Ancient Protector

by Savannah Verte

  “Hey,” she muttered softly as he watched her closely.

  “Hey yourself. How was your nap?”

  Still unwilling to flinch any more than was absolutely necessary, she nodded. “Good. I needed that. Did you stay the whole time?”

  “I have nowhere else to be.”

  “That can’t be true.”

  Andrej winced. “Okay. I have nowhere else I wish to be.”

  Taylen snickered. “We need to talk.”

  Andrej perked up to listen, a confusion dashing across his face before it was gone. “Have we not been talking?” he asked.

  Taylen smirked. “Yes, but I mean we need to talk of something specific.”

  “Such as?”

  “Us.”

  Andrej’s eyes flew wide. “I believe I will stay seated for this.”

  Taylen couldn’t help but see the worry he tried to hide. “If there is to be an ‘us,’ we need to talk.”

  “There is to be an ‘us?’” Andrej countered in question.

  “I knew before I knew you that you were there. I knew before the explosion that there was something between us. I didn’t know until after you…until after you did what you did, what that something was, or is. I think it’s about time we decide once and for all what this thing is or isn’t, and what we are going to do about it.”

  Andrej pursed his lips before he replied. “Dr. Scott…”

  “Taylen.”

  “Dr. Taylen,”

  “No,” she interrupted with a soft chuckle. “Just Taylen, no title.”

  Andrej heaved a breath. “Taylen. For me, there is no deciding. For me, there is no choice. There wasn’t at the Back Bay, before the Back Bay, or now, after.”

  “Do you want a choice?” she asked, confusion muddying her thoughts.

  “That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that for me, for my kind, there is only ever one. The Goddess in her wisdom has decreed it. It is not up to me to decide what it is or is not. It simply is. What to do about it, is to not destroy what the Goddess has set into play. Do you understand?”

  Taylen snickered. “Before the Back Bay, no, I did not. I do now…but the part of me that is still me wants to have a choice, a say, some input at the very least.”

  “I cannot ask you to be other than yourself, though you are now more than that.”

  “I know,” she replied, nodding. “I can feel your thoughts and emotions as though they are my own. I want to return that to you. It is not who I am.”

  Andrej’s face fell. “If there is a way to do that without losing you, I would take back from you that which you don’t want. But, I don’t know of a way to undo the events. And, I’m not sure I could live with the consequences of doing so if it were an option.”

  “You mean, I’d be dead again.”

  Andrej shrugged. “I have no way to know.”

  “Who would know?” she asked.

  They had not talked about what it meant to be an Elemental. Andrej hesitated revealing too much before Taylen had time to understand. “There might be one, but if they know, they are forbidden from acting…so it is a moot point.”

  Taylen drew a deep breath and released it before speaking again. She actually understood far more than Andrej likely believed. She knew with little question that she could do to him as he had done to her in the Back Bay and simply return his essential essence. What it would mean for her to do so was the unknown. The knowledge she had gained had surprised her at first, but as she’d been stuck with nowhere to go, and little to do, she’d ruminated on the knowledge rather intently. Her inner scientist had been theorizing and discarding theories left and right as she hung in traction to reset her spine. Was she completely certain? No. But, she was confident. Eventually, even if they didn’t get the answer on the outcome, it would have to be enough. She didn’t want to be him, only with him, just as he was meant to be. That she was healing rapidly, was a piece that confounded the medical staff. She needed to get out, that was first, but soon after that, she needed him to heal as well.

  “Andrej, I will let this drop for now. Though, somewhere down the road I want us to find the answer. I cannot be who you are, who you are meant to be in this world…mine or yours. You have to be that, and that means, we have to find a way to right the course and return to you that which is yours.” She paused when a look of panic locked on his features. She held up a finger, “But, until then, I believe you are stuck with me,” she tried to tease.

  “This is what you want?” he tested.

  Taylen nodded silently.

  Andrej hung his head, worried over a future day when they would try to undo everything, even as he was elated that she was choosing him. “Then we will find a way,” he finally managed, though speaking mostly to his lap.

  “Together, we will find a way,” she stressed. “If you will have me.”

  Looking up, Andrej smiled. “I would have none other.”

  Taylen grinned brightly, a piece of him inside her settling into place before she winced, not realizing that she had moved. “Then I choose you. But for now though, I think I want to not move.”

  “Whatever you wish for, I will make it so.”

  “I wish I didn’t hurt,” she tested.

  “Start with something smaller,” he grinned. “I cannot perform miracles, and you were nearly destroyed. Not hurting will take more time.”

  “I need to know who we can trust,” she said on a whisper as she changed the subject.

  “Trust?”

  “I know, because part of you is within me, that you are not able to do things the way you used to. But, I also know things that need to be worked on or checked out and I don’t know who we can trust to do it. Things are not all that they seem,” she frowned. “I needed time to get my bearings, but we can’t waste another moment.”

  “For?”

  Taylen breathed hard through her mouth to control the pain as she adjusted herself to sit more fully. “For the plants, for the boat, for the people, for all of it. What I discovered with the plants was just the tip of the spear.”

  Andrej nodded. “Give me a bit. I know whom I trust, but I’m not sure who all is available, or willing. My brother for one is still angry with me for my actions. He will take some convincing. And Agent Afanasi, is strangely here all the time waiting on the other survivor to wake as though they hold the answers to the whole thing. I don’t know if he’s able to hear until they rise and report.”

  “Who survived?” Taylen asked abruptly, unaware to now that anyone else had.

  “I don’t know. A woman.”

  Taylen racked her thoughts to place a woman on the boat. She had heard women, but not seen any other than those who were bound. She’d only heard male voices doing commanding or directing. “I don’t remember a woman being there.”

  “All the more reason we need her to wake up.”

  FOUR

  “Do they know? Do they suspect? What do we do?” Eli charged when Canton returned from DC.

  “I don’t know what they know. Agent Afanasi was unavailable, and the person I talked to never gave his name. He was quite rude though.”

  “Not the other agent who was here?”

  “No. Agent Siminof never leaves Dr. Scott’s bedside. I haven’t been able to get in to see her either. The hospital still has her on restricted access,” Dr. Emmers replied.

  Eli ran his hands through his hair. “She just HAD to go check it out on her own. I can only assume that she figured out the plants. She didn’t say a word to me that she was going, only left a note.”

  “Then as far as we know, she doesn’t know anything more than what the plants do. At least, until we know otherwise. She’s smart, but that being smart nearly got her killed.”

  “I don’t like it.”

  “I don’t either, but what choice is there? If we make any unexpected moves, we may tip our hand when they don’t even know we are in the game. Sit tight. It’s the only option we have.”

  “Ergas is moving operati
ons anyway,” Hastings commented off-hand. “The field is intact, but there’s no way to use it with the salvage work going on. We can’t continue here.”

  “Speaking of the salvage work…” Canton paused him. “Are we sure there’s nothing to be found?”

  “The submersible was successfully launched.” Eli retorted with a snap. “They got away as the explosion happened. No one knows about it to look for it as far as I’m aware.”

  “And the boat? It was completely destroyed? I would think the hull doors for the sub would be a pretty good clue.”

  “I’ll see what I can find out. No one from the crew was left behind, and none of the passengers made it that I know of to talk.”

  “Carefully, Eli. Find out carefully.”

  “Give me another choice.”

  FIVE

  Fedya paced the hallway outside the woman’s room waiting for anyone to emerge so he could demand to know what was happening. He’d switched from sitting to pacing and back again multiple times, all the while, the door remained closed. He was losing his mind with the possibilities. When the shades finally opened and Tawny emerged again, he was stunned still to see the woman sitting up, blinking her eyes, looking ragged and weary. He blinked several times himself to be certain he was seeing the truth, not merely what he’d long hoped for.

  Sure enough, several blinks later, she was still sitting up and awake. He couldn’t believe it. “What is just happened?” he finally managed to ask another nurse as the medical staff exited.

  “She’s fine. She reacted poorly when she woke up and was fighting the breathing tube and other equipment. We needed to get her calmed down and extubated before she could hurt herself.”

  “She is okay?” Fedya questioned.

  “She will be. She needs some time though, so no questions from you.” The nurse smiled, wagging a finger before giving him a pat on the arm. “I know you’ve been patiently waiting, but you’ll need to wait some more.”

  Fedya felt himself physically wilt. He’d been so afraid when the blinds and door had closed, he’d assumed the worst. Her fighting the things that had kept her alive had not been a possibility he’d considered. Dropping into the chair that had become his second home, he tried to watch without staring. He was sure the woman could see him just as easily as he could see her. He didn’t want to spook her now. He’d only just gotten her back.

  Actually, as long as they kept her sequestered, he probably needed to check in at the office. If he didn’t know better, he’d guess that Agent Marcos was ready to chew him out, or worse, for leaving him cooped up for so long to man the desk. Arial was a good man, and a great agent, but he needed room to be free to be effective. Afanasi knew he’d probably pushed the agent to the breaking point, if not beyond it.

  Stopping at the desk, he flagged Tawny over. “Please do not be letting anyone to be speaking with her until I have returned.”

  Tawny winked at him. “Got it. You’re first.”

  “Yes,” Fedya agreed. “And, as you say…be letting me know if anyone is coming about to see her before I can come back,” he added, handing his card to her. “I’m afraid I must be requiring that point.”

  Tawny snickered. “You got it.”

  Nodding, Fedya turned on his heel and headed for the lift, his steps a bit lighter now that the woman was at least awake. Waiting for the car, he took a last glance up the hallway before the bell pulled his attention back. Everything was as it had been for days. He could take a bit to relieve Agent Marcos and check messages. He did still have a job to do. At least, until he had to reveal the truth about his status. He needed to keep up appearances and be working to wrap matters beyond that and until then.

  ***

  Back at the Hoover building, Fedya caught the mean side of Arial Marcos at full steam. As he walked into the FPU suite, Marcos was finishing a call from the salvage crew, one that was impossible not to overhear as Marcos was shouting from his office in the far corner of their wing. “NO, that’s not acceptable. The efforts need to be stepped up. The Back Bay Channel cannot be closed indefinitely. You need to make progress!”

  “What is the meanings of this shoutings?” Fedya queried as he opened the door.

  Agent Marcos glared. “The ‘meanings’ is that the salvage workers are stopping for the day. They have nothing to report. No findings. Nada. Zip.”

  Fedya nodded as he sat in the chair opposite Arial across the desk. “Nada. Zip. And this is bad?”

  “Fedya…” Marcos hissed. “Yes, this is bad. They have just gotten started on the boat. First, it was clearing the oil and debris from the water, which someone else has and is sifting through. Now, they have started on what’s left of the hull and they are saying that there seems to be a hole in the thing that they can’t account for, but they are clocking out. This has already gone on too long.”

  Fedya chuckled. “Ah, my friend. You are needing to take a fly. You are most rankled now and not thinking like yourselves.”

  Marcos heaved a sigh. “I took a ‘fly’ earlier to clear my head. It didn’t help much. When is Siminof coming in to cover the phones…or anyone else for that matter? I can’t do this until you two decide it’s convenient.”

  Fedya tapped at his lips with his fingertips. “Yes, I am seeing that. I will make arrangements. For the now, please…go. I will take the calls and be here.”

  Marcos eyed Fedya suspiciously. “What’s happened? You haven’t left the hospital in days but for absolute need. Did the witness…” he let the question hang, uncertain how to finish it.

  “She is well, and awake, and fighting, so I will not be doing questions with her. They will call to tell if she has guests, but for now, we work.”

  Marcos let his features go neutral, silently glad the word ‘dead’ hadn’t been spoken. Though, he knew there would be more office duty soon enough…likely, as soon as the woman was cleared to answer some questions. He jumped up and headed for the door before the situation could shift. “There’s a pile of messages, and more in email. You had a visit from some doctor, and ATTF Williams called. See you later,” he said as he crossed through the archway, not waiting for a reply.

  Fedya shook his head to clear it before standing to retrieve the stack of papers Agent Marcos had referenced before his hasty departure. He took the pile to his office, dropping them on his own desk before pouring himself a drink to soothe his fractured emotions. The thought that she was alive, and awake, and he couldn’t be there to watch over her made him fidget. It had been days. In truth, as he glanced at the date stamp on his monitor, it had been weeks. He was temporarily shamed to realize he’d neglected so much for so long. It was all he could do to bring himself to the office though. He felt a fraud as he considered his role as an agent. The “P” in FPU had meaning, and he wasn’t sure where his future was now, any more than he could say what Andrej’s was in the agency.

  Downing the liquid gold in a single gulp, he sorted the messages. Most were innocuous enough, though a few stood out. He moved the important pieces to the top and began his assault on the pile. Hours later, he squinted as the sun came up through the far window as he realized he’d been at it all night, but the pile was merely shuffled, not a tractable dent he could claim. His thoughts had been elsewhere.

  He knew he couldn’t call Marcos back, not yet. And Siminof, he’d get Andrej away from the doctor about as successfully as he’d pried his own thoughts from the other woman. Grimacing, he moved to the window, thumbing through the other possibilities in his mind. Yardley was not field tested, but could cover the phones easily enough. Fedya dispatched a missive to the junior agent before moving back to his desk to handle the handful of pressing messages before he prepared to take his leave again. He’d stop at Hydro Lab personally instead of call. It was sort of on the way. He wanted to check in with the salvage crew in person before he went back to the hospital. He knew it was going through the motions, but appearances mattered. Until the time when he didn’t need to keep up with his ruse, he would at lea
st look the part.

  SIX

  Marietta had caught a quick look between the staff movements as they cleared her room. The man in the hallway was almost certainly an agent of some kind. He didn’t wear the traditional blue of the police force, so he was something else, but he was definitely something. He was tall and dark with a haircut that made her think Marine, even as he obviously wasn’t. There was something else in his look that said not. The full, fluffy beard for one. She didn’t dare look again once the shades were fully open and the door left ajar. He was watching her closely, she could feel it without visual confirmation. Was he waiting to ask her questions? Was he waiting to take her into custody? What was he waiting for? The questions left her mind racing as she blinked back the tears and tried to get her bearings. Before too long though, he was out of sight. Out of sight however, didn’t mean gone. She would need to be careful.

  The nurse’s name badge had said Mercy Medical, so she at least knew where she was. The whiteboard at the foot of the bed had a question mark where the patient name line was, so they did not know who she was, at least, not yet. If they suspected was a piece she’d need to learn, and fast. When they found out was a moment she needed to figure out how to face. The connections were not clean, but someone surely would make them sooner than later once they identified her. Her heart raced with the thoughts, causing a machine to beep. She took several deep breaths to calm herself before she brought company she’d just as soon not have.

  Staring at the far wall, she watched the clock tick the seconds. Her eyes darted back to the white board. She forced herself not to gasp at the date. It had been more than two weeks. In her mind, it was moments ago, or yesterday at most. Not according to the date. What had they learned? Who had survived? She ran through the last moments she could recall in her mind hoping to know an answer, any answer, to the questions, but things were hazy at best beyond the bright lights and commands over a loud speaker that had changed everything.