White light.Lightning, to go with the thunder.“Justin!”Rowan was screaming.“Don’t!Don’t!Justin!”
Darkness.
When he could think again, he struggled up through layers of blackness.She was screaming.
Had Sigma gotten her?No, she’d been safe at Headquarters.He’d heard her over the commlink, cool and clear even when everything else faded to an indistinct gray pulsing of shock.He’d obeyed blindly, did what she told him.
Darkness took him again, but he heard Rowan’s voice, quiet and listless.“He won’t wake up.”
“It’s all right.”Brewster’s crisp accent was hushed, strained.“He’s tough.He’ll pull through.”
“I’m worried.”
“I know.”Brew sounded soothing.“But he’ll pull through.You did a good job.”
“He carried me out of my house,” she said.“After those men shot my father—and Hilary.There was glass on the floor.He remembered I had bare feet and carried me.”
“It’s a miracle you got away from the Sigs.”
“I guess so.”
The curtain of darkness fell again.
When he woke the next time, he heard rain slapping against the window.He was in the aboveground infirmary.
Why?
His eyes drifted open.Everything was dim and dark.To his left, the nurse’s station was lit, but only a soft glow reached the rest of the room.A few of the beds were curtained off.
A sound.Someone moving, a footstep he knew.
Rowan glided through the infirmary, white dress-shirt floating between the beds.She carried two coffee cups to the nurse’s station.Soft beeps told him someone—or maybe a couple of someones—in here were being monitored very closely.
“Here you are,” Rowan said softly.“Two sugars.”
“Thanks,” Emily replied.“You’re a godsend.”
“Any change?”Rowan leaned against the counter, an indistinct, beautiful shape in the dimness.Delgado shut his eyes, opened them again.
She was still there.
“Yeah, for the better.Sheila’s doing incredibly well.And Del… I think he might even be awake, but he hasn’t made a peep.All his vitals are steady.Are you okay?”
“It’s just a relief.Do you think he’s going to heal?”
“Well, he fought off the infection, and you’re working your magic on him, so I’d guess so.”Emily sounded uncharacteristically gentle.“Why don’t you get some sleep?”
“I can’t.”
“You haven’t since they brought him in.You should get a little shut-eye or you won’t be good for anything.Sheila will need another one of your treatments before long.”
“I’ll be fine.”But she sounded pale, her words floaty and disconnected.“I’m going to go check on him.”
“Okay… Ro?”
She stopped, sweeping her hair behind her ear.“Hmm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
