It's My Life

Chapter 27 - The Rescue Mission

The night was a rough one, my dreams full of rooms with no doors, putrid water that made me sick, and faceless people talking to me in their minds, telling me they will come one day, their mouths never moving. I woke up gasping, and went slowly into the  bathroom, drinking some salt water. I walked back into the main room and sat on the bed, feeling tired and weak, but I knew I would swim once I was rescued, or after the testing this morning, whichever came first. It was a small glimmer, but it was still hope. It was all I could focus on.
The lights came on, though I couldn't say how long it had been since I'd woken up, and I was starving, having drunk more water. The door opened and a guard entered, up a thin gown.
"You are to put this on, and then lie on your bed. Doctors orders." The guard said. I took the gown slowly, then turned and moved into the bathroom to change. Once I'd done so I lay down on my bed, making sure I was fully covered, looking up at the ceiling, my body shaking, cold and afraid. The guard came  back with another guard, and a gurney between them. Without saying a word they picked me up and lay me on it, covering me, and they pushed it out, down the hall, and to the lift where I was blindfolded, since it was easier than making me face the wall.
"Don't react, but the council are meeting now, and should be finished soon. Are you all right?" Tom sent. I nearly sagged at the emotion that hit me when I heard him.
"Oh Tom, I'm so scared. They have me blindfolded, on a gurney, heading to the doctors. They're going to cut me open." I sent back, tears soaking the blindfold. The lift doors opened and I was wheeled out. I felt Tom's worry.
"I can't do anything to help you. I'm so sorry." Tom said, and I felt his despair.
"Please don't feel like that. I can't handle your emotions and my own. I'm trying to keep it to myself." I sent. I felt him steel himself.
"I'm sorry. You're right." He sent. The blindfold was taken off and I blinked in the harsh lights above me. Brad and Shields were there in full scrubs, and I cringed.
"You have nothing to worry about. We won't touch any vital organs. We just want to see the extent of healing." Brad said, a gloved hand touching my shoulder. I felt tears running down my face as I looked up at him.
"Please, please don't." I sobbed. I saw his eyes soften behind the mask.
"Let's get started. Please move her to the table." Brad ordered the guards, who moved over to me, wearing gloves too, and lifted me from the gurney to the table. The blanket was removed and I was strapped down. Brad and Shields moved around, and I watched them.
"What are you going to do to me?" I asked fearfully. They looked at me.
"Testing how long it takes for general cuts to heal, minor and deeper, with obstructions and other hindrances. It will only take us an hour to test everything, and then you'll wake up in your room, hopefully with no pain." Shields said. I cried, body shaking from fear. Shields brought the mask to my face and I Tried to fight, but Brad grabbed my chin and held my head in place as the mask was placed over my mouth and nose. I breathed in the sweet smelling liquid that flowed into the mask.
"Help me!" I screamed mentally, as loud as I could before the blackness took me over, eyes closed, tears leaking into my hair.

Tom looked at his watch for the umpteenth time since the meeting had started at eight thirty, and finally the people started moving out of the conference room. Tom started to move over to his parents when Cassi's mental scream filled his head, making him stumble, and from the reaction of everyone around him they had all been affected by her scream too.
"Gods, she's strong." One of the council members said.
"Sorry, everyone. She's scared. She must have been knocked out, I can't feel her at all." Tom said. Cora frowned.
"They must have drugged her, I can't feel her either." Cora said. Half of the council members left, but the rest stayed behind, and Tom looked around at the half-dozen faces, feeling anxious. A few guards came over, waiting for orders.
"Okay. Our operation is to rescue the girl and her parents from both sites, and we are to enter simultaneously so one cannot warn the other. We know they're there, and they may claim ignorance, but the two men in charge are Director Andrew Jones at Sugden Laboratories, and Doctor John Stevenson at Westlake.  Ask for them directly. No one leaves until Cassandra, Jeremy and Louise are safe in our care." Andreas ordered, and Tom could feel the authority flowing from him. Heads nodded and people moved in different directions. A few moved to Andreas, as did Cora and Tom. Andreas looked at one of the men.
"You are to go to the back entrance, make sure no one leaves." He said, then looked at another man, "and you to the car park entrance." He ordered. They all headed to the cars and drove towards the laboratories.