lowered and away from the camera blinking in the corner and lean against the side wall of the elevator just in case someone is waiting on the other side of the door when we reach the basement.

“I can’t do it,” Jacqueline says.

I jerk my head to look at her. “What?” My palms sweat and for the first time ever, I’m feeling claustrophobic. The air is thick and panic sparks in the back of my mind. Hunter can’t go back to his body if Jacqueline won’t help and then all our efforts have been wasted.

Jacqueline twists the ends of her curly hair. She leans closer and whispers, “I’m scared.”

I’m frustrated that Jacqueline’s changing her mind now. We’re already almost to the basement. “I’m terrified, too, but you have to. We’re here. Don’t make me drag you to his body. That’ll get us both caught with no way to escape.” I think about Alyssa’s vision. Jacqueline’s unwillingness is going to be the reason why I die.

The elevator dings and the door slides open.

I hold my breath and peek out.

It’s an empty hallway that leads to a set of double doors with the words ‘Employees Only’ painted across them. On the wall next to the doors is the keypad and access card reader. As long as no one comes out, we’re safe in the hallway for now.

I grab Jacqueline’s arm, but she plants her feet and doesn’t budge.

“Come on, Jacqueline,” I say.

She shakes her head. “No. You don’t understand. They’ll kill us. Someone will catch us. I can try to let him go here.”

“Will he make it?”

She looks at the floor. She doesn’t know. I’m not putting my faith in her getting him safely back to his body from a distance she’s not sure of, not when we can go a little farther.

I tuck my hair behind my ear and start walking. Jacqueline cries out and I turn and watch as she trips and starts sliding across the tiles behind me. With the talismans we’re wearing, she has to go where I go whether she wants to or not.

“Please, Nadia, I need a minute. I’ll do it. I swear, please, just stop. I just need a second.”

I freeze. “Fine, but we’re going through the doors first. I don’t like being so open in this hallway.”

“But you don’t know what’s on the other side of the door,” she argues.

I stroll back to her and tug her to her feet. “I’m sure Hunter does. Just ask him.”

HUNTER

“A bathroom is on the left side of the hallway when you enter through the door,”
I say. It would be a lot easier if Jacqueline would give me control again, but she’s already told me no about six dozen times since running into the agent in the hallway.

“I don’t care. I don’t want to go through the door yet,” Jacqueline thinks.

“It’s a single stall with a lock,”
I say.

“People tend to use the bathroom. Someone will discover us.”

“It’s not the only bathroom on the floor.”

“Shut up, Hunter. You’re not the one who has to worry about getting out alive.”

Nadia tugs Jacqueline’s hand. She’s looking paler than just a few minutes ago and her hair appears lighter, too. She wasn’t lying when she said that they were running out of time. The deep hunger in her eyes is unmistakable and she’s getting impatient with Jacqueline’s stalling.

“I’m not going to shut up, Jackie. Look at Nadia. Don’t you see what’s happening?”
I ask.

“What are you talking about?”

She’s playing oblivious and it’s pissing me off. She knows exactly what’s happening.
“Don’t act clueless. Nadia’s getting weak and the longer you take, the more likely she’s going to lose control.”