The next few days passed in a blur. Most of my time was spent in a spiraling nightmare where Madeline tortured me without reprieve. Occasionally my consciousness would return and I would hear people shouting above me, feel hands on me. The few times my eyes slid open, I saw people in scrubs, bright lights, and strange machines around me. I couldn't stay for long, Madeline always pulled me back to the darkness. Her work was never finished, her insatiable desire for revenge never quenched. I cried out for Kael. I knew he would come. He always had, but he never answered.

Rhythmic beeping finally woke me. When I opened my eyes, blinding fluorescent light initiated a pounding in my foggy head. The hospital room I was in was unlike any I had ever seen. Glass walls revealed dark empty halls on either side of me. I looked down at my white hospital gown, vaguely aware that the rhythmic sound was escalating with my pulse. Immaculate stainless equipment and spotless white floors added to the starkness of the silent room. There was no way of knowing how long I had been here. Across from my bed in the corner of the ceiling was a small mounted camera. Someone had been watching me as I slept.

Focused on discovering where I was, I didn't notice the nurse that had entered at first. Like the room, she was cold and uninviting. Her lips and eyes formed thin dark slits as she watched me.

"How are you feeling?"

However unkind her appearance, her British accent was reassuring. I had heard enough of the French accent to last me a lifetime.

"Good to see you're awake. She wants to talk to you."

I ran my hand through my hair, trying to process my surroundings.

"Where am I?"

I glanced down at the clean white bandage on my shoulder. Whoever had kept me here seemed to have good intentions. Madeline would never have seen to it that I had medical treatment.

The woman hardly moved as she spoke, her voice droning, "You're at military hospital at Interpol in London. They brought you in a few days ago. You've had a few blood transfusions and some patching up, but you'll be fine." She moved stiffly in her white scrubs and offered to help me stand.

I was shaky at first, but once I got to my feet the lightheadedness improved. The nurse watched me as if trying to decide.

"You up for this? If you need, we can give you another day. No more than that. She needs to talk to you."

I reached out to hold onto the bed railing, feeling a sudden wave of nausea.

"Who?"

The nurse shook her head knowingly.

"The agent that saved your life."

Her words spoke to the urgency of the meeting. I remembered then, the woman who had stood by the gurney. She had known my name, even seemed concerned for my welfare.

I supported my arm to provide less tension on my injured shoulder as I pushed away from the bed.

"Where are my clothes? I'll see her now."

After a hot shower and a fresh set of clothes, I felt a mixture of rejuvenation and exhaustion. The nurse had still failed to give me any further information including the agent's name. She led me through a series of corridors, swiping her ID badge for admittance at each door.

Finally, we stepped into a long room with brick walls. This was the first room we had encountered that was filled with life. Computer desks and analysts filled the room. People rushed to and from desks, some leaning over the sides of half cubicles to talk with their neighbor.

"In here," she gestured and ushered me through the door of a side room. This room offered far less stimulus. A long table sat in the middle of the room with two chairs opposite each other. The one way glass reminded me of an interrogation room. A glance at the water cooler in the corner made me realize that I couldn't remember the last time moisture had touched my lips.

I turned back to the nurse. Her unsympathetic gaze took in my haggard appearance. The clothes she had given me were likely from the lost and found. The combination of black leggings and sweater dress were tolerable enough. Most of all, I appreciated the soft, warm, grey sweater she had offered. I pulled it around me. Watching her through the pounding in my head, I wondered how much trouble I was in.

The nurse raised a neatly drawn brow and scolded, "Don't look at me like that. You'll be fine. Just give me a minute to find her." She turned to go, but I held onto her arm.

"Can you leave the door open please?" My voice was still rough from lack of use. She nodded and left. Quickly, she made her way across the busy room. I wasn't alone for long.

Moments later I noticed a woman moving across the room. Her presence caused a palpable change in the tone of the room. Her hair was loose around her shoulders now, a cream blouse loosely tucked into her gray pencil skirt. The first time I had seen her, lying in pain as I nearly bled to death, I hadn't appreciated how lovely she was. Based on the fine lines around her eyes and mouth, I guessed her to be in her early fifties.

"Harper," she nodded as she entered and closed the door behind her. I noticed the badge on her waistband complete with picture and title. Although I couldn't make out the name, it put me at ease a little to see the official nature of the facility I was in. "We need to talk about what happened out there. How are you feeling?" Although her air was official, her concern seemed genuine. She walked over to the water cooler and filled a Styrofoam cup.

"Better," I said quietly when she handed me the cup. After a few swallows, I set it down. "Can I ask you something?"

She had moved to the chair across from me and was opening a laptop she had carried in with her. She glanced up before continuing to set up.

"Ok, sure."

"How's Kael?"

I had wanted to sound confident, but I could tell she read the doubt in my voice. The awaited answer to my question made me so nervous, I almost wished it unspoken the moment it came from my mouth.

She continued to focus on her screen as she spoke, "He's alive if that's what you're worried about."

Her voice was flat. She was not inviting further questions. Unfortunately for her, I had never yielded to such subtle cues.

I ran my finger along the rim of my cup. "Where is he now? Are you aware of what he's done?" I was referring to him saving me, but I realized in retrospect that it sounded accusatory.

She sighed and, giving me the benefit of her full attention, looked at me with a cool direct gaze. "He's fine," she said, "And no, I doubt we know the full extent of what he's done. But we know enough. What do you know about him?"

"He saved my life."

She looked at me through slits in her lashes. She sensed I had more to offer her. I took another sip as I considered the value of gaining her trust. Being surrounded by individuals on the right side of the law did have a seductive quality after keeping company with criminals for so long. "...but he didn't always make the best choices," I heard myself say. Looking for her reaction, I tried to gauge how much she knew as well.

"This is true," she stated. "Start from the beginning. I want to know how and when you were caught in this mess, every detail."

Placing her hands on the keys of the laptop, she settled in to type.

The beginning. This seemed so far back, I didn't know where to start. I took a breath, but someone knocked urgently on the door before I could speak.

The woman's voice revealed annoyance, "Come in!"

The door opened a crack and a middle aged man with glasses poked his balding head in.

"Sorry to interrupt, but you're needed out here."

She slammed the lid of her computer.

"Now?"

The man's face spoke to the urgency of the matter.

"Fine," she said sharply. Turning to me she said, "I'm so sorry, Harper. One moment."

She stood up and her heels clicked past the man. He shrugged at me and left.

Through the open door I saw as the woman stopped in the center of the long room. Hands on hips, she spoke to someone who was coming toward her from the far side of the room. The stride was familiar. I leaned back in my chair to see around her. A quick breath caught in my throat as I realized it was Kael. 

*****

She's finally safe and perhaps even close to getting some answers. Who do you think this woman is? What is Kael doing here?? Loooove to hear your thoughts and theories XD

*****