Until Time Stands Still (11 page)

            She wondered what he meant, but tried to put it out of her mind. Her head still hurt.

He hopped up on the gurney and let them fuss over him.

She was forced to lay down and someone strapped her down. She was wheeled down the hall behind him, to an examination room. She was poked, prodded, examined and had all sorts of fluids drawn, all the while he was being worked on next to her.

            “Is all this really necessary?” She asked him at one point.

            “Yes.” He said simply. His whole leg was numb, but he was still conscious. A huge curtain was up, and he was unable to see what they were doing to her.  He was torn about how to tell her about the breeding program. He knew it wouldn’t stay a secret for very long. But he was hoping by the time she found out about it, she would be so in love with him, it wouldn’t matter. He did want children someday, and now, he knew he wanted them with her. Hopefully she would want them with him too.

            Bryant came into the infirmary and stood over him. “We lost Jacob.” Bryant said. “He was just not strong enough after all the blood loss, and the jump.” His tone was somber, quiet.

            “But don’t the nanites help us to heal faster?” The cut on his hand was almost gone, and he could feel the nanites collecting in his leg, making his whole leg tremble and itch. The healing had begun before they were even done digging the bullet out of him.

            “Not fast enough.” Bryant said. “The bullet pulverized his lungs. The surgeon said he lasted longer than anyone should have.”

            Mykel quietly raged inside. “He was a good man. One of the best.”

            “Yeah. Graham is putting together a service.”

            “Does his family know yet?”

            “His parents died from radiation sickness. He didn’t have anyone but us.” Hollister said. “We are his family.” Mykel nodded, somber. A lot of men who had no one left joined up. Mykel never wanted to go that route, but it happened anyway. Most days, it wasn’t so bad. He actually found he enjoyed it. Some people wanted revenge, and others just didn’t have anywhere else to go. He was a bit of both. The military, as limited as it was, provided them with better than they could ever do on their own in the world.

            “The General wants to see you.” Bryant finally said.

            “Of course he does.” Mykel sighed, and drifted off. Someone had given him happy drugs and his whole body went blissfully numb.

            General Palmer was in his office, barking orders on the phone, when Mykel rapt on the door the next day. He motioned for Mykel to come forward. He stood at attention until the General got off the phone. “At ease.”

            “You wanted to see me, Sir?” Mykel asked, he eased into a seat and set his crutches down on the floor.

            “Is your woman secure now?” The General asked.

            “Yes, General. She’s with the doctors now, getting checked out. She should be out of mandatory isolation very soon.”

            “Good.” He studied a piece of paper on his desk. “Graham’s report seems to be incomplete.” He rubbed his jaw, scratching the days growth of his beard.

            “Sir?”

            “Why that woman? Why did you risk your life, and your entire team, for a woman you don’t even know?”

            “At the time, Sir, it seemed like the right thing to do. She was being kidnapped and I was a witness. I couldn’t just sit by and do nothing, when I knew we all had the training to tack and retrieve her. I made a judgment call.” Mykel said.

            “It’s not your job to call the shots on anything! Someone died today, because you made the wrong call! You got shot! Graham got a graze on his arm as well.” The General roared. “I should have you lashed on the whipping post for this, boy!”

            “Yes, Sir.” Mykel said stiffly. “But you should know, if I could do it over again, I probably would. I love her. She is worth any price I have to pay.” He said.

            “I don’t care if you love her or not!” The man hollered. “All that matters is that you produce healthy children with the woman.”

            “Yes, Sir. I plan to.” Mykel said stiffly.

            “You boys have another mission. Because Jacob isn’t with us anymore, I can’t very well hobble my best team by beating you senseless like you deserve.” He handed Mykel a classified folder. “Graham and the others are in the war room. Join them. If there are any more of your kind of judgment calls, you’ll spend the next year in the brig, clear?”

            “Crystal, General!” Mykel said, saluting smartly.

            “Get out of my face.”

            Mykel turned on his heel and walked from the room.

*******************

            “Where are we going now?” Isabelle asked, happy to be finally dressed in real clothes again. She felt a little woozy from the blood loss. They took a pint of her blood, and several more vials for testing. She felt like a freaking pin cushion. The doctors had all been nice, and fairly gentle with her, but silent. The isolation had been horrible. The worst part was the boredom. She couldn’t even talk to Mykel because he was in recovery, and no one would let her see him. None of the doctors answered her questions about him either. They only spoke when necessary, and none of them really looked her in the eye. The grossest part was the green goo they made her drink. It tasted vile, like rotten seaweed and mud. She couldn’t wait to get the taste out of her mouth.

            “Somewhere.” He said.

            “Thank you Captain Obvious.” She snorted. “I can see that.”

            “I’m taking you home.” Mykel laughed, slipping his arm around his woman to give her a hug. They ambled along slowly. He wasn’t very proficient on the crutches, and hated having to use them. But for the next few days, until his leg fully healed, he didn’t have a choice.

            “Good. I’m tired.” She said, yawing.

            “It’s been a long couple of days for you.” He said, walking them past several buildings and groups of soldiers training. She looked around in interest. She’d never been on a military base before. She noticed the high fence around the compound and looked beyond it. There was a line of thick trees, and in the distance she could see a few city lights and a thick, redish hazy cloud over the sky.

            “What caused that?” She asked, pointing.

            “The war, pollution.” He shrugged. “The ozone has more holes in it. Some areas of the world are pretty uninhabitable now, because of the snow. It’s dangerous outside the base, especially for you.” He said. “So please, don’t try to leave without me.”

            “Why especially for me?” She asked.

            “Because you don’t know how to protect yourself in this time. Or yours.” He said.

            “Hey!” She shoved him playfully, and he nearly toppled over on his crutches. She caught his shirt and yanked him up before he hit the ground.

            He laughed. “Ok, so you can maybe protect yourself against a cripple.”

            “Will you show me around someday soon?” She asked.

            “Of course I will, Isy.”

            She laughed. “No one has ever called me that before.” She said.

            “I like it.” He said, smiling easily at her. He loved her laugh. “I really hope you are happy here with me.” He said. He turned left and walked several more yards to the end of his small driveway. His house was painted a slate blue colour with white trim. He had a small bench on the porch.

            “Well, what do you think?” He asked, holding his breath.

            “I want to see the inside.” She said.

            “You got it babe.” He said. Together they went up the walk and she waited patiently while he put his thumb print over the lock. A green light glowed and the door swung open. He turned on the lights. “We will calibrate your fingerprints too.”

“How?” She asked.

“That panel on the wall there.” He motioned to the screen on the wall. “After the tour.” He chuckled. The first thing that caught her eye was an entire wall of books. He had built floor to ceiling shelves and crammed them full.

            “Wow.” She said, stepping forward into the room. The only other furniture was a long couch, a small two person table, and a few end tables. A fireplace was the focal point of the room, opposite the bookshelves. He had more shelves sitting all around the fireplace. “So you read a lot huh?”

            “There isn’t much else to do when you live by yourself.” He said. “Besides, when I’m not working on missions, I’m usually with the guys training, or sleeping.”

            “That’s kind of a sad way to live.” She said.

            “Well, I don’t have a reason to be sad anymore.” He said. “Now that you are here.” She smiled warmly at him, flipping her long hair behind her, tucking a flyaway piece behind her ear. For a second, when she looked at him like that, he couldn’t even breathe. He knew if he kissed her right then, he would never stop, but he had to go.

            “Stay here, raid the fridge, read a book, nap. Whatever.” He said. “I have a mission with the boys.”

            “How can you possibly go anywhere all hopping around?”

            “They are my team. I can do a lot to help them, even if I can’t move as fast. If they go into the field, I go with them. No matter what.”

            “Where are you going?”

            “I’m not sure yet. Can I have a kiss for good luck?” He asked, stepping close to her. He ached to kiss her.

            “No.” She said simply, holding her hand out to stop him.

            “Why not?” He pouted. He looked so adorable with his lip sticking out and a piece of hair flopping forward into his blue eyes that she almost gave in.

            She laughed. “This way, you’ll have something to come home for.” She said.

“Oh, I’ll come home, and I will be collecting that kiss.” He said, huskily. He gave her that look that made her gasp and everything tighten in sweet, sharp desire for him. She watched him hobble out the door with a duffle full of gear slung across his shoulder, and bit her tongue to keep from calling him back to her.