“FROM THE BRINK”
TEASER
Lana was in a particularly expansive mood. "If Zin ever taught me one thing, it was that EVERYONE has an exploitable weakness."
Silence. Not unexpected.
"For instance... they say that, for five years after the murder of his family, the mere sight of broken glass was enough to make Daggon start gibbering like a child," Lana said, smiling amiably. She picked up a large shard of broken glass from a tray of surgical tools and regarded Mel thoughtfully. "A few weeks after his arrival on Sar-Top there was a fight between two prisoners. One was killed with a piece of broken glass not unlike this one. Daggon spent more than a week on sick-leave, locked in his quarters."
Straining against the metal restraints securing her to the exam-table, Mel refused to be moved by the oblique threat.
"Hey, I've got an idea, Lana. How about if you let me up so I can kick your size two ass all the way back to Varda?" she suggested.
"She IS a fighter, isn't she?" Lana purred to one of the guards standing by the door. "Such confidence, Miss Porter. Entirely unwarranted, but no less admirable." She placed the shard of glass back on the tray and leaned over Mel. "If I didn't need you in one piece for what is to come, I would be inclined to release you."
Mel spit in her face.
Lana chuckled softly, accepting a cloth from one of the guards and wiping her face. "Someone should have beat some respect into you YEARS ago," she noted, shaking her head and absently smoothing back Mel's hair. The gesture would have appeared tender and motherly to an outside observer. "Not that I would expect much in terms of manners from Daggon's mongrel consort, but HONESTLY, my dear..."
"Yeah, you're tough now," Mel scoffed. "Let's not forget that I've taken out FOUR of your people in two days. You're scared to let me up..."
"Not particularly, no. I could kill you at thirty paces without moving a muscle." The pronouncement was made with the same matter-of-fact tone that most people would have used to remark that the sky was blue. Shrugging, she pressed two fingers to Mel's throat, cutting off the supply of blood to her brain.
"Zin taught me something else, too," she continued casually, smiling at the look on Mel's face as she realized what was happening. "A true scientist does not need to make a mistake herself to learn from it. Tesyn underestimated you. SERA underestimated you. Both paid the price for their folly." Aware that Mel was on the verge of losing consciousness, she removed her hand from her throat. "But I am nobody's fool and I don't plan on repeating their mistake." Shaking her head, she turned to leave.
"Coward!" Mel called after her.
She needed to get free of these restraints if she was going to escape and she knew it. That meant goading Lana into doing something stupid. Lana, unfortunately, seemed disinclined to cooperate in that regard.
"Sticks and stones, my dear." She looked at the guard. "Turn the temperature in here down another ten degrees. I don't want to risk her being able to use any Cirronian tricks she might have picked up from the Tracker."
"Yes, Doctor Lana."
"And get her hooked up to that IV, will you? That should... BEGIN to chasten her," Lana purred, smiling with anticipation.
Mel shivered and it had nothing to do with the fact that the standing temperature in the room was barely above freezing. She was not sure exactly what Lana had planned for her, but she doubted that it was going to be pretty. Lana's insistence that she remain completely unharmed should possibly have been reassuring, but it was horrifying to Mel. One of the Orsusians who had brought her in had given her a black eye for Collecting his twin. Lana had snapped his neck as an example to those left to stand watch over the prisoner.
It went without saying that Lana wanted her dead, yet she was still alive. The tray of 'surgical tools' placed conveniently near her bed and the room's half-dozen video cameras told the rest of the story. Lana planned on torturing her, and she planned on recording it. Mel could only suppose that at least one copy would find its way into Cole's hands. This was beyond getting him out of the way. Lana wanted him to SUFFER.
She watched uneasily as a young man walked into the room. The guard greeted him and called him 'doctor' before relaying Lana's orders to him. His expression reflected distaste, but it did not stop him from prepping the IV.
"Don't do this," Mel whispered to him. "You're a doctor. Your job is to prevent harm."
"No, my job is to obey Lana in His name." He shook his head and turned his attention to her arm, tying a tourniquet around it. "Oh, you have good veins! You donate blood much? You really should with veins like this, you know."
Mel blinked up at him. Small talk? He was making small-talk? "What are you doing?" she asked, nodding towards the IV.
"Oh, it's just something to take the edge off," he assured her gently, uncapping a long, thick needle. "You might feel a slight prick," he warned before sliding the needle into the chosen vein. "That wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked brightly, feeding in the IV cath and withdrawing the needle.
"Something tells me it's about to get a lot worse," Mel remarked as he began fiddling with a bag of fluid, covered with alien markings.
"You may feel a slight burning sensation until your body adjusts to the cold," he warned.
"Cold?" Mel repeated nervously. She was about to question him further when she felt the first of the drug hit her vein. She howled and bucked against her restraints for fully half a minute before her body went limp. She was conscious, barely, but her entire body felt like it was on fire and she was definitely too weak to move. "What the hell did you do to me, you bastard?" she groaned, her words slurring together.
"Just need to make sure you won't be trying to leave us. Lana desires your company yet," he explained gently, patting her shoulder and brushing her hair out of her face. He held up a syringe, close to his body. "This should help with the pain," he whispered, feeding it into the IV line.
"Thank you," she whispered, closing her eyes as the pain began to recede.
"Don't tell," he murmured, pocketing the syringe and making a show of checking her IV line.
Mel blinked up at him, realizing that he was scared that someone would find out what he had done. "I won't," she breathed. "Thank you."
"There a problem, Benin?" the guard asked impatiently.
"She looks dehydrated," the doctor told him, shaking his head. "She'll need saline for that. Glucose wouldn't hurt, either."
"Seems like a lot of trouble when Lana's just going to kill her," the guard grumbled.
"I've been ordered to keep her healthy," Benin retorted, glaring at the guard.
He shrugged sullenly, leaning against the wall and folding his arms. "Do what you have to, just make it snappy."
The doctor nodded and attached more bags to Mel's feed. The saline would ease some of the effects of the sedative, reducing her pain. Mel smiled weakly up at him, duly grateful when the pain began to recede.
END TEASER
ACT 1
"Phil, you have to snap him out of this!" Vic groaned, shaking his head and pacing the bedroom. "There has to be something you can do, a drug or--"
"You really want to risk that, Vic?" Maggie demanded.
"What choice do we have?" he demanded, shrugging. "Who else is going to help Mel?"
Maggie shook her head and closed the distance between them. "In case it has escaped your notice, Victor Bruno, this is NOT a human we are dealing with!" she hissed. "Who knows what our drugs might do to him?"
“So how do we snap him out of it?"
"Not a damn clue. Allan never did anything remotely like this."
Phil looked from his patient to the two quietly arguing people. "Anything either of you want to share with me?" he asked, sighing. "Because if there isn't, I'm calling an ambulance."
Maggie shook her head firmly. "No."
Phil gaped at her, shaking his head. "The man is sick! Whatever may or may not be wrong with him mentally, he's running a high fever and he should be in a hospital."
Maggie shook her head again. "Absolutely not. A higher than average temperature is perfectly normal for Cole."
"THIS is not normal for anyone."
"Stop it, both of you!" Vic snapped. "Phil, you are NOT taking Cole to a hospital, psychiatric or otherwise. Maggie, any insight you might have would be a great help right now."
"None at all, Vic. I'm sorry." Maggie shook her head. "I don't know what's wrong with him."
"I do," a low voice contributed from the hallway.
Vic frowned. "Nestov?"
"I tried to get here and warn her before it happened. It wasn't supposed to go down until tomorrow. Something must have made her push up her time-line." He shook his head apologetically and crossed the room to Cole. "I am SO sorry, man," he whispered, shaking his head again.
"What is he talking about?" Phil asked. "Who is 'she'? What time-line?"
"Lana," Nestov said, shaking his head. "Damn I need a drink."
Vic inhaled deeply. Mel had told him enough about Lana for him to know that she was bad news from the word go. "What does she want with Mel?"
Nestov stared pointedly at Phil, not answering. "Who's the narc?"
"A friend of mine," Vic told him. "Psychologist."
Nestov glanced back at Cole again. "Too late for one of those. Only thing that might bring him back now is a neurostimulant intervention and a therapeutic encroachment."
"A what now?" Phil asked, frowning at Nestov. He made a point of being up on all the recent developments in psychology and he had never heard of either treatment.
"What's wrong with him?" Vic asked. "You've seen this before?"
Nestov shrugged. "Well, I've HEARD about it, at least. It's damned rare, but I've heard about it. This... this is what happens when you push a Cirronian past the breaking point."
"What's a Cirronian?" Phil asked, glancing from Nestov to Vic. Both men were pointedly ignoring him, so he glanced at Maggie.
"COLE is a Cirronian," Maggie provided absently, turning her attention to Nestov. "What do we have to do? What do those treatments involve, Nestov?"
"Technology that won't be available here for another 500 years or so." He shook his head. "Cole's gone. I'm sorry but it's too late for him. We need to be thinking about Mel, now. We might still be able to save her in time."
"What does Lana want with her?" Vic repeated.
"To torture her to death. On camera."
Phil sat down, stunned by the pronouncement and sickened by its casual delivery. "Who is this Lana women?"
"Crime boss," Vic temporized. "Nasty woman."
"Why'd she want to do that to Miss Porter?"
Nestov shrugged and nodded towards Cole. "Mostly, to do this to Cole."
"She's already succeeded," Phil noted.
Nestov shrugged. "So she kills Mel on general principle and keeps the tape as a souvenir. Death by torture and a camcorder, that's Lana's idea of a nice relaxing weekend. Like Vic said, nasty woman."
"Okay, that goes WAY the hell beyond nasty," Phil protested. "Vic?"
Vic sighed and shook his head. "I should never have brought you into this, Phil. Just walk away now. It'll be for the best."
Nestov nodded in agreement. "Safest thing. You do NOT want to come to Lana's attention, my friend, not for anything."
"This man belongs in a hospital," the psychologist muttered sullenly.
"No, that's the LAST place he needs to be right now," Vic assured him. "There are factors here that you can't begin to understand."
"So SHARE with me!" Phil snapped in frustration. "Christ almighty, Vic! What the hell is going on here? I come here to deal with a depressed police officer and all of the sudden we've got terrorists kidnapping an innocent civilian to gaslight a cop who's ALREADY beyond help, and you won't even let me bring him to a hospital! Vic, he's catatonic and running a VERY high fever. You can NOT tell me that this is normal!"
"NOTHING about Cole is normal!" Vic snapped at Phil. "Which is exactly why he can't be brought to the attention of the medical establishment."
"Get him out of here," Nestov suggested to Maggie, knowing that nothing would be achieved until the well-meaning but clueless outsider was gone. "Tell him what you have to, just get him to forget he was ever here."
Maggie nodded slowly. "What about Mel?"
Nestov shrugged apologetically. "Don't know. Vic and I WILL figure something out, though."
Maggie looked from Nestov to Vic. "You bring her back to us," she told the men firmly. "Allan did NOT get himself killed so his granddaughter's life could end like this."
"We'll do what we can," Vic promised firmly.
Nestov nodded. "We'll bring her back. She's too important to your species."
"Your 'species'?" Phil repeated, blinking. "Vic?"
"Phil, it's..." Vic trailed off, shaking his head.
Maggie sighed. "Come on, Doc. You want answers? I've got an earful for you."
When Phil had reluctantly followed Maggie from the apartment, Vic turned to Nestov. "Tell me you can get us into wherever Lana is holding Mel?"
"Probably." Nestov nodded slowly. "Getting out again with Mel's going to be a LOT harder, though. All three of us are probably going to end up dead..." He looked at Cole again, shaking his head. "I am SO sorry, man," he repeated quietly. Cole had given him a second chance and he had blown it.
"He's really... gone?" Vic whispered, staring.
Nestov nodded weakly. "Yeah. They... they don't come back from this. Man's a prisoner inside his own mind and doesn't even know it. Probably happier that way, though."
"Well good for him," Vic muttered in disgust. "Where's that leave Mel?"
"In pretty deep trouble." Nestov sighed and shook his head, sitting down next to Cole and thinking. Looking up at Vic, he said, "I know she didn't go without a fight. How many did she take?"
"Three," Vic told him. "Two before they could react. I don’t think they expected her to fight."
"That's Mel all right." Nestov nodded. "Woman's a fighter, which is a good thing right now. Means she might actually walk out of this."
"If we get to her on time."
Nestov nodded. "Big if, my man. Can the shrink be trusted to keep his mouth shut? About what's really going on?"
"Yeah, probably," Vic told him. "He's a good man."
"Okay. I'll go see what I can find out about Mel. You... go talk to your friend."
"I can get a hostage rescue team to Mel's location--" Vic began.
"You'd be signing their death warrants. And hers," Nestov told him firmly. "Hell, you and I have already signed our own by deciding to help her."
"Here's my cell number," Vic told him, handing him a business card.
Nestov accepted it and memorized the number before dropping it onto the table, unwilling to be caught with a cop's card in his possession.
"I'll be in touch," he promised, turning and leaving.
***
“Neko, so good of you to join us again,” Lana drawled as the other Vardian entered her office. “Have a seat. Mara, join us.”
Neko raised an eyebrow but did not protest as Mara dropped to sit on the floor next to Lana. She had her reasons, as always. He could learn them later.
“We grow close?”
“Promisingly so,” Lana assured him. “I’ll have my head engineer brief you after you’ve settled in, but he assures me that we will have Zin in a matter of days.” She rested one hand on top of Mara’s head, absently petting her hair. “How is fair Jerallan?”
“Her grief is immense, but her loyalty never wavers.”
“I see.” Lana shook her head faintly. “Mara, dear, go and see that she is comfortable, will you?”
“Of course, Doctor.” Mara inclined her head once before rising and backing towards the door.
“Lovely creature. And you have her well-trained,” Neko observed.
“Her loyalty to the cause is without question,” Lana answered simply.
“And to you?” Neko pressed. “It seems I am not the only one who has found myself a pliant bedmate.”
“You overstep yourself, Neko,” Lana warned. “She is for Zin.”
Neko nodded faintly, impressed. “Always the best for him with you, isn’t it?”
“How else would you have it?” she asked, shaking her head. “You’re just lucky Mara has more brains than your pet Dessarian or I might tap her for the honor.”
“You do not offer yourself, Lana. Why?”
“If I am to his taste, he will chose me of his own accord,” she answered with dignity.
“By all that is holy and unholy,” Neko murmured, shaking his head. “It’s true, then. You love the man...”
“With all my heart.” Lana regarded him steadily. “You find that amusing, I suppose. Unvardian, certainly. But there it is. Do you understand now?”
Neko chuckled softly, nodding. “Perfectly, my good Doctor. And here I thought you merely ambitious.”
She smiled and shook her head. “If only it were so simple.”
”And where does the woman factor in to your designs to serve the man you love?”
“Only this far. Daggon has made Zin suffer and so he must suffer in return.” Her smile took on a hard edge. “I will break the mongrel female that the Cirronian may understand what I have suffered, besieged nightly as I am by nightmares of Zin’s suffering.”
“An ambitious plan.”
“And beautiful in its simplicity and justice,” Lana murmured. “For his sake, she shall suffer.”
“That’s straight from the Book of Vartan, isn’t it?”
“Is it?” she asked lightly. “I hadn’t noticed.” Telekinetically, she poured two snifters of brandy, floating one over to Neko and taking the other herself. “Here’s to He who shall deliver us,” she intoned, raising her glass.
END ACT 1
ACT 2
"There's nothing quite as nice as coming home, is there?" a tender voice whispered in his ear.
Staring out the window and admiring the beautiful view, Cole smiled and shook his head. "No, Nallia. There really isn't. Where is Ashi?"
"Out playing with her friends. She'll be back soon."
"Good. I've missed her."
"I know, my heart."
Cole rose and smiled down at his radiant wife. "I've missed you, too. It feels like it's been years..."
"It HAS been years," she reminded him mildly. "Ten of them."
"That long?" he whispered, frowning in confusion. "There are times when it seems like it was yesterday..."
"It?" she repeated in a low voice, her eyes searching his. "Do you remember what happened?"
He nodded slowly, thinking hard. "I was on Varda, Tracking."
"And then?" she prompted
A moment's confused pause. "And then... I came back to you, of course!" Cole smiled and laughed, shaking his head and gathering her into his arms. "What else would I do when I was finished Tracking?"
"Go home, perhaps?" she whispered, lowering her head and refusing to meet his eyes.
"Home?" he repeated, frowning. "Nallia... THIS is home."
"Is it? Is it still?" she whispered, looking up at him again, her expression pained. "Are you so sure?"
He winced at the look on her face, tears in his eyes to see her upset. "Please don't cry, my heart..." he pled, caressing her throat. He hated it when his wife cried.
"Cirronians DON'T cry," she reminded him.
"Of course they do," he protested. Crying. Lots of people cried. He cried himself, more and more just lately. "It's... it's what happens when you care..."
"Cirronians don't cry," she repeated gently. "And their blood isn't red, my heart.”
"It's... not?" He frowned. What other color would blood be?
He frowned and looked at his hands, covered in blood, HER blood. Cirronian blood, luminous circulatory fluid that bore no resemblance to the kind he bled when injured. Horrified, he wiped his hands on his shirt, trying to get the offending substance off.
"They don't wear clothes either, Cole," Nallia reminded him softly.
"What did you call me?" He stared at her with wide, confused eyes.
"Cole. It's your name, isn't it?"
"NO! Daggon, my name is Daggon..."
"Is it? Are you sure of this, my heart?"
"Why are you doing this to me?"
"Why are you doing this to YOURSELF, Cole?" she challenged. "Your wife needs you..."
"YOU are my wife!"
She shook her head, tears spilling from her beautiful dark eyes but quickly evaporating against the heat of her luminous skin. "Not any more, Cole."
"Yes." He nodded firmly, gathering her into his arms. "You are my wife and I was away. And it was for a long time. I'm sorry it was so long. You have every right to be angry with me for being away so long..." He shrugged helplessly. "But now I am home."
"Home?" she repeated, shaking her head faintly.
"Home is wherever you are," a voice echoed in his mind. HIS voice, although he had not spoken then aloud and could not recall having EVER spoken those words, in that language or any other.
"Nallia," he began uncertainly.
"For you now, my heart, home is wherever SHE is," Nallia told him gently. "You know that."
"Home is with my WIFE!" he said firmly.
"Yes," she agreed. "And your wife needs you now."
"Mel is NOT my wife!" Cole snapped. He paused, frowning. Mel? Who was Mel? Why was the name so familiar?
"The fact that you are too stubborn to see does not change anything." Nallia shook her head apologetically. "My heart..." she began again.
"Please don't," he whispered. "Let's just... enjoy that we can be together again."
"She needs you. She's scared and she is in pain."
"Mel is a strong woman, a fighter. She'll be fine."
"She won't. Think!" she ordered. "REMEMBER!" she pled.
Cole closed his eyes. "Lana... Lana has her," he whispered, then shook his head firmly. "No, that's silly. Lana wouldn't harm Mel. Zin wouldn't let her. He's my friend..."
"Is he?"
"Of... of course..." Cole nodded uncertainly, confused.
"My heart, let me go."
"Never."
"Then you consign her AND yourself to death," came the sad response.
"Mel is NOT my wife," he whispered, shaking his head in defeat. "You are. I won't dishonor your memory further than I already have."
"You dishonor my memory MORE by mourning my death instead of celebrating my life. Why won't you see that, my heart?"
"So I should just forget you? Let another take your place?" he protested, shaking his head.
"She will NEVER take my place. You know that, Cole."
"You will always be my heart."
"And SHE will always be your strength. You can love us both. It's no sin."
He shook his head in confusion. "You are my wife," he repeated, his voice hesitant.
"I am dead."
"No." He shook his head more firmly, chuckling. "You are NOT dead. You are standing here talking to me, Nallia."
"But where is here?" she asked, gesturing out the window to the red sky. "It has been eight years since you walked on Cirronian soil, Cole, and two years longer since you've been in this sitting-room. When we died, after you left, you couldn't bring yourself to go back."
"No."
"The house held too many memories, reminders. And you never could get the stains out."
"No!" He shook his head, tears in his eyes.
"You scrubbed that floor until your fingers were raw," Nallia told him, nodding to the luminescent stains. "Your skin was as raw as the wounds to your soul, your hands ached as badly as your heart, yet the stains endured..."
"Why are you doing this?" he whispered, weeping.
"I do nothing. You have brought this upon yourself."
"I know," he whispered in dejection, closing his eyes and dropping onto the couch.
"But not in the way you think," his wife added in a low, loving voice.
Startled, he opened his eyes and saw Mel standing in the alcove, wearing her red gown.
"Do you still want me to teach you how to dance?" she asked with a smile, walking to him and offering her hand.
"We can't keep doing this, Mel," Cole sighed. "It's a lie. You are not my wife and you never will be..."
"Let her go, Cole. Or let ME go." Mel shook her head, tears in her eyes as she sat down next to him, her expression loving and, above all, supremely worried. "Can't you see what you're doing to yourself? You're ripping yourself in two, Cole. It kills me to watch. It kills BOTH of us." She nodded towards Nallia, sitting on his other side.
"Why are you sad, Daddy?" a new voice asked.
"Ashi," he whispered, extending his arms to her. "Heart of my heart..."
The little Cirronian climbed into his lap and allowed him to enfold her in his strong arms, cradling her tiny form against his broad chest.
"You got big."
"I know I did." He nodded, closing his eyes again and burying his face in her hair. "How have you been?" he whispered, refusing to acknowledge the fact that Cirronians did not have hair and so this could not be his daughter.
"You've been sad, Daddy. I don't like it when you're sad. Cirronians aren't supposed to be sad. You TOLD me so."
"Sometimes even Cirronians have to be sad, baby," he sighed, looking down at the little girl in his lap. His daughter. She looked human. She had Mel's hair, Mel's freckles, Mel's gentle smile. And his eyes. His daughter, his beautiful little girl...
"Cirronians accept that which is," she recited gravely.
"Not everything is easy to accept, my little love. You try. You try SO hard... but it's not always possible." He closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Daddy, Mama needs you."
"Your mother is dead, Ashi," he whispered apologetically.
"That's not my name, Daddy."
His eyes flew open and he shook his head, amused by his lapse. Of course this was not Ashi. This was Jessica, his second child.
She frowned up at him. "Daddy, are you mad at Mama?"
"Of course not, Jessica." He shook his head. "Why would I be mad at your mother?" he asked, smiling reassuringly down at her. "Why would you think that, hmm?" he asked, tenderly brushing her hair out of her face.
"You're not helping her. She NEEDS you, Daddy. Uncle Vic said so."
"He did?" Cole asked, frowning.
Jessica nodded gravely. "Don't you remember?"
He shook his head faintly. "No, Jessica. I don't. Would you like to look through the telescope now?" he offered.
"I want my Mama now, Daddy." She looked up at him, her expression sad. "If you don't save Mama soon, I'll never get a chance to exist," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her cheek against his.
"I know," he whispered, cuddling her close. "And I'm sorry."
END ACT 2
ACT 3
Vic paced the living room, listening to Nestov’s report with a sinking heart. Mel was captive in one of Lana’s experimental medical facilities, in a spare room converted to a holding cell. Drugs were being liberally administered to keep her too weak to escape: a sedative painkiller and something called Isylyx, frequently used to anesthetize Cirronians. And her room was being kept at a steady twenty degrees to keep her from using Hyperspeed.
“So how do we get her out?” Vic asked after Nestov had finished.
“The good news is that she’s not heavily guarded,” Nestov told him. “They know she’s not going anywhere. I can have you in and out of there in ten minutes or less.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Nestov,” Maggie contributed quietly, joining them in the living room. “They know you. God forbid you should get caught and they recognize you...”
“I can’t send him alone,” Nestov protested, shaking his head. “I’ve been in the facility before. I know the layout.”
“Then you can tell me,” Vic said. “Maggie’s right. It’s too dangerous for you to go in there.”
“Come on, man,” Nestov protested. “You can NOT still be having doubts about my--”
“No, no. It’s not that,” Vic interrupted, shaking his head. “But Maggie IS right. It’s dangerous for you to be seen with me. Tell me how to get in and out and I’ll handle the rest. You stay with Maggie and maybe you can help her with Cole.”
“What about the kid?” Nestov asked, jerking his head in the direction of the bedroom where Gail was standing vigil over Cole.
“I’m going to send her to stay with Jonas,” Maggie announced. “He may not know all there is to know, but he’ll keep her safe.”
“What are you going to tell him about Mel and Cole?” Vic asked.
“Nothing. And I’ll see to it that he doesn’t ask, either.”
Vic hesitated for a moment before nodding. She had gotten Phil to leave without any more questions. Of course, whatever she had told him, the doctor was thoroughly convinced that they needed to be in treatment worse than Cole, but he was not asking questions and he would not interfere.
“Nestov, why don’t you draw a floor plan for Vic?” Maggie suggested, looking up at the sound of pounding on the door.
“Maggie?” Jonas’ voice called.
Maggie hurried to the door, opening it and stepping into the stairwell with him. “Hey, thanks for coming.”
“Hey, I promised Adelaide,” Jonas reminded her quietly. “Not exactly sure why or how this works, but she made me promise that if you or Mel ever needed help...” He shrugged.
“Yeah.” Maggie nodded faintly. “Sorry about having to invoke her like this, but there’s a small... situation.”
“What kind of situation? Can you fill me in?”
She shook her head.
“Just tell me no one needs a lawyer.”
“Not exactly, no. Right now all we need is a friend.”
“Well, you’ll always have one of those in me no matter what, Maggie. What can I do?”
“I need you to take Gail to your place and keep an eye on her.”
“That’s it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded slowly. “Look, Jonas, Mel and Cole are in trouble. The rest of us are needed, and I really don’t want to leave Gail alone...”
His eyes narrowed faintly. “This wouldn’t be the kind of trouble that made Mark go into hiding for a few years, would it?”
“Well, I’m hoping it doesn’t come to THAT, but yeah, Jonas...”
Jonas sighed and nodded faintly. “What about you, Maggie? Are YOU going to be okay?”
“Always.” She grinned faintly at him. “Come on. Let’s go get Gail.”
***
Vic glanced down at the rough map in his hands before turning down a side hallway. Nestov had described the facility to him in detail and he did his best to just focus on getting to Mel instead of thinking about what else was going on there. Experiments to transfer life-forces to new bodies were only the start of it according to the Dessarian.
The facility was surprisingly empty to Vic’s way of thinking, but Nestov had mentioned that Lana was diverting everyone from non-essential tasks lately. No one knew what she had them working on, but it had to have been important.
He drew into the shadows as several people walked by. A petite woman, flanked by three others.
“And make sure that the Doctor’s hospital room has all the personal affects that he had in his personal chambers. Bring in some of those Vardian plants from my greenhouse, too.”
“It shall be done, Doctor,” one of them murmured.
“Good, good. And give Mara a complete physical as well, just in case. Oh, and make sure our best psychologists are on call just in case.”
“Doctor?” one of them said, his expression alarmed.
“Yes?” Lana asked, glancing up at him.
He inhaled deeply. His head swiveled and he stared directly at Vic. “Company, ma’am. Highly distressed HUMAN company...”
She smiled up at him. "Ah, you must be the mongrel's ex. Turning into quite the party, isn't it?"
"Lana," Vic whispered uneasily, taking a step backwards and into a VERY large man who held him tightly. "Shit."
"Indeed so," Lana agreed, nodding. "I want to thank you," she added. "Without you, I would never have known about the Cirronian's depression."
"Phil..." Vic whispered, aghast at the thought that his friend could have betrayed them.
"You think he works for me?" Lana chuckled. "No, my dear. But Zin and I have ears. EVERY conversation you had with him was overheard. You have proved invaluable to me. For that, you will be rewarded." Smiling, Lana spun on her heel and marched off.
Horrified at his own role in what had happened to Cole and what WAS happening to Mel, Vic allowed himself to be stripped of his weapons and led to a holding cell. Foremost in his mind was the thought that this was NOT how it was supposed to end for them.
***
"You have many friends," Lana observed, shaking her head at Mel. “Friends who would put their lives in jeopardy for your sake.”
"Wh--" Mel asked sluggishly, not quite able to make sense of the Vardian's words.
“Your pet homicide detective tried to rescue you," Lana clarified. "He did NOT want to discuss matters reasonably, however." She shook her head, her expression regretful. "Once he’s been patched up, I'll be having another tête-à-tête with him."
"Bitch."
"Yes, I really AM a bit of a bitch, aren't I? Occupational hazard of being a Vardian, I’m afraid." Lana shrugged helplessly. "This isn't personal, you know."
"Like h... hell..."
Lana shook her head. "I was being serious. It ISN’T personal. Not with you and not with the human. With Daggon, perhaps, but not with you."
"Bitch..."
"The Isylyx has you repeating yourself, dear." Lana patted her shoulder gently. "You're... a means to an end. The end may have changed, however, judging by the fact that the Cirronian has yet to make an appearance. Still, you can purchase the human's cooperation in his own interrogation. If he fails to answer quickly and honestly, YOU will be punished."
Mel tried to glare, but was having too much trouble focusing her eyes. "Cole..."
"You honestly think he's in any shape to help you? He couldn't even rouse himself the other night when I sent Tesyn to you."
"Cole..." Mel struggled to think. "You'll die."
"You think he'll do to me what he did to Rhee, is that it?" she asked, amused. "In defense of the woman he loves you think he'll be able to kill again?" She shook her head. "I doubt it. He may have slipped once, but he's STILL Cirronian."
Mel shook her head as well as she could. "I... kill," she clarified. "Hurt Cole. Bitch."
"Yes, I think we've already established that you think I'm a bitch," Lana drawled. "Get some rest, dear. I want you in top shape for what's coming." She turned to leave.
"Lana."
Lana blinked and turned to face her again. "Yes?" she asked, curious.
"IS personal..."
"If you say so." Lana shrugged. "Your boyfriend will die painfully for what he has done to Zin. But first I will break him. He will suffer what I have. He will see the one he loves reduced from a healthy, sane adult to something else entirely. It may not be too late for Zin, but for the rest of us it IS."
END ACT 3
ACT 4
"I can't stay, Daddy."
He tightened his grip on her. "Don't leave me alone, Jessica..."
"You're not alone, Daddy. Not ever. But I can't stay."
"You have to!” he protested. “I CAN'T be alone. Not again..."
"While Mama lives, you're not. Even after she's gone, you won't be. She's a part of you, like me. Like my sister. Like my sister's mother."
Cole closed his eyes and let out a low wail as she vanished from his grasp. He wondered if he would EVER be allowed to love without also losing.
"She has her father's insight," Mel observed, sitting down next to him.
"And her mother's stubborn nature." Cole shook his head sadly.
"Which seems to be rubbing off on you. Look at yourself, Cole. You're not a happy man."
"Really?" he asked sarcastically.
Mel sighed. "You have everything you could want here, both your children, both your wives, whenever you want any of them. The ability to FORGET. Yet you're miserable. Why?"
"Because..." He shook his head helplessly. "I don't know."
"You do. You know you do."
"Because everyone I've ever loved has been taken from me, Mel," he sighed, glancing up at her. She was so beautiful, so gentle and loving. And understanding. Especially understanding. "My parents, my sister, Nallia, Ashi..."
"Me? I haven't been taken from you," she pointed out gently.
"Not yet. But if I love you, you WILL be. It's why I can't."
Mel shook her head sadly. "I need your help, Cole."
"I can't. It's too hard, too painful."
"Then I'll die. Our child will never be born. Vic will die. Zin will be released from the Vault. He'll get the weapon. He'll destroy Earth and hold Migar hostage." Mel sighed. "And you'll STILL be miserable, honey. If you could be happy here, it would be one thing..." She sighed and shook her head. "I want you to be happy. We both do, Nallia and I."
"I don't deserve you," he whispered, shaking his head. "Either of you."
"An argument that you are proving admirably through your current inaction, my boy."
"Zin?" Cole looked up, startled and confused by his friend's presence. "You're... in the Vault. You shouldn't be here..."
"Neither should YOU, son," the Vardian replied gently, shrugging and walking over to Mel on the couch. He reached down and began absently toying with Mel's hair as she regarded him impassively. "You should be with Mel. The REAL Mel."
Mel looked at Cole and nodded wordlessly.
"I've trained Lana too well, I’m afraid," Zin added, his hands moving from Mel's hair to her throat. "Mel doesn't have long."
Zin tightened his hands around her throat and Mel looked up at him, her expression accepting and, strangely, approving.
"Don't," Cole whispered, tears in his eyes. "Please..."
Zin shrugged and held up his hands in surrender. "If you insist."
"It would probably be for the best," Mel told Zin, looking up at him.
Zin shrugged helplessly. "Ah, but the boy says not to, doesn't he? Can't help you, Melanie." Zin smiled apologetically and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze.
Mel frowned faintly, rising. "I'll make some tea and get some cookies and we can discuss this."
"There's nothing to discuss, Mel," Cole told her firmly as she walked into the kitchen. "I refuse to let him get anywhere near you after what he did!"
He was not entirely sure WHAT Zin had done, but he knew that he did not want the Vardian touching Mel. It had been something very bad, he was sure, enough to kill the friendship and the trust between them.
"You should be more forgiving of your friends, Cole," Mel told him gently.
"He is NOT my friend!"
"You know what your problem is, son?" Zin asked idly, sitting down on the couch. He picked up a framed photograph from the end-table and examined it absently. Cole, smiling and laughing and flanked by Mel, Nallia, Ashi, and young Jessica. "You have this habit of pulling yourself in ten different directions at once. With your job, your relationships, your emotions... It's exhausting you."
"And ripping you apart," Mel added from the kitchen. She gave Cole an apologetic look, then turned her attention to the plate of cookies she was assembling. "Honestly, Cole. I'd say you're only human, except that you aren't." She smiled wryly, shaking her head. "But it doesn't change the fact that what you're doing to yourself isn't healthy."
"You know that she's right," a gentle voice added.
"Oh, hey, Nally!" Mel greeted her cheerfully. "Hope you don't mind that I'm out of chamomile tea. You're going to have to settle for mint."
"Mint's just fine, dear," the Cirronian woman assured her, walking into the kitchen. "Ooh, oatmeal cookies."
"Help yourself," Mel told her, sliding the plate to her. "There's cake, too."
"Is it just me or is there something seriously wrong with this picture, son?" Zin asked, shaking his head.
"I find it a very appealing picture," Cole murmured, watching the two women he loved talking and joking with each other, best friends.
"I can see where you would." Zin shrugged. "Best of both worlds, really. All that's missing are the children." He looked up at the sound of someone running up the stairs, followed by girlish laughter. "And here they come now. Girls!"
"Uncle Zin!" Ashi squealed, jumping into the Vardians arms. "Why is there fur on your face, Uncle Zin?" she asked, staring at him with undisguised curiosity for a moment before reaching out and running one tiny, delicate hand over his thin beard.
Zin laughed and shook his head. "It's good to see you again, little one," he told her, shifting her into one arm and extending the other to Jessica.
She smiled and hugged him before turning her attention to Cole. "When is Mama coming back?"
"Mama's in the kitchen." Cole nodded to where Nallia and Mel were still chatting lightly.
"That is NOT my real Mama," she pouted.
"Jessica Victoria Porter!" Cole chastised her with obvious disapproval.
Jessica looked up at him, her expression stubborn. "She's NOT!"
"Jessica’s right, Cole," Mel told him gently, walking into the living room with a plateful of cookies. She handed them to Jessica. "Sweetheart, Daddy and I need to talk now about grownup things. You take these and bring Ashi downstairs for a little while."
Jessica nodded as Zin placed Ashi on the floor. "Come on, Shee-shee," she said, extending her hand to the younger girl.
"Is Mama coming?" Ashi asked, taking Jessica's hand and allowing herself to be led into the hall, but glancing longingly over her shoulder at Nallia.
"Not right now, heart of my heart." Nallia shook her head. "ALL of the grownups need to talk now. You go play with your sister." When the girls were gone, she looked up at Cole. "Mel and I are worried about you. We don't think this is healthy."
"Gee, what gave THAT away?" Zin asked, chuckling.
"Not helping, Zin." Mel shook her head. "Seriously, Cole. You can't go on like this, and it's NOT just that polygamy is illegal in Illinois..."
"That's cute, Mel," Zin laughed, shaking his head. “Very good, dear.”
"Can we FOCUS here?" Mel asked Zin, walking into the living room. "Vardians..."
"Oh, right," Zin said as Nallia carried a tray of tea and cookies into the living room. "I was about to strangle you, yes?" He snagged an oatmeal cookie as Nallia walked past. "Thank you, Nally."
"You’re welcome, Zin." Nallia nodded placidly and set the tray on the coffee table. "So, let's have this unpleasantness done with, shall we?" she suggested. She turned to Cole. "Mel's right. This can NOT continue and you know it."
"And for some insane reason you think Zin strangling Mel will help?" Cole whispered in confusion.
"Well, something has to give," Mel said helplessly.
Nallia nodded. "It doesn't have to be this way, Cole. Let me go."
"Never."
Mel sighed in frustration. "Zin, would you just DO it already? I'm getting sick of this."
"Mel..." Cole protested.
"Mel, you really need to get this carpet shampooed. There's blood EVERYWHERE..." Nallia shook her head.
"If you want to keep it in the family, I can have Nallia do it," Mel offered. "She doesn't mind, do you, Nally?"
"Not at all, dear," Nallia assured her absently, sipping at her tea and continuing her scrutiny of the carpet. "You know, mór nuin juice would probably take those stains up," she suggested.
"Really?" Mel asked, her expression interested.
Zin shook his head. "The inside of your head is a scary place, son, you know that? And coming from me, that’s saying something..." He looked up at Mel and Nallia. "Ladies, could you give us a few minutes? We need to talk."
"Okay." Mel shrugged and started into the hallway. "Come on, Nally. Let's go see how the girls are doing and you can tell me where to get some of this mór nuin fruit on earth..."
"You're a lucky man, son," Zin told Cole, watching them go. "But, honestly, it can't continue. Mel's right." He sighed and sat down. "You do know what's happening?" he asked gently.
Cole nodded and sat down next to him. "Yeah, Zin, I know. None of this is real. It's an hallucination, the whole thing. Nallia and Ashi are still dead and there's no such person as Jessica Porter. I know. Doesn't matter, though. Whether I understand that or not, I'm still stuck in here."
"Says who?"
Cole shook his head in irritation. "The entire Migar medical community."
"The fact that Cirronians SELDOM come back from this kind of psychological retreat means nothing, son. It's NICE in here. You blame your average Cirronian for not wanting to leave such a cozy delusion?"
"You're saying I CAN?" Cole asked, staring at the Vardian.
"I'm saying that you'd damned well better if you want Mel to live much longer." Zin sighed. "I told you, I trained Lana too well. The girl is as vindictive as they come and royally pissed at you for what you did to me. This isn't like me killing Mel to buy time to escape. Lana will hurt Mel for no other reason than because she knows you care." He sighed again. "Son, I can't blame you for having come here, I can't. But... you can't stay. You don't even really WANT to," Zin pointed out. "Because if you did, me and the girls would not be trying to talk you into leaving, would we?"
"No." He shook his head. "It's nice here, but... it’s not real either, Zin." He shrugged. "I miss you, too, you know."
"I know, son. Times change, though, and people with the times. You're a friend with a person until their path diverges too radically from your own. I didn't want to hurt you, but it was unavoidable."
Cole nodded weakly. “I know.”
"Tell you what. When Lana finally digs me up, let's find a nice, neutral third location and have a game of chess or something, catch up on old times."
Cole smiled faintly, nodding. "Sounds good, Zin."
"Now... get out there and make your old friend proud, boy." Zin made a shooing motion with both hands.
Cole laughed. "I'm going, Zin. I'm going..." Holding up his hands in defeat, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, not exactly sure what to do.
"Don't suppose there's any point in asking you to go easy on Lana?" Zin asked. "She's a basically good kid, just... a little misguided in her loyalties." He shrugged. "No point?" he guessed.
Cole smiled and shook his head. "No point at all."
"Cole?"
"Maggie?" Cole opened his eyes, blinking at her. "I'm back..." he whispered, amazed.
Maggie nodded, not sure exactly what he meant and honestly not caring. Given what Nestov had told her, she had not expected Cole to be able to snap himself out of the trance he had been in. That had given her a lot of time to worry about Mel, and about Vic and Nestov. No need to worry now, though. She smiled widely at him.
"Welcome back, Cole. Now... let's go rescue Vic and before he gets himself killed."
END ACT 4
TAG
"Please don't," Mel cried foggily as the doctor reluctantly prepped another IV bag. "It hurts!"
"You think that hurts?" the guard scoffed. "Wait until Lana gets started on you."
"Threatening a defenseless woman is not very polite," a gentle voice contributed.
"Cole!" Mel called as he punched the guard, sending him slumping to the floor. Stepping over him, he picked him up by the shirt and took his life-force.
"Sorry I'm late," he said, eyeing the doctor grimly. "Has this man been hurting you, Mel?"
"Yeah, but... didn’t want to."
Cole considered this for a moment, then nodded. "You should leave now," he suggested to the doctor.
The doctor did not need to be told twice. He was out the door before Cole had crossed the room to Mel's bed. He quickly removed the IV line and healed the little puncture before undoing her restraints and helping her into a sitting position. She smiled gratefully at him, leaning into his large and beautifully warm chest. She was freezing.
"Can you walk?"
"Th... think so. Will try... Cole... she has... Vic. H... hafta save," she managed with difficulty.
"It's okay. We'll get him out. Are you strong enough to open Hyperspeed?"
"Don't... think." She shook her head, shivering.
He nodded and slid his arm under hers, helping her to her feet. "They gave you Isylyx. The effects will fade completely in a few days. Take this." He handed her a round, metal object.
She made a questioning sound.
"The artificial Hyperspeed generator I got from Krace. Come on."
"Why?" Mel asked as he supported her across the room.
"You're going to use it to get yourself and Vic out of here. "
"Cole? You okay?" she whispered.
He hesitated. "I will be, Mel. Ten years is a long time not to let yourself feel..."
"I know," Mel whispered, reaching up and gently patting his chest. "Be
okay... I'm... here, right here."
"I appreciate it, Mel." Cole smiled down at her, impulsively brushing his lips across hers. "Come on. Vic is being held nearby."
"Cole?" Mel whispered, staring up at him with wide eyes.
"We'll talk," he promised her. "After we've gotten Vic free and you warmed up. Come on."
***
Vic looked up in confusion at the sound of fighting outside.
"What the--" Vic muttered.
"Cavalry's here!" Mel announced in a shaky voice, leaning into the small holding cell.
Vic gaped at her. She was clearly incredibly weak and disoriented, so how had she managed to find him, let alone subdue the guards?
"Oh, Mel, thank God!" he cried, jumping to his feet and pulling her into a hug. "Are you hurt? Shit, your skin's like ice!"
"Fine," Mel assured him. "Come on." She smiled up at him. "Cole... outside."
"Cole?" he repeated, staring.
Mel nodded. "Come. Cole's... waiting. Maggie, too..."
"Maggie?" Vic asked, supporting her back into the hallway.
"Outside."
Cole nodded as they returned to the hallway. "She has a car waiting to get us out of here. Are you hurt?"
"Nothing serious here," Vic assured him. "Few bruises. What’s the plan?"
Mel held up the artificial Hyperspeed device. "Take my hand, Vic," she directed, extending it.
Cole nodded. "Vic, don’t let go of Mel until she says to, okay?"
Vic nodded slowly and took Mel's hand. She still seemed pretty unsteady on her feet, so he looped an arm around her waist, supporting her. "Is this okay?"
"Even better." Cole nodded and moved in front of Mel. "Just like I explained."
She nodded and fiddled with the device in her hand for a moment before both she and Vic seemed to vanish into thin air. Cole nodded in approval and opened Hyperspeed for himself. Mel was doing her best to reassure an amazed-looking and clearly rattled Vic.
"Let's go before the charge drains," Cole directed firmly. "This way."
"This is unbelievable," Vic commented, half supporting Mel as they walked. Cole was walking backwards, never taking his eyes off of her. "She going to be okay?" he asked.
Cole nodded. "With rest and time she will recover fully."
"What about you, man?"
"I will also recover, Vic," Cole assured him, nodding firmly.
He quickly led them out of the building and to where Maggie was waiting as promised. Mel deactivated the device and pocketed it.
"How's my favorite getaway driver?" she asked weakly as Cole and Vic helped her into the front seat.
"A lot better now that you’re safe, sweetie."
“Let's get the hell out of Dodge," Vic advised.
"Amen to that," Maggie agreed as the others piled into the car. "You okay back there, boys?" she asked as she drove.
“Nothing that won’t heal.”
"What about you, Mel?" Maggie asked gently.
Sound asleep, Mel did not hear the question. Cole reached around her and touched his fingers to her throat, nodding to himself.
"She was still weak from the dweh," he explained, sighing and closing his eyes. “But she will recover with time and rest.” Glancing over at Vic, he added. “Thank you for helping Mel.”
Vic shrugged. "Hey, it's Mel."
Cole nodded faintly. “What about Gail?”
“She can stay with me until things blow over,” Maggie assured him. “Vic too if he needs me.”
"Thanks, Maggie." Vic nodded. "Cole, are you and Mel going to be okay at the Watchfire?"
Cole nodded. "I'll keep her safe, Vic, I promise. I will guard her life with my own."
Mel slept on as Cole carried her through the Watchfire, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. She came awake as he was changing her into a comfortable pair of pajamas.
"Thanks," Mel murmured as he tenderly tuck her in. "You okay, honey?"
"Now that you are home and safe, Mel, I am a LOT better," he assured her. "Tonight won't be pleasant for you. The drugs need to work themselves out of your system. I'll be right here, though. I'll take care of you."
"No," she corrected him, drawing him down onto the bed and into her arms. She rested her forehead against his, smiling tenderly and whispering, "We'll take care of each other..."
THE END
Return to the Virtual Season II