Just doing my job

Kay and Simon returned to the control room to await developments. I sat in medical while the doctor Kay had summoned to look after Sidney gave Ren a look over and reaffirmed Kay’s prognosis that she’d awake in her own time.

Sidney was slowly coming to terms with her injury, and doing her best to keep a brave face on. But I’ve known her too long to fall for it: as someone who’d always prided herself on keeping active, losing the use of her legs was going to take some time for her to get used to.

Every now and then Ren would shift slightly in her sleep, apparently dreaming. I brushed a few lose strands of hair away from her face and planted a kiss on her forehead.

“My god, you really do love her, don’t you?” Sid sat up in her bed, “I never saw you act like that with Charlotte.”

“If I remember correctly, you advised me against marring her.” I walked over to my friend, “Then again, I do remember telling you that James was an untrustworthy asshole long before you divorced him.”

“Yeah, well, he was a charmer. I just couldn’t see through him. Guess that makes me as fallible as anyone.”

“You’re not the only one: I would never have guessed that Charlotte would have been capable of some of the things she’s done.”

“She fooled everyone: even Dr Lang trusted her at first. You can’t kick yourself in the head about what happened. She is obviously a devious and calculating individual.”

“Who I thought I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. Maybe Kay’s right; maybe I have no hope when it comes to reading women.”

“Love makes fools of us all, as Shakespeare said: we see the best in those we think we love, because to see otherwise would destroy the illusion.”

“You’ve read too many romance novels.” I smiled, “Simon’s promised to find a way to get you back on your feet as soon as possible.”

“I didn’t know he was a medical doctor?”

“He isn’t: I think I heard him say something about adapting an exoskeleton, like the ones they use for construction. He said he should, with help, be able to adjust the lower half of one to tap directly into your nervous system above the damage Charlotte did…”

“You’re not responsible for that, and you know it: I got into this with full knowledge that I might die. I’m still alive, and I will get better, given time.”

The sound of movement caught our attention, and we turned round in time to see Ren open her eyes.

Her first scream passed through sound, right past pain, and into some unexplored region beyond. The water glass next to Sid’s bed started to vibrate dangerously, and I quickly moved to her side.

“It’s ok! It’s ok!” I held Ren’s head so she couldn’t help but look at me, “You’re safe now.”

Ren broke free; back peddling to the end of her bed, pulling the thick hospital sheet with her. Eyes as wild and terrified as a cornered lion looked around the room for a way out.

“It’s ok; no-one’s going to hurt you.” I raised my hands defensively, “Ren, it’s me, Nathan.” No response, “Sophie, please, listen to me.”

The use of her real name caught Ren’s attention long enough for her to realise who was talking to her. She relaxed a little, but still had the look of a cornered animal.

“W-what happened?” She asked.

“There was a fight: Charlotte knocked you out and took you to the holding facility under Salisbury Plain. You were drugged up to the eyeballs when I found you.”

“Nightmares, memories: the school.” She looked round, “Where’s Artemus?”

“He…” I took a deep breath, dreading what I knew I had to say next, “The conspiracy sent a team to kill Simon. Artemus stopped them, but…”

“He’s dead.”

It was more a statement than a question, and all I could do was nod.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was two hours before Ren stopped crying, and only then because she had no more tears left to cry.

Kay came and checked her over; confirming that there would be no long-term side effects of whatever they’d had her on. It was likely that they’d wanted her alive, at least long enough for a very showy public trial.

Simon reported that there was still no word about the conspiracies reaction to Kowalski’s ultimatum. Chances were that they were trying to work out if they had enough superhumans to go up against him and win.

I somehow doubted that they could: even though he’d never displayed more than a fraction of his powers, Kowalski was still considered to be the most dangerous Person of Mass Destruction ever to live.

Ren curled up on her side, pulling the blankets around her as tightly as she could. Deciding that it was probably best to let her get some natural sleep, I quietly stood and started towards the door.

“Nathan…” Her voice was hushed, but I was at her side in an instant.

“Are you ok?” I asked, “Is there anything you need?”

“I don’t want to be alone.” Ren looked up at me with bloodshot eyes, “Please, stay with me.”

I stood there, unsure what to say: I’d never been too sure how to act around people who were that upset. Life in an orphanage results in a rather thick skin when it comes to emotions, probably why I have such a hard time getting to know people.

“Please.” Ren pleaded, sounding nothing like her old self.

I nodded silently, moving round so I was on the other side of the bed. Ren shifted slightly as I sat down, removing my shoes before lifting my legs onto the bed. Placing my arms around Ren, I lay down behind her, letting her rest her head on one arm, gripping my hand so tightly I thought that she might cut off the circulation.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“You two make a lovely pair.” Key stood leaning against the doorway, “Hope I’m not disturbing anything?”

“What?” I looked at the clock on the wall, and was surprised to find that it was early the next morning. Ren was still curled up asleep in my arms, and I knew that any attempt to move would only startle her.

“Relax: she needs the rest.” Kay walked over, “She’s been through a lot.”

“Haven’t we all?”

“Yes, well, it looks like it’s over.”

“They’ve accepted Kowalski’s deal?”

“Apparently: we all go to Luna, and don’t come back without explicit permission of the U.N. In exchange of which, our records are wiped clean; all charges dropped.”

“Are you going to be able to live with that?”

“I have to think about the safety of my child. Anyway, I have plans that would require me leaving anyway, remember?”

“Mars?”

“Simon and I have been discussing it: we think that it would be possible to set up a small research station there within a year using the new Gravimetric engines he helped Dr Lang develop.”

“Grand plans, but I don’t think I’ll be joining you: I’ve lived too long in the spotlight. I think I’ll find a nice, quiet job on Luna and relax for a while.”

“You think Ren will be willing to live the quiet life?”

“I go where Nathan goes.” Ren opened her eyes slowly, “I’m done with this world; it isn’t worth saving, not even from itself.”

“I just want us to be safe.” I shrugged, “I’ve done all I can: it’s up to the rest of humanity now.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“You’ll be happy to know that Captain Hobbs is getting the boot.” Henry Siva stood leaning against the doorframe as I packed the last of my possessions, “Word is they’re looking to promote from within.”

“It’ll just be another Whitehall lackey.” I shrugged, trying to find the end on a role of sticky tape, “Maybe you should go for the job yourself.”

“The wife would kill me.” Henry laughed, then winked, “She’s expecting again.”

“You sly old dog you!” I smiled, happy for my friend, “Congratulations.”

The flat felt smaller than I remembered, the happy memories fading into the background. I’d never spent much time there, between work and travelling to and from Canada to see Charlotte. The building was government owned, part of the job. Word was that Samantha West was going to be living there next, and I hoped that she had better luck.

My entire life was suddenly shrunk to half a dozen cardboard boxes and a pair of suitcases. Not a lot for almost thirty-years.

“Just need to take care of the formalities.” I pulled out my identity card and passkey to S.I.U. headquarters; I’d already emptied my locker, under close supervision of two guards.

“I’ll make sure they get to the right office.” Henry took the two cards with a nod, “You really think anyone’s going to buy the story? That it was all an undercover investigation?”

“They need to hide the truth; a lot of people died when they took out Lagrange-1. I’m sure that someone, somewhere, has fallen on his or her sword to keep the public from learning the truth.” I shrugged, lifting the two suitcases as the remove men arrived for the rest of my belongings, “But it’s no longer my concern: I am no longer a government employee or even a British citizen.”

“We’ll, I for one will miss you.” Henry offered his hand, “Good luck.”

“Good luck to you too.” I clasped the offered hand, “Keep you’re head down: we live in interesting, and dangerous, times.”

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

“Will all passengers for the diplomatic shuttle to Armstrong City please proceed to the departure gate immediately.” The Star City public address system announced, and then repeated itself in Russian.

“What ever happed to a simple ‘All Aboard’?” Kay asked as the five of us made our way along the hallway to the departure gate, “I don’t care how fast the modern world is, there’s no romance left.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Ren smiled as she linked an arm through mine. I’d promised her all the time she needed to get over everything that had happened, refusing to rush headfirst into another relationship without at least thinking things through first.

“Romance is just a trick DNA plays to get you to reproduce.” Simon looked serious for a minuet, then smiled, “But, as I have no DNA, yet still have emotions, who am I to say anything?”

“Times change, and we’d better change with them.” Sid shifted around in her wheelchair, “I just hope the world can look after itself from now on.”

To Be Continued…