Chapter 2.3 This Heart Ain't Built For Two

Gabe frowned at Alex's absence from the testing center. He began to worry when she wasn't in their rooms, either. When he opened the door to her bedroom, he was shocked to see Cla sitting on Alex's bed.

"Oh, Gabe, I knew you would come here eventually. I can't break this to you gently. She's . . . she's . . ." Cla sobbed tearless sobs, speaking in-between gulps of air. "It was . . . was the Gilas you see."

"No, I don't see," Gabe said, voice brusque with fear.

"You should sit down," Cla said.

He sat next to her, numbly obedient.

"The Gilas . . . they're . . . they're . . . assassins. And there are those . . . afraid of your friend. They hired the Gilas and . . . and . . ." Cla broke down, burying her head on Gabe's shoulder.

"No," he said softly.

"Gabe, I'm sorry." Cla put her arms around him.

He followed suit reflexively.

Alex limped in. Her legs were sore and scraped, but that was nothing compared to the pain in her side. A long cut oozed blood, and her leg ached, but with the adrenaline it seemed distant. She saw them and snapped, "Wouldn't you like proof before celebrating my death?"

"Alex!" Gabe leapt to his feet, but Alex's murderous look warned him off.

"Even if I was dead, you could wait until my body was cold before falling all over each other." She sat on the opposite side of the bed, a groan of pain escaping. "And on my bed? That's tasteless and high on the ick factor." She fell back onto the bed, cursing as she lifted her injured leg by hand.

"But Alex," Gabe began helplessly, "Here now, you're hurt. Let me take a look."

"No, get out of here. Go do whatever you were doing with Miss Reptile of the Month somewhere else. Leave me alone."

Alex stung Gabe's pride and he stormed out. When Cla followed, she turned and gave her a sly smile. Alex heart sank at the grave tactical error of losing her temper. She should have played up her wounds and let Gabe tend them. Instead, she sent him off with her worst enemy.

That thought made her leg throb worse. The thrill of gaining the Gila's vote was gone.

In the hall, Dr. Glick nearly collided with Gabe.

"You've heard? Alex is back. I take it she's not in there." Dr. Glick looked toward their quarters.

"I hadn't been told she was missing," Gabe said coldly.

"Yes, it was felt that it should be not be open knowledge . . . sorry . . . . if she's not in her chambers, I'll look elsewhere," Dr. Glick said.

"Actually," Gabe looked embarrassed. "Alex is in her room."

Dr. Glick looked at both of them shrewdly, and then said with measured words, "I understand she's all right, if you were leaving."

"We were retrieving the medics," Cla said smoothly.

"I'm sure. Excuse me." Dr. Glick brushed past them and disappeared in Alex's room.

"Dr. G, guess what. I'm a szarek now." Alex propped herself up on her elbows when her friend entered. "Isn't that great? The Council member promised to vote for my InterSpec status. Three votes down, how many does that leave?"

"Szarek? Congratulations. Let's have a look at you." Dr. Glick visibly calmed at the sight of Alex smiling and sitting up.

"C'mon, Dr. G., admit that it's good news."

"Hmmm." He lifted the sheet and ran his hand down her side, frowning when she winced. "Anything else hurt?"

Her skin was hot to the touch. It stank of blood and sweat and the carriage's dusty leather.

"My right leg hurts, but it's not broken. Now tell me all the implications of being a szarek, please?"

"First I'll call the vet-meds." He picked up the crude device Alex had nicknamed 'the lizard-phone' and spoke into it. He turned back to her. "I can understand your elation at becoming a szarek. In fact, I am quite impressed. The beneficial side is that now you have the Gila's vote, and I'm sure several species will likewise be impressed. The unfortunate part is that there are those who said you were quite dangerous, and you have proven them right. Anyone who can stand up to a Gila is to be respected, and, by some, feared. Do you see what I'm trying to say?"

"That Alex finally let loose," Rile spoke from where he had been watching and eavesdropping.

"Rile, I wish you could have seen it. I mopped up the arena with that Gila," Alex said, beaming at him, her clothes torn and bloody, her hair scraped back from her face in a messy ponytail.

"You look as if you've made a few rounds the arena floor yourself," he said, eyeing her.

"Watch how you talk to me. I'm a szarek now," Alex said with pride.

The vet-meds pushed aside a protesting Rile as they entered.

"I came as quickly as I could, Dr. Glick." One of the vet-meds turned an appraising eye on Alex. "You look healthy, well, overall healthy for what I was told. I thought you said there had been a Gila attack."

"There was. Our guest is full of surprises." Dr. Glick smiled indulgently at Alex.

"I have not been allowed a full examination." The vet-med sounded aggrieved.

"Hello. I'm right here. I'm sure you'll get your turn, like the rest of your world." Alex didn't like being talked about as if she weren't there.

"Forgive me. All of my other patients cannot talk." The vet-med sounded sincere. "I am Dr. Zoor. My specialty is the chitterers, which is why I was called here."

"Even though I am not a chitterer, I'm an alien," Alex said with some asperity, "I'll try to help you. My right leg was hurt when the Gila threw me across the arena. But it doesn't hurt like it's broken."

Rile made an 'I told you so' noise, but Gabe, who had belatedly followed his brother, silenced him. Dr. Zoor poked and prodded her as well, but he seemed more concerned about her shoulder.

"This, here, the Gila bit you?" he asked.

The bite wound, dark and oozing blood, was a fresh cut. A ragged slice down her shoulder, the muscle ripped from it and beginning to clot. The angry, torn flesh would heal with an ugly scar.

Uh-oh, how do I explain not dying from the poison?

Alex tried to think of a plausible explanation but gave up.

Let them worry about it. I'll claim natural immunity.

"Yes," Alex said simply.

This caused considerable excitement and the other vet-meds jostled for a look at her shoulder.

"Is your vision blurry? Are you having trouble breathing? Is your heart pounding?" they asked in turn.

"No, no, and no. Am I supposed to?" she asked.

"Yes, no, I mean, those are the effects of the poison. How do you feel?" Dr. Zoor asked.

"Tired, sore, and short-tempered." Alex looked at Gabe, apology on her face.

If the Gilas had been surprised that she was immune to their poison, they had kept it to themselves.

"When did this happen?" Dr. Zoor asked.

"About an hour ago." Alex shrugged then winced as the motion jarred her shoulder.

"It should have worked by now, but there's no telling with alien physiology. You will stay in the infirmary where we can monitor you, in case you have a delayed reaction."

Alex swore under her breath. That left all night clear for Cla to work her charms on Gabe.

"I feel fine," she said, set her jaw, and crossed her arms over her chest, but the Chameleons were talking among themselves.

"We'll bring you down to the infirmary for some bone films of your leg to make sure."

While the vet-meds made their arrangements, Alex motioned Rile over to her. "Where's Cale?" she asked in a low voice, a suspicious eye on Gabe as Dr. Glick talked to them.

"He went out with Deela. I wanted to look around on my own," Rile whispered.

This pleased Alex to no end.

I knew Cla made a mistake assigning the imperious Caj to Rile. He doesn't take to being ordered around. Maybe with his own investigations, he'll come up with some of the same conclusions that I have.

"Rile, promise to visit me in the infirmary, okay? I want to talk to you, alone."

Two geckos came in, wheeling a stretcher. Alex refused help sliding over to it.

"Alex, I'm sorry . . . sorry you're hurt." Gabe had slid free of Cla's grasp.

"I'm sorry, too," she replied before they wheeled her out.

***

The splint was like tough leather, strong, but with give. It breathed much better than a plaster cast and was more comfortable. Alex swung her legs over the side of the bed, when a little female gecko rushed in.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, taking Alex's hand solicitously. "Do you need something?"

"I wanted to hobble around."

"On an injured leg? No, dear, rest in bed and I'll get you anything you need." The gecko turned back the covers and placed Alex's legs back in the bed.

Florence Nightingale the jailer.

Alex slammed her head back into the pillow.