Trapping the Gazelle

Chapter 16

Kiera awoke to the sound of her phone playing Mozart's Requiem. She realized that she was lying on her stomach as she turned her head and stared at her phone on the nightstand with sleepy eyes. Bushing her hair out of her eyes, Kiera reached over, grabbed her phone and stared at the screen. What she saw confused her at first. The phone read four o'clock of the morning and the screen showed a picture of a woman with raven colored hair and jade green eyes.

Suddenly everything from last night flooded Kiera's mind. Sitting up quickly she grabbed the phone and connected the call.

"Hello Melissa." Kiera said breathlessly.

"Good morning Kiera," Melissa responded in a tired voice, "Sorry that I did not call you back right away. I had conference calls with delegates from different nations."

Kiera felt the bed shift and looked over her shoulder to see Ryan sitting up and giving her a perplexed look. Kiera placed her hand over the phone and smiled.

"Melissa is calling me back," Kiera answered his confused sleepy look, "Go back to sleep." She blew him a kiss. Kiera quickly stood up and walked out of the bedroom. She smiled to Ryan as he went back to sleep.

Once in the hallway, Kiera spoke, "You sound tired, Melissa."

"It has been a very long night." Melissa sighed, "I just got off the phone with the United States CDC."

"THE CDC, what on earth are you talking to them about?" Kiera asked with curiosity.

"They had a small outbreak of an unidentified disease." Melissa explained, "They wanted to see if I could help with this disease."

"You are quite the popular woman." Kiera chuckled as she walked downstairs and into the kitchen. The kitchen felt oddly cooler than usual and Kiera checked the thermostat. Realizing that the thermostat temperature reading was low, she pushed the up arrow button to increase the temperature.

"More popular than I want to be sometimes." Melissa said with weariness, "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well I think I discovered where I became infected," Kiera said, "But before I tell you, I need you to keep this information secret for now."

"What were you some kind of secret agent." Melissa chuckled lightly, but it faded, as Kiera did not laugh, "Sure I will keep it secret."

"I was employed by the CIA as a psychologist." Kiera explained, "Last year, around April I was assigned to uncover a plot. The plot was to kill the world leaders at the G7 Summit in Rome."

"Okay now I am impressed with you, Kiera." Melissa said letting out a low whistle.

"The main suspect for this plot was a man called the Fox and I was sent to discover the truth." Kiera said. Kiera felt it was unimportant to reveal Ryan as the fox.

"This is starting to sound like one of those spy novels." Melissa answered, "So where does the infection fit in?"

"I found out that the Fox was going to meet someone at a bar in Washington D.C." Kiera said and took a deep breath, "As I was talking to the Fox, a man tried to pick me up while I was undercover as a bartender. The Fox told the man to beat it and the man dropped a twenty dollar bill on the bar."

"That is quite a tip." Melissa said.

Kiera continued without commenting, "As I picked up the twenty dollar bill, I cut my right index finger on the bill."

"You cut your finger on a twenty dollar bill." Melissa repeated slowly sounding doubtful.

"Yes," Kiera answered and shivered slightly. "At first I thought it was just a paper cut, but the next day as I was going back to my home." Kiera paused and purposely left out the night with Ryan and the assault in alley, "I had a nose bleed."

"So you think this is all connected?" Melissa asked.

"I do, because how could someone cut their finger that easily on a dollar bill. I tried to recreate the scenario." Kiera explained and remembered after they had finished their lovemaking on the couch. Kiera thought of trying to cut her finger on the dollar bill. No matter how much she tried to pick up the bill several different ways, but she could not cut her finger.

"What was your result of the experiment?" Melissa asked and Kiera thought she heard excitement in Melissa's tone. She seemed to perk up at the information Kiera was telling her.

'Maybe it is the scientist in her.' Kiera thought.

"I could not cut my finger on the bill." Kiera replied, "No matter how hard I tried."

"I see." Melissa said and Kiera heard skepticism in her voice.

"Melissa, it is the only way it could have happened." Kiera replied, but to some extent, she had her own doubts too. "Everything started to happen after that event. It has to be the cause."

"Do you think this Fox character might have slipped the virus into you?" Melissa asked.

"There is no way it would have happened that way." Kiera argued, "It was the only time I..." Kiera remembered the pills Ryan gave her while she was in his room. Kiera shook her head, "No, this has to be the only way."

"I'm just asking Kiera." Melissa said quickly and Kiera heard an ashamed tone in her voice, "I am sorry."

"It is okay, I can understand as a scientist." Kiera replied, "You would want to remove any variables or uncertainty."

"Yes, well the good thing is Doctor Hakim will also be conducting an MRI, which will help us discover the flow path of the virus through your body. Maybe we can determine point of entry for the virus." Melissa explained, "This is exciting news and I can't wait to get the results of his tests."

"Do you really think it can pinpoint the location?" Kiera asked with uncertainty in her voice.

"I believe it should give us a trail to follow." Melissa said then explained in detail, "If you say the point of entry was your index finger. We should see a weak marker on the scans. As the virus invades your body, it will leave a breadcrumb trail and those breadcrumbs should get bigger as it invades you. Does this make sense?"

"For the most part, but what if it does not show anything." Kiera asked.

"Well then we know you were infected, but we will not be able to pinpoint the location of the infection." Melissa replied and Kiera noticed her voice sounded unconcerned. "Well you get some rest, Kiera and Doctor Hakim will see you in a few hours."

"Great, thank you again Melissa." Kiera said, "And do you still want to meet in a couple of days for your appointment?"

"Yes a few days, I believe I have time in my schedule to talk about my personal matter, thanks Kiera."

"Well good morning or good night then, Melissa."

"Good morning to you too, Kiera."

Afterwards, Kiera disconnected the call and looked at the time. Her phone read a half hour past four o'clock.

'Well I'm not going back to sleep." Kiera thought and stood up. Kiera walked over to the coffee pot and filled it water and coffee for brewing. As she turned on the pot, something caught her attention from outside. She looked out through the kitchen window and at the lamppost in the street, which illuminated the dark morning. As she narrowed her eyes, she thought she could make out a silhouette o a person standing against a wall. The light from the lamppost obscured the figure, who seemed to be hiding in the shadows.

Kiera held her breath as she watched the shadow. A car came down the street and the headlights flashed past the area where the shadow was standing. Kiera let out a sigh of relief when she noticed the car's front lights illuminate a tall bush against the wall of the house.

'Now you are freaking out yourself.' Kiera thought. Suddenly she jumped as the coffee pot beeped.

"Dear god." Kiera said aloud taking a deep breath and then chuckling. "Now I'm really freaking myself out."

Shaking her head and pouring a cup of coffee, Kiera walked into the office and sat down. Turning on her desk lamp, Kiera looked through her notes again. She felt certain that this was not her handwriting, but she knew that sounded impossible.

'Did someone drug me and then write down these names and circle them.' Kiera thought and shook her head. 'I know that I need to see the autopsy report from Jean, if he was indeed poisoned and then shot. That would give us a clue and might point us towards Rashid.' Kiera circled his name and put a question mark next to it.

Kiera scribbled a few more notes by each name. Abruptly, Kiera stopped and listened, 'What was that sound.' Kiera thought she heard a humming sound, similar to a microwave running. Kiera sat frozen in place, listening hard and holding her breath. A minute past and nothing happened. Just as Kiera relaxed her body, she heard a creaking sound followed by the sound of something dragging across wooden planks.

Kiera had lived at the cottage long enough to know the particular sounds of the house. The creaking sound came from the back door. The second step up always creaked, but the dragging sound was new. Kiera slowly stood up, grabbed the gun from her side desk drawer. She quickly checked to make sure it was loaded.

Stepping out into the hallway, Kiera walked slowly towards the back door. She pointed the gun in the direction of the door with a trembling hand. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead and she felt her heart beating hard against her ribs. Kiera jumped as she heard something thud against the back door.

"W..wh..who every you are. Go away. I'm armed." Kiera said with a trembling voice.

For a moment, nothing happened as Kiera took a few steps closer to the back door. She stood two yards away, when she saw the doorknob turn.

'I locked the back door last night.' Kiera thought as she kept the gun pointed towards the door.

The door slowly creaked open and Kiera fell over onto her bottom. The gun fell from her hand and spun backwards down the hall. Kiera looked in silent terror as a thing pushed open the door and entered the semi-dark hallway. The thing standing in the hallway was the decomposing body of Marcus. It stood in the doorframe with a wide grin showing blacken chipped teeth. Kiera noticed half of his head missing from where Sandra had shot him. Her brain yelled at her to run, but Kiera's body sat on the ground frozen in terror, her muscle rigid.

The awful smell of decaying flesh assaulted Kiera's senses. Then the thing spoke, "Did you miss us, pet?" The voice of Raphael said as Kiera saw a bug crawling out of its mouth.

The Marcus thing stepped forward dragging a leg. It stood a yard away from Kiera as it spoke again in Raphael's voice, "Do you miss us, pet." It repeated, "Because we miss you." Kiera could smell the rancid fowl breath. It made Kiera want to vomit.

Suddenly, Kiera found her voice and screamed. It was a bloodcurdling scream as she threw up her arms to protect herself. Kiera cried and screamed as she closed her eyes. She felt dead clammy hands grip her forearms. The skin seemed to turn into slime and drip down her arms as it gripped her harder.

Kiera jerked her arms trying to free herself, but the thing held on. She screamed and screamed trying to pull away. Kiera kicked out with her feet frantically. Her bare feet made contact with the cold slimy skin and she pulled her legs back in horror and disgust.

"Kiera," A familiar voice shouted in her ear, "Wake up Kiera!"

Kiera still jerked her arms trying to get away. Unexpectedly, she stopped screaming as the hands let go of her. She felt a sharp sting across her cheek as her head turned to the side. Stunned by the blow, Kiera stopped screaming and looked up. The hideous thing of Marcus was gone, replaced by Ryan kneeling down in front of her looking at her deeply concerned. Kiera looked around frantically for Marcus.

"Whe...where did he go?" Kiera said with terror in her voice as she scanned the area. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging and rocking herself, "He...it...was right here."

"Who was right here, Kiera?" Ryan asked, "There is no one here."

"Mar...Marcus was right here." Kiera said between deep breathes as tears streamed down her face.

"What are you saying Kiera?"

"He...he..." Kiera said rocking and staring straight ahead, "was dead and I heard...I heard..."

"What did you hear Kiera." Ryan asked slowly as he wrapped his arms around her.

"I heard Raphael's voice."

"Dear god, Kiera." Ryan replied, "Maybe it was your imagination."

"No...No," Kiera protested shaking her head, "I could smell the rotten...smell his breath and feel him grabbed me."

"Kiera your freezing and pale," Ryan said suddenly, "You're in shock. We need to get you upstairs and into bed."

Kiera did not protest as Ryan helped her up. She hung limply onto him as he led her upstairs to their bedroom. He slowly lied Kiera down in bed and pulled the blankets over her body. Kiera stared up at him the entire time.

"I saw him Ryan," Kiera said, "I can' explain it, but I saw Marcus." Kiera whispered his name as if saying it too loudly would bring him in the room.

"I believe you Kiera," Ryan said in a soothing tone. Kiera could tell by his tone that he did believe her. "I know you would not make that up. I should call your parents and tell them about this latest episode."

"Please don't leave me alone." Kiera heard herself whimper in fear as she curled herself into a ball.

"Okay," Ryan answered, "I will stay with you. He climbed into bed and held Kiera. His arms enfolded her and Kiera felt protected. It took a minute, but Kiera felt drowsy. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep.