"I need coffee." Thalia said as she unbuckled her seat belt and turned to Dean, who looked as anxious as she did. Ever since they found out about Franco's findings, she hasn't been at ease anymore. This virus looks even more dangerous than she thought. Cell degeneration within twenty-fours of infection? Death after twenty-eight hours? It was really alarming especially that humans have the same effect on rats. "Shall we go to the coffee shop on the other side of campus?" Dean suggested in her declaration earlier. "Please," she said gratefully. After a few minutes, Dean parked in front of the coffee shop. "I'll risk the ticket as long as I get a caffeine fix," he explained after seeing Thalia's shocked face. "And of course, food. We need to buy some food."They entered the coffee shop, and Thalia inhaled the fragrant aroma of coffee, the scent of freshly baked bread, and fresh fruits. Thalia saw the barista blending fruits to make a smoothie for the waiting customer. She and Dean
Dean, on the other hand, seemed to have no problems with his appetite. Because he finished his sandwich in a matter of minutes, he ate three more muffins before drinking his coffee. She tracked the movements of his strong, callused hands as he wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin, as he brought his cup to his sensual lips, as his throat worked to swallow his coffee. Dean is definitely an attractive guy. So masculine and so magnetic. Everything about this man intrigued her - his messy black hair and his seductive eyes. She could look at that sexy, rugged face for hours. Catching her staring, Dean's lips quirked in a grin. "Do I have a dirt in my face?""Nothing. I was just thinking about how sexy you are," she admitted honestly and felt her face turns red. "That's why I really wonder why no girl is obsessed with you.""Maybe because I'm easygoing," he said with a shrug. Something about his tone brought a tug of suspicion. "Are you? Are you really easygoing, Dean, or...or are
Thalia's mouth fell open. She then grabbed the remote from Dean and turned up the volume. "The network just received a video from the United Freedom Fighters, a revolutionary group based in San Jose," the male reporter continued. "Just minutes ago, this network as well as several others received a video from what is believed to be a militant faction of the UFF. They claim to have splintered from their counterparts and are taking full responsibility for the deaths in Tuxie, New York.""What the hell is going on?" Dean burst out, raking a hand through his hair. "How could any member of the UFF be linked to the virus?"Thalia had no answer for that. He just stared at the screen, feeling more and more anxious by the minute. "The tape is currently being edited by our producers, as it contains content that may not be suitable for all audiences," the anchor was saying. Dean quickly changed the channel, until he found the network that was speedier with the airing of that tape. A man's fumi
After he end the call with Tatum, he stood up from the chair, and walked over to Thalia. "Come here," he said and suddenly he hugged her. His arms came around her waist, sliding up the bumps of her spine and stroking the center of her back. "What's this?" she murmured as she buried her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed in the scent of him, wondering why he always managed to smell so great. "You look too pale," he replied. "You look so scared, so I thought you might need a hug."Even though it was true, she couldn't help but laugh softly, and wrapped her hands around his body. "I don't think hugging is the solution to the fear I'm feeling right now, but it helped somehow.""Good." He said and gave her a quick kiss on her lips. Then he pulled her to sit on the bed. She sat next to him while their hands were still holding each other. "So who is this person we can trust?""Bhram Davies. When we last spoke he said he was working in the deputy secretary's office of the Departme
A bell dinged over the door of the motel office, but the young male behind the counter didn't even look up when Dean walked in. His eyes were only focused on the television hanging on the wall, while watching Pedro Escalante's video clips. "Did you see this?" the clerk demanded, sounding awed. "This is some crazy stuff right there.""Yeah. Crazy," Dean agreed. He dropped a fifty-dollar bill on the countertop. "I need a room."Without wrenching his eyes from the TV, the clerk slid over a clipboard. "Fill this out."He wrote his fake name, address and credit card number there, then handed it back to the clerk, and he received a big red key in return."Towels in the bathroom. Wi-Fi password is the motel name and your room number. Check out time is 10:00 a.m." The clerk recited the facts without once looking at Dean. As Escalante's angry eyes flashed on the screen, the clerk shook his head. "Freak terrorists! Think they can mess with us?"Trying not to roll his eyes, Dean left the office
Dean snapped into action, spinning around and locking the male wrist with both hands. His opponent let go of the gun he was holding and it fell on the grass. As adrenaline raced through his blood, Dean kicked the weapon away and tackled the other man to the ground in two seconds flat. Grunting, he straddled Bhram Davies and dug his elbow into the man's windpipe. "What the hell was that?" he snapped. Bhram began wheezing for air. He batted at Dean's thighs with his fists, but to no avail. He had been able to attack him earlier with his ninja moves, but Dean had the upper hand because he was now holding the man by the neck. "What the hell kind of move was that with the gun?" he demanded, sinking his elbow deeper. Thalia's sarcastic voice filled the night air. "Did you really expect him to answer you, Dean? My God, you're crushing his trachea."Good point. As the adrenaline sizzling in his veins began to dissipate, he lifted his arm and let the other man breathe. The man's face beca
Dean noticed Thalia's grip tightening over the strap of the messenger bag on her shoulder. The bag contains the water sample and the note on the research done by Dr. Matthews, but he could tell she wasn't anxious to part with it just yet. He didn't blame her. Even though he believed that Bhram didn't know anything about the Taurus project, he still couldn't fully trust the man, especially that he said, "You need to come in officially.""No way," he said emphatically. "I promise you, I will protect you. We'll take your story to the secretary of defense himself. Verano--""--might be behind this entire mess," Dean finished. "For all we know, Secretary Verano green-lit Project Taurus.""Then we contact the Bureau, place you and Dr. Ricafort in protective custody." Immediately after the words left his mouth, Bhram chuckled ruefully. "Don't bother answering - we both know you'll reject the offer."Dean just shrugged. "How do we handle this, then? I don't have the authority to negotiate
Each piece of clothing Dean had removed provided her with a new delicious body part to focus on. The tanned expanse of his chest, dusted with hair and sculpted with muscle. His trim waist, ripped thighs, and long legs. In the motel room light, the handful of scars marring his body were more visible. A white one beneath his left pectoral, a puckered one over his right hip. When Thalia asked the man about his scar, he just shrugged and said it was a sign that he had fought in a war. But in the eyes of a doctor, she knew there was more an explanation than that. The line under his pecs? Definitely caused by a blade of some sort. And the puckered scar? It was obviously a hit of a bullet.But apparently knife and bullet wounds were not a big deal to a tough guy like Dean Magallon. "Jeez, Doc, it seems like you have a desire for my body," he said and was the first to enter the bathroom. When Thalia got inside, she looked at the naked man next to her. "We don't fit here in the bathroom.""W