Читать книгу Sean - Virginie T. - Страница 5

Ashley

I can not believe it. My current rascal boyfriend turned off the alarm last night, because mister wanted to wake up late in the morning. No kidding? This lazy idiot who doesn't even work reproaches me for waking him with the shrill ringing of my alarm to go to work. It looks like our pseudo honeymoon period we know at the beginning of a relationship is over. Just like our relationship . He will not see me again. Never mind, I will find myself another lover. One who  works and does not blame me for not devoting my days to him. In the meantime, I'm late and angry. I run like crazy on the street, jostling a few people strolling their noses up in the air and apologizing lip service without slowing down my race. Concerning politeness, next time, but there, I really don't have time.

I finally get to the hospital, but I'm still 30 minutes late. My department head will blame me again. Especially since we have been understaffed since the attack on Sevana, some nurses having been afraid and given their resignation letter. The bloody scuffle between several metamorphs on the hospital grounds the following week did not help convince them to return to their jobs. On the contrary, it comforted them in their decision to never set foot in this hospital again, unable to protect their staff. That means I'm going to have to use my charms on this one if I don't want to hear about it for days or take a blame. As expected, I don’t take three steps upstairs without being fired up by a overwrought boss.

– Miss Peterson, you're late. It is unacceptable ! You have no professional conscience? You know, however, that we are understaffed and allow yourself to take your time in the morning.

I take a minute to open my mind and take a deep breath before turning around with my most seductive smile.

– I'm sorry, Mr. Raze. A concern with the alarm clock. It will not happen again.

I spread my soothing waves and my thoughts of kindness to his boiling brain. A priori, I am the third to arrive late today and he intends to make me an example to stop this haemorrhage of latecomers. I'm going to have to force the dose to get out of there. What bad luck ! I will be tired for the rest of the day. However, I don't really have a choice. It is out of the question that I lose my job. I would be forced to return to live in the territory of the pack and I do not wish to see Nathan again for a long time. Not until he finds his partner and stops insisting.

– I'm so sorry, Mr. Raze.

His forehead wrinkles gradually disappear as my power slides inside him. It works well. Humans are so easy to handle. A real child's game that I have practiced from a very young age. Unfortunately it requires so much energy. My boss ends up stammering me, somewhat disoriented:

– It's OK  for this time. But don't let it happen again. And let me know about Sevana as soon as you will know something. We miss her very much in the service. She always knew when patients needed emergency care. A true gift from heaven.

I nod my head while going to get change without asking for my rest. I dodged well.

Sevana. She’s been my best friend since we met six years ago. I like to chat with her, laugh and cry. She is always there for me, even if I tease her with her nonexistent sentimental life. I never told her about any part of my life, just like she never told me her secret, but she is still my faithful friend. I worry about her. Already two weeks since she literally disappeared. No more traces of her on the surface of the planet. I hope I made no mistake when talking about her talent to this metamorph, Connor. I’ve been protecting her for so many years. Even my family didn't know about her, which was hard to hide. I speak very often of my human friend and Peter works closely with the health services. It was therefore necessary to excel in ingenuity to avoid meeting them on each of his impromptu visits to the hospital. He would never have hurt her, but some members of the pack are not very open—minded, not to say homebody, they do not support new faces, and above all, I know the recommendations of Sevana's parents. She told me about it one day when we had to take care of an animorph, and I didn't want to put her in troubles by making her meet metamorphs when her family forbade her to associate with them. Maybe I should have, but I thought I was up to the task I set for myself by looking after it. Unfortunately, against the Black pack, I was helpless. I couldn't help her on the day of the attack. I lost consciousness before I even guessed their intentions and tried to intervene. When I regained consciousness, she was already so damaged. These two wolves had literally cut her to pieces. She had suffered so much that hints of fear and pain still floated in her mind, even through her coma. In all objectivity, I could never have put down two animorphs in stride. One, yes, but not two. Peter asked me not to get involved in this story when he  heard about the incident. He was very worried about me and I had to convince him that I was in no danger that he would let me keep my job. When the governor's men came to the hospital, my first reaction was to be afraid for her. I immediately guessed that they were metamorphs. Their bodies, their muscles and the gleam in their eyes. No doubt possible. I grew up in a pack. I know how to recognize them. But when I got back into the room, they were just looking at her with pity, without animosity. They did not feel what she is, the fault of the drugs injected into her blood. I know the effects of pharmaceutical molecules on the blood of fatel people. Besides, it was better. They could have been scared, angry, or whatever. The disappearance of the fatels is no secret to anyone, unlike the fact that some have survived. And the way the tall brown, Connor, was staring at her when I got back into the room. He was not aware of it, but it looked like there was a connection between them. I have already seen this in animorphs, between two soul mates, but never between an animorph and a fatel. My talent is of little use to me with metamorphs. Their spirit, inhabited by their animal, is difficult to read, and requires an insane amount of energy to be effective, but I was ready to bet on my life that I could trust him about Sevana. Who would watch over her for me? Now I doubt it. What if I misinterpreted what I perceived? Gene therapy should have already cured her and the Black pack has not re-emerged in the area since she was no longer there. So why didn't she come back? Is she still in danger, pursued by rabid and unscrupulous beasts? Did the Blacks catch and exterminate her the way they wanted, which would explain why the pack was made to be forgotten? Or worse yet, have I given her to monsters wanting to use her? I am well placed to know that certain dissident packs have no limits in killing the fatels. No, some were even more cruel. They captured and sequestered them, using the peaceful members of this people until their death, in endless suffering of course.

When I told Peter about animorphs working for the governor, he was not surprised. He assured me that I didn't have to worry, that the Guardian Angels pack would protect her from all odds. I had never heard of this pack, but my alpha persuaded me that Sevana was safe with them. He is of course not aware of the particularity of my friend, but Peter never lied to me and he was sure of himself. Objectively, a pack that respects human life and fights against rebel animorphs would probably do no harm to a fatel. Besides, I have every confidence in Peter's judgment. He is a benevolent and altruistic chef, even if you don't have to trust appearances. He is the quiet force that possesses the power of a buffalo and the cunning of a hyena. It is better not to be his enemy. Fortunately for me, he is always on my side. Normal, he considers me as  his daughter, just like Sam.

The thing that bothers me the most is that I don't know how to contact Sevana and that Guardian Angels territory is hundreds of miles from here. Too bad, if I don't hear from her by the end of the week, I'll go there and no one will stop me from seeing her. I did some research. It seems that one can enter their territory only by invitation, but I will deploy all my power if necessary to persuade them to let me in and see my best friend, even if I pass out at their door. Once unconscious, they will be forced to bring me in to look after me. And say that I regularly harassed her so that she would go out, meet and open up to the world. She certainly has other priorities today, and her distrust of others has yet to grow. I'm not ready to be able to introduce my family to her. Such a waste!

In the meantime, I take my service by closing my mind to everything around me. It is better. Between the pain of the patients, the anxiety of the visitors and the dirty thoughts of the doctors who imagine us naked under our hospital gowns, I would go crazy if not! It is not always good to know what people think.