Page 15 of Hollow State

Putting the vehicle in gear, she followed Quinn outside.

Behind them, the garage door began to close.

Darwin watched the bunker disappear. The controlled environment where every instrument had a purpose, and every problem could be broken into measurable parts.

For the next two days, none of that would be within reach.

Kane was healing better than Darwin had once thought possible. The trip to the institute should confirm that progress and give them the information needed to move his treatment forward.

The patch and vial were a different matter entirely.

They contained questions Darwin couldn’t answer with the equipment in the bunker. Questions about what Emma had changed, what Finch might be building, and how many versions of Darwin’s work were already in circulation.

Wynn reached across the center console and squeezed his hand.

“You okay?”

Darwin tightened his fingers around hers.

“No,” he said honestly. “But I’m going anyway.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Wynn had always enjoyed being outdoors, especially in the wilderness. Growing up, she hadn't been the typical nerd spending all her time inside with her nose in a book. She’d often needed an outlet from her intellectual curiosity, but she didn't necessarily want to share her desire for physical activity with people.

She liked hiking, kayaking, and jumping on her four-wheeler, roaming around in the woods. Anything to help clear out the chatter that flowed through her brain like electrical current coursing through a circuit board. It had always been hard for her to slow her thoughts. She absorbed information like a sponge, and the ability to retain, recall, and focus came in handy as a medic. It kept her calm in a crisis. But when chaos wasn't surrounding her, she needed a way to quiet the clamor.

In the bunker, the white noise was constant and Darwin gave her the perfect outlet. It wasn't that he matched her intelligence or had the same medical interests. It was that he had the same constant lightning firing in his brain. Only he hadn't figured out how to balance the electricity and dim the lights. Their late-night conversations gave both of them exactly what they needed to close the curtain so they weren't staring into the sun all the time.

She glanced over her shoulder before shifting her gaze left, then right, then brought it back to the horizon before easing the SxS off the access road and into the thick brush.

It had been thirty minutes since Quinn had left them, but he was only a radio call away if they needed him.

Low cedar branches scraped along the roll cage. Sword ferns folded beneath the tires, their wet fronds dragging across the undercarriage as she guided the vehicle between two hemlocks and stopped beneath the cover of the canopy. Quickly, she checked the GPS coordinates against what Elis, Prewit's son, had sent. They matched perfectly.

She reached for the dash, turned the key, and the last cylinder fired, leaving the eerie quiet of the forest.

Rainwater tapped from the branches overhead. Deeper into the woods, a raven called. Wind moved, rustling the leaves.

She kept one hand on the wheel, which she swore still vibrated as the engine cooled. Taking in a controlled breath, she searched the tree line around them. The road had disappeared beyond a screen of cedar and salal, but she could still make out patches of damp gravel through the brush.

Darwin sat rigid beside her, Coulter’s handgun held low against his thigh. His finger remained outside the trigger guard. The only time they'd ever been outside together had been the rare occasion they'd gone for an evening walk once Coulter and Scout had done recon and it had been deemed safe. A chance for everyone to enjoy some fresh air.

Unfortunately, at this moment, poor Darwin was wound tighter than normal.

Kane shifted in the rear seat.

“You alright?” she asked, turning, releasing her harness.

“You found every rock, tree trunk, and muddy ditch. I appreciate the thoroughness.” Kane adjusted the position of his left leg. “I’m uncomfortable. I’m not dying.”

"And your sense of humor is intact," Darwin said. "That's a good sign."

Wynn tucked the keys into one of her pockets and climbed out of the SxS, doing another scan of the area. They were a half a kilometer from their meeting point with Elis, which was a parking area for hiking trails and a known bathroom stop. However, the trails led through some tough terrain, and from what Wynn had been told, the parking lot wasn't used often.

“Any numbness?” Darwin climbed from the passenger seat and leaned over Kane, helping him unbuckle.

“No," Kane said.