My Familiar Stranger(6)

“She featured prominently in the other Monq’s journal. He was quite fond of her as a student, thought she was extraordinary in several ways. Based on reading the personal thoughts expressed in his journal, I have no reason to suspect a threat.”

“But you don’t know that for sure.”

Monq shook his head. “You already know the answer.”

“For all we know the journal could be part of a complex cover.”

After another half hour’s discussion, it was agreed that they would proceed to study the subject and maintain a reasonable level of alert meanwhile.

***

CHAPTER 3

As was the usual custom when a team member has been killed, B Team was given leave to go home and encouraged to spend time doing ordinary things with friends and family. The more ordinary the better. Storm decided to forego leave and stay on base. He was waiting at the main entrance to see Ram and Kay off. They would be driven to a private landing strip on base a couple of minutes away. Ram was taking a “company” jet to Edinburgh where he would transfer. Kay was hopping a small charter to Texas.

Putting an affectionate hand on Storm’s shoulder, Kay said, “You know that ‘Confucius say’ about being responsible for someone if you save their life?”

“Yeah?”

“Well. It’s not true.”

Storm laughed good-naturedly. He was touched by Kay’s concern for his well-being. Neither of them would hesitate to die for the other and both hoped they would never have to prove it.

“I’m good. It’s what I want. Go home. Make home movies of you having marathon sex with your girl. Shop at the grocery store. H.E.B. isn’t it? Annoy the hell out of your sisters. And I’ll be here when you get back.”

Ram gave Storm a shoulder bump, strapped on an army issue duffle, flashed his signature killer smile and swung up into the jeep transport. That duffle caught Storm’s attention. He was thinking that Ram could afford the most expensive luggage in the Universe and people to carry it for him, too. But instead, he chose to throw his stuff into an unbleached canvas, surplus bag with “ARMY” stamped on the side.

Storm watched them drive away and then headed back to the infirmary.

Elora looked a little better every day. In fact, her rate of improvement was remarkable. Her caregivers whispered to each other that she was beginning to look human. Scrapes and cuts turned into scabs. The swelling that had once obscured her features receded so that the structure of bone and cartilage underneath was becoming visible. The skin that had originally appeared to have been flayed from her body was restored to a random abstract of mottled blue and purple with an occasional streak of yellow or splotch of sickly green. Medical staff often developed a macabre sense of humor to cope with their jobs. One nurse joked that the patient was a work of art – a watercolor relief in an otherwise completely white room.

One day a nurse came in to check the I.V. and left the door open out of habit. Elora heard a masculine voice in the hallway just outside that caught her attention. He was asking questions about a patient. She couldn’t place it at first, but knew the sound was familiar and comforting.

One of the young doctors entered with the squishing sound of soft-soled shoes. On the way past the foot of Elora’s bed she said to the nurse changing the I.V., “You left the door open again, Janna.”

“Sorry, doctor. It’s hard to remember to keep doors closed.” The doctor peered over Elora with dark, almond shaped eyes and her best bedside manner. “Good morning. I’m Doctor Ivagi. Can you tell us your name?”

“Lorrr Aikei”. Elora Laiken wasn’t going to be possible until more of the swelling around her lips receded.

“Lor, can you tell us how you’re feeling?”

“Urzzz.” Pause. “Berrrr.”

“It hurts, but you’re doing better?”

“Hmmm.”

Dr. Ivagi smiled at that. “Okay. Good girl. Now I need you to listen to this carefully. I’m putting a device with a button into your hand. Feel that? You’re going to be able to control your pain meds yourself from now on. When you need more, just push the button and a measured dose will release into your I.V. Do you understand?”

“Ezzzz.”

The medical community ascertained that patients would typically administer a smaller dosage of pain medication when they could self-regulate. As disabled as she was, Elora welcomed regaining even that little bit of control.

Improvement continued so rapidly that the medical staff looked forward to coming on duty so that they could marvel at the change from the day before. Everyone involved knew they were witnessing something unique, part mystery, part miracle.

One day when Monq stopped by the infirmary to check on the patient’s progress, he found Engel Storm standing in the hallway looking through the glass of the newly constructed recovery room. Quietly he asked one of the nurses if Storm came by frequently. The nurse snorted at that and said he was a fixture, that the staff was so used to having him stand in that spot that they walked around it even when he wasn't there.

Gleaning a kernel of opportunity, Monq suggested to Sol that Storm be asked to assist with the discovery phase of evaluating the subject for threat risk. Storm was called into a private meeting during which Sol and Monq proposed giving him carte blanche clearance to visit within limits of medical advisability and suggested that he use the time to learn what he could. They went on to say they would provide him with a list of questions.