Future Lost

32

Vincent frowns. “And failed, it seems.”

My hands clench into fists in my lap. “We won’t fail this time.”

“Maybe, maybe not.” He rubs his chin, considering. He doesn’t believe us. As Adam said, who would?

“We can give you the exact date the virus will be released,” I blurt out. “Along with the locations. That way you’ll be able to prepare long in advance.”

“Very well,” he says. “I’ll send you to the future one last time. But I want to be kept in the loop about all this from now on.”

“You’ll help us?” Adam asks.

“I will. Regardless of what you think of me, I don’t want the world to end any more than you do. After all, that would be bad for business.” He sits down at his desk. “Give me a few days while Dr. Walters works on the accelerator’s navigational computer. I’ll let you know when it’s ready.” I’m impatient to get going immediately, but even I can admit this delay is unavoidable. We need the accelerator to send us to the exact day the virus was released and no later. If it’s off by even a tiny bit, Adam and I could get the virus ourselves. If it’s too early, the trip will be for nothing.

And we only have one shot at getting this right.

When we get back to the apartment, Max does his little happy dance, not noticing the tension between me and Adam. This is the first time we’ve been alone together since the morning, and I’m not sure how to act around Adam. My anger has faded, but the underlying issues are still unresolved.

Adam grabs Max’s leash to take him outside. After a second’s hesitation, I follow them out to the grass in front of our apartment.

“After I went to the lab, I visited my mom,” Adam says while Max sniffs around. “She told me to say hi.”

We had dinner with his mom a few days ago. At least, a few days ago for me. Not for Adam though. He’s always been close to his mom, maybe because his dad was never around, so I can understand why he’d visit her right away. He risked everything to save her life, after all.

“How’s she doing?” I ask.

“She’s good. Still no sign of the cancer returning.”

We lapse into silence. I cross my arms and gaze down the street, hating this awkwardness between us. It’s never been like this before, even when we disagreed about things. I’m starting to worry we might never go back to the way we were before.

Max leads us farther down the street, peeing on every bush or flower he sees, while I search around for another safe topic. “How much time do you think we need in the future?”

Adam tilts his head to consider. “Maybe three or four hours? We know what time that guy will be there, but we need time to get in position and—”

Something cold jolts down my spine, some primal instinct that yells, Danger! I catch movement out of the corner of my eye. Someone in all black. A flash of metal.

“Get down!” I shout, grabbing Adam’s arm at the same time the shot is fired.

The bullet rips into him, knocking him back, his blood spraying against my cheek. We both drop to the grass while Max barks frantically around us. Adrenaline races through my blood as I yank Adam and Max behind a parked car, blocking us from the shooter’s line of sight.

Adam’s face is twisted in pain while he tries to stop the blood rushing out of his side. But he’s alive. Thank God he’s alive.

I peer over the hood of the car, but the shooter is gone. It’s not safe out in the middle of the street like this, so I slide my arm around Adam and help him to his feet. “C’mon,” I say. “We need to get inside, fast.”

I drag him back into our apartment building, and Max rushes in after us. The door clicks locked, securing us in the lobby. I check the street again, then turn around. Adam slouches against the wall, holding his hand against his wound, his face growing paler every second. Blood drips down onto the carpeted floor. I rush toward him, although I’m not sure what I can do.

“Oh God, you’ve been shot,” I say. “I’ll call an ambulance.”

“No!” He hoists himself up with a groan. “It’s not that bad. Just help me get into the apartment.”

“Are you crazy? We need to get you to a hospital!”

“All gunshot wounds have to be reported to the police. What are we going to tell them? That someone from the future is trying to kill us?” He shakes his head. “Please, Elena. I can handle this. Trust me.”

My phone is already out of my pocket, but I hesitate. “I can’t lose you, Adam.”

“You won’t. The bullet only grazed me. I think.” He checks it again, but all I see is blood. Thick, red, and leaving him way too fast. “Call Ken. He was his team’s medic. He’ll know what to do.”

I still think this is a terrible idea, but I dial Ken. Adam knows a lot more about this stuff than I do. He’s been trained in first aid and volunteered at a hospital for a long time. If he says it isn’t that bad, I’ll try to believe him.

“Hey,” Ken says, as soon as he picks up. “Did you find Adam?”

“Yes, but he’s been shot. Can you get to our apartment fast?”

“He…what?”

“Just hurry. Please. And be careful on your way in because the shooter might still be out there.”

“I’ll be there in five.”