“A plane? That’s ridiculous,” the nurse repeated, aghast.
“Yes, an airplane,” the man answered with a testy note in his voice. “I might be old, but I’m not senile. I still remember what a plane sounds like.”
The exchange brought Sandi up short. A plane?
The word stirred up many conflicting thoughts and feelings in her chest. Joy, relief, happiness, and uncertainty. A plane could only mean one thing. Seth and Rogue’s group had made it all the way to Vancouver, and they’d sent help. That was good news.
The question was, did all of them make it? Were any of them on the aircraft? And what else was on it? Medicine, food, blankets? Squaring her shoulders, Sandi faced the crowded hallway with determination. “Only one way to find out.”
Chapter 5
The following morning, Rogue woke up feeling refreshed and hungry. Very, very hungry. She pushed herself upright and leaned over to get a good look at Seth. He lay on the couch next to her bed, still fast asleep. She tossed an empty plastic cup at his head, gratified when it hit him on the forehead. He shot upward with a loud snort. “What’s going on?”
“Wake up, sleepyhead!” she said with a wide grin.
He flashed her an annoyed look. “What was that for?”
“I’m hungry,” she said, rubbing her empty belly with one hand.
“So? You’re hooked up to an IV,” he replied, picking up the plastic cup.
“I don’t want an IV or liquid food. I want real food. I’m starving,” she replied.
“Well, there’s nothing you or I can do about it. Only the doctor can take you off the drip,” Seth said with an enormous yawn.
“Then find him,” Rogue said.
Seth eyed her with a look of disbelief. “You want me to find the doctor now? It’s…” He glanced around, staring at the dim light that filtered in through the windows. “It can’t be much past six in the morning.”
“There must be someone around. A nurse. Anyone,” Rogue said.
“You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am,” Rogue said, flashing him a honeyed smile.
“Can’t you wait just a few more hours?”
“No, I can’t. I’m dying here,” Rogue said with an exaggerated groan.
Seth heaved a sigh and stood up. “Fine.” He returned a few minutes later. “Sorry. The doctor will only get here around eight. Once he’s given you the all-clear, the nurse will remove the IV. Until then, you’ll just have to be patient.”
Rogue flopped back onto her bed. “Damn it. My stomach feels like a bottomless pit.”
“Well, I brought you this,” Seth said, taking one hand out from behind his back.
Rogue shot upright, her eyes widening with delight. “Coffee! You got me coffee. I love you so much right now.”
“I also got you this little treat,” he said, showing her the item in his other hand. “The old lady from the cafeteria made it. I think she likes me.”
Rogue stared at the small package wrapped in brown paper. “What is it?”
“Have a look.”
She took the item and unwrapped the paper. Nestled inside was a light-brown block of… something. It smelled heavenly, like warm sugar spun into gold, but she had no idea what it was. “Is it a candy of some sort?”
“Why don’t you try it?” he said, waving her on.
With a frown, Rogue poked at it. A small piece crumbled away, and she popped it into her mouth. An explosion of sweet, buttery goodness filled her mouth and overwhelmed her tastebuds. “Oh, wow. It’s delicious!”
“I thought you’d like it,” Seth said with a smug smile. “It’s called fudge.”
“Fudge? What a funny name,” Rogue said, taking another nibble. She melted into a puddle of sheer delight, sagging into her pillows with every successive bite.
“Have you honestly never had any before?” Seth asked.
“Not that I know of,” Rogue said with a shrug. “If I did, I was too young to remember it.”
“Well. Candy wasn’t exactly plentiful, growing up,” Seth said.
“No, it wasn’t,” Rogue replied, thinking back.
The first thing that went after the Shift were luxuries like salt, sugar, and cocoa. The rich hoarded the remaining stores, and people scrambled to find alternatives. Pungent herbs replaced salt in cooking, and fruit became the new sweet treat for the average person. A few beekeepers came to the rescue with their hives, and crops of chicory and coffee beans thrived in the warm weather. While chocolate soon became a thing of the past, honey and coffee-flavored goods replaced it. For those who could afford it, of course.
Or steal it, Rogue thought with a wolfish grin. Clearly, things were different in Vancouver, and she couldn’t wait to explore her new surroundings.
“And that smile?” Seth asked, sitting down on the couch once more.
“I’m just very happy right now,” Rogue said, finishing the last of her fudge. She picked at the crumbs on her hospital gown, determined to get it all. Afterward, she lay back and stared at the ceiling. “I saw you in my dreams, you know? On the day of your sentencing.”
“You did?”
“Uh-huh, it was like I was there again in person. It all felt so real. Every detail,” Rogue said, describing it all to him.
“I don’t know what to say to that,” Seth said. “It was not a happy day for me.”
“I get that, but it made me feel closer to you. It was the first time I saw you and you looked so brave.”
“I didn’t feel very brave, to be honest,” Seth admitted. “I could hardly stand on my feet after spending three days in Prime’s dungeons.”
“Maybe not, but I’ll never forget what you said when Douglas asked you to choose your fate.”
“What?” Seth asked with a perplexed frown.
“You chose freedom instead of death,” Rogue said. “Freedom.”
“I’d almost forgotten about that,” Seth said after thinking it over. “It was so long ago.”
“Well, I’m proud of what you did,” Rogue said.
“What do you mean?” Seth asked.
“That day you showed us all that there was something else beyond the wall besides death, even if we didn’t realize it at the time.”
Seth scoffed at her words. “I don’t believe that for a second.”
“It’s true,” Rogue insisted. “If it wasn’t for you, I might not have been brave enough to go over the wall myself.”
Seth narrowed his eyes. “You’re trying to butter me up, aren’t you?”
“Butter you up?”
“Admit it. You want more fudge.”
Rogue burst into a fit of laughter. “You might be right.”
“See? I knew it,” Seth said, his eyes twinkling. “I’ll try to bribe the cafeteria lady for some more later on.”
“Thanks, but I meant what I said too,” Rogue said.
“We’ll see,” Seth said, shrugging it off, and she let it go. He wasn’t comfortable with compliments or effusive emotions.
Rogue lay back and sipped on her coffee. She was still hungry, but it felt good to be alive. Alive and on the mend.
A couple of hours later, the doctor arrived. He wore a serious expression underneath a head of cropped dark hair, and a pair of gold spectacles were perched on the end of his nose. He cast a quick look at her chart and said, “Good morning. I’m Dr. Matthews.”
“Morning,” Rogue said.
“How’s our patient doing today? You’re not overtaxing yourself, are you?” Dr. Matthews asked with a pointed look.
Rogue shook her head. “No, I’ve been taking it easy.”
“How did you sleep?”
“Like a baby,” Rogue said. “In fact, I was hoping you’d let me out of this bed soon.”
“We’ll see about that,” Dr. Matthews said, moving closer. “Hold still, please.”
Rogue gritted her teeth while he examined her leg. The wound was healing well, but it was still sensitive. While his fingers were deft, pain shot up
the limb with every touch. “Ouch,” she muttered after a sharp stab. “That hurts.”
“Of course it hurts,” Dr. Matthews said, raising one eyebrow. “Maybe next time, you’ll be more careful.”
“It’s not like I asked for it,” Rogue grumbled.
“You were out there in the wilds, weren’t you?” Dr. Matthews said.
“Yes, but I had no choice,” Rogue protested, but the good doctor shot her an unsympathetic look.
“One always has a choice,” he said. Clearly, he didn’t give a damn about her paltry explanations. As a physician, nothing mattered but her physical ailments. The how’s and why’s didn’t matter to him.
When Dr. Matthews finished his exam, he nodded at the nurse. “You can remove the IV tubes and start weaning her off the pain medication.”
“Am I allowed to eat something now?” Rogue asked, attempting to hide her eagerness.
“Haven’t you already?” Dr. Matthews asked. “I noticed a dusting of crumbs on your shirt.”
“Er…”
“Next time, wait for my orders first or you can find yourself another doctor. Got it?” he added.
Rogue nodded, struck dumb.
“You can have breakfast as soon as I’m done,” the doctor said, taking her blood pressure and heart rate. “I’ll have an orderly bring you a plate, and later you can take a short, assisted walk around the hospital. Nothing more.”
“Thank you. I really appreciate that,” Rogue said, and she meant it.
“Don’t mention it.” Dr. Matthews waved away her comments and exited the room without so much as a goodbye. Imogen was right. He was difficult. Brilliant, but harsh.
Despite the doctor’s manner, a broad smile wreathed her lips. She’d be damned if she spent another day confined to a hospital bed. There was a whole city waiting to be explored outside, and she couldn’t wait to see it. Besides, she really looked forward to her first solid meal in a week.
After her IV lines were removed, a nurse propped her upright in bed and placed a tray of food covered in a cloth on the table.
“Are you ready?” Seth asked, picking up a corner of the cloth.
“Oh, yes. I’m so hungry I could eat a T-Rex,” Rogue said. She picked up the knife and fork, and her stomach rumbled with anticipation.
“Bon appetite!” Seth cried, whipping the cloth away.
Rogue stared at the plate and frowned. She poked at the contents with her fork. A tiny sliver of meat lay next to a small portion of scrambled egg and a slice of dry bread. A rather small one at that. “Is that it?”
“It’s best to start off slowly, miss,” the nurse cautioned. “It might not look like much, but it’s plenty.”
“If you say so,” Rogue mumbled after the nurse left.
“Look on the bright side,” Seth said. “You got eggs, and that’s quite the treat.”
“True,” Rogue replied, nibbling on the bread. It soon turned out that the nurse was right. The small amount of food proved more than enough for her shrunken stomach, and she pushed the half-eaten remains away. “Do you want the leftovers?”
“No, thanks. I have an errand to run,” Seth said.
“An errand? What do you mean?” Rogue cried out. Dismay filled her heart, and she reached out to him with one hand. “You can’t leave me here alone.”
“You’ll be fine,” Seth said, squeezing her fingers. " I won’t be gone for long.”
“Where are you going?”
“To the airport. I’m overseeing a shipment of medicine to Prime,” Seth said.
“Imogen told me you’d arranged something with her mom, the Mayor,” Rogue said. “How did that go?”
“It wasn’t a walk in the park,” Seth admitted. “The Mayor is one tough lady.”
“But you were able to sort something out with her?”
“An initial shipment of antibiotics was sent out two days ago. The plane returned yesterday afternoon after a successful delivery, and a bigger shipment is due to go out today.”
Rogue smiled, her face flooded with relief. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, me too. Our friends and family will be just fine once they get the supplies, but I need to be there to make sure everything goes smoothly. And the Mayor will be there too.”
“Alright, I get it. You’re a big shot now. Off you go,” Rogue said, waving him away.
“Thanks,” Seth said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Promise?” Rogue asked.
“Promise.”
“Okay,” she said, not thrilled at the prospect of being alone. But Prime’s need was bigger than hers, and that was all that mattered.
“I’ll bring the gang by for a visit,” Seth said, dropping her hand. With a final wave, he ducked through the doorway, leaving Rogue alone with her thoughts.
It was an unpleasant sensation, and she cast about for something to pass the time. It wasn’t long before she discovered an old book tucked away in the drawer of her bedside table. Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley.
Fascinated, she turned the creased and yellowed pages, inhaling the scent of the ancient paper. The title was one she’d never read before, and she soon lost herself within the tale, transported to another world. Vancouver and its marvels could wait.
Chapter 6 - Seth
Seth exited the hospital and jogged down the steps toward the car waiting at the bottom. He climbed into the back and nodded at Jessica who sat behind the wheel. Bear sat next to her in the passenger seat, but the rest of the vehicle was empty. “Hey, guys.”
“Hi, Seth,” Jessica said with a quick nod.
Bear grunted but didn’t bother to reply.
“How’s Rogue doing today?” Jessica asked.
“Much better. The doc took her off the IV, and she’s eating solids,” Seth answered. “Not a minute too soon, either. She was driving me nuts.”
“That sounds like Rogue,” Jessica said, shifting gears.
The car moved forward with a belch of black smoke from the rear courtesy of the bio-fuel in the engine. It was an old mustang and used to be a classic. Now it was held together with blue-wire and duct tape and posed a distinct danger on the road. Despite that, it remained a good-looking vehicle with its distinct shape and shiny red coat.
It belonged to Lee, the pilot who’d stayed behind in Prime with his broken leg. Jessica claimed he wouldn’t mind her “borrowing” his car, but Seth doubted the truth of that statement. By all accounts, the old guy doted on the thing. To him, it was a relic from the past. Or the future, if one wanted to split hairs.
Still, Seth wasn’t about to complain. Even in a city as advanced as Vancouver, cars were scarce. Parts and fuel were expensive, and most people either walked or biked to their chosen destinations. A couple of bus routes filled the gap, providing transport to distant corners of the city and for those less physically able to make the journey under their own power.
For now, Seth was content to be ferried around by Jessica. It was preferable to walking, even if it meant risking death by suffocation. The frequent billows of smoke caused his eyes to tear up whenever they stopped long enough for it to fill up the interior.
“Shouldn’t there be a law against this?” he said with a cough, waving his hand in front of his face.
“There is,” Jessica said. “The city levies a hefty environmental tax on each gallon of fuel you buy. That discourages most people from owning cars.”
“Yeah, I bet,” Seth said, drawing his shirt up over his nose.
“Where to, Seth?” Jessica asked.
“That depends. Where are the others?”
“David and Tony are at the airfield. Imogen is with her mom,” Jessica said. “She said something about a meeting later on?”
“Yes, we’re supposed to meet them at the airfield,” Seth said. “But first, I want to stop by the boarding house to pick up a few things for Rogue.”
“Sure thing,” Jessica said and pulled away.
Seth sighe
d with relief as the car started moving and fresh air swept into the cab, clearing out the suffocating smoke. Still, it was a novel feeling driving through the city in a shiny red behemoth, and he settled into his leather seat with a smile of satisfaction.
There wasn’t much in the way of traffic, and they cruised past the many shops, businesses, and other buildings with barely a hitch. People on foot crowded the sidewalks, and a couple of bicycles whizzed past them in the lane dedicated to their use.
It was an orderly scene. The citizens were well-fed and dressed. The streets were swept clean, flowering trees and shrubs lined the walkways, birds chirped in the branches above, and Seth even spotted an old couple walking their dog on a leash. Sweeping suburbs and green parks provided homes to the masses, but the city was also a technical marvel.
The business and industrial districts sported high-rises and factories made of glass, concrete, and steel. Electrical lights lit up the sky at night, rivaling the stars with their brilliance. A large open field boasted a bank of wind turbines, and solar panels graced the rooftops of every building. Rain-catchment basins fed into the plumbing system, and recycling bins stood on every corner with strict penalties levied for littering.
Water surrounded the city, and bridges connected them to the mainland. Boats filled the harbor. Some caught fish, and others ferried supplies to and from nearby coastal settlements. All were armed with harpoons, guns, and explosives. The prehistoric oceans could be deadly. Just as dangerous as the wilds that pressed in on them from every side.
Seth had learned all of this and more in the week since he’d arrived in Vancouver. With Jessica and Imogen as his guides, he’d gotten an insider’s view of the city and its people. A people who were as unique and varied as their home.
Many came from outlying settlements. Places that had survived for a few years after the Shift before fading into nothing. Others were there on business. Trading missions, diplomatic meetings, and the like. The world was a lot bigger than he could ever have dreamed possible, and Seth could only hope that he lived up to its many possibilities.
That thought brought his duties as Prime’s ambassador to the forefront of his mind, and he frowned. For the past few days, he’d done his best to negotiate a deal with the powers that be. A deal that he hoped would save Prime and the Exiles from both the Red Flux and a slow slide into oblivion.
The Extinction Series | Book 7 | Primordial Earth 7 Page 4