Guide You Home
Chapter Nine
"Hey man, you're blocking my view."
Ma-Ti rolled his eyes with a smile, sinking down into the sand next to his friend. He followed Wheeler's gaze, aware that the American's quiet observations had less to do with the scenery and more to do with the tall blonde stepping gracefully through the shallow water in front of them.
Wearing a black bikini with a colorful sari tied around her hips, Linka stood on the shoreline; shielding her eyes against the sun as she watched Gi kayaking around the bay.
Ma-Ti crossed his legs and leaned back, propping himself up against the trunk of the palm tree. He glanced at Wheeler who sat quietly, regarding the blonde with a faraway look on his face. The American turned and narrowed his eyes.
"Get outta' my head, monkey-man."
Ma-Ti chuckled, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. "Surprisingly, I can read you pretty well without needing my ring, Wheeler."
"Mmm hmm." Wheeler sounded unconvinced but let it drop.
"She likes you, Wheeler."
"Coulda' fooled me," he sighed, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around his knees. "I dunno. Maybe she's waiting for some brainy doctor-type to come sweep her off her feet."
"I doubt it very much, my friend."
Wheeler shrugged, his eyes settling on Linka's profile once again. "Probably be a better choice than a dyslexic smart-arse who can barely tie his own shoes."
"You are too hard on yourself, Wheeler," Ma-Ti said, giving the American a sideways glance. "She has feelings for you. She is frightened about letting you in."
"I dunno," the red-head replied, sounding unconvinced. "Maybe."
Ma-Ti repositioned himself, smiling as Linka turned and glanced in their direction, probably curious about the conversation going on just out of her earshot.
He was a mere boy when he started with the Planeteers, but after 6 years he was more emotionally equipped to understand the attraction. Linka was simply stunning. Wavy blonde hair, heart-shaped face and full lips, with a knockout body and brains to boot.
Linka always garnered a great deal of attention (especially from men) during their travels, but she remained unaffected- and uninterested.
The Russian was very serious about her work and rarely allowed anything to interfere… although her main source of distraction came complete with red hair and an American accent, and Ma-Ti knew that this knowledge both annoyed her and frustrated her.
Ma-Ti dug his toes into the warm sand, sneaking another knowing glance at Wheeler. He was indeed very easy to read. He was still impulsive and cocky at times, but the positives far outweighed the negatives these days.
Ma-Ti also knew beyond a doubt that if any of the others were to be hypothetically stuck in a dangerous situation with another team member, Wheeler would be the first choice for all of them, including Linka.
"You guys are on the verge. I feel that something pretty big is about to happen." Ma-Ti flicked a sand fly away and smiled at his friend, who still looked rather lost in thought. "It will force her to reevaluate things."
They watched Linka as she gracefully dropped to her knees and sat in the water, tucking her legs underneath her body. She turned and smiled in the boys' direction, waving at the pair sheltering from the sun under drooping palm leaves.
The boys raised their hands in return, hearing Gi's excited whoops in the distance as a large wave carried the Water Planeteer back into shore. Gi beached herself on the sand rather violently, tumbling from the kayak sideways as Linka dissolved into a fit of giggles at her friend's predicament.
Linka jumped up and jogged over to her friend lying sprawled on the wet sand. She helped Gi to her feet, her long blonde hair tangling over her right shoulder. The girls stood in the water and chatted to one another, oblivious to the discussion occurring just thirty feet away.
"I think I'm in love with her."
Ma-Ti blinked, turning to face his friend and hoping that the shock wasn't evident on his face.
He wasn't surprised by the revelation itself, but more that Wheeler had actually admitted it out loud. Sure, he flirted and was pretty vocal when it came to declarations of affection for the Russian. Having said that, Wheeler had never verbalized to the others that his feelings ran deeper.
Ma-Ti grinned but stayed silent, shoving his colleague in a playful manner.
Wheeler threw a handful of sand in Ma-Ti's direction. The American shuffled forward and dropped down onto his back, pulling his cap over his eyes. "You tell anyone I said that, and you'll become a permanent addition to Kwame's green-house, little guy."
"You've only confirmed what I already knew, Wheeler," he replied cheekily, poking out his tongue as the American leveled a mock glare at him.
"Thanks for the chat, Dr Phil," Wheeler quipped. He yawned, feeling relaxed and sleepy under the balmy sunshine. "I'm gonna get some shut-eye before Gaia rounds us up again."
"Any time. And Wheeler?
"Yeah?"
Ma-Ti looked down, fidgeting with his hands. He didn't like to interfere in their personal matters, as he felt it was a betrayal of confidence. He had said too much already. Linka was an incredibly private person and would be mortified with the information he had already divulged.
On the other hand, he couldn't help but notice how despondent Wheeler was becoming these days.
Ma-Ti stood, dusting sand off his swimmers. He paused, considering his words carefully.
"Linka may act like she is confident and in control all the time, but she's actually very vulnerable. She's scared. Just… just give her time. She'll come to you when she's ready."
With that, Ma-Ti strolled off in the direction of the main living area, leaving Wheeler to his muddled thoughts.
The plastic chairs in the waiting room were uncomfortable but Gi persevered, shifting her body every few minutes in an effort to find a position that suited her. She ran her hands through her hair, her eyes glancing nervously towards the emergency room doors every now and again.
People had been entering the hospital in a steady stream since they had arrived. Worried, drawn faces approaching reception staff desperate for information on their missing daughters. They were ushered away as quickly as they entered, leaving Gi to her herself once again.
She sat quietly, her eyes cast downwards and shoulders slumped as she stared intently at her fingernails. Kwame had been gone for about twenty minutes now, having been ushered towards the hospital X-Ray facilities.
Gi looked up as the automatic doors slid open again, craning her neck as another large group of people moved through the reception. She raised her head further, hoping to see some familiar faces but was disappointed as the last stragglers passed through.
In truth, she was worried sick about Linka. The thoughts and scenarios dancing around in her head were too distressing to entertain.
Gi's eyes moved once again towards the doors, silently willing Ma-Ti to burst forth, a wide grin on his face and with Linka trailing along behind him, ready with a fantastic story to share about their adventures. But there was only darkness outside, along with the low whistle of the sand storm that had descended within half an hour of arriving.
She felt a body drop into the chair beside her and she turned, looking up at Kwame's tired, drawn face.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and gave her a shaky smile. "Cracked sternum and a broken rib."
She winced. "Nice. How's Wheeler?"
He sighed, his own eyes gazing briefly towards the front doors. "He is in surgery, his arm is a mess. Needed a blood transfusion, but he will be fine."
Gi nodded, leaning in towards the Earth Planeteer as he placed a comforting arm around her.
"Heard from Ma-Ti?" she asked softly, but Gi already knew the answer. Kwame shook his head, tightening his grip around her shoulders.
A nurse bolted past and Gi looked up, her eyebrows raised as she watched the nurse run into the corridor leading to the assessment rooms. The nurse returned a moment later with two more staff members; their faces tense as they passed through the entrance doors and out into the night.
Gi glanced at Kwame, wide-eyed with fear as the atmosphere in the emergency area changed instantaneously. Kwame grabbed Gi's hand and pulled her to her feet, watching on as more doctors rushed past. He concentrated hard, listening to the shouts and commands being thrown around and trying to pick up any useful information.
"They are saying code blue," Kwame said, his brown eyes wide. "What is a code blue?" He looked at Gi worriedly.
"Resuscitation," she whispered, wiping a tear away with the palm of her hand. "Oh, please don't let it be…"
Gi was interrupted by the sound of the doors opening and she froze as a flurry of activity burst through the doors. A trolley bed was wheeled in and quickly pushed towards them. Gi gasped as she spotted Ma-Ti amongst the group of hospital staff, his face haggard as he met their eyes. A nurse broke away and rushed ahead, presumably to prepare for any intervention that might be required.
The Water Planeteer stepped away from Kwame and approached the trolley, her mind working overtime. Her stomach flipped and turned as her fears were confirmed as the patient came into her line of sight.
It was Linka.
"Oh God… no, no, no," Gi whimpered, clapping her hands against her mouth as she took in the small figure lying unconscious on the bed, her neck supported with a brace and an oxygen mask obscuring much of her face. Gi followed the trolley numbly, unaware that Kwame was close behind her and looking on in horror.
Gi inhaled sharply upon noticing Linka's leg. Even with the splint attached to her lower limb, she could see that it was bent at an unnatural angle. The blonde's scalp and forehead were covered in dried blood and her lips were an unsettling shade of blue.
A young man in civilian clothes walked alongside Linka with her wrist held between his thumb and forefinger. "She's crashing, again," he said urgently, looking up at the surgeon who nodded.
Gi reached out automatically, her shaking fingertips brushing the hair away from Linka's forehead. She pursed her lips, aware of just how cold Linka's skin felt. She felt Kwame's hands on her shoulders as the trolley rolled away from her grasp. Linka was rushed away, Gi's arm and fingers still outstretched as her best friend disappeared from view.
It was at this point that Gi's carefully-maintained composure fell apart. She turned and dissolved into great, hitching sobs; clutching Kwame's shirt as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt Ma-Ti's hand on her shoulder and she shuddered, allowing the boys to lead her back to the waiting area.
Ma-Ti sunk into a plastic chair with an ice-pack draped over his broken nose, having been assessed and cleared by hospital staff. He had glimpsed his reflection in an assessment room and was shocked to discover the swollen face staring back at him. Ma-Ti had bruising extending along his cheekbones and under his eyes and the ice pack was doing little to alleviate the throbbing.
He had returned to the waiting area, talking in low voices with Kwame and the two doctor's who had stabilized Linka. Edward and Andrew had chosen to remain behind in the waiting area with them, at least until they knew more information. Gi sat sandwiched between the boys, her head resting on Kwame's shoulder as she dozed fitfully.
Kwame had soon discovered that the strangers were doctors who had discovered Linka's location. They had rendered assistance until the medi-flight had arrived and Kwame had no doubt that without their intervention, his colleague wouldn't have made it this far.
"Do we know her injuries?" Kwame asked, glancing towards the doors Linka had passed through fifteen minutes ago.
"Broken leg and head injuries for sure," Andrew said, gazing at his colleague for confirmation.
Ed nodded. "There's going to be some organ damage. We think she'd been bleeding internally for some time before we got there."
The group huddled together with disposable coffee cups, their eyes darting nervously around as they waited for information..
"Oh, you should have this," Andrew said, reaching into his back-pack and retrieving some objects. He handed over Linka's ring, vest and some personal possessions including her phone.
Ma-Ti reached for Linka's phone, turning it over in his hands. The screen was cracked and it wouldn't turn on. He sat staring at the dark display, his brow furrowed in contemplation.
He gently shook Gi awake and her eyes flew open. "Wha…" she began, but Ma-Ti shook his head.
"We still don't know anything. I think we need to contact Linka's family."
Gi rubbed her eyes, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, okay."
"Do you have their number? My ring is still patchy, I don't think I'll be able to focus on them."
"No, I don't." Gi shook her head. "Oh wait a minute…" she said, fumbling for her own cell phone. "I may have Mishka's wife's number from a group message. Hang on."
She scrolled through and located Irina's contact details, passing her phone onto Ma-Ti. Gi bit her lip, huddling into Kwame's side further as she watched Ma-Ti press the phone against his ear and wander through the doors into the darkness outside.