by B.V. Bayly
Chapter Twenty-Five
Gabriel was in the loft of the old barn at home. Nate was giving him another lecture about the world as he changed into some clean clothes. Nate’s body carried a history of the dangerous path he had once walked. Each scar had its own story, carved into his chest, back, and arms. He wore his hair buzzed down as if he was still in the military, and a trimmed beard filled out his face.
Gabriel glanced towards the window at the blue sky. Everything was right. Everything was warm and familiar. This wasn’t real. Nate’s voice continued as Gabriel stood up and walked over to the window, looking down towards the yard. There she was. She had on her flower print apron, her green work gloves and a large straw hat as she worked in her garden. Mom. He wanted desperately to run out to her, but chose to stay. He savored the memory of her alive, happy, at home. He pressed his hand against the cool glass. His heart ached. This was all in his head. He knew she was with his father now – happier in some unknown place.
Nate called to him from across the room. “Gabriel.”
The image blurred and drifted away like smoke into the air. Only the warmth of a hand on his shoulder and a voice calling his name remained. He blinked his heavy eyes. A friendly face met his gaze – Nate Reinhart.
“You done sleeping?” Nate smiled and helped him sit up. He was on a bed.
“You’re alive?” Gabriel hugged him, making sure he was real.
“Yeah, as are you. Although – I’m not sure how?” Nate patted his back.
Still shocked, he let go of Nate and glanced around the room. “Where are we? That was you in the hallway back there, wasn’t it?”
“Smart.” Nate sat back in the chair beside his bedside. “I was following Dr. Cymru. Oddly enough, it lead me to you at Adin’s.”
“What? You were following him? Why didn’t you –”
Nate laughed. “Slow down. I couldn’t play my hand just yet, I wanted to, but there’s a lot more going on with TERA. I'm not sure how you got away from Dr. Cymru and his men, but I spotted you near the café. I lost you around the subway after that. But obviously someone caught up to you. I was shocked to see you at the Horsemen’s camp.”
He cut Nate off. “What about the storm? What happened at the ranch? We thought you were in the barn.”
“I got lucky. After I said goodnight to you, I got a call to head into town to meet some of my contacts and … It doesn’t matter.” Nate shook his head. “I couldn’t get back in time. The storm hit so fast.”
He stared at the sheets on the bed, running a loose thread through his fingers. “Mom didn’t make it.”
Nate looked away and leaned back in his chair. “I know.”
Would things have been different if Nate had been there? He couldn't allow himself to wonder. He had learned over the last couple of weeks how futile regret was. “Where are we?”
Nate gathered himself and cleared his throat. “Somewhere safe. Don’t worry about the details.”
Gabriel nodded. Nate had always been cryptic about such things.
“You feel up for a walk?” Nate pointed at the door.
Gabriel stepped out of the room. The hallway was ugly. White walls with a dingy grey floor.
“This is our medical wing.” Nate strolled along beside him as they talked.
“Like a private hospital?”
“Pretty much.” Nate shrugged.
Gabriel eyed two men in uniforms walking by, assault rifles over their shoulders. “Hospitals don’t have soldiers … Where are we?”
“Look, this is a safe place. There’s nothing to worry about. The less you know – the safer you’ll be.” Nate pointed towards a window with a view of a mountain range. The facility obviously was built at the bottom of the valley. “Gorgeous country.”
“Nate, cut the cryptic BS. Where are we? You back in the military?” Gabriel wasn’t in a mood for fatherly protection.
Nate sighed and glared at him. “Your father made me promise to keep you safe. In a day or two you will never see this place again. And I will take you somewhere to start over. So drop it.”
“Why? What are you hiding?” Gabriel stopped and faced him. “You can’t just pretend like nothing has happened. That we can start all over, like a happy family. She’s dead, Nate!”
Nate grabbed him by his shirt and shoved him against the window frame. “You don’t think I know that! I have to live with that mistake every day I don’t see your mother!” Nate’s hands dropped to his sides.
Gabriel breathed out, his heart racing. “Everything’s screwed up … I don’t even know which way is up.” He let his head fall back to rest against the cool window.
“Don’t worry about it.” Nate stepped away. “We’re family … Let me just find somewhere you’ll be safe. I’ll finish what I need to do here and then, you and I will start over. New life. New names. New everything. I promise.”
Gabriel shook his head. “I can’t do that. I need to find Adin. Find the Sphere.” He thought of everyone inside the camp. “Kyrie! What happened to the others?”
Nate sighed and patted him on the back. “Everyone was taken somewhere safe.”
“I need to see them, talk to them. Kyrie, at least.” He needed to find out about the Sphere.
“Kyrie’s in the medical wing, the others have been taken to another place. Don’t worry about them.” Nate smiled at him.
“Stop telling me not to worry!” Gabriel clenched his fists. “I need to see her.” He twisted on the spot and walked away.
Gabriel didn’t look at Nate. He didn’t want to hear him say ‘don’t worry about it’ again. He stomped down the hallway, pausing to look through the small glass windows on every door. Where could she be? A final door was left near his room. He crept over to it. A large, clear tent with white zippers filled the majority of the room. The patient lying on the hospital-style bed inside of it looked familiar. Very familiar. He burst into the room, clumsily pushing his way under the tent.
Kyrie opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of him, reaching for his hand. He scooped it into his. “Hey, I didn’t find that phone, but …” She didn’t look any better. She had several intravenous lines running to her body and tubes implanted in her chest. A machine behind her bed beeped and blinked.
She smiled. “They found us …” She had an ‘I-told-you-so’ kind of tone in her voice.
“Just like you said.” He couldn’t help but smile at her.
Just then the tent zipped open on one side. Nate stepped in , followed by another man in a long white lab coat with a stethoscope around his neck. A doctor.
Nate nodded. “Gabriel, this is Doctor Osho. Kyrie’s father.”
Gabriel let go of Kyrie’s hand, embarrassed, and offered it out to the doctor. “Um … Good to meet you.”
The doctor gripped his hand firmly. “You are a friend to my daughter. I appreciate you being there when I couldn’t.” He spoke with a British accent that contrasted with his Asian features.
“Dr. Osho is the head of the organization here. He’s a friend,” Nate said.
The thin man smiled half-heartedly at Gabriel, his weary eyes revealing a heavy burden.
“I am glad you’re up on your feet.” Osho politely gestured towards the zippered door. “But I must ask you to let my daughter rest now. She needs all she can get.”
Gabriel nodded, still flustered. “Of course. I’m sorry. I just wanted to see if she was okay.”
Osho shut the door behind them as they exited the room. “Why don’t we all talk in my office? I’m sure you have some questions.”