The Massacre Mechanism (The Downwinders Book 5) Read Online Free

Carma.
    “This was
the drop,” Winn said, handing it to her. “Once I smelled it and realized what
it was, I decided to keep most of it in the original bottle and leave it there.
If they go back to look for it again, they’ll find it.”
    “Smart!” Carma
said, the look of worry on her face diminishing slightly. “That keeps things in
play for a while longer. Quick thinking.”
    She took the
bottle from Winn and looked at it, then unscrewed its cap and sniffed at it.
    “Oh, yes!”
she said. “I’ll get this down to Lyman. He has filters that’ll lift the words
quickly.”
    “So there’s
a message in that liquid?” David asked. “Fascinating.”
    Carma rose
from her chair. “You can put a message into almost anything if you know how,”
she said, turning to walk to the hallway.
    “Speaking of
messages,” Winn said to David, “I’ve got an appointment with Awan in a couple
of hours. Sure you don’t want to come?”
    David smiled
back. “If I don’t study for this final, I’m going to flunk the class
altogether. I can’t. I wish I could, though.”
    Winn rose. “No
problem,” he replied curtly, following Carma. He descended the stairs behind
her. She stopped when she reached the bottom and turned to him. “Don’t be angry
with him.”
    “Angry?” he
replied. “Why would I be angry?”
    Carma’s head
tilted at him. “Don’t make me go into it.” She turned and walked through the
dark basement room, on her way to the passage that led to the tunnel.
    Winn
followed her, deciding not to continue pretending he didn’t know what she
meant. He was miffed that David would choose a college test over helping him
out, especially since Winn believed the message came from Deem. Winn hadn’t
done well in college, and dropped out almost immediately. As he followed Carma
through the tunnel, he felt resentment of David bubble up, and it wasn’t the
first time. It irritated him.
    Rich
college kid, he
thought, shaking his head.
    He knew that
deep inside himself, past all the irritation and anger, he respected David for
having the determination to see it through; something he hadn’t been able to
muster. He suspected if he were being completely honest, he actually admired
David. But it was easier to be pissed, to feel slighted by his lack of loyalty.
    I wonder
where his loyalties lie, he thought.
    You’re an
asshole, his better
self replied. You know where his loyalties lie. He’s been tested. He’s on
your side. If you were on his side, you’d want him to succeed in college.
You’re the asshole.
    Carma led
him past the small wooden table that used to be the point at which they’d
always stop and wait for Lyman to appear. “The fact of the matter is, both of
your hearts are in the right place,” she said, passing through another small
tunnel and into the dark cave that housed Lyman’s work area. “So don’t be too
hard on him, or yourself.”
    About ten
paces inside the cave, Winn stopped and let himself drop into the River. The
darkness dissolved into an eerie glow that illuminated all of Lyman’s tables
and projects. He drifted to a corner where his reason for following Carma lay
stretched out on a table: Deem.
    She looked
the same as the last time he’d come down to check on her: stretched out like a
body on a slab, her chest slowly rising and falling. Her face was still covered
by the gelatinous glob that was somehow keeping her alive. He could remember
how part of it forced its way into Deem’s mouth and nose as Lyman had applied
it many weeks ago. He felt his body shake with the willies in response to the
memory.
    She’s the
same, Lyman said
from behind, coming up to Winn and placing a hand on his shoulder. Lyman’s hand
felt insubstantial and light, and it made Winn wonder just how effective he
might be at saving Deem’s life. He turned to look at the man by his side, and
seeing Lyman’s young, sixteen-year-old face didn’t help.
    She’s
still OK? Winn
asked.
    Well, as
OK as she can