Brain Storm by Cat Gilbert (ebook reader computer .txt) 📕

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THE ELEVATOR SHOT down in a trip that was longer than I wanted to contemplate. When Mac had said there were underground facilities, I was thinking “root cellar” underground. Not “bowels of the earth” underground. I had to remind myself that this wasn’t Cheyenne Mountain, and we weren’t at NORAD, but I wasn’t sure it was all that different. The aboveground facilities gave the impression of isolated luxury. This reeked of secret government installations, sending shivers down my spine. The elevator doors opened to a main corridor from which several hallways branched out. We took the one to the right and ended up in what I had to assume was considered the medical wing.

They may have been underground, but the medical facilities at the Agency rivaled any hospital I’d ever been in and the room they put me in rivaled most luxury hotels. Obviously, the government had spared no expense. I had to wonder if the local authorities knew about all this and what kind of relationship they had with the Agency. Not that I necessarily wanted the locals involved, but it’s always good to know who your friends are.

Three hours after we arrived, I found myself lying in a hospital bed hooked up to an impressive array of monitors and machines and the inevitable IV drip. I’d been the victim of endless poking, prodding, scans and x-rays and the only thing they’d found wrong with me, aside from the bumps and bruises one would expect from being thrown around, was a concussion that was making its presence felt in the form of a throbbing headache. What I had assumed were shotgun pellets had turned out to be splinters of wood that had flown from the impact of the shotgun. They had quickly dug them out and covered the spots with band aids. Everything said and done, I had been incredibly lucky.

The nurse left, promising to return with some pain killers for my head, after informing me that my blood pressure was high and my pulse rate, way too rapid. Big surprise there after the night I’d had, and now I was trapped underground in a hospital gown. One of my least favorite things. They’d taken my clothes, although I had to admit, what with them covered with Brown’s blood and other things I didn’t want to think about, I was happy to be rid of them.

I could forgive them the hospital gown, though, simply because of the bathroom. After all the tests, they’d brought me back to the room, and ushered me into the private bathroom. The towels were heated along with the floor, and the shower was a thing of beauty. I’d left the nurse waiting outside for a good 45 minutes while I indulged in what had to be the best shower of my life. I don’t know if it was because of the multiple streams of hot water, the aromatic soaps, and shampoos or the fact that I could finally get rid of the grisly reminders of the hours before. Whatever it was, I decided to relax and enjoy the moment. It might not come again for a long time.

As soon as I got out, I asked again about Mac, but no one seemed to know anything yet. I had to be content for now that he was being taken care of. While I’d been lying there in the cold, waiting for help to arrive, I’d had moments of doubt. Big ones. Fears that once Hughes had me, he’d just finish Mac off while he was helpless. Hughes had killed a child trying to find me. I didn’t think he’d balk at taking Mac out if he thought he needed to.

That he’d been acting his role as Head of Security was a comforting thought. He might have others working at the Agency for him, but not everyone. Right now, there were doctors and nurses keeping an eye out for us, and while that certainly didn’t guarantee our safety, it was going to make it a lot tougher for him to get to either of us.

The nurse came back in, bearing promised pain medications. It had been a rough night, and now that the adrenaline and the effects of the hot shower had worn off, I was definitely feeling it. Mix in lack of sleep and tons of stress and I was pretty much dead on my feet. Hughes and the Director hadn’t shown up yet to question me, but I knew that had to be on the agenda soon, and I needed to be able to think clearly. I knew the drugs would mess with my head, but I also knew I needed rest, and this might be the best time to get it. The events of the night had been unexpected, and I was pretty certain Hughes hadn’t had time to plan out his next move yet. Feeling at least somewhat secure, I downed the pills and waited as the nurse took my vitals, yet again, and then began messing around with the strange paper like blanket they had on the bed. She attached a hose at the bottom and reached over to a nearby machine, flipping a switch. Warm air immediately began to flow into the blanket, puffing it up to the size of a regular comforter, but amazingly light and toasty warm.

State of the art, I thought, my eyes beginning to droop already from the effect of the pills. I hoped Mac was getting the same treatment I was. I reached out a thought to him, not knowing if he could hear me, to let him know everything was alright and drifted off to sleep.