Page 366 of The Black Trilogy

“What’s going on?”

“Akari’s got stomach pains. We’re going to the hospital. You should come too, for a checkup.”

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t know that. You’ve been drugged with goodness knows what and stuck in a dungeon for the best part of a year. Stop arguing and get in the car.”

He opened his mouth, and I thought he was going to say something, but he acquiesced and came outside with us. The Explorers were on the drive where we’d abandoned them last night, and I yanked open the driver’s side door of the nearest one. Black helped Akari into the back then Mack, who decided she didn’t want to be left behind, rushed out of the house carrying her coffee in an insulated cup and leapt in beside her. That left Black to take the seat next to me, and we were off.

We made it to the hospital in record time, leaving a trail of disgruntled drivers in our wake. Mack was hyperventilating by the time we got there, and even Black had pressed his foot on an imaginary brake pedal at a couple of points during the trip.

“Your driving hasn’t improved, I see,” he said wryly.

Neither had my parking. I abandoned the vehicle right outside the front doors. It was easier to have it towed and get Bradley to bring me another one than to try and find a free space in that place. There were some perks to being rich. Just sue me.

Inside, I herded everyone up to the desk where the receptionist peered over her ugly glasses and asked my name.

“Emerson Black.”

I tried to explain that I wasn’t the one needing treatment, but she held up her hand, stopping me.

“Address?”

I told her.

“We’ve got you down as dead.”

“Well, clearly I’m not.”

“The computer says you are.” Her tone said the computer didn’t lie.

“Fine, have it your way. I don’t need a doctor anyway. It’s Charles Black and...”

More typing. I tried to finish my sentence, and the hand came up again.

“He’s dead too. Look, if this is some kind of joke...”

“Okay, okay, leave that one. Let’s go with Akari Takeda.”

“Male or female?”

Good grief, why me?

“As Charles Black, dead or alive, is obviously a man, and the rest of us are women, I’m gonna go with female.”

“There’s no need to get snippy.”

I bit my tongue as her fingers pecked at the keyboard again.

“She’s not on the system.”

“I know. Can you please add her and get a fu...get a doctor?”

“I’ll need her insurance details.” The woman was going to breathe fire in a minute.

“She hasn’t got insurance. I’ll pay cash.”

“I’ll have to do a credit check.”

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