Chapter 25- Accusations

Nick, Avery, Claudia and Stephen stood in front of Lester's desk in his office, Lester was leaning on his desk, flipping through a file. Avery sat on a table next to Stephen as Nick and Claudia stood in front of her.

"Sorry, we really don't have time for this. We have to find him." Nick said as Lester casually looking through a file.

"So how exactly does the parasite pass itself on?" Lester said, ignoring the slight command in Nick's words and tone.

"Biting, in this case," Nick explained.

"but kissing would do just as well". Avery added in.

"Well, by the look of him, kissing isn't likely to be much of an issue." Avery wondered if Lester always had something to say about everyone, and if he did she wondered what he would say about her, she would ask him, if she wasn't afraid it was like walking into the lion's den. "I take it this thing is an automatic death sentence."

"If we can catch the victim during the parasite's incubation period, then maybe we have a chance of saving them." Nick said.

"But we're talking hours at the most. This thing's life cycle is unbelievably accelerated." Stephen added in, saying the facts as they were.

"And who knows how many people Tom could infect. Three, four. And if they bite three, four more in turn …" Claudia explained.

Lester interrupted her with a roll of his eyes "Yes, yes, I can do the maths for myself. Thank you. You know this is all Helen's doing. Unleashing a pandemic on us is just one more part of her twisted plan."

"What plan?" Nick asked confused.

"You tell me." Avery could tell Lester still didn't fully know whose side Nick was on, and honestly, she didn't know either.

"Helen hasn't done any of this on purpose. The dodos being contaminated is pure chance."

"Who knows what Helen's capable of. She's left us behind. All of us." Lester looked at Avery who turned her head away, biting her tongue. Lester could tell it was not to argue with him but to agree, and she didn't say anything as not to upset her father. Avery had made her disregard towards her mother quite vocal. He turned away from her and faced Nick. "I think you're the only person who can't admit it." He moved around his desk and sat down. "Doors open. Thank you. I suggest you all hurry up and find him."

Avery could see a slight fury in Nick's eyes and a slight tenseness to Stephens frame, both clearly angry at Lester's accusations towards her mother.

When they got to the hospital Stephen Pulled Avery aside as Nick and Claudia approached the desk to ask if Tom had come in. "Why didn't you try to deny Lester's statement. Helen's your mother for god's sake."

"She might be my mother, but I do not believe all these things are by accident. Most things yes, but Helen is somehow involved, I don't believe she wanted to see us out of the kindness of her heart. eight years she abandoned us for. eight. far too long to suddenly realize you are lonely."

"Is everything alright?" Claudia asked interrupting them.

"Yes." Avery said looking away, "come on let's go." Claudia sent a look to Stephen before they joined up with Nick.

As they walked to the room where Tom bit a doctor, Claudia looked back and noticed Avery trailing behind, a furrow between her brows. She slowed her speed to match Avery and leaned down to ask. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." Avery said looking at Claudia. "It's just bothering me how dad can just forgive mom for leaving us. I always admired how much dad loved mom, and I guess I still do, but it's just frustrating. She even abandoned Stephen, but he forgives her, maybe even more than dad." She looked at Nick and Stephen's back's. "Some part of me want to forgive mom, but I just can't."

"I don't blame you." Claudia said looking at Nick.

"I don't know if I could love Michael if he left me." She sighed and looked towards Claudia. "Your falling for him aren't you?" Avery said gesturing with her head towards Nick.

"No." Claudia scoffed.

"Hmm" Avery hummed a small smile on her face. Claudia couldn't ask what she meant as they arrived at the x-ray room.

The doctor was clutching and rubbing at his arm as they walked in. "That was quick." He said in surprise.

"Who were you expecting?" Claudia asked for them. For the technical stuff, they were fine, but Claudia was important for dealing with people skills, As Avery, Nick and Stephen were more used to dealing with each other and animals.

"You're from the Hospital of Tropical Diseases. I called." The doctor replied even more confused.

"Yes, yes, you did." Claudia lied. "Um, I'm Claudia Brown from the Home Office."

"What's going on?"

"A suspected case of rabies."

"No, this isn't rabies. I saw something on the scan. It was inside him."

"Work with us. Rabies sounds a whole lot better than 'we have no idea'."

"What's he done to me?" The doctor started to panic at Claudia's words. "There must be a vaccine or something."

"Your only hope is to have it surgically removed before it gets too advanced." Nick cut in, trying to ebb his confusion and fear, but failing.

"Look, we really need to find him, okay?" Stephen pushed. "So if you have any idea where he is, anything you could tell us would be very…"

The doctor interrupted him with a gasp. "I don't think he knows anything else." Claudia said. "We should go."

In a corridor of the home office they tried to figure out where Tom would go. Lester's men had no lead on him.

"We have to think like Tom. Now, where would he go?" Nick said.

"Well, we don't know if he's on foot, in a car or using public transport." Claudia said.

"We don't know anything. Our only real chance of tracking him down is if, or when, he attacks again, someone's going to raise the alarm." Stephen said, bouncing around ideas.

"That may take longer than you think because Tom isn't just an animal. He's a human being. He has willpower, he's going to fight this." Nick clarified, working with evolution and animals, knowing the difference was sometimes hard.

"Connor and Duncan might know, their friends after all." Avery suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good idea, try them."

"Okay." Stephen walked away to find Connor and Duncan.

"Helen wouldn't do this to us. I know she wouldn't." Nick said, looking at Claudia.

Claudia and Avery just looked at each other before walking away.