both a shock and a relief to Stephen. His sight had returned enough to give him hope, but not enough to think this was over. Serena, standing by his bedside, calmly told him humans were not infected. At least that was something. The other piece of news, validating his theory about the virus passing through use of telepathy, offered him some comfort. Finally, they had something to work with.
The infirmary that had started out with four sick elders and three sick first gen now had two deaths and seventeen new cases. The virus was beginning to affect the second gen as well as create new cases of first.
Medics rushed around the space that had been cleared of four of the six beds. They took up too much space. Emile and Marie occupied the remaining two beds. Mattresses donned every available space on the floor, to make room for more casualties. But even with the new adjustments, the room’s size couldn’t cope.
Stephen’s own recovery was taking too long. From the second he got sick, he stopped using his telepathy. That action alone had reduced the thumping headaches to a dull pain. But as more sick presented themselves each hour, looking worse than him, he knew his charges were defying his orders not to use telepathy.
Stephen sat up on his mattress, an action that made his stomach queasy.
‘Easy there,’ said Serena. ‘You’re still not well.’
He stuck one leg out over the lip of the mattress. ‘I have to free up a space and resume my duties...’
Serena stopped him with a firm hand. ‘No, you don’t. I’m looking after matters while you’re sick.’
His gaze went to Anton and Arianna, both of whom were bed-bound, like him. Both of whom looked paler than when they’d first come in, and sported heavy, dark rings around their eyes.
Anton turned his head towards him, his eyes half closed.
‘She’s right,’ he croaked. ‘We should wait for more news about the cure from Bill. There’s nothing more we can do.’
He didn’t believe that. Stephen sat up, shifting his weight to his knees. The thought of standing made him dizzy.
Serena made disapproving noises, but helped him up anyway. ‘I suppose it doesn’t matter what I say to you. You’ll do what you want.’
‘I’m sorry but I must speak to the district. They need to see how their defiance is only spreading the virus faster. They must stop using telepathy at once.’
Serena sighed, hooking an arm under his and helped him to his feet. ‘Come on, you’ll have me for support.’
His head grew light. He closed his eyes and waited for the dizziness to subside.
Opening his eyes, he checked his mate over. ‘How are you feeling?’
She nodded. ‘Nothing yet. I’m okay.’
That’s what worried him. How would the virus present in a third generation? Worse than it had in him?
Using Serena as a crutch, he shuffled out of the infirmary. As soon as he had vacated the mattress, the medics ushered a new patient on to it.
‘To the Central Core,’ he directed her. ‘I need them to see me.’
Serena guided him slowly. His feet barely lifted over the uneven floor. A couple of times his toes caught on the rough terrain. Serena kept him upright.
‘I could carry you.’
She smiled but he saw the worry beneath the cheerful facade.
‘This is only temporary, I promise. It will take more than a virus to kill me.’
She said nothing, resuming her guidance of him through the empty tunnels. The vibrations in the tunnel walls persisted, a steady, low thump that reminded him of the second heartbeat in the Nexus. Once he regained enough strength, he would fix whatever malign presence had camped out in there.
The tunnel ended and the cavernous space that was the Central Core began. The scene there shocked him. The space was wall to wall with sick Indigenes. Male, female, young and old slumped against the walls, sitting on the floors, or moving about in a slow fashion. The numbers in the infirmary didn’t come close to identifying how far this problem had spread.
A familiar hum from his charges made him gasp.
‘Please, stop using telepathy,’ he croaked.
The Indigenes turned to look at him. A collective oh filled the room. He assumed it had to do with his appearance.
‘We have confirmation the virus is spreading through our use of our ability.’
‘Who told you that, the humans?’ A young Indigene male looked at him then flicked his gaze away. ‘They are the problem.’
He fanned his hands at his audience, while Serena kept him upright. ‘The humans are helping us. They’re putting together a cure as we speak.’
A few Indigenes close in age to him sneered at him. ‘They infected this place. Now, they want to control us.’
Eight years ago, he would have agreed with that summation. But no longer. ‘No, the humans are our friends.’
One said, ‘Seems like any time something bad happens, it’s because of the humans.’
Serena whispered next to his ear. ‘You can’t reason with them, Stephen. They’ll do what they want in the end. All you can do is warn them.’
He knew that. But being a leader meant facing the good and the bad.
‘Promise me you will not use your telepathy. Please help me to convince the others. If we work together, we can beat this.’
One Indigene collapsed where he stood.
Serena left Stephen and rushed over to him. ‘Help him to the infirmary. Is there anyone here well enough to carry him?’
A couple of males nodded and picked up the fallen Indigene.
Stephen found the safety of the wall, while Serena did things he could not. He watched as the Indigene was carried out by the pair.
To the shocked sea of faces, he said, ‘This will only get worse if we let it. Preserve your minds until we can beat this. Use your voices only.’
The group nodded, mute and agreeable.
Serena returned to his side and gripped his elbow once more. ‘Where to now?’
‘One of the empty quarters.’
‘Don’t be silly. I can take you to ours.’
‘No, I need to isolate myself, in case I slip and use telepathy.’
‘But I’m not affected.’
‘You could be. Please, Serena...’
She nodded and escorted him to an empty accommodation unit in a disused section of the district. She got him settled him on the mattress in the room.
Kneeling beside him, she said, ‘You got through to them today.’
Stephen shook his head. ‘You heard them; they hate the humans. I fear that attitude won’t change much with the arrival of the cure.’
‘Hold on to your hope, Stephen. It’s all we have left.’
He squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his fingers to his head. ‘I wish my envisioning skill was working. Maybe I could see how this would play out.’
‘How long has it been gone?’
He opened his eyes. ‘Since the GS humans built their machine. It hasn’t returned since it was switched off.’
‘What about the neurosensor?’
‘I tried it. No more visions.’
Serena reassured him by stroking his forehead. ‘Please rest now. All we can do is hope Bill and his team will find the cure.’
He sighed. This life was getting too hard. ‘Maybe I should just give up. The Indigenes don’t listen to me anyway. I’m not Pierre and I’m definitely not Elise. Emile was right. I don’t know what I’m doing.’
A cross Serena shook his shoulder lightly. ‘Nonsense. I won’t hear that talk from you. Emile is wrong. He is bigoted and small minded, and so is his wife. You are progressive and you’ve been up against it from day one, ever since you took over from Pierre.’
He smiled. ‘To coin a human phrase, they were “big boots to fill”.’
He’d seen how Pierre’s rigid style had alienated his charges, so he’d tried Elise’s more democratic approach.
But Serena didn’t smile back. ‘Pierre and Elise had very different leadership styles. One was not better than the other. The older Indigenes preferred Pierre’s methods and the younger ones want more freedom. This rebellion is to be expected.’
Stephen had considered talking to Bill, to see if he could renegotiate the peace treaty.
Serena said, ‘Maybe when this is all over, we can,’ proving she could still read his thoughts.
Stephen told her about what he and Clement had found in the Nexus.
Her eyes widened at his admission. ‘You went in there, without telling me? Why?’
‘I wanted to see the problem for myself.’
‘But a second heartbeat, what does that mean? Is Tanya still in there?’
‘I don’t think so, not anymore. We used it for weeks without issues. I think the Nexus has been infected and is lashing out with a poison of its own. We won’t know for sure without more investigation.’
Serena stood up. ‘I’ll go in, find out what I can.’
Stephen grappled for her ankle, getting his thumb and finger around it. ‘No, it’s my responsibility. Don’t risk your life. You may be well now, but the Nexus could accelerate your illness.’
Serena hunkered down beside him. ‘I can’t let you do it; you’re too sick.’
He laughed once. ‘I can barely stand. I’m not going anywhere, not until Bill finds the cure. After, I’ll hit the Nexus hard.’
Serena gazed longingly at him. Her fingers warmed his face. ‘It will all work out. You’ll see.’