Aurora Rising (16 page)

Keyen awoke totally alert. It only took him an instant of staring up at the light panel that covered the ceiling to know where he was at, and with that knowledge came the recollection of what happened.

Whispers of pain echoed through his chest. He started to raise his hand only to find it strapped down. Keyen tried to move his other arm but it too was immobilized. He wanted to move. He wanted Rori. He turned his head and froze as he saw her.

For a moment, he didn’t think she was real. She was so still and pale. Her eyelashes made strikingly dark crescents on her cheeks. She looked so ethereal he felt a wave of panic before he saw her chest rise and fall, then he felt her heart beat intermingled with his.

“You’re awake,” Areathea said softly. “How do you feel?”

“Alive,” the answer came without thought.

“Yes, well that is something. You shouldn’t be, you know.”

“Rori?” Keyen looked to her as Areathea continued talking.

“She will be fine. She’s just sedated. It seems Rori has developed a new talent or at least a new aspect of her talent. Though it’s hard to say if she will be able to do it on anyone else, and it would be best she doesn’t use it until she learns to control it.”

“She healed me.”

“Mostly. She saved your life for certain. The damage was most extensive. By the time she and Tankin were able to get you to the med-techs, it was too late. They couldn’t have done anything to save you.”

“Am I medicated?” He didn’t feel that way, but there was no real pain in his chest, just minor discomfort from a mostly healed wound.

“No, the remaining damage has been repaired. You now should only have a little stiffness and weakness from the blood you lost. That will pass rapidly.”

“Why am I restrained?” He flexed his arm under the band, feeling the cushioned metal’s hold.

“I’ll release you now. We didn’t want to take the chance of you two being separated until you both were stabilized, then I decided to keep you together because it seemed to expedite the healing process.”

“What is wrong with Rori?” His mind locked on ‘both stabilized’. “Why is she sedated?” Keyen felt a wave of panic and tightened his hand on hers, taking in the reassuring warmth of her under his touch.

Areathea drew in a deep breath. “Rori’s healing ability is a bit – unconventional. At least on you it was. I’ve heard of people with that ability. In fact, the legends go back to old earth.”

“What are you not saying?” Keyen had to fight back a sense of dread that something was seriously wrong. His attention locked on Rori, taking in her pallor and slow, gentle breaths.

Areathea moved to stand over her, laying a hand on Rori’s shoulder. Keyen realized it was bare where it peeked from under the blanket. “When Rori saved you, healed you, whether intentionally or not, she … took on your injury. I guess the best way to describe it is, she shared it.”

“Shared?” His concern spiked.

“Pretty much what you’re thinking, she took some of the damage from you to her when she was healing you. It was not as extensive, and the healing was accelerated. All the damage has now been repaired. She is pretty much at the same point of recovery as you are.”

“Then why is she sedated?”

“She was already to the point of exhaustion from the battle. She’d put out a lot of energy. Then what she did with you drained her severely. Coupled with the injury she took on−”

“You almost lost her.” Panic filled him.

“It was tricky for a while. Close for both of you.”

Instinctively, Keyen reached to touch Rori’s cheek, and his hand came free of the restraints as Areathea released him. He shifted up to lean over her, ignoring the slight twinge in his shoulder. Keyen brushed back a lock of her hair as he studied each soft feature of her face. “What were you thinking?” he said more to himself but Areathea answered.

“I don’t think she was thinking. I think she was willing you better so strongly, her empathy, and I dare say love, took over. I don’t know for sure. As I said, we’ve never seen anyone take on and share another’s injury.”

Keyen cupped Rori’s face, running his thumb over one fine cheekbone. “She will be okay?” He broke his gaze long enough to look at the med-tech.

Areathea smiled reassuringly. “She’s fine. All her levels are strong. I just wanted her to rest a little longer before I brought her out of it. I will suggest you two take it easy for a few days to further recuperate. Now, I’m going to step out of the room for a minute. There are fresh clothes for you to dress in. She should be waking soon.”

The door slid closed behind her as Areathea went out, but for a full minute, Keyen didn’t move as he continued to gaze down at the woman on the exam table next to him. His thoughts had cleared, and he now could remember back.

He knew he was going to die. He knew he wasn’t going get to have a life with Rori. It had seemed so unfair to just have found her and to lose her before they even had a chance together. He would not let anything keep him from the second chance they were getting.

There was no doubting their love. He was going to ask Rori to marry him, the sooner the better. The absurdity of it hit him. They had only known each other for a short time, and they had just proclaimed their love earlier that day. Or was it the same day? He pulled up the time on his IPI and found they had not lost only the rest of the day but most of the next.

The loss of time spurred him into action. Leaning forward, he brushed his lips lightly over Rori’s. He was tempted to linger at the sweet taste of her but, with a final caress, pushed back and away. Sliding off the table, he had to steady himself before donning the new uniform waiting for him.

He knew Hiymm would be waiting for a report now that he’d been notified he was awake. He hardly finished dressing when the thought proved true, and Hiymm’s voice came over his link.

“Keyen, how are you?” Anxiousness flavored the tone.

“I’m fine, sir,” Keyen reassured. “I will be on my way as soon as Rori’s able.”

“Come now, Areathea said she wants to keep her down a little longer.”

Keyen looked back at the bed torn between duty and love. But, knowing what he must do, he answered. “I’m on my way.”

Unable to stop himself, he reached out, running his knuckle over the incredibly soft skin of Rori’s cheek in a silent good-bye before heading out the door.

A few minutes later, Keyen reached Hiymm’s office, finishing the sandwich and juice Areathea handed him as he left the recovery room.

“He’s waiting for you.” Tasc held out his hand for the empty container, indicating for Keyen to go past.

“Thanks.”

“It’s good to see you.” Tasc’s voice reached him as the door slid open.

Keyen glanced back over his shoulder catching a glimpse of concern on the man’s face.  “Thanks,” he repeated, not knowing what else to say.

Hiymm was already coming around his desk to greet him as he turned back. “Keyen.” Emotion seemed to tinge the words, and Keyen wondered if he had picked up some of Rori’s empathy. He didn’t need to know the man’s feelings as Hiymm reached out to hug him, instead of his normal handshake. “You gave us a scare.” The words were definitely weighted as Hiymm patted him on the back.

“Rori…,” Keyen dropped the sentence, still not sure what he was going to say, or at least how to explain what rested in his heart.

“Yes, Rori. What she did was amazing. Even in our standards. Areathea assured us she is fine, though she wants to keep her under awhile longer.” Hiymm released him, moving to sit behind his desk.

“I’d like to be back when she wakes,” Keyen said, aware of Tasc following him into the room.

“That’s understandable. This shouldn’t take long. The rest of your team has already given us a full report. And besides the recordings of your IPIs and the media, we have quite a full account.”

“What were the damages?”

Hiymm sighed, and it appeared like a weight descended on his shoulders. “Seven dead, most they figure from the initial explosion, but two were just shot down, a young man and woman. They were totally innocent, just out enjoying the celebration.” Anger filled his words. “A hundred and fifty-eight injuries, thirty-four of those serious enough to be retained over at med facilities. And the infuriating part is, if you hadn’t have been there on hand, it would have been much worse.”

“You don’t think we were a catalyst?” Keyen put out the thought as it came to him.

“No,” Hiymm replied and glanced toward Tasc.

The smaller man spoke up. “The investigation team has already determined the main explosives were wired into the stage and fireworks. Creed, nor any of his people, had to be there. If my estimate is right, they just stayed there for the pleasure of it.”

Keyen wished he could doubt the man, but if Tasc hypothesized it, it was true. “So what do we do?”

“At the moment, not much,” Hiymm looked from one to the other. “Unfortunately, there is no proof to tie Creed to it.”

“You mean we’re not even going to bring him in?” Keyen fought to keep his temper from rising.

“For now, no. We don’t have anything concrete.” Hiymm raised his hands to forestall his coming argument. “Since Rori hasn’t met him face to face, and her ability hasn’t been documented, we haven’t been given clearance to act.”

“What?”

“I don’t doubt Rori, but Creed’s family was very powerful. He controls all that, and there are those who want more proof. Believe me, all the teams are looking, scanning surveillance footage, and every trace left behind. So far, even the bodies of the two attackers we recovered have yielded nothing. One is still nameless. The other is supposed to be a low class telekinetic who worked manual labor.”

“Low level, that doesn’t seem to fit.” Keyen looked back and forth between the men, both nodded.

“What was your take on the assailants?” Hiymm asked.

It didn’t take Keyen much thought. “The talents all seemed to be higher level. I’d say seven to maybe nines. I don’t know if all were talents, but the assault team was good. Definitely trained.”

“Agreed, but for now, that is all we have that is concrete,” Hiymm answered.

“I can’t believe he’s just going to get away after what he did to all those people.” Keyen stood, pacing across the room several times before stopping to stare out the window but not seeing what lay outside.

“He’s not going to get away with it.” Hiymm said firmly. “It’s just going to take some time.”

Keyen was quiet a second before he turned back. “In the meantime, he’s planning something else.” Frustration burned in his voice.

Hiymm nodded in agreement. “On that we concur.” He looked to Tasc and Keyen’s attention followed.

“Taking in all the intel, I think this was a trial run.”

“Trial for what?” Keyen asked.

“That I haven’t deduced yet. I think he is still testing us, testing you. If he could’ve taken one of you out, it would’ve weakened the Guardians.” Tasc’s eyes had the intensity they got when he was running things over in his mind.

“How did he know we were there? Rori and I hadn’t even planned on going until later.”

“I don’t think he knew, but he knew you would come.” Tasc paused. “That would account … he wasn’t ready for you yet.”

This time it was Hiymm’s turn to question. “What are you thinking?”

“That Creed may have been hoping to kill at least one of them, particularly Keyen. The recordings show a concentrated amount of fire directed at him.”

The certainty that shown in Tasc’s eyes made Keyen nervous, and the need to see Rori strengthened in him. Still, he forced his mind onto the next question. “So how much time do we have?”

“I haven’t enough data to make even an educated guess, but I will say, I don’t think it will be long. The attacks have grown in frequency and severity. He’s trying to train up his people and weaken us. He won’t want to give us too much time to fortify ourselves against him.”

“So we wait.” Keyen didn’t care that his frustration and disgust came through loud and clear. Enraged at the thought of the dead and injured innocent people, and Rori lying so still up in the med unit from the efforts of saving his life, fury crackled around him.

“Keyen!” Hiymm’s sharp command called up his attention, giving him the attentiveness to pull in his control, though he didn’t apologize to the other men. He didn’t have to be an empath to know they understood and felt the same. As if to prove the point, Hiymm took up the conversation.

“Though I’m afraid there is nothing we can do outwardly to try to stop Creed for now we will be far from doing nothing. Every one of our data and stat techs are going over all the evidence and information they can find. We will figure it out.”

“But will it be in time to stop the little tests of his from killing more people?” There was no keeping the snap from Keyen’s voice.

Silence settled over the room as each thought of the truth in his remark. Finally Keyen broke it. “If you don’t need me anymore right now, I’d like to get back to Rori. I want to be there when Areathea awakens her.”

There was a slight hesitation before Hiymm nodded.

A few minutes later, Keyen walked back into the med-lab. Areathea looked up at him from her desk. “I’ve already started bringing her out of the sedation. She should wake up at any time.”