Caeli remained still for about ten minutes longer and then stirred in Vin's arms. She suddenly stopped shivering.
"Where are we?" She asked quietly.
"Oh Caeli, thank goodness! We're on a Coast Guard ship. You're safe. Everything's ok. Are you all right?" Vin was relieved, thinking she had improved. Caeli sat up and leaned away from him. Looking down at her lap and placing a hand on her stomach, she answered him softly.
"No, Vin. It's not ok, not yet." When she slowly raised her eyes to look at him, Vin was finally able to see the problem.
He did not see his wife's soft, loving, brown eyes that he knew so well. In their place, for only a moment, Vin saw dark, blue orbs that gave the impression of vastness and power.
"What do you mean it's not ok?" Vin asked.
"I was exhausted and did not finish channeling off all of the energy before you pulled me up. I wasn't able to let you know. I'm sorry. I didn't know my limits, and it became too much for me. The force was tremendous. I had no idea... I have been trying, but it has taken everything that I can muster to steady myself long enough to talk to you."
As she explained, Vin could see in her eyes that Caeli was struggling against that energy rampant inside of her, maintaining only a modicum of control.
"What can I do, Caeli? Do you need me to siphon off the rest of the energy? Take my hand, and I will do that for you. I'm fully recovered thanks to all the energy you supplied through the earlier transfers," Vin offered.
"No; although we did make a great team, didn't we? I would not have been able to do what I did without your help. You were incredible the way you did that. But, I think I need to be in the water to make that transfer again."
"Can you use the excess energy to restore your own strength?"
"It doesn't work like that for me. Don't ask me why. I haven't got a clue," Caeli replied.
"Would you like something to drink? I can bring you a glass of water. What do you need?" Vin stood up and paced in front of her as she sat on the bunk. A mild draft swept the hair back from her face, causing her to shiver again.
"I don't know yet. This is still new to me. I am learning as I go. Right now, I can tell that it doesn't feel right, and I'm pretty sure I will be able to tell when it does. I need some time to figure it out."
"We've got time. All the time you need. We'll stay right here," Vin assured her.
"It would be easier to do this in dry clothes, so that I'm not so cold. Do you think you might be able to find something else for me to wear, please?"
"I think I can manage that," Vin answered with a half grin. He reached over to adjust the blankets, making sure they were still wrapped snugly around her.
"And maybe you could check on Ben and Salma? I would like to know that they are all right; and it would give me a few minutes to sort out my thoughts."
Vin stood directly in front of Caeli and looked down at her for several long heartbeats before responding to her second request.
"I don't like that idea at all. I would prefer if you came with me. I don't want to leave you alone. Do you think getting something to eat would be helpful? Do you want to sleep a while longer? I will help you however I can, but I would rather not leave you here by yourself."
Vin's previously set aside worry for her returned now that he had a better understanding of the problem she was tackling. He tried to think of everything that might possibly help with her struggle, but Caeli wasn't ready for any of his questions. He stared at her a moment longer, while she looked up at him with a pleading smile.
"Please, Vin. I understand that you're concerned, and I appreciate that. More than anything, I need a few minutes to myself. I will be perfectly fine right here. Trust me to find an answer." Caeli smiled to reinforce her assurance that this was the best way Vin could help her. This related to her gift, and she needed to understand it. Vin could not do that for her. He finally relented.
"Ok. I never could resist your smile, but I won't be gone long. And if I know Salma, you will have more company than you want when I get back."
"That's ok. I still need her help."
"You are sick, then, on top of all this, aren't you?"
"I think so."
"Then you will definitely have company when I return."
Vin turned and quickly walked out of the room, shutting the door tightly behind him. He wanted to hurry. For Caeli to openly admit that her sickness and want Salma's help told Vin that she must not be feeling well at all. He let the captain know that his wife was resting, and he would return in a few minutes with Dr. Erickson. Vin set off in a rush to find Ben and Salma.
Caeli didn't move for several minutes. She racked her brain trying to find a way to accomplish what she needed. Before too long, she came up with a wild idea. Since it was the only solution that came to her, Caeli decided to try it. She shrugged the blankets off her shoulders and ignored her sodden socks and shoes scattered a few feet away. Quietly, Caeli slipped unseen from the little cabin and then out of the steering room, too. The captain and the men with him were occupied with the sudden downpour that seemed to come out of nowhere, reducing visibility. Once she reached the open deck, unnoticed, Caeli disappeared.
Vin located Ben and Salma in the mess hall, along with some of the crew and guardsmen. They had just finished a meal of sandwiches and warm soup, and Ben now sipped on a hot cup of coffee. Vin sat down with them to bring them up to date and find out if anything else had happened.
"Caeli's in the helmsman's room. I think she ran me off because I was hovering and asking too many questions. She wanted a few minutes to herself. I want to get back to her as soon as I can. She is not entirely well. First, however, I need to find her some dry clothes. Any idea where I might be able to scrounge up something for her to wear? Frankly, I wouldn't mind changing into dry clothes myself. I feel like a drowned rat."
"There are plenty of spare sweats, like the lovely outfit Salma is wearing. Salma, would you be kind enough to fetch something that would fit Caeli? It will be interesting to see you two fashionable ladies sporting such stylish, matching apparel." Ben smiled mischievously at Salma, who got up from the table and headed down a hallway to the left. The ship was stocked with a variety of emergency supplies, including clothing.
"Vin, your duffle bag is over in that corner with mine. We'll take them both up with us," Ben said.
"I had a feeling you might want to go up with me," Vin answered.
"We would have been up there already if the crew would have permitted us to leave. You had to know that Salma would want to check on Caeli, especially since she's sick."
"She told me as much, but how did you know?" Vin asked.
"Salma told us Caeli was feeling a bit under the weather earlier; remember? She thought Caeli might be coming down with the flu. I think it might be the same thing she has been fighting. I told you she was sick when I picked her up at the airport Friday morning, too." Ben refreshed Vin's memory.
"Yes, I remember; and she was also sick before we left the house this morning. Between you and me, I honestly didn't think it was the flu," Vin confided.
"Regardless, Salma wants to check on her. You know how protective she is of Caeli. Personally, I think it's Salma's mothering instinct," Ben continued.
"Believe me, I know. Salma would string me up by my toes if I ever let anything happen to Caeli. Caeli, though less demonstratively, looks out for Salma as well. Those two are quite a pair."
"Yes, and look where it got them; stranded at sea. And we were forced to rescue them both," Ben laughed.
"It does seem we can't leave them alone for a day without at least one of them getting into some sort of mischief. This, however, tops the list," Vin agreed teasingly, his tension easing as he talked to Ben.
"So, then we agree? The ladies have us, and Caeli is going to have Salma's company whether she wants it or not," Ben proclaimed.
"Actually, I insisted on it and forewarned Caeli. She will be expecting a barrage of questions from Salma when we return," Vi
n joined Ben's laughter.
"Vin, I have an answer. I'm ok. Please wait for me in the room."
As soon as Salma returned with the clothes for Caeli, a sweatshirt and sweat pants, the three headed to the upper deck, Vin in the lead. After hearing Caeli's message in his head, Vin couldn't get back quick enough. He hoped to catch Caeli before she left the room. He didn't know where she was going, only that she planned to leave. She was not going to be in the room as she had promised. The crewman at the exit did not question them or try to detain them, knowing that Vin had specifically come down to retrieve the doctor. They quickly climbed the ladders that led to the upper deck.
When the trio entered the steering room, they were greeted by the captain and two other men. The captain began introductions, but Vin grabbed the clothes for Caeli and ducked into the back cabin before anyone had a chance to entangle him in social pleasantries.
"This is Doctor Neal Jacobs, ship's physician, and his nephew Scott, up-and-coming medical student. And this is Captain Ben Erickson, a police detective from Washington, and his wife…oh, in all the commotion, I don't think I ever caught your first name," the captain said in embarrassment.
"Doctor Salma Erickson," Ben answered proudly with a smile beaming across his face. He enjoyed hearing that name. Unlike a lot of modern women, Salma was enthusiastic about taking Ben’s last name when they married.
"Salma Erickson? Would you be the same Dr. Erickson who will be speaking at the medical conference this week?" The ship's doctor asked.
"Yes, the same," Salma replied, surprised to meet someone who knew about her and her scheduled appearance.
"What a coincidence. Scott and I are both signed up to attend your seminar. Your work is revolutionary. And now, here I stand talking to you in person. It is truly an honor to meet you, Dr. Erickson."
"Please, you embarrass me. I'm flattered that you want to attend my seminar. I only hope you won't be too bored. Are you also in hematology?"
"Not as a full specialty yet, but I am working on my credentials. Scott has a keen interest in that area, too," Dr. Jacobs replied.
"Doc, people are dying to know if you used your own blood in your research. Did you really have an anonymous donor as your paper described?" Scott asked boldly.
Upon hearing yet another request to learn the donor's identity for Salma's research, Ben became a bit irritated and decided to cut the conversation short.
"Gentlemen, I don't mean to be rude, but my wife has been through quite an ordeal and needs to check on another passenger. Plus, I would like her to get some rest before she has to focus on her research again. Perhaps you could pick this up at the conference?" Ben interjected.
"Yes, of course. How inconsiderate of us. It was a pleasure to meet you both." Dr. Jacobs moved off to the other side of the cabin where he and Scott busied themselves with a clipboard full of papers that the captain had signed and handed to them.
Ben and Salma entered the helmsman's room where Vin waited for them, pacing the floor. The wind ruffling his hair as they stepped inside confirmed that Vin was upset. Caeli was nowhere to be seen. Giving the room a cursory review, Ben noted two wet blankets and a wet towel on the floor beside the bed. Caeli's socks and shoes were tossed casually off to the side. Nothing else in the room gave any indication of where she might have gone; and there were no signs of a struggle. The captain obviously had not seen her leave or he would have mentioned it when they were talking. He most likely would have heard if any sort of commotion had taken place as well. This meant Caeli probably snuck out, but the clues in the room did not tell Ben why she left or where she might have gone.
"Vin, what's going on? Caeli obviously left, but why, and where did she go?" Ben asked.
"She did, and I don't know where she went."
"But you do know why, and that's why you're upset. Fill us in," Ben persisted.
Vin stopped pacing and sat down backward in the single, high-backed chair, facing Ben and Salma, who seated themselves on the bunk. Vin laid his hands across the top of the chair and rested his forehead on them for a minute before beginning.
"It's complicated. I won't go into all the details, but I can tell you that the odd behavior Salma noticed before was caused by Caeli's gift," Vin began.
"Her gift? Vin, does that mean Urim was right?" Ben asked with concern.
"Yes. Caeli has become aware of her gift and has discovered how to use it. That's exactly what she's been doing. Her gift is similar to my ability with the wind, only hers is with water. In retrospect, it seems obvious. She has always loved the water."
"Oh…that explains what we saw with the plane's wing and why the water did not flood the cabin," Ben remarked as he quickly made the connection between Caeli's gift and recent events.
"And the change in the waves? I thought I was going to be seasick there for a while. I couldn't have been more pleased when everything settled. Dear Lord, is that what Caeli was doing when she stayed behind? Did she manipulate the waves? That was a huge undertaking in her condition."
"Condition?" Vin asked with a raised eyebrow. It was an odd choice of words just to state that Caeli was sick. For another moment, Vin thought that there might be something more to the story and that Salma might be privy to the details.
"She's sick. I'm sorry. I thought I mentioned it; but I believe she might have the flu."
"That's right. You did say that."
"Did she break up the storm, too?" Salma asked incredulously.
"Yes for the waves, but it took both of us to lessen the storm winds. She needed to channel off the excess energy from the waves, and used her gift and our link to pass that energy to me. I used my gift and the influx of energy to lessen the wind, thereby scattering the storm. Combining our gifts to that end was an exhilarating experience. Unfortunately, while the abundant energy restored me, the process overwhelmed her. Caeli could not disperse all of the excess energy she collected. I wasn't aware of that when I noticed that she stopped moving. I pulled her on board before she could recover and finish the process," Vin explained.
"Is that why you called me?" Salma asked.
"Yes. All of that remaining energy is still running unchecked through her system. It is too much for her to control. She needs to release it. She called me while I was below with you and told me that she found an answer. She asked me to wait for her here. I think Caeli is trying to deal with it now. She asked for my trust, and I do trust her..." Vin continued as succinctly as he could, leaving the last remark hanging in the air.
"Then why are you so upset?" Salma asked, confused.
"Doll, isn't it obvious? Caeli made a decision and then took off by herself without telling him where she went. Vin's upset because he cannot help Caeli if he does not know where she is or what she is doing. I would feel the same way if you did such a rash thing," Ben replied on Vin's behalf.
CHAPTER 12
A camouflage-painted helicopter flew beneath the storm clouds shadowing the coastline. It flew low enough to allow the occupants a clear view of the scene on the ground below. A large crowd of protestors gathered as soon as they heard the plane crash survivors had been rescued and that Dr. Erickson was among them. The mob traveled from the hotel where they had been picketing to the dock where the ship was scheduled to make port in the next half hour. For some reason, the doctor and the events surrounding her attendance at this conference were inspiring a media circus that was rapidly growing out of control. Already, the National Guard team patrolling this section of coastline had been forced to escort four news helicopters back over land. They kept reminding the civilians that they were not permitted to fly over the water when storm alerts had been issued or when the military was patrolling; both of which were currently true.
The demonstrators, always led by a dark haired lady, did not look like a particularly bad lot. The colonel had faced much worse during his military career and wasn't really expecting any trouble from the group as a whole. Yet, you never knew when some nut would latch onto the group and
use it to make a scene. That was the real danger in this type of situation. Colonel Franks had seen many peaceful demonstrations turn angry and violent from the spark of one lone voice.
The colonel was a career soldier. He was average height, average build, and wore his white hair closely cropped in typical military fashion. His most distinguishing feature was an inch long scar running through his right eyebrow; a memento of his first exposure to war in his late teens. He was now in his mid-fifties.
Colonel Franks continued to scan the crowd below as he listened to the reports coming in from his team over the radio. They were stationed along the dock, handling crowd control. He had already spoken with the ship's captain and determined that Dr. Erickson traveled with three others in her party. It was his job to see that they all made it safely to their hotel. His failure record, to date, was zero, and the colonel intended to keep it that way.
"Colonel, we've got an aircraft approaching from the east. It appears to be another helicopter, origin unknown. No response to our request for ID, Sir," the pilot announced as he steered the helicopter into a position where the colonel could get a better view from his place at the open, side door.
"Keep trying to raise them and move to intercept further out, away from the pier," Colonel Franks replied.
He watched until he could get a good look at the aircraft. There were no identifying marks on the solid black craft and it did not appear to be military class or carrying external weapons. The unidentified craft disregarded the repeated attempts to communicate and refused to acknowledge instructions to vacate the area. Although they made no hostile gestures, the colonel could not permit them to remain.
As the colonel was about to give orders for their escorted departure, the side door of the hovering ‘copter opened, and a large white sheet billowed out. Spotlights from the dock below were immediately aimed at it. Highlighted on the banner, the image of a large, red drop of blood and the words God gives Life in bright, red lettering were highly visible. The crowd of protestors on the street below was stirred to frenetic action at the sight. They cheered and hollered, raising their handmade signs high into the air so that the news cameras would be sure to get a good shot of them. A few even produced handguns and fired them into the air. However, these were quickly confiscated by the colonel's men on the ground.
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