Revelations Ch. 13.1
Dr. Dewey returned several hours later without Robert.
"This," Dr. Dewey held up the syringe, "is a particularly nasty designer drug. The good Dr. Hermann could make a million on the street with this stuff. It's more addictive than heroin. He would be guaranteed plenty of return business. He must be producing it in a private lab. Tulane would never let him tinker with drugs."
"What does this mean for Cale?" Gabe asked.
"It means you all have your work cut out for you, especially Alex. It also means that as the head of the ethics committee, I'll order an immediate investigation of Dr. Hermann's lab in the morning. It won't go well for him. One less problem for you."
She woke up at the sound of her name and looked around fuzzily. "What?"
"Lie back down, Sleeping Beauty. We'll let you know how the story ends," Rile said.
"Very funny, Rile," she yawned. "What's the news?"
"A few instructions for nursing your friend back to health. Push fluids as well as Alex's analgesic discharges, but don't leave him unconscious too long. I'm afraid it will be worse than last time," Dr. Dewey said.
"Last time was such a piece of cake. Any more helpful suggestions?" Rile sat on the bed by Cale, looked down at his sleeping brother, and checked his pulse.
"Rile, we're all to blame for what happened. Please listen to the doctor." Gabe motioned for Dr. Dewey to continue.
"You may not be able to control all the symptoms with Alex's neural powers. I can't be sure, for I've never seen this drug before. You need to keep Cale quiet, in a dark room with as little noise as possible. Any sensory stimulation could trigger an attack. We'll move him to the carriage house bedroom before he wakes up," Dr. Dewey explained. "The bedroom window is too small for him to fit through."
Gabe and Rile easily hefted Cale into Dr. Dewey's car. Alex wasn't sure if she was happy or disturbed that Cale didn't awaken with the transfer. After Gabe and Rile settled Cale onto their mattress, they moved back into the living area, the door cracked open so that they could hear him.
"Is it hot in here?" Alex wiped her forehead.
"Are you all right?" Gabe laid his hand on Alex's forehead. "You're burning up."
"I probably caught some mutant killer cold virus while I was in the lab."
"What? You were captured as well?" Dr. Dewey asked, startled.
"Don't rub it in," Alex said, miserable. "I feel stupid enough as it is by letting Cale get away." She dropped into a chair and her head lolled back. She pushed back her sweat-dampened hair from her face.
"Alex." Dr. Dewey gripped her shoulders. "Tell me, did they inject you with the same chemical as Cale?"
"I counteracted the effects with my powers."
"You don't look like you could counteract an aspirin." Rile stood over her and frowned.
"Rile," Gabe said with considerable irritation. "Doctor Dewey, what does it mean? Will Alex suffer the same withdrawal as Cale?"
She looked up at them in alarm.
"You mean Alex will freak out, too? I can hold her down but she has to help Cale." Rile drummed his fingers on his sword hilt.
"Rile, that is enough." Gabe placed a comforting hand on Alex's shoulder.
"No, he's right." Alex said with agitation. "I can't afford to get sick. You have to do something."
Dr. Dewey made calming motions with his hands. "Alex, relax. You may have eliminated the effects from your central nervous system, but the rest of your body is still addicted."
"I'll feel horrible, but I won't lose my mind?"
"Yes. Most likely the side effects with be gastro-intestinal and vascular. Stomach cramps and flushing. That feeling of being overheated."
"I can live with that." She wiped her forehead again. "I wish it wasn't so hot."
"You do feel hot. Hey!" Gabe jerked his hand away in surprise. "That stung."
"You're sparking white fire all over." Rile dropped his sulking for a closer look.
"I feel really bad," she said in a small voice.
"You might be rebounding from the sedative effects of the drug and overproducing your energy," Dr. Dewey said.
"I better get out of here." Alex pushed herself out of the chair. "I don't know how much longer I can contain all this power."
"No, wait—ouch!' Dr. Dewey drew back his hand from her arm.
Alex stumbled through the door. "I'll be right back."
Gabe was quicker than the rest and grabbed her ankle as she took off.
"Gabe, you shouldn't have come." She swept over the roof and set him down gently, but her own landing was less graceful. "Gabe, get away," she cried as he tried to help her up.
Their world exploded in white light. Gabe had the presence of mind to cradle her against his chest and fall on his shoulder to protect them both before Alex's power knocked him out.
Weakened, Alex could only blink at Gabe for long seconds before she could prop up on unsteady arms. He fell off her, limp, to the dirty ground of the roof. Tears streaming down her face, she laid her head on his chest until the steady thump thump thump of his heart reassured her. She cuddled against him to share her body heat until she recovered.
Please don't let me have hurt him, please don't let me go crazy, why am I an atomic bomb that destroys everything around me?
Long minutes of recrimination and self-hatred later, Alex tightened her grip on Gabe, started her slipstream, and flew them back down.
"I told him to get away. I told him," she sobbed as she entered the apartment.
Rile rushed to lay Gabe on the couch, eerily re-creating the earlier scene, except with Gabe, instead of Cale, unconscious.
"His vital signs are stable," Dr. Dewey pronounced after his examination.
"Rile?" Gabe's eyes fluttered open. "Hey, Rile." He stood up and grabbed his brother in a bear hug. "You're the greatest. I mean it. I really do."
"Sounds like you're having a good time." Rile stood there, encased by his brother's arms, posture stiff and looking extremely awkward. He looked over at Alex for help, who held up her hands in surrender.
"Rile, always a joke for every occasion. You're awesome." Gabe hugged him tighter and pounded his shoulder. "Where's Cale?"
"Gabe, do you remember anything that's happened?" Dr. Dewey asked.
He smiled woozily. "Nope."
Rile looked next at Dr. Dewey, who shrugged. Rile tried to squirm free of his brother's embrace and earned another friendly pounding on the shoulder, followed by a quick kiss on the side of his muzzle. Rile shot Alex a horrified look. Alex covered her mouth to hide her smile.
"Where's Cale? I want to see him." Gabe released Rile, fell back on the couch, and laughed.
"What did you do to him? Talk about making a million on the streets," Rile said to Alex. "Can I go with you next time you burn off some extra energy?"
"No. I don't know what I did. I had to release that energy. I had no control over it. Gabe was too close and caught the brunt of it." Alex peered at Gabe. "Who knows what will happen next time."
"Heeey, why is everyone sad? Cheer up. Where is that pesky Cale?" This time Gabe succeeded in standing up.
"He's in the bedroom, asleep. Maybe you should stay here and rest." Alex tried to stop him, only to be rewarded with a hug and pushed aside.
But no kiss, dang it.
Gabe staggered into the bedroom.
"I'll keep an eye on both of them," Alex said as she followed Gabe.
"Cale? Why are you sleeping?" Gabe bent over his brother. "Maybe it's not such a bad idea. Move over." He shoved Cale over and fell down next to him. He threw an arm over his brother.
Alex almost laughed in relief. At least Gabe was all right. She tucked the covers over him and turned to leave.
"Alex?"
"Yes, Gabe?" She walked back over to the bed.
"I care deeply for you."
Alex stared in stunned surprise.
"Ever since you rescued me. You're wonderful and beautiful and amazing and strong and intelligent. You look angelic, like the Portal Guardian herself. Do you care for me?" he asked plaintively.
He fell asleep before she could answer, leaving Alex immobilized with shock. For the first time in her short life, Alex saw another possibility: love without the agony of sex. Sex was just another word for rape in her world, all pain and invasion and blood.
She thought about the ultra-soft leather hide next to her, the shimmering golden color, the magnificent wings, being held by muscular arms that didn't harm her.
*****
Ten minutes later, Dr. Dewey looked in. "Is everything all right, Alex?"
"As it can be." Alex walked out, looking dazed.
"You should have a respite." Dr. Dewey stood up. "Unless you need me, I'll go home. I have class in the morning. Remember my instructions and please don't hesitate to call."
"Thanks, Dr. Dewey." Alex said. Once out the door, though, she sighed, "Thank goodness he's gone." Her statement earned a scrutinizing look from Rile. "I could use another nap," she explained. She curled up on the couch and closed her eyes.
Alex soon found that between her own symptoms and Cale's, sleep was far too optimistic a goal. She alternated between pains clawing her stomach and a fever that forced her to discharge the excess energy. She was quick to evade Rile, who was far too interested in experiencing the discharge. To her relief, Gabe slept on, undisturbed. It was midnight when Alex felt a light touch on her shoulder. She jolted upright and stared at him, wild-eyed.
Gabe held his hands up in surrender. "Sorry to wake you. What's going on?" he whispered.
Alex remembered his words and calmed. "Not much. How do you feel?"
"The best I've felt in several dry seasons, or years, as you humans call them."
"How much do you remember?" Alex willed her heart to stop hammering.
He thinks I'm wonderful and beautiful and amazing and strong and intelligent and said he cares for me. No one's ever told me that. I don't remember ever being called anything but whore by men. Human men.
"Everything up until that white light. After that, I remember the vague impression that everything was right with the world, but nothing else." Gabe looked closely at Alex's disappointed expression. "Did I say something wrong?"
"Of course not. Back in a minute," she said. "I need to check on Cale."
"Cale, how're you feeling?" Alex sat on the side of the bed.
He grabbed her wrists. "I don't know who you are," he hissed, "But I remember you were in the lab."
"Cale." She felt a flash of fear. "I know it sucks, but at least you're not in the lab anymore."
"But you're taking me back."
"No, Cale . . . .aah!" Alex gasped as Cale bent her wrist back.
"Hush, don't make a sound. We'll wait until they're all asleep. I've been waiting and waiting for Gabe to leave."
"Cale, you should have told me you were awake. You must be in a lot of pain. Let me help."
"What? Let you zap me into unconsciousness? Or worse, just enough so I can't move but still feel all the pain? I don't trust you for an instant," Cale whispered fiercely.
The horror of what she had done hit Alex. She hadn't relieved his pain, only paralyzed him and forced him to endure it silently. She was too distraught to remember that Cale had had a few lucid periods without pain. All that she could imagine was the nightmare that she had put him through.
"Cale, I'm sorry."
"I said shut up. Now be quiet and wait a few minutes."
"Cale, I can't let you go back." She bit her lip to keep from crying out.
Her hand began to spark. He let go of it, then flipped her onto the bed. He had his knee on her chest, her arms pinned above her head.
"Stop that or I'll kill you and go alone."
"Sorry, Cale."
She head-butted him, slipped a hand free, and the room crackled with light. She regretted it as he slumped back onto the bed.
How could I? How could I blast him so unmercifully? How could I have been so stupid and put him through such torture all this time?
Hastily, she tucked the covers back over the unconscious form and fled from the room.
"Hey," Gabe said mildly as she rushed past him. "Where are you going?"
"I'll be back before Cale wakes up." She couldn't keep her voice from trembling and Gabe was onto her.
"You're not going anywhere until you tell me what's wrong." He held her hand in a firm grasp.
"No, I can't." When she saw that was an unacceptable answer, she added, "Okay, but not here." She looked at Rile's sleeping figure.
"Wherever you want," Gabe said.
Sitting on the small landing of her second story doorway, Alex struggled to tell what had happened. She felt stupid, incompetent, and furious with herself.
"Do you know what you need?" Gabe asked when he saw she was done.
She shook her head, miserable.
"You need practice. No one can do anything perfectly the first few times. The trouble is, Cale can't tell you any feedback. You just learned about these powers. You're still learning how to control them, select them, and how they affect others." Gabe said.
"Practice?"
"On a willing subject who can tell you what's happening. I volunteer," he said.
"You? But . . . but I couldn't. What if I hurt you?" Alex stared at her hands in her lap.
"I'm sure you won't. You never have before, remember? Do it for Cale, if you don't trust me."
"I do trust you," she said."It's that I'll screw up again."
"You believe Rile. You've been around him too long. Now start with the basics." Gabe lifted one of her hands from her lap. She gave him a dubious look and released the faintest sparkles from her hand. "More than that, it tickles."
Hesitantly, Alex increased the power. "How do you feel?" Uncertainty, fear, and remorse made her shy. Remembering his words only made her heart pound faster and control all the more difficult.
"Tingly all over," he replied.
"That's the wrong power. I knew I'd blow it." She pulled her hand free.
"Alex, calm down. It doesn't hurt. Now relax and imagine the right power, like before."
She sighed and reluctantly took his hand again. She closed her eyes in concentration, and her hand sparkled again. After a minute, she opened her eyes and asked, "How do you feel now?"
"Sleepy," Gabe said.
"I knew it. I knew it. Wrong one again."
Gabe had infinite patience. Alex had tenuous control to begin with and was so rattled by her experience with Cale that she had considerably less control now. But Gabe persevered and after an hour she was whipping through her range of powers.
"You two are playing patty-cake up here while Cale's thrashing around downstairs. I suppose you forgot about him?" Rile stood on the steps, fury radiating from him.
All the guilt and anguish flooded back onto Alex's face. She dashed through the door.
"Rile, is it necessary for you to be cold-blooded with her?" Gabe asked.
"Funny, big brother," Rile snapped. "Leave the sarcasm to me."
*****
By the time they arrived, Cale was sitting up, looking tired and ill, but coherent. Alex didn't look much better.
"Hey," he greeted them weakly.
"Hey yourself," Rile retorted. "Do you know what you've put us through?"
"No," Cale replied meekly.
"Rile," Alex and Gabe both snapped.
"You didn't do anything," Alex assured Cale.
"I think I did." Cale didn't look sure. "I remember a haze of pain and nightmarish images. Alex, did I hurt you?"
"You didn't," Alex lied. "Now we'll all eat." She didn't want Cale to feel awkward. She also didn't want him thinking about what had happened. She pulled out her phone. "Delivery rocks."
*****
A/N: Things are growing complicated and interesting between them!
Do you think Cale is over the worst of it?
What about Gabe and his big reveal? Does he remember or not?
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