Открыть фик целиком в отдельном окне
“Why?”
“Bright light and pain. Everything else is muddy. Flashes of faces, of words and of pain and cold. Everything went cold.” Connor drifted away and rubbed his arms absently.
“They put you in a cryo chamber.” Anton filled in the gaps.
“Yes I know, I’m also aware that they wanted to terminate the ‘experiment’ and that it was only after they conducted the pressure based experiments that they destroyed the creature and my body began to recover.”
“An unknown enzyme was released into your system which sped the recovery process. The amount of collateral damage done was extreme; normal recovery time would have been seven to twelve months. You’ve regenerated for want of a better term in less than three.”
“When I knew what was happening I fought. I doubt I was thinking clearly but I fought them physically and verbally until they sedated me.”
“Why did you stop fighting?”
Pain flashed through Connor’s expressive eyes as he perched his hands on his hips and turned to look outside, the night falling fast.
“Elsinger came to visit, called me the pet lab rat, and told me that it was unfortunate that I lost team members.”
“He told you Peter was dead?”
“And Cooper, showed me photo’s and a memorial plaque. He said Peter was killed in the explosion and Coop didn’t make it to the medical unit in time.”
“There were others though that did survive.” Anton assured him gently.
“Yes, but as you probably know by now I love Peter, he was my entire life.” The quiet distress in the voice spoke of remembered pain and current uncertainty.
“Don’t you mean is?”
“Not unless that’s what he wants.”
“Why wouldn’t he?”
“Why would he?” Connor turned and sat down in the chair opposite.
“Perhaps you should tell me.”
“Probably, there are no guarantees in life Anton. Peter is a passionate man; he is genuinely attractive to most people who meet him. They want to spend time with him and there are others who have so much more to offer him than I have.”
“Yet obviously you had something he wanted?”
“Yes, though I’m not exactly sure what that was.”
“Which means you’re worried that he has found someone else and that you’ll no longer be necessary.”
“A little harsh Anton, but essentially true. It is a situation that only we can resolve.”
Anton smiled. “Well if it’s any consolation, when I spoke to him yesterday he said and I quote, ‘I know he’s alive and I intend to bring him home, all I have to do is find him.’”
“Home to what though? You see the dilemma? Peter takes his guilt seriously and if he’s been ostracized to the extent that Matt and you have suggested it becomes easy to hold onto something, especially when its unobtainable, to wrap it around yourself and use it to shield you from the hurt of others.”
“Spoken from experience?”
“Demonstrably.” Connor smiled ruefully.
“How do you feel about your confinement?”
“Angry. Relieved that it’s over, that I can hopefully leave this place and regain a semblance of normal life.”
“Any other feelings?”
Connor laughed again. “Okay Anton, I’m not paranoid, Elsinger set me up, and in fact I had full knowledge of the experiments prior to the trip to Russia. I also knew he wanted me to come back and allow one of my team to be used as a host.”
Anton blanched.
“Those instructions are in the hands of the Presidential staff, so am I paranoid? No, I do not fully believe that Matt can control this situation and that at some point in time the NID boys will make life difficult for us.”
“That’s not something within our control Connor, we could be hit by a bus tomorrow.”
“Too true and I am not a fatalist. However, when you expect an enemy to behave in certain ways it becomes second nature to watch for the warning signs.”
“Ahah.” Anton smiled. “Are you still attached to ONI?”
“You never become unattached unless you die.” Connor smiled, “and what’s probably not in your files is that my security clearance is as high as the Presidents. I spent five months on the bottom of the ocean in a Hunter Killer monitoring the Russians, Anton; small confined spaces do not bother me. I was trained for such.”
“So that’s how you learned Russian.”
“Yes.”
“Your rank?”
“Commander.”
“What do you want?”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
“To talk to Peter.”
“I don’t see we have a problem with that.” Anton pulled out his laptop and after a few moments the screen flared to life. He patched a direct call through to Lindsey’s cell.
“Hello Lindsey.”
Connor’s head snapped up.
“Does Peter still have an uplink at home?”
Silence.
“Good, tell him to log on, I have someone here who wants to talk to him.” Connor shivered as Anton swivelled the laptop and camera around, “I can only guarantee a few minutes as we are in restricted space here Connor.” He patted him on the shoulder and left the room.
“Hey Anton.” Peter’s voice came over the link seconds before the pictures were received at both ends.
“Hey.” Connor swallowed as he clenched his hands in his lap, carefully neutral.
“Connor?” Peter’s voice was hoarse with emotion.
“Yeah.” By the time the digital uplink sent the live web feed tears had begun to form in Connor’s eyes and he was unable to stop them.
“Oh God, are you alright?” Peter frowned slightly.
“I am now.” Connor smiled.
Страница 8 - 8 из 19
Начало | Пред. | 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 | След. | Конец
