Page 29 of Heartless Legacy

“Whatever you’re thinking…” Nurse Snyder starts.

We were both looking at the doctor, but I guess she was also watching me. That means she’s the biggest threat. I take another step towards the bathroom. She shifts her position too, but her actions move her away from me.

“I guess I’d better get the introductions going now, before you…” Her gaze sweeps across my face. “Break the mirror, is it?” She nods, answering her own question. “Solid plan. It’s definitely the smarter choice than going for the hallway.” She takes another step away from me. “By now, you’ve probably decided that I’m the bigger threat. So you’ll take me out first.” She smirks at me. “But that assumption would be very wrong.”

I look to my right to make sure no one has come in from the hall. She continues talking. “Dr. Newkirk here is just as formidable as I am.”

“I know all about how formidable doctors can be.” I reassess my strategy. Maybe I should take out the doctor first. That way, he won’t have a chance to shoot more drugs into my veins.

Before I can follow that thought thread, I remind myself that this might all be just another hallucination. A phone chirps on Nurse Snyder’s hip. It distracts her just long enough for me to lunge for her. I ignore the roiling feeling in my stomach and the sudden compulsion to vomit. I have her stethoscope in both hands, pulling it tightly around her neck before she can fight back.

She doesn’t bother fighting back, and I know it’s not because I’m overpowering her. I don’t have enough strength to maintain the amount of tension I need to choke her out. The doctor hasn’t moved from his spot either. Hallucination. It has to be a hallucination. That’s the reason they’re not fighting back.

I’ve said that last part aloud, and the nurse responds, “You’re not hallucinating, Thea. We’re not fighting back because we’re not a threat to you.”

“Where am I?” I give the plastic device a tug.

“You’re at our compound. You’re safe.”

“Compound? Is this some kind of league building?” That doesn’t make me safe. Rockridge was a league hospital and the staff there were happy to hurt me.

“No. We’re not affiliated with The League of the Daggered Raven.”

“Then where am I, and who the hell are you?”

“I’m Trista Snyder. He’s Paul Newkirk.” She says, repeating the names they’ve already called themselves.

“Why are you dressed up like medical people?”

“We really are medical people. We’ve been treating you. You’ve been here for a week. It’s like Dr. Newkirk said. You were in pretty bad shape when we brought you in. We’ve been detoxing you, trying to mitigate withdrawal symptoms.”

I don’t remember any of that. What I do remember are the yells and screams from staff running down the halls in the middle of an earthquake. I also remember getting shot. I tighten my grip on the stethoscope. “Somebody shot me.”

“We needed you cooperative.” A man says, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. His black t-shirt hugs his frame. His multi pocket pants are the perfect size and position to hide blades in. He crosses his burly arms across his chest, appearing unbothered by the scene in front of him. “I thought I told you not to spook her.”

The nurse scoffs, “Spooked seems to be her default setting.” If she can talk, I’m not squeezing hard enough. That’s how I know she’s letting me hold her in this position.

The guy gestures towards my hands. “Mind putting your strangulation plans on hold so we can talk?”

“I’m not stranglingyou, so talking should be easy enough for you. Now let’s see if you can explain things faster than she did. Who the hell are you people?”

“I’m Travis Hart. I ran the retrieval team that rescued you from that hell hole masquerading as a hospital.”

“Only to bring me to fancier hell hole masquerading as a hospital.”

“You’re in the hospital wing for monitoring. But as soon as the doctor clears you, we’ll move you to a room.”

“Cell.”

“Room.” He repeats. “You’re not a prisoner, Thea. You’re our guest.”

“Is that what you tell your inmates and patients to make them more compliant?”

“We keep detainees in a separate facility.” He says matter-of-factly. His demeanor is calm. The doctor is too. Shouldn’t he at least be freaking out a little, considering I’ve got a garrote around his colleague’s neck? I shift, keeping them both in sight.

“You say I’m not a prisoner, but how many people are waiting to restrain me when I step foot outside this room?”

The team leader,Hart,if that’s really his name, pulls the handle, and holds the door open with his foot. “You’re free to leave this room and go anywhere in the compound you want.”

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