Hero complex, p.3
Hero Complex, page 3
Help what? What kind of help could she give patients who were unconscious while also worrying about upsetting beings called basilisks? There were two guards in front of the final room on the floor. Galen stopped her before she entered.
“These two are a little different. They’re not part of the same program as the others. They have names, for one. Spero, the gentleman on the right? Avoid looking him straight in the eye, okay? That’s the other rule in this place.”
“How am I supposed to treat a patient if I can’t look at them?” Athena frowned.
“Trust me.” Galen strode into the room. “Spero. How are you today, man? Piss anyone off? Make anyone fall in love?”
Athena followed Galen into the room. She let her eyes adjust to the dim lighting. Unlike the other rooms, there were two occupants in this one and this time, one of them was conscious. Spero was turned away from her when she entered. He turned as soon as he realized she was there.
It took everything in her power to keep her expression neutral and not shout, “what the fuck.” A full third of his face, including his right eye, cheek, and half his nose was covered by a computer screen fragment. It looked like a piece of screen had been violently fused with his face.
The screen was blank and despite Galen’s warning, she couldn’t look away. She saw his remaining eye register her presence. Suddenly the screen came to life and a green smiley face appeared.
Pure, unadulterated joy filled her. God, she loved her job. Who cared that it was weird and there were weird snake people roaming the halls doing who knows what to people, likely without consent? Maybe she should sing. That would liven the place up. What a great color they painted the walls in this room. Wasn’t life fantastic?
“Spero.” Galen’s voice was much too harsh for this beautiful day. “Knock it off.”
The screen went blank again and the Technicolor joy that had filled her was dulled to regular definition real life. Before Athena could make heads or tails of the burst of euphoria, the screen came to life again, this time flashing a sad face.
Overwhelming sadness gripped her, filling her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her eyes welled with the kind of tears that came with sobbing. She would not cry on her first day of work. What was wrong with her?
“Spero, enough.” Galen stepped between Athena and Spero. “Athena, look at the floor for a moment and everything will be back to normal.”
Athena did as she was told. She heard Galen admonishing Spero, but she didn’t dare look for fear of the screen. What had he done to her? It took a moment for her emotions to come back under control. The jubilation and sadness were now replaced with anger. She was confident that belonged solely to her. She’d worked too hard for too long to get control of her emotions to have them so easily manipulated.
While Galen continued talking to Spero, Athena moved across the room to the other patient. This bed was occupied by a woman, who despite seeming to be comatose like the others on the floor, was restrained. Also unique, she had a chart hanging from the end of her bed. According to her chart, she’d been comatose for nearly a year.
Athena leaned closer to the woman and examined her skin. She couldn’t tell if the skin was made of metal or covered in it, but it was striking, and it appeared to cover her entire body, including her face. The metal wasn’t monochromatic but had the swirling iridescence of a rain puddle contaminated with car drippings. The only section of recognizable human skin was a six-inch-wide swath around her elbow where an IV was inserted. Directly above that spot was a device Athena didn’t recognize. It was clamped to a pole that was bolted to the bed and the donut-shaped device floated two inches above the woman’s arm, just above the IV.
“This is Bronte Scales. Sorry about Spero. As I’m sure you surmised, he can use that screen of his to manipulate emotions. It’s a trick he loves to pull out any chance he gets. There aren’t many newcomers around here so he doesn’t get to brush off the dust all that often.”
Athena nodded. “I’ll be more careful from now on. Why is she restrained if she’s unconscious? And what’s that above her arm? It looks like it’s burning her.” Athena reached out but stopped short of touching the skin exposed on Bronte’s arm.
“It’s a powerful magnet with a polarity designed to repel metal. They set it up so they could get past the defenses her body threw at them.” Galen pointed at the rest of Bronte’s skin. She sounded sad. “Look carefully at the edges. What do you see?”
Athena leaned over and took a moment to examine the border where Bronte’s human flesh met metal. The patch of skin wasn’t an even outline. The metal had been pushed back but looked like it was encroaching unevenly toward the IV. In some areas it was quite close.
“The magnet doesn’t seem to be keeping it at bay.”
“Very good. Her body keeps adapting. They’ve had to increase the strength, add other measures. That’s why you’re starting to see burn marks. I’m not sure there are any measures they won’t go to in order to keep her under.” Galen placed her hand on Bronte’s forehead and then turned to check her chart.
“You’re her doctor, why don’t you stop it?” Athena crossed her arms. “Are you a doctor at all? Or are you a Doctor Strange kind of doctor and I’m going to find out you’re really a sorcerer?”
“Doctor Strange was a doctor first, then a sorcerer so you can’t rule out either with your question, but yes, I’m a real doctor. To answer the question you really want answered, you’ll learn nothing’s simple. Nothing’s as black and white as it seems.” She hitched her thumb toward the door and made a slithering snake motion with her hands. “Besides, I don’t have as many employment options as some.” Galen turned back to Athena and put the chart down gently. Her eyes were sad. “Shit.” Galen pushed past Athena quickly.
Spero was out the door and planted in front of one of the guards. His screen was lit and the guard was agitated.
“Everyone else is medicated to oblivion, but he’s allowed to run wild?” Athena was hot on Galen’s heels.
“He’s supposed to be sedated too. Allowed to be awake but too medicated to move around. Buster clearly didn’t get him his last dose.” Galen hollered to the other doormen as she took Spero’s arm.
The angry guard was shouting at Spero, at Galen, and at his co-worker. Before the other guard could assist in getting Spero subdued, Athena saw the screen change. The second guard screamed in terror and fell to the floor, pulling his knees to his chest and rocking soothingly.
The other guards slowed their pace and approached with more caution. Athena was caught in the doorway, unsure how to proceed. She’d deescalated dozens of situations with agitated patients and visitors but none of them had the abilities this guy did.
She felt rather than saw the basilisks closing ranks around them. How were there so many of them? And how had they gotten beyond the barrier of the room they were in? Spero turned to one of them. Athena saw a flash from the screen and then there was a muffled scream followed by sobbing. The basilisk fell to the floor and curled into a ball. The others stopped moving, arms at their sides, like they’d been ordered to stay still.
Galen took in the sight for a moment. “Huh, I always wondered if he could affect them what with their whole…” She waved her hand in front of her face. “Guess it’s up to us.”
Why was it up to them? Why wasn’t there a better plan for this guy? Athena tried talking to him. “Spero, let’s go back into your room and we can talk about what you need. I’m sure we can figure it out. I’m new here, so maybe you and I can sit together, and you can let me know the things you need for your care?”
She wanted to look at him so he could see she was sincere, but she didn’t want to get emotion blasted so she kept her chin to her chest. It felt like a strange bow. It was also why she didn’t see him coming as he rushed the door and knocked both her and Galen on their asses in his hurry to get back into his room. She had to scramble to get out of the way before he slammed the heavy door on her leg.
It was eerily quiet as soon as the echo of the door slam petered out. The two guards had recovered and stood dusting themselves off, not looking at anyone, and the basilisks were still standing uselessly and silently uncomfortably close. Athena evaluated all systems after being bowled over.
A crash came from inside the room. Galen scrambled to her feet and ran for the shut door. “Little fucker. Athena, come with me. Don’t look at him. Shut the door behind you.”
They shoved the door open. It banged against the wall from the force. Athena stole a glance around the room to locate Spero. He was standing by Bronte’s bed protectively, facing out, a stupid, goofy looking happy face on his screen. The magnet machine was smashed at his feet and the IV pole was toppled.
“Did he…” Athena tried to get a peek around him without risking a blast from his screen. The patch of skin had disappeared and was covered in metal like the rest of her. Her breathing was rapid, her metal eyelids fluttering.
“Yes, he did. She’s waking up.” Galen ran her hand through her hair and blew out a breath. “This is going to be awkward.”
Athena nodded a few times and then couldn’t help but let out a weird barky laugh. She’d been at work less than half her shift and she’d met a man who could manipulate emotions, a woman whose skin was made of metal, one very weird doctor, an army of snake people, and it seemed like the really crazy stuff hadn’t started yet. In a past life she’d have already pissed her pants, but not today. She couldn’t decide if the pug had lied about her day or had nailed his prognostication.
“I can’t wait to meet her.”
And she meant it.
Chapter Three
The first thing Bronte was aware of was a metallic taste in the back of her throat. She lifted her hand, meaning to reach for the location of the blow Bard Verstrand had delivered to the back of her head. The little weasel. Her eyes flew open when her arm’s progress was stopped by something she couldn’t immediately identify. She tugged harder. No luck.
The room was dimly lit. She was grateful not to be immediately blinded. She strained to look at her arms. Why did her head feel stuffed full of cotton balls? It was making it hard to direct her body and think clearly.
Once she got everything moving in concert, she could see IV tubing twisted around her bicep and restraints holding her wrists in place. Blood dripped along her forearm. Was it her forearm? It felt like it was, but it was covered in some kind of translucent alloy. The hospital wasn’t unexpected given how hard she’d been hit on the head, but what was this about? She tried to remember what’d happened after the blow.
“My research.” Bronte yanked hard on the restraints.
“Hey, easy. You’re safe.”
The restraints prevented her from turning her body enough to see the woman who’d spoken, and she couldn’t twist enough to lay eyes on her. The sound of her voice however seeped into Bronte’s pores. She relaxed.
Bronte closed her eyes when she sensed her approach. What if the woman was Bard Verstrand’s twin sister or had a horn growing out of her forehead? Bronte took a deep breath and opened her eyes. Unicorns weren’t bad, right?
“I’m Athena, your nurse. I’m getting caught up on what medications you’ve been on, but it wouldn’t be unexpected if you’re groggy and a little disoriented.” Athena began taking vital sign readings. “I wasn’t sure if this would work. Amazing.”
Bronte’s eyes were still a little unfocused and her head hurt like the devil, but she would have had to be nearly dead not to be struck speechless by Athena. Bronte had been fascinated with Greek mythology as a child and now here she was, meeting an honest to goodness Greek goddess, the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen, and she was strapped to a hospital bed in nothing but a backless gown and hot pink no-skid booties. She wiggled her legs a little to see if she was wearing anything under the gown. Far too breezy for her liking.
“Any chance you can take these off if I promise not to scamper off on you?” Bronte waggled her fingers and rolled her wrists as far as she could.
“Don’t know where you think you could scamper to in the condition you’re in. Not to mention most people who flee in hospital gowns with their ass hanging out for all to see get hauled back pretty quick.” Athena leaned over so she was in Bronte’s line of sight. “I’ll see what I can do about these restraints though.”
Bronte could hear a whispered conversation a few feet away. She lifted her head off her pillow and strained to hear, but with her arms bound she had little room to maneuver. She dropped her head again and swore under her breath.
Oddly, as soon as the rather creative invective was out of her mouth her hearing sharpened, as if by magic, and the conversation happening just out of earshot no longer was.
“We’re already going to be on the hook for letting him wake her, you really want to see what happens when you’re caught untying her?”
Bronte didn’t recognize the other women’s voice.
“She’s awake now. What reason do we have to keep her restrained? Is she dangerous? Does she have some kind of ability beyond just the skin thing? Because if she doesn’t, then there’s no reason to restrain her.”
Athena was going to bat for her. Tears welled in Bronte’s eyes and her chest tightened. The air in the room was too thin. Was she having a heart attack? What the hell were the waterworks about? And why did she feel like crap? What kind of medication had they given her? And what did Athena mean by “the metal thing?”
“Shit, she’s close to a panic attack. Who could blame her? We can finish this conversation later.”
Bronte tugged on the restraints again. She was desperate to sit. How did the other woman know she was anxious? She wanted to see her. She was helpless and trapped tied to the bed like this.
Before Bronte was able to get out of her bindings or rip off an arm trying, a new woman entered her line of sight. The woman’s expression was kind, but she was businesslike and lacking the warmth Athena had in spades.
“Dr. Scales, I’m Dr. Ford. I’ve been overseeing your care. It’s natural that you’re feeling anxious and confused. Normally I’d never have woken you in such an abrupt manner after so long, but…the important thing now is getting you comfortable and calm.”
“What do you mean ‘after so long’?” Bronte yanked on the restraints again. She tipped her head back and stared at the speckled tiles of the drop ceiling. She squeezed her eyes shut and took a breath before opening them again. “What is today’s date?”
“I’m taking these off.” Athena looked Dr. Ford’s way with a look Bronte would never argue with and pointed to the restraints holding her to the bed.
“They’re not going to like that.” Dr. Ford pointed at something Bronte couldn’t see.
“I don’t care. She’s our patient first and unless you have a reason for her to be tied to the bed these are coming off.”
Dr. Ford sighed and slowly shook her head. “Spero, don’t let anyone through the door. You started this mess, you don’t get to sit on the sidelines.”
Bronte heard shuffling from the other side of the room. How many more unseen occupants were waiting to announce themselves? She didn’t try to get a look at Spero. There was no way she’d be able to twist herself into position until Athena freed her bindings. Luckily, she didn’t have to wait long. Athena freed her hands while Dr. Ford cut her feet free.
She lifted her arms, rolled her wrists, bent her knees. It was liberating to be able to move her body at will. Her body. Patches of metal slipped away to reveal skin, then reappeared elsewhere like she was some kind of steampunk quilt. She forced the panic away. One thing at a time.
“I’m sitting up now. Keep your eyes off my ass.” Bronte gripped the bedrails and pulled herself to a seated position. She immediately felt lightheaded and flopped back.
“How about we go more slowly, together this time. You’ve been lying in this bed for a year, you can’t expect to jump up and sprint out the door.” Athena gently touched the crook of Bronte’s left arm and frowned.
“Did you say a year? That can’t be right. Bard hit me on the head, yesterday maybe. The day before? But not a year.” Bronte grabbed at her gown, pulling it away from her neck and chest. Too tight. “My work. My research. I have to get it back from her.” The metal skin was starting to seep into her memory as something not as odd as it should be.
“Whoa, slow down. Let’s take this one step at a time, okay? Step one, sit. Step two, have a sip of water.” Athena put her hand behind Bronte’s shoulders and helped her slowly rise. She raised the head of the bed to match her new position.
“What’s step three? Retrieve my research and stop a maniac from using it in ways it was never intended?” Bronte glared out the large flat screen TV-sized window of her room, but all she could see was a hospital corridor and strange Technicolor robot creatures. Maybe she was still feeling the effects of the medication.
“Let’s pencil that in as step ten.” Athena handed her a small glass of water. “It’s important not to skip any steps so I can make sure we get everything in order before you go out to save the world.”
“Which step is the one where I get to put on pants?” Bronte pulled the blanket over her legs, which thankfully now looked like normal, if slightly too thin, human legs.
Cabinet doors banged behind her. She jumped. Her skin tingled, like the feeling you get with a rush of excitement. After it passed she was cool, like the room temperature had dropped five degrees, but she wasn’t in a rush to pull the blanket tighter. She couldn’t bring herself to look at her body, though. That sense of panic was waiting at the door to barge on in.
