by Dale Furse
‘Sounds too easy,’ Tanat said with a frown.
‘No one on Corl would believe a patient could escape.’ It was the first time Kale spoke. ‘How ... how did you know we were here?’ He asked the question, but looked as if he didn’t want to hear the answer.
‘Your mother wanted to follow you,’ Tanat said. ‘But she didn’t want to leave in case Kandar contacted her so she called Dar-Seldra. I took the call.’
‘Oh,’ Kale said, while he moved the dirt he’d collected with his foot backwards and forwards.
‘I knew she thought something was up,’ Sam said.
Nell stepped out of the line. ‘I’m glad Tish talked to you,’ she said, and touched his forearm. ‘And not Dar-Seldra. She would have stopped us for sure.’
‘And you don’t think I will?’
She squeezed his arm and he let down his guard to allow her into his mind. She showed him everything she had seen and heard since the first time they visited with Shahs.
‘Very interesting,’ he said slowly.
The connection broke as soon as she withdrew her hand. Darn. Having a continual link with Tanat could have come in handy. Although she knew s didn’t care for that particular Phib ability, she was thankful he trusted her enough to let her in for a few seconds at least.
Everyone watched Tanat as he mulled Nell’s information over.
Cay-Reace was the first to break the silence. ‘Are you going to stop us?’ he asked Tanat.
‘What? No,’ he said, as if coming out of a trance. ‘When can we go in?’ he asked Mer-petrale.
‘You will hear the change of shift chime from here. It is the same tune as at other restorations.’ Mer-petrale looked at her watch. ‘In half an hour there will be people coming and going so try to stay out of sight. I should go and wait with the night shift at the entrance doors.’
‘Go,’ Tanat said, taking over leadership of the group.
Mer-petrale bowed her head at Tanat and Cay-Reace before leaving.
Sam watched her until she was out of sight and Mekie watched him.
‘We might as well be comfortable while we wait,’ Sam said, finding some grass to sit on.
They sat in silence as the sun turned pink. A short time later, it disappeared behind the forest trees. Night darkness blanketed the light.
Cay-Reace regarded the sky. ‘There’s no moon,’ he said.
Mekie looked panic-stricken. ‘It will be too dark to see where we’re going,’ she said.
Sam brayed a small laugh. ‘You Phibs and your night blindness. It’s okay, we’ll help you and Cay-Reace to the entrance,’
‘Nell and Kale can help me,’ she said, sliding her bottom further away from him.
‘Fine.’ He didn’t lose any of his good mood. ‘Have it your way.’
The night was the blackest Nell had seen on Corl. While she sat in silence, darkness surrounding her, she closed her eyes and began to feel a little of what the others were feeling. Sam was excited about what they were about to do. Mekie wasn’t worried or excited; she was sulking. Poor Kale. He was feeling apprehension over meeting with his mother later and he didn’t seem to want the time to go too fast.
Cay-Reace had hardly said a word since Tanat’s arrival. Nell felt confusing emotions from him. Worry mixed with what? Selfishness? He was feeling selfish? And it didn’t help when she realised Tanat was full of distrust. Probably Cay-Reace. Tanat was still wary of the Cay family too.
Nell’s eyes adjusted to the blackness and she found Tanat looking at Cay-Reace as if trying to read his thoughts. ’s night vision was better than Human’s and Corl’s, but not as good as Nell’s. She could see everyone as clearly, as if it were day.
Sam tried to lay his head on Mekie’s lap. He let out a yelp when she pushed his head away. ‘Watch it,’ Sam moaned.
‘I’m not a pillow,’ Mekie hissed. ‘Keep away from me.’
A short melody floated their way. The tune meant the doors were now unlocked.
‘That’s it,’ Cay-Reace said, and stood up. He put his arms out in front of him.
‘I’ll lead you,’ Tanat said. ‘Nell, take Mekie.’
Sam and Kale were nearly as blind as the Phibs. ‘Be careful,’ Kale said.
‘Ouch,’ said Sam. ‘You be careful. That was my foot.’
‘Be quiet both of you,’ Tanat said.
The group halted and hid amongst the trees that bordered the park in front of the entrance doors. Light poured through the glass doors and panels lining the front of the restoration’s ground floor. A young Corl nurse exited the building and mounted the last remaining Kroll. After it flew off into the night, Sam snorted, ‘How’re we going to get back?’
‘The Krolls will come back when we need them,’ Kale said.
‘We’ll wait for Mer-petrale over there,’ Tanat said, crossing the newly mown lawn toward the low stools.
They sat and waited. Sometimes one or two of the group would stand to stretch their legs. Nell and Mekie visited the flowering bushes more than once. Every now and then, a conversation sprang up between two or more of the group. Time passed and still no sight of Mer-petrale.
‘It’ll be morning soon,’ Sam grumbled.
Tanat looked down at Cay-Reace. ‘She isn’t coming back,’ he said.
Cay-Reace looked toward the entrance doors. ‘Perhaps we should give her a few more minutes.’
‘No,’ Tanat said. ‘It’s too late now. We will have to find another way although I’d like to know what happened to Mer-petrale.’
‘I will go in with an excuse to examine Shahs again and I will find out,’ Cay-Reace said.
‘Who’s going to believe you would come here this time of night or rather, morning?’ Tanat asked.
‘Physicians work through the night, don’t they?’ Cay-Reace thought for a moment, looked at the entrance again as if trying to conjure Mer-petrale up, and then returned his eyes to Tanat. ‘I don’t have a scan card for this restoration.’
‘Do you think you can decode the door, Sam?’ Tanat said, taking charge once more.
Sam beamed. ‘I’ll give it my best shot,’ he said, and ran to the code box attached to a metal strip separating the glass panels from the doors. Once there, he hummed the tune they’d heard earlier. It took him a minute to sort out the sequence, but he soon had the notes perfectly. He gave several jabs of his finger and the doors flew open.
Spinning back to the others, he blew on his knuckles then rubbed the tips of his fingers on the front of his shirt as if he was sharpening them.
Nell stayed close to Cay-Reace as he passed through the open doors. ‘I’m going with you.
‘No,’ said Tanat from behind.
Nell glared at him. ‘Yes,’ she said.
He growled, ‘Wilful child.’ But with no time to argue, he nodded once. She threw him a sweet smile and joined Cay-Reace inside. One day she would have to tell him she didn’t need his permission.
Cay-Reace didn’t say anything when Nell joined him.
Tanat whispered to Kale, ‘Stay with Mekie.’ He and Sam followed Nell and Cay-Reace.
By the time they came to the end of the hallway, Nell couldn’t hear Sam and Tanat’s footfalls on the hard floor behind her. She wondered why they had stopped.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
NELL AND CAY-REACE ROUNDED THE CORNER WHERE Mer-petrale was busy filing patient files. Behind her, a nurse sat at the desk. Nell was thankful it wasn’t the mean Nurse Gorver who usually looked after Shahs. The nurse was Phib although her sandy hair was cut in a severe short style and her skin was paler than most Phibs’.
The nurse looked up. ‘What is your business here, Physician Cay-Reace?’ However, she didn’t appear to find the hour of his visit strange in the least. She glanced briefly at Nell. Mer-petrale shook her head and held out her hands, one still holding a file, letting Nell know she hadn’t been able to get away at all.
‘I am here to finish my examination of Shahs,’ Cay-Reace said.
The nurse was unsurpris
ed at his request. Nell frowned. What was going on? It was as though she was expecting them. Mer-petrale returned to her filing, a small smile playing on her lips. Nell glanced around. Something wasn’t right. Too bad. It didn’t matter if they were up to something because one way or another she was going to rescue Shahs. Nell gazed at Shahs’ viewing window.
The window between the nurse’s station and Shahs’ room opened. Shahs lay on her bed, back to door, as still as could be. Tightness rose in Nell’s chest. Had they done something to her?
The nurse looked hard at Cay-Reace for a moment. Nell was impressed with Cay-Reace’s professional attitude. He didn’t flinch under her gaze.
‘Who is she?’ The nurse glanced at Nell.
‘A trainee nurse.’ Cay-Reace spoke as if that was the end of the matter.
‘I’ll see if she’s calm enough for visitors.’ Cay-Reace followed her to the door but Nell held back. She moved behind the desk and whispered to Mer-petrale, not taking her eyes off the window. ‘Why is that nurse here? I thought you would be alone.’
‘I should be. Her name wasn’t on the roll, but she was here when I arrived.’
‘You have to get her off this floor.’
‘I know. Nothing I have said has moved her. She has had me filing since I came in and I hate filing. I am a physician not a secretary. I—’
Nell put her hand up, palm facing Mer-petrale’s face to stop her tirade. ‘Never mind that now.’ If something was wrong, it had nothing to do with Mer-petrale. The would-be-doctor was seriously put out by the work she was doing.
Nell turned to the window. Cay-Reace waited at the open door.
The nurse roughly pulled Shahs over onto her back by her arm. Shahs opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. The nurse must have forgotten the window was open because as she moved between Cay-Reace and Shahs, she dug her nails into the poor girl’s arm and pinched her nose. It was a cruel pinch and Nell’s blood inflamed, rushing to her head. Her synapses began sparking.
Her body tensed and coiled, ready to spring through the glass, but the nurse straightened and gazed down at Shahs’ still body as if pleased with herself. With one last savage glare at her patient, she turned back to Cay-Reace. Shahs turned her head at the movement and the expression on her face gave no doubt about the extent of loathing she held for the nurse. She poked her tongue out at the nurse’s back. Nell almost laughed aloud. Her muscles relaxed and the tiny explosions in her brain subsided.
Cay-Reace stepped aside as the nurse passed over the threshold and watched her walk down the hall and around a corner. Shahs’ face came alive and her eyes shone.
Mer-petrale held Nell’s face in her hands. ‘Nell,’ she whispered loudly. But Nell was immersed in the scene before her. The difference in Shahs’ demeanour made Nell cry. Mer-petrale shook Nell’s shoulders. ‘Nell!’ she shouted.
Nell started and jumped back out of her grasp and wiped her tears away. ‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Did you see what that mongrel nurse did to Shahs?’
‘How could I see anything,’ Mer-petrale said, and gestured toward the window. ‘The window is closed.’
‘Huh?’ Nell shut her eyes and shook her head then looked at the window again. It was open. She walked to the window and put her hand against it then spun around to face Mer-petrale. ‘It’s open.’
‘It’s not. Look.’ Mer-petrale pressed the button and opened the window.
In that instant the window blackened as the cover disappeared, exposing clear glass. Nell realised then that what she was seeing earlier had a slight opacity to it. Now the view was as clear as a sunny day.
Mer-petrale punched the button once more. Nell stared at the closed window trying to make sense of what had happened. The nurse interrupted her thoughts with a croaky, retching noise in her throat and Nell had to steel herself against lashing out at the so-called caregiver.
‘Have you finished the filing?’ the nurse asked Mer-petrale.
‘Only these to go,’ Mer-petrale answered, picking up a small pile of files off the desk.
‘Stay here after you finish and keep an eye on Cay-Reace.’ She put the keys on the desk and tilted her head at Nell, but continued to address Mer-petrale. ‘I’ll be in the break room if you need me.’
‘Yes, Nurse.’ Mer-petrale returned to the filing.
The sound of the lift taking the nurse up echoed through the empty corridor. Nell and Mer-petrale rushed to join Cay-Reace.
Shahs sat, rubbing her nose. ‘That witch,’ she said. ‘She gets some sort of sick satisfaction when she hurts me.’
Thanks to Cay-Reace’s visits, Shahs voice was only slightly shaky as though her vocal chords where still not used to talking. Nell knew then she didn’t have far to go to get back to normal. ‘She’s a coward, Shahs,’ Nell said. ‘She wouldn’t touch you if she knew you were capable of fighting back.’
Mer-petrale started to back out into the hall.
‘It’s all right,’ Nell said. ‘She won’t hurt you.’
Shahs gave a hoarse laugh. ‘I wish I could do what they say I can. Then I would happily repay all of them for every second I’ve been here.’
Mer-petrale timidly re-entered the room. ‘You are sane,’ she said. ‘But how could they do this to you?’
‘That’s the question, isn’t it?’ Shahs said, her calf-like eyes pools of suspicion. ‘I’d like to know who they are,’ she looked down on her emaciated body, ‘and why they did this to me.’
Nell waited for Mer-petrale to answer.
Throwing Nell a sideways glance, she said, ‘I do not know. Please believe me, if I had known exactly what your state was, I would have done something before now.’ Putting her hand over Nell’s, she said pointedly. ‘My friend, Kale, asked me to help Nell.’
‘That’s true,’ Nell said, but thought Mer-petrale withdrew her hand a little too hastily.
‘I’m glad,’ Shahs said, her eyes shining once more. ‘You do seem nice and I’ve been without friends for over seventeen years so I hope you will be one of my first.’
Mer-petrale smiled. ‘I’ll make sure the way is clear for you,’ she said, then disappeared.
‘Can you walk?’ Cay-Reace asked Shahs.
Shahs gazed fondly at him. ‘I haven’t used my legs much in the last seventeen years so I’m sure I will need some help.’
He put his arm gently around her waist as though she would break. As he helped her to her feet, Shahs drooped. Her weakened legs couldn’t hold her weight. Cay-Reace scooped her up in his arms. Shahs draped her arm around his neck and leaned against him. At the intimate movement, Nell blinked. What had Cay-Reace been doing with Shahs when he visited?
As Cay-Reace carried her across the threshold, Shahs said to Nell, ‘I’m sorry I’m not like you,’ she said.
Taken aback with the empathy the woman emitted, Nell wondered again how the beasts could be so cruel to such a good person. ‘That’s okay,’ Nell said, and meant it.
The second Cay-Reace and Shahs exited the room; the shriek of an alarm broke through the empty silence. It reminded Nell of feral cats in the rainforest back home, but louder – much louder. She heard approaching footsteps then Tanat and Sam appeared.
‘Bloody hell,’ Sam said, his brown complexion pale as old chalk. ‘Who set off the alarm?’
‘I don’t know,’ Cay-Reace said, pushing Shahs toward Tanat. ‘You take her. You’re stronger than I am.’
Tanat whisked Shahs up into his arms and started back along the same hallway they had come down.
Mekie’s scream shrilled somewhere toward the entrance cutting through what sounded like hundreds of running footfalls coming up the hall. Tanat paused. Before Nell could react, Corl guards charged at them from the hallway that led to the entrance. More appeared from the hall to the right.
A hiss sounded behind Nell. She wheeled around. Hooded figures lurched through a doorway she hadn’t noticed before. They came from all directions. A trap. Panic threatened to overwhelm Nell at their numbers. Too many, she
cried in her mind. There are too many.
Tanat unfurled his wings and with Shahs in one arm and Sam in the other, brought his talons down on their enemies who were blocking their way to the entrance. They fell and he darted over their bodies at speed. He and his passengers became a blur.
Nell grabbed Cay-Reace and unfurled her wings. A short, sharp pain burst from her leg. She glanced down. A dart. She yanked it out and fought to control her abilities as boiling blood coursed through her veins. Her head throbbed. Stay with it, girl. But before her wings had fully unfurled and her feet were not yet talons, rope wrapped around her chest. She dropped Cay-Reace. Another rope caught her waist so hard, she gasped with the weight of it. A dull weakness oozed through her limbs.
Cay-Reace hauled himself up and, throwing wild punches, tried to fight back.
A figure swept in front of Nell and threw a hood over her head. The screams and shouts of her friends and enemies faded into the distance as blackness seeped over her consciousness.
CHAPTER TWENTY
NELL TRIED TO FOCUS. HER MIND SLOWLY CLEARED as the smoke lifted like a veil from her eyes. The bed she was on changed shape beneath her and became a chair, the size and shape of a dentist’s chair. A bright, white light shone above her. Three figures, heads still covered with hoods, stood against the opposite wall in deep conversation. The murmurs of their voices filled her ears. All were male.
‘Where am I?’ Nell groaned.
All three silenced.
‘Ah, you’re awake,’ the tallest form said, as he moved alongside Nell. ‘I was worried my brother had given you too much.’ The man fiddled with the bag attached to a tube that fed fluid a vein in Nell’s hand. He called over his shoulder, ‘Find the physician.’
The shortest of the men exited through a sliding metal door.
