How does one call from planet to planet? Something having to do with satellites. *grin* I asked AL once, and she just smiled at me… oO;;

Chapter Ten: Cause and Effect

When Gary awoke the next morning, strong sunlight was streaming through gaps in the curtains, and yet it was uncomfortably cold in the room. Shivering, he buried himself underneath the blankets with a groan. It was then he noticed someone holding his hand. He looked and saw Lisa curled up, fast asleep, on a chair beside the bed using a red jacket as a blanket.

He smiled softly and tugged at her hand. "Hey," he whispered, his throat a little dry and scratchy. "Hey, Lisa?"

"Hmm?" she murmured, then yawned and opened her eyes. She smiled when she saw Gary was awake, let go of his hand, and sat up. "Hey. Welcome back to the land of the living. Lost you for a bit, there."

Gary recalled his loss of consciousness. "Yeah. Did the…um, the Healer…did he come?"

She nodded. "While you were unconscious." He listened quietly while she explained her instructions and the effects his accidental injection was causing and accepted the glass of water she offered him. At the moment, he actually felt all right…a little weak, perhaps, a slight headache, and his concentration was wavering a bit…but all right.

"So," she said, "you hungry? I'm not a very good cook…but I have cereal and stuff for breakfast."

"Yeah, I…I guess." He then noticed the clock on the nightstand, which read 9:17AM, and a slight panic rushed through him. "Hey, wait…the paper. Where's the paper?"

"Gar, I doubt your paperboy can find his way here."

He started to sit up. "Not a paperboy…the cat. He's…he's not here?"

Lisa shook her head. "Only cat here is mine."

Gary frowned. If the paper didn't come to him, maybe it went to the loft. He needed to call Marissa. "Lisa, could I use your – "

"Phone?" she asked, finishing his sentence. "Yeah, sure." She stood and took a cordless phone off its hook and brought it to him, dialing a few numbers before putting it into his hand. "Set…just dial one and the area code first."

He glanced at her for a moment before dialing. The line rang twice before Marissa answered. "McGinty's."

"Marissa! It's Gary!"

"Gary! Where on Earth have you been? What's going on?"

Unsure of how to break the news to his friend, he decided to ask a question instead. "Marissa, did the paper come this morning?"

"No. Isn't it with you?"

"Uh…"

"Where are you, anyway?" she interrupted. "What happened last night?"

"You want me to talk to her?" Lisa asked.

Gary shook his head while Marissa asked, "Who was that?"

"That…was the girl I went to save last night…from the Sears Tower. Turns out…" His voice died away as he realized he really couldn't tell her the truth over the phone.

"You're probably right," said Lisa. Okay, she could tell what he was thinking. Mind reading. He could handle that. "But we can't leave. I bet anything those goons are still out for us, and…" She lowered her voice. "And you're not well."

Considering the room had started to spin, she was right. He shut his eyes. "Uh, Marissa?"

"Yes, Gary? What's the matter?"

He sighed. "I won't tell you not to worry, because you will, anyway. Something went wrong with the save last night and I have to hide out for a while. But I'm okay. I'm somewhere safe, and I'll call you when I can."

Marissa was silent on the other end for a beat. He knew she wanted to question his whereabouts, and he hoped she wouldn't take too long because he was becoming very dizzy. Slowly, he slid down to a horizontal position on the bed.

"Gary…"

"Marissa, please…" His voice sounded desperate, and he hoped it didn't to her. He was getting really, really dizzy.

"All right," she said finally. "But please try to call me. Take care, Gary."

"Bye." He hung up the phone and put his hands over his face, groaning.

"Hold still," said Lisa, and he felt something in his ear, like one of those thermometers. After a few seconds, it was removed.

"Your temperature's up."

No wonder he felt so cold. He heard movement, then Lisa said, "Here, drink this."

Opening his eyes, Gary saw her holding a small vial of purple liquid. He shut them again when she split into twins. "What is it?"

"Something that'll bring down the fever. Hopefully it'll stop your dizziness, too."

He felt the vial being pressed into his hand and downed it in one gulp, wanting to get rid of the dizziness as fast as possible. It tasted like grapes and started to work right away, as, when he opened his eyes, he was no longer seeing double. However, some of the dizziness still remained.

"Medicus did say the stuff in your bloodstream could cause stuff like this. He also said we'll have to play it by ear."

Gary had a sinking feeling. Somehow, he felt things would just get worse.

End chapter ten.