Time Traveler Part I (Feeling Like The World Forgot Me)

Chapter 13

Foley rubbed his face, feeling utterly useless as Ali and Zach examined Patty in the Faraday cage.

Cody stopped pacing for a moment. "What happened?" he demanded again.

Foley shook his head. "He was on the floor when we got home. His head augment was broken and there was blood-" He swallowed. "Ali did the best he could, but when he came to all he did was stare at us. He tried to talk, but..."

"Did Ben do it?"

"He couldn't have. He's on his last legs, me and Ali have been making arrangements for his body. Patty made us put it off for as long as possible."

"Then who did it?" Cody shouted.

"Stop it, Cody," Dan snapped, "You're not helping."

Cody looked like he wanted to hit Dan for a moment, but his eyes started to glisten and he slumped and fell into a chair instead.

Dan went over and gave him a pat on the shoulder. "I'm gonna message Awsten, okay? Him and Geoff should be here."

Foley felt sick. It couldn't be that serious. Maybe only the casing had been broken and Patty was just in shock. Dan came back and as time dragged by in sickening silence Foley's tenuous grip on that hope loosened. Ali came out briefly to ask Dan to come to the cage, telling them nothing about Patty's condition. Awsten and Geoff eventually arrived and Foley didn't have it in him to relate what had happened again.

"I was just with him," Awsten said softly, "He was fine."

Foley had expected a more volatile reaction from him. His quiet dejectedness made him feel sicker. What had Dan said when he called them over?

Zach looked tired when he finally came out. "Foley?" He gestured back to the cage.

Foley didn't stop to ask how Patty was. He raced to the back of the ship, nearly tripping when he reached the cage and saw Ali holding Patty close on the operating table.

"Patty?" He could barely speak out loud.

Relief nearly had him collapsing to the floor when they separated and Patty looked at him.

"Hey," he said gently.

Foley ran forward to hug him, unable to stop the tears that spilled over. "Goddamn it, mate."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"It was close," Ali said, "But nothing that we couldn't fix was broken. Zach and Dan want to keep him over for a while, though. Just in case."

They helped Patty off the table, hovering at his side as they went to the guest room. A glance at the back of Patty's head only showed that Zach and Dan had put a temporary cover over the damaged area at the back of the head augment. Patty made himself comfortable in the middle of the bed and pat the sheets for them to lay with him.

"Do you remember what happened?" Ali asked.

Patty curled up closer to him, saying nothing for a while.

"My...processor fucked up again." He thought for another moment. "Maybe on the way home? Ben was...wearing a lot of blankets and watching something on a file." Patty sat up. "Someone came in."

Foley and Ali sat up too. "Who?" Foley asked.

"I don't know, I can't remember. They kept saying a number. I think Ben recognised them."

Foley thought hard. Who had Ben met that could have gone to their place today?

"An osai?"

Foley looked at Ali, but he just shrugged at him.

Patty shook his head. "Human. I think. They were acting weird. I tried to stop them and ask what they wanted but they attacked me."

"They wanted Ben?" Foley clarified.

"I think so. God, we gotta find him."

Patty moved to get up, but Foley put a hand on his shoulder. "You need to stay here. Let Zach and Dan look after you."

Patty looked about to argue.

"Awsten and Geoff are here," Ali said quickly, "Maybe they can help instead."

Patty hesitated at first, but caved and nodded. "Please help him."