Page 93 of Hot Zone

Twenty-Three

The first thing Tessa became aware of was a swirl of energy building around her. Where had that come from? The energy was white, not her violet, nor Rustam’s blue. Was it Kentar? Had he come back for her already?

And then she recognized the building heat across her skin.

No!

She became aware of the clasp of cool metal on her left biceps. Rustam must have slipped the cuff on her and activated it! She couldn’t leave him! She wasn’t ready!

Another disturbance rippled in the air over Rustam’s right shoulder. A vortex…but not the one building around her! This one was yellow. And big. Big enough to encompass a half-dozen people.

A humanoid shape began to materialize. Hippoclides-Kentar.

And Rustam had his back to him.

And then it hit her. If Kentar knew she was in this time-place and had come back for her, what would he do to Rustam for letting her slip away?

That big, lovable, exasperating jerk! Rustam was planning to sacrifice himself to let her get away safely.

The heat rapidly built to a prickle, and then to a painful electricity zinging across her skin.

Panicked, she reached for her newfound wellspring of power. She didn’t have the faintest idea what she was doing, but opened it up all the way, wrapping all her power, all her love, and even her arms as tightly around Rustam as she could. She concentrated with all her might on bringing him with her. Tessa had heard that it was possible for two people to be brought back to the lab if they were holding on to each other. She was leaving nothing to chance, though. She pictured the two of them racing through space and time together, linked in body, spirit and soul. Pictured them materializing back in the professor’s lab inside the quartz booth.

Rustam fought her. No. You go. I must know you’re safe.

Come with me. Be safe with me.

But—

No buts. We’ll figure it out later. But first you have to live.

And then it was too late. As the transparent forms of Hippoclides-Kentar and a half-dozen men armed with needle guns solidified behind Rustam, the ship faded out in a nimbus so bright and hot she couldn’t bear to look at it. Her body became unnaturally light, and then there was nothing at all.

Her body—if that was the heavy, awkward thing she was suddenly encased in once more—felt as weak as a kitten’s. She was so exhausted she didn’t think she could open her eyelids. Twin bands of steel supported her entire weight. The tongues of flame licking at her skin faded away, leaving her hypersensitive and achy.

“Brave little fool,” a familiar voice murmured into her hair.

Her lips curved faintly. She forced one eye open to peer up at the underside of a square male chin.

“Are we alive?” she mumbled.

“Yes,” he answered, amused exasperation lacing his voice.

She became aware of something warm and vibrant in her hand, pulsing energy into her in waves that rolled over her entire body. She was feeling better by the second. “Where are we?”

“I have no idea. Some sort of glass cage. With some very shocked humans outside. Perhaps you’d better take a look.”

She lifted her head, and saw the familiar curved walls of the time-travel booth. Beyond it, the stunned faces of Professor Carswell and Beverly Ashton stared back at her.

Tessa murmured, “We made it. We’re home.”

He grunted. “You’re home. Well, that’s one thing I managed to get right, in spite of your meddling.”

She grinned up at him. “Hey, you’re still alive. Don’t knock it. Just as we jumped out, Kentar and his pals jumped in.”

“I felt them.” He sighed, a heavy sound echoing through his chest beneath her ear. “And now I’m a fugitive. You just threw away everything I ever worked for.”

She frowned. “Give us a chance to figure something out. The folks here are pretty smart. We can come up with a plan.”

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