the other rooms.
The house was empty.
This can't be happening yet… I can't be too late! Oh God, please don't let me lose her! My only comfort was knowing there was no death record for her on file.
I need to leave a note in case someone comes back. I thought, hoping with everything in me that there would be someone to return.
I sprinted back down to the small room her parents shared. I'd seen a writing desk in the corner of the room; a desk that Ms. Williamson spent a lot of time at reading and writing. I grabbed the first piece of paper I could find. The envelope was tattered and the initials ST were written in the left hand corner, with Tom's name in the center. I hesitated, flipping the envelope over and over.
It can't be.
I pulled the neatly folded letters out of the envelope and began to read.
Tom,
As I sit here, putting pen to paper, I find myself struggling to find the right words.
I've never written a more important letter in my life.
This precious baby girl you're looking at is my daughter, Katie. She was born on April 18th and it breaks my heart to say, she isn't safe with my wife and I any longer…
I couldn't believe what I was reading. I took a deep breath and continued.
I never wanted to feel the pain my parents had, so I decided to never have children of my own... That was until I met my wife…
Mr. Williamson, you are the only one I trust to protect her as I would. I would give up my life if it meant she could stay here in her mother's arms, but it would do no good. The people who want her wouldn't be satisfied with my wife's death, or mine. They only want our daughter.
Life, and the people around you, aren't always what they seem Tom, and I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for that.
-Scott T.
PS - Please burn this letter immediately.
I stumbled back against the wall as fresh panic raced through me. Could she be my Katie? I pushed the absurd idea away. I just needed to find my Lenny now more than ever.
On unsteady legs, I ran with everything in me. This wasn't just about my love for this girl… We needed her. She may know something about this letter. I ran out the door as fast as I could possible go. The only thing that was running through my mind tormented me.
Was I too late?
Just over the horizon, I could see the faint glow of light coming from large tents lining Main Street. My heart stopped: this wasn't supposed to happen so soon.
♦~♦~♦~♦
Standing at the opening of the tent, all I could see was countless bodies lying motionless on cots and the undeniable stench of vomit burned my nose. I stood there stunned. Nothing could have prepared me for what I was witnessing with my own eyes.
"Logan what are you doing here? Are you sick?"
I barely forced enough air through my lungs to answer. "No, Doc! Can you tell me if the Williamson's are here?" I braced myself for his response.
His expression darkened. "Yeah boy, they're here somewhere… along with more than half the town." Dark smudges of exhaustion filled the area under his eyes. "I've got people dying around me left-and-right."
I cringed. "Is Kaitlin – is she okay?"
Doc rubbed his face. "I'm sorry. I don't know."
"Please I have to know if she's alive!"
"Logan, I'm sorry. I just don't know. I've been up 72 hours and I need to get back to work. So unless you're sick, or here to help, you must excuse me."
Every bone and muscle within me throbbed with tension. "I have to find her-" I said feverishly.
"Check the far side of the tent." Doc said with the flick of his hand. "That's where we put the new ones."
I pulled my shirt up to cover my mouth, and crossed to the south side of the tent as fast as my legs could take me, scanning face after face until I found her.
Frozen, I stood at the end of her cot.
She was sheet white with the same dark circles under her eyes. I knelt down next to her, grabbed her hand and squeezed it. She was so cold. Without her small rugged breaths, I would've thought she was already gone.
Courage
Logan
"Logan?"
I jerked my head up. "What are you doing here, Uncle Henry?"
"No, Boy… The question is what are you doing here?"
"I know what you're going to say Uncle Henry, but you don't understand. I had to come back."
"No, Logan, you did not have to come back. You can't just pop in and out of here, people will start asking questions."
I stood up and walked outside of the tent and Uncle Henry followed.
"Uncle Henry, I think she may know something that could help us stop Tillman once and for all." I whispered.
"And what would that be Logan?"
"I found a letter in her house with ST in the left hand corner and it was addressed to Tom."
He frowned and turned and glanced toward Kaitlin's cot. "It's too late. She's too sick to help with anything, Logan and you know the rules!" Uncle Henry was unable to hide his exasperation.
"Uncle Henry, Listen I've done my research there is no record of a Kaitlin Williamson's birth or death." I rubbed my hand over my day old beard. "Her family doesn't make it, I found their records… but we can help her, it won't affect anything here. Let me take her with me. I know Aaron can help her!" I pleaded.
I stood there with my heart in my throat waiting and watching him process this new information.
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "I don't know, Logan. I don't know."
"If I don't try she's going to die here and we will never know if she could have helped us find him and save lives." I took a deep breath. "Will you help me get her back to the cavern?"
"She'll never make the trip, Logan."
I laced my fingers with hers. "Yes, she will! She has to. I… we need her"
Uncle Henry shrugged his shoulders and let out a deep sigh. "Logan, you are asking for a lot–"
"I understand the costs, but I have to try. Will you help me?"
"Yes, but you can't tell anyone." He grabbed my shoulder. "Aaron can't know I helped you. Tell him you think she has information about Scott, he will know what to do. And Logan, do whatever he asks of you!
"Okay… You have my word."
"Here, take these blankets and wrap her up in them. When you get to the cavern give her the full dose. Maybe she'll be able to make it through The Lost Sea." He paused. "Now, I said I would help you against my better judgment, so let's get her out of here before I change my mind!"
♦~♦~♦~♦
The moonlight shone down on the soaring cliffs of Half Moon Bay. Waves crashed violently below, hiding secret places within. The cool night breeze blew in through the mouth of the cave, as I stood with Kaitlin draped in my arms and the platform rose toward the top of the cavern.
She was trembling uncontrollably. Without Aaron's help she wouldn't make it through the night.
Shifting her over my shoulder, I quickly scrambled deeper into the dark, narrowing cavern. My hands scraped over the jagged edges of rock, I searched through the darkness for an opening that held the biometric hand scanner. Finding the break in the rock, I slid my hand up underneath and onto the plate. Knowing what was next, I shifted my weight, keeping my hand in place, and looked up and into the iris scanner.
I could only hope Aaron was working late tonight and hadn't gone back to his home in Florida. Time seemed to stand still as I waited for Aaron to respond to the alert.
"Logan?" Aaron asked groggily through the intercom hidden in the cave walls. "What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Aaron! I'm so glad you're still here; I need your help, let me in!" I demanded.
"What's wrong?"
"Just open the door." I shouted.
The door opened at the shallow side of the cave and I maneuvered, carrying Kaitlin, through the tunnel toward Aaron's house. Rounding the last corner, my eyes met his.
His dark hair was tousled and he was rubbing the slee
p from his eyes, still wearing his white lab coat. Aaron looked up and his blue eyes scanned the young girl I was holding.
"Can you help her!?" The look on Aaron's face changed to one of horrific disbelief as comprehension dawned. For him it wasn't hard to guess where I'd been.
"Logan! What have you done?" The words flew out of his mouth like an arrow going through the heart of the bull's eye. I hated seeing such disappointment in his face. I'd broken the code we all lived and worked by; leave no footprints.
"Please, Aaron. Please leave the lecture for later. Will you help her?" The room fell silent and Aaron backed up against the wall
"Logan, you know she can't go back now!" The debriefing room we were standing in was the size of a rather large bedroom; the walls seemed to be closing in on me, making it feel more like a closet.
"I know that, Aaron." I shot back hoping I sounded more confident than I felt. I had to make him understand that it was worth the risk to help her. Not just for my sake, but the companies as well…
"I think she can help us. I think she's connected to Tillman."
"Why would you think that?" He asked narrowing his eyes in speculation.
"I found a letter in Kaitlin's house, written and signed by Scott. Please Aaron, I'll explain everything later – will you please help her?"
He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I guess you leave me no choice do you, Logan?"
"So you'll help her?"
"Yes, I'll help her." He said acidly. "Take her to the room at the end of the hall, on the left. All of my necessary equipment is in there." Aaron placed his hand on my shoulder as I turned to do as he'd instructed. "If she pulls through this, Logan, we can't allow her to remember her past – and that includes you. It would be too hard for her to process. Besides, if what you said is true, and she can help us, Susan and I will have to take our time retrieving the information… for her sake."
I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with air. "I'll do whatever is best for her. I promise I will leave as soon as I know she's okay." I shifted out from under his hand.
"I'm serious," Aaron scolded. "She can't see you – so the minute she's awake you are out of here, understand?"
I felt the crashing blow of his words "Yeah… I got it."
Aaron rubbed his hands across his face. "I'm sorry, Logan. I can see how much this girl means to you, but this is how it has to be. It's what's best for her." He called out as I made my way down the long, drab hallway.
My wet shoes squeaked against the marble floors that encompassed every room in this sprawling estate. I stopped mid-stride, and looked over my shoulder. "Aaron, I need you to promise me one thing."
"What?"
I looked down at the bag draped over my shoulder "Give Kaitlin this when she wakes up."
"Logan!" He murmured, shaking his head
"Please! Just this one thing…"
Aaron paused. His eyes darted between my face and the bag. "Okay." He sighed and reached for the bag. "Now get her into the room I need to get started right away." Aaron ordered. "And Logan, I think it'll be best if we fly her to Orlando."
"When?"
"As soon as she's stable enough to make the trip…"
Knowing he was right, I bit back the argument that sat on the tip of my tongue and silently strode into the room and laid her on the bed. Aaron slid open the drawer and pulled out a needle and a small glass bottle of clear liquid. He stuck the syringe in and pulled the medicine into the tube attached to the needle.
"Logan, I need you to turn her on her side and lift up her dress. I have to give her the shot in her thigh."
I swallowed hard and did as he instructed.
"Logan, you can open your eyes. I'm finished now." He paused. "We need to get her out of these wet clothe and into something dry. I'll go see if I can find one of Susan's night gowns for her."
I nodded and sat down in the chair next to her watching the steady rise and fall of her chest. I silently thanked God for her. Aaron stepped back in the room with a light blue cotton gown draped across his arm.
"I think this will work. Logan, why don't you go get changed. I'm sure Mike has something in his closet that will fit