Chapter 8
CILLA
My head is pounding and I’m wondering what the heck is going on! Turning my head slowly and looking around, I don’t recognize the room I’m in. Slowly sitting and checking around, it looks like a medical room!
The door opens and Scalpel walks in. Now, I only know that’s his name because it’s on his jacket thingy, which I’ve heard they call a cut.
“Ah, you are awake at last. I’m going to call you Sleeping Beauty since you’ve been asleep for fourteen hours.”
“What! Fourteen hours? What the heck!” I try scrambling from the bed, but Scalpel takes hold of my arm gently, keeping me in place.
“Let me check you before you go rushing away,” he says with some exasperation in his tone.
Checking me over doesn’t take him long, and he gives me a clean bill of health. Well, clear enough that I can go home to rest some more. “Thank you, Scalpel. Can I ask if Brewer is okay?”
“You sure can,” Scalpel takes my hands into his and gives them a gentle squeeze.
“You saved his life, Cilla. I don’t know what happened, but he has some bruising on his throat where he was choking out.
Sounds like he’s a hundred-a-day smoker at the moment,” he says, laughing at his own description of Brewer’s voice.
“Let me get you a drink, and once you’ve had that I’m sure Pres will want a word with you. ”
Watching Scalpel leave, I look to my left and raise an eyebrow at Bono who is leaning against the wall, or pretending to be at least.
*Are you okay, Cilla?*
“I think so, Bono. What happened?”
*Someone had a beef with Brewer from when he served in the military.
Seems the asshole was a high-priority target on a mission, got taken out, and instead of moving on he’s been waiting to come after our man.
You saved him, but don’t use all your energy like that again, Cilla.
You know it’s detrimental to your health*
“Bono, I couldn’t watch someone die. Did you get rid of the disgusting man?”
*I did, and you know it was great being able to fight again. Now I know I can do it. I may become a knight in shining wings*
I don’t have time to respond before the door opens and Scalpel walks into the room with a tall glass of iced tea. “Drink this, and then I’ll take you to see Pres.”
“Thank you, Scalpel.” My eyes flick to the right and see a child skipping around Scalpel’s legs. I do my best to ignore it, but when she tugs on his trouser leg I sigh.
“Scalpel, do you have a child who has passed away?”
Looking at me with a frown on his face, Scalpel looks at me closely. “You mean, as in, dead, right?”
“Yes, I mean passed to the next life cycle,” I reply and look at him closely. “There is a child tugging on your pant leg. She’s thrilled to see you.”
Scalpel closes his eyes for a moment, then opens them with such a watery expression that I know he’s on the verge of crying. “She’s my baby sister. Her name is Samantha, and she was born with a hole in her heart. Before it was discovered and they could operate, she died.”
“I am so sorry, Scalpel. But she is dancing around, looking well and extremely happy.” Before I can say more Samantha tugs his pant leg once more. “Can you feel her pulling on your pant leg?” I ask him and watch as he concentrates.
Scalpel’s eyes shoot to mine and he gives such a soft smile that I know he has felt something. “Samantha says she is okay, and she’s going to move on now. She wants you to stop being so sad and maybe get yourself a lady and a baby of your own.”
A chuckle erupts, catching Scalpel and me completely off guard. The peace that enveloped him, which he hadn't expected to feel, also brought comfort to Samantha, and she sang her farewells and expressed her love as she slowly vanished.
“She’s gone now, Scalpel. She was making sure you move on, find your happiness.” I pat his forearm before drinking the iced tea.
Once more the door opens and Brewer walks into the room, not pausing when he sees me but stepping right up to me and wrapping me tightly in his arms. “Thank you, Cilla. I would be dead if not for you. Thank you.”
You'd think Brewer smokes a hundred cigarettes a day based on his voice. The sound of his voice is deep and aching, and the way he swallows slowly reveals he's having a bit of a struggle. “Are you okay? Scalpel, is he okay?”
Brewer nods, but Scalpel speaks quickly, “He is fine. His throat is very tender and has bruising, but much more and he’d not be here with us now.”
“Let’s go speak with your president then I can go home.
I need to get back to work. I really cannot afford to lose my job.
” I hand the glass to Scalpel and follow Brewer out of the medical room and over to Tracker’s office.
I’m not sure I feel right calling him President!
I prefer to think of him as Tracker, but would like to know his true name, I’ll have to guess sometime and see if I can get a response.
Walking into and taking a seat in Tracker's office, I give Finger, Cap, Rides, and Hot Rod a smile of acknowledgement, then quickly get into what I know they are going to ask. “Okay, someone rushed up behind Brewer in the kitchen. I don’t know who it was, and I didn’t get a decent look before I threw out all the energy I could grab from my aura to stop the asshole choking Brewer to death.
Bono was the one who came forward and did whatever he had to. ”
Brewer, who had followed me into the office along with Scalpel, is nodding.
“All I felt was a sensation of being choked. I couldn’t grab anyone because there was nobody physically there.
It was fucking frightening I can tell you.
It’s different when someone tries to do it and you can defend yourself, but I couldn’t. ”
*I’ve been looking, and it was someone he killed when in service*
“Bono just said it was someone you killed when in service,” I relay to Brewer and watch him for any sign he’ll recognize who it could be.
“I don’t know, Cilla. When in war you kill the enemy but don’t even try to remember them, or you’d never sleep again at night.”
I give Brewer an understanding nod before giving my attention to Tracker.
“I can’t explain how it works. I didn’t even know I could throw my energy to stop an apparition from doing something.
In fact, I didn’t even know it was possible for them to hurt us, but it’s something that Bono will have to look into.
” I frown Bono’s way and he’s nodding to show he’s listening and following the conversation.
*Yeah, yeah, I’ll speak to the higher levels and see what I can find out*
“Bono needs to up his fucking game or I’ll be killing Finger our Enforcer to go sort the fucker out,” Tracker snarls, but I can see his eyes twinkling with fun.
Finger gasps and asks in astonishment, “So, you’ll kill me to sort out Bono who is already fucking dead? You know you’ll have two dead assholes on that side then. Hm, maybe I could find your father and grandfather, or your mother?”
Tracker snarls fiercely at that last comment. “Hey, you leave my mother out of this. She was a nightmare alive, so you can bet she’ll be even worse dead.”
Knowing nobody can do anything other than what we’ve done already we are all dismissed from Tracker's office. I am given a ride home in my own truck by Finger I might add.
“You know I’m staying with you until this asshole is caught. He may know you took pictures of him, and if he knows, he’s going to come after you. I’ll leave you in peace while working at the diner, but other than that, I’ll be with you day and night.”
I give Finger a look of horror because I don’t have anywhere for him to sleep if he is saying he’ll be staying over at my place. But you know, I’m just not going to worry about it. I’m too tired to be bothered.
I’m totally ignoring the fact Finger slept on my couch in the living room last night. Me not having any furniture in the two bedrooms I don’t use in the house had Finger looking at me like I had two heads. Why furnish unused rooms when I'm trying to save money?
The house is small, with three bedrooms, a small en-suite in the main bedroom, another bathroom, and a half bath downstairs. Living room, kitchen, and small laundry room. It's a house big enough for me.
Walking into the diner, I give Shelby a huge smile when she asks if I’m okay. “I’m good now. I just needed a long sleep to recuperate, but all is good and I’m ready for my day.”
“I’m pleased you are okay now. Brian is cooking today, and Maisy and Jayne will be here alongside you.
Maisy will work until after the lunch rush, then Jayne will come in to cover the rest of the day.
Don’t do too much. Maybe be the counter assistant today and make all the drinks to pass to the others to serve? ” Shelby asks more than orders.
“I can do that, Shelby.”
Maisy walks into the diner and gives me a finger wave as she passes. “I’ll be with you in two ticks, Cilla.”
The day passes easily, and with me behind the counter, passing the orders to Brian, making drinks and plating up cold desserts from the fridge I’m not overexerting myself either.
I feel for the other two servers as they must have clocked up some steps on their wrist devices.
It apparently is something they are doing together.
Dieting on a low-fat and move-more plan they devised themselves.
But it seems to have become a competition between them as to who is doing the most steps.
“Do you want to join us in the get-fit fad?” Maisy asks, and I give her a look that says not on your life, which, of course, has her laughing.
“I’m done, Shelby. Can I skip off early?”
“Since the lunch rush has ended and Jayne is here, you go home and get some rest.” Shelby gives me a wave of her fingers.
I swiftly take my purse and jacket. Since Finger hasn't returned and has my truck, I'll walk home quietly. As I leave the diner through the front doors and begin my walk home, I shout goodbye and tell everyone I'll see them tomorrow.
I’m not sure when it happened, but I see Bono appear directly in front of me and he’s waving his arms around shouting something.
But before I can ask what he’s saying I received a hard smack on the back of my head.
The saying that you see stars is actually accurate.
“Psycho bitch...” is all I hear before I see stars, along with white and black dots.
But the pain hits again, and before I can react, I’m falling.
Waking again in Scalpel’s medical room, I have a terrible headache and feel spaced out. Two Scalpels are standing in front of me, “Wow, I didn’t know you had a twin?” I slur at the wavering pair.
“Pres, she’s got a concussion and if it wasn’t for that young guy seeing what was happening, she could be dead,” Scalpel snaps, and I’m not sure if that’s real or I’m dreaming something weird is going on?
“Conley...is that your name, Pres?” I ask right as a giggle bursts out of me.
“What the fuck are you talking about, Seer?”
Frowning, I’m wondering who the heck Seer is. Oh, is that Pres or someone else? “What about Slate, is that your name?”
“What’s going on with her, Scalpel?” the voice asks, and I’m frowning even harder, which is making my head throb.
A shadow shape similar to Tracker appears in my line of sight.
“Ooooo, you are a sexy thing.” I can’t stop my mouth from yacking because I’m fairly prone to babble when I have meds of any kind.
I look at the figure from the top of his head to the tips of his boots, then as I allow my eyes to roam back up I stop at his groin.
Pointing I state loudly and clearly, “You are a big man. I bet your parts are impressive too!”
“What the fuck is wrong with her?”
Scalpel number two moves, and I wink at him. “Your twin is just as sexy as you, by the way. No point saying one is better than the other, eh?”
“She is obviously having a reaction to the medication, Pres. But thank fuck she’s not singing.”
“Singing! Oh, I love to sing!” I giggle and slap my arm across my chest and start to sing, “O say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight’s last gleaming?
” I hum a little as my brain feels muddled then continue, “O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave. O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave? ”
“Jesus fuckin’ Christ, Scalpel, shut her up,” the Tracker phantom states.
“Hey you, shut it. You may be sex on long legs with a big dick, but that’s our anthem, and you just shut...” I don’t say more because slurring again I close my eyes and start to snore.
Unbeknown to me Bono is laughing his ass off, and Tracker is grumbling about what the fuck is going on, and where the fuck was Finger when I was being attacked?