Chameleon by Otto Gramm (new reading .TXT) 📕

– Oh please! Long excuses! – Diego said, his feet up on the table. – You’ve messed it up a bit. It happens.

– Look, who’s talking! – Scot replied sarcastically. – The fastest chap of the crew was slower than a lame tortoise. Tell me, when exactly you noticed Alex: when he was pulling your Adam’s apple off, or when your neck crunched?

– Nah! After his heel hit my groin. Still hurts.

– Condolences. – Will laughed together with the others.

Diego was a man of charming “aristocratic” charisma. He was above average growth, broad-shouldered and slender. His straight hair, back as crow’s feather, streamed down almost to his shoulder blades. Oblong face with perfectly honed contours was adorned with an unbroken line of imperial. Narrow eyes, calm and sly, were even darker than Linda’s and an elegant, straight nose added nobility to his appearance. This tramp-noble image was completed by a terracotta shirt of an old-fashioned cut with a wide collar almost to his shoulders, which hid a cross on a long rope. On his legs, he wore black trousers almost with no details that covered the boot top. His right wrist was wound with a braided leather bracelet.

There was another person in the room: a pretty girl sat at a table next to Will. Miniature, with beautiful chevelure of long light chestnut hair and a nice-looking face. Gray-blue eyes stared nowhere; drawn lips were slightly pressed. Her thin neck was covered with golf of the color of a sea wave and a long blue skirt fell down to her ankles.

For a long time she remained silent and seemed not to participate in her comrades’ conversation. She didn’t even blink after Diego drew a common laugher. Only when a long pause ensued, she said without emotions:

– 28 years of pain and humiliation, and with such destructive abilities. I still think it’s risky to take him on our crew.

– Invite, Nicky. – Diego corrected her. – Let’s not look ahead.

– You admit he can refuse? – Will’s voice sounded almost injured.

– Well, considering our latest luck...

– Di, I think that heel switched on a melancholic in you. – Shad teased, his eyes squinted at Linda’s tablet. – Should I ask Will to turn it off?

– Not a chance, pal, she won’t give it to you, even if I stand up on my hands. – Scot replied.

– Eh! – Empath sighed and turned away to the window. – I’m too lazy to go for another.

– Since you have finally seen that treasure, tell us what it looks like. – Linda asked, wiggling her finger across the tablet. – I can’t find a single photo in this trash!

– It begins! – Will snorted. – You better keep the distance... His talents plus your temper can give us the most unpleasant reaction.

She flashed a fiery glance that made the big man press himself in the chair.

– Wanna spent some time on the cocoon, MacNeil? I just asked how he looked like. – The woman added, as she returned with ease to the tablet.

– Awful. – Shad sat back at the table. – White as a sheet, dark circles under the eyes, all wounded, mad glare... what else to add?

– Who am I asking!

– Will, there you are! – These words belonged to a short girl of Asian appearance who had just run into the room. Straight hair of different lengths and ashy color was tangled; two silvery hairpins were dangling at the very tips of her strands. Round face with white skin burned with a blush after running. Narrow eyes of a brown-green color were wide open and a small mouth with a plump upper lip was gasping for air.

– What happened? – All folks asked in one voice, barely seeing her.

– Kyle’s on his way. – She replied. – Alex’s very bad. I’ve turned on the protection system to the maximum.

– What’s wrong with him? – Will and Linda asked at the same time.

– Intra-cerebral chemical attack. Probably provoked by an activated impulse.

– Darn it! – Scotsman grumbled, rising. – I’ve told this moron “first you must clean his blood and then you talk”! I better go prepare the aid post.

– It’s not necessary. – Shad stopped him.

As he glanced briefly at the empath, Will realized that this thought was whispered by Kyle.

– Just bring the right solution and the antidote. – He added.

– Аwright. – Scot left the room.

Immediately the room was silent, as if it was empty.

Kyle’s crew has already gone through a lot; nevertheless, the story with Alex was unusual even for their scale. The one whom they were so longing to find had already frayed everyone’s nerves. What to expect after Koldoum becomes one of them? How a person who had lived for almost thirty years locked up and knew from others only pain and cruelty, and with destructive abilities in addition would settle in their collective?

Everyone was engrossed with thoughts about the upcoming change, while outwardly remained indifferent and equanimous. Only the young Asian girl was pacing around the room with her fingers nervously entwined next to her lips and murmured “Finally! Finally we found!”

A minute later, Will returned. In the crew he was neither the oldest, nor a senior, however, his presence always soothed and relieved the common tension. Of course, he could be tough when necessary, but always cooled down quickly. So now, with a few vials in his hand, he took his place with an air of ease, waiting for the captain and his offender. Still he was concerned more than anyone else – as a doctor who had a life to save.

– My gosh! – Linda drawled, gazing at the tablet. Everyone’s heads unwittingly turned towards her. – Mitch’s favorite book was filmed! I’ll have to tell him.

– Don’t forget to make peace first. – Nicole said dryly.

– Where is he by the way? – asked Diego.

– In his room, I bet. Swaying in his new chair as usual. – Will waved off.

– He’s not there. – Shad replied monotonously, his stony gaze fixed at the table. – He’s not even on the ship.

– Who has let him out? – Scotsman began to get angry.

– What a dump! – Linda muttered quietly, staring at the transparent screen.

– Tell Cap. Maybe he’ll catch him on his way.

– I’m here. – Kyle appeared in the door. In his hands, he held unconscious Alex.

Everyone jumped up.

– Did you use your booster again? – Diego asked, while helping to lay the patient on a long sofa in the wall niche.

– You should take him to the aid post! – The Asian girl cut in.

– That’s fine, Vivy. – Kyle replied her, as he ignored the question of Spaniard. – He’ll get better here. Our defense helps. Will, the gauntlet and the solution!

Scotsman stood next to him, ready with everything needed, and even before the captain could finish the phrase, he fixed on the patient’s hand a light flexible bracer and inserted the ampoule into a special pocket.

– So they launched the impulse? – He asked while doing his work. Kyle nodded. – Lin, the tablet!

A piece of thin and transparent plastic was immediately in Will’s hands. After few taps and couple of smacks, the man smoothly passed it over Alex. The electronic surface highlighted the precise analysis of all the patient’s internal processes.

– You’re on time!

– I can see that.

– Did they decide to finish him? – Spaniard asked, as he stood at the head of the bed, looking at the tablet.

– They are trying to locate him by pain signals. We should leave now.

– First, we must find Mitch. – Shad said.

Kyle turned towards empath.

– Where is he? – He asked in a cold voice.

– Within two miles... north-east... – His phrases flew out in short fragments, as if someone dictated them in his mind – ...just on the other side of the hill... I’m giving the coordinates.

Kyle intercepted his intense to snatch out the tablet from Will’s hands.

– You come with me. I’ll need your help to avoid the military.

– Bu what about...? – Shad pointed at Alex. – He wakes up in 5 – 10 minutes!

– We’ll take care of him. – Scotsman replied for captain.

– Take the first instructions. Please, no hands!

– I’m cool and his blocking drugs still work. Don’t worry, Cap.

Saying no more, Kyle and Shad left the room. Only two hours ago, they had walked the same way to find Alex.

– Gush, he looks ghastly! – Linda horrified, bent over the man.

– Don’t come too close. – Diego warned her.

– He really hasn’t seen the sun for ages. – She ignored his words.

– Couple weeks of sunbathing on the Riviera and he’s ruddy like everyone else.

– Or in Pio orbit. – Linda smirked.

– Do you want his swarthy body, or our shadows on burnt walls? – Spaniard questioningly arched his brow.

The folks in the room laughed softly. Even Nicky could not help smiling.

– What’s wrong with his feet?! – Linda exclaimed in surprise. – Did he walk in nails?

– It was worse. – Will replied, as he returned at the table.

She continued her inspection. Under tattered and dirty clothes, she could see the contours of an angular and lean body.

– He’s well built. I thought he’d be skinny as a twig.

– Don’t forget to check his under pants. We missed it. – Scot couldn’t refrain from mocking.

The response was an obscene gesture. Everyone gave a quiet laugher.

– Were you afraid of shame? – The woman snapped back.

– Careful with our old one! – Diego snickered. – Otherwise, he’ll demonstrate us all the horrors of the Scottish army!

– While marching in the wind. Though, your buns are something, Will.

– I am something. – Scot smiled smugly at Lin.

– He’s something too. – She clicked her tongue, her hand gently resting on the man’s forehead.

– How’s his temperature? – Will asked, still smiling.

– Fine to me. - She nodded casually and turned back to Alex.

Burning gaze of dark grey eyes stroke Lin like a lightning bolt and paralyzed her at once. Frozen and speechless she could only stare at the man with her habitual cold face. Alex, barely woke up, was even more surprised, but looked impartially at the stranger. The crew noticed neither his awakening, nor her stupor since the talking procured as nothing was happening. Alex glanced at the others, then back at her.

– Is Kyle here? – He asked quietly, a little softened.

The woman nervously shook her head.

– He went... out... with Shad... look for one of ours. – Linda mumbled under her breath, her hand finally removed from his forehead.

– Oh... – He took a deep breath and got up.

The room was immediately silent. No one moved, nor said a word, afraid to be exposed to unnecessary risk, which actually really was. Both the movements and the eyes of the former prisoner of the scientific dispensary declared his determination and full combat readiness. His features themselves revealed a turbulent mixture: sharp, slightly protruding cheekbones and sunken cheeks broke the straight line of his face oval. The square chin declared a defiant temper, curved eyebrows and small hump on his nose added cunning and adventure to his look. And only in his eyes, tired, but yet in alive gray eyes remained something warm and friendly.

Spaniard first brought himself to speak.

– Kyle will be here soon. – Silence. – Did you have enough time to speak?

– Yes. – Alex replied.

– And what was your answer?

He paused, estimating, recalling their dialog. Alex remembered what decision he had made and now he tried to find in his memory all the motives. The sudden pain was not one of them of course.

– I accepted.

– Then welcome! And do us a favor – ease up. Everyone’s too tired and nervous.

– What’s that?! – Alex cried out, as he saw the bracer on his arm. He furiously began to rip off a strange object, but it held on