Page 37 of Accidental Mate

“Exactly. Colby asked if I’d check in on you and remind you both that he needs, as he calls it,” Zach said with a faint smile, “your shopping lists. Given that I know Amelia has flown combat missions, I’m not sure I really want to know what’s on hers.”

Amelia laughed. “I need to know what all he has up at Windsong, and I’m going to need to meet with the pilots.”

“So you’ve decided to let her fight?” asked Zach. “Don’t get me wrong, that’s a decision only the two of you can make, but I vote no.”

“The matter is still under discussion,” admitted Carson. “But why would you be opposed?”

“It’ll send the rest of the females into a tizzy. Deke already has his hands full with my sister, Annie, and her involvement with the Shadow Sisters.”

Amelia rolled her eyes. “He was my brother, too. I’m going to fix breakfast burritos—my one not-baking claim to fame. Zach?”

“I’d love to join you.”

“Good. Then let’s head inside.”

Once inside, Amelia made quick work of getting breakfast made and on the table.

“So, what really brings you here?” asked Amelia. “Carson is the brilliant, but I’m finding socially clueless, member of the family.”

Zach chuckled. “I don’t doubt Mason took an instant liking to you. Not to worry, Carson, Sienna often has to negotiate or explain things to me, as well.”

Carson raised his mug of coffee. “Then I am in good company. So why are you here?”

“Until recently most of the resistance’s activity has been on the peninsula at Mystic River, but with the research facility being set up here and Amelia taking on some kind of position with air support, Otter Cove is going to become more of a focal point. I doubt you’ve had a chance to really look at those papers, but do you have any idea what the Shadow League is up to? I mean we can all agree that it’s world domination, but how do they plan to get there?”

“From the little I’ve learned from what I overheard in Reykjavik, scanning the papers, and talking to others, it looks like they are planning to weaponize genetics, although I’m not sure how. There seems to have been a failed experiment in Seattle that looks like they were trying to either clone or breed dragons, which makes me think some kind of super soldier. What we, as scientists, were told by NLGP is that we were trying to isolate specific genes dedicated to specific diseases.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” said Zach.

“No, it doesn’t. But what I’m beginning to believe is that they planned to turn those genes and their mutations into targeted diseases. There is a specific cancer, for instance, confined only to Tasmanian Devils. It is always fatal and has all but wiped out the species. Imagine if we could isolate the gene and its mutation that causes that and then introduce it to other species. The cancer is transmissible, but at this point only to other Tasmanian Devils. There are equally transmissible cancers, but of a different sort and less lethality, in some breeds of dogs and soft-shell clams.”

“Shit,” breathed Zach.

“Exactly. It’s only now that I’m realizing what those bastards at NLGP are up to. Teams are sequestered from each other and fraternization outside of one’s team is forbidden. That way no one gets a look at the bigger picture, or has the opportunity to understand the more deadly ramifications of what’s really going on.”

Amelia brightened. “That’s why you’re insisting that everybody work together. You’re creating transparency.”

“But shouldn’t what you’re going to be doing be kept secret?”

“To the outside world? Absolutely. But within our own community and especially those here at Polaris?” Carson shook his head. “Absolutely not. Scientists actually work better, in my opinion, when they feel free to talk with their colleagues, share information, and collaborate. How far outside of Polaris we want to share details, I will leave to those in charge of the resistance, but you’re right to be concerned.”

“How so?” asked Zach.

“If and when the Shadow League figures out what we’re up to, Polaris, and by extension, Otter Cove is going to become a major target. The disadvantage of having us all in one place means you can devastate our research all in one fell swoop, but I believe the advantages far outweigh that.”

“What I can’t figure out,” said Amelia, “is why the Phantom Fire, using the Phoenix Corp as their façade, wanted to get the package they gave me, that had all the research, to Colby? He doesn’t have scientists.”

Zach nodded. “True enough, but what he does have is an almost impenetrable fortress at Windsong. His people are deadly loyal, and what we’re only now beginning to grasp is just how far and how strong his intelligence network is. Up until recently, when Colby chose to tip his hand, everyone believed the resistance was being headed up by Mark Hadley, Doc’s son. And you may want to talk to him—it seems that arctic foxes can use the earth’s magnetic properties to find food, and what they are discovering, is a way to use that force andpushit as a weapon.”

“Fascinating,” said Carson, already beginning to think of how they might research that and use it in their fight against the Shadow League. “We also need to figure out how the League knew Amelia was carrying the package.”

“They didn’t…” she started.

“They did,” stated Carson. “When I retrieved the package, I had a chance to look at your plane. I saw a funny little rubber hose attached to what looked like a small air bladder that led to the fuel line running to the engine.”

“Those bastards sabotaged my plane!” she cried.

“Now they’ve done it. She’ll be after her own revenge,” chuckled Carson. “She could handle them trying to kill her and the rest of us, but causing her plane to crash is unforgivable.”

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