I know this update took some time, I hope you do enjoy it though.
(Also I made some modifications to the plot, that said, probably these won't be the last ones).
Disclaimer: I still only own Alexandra.
Disclaimer: I am not a medic and taking some liberties on procedures and diagnostics to fit the plot - please forgive me . :)
Chapter 19: In your blood
"Please stay back Miss," one of the agents said and Xandra nodded in understanding, moving backwards as far as she could in the small cell.
Two people in hazard suits entered the room and the door slid close behind them.
"Alright Ms Edvardson, let's get you checked" a woman, probably in her forties, started, sounding friendly enough. "If you would sit on the cot please."
Xandra hopped onto the cot while the second medic, a grey-haired man a lot older than the woman started to unpack the equipment.
"We understand you can't use your voice, is that right?" the woman asked.
Xandra tried to answer, but when there was still no sound coming out, she finally nodded.
"Alright, then we will check you for other injuries first and get back to this. Are there any other injuries you know of?" the woman asked kindly.
To get her point across Xandra made a vague movement with her hand before pointing towards some scratches, but nothing major. The man took care of it mainly with bandaids, there probably weren't many other options. Then they checked her vitals. The first couple of tests were nothing unusual, blood-preassure, heartbeat and shining into her eyes with a torch. Nevertheless, the woman felt a sense of unease, as if she was far more aware of these people and the material on her skin, as if everything was just getting too close. It was highly uncomfortable.
"No signs of a shock," the woman commented, apparently she was the one doing the talking here, "do you feel dizzy, sick, do you have a headache?"
Xandra tried to listen to her body, but besides the buzzing, there was nothing. Somehow she felt trying to explain that feeling would be nearly impossible. She shook her head.
"Ok. Does your throat hurt? Or do you feel pain in your neck?"
Surprisingly, neither was the case - it was only that it didn't work! However, Xandra was quite certain that if she would keep trying it over and over, the muscles and throat would get achy at some point.
"Alright Ms Edvardson, if you would hold still please, I would like to examine the tissue for external damage," the medic asked politely, carefully starting to prob on the younger woman's throat and neck.
It was clear that she made all effort to be as gentle and considerate as possible, but still the blonde started to stiffen. The touches triggered a fight or flight instinct, to grab the woman's wrist and slap it away. Shw clenched her hands to fists to keep herself from messing up the "appointment".
"This seems all good, no swelling," the woman said with a smile, "now, please open your mouth so I can have a look down your throat."
The Swedish did as asked, slightly taken aback by the woman's wistful humming. She raised an eyebrow.
"Well, this is certainly an interesting case. From the looks, there is nothing wrong, at least not psychically. We will probably make some MRT scans as soon as possible, but it is far more likely that the reason is psychological, possibly caused by the trauma of the collapsing temple. Agent May mentioned you don't like closed dark rooms, and Agent Skye told us that you have been ... uhm...encrusted as well, is that right?"
Xandra nodded, keeping her face carefully blank.
"Well, in that case, the whole experience might hav triggered the loss of voice. I have to admit, I am not a psychologist, but I could imagine you don't even fell it right now as your mind is shutting down the emotions. Have you felt odd lately? Strangely numb, or angry or anything other unusual?"
Xandra thought back to the weird calm feeling she had felt washing over her and nodded.
"Well," the medic seemed happy to find an explanation, "we know where to start then, at least. Now, about your hair. It obviously changed colour... quite a bit. I suppose this is not your natural hair colour?"
The young woman shook her head, frowning. Did she really look like someone who would go for that... platinum, or whatever it was, style?
"If you would be so kind and rip out a couple of your hairs then - I am so sorry, I know this must sound horrible for you - but Agent Simmons will very likely want to run some tests on them. We have to find out what caused the change, maybe we can trace it back to gas exposure."
Smiling wrily, Xandra proceded to rip out a couple of hairs and carefully handing them over to the man who put them in a vial.
"Great, now we only need a bit of your blood and then we will leave you in peace," the woman chirped.
"Please push up your sleeve," the man commanded gruffly.
Surprised that he would actually talk to her, the young woman did as she was told, flinching as the needle pinched her skin. Either he was pretty bad at it or the new body awareness also made her less pain-resistant. Then, all thoughts of pain left her mind and she gasped, still looking at her arm. Her blood, which should have been red (obviously) was coloured a weird violet - or was it purple? She didn't really care at the moment, fact was that it looked very very unhealthy.
"Ms Edvardson, how do you feel? Can you hear me, do you feel dizzy?" the man asked, seemingly alarmed.
Xandra shrugged her shoulders, then gave them a thumbs-up, other than being kind of shocked, she didn't feel any different. Quickly the man removed the needle, motioning to his patient to press a piece of gauze on it, while his partner was already starting to measure her blood pressure again. Then the man attached a weird little apparatus on her earlobe, she supposed it was going to measure the oxygen saturation in her blood. She carefully watched the faces of the two medics, until the woman sighed.
"Blood preassure is still perfectly normal," she told her.
"But the oxygen saturation is higher - much higher than it should be," the man commented, "and also that doesn't match the colour of the blood. We need tests as soon as possible!"
"Yes, we do. And until now, we better keep you monitored - I am still afraid you might fall over any moment," the woman commented, seriously concerned. "If you would please lay down Ms Edvarson, or at least stay seated please? We will get the equipment and try to make everything mroe comfortable until the tests are done."
Xandra nodded, while she was caught in this cell there wasn't much she could do anyway. Besides, the colour did make her uncomfortable as well. Better get this tested now and be cleared and done with it. With a last sceptical look towards her, the two left, leaving her to herself again.
"It seems someone is a royal after all - eh princess?" suddenly a well known voice drawled from outside.
When the woman looked up, she saw Hunter leaning against her "cage" next to Fitz.
"A real, true blue blood, that's what you are," he smiled, but she could see the concern in his eyes, "I would offer to get you something to eat, but I am afraid they will monitor that , too - so you will probably have to wait for it a bit. Oh - by the way - love your new hair. It's kind of edgy, gives you this warrior queen vibe and all."
The comment made her grin a bit despite all that had happened and she really appreciated his and Fitz efforts to make her feel better.
"Well, I guess we better see what the boss wants us to do," Hunter said apologetically and Xandra nodded, making a "go a away gesture" with her hands to tell both that it was fine. With a last look back at her, they disappeared.
Some more insight into Xandra's change - what is going on here? Cookies for correct guesses!