Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The water streamed down in a steamy mist, covering her bent head and shoulders as she braced herself against he tiled wall.

The water ran a warm path down her back, between her breasts, and down her legs, puddling at her feet. She had finished cleaning the dirt off of her, the tangles were now out of her hair and it fell loosely about her face, the once long tendrils now just coming back into being.

Gerald was moving around outside the shower, she could hear him pacing. There was something about him that was familiar. Every once in awhile there was a gesture, a look, a tone that sounded to familiar to her; but she couldn't place why her body thought it was familiar.

She threw her head back, sending a spray of water around her as she stood straight, reaching forward to turn the water off.

She stepped out of the shower, the water puddling around her feet on the clean white tile floor and she reached for the fluffy white terrycloth robe that Gerald had given her before she went into the bathroom.

She wrapped it around her, cinching it at the waste and rolling the sleeves up so her hands were free.

Gerald, who had been waiting for her to finish so he cold bring her back to the lab turned when the bathroom door opened and for a moment he was speechless. Claire's skin was flushed from the warm water, and she looked amazingly appealing in the oversized robe. It took actual thought to force himself not to take her in his arms, she wasn't ready for that, not yet.

Instead he smiled at her, "You look much better," was all he said, hoping she could see the physical effect she had on him.

"They are waiting for us, so we must hurry." He motioned towards the door.

Claire stood where she was, studying him. "Who are 'they' and why are they waiting for me?"

Gerald clamped down on his irritation, she was being cautious. "They are the friends I told you about, they are here to help you."

One of Claire's eyebrows arched onto her forehead, "I wasn't aware I needed help."

Gerald moved towards her, softening his voice, "Claire, there are times when we all need help, please, follow me."

Once again Claire felt the lethargy come over her and she felt herself nod and she took his arm again following him out the door. What was going on here?

They entered the main lab again, only this time he directed her towards the center where there were chairs lined up in front of a large glass sphere. He placed her in one of the chairs before he moved to confer with one of the scientists.

Claire took the opportunity to observe the area around her. The sphere appeared to connected to a device of some sort. It was held in the air by two large clamps, and there were two large magnets on either side of it, pointing at each other through the glass.

She watched the scientists on the edges of her vision, they were continuing their work, but they kept sending her nervous glances. The tension in the room was high, and it smelled of excitement. Whatever was about to happen it was big.

"Excuse me," Claire turned to see an elderly man in a lab coat peering at her through thick glasses and she growled at him. She didn't like doctors.

The man looked slightly startled and sent Gerald a questioning look. Gerald nodded at him and pushed him forward, as if urging him to continue.

The man sat in the chair next to her, perching on the edge of the seat as if he would take flight any moment now. Claire eyed him up, judging what his next move would be.

"I would like to introduce myself, my name is Dr. Kovic, and I am very excited to meet you." He held out his hand.

Claire stared at the out stretched hand and glared at him until he withdrew it.

"We have all been waiting for a long time for you, and now that you are here some very exciting things are going to happen."

Claire sent a suspicious look at Gerald, "what kind of things?"

Dr. Kovic cleared his throat, "tell me my dear, do you know what anti-matter is?"

*********************************************

Logan stared at the rock, the trail just ended there, but they couldn't have just disappeared into nothing.

Misty stifled a yawn, and wished her stomach would quite growling. They had been searching for Claire for almost 13 hours, and now they had come to a dead end, literally.

She peered at the rock, looking for a seam, anything that would give the impression that it could be moved, but she saw nothing.

"I don't know about you guys," Misty started, "but I'm stumped."

Logan shook his head, it just didn't make any sense, there was nothing around these parts, so where could she have disappeared to?