Kumbaya Much Read online

  And when he closed the closet door behind him, the glow of her evening vanished like her hopes of ever returning to California.

  ***

  Trent's eyes snapped open, his heart pounding. He sat up and kicked the covers off. Straining his ears, he waited for a repeat of what had awoken him. His room sat shrouded in darkness. His watch showed that it was just past two. He reached under his pillow and grabbed the gun.

  The sound of something scratching wood came from the bathroom. Senses on alert, Trent eased from the bed and approached the open door to the bathroom. As he peered through the crack in the door, suddenly a form lurched from the wall and collapsed onto the tiles. Trent pulled back, breathing hard, then reached around and hit the light switch. He waited a moment, positioning the gun in his hands for a quick response, then nudged the door open with his foot.

  Fenn crouched on all fours on the floor, gasping and blinking at the light. Trent lowered the gun and saw the hidden wall panel into his bathroom standing open. “Dude, what the hell?”

  Fenn looked up, his face pale and shiny with sweat. “I thought I could handle her, but she tried to shoot me up again.”

  Trent helped him up and walked him into the living room. Fenn dropped onto the couch.

  “She usually does it when I'm asleep, but I guess she got careless. Threats don't work with her, so I had security return her to her own residence.”

  Trent stared at him, unable to believe Fenn put up with Fiona in the first place. “She'll be on the warpath now.”

  “Exactly. Which is why I decided to try something new.”

  “Like crawling through dark passages?”

  Fenn smiled. “I have to keep this under the radar, and I hoped you could help me out.”

  Trent lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, wondering what he could possibly offer Fenn beyond what he'd already done.

  “Is there anyone you trust on the medical staff?”

  Trent's brows went up. He wasn't expecting that. “Uh, there's a nurse who's gone the extra mile for Seffy, though I can't say for sure her motives are purely altruistic.”

  Fenn laughed bitterly. “I'm not sure anyone can be completely trusted around here. It seems plots are always underfoot, and I'm clumsier than most.”

  “Hasn't that been tamped down by the happy gas Fiona's pumped into the compound?”

  “That's why I need to do this quickly.”

  “How long will the effect last?”

  “Fiona plans to spread it through the ventilation system in the mornings at four am sharp, so if you don't want to be dosed, you'll need gas masks. But you cannot allow anyone to see the masks. I don't need a panic on top of a harshed mellow on top of chaos.”

  Trent smirked. “I see your point.”

  “It'll be safe to breathe at four-thirty. Don't forget.”

  “I won't, although—” He stopped, almost admitting that Seffy would probably consider allowing herself to be dosed just to stop the crazies.

  “What?”

  Trent shook his head. “So what's your plan? I mean, I'm assuming you do have one.”

  Fenn leaned back against the couch cushions. “I want to do a rapid detox.”

  Trent was silent for a moment, wondering why the comment floored him.

  “As much as I appreciate the methadone meds you brought back, it's just not fast enough and I'm fighting not just an addiction and illness, but Fiona as well.”

  “Um...well, I think it's a complicated procedure, right?”

  “It's either that or weeks of withdrawals. Trent look around—things are falling apart. I've got to get Fugere back under control.”

  “There isn't someone—besides Fiona obviously—you can have take over while you deal with this?”

  “There's no one.” He sighed. “I need to do this, but I need your help.”

  “So you want Seffy's nurse, Olga, to do the detox, here at the compound, off the radar?”

  “That's the way it has to be.”

  Trent wanted to sound supportive of a fellow sufferer, but the dude was nuts. “I, uh, think you're going to need more than a nurse. I mean, the procedure involves anesthesia.”

  “I know there are risks, but there's more at stake than you realize if I can't get my head straight.”

  Fenn's intense eyes made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. “Don't you have a personal physician?”

  “He was Fiona's pick.”

  “What if Olga refuses, as I'm sure she will?”

  “I'll figure out how to make her amenable to the idea.”

  Trent looked away. Maybe Fiona and Fenn were more well-matched than he thought. He shrugged. “I'll see what I can do.”

  “Where's Seffy?”

  “I'll check her room.” Trent pulled a shirt off the chair and slipped it over his head.

  “There's one more thing.”

  He looked back at Fenn. “Yeah?”

  “I need some place to stay while this is being set up, but Fiona might have people look for me here when she finds out I'm not in my residence.”

  “Obviously, you know about the passages and I know there are empty rooms nearby. Will that work?”

  Fenn sent him a weary smile before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. “For now.”

  ***

  Trent checked his watch. It was past three in the morning. The halls were silent as usual, but the middle of the night made them seem eerier than usual—it was if he could hear his heartbeat echoing off the long walls. He'd checked Seffy's room and found her asleep but restive. He hoped her scary-vision nightmares and sleepwalking episodes were over for good.

  Trent considered the difficult task at hand. He didn't have a clue how he was going to sell this to Olga. And how would they get an anesthesiologist and doctor to help who also wouldn't talk? Did anyone at the compound even know what a rapid detox was? He doubted it. He seemed to remember it was a newer medical procedure.

  When he arrived at Olga's door, he tapped lightly, already dreading the chat, not to mention having to deal with a cranky older woman rudely awakened in the middle of the night. When she didn't respond, he knocked louder until he heard the sound of movement behind the door. The door opened and a sleepy Olga smiled in welcome.

  “Trent! How are you? Come in, come in!”

  With wide eyes, he went into her residence. “Um, I'm so sorry to come this late—”

  “Not a problem,” she said, waving her hand as she perched her half-moon glasses onto her nose. “How about a cup of tea?”

  “Uh, okay.” Trent lowered himself onto the nearest overstuffed chair and decided Seffy might have a point. Who wouldn't want to be this happy all the time?

  As Olga bustled in the kitchen, humming tunelessly, Trent frowned, wondering at the odd turn of events. At some point, he was going to have to sit down and make a list of the madness swirling around him.

  The nurse returned with a cup of tea, which Trent accepted. He stared down at the amber liquid, wondering how to broach the subject. “Okay, Olga, here's the thing. I need to tell you something in the strictest confidence.”

  She tucked a short lock of silver-blonde hair behind her ear. “Is Seffy all right?”

  “Oh, yeah, she's fine.” He took a deep breath. “Have you heard of a drug treatment technique called rapid detox or ultra-rapid detox?”

  She picked up her cup and blew on her tea before shaking her head.

  Oh, great. “Well, basically it's for people who are addicted to say, opiates, and they are put under anesthesia while inhibitor drugs are administered to them. The idea is that the patient goes through withdrawals quickly while they're out, so they don't experience the drawn-out discomforts.”

  Olga's eyes narrowed slightly. “Have you been having troubles with drugs again, dear?”

  “What? No! I mean, it's not for me.”

  “But you have had troubles, in the past, correct?”

  Trent felt his face heat. “So you've seen my files?”

&nb
sp; “I've seen your files.”

  He blew out a breath. “We need you, a doctor, and anesthesiologist that can be counted on for their discretion.”

  “So are you going to tell me who 'your friend' is?”

  Trent ran a hand through his hair. “Just let me know when you can get a team together and then we'll name names, okay?”

  Olga shrugged and took a long sip of her tea.

  “And of course this all needs to happen as soon as possible.”

  “I'll call your room phone when I've got my end taken care of.”

  Why does it feel like I'm arranging a mob hit instead of trying to help a guy out? “That would be great. Thanks, Olga.”

  “Are you hungry, dear? I'd be happy to make you breakfast.”

  “It's about three in the morning. You should probably just go back to bed for now.”

  “Oh, that's true.” She stood, looking ridiculously cheerful. “I'll call you first thing with the names.”

  Trent stood and set his untasted tea on the coffee table. As he left, he suppressed a shudder. Happy people were just weird.

  ***

  Seffy shifted and bumped into something warm. She opened her eyes, suddenly alert, and realized someone was with her in the bed. The darkness of the room didn't help in the identification, but she figured only Trent would be ridiculous enough to crawl into bed with her unannounced in the middle of the night.

  She reached up and touched his face, recognizing the feel of his cheekbone and jawline. Her movement caused him to stir. He mumbled something in his sleep and pulled her close. Seffy didn't resist. She could admit missing cuddling with him, even when she was mad at him. She breathed in his familiar scent and snuggled closer. In the morning, she'd yell at him. For now, this was heavenly. Complicated, but heavenly.

  Her eyes drifted closed as she rested her palm against his chest, feeling his strong heartbeat beneath her fingers. Sleep tugged at the edges of her consciousness. She was so tired. Insomnia had dogged her for the last few days. She realized she should've prescribed herself a strong dose of Trent earlier. Except that he would've gotten the wrong idea.

  Seffy rubbed her cheek on the cottony softness of his t-shirt and relaxed completely against him. Maybe her dreams would be better now that she wasn't alone.

  Trent's arms became like a vise around her. “Oh my God!”

  Seffy gasped, unable to see his face. “What?”

  “What time is it?”

  “I don't know!”

  “Look at your clock!”

  “Then let go of me!”

  Trent released her and Seffy sat up in a huff. She twisted around and glanced at the compound-issue travel clock. “It's almost four. Sheesh!”

  Suddenly Trent was off the bed and grabbing at her hands. “Let's go!”

  “What? Where?”

  “Dammit, I forgot to get masks!”

  “What are you talking about?”

  He ignored her and dragged her from the bed and across her room.

  “Ouch! You're hurting me!”

  He rushed her down the passageway. Trent looked wildly around his room, then pulled her up onto the desk. Shoving aside the ceiling panel, he clambered up into the attic and hoisted her after him. After turning on the lights, he headed toward the Light Room, urging her to hurry. He pushed ahead of her like a man possessed while Seffy lamented her scraped knees. By the time she made it into the Light room, Trent had the window open and was shoving a blanket from the floor out the hole.

  She stared at him. “Is this another escape attempt?”

  “We have to go onto the roof.”

  “Okay, are you high?”

  “No, but we will be if you don't get your butt over here. They'll be releasing the drug into the air at four. ”

  “Trent, it's freezing out there.”

  “Hence the blanket.” He climbed through the hole and held out his hand. Groaning audibly, she gripped his wrist and accepted his help through the hole. The wind slapped her exposed skin hard, making her gasp in shock.

  Trent slammed the window shut, hauled her next to his side, then yanked the blanket around them. She huddled against him as the wind sliced through their inadequate covering.

  “Do you want to tell me what's going on?” she asked through chattering teeth.

  He tucked her head under his chin and pulled her closer. “I told you, they're releasing the medication into the air at four and I wanted us to avoid it.”

  “And you just realized that fact?”

  “I only planned to lay down with you for a few minutes, but I guess I fell asleep.”

  “That's why you shouldn't go wandering in and out of people's bedrooms in the middle of the night.”

  “Just yours, babe.”

  Seffy held back a smile. It had been nice waking up to find him so close. But this...this was not so much fun. “I don't think being exposed to the drug would be all that bad compared to this. How long do we have to stay out here?”

  “For half an hour.”

  “I'll die first.” She glanced out at the horizon. The sky was a tarnished green color with a hint of pink staining the ridge line.

  “We'll just have to really cuddle.”

  “We were cuddling just fine in my bed before you went crazy.”

  “Yes, that was nice, wasn't it? We should do it more often.”

  She gave an unladylike snort. “What were you doing in my bed anyway?”

  “Fenn was in my room, so I thought I'd bunk with you.”

  “What? Why?”

  “He, uh, wanted to tell me that we needed gas masks every day at four am to avoid breathing the aerated drug.”

  “He woke you up in the middle of the night to tell you that and stayed in your room afterwards.”

  Trent yawned. “Pretty much.”

  “So that's his grand plan to escape Fiona's clutches?”

  “More or less.”

  Seffy figured there was probably more, but it was too damn cold to think straight. She slid her arms underneath Trent's shirt, reveling in the extra body warmth it afforded.

  “That's a good idea,” he murmured and started to do the same to her.

  She wiggled away from his seeking hands. “I don't think so.”

  “Not fair.”

  She could hear the smile in his voice. “How long has it been? Can we go inside yet?”

  “How come you're always trying to get away from me as soon as I get my arms around you?”

  “Oh, brother.”

  He laughed. “That's right, I forgot you were more into brotherly love than the regular kind.”

  Seffy pinched him.

  He gasped, then held her tighter.

  She relaxed against him, shivering, but for the moment content. The sky continued to lighten by increments, growing more purplish-pink by the moment. Just as the first shaft of sunlight broke over the horizon, Trent shifted.

  “Okay, I think we can go back in now.”

  A minute later they were back in the Light Room. Seffy dropped the cold blanket and grabbed a fresh one, wrapping it around herself as she sank to the floor. “I just need a little time to warm up before we head back.”

  Trent sat next to her, tugging on the blanket. She sighed and opened it enough for him to slide in next to her. It took several minutes before her shivering subsided despite Trent's warmth.

  “I think we should kiss now.”

  Seffy angled her head to look up at him. “Huh?”

  “We shared a sunrise, almost anyway. So we should seal the moment with a kiss to make it perfect.”

  “Gosh, what a great idea. But I haven't brushed my teeth yet and you know, it wouldn't be perfect if I didn't have fresh breath.”

  He grinned. “It's really amazing how many excuses you can come up with.”

  “I just want the best for you, Trent.”

  He reached up and grazed her cheek with his hand. “If you really wanted what was best for me, you'd let me make love to you.”


  Her momentary humor fled. “It's really amazing how many ways you can come up with to ask me that.”

  “Persistence. It may yet pay off.”

  Seffy sighed, suddenly depressed. “Seriously Trent, if you want sex, I'm sure there are many willing women in the complex who would welcome you with open arms.”

  “Well, that's the problem. There's only one I want.”

  She lowered her voice. “And I think the only reason is because I say no.”

  His expression became solemn. “Should we test your theory? Right now? And see if afterwards I avoid your phone calls, avoid you on the street, tell you I'm just not that into you?”

  Seffy scowled. Did it matter? Maybe we should just get it over with. Cross it off the list. But in her heart she knew it wouldn't solve anything. More awkwardness with her go-to guy would hardly help her nonsensical life. Besides, she hadn't been able to sort out her ever-evolving emotions toward him what with all the insanity of life in an ex-Soviet compound run by a junkie and pixie dictator.

  Seffy eased out from under Trent's arms and without looking at him, headed back to her room. What had started out as a sweetly intimate moment had turned sour once again. There was no hope. As Seffy lowered herself into Trent's room, she realized Fenn was, and had been, nowhere to be found. Had Trent made the whole thing up? Releasing a shuddering breath, she headed for the shower back in her room.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Seffy's funk didn't let up even after having time to mull things over. She dropped listlessly onto the bed and put her face in the sheets where Trent had been. She imagined that she could still smell his skin and feel his warmth. How could someone appeal to her and repel her so much at the same time? She'd come to depend on him in so many ways. Why couldn't they leave it at that? Be platonic—good friends. Instead, kissing and touching and cuddling happened, with more and more frequency. It was ridiculous. Needlessly complicating a time when she was just trying to survive.

  Her stomach grumbled, reminding her of other neglected aspects of survival. Seffy got off the bed and headed for the kitchen pantry. The halls were empty and she supposed even if she did see anyone, they'd be as nice as all that to see her. Still, she wasn't eager to test the theory.

  As she neared the kitchen, Seffy heard the sounds of food preparation happening inside. The tantalizing smell of bacon and eggs made her stomach growl audibly. But she didn't trust what came out of the kitchen anymore—not after the cooks had once doctored their food.