Oceans of Red Volume One Read Free

water, and throwing in a bag of coffee, she turned to face him.  “Well?”
    A tinge of red developed under his smooth, caramel skin as the muscles in his jaw tightened.  “I’m not sending you.  I’m not sending anyone.  It’s too closely guarded.  No one would make it back from that mission alive, and you know it.”
    Shoving a stack of papers to the side, she sat on the corner of the desk.  “Dad, we need the shroud.  Father Christman says that it is the only way to do mass exorcisms.  Without it, we can only save one person at a time.  That’s not working.  There are too few of us and too many of them.”
    “The inoculations are doing very well in trials.  Shortly we’ll be able to treat many of the exposed.”
    “It’s still not perfect though.  Most who take them can become infected again.”
    “Remy, I know you’re still hurting about what happened with your mother, but really--”
    Her fist slammed on the desktop sending papers skittering across the desk only to float to the floor.  “This is not about Mom.  This is about human beings.  Every day I leave here to kill human beings.  The demons aren’t dying.  They just keep coming back in different human beings .”
    Hi s eyebrows moved up as he fixed his steely blue eyes on her.
    She locked eyes with him for a moment before expelling an exasperated breath.  Breaking his gaze, she stood and began picking papers off the floor.  The coffee maker made a swooshing noise.  After laying the papers on his desk, she poured a cup.  “Two creams, one sugar?”
    “Black today.  Dr. Rosin says I need to cut back on sugar.”
    Remy nodded.  Setting his cup in front of him, she said, “We have no hope of winning when they have all the numbers.  You taught me that.”
    He took a sip and leaned back in his chair.  “I agree that, eventually, it must be done.  When the time comes, Sam can do it.”
    She shook her head.  “Sam’s not nearly as good as I am, and you know it.  Now Greg and I, we could pull it off.”
    “Red contact lenses will not get you through the check points.  And that cross around your neck will be a sure fire giveaway.  How do you propose you’ll enter?”
    She thought for a moment.  “The cross will have to go.  The rest can be handled.”
    Shaking his head, he continued to hold her gaze.  “You’ll be infected.  Then what?  You two return here, and security is breached.  Who meets you at the door, Rem?  You obviously haven’t thought this through.”
    Shane’s face flashed in her mind.
    “Admiral?”  Sally’s voice interrupted from the squawk box on the desk.
    “Yes?”
    “Father Thomas is here to see you.”
    “Send him in Sal.  We’re done here,” he said, nodding to Remy.
    Rising, she grabbed her cup and headed for the door. 
    “Think about it, Rem.”
    She glanced over her shoulder and gave him a quick nod.
    *** 
    She found Greg exactly where she’d expected, stuffing his face in the mess hall.  The spacious cafeteria would hold close to fifty people.  Only during staff meetings would the room be at capacity.  She glanced around at the white tables, chairs, walls, and floor wondering why her father insisted on making the place look like a sterile hospital.  Greg nodded and tapped the empty seat beside him.
    The three men seated with him acknowledged her presence and quietly moved to a table in the far corner.  Everyone at the shop liked them both, but not when they were together.  She smiled, and went to the counter to retrieve her dinner. 
    “Barbeque and Mac-n-cheese?”  Martina asked with a smile.
    “What else you got?”
    Still smiling, she repeated, “Barbeque sandwiches and Mac-n-cheese.”
    Remy snorted.  “Guess I’d like some of that then.”
    “Oh, it’s good today.  I put extra cheese in the Mac.”  The elderly, white-haired lady winked.
    “I’m sure it is.  I just hope it tastes like real meat this time.” 
    “We do our best, hon.  Soy is good