One Deadly Night

Fifteen

It was the rocking sensation that woke Jon.

The light overhead glared as he squinted and tried to sit up when he discovered IVs attached to both arms.

Where the heck was he?

He studied the small room.

Correction – compartment.

He realized he was on a ship which explained the constant swaying he felt.

Memory of carnivorous bugs filled his mind and he looked down at his legs.

The right one was firmly bandaged from his hip down to below the kneecap.

He noticed how warm he felt.

Upon closer inspection, he saw that his skin was very flushed.

"What the h—" He began to say when the door swung open, and a person dressed in a full-body protective suit entered.

Jon saw that there was a man behind the facemask who moved to stand at his bedside.

"How are you feeling, sir?" The man asked in an English accent.

"Alright." Jon lied. "Where am I?"

The man paused before answering. "You're onboard the former LHA, USS Bethesda approximately 250 km north of Drake Passage."

Jon observed the middle-aged man more closely.

"What's with the hazmat?"

"Strictly for precautionary purpose." The man replied as his blue eyes darted to the right and back to Jon's face.

Jon slowly nodded. "Sure. And where's the girl?"

"She's being held in another compartment also as a precaution." He said. "She is well."

"And you are?" Jon asked tilting his head to one side.

"My apology, sir. Medical Officer Morton Drew."

"SMO?"

"No. GMO."

"General, eh?" Jan said with a raised eyebrow. "Okay, Drew, who's the Senior?"

Drew hesitated.

"Um, there is no Senior."

"No Senior? How come?"

Jon saw the man's face reddened.

"He's ah no longer with us. Look, it appears you're doing well for the time being. I will return in a tad to check on you again." Drew turned to leave.

"I want to see the girl."

With his back facing Jon, Drew replied. "Not possible."

"Look here, Drew." Jon grunted as he struggled to swing both legs off the side of the medical bed. "You'll either take me to her or I'll make sure that Arnie has your bloody arse!"

The medical officer let out a noticeable sigh before turning to face Jon. His expression, somber.

"Due to the traumatic helicopter ride, the girl's sedated. And you, sir, are in no condition to go anywhere."

"Oh, for cripes sake, it's just a nasty bug bite!" Jon sneered. "What do you mean by 'traumatic helicopter ride'?"

"The helicopter ran into a low-level EMP field and lost power for approximately thirty-seven seconds. When they landed here, we found the girl in a catatonic state."

"So, she's fine then?"

"Yes. Resting comfortably."

"Good. I want to see her with my own eyes."

Jon crossed his arms and glared through the man's facemask.

Drew didn't respond.

**

Skye opened her eyes and discovered she was lying on a bed inside a room with gray walls and glaring white lights.

A room with no windows.

Her eyelids drooped. Why can't she keep them open?

Tap-tap-tap.

It took some effort, but she managed to turn her head toward where the sound came from.

Two people dressed in strange oversized yellow suits stood on the other side what appeared to be a door made completely of glass.

One of them waved at her.

"Skye? Can you hear me?" It was Jon's voice.

"Yes." She whispered.

"It's me. Jon. Just checking in on ya. You're safe. These people will take good care of you."

Skye forced herself to roll on her side so she could look right at Jon. He was holding onto a metallic pole on wheels with a plastic bag of clear liquid hanging from its top.

"Where's Granny?" She mumbled.

The man didn't answer right away. This bothered her.

"They will fill you in on all that once you're better." Was all he said.

He was hiding something.

Her stomach quivered. Did she really want to know the truth?

Biting her bottom lip, she nodded.

The other individual nudged at Jon, and he instantly flung the other's hand away.

"Look, they're putting me in quarantine for a while to be sure I'm not carrying any kind of sickness, but you're going to be just fine. These people are taking you to a new home where it's safe and there'll be other kids there too."

"Wh-where?" She asked.

"Ever heard of a place called Antarctica?"

She racked her brain for an image associated with that name. It sounded so familiar somehow, but nothing came to mind.

Skye shook her head.

"Well, it's kind of like—the North Pole." Jon said. "No insects will bother you there."

At the word – "insects" – a shudder rattled her body.

"As soon as I'm cleared, I'll be joining you." Jon's voice sounded different now.

He cleared his throat.

"I'll see you around, Skye."

The moment Jon disappeared from sight, tears filled her eyes.

She wanted to believe, but she knew better.