Rainz: The Spanish Helix

By John Christopher

Denise Rainz is a respected professor and virus researcher who has pushed men and love out of her life since her divorce. Independent, financially comfortable, and focused on her work, Denise is completely thrown off guard when she meets a computer security wizard at the gym. David Root comes with an impressive rsum, an alluring Italian accent, and a few secrets.

Root, who is captivated by her exotic looks, intelligence, and down-to-earth nature, thinks he has just found the perfect combination of beauty and brains. As the computer virus and the human virus researchers hook up for their first date, their chemistry together is undeniable.

They begin working together tracking viruses from Jersey to Maryland, eventually discovering a link to the lethal Spanish virus. As they immerse themselves into their dangerous journey, they cannot help but fall in love. Only time will tell if Rainz and Root can outsmart a group of Bioterrorists determined to carry out their mission.

In this adventurous romantic tale, follow Rainz and Root as they investigate a new lethal virus - and discover a little more about love, themselves and each other.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Dec 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781491748244

John Christopher

John Christopher was the pseudonym of Samuel Youd, who was born in Lancashire, England, in 1922. He was the author of more than fifty novels and novellas, as well as numerous short stories. His most famous books include The Death of Grass, the Tripods trilogy, The Lotus Caves, and The Guardians.

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Copyright © 2014 John Christopher.

Author Credits: Al Rottkamp

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Cover imagery credit: Margarita Borodina/http://www.123rf.com

Vasyl Torous/http://www.123rf.com

Dunca Daniel/http://www.123rf.com

Stock Vector Illustration:

Image ID: 134161682

Copyright: hudik & Shutterstock

ISBN: 978-1-4917-4823-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-4825-1 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4917-4824-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014917226

iUniverse rev. date: 12/29/2014

Contents

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1 GeekFit Meeting

Chapter 2 The Dress

Chapter 3 The Russian Virus Mutation

Chapter 4 Italian Dinner

Chapter 5 Princeton Computer Science Lab

Chapter 6 Princeton Dinner

Chapter 7 Rainz’s Plainsboro Home

Chapter 8 The Russian Virus Derivation

Chapter 9 Dinner with Monica

Chapter 10 Root’s Atsion Home

Chapter 11 Atlantic City Detour

Chapter 12 Delaware Ghosting

Chapter 13 Maryland Dance

Chapter 14 Root’s Hacienda

Chapter 15 Securing Rainz

Chapter 16 A Single Tear

Glossary

Acknowledgments

As no man is an island, no author stands alone.

To my wife Pat, for all her support.

Special thanks to my editors at iUniverse, especially Krista and Barbara.

And thank you Tina for the graphics support.

Chapter 1

GeekFit Meeting

S ometimes you run into a guy you just lust for. Sometimes you find a guy you admire for his intellect. Rarely do you find the physical and intellectual qualities in one package. Then there’s Root. I met him on a bet. My girlfriend Rachael bet me five hundred bucks I couldn’t workout at GeekFit for six months. It was hard. I almost lost the bet. First time I walked into GeekFit, I almost walked out. What a bunch of propeller heads! And some women were as bad as the men. But I persevered, hired a female trainer, and toned my middle-aged curves. Then one night I saw him. There on a ProStrider was this handsome Adonis with dark blond hair and olive skin. Wait, this is GeekFit. What the hell is he doing here? I wanted to walk over and check him out, but I was hot and wet. I needed a shower bad. Instead I ran into the women’s locker room; ripped off my sweaty top; threw water on my face, pits, and tits; and towel dried. I threw powder on the girls so I could slide into my spare top. When I came flying back out, he was lying there on the gel bench press. Ice-blue eyes, broad shoulders, and muscular legs with shorts I could almost look up.

Excuse me, I say in a soft, sweet voice, can I jump in between your sets? Christ, I almost said between your legs. He seems irritated at first, but then I see a hint of a smile as he looks up into my brown eyes and says sure.

I wait and watch him. Every time he takes a deep breath and pushes, I moan. Trying not to be obvious, I walk over to the thigh machine and slide in. Christ, my legs haven’t been this far apart since Jose. Maybe I should just try fifty pounds. I spot him watching me between reps. Christ, now my legs are locked open and I can’t move the damn thing! Well, isn’t this ladylike?

He approaches with the devil in his eye and a quiet confidence about himself. In thirty seconds those eyes have studied every pore from my tattoo to my hairline. Hi, my name is Dave Root, but call me Root. What’s your name? he asks with a hint of an accent. I can’t tell if it’s Italian or Latin.

I try to hide my embarrassment and close my legs against the weight without grunting. Denise Rainz, but everyone calls me Rain…Rainz. I lose the battle and clang the weights.

Well, Rainz, why don’t I remove some of the weight so it’s easier for you to use. By the way, what are you doing for dinner next Friday night? I know this great Italian place in Medford. I’ll make reservations for two at eight o’clock, under Root. My phone just locked onto yours and is sharing information—name, address, phone numbers, that kinda stuff. He looks down and smiles. By the way, I like that position on you.

Jesus, I’m so embarrassed, but my gaze follows his body to the men’s locker room doorway in spite of myself. Damn, and how did his phone find mine? Somehow I missed that.

I hear Sonia, my trainer, scream from behind me. Dee, what are you doing? You’re going to get hurt! That’s okay, Sonia, I can handle him, I say firmly with a smirk.

I didn’t mean Root, I mean the machine! We both laugh at that one. Sonia is a fitness instructor who has won several competitions. She has an exercise for every muscle. And I mean every muscle. Have to get her to show me the K-muscle exercise. You know the one, that deep muscle that only women have. Sonia is a tall blonde in her early forties but looks late thirties. Hell of a trainer. In six months I lost my baby fat, tightened my core, and increased my overall confidence. I would have lost more, but a girl’s gotta treat herself once in a while, right?

Tell me more about Root, Sonia, I say, straightening my sports bra and shaking off the Root effect. I haven’t seen him before. Is he single, what’s he like, what does he do, how old—

Slow down, Rainz, she interrupts, smiling. Sonia escorts me to an isolated part of the gym and looks around to make sure we are alone as we sit on the weight bench.

Well, he’s, um …, she says, clearing her throat. He’s an interesting guy. She hazes over for a few seconds like she is remembering something. I sense there’s a backstory to this. I tilt my head and give her one of those ‘girlfriend, you can trust me’ looks.

She takes a deep breath and squirms a little. Root can be … intense. Sometimes he’s your typical Italian male.

I slide a little closer as she blushes on a slow exhale. Intense? Italian? I ask, teasing at her hidden thoughts.

Sonia turns toward me with a worried look on her face. He may be more than you can handle, Dee, she says, turning toward me. Don’t let the quiet ones fool you. Cool on the outside, there’s a fire within. If you are looking to keep a man at arm’s length, then David Root is not your man. She turns and slides a few inches for separation.

Well, let me try and—

Sonia puts her hand in the air to stop me. I don’t know, Denise, you’ve always been about control and noncommittal. Sonia slowly leans back and studies my face. Although, you may be evenly matched.

She shakes her head to shatter the imagery. Back to your questions. He’s single. He’s a techie. Really doesn’t socialize a lot while he’s here, but he is friends with a few people.

Like who, Sonia? I ask calmly, expecting her to fess up and tell me about her and Root.

Root works out with Len, Jack, and Santos.

Are they close friends or just workout buddies? I inquire.

Sonia tilts her head and her eyes shift side to side as she thinks about the question.

They’re workout buddies, and I think they work together somehow, she says, standing up.

Can’t miss Len Marx. He’s tall, muscular, with buzz-cut blond hair. Eats right, if you know what I mean. Her hands help draw the outline. Wears khakis and polo shirts with ‘NJSP Cyber Crime’ stitched over the pocket.

I stand and follow her close, but she stays angled so I can’t read her face.

Jack usually comes in wearing a suit. Don’t know what he does, but he definitely has that ex-military look about him. This guy has OCD written all over him: mirror shine on the shoes, permanent crease in the pants. You know the type.

I nod my head yes, remembering an ex-boyfriend from last year. Dillan. What a pain in the ass he was. After a few months, he wanted to control my life. I dropped him like a bad habit, and two months later he hooked up with my friend Sophia, a fitness model. Heard she had him begging.

Then there’s Santos, Sonia says, almost drooling. Spanish. Tall, lean machine. Black hair in a ponytail. Usually wears boots and black border-patrol pants. His vest and T-shirt have the ICE logo.

What’s ICE, Sonia?

Immigration and Customs Enforcement. He has that look like you don’t want to cross him. Both Santos and Root are certified to work out in the Helix LifeSim Gym up there in the corner. You have to have a medical clearance and work with a trainer for a month before you are allowed to use it on your own.

She stops and sits on the trainer’s desk for a minute. I heard Root and Len talking one night while they were working out. Root is in computer networking and security. Len is in computer forensics. They were talking about a virus coming out of the Cayman Islands Central Bank. Said the virus is polymorphic, whatever that means. I just remember the Cayman Islands.

She looks at me with a distant memory. Didn’t you track a new virus from the Islands last year?

No, Russia and Spain. And it’s not the same, Sonia. I’m in human virus research; sounds like Root is in computer virus research. Not to mention I don’t have friends like Santos, the lean machine!

We both smile and take a deep breath on that naked thought.

Okay, what else about Root?

Well, I know he is competitive with Gianni, his trainer. Last year, he tied with her for the Trainers Challenge. Both went two hours on those Pro Ellipticals over there. Pissed her off so bad she challenged him again the following week. He made two and a half hours; she pounded through three hours straight. Damn near killed her, but she won. She said she’s taming the Italian. Word had it back then that he could go all night long, if you know what I mean. Between the smile on her face and the blush on her cheeks, something got intense.

As we walk back into the main part of the gym, Sonia grabs some fruit and a bottle of water from the trainers’ kitchen. You know, he dated a girlfriend of mine for a while last year. Jeanette. See her over there? The tall redhead with the royal-blue top. Well, anyway, she brought in a few pictures from the annual karaoke party. Huge Spanish house on the lake. Thought she saw a Spanish Swing in the master bedroom. She stops and takes a sip from her water bottle. Come to think of it, she didn’t say much at all about—

What’s a Spanish Swing? I ask, turning toward her. She blushes and puts her hand on my arm. I’m too embarrassed to explain; Google it. Hmm. Maybe I’ll have some fun after all.

Well, Root is taking me to dinner, and I need a new outfit to focus his attention, I say with renewed passion. I heard there’s a new boutique dress shop in Princeton. I’ll ask Monica and Rachael to meet me there, and then we’ll have lunch. Why don’t you join us?

Sonia smiles. "Been there. It’s called Diamonds in the Square. You will absolutely love it. I’ll call ahead and tell Heidi