Ascending the Veil

by Venessa Kimball

  I thought the devices were just acquired, not removed from humans. Disturbing images of what the removal and death of these vessels might resemble run through my head. “So, you killed these people to acquire the Copulas.”

  Monica shakes her head and looks at me. “We have only attempted two removals and they were from Sondian guardians that compromised our cover at MIT.”

  Xander asks, “How did Sondian guardians get into your department?”

  Monica, “We are among other scientists that are not involved in our fellowship. Most are average civilians unaware of what we know and do as guardians. Every so often, Sondian guardians go under the radar. They blend in really well with the average civilian. Most of the time we snuff them out, like the two we performed the removals on.”

  Monica leans against the door, still blocking us from passing. “Look, it wasn’t easy to take these humans, sedate them, and risk killing them. I am not a cold blooded murderer.”

  I feel guilty all of a sudden for accusing her of being a killer.

  Monica continues, “After seeing Corinna the way she was in the forest and seeing a Sondian guardian up close, they are no longer civil human beings. Their minds are lost, warped. It’s like their soul has been numbed. Seeing them for who they had become made it easier to come to terms with what I was doing.”

  Xander folds his arms across his chest and leans against the door pane. “Okay, what happened to them? Why didn’t they survive?”

  Monica, “The first one died on the table; he bled out. The Sondian Copula is implanted deeper than the Dobrian. The copper wires connecting themselves to the vessel were wrapped around central veins near the spinal column. It looked like an ivy vine wrapping itself around these veins, sure-guarding that the device would not ever be removed without killing the vessel.” Monica shakes her head in disgust before continuing. “I can only assume that this was Michael Sanderson’s intention in order to guarantee that if they were captured alive, they wouldn’t remain that way if a removal was done. It is a miracle Balthazar lived after his removal. I guess that was Michael’s sick idea of punishment.”

  Monica looks at me now. “The vessel that passed did not die in vain though. We were able to study the device to see how different the Sondian Copula was from ours. How their DNA was altered comparable to ours to make them more aggressive. However, the way their device used orthomolecular therapy…” Monica looks at us realizing she might have spoke over our heads. “That is infusing the body intravenously with chemicals, elements, medication, etc.”

  I nod, remembering Balthazar tell us back in the Tokyo facility how Michael experimented with trace elements through infusion from the device to make the vessels physically stronger and mentally pliable.

  “That explains the copper wiring attaching itself to the veins within the body.”

  Monica nods, “Our device does not. Well, did not. The new generation Copulas will have that modification as well as the orthomolecular therapy capabilities. The modifications can help our race in more ways than the obvious; cure diseases, prevent illnesses, eliminate genetic defects. The possibilities are endless.”

  Listening to her reminds me of Ezra. She is just like him.

  Xander asks, “The one you activated in Corinna is the new Dobrian Copula, right?”

  Monica, “Yes, and so is Marcus’s.”

  So if they have gotten the modified Dobrian Copula, when will we? “Are we all going to eventually get the new Copulas?”

  Monica nods. “Yes, but it will take time. We must consider that right now, as guardians, we have some protection with our current devices. The average civilian has none whatsoever.”

  I nod, understanding where she is going with this. “They need to be implanted before us. It is their only chance for survival.”

  Monica, “The second Sondian guardian we captured had a different outcome when we removed the device. We had realized with the first what we had done wrong. We were able to go into the operating room with knowledge of how we could removal the device and not risk the vessel dying. Once again the veins were woven with the copper wiring so tightly, it was hard to see where the vein began and the wire ended. Every cut of a wire risked a bleed out. It was like a ticking time bomb ready to go off at any moment. On the last wire, one of the surgeons grazed a central vein. We quickly cauterized it, while implanting the new Dobian Copula. Her heart stopped. We quickly rolled her over on her back and injected her with a large dose of adrenaline. We thought we had lost her, but suddenly her heart started beating again.”

  Monica’s eyes light up with the recollection of the experience for just a moment. Then the light fades. “She was in a coma for weeks, but never came to.” She pushes off of the door suddenly. “I worry that Corinna is headed for the same fate. If she does survive, she may never be the Corinna she was before the abduction and implantation by the Sondians. God knows what Michael Sanderson and his cohorts had put her through before sending her to Tokyo with Sam.”

  I feel sick to my stomach thinking about the terrible things that could have happened to Corinna after her abduction. I remember seeing her on that battlefield in Aokigahara Forest. Her face looked so crazed and her movements so feral, like an animal with no soul. She does have a soul though; it had just been caged and warped. But, when her soul is unchained when she wakes, will it remain dormant and broken from the torture she endured or will it renew and heal. I sense Monica watching me. She is wondering if I am up to seeing Corinna still after hearing all of this. I breathe in a cleansing breath and release it slowly. I know what I need to do, so I work hard to push down the fear I have in my heart. “I have to try to help her.”

  Monica looks at Xander and steps toward me. Her eyes narrow on me, “How?”

  “Getting inside her head.”

  Xander snaps at me. “Hell no!”

  I’m not shocked, just angry with his arrogance, thinking he can tell me what I can and cannot do. “I don’t think you have a say in this, Xander. It’s my decision.”

  Xander’s anger gets the best of him as his jaw works from side to side. His voice hides his anger well though. “You would be entering her mind blindly, Jesca. You don’t know if she is the normal Corinna, or the crazy Corinna setting a trap for you.”

  Monica interrupts Xander, basically ignoring him and focusing on what I want to do. “So, you want to enter her mind telepathically and wake her up.”

  My eyes connect with Monica’s and I nod. The light in her eyes quickly returns as she sees a glimmer of hope in my solution.

  Xander steps between Monica and I, looks from me to her and says, “That is insane! You are both insane! You are throwing yourself into a volatile situation, Jes! I can’t let you do that! I am supposed to protect you!”

  Monica claps her hands together loudly. “Then go with her, Xander.”

  Xander and I both look at Monica. “What?”

  Monica repeats, “Follow Jesca into Corinna’s mind. You can read her thoughts, get into her head, right? Well, concentrate on not letting her go if Corinna tries to pull under to trap her.”

  I have to give it to Monica, using Xander is brilliant. I nod my head slowly and look at Xander. “We have to do this, Xander. This is our only chance to try and pull Corinna out.”

  Xander shakes his head and looks at me like I am crazy. “Jes, that is completely crazy.”

  He covers his face with his hands and is mumbling something to himself when I interrupt him. “Xander?”

  Hands still cover his face, he asks, “What?”

  I look at Monica. She rolls her eyes and crosses her arms over her chest. Xander’s drama is definitely getting to her. I grab hold of Xander’s wrists with my hands and pull them away from his face. “I can bring her back, I know it.”

  Xander looks away from me and I draw his attention back. “Hey,” I say, my eyes lock with his. “I need you with me. Can you help me?”

  Through his crystal clear blue green eyes, I see remnants of his struggle to let me
do this. Xander’s voice is low; I can barely hear him when he says, “Fine.”

  With my hands on his wrists, I slide them down to meet his and let our hands intertwine. I squeeze his fingers between mine and smile genuinely. “Thank you, Xander.”

  Monica punches a large red button on the wall, the double doors open, and she starts walking. Xander and I release one hand and hold tight to each other with the other as we follow after Monica.

  We walk past a few doors, each with their own square window on the left side of the doorway. All of the doors to the rooms are open, except for one at the end of the hall. We approach a small nurse station where two nurses look up and nod, letting us pass. Monica only nods back, not breaking stride, as she halts at the closed door in front of her. When she turns to look at us, I immediately sense her concern that Isabel will turn us away and won’t want us near Corinna.

  I step back a little and peer into the window next to the door. I see Isabel leaning over the bed, with only the lower half of Corinna’s body visible to me.

  Monica’s soft knock interrupts Isabel and she looks back at the door. She catches a glimpse of me looking through the window in the process. I hold my breath and hope my presence won’t spook her. I can’t hear her thoughts, she has blocked them from me. I can’t blame her, I would have also. She slowly gets up and walks to the door. My sister, Bethany comes to mind when I look at her. What if Bethany was in Isabel’s shoes and it was me lying on that table. I can’t imagine putting such a burden on my little sister. I know Corinna, our Corinna, wouldn’t want that for Isabel either. Isabel opens the door quietly and looks from Monica, to Xander, then to me. She quietly says, “There has been no change.”

  Monica’s voice is soft and tender, “There will be. It will just take some time. We hope that the presence of those she knows will bring her back to us.”

  Isabel nods and lowers her eyes to the ground briefly. It is strange to hear Monica sound so nurturing. Then, I realize that she is probably playing up the pity card to persuade Isabel to let us help bring Corinna back. Isabel looks back up at Monica, “So. Um, why are they here.”

  Her eyes shift in Xander’s and my direction. Monica dodges her question, “Can we come in and talk quietly.”

  Isabel moved toward Monica and pulls the door shut behind her, closing Corinna off from all of us. “We can talk out here.”

  I gotta give it to her, Isabel is a no nonsense kind of girl. I admire her and feel compassion for her plight of protecting the ones she loves.

  Monica responds diplomatically, “I understand you are wanting to keep your sister safe. I would want to do the same thing. Hell, if I had a chance to rewind time and protect my mother, I would.”

  Monica’s mother, Joan Leal, was a very high ranking Dobrian guardian that was heading the Tokyo team here in Japan. She and the rest of the team were ambushed by Sondian guardian spies that were deep cover. Their mission was to access and lift Dobrian data as well as Dobrian Copulas and eliminate the safe house Joan and her team occupied, she martyred herself in order to keep our data and devices safe from that Sondian attack.

  Monica’s eyes become glassy and she quickly looks up to the ceiling, trying to pull back the tears brewing within her. She blinks quickly and looks at me. “Jesca knew your sister, Isabel. I think it is worth a shot to let Jesca try and spend some time with her. Maybe her presence will have an effect on her.”

  I know Monica means well, but I feel convicted to give Isabel the raw, straight up deal. I move slowly to stand in front of her. Isabel uncrosses her arms, letting her hands dangle by her side. I carefully reach for her hand and take it in mine. Isabel’s body tenses upon the contact and she looks down at our joined hands. She seems a little shocked by my gesture, but she doesn’t pull away; a good sign.

  I ask gently, “Isabel, would you look at me please?”

  Isabel pulls her eyes from my hands and looks at me. “Isabel, I want to help your sister. We all do. The bond of sisters is unbreakable.”

  Isabel tightens her hand around mine. Her eyes are pleading now, “I just want to keep her safe until she wakes.”

  I breathe in deeply and nod my head, “I know you do. And, I know Corinna would be so proud of you. I know I am so proud of what you are doing.”

  Isabel’s resolve breaks a little and tear streams down her cheek as she sucks in a ragged breathe. “Thank you.”

  I gently pull Isabel to me. She doesn’t resist, rather she falls into my arms needing to lean on someone after all she has endured being on guard for the past two days. I brush my hand over the top of her head and look at Xander and Monica when I ask her. “Isabel, will you let me try something?”

  Isabel slowly pulls away from me, wipes her eyes with the sleeves of her sweater, and crosses her arms. She looks at me nervously, hiccups softly, and sucks in a breath before she whispers, “Try something with Corinna?”

  I nod slowly, “I only need to hold her hand, Isabel. It will help me get inside of her mind.”

  Isabel replies, “You mean telepathy.”

  I nod again and look at Xander. “Yes, and Xander and I are able to enter each other’s minds as well.”

  She looks at Xander for a moment, weighing his position in this “something” I am wanting to try.

  I add, “Right now, your sister is not connected to the physical world. She is in a perpetual dream state. I want to enter her mind and guide her back to the physical world and her body.”

  Isabel, “Why do you need Xander?”

  God, please don’t let me scare her off. “I am hoping I will not need Xander’s help. I believe the old Corinna is in there. I don’t think she is under the Sondian Copulas influence any longer, but I need him to be in my mind just in case I am wrong about that.”

  Xander interrupts and I hold my breath that he doesn’t say something to upset her. “Isabel, I’m just the safe guard. I only want to help and keep everyone safe.”

  Isabel stares off, thinking about what Xander and I have just said to her. Monica, Xander, and I exchange quick, anxious glances while Isabel stares off into the hallway, considering what we plan to do. I hope giving Isabel the raw truth was enough to give us a shot.

  Isabel’s worn and shaky voice draws my attention. “Jesca?”

  “Yeah?”

  She blinks her eyes rapidly, breaking the far off look she possessed. “Save my sister.”

  * * *

  I approach Corrina and try to not focus on the parts of her that scream the word “Comatose”. I have to remember Corinna the way she was before her abduction. I am careful to keep my eyes away from the cords, wires, and tubes. I look at her hair, her face, her body, and then her hand. I notice the bracelet on her wrist, the one that her sister gave her. I slowly sit down in the chair next to the bed, recalling Corinna and I in her villa the night she was taken. She asked me to help her put the bracelet on before we left for Sam’s club. God, if I had not been so focused on getting to Sam, I could have prevented her from being taken.

  Xander comes up behind me putting his hand on my shoulder and Isabel sits down across from me on the other side of the bed. Knowing it is now or never, I scoot my chair close to Corinna’s bed and gently take hold of her hand. I close my eyes and concentrate on Corinna.

  * * *

  At first it is dark with nothing to land my mind on. A void. I wonder if that is what happens to the mind when you are in a coma. Is this what Corinna has been subjected to because of the removal of the Sondian Copula? A vegetative state?

  I hear a whisper. It is Xander. “I’m here with you.”

  I feel comfort wash over me instantly. Xander was so good at doing that lately. Suddenly, I see small shards of light dance in and out of my sight, and then disappear. What was that? Everything goes dark again. I’m losing my focus! I try and regain it, thinking more intently on Corinna and our time back in Florida. The shards of light dance again. I place my other hand underneath Corinna’s hand, cradling it between both of mine now. It may help m
e stay connected to her.

  Then, an image comes into focus. The light in the image is so overpowering, it washes away the presence of any color. It is Corinna. She is laying down, leaning on her hand, elbow propping her up, smiling and talking to someone. I cannot hear what she is saying, but I suddenly feel a wave of joy pass through me.

  She is happy.

  My breath slows and my tightened chest loosens realizing I have made it into her mind.

  It is kind of strange though. I feel like a peeper looking through a window at something private going on. I remind myself that I am doing this to bring Corinna back. That makes me feel less Peeping Tom-ish.

  As I continue to watch her face, the hand of a man comes grazes her cheek and rests under her chin.

  Woah, I can feel that! It feels like this man is resting his hand on my face for real. The man’s thumb brushes a small pattern on Corinna’s cheek and I feel the warmth on my own. I don’t just feel the touch physically though. The passion from that touch is felt. Butterflies begin stirring within my stomach. Butterflies of eagerness to touch him, whoever he is.

  Without warning, Corinna’s smile fades as the look in her eyes flares with passion for this man. I feel that passion she had building with me and my heart picks up pace. I want to turn away because I am a little embarrassed, but I can’t pull myself away from fulfilling my curiosity. Who is this man? This is really awkward.

  Corinna speaks for the first time since I entered her mind. “I know. This, it has become so strong between us.”

  The man’s whisper makes it hard to recognize the voice, “When I saw you that first night, I felt it happen, like a switch being turned on within me.”

  His hushed, seductive tone overwhelms me; adoration pouring off of every word that tickles my ear.

  Suddenly, the image of Corinna fades into darkness.

  Even though I see nothing, I still feel the thumb of the man’s hand running a pattern under my chin. I lean into the warmth of his small caress. The sensations sparked from the touch are so entrancing, I melt further into his hand. I quickly coil around that one touch and it spawns an involuntary need and desire for only this moment. I don’t understand. Am I feeling this or is Corinna feeling this within me? I feel my mouth begin to move, but the voice that comes is Corinna’s, not mine. “When the intersection comes. I want to go with you.”