Downworld

Chapter 35

The next day, Isamu warned me he was coming several minutes before he actually walked into the room by sending me picture messages of the crowd of media outside the front and back of the hospital. I shouldn't have been surprised.

I used those minutes to wiggle myself into a sitting position to try look like less of an invalid. The attempt was probably not that successful, because I jostled one of my legs and then almost bit my tongue off trying not to scream at the sudden pain. But pride's a thing that I have, and it was already shot by having to lie there in a hospital gown, letting myself be poked by doctors -- some of which looked at me like I was a lab rat -- so I wasn't going to admit I was in pain.

Even though I knew Isamu was all right, seeing him was a huge relief. I was pretty sure he felt the same way, though he eyed my legs with skepticism as he drew up a chair to sit.

'Hey, kid,' I said, though I should have probably laid off that nickname, since most days he looked more respectable than I did. 'Do I need to give you shit about coming here? I pretty sure I told you to go home and stay there.'

'I'm pretty sure you didn't say stay there,' he replied.

'I'm pretty sure it was implied.'

'Yeah, yeah, fine. Save your breath, I know what you're going to say. You're a hypocrite, by the way.'

And I couldn't exactly argue with that. 'How's Fi?'

'She's okay. Mostly healed, but doing the thing that you guys do when you take energy and aren't used to it.'

'Yeah. How are you?'

He shrugged. 'Not even top five most traumatic experiences of my life. I'm fine.'

That was probably bullshit, but I didn't want to call him on it. He'd talk to me if he wanted to talk to me, and he'd talk to Fiona even if he didn't want to talk to her, because she wouldn't let him get away with not talking. 'Malik?'

'Pissed. If his entire household hadn't threatened to sit on him to keep him from coming up here, he would be kicking your ass right now.'

I sighed. That was probably a huge understatement, but I'd deal with Malik when I needed to. 'Everyone else?'

'A lot of your immigrants have gone down temporarily while things get sorted. But you know Elspeth won't come home to save her life. She's got security already and since she goes by her stage name rather than Rivers most of the time, we figure she's safe enough. Stephen stopped by, but apparently he had a date last night that he could not miss. He checked in with me this morning.'

'A date? You're serious?' I had to ask, because I wouldn't have thought Stevie would go on a date the night after his sister had been attacked.

Isamu just shrugged and looked away, and I had the distinct feeling that he knew something about this date that was apparently so important to Stephen. 'Hey, they're related to you. Stubbornness seems like the dominant trait.'

'Are you covering for him?'

'My lips are sealed. But you should probably ask him to introduce her to you, they seem serious.'

'Huh. And how do you know this?'

He rolled his eyes. 'So what's with the cops at the door? I thought for a second they were going to frisk me.'

I glared, but let him get away with that not so subtle change of topic. 'They're some mix between bodyguard and jailor. I'm surprised they let you in here at all.'

'I'm your emergency contact, remember? And I've got the three best lawyers in this city basically begging me to call them for their help with this mess. I'd like to see them try keep me out.'

'I didn't know you were so friendly with my lawyers.'

'You don't know as much as you think you do. They know who to call when you forget to pay their bills. And they don't want to lose their best client to a government research facility or prison.'

'And they're not bothered?'

'They're lawyers, Jay, they don't have feelings like regular people.'

'That's true.'

'How long are they going to keep you?'

I shrugged. 'The doctors want me for a couple days for observation. The feds, well, we'll see.'

'Feds?' He looked a little horrified at the word.

'Yeah, they've been around.'

Isamu sighed and leaned back in his chair, putting on his work persona. 'The public reaction has not been as bad as I thought it would be; there's a lot of sympathy because of the Criswell thing. People are freaked, sure, but it seems like a lot more people are excited than scared, probably because they only know about the healing, not the other stuff. Your whole life as Jay Glen is all over the news, along with Fiona's. The government so far has not made a statement. Some church leader thinks your healing ability is a miracle from God.'

'Well, there you go.'

'They know more than I thought they would too,' he added, giving me a look that said he didn't think that was a coincidence. 'Nothing about downworld, but there's a lot of speculation linking us to the old myths. It's sort of surprisingly accurate, and surprisingly sympathetic.'

'There's a reason I got all the library rats hooked on social media.'

'So I'm supposed to think you had nothing to do with it?'

I actually hadn't, at least directly, though only because I was sure my phone and internet activity was being monitored, and I didn't want it to seem like I had planned all this by campaigning for myself too soon. 'I didn't. And if you're asking for my tumblr, I'm not telling.'

'Aren't you too old for tumblr?'

'Hey now, I'm not old.'

He snorted, and we sat there a moment in silence.

'So how angry are you?' I asked eventually. I couldn't put it off forever.

'I'm very angry. At Criswell. I should probably be pissed at you too, but it's partly my fault, isn't it? And really, I could tell how scared you were after.'

'It wasn't your fault at all.'

'I should have talked you out of it.'

'If you could have, you would have.'

'You are kind of a stubborn bastard,' he said, with a fond grimace.

'It's a curse.'

'Maybe next time though, you shouldn't try to insist on secrecy. She might not have been hurt it she knew.'

'You know why I couldn't let people know.' Malik would have found a way to stop me if he'd known, and Fiona would have probably told him if she'd known.

Isamu opened his mouth to say something else when his phone pinged. 'Stephen wants a lift,' he said.

'Go on. I'll be fine here.'

'You sure?'

'Yes, Isamu. Go save everyone from Stevie's terrible driving.'

He grinned and stood. 'I'll bring you some real food for dinner.'

'Thanks. And Isamu?'

'Yeah?'

'Call the lawyers. And also the PR people we use. They'll know what to do, if they haven't started already. Don't use your phone.'

The smile was gone, replaced by a considering look. I can see he wanted to ask, but he didn't. He just turned to leave, throwing a 'see you' over his shoulder.