by Imogen Rose
I said a cheery hello and sat down beside David; Ella sat on my other side. I was dying to dig into the plate in front of me, but asked Dad about Kellan first. He threw me a curt warning nod, glancing over at Ella who was busy eating. He was obviously going to have to be fuzzy until we were on our own. So I dug into my food, eating as fast as possible. Then David, Dad, and I retired to his study.
I flopped into the green couch. “So, what’s going on?”
“I haven’t got a lot of time to talk, we’re deploying group two in less than an hour.”
“Okay, shall we go and get changed, then?”
“Get changed?” He looked at me incredulously. “You don’t for a minute think that you’re coming, do you? Especially after that stunt you pulled. That could have wrecked the whole operation.”
And Kellan might have been killed. I shuddered. I looked down, ashamed of myself, a lump rising in my throat.
“Arizona.” His voice softened, and he put an arm around my shoulder. “It’s okay. David used his head, and you’re safe. However, you will stay here this time. This operation is bigger and more complicated. Harry’s being held at one of Potomal’s residences. We have a plan, though; we’ll have him back here by tomorrow morning. The information we got from Raj and his accomplices was invaluable in formulating our plan.”
“Who was that man I saw coming out of the motel room, the one that the last Sigma-W came out with after Raj?”
There was no mistaking the quick but undeniable look exchanged between David and Dad.
“What?” I persisted, my brow furrowed at their secrecy.
“No one important,” Dad said firmly and dismissively.
“Where’s Kellan?” I hoped he would at least be able to tell me that before he left.
“He’s at Saint Mary’s Hospital in Paddington. Alfred knows some of the staff, so he took him there. He’s conscious, but very weak and dehydrated. You can go and see him later this evening if you want.”
A heavy weight instantly lifted from my chest. I could breathe again. I didn’t want to talk anymore. I just wanted to feel the air in my lungs.
“Dad, go get Harry. Will you tell me everything when you get back?”
“I will, honey.”
“David’s coming with us, we need him,” Dad said, kissing my forehead lightly before he left.
“You’ll be okay, Poppet?”
“Yeah, no worries. And I’m sorry for being such a pain.”
“It’s okay.” David enveloped me in a hug before he left.
It was strange being left on my own; I had been babysat for so long–always someone by my side, making sure I wasn’t whisked off. I guessed it was safe enough in this dreary basement. Why did Alfred have this basement in the first place? Why did he feel the need for an underground hideaway? It seemed pretty ancient. Perhaps it had been built as a shelter during the war. There were numerous bedrooms, all small and dark, like little crypts. I shivered.
“Arizona?” I looked up and met Gramadea’s gaze. “I bet you’re ready for some normality.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure I know what that is anymore.”
“If everything works out, we should have you back in Mountain View tomorrow. Back in school.”
“But what about Kellan? I don’t think I want to leave him here. I’ll stay until he’s well enough to come home.”
“By the sound of things, he may be ready to transport back tomorrow. I just spoke to his doctor. Thankfully, there was no internal damage, but he’s badly bruised and shaken. He keeps asking for you.”
“He does?”
Gramadea nodded, her eyes narrowing.
“I guess I should go and see him. Can I?”
She nodded. “I have the all-clear from your dad. Ella wanted to come as well, but I don’t think it would be a good idea for her to see him in his current state. I’ve arranged a trip to the Natural History Museum for her and Alexa to keep her busy while we head over to see Kellan. You should prepare yourself; he’s badly hurt.”
I knew that. His wounds were imprinted in my mind from the last time I had seen him. I nearly gagged again getting a visual of them when Gramadea warned me. I felt a gush of rage flow through my every vein; the person responsible for doing that to Kellan had to pay.
“What happened to him exactly?”
“I don’t know. Your dad didn’t either. We’ve got the people who were in the motel room with Kellan in custody. They’re being interrogated right now, so maybe we’ll know more soon.”
“Who are they? I recognized Raj and Simla, but who were the others?”
Gramadea’s expression was blank as she half-shrugged. I could tell she knew more than she was sharing. But why would she keep things from me? I guessed she needed Dad’s permission now that he was the leader. I thought about pressing her a bit more, but decided that Kellan could tell me what had happened. “Can we go now?”
“Yes. Alfred has a car ready to take us. We’ll drop Ella and Alexa off on the way.”
Ella was ready and waiting in her room with Alexa. “What about Tallulah?” she asked.
“Tallulah will be fine here; Cleo will keep her company.” Gramadea glanced over at the corner of the room.
I followed her glance. Cleopatra was lying on her back, her face flopped to her right, with her teeth peeking through her slightly open mouth. Her left hind paw jerked every so often, like she was swatting a bug or something. Her eyes, though closed and heavy in sleep, kept flickering in an unsettling fashion. Next to her, with her body close up against Cleo’s belly, lay Tallulah, fast asleep. Such a cute sight.
“I guess, but who’ll feed her and take her out?”
“I’ve arranged for someone to take care of that, little mommy! No need for you to worry. Just come and enjoy the museum with Alexa.”
“All right, but I kind of want to see Kellan instead. Why can’t I go?”
Gramadea rubbed her hands. “Hon, Kellan isn’t feeling very well. I don’t really know if he’s even up to seeing us. I just think it will be better if we don’t go in all at once, so we don’t tire him. I’ll take you tomorrow if he’s feeling up to it. In fact, I’m hoping he’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”
“Oh, can we go home, too? I want to see Mom. Is she awake yet?”
“Not yet, but soon, I hope. Yes, you can go home tomorrow.”
“Will Dad bring Harry back? Will he come home, too?”
“Yes, I hope so. Ready to go now?”
“Okay.”
We called for Finna, who led us back upstairs and through the hallways of the old mansion. We could hear angry voices coming from one of the rooms as we passed.
“What’s going on in there, Gramadea? Can I go see?” my very nosy little sister asked.
“Best not, sounds like a serious discussion. We better follow Finna before she disappears around that corner and we lose her all together.”
We picked up our pace and finally walked out into the fresh evening breeze.
“Is the museum open this late?” I asked.
“Alfred called ahead and arranged for a private tour.”
“Wow, he must be a powerful man. Who is he exactly? Some kind of nobility?”
Gramadea’s lips curled into a mysterious grin. “Something like that.”
There was no arguing with the nurse who wore a tolerant but firm expression. She was in her late forties, clearly someone used to having her instructions followed. Only one of us would be allowed in to see Kellan.
Gramadea sighed. “Much as I want to go in and ask him a few things, it’s you he’s been asking for. I’ll wait for you here. Take your time, there’s no hurry, and if you manage to get any answers–”
“Look, I really don’t mean to be difficult,” the nurse interrupted. “Kellan is in a bad way; I’m only looking out for him. Marching in there and assaulting him with a bunch of questions won’t do him any good. I don’t want him stressed in any way. We brought him into the private wing at Alfred’s request, byp
assing all the hospital bureaucracy, or the police would be up here asking questions as well.”
“I’m not going to do anything to upset him. I promise.” I wasn’t. I just wanted to see him.
She nodded. “Follow me. Mrs. Darley, there’s a cafeteria–”
“That’s okay. I’ll wait here,” Gramadea replied curtly.
I slipped through the door the nurse held open for me. She didn’t follow me in. I paused for a moment when the door shut behind me, getting my bearings. The room was dark apart from the stream of moonlight coming through the half-covered window.
I made my way to the bed and looked down at the face bathed by the moonbeams. He was lying on his left side, his eyes closed. I wondered if that was from the swelling or because he was asleep. An IV needle was poking out of his hand. I gently brushed the tips of his fingers with mine, then looked at his face again. Even in this light, I could make out the bruises. A big bandage, much like the one Ali had worn after her nose job, covered his nose.
I thought I felt his fingers move under mine, so I held my hand still. His moved again, rubbing mine.
“Kell?” I whispered softly.
“Shrimp,” he rasped hoarsely. “Come closer.”
I slid as close as possible with my thighs right up against the frame of the bed.
“Closer. Come sit by me.”
I looked down, wondering exactly how to do that without asking him to scoot over–I couldn’t very well ask him to do that, not with that IV tube there. “Not sure I can. I don’t want to knock the IV out of your hand.”
“Slide under it, my hand I mean.”
I was flummoxed. Slide under it? How? I decided I better give it a try before he got worked up. I gently lifted his right hand–the one with the needle sticking out–and crept under it. And I was now sitting on his left hand. Awkward. And probably very painful for him. So I tried sliding off it without moving his other hand too much. I placed it on my waist, and before I knew it, I was half-sitting, half-lying on the bed next to him. Not a great position.
Then I heard a faint snicker.
I giggled. “Are you having fun? I bet I look like an idiot, and I’m going to fall off the bed at any moment, so prepare to turn that sad little snicker into a full-blown chuckle.”
“Put your feet up on the bed and your head on the pillow. I’ll make sure you don’t fall.”
I hesitated for a moment, but then did what he asked. After all, it was that, falling, or getting off the bed completely. I tried to be as gentle as possible, but I felt him flinch as I bumped my knees and feet against him. At least, I managed to get my head onto the pillow without smushing into his nose.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yeah, much. My bottom’s still hanging off the side of the bed, but as long as you hold onto me, I’ll try to stay on.” I giggled.
His grip around my waist tightened, sending a tingle through me, and I trembled. My body was so close to his that I could feel his muscles tighten.
“Kell, how are you feeling?” I asked, trying to rescue my thoughts from my body.
“Better now that you’re here,” he said in a surprisingly leery tone.
I cracked up laughing. “Been reading Little Red Riding Hood again? Big bad woolfie! Be serious, Kell! You look awful. How are you feeling?”
“Gee, thanks, you sure know how to make a guy feel awesome.”
“Oh, you know what I mean! Quit stalling.”
“I feel better than I look. My nose hurts the worst. It was broken, so they had to reset it. The painkillers help. I think I might be due another dose soon.”
“Do you want me to get the nur–”
“No, no. I’ll be fine for a bit longer. Just stay here with me.”
“Sure. Do you want me to be quiet or do you want to talk?”
“Quiet, just for a bit. My head hurts.”
I brought my fingers to his temple and rubbed it gently in circular movements. He sighed in approval. After a couple of minutes, I blurted, “What are you thinking?”
“Ah, the famous Arizona Darley question,” he mumbled. “I was thinking that I could lie here like this forever as long as you keep rubbing your fingers over my forehead. That feels so good.”
“Kell, can you open your eyes, or are they too swollen?”
“I can, but it hurts. Do you mind if I keep them closed?”
“No, of course not. Who did this to you?”
He winced, and I immediately regretted my question. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“It’s okay. I know you need to know. It was mainly Dan, under Raj’s orders.”
“Who’s Dan?”
“You still don’t remember anything?”
“No.”
“So lying here next to me must feel kinda weird for you.”
“Not really. I mean, we’ve shared a bed lots of times while camping. But wait… would this not be awkward if I remembered?”
“So this is awkward?” he persisted.
“No, not really. Well, kind of, but I’m not sure how. I almost feel like it’s totally normal, but it’s kind of weird, isn’t it? I mean, Gramadea would flip out if she walked in right now. Anyhow, I’m good. I like being here next to you; I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else right now. Anyhow, who’s Dan? And why should I remember him?” I remembered back to what David had told me and Kellan confirmed it.
“Dan and Sophie work for Raj. They were both helping him get the portal blueprints from your mom. How is she, by the way?”
“The same, I think. Continue.”
He chuckled. “Yes, ma’am. Dan is Raj’s henchman. He’s big, giant big. I never thought he was violent, though. Not until he got started on me.”
“Why did they do this to you?” I stared at his lips, happy that his eyes were closed, or I’d probably weird him out with my close inspection. They were so puffy and dry, with dried blood still encrusted where they had split. I had a sudden urge to lean forward and kiss them better. How many times in the past had Kellan done that for both me and Ella–kissed our boo-boos better? I brushed my lips gently against his. He gasped in pain, and I hastily withdrew. He opened his eyes. They were watery and blood shot. “I am so sorry, Kell. I was just trying to kiss you better.” I gulped, fighting my tears from welling out. What a stupid thing to do!
He shook his head and suddenly leaned forward and brushed my lips with his. My stomach twisted with so many emotions I couldn’t place any of them. He didn’t linger, but tightened his grip around me bringing my body closer to his. He moved his face away so I could see him again. I couldn’t speak. I had no idea what to say.
“Shrimp, I’m fine. That kiss was just what I needed. You just took me by surprise. Here, look at me. I’m okay. Really.”
I met his gaze, but remained silent. Nothing I could say would dig me out of my emotional pit.
“So, you want to know why I got beat up?”
I nodded.
“I’m not clear what exactly happened, but I can tell you what I remember. I was unconscious for parts of it.”
I felt a lump in my throat.
“Madison, a Sigma-W-Pi, one of Potomal’s staff, grabbed me and transported me from the Casino in Vegas after David rescued you. She brought me to Raj’s motel room–after a short break at some house–and left me there with Raj, Dan, and Sophie.”
I wanted to interrupt to ask more about Dan and Sophie but decided not to.
“I guess I was a bit sarcastic when Raj asked me some questions–I can’t even remember what they were anymore. I just remember them getting very frustrated, and then Dan punched me. So, I went at him, which in hindsight was stupid, but I couldn’t help myself. So he laid into me until I blacked out.
“I woke up when someone hit my face with water, twice. I didn’t let on and pretended to still be out of it. I heard Raj, Dan, and Sophie discussing what they would do with the video. They decided Dan would take it to my dad to get the prints from him.”
I cringed. Well
, that plan would have been doomed to fail. I guessed they didn’t know that Larry was in the hospital. I wondered if Kellan knew. I wasn’t about to share that with him now.
Kellan coughed.
“Kell, do you want something to drink? Water?”
“There should be some ice behind you. Could you reach over and pop a couple of pieces into my mouth?”
I turned carefully, trying not to bump him too much, and found the ice bucket. I picked a couple out, they were melting fast, and turned around. Kellan, his eyes closed again, had his lips slightly apart. I gently slid the bits of ice into his mouth. He squeezed my waist appreciatively.
“Where was I?”
“You were saying something about a video and Dan taking it to your dad.”
“Yeah. Then they talked about Dan transporting out with Madison to do the deal. I vaguely remember the door opening then, and more people coming into the room, but I must have blacked out again….”
“Do you remember anything at all after that?”
“No, the next thing I knew I was here, in this room. How did I get here? The only one I’ve talked to is the nurse, and she doesn’t seem to know anything. The doctors aren’t very chatty and haven’t said anything apart from stuff to do with my injuries. Does Dad know I’m here?”
“I don’t know if your dad knows. I’ll make sure to get a message to him once I leave here.”
“Thanks. Do you know how I got here? Who rescued me?”
“My dad did. Sheesh, Kell, so much stuff has happened. You wouldn’t even believe half of it!”
“Try me. Your dad? How?”
“Do you remember that my granddad was the Sigma-W leader?”
“Yeah, I remember everything from before I got beat up.”
“Okay. When Rowena was murdered, he had to resign.”
“Did Simla kill her?”
“We think so, but we’re not sure yet. Anyhow, when Granddad resigned, Dad took over as the leader of the Sigma-Ws.”
