Chapter Thirteen: Asleep/Awake
Leeanne felt vulnerable for two reasons: one, she was naked and two, she was falling.
The last thing her conscious mind could recall was lights out at the hospital following a meagre dinner served by one very happy porter. From there she must have gone to sleep, relaxed enough knowing that there was a cop outside her door. But now instead of revelling in that feeling of protection she felt exposed and afraid.
The impact of landing made her jump, her eyes peered wide into the darkness but saw nothing. Was she awake or asleep? She could feel bedsheets around her and a mattress beneath her, a feeling of familiarity yet somehow not; she was still without clothes. She reached out tentatively for the light switch to the right of her only to come into contact with something solid that shouldn't be there. Snatching her hand back quickly she froze and listened. Someone else was in the room. She could hear breathing coming from right next to the bed but due to those blasted black-out blinds could see absolutely nothing.
"Hello..?" Her voice came out as barely a whisper but that was when it pounced; pinning her to the bed and clamping a hand over her mouth whilst an arm circled her upper body. Her breathing shot up ten-fold but sounded muffled as the large hand across her lips stopped her from drawing in and drawing out fully. She could hear herself whimpering.
"Shush now, shush..." A second hand stroked her face with rough fingers. The voice which came from the darkness was male and she could tell from the weight which pressed on the her body that this male was huge.
Whilst the one hand remained over her mouth the other which was on her face ran down over the side of the sheet following the silouhette of her body.
"Now if I take my hand from your mouth are you going to be good?" The breath from his words brushed her forehead. She nodded.
He took a moment as if weighing up her response but finally removed the hand away from her mouth, running a finger along her lips.
"Good girl" His voice was smooth. His touch felt strange.
The other hand made it's way down the far side of her body again but this time it took the sheet with it and exposed her breasts in the process. She remained absolutely still, willing herself not to make a noise. His fingers ran along her throat, across her clavicle and then onto her chest, massaging and squeezing the flesh there with gentle fascination whilst his breaths fell hot and heavy in her ear. She turned her head away and squeezed her eyes shut. Three words going round and round in her head:
Please wake up please wake up...
Suddenly light was streaming through the doorway, followed by the rattling food cart and the same jolly porter from last night.
"Are you okay Miss?" He pulled her swing table over the bed and placed a plastic tray in front of her with various covered items "We have lovely breakfast for you today - you are leaving us soon I believe? All healed and ready for home"
"Yes" She glanced at the window - it was tiny - there was no way anyone could get through that let alone someone, something, of his size. It was a dream. It was definitely a dream. She repeated it over and over in her head, managing a smile before the porter exited and she sat herself up; her body sheilded by a hospital gown. She closed her eyes and blew out a breath whilst a tiny part of her mind questionned the situation: if it was a dream then why did he feel so familiar?
Casey couldn't believe what he was hearing. Apparently, there was a witness to the shooting of Doctor Fallon. It sounded unbelieveable, crazy even but he was willing to meet this woman and talk to her in spite of Detective Launder telling him to 'be careful' and not overly 'hopeful'.
The call came into Police Headquarters just seconds after the story broke. It was one in a hundred calls the cops received that first half hour. The Chief gave a statement re-citing the first incident of the murders at Leeanne Miller's building informing the public that the missing female was found alive and well and on first instant it appeared her boss and supervisor at TCRI was guilty although this would be confirmed after a full enquiry. He then told everyone Doctor Mike Fallon had been found dead in his car shortly after the female was located - she was not a suspect in this case. And that is when the call had come in. A woman who claimed to have seen a man in a suit and it was him who had fired the gun. Not only that but she had him on her cell-phone.
It sounded too good to be true. It sounded like someone who just wanted a little attention from the police. Casey would do her for wasting his time if this turned out to be true.
As part of the statement, the Chief also released information concerning the multiple attacks on young girls. He told people to be vigilant and be safe. Then it was time for questions. April and Vern had a good position at the front and she was the first to put a question forward.
"April O'Neil Channel Six. Chief, how come this information is only being released now?"
The Chief coughed and turned to her: "It has only recently come to light"
"Even though these events took place some time ago - why wasn't information released then?"
"It has taken time to get eveything set in place to feedback to the public and press of course, we wanted it to be accurate Miss O'Neil and in no way misleading"
"Do you have any suspects?"
Casey knew that question would be coming and he also knew that they had no suspects what so ever.
"We are currently following a number of leads but I am not at liberty to go into any more detail at this stage"
"Is that because this case also links to TCRI?"
Bam. There was the killer question. She had not told him she was going to ask THAT and Casey knew exactly how it would look to the Chief considering that he knew the letters TCRI had been found with each body and considering he knew April was his girlfriend. As if reading his mind the Chief looked directly at him and Casey felt very awkward for those few seconds.
"There is no proof of that but we are investigating every lead" So he answered the direct question by muddying over it "Next please.." Over the flurry of shouting and microphone pointing he picked up on a reporter from a well known paper, in effect telling April that her time questioning was over. Afterwards she tracked Casey down.
"I think I hit a nerve" she exclaimed "There has to be some link to TCRI. I am so hopeful that your girl will have some much needed information to share"
Vern raised a brow "O'Neil, this girl may have a gag order, meaning what goes in TCRI stays in TCRI"
April looked at Casey "Could this be true?"
"Perhaps. I haven't spoken to her since yesterday to give her the news"
"Oh...you told her the whole story?" said Vern smiling "I mean it is not every day that you get to bed down with five mutants"
Casey remained quiet.
"You haven't told her have you?" pressed Vern "How you gonna play that one out? Here are my friends - they make look like monsters but really they aren't. I thought the kid is supposed to avoid shock"
"She is, and btw she isn't a 'kid' - twenty-six is not a kid"
"Okay. No more 'kid'...but, seriously how on earth do you deliver that type of news?"
"Gently. My beautiful girlfriend is going to help me"
April's eyes narrowed "Flattery gets you eveywhere Jones" she began "But, I help you and then you help me"
She was standing by the window when Casey arrived. He hadn't, as yet, been able to get hold of the 'witness' and after leaving several messages found himself thinking that perhaps Launder was right. It was late, later than he expected. He'd promised a lunchtime pick up and instead hadn't got there until closer to two.
"Hey. So sorry that I'm late, I literally have no excuse"
She turned round and uncrossed her arms "It's okay. They bought me some toast so it's fine" Her clothes were obviously from the hospital store and not the most flattering; with them being of similar build, April had offered to put some bits together in a bag until Leeanne could get access to her apartment and her own clothes.
He observed the carrier bag on the bed: "This it?"
She nodded so he went to pick it up. "It's fine, just a few papers and some painkillers" The bag was then in her grasp.
"So let's get you out of here"
They left the room and the hospital in silence, it wasn't until she was inside the car that Leeanne said anything and even then it was to comment on her lack of willingness to chit chat: "It's just not really my thing" Casey thought of Michelangelo and hoped that the youngest and most excitable of the family would go easy on her. Perhaps be a good idea to give Donatello the heads up after they picked up April.
"You like science then?" Casey found the quietness too awkward - perhaps she would talk about her job if he coaxed a little. As they waited at lights he glanced over as she was looking out at the City. He noticed a small line of bruises across her cheek; not too disimiliar to finger marks.
"Always. Much to my parents disgust" She wound her fingers together "But.." Then she stopped, and went back to looking out of the window.
"You close with your folks?"
"No"
Casey couldn't think of where to go from here. She was right. She really didn't do chit-chat. He found a parking space, or drop off zone, a couple of yards away from Channel 6.
"I'm just gonna make a quick call, April should be out in a mo..." He unclipped his seatbelt and jumped from the drivers side, Leeanne didn't say anything. Taking his cell out of his pocket he dialled April first off, just giving a little advice to take it easy as from his personal experience this girl was one of the quietest people he'd met. He then relayed the same information to Donatello.
"Is this the time to tell Mikey he can't come and that he better do some meditation?"
"Got it in one pal. Thanks again for this, I know it's a big favour to ask"
"Hey I'm all for it! It will be nice to have someone around who is on my wavelength.."
"Has Leo said anything else?"
"No. He went out last night and I haven't heard a peep from him since. Hey, he'll come round. Has to. If dad says yes there is no buts or maybes"