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“That’s two pieces of good news.” She balanced her chin on his chest. “Maybe Tempest doesn’t know about Cody. They tracked us here through Dr. Arnoff’s computer, and so far they don’t know we’re holed up here.”
“And the second thing?”
“That my brother was actually trying to find a lab for us.”
“You doubted that?”
“He’s my brother. I know him too well.” She shifted to Max’s side and twined her leg through his. “Did you tell Bessler why we needed the lab?”
“No. I didn’t trust him until the moment he got shot with the dart. I still don’t trust him, but he figured you might be mixing up a batch of weak T-101 to get us through the withdrawals.”
“Adrian was sharp. He removed himself from Tempest’s tracking system and managed to find us faster than Tempest did.” She sighed. “What a waste.”
“At this rate, Tempest isn’t going to have any agents left to do its dirty work.”
“He’ll recruit more, won’t he? Caliban. This whole thing—” she fashioned a big circle in the air with her hands “—is bigger than you and me. It’s not just about developing an antidote to T-101. It’s about stopping Caliban.”
“We have to find out who he is before anyone can stop him.”
“Do you really believe the CIA and Prospero are in league with him? It seems to me they’re the two agencies that can stop him.”
He ruffled her hair. “That’s for you to find out, Ava. You’re going to see this thing through. I have faith in you.”
She clenched her teeth and pushed the dark feelings aside. When she and Max were lying here together, so close both physically and mentally, she could forget that they had just three more days together before he left her. And she’d never see him again.
He must’ve sensed her funk because he curled his toes against her feet and nuzzled her neck. “We picked at breakfast and skipped lunch completely. Are you down with another feast in bed?”
“I could go for that.” She twisted her fingers together. “What’s going to happen to Bessler?”
“If he’s still alive, Tempest probably has him. If he’s dead, the cleanup crew will take care of all the details.”
“I’d like to think he’s alive. Tempest can have him for now, but when I produce that antidote we’ll get him back.” She sat up, her heart galloping. “That’s it, Max.”
“Hmm?” He looked up from the room service menu and she snatched it from his hands.
“Tempest can have you back, too. Eventually, I’ll have that formula ready to go and we’ll save all of the Tempest agents, including you.”
One side of his mouth quirked up in a half smile. “How will you ever find me again?”
She blinked. “I’ll find you, Max. Wherever you are in the world, whatever you’re doing, I’ll find you.”
“I almost believe you when you talk like that.” He rubbed his hand up her arm, and she shook him off impatiently.
“Tell me you’ll think about it. We may even get the antidote to you before Tempest can send you out in the field again.”
“I’ll think about it.” He shook open the menu again and ran his finger down a row of items. “Cheeseburgers were good, but I could go for some pasta.”
She stared at him over the edge of the menu and held her breath. It wouldn’t do any good to shout at this immovable piece of granite. She’d work on him gradually. Hell, she wasn’t above using her body to convince him. She’d give him such a mind-blowing experience in bed tonight, he’d agree to anything.
“You’re smiling.” He tapped her with the corner of the menu. “I see you like the idea of pasta.”
“Let me see that thing.” She held out her hand for the menu. “Do they have any whipped cream, hot fudge and strawberries?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “I don’t know what the strawberries would be like this time of year, but I’m sure they can scrape up some hot fudge and whipped cream.”
“Purrrfect.” She arched her back and tousled her hair.
