Designed with a Destiny Read Online Free PDF Page A

that
the symptoms were neurological in nature, starting with behavior
changes that progressed towards paralysis, respiratory and cardiac
collapse. He also said that the symptoms could progress towards
death in as little as a few hours.
    “That’s impossible, we were vaccinated!” I
say, looking desperately at Alisha, for a more practical
explanation.
    “She wasn’t,” she mumbles and for the first
time looks directly in my eyes. “She refused…remember?” Her eyes
tear up and she turns to go inside. Memories of us in the hotel
room, lining up to take the vaccination flash through my mind.
Elizabeth was adamant in her refusal, always suspicious of anyone
working for the government.
    “Alright, well now Claire is here and she’ll
heal her. Ali, she’s going to be okay,” I say, grabbing her arm and
reeling her around. “Claire is here. If she can heal a broken jaw
and gunshot wound, then she can heal Liz,” I insist.
    “Ronan, this is different from an acute
injury. A virus isn’t localized to a single area. It involves
multiple organs and cells throughout the body. She doesn’t stand a
chance unless we get her to a hospital. Bernie is flying in with a
team to transport her to a medical facility.”
    “She’s agreed to this?” I ask doubting she
ever would.
    “She doesn’t have a choice, Ronan. If the
paralysis extends to her torso, she won’t be able to breathe on her
own—she’ll need to be put on a ventilator,” she snaps.
    “You could’ve waited until we were back
before calling Bernie. Elizabeth deserves to have Claire try before
you go shipping her across the country with people she doesn’t
trust,” I counter, trying to subdue the rising anger which I
suspect is being shifted from Alisha to me.
    “How dare you question my decisions after
taking off in the middle of the night, putting every single person
involved in this mess at risk, including your own parents and CAT!”
she screams, her chest heaving heavily as she dares me with her
eyes to dispute her. I can’t own to the idea that my actions have
put them in harm’s way, especially Cat, but I can’t dispute it
either, so in complete frustration I push past her, and head inside
to find Elizabeth.
    ***
    “Liz—it’s Ronan,” I whisper, swallowing
hard, sitting down on the edge of the bed. Michael had said that
symptoms can progress quickly but seeing her now compared to
twenty-four hours ago throws me for a loop. Her face is pale and
clammy, her long blonde hair limp and clinging to the side of her
cheeks. Her eyes flicker open briefly but it takes several more
attempts before she manages to keep them open long enough to focus
on my face.
    “Ronan, you’re back. Is Cat with you?” she
whispers hoarsely, looking around the room.
    “No we didn’t find her, but we’ve got some
good leads. How are you feeling?” I ask, quickly changing the
subject. “Ali said something about you not being able to move your
legs?” I glance down at her feet hoping to see her prove Alisha
wrong with a victorious recovery.
    “I’m just a little weak—I’ll feel fine
tomorrow,” she says apologetically, not producing even the
slightest movement of her lower extremities. She uses her arms in
an attempt to sit up in bed but the movement is clumsy and after a
few seconds of struggling to remain upright, she slumps back into
the pillows, breathing heavily, her eyelids fluttering closed.
    “ Claire, please get up here now!” I
call telepathically, trying to mask the rising panic in my voice.
Within moments, she’s standing beside me, the smile on her face
slowly dissipating as she takes in the situation, and realizes
right away that something is dreadfully wrong. When her eyes meet
mine, I can see the fear mirroring my own.
    “ She wasn’t vaccinated against the
Designer virus. Do you think you can heal her?” I ask, keeping
the dialogue between just the two of us.
    “Move,” she murmurs authoritatively, nudging
me off the bed, and taking