Free Final Target by Iris Johansen Page A

exhausted as Cassie. Because the two had been joined?
    The idea was wild, outrageous, frightening, a complete violation of logic.
    Every possibility.
    Not now. She had to give herself time to adjust to the idea.
    Tomorrow…

    "What's that wonderful smell?" Melissa asked as she came into the kitchen. "Lord, I'm hungry."
    "Huevos rancheros." Jessica glanced over her shoulder. "But you've blown it. I was going to give you breakfast in bed."
    "You know I can't stand lolling in bed." She went to the refrigerator and took out the orange juice carton. "How's Cassie?"
    Jessica put two sausages on the plate with the eggs. "You tell me."
    Melissa's smile faded. "I have no idea. And if I made a guess, you wouldn't believe me."
    "I don't know what to believe." She poured the juice and sat down at the table. "Eat."
    "You don't have to tell me twice." Melissa sat down and started to eat. "Wonderful. Tomorrow I'll make breakfast."
    "You don't cook."
    "Sure I do. I've learned to do a lot of things since I went away to school. Living on your own is very empowering." She took a drink of juice. "I would have learned sooner, but you seemed to enjoy being in charge and doing things for me."
    " It was just that I'm accustomed to-"
    "I know." Melissa grinned. "And I'll always be baby sister who got lost in the briar patch. It's fine with me. Whatever makes you happy."
    Jessica felt a ripple of shock. Melissa's tone was almost indulgent. "I never meant to treat you-"
    "You treat me just great." She took another bite. "And you make a fab breakfast. Now, how is Cassie?"
    "Good. Not as good as you, but as normal as she gets these days." She leaned back in her chair and looked at Melissa. "I thought you both might die last night."
    "I know you did." She reached for her juice. "I knew you were scared when you came into my room that first time, but I couldn't do anything to help you. I was pretty wasted."
    "Help me? You were the one who-" She drew a deep breath. "What happened to you last night?"
    Melissa looked down into her glass. "What do you want me to say? If you need lies, I'll tell you lies. I'm not sure you're ready for the truth."
    "I have to be ready for whatever you tell me. I don't know if you remember, but I came to you asking for help."
    "I only remember you being scared. I was somewhat involved at the time." She shifted her glance to Jessica's face. "Since you came to me, then you must have believed me on some level."
    "I don't know what to believe. But Andreas told me once he'd beg help from a whirling dervish if it would get his daughter well. I'd do the same just to keep her alive."
    "I'm not a whirling dervish, and I don't even know what I can do. I hoped I'd have more control, but it was like being sucked into a tornado. She just carried me along with her." She shuddered. "If Travis hadn't come…"
    "You knew he was here?"
    "How could I help it? He was as strong as Cassie. He put himself between her and the monsters."
    "Monsters?"
    "She sees them as monsters. They have eyes but no faces."
    "The attackers at Vasaro wore ski masks."
    Melissa nodded. "That would account for it."
    "Tell me what it's like."
    "Terror. Sorrow. We're in a long, dark tunnel and we were happy there, but the monsters have found a way to get in. They're chasing us and we know they'll catch us if we don't find…"
    "Find what?"
    "I don't know. Her thinking is all garbled by the fear. Whatever it is she's looking for, she can't find it. And there's only one other way to escape them."
    "The hell there is. She can come back to us."
    "We don't see that as an option."
    "Half the time you say her and half the time you say we . You're not joined to her any longer, are you?"
    Melissa shook her head. "But the link was very strong and so is the memory. I'll try not to-You're looking at me as if I'm crazy."
    "Why should I accuse you of being nuts? I'm the doctor and I'm the one who's accepting all this as if it were perfectly normal."
    "No, you're not. You're taking