At the safe house, Suarez bustled about to get Nick's room ready. As Melissa sat beside Nick, she watched the nurse laying out the IV bags and syringes she would need to sustain him while they waited for the coma-inducing drugs to wear off.

She gazed down at her boyfriend's supine body and sighed heavily then looked up at Natalie, who stood nearby, waiting to help move him into the other room. She felt reluctant to express gratitude toward the woman, even though it was warranted. Still, it was the right thing to do. "Thank you for all this." She gestured toward the interior of the safe house. "You didn't have to. Aren't you afraid you'll get caught?"

Natalie looked over at Nick. "He wanted to do the right thing years ago, and I stopped him because I thought I had to keep him safe. He deserved to make that choice for himself. I made a mistake. It's worth it to make up for that."

"I can understand that. I'm just so worried about him."

Sonya, who stood a few steps away from them, offered a smile to Melissa. "Don't worry soon he'll be as good as new," she added, "it's time to move him into the other room. Are you ready?"

Melissa and Natalie looked at each other and nodded.

It seemed a little easier moving Nick this time, but not by much. Melissa wondered more than once if an unconscious person bruised easier than a conscious one. She felt scared and guilty and helpless. Her palms were clammy, and her heart raced in time with her worrying thoughts.

Afterward, Natalie went to put on a pot of tea, but Melissa stayed in the room and watched as Sonya connected Nick's IVs and attached a frightening number of monitors to him. His body was surrounded by and pierced through with various tubes and wires as if caught in some futuristic trap.

A picture of Sidney hooked up to various lines, his brainpower manipulated by a CIRAS machine, cast itself unbidden into her mind. Melissa closed her eyes to expel the image.

Sonya appeared competent as she moved around Nick, although Melissa admitted to herself that she wouldn't know the difference if Sonya was instead doing something that would hurt him. There was no way to discern if the liquid in those clear plastic bags hanging on hooks was poison or life-sustaining fluid. Time seemed to slow as she continued to watch. Worry captured her in its grasp and paralyzed her.

Victoria put a soft hand on her arm. "You look a little spooked."

Melissa looked at her and blinked as if she had just woken up. "When did you get here?"

"Just a couple minutes ago. Melissa, you don't have to put your brave face on for me. In fact, I don't want you to. Please."

"Thanks," Melissa whispered. She clung to Victoria's small frame. "Suppose Natalie is wrong? Suppose he dies anyway?" 

"He's not going to die."

"You don't know if that's true, Vic. None of us knows if it's true."

"I do." Sonya turned and stared unwaveringly at Melissa. "He is not going to die, because I won't let him. In fact, he should be awake in twenty-four hours or so."

"See." Victoria gave Melissa's shoulder a firm squeeze. "Come and sit down with me for a little bit."

Melissa stared at her helplessly. She felt untethered without Nick. She had never realized . . .

Victoria must have seen the look on her face. "Okay, I admit, it might not help, but come sit down anyway. You can't help by staring at him." Victoria turned Melissa away with a gentle push.

She allowed her friend to pivot her around and lead her into the living room. Natalie was seated on the sofa, but she didn't look settled in. She looked as uncomfortable as Melissa felt.

There was a tray with tea service on the coffee table looking out of place.

"Can I pour you two some tea?" Natalie asked.

Melissa looked down. She didn't like that Natalie was here, even though her help was essential. And Natalie clearly felt awkward around her, too.

"Or maybe wine would be better."

Victoria raised her eyebrows and glanced at Melissa. "That might not be a bad idea. Just a glass or two?"

Melissa shrugged. "Sure, okay."

Sonya poked her head into the room. "Just wanted to let you ladies know I'm going to lie down for a little while. Nicholas is stable, but I'll be close by if you need me for anything."

Natalie said, "Thanks, Sonya."

"Are you the one who calls him Nicholas?" Melissa asked Natalie sharply. It had just occurred to her that was probably why Sonya always said "Nicholas" instead of "Nick." It bugged her. A lot.

Natalie's eyes held no malice as she answered. Melissa could tell she was being honest, although she halfway wished she had a good reason to distrust the woman.

"Yes, I am. Nicholas was my father's name. He was Greek. I guess I just got in the habit of using Nick's full name because nobody ever called my father Nick. It felt unnatural to me. I don't mean anything by it, Melissa. Nicholas—I mean, Nick—and I were over a long time ago."

"But you said you still care about him."

"I do. But that doesn't mean I want to be his girlfriend again. I just don't want to see him die." Natalie made a strange face that Melissa couldn't interpret. Then Natalie stood up and lifted the tea service off the coffee table. "Let me switch this out for us. I definitely think we'll do better with wine. And Melissa—" Natalie looked at her pointedly. "I promise I'll answer any questions you ask. I know you probably have a lot of them."

"I'll come help," Victoria called after Natalie as she walked into the kitchen.

Melissa was left alone in the living room with her scrambled thoughts. They were unpleasant company, and she was sick of having them around. She wished she had a switch in her brain that would shut them off for a little while. Maybe the wine would help. She hadn't had a glass of wine in ages.

From the kitchen, Victoria asked, "Red or white?"

"Red, I guess."

"Pinot noir or Cabernet?"

"Vic, do you think I care?"

"No. Sorry."

Melissa wasn't able to take Natalie up on her offer to answer questions until she was halfway into her third glass of wine. "So who attacked Nick? Was it someone from the CIA?"

"Melissa . . ."

"Just tell me."

"It was me."

Melissa stared. "You!" She lunged at her.

Natalie quickly had her in a hold she couldn't escape. Must be some freaking CIA thing, Melissa thought.

"Let me explain. Please."

Victoria intervened. "It can't hurt to listen, Melissa."

"Why should I? She nearly killed him!"

"I was supposed to kill him. I didn't. Melissa, understand I was sent to murder him. I had to make it look believable and keep him alive at the same time. I volunteered. If they had sent someone else, the job would have been done cleanly and efficiently. That's why I offered to do it myself."

Melissa felt like she had been knocked out. "All that blood. You needed to make him bleed that much?"

"That was intentional. The injury to his thigh hit an artery that produces vast quantities of blood but isn't fatal if you stop the bleeding in time. And his head injury was essential. How could I convince the CIA to authorize coma-inducing drugs if he didn't already have trauma to his head?"

Melissa was stunned. It all made sense, and at the same time it was unbelievable. She didn't want to trust Natalie, but she did anyway. She slugged down the rest of the liquid courage in her wine glass. "Do you know what happened to my son?"

Natalie turned her way-too-pretty face toward her. "I begged off the CIRAS project because I could see the direction it was going. I didn't want to be involved. So, in answer to your question, no, I don't know exactly what Scott Maxwell did to the children from Sunshine. I never had full clearance on that project. Only a couple of people ever did."

Melissa could feel the effects of the wine, but she wasn't drunk. She understood and believed Natalie's explanation. "Thank you." 

"I want to help you and Nick, and I want CIRAS shut down. But I can't be directly involved. Nick will have to take over when he's well enough. If I get caught . . ."

"You might end up like Sam Prezziato," said Victoria.

Melissa flashed a quick look at Victoria. She had almost forgotten Vic was there. "Yes. We can't let that happen to you, Natalie. Too many people have been hurt already. Just tell me what I need to do, and I'll do it."

Natalie pressed her lips together. "You're a strong person. I can see why Nick wants to be with you."

Before Melissa could answer, she heard sounds of stirring coming from the other room.