Dark Destiny

Chapter Five - Istanbul Excursion

Jeremiah wakes up with a throbbing inside his head that reminds him that he is alive. He realizes that he is lying flat on his back in a bed, with the covers tossed to one side. As he looks down, he sees that he has a large bandage, wrapped around his bare chest and along his back, wrapped across one of his shoulders. When he tries to sit up, he feels a shooting pain at various parts of his back, knowing that it is the results of various lacerations along his bed, although he is uncertain of their depth.

Using his elbows, he forces himself into a sitting position, leaning his head back against the wall, where he shoves the pillows, propping himself up. Through gritted teeth, he forces aside the pain, as he tries to take in his surroundings. Looking around, he sees that he is in a small room, sparsely furnished, with paneling along the lower section of the wall. There is a small wood chair to the side of his bed, which has Althea's jacket draped across it. There is no sign of her or anyone else in the room.

He puts his hand across his forehead, his fingers reaching across his eyes, as he tries to collect his thoughts. It is then that he realizes his surroundings are moving slightly, feeling movement beneath his feet, a sensation of bobbing up and down. He comes to the conclusion that he is on a boat. Shifting his legs, he starts to move himself into a position where he can leave the bed, but the shooting pain in his back, and a new pain in his legs makes him decide to put this action on the back burner—at least for right now.

"You're awake." Jeremiah instantly recognizes the voice, even as the beautiful Althea enters the room, carrying a small doctor's bag with her. "You've been out for some time."

"Althea," Jeremiah offers, putting aside the pain, as he looks up at his lovely companion, who is still dressed as she was earlier. He is relieved to see her, although there is a small cut on her forehead, just above her right eye. Otherwise, she looks to be completely without injury from the explosion earlier. She sits down at the chair beside him, pulling out a prescription bottle. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Thanks to you," Althea responds. "If you hadn't covered my body with yours, I'd likely be worse off than you are...probably a lot worse off."

"But, that cut above your eye?" Jeremiah asks with concern.

"It's all right, just a flesh wound," she responds, brushing off his concerns. "There won't be any evidence of it in a few days."

"How long have I been out?" he asks, sitting back for a moment, content to rest on the pillows, propped against the wall.

"About six hours," she replies.

"And we're on a boat?" he asks.

"Well, I know you like to travel in style," she quips, trying to cheer him up. Realizing that it isn't working, she nods. "Yes, I know we need to get our mission accomplished. You already had a ship scheduled for us today."

"How'd you know that?" he asks, suddenly realizing that he is stripped down to his boxers.

"The slip was in your pants," she replies. "I had to change them, of course. They got a bit bloody." She leans over him, smiling. "Don't worry. I didn't peek...much."

"Oh well," he replies, leaning back again. "It doesn't matter. You did what you had to do."

"Yeah," she agrees. "Pretty much."

"Wait a minute!" he exclaims, remembering more of the time before he was rendered unconscious, although it seems through a dense fog through the pounding in his head. "Zeta—where is Zeta?!"