Angela was at her tea table wearing the same knowing smile on her face.

"Welcome back Doctor Southall, May I pour you some tea, it's wonderful for preventing headaches."

Douglas sat and watched the smile grow as she poured him a cup. He knew exactly what she was referring to and again the sensation of being in the presence of a powerful force began to overwhelm him.

"I'm going to ask you straight out, Angela. Did you have anything to do with Rafe's miraculous recovery?"

The lips pursed and she sipped her tea, looking away and then back with such intensity, Douglas sat up in his chair instinctively.

"How is Mister Messenger now?"

"I think you know. Look, I'm not trying to stir up trouble or cast stones; I just want to know what's going on. I've been treating him for years now without one inch of progress. I mention to you about possibly talking to him and before that even happens he's suddenly lucid and- and perfectly normal."

"You should be pleased then."

"Angela! Please, what did you do? I know you did something."

"I think you should probably lie down and rest until that headache goes away."

"What hea-" Douglas suddenly felt a blinding pain over his left eye and he grabbed his head, wincing.

"Have a sip of tea; it will keep it at bay until you get to your room."

He obeyed automatically, sipping some of the tea and feeling almost normal again. With a fearful parting glance at Angela, he stumbled to the door and out. Back in his room the pain returned and he collapsed on his bed, groaning.

Kristen stood nervously in front of Doctor Merker, a resident intern named Moody and Montrose. Rafe had begun demanding attention and Doctor Southall was in his room suffering from a massive headache. As his associate, she was expected to deal with the patient.

"But I've had no direct contact with him. That was always Dou- Doctor Southall's duty. He's done it for years."

"Well there is no one else who has had anything to do with him so it falls to you Doctor." Montrose lifted his chin, brooking no nonsense.

Kristen opened the door and stepped into the room. The intern, Moody was told to wait in the corridor by Rafe.

"I would prefer he remains in the room, Mister Messenger." Kristen said.

"The hall or I start complaining again."

"Please be reaso-"

"That's it. Get me Montrose."

"Fine, fine, okay." She turned to Moody and nodded. He stepped outside, keeping watch through the window.

"Now, what exactly can I do for you, Mister Messenger?"

"Rafe. Call me Rafe. Come and sit down." He pointed to the end of his cot and he took a seat on a chair kitty corner.

She tentatively perched on the end of the cot, knees together and her notebook on her lap.

"It has occurred to me, Kristen- may I call you Kristen?"

"I prefer Doctor Haver, thank you."

Rafe looked at her and puckered his mouth. "Okay." His attention went to the window and Moody staggered back, his eyes stinging relentlessly.

"I going to climb into your head, Doctor Haver, and I am going to become you. What do you think of that?"

She gaped at him then jumped up and ran to the door calling for Moody. When she looked out the little window she saw him on floor, silently clawing at his eyes. Panic seized her and she spun around to find Rafe almost nose to nose, his eyes flickering with a red fire and his mouth twisted into an evil grin.

******

The group of doctors and members of the management all stood around the bed where Moody was strapped in, sedated. Kristen was the centre of their inquisition and she calmly explained what happened from the moment she entered the room until she managed to push the security button.

"What happened to Messenger?" Montrose was almost on his toes, his cheeks pink, and perspiration glistening on his upper lip.

"I greeted him. Sat on the edge of the cot . . . by vocal invitation, and then he never said another word. He was just as he was before we saw him the other day."

"Where is Douglas?" Isaac asked.

"In his room. He has been in bed since yesterday with what I think is a massive migraine." Montrose said, calming down and looking sheepish.

Moody was given another cursory examination by the team and then they filed out, returning to their duties.

"I want a full report on my desk before end of day, Doctor Haver."

"Certainly. But it won't contain any more than what I have already told you. I took blood pressure, temperature. Listened to his heart and peered into his ears and eyes. All perfectly normal. Just no communication of any kind."

"Well something's not normal," Montrose fumed. "Yesterday the man was completely lucid."

"The mysteries of the mind, sir." Kristen smiled and excused herself.

******

Douglas sat up, resting his head against the bed's headboard. His eyes were bloodshot and he was pale around the mouth. Kristen sat on the edge of the bed holding the cup of tea she had brewed.

"You look awful, Doug. What on earth happened?"

He sipped the tea and closed his eyes. "I went to ask Angela about Rafe . . . if she had anything to do with his condition."

"Oh, Doug, for goodness sake. You can't still be serious about that theory of yours."

"As soon as the subject came up I got this damned headache. It's the second time, Kris, and I don't believe it's a coincidence."

She urged him to drink some more tea and his headache seemed to subside.

Huh, that's funny."

"What is?"

"Last time, Angela gave me tea and the headache went away."

"Tea is good for that," She said, setting the empty cup aside.

"I want to get back and talk to Rafe some more. That might be the best way to solve this medical mystery."

"Ah, about that . . ."

Kristen related the recent events and what the results were and Douglas sat listening in stunned disbelief.

"Nothing? He demonstrated nothing of what we saw the other day?"

"Nothing."

"But Moody, that's what happened to the intern with Angela! There has to be a connection, Kris. There has to be." He started to get up and she eased him back.

"There's nothing you can do right now. Angela won't go anywhere, nor will Rafe, and Moody is heavily sedated. They think his sight is gone for good. He practically clawed his eyes right out."

"I need to do something. I can't just lie here."

Kristen stood and leaned over, kissing his neck, lingering long enough for him to respond with an arm up about her waist.

"Just relax for a while, Doug, until that headache is completely gone." She knelt beside him and then settled down across his lap.

"This isn't relaxing, Kris." He managed a smile as he adjusted to her weight.

"Then let me try a little harder."

The kiss almost burned his lips and her tongue was like fire in his mouth. He tried to lean away but she advanced closer, pinning him to the bed and in a matter of seconds, had him completely subdued.