Perfect Storm

Chapter 4

             The next day I was walking to Ben’s room after running the calculations yet again with Reed. We agreed a break was needed, after working all morning. I wanted to check on Ben again, and Reed went to check on Sue. He had already checked one both of them repeatedly through out the night, taking the night shift when he couldn’t sleep.

            I was nearly there when I heard glass shatter and Johnny run out of his room, wearing a gray tank top and the white pajama pants the hospital had given to us. I wasn’t in much more, a black tank top on, and the pajama pants.

            “Oh, come on, Johnny, leave the guy alone,” I said.

            “It was one little thing,” he said, holding his hands up in defense. He wandered away, and I rolled my eyes.

            “Hey, Ben,” I said, grinning as I walked in. “How you doing?”

            “I’m pretty good, sunshine, how about you,” he said, rolling his eyes.

            “Oh, come on Ben, don’t let that idiot get to you,” I said, sitting on the bed next to him, one leg tucked under me.

            He huffed. “How long are we stuck here?” he asked.

            “Until they finish running tests and lift our quarantine,” I told him.

            “Great,” he said. “How is everyone?”

            “Reed and Johnny are up, have been since yesterday. Sue’s still out, but otherwise, we’re all in perfect condition as far as the physicals can tell.”

            “Alright, call in the nurse,” he said, seeing that I was eyeing the com button.

            “Sorry,” I said, and hit it. “It’s not as invasive as you think,” I told him.

            “You again,” the nurse said chuckling, and I shrugged.

            “Johnny actually got to him first, hence the broken glass,” I told her, pointing to the ground. “I’m just calling you guys at this point.”

            “Sue Storm is up now, if you want to go see her,” she said.

            “Thanks,” I said, and waved to Ben.

            ***

            I stood out on the balcony, looking over the scenery with Reed, as we bantered about what could have happened.

            “How long was I out?” Ben asked, and Reed and I turned smiling, Reed giving him a handshake and a hug. I gave him a hug.

            “Hey, 3 days,” Reed said. “Man, I was worried about you.”

            “How you feeling?” I asked.

            “Solid,” he said, and smiled a little. “That was a close one, though, huh? What was that about?”

            “I don’t know,” Reed said, becoming slightly hysterical. “I really don’t know.”

            I put a hand on his shoulder, and said, “we’ve been through the calculations over and over again, and we can’t find any infraction.”

            “They all add up,” he said. “I just don’t understand.”

            “Hey, guys, it was probably just a freak of nature,” Ben said. “You couldn’t have possibly predicted it. Let it go,” he said, shrugging.