If Claire had not known what had been done with Shepherd's mother, it would not have felt like a very … disturbing coincidence.
She did not know what made her do it, but her fingers typed out one final name: 'Claire O'Donnell'.
It only took a moment to see the flaw on her citizenship registration. If Maryanne Cauley still lived, Claire knew where she'd gone to ground.
Corday had come back to find his apartment cold and empty, lifeless where there should have been a small Omega resting on the couch. Corday had hated leaving her, but she had sworn so faithfully, admitting that she could hardly walk on her feet, that he had believed her.
Claire had fooled him. Claire didn't trust him. Claire had left him … again.
There was a note:
Dear Corday,
I can't live a lie and stay hidden. Not the way things are now. I want you to know that no matter what happens, I chose – fully aware of the consequences.
Love,
Claire
She had signed 'love' but there was no apology. He knew where he stood and the position was painful and deeply upsetting. Knowing her obsession with the Omega situation, Corday folded up the letter and shoved it in his pocket. Zipping up his jacket, he went right out onto the causeways and fought through the snow to where Brigadier Dane secretly sheltered the leader of the resistance.
Banging on the door, Corday refused to let up until the woman answered.
Dane glared. "You shouldn't be here."
Corday did not wait for an invitation, pushing his superior officer aside as he growled, "Like hell I shouldn't."
"Have you lost your mind?" The door was swiftly locked, the invading cold air shut out. "Showing up here in broad daylight endangers us all."
Looking back at the soldier, Corday deepened his scowl. "It's dumping snow outside, no one's on the street and my tracks are already being covered. Where is Senator Kantor?"
"I'm here," a voice sounded from the dwelling's back room.
Ignoring the snarling Brigadier Dane, Corday pulled the note out of his pocket and stomped over. "She left."
Senator Kantor set down his COMscreen and took the note. One brief read over and the old Alpha shook his head. "I'm sorry, Corday. It's not like we could have locked her up."
"Claire is going to do something crazy!" Practically tearing out his hair, Corday snarled, "We've gotta stop her."
Senator Kantor shook his head, his tired eyes bloodshot and sad. "We cannot risk exposing ourselves on a manhunt. We both know she recognized we couldn't help her. Do you understand that, kid?"
"She's going to get herself killed!"
Speaking in a low voice, the Alpha tried to convey sense and a much needed measure of calm. "The Omega is pregnant, she's pair-bonded and mentally detached. She doesn't have much time left, and she knows it."
Rubbing his forehead as if he could wipe away his frustration, Corday demanded, "What are you saying?"
"I am saying that Claire is fighting what must be a nightmare inside her. Her timeline is short and she is making her choice."
"I told you. The pair-bond was damaged."
Senator Kantor dropped the fatherly tone in place for one far more authoritative. "She's damaged. Her determination is the only thing keeping her together. You try to cage her, or stop her, she'll fall apart. And that would only open her up to his influence again. It might be best to let her do what she needs to do while she can still do it."
"We both know she's going to try to get those Omegas out of the Undercroft," Corday hissed. "It would take an army and she's just one girl."
Senator Kantor fully understood what was at stake. "She has an advantage, a hostage, and you don't know where she is. Nothing can be done. Believe it or not, my bet's on her."
"He'll KILL her."
"Read the letter again." Senator Kantor handed the crumpled page back. "No one can comprehend the consequences like she can. She's a grown woman who's made her choice, just like we ask our brothers and sisters in arms to make every day."
"This is fucking insanity!" Corday stormed out of the room, the note crushed in his grip. "I'm going to find her. I'm going to bring her home."
Brushing past a frowning Brigadier Dane, Corday found himself caught.
His arm in her grip, Dane's face was red and her hiss nasty. "You will do no such thing. Return to your home. Cool off before you jeopardize the entire resistance with your impulsive stupidity. Think, for once. Whatever this Claire has planned, distracting her or getting yourself killed won't help anyone."
Corday was strongly tempted to violence. "You don't know Claire."
"I don't, but I know you. And I know when you're wrong."
The weather was absolute shit. A blessing and a curse, as it seemed Thólos was hiding from the unfamiliar storm. No soul walked the streets to pester her, and though falling snow made the path difficult, the trek left her soaked to the bone and shivering violently.
In all the years since Claire had last walked the midlevel promenade, she'd forgotten much. The tight dwellings were still celery green, but it took her some time to remember which window had once housed a flower box full of red poppies.
There were no splashes of color now … no flowers. Soon even the withering trees would be nothing but sticks. All there was, was that too cheerful green peeking out from clinging frost, broken windows, and refuse.
Three flights up, third domicile on the right.
Standing face to face with a once familiar door, Claire jiggled the handle and found it locked. Running her fingernail around the frame, she felt a bump in the crack-a spare key hidden just as it had been when she was a girl.
The inside was dark. No one was home.
In place of the woman she sought lay junk; wires, filters, air scrubbers, pipes, and whirring machines piled all over the room. The selfish magpie had stolen them right out of the Dome's infrastructure, and by doing so had weakened everyone else.
It was unspeakable, infuriating and, worst of all, after reading her file, Claire was not remotely surprised.
Mouth sour, Claire stripped off her wet clothes, hung them to drip in the galley kitchen, and helped herself to something dry. It was night before she finally heard the scratch of a key in the lock.
A tall beauty slipped into the chilly room, rubbing her mittened hands together. It only took the woman a second to spot Claire lounging on her couch. "You should not be here."
"You always were such a cunt. You know that, right?" Claire snarled back.
"That is a big word coming from you, little girl." Cocking her head to the side, blonde hair moving like a waterfall behind her, the Alpha changed her snarl to a provocative purr. "Do you have any idea how much you're worth?"
"Don't get too excited. He won't pay you … Shepherd hanged the last batch that brought me in, Maryanne." Claire looked at what had once been the smartest girl she knew and saw a stranger. "Fact is, he takes offense that anyone would expect payment for returning what's his."
Shoulders tight, Maryanne eased closer, eyeballing every corner of the room. "Did anyone see you come in?"
"No."
"That means at least three people did."
Claire let out a breath. "My face was covered and I'm sure you can smell for yourself that I am nothing special right now."
Full lips smirking, Maryanne lifted a handful of Claire's hair for a sniff. "True … "
Claire took Maryanne's hand, the hand of what had been her closest childhood friend, and held it. Large eyes pleading, she whispered, "I need your help."
"No."
"Why?"
Maryanne pulled her fingers free and sauntered off. "You have no idea what these guys can do to you, Claire. Whatever you did, just find a place to hide and wait it out … but don't drag me into it."
"Actually, I do know what they're capable of," Claire spat at Maryanne's back. "I'm pregnant with Shepherd's child."
"Fuck me!" Maryanne spun in horror, staring down at the diminutive Omega's belly.
"I wouldn't, remember," Claire teased, trying to mimic the mischief of their youths. "You were all over me during school. That's why we aren't friends anymore."
"Shut up, bitch." Maryanne laughed, unable to suppress a wolfish grin, "You wish. It was Patrick Keck that I wanted to fuck … and I did. Often."
"Then you disappeared. You were my best friend and you never even said goodbye." And that had hurt a great deal. More so, because Claire knew Maryanne had been capable of so much more than the mayhem she'd accomplished. "I read your file. Is it true you broke into the Archives?"
"Several times … only got caught once. Shoveling pig shit for a year was worth it. You have no idea how much some folks will pay for something as mundane as forbidden, tattered books."
"How did you get in?"
Maryanne licked her teeth and motioned to herself in a sweeping gesture. "This girl's got skills."
Claire grew serious. "And I need them."
The woman edged closer, trailing her fingers down Claire's tangled black hair, cooing, "You can't afford me, sweet pea."
"I know. Which is why I hate to do this." Claire looked for a moment like she might lose her nerve, but she drew a deep breath and began. "The Omegas are locked in the Undercroft. I need to set them free, and you're going to help me or I am going to tell Shepherd you laid a hand on me. He will rip you to pieces, because I'm not only carrying his child … we're pair-bonded."