T. A. Chase

They Walk Among Us

 

They Walk Among Us copyright c. 2012 T.A. Chase

Part Thirty-One:

::Are you almost finished?::

::For the moment. Everyone I don’t trust has been locked up in the cells. Those I trust are going through all the buildings to see what supplies are here. If the government didn’t already know about this place, I’d use it as our staging area.::

I froze in the middle of examining a patient. ::The government knows about this facility?::

A tired snort came from behind me, and I turned to see Raven leaning against the wall just inside the door of the medical building. I wanted to rush over to him, and simply hug him. He looked worn out, which made me wonder what he’d been doing to get so exhausted so fast.

The Opalites in the room turned to look at Raven, and to my complete surprise, they all knelt. Or at least the ones who were able to knelt. The others bowed their head or made some kind of gesture of respect.

“Who is that?” One of the humans whispered to me.

“Well, I know his name, but I’m thinking he hasn’t told me everything about him.” I met Raven’s gaze with a steady stare of my own.

“He is the Szef, the one we’ve been waiting for.” Linda stood and returned to bandaging one of the injured.

“Oh, so you’re like the Messiah or something,” I joked as I finished stitching up the man’s arm, while keeping Raven’s position in the room fixed in my mind.

Disapproval rolled off most of the people around me, and I frowned, trying to figure out what was going on. Then I realized even the humans would see Raven as a hero. He saved them from Gideon, and the man’s insane treatment.

::Sorry.::

::Don’t worry about it. We’re tired, and need to rest. Are you almost done here?::

I sensed Raven standing closer to me, and after I set the last stitch, tying the thread off, I turned to find him right next to me. Again I wanted to take him in my arms and hold him tight, but something told me he didn’t want me to touch him at the moment.

“Linda and Fatmia, would you ladies be able to keep an eye on everyone for me during the rest of the night?” I stripped off the gloves I’d been wearing. “I’m sure some of the least injured could help out as well.”

“Yes, Doctor. We’d be happy to take care of things here. We’ll clean everything as well.” Linda kept her eyes averted from Raven, like looking directly at him showed disrespect.

::I’ll set guards at the doors as well. You’ll have no need to worry about anyone trying to hurt you again.::

Raven must have sent his thoughts into both our brains, because Linda nodded.

“Thank you, Szef.” She inclined her head before returning to where Fatmia stood.

I started when Raven laid his hand on my arm. He was cold as ice, and when I looked closer at him, his lips were tinged slightly blue.

“Let’s go.”

We hustled out of the medical building, and were half way across the compound’s yard before I pulled him to a stop.

“Do you need medical attention, Raven? You really don’t look good, and you’re freezing.”

Raven licked his lips, managing to dredge up a smile for me. ::I need to meditate for a little while, then I need you to hold me while we sleep. I used up a great deal of my strength dealing with Gideon and his men. I’ve never used so much.::

I wasn’t sure if I believed him or not, but I let him tug me forward. He knew I wasn’t completely convinced.

::Believe me, Zach. If I needed anything more than sleep and meditation, I’d tell you. I’m not glossing over how I feel. I wouldn’t lie to you.::

“All right. Where are we going?”

::There are rooms we can use in the main building. It won’t be the rooms Gideon and Tyler used. I refuse to sleep in those.::

“What did you do to Gideon? Tyler was completely freaked out by you.”

::I tore Gideon’s heart from his chest.::

Shock brought me to a stand still. I stared at Raven, unbelieving at his casual tone about what he did.

“I’m a doctor, and I know how impossible something like that is to do,” I pointed out.

He looked at me, and there was sorrow buried deep in his eyes. ::As an Opalite who has come into my full power, I can do it without a struggle. I read his mind, Zach. I know his every thought and secret wish. He was a rabid dog, and deserved to be put down the way I chose to do it. For one like Gideon, there could have been no mercy.::

Nodding, I gestured for him to continue on. There was no reason to argue with him, since I couldn’t bring Gideon back to life anyway. Also, I’d seen the results of his torture on my patients, and while I wasn’t a hundred percent sure ripping his heart out of his chest was the best way to deal with him, it wasn’t my call to make.

We went inside the main house, and while there were people moving around the rooms and hallways, none of them stopped us. They all showed respect to Raven by bowing slightly as we passed. They wouldn’t meet my gaze either, which made me wonder who they thought I was.

::We’re in here.::

Raven stopped outside a pair of double doors where two large men stood. One opened the door for us, and Raven rested his hand on my lower back to usher me in. The thud of the door closing behind me brought to mind the clang of a prison cell door sliding shut.

After he dropped his hand, Raven gripped my shoulder and turned me around. ::You aren’t a prisoner here, Zach. If you want, you can sleep in a different room, or leave the compound all together. You’re an adult, and you know what the consequences of those actions might be, but I won’t stop you.::

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