Arrows of Time - Kim Falconer [130]
‘High Priestess,’ she said, dipping her head and waiting for acknowledgment.
‘Have they found her?’ Le Saint asked.
‘Not yet, but they’ve brought someone else.’ She paused, taking in Jarrod and his companions.
‘Who else?’ Le Saint drew her attention back.
‘There was a couple heading south on the Corsanon road. Apparently they are out for a Beltane hunt.’
‘That’s not uncommon.’
‘Not in itself, but these two are…unusual.’
‘In what way?’
‘They bear the marks of Treeon.’
‘Again, not uncommon.’
‘The ancient ones,’ her apprentice said in a whisper. ‘From the old records.’
The High Priestess faltered, but recomposed herself quickly. ‘And do we know what they’re hunting for?’ Her eyes drifted to Jarrod.
‘They’re here now, if you care to see them,’ the apprentice said.
‘Show them in, thank you.’ The High Priestess pushed her hair back and tied it with a band from her wrist. ‘Let’s see if this is anyone you know, shall we?’
EARTH—TIME: FORWARD
CHAPTER 27
Grayson stood over the stainless steel table, staring at the crystals. They were like tiny diamonds covering Rosette’s bare skin. She was grey, a sunless sky; her eyes were black holes, staring at the ceiling, unblinking. The colours of her newest tattoo seemed painted on, no longer a part of the living canvas of her skin but a thing apart, foreign. A wave of nausea rose in his throat. He trembled, reaching out to touch her cheek.
Everett stopped him. ‘Mustn’t contaminate,’ he said.
Grayson could feel the man staring at him. He couldn’t bring himself to pull his eyes away from Rosette.
‘This is your missing friend?’ Everett asked, slowly closing the vat.
Grayson continued to stare while Everett snapped the lid shut. When he finally looked up, his face was streaming with tears. ‘How did it happen?’ he asked.
‘Not here,’ Everett said, handing him a small digital screen.
Everett glanced at the tech station before guiding Grayson towards the doors. Grayson read the contents of the screen and handed it back, tightening the collar of the pathology jacket Everett had given him. He lengthened his stride. The two walked out of the ward with only a brief nod to the tech.
Grayson waited for the elevator door to slide shut before speaking. ‘When can you release her?’ he asked as they began the descent to ground level.
Everett frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I want to take her home.’
‘Not a possibility. Admin’s logged her now. She’s quite a novelty. I’ve got thirty-six hours to effect a cure before she goes to donor status.’
Grayson felt another wave of nausea rise up into his throat. ‘Effect a cure?’
‘If I can find out what stopped her heart, I can ameliorate and reanimate.’
Grayson let out his breath. ‘That’s all fine for the body, but what about her spirit?’
A tone sounded. Ground floor. Everett held the elevator doors open, allowing Grayson to exit first. They walked down the hall, deserted now in the early hours of the morning, and out into the crisp metallic air.
‘I’m not sure I follow. Do you mean spirit in the sense of the pre-enlightenment notions?’ Everett asked.
‘Do your pre-enlightenment notions include a divine life force—source energy—that inhabits the body-vehicle. Energy that cannot be created or destroyed?’
‘That’s about right, if my history is correct.’
‘Then yes, that’s what I mean.’
Everett laughed, cutting it short as he registered the look on Grayson’s face. ‘Sorry. I didn’t realise you were serious. The existence of a soul or spirit prior to or after the life of the body was disproved centuries ago.’
‘If that’s the case, why are you keeping so many bodies on ice?’
‘They’re for organ donation, mostly. They’re nearing their use-by dates, though, which is a problem.’
‘Use-by dates?’
‘Most of those bodies have been in deep cryo for the last ten decades or more.’
‘What about recent deaths? What do you do with them?’
Everett put out his hand to stop him crossing the street. A high-speed motorcycle whizzed by.