There was something in the background.
No, someone in the background.
Trevor, get the hell away from her. Let me take her. You’re the only one holding her back. I know you don’t want her to stay with you now. But you’re having trouble leaving her. Let her see you turn your back and walk away.
Struggle. Pain. Resignation.
Gone.
Caleb’s relief was mixed with a strange sadness.
I don’t think I could have done it, Trevor. You always were the white knight.
*
“Okay, Jane,” Eve moistened her lips. “That was only the first foray. Let’s try again. I’m not going to give up. I was just hurting and got a little frustrated when I couldn’t—”
“Shh,” Caleb was standing beside her. “You’ve won the battle. She’s with you. She’s just saying good-bye to him. She knows it’s final now.”
“She’s with me?” Eve’s gaze flew to meet his eyes. “Does that mean that—”
“It means I have a chance to make sure that Basle does his job. You can let go of her hand now. I’ll take over.”
“No…”
Both of their eyes flew to Jane’s face at the mere wisp of sound. Her eyes were open, and she was looking at Eve.
“Oh, my God,” Eve whispered. “You’re awake, baby.”
“You wouldn’t … let … me go. Right … But hurts. Sorry.” Her hand tightened on Eve’s. “Stay.”
“Of course, I’ll stay. But Caleb needs to—”
“No.”
“Yes,” Caleb said. “But I’ll draw up a chair to the other side of the bed. You can stay with her, Eve. But don’t let her talk any more.” He turned to leave. “I’ll go tell the head nurse that she’s no longer comatose, then go find Joe and give him the good news. Then I’ll be back.” He looked at Jane. “I’ll always be back. I know that you’re resenting me. I expected it.” His lips twisted. “I’ve always been the black knight, never the white knight like Trevor. But I’m the one who will keep you surviving in this wicked old world.”
“No … I’ll … do … that.” Her lids were closing again. “Can’t let— You’re all … fire and darkness … no silver … mornings.”
“No?” He headed for the door. “Do you know I actually felt a twinge when you said that? I’ll have to think about it and decide if I need to work on changing your mind. Take care of her, Eve. The minute the word gets around that she’s out of her coma, it raises the possibility that Santos could move against her.”
*
“We’re on our way back, Hu Chang,” Catherine said as soon as he picked up. “We spent the last seven hours dodging Dorgal and some of his goons in the rain forest near San Esposito. Our jet just took off from the airport. Is everything okay there at home?”
“Catherine, you texted me three times since you left here asking me that question. Why would it not be, with me in charge?” Hu Chang said. “And why would I not have sent you word if there were a problem?”
“Because you’d try to take care of it yourself. No sign of Santos’s people?”
“No. But if they gave out signals, there would be nothing to worry about.” He changed the subject. “You found Montez?”
“Yes, but he wouldn’t talk, and we had to leave him down there temporarily.”
“It isn’t like you to accept a defeat. Most uncharacteristic.”
“That’s what Cameron said. He didn’t approve.” She added wearily, “But I believed Montez when he said that he didn’t know where Santos is. In his own way, I think he’s been struggling against him. And I didn’t want to be the one to make him suffer any more than he has already.” She paused. “How is Luke?”
“Upset that you didn’t say good-bye to him.”
“He would have wanted to go with me. That wasn’t an option.”
“I explained that to him and turned him over to Kelly. I was going to bring Erin in, but Kelly offers him challenges, and that’s what he needs.”
“If he doesn’t persuade her to go after Santos with him,” she said dryly. “It’s definitely a possibility. He knows that Kelly helped to find him when he was being held by Rakovac. You know how brilliant she is at seeing patterns and connections when no one else can do it. It’s almost an Einstein mentality. That’s what she does at that think tank at college. Even Venable was considering trying to use her for some of his other cases.”
“And will you try to use her?”
“She persuaded me to let her do what she could. I’m going to tap every source I can. If a situation arises where she can safely give us help, I’ll ask her, not tell her.” She changed the subject. “And speaking about tapping sources, I’m going to tap you, Hu Chang. I’m bringing you a paperback book I took from Montez. I think it’s his own work. It’s full of all kinds of the deliciously complicated chemical and mathematical puzzles and equations that you like. At least, it’s complicated to me. You may find it child’s play.”
“Really?” He sounded fascinated. “Intriguing. I admit, like Luke, I’m desperately searching for a challenge. Let’s hope that you’re bringing me one that is worthy of me. Does this book have a title?”
“Maggi. Does it spark anything?”
“Not at the moment. I will think about it. When can I have the book?”
“I told you, I’m bringing it to you. You want the exact time? About six hours.” She chuckled. “You’re more eager to see all those calculations than you are to see us safely back there. I regret that you no longer look on me as a challenge, Hu Chang.”
“You are always a challenge, always new, always fresh. But, unfortunately, you have no desire to explore the intricacies of the chemical rules of the universe and how to change them. That is why I had to turn to Luke to teach. He is coming along fabulously.”
“No poisons, Hu Chang.”
“Not until he is ready to accept the responsibility.”
“No poisons.”
He sighed. “One must furnish an entire picture. I will have to convince you of that someday. But there is time.”