Chapter 9 -- Labor Pains
"Miss Angelo," a man in faded jeans murmured as she crossed the hospital lobby.
Gwen nodded discretely and fell into step next to the young man. "Agent Tarsk," she greeted in a low voice, not looking at him. "What's the word?"
"Zin's people have saturated every hospital in the city."
"How many have we taken?"
"None here. Three at Mercy. They're massing there since we took the three."
"Good, good." Gwen nodded faintly but did not for one second believe that Zin was fooled by their seeming inactivity in this location. "You keep my perimeter clear, you keep your eyes open, and you send Kettai and Doctor Gibbons up the minute you see them."
"As you say." He nodded and turned off, vanishing down a side hallway.
Twenty seconds later, another Agent, this one dressed in scrubs, fell in step beside her long enough to report, "You're a go. No sign of Doctor Gibbons or Agent Andross yet."
"You have Kettai call me the moment he reports in, Agent Morin," she murmured as he moved off.
He nodded faintly but did not otherwise acknowledge her words.
Gwen wove her way through the hospital's maze of side and back hallways, allowing herself a moment's hope. Kettai had gotten some of the very best Agents in the Taskforce to man the hospital, mostly men and women under his direct command. If anyone could manage to keep Zin away from them, it was this group. Now all they needed was for Táhirih to show up in one piece.
She pulled out her cell-phone as it vibrated in her pocket. "Go," she directed.
"Are you there?"
"Almost. Are you going to have the security system down?"
"On your mark, ma'am."
Gwen nodded and moved to stand in front of the emergency exit. "Mark."
"Three, two, and now."
Gwen nodded and pushed the door open. "Hurry, come on," she ordered as Mel and Cole half-carried Jenin into the hospital.
"You need that door closed in ten."
"Let's move, people!" Gwen jerked the door closed again as soon as all three were inside. "Okay, you can resume the connection."
"Understood. Luck of the gods."
"Thanks, we're going to need it. Angelo out."
She slid the phone back into her pocket and looked Jenin over. She could smell the Nodulian's blood, even over the reek of her own fear and that of Mel's. She moved closer to Cole as she led them towards the elevator. At least a Cirronian's anxiety generated a pleasant smell, almost like chocolate. Considering the sedative effects that cocoa products had on the species, she considered it highly ironic that they started to smell like it when they were anxious.
Mel fidgeted as they rode the elevator up to the abandoned wing. Gwen was silent, grim, and completely still. It was like standing next to a completely different woman than the one who worked in the bar and always had a smile and a cheerful word for everyone. Her tension was obvious and it scared Mel.
"Any word from Táhirih yet?" she murmured to Gwen. Cole was, of course, completely preoccupied with Jenin, whispering to her and gently touching her face and stomach.
Gwen shook her head faintly. "Kettai is on it."
"Gwen," Mel began hesitantly. "Is something…"
"Zin has her," the girl confessed.
Cole's head shot up. "For how long?"
"Not long yet. Just a few hours. Kettai and his team are on it. They'll bring her back to us in one piece."
"They'd better," Cole grumbled.
"I know," Gwen said, nodding. "She's like a sister to me. I know…"
Cole nodded and lightly touched the girl's forehead for a moment, looking up as the elevator door opened.
"We're clear," Gwen announced after taking a moment to look, listen, and smell. "Third door on the left," she added as they moved out of the elevator. "Táhirih had the room prepped last night."
"I need books," Cole told her, lifting Jenin onto the bed.
"Lap top computer with internet access." Gwen pointed. "Several good medical libraries bookmarked."
Mel moved to Jenin's side immediately, taking her hand and murmuring soothingly.
"You may have to do this by yourself," Gwen added in a low voice as Cole gave Jenin a pat and then hurried over to the computer.
"I know," he murmured, nodding and starting a web search. "Keep an eye on her."
Gwen nodded and squeezed his shoulder gently. "You'll do fine. I know you will, sir. You put your mind to something, you can do it. You're like that."
He gave a faint nod. "Thank you, Gwen."
"We're going to keep this child safe. And you are going to help Miss Porter raise her if that means I have to bring those fugitive life-forces back to Sar-Top myself," she whispered.
Cole smiled up at her for a moment before returning his attention to the information pouring across the screen. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Gwen."
She shrugged. "Hey, you have a right to be happy. And I have a reason to help you achieve that."
"And what is that, Gwen?" he asked, looking curiously up at her.
"You're family." Shrugging, Gwen patted his shoulder and then moved to join Mel and Jenin.
***
"This is pointless, Zin," Lana yawned, rising and pouring herself a cup of coffee as Zin watched Táhirih's 'interrogation' through the two-way mirror. "The more he hurts her, the louder she prays. Even the drugs aren't helping… She's not going to tell you what you want to know."
"Oh, I know." Zin nodded. "Figured that one out twenty minutes ago. I'm actually surprised it took you so long to figure it out, my dear."
"Oh, I figured that out in the first five minutes. But Erak seemed to be enjoying himself." Lana nodded towards the Enixian with an indulgent smile. "Didn't want to ruin his fun."
Zin chuckled and shook his head. "How magnanimous of you, my dear." Shaking his head, he activated the intercom. "That's enough, Erak. You may go." As the Enixian gathered his things together and left the room, Zin turned to Lana. "Shall we go have a nice discussion with the good Doctor?"
"Well, I suppose that's one option." She smiled faintly. "What do you want with her, Zin?"
"To break her, mostly. Any information we can gain on Taskforce operations on this planet will be a lovely bonus."
"Breaking her will take time," Lana observed, leaning casually against the wall. "And keeping her captive will prove problematic unless we fit her out with a neurodebilitator."
"How long will that take?" he asked, moving to stand in front of her.
Lana ignored the fact that his nose was less than three inches from hers. "We can have one ready for instillation by evening." When he pursed his lips, she shrugged and added, "Or the one we just finished for Jenin can be installed now."
Zin considered. "No. Jenin must be fitted out immediately once we recapture her. Have the human sedated until we have one for her."
"As you command." Lana inclined her head. "You wish to speak to her first?"
"Mmm, just for a moment, I think."
Lana nodded and slid around Zin, holding the door for him. "Oh, sir," she began as he reached for the door to the room where Táhirih was being held. "About Thaler…"
Zin looked up, his expression one of polite interest. "What about him, my dear?"
"His usefulness may shortly be at an end as we have discussed."
Zin nodded shortly. "Yes, and I've already given you permission to--"
"We should keep him alive and in Chicago," Lana interrupted.
He raised an eyebrow. "Do tell."
"We can use him as bait to catch the mongrel female." Noting Zin's bored expression, she smiled and added, "The mongrel female who happens to be sleeping with the man who is second in command of regional Taskforce operations."
Zin smiled widely. "I like the way you think, my dear!" he laughed, gently patting her cheek.
"Mmm, here's something else to make you smile," she purred. "She also seems to have a relationship of reciprocal affection with a certain Cirronian Tracker who's been a thorn in our side. He would almost certainly attempt a rescue of his own."
"Beautiful, Lana, my dear," Zin breathed, smiling warmly at her and lifting one hand. "You are an amazingly insightful creature, you know that?" he asked, caressing her face for a moment before letting his hands move lower.
Lana closed her eyes and let out a low growl of pleasure as his fingers tightened around her throat.
Leaning close, he whispered in her ear, still tightening his grip on her throat. "I don't know what I would have done in these past years without you by my side, Lana."
"Had fewer fights with your wife, perhaps?" she chuckled, pulling him against her before lifting both of her hands.
"Leave her out of it," Zin suggested, closing his eyes as she began squeezing his throat.
"If you insist." Shrugging, she tightened her grip on his throat painfully, smiling when he moaned in response and closed his fingers around her throat tightly enough to leave bruises. Abruptly she let out a Vardian curse and dropped her hands, jerking out of his grasp. "We have work to do," she murmured, shaking her head.
Zin snarled and slammed his fist into the wall next to her head, leaving a sizeable dent. "Is work all you ever think about?" he asked her in a gentle voice, absently tracing the bruises forming on her pretty neck.
She sighed gently and shook her head. "No, Zin. You are all I ever think about. We're on a time-table and we can not afford to tarry."
"No, I suppose not," he agreed with a shrug. "Later, perhaps."
"Perhaps," she agreed mildly. "Shall we, then?" she asked, gesturing towards the cell door.
"Mmm." Zin caught the door. "After you, my dear."
"Back for more?" Táhirih managed weakly as she heard the door open, not bothering to open her eyes.
She was strapped to a surgical table, wore only a bra and ladies boxers, and her body was spotted with cuts and burns. Blood seeped from more than one of the cuts, trailing down her chest and stomach in small rivers, pooling in her belly button or staining her white cotton waistband. The pain and blood-loss she could handle, even the indignity of being stripped almost naked before complete strangers, but the worry over Gwen and Jenin was starting to wear on her nerves.
"Why don't you cry?" Zin asked, curious. Erak had most of his victims begging for death within five minutes. Táhirih had neither cried nor even asked him to stop, let alone implored him for the release of death.
Táhirih's eyes popped open as she recognized his voice. "A woman has to have some dignity," she informed him, managing to infuse her voice with a lot more pride and certainty than she felt at the moment.
"True. Sometimes it's all we have," Zin agreed quietly, brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face.
Táhirih shivered under the touch but made no move to pull away. She could not have gone far anyway. "That and faith," she managed, her voice weak and shaky.
Zin rolled his eyes at the amendment. Faith was a dangerous thing in an enemy. It would never do to let her retain any.
"Jenin died in childbirth twenty minutes ago," he informed her quietly. "The child, too."
"You lie!" she spat.
"I wish I did," Zin told her, shrugging. "I had much to gain from their survival. The child was too large to be delivered naturally. Jenin died in Daggon's arms. He wept." Patting her shoulder, he turned and started to leave. "Lana, get Reta in here to heal these injuries and then have her transported to a holding facility."
"As you command," Lana agreed, following him from the room.
"That was inspired," Lana told Zin with a smile as they watched Táhirih struggling against her tears through the two-way glass. "Absolutely inspired…"
He smiled back, nodding faintly. "These humans have much to teach us, Lana."
"Do they, now?" she asked politely.
"They have a saying that a lie is most convincingly hidden between two truths."
She smiled. "How insightful of them."
"It's a shame that the Taskforce is involved," Zin murmured. "If it had just been Daggon, he might actually have come to me once it became obvious that Jenin could not give birth normally."
"Which the Taskforce never would. We have to find her before she gives birth or we could lose both."
***
"Damn, here comes another one," Jenin muttered, pausing in her walking.
"Okay, it's okay," Cole assured her, sliding his arms around her. "Just breathe like I showed you."
"Cirronian pain-management. It's… ah!"
"Breathe!" Cold ordered, supporting her against his body.
"Should she be standing up?" Mel whispered to Gwen.
"I don't know. I guess it's helping hurry things along or something." Gwen shrugged.
"Why isn't she making any noise?" Mel whispered to Gwen.
"Nodulians were heavily predated for millions of years. Childbirth being when a Nodulian is most vulnerable, they evolved to do it in absolute silence until the chanting starts. They start making noise before that and you know they're in trouble. Odds are good that at least one isn't going to survive if--" Her explanation was cut off by a sharp cry from Jenin.
"Come on," Cole urged gently, slipping his hands under her arms and dropping into a crouch, pulling her with him. "Just lean on me and push."
"Okay, I'll… ah!" she protested, her entire body shaking. Giving up even the pretense of pushing, she just hung on to Cole and whimpered.
"Oh, God," Mel whispered, covering her mouth with one hand.
Cole whispered in her ear, pulling her upright and holding her against his body, rubbing her back in soothing circles. As soon as the contraction had passed, he lifted her onto the bed, settling her quickly and then circling around to check her progress. Shaking his head, he covered her legs with a blanket and joined Mel and Gwen.
"Rest for a few minutes, Jenin," Cole directed over his shoulder. "I'm going to have to remove this child surgically," he announced in a whisper to Mel and Gwen. "I should be able to see the baby by now. Jenin's getting too weak. She can't even push any more."
"What, you're going to operate on her without anesthetic?" Mel whispered, horrified.
"Unless Táhirih left something, I may have to. Gwen, what did she leave?"
"Uh, the surgical tools are here," Gwen said, pulling a covered tray out of one corner. She pulled back the cover and held up a large syringe.
Cole frowned at the size of it. "Hwa'ta?" he asked.
Gwen nodded wordlessly. "It's the only thing here that's strong enough to kill her pain without harming the child. I'll give it to her. She'll be feeling no pain in two minutes tops. You get on that computer and read up on C-sections while it starts working."
Cole nodded and sat down in front of the computer. "Mel, will you sit with Jenin?"
"Yeah." She nodded and moved to stand next to Jenin, taking the girl's hand and brushing her hair out of her face. "You okay, sweetie?"
"I'll be better when I've held and named my daughter," Jenin assured her, her expression pained but confident.
"Okay, Jen. Get some rest," Mel suggested gently. She looked up at Gwen as she unwrapped and the very large syringe. "What the hell is a… hwa'ta?" she asked.
"It's a Cirronian word. Drug injected directly into the cardiac muscle," Gwen explained, uncapping it and knocking out bubbles.
"You're going to shove that thing into her chest?" Mel hissed, staring at a needle about twice as thick as any she had ever seen while giving blood at the Red Cross.
"Relax, I've done it more than once in the past," Gwen assured her gently, pushing down Jenin's hospital-gown to expose her chest.
Mel's wide eyes grew wider still. "You have?"
"Hwa'ta is used for high anesthetic and bio-chemical countermeasures. Humans use if for the latter purpose as well," Gwen explained. "I've done it to myself, my friends, and my fiancé."
Mel stared at the needle again, her eyes wide.
"Ready, Jenin?" Gwen asked.
"It won't knock me out?"
"No. It's designed to kill pain without robbing the patient of awareness."
Jenin nodded sharply. "Do it."
"Okay." Gwen nodded, wrapped both hands around the syringe and shoved it into Jenin's chest.
The Nodulian did not even flinch. Mel retreated to a corner, grabbing a trashcan and retching as Gwen emptied the syringe of its contents.
"You have done this before," Jenin murmured, smiling faintly.
"Yeah." Gwen nodded and removed the needle, pressing a square of gauze over the puncture. "You just relax now and let it happen," she suggested, smiling gently down at Jenin. "It's also going to make the contractions less severe, so maybe you can finally get some sleep."
"I'll try," Jenin told her, closing her eyes.
"Good." Gwen smiled more firmly and brushed Jenin's hair out of her face, watching her with a worried look for a moment before walking over to Mel. "You okay?" she asked gently.
"You've done that to yourself?" Mel whispered.
Gwen nodded. "I'd been exposed to nerve gas. Adrenaline to the heart is the standard countermeasure."
Mel stared at Gwen, trying to picture the kind of determination and guts it must have taken to shove a needle that size into her own chest for a moment her other words sunk in. Exposed to nerve gas?
"I don't know you at all, do I?" she whispered.
"I'd say you know the real me fairly well," Gwen told her, shrugging. "I'm not a spy, you know, not really. I'm… just a girl who sometimes has to… act," she said with a hint of sadness in her tone. "We do what we have to do because no one else is willing but… someone has to."
"Cole says you have a grudge against Zin?"
"Yeah. He took something very dear to me. I'll tell you all about it another time," Gwen assured her quietly.
"You going to be okay, Gwen?" Mel asked gently, spreading her arms.
Gwen wordlessly hugged her, nodding. The two women only looked up when they heard Cole and Jenin chanting quietly.
"Just take her hand and try to keep her calm," Gwen murmured to Mel.
Mel nodded and moved to stand by Jenin's head as Gwen quietly moved to stand next to Cole, looking up at him and waiting for instructions.
"Cole?" Mel whispered.
He looked up at her with wide, anxious eyes.
"Can you do this?" she asked quietly.
"I have to, Mel," he pointed out simply, picking up a scalpel. "I've read a lot of material. I think I can do it."
"Good luck," she whispered.
"Thank you, Mel." Cole smiled weakly and returned his attention to Jenin.
Mel fixed her attention on Jenin's face, unwilling to look at what was happening on the other side of the drape. Her only indication that Cole had even begun the surgery came when Jenin let out a low hiss. Mel held her hand in one of her own and gently smoothed her hair out of her face, murmuring soothingly and not tearing her eyes from Jenin's face. The Nodulian woman remained impassive, but the color was rapidly leaving her face and it was obvious that she was struggling to remain conscious. In spite of that, though, the Nodulian never faltered in the quiet chant she was sending up.