Mike helped Mia move Ted to the sturdy banquette table after washing it down with eighty proof gin. Audrey found some tablecloths still in the laundry packaging.
“They bleach this stuff to remove the stains and keep it white,” Audrey reasoned. “They are as sterile as we can get.”
The remaining items in the trauma kit would have to do. Mia needed something to suture the entrance and exit wounds. Ted pulled out a small spool of wire and handed it to Mia. She looked at it and handed it to Audrey who cut it into manageable lengths, dipping them in the gin.
When all was ready, Mia walked over and spoke to Murphy. “Once I start, I can’t stop. You have to protect us. I need Mike and Audrey to hold Ted down. You’re our army, Murph,” Mia said. “Cid has more energon cubes. Do not wait to draw power. Better to be overstimulated than to be less effective,” she counseled.
“You can count on me, Mia,” he promised.
Mia nodded and walked away. She pulled off her gloves and washed her hands before pulling on the plastic gloves Audrey had found. Mia stood a moment and closed her eyes. “Please send me help,” she asked. “My life for his,” she promised.
Chapter Nine
“What do you mean we can’t see anything?” Cyryl asked as he entered the security building.
“When you had us turn off the electricity, we lost the cameras,” Ray told him.
“What about the jammer’s generator?” he asked.
“You turn off the jammer, and that woman will be able to call for help. Besides, the generator can’t handle the system.”
“There’s the one powering the sound effects…” Ray started.
“Nah, let’s keep that going. We’ve got a day and a half to drive her over the edge. “I want you two to guard the exit routes, just in case she makes a run for it.”
“That pretty little thing, maybe she needs cuddling,” Carl said.
“There’s no time for that kind of stuff,” Cyryl insisted.
“It might push her over the edge,” Ray said. “We could crawl in with her in the dark. She’d probably think we were ghosts. As long as we don’t leave no evidence.”
“No!” Cyryl pulled out his gun and pointed it at Ray. “There will be none of that on my watch.”
“Look who’s taking the high road. You’ve got five deaths on your hands already,” Carl said.
“I may be a murderer, but I’m not a rapist. You leave that woman alone. Get your mind back on your jobs. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
~
Mia placed the gauze over the wound. The wire would allow the injury to drain. Mia placed her hand on Ted’s forehead, pleased to feel that his body temperature had returned to near normal. At the beginning of the operation, Ted had passed out. The amount of alcohol Mike had him drink would have him sleeping for quite a while yet. Mia took a deep breath as the mage left her. She walked over to the bar and poured herself a drink. Murphy had moved to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. She looked sadly at her friend and shrugged her shoulders.
Cid looked at her, worried. He couldn’t help but hear Ted’s and her conversation earlier. He knew Mia, and he knew that she’d sacrificed a lot to stabilize him and Burt. He could only imagine what operating on Ted had cost her. She was dead on her feet. None of them were up for the long night ahead of them.
Mia walked back, drew up a chair, and put her head down on the table top next to Ted’s. Mike had raided the linen closet. He unfolded a blanket and started putting it around Mia’s bare shoulders. He stopped and stared at something. He pulled down the back of Mia’s tank.
“What’s this?” he asked, tracing his finger on the black feathers.
“My payment,” she said before she pulled the blanket over her shoulders and fell asleep.
Cid motioned for Mike to come over to where he was setting up the computer. “What’s going on with Mia?” he asked.
“She’s got a rad tattoo on her back just like Angelo’s,” Mike said. “Poor kid.”
“It could be her destiny,” Cid said.
“You know that this destiny will probably end up destroying her,” Mike said.
“It doesn’t have to. If her friends are supportive, she’ll adjust better. Her greatest fear is losing our regard. She loves us like family,” Cid insisted.
“I can’t help but wonder if she would have been better off if Burt and I had never gone over to April’s that fateful day,” Mike said.
Audrey walked over after checking on Burt.
“If it’s okay, I’m going to try and get some sleep. I’m dead on my feet,” she said.
“That’s not a bad idea,” Mike said. “I think I’ll catch some Zs while things are still calm.”
“Murphy and I will take first watch,” Cid said.
~
“There’s a light on in the hotel bar,” Carl reported. “She must have found a flashlight. I thought you went through the supply closets and took them all?” he asked Cyryl.
“Maybe she had it on her. She was in her room when we started the slamming doors,” he reminded the men.
“Ah, she’s probably getting a snoot full. Dutch courage, my ma used to call it,” Carl informed them.
“Seems racist,” Ray commented.
“Now look who’s gone all PC,” Carl said. “My ma was a bit of a racist,” he admitted.
“Are you two through?” Cyryl asked. “We’ve got to set up the chick’s next scare. I’m thinking of rattling some chains.”
“She’s a ghost hunter; that’s not going to fool her.”
“Fake ghost hunter. They’re all fakes.”
“Cyryl, that bar is haunted. I saw what whatever’s in there did to the bartender.”
“Well then, maybe we’ll leave the resident ghosts to take care of our problem for us. Anyone for a game of chance?” he said, pulling a deck of cards out of the desk drawer.
“Not using Carl’s marked cards,” Ray said. “There’s
