CHAPTER FIFTEEN
It hadn’t taken long for Joe to recount his story. Melinda took it all in, nodding with a resigned acceptance as if she had known everything all along, even the part about Horace Stumpworthy being a possible threat to her family.
“OK then,” Joe said, smiling. “Harmony has access to the lab at the hospital. She’ll talk to your father and we can figure out how to handle this. We’ll meet here tomorrow—same time?” Melinda nodded seriously. “Try to keep tabs on Horace and take care of your mum. There’s probably no sense in telling her anything just yet.”
Melinda giggled. “Yeah, she would rip Stumpworthy’s throat out if she thought there was even a possibility that he had anything to do with Felix’s condition.”
Joe nodded knowingly. “I’m afraid that she might well do just that, in which case we would never find out if he is responsible―and if so, what he has done.” He hesitated for a few seconds, then smiled sadly. “I’m sure everything will be fine.”
Melinda frowned, not trusting Joe’s words for the first time.
“Jake, you haven’t touched your food,” Horace said as he bent down to look through the bars of the cage. “There’s no sense going on a hunger strike,” he laughed. “I can’t do anything to reverse the effects of the virus. I’m afraid you’ll spend the rest of your days this way.”
Horace walked across the laboratory and picked up a phial of clear liquid. “This,” he said proudly, holding it so that Jake could see, “is something very special. I’m doing the field tests now to see how effective it is.” He smiled at Jake and shook his head. “I’m getting ahead of myself, aren’t I? You don’t know what I’m talking about. Let’s see―where to begin?” he mused while tapping his temple with his index finger. “Since identifying the properties of the same virus that has altered your shape, I found that I could separate some of its components. Basically, I have isolated some of the things that make Athenites change. By doing so, I have found that specific elements affect specific changes.” He laughed softly. “We’ll have plenty of time to discuss all of the scientific findings another time, but in a nutshell, I can now control some of the changes an Athenite experiences, limiting them to suit my needs. For instance, I can use it to change only the way the brain works―actually changing a person’s behaviour, making them more pliable. In other words, I can train them to do as I wish, just as you would an animal.”
He stood up and began slowly pacing the floor in front of Jake’s cage. “Call it a form of brainwashing if you want, but in this case the results will be permanent, just like your transformation is permanent. Initial results are quite exciting.” He bent down to look directly into Jake’s mouse-sized eyes. “Your beautiful wife and lovely daughter have been assisting me as my little guinea pigs.”
Elaine and Melinda sat at Felix’s bedside; it was getting late. Professor Mulligan waddled into the room carrying a small tray with two glasses of water. “Still no change and no word from Jake?”
Elaine shook her head. “Jake will phone when he knows something, but I expect he’s working round the clock, catching bits of sleep when he can. He’s done it before, and now that the situation involves his own son…” Her voice trailed off. Then a strange smile crossed her lips. “Horace is sure we’ll know something soon.”
Mulligan’s flabby cheeks shook as he cleared his throat. “Horace asked me to bring you and Melinda these,” he said, handing them both a small tablet and glass of water. “It’s only a vitamin—you haven’t been taking care of yourselves, and he’s concerned about you.”
Elaine smiled. “He is so kind,” she said before popping the tablet into her mouth.
Melinda frowned as she took the tablet off the tray, looking at it as if she’d never seen a vitamin before. She dropped it onto her tongue and drank most of the water in the glass.
Mulligan looked at his watch and sighed. “I’ll be off to bed now…you two should do the same.”
Elaine immediately stood up and followed him; Melinda remained at Felix’s side. “I’ll go in a second. I just want to be with Felix for a while,” she called after them. As soon as the door clicked shut, Melinda bent over and looked into Felix’s eyes. “I’ve got so much to tell you,” she whispered excitedly. “But I don’t want anyone to hear me so I’ll come back later, after everyone is asleep.” She closed his eyes and kissed his forehead, turned off the light and left the room.
The room was dark when the alarm clock rang out. Melinda reached over and hit the small button that would stop the noise, noticing that the clock read 1:00 a.m. She shook her head and slipped sleepily back under the duvet. Drool had soaked her pillow by the time her eyes sprang open again. Her bedside clock now read 2:10 a.m. She scrambled out of bed and fumbled with her dressing gown, which had been turned inside out, and then hurried out into the hallway.
Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness as she tiptoed down the passage and into Felix’s room. Once at his beside, she didn’t waste any time before launching into her report. Her excitement grew when she noticed that Felix seemed to have more of a sparkle of recognition in his eyes, and she was quite sure that his eyelids twitched as she spoke. She told him about how Aesop was actually Joe Whiltshire, she told him about the virus and how Stumpworthy used it against Athenites, and she had just finished telling him how Joe thought he might use it against the Huttons when the door squeaked open and Horace walked in.
Felix’s eyes remained open even after Melinda had released her grip. He watched helplessly as she transformed with dizzying speed, dissolving into a furry mass and then dropping from view in a white flash. He had listened to her story in horror, completely helpless to do more than scream out in his head. He knew everything she said had to be true; he wanted to tell her what was happening to him. But when the door squeaked open and Melinda disappeared in transformation he knew what awaited him.
Melinda panted under the heavy fabric of her nightgown. Her head felt dizzy after the quickest transformation of her life, leaving her feeling the way she might have if she’d plummeted down in an elevator after the cable snapped. Her heart raced as the floor vibrated with every step the professor took closer. An involuntary shiver rippled along the length of her rabbit-shaped body and a single droplet of sweat trickled down her tiny, freckled human face. She knew that if he turned on the lights he would see the pile of clothing and it would take only a second or two to discover her underneath. But the professor didn’t flick on the light as he made his way across the room to Felix’s bedside.
“Ah, Felix. I see you’re developing a slight resistance to the Burungo,” he said with bitterness in his voice. “I will need to increase the dosage. Another night or two is probably all I’ll need anyway; your mother and sister should be quite pliable by then. You, however, represent a bit of a quandary. Since you’re not maturing as an Athenite I don’t think the virus in its original form will work as it does on the rest of your family. As I mentioned, it might even kill you. I thought about testing it on James Mulligan, but if he should die then I would lose a valuable source for information. But don’t you worry―I have something in mind. You will just need to be patient.”
An eternity seemed to pass before Melinda felt the vibrations move away and heard the familiar squeak of the door as it clicked shut. Then as quickly as she had transformed into a rabbit, she morphed back into her human form; her eyes darted around the room, fearing that the professor was lurking in the darkness. When she was satisfied that she and Felix were alone, she looked into his eyes again―but the life that she’d witness only minutes before was gone, replaced by the same unseeing, lifeless gaze she had met the night before.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Torrential rain prevented Melinda from spending her day out of doors. Time was passing painfully slowly; it was hours before she was scheduled to meet Joe in the garden. She rehearsed all the things that she needed to tell him a dozen or more times, about Felix’s changing gaze and Professor Stumpworthy’s visit to his bedsi
de in the middle of the night. She didn’t want to leave out a single important detail.
She had planned to watch Professor Stumpworthy’s movements in the hours before her meeting with Joe, but he had left the house early in the morning and wasn’t expected back until evening. Professor Mulligan had also left for work at the science school. That left her with her mother and Felix.
There was no change in Felix’s condition, except that the life in his eyes had once again returned. Her mother, however, seemed very different. She spent most of her time sitting next to Felix’s bed, not doing much of anything but staring at him or looking out of the window at nothing in particular. Maybe her behaviour was to be expected, Melinda thought, with her son so ill.
At long last it was time to meet Joe, and Melinda pulled on her raincoat, stealthily making her way through the house to the conservatory. She trotted through the magnificent glass-walled room, with its display of exotic plants, trickling fountains and colourful furniture.
“Are you going out?” Elaine sang dreamily from behind her. Melinda spun around to see her mother gliding across the tiled floor towards a sitting area that had been arranged to enjoy the plants in the conservatory more than take in the view of the garden outside. “This is a pretty chair,” Elaine stated as she reclined comfortably onto the soft purple floral cushions.
“I thought you were with Felix,” Melinda said with a tiny tremor in her voice that her mother didn’t seem to notice.
Elaine smiled softly. “I was, but before Horace left for the day he insisted that I spend a little time in this room. He said that the room had a calming effect. It is lovely, isn’t it?”
Melinda eyed her mother suspiciously. Over the last few days she had never seen her mother so calm. Was it possible to get even more relaxed? Brushing the thought aside, she zipped up her jacket and pulled the hood over her head. “I just want a little fresh air,” she said smoothly.
Elaine nodded strangely. “You have your raincoat on,” she said in a resigned tone. “Fresh air will do you good. I would join you but Horace said that I should rest here for a while. He insisted that the room has healing powers.”
Melinda couldn’t believe that her mother was behaving in such a un-Elaine-like fashion. Her mother was not known to take other people’s advice on many occasions, and sitting alone in a room with nothing to do but take in the “healing powers” of the place was something that Elaine Hutton would never do. Melinda shrugged her concerns away and reached for the door handle, smiling as she waved goodbye. “I will be careful and I’ll stay dry, I promise,” she drawled, expecting her mother to add some motherly advice.
Instead, Elaine looked confused. “OK,” was all that she said, closing her eyes as if she couldn’t care less if Melinda was either careful or dry.
Melinda shook her head as she walked out into the torrent of water. “Stress does some pretty weird stuff to adults,” she mumbled as she trotted down the steps, shaking the image of her mother out of her mind as she waded across the water-logged lawn. By the time she reached the pathway that led to the swimming pool, she was again rehearsing everything she needed to tell Joe.
Just beyond the swimming pool, she saw Joe waiting under a large evergreen tree that had been clipped to look like a giant bell. The ground was completely dry under its thick branches. As soon as she was close enough for him to hear her, she told him all she remembered of what Stumpworthy had said to Felix: that there was a virus that might kill him, and that he wouldn’t use it on Professor Mulligan because of something that she couldn’t remember, and that Durango, or something like that, needed more postage, and that she and her mother were going to be playable, although she explained that she had absolutely no desire to play anything with that man. She paused, took a breath, then shook her head while looking down at her feet. “I couldn’t hear very well because he was almost whispering and I was under my clothes but he must know that Felix can hear him.”
Joe curled his lips as he tried to understand what was coming out of her mouth. “Slow down, slow down…I’m not sure I understand what exactly Horace was getting at.” He paused and stared at her for a few seconds, shaking his head slightly. “Let me understand this. You were under your clothes?”
Melinda nodded. “As soon as he walked into the room I transformed just like that,” she said with a wink.
Joe pinched the bridge of his nose with his index finger and thumb, massaging gently as if that was going to unlock the code to whatever Melinda had just said. “If you transformed, then how did you understand what he was saying? I’m assuming he was human at the time?”
“Yeah,” she drawled.
Joe rocked his head back against the tree and sighed. “And you were a…?”
“Rabbit,” she chirped.
He shook his head, resting his confused gaze on her. “Usually when an Athenite becomes another species they only communicate in the language of that animal… unless you were infected with the virus.” He paused and stared at her. “It’s one of the lovely things that happen,” he said with a great deal of sarcasm. “You’re trapped in the body of an animal but you can understand everything you hear, and yet you’re totally helpless to do anything about anything. It’s the worst kind of prison imaginable.”
Melinda shrugged and Joe decided to drop the subject for the time being. “OK then―however it happened, it happened, and you heard Horace talking to Felix, but I’m not too sure what you heard can help us right now.” He stepped over to the edge of the branches and held his hand out to catch some raindrops. His expression became serious. “How’s your mum holding up?”
Melinda shook her head. “She’s acting totally weird. She doesn’t do much these days except sit around; she didn’t even care that I was coming out in the rain. AND she believes everything that Stumpworthy says and does everything he tells her to do.”
“That doesn’t sound like Elaine,” Joe mused as he leaned against the tree trunk. “I was going to suggest that I talk with her, but I don’t think she’s in a condition to take it all in. What I’m about to tell you could upset her,” he paused, “and I hadn’t wanted to burden you with this, but we need to take some kind of action and I don’t seem to have a choice.” He took a deep breath and stared into the eyes of his ten-year-old companion. “Harmony went to the hospital, but your father was not there―nor has he been. After which she assumed that we had the wrong hospital so she checked another. In fact, she checked out all the hospitals in Paris,” he paused to take a deep breath, “and your father has not been to any of them.”
Melinda didn’t want to believe him, but for some reason did. “The professor said he was working to find out what’s wrong with Felix.”
Joe nodded solemnly. “That’s definitely what he wants you to believe, but obviously it’s not happening. I’m confident that Horace knows where he is, but I seriously doubt if he’ll tell us.” He looked towards the house in the distance. “Your mother thinks he’s working and she doesn’t seem concerned that she hasn’t talked with him.” Melinda shook her head. “This is all very strange. Do you know what Horace has been up to today?”
Melinda shook her head again. “I was going to follow him around but he left this morning. I don’t know where he went.”
Joe patted Melinda’s shoulder. “I suggest that you transform into something that he might not notice to keep an eye on him in the house. I will try to follow him when he leaves the property and Harmony can watch him at the school.” He paused, looking wistfully at the ground. “She was so happy when she found out that I was alive, almost giddy when I arrived in Paris. But over the last couple of days she’s been a bit distant. I suppose I should expect that; after all, she is used to being by herself. Having her uncle hanging around all the time must cramp her style.” He sighed and kicked a pinecone out onto the lawn before continuing. “It just seems strange to me that after she found out that your father hasn’t been working at any of the hospitals, she’s buried herself in her work at the science schoo
l. She hasn’t been too eager to do anything more in connection with Horace, always saying that she has too much work to do and can’t handle any more distractions.” He paused, shifting his weight from foot to foot, then turned to stare blankly out across the garden. “I understand that she has responsibilities, but yesterday when I brought up Horace’s name, she looked me in the eye and said that we mustn’t be vindictive and should let bygones be bygones.” He shook his head, resting his gaze back on Melinda.
Melinda smiled back. “Maybe she doesn’t want to think about bad things right now.”
Joe nodded. “You’re probably right. I am sure that she will do what she can.”
Melinda dozed uncomfortably under the curtains in Felix’s room. She had no idea what the time was, only that she had been crouched in her position for a very long time. She had taken the shape of a mouse―at least that’s what she had intended to transform into, because it was small enough to go unnoticed and quick enough to avoid capture. But when she looked down at her paws she knew she hadn’t got it quite right. Her paws were green and webbed, very much like the feet of the turtle named Abigail that she’d had when she was five years old. Her tail, with its huge plume of brown hair, was a bit too squirrel-like to pass for a mouse. But the rest of her seemed perfectly mouse-like; she had no way of knowing that her own freckled face was neatly planted on the front of, in all other respects, a perfect mouse head.
At the same instant that she had decided to improve her transformation she was knocked sideways as vibrations from outside the room turned into tremors when the door screeched open and then, with what sounded to her like a clap of thunder, shut. Shivering uncontrollably, she poked her head out from underneath the curtains, gasping when she saw Professor Stumpworthy, who was the size of a mountain, move smoothly across the floor. His back was to her as he stood over Felix. “There you go,” the professor chuckled. “By the time the Burungo wears off you’ll be as trainable as the rest of your family…if you survive the infection.” Then he turned and thundered back towards the door.
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