Major Norton nods. “Before I could get there.”
“He still had the papers?” Seth seems angry. “Why didn’t he destroy them?”
“I don’t have details; I just know he’s dead and the formula is out there. They could have had a mind-reader or a brainwasher on the job for all I know.” The Major pauses, as if he needs a second to compose himself. I can’t stop thinking about the brainwasher Dad had me and mom kidnap from Val Sutton—was that why? She would have been able to persuade him to tell. “The point is, I had to act fast if I wanted to stop the syndicates from making the drug again.”
“So you’re here to make up for what your family did?” I ask.
“I don’t think anyone can make up for what Radiasure has done to the world,” the Major replies. “But I still want to right as many wrongs as I can. That’s why I found Allie and the factory plans from Mitchell Construction and an endless list of rumored Radiasure caches. I think once we have a cure—once people see that there’s a way to make the world different—things will change.”
Seth and I remain silent. I can’t tell how my boyfriend feels about the information, but I have to admit it totally alters my opinion of Major Norton. While I’m not happy with how he’s treated me in the past, it makes more sense now. My dad killed his grandfather. Of course I’d be a huge suspect.
“One question,” Seth says. “How’d you get the factory plans?”
This seems to surprise the Major. “I bought them from your father a few years ago. The military could have copies somewhere, but I don’t have the clear—”
“So he knows about this place, the layout, everything. He’s always known,” Seth says flatly. “Well, shit.”
“Shit?”
I wince, realizing just how bad this could be for us. “Seth’s dad has been working for Juan, as far as we can tell.”
Major Norton lets out a string of cuss words as he heads for the door. “I’m sorry I have to leave like this, but this is a serious security issue. Can’t trust anyone these days to…”
His voice trails off as he leaves, and then the door slams shut. It’s so quiet I wonder if these rooms are soundproof—I can’t hear any workers, now that I think about it.
“I guess he’s not so bad after all,” I say.
Seth rolls his eyes. “I bet his grandfather had good intentions when he created Radiasure, too. Sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
Then what does that say about you? I want to say that so bad, but I bite my tongue and continue filling out my forms. I’m tired of fighting with him. Especially now that it’s pretty much the same argument over and over. All I want is for him to hold me and tell me he still cares in spite of everything.
Allie comes in with the nurse again, who takes my blood pressure and temperature and weight. After that it gets more difficult because they want a blood sample. The nurse runs her fingers over my arm, her lips pursed. She looks to Allie. “I don’t think I can do this. Even if I find the vein, I won’t know when the vial is filled.”
Allie frowns. “What if we do a finger prick?”
“How will we know how much we have without contaminating the sample?”
“Fine, I guess we’ll have to be satisfied with this.” Allie looks to me, feigning a smile. “Maybe after today you won’t have this problem again.”
“Weird.” I can’t keep the grin from spreading across my face.
“Have you finished the forms?”
“Yup.” I hand them to her.
Allie pulls a small bottle from her pocket, opens it, and taps one glowing red pill into her palm. I stare at it, this whole thing becoming frighteningly real as she holds it out for me. It’s so tiny, seemingly harmless, but it makes my heart race. “Alright, this is it. You’re the last one to take it—we’ll be observing you over the next several days to see if it has any effect. Please be as detailed as possible in telling us how you feel after taking it.”
“Okay.” I take the pill from her, and the nurse hands me a glass of water.
“Fiona.” Seth’s voice cracks on my name, and when my eyes meet his I can tell how scared he is. “Are you sure you have to do this?”
I look at the cure in my hand. Seth can see I’m holding it, but to me all I see is the red, glowing pill hovering in the air.
It’s all I can see.
Maybe I’ll lose everything because I want to see more than that, but the answer is still the same and it puts me at ease. “I’m sure.”
I pop the pill in my mouth, take a swig of water, and swallow.
Chapter 38
Twenty minutes later, and I still don’t feel anything. Worse than that, I don’t see anything. I keep staring at the mirror, hoping that I’ll be more than a teal dress and white capri leggings. Maybe I’ll fade in like a ghost becoming solid. Or will it happen all at once? It would be weird if my insides showed up before my skin…
Oh hell, I don’t care how it happens so long as it does.
“Doesn’t look like it’s doing anything,” Seth says, and I swear he sounds happy about it.
“Shut up.”
He smirks. “If you stare any harder that mirror might break.”
I set my glare on him instead. “Don’t talk like that—what if they can hear you?”
“There’s no one on the other side. No bugs.” He shrugs. “Besides, what does it matter anymore? If everyone can see you, I won’t have to be worried about pretending I can’t. That’d be nice. We could just be normal and utterly boring and not special. That’s what you want, right?”
His voice has an edge to it that makes it clear he hates everything about this. Something clicks. “Wait. Are you…mad that I want other people to see me and not just you?”
No answer. But I don’t need one because that says it all.
“Do you know how incredibly possessive that sounds?” I stand up, suddenly too frustrated to be still. “It must be so easy to have an invisible girlfriend. No one will steal me away. No one can tell me I’m pretty but you. I have to rely on you completely to know what I look like!”
He folds his arms. “That is not what I meant—I was trying to say I like that you’re special, and I just wish you could accept it instead of trying to change yourself. You’re perfect just how you are.”
“I’m not trying to change anything! I’m just trying to see myself. This isn’t plastic surgery.”
“It’s much more dangerous.” He looks away, and it feels like he’s holding back. “When you could just trust me. Do you know how insulting it is that you can’t take my word for it when it comes to your appearance?”
These words sting more than any before them. This is what has really been bothering him all along. “Do you know how insulting it is that just because I want more you think I don’t trust you?” I ask.
“Why am I not enough?”
“What?”
He stands, his chest heaving as he tries to contain his emotions. “Before all this happened, I thought we were…things were good, Fi. It wasn’t perfect, but the second you heard about this drug it was like everything I ever told you didn’t matter anymore. Now you’re acting like I’ve never tried to understand when that’s all I’ve tried to do. Hell, I’m the only person still here!”
My lips quiver as the truth fills me with shame. He’s right, but I don’t want him to be or to admit he is.
Seth stares at his feet. “I wish you’d stop pushing me away.”
“And I wish you’d stop lecturing me! Especially when you’re the one who has it easy in this relationship—it does look normal to you. You don’t have to deal with my invisibility at all! It’s all on me, and then you tell me I should get over it.” I lie on the bed and cover my head with the pillow, embarrassed.