Madness Unhinged: Dragons of Zalara

by ML Guida

  “Have you lost someone you cared about?” she asked softly.

  “Hasn’t everybody?”

  “That’s not an answer.”

  “I don’t like to talk about my past. Talking doesn’t change anything.”

  “Sometimes talking will ease the pain.”

  He shrugged. “Hasn’t been my experience.”

  “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “Not going to let this drop, are you?”

  “We’re probably going to be here for a while, and I just realized I really don’t know anything about you.”

  “I could say the same for you.”

  “No, not true. You know about my brother and father, and that my mother’s dead. You know I live alone, and I’m not the greatest housekeeper.”

  He sighed and unwound his arm from around her shoulders. The warmth he’d provided slowly ebbed way. He leaned back in the metal chair that could barely contain his large, muscular body.

  “Let’s just say my childhood wasn’t a happy one.”

  “So, do you have any brothers or sisters?”

  “No, but I consider my best friend to be more like a brother. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

  She looked carefully around the room, not wanting anyone to hear their conversation. “Is he part of the crew of the Orion?”

  He shook his head. “He’s the personal guard of our queen.”

  She opened her mouth to ask another question, when the double doors into the emergency room opened. A tall pretty nurse held a clipboard. “Detective Malloy.”

  Agnes grabbed Hoss’s knee hard to steady herself.. “I’m Detective Malloy.”

  Her confident voice hid the turmoil rolling around inside her.

  As the nurse walked toward them, Agnes thought she was the shadow of death, ready to tell her that her brother had died. Pain severed her heart, pulling it in two.

  “The doctor would like to talk to you about your brother.”

  Hoss put his hand over hers, and she glanced up at him, needing his strength. She couldn’t talk, afraid she’d become a blubbering mess.

  He helped her out of the chair and locked his arm around her shoulder. She quickly shoved her iPad back into her purse, then forced her trembling legs to move.

  “This way,” the nurse said.

  Dread breathed on the back of Agnes’s neck. She was too afraid to pray, too afraid to hope, and too afraid to be alone. She leaned against Hoss, hungering to listen to his beating heart. He’d made it out of here alive.

  God, don’t let them take Frank.

  Damn, she’d prayed. What if her prayers backfired like they had with her father?

  The nurse led them to a quiet room down the hall. Their footsteps softly echoed on the cold tile floor. Nurses quietly talked among themselves at the large station. Bells and dings irritated Agnes nerves. The sound of deep breathing of ventilators brought back memories of her father. His face covered by a plastic mask. The doctor telling her that only the machine was keeping him alive.

  Both her and Frank had made the decision to end his life. It had been the most difficult thing she’d done, but at least Frank had been there. She hadn’t had to make the decision alone.

  Her legs betrayed her, her knees buckling.

  But she didn’t fall. Hoss held her up. “I’ve got you.”

  She nodded. He had her.

  The nurse opened a door. “The doctor will be with you shortly.”

  Agnes nodded.

  “Thank you,” Hoss said as he led her to a chair next to Frank’s bed.

  She couldn’t hide the tears. Frank lay still on the bed with the creepy plastic mask over his face. There was a plastic tube inserted between his ribs. A heart monitor was hooked up to his chest and steadily beeping, but it was so slow. She covered his icy hand with her shaking one.

  Black and blue bruises covered his cheeks. He was unrecognizable.

  Hoss stood behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

  “Detective Malloy?” A blond woman entered with her hair pulled back in a neat bun, wearing a white smock. She had a stethoscope around her neck.

  Agnes wiped her tears. “I’m Detective Malloy.”

  Somehow she found her hardened cop voice.

  The woman reached out her hand. “I’m Doctor Rush.”

  Agnes reluctantly let go of Frank’s hand and took the doctor’s warm one, but it was her sorrowful green eyes that shattered any hope Agnes had.

  Hoss stretched his arm over Agnes’s head. “I’m Hoss. Detective Malloy’s friend.”

  “Glad you’re here for her.” Dr. Rush glanced at Frank then back at Agnes. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news for you, Detective.”

  Agnes bit her lip. If she talked, she’d burst into tears. She wanted to shake Frank, wanted to hear his sneering voice, wanted him to scold her for not being a hard-nosed detective. She desperately wanted to tell him how much she loved him.

  “Go on,” Hoss answered for her.

  “Agent Malloy has suffered massive internal injuries. His spleen is severed, and one lung is punctured. He has numerous broken ribs. We’ve tried using a chest tube to drain the air in his lung, but he’s not responding. He’s bleeding internally. When he crashed into the car, the force broke his back and his spine may be severed. If he does recover, there’s a chance he could be paralyzed.”

  Agnes gasped. “Oh, my God.” Frank confined to a wheelchair. It would kill him. This was all her fault. She should have reacted faster. Why did Frank always have to be a hero?

  “What are you suggesting?” Hoss asked.

  “We need to operate to stop the bleeding and to repair his lung. I need your consent to operate, since you’re the next of kin.”

  Agnes nodded, unable to speak.

  “I’ll draw up the necessary papers.”

  Agnes stared at Frank’s ashen face, wishing he would tell her what to do. The ventilator pumped softly matching the ping of the heart monitor. She put her hand on her sweating forehead, trying to decide her brother’s fate.

  “Agnes,” Hoss said.

  She jumped, not realizing the doctor had left.

  He knelt in front of her. “There’s another alternative.”

  She croaked, “What?”

  “The Orion. Our surgeon, Tryker, has far superior abilities than this hospital.”

  She sniffed. “You going to beam him up like on Star Trek?”

  “I don’t know what beaming is.”

  She pulled her iPad out of her bag and found a Star Trek episode. “See, it’s an energy pattern when your molecules are scattered one from point and resembled at another point.”

  He frowned. “No, we don’t do that. Sounds like you could end up with your ass between your shoulders and your head between your legs.”

  She blinked, then burst out laughing. The image shoved her awful decision away. Tears streamed down her face.

  He squeezed her shoulder. “Seriously, he could be taken to the Orion or a medical ship could come here.”

  Somber reality returned and her laughter died. She wiped the wetness off her cheeks, studying Frank’s overly still body. “But he’s so weak. How could you move him?”

  “I wouldn’t. Moving a fragile human in need of medical attention isn’t my area. It’s Tryker’s.”

  “Would Frank be able to walk again?”

  “Possibly. But with these crude facilities, he’s got no chance.”

  “Then, how would he get there?”

  “By space ship, of course. Let me contact Tryker.”

  “Why didn’t they come earlier?”

  “Because Daidhl sabotaged the Orion. If we’re lucky, he’d didn’t damage the medical ship.”

  Agnes sat next to Frank, holding his cold hand. Her brother would slowly die in a wheelchair. He was such a proud man. His life was the Bureau. He’d hate being behind a desk. He was all action––always had been. She had to make a decision. There w
as no one here to make it for her.

  Hoss pulled out what looked like a cellular phone and flipped it open. God, this was really like Star Trek.

  “This is Hoss to the Orion. Come in, please.”

  “This is Topaz. What’s wrong?”

  “My mate’s brother is badly wounded. I’m asking permission for him to be taken to the Orion. Can I speak to Tryker?”

  “Permission granted.”

  “Tryker, here. What’s your emergency, Hoss?”

  “Daidhl attacked Agnes’s brother. According to the medical doctor, he’s got internal bleeding, lacerated organs, and a severed spine. Can you help him?”

  “What are the doctors planning to do?”

  “They want to operate.”

  “By Fates, don’t let them!”

  Agnes jumped at his angry voice.

  Hoss glanced at her and held up his hand as if to silence her. “What do you want me to do?”

  “The Orion is still disabled, but I can bring a medical shuttle down to you. But you have to get him out of there before it’s too late. If they operate before I get there, I’m not sure there will be much I can do.”

  Hoss looked at Agnes. “You heard what he said. What do you want to do?”

  “I don’t know. How can we move him?”

  “I can stun everyone here long enough for us to get Frank out of here. The choice is yours.”

  Not what she wanted to hear. Dr. Rush returned, holding a clipboard. “I need you to sign before we can get started.”

  Agnes glanced at the clipboard, at Hoss, and at Frank. He grew paler by the minute. He risked his life for her. She’d an opportunity to save him, but what if it went wrong? What if Tryker couldn’t save him or made him worse? Frank would never forgive her. But then again, he’d never forgive her if she threw out a way for him to be whole again.

  Butterflies flapped against the sides of her gut.

  “Detective?” Dr. Rush asked. “Did you hear me? We’re preparing for surgery, but I need you to sign these papers before we can do anything.”

  Betty slowly materialized next to Frank’s bed. She looked at him. “If you take him away from here, he’ll be safe. You don’t know who will be in the operating room. Daidhl needs to feed on your pain and murdering your brother would satisfy his hunger.”

  Acid burned a hole in Agnes’s gut, killing all the fluttering butterflies. She never thought of Daidhl lurking in the operating room ready to slice and dice up her brother. Right or wrong, there was only one answer.

  She squeezed Frank’s hand. “Please forgive me in what I’m about to do, brother.” She looked at Hoss and braced her shoulders. “Send for Tryker.”

  “Tryker, I’ll send you the coordinates to meet us.”

  “Over and out.”

  “Also, bring down any files on the Mistonians. I remember hearing there was one on Earth that was destroyed.”

  “The medical shuttle can only house myself and my staff. I’m sorry, but I’ll bring down the files.”

  Confusion settled in Dr. Rush’s eyes. “What are you doing?”

  Hoss pulled out his weapon. “Saving Agent Malloy’s life.”

  She put her hands up. “Please, don’t.”

  Hoss fired. A blue ray streamed out of Hoss’s gun and hit Dr. Rush. Her eyes rolled back in her head. She collapsed on the floor.

  Agnes rushed over to her and put her fingers on her wrist. “There’s a pulse.”

  “Of course. I said I would stun her, not kill her. Don’t you think I know the difference?”

  She slowly released Dr. Rush’s wrist, hoping she hadn’t made a terrible mistake. “Will Tryker really know how to save my brother?”

  “You’re going to have to trust me.”

  “A scary proposition,” she muttered.

  “Do you want to do this or not?”

  She slowly stood. “I said, yes.”

  “We need to move now.”

  She clasped his arm. “I’m putting my brother’s life in your hands. Don’t make me regret my decision.”

  “You won’t.”

  Agnes looked at the machines hooked up to her brother. “He needs oxygen so he can breathe.”

  “Then we take what we can with us.” He headed for the door, then glanced over his shoulder. “Wait here.”

  A bright light burst outside and Agnes nervously paced in the room. God, what was she doing? What if she were making a giant mistake, costing her brother his life?

  “You need to trust him,” Betty said. “He won’t let you down like you did me.”

  Agnes winced. “I’m sorry.”

  Betty’s eyes faded to all black except for her fiery red pupils. “Sorry is only a word. I’m dead.” She flicked her hands down her body. “My corpse horribly disfigured. I can’t even look at myself.”

  Agnes hung her head. “I didn’t know he’d come after you. I didn’t know you were a mate.”

  Her puny apology was barely audible.

  “Obviously.”

  She jerked her head up and braced her shoulders. “I promise you I’ll find him.”

  “You’d better. If you don’t…” Her blue eyes changed to a fiery red. “I’ll haunt you for the rest of your days.”

  As she faded, the room turned to ice. Goosebumps broke out over Agnes’ flesh, and she shivered. She’d never had a ghost threaten her before. But Betty was right. She’d made promises she never should have made. Daidhl was sick and twisted, and wouldn’t want anyone saying who he could or couldn’t kill.

  The door flew open. Hoss’s large frame filled the doorway. “Everyone is unconscious for now, but they won’t be for long.” He frowned. “Why is it so damn cold in here?”

  She shrugged. “Betty got mad.”

  He looked around the room cautiously. “She’s not stable.”

  She dabbed Frank’s feverish face with a cloth. “I know. She still blames me for her death.”

  He rested his hands gently on her shoulders. “It’s not your fault. It’s Daidhl’s. I don’t know why she can’t see that.”

  Not believing him, she wrestled free of his gasp. “What do you propose we do?”

  Her shrew voice cut any tenderness between them.

  He sighed heavily behind her, his breath brushing over the back of her neck.

  When he walked over to look out the door, the hurt was gone and he was back to being a soldier. “We’ll wheel Frank into an ambulance and then take him to my ship. “You’re kidding right? Don’t you think the police and hospital staff will know we stole an ambulance?”

  “You got a better solution?”

  “No.” She frowned. “How come your space ship hasn’t been discovered?”

  “It’s invisible. So, is Daidhl’s.”

  She shook her head. “Of course it is.”

  He went over and kissed her briefly on the lips, sending warmth through her shivering body. She unscrewed the oxygen tubes that were hooked up to the ventilator. She had just enough medical training to hopefully keep her brother alive.

  This was a huge risk. If Tryker didn’t get here soon, she’d end up an only child.

  They lowered the bars on Frank’s hospital bed, the banging put her nerves on edge. For such a larger-than-life man, Frank was so vulnerable. At the police station, he was everyone’s hero. And now, he was hers, too.

  He couldn’t die. He just couldn’t. He was Frank Malloy.

  If she’d made the wrong decision, she’d never forgive herself.

  Hoss pulled the bed away from the wall, while Agnes wheeled the oxygen tank next to Frank’s bed. Without the heart monitor, she wasn’t sure how strong his heartbeat was. She had to strain to hear his shallow breathing.

  When she walked out of the room, she gasped. Men and women were sprawled out on the floor, over the desk, and slumped up against the walls.

  “Agnes, I promise they’re fine. We need to move before they wake up.”

  She nodded. “We’ll be on video.”

  “No, we w
on’t. I melted the cameras.”

  “You don’t think they’ll notice?”

  He smiled mischievously. “That’s why we need to move.”

  They carefully maneuvered Frank’s bed through the bodies. Agnes had to move several arms and legs to keep from running over them. In the waiting room, she winced at several children lying over their toys. She was going to hell for this.

  The emergency room doors were open and an ambulance waited. Within a few minutes, they had Frank loaded inside.

  “You need to drive,” she said. “I have no idea where your ship is.”

  His cheeks flamed crimson. “I’m not very good at driving.”

  “You don’t have to be good.” The streets were relatively quiet since the busy morning traffic hadn’t started yet. Hopefully, no one would notice a slow jerky ambulance. Besides, she wanted to be by Frank’s side.

  Hoss shifted from one-foot-to the other like a nervous little boy. “You don’t understand. I’ve never driven before.”

  She hung on tight to Frank’s limp hand. “I’m not leaving Frank alone in here. For all we know, Daidhl could be inside.”

  “Fine, I’ll stay with Frank, while you drive.”

  His sharp voice and stiff stance made her want to strangle him, but she gave in, since they didn’t have time to indulge in a stupid argument. She reluctantly released Frank’s hand. “Where the hell am I going?”

  “My ship’s in a field outside the city.”

  Frustration built up inside her like a simmering volcano. “Hoss, that doesn’t tell me much.”

  He pointed. “Go northwest.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Do you remember anything about where you landed?”

  He rubbed his lower lip. “There was a bunch of houses. I think I saw a sign that said five parks or five larks or something like that.”

  “I think that’s a housing development.” When she’d been on patrol, she responded to a couple of domestic squabbles. The houses and town homes were upscale, and the community pool was nicer than some of the recreation districts’. “It’s about a fifteen-minute drive from here.”

  “I’ll set my transrecorder to my ship’s coordinates. It will tell us when we’re getting close.”

  “How long will it take for Tryker to get here?”

  “Less than four hours.”