SCENE EIGHTEEN Baltimore State Asylum Acute Ward
" ... no, no, no, no, no! wees cain't, Mee-gel! 'temus-Poppa, Jermee, wees cain't! Quiyat Tommy, Jacs, Jemmee-Cozz"n Doccter, plees, no, no, wees no can go ways! Wees cain't go! Wees fot wees teld you dat! " One of L Company, a scrawny, copper-penny redhead cried, his wide, green eyes bright with tears.
Artemus thought this seeming-child, who looked to be three and a half, maybe four, might be called either Bedien, Dutafu, Annie's or Rand. But he was still learning to tell them apart. And it didn't help that an equally frightened crowd of the Ls was gathering right behind this near-hysterical child, and gathering steam.
"Wees cain't! Wees no can go ways! Wees cain't! Wees wuld den be veryiest baddy, an' veryiest dis'bedien, toos!" The small brothers began to panic and to protest, all together.
"Littles, please, please try not to be so very frightened. You're all being quite, quite good little boys." Miguel implored, shaking his head. "And we have talked about this, more than once. We've talked it all through, by now. You won't have to stay here for even a minute, just as soon as your uncle Jimmy arrives and gives us the word. We're only waiting for him, now. And he has sent word he will be here if at all possible tomorrow, or the next day at the very, very latest."
"Nos! Nos! Nos!" The children chorused, not soothed in the least. Which was strange enough by itself, considering their strong affection for the doctor, Artie thought. "Nos, wees cain't! Wees cain't go wif us'ns guddes' unc Jimmy! Wees no can go ways wif hims! Wees no can go ways, Mee-gel! Wees did be teld yous dat, wees did be teld dat "gen an' gen' an' gen!" The children went on, reaching out for their helpers, or pulling back, as if too afraid now for even a hug.
"Yes, that's so, that's right, you have, you've said that before." Artemus agreed, thinking as quickly as possible of some way to ease them, just as a trio of these abruptly terrified children allowed him to take their hands and slow down their panic a bit. "But, you know, Littles, our Quiet Tommy and Jacs, our Jeremee and even Miguel are getting up there, you know they're ... kind of old now. So I think maybe they've forgotten what you told us, exactly. In fact, I'm not sure I remember it exactly, myself. So, it would be a big help, a ... veryiest big help, right now if you would tell us why you can't go away from here.
Because, Littles, we know you don't want to stay here, anymore than we want you to. It's ... well, as Miguel said before, a vile, a really bad, skeerdey place, isn't it? It's too hot in summer, too lonely, and noisy and ... too wet and cold in winter, like now. And when we were telling you about Miguel's house, remember, Littles? You thought you might like it there, you might like visiting with Ani and Micah-Little...remember? So, can you tell us, can you please tell us, why you can't "go ways'?"
Now the redhead, the apparent leader of this clutch of little boys turned to face Artemus, with a solemn expression considering his apparent age. "Dint wees be teld yous dat part, temus-Poppa?" The small redhead asked, sniffling, scratching his head and scrunching his small features with evident worry and confusion. 'dint wees be teld dat parts b"for nows?"
"No, no, I think maybe you were ... I think maybe that part was too scary to talk about then. Don't you think that's what happened... Miguel?" Artie asked, turning to the doctor, trying to maintain the health of their current truce.
"Yes, yes, I do think so. Thank you, Temus." Miguel agreed, taking the hand of the thin red-headed child. " 'temus is right, isn't he? Bedien, that's your name, isn't it? Bedien, there was some of the scare-dreams you couldn't tell us before. You still weren't sure then that we'd stay here and protect you. You still weren't certain that anyone would do that for you and your brothers. And I think, I believe you were also convinced that only the Four could ever protect the Four, in any case..
.But then all the bad times came and you were too much hurt and scared all at once to do anything but hide from the scare dreams and the hurting, as best you could. And what you may not understand right now, "Bedien, is that we all know what it's like to want only to hide somewhere, till the hurts and the skeerdys go all, all away. Don't we, my friends?" The doctor asked, looking around at the team members present, Jeremy, Jacques, Jemison, Artemus and Thomas Macquillan.
"That's right, that's absolutely right, Bed..." Mac began to answer.
"Wees mos'ly be jus' calld hims us'ns Bee, Quiyat Tommy." Another of the Ls , a thin, grey eyed, dark haired child, spoke up, with a teary smile on his drawn little face. "Same fer wees mos'ly jus' calld mees Du, but Babyboy Torry hims be called mees Dutafu"..."
"Well thank you, Du, thanks for letting us know that. That's very helpful, not to say intriguing." Mac nodded, glancing at his team for a moment before turning back to the redhead. "Now, Bee, what I wanted to ask is, do you remember what I told you months ago? Do you recall what I told you my grandfather told me about being scared and being brave and how that really works out, most of the time?"
Scratching the back of his head, the way Artie had seen both Mac and Jim do a few hundred thousand times, Bedien finally nodded gravely. "Yous gran'poppa hims sed bein' braves was same fer bein' skeeredy, on'y goin' an' doin' what fings skeered yous any hows, yes, Quiyat Tommy?"
"Yes Bee, that's what my Granddad said, time and again. And what I only learned when he was gone, Bee, was that, as usual, my Granddad was absolutely right. So, now, seeing how scared you still are, and how we only want to help you with that, do you think you can try being brave, that way? Do you think you can tell us the rest of this scare-dream? Do you think maybe you can help us help you, that way?" Macquillan asked, putting one hand on each of the child's arms, the way he'd done time and again when counseling his protégée.
"You've already been si brave, mon enfant," Jacques added, taking his turn, sitting down beside the child, gently grasping his hands. "We are all well aware of your courage. And we know it has been, at times your best defense, even when you were rightfully, very much frightened, even when you did not feel brave at all, that is. Now has come another of those times when your fears try to... grow too large, and we understand that, mon enfant, truly. So, let's try another way. Can you tell us only some part of what's frightening you? Can you tell us, par example, why you can't go away from here with your uncle who cares for you as much as any of us?"
"Dunno Jacs, dunno nows, Tommy." The child mournfully answered, hanging his head. "Wees dunno. Wees dunno if wees can be enny of brave, nows. Wees so many much of skeered! Wees jus' be knowd wees wuld den be veriest dis'bedien to us'ns Poppa. Hims very many big... veriest many strong...did be told us'ns no go ways wifout hims camed here for hims veriest own Torrys!
Hims sed no go ways wif enny of ovver peepls Torrys-Littles, den wuld yous Poppa be veriest skeeredy an' no knowd wheres t' be findin' hims Littles! Den wuld yous Poppa be veriest saddy, too, an hurt veriest bad dat Torrys goed ways with ovver peepls! Den yous Poppa wuld den hurt so bad hims no culd came heres. Hims no culd came heres ever "gen an' wuld go ways, far an far! Den yous Poppa wuld be so many much hurt an saddy an' skeered hims wuld be goed t' be a angel, just like yous veriest own momma done!"
"Den hims told us'ns 'torry yous stays heres, stay still, stay quiyat! Yous Poppa no can camed an' bring Torrys on home if Torrys be veriest bad, nogud boys!" An' wees did be knowd wees wuld be veriest much hurtin us'ns veriest own guddes' story-readin', saddy-'milin', guddes huggin', guddes' ever wazz Poppa! Hims wazz no always happy wen wees likd, wen wees goed wif us'ns guddes' funny story makin', laughin' an' singin' unc Jimmy. Hims be told us'ns... us'ns unc Jimmy ... no likd us'ns Poppa no ever!"
"Bien, tres, tres bien, mon enfant. C'est formidable." Jacques told the child, hugging him close before he turned back to the team.
Now we're getting somewhere! That's two things we knew to some extent but that THEY haven't told us before now! Great job, Jacques! Artie signed to the Canadien and the team.
D'accord, mon ami. Jacques signed back. Thomas, I believe I once heard something from Jim as regards a long term dispute between his namesake, ton oncle James and his pere, do you know something of that?
I do. But I'd rather not get these little boys worked up all over again. Come across the room and I'll tell you all I know about it. Macquillan replied, and gestured for his team members, presently including Miguel, to cross the room with him and talk this over, hopefully out of the children's ear shot.
Jemmy demurred. I'll stay with the Torrys, gents. I don't think I have anything to add to the story of my two older cousin's feuding. The Raleigh native signed. "Bee, it's all right, little Cousin, you don't have to be so much afraid now. We're here to help, not to hurt and not to scare you. No one here is going to make you do anything, just not anything at all that scares you so much. Now, we're just going to drop that whole talk right now. And instead... I'll tell you a story about some of my cousins from east Texas, wouldn't you like that, Bee?" Jemmy told the redhead.
"Wees wuld, veriest much!" Be'dien nodded, and so did his little brothers. "Izz dey us'ns cozzins toos, Jemmy Doccer Cozz?"
"Well, surely." Jemmy agreed, deciding it would only confuse the children, no matter how old they really were, to try understanding the intricate family ties in their extended families that stretched from Frederick south to San Antonio and from Norfolk west as far as Wyoming territory, these days.
Jeremy helped Miguel to cross the room, and when they were sure that Jem had the children distracted, Mac went on, noting that some of the 'older" Company members were listening in. 'Stephen West met James Randolph nearly three years before he met Annie, that is Jessamyn Anne Randolph, James Randolph's sister, who became his wife and Jim's mother. They were different as two men could possibly be, Stephen being quiet natured and slow to anger, James Randolph being fiery and rowdy as hell back in the day. But those two, both very interested and very involved in their family's horse breeding enterprises, got on quite well, at first. In fact, they were great friends for a while, years back.
But there was a hard falling out between them around the time Anne West died, one that barely got mended before Stephen passed on himself, six years back. After Annie died, the two men disagreed again and again over how Jim should be raised, where he should go to school, even who he should be friends with, all that sort of thing. For a while, Jean Randolph, Jim's grandmother was the only one who could keep peace between those two. And she wore herself out doing just that, I've often thought, since she passed on. And now it seems clear that whoever left our young firebrand and his brothers here, my friends, knew all that about his family and probably, much more."
"Thomas, that has been my own hypothesis for some time." Miguel agreed. "Indeed the only question I have at this point is, are you quite certain it WAS Herr Professor Doctor Aynsley who died when his home and laboratory burned? Because, as we've already also surmised, that would mean there was AT LEAST one other conspirator involved in the Courier plot as you've called it. And the few facts we have, added to the literature, meager as it is at this point, regarding dissociative 'disorders' such as the Torrys have suffered, also strongly indicate there MUST BE at least that one other. Herr Aynsley had no means and no opportunity, surely, as an immigrant coming here from Austria during the War, to know at first hand about Torry's childhood or family history, did he? Therefore, we must look to someone who supplied him with at least enough knowledge to brutally terrorize these children by twisting their memories of the time their mother died."
"No, Doctor. What we know is that a tall, powerfully built man died in the fire and explosions that destroyed Aynsley's house and lab. And we have a rough understanding at this point of when that fire started, which was no more than a couple days after Jim met President Grant at the Maryland House." Jeremy answered, at a nod from Mac. "And we know that Aynsley left a lot of his own journals, records and correspondence in an iron strongbox. Our analysis department has been at work on those documents ever since Artie, Frank and Ori found that box. And they've barely scratched the surface in all this time. They haven't got any further because Aynsley used some of the most intricate cyphers and other encryption devices we've ever seen, in just about everything he left behind! It's as if whoever wrote those documents wanted nothing so much as to confuse whoever found them, at least for a while."
"Well, I hate to say this, gentlemen, " Artie suggested, frowning as he glanced over at the Torrys. "But could that someone BE Jimmy Randolph? I've read some of the journal articles the doctor's shown us, about this ... business of dissociation... And it seems to me those articles indicate the originator in many cases IS, as horrid as that sounds, a family member. And who else, after all, COULD know so much about Jim?"
"With all respect, and care for our recently re-established armistice, Mr. Gordon, I must at this point, disagree." Miguel said.
"All due respect in return, doctor, why?" Artemus asked.
"Because Be'dien only now told us of another injunction their tormentor left them with when they were abandoned here. We already heard they were not to leave here, unless their "Poppa" came for them, unless he permitted them to go. And now, we hear that in particular the Torrys were ordered not to leave this place, not to go anywhere at all, in fact, with their uncle and namesake, James Randolph. Since we know it isn't possible that Stephen Arthur West was the monster who left these children in this corner of hell, and would never have done so, were he still in the living world, then the question of that perpetrator acting on their old feud goes by the board."
"Well, it does, DoctorM, and then, then it really doesn't." Another of the brothers said, striding over to join the team's discussion. Turning, Artemus saw a wiry, whip thin, well dressed man in his late forties, with thick, greying bright auburn hair, sharp 'randolph-stamped' features, and wide green eyes, identical to Jim's. "I'm sorry, gents, I know it's awfully rude of me to interrupt. Gramma Jean would pin back my ears pretty darned well if she heard me. And how I wish she was still here to do just that! Except of course it would break her good old heart to see the Ls here, much leSs Oldest. He's always been kinda her pet, as you might guess, especially after our momma died."
"But I purely had to come over. You see, all y"all were gettin' so close there, ridin' right up to it, just then, just for a minute. And then it seemed you pulled up, as if you couldn't quite keep hold of the reins, or get your mount to follow your leads. And as a horseman from my earliest days, modeled on another lifelong horseman, I know just how that feels. Well, a lot of us have been learnin' that feelin' ever since we got dumped off HERE."
"And you're 'modeled on' Jimmy Randolph, am I right?" Thomas Macquillan asked.
"I am that. I'm called JTKR, and I'm from V Company. We tend to just use initials for the names of family and friends, as you might have guessed from the Watch rotation listing. And, I apologize again, my manners have sadly deteriorated in the present circumstances, gentlemen. You'll want to know what I meant by what I said at the start, I'd imagine..."
"As a matter of fact, yes, I would." Miguel nodded, frowning at the Veteran. "Please, explain yourself."
"Surely. That's why I came over. What I meant to be sayin' was that of course our Poppa never didand never would have abandoned us all here, or anywhere else for that matter. That is, surely he had a rough patch to get through after momma passed on, but that was something we could well understand... as we got older, ourselves. And he'd surely never do something like that to spite Jimmy, or tell us not to let Jimmy help us, if Poppa couldn't. We feel it quite strongly that Poppa regretted their quarrels as much or more than our uncle did."
"But on the other hand," Artie prodded. "You seem to be suggesting we're missing something. We came close but we're still not quite there, as far as the connection between their quarrels and the troubles we're trying to deal with right now?"
"Well, yes, Temus, that's pretty much it, exactly!" The Veteran nodded, grinning very much like Jim West did when he got someone to see his point. 'that connection IS the person who left us here, the one who showed up here, a little while back, to scare the life half out of L Company, threatening not only all y"all but also Poppa. He's the one who hates Jimmy so terribly that he went and started this whole nightmare circus rigamarole! And so you see, that person's been around long enough and plenty enough to know about any troubles between Jimmy and Poppa. And he's the bastard who let that damned Herr Professor in on the whole shootin' match! He doesn't want anyone around Oldest who gives a flying fig for th' boy. And he especially doesn't want Oldest Torry bein' close to, or trustin' our uncle Jimmy, except and unless HE thinks he still can control what will happen.
You see, control, that's what he loves more n'anything else, more than anyone except for his own damned self! He wants to control everything and everyone around him, that's ALL! He wants the whole, entire world to go his way, as a matter of fact! And he'll do his worst, time and again to get just what he's after! And when he's at his worst he can get a fellow turned around, all bollixed up, and completely, completely whopper jawed, six ways from Sunday. And that's pretty much just what he managed to do to all of us but L Company for a damn all long time now, too! And he's BEEN at his worst as long as we've known him... which has been ... too damned long, all together!"
"Speak for yourself, JTK!" Another brother angrily called out, as its owner, a slim, dark-red-haired, grey eyed member of D Company, rushed over to join in the fray. "Or at least, stick to speaking for V Company, little brother! Anyway, what in the very devil makes you think you can do ANYTHING ELSE NOW, you damn all young fool?"
"And when the Ls came under attack TWICE in just the past month now, 'rance, what in the very devil makes you think we have TIME for the Companies to go back to our old wrangles, this way?" The Veteran demanded, fuming. "He's lost control of this place and all of us, don't you get even that much, BIG BROTHER? He's desperate, now! He wanted the Old Soldier, the Man, as Oldest calls him, back in our sights and that's NEVER HAPPENING, now! He wanted Jimmy up here to see Oldest all bunged up, sick and hurt, WEEKS AGO and you know we can't let that happen, either. He's got to be going more crazed than ever over that. Can't you understand that, you old fool? He'll do ANYTHING NOW to get back his hold on every last V, W, D and L on the roster."
"AND HE DON't EVEN KNOW WE'RE HERE! At the most, he thinks Oldest turned into a little boy called Torry, when we were at ol' Stephan's damn all lab an' then again, when Liesly died! That twisted old bastard doesn't know, doesn't gueSs he brought us all into being, and personally, brother, I'm just fine with that! But what I'm not fine with is you, 'rance, startin' up another fracas, when the Ls are already plenty worked up. What I'm not fine with is you keepin' to all the old squabbles an' quarrels and brawls between Companies, just when we're about to get sprung! What I'm not fine with a bit is ..." Suddenly, the Veteran stopped stock-still in mid sentence, turning his head from one side of the ward to the other.
"Companies! Form up at once, and evacuate your charges, and on the double-quick, boys! W Company, pick up your Ls and get moving! Don't scare "em, but don't let them argue the point, just do it, now! V Company, you get the Ds who are still too bunged up to walk outside. And D Company, you know which Ws need help after that last fever bout, so c'mon! No more time for quarreling about quarrels, boys!" A third brother, a gangly strawberry blond boy from W Company called out, hurrying over to scoop a tiny, sleepy blue eyed golden-towheaded child up from the cot next to Jemmy. "C'mon, Shinin', your Tidewater-brovver's got you safe, now, Little."
"Evacuate, fellows? Evacuate where? What do you mean?" Jemmy asked, confused, then he looked at Artemus and both men realized what was going on. Mac, Jeremy and Miguel all were starting to cough, as wisps of smoke came up through the floor. And in the next moment, a chorus of cursing, shouting, panicking men's voices from the main ward reached their ears.
"Great G-d, the building's on fire!" Artie exclaimed and rushed to where Jim lay, acroSsthe ward, coughing and gasping, not even a little awake. "Jim, wake up! James, c'mon, partner, we've got to get you the hell out of here! Jacques, are you alright, can you get Thomas and Miguel outside? I'll make sure of Jim and Jere, myself. Jemmy, are you okay to get out on your own? AND WHERE IN THE DEVIL IS OUR BACKUP TEAM, ANYWAY?"
"They're all down in the main ward and the damn all treatment rooms in back of it, Artie, trying to get those poor devils out." Ori Hoynes answered, running into the acute ward, with his partner, Chris and Travis Madsen running right behind. 'trav, you help Jem, and the two of you can help Mac, and Chris, you help Jeremy out. I'll give Artemus a hand with Jim and ..."
"WEES CAIN't GOES! NO, NO, NO, WEES CAIN't! WEES CAIN't GOES, CAV! WEES CAIN't GOES NOWS, EFFY! WEES CAIN't! WEES CAIN't GOES! WEES DID BE TELLIN' US'ns GUDDES' FRENS! WEES NO CAN BE GOIN' WAYS WIFOUT US'ns POPPA CAMED HERES! US'ns GUDDES' VERIEST OWN POPPA, HIMS GOTS CAMED HERE AN' BE TELD US'ns WE CAN CAMED ON HOME!" A trio of hysterical little boy's voices cried out, bringing the attention of every one in the ward to where three young Witnesses stood trying to keep hold of their wards from the Ls. And as Artemus and the other men watched, those three children were joined by dozens more, until nearly every member of L Company stood, sat or knelt together, linking hands, elbows and arms, wide eyed with absolute terror, resisting their brothers with all their combined strength.
"Well, that tears it, I guess." Artemus muttered, forming a lightning decision. Then he turned back to his partners, and Miguel, and began signing again, even though his hands were shaking a bit with nerves at what he was about to suggest.
I can impersonate Stephen West for them pretty easily, in fact. I've been practicing … for just such an emergency. And it may be the only way to get Jim and his brothers all out of here before the fire brings the whole place down! And I know, before you say anything that there will be hell to pay when Jim finds out I did this. I just don't see where I have any choice in the matter at this juncture. So, what about it, gentlemen, do I "go on' as Jim's father, yes or no?
Mais oui, certainment. Jacques signed back, and reached to help Miguel towards the door.
You're right. It's the best shot we have right now, old friend. Do it. Macquillan answered in the same way, as Travis stubbornly began to nudge him and Jemmy Singer out the door.
You've got my vote, too, pal. Go for it. Jeremy signed, just as Chris McIntyre indicated they needed to get out of the room, down the stairs and outside on the double quick, with an expressive gesture.
I entirely concur, Mister Gordon. Miguel signed, nodding for emphasis, taking Jacques' arm but still watching Artemus and the children.
Thank you all. Artie signed back, and turned to face the frightened children.
"Well, that's alright,now, Torry Little." The former actor said, taking on the Tidewater/southwest Texas lassitude and the relaxed tone and stance he'd known Stephen West to employ, especially when Jim's father was particularly tense. Then he went on striding over towards the 'schoolhouse full of little boys'. "Because your Poppa's right here, Torry, son. I'm right here, now. Poppa's here."
Torry Little sat bolt upright on the cot's edge, and so did the rest of the Ls on the cot. They knew that stern, soft, melancholy, voice beyond any doubt. They knew that voice and named its owner with a chorus of glad cries.
"Poppa!" Torry Little flung himself in the direction of that much loved voice, tripped and fell, headlong. But he wasn't deterred in the least. "Poppa! Poppa!" He called out as Artemus crossed to him, lifted and carried him as easily as a featherweight, back to the cot. "Oh, Poppa, Poppa, Torrys missded you so veryiest much an' much! Poppa, Torrys waited and waited and... Oh Poppa, Torrys wanted you to came heres so veryiest much an' much, Poppa." The child laughed and kissed and clung to Artie's neck.
"Poppa's here, Torry little. Poppa's here, now. And I missed you too, veriest many, many much. Now, try, Torry, try to get calm again. I'm here. And we need to get all y"all right on out of this place. And we need to do that, right now, this minute, Torry." Artie as Stephen West answered, keeping the pale, thin, sandy haired child wrapped in his arms. "You've been stuck here much too long now, as it is. Now we're getting on out of here, c'mon with me, son."
"Torrys don't have to stay heres, Poppa? Not no mores?" Torry Little asked, as if afraid somehow, despite his father's presence, he'd be denied.
"No, Torry, you don't have to stay here a minute longer. In fact, I need you to come with me on out of here, right now, son, you and... your brothers and all of our good, good friends. I'm so very glad, so very happy they could stay with you here, Torry all this while. But now we need to go. So, c'mon, Torry-Littles, we'll ... go down th' stairs and on out the door..." Artie said, and suiting action to words, scooped up yet another of the Ls from the cot, the dark redheaded child who'd said he was called Du, and walked out of the ward, with both children clinging hard to the man they now firmly believed was their father, Stephen Arthur West.
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