“How do you think she got free?” a woman asked.
“From the looks of her, she fought her way out,” the man said. “Bring her some B12 and folic acid. We won’t know more unless we can get her to wake up.”
Emily felt an arm under her shoulder as someone lifted her up and put a cold glass to her lips.
“Drink this, Dear,” a voice said, and Emily took the pills and drank some orange juice. She was laid back down and fell asleep quickly.
When Emily woke up again, she noticed she had wrappings on her neck and arms and was now in a soft bed. She opened her eyes and looked around at the small cement room. There was a chair and dresser, and with the bed, the room was full. She didn’t see a fireplace, but could smell wood burning.
“Hello?” she tried to call out, but her voice cracked and she ended up coughing. She could feel a cold coming on.
The door opened and an older woman looked in, “Oh good, you’re awake.”
Emily looked at her and pulled the covers up, “Who are you?”
“I’m Vicki, I’ve been taking care of you,” the woman said, and brought in a glass of orange juice.
“Where am I?” Emily asked, fear creeping into her voice.
“You’re safe. I can only imagine what you’ve gone through.”
“That didn’t answer my question, where am I?”
“You’re at the V.E.S compound in North Dakota.”
Emily frowned, “Let me see your teeth.”
The woman smiled brightly, “That’s a valid request.”
Emily looked hard at her teeth and then nodded, “Ok.”
“Drink, you’ll need your strength. The leaders want to talk to you.”
“What leaders?” Emily asked, taking the B12 pill the woman handed her.
“The leaders of the compound. We are here to protect ourselves against the vampires.”
Emily leaned her face into her hands and started to cry, she let the loneliness fill her emotions and the tears began to flow freely.
“I’m… I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” the old woman said. She sat down beside Emily and put her arthritic hand on Emily’s arm.
Emily finally stopped crying, “It’s ok. It’s just been a long time.”
“Don’t talk now, the leaders will be here soon,” Vicki said.
Emily frowned, “I’m not dressed.”
“Oh, yes, there are clothes in the closet, help yourself,” she said, and left Emily alone.
Emily got unsteadily to her feet and looked through the closet. All she found were several oversized t-shirts and some large bib overalls. She put them on as best she could and was just rolling up the bottom of the pants when four men entered. Emily backed up against the wall and watched them.
“It’s ok,” one of them said, and looked at her with soft, caring eyes.
“We’re not here to hurt you,” another told her.
“Show… me… your teeth,” Emily whispered, and moved so her back was in the corner.
The man closest to her smiled and opened his mouth. Emily stretched toward him and checked for canines.
“No one here will bite you. You’re safe,” he said, and the other three smiled at her.
“How did I get here?” Emily asked him, still wedged into the corner.
“Our front security found you. Do you remember that?”
Emily shook her head, “Am I a prisoner?”
“Not here, no. You may go whenever you’d like,” the eldest man said.
“How long have I been here?”
“Three days, you’ve been pretty weak and sleeping from blood loss.”
“Will you have a seat? We have a lot of questions for you,” the man next to her said, and patted the top of the bed.
Emily followed the wall around and climbed onto the bed, careful to stay far away from them.
“We’ll start with introductions. I’m Cody,” the tallest man said. “I’m the leader of this V.E.S. compound.”
“I’m Larry, and I’m second in command,” another said. He was shorter than Cody, but looked older and wrinkled from years working in the sun.
The youngest stepped forward and smiled, “I’m Henry, and I’m over the security that found you late the other night.”
“I’m Bill, I’m a doctor, and I’ve been looking over you,” the last man said.
“We do wish you would trust us,” Larry said, “But we know you must be traumatized from the wounds we found on you.”
Emily covered her neck wound with her hand, “I still don’t know why I’m here.”
“We just want to help you. It’s not easy to get away from vampires, and we guess they are looking for you,” Bill explained.
“They’re looking for me?”
“They don’t like to let their meals go,” Bill said. “We’re sure they want you back.”
“How long were you with them?” Henry asked.
Emily looked each of them in the eye, “I… I don’t… I can’t… say.”
“You can trust us,” Henry said softly.
Emily picked up her breathing and started to hyperventilate.
“Please, calm down,” Cody said calmly.
“You leave her alone!” Vicki said. “She’s obviously been through more than anyone you’ve seen. She’s not ready to talk.”
The men nodded and left the room as Vicki helped Emily to calm down. Emily was able to break into tears again and leaned her head against Vicki’s shoulder when she pulled Emily into an embrace.
Emily calmed herself after few minutes and choked out, “I can’t tell them.”
“I know, they weren’t showing patience. They are just anxious to get your story,” Vicki said. “We don’t get many people return from… them.”
“Please,” Emily whispered and glanced out the window. “I have to get away.”
“You’re safe here,” Vicki said.
Emily moved and winced at the pain in her side. She lifted her shirt slightly, revealing the purple and black bruise on her ribs.
“My God, what did you go through?” Vicki gasped. “Let me get something to help.”
Emily watched her leave and quickly got up to look out the window. She was up a few floors and looked over part of the compound. The layout was similar to the V.E.S. compound she had already been in. Small cabins were situated throughout the barbed wire fence topped cement walls, while armed guards patrolled on top of it.
“Come, sit, let me help you,” Vicki said, and shut the door.
Emily turned and sat down on the bed, pulling her shirt up slightly. Vickie wrapped Emily’s ribs up tightly and handed her an ice pack for her cheek.
Vicki looked at the hand bruise on Emily’s arm and sighed, “What is your name?”
Emily’s body tensed, “Four,” she whispered.
Vicki frowned, “Did… they… call you four?”
Emily nodded.
“What was your name before?”
Emily looked out the window, not answering her.
Vicki smiled and patted her arm, “Baby steps… just baby steps. Are you hungry?”
Emily nodded, “What will it cost me?”
“To eat?” Vicki asked. “Nothing.”
“I, just,” Emily whispered. “What do I have to do?”
Vicki sighed, “Nothing, I’ll go get you something, you’ll see.”
Emily heard Vicki and a man talking outside of her door in whispers. She moved closer, so she could make out what they were saying.
“No, she’s not ready, she’s traumatized,” Vicki said.
“It’s important we get all of the information that we can while it’s still fresh in her mind,” the man said.
“You don’t understand. Do you know they called her? Four! A number!” Vicki whispered angrily. “She’s still trying to find out what this food is going to cost her. She’s not ready.”
“I… didn’t know she was that bad,” the man whispered. “Tell us as soon as she’s ready.”
Emily hurried and sat back down on the bed.
Vicki came in with a plate and handed it to Emily. Emily looked down at the sandwich and chips and let her hunger take its place behind her façade. She lifted the bread and examined the bologna and cheese, smelling it and watching Vicki. She sat it down and pushed it away.
“I’m not hungry,” Emily said, and looked down at her hands.
“Please eat… you haven’t eaten since you got here three days ago.”
Emily shook her head, “I’m not hungry.”
“What if I take a bite first?” Vicki asked, and cut a small corner off of the sandwich and ate it.
“No, thank you,” Emily said softly.
Vicki nodded, “I’ll leave it in case you get hungry later.”
“Ok”
“Would you like a shower?”
She shook her head, “No, please, don’t make me.”
Emily briefly thought she may be overdoing it, but realized that Vicki was buying all of it.
“No, we won’t make you do anything,” Vicki said softly.
“I’m… just tired.”
Vicki smiled, “Then sleep.”
Emily nodded and watched as Vicki left. She went back over to the window and looked out at everything going on in the large compound. She saw people walking around casually. There was a large building off to her right that she couldn’t see all of, and wondered if that’s where the heku were being kept. She caught her reflection in the mirror and saw that the ‘Heku Rule!’ was finally fading and the puncture wounds on her neck were almost healed.
Emily decided to take a nap. She was still feeling tired and wanted to have all of her strength for when it was more important. She laid down and soon fell asleep.
***
“Maybe we should move some of us back into that coven, see if they come and take us also,” Kyle suggested.
“It’s only been two weeks. Let Emily do what she needs to,” Quinn said. “Chevalier would know if she was in trouble.”
“She’s not in trouble. She’s being cautious, and that’s all I’m getting from her,” Chevalier said.
Zohn sighed, “I really thought we would have heard something by now.”
“Chevalier said she’s being cautious, caution is good, but slow,” Quinn told them.
***
Emily sat alone in the large dining room and pushed the food around her plate. She ate only when necessary, to keep up the appearance of being untrusting. Anyone who approached her got a terrified glance, and then walked to another table. Vicki was off doing something else today, so Emily was left alone, which gave her time to think.
When the dining room got too full, Emily took her full plate up to the kitchen and slid it through the door. She wrapped her arms around herself and quickly left, watching everyone around her as she went.
“Four?” Cody asked, and Emily looked up at him and stopped walking.
Cody smiled, “Do you have a moment?”
Emily nodded.
“Come, into my office,” he said, and opened the door behind him.
Emily stepped forward and stretched to see inside of his office. It was large and cluttered. The wooden desk leaned to one side, and papers had slid off onto the floor. She hesitated, and then stepped into the office and sat down on an old metal chair.
Cody sat down behind the decrepit desk, “How are you?”
“Ok,” Emily told him.
“Vicki said you aren’t eating well.”
Emily whispered, “I… can’t… do anything for it.”
“You don’t need to do anything for the food. We are giving it to you.”
“For now,” Emily said, watching her hands.
Cody sighed, “Are you ready to tell us your name?”
Emily looked nervously around the room.
“It’s important that you trust us if we are to help you. Let’s start with a name.”
Emily teared up, “Will you beat me if I don’t tell you?”
Cody shook his head, “No, we won’t.”
“Madison,” Emily whispered, still watching her hands.
“Your name is Madison?”
Emily nodded.
Cody smiled, “Now we’re making progress. How long were you with them?”
Emily’s body tensed, “I don’t know.”
“Do you think it was a year?”
“Maybe more,” Emily said.
“Will it help you if you see a vampire?”
Emily frowned, “What? No!”
“They are our prisoners. You could see how they are kept, maybe then you will trust us,” Cody said.
“You have some? Here?” Emily asked nervously looking around.
“They can’t get out of their cells. We use electricity to hold them.”
Emily shook her head and stood up, “They’ll get out and kill us all, I have to get out of here.”
“That decided it for me… come with me,” Cody said, and held out his hand.
Emily hesitated and took the man’s hand. She was finally going to see how the heku were doing, and see what shape they were in. She tried hard to remember landmarks of how they were getting into the cells. There were a lot of guards with guns along all of the passageways, and she held tightly to Cody as they walked downward and appeared in a large room with cells lining the walls.
Emily screamed when she saw the first heku and pulled away from Cody, heading for the door. She felt his hands on her shoulders and froze in the doorway.
“They can’t get you,” he said softly.
Emily turned slowly and looked at the heku in the first cell. She wasn’t surprised to see the mark of the Encala. He was sitting on the stone floor, with his head hung low, and his skin turning ashen gray, something Emily realized was from starvation. She made her way along the cells, holding tightly to Cody’s arm, and tried to memorize as much as she could about the heku.
Emily stopped at the last cell. It was larger and had a steel bed in the center. The heku on it was lying perfectly still and had tubes coming out of each of her arms, draining into a large machine which pumped the blood back into her legs. She watched the ceiling with unseeing eyes, and Emily wondered if she was even alive.
“What are you doing?” Emily asked softly.
“We want to see if we can kill her,” Cody said coldly.
“They don’t die,” Emily whispered. Her heart sunk as she watched the female heku on the table, and it renewed her drive in the mission, to get them all out alive.
Cody smiled, “We just haven’t figured out how, but we will… come… look.”
Cody led Emily over to the center console. It was lined with computers all running surveillance, diagnostics, and analysis programs. The one man sitting behind the desk was young and pudgy with brown, greasy hair and thick glasses. He had four open Mt. Dew bottles, and crumbs were strewn across the floor.
“See these computers?” Cody asked.
“Yes,” Emily whispered.
“Piece of crap is acting up again,” the portly man said, hitting the monitor slightly.
“May I?” Emily asked, and stepped around to the back. She let her fingers work quickly on the keys, and within a few minutes, it was running smoothly again.
Cody raised his eyebrows, “Do you know computers?”
Emily nodded, “Yes, I used to code… before…”
Cody nodded, “Good to know. Right now they’re running analysis on blood taken from the vampires. We’re trying to see how they work. If we can find out how they live, then we can find out how to kill them the best.”
“Oh,” Emily said, and glanced back at one of the heku.
“Also, if we can get proof that they aren’t human, then the world will finally believe that vampires do exist.”
Emily frowned, “How can they not believe?”
“People can be blind to the paranormal,” Cody said. “Come, I’ll take you back to your room.”
“You do good work here,” Emily said, and took
Cody’s arm.
“We try. If we can rid the world of vampires, then everyone will be safer,” he said, and patted her hand.
“They killed my family.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, is that when they took you?”
Emily nodded and leaned her head on his arm.
Cody touched the ring on her finger, “Did they kill him, too?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Emily let go of Cody’s arm and walked into her tiny room. She turned when the door shut, and came face-to-face with him. He pulled her close and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. Emily slid her arms around his neck and ran her fingers through his hair as she pressed her body close to his.
“I can’t,” Emily whispered when he tried to pull her shirt over her head. She moved away from him and straightened it.
Cody nodded and left without a word. Emily locked the door behind her, and sat down on the bed, looking out the window into the cold dark night.
***
“We demand to know! You’re holding something from us,” Sotomar yelled.
“We are not. We haven’t heard anything,” Zohn said.
William glared at him, “You think we believe that you have let this go on for six weeks without any word from the Winchester, and you’re ok with it?”
“No, we’re not ok with it, but what do you want us to do?” Chevalier growled.
“Our closest coven is now missing, 17 of them, and we are no longer going to sit by while you wait for the mortal to save them,” William said.
“She’s seen them and she has a plan. It’s just going to take time,” Quinn told them.
“That, or she’s joined them and you are too stupid to see it,” Sotomar hissed.
“She has not!” Kyle yelled.
“Let her do what we sent her to do. If she needed help, she would have told us,” Zohn said. “Right now, we have no choice but to wait and let Emily do what she was sent to do.”
“How long do we wait until we gather our factions and storm the compound?” William asked.
“And expose ourselves? Do you really think that is going to help things?” Quinn scowled.
“We wait… we give Emily the chance to follow through on the plan that’s in her head. If we do something stupid now, we could mess it up and risk not only exposing ourselves, but killing the heku in that compound,” Chevalier said sternly.
Proditor : Book 5 of the Heku Series Page 21