Chapter Nine
I landed the helicopter on the dirt road a couple miles away from the cabin. I stepped out after Mark and Asha. When I walked around to the passenger side, Car was hoping out of the helicopter. We all stood side by side as Car looked into the woods and nodded as to dare himself in.
"Well, into the creepy Wrong Turn woods we go," he jokingly said walking ahead of us.
Mark scanned over the woods before following Car in. Asha grabbed my hand and I lead off a foot as she followed behind me. I was kindly weaving her in and out of the branches as we approached the cabin. I heard Mark screaming as he ran into a spider web.
"Get it off, get it off!" he yelled as Car turned around shaking his head.
Car walked over to him and started smacking his back repetitively and Mark pushed Car away. Car threw is arms in the air and shouted, "You're welcome Skid Mark."
Car continued on as Mark gritted his teeth in anger and stomped behind Car cleaning his glasses off. Asha walked in unison with me as we stayed a few feet behind them. I pushed one branch out of the way to rest my eyes on the Cedar Retreat.
This is the same retreat my father spent summers away from home working on his research with Scott. All the time spent here was time he never took to get to know me. I never thought I would need him so much right now.
I stepped up onto the porch and pushed the door open as Car stood on the right side of the door. We both leaned in a bit from either side to check the building out. I stepped in and Car looked back at Asha and Mark as they waited on the porch for clearance. Car and I began to look through the cabin for security. I had surveyed the whole cabin and met Car back in the family room by the door. We both nodded at each other in confirmation.
"Let's get to it, Hall Mark," Car requested as Asha nudged Mark in who glared at Car.
Car smiled and laughed a little as he threw himself onto the couch in the family room. Asha walked Mark to the lab in the back room. I looked at Car and then followed Asha and Mark into the lab. Asha touched my shoulder for a brief moment and then headed back into the family room as I watched Mark comfortably sit at my father's desk.
"This is a little bizarre right?" he asked giving me an approving look.
"A little," I assured him reaching for the manila envelopes. I handed him the research as he placed all the data in front of him on the wooden desk.
Mark began to look over all the data and requested, "Uh, Evan...the...?"
Mark stopped and motioned for the Dream Drop serum. I stalled for a second and then Mark gave me a look of assurance and trust as I gently handed it to him. I nodded and walked out of the lab back to the family room. Car and Asha were relaxing and talking like everything was alright.
It felt like nothing had happened to us. We were sitting in the living room having a couple drinks and enjoying our friendly conversation. This was the life before the government got involved, before the serum had been obtained, and before my father became a part of my life again.
Car stood up and headed to the kitchen shouting, "I'm starving."
"Good luck finding anything," I responded with a chuckle, "No one has been to this retreat in years so whatever is here is probably expired."
"Good," Mark added talking through his mask, "Maybe he'll get sick and die."
I laughed at Mark as I saw a box of crackers fly through the kitchen to the lab. Mark quickly slid his chair away to dodge the crackers and slid back. I looked back at Asha who was no longer on the couch, but out on the back porch.
