The ShapeShifters Book Two

The Illegal Mission (Part One)

"So you want us to build a tracker that we will attach to one of them while we are being attacked?" Nick asked incredulously. "You do realize Chris doesn't want us doing this, right?"

"I know." Ollie returned. "That's why we need to do this in secret."

Chloe was still tinkering with a device off to the side, but she was clearly listening keenly. Nick was the one who was disbelieving. "So you want us to put our lives in complete danger in a pretty much illegal mission?"

"Basically yeah." Ollie put his hands in his pockets, staring at the concrete floor. "I have a plan and it doesn't work without you guys." The silence that followed the statement felt like an eternity. It was only broken up by the occasional squeaking from Chloe's contraption. Nick had his hand resting underneath his chin, eyes unfocused. It was clear he was evaluating the situation.

"Who else is coming?" Nick finally asked after a few minutes. His gaze was unfaltering as he waited for an answer.

"I need Ryan. He is the one of the only other people who has a small morph." Ollie sucked in a breath, sure that Nick would say no. Ollie hated going around Chris' instruction and his own promise to James, but he had no choice. They wouldn't have let him go if he hadn't agreed.

Finally putting the shell of the contraption down, Chloe spoke up. "So this plan of yours. Care to elaborate?" Her hand still rested on the metal thing, as if she was afraid of losing it.

"I can't tell you more than what I have already told you." Ollie sucked in a deep breath, hoping that they would say yes. After a long pause, Chloe finally spoke again.

"I'll make the tracker for you." She agreed quietly. "But be warned that Chris will not be happy with this."

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The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor had become so familiar to James at this point. He had taken on the responsibility of caring for his patients physically, but he could do nothing for the mental health of them. Sedatives and medicine were not always the best solution.

He wasn't sure what to do at this point. The life of a normal doctor was filled with patients, all needing different things. But here they needed one thing, something that he couldn't give them. Hope.

Chris in particular needed that hope. James knew little of the older gentleman's backstory; he knew that it was very tragic and after Chris had trouble forming bonds. He looked over at the monitors again as he rested his chin on his hands.

James had seen the interactions of Chris with Hope and Ollie in particular. He treated them like family. Protected the fiercely most of all. That was one of the reasons why he forbade Ollie to go on such a dangerous mission. The doctor was no physiologist, but he had no doubt that losing Ollie would break Chris.

He knew not of personally losing a child, or someone who felt like a child, but he did know what it was like to lose people close.

Sighing, James fell back into the sinking chair, staring up at the white ceiling. It was true that one could get lost in something so plain and intricate, for James did not notice that Chris was stirring yet again.

Chris remained quiet for the most part, only making noise in the occasional shifting of the sheets. He was staring unseeingly at the wall next to him, his face expressionless. He was still in pain, there was no doubt about it, but he had gotten past the initial shock of being blind. Now he was numb, thinking about all of the times he had failed the people close to him.

A single tear came to his cloudy eyes as he thought of his wife and daughter, both of whom he loved dearly. All of the power he had, and he could do nothing about it. His body was exhausted and his mind in shambles. Chris felt like a cat who had a string dangled in front of it, taunting it. Every time he made a grab for the string, trying to save them, he missed and the string was pulled further. Forever taunting him and laughing at him.

He pulled one leg up to rest his elbow on his knee and looked straight ahead. Every where he looked was darkness, but there were other things. He could hear the heart monitor, as well as smell medicine beside him.

It was strange; when he lost his sight, his other senses got heightened. Chris could even make out the sound of soft breathing coming just to the right of him. It was all very peaceful, even in the darkness.

A sharp intake of breath indicated that he had startled someone and that was confirmed when James spoke. "Oh Chris, you scared me." 

Chris heard rustling and footsteps coming to the bedside. Then clinking as James was undoubtedly getting more sedatives to keep him under.

"Not now," Chris held his right hand up to stop James, in what he assumed to be right in front of him. The sounds quieted down. "The pain is minimal." He hesitated for a moment before letting his hand drop and his head droop. "Besides, those cannot take away the worst of the pain."

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "I will be right back." 

Chris' eyes insensitively followed the noise of James' departure, ending on what could only be the door. Chris could still see everything in his mind, but his opened eyes perceived nothing. After what could be described as an eternity of a second, the door creaked open. A soft, caring female voice followed.

"Chris?"

He instantly recognized the voice as belonging to Hope. He didn't respond significantly, simply let his eyes fall to where his right hand was resting.

"Oh no..." Hope trailed off, her voice right next to him. He continued staring blindly at where he knew his hand was. Gentle fingers laced their way into his, holding like an anchor in reality. "Tell me what's going on." She kept her voice lowered, but no emotion was removed from it.

Did he trust himself to confide in her what was going on? She had been there for him when he was down in the dumps, and here she was again. He didn't know what he would do without her, so he chose to reveal his thoughts.

"Remember when you found me?" Chris heard movement and then a reply.

"Yes."

"I didn't know what to do, I had lost everything. But now I'm in a similar position, but I have so much more to lose." Chris closed his eyes and rested his head back. He felt the fingers squeeze a little as Hope soothed him.

"Ollie wants to help you," Hope paused when she heard thunder crackle overhead. Following the boom came a torrent of rain, lashing at the roof. While Chris knew that it would be miserable outside, the inside of the lodge was cozy and the sounds comforting. "My mother once told me a story about the seasons. Fall is like losing people, and winter is the harsh bitterness of the world. But come spring comes new life and new love, blooming in the most amazing way. Without the leaves falling, the trees would die and the flowers would never bloom. Sometimes it takes pushing through the pain to see the rainbow at the end of the storm."

Chris felt another tear coming to his eye as he let her words sink in. "Thank you," He whispered hoarsely. He still grieved for his lost wife and daughter, but he knew that there was a time for new life and new love. Hope leaned in and hugged him, giving him a sense of security. Returning the gesture, Chris felt the internal pain and agony ebb away slowly. Hope was like his rock, keeping him focused. She was quite literally his hope.