Page 34 of Dark Medicine

Kane joined the group at the doorway to Fiona’s apartment. Flip was still standing over the small man, his face the color of Bing cherries.

“I’ve been asking for that account for two years, and he’s refused to give it to me, and suddenly, he’s had a change of heart!? Not hardly.”

Kane had sensed the evil that was present in Malone. Immediately upon touching the man, the sick thoughts and depraved ideas wept from his pores. The intense gazes of Kane and Flip made Malone squirm. Deciding he would never get to Fiona with these men in his way, he turned sharply on his heels and made his way toward the stairs.

Kane watched as Malone stumbled down the stairs and into the street below. He and Flip came into the loft, suddenly making the space feel about half the size.

“I think this is it,” said Fiona, staring at the two large bags, a smaller duffel bag, and an oversized bag with her laptop and other things in it.

“Alright then, off to the next adventure,” said Adam, smiling down at her.

And hopefully, a safer one.

CHAPTER TWENTY

Returning to the hotel, the exhaustion that the team was feeling was positively overwhelming for all of them. Retiring to their rooms, Fiona unpacked her few items she knew she would need for the week and pulled one photo from her bag. The photo, taken when her brother was home on leave, showed smiling, happy faces. Her parents were desperately in love, and the pride for their children was evident on their faces.

“Your parents?” asked Adam.

“Yes. This was taken just a few weeks before my brother died.”

Adam took the photo from her grasp and stared at the faces. His first observation was that although Fiona and her brother looked very much alike, their parents were decidedly different.

The two children had flaming red hair and blue eyes, but both parents had black hair and brown eyes. A near impossibility from a genetics and medical perspective. Highly unlikely for both children to have blue eyes and red hair and the parents both be so dark.

“You have a beautiful family,” said Adam, trying to smile.

“Had. I had a beautiful family,” she said with a sad face. “They’re all dead and I’m still here.” Adam continued to stare at the photo as Fiona moved about the room.

“You and your brother look so similar,” Adam said, still staring at the photo.

Fiona appeared to be around eighteen in the photo, her skinny runner’s legs peaking beneath shorts. Her brother, although similar in facial features, was large and muscular in a Go Army t-shirt. Fiona stopped and turned to see him holding the gold frame that housed her beloved photo.

“I know what you’re thinking. We don’t look like Mum and Dad,” she said, watching him. “I guess I should have divulged that we were adopted, but it didn’t seem to matter at the time. Does it matter now?” she said, tilting her head slightly.

“I’m not sure. Maybe.” Adam continued to look at the photo and then up at her. “You must have been a baby when they adopted you.”

“I was. I think I was only two or three weeks old. Ian was about nine. Mum always said he struggled a bit at first, but she and Da were patient with him.” Fiona chuckled at the memory. Her brother was a handful even before he discovered his gifts.

“So, you didn’t know your biological parents?” he asked inquisitively.

“No. Mum and Da couldn’t have children of their own, so they adopted.”

“From here in Ireland?” asked Adam.

“Yes. St. Bernadette’s Home for Unwed Mothers. What a terrible name! Mum said there were dozens of young girls in the home, all expecting, and not one of them was able to keep their child. The Irish weren’t very supportive of single parenting thirty years ago.”

Adam gave a low hum and nodded his head.

“Have you ever tried to find your biological mother?”

“There was no need. My parents were told that my mother died giving birth to me. My father was nowhere to be found.”

Adam said nothing as he watched her flit about the room putting her things away. It might mean nothing, but it could be significant. If Fiona and Ian’s real mother possessed gifts as well, perhaps she was the clue to all of this. Yet how could that possibly tie to the rest of them and to the Depot?

“I can hear you thinking from all the way over here,” she said, smiling at him.

“I’m sorry. I guess I’m just looking for anything that might tie all this with a nice, neat bow, and I don’t think I’m going to find it.”

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