The Beginning Of Rain In December (7 page)

He lips tightened. “Who was it?” He asked.

“He died.” She said.

“How?”

“I was just so upset, so mad, so hurt.” She admitted. “I just thought, he should not be allowed to live, to hurt others ever again. He had molested other girls, young ones; he was my foster mother’s son. He was pure evil, there was nothing alive within him. The next week he was run over by a car.”

“Did you do it?” He asked.

“No, run him over, no. I just wanted him dead, so badly. But when I found out he died, I felt horrible and I didn’t understand why I should care, I knew he had raped a seven year old girl. He’d raped another teenager. That place, that place was evil. The mother and the son were. I called child protective services, took the younger ones to a safe house, the mother went to jail. I left Boston and told myself I would never come back.”

He knew that bad things happened to the innocent, he’d seen that himself, been a victim of such. It did not make it any easier to deal with.

“How did you survive?” He asked.

“I don’t know,” she honestly admitted. “I just did.”

“I would have taken your pain,” he said, kissing her softly. “No more. I won’t allow you to be hurt anymore.”

“I don’t think you can stop it,” she said softly.

“I will.” He adamantly returned. “I will.”

They slept together for the night. She had never experienced such, had never slept so deeply and felt so safe and protected as he wrapped her in his arms while she fell even more. He woke her up gently, with kisses, making love to her again.

“I have to go,” he said, kissing her softly.

“I know,” she said, returning his kiss. “But I don’t want you to,” she admitted. She felt so free, open, almost forgetting why she was there, what brought him into her arms. “Go, now, before I embarrass myself even more.”

Chuckling, he kissed her again, dressing. “Come to breakfast at eight.”

Nodding she watched his athletic form, the form that she had touched every inch of in pure pleasure.

After he left, she couldn’t help but keep the smile from her face before her smile dropped. The beginning of the end was occurring, in some fashion or form.

She took a shower and got ready for the day, wearing another pair of jeans, a plain white t-shirt and some ballet shoes and was walking downstairs when she was stopped by Song, who stared at her, the blush upon her cheeks and the fullness upon her lips. “Rain,” he said. “After breakfast we are heading out.”

“Heading where?”

“A facility that will run the tests. I presume my brother has advised you of such since you two spent the night together,” he bit out angrily.

“You have no right,” she uttered.

“I have every right, I don’t know what kind of fucking mind tricks you are performing on him, but it will stop now, do you understand. He has never compromised his position with the government, his job with a piece of ass.”

Her hands curled together. “I am not performing any mind tricks on Enlai. Your concern is touching but not needed. I understand that you are his brother and that you wish to see him safe, I do as well and I would kill myself before harming him. Understand this, Song - I will never hurt him, intentional or unintentionally.”

“And how will you keep him safe from yourself? Huh, Rain?” He bit, grabbing her arm and pulling her back up the stairs where he pulled her into the empty hallway, shaking her with both arms now, his face fierce, angry. “How will I protect him from you?” He asked.

“Let me go!” She cried, scared, hating the fear, but what could she do, Enlai had taken her gun, knife and cellphone. She tried to wrench from his hands but was held in a vice, frantic, thoughts of her rapes flew to the forefront of her mind. “Let me go!” She cried again but he did not, instead he pulled her into the nearest room, throwing her in, slamming and locking the door behind him.

She fell to the floor, scrambling away, looking for a weapon, anything.

“What have you done to my brother, damn you,” Song bit out fiercely. “What control? You will answer me, Rain, I know how to inflict the ultimate amount of pain without scars…bruises.” He said, cold, deadly, calm.

Rain watched him, her breathing heavy, fearful. “I have not done anything to him, I promise you, Song, I have not, I don’t want to be in his head, I don’t want to command him,” she admitted softly, trying to calm herself, him.

“It is too late,” Song said, turning away from her. He spoke to her, his head half - cocked towards where she still curled upon the floor. “If you hurt him, Rain, if you cause his death, I will kill you. Remember this.”

Rain curled upon the floor, her head on her folded knees, arms wrapped around her. The fear would not leave, that Song would come back, that he would do more to harm her than just throwing her to the floor. Her thoughts lay empty, trying valiantly to find safety, a peace of security within herself, yet it was futile, no matter how she tried, her thoughts racing with Song’s violence, his words.

Finally she uncurled from the floor, cautiously walking towards the door, fearful, timidly going back to her room, there she locked her door after checking the room. Once there she looked outside the one lone window that was in the bathroom, above the shower, the drop would be steep even if she tied the bedroom sheets together. At least sixteen feet.

Returning to the bedroom she searched for any weapon and found none, even her mace Enlai had taken. Upon a second search of the room she found a decorative envelope opener, just sharp enough to do some damage. She placed it in her jeans pocket and hid the tip over the t-shirt she pulled over it. Once finished, she made her way back downstairs the sound of men’s voices and silverware hitting porcelain a steady, rhythmic noise.

The men stood upon her arrival, even Song but his face was harsh, cold and indifferent towards her. It was Enlai who pulled out her chair. “Ms. Rule,” he said, “I was afraid you were not going to join us,” he smiled.

She couldn’t smile back at him, could only nod in acknowledgement and sat down, placing her napkin in her lap. “Thank you,” she finally said as a maid poured her orange juice.

“Are you well?” Lebna asked in concern.

She nodded, waving aside his inquiry, as her breakfast was placed before her, a porcelain bowl of fresh fruit added. “Very,” she said. “Thank you,” she said once again.

She wanted to read his thoughts as she had done Snow when the men had been in the vaulted room, but whatever had allowed her to do so earlier failed her miserably now. The more she attempted, the worse her headache grew, until it pounded within her temples as she became more and more nauseated, her skin clammy. Yet, instantly when she gave up trying to read Lebna’s thoughts her headache instantly receded, the nausea fled quickly.

Failing the ability to do such, she instead assumed that she had imagined reading Snow’s minds, of peeking in on the conversation.

“We will leave immediately after breakfast, John said,” as he turned the conversation to the battery of tests that she would undergo. “You have my promise that we will not perform more than what you will allow us.” He said.

“When you take my blood and urine samples, what will you do with them once your tests have been completed.” She asked.

John paused. “They will be stored away for further testing.”

Rain shook her head. “No. They belong to me. I will go through each step of the testing process and I do not want them removed from my sight.” She commanded.

“Ms. Rule, they will be safe, I assure you,” John said, smiling, but his smile was hard, calculating, as if speaking to a small wayward child.

“If I do not have your word on this, I will not perform any test and this I assure you,” she returned just as mildly, just as cold and calculating.

“What will you do it with?” He asked.

“Douse it with bleach…and gasoline,” she returned mildly.

John could not keep the small shock that flitted across his face. She was stronger than he thought, she was beautiful, but petite, soft spoken, a little mouse, someone he knew he could easily control.

“Skin sample, hair sample, blood, urine. They are mine, you will not run further test on them without my expressed knowledge and approval.”

“And what will you do if I don’t agree?” He asked coldly, the other men silent, watching this interaction.

Rain stood up, placed her napkin upon her plate. “Good day to you gentlemen,” she said and began walking out the room.

“Ms. Rule, wait!” John said, he’d half stood. She paused, turning back towards him before she had reached the threshold of the door. “Well, played, young lady. You have my word, your samples will be returned to you…to be chlorinated and gassed per your will.” He said tightly.

“I am ready,” she said.

The men stood, within three minutes they were in secured and armored jeeps, a large escalade. Song drove, Enlai riding shotgun, while her, John and Lebna sat in the back. The ride was mostly quiet and less than one hour later they were being waved through a secured, federal building with armed guards with machine guns.

From the guarded gate, they drove upon a paved road for one mile, another security check, another wave through with armed guards. After the second check in, they parked in an underground garage of a one story, flat rectangular building, and nondescript gray with no address, no company name and no identifying marks upon the outside.

They made their way out of the car and were met with a young, light skinned pretty African-American woman in a doctor’s coat, two armed guards.

“Gentleman, welcome,” she began. “Ms. Rule. I am Dr. Silver Downs,” she said, shaking Rain’s hand, warmly. “I will be performing your tests,” she said. “Please, follow me,” she turned, the grouping following her.

They waited with her at a large elevator, she swiped her card and the doors opened. Once inside, she swiped another card, placed her hand upon a sensor and an automated voice spoke, “Confirmed identity, welcome Dr. Downs. Which floor?”

“Subbasement,” Dr. Downs commanded and the lights upon the panel lit up, the elevator began a swift descent downwards.

Once the doors opened, they stepped out into a brightly lit lobby, this time four armed guards in attendance. They nodded Dr. Downs and the group through before they stopped at a large door and Dr. Downs swiped a card, placed her hand upon a sensor while a red light read her iris.

“Welcome, Dr. Downs,” a voice said, the door slid open and they walked into a large lab filled with every medical and scientific equipment known to man, while five other white jacket clad people worked quietly. The glanced up, stilling upon the entrance of the newcomers.

“Doctors, may I please introduce you to Rain Rule,” Dr. Downs said, smiling slightly. “Finally,” she said.

The doctors nodded, there were a couple of brief smiles.

One of the doctors, a tall, Hispanic male walked towards the group. “Welcome, welcome, we have waited for you for quite some time,” he said. “I am Dr. D’Ares. Between Dr. Downs and me we will run the bulk of your testing,” he said, shaking Rain’s hand.

“Yes, of course,” Rain said.

“There has been a change of plan, Dr. Downs, Dr. D’Ares. Ms. Rule will oversee the testing of all of her samples and those samples will be returned, untouched,” Enlai said, his voice held no warmth, but just a cold determination, his rule would not be broken by others. “Is that understood.”

“But, we will need her samples for further testing,” Dr. D’Ares said in confusion. “The testing that is needed, the more in depth testing will take days to fully run and evaluate.”

“Then I suggest you run the most important and most time efficient test, Dr. D’Ares,” Rain interrupted. “If there is a problem I will leave.”

“Yes, of course,” Dr. Downs said, smoothing the awkward silence. “Come, please, there is a changing room,” she said.

“Alright,” Rain followed Dr. Downs’s slim form, not trusting her or the other doctors in the room. She tried once again to search thoughts but instantly grew nauseated with a headache. Once she stopped the headache quickly receded.

Dr. Downs admitted her into a small, sterile room; upon a hospital bed was a hospital gown, slippers and a plastic bag. “You may place your clothes in the plastic bag and lock them in one of the lockers, there are keys, and you can hold the key or give it to someone in your party. When you are finished changing, just open the door and we can begin.”

“Thank you,” Rain returned and shut the door behind the door, quickly placing her clothes in the plastic bag and changing into the hospital gown and slippers. She made sure that there were no loose hairs of hers in the room and washed her hands thoroughly twice when there was a knock on the door.

“Come in,” she said turning towards the door.

“Great,” Dr. Downs said, Dr. D’Ares behind her. In their hands were clipboards. “Please, lay upon the bed, Ms. Rule,” she said, while both her and Dr. D’Ares sat upon two rolling stools. “If you don’t mind we will record this session.”