Kayla took a deep breath and tried again to focus on her current task. After returning to her office and sending Steve off with a kiss, she had decided to do some inventory work in the lab. The monthly supply order had to be completed, which gave Kayla something to do besides review the grant application one last time.
But since she had started in on her inventory list, Kayla had found herself constantly losing track of her counts. Her mind kept drifting to Lawrence's escape, to Shane's recovery, and to Kim's problems with Eve, but mostly to the fears she could not seem to shake.
No matter how hard Steve had tried to reassure her that Lawrence would not hurt them again, Kayla knew better. She knew that Steve would do everything in his power to keep her and the rest of their family safe, but that only scared her more.
Kayla rubbed her eyes and tried to stop her churning emotions. Maybe Lawrence really is gone for good, she tried to tell herself. Maybe she was just letting her fears get the best of her again. As much as Kayla wanted to believe that, she could not.
Lawrence would be back. It was just a matter of when.
And what he will do the next time? That's the real question, isn't it? When Lawrence returned, he would undoubtedly have a plan for his revenge.
Kayla felt her anger and frustration build again. Would she, Steve, and their family ever be allowed to live their lives in peace? Would there ever be a time when Kayla did not have to fight back the fear every single day?
A loud crash startled Kayla. She spun toward the sound, but as she did, her heart sped up. The cold barrel of a gun pressed at her temple. The smell of gunpowder overwhelmed her. She dropped her clipboard.
I'm never going to see Steve and Stephanie again. The thought flashed in her head.
"No!" she screamed.
"Kayla!" a familiar voice broke through her consciousness. Kayla blinked rapidly and focused on the figure across the room. It was Carly, who was watching her with a concerned expression.
"Are you okay?" Carly walked rapidly toward Kayla.
Kayla looked around. She could see the broken glass from a dropped beaker on the floor near where Carly had been standing. Taking a deep breath, Kayla leaned over, picked up her clipboard, and tried to calm her rapidly beating heart.
"I'm fine," she said, standing back up. "I guess the noise just startled me."
"Are you sure?" Carly looked doubtful. "You looked lost there for a minute."
Kayla nodded and smiled, trying to project a confidence she did not feel. "I guess I'm just a little jumpy these days. I didn't mean to worry you."
Carly studied Kayla, then seemed to relax and returned Kayla's smile. "I'm just glad you're okay." Carly started back to her work station, glancing a couple of times over her shoulder in Kayla's direction.
Before Kayla could make yet another attempt at the inventory list, there was a knock at the door. Putting down her clipboard, Kayla moved towards the door and opened it. Standing at the doorway was a delivery man with a dolly that held three unmarked boxes.
"I have a delivery for Dr. Carly Manning," the man said.
Kayla nodded. "Thanks. I can sign for them."
"I'm afraid not," the man replied firmly. "I have instructions to hand-deliver these items to Dr. Manning personally."
Kayla was about to protest. After all, she was the lab administrator. All deliveries should be cleared through her office one way or another. But, before she could say anything, she heard Carly's voice behind her.
"It's okay, Kayla. I'll take care of it."
Kayla glanced at Carly, shrugged, and stepped out of the way. Keeping one eye on the door, Kayla pretended to return to her inventory. She watched as Carly signed for the delivery and then led the man to the secured storage room.
After a moment, they returned to the lab and the delivery man left. Without a word, Carly went back to her work station and resumed her work.
Kayla thought about questioning Carly, but something in Carly's manner made her hesitate. Despite her absences from the lab, Kayla was aware that a new project with significant urgency was underway. Kayla suspected this delivery was connected to that project.
The boxes had been completely unmarked, so that meant they had not come through so-called official channels, nor was the man simply a commercial courier. To Kayla, that meant one thing. This was ISA-related. Kayla was sure of it. She had not forgotten the ISA's control over the lab's resources - or the way the ISA had forced Shane out of any connection to the lab after his arrest.
Kayla did not like this. She hated being out of the loop on something happening in her lab. It reminded her too much of how she had been kept in the dark about Shane's true purposes for opening the lab in the first place. But she also suspected that now was not the time to interrogate Carly about the new project.
Still, Kayla pledged to keep her eyes open. She would find out about Carly's project and the ISA's role in it. Eventually, Kayla would get to the bottom of the mystery and find out exactly what the ISA had planned for Salem.