Blind Touch: Part One
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Midnight at Terminal City, a time for dreaming and lover's sweet nothings, but not so for the dutiful few that roamed the halls of the medical ward.
Not a single bed in the makeshift infirmary was empty and many of them were occupied by transgenics barely into their teens. Kara started her rounds, silently checking each patient's chart. Although the injuries ranged from multiple lacerations and heavy bruising to broken bones, most of her charges should be fit to leave after a few days of mandatory rest.
Her tired eyes burned with unexpected tears as she checked the ketamine chloride/oxygen mixture that kept a row of patients tented in clear plastic under sedation. There was a similar bed in a sound proofed, padded room in the heart of the medical building. It was the only way they were able to treat Max.
Max had done the unthinkable; she turned herself into the Seattle police in hopes of negotiating peace. Six months later, the siege was over, their freedom assured, though the price had been too high. Max was returned to them, unconscious and battered but alive.
Two days later, while Kara was redressing her wounds, Max woke up violently. She flailed about, wildly punching at the air. The bed overturned and dumped Max harshly to the ground. Unfazed, she continued to struggle, becoming hopelessly tangled in sheets and IV tubing.
Unsettled by Max's behavior, Kara fumbled for the intercom. "Get Alec in here stat! Max is awake!"
"No can do. He's out on a supply run." Biggs heard strange noises in the background. "What the hell is going on?"
Kara had no time to explain. The more Max was allowed to thrash around, the more harm she could do to herself. "You'll do. Bring a tranquilizer gun with… No don't touch her!"
Kara's voice cut off abruptly. Shit! Biggs' mind mulled over scenarios. He grabbed the first available dart gun and blurred to the medical ward. Not one of his scenarios came close to the scene before him.
The room was trashed. Glass from the observation window littered the hallway. Dix and Dalton lay unconscious against the wall opposite the window. It didn't take a genius to figure out what had broken it. Kara, curled in far corner, kept calling to Max.
On the other side of the mess that was once a hospital bed, Biggs spotted Max. He stepped through the doorway boots crushing shards of glass to dust. Her head snapped up and swiveled in his direction. The abject terror in her expression turned this once tough-as-nails bitch into a small child. Blood tainted tears rolled down her cheeks and Biggs found it hard to swallow around the lump in his throat. There really was no other way to settle her down. Reluctantly, Biggs fired twice. She flinched but made no move to avoid the darts. When she finally slumped to the floor, he waved Kara forward.
"She didn't even see them." He whispered not expecting an answer.
"No." Kara pushed back her sorrow. There was work to be done.
Like that night, a week ago, Kara forged on despite the overwhelming urge to dwell in the depths of sadness. All was well on this level. She retreated back to the storeroom for another set of vials and took the lift down to Max's room.
The lift bumped to a noisy stop. Kara had to shoulder the door fully open. As soon as she stepped out the spiteful piece of antiquity slammed shut. Her curses echoed down the hallway.
"Rough night, doc?" Dalton relaxed and holstered the sidearm that suddenly appeared in his hand. It was an automatic reaction that he was trying to break habit from. Admittedly, if he hadn't been dozing while on duty, he wouldn't have been surprised, but he wasn't going to tell her that.
"I swear that thing hates me," she said by way of reply completely unaware of his little slipup.
Dalton grinned and followed her into the isolation ward. Dix had his ear plastered to the wall, but he waved to the newcomers to join him. "He's reading to her again."
"Weren't you supposed to get him to rest?" Kara pinned both men with an accusatory glare. She wasn't surprised though. Since the moment Max had come down here, Alec could not be persuaded to leave her side.
Dix peeled away from the wall and touched his left cheek meaningfully. It sported the result of the last time he tried to get Alec to listen to reason. The butterfly strip itched fiercely but should fall off in a few days leaving a faint, 'distinguishing' scar. "You're welcome to try." With that he unbolted the door and ushered them inside.
The moment they laid eyes on their co-leaders, Kara was glad access to this level was restricted. Terminal City's residents were aware of Max's condition, maybe not the full extent, but they understood the need to isolate her for the time being. If anyone saw the state Alec had deteriorated to, strife would run rampant and they'd have a riot on their hands.
His hair had grown amazingly fast, greasy locks falling constantly into his face. Dark circles surrounded his sunken, bloodshot eyes. They blinked incessantly as he read the old worn leather-bound book clutched between shaking hands. The title of the book was nearly illegible with age but the tale Alec spoke of was timeless. His voice rasped slightly from overuse but carried well in the small room.
The state of the room surprised Kara the most. Max's bed was empty and it lay broken on its side. Tufts of soundproofing poked out of long tears in the canvassed wall. She turned to Dix in askance but he merely shrugged. Dalton wasn't any help either. Alec's tone of voice never changed from but he broke away from the story to supply the answer.
"Ketamine wore off during my normal shift. She panicked and tried to escape."
"Why didn't you call one of us?" Kara asked exasperated.
"Or dart her?" Biggs joined them. He had a plate of food in one hand. His other arm held several more books. He set both on the table next to Alec's cot and proceeded to remove the other plates. Many of them were barely touched and pursed his lips at his best friend's stubbornness.
"No time. When she stumbled into me…"
"You got your ass handed to you," Dalton interrupted remembering how violently she reacted to being touched.
Alec lips twitch into a small knowing smile. He ignored the mildly annoyed look Biggs kept giving him and continued. "No. I didn't spend every moment of the last week down here for nothing. She recognized my scent and voice and calmed down. I've been reading to her ever since."
Max lay asleep against his chest hands entwined in the front of his shirt. She shifted slightly, unconsciously nuzzling the nape of his neck. Alec watched her settle in a close to his body as possible amazed at how fragile she seemed. Fresh pink scars dotted her pale skin. Yellowing bruises marched intermittently up her arms. Her weight barely felt like anything; God she was so thin.
Gentle hands began to pull Max away. Exhaustion had weakened the normally tight control he had on his emotions. Alec flew into a protective rage his left-handed punch sent Dix reeling back into Biggs. All humanity drained from his face, a well-sustained warning growl trickled from his lips.
Blood trickled down his right cheek. Now he had a matched set. That did it for Dix. He pushed roughly away from Biggs' support, gave Dalton who had doubled up with laughter an unimpeded view of his middle finger and darted Alec. This was going to be a long week.