Richard looked at the girl on the exam table. Her heart monitor stopped beeping as the doctor unhooked her.

  “She’ll be awake soon,” Zimmer said. “Guess you better put her wherever you want her.”

  “Is she going to freak out on me?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Richard grabbed Zimmer by the arm. “Watch your fucking mouth,” he said. “Answer the question.”

  “The answer is I don’t know. Sir. I have no control over that.”

  Richard glared at him and picked the girl up. “She’ll be more comfortable on the couch,” he said. “Get out of here. I’ll call you if we need you.”

  Zimmer hesitated.

  “You really don’t want to see this next part,” Richard said. “Trust me.”

  Richard was enjoying his favorite Tom Clancy novel when Teri stirred. She looked like a kitten curled up on her side with her head in his lap, twitching from some dream. At first glance, one might mistake them for father and daughter.

  Teri’s eyes opened and darted around the room. “Awake again,” Richard said. He patted her on the shoulder.

  She sat up and slid across the couch from him so their arms were stretched out. She touched her cheek with her free hand. Then she wiggled her fingers and stared at them.

  Those must be some pretty good drugs, he thought.

  “I need to pee,” she said. She looked amazed, like she’d never had to piss before in her life.

  When she stood up, her right leg folded under her. Richard caught her.

  “Careful now, you’ve been sleeping a while. There’s a stall over there. Don’t worry, I won’t look.” He helped her into the stall. She moved like a newborn baby horse.

  “Feeling better?” he asked when she was done. She didn’t answer. He shrugged and helped her back to the couch.

  Adrian came down the stairs and saw Teri and Richard sitting together. Teri was sitting closer to Richard than she had been. A good sign.

  He pulled his own chair up to face the two of them and smiled.

  “Who are you?” Her words were slurred. “How did I get here?”

  “Don’t you remember, Teri?” Adrian said. “We spoke earlier.”

  She didn’t answer. Her eyes darted around the room some more, then came to rest on him again.

  “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,” Adrian said. “I had to step away to make sure your … your companions were doing all right.” He paused and braced himself for her outburst. Nothing.

  “They’re very concerned about you, you know.” He paused again. “But they’re glad you’re feeling better.”

  Teri’s eyes narrowed. “You still haven’t answered my questions.”

  He fought the urge to sigh. “My name is Adrian, and you’re here because your car broke down outside of town. You’re lucky we found you when we did. A few more hours …”

  “Why am I handcuffed to him?” Teri nodded toward Richard.

  “Ah, well that’s a longer story. All you need to know is that we want to make sure you’re safe while you’re here.”

  “So, to keep me safe you handcuffed me to some meathead? I can’t think of a single scenario in which that makes any sense.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to our newest guest,” Adrian said. “Richard is here to keep you safe, nothing else.”

  “Can we go for a walk—outside?” Teri said.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Teri. It’s snowing out there you know.”

  “So I’m not allowed to leave,” Teri said. “What’s today’s date?”

  “It’s October 23rd.”

  “What town is this?”

  “You’re in the independent village of Cloudcroft, Teri. We don’t get many ...”

  “What’s your last name?” She smiled, then added, “Adrian” in the same patronizing tone of voice he’d been using to say “Teri.”

  “I’ve answered a lot of your questions already. I think it’s only fair I ask you some of my own.”

  “Fair, Adrian? I think fair went out the window when you handcuffed and drugged me.”

  He sighed. “I don’t want to get off on the wrong foot here. I know this situation is unusual.”

  “Oh really, Adrian?” Teri’s gaze swept the room, over the medical equipment and the bathroom stall. “You seem rather well set up for it.”

  He leaned forward. “It’s a dangerous world out there, Teri. You’ve probably seen some of it. Here in Cloudcroft we protect people like us, those with talents. Sometimes that means we have to take steps that don’t always seem right at first.”

  “So you’re afraid of me then, aren’t you, Adrian? Richard is here to keep you safe. Nothing else.”

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  He shook his head. “Anyone who comes in could be working for the government. We’re very careful.”

  She locked eyes with him, but after a moment, her poker face dissolved. “I … I … something is wrong. I don’t feel …” Her face turned pale and she groaned.

  Adrian grabbed a bucket. “You’re having a reaction,” he said. “The doctor said it was normal.”

  “Reaction to … what?” She dry-heaved for a few minutes, producing a small amount of bile. “What the hell did you drug me with, anyway?”

  “Just something to calm you down,” he said. “You were upset and we didn’t want you hurting yourself.”

  “Upset,” she repeated. She coughed again. “I wonder why?”

  Richard handed her a bottle of water.

  “Better?” Adrian asked her.

  “No.”

  He sighed again. “Let me try to explain all this to you. Can you imagine a place where people like us can live, without fear, without persecution? Live our lives without being hunted or killed. I’d say a place like that deserves protecting, wouldn’t you, Teri? That’s all we are trying to do—protect ourselves, and you as well.”

  “That’s a pretty speech—without persecution. It all sounds so … civilized.” She looked at her bruised and handcuffed wrist. “Give me a fucking break. You’re one more persecutor in a long line of persecutors. You’re doing this to me because of what I am. How are you any different from the rest of them? You want to use me. Give me a list of your demands and we can start negotiating.”

  “We don’t have demands. We want to give you time to understand us—get to know us better. It’s not just us, you know …”

  Teri interrupted him. “Get to know you? I already do. You wear a size eleven shoe. You have a Glock 9 mm strapped to your shoulder holster. It was government issue from 1992 to 2001, so I’d guess you used to be a cop, or something like that. You have no calluses on your hands. Your hair was not cut by a professional. You had chickenpox when you were a child. How am I doing so far?”

  Richard’s mouth opened in surprise and he pulled away from her. Adrian blinked, then clapped his hand to his thigh. “Well done. You are a very observant young lady.” He looked her over again. “As I was saying, your friends are very worried about you.”

  “Where are my friends?”

  “They’re having dinner.”

  Teri raised an eyebrow at him.

  “You don’t believe me? Would you like me to take them a message from you?”

  “Yes,” she said.

  Adrian smiled. “I’d be happy to. What’s the message?”

  “Help, I’m being held against my will in a basement by a guy named Adrian,” she said.

  Adrian laughed. “I’ll let them know you said hello.” He stood. “I think we’re going to be great friends when all this is cleared up. We have a lot to offer each other. But first I think we need to help you understand what your choices really are.”

  Terry watched him go, then stared down at her fingers. Her fingers. She wiggled them. “Amazing,” she muttered.

  Richard ignored her and turned a page in his book.

  “The eco-terrorist plot fails,” Terry said. “He tracks them to the Brazilian rain forest, kills a bunch of them, and leaves the rest to die with nothing but the clothes on their back. Tells them to get back to nature. It’s all very ironic.”

  “I’ve already read it, but thanks anyway,” Richard said.

  “Reading the same book again? Wow, you must be the smartest guy in town.” She heard footsteps on the stairs. “Oh, look, your boss is back already. I wish you people would make up your minds about …”

  It wasn’t Adrian who came down the stairs. This man was old and ugly. His face was pockmarked from acne scars, and his nose was bulbous and red. He smelled like stale gin.

  The man smiled, exposing receding gums and yellowed roots. His eyes came to rest on Teri.

  “This her?” the man said.

  Richard nodded without looking up from his book.

  “Well, not the prettiest thing I’ve ever seen. But she’ll do, I guess. It ain’t like I’m gonna marry her.”

  “OK, right,” Terry said. “I know this plot too. It’s poorly written, don’t you think? I mean five minutes ago it was all about how we look out for each other.”

  Richard turned a page. The man took her hair up and rubbed it against his cheek. “Black hair. Might have to change that.”

  “Get away from me,” she said.

  “Not that easy,” he said. “You see, we have rules here. Most people play by the rules. We all have our place. People like us, we’re lucky. We get some kind of say so. I’m here to let you know what happens if you choose wrong.”

  He tightened his grip on her hair and pulled her face into his. He smelled like an ashtray, and his tongue was sour and cold when he forced it into her mouth. She gagged and struggled, then her body went rigid.

  She couldn’t move. It felt like there were hands all over her. Oh god, he’s a teke.

  His face pressed so hard against hers she could barely breathe. When he let go, she gasped for air and turned to Richard.

  “It took you people less than ten minutes to prove you’re full of shit,” Terry said. “You fucked up. You may as well kill me now. After this, I can’t imagine ever doing anything for you.”

  The ugly man laughed. “Kill you? Oh no, little girl. We don’t waste anything up here. We’re going to use you one way or the other.”

  He stroked her hair again, then left.

  Terry wanted to play it tough, but the tears came anyway. She simply had no idea how to make her new body stop crying. She couldn’t catch her breath.

  She’d dreamed of having her own body so many times, but it hadn’t gone like this. Of course, this was nothing compared to what Teri had endured.

  She sobbed even harder. Teresa was right. Teri had been the strong one all along, and she’d taken that away.

  Adrian took in the scene as he and Zimmer came down the stairs. Teri glared at him through red-rimmed eyes.

  “This is the part where I’m supposed to realize how badly I need your protection and fly into your arms,” she said. “Oh, Adrian, protect me from this big, cruel world.”

  “Teri …”

  “Don’t Teri me, you bastard. You say we look out for each other up here—well, I don’t believe a word of it. You are so fucking full of shit. Jesus, you really are a bunch of morons. You don’t need me for my gifts, you need me to make up for your deficient intellects. You actually had me thinking this might be a good place for me, then you pull this B movie bullshit? You really didn’t think this through at all, did you? Idiot.”

  Adrian clenched his fist and let out his breath slowly. “Look, Teri, I’m the mayor, but we’re all free citizens here. Carl went too far. But we’d never let anything happen to you, Teri. You’re one of us.”

  “Yeah, right. Jumbo sat here and let it happen.”

  “I wouldn’t have let him ...” Richard said.

  “Shut up!” She punched his shoulder. Tears streaked her face. “Just shut your lying mouth, you fuck.”

  “She’s right, Richard,” Adrian said. “I know you and Carl are friends but you should have put a stop to ...”

  “Stop lying to me!” she screamed. “I’m not stupid, you fucking asshole! I know you planned all this, Adrian. You’ve kidnapped me and now you’re going to torture me until you get what you want. Well, bring it on! We’re ready.”

  Adrian suppressed a chill in his spine. Something was wrong here. He’d seen fear before. This girl was afraid, but it wasn't the kind of fear that comes from holding a losing hand. “I think you need a little something to help you rest,” he said.

  “Sir,” Zimmer said. “It’s too soon.”

  “Did I ask you? Give her a damned shot.”

  Zimmer dug through his bag.

  “Oh, no, no fucking way!” she said.

  “Keep her still,” Adrian said. “Richard, hold her.”

  Teri bucked as the doctor inserted a needle into her arm.

  “Now you’re … drugging me again. For my own good ... of course. You’re such a nice man … to look out for me like this. What would I ever do without you to pro … protect me. Probably I’d … I’d …”

  She dry-heaved and choked until Adrian thought she’d suffocate. Zimmer peeled her lids back and peered into her eyes.

  “They’re unequally dilated, sir, it’s a bad sign …”

  Teri moaned. “I take it back. I don’t want a body. I don’t want to feel. I take it back. Oh, god, it hurts ... Teresa, help me ...” She went still.

  The doctor said, “Sir, she’s …”

  Adrian shoved him out of the way. “Shut up. Teri, can you hear me?” He leaned forward. “I want to help you, but you’ve got to help me … shit. I don’t think she’s breathing.”

  “I told you it was too much, sir,” Zimmer said. “She needs a stimulant or she’ll die.”

  “Shit,” Adrian said. “Well, give it to her, then.”

  The doctor reached for his bag.

  Teri sat up and smiled at Adrian. “No need for that. I’m feeling much better now.”