Shifters (Feline english version)

Chapter 33

Fortunately, I did not need to explain my sudden hysterical outburst. The medical staff had blamed my uncontrollable tears and tremors on a state of post-traumatic shock. Considering the mess I was in, they were probably right. When they had finished briefly examining me, they made us all get in the back of an unmarked police car and not in an ambulance, which Worth strongly opposed.

As soon as I sat in the car, I leaned my head against the window and fell into a kind of numbness. I barely realized Worth's arm delicately passed around my shoulders drawing my head against him. As it was more comfortable than the cold, damp window, I let him do it and stayed that way all the way to the hospital. Because that was obviously where we were going.

I finally came out of my catatonia when they wanted me to have a gynaecological exam. The possibility that I was raped had not escaped them either. However, the more I tried to tell them that this was not the case, the more they thought otherwise. Maybe I should have accepted their damn exam and thus had some peace of mind once and for all, but all this reminded me too much of the psychiatric hospital. Not to mention that, since we arrived in the emergency room, a little voice told me that it was a bad idea to be here, without my brain remembering why. Cassie must have remembered because she whispered something to Worth who suddenly seemed to realize something.

Half an hour later, the three of us were outside. Our ears were still ringing with doctors' complaints that it was suicidal to leave the hospital in our states, and our hands were sore from having to sign what looked like at least 50 discharges! The inspector assured them that we would all return once our statements were recorded, and they had no choice but to let us go.

This little interlude had at least had the advantage of making me feel better, and I was relieved to have been able to leave the hospital where my miraculous recovery would have seemed more than suspicious. Although, given what the police had found in the lab and on the farm, the secret would soon be out. I shudder at the thought of the public's reaction to this revelation. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it, so I decided to focus on the present moment, that is, the interrogation room that we had all just entered.

- 'I thought that this whole deposition thing was a pretext to avoid compromising analyses and not a sad reality?' I accused Worth in an unconvincing tone.

He closed the door behind him and I didn't even shudder because I was so exhausted. I didn't even have the energy to be claustrophobic anymore!

- 'In part. They expect you to give a statement, and if they think you did it with me, they'll leave you alone. This will allow us, as an added bonus, to develop our versions without attracting suspicion. I made sure the cameras and microphones were turned off. I will say that in my condition, I forgot to turn them on, and no one will blame me. So this is the place where we will have the most privacy for the moment, while keeping up appearances.'

He then dropped, more than he sat, on one of the uncomfortable chairs in the room with a heartbreaking sigh and a wince of pain.

- 'Sorry. I should know that you always act only after careful consideration and never do things randomly,' I breathed. 'Thank you for reacting for me when I was no longer able to. Not that it's going to change much anyway,' I said quietly, more for me than the others.

I sat down in turn, squirming, so that there was a piece of blanket between my butt and the molded plastic of the chair. This was not an easy task when you are deprived of your hands. They were too busy keeping the blanket tight around me.

- 'Let's hurry up and do your "debriefing", because I may not need to go to the hospital, but you both do, and I wouldn't want your injuries to get worse because of me,' I told them in a determined voice as I looked at them.