Reavers (Book 3) (45 page)

The doctors had just delivered the second child.  Though they couldn’t hear it, the baby was obviously crying loudly.  Gingerly, the doctor placed the child next to its sibling.  Cain let out a sigh of relief.  Both looked perfectly healthy with no obvious problems.  As soon as the calm had filled him, the light went out.  The observation room and the operating room were instantly cast back into the dull red lighting.  It took Cain’s eyes a moment to readjust.

When he could see easily again he realized the doctors were in a panic.  Instantly his gaze locked on Cassandra.  She was equally panicked, but looked fine.  A sickening sensation filled the bottom of his stomach as his eyes slowly moved toward Brent.  In the dull light it was obvious he was on the ground, lying in a most unnatural position.  It looked like he had been scooped up and gracelessly tossed to the floor without any ability to correct himself.  Despite his every muscle being slack and his eyes having a slight fog to them, Cain could swear that Brent had a look of fulfillment.

Through closed eyes, he became aware of a bright light glaring at him.  The unpleasant sensation forced him out of his dream.  He had been in the serenity of the rolling hills of Jeirude.  In the distance he had watched the animals graze as they pleased.  A gentle hand had taken his and pulled him into a tender embrace.  Just as he was about to kiss his wife, the dream ended and the annoying light took its place.  Squinting and blinking rapidly, he forced his eyes to adjust to the intense light.

Abruptly, Brent realized the light was at full intensity.  He was out of the dull red of the emergency lighting.  Although he had to still be in the hospital, he could hear the sounds of a medical machine just behind him.  Turning his head to glance back proved strenuous in the extreme.

The familiar sense of overpowering fatigue reminded him he was only mortal.  He had overused his abilities
again
.  Even breathing hurt.  What parts of his body that weren’t completely numb screamed in agony.  It meant nothing to Brent.  To him, there was no choice when it came down to his life or hers.  Suddenly remembering what had happened, he tried to sit up.  His muscles gave out as quickly as he commanded them to move and stabbing pain warned him not to try movement again.

“Welcome back,” Cain said with a yawn.

“Don’t you sound excited.”  Brent smiled.  He was surprised to find even that hurt.

“Excuse me for getting the early shift.  Someone had to be here to make sure you didn’t just get up and leave.”

“I’m not that bad, am I?”

“I wouldn’t say bad, just predictable.”  Cain grinned as he stretched in place.  “You and medical beds don’t have a history of long term commitment.  The instant you wake up, you bolt.”

“I make up for the quality of my stays with sheer quantity.”

“That’s what you get for being such a good guy.”

“Are you saying you wouldn’t risk your life for Angela?” Brent asked with a grin.

“Of course I would.  Just wouldn’t want word to get out.  I have a reputation as a scoundrel to maintain.”

He chuckled as he strained to move his body.  Laughing hurt, but not as bad as he expected.  His legs protested but they slowly obeyed and shifted off the bed.  The simple act of rolling his legs off the side of the bed was nothing short of Herculean.  He took in several quick breaths as he tried to deal with the pain.  Suppressing the pain as best he could, he sat upright.  The movement send ripples of stabbing pain racing up and down his spine.

“You still awake?” a mumbling voice called into the room.  “I’ve come to relieve you.”

Humphrey came to a dead stop as he entered the room.  Instantly he locked his gaze on Cain.

“Don’t blame me; he just got up on his own.”  Cain shrugged.  “I was just about to tell you all.”

“All?” Brent asked, straining to hide the painful fatigue.

“Naturally!” Cain said enthusiastically.  “The old squad has been watching over the two of you.  We couldn’t just abandon you.”

“The two of you . . . Cassandra!”

Brent jumped to his feet only to have them immediately give out from under him.  Cain had already been standing and was waiting for him.  Brent put an arm over Cain’s shoulder as he helped him keep his balance.

“I guess I really am that predicable,” he said with a fair amount of embarrassment.

“Well, don’t just stand there!” Cain shouted at Humphrey.  “Help me get him to Cassandra.  You know he won’t give up until he sees her with his own eyes.”

Humphrey smiled to himself as he moved over and took Brent’s other side.  Together the three moved out of the small room and started walking down the hallways of the hospital.  It was incredibly humbling to have to be carried, but Brent didn’t care.  Cassandra was still here.

The hospital staff didn’t seem to notice the three troopers as they scurried about.  While there wasn’t any visible damage, Brent knew the whole experience must have left its mark on the patients.  The gears of his mind were churning and struggling to make sense of the assault, but their progress was inhibited by his focus on Cassandra.  Until he knew she and the kids were safe, the rest of the galaxy didn’t matter one iota.

“What are
you
doing here?” Rhea protested from down the hall.  “I thought you were relieving Cain . . .”

Rhea let out a loud gasp as she spotted Brent between the two men.

“If you want, I could go watch that empty room for you,” Humphrey mumbled with a large smirk.

“Don’t get smart!” she shouted at him.

“What’s all the commotion out here?” Tyra asked, a hint of anger in her voice.  “We
just
got the kids to sleep!  If you wake them up, I’m not helping again.”

“Sorry, but we’ve got an unexpected visitor,” Cain said as he nodded toward Brent.

“He’s awake!” she half shouted.

“You sound like you didn’t expect me to be coming back,” he said.

“No one doubted you,” Ronald said flatly.  “It has been a while though.”

“How long was I out this time?” he asked.

“A couple weeks,” Cain said with a casual shrug.  “We’ve been busy helping out around here so it hasn’t seemed as long.”

“I’m surprised they’d let you.”  Brent chuckled.

“Funny how all that talk of norms disappears when they have bigger things to worry about,” Angela whispered as she left the room just ahead.  “Although, Rupert makes sure to find time to refer to Cain as one as much as he can.”

“Rupert!” Brent said in an obviously alarmed tone.  “Did he see . . .”

“That
organic
remains blissfully ignorant,” Henry said flatly.

Angela let out a quick screech and jumped back in surprise at his sudden contribution.  Everyone seemed a bit ill at ease around him, except Cain, who instantly developed a playful grin.

“Would you stop that?” Angela shouted between panting breaths.

“I doubt he can help it,” Cain said with a widening grin.  “It’s either show no emotion at all, or let you know
exactly
how much he wants to kill us all.”

Brent turned a stunned glance at Cain.  What was more, no one seemed surprised at his comment.  Somehow they had all learned Henry was a Shard.  He had definitely missed something
big
during delivery.

“They found you out?” he asked.

“It was unavoidable,” Henry said in an annoyed tone.  “The assault force was repelled, but in the process your friends discovered my true nature.”

“Assault force?” Brent asked in surprise.

“There is a lot to fill you in on,” Valerie said, her glance locked on Henry.

“And Rupert?” he asked.

“
That one
remains in the dark.  Despite seeing what he did, the organic has failed to gain any understanding about Octavia or myself.  However, I did restrain him from witnessing your actions.  If I am revealed to be what I am, I can simply reshape this form and try again.  You do not share that luxury.  Octavia would be most displeased with me if I allowed you to be discovered.”

“Octavia?” Angela asked.  “So you did it for
her
?”

“Remember, deep down inside he’s a metal monster,” Cain said with a grin.  “He probably doesn’t care if Brent has to leave this world of
organics
.  He’d probably jump for joy at the thought of not having to hang around us.  That disgust is why he doesn’t give any emotions for you to sense.”

“I’m not so sure.”  Angela folded her arms.  “I’m beginning to think he just likes sneaking up on me!”

“Still haven’t gotten the emotions right?” Brent asked Henry.

“Still,” he said in a frustrated tone.  “My latest emulations are showing progress, but the results are still unsatisfactory.  When this is over, I would like to run a few of my latest avatars by you.”

“
Avatars
?  Don’t all your toys start with an S?” Cain asked, mockingly over-hissing the S.  “Don’t tell me the big and mighty Shard empire has run out of S words.”

“Alliteration is not the rule, simply the result of . . .” Henry started.

“Slashers,” Cain interrupted, making sure to draw out each initial S into a long snakelike hiss, “Strikers, Seekers, and Steamers to name a few.  Now you’re making
avatars
?  You’re getting sloppy in your old age, you bucket of bolts.  But don’t you worry!  I’ll think of something for you.”

“Does he show proper respect to anyone?” Henry asked Brent.

“He wouldn’t be Cain if he did,” he said with a playful smile.  “Hold on . . . Steamer?  You guys saw a Steamer?!”

“Is that the name of that big, black spider thing?” Humphrey mumbled his question.

“Haven’t you?” Tyra asked Brent.  “You know so much about them, I just assumed . . .”

“Not in person.  I’ve seen the design specifications, but never one working before.”

“They share their designs with you?” Ronald asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Why would we conceal information from one of our own?”  Henry turned to face Ronald directly.

“He could hand over some of those plans to the rest of humanity, you know,” Ronald said flatly.  “Make sure we are prepared in case you try to wipe us out again.”

Henry let out a single, loud laugh.  It sounded incredibly unnatural, and he suppressed it almost immediately.

“The best minds you
filthy organics
could produce would not be able to understand our designs even if I walked you through them personally.  In any case, we are delaying the matter at hand.”

“Glad someone noticed,” Humphrey mumbled.  “Not that I mind, but Brent isn’t exactly light.  Not that this blasted world is helping any.”

Everyone realized together that Cain and Humphrey were still supporting him.  An easy task elsewhere, but in the heavy gravity he weighed several times more than expected.  Angela and Tyra held the doorway open as they shuffled through.  The rest of the squad was waiting in the fair-sized room.  Congratulation banners and countless semi-deflated balloons were all that remained of the initial celebration.  One by one the others realized who had entered the room, but not one spoke.  Looks of relief filled their faces, but they didn’t utter a word.

Brent gestured for Humphrey and Cain to set him down.  Reluctantly, they did as he requested.  His legs wanted to fold and crumble, but he wouldn’t let them.  Forcing them to remain firm, he dragged his feet into one step after another until they begrudgingly accepted their rest was over.  He crossed the room and stood next to a large white bed.  Nestled in the bright white sheets was Cassandra.  In her arms were two infants.  They slept peacefully as their mother held them close.  Her eyes misted over when she spotted him.  Leaning over, he gently sat by her side and kissed her - trying his best not to disturb the sleep of their children.

“Now, now,” Brent whispered.  “No crying over me.”

“No regrets,” Cassandra said after a slight sniffle.

“Don’t wake them,” Erin whispered at the couple, “it took forever to get them to sleep.”

“Lighten up.”  Hiroko nudged Erin.  “Let them at least have a moment.”

Brent smiled and wrapped an arm around Cassandra.  Gentle warmth filled his chest as he glanced down at the two silent, sleeping babies.  They contently snuggled against Cassandra without a care in the world.  One wore a blue cap and the other a pink one.  No matter what other odd customs Jeirude had about birth, that meaning was universal.  Brent had a son and a daughter.

As he studied their faces, he couldn’t help but wonder what life would be like for the four of them.  What adventures waited for these little ones, and who would they depend on to get them through those hard times?  As contentment filled every fiber of his being, a slight intrusion grew at the edge of his awareness.  A group of men were coming.  In his exhaustion he had missed them.  They were close now.  Angela would probably be noticing them any moment, if she hadn’t already. 

Kissing Cassandra again, he readied himself.  From their emotions, it was clear these men were not on a social visit.  They had the hardened coldness of troopers who had seen everything, as far as they knew, and believed they were ready for anything.  Abruptly, Brent lost Angela.  He couldn’t sense her emotions.  He had a vague idea of where everyone had been around him - even with the exhaustion still fresh.