Outcry - Completed

Chapter 5

As if he could read her thoughts, Camden reached up and removed the lenses, revealing those spectacular blue eyes she found she was quite fond of. He ran his hand through his hair, forcing it in every direction and leaving it messy and untamed.

Blue and emerald met for one electrified moment, sending a shiver down her spine that spread across her skin like a tingling wildfire.

"I'll tell you this," he said, inhaling deeply and neatly folding the glasses. He knew that he wasn't supposed to reveal anything, but she'd been left in the dark for too long already. She was going to find out soon enough, anyway. "All I know is that when you were sick, Martin, I mean your grandfather, gave you an injection," he began.

Rayne nodded. She remembered it. In fact, she'd recently dreamed about it.

"It was an experimental medicine the company he worked for was developing. It was to be a cure for certain types of cancers, the ones that affect the blood." Camden squinted and rubbed the bridge of his nose before continuing.

She listened intently and her heartbeat increased. Am I finally going to get some answers? Turning toward him, she gave Camden her full attention and held her breath, waiting for him to continue.

"The company was denied human trials, so they were destroying everything they had and going back to the drawing board on the entire formula. But Harry Schultz, the lead scientist, was convinced it was the true serum, and that it would work."

She was afraid to move, as if even the slightest blink would make him stop.

"Your grandfather knew that it could be your only chance of surviving, so he took the last dose from Dr. Schultz before it was destroyed and gave it to you." He tried to read her, wanted to know what she was thinking at that very moment, but he couldn't. Her face had no expression and she was stone still.

"Your grandfather was so desperate for a way to help you, that he was willing to try anything." He became quiet and stared into the deep green depths of her eyes. He managed to smile before continuing, "It worked Rayne. That's what cured you."

She nodded and looked down at her hands. Was she really hearing this? Her grandfather had really given her something that he knew nothing about, and didn't know how she would react to it? Granted, she had been marked for death already and very nearly knocking on its door, but what if it hadn't helped? What did he know then that she wasn't understanding now? She inhaled deeply and ran her fingers through her long auburn hair in an attempt to keep her mind from overheating.

As if the last few days weren't enough, let's add all this in, too.

There was a giant puzzle floating around inside her head and she couldn't quite see the pieces clearly enough to put them together. It was incredibly frustrating. "So what does all that have to do with now?" she asked, letting her hands drop into her lap where she fidgeted with the hem of her blue T-shirt.

After a short pause, Camden was hesitant to continue. He so wanted to know what was going on inside that beautiful head of hers. He wished that just for a moment, her mask would crack and give him a glimpse of her true feelings and not just what she wanted him to see. "No one knew the formula wouldn't kill you, let alone cure you. But since they were denied human trials, it was illegal for him to use it. So they had to keep it hush-hush."

She shook her head and gave him a confused look. "Sure, but that doesn't tell me what it has to do with now."

He held up a hand. "Let me explain."

She furrowed her eyebrows, but listened intently.

"Apparently, Schultz couldn't keep his mouth shut and told a few scientists in his network of colleagues. Even went as far as to give them your grandfather's name." He shook his head. "It wasn't long after that, Schultz was killed in a 'mugging'." He made air quotes with his fingers. "I think the wrong person caught wind of it and wanted to take credit for his creation, recreate the formula, and distribute it, but that's just an outsider looking in."