“You may want to get control of yourself first,” she says with a biting tone. She looks around and nudges me to the intake office closing the door behind us. “You saw the news I take it?”
“You mean the blatant lies to cover up all the shit happening here? Yeah, you could say that.” She sits down at the small desk, folding her arms over her chest while she assesses me. “Did they tell the staff not to talk about what was happening?”
I lean against the wall and note all the framed motivational quotes hanging on it. A giant load of deceptional crap. The illusion that the Center will improve lives. Since we’ve been here this summer, I haven’t seen apparent proof of that yet.
“Common sense keeps the staff from talking.” Kim sighs and rubs at her temple. “You’d benefit from listening to me. I’ve been a psych nurse my entire career. For almost twenty years. I’ve seen some messed up things, but …” She rolls her eyes and then continues, “No establishment is to be toyed with. You aren’t going to single-handedly make them realize they’re doing something wrong. I’m not going to either. The best you can hope for is that nothing else happens during the rest of this ridiculous documentary filming.”
“In the meantime, my best friend is missing. Two of the patients here are… well, who knows what their status is, and we’re supposed to ignore that? Pretend it’s not happening?” My voice rises and the sneer on my face must be severe based on the level of disbelief I’m feeling.
“I didn’t tell you not to look for your friend. I told you not to get yourself arrested for disorderly conduct by getting aggressive with the doctors or staff here.” She stares me down. “I would have assumed you were smarter than that. You’re a Psychology graduate student, right?” Well. Maybe. Word has it that good ole dad handled the mess with Belmont, but it remains to be seen.
“Do you remember hearing or seeing anything strange before Keir was attacked and…” I can’t say it. If I start to talk about her being gone, it’s actually happening. “You know… that evening. You were here. Do you remember anything?”
“Not a thing. Most of the graduate students went out. The staff was down to me, Ronnie, and Toby. Plus, the on-call doctor. I don’t remember seeing any of the residents wandering about. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
“Where were the other nurses that were on? Ronnie and Toby?” I pull my hand through my hair and settle into the other office chair.
Kim makes a face. “You think they did this?” She laughs. “Ronnie is a hundred pounds dripping wet and Toby should have retired a decade ago, he moves like a sloth.”
“Who was the on-call doctor?” I don’t know why I’m bothering with the questions since I’m sure the FBI has interrogated everyone already.
“Dr. Wallen. He was having dinner with Mrs. Lassiter. I was instructed to call the restaurant if needed since he doesn’t get service there. It’s only an hour away, but it’s an old speakeasy in an underground bunker. Swanky place.” Kim chews the inside of her cheek. “Did it ever occur to you that your friend and that kid ran off together? Maybe that other kid tried to stop them?” Not a chance. I understand her questioning it, but I know Eden. That’s not what happened.
“No. That’s not possible,” I say it with certainty, because I don’t have a doubt that Eden’s leaving was against her will. “You saw the message on the wall, what about that?”
She shrugs. “Intentionally misleading people? I don’t know, kid.”
7. X/HUTTON
Navigating the dark with a dying flashlight alongside Matt, I’m almost compelled to tell him who might be after Eden. The problem with that is I know that at least one of the FBI agents is working with them. I picked up on it after the first day with my protective detail. Subterfuge. A skill that gets ingrained when you’re built to survive the end of the world. It would make sense that the agent closest to her is also the one in a position to hurt her.
“Can’t you get a better location on your prototype?” Matt is currently staring at his phone screen following the tracking device. “Seems like bad tech for a federal agency if the accuracy is this lousy.” I stand to the back of him within reach. I could knock him out with my flashlight and find her myself. I contemplate it. He turns to face me before I make up my mind.
“Could you and your smartass mouth take a break?” He sounds worried. “It’s doubling back and I’m trying to determine if the device is working properly. Stay behind me, we don’t know who has her and if they’re ready for an ambush.”
“Lead the way.” I nod my head for him to proceed. I’ll gladly stay behind him. If my instinct dictates it, I’ll take him out. I don’t even need the flashlight.
I’m no stranger to dark woods. I feel at home here much more so than in any building with four walls. Nature has a certain predictability. When I wasn’t hiding in the parking ramp, I found places in the forest wrapping around Camp Carroll. She never ventured into the woods to look for me. Never sent Dr. Wells to find me outside of the Camp. If I knew what was coming, I could easily have run after stopping them. The slaughter could have been avoided.
“I heard something,” Matt loudly whispers over his shoulder. “About three hundred yards to the northwest.” We’ve been tromping around in this wildlife preserve for twenty minutes. We’re not making good time.
Taking off at a run, I match his speed and run alongside him. “Cut your light.” He hisses at me. Whoever has Eden is trying to be quiet and not draw attention. Wouldn’t Eden be calling out for help?Ifshe is able? I’ll tear whoever hurt her limb from limb. Any mastery I have over my anger is dismantled when it comes to Eden. My heart is and has been hers for most of my life.
Two bodies slumped near a tree come into view. Matt pulls his phone out and makes a call. “We need an ambulance… I just sent my coordinates.” Then he disconnects. He must have called one of his fellow agents. Hopefully not the corrupt one.
“Fucking hell.” Matt drops down next to Eden and I recognize Caleb as the one lying next to her holding her hand. Both have injuries and she’s tied to something. Matt starts to tear at the rope binding her to a rusty piece of chain link fence. “Eden, baby.” He pulls her summer dress up and the bullet wound on her upper thigh makes him swear a storm under his breath. “Eden?” Forgetting my carefully constructed façade, I drop down on the other side of her and clean away the blood from the wound. Matt looks at me in surprise but doesn’t say anything about me touching her.
“Check on Caleb,” I tell Matt as I push down on the skin next to the bullet entry. Eden stirs and groans under my touch. I feel tears start to form in my eyes. The way I’m feeling is foreign and uncomfortable. A fresh swell of rage fills me towards the people responsible for her current condition.
Matt lays Caleb flat and pulls his shirt away from the bullet wound in his shoulder. He starts to do CPR. For the first time in my entire life, I worry. Worry that one or both are going to die. I shove Matt back and take over compressions.
“You know how to do CPR?” Matt’s mouth drops open. “Okay, okay…” We switch off and when I’m not doing compressions, I lean over Eden and talk to her. Caressing her cheek. Telling her that she’s going to make it. Because she has to. I can’t lose her.
Time freezes as we wait for help to arrive. Two ATVs with floodlights and emergency medical personnel arrive after we’ve managed to get Caleb back. He’s still not conscious and neither is Eden. I’m edged away by the people gathering them to get them to the hospital. It’s at that moment I look down at the blood on my hands and arms and my throat starts to feel like it’s closing. I start to rub my arms on the grass at my feet, while Matt peers over.
“You good?” I can’t speak so I choose to ignore him. Blood carries so many pathogens. Old, ingrained knowledge threatens to immobilize me. The tests, the embarrassing ‘procedures,’ Dr. Wells, and the drill.
I get to my feet and keep my hands tucked into my jean’s pockets. We get a lift out of the preserve in the back of the wagon carrying Eden. Wherever she goes, I go. I’m not losing sight of her again.
