Page 104 of Perfection

She wondered numbly what was in it. Not the vaccine. She was the only one who had that. Then what? Poison? Certainly something bad, she thought.

He burst in, eyes flashing. “You’re going to pay for this.”

She narrowed her gaze at him. “Where’s York?”

“Dead,” he spat. “You’ve ruined everything.”

Kindra’s knees started to buckle, but she moved toward the exit door and released Brianna, saying, “Run, ladybug.”

Then she forced her body to back away from her daughter, hoping to draw A-Isaac away. She’d taken only a few steps when he lunged at her, grabbing hold of her wrist. She tried to pull away. He held the inoculation gun to her cheek and sneered. “All those perfect genes are about to change.”

From out of nowhere, a thick arm lashed out and a familiar fist smashed into A-Isaac’s jaw.

York. A wave of relief swept through her.

York struck A-Isaac again, knocking the inoculation gun from his hand. A-Isaac was quick to recover, though, and pulled a laser from his hip. He fired at York, striking him in the shoulder, knocking him back.

Both A-Isaac and York scrambled for the gun on the floor. They wrestled for control of the weapon.

Kindra jumped forward and seized the inoculation gun just as York knocked the man aside.

“Mommy!” Brianna cried.

Without thinking, she lunged at Isaac, releasing the serum in the gun into his back.

His eyes went wide and round. “You fucking bitch.” He stumbled and hit the floor.

There was no helping him, even if she wanted to. The mutation serum took hold quickly. The skin above his brow blistered and bubbled.

Brianna screamed. Kindra ran to her daughter and picked her up, turning Brianna’s face away from the dying man.

Cal and Shishido burst into the room. York came to his knees, holding his shoulder. “He said there were bombs. Check it out.” The detectives unclipped a sensor and started to sweep the room. Cal called in more bomb support.

A-Isaac’s neck contorted. A basketball-sized lump formed on his abdomen. His face swelled and contorted, tumors forming grotesque bumps. He howled in pain, withered, then died with a few wheezing breaths.

York joined her and wrapped his arms around them both, hugging them tightly. He pulled back slightly to look into Kindra’s eyes.

“I love you,” he said softly.

Her lips parted in surprise. Before she could speak, he kissed her. “Let’s get you two out of here.”