Becoming Complete: Inchoate Book 1

Chapter 17: A Late Night

Doug was rushed back to the mansion. The black implement had disappeared with the creature, but the hole in his side was still gapingly evident. Storm and Hank had packed it with snow to keep him from bleeding out, but things were still not looking good for the young, blond teen.

He remained unconscious when they all arrived back at the mansion. Thankfully, the spike had not been as deep as originally thought, so they were able to quickly stop the bleeding. However, there were now black tendrils extending from the wound. Hank suspected the spike had been laced with some kind of poison. He worked frantically down in his lab to find an antidote, but the poison was of an unknown organic substance.

The Professor and Roberto stayed with Doug, while Storm and Raven took a protesting, and possibly hypothermic, Que to another room to check her over.

"You guys, I.. a-a-am fine. Please let me go s-s-ee Doug!" Que pleaded hysterically. Her speech was slightly slurred, and she felt extremely tired. Her eyelids kept sagging against her will, but she had to see Doug.

"Que, the Professor and Hank are taking care of him. You, however, are our responsibility. Now, start stripping off those wet clothes. We will get you more later. You are hypothermic and going to lose some appendages if we don't," Raven instructed sternly. Que hesitated. Her brain felt like it was processing through molasses, so she continued to stare at her mentors like they had three heads. Raven, tired of waiting, started pulling Que's snow soaked shirt over her head. Que was slightly alarmed and clumsily slid off the edge of the bed, where she had been seated.

"Wait!" Que said fumbling to stop Raven's adept hands. "I... I can do it. Please, I... um. I can go... p-please," she stammered looking around for somewhere more private. She attempted to back up, but she just bumped into the bed. Her lack of coordination and hazy brain were not doing her any favors. "You don't have anything either of us don't have or haven't seen," Storm chided, supporting the unsteady girl under the arms.

She and Raven ignored Que's protests and continued to quickly uncloth the shaking girl. Que eventually gave in and her head lolled to the side. She couldn't resist anymore. She was just so tired.

Raven and Storm were able to just finish and help her back on the bed before she fell fast asleep. While the two had been drying off and clothing the groggy Que, they noticed why she had tried to refuse their help. Storm glanced at Raven, both of them thinking in tandem.

They had seen the now sleeping, blanketed girl was covered in numerous scars. The most prominent were long strips running the length of her back and arms. Then, there were small puncture wounds scattered about, a wider more crude gash across her front mid-section, another running four inches down from her left shoulder, and patches of wrinkled skin across her right clavicle and left calf, possibly from some type of burn.

Until now, they had never thought too much about Que's style, but she tended to wear more concealing clothing, like her flannel jacket and cotton hoodies, regardless of the weather. Que sometimes wore shorts, and they had seen the scar on her leg but hadn't given it much thought either.

Storm was just finishing up Que's warm saline IV when she spoke up.

"Did you know?" she asked Raven quietly.

Raven just shook her head.

"Should we mention something to Charles?" she asked.

"I am not sure that he doesn't already know, but I think it might be worth mentioning, especially if it had something to do with tonight's visitor. I am going to speak with him," Raven replied.

As Raven headed toward the door, a strange thing happened. A small, yet extremely bright sphere of light appeared and floated up next to her. She moved away, but the sphere just followed her movement. It danced around Raven's shoulders some before settling near the air just to the left of her.

Storm's eyes grew wide "I think that is Que's. Maybe she has triggered something in her sleep? I do not think it is dangerous. Go ahead to the Professor and see what it does."

The light followed Raven into the hall, still floating right above her shoulder. When she entered Doug's room, the Professor and Hank, who had returned from his lab, gave her quizzical looks.

"I don't know," she said waving them off. "How is he? Have you found anything yet Hank?"

"I have been unable to stabilize the organic patterns of poison enough to make a solution. He is holding on, but I need to find something soon," Hank replied with a concerned glance at the boys tight face. Doug may have been unconscious, but he looked like he was in a lot of pain.

At this, the sphere of light danced down from Raven's shoulder and floated over to the comatose boy. It hovered for a brief moment over where he had been impaled before sinking into his wound. It glowed momentarily, then the three adults watched in awe as they saw the light slowly spread into the blackness. It ate away the tendrils and dimmed. Doug's previously painstaken expression relaxed.

"His vitals are picking up," Hank said amazed. "Raven, what was that?"

"I have no idea. I think it was from Que, but she is unconscious. Also, Charles you may already be aware, but we need to show you something," Raven said leading him back to Que's room.

Charles went with Raven to where Que was sleeping. Raven noticed the girl wore such a calm expression while she was sleeping. It was nothing like the serious or anxious one that usually masked her face.

The two women described the scars they had seen to Charles. Then, they gingerly and modestly maneuvered Que to show him what they had discovered. Que mumbled some, but didn't wake up.

"We didn't know if you knew, but if any of this possibly has a connection to tonight you would know," Storm explained.

"Unfortunately no, I do not think they are related. I know how she possibly got some of these, but I had no idea the extent. I only know a small portion of her history," he said, staring at the sleeping Que.

"How is she doing? I know you reported she was experiencing symptoms of hypothermia. I hate to wake her, but we need to know what happened tonight."

Storm nodded and gently nudged Que's shoulder. "Que," she said as the Professor settled himself next to her bed.

"Mmm? Five more minutes," she said her forehead wrinkling at the unwelcome intrusion.

"Que, we need to ask you some questions about tonight," Storm said gently.

Que, opened her eyes drowsily. "Mmm?" she repeated lazily glancing toward the adults.

"I'm cold," she said offhandedly, nestling herself deeper into the blankets surrounding her.

"Que, darling, I need you to focus the best you can," Charles instructed her quietly.

"M'kay, can I go back to sleep after?" she asked, her eyes slipping closed again.

"Yes, but you have to stay awake for now. Que, what do you remember about tonight? Why did you go off into the woods?" Charles asked.

"Don' know. I walked? No," Que half mumbled. Her answer confused Charles so he continued. "Did you go off in the woods of your own free will?"

"Um, no. I just was there," she replied.

"What do you mean?" he prompted.

"Well, I was in the living room... and then, poof... I was in the woods. There was no between," she said. "My head felt kind of tingly in my room and in the living room. The feeling got sharp..." she paused scrunching her eyes at the memory. "and poof! Everything was dark, and I was in the woods. It was quite cold. I am cold," she said, her eyes slipping closed again.

He turned toward Raven and Storm who wore equally concerned expressions.

"So, it sounds like something took control of her?" Raven asked.

"I am not sure," he said, turning back to Que. "Thank you Que. If you..." he stopped. She was already back asleep with her mouth slightly agape. Charles almost smiled at how peaceful she looked. He gently brushed back some hair from her face, then turned to Raven and Storm.

"We need to find out more about this entity and his connection to Que, but it is late. For tonight, I think it is best for us all to get some rest."