Page 86 of Avidian
“I can’t wait to see it in action. But thank you for this. You have no idea how much this could help,” I say, and she smiles, rising to her feet.
As much as I want to get away from Marco and be free, making progress on his brother Viktor’s case will keep the heat off me.
“Good luck,” Isla says, tucking her hands into her pockets and heading for the door. I watch her go, my mind already racing with possibilities.
I glance at the Avidian in my hand, the temptation to summon Carmen and Damian gnawing at me. I could do it now—use the vial and finally see the truth for myself. No more games, no more riddles. But Malachi will be back any minute, and the thought of adding this to his already full plate stops me. Tonight is already loaded with enough unknowns. I’ll wait. Better to tell him about the journal and the Avidian when things settle down.
I tuck the vial safely in my pocket next to the journal, zipping it up tight, grateful for its sturdiness. I’d hate to crack it open accidentally. I cross to the fridge, pulling out a couple of water bottles and one of those pre-made cheese and cracker packs. I add a container of insect-based protein crackers for good measure, shoving everything into the backpack Malachi left behind. An energy drink catches my eye, and I grab that too. If I can’t have coffee, at least I won’t be dragging all night. Tossing it into the pack, I zip it up and slide it onto the desk.
I’m about to pull out Carmen’s journal again to start reading when the door swings open, and Malachi steps inside, a duffel bag slung over one shoulder.
“What’s in there?” I ask, nodding at the bag.
“Binoculars, night vision, weapons—stuff,” he says with a wink, setting it down briefly before slinging the backpack over one arm and the duffel over the other.
“Did you pack snacks?” he asks, and his grin widens as I point to the pack on his back.
“Snacks and drinks, all in there,” I tell him.
He throws an arm over my shoulder, steering me toward the door. “Let’s go see where the wolves prowl, shall we?”
Chapter Twenty-Six
RULE 26 OF THE NEW ORDER: THE TRUTH RARELY SHOUTS—IT WHISPERS, WAITING FOR THE RIGHT EARS TO HEAR.
“Do you like to hike?”Malachi asks, breaking the quiet from the driver’s seat.
I chuckle softly. “Um, let me think…at night, in the snow, in the middle of a forest? Sure, why not.”
We’ve been driving for nearly an hour, the last fifteen minutes requiring four-wheel drive as the trail grows rougher. The forest around us is dense, the towering evergreens stretching endlessly into the dark sky above. The moon tonight is a faint sliver, barely enough to light our way, and with thick clouds hanging low, the world outside the truck is cloaked in near-total darkness.
“Good,” he says with a grin. “Because we can’t drive all the way to the cabin. We’re going to have to hike in if we want to go unnoticed.”
I sigh. Of course. Not exactly how I envisioned spending the night, but I’d still rather be here with him than letting him do this alone. Malachi pulls off the trail, weaving the truck deeper into the trees until we’re well-hidden. Finally, he kills the engine and reaches into the back seat for the backpack.
He flips the bag open, rummaging through it before pulling out a small case. The vials he grabbed from the lab earlier glint in the dim cabin light.
“Are those what I think they are?” I ask, watching him closely.
“Avidian,” he confirms, holding out two small vials, one with a red cap and one with a green. “Put these in your pocket. I’m hoping we won’t need them, but you never know.”
I take the vials, turning them over in my hand for a moment before sliding them into the opposite pocket of the one where I already have something hidden. “I thought Solace wasn’t using Avidian yet.”
“We’re not,” he admits reluctantly. “These are still experimental. Only tested in the lab. I’ve never used either of them, but that doesn’t mean they won’t work.”
I press my lips together to keep from blurting out something sarcastic, like how comforting that is. Instead, I ask, “What does the red one do?”
“It boosts strength. Not only physically but overall. You’ll hit harder, throw better, run faster. Basically, you’ll be a better fighter for a short window of time, maybe twenty to thirty minutes.”
I nod, my stomach twisting slightly. “That could come in handy.”
“And the green cap?” I ask.
“It enhances healing,” he explains, slipping a green-capped vial into his pocket. “It’s not miracle-level. A fatal wound will still kill you, but a deep cut? You’d recover without even a scar.”
I let out a slow, steadying breath. “OK, great.”
“Hey, it’s better than nothing. Besides, I don’t plan on letting you get hurt.”
