Saxifrage Fire

007

Early evening light steamed over the pinewood floor onto Alethea's face, bringing her out of deep sleep. She opened her eyes and looked beyond the patchwork curtains to see Alexius's figure on the balcony.

She pressed her hand to her chest to feel her heart beating as the final moments before her termination ran through her mind. She extended her arm to search for the needle wound and found that her forearm was bandaged. Telling by the ache, someone had extracted her monitor. She felt her head for bandages; extracting a Suppressor was a life-endangering procedure. No bandages.

She sat up in bed to look around for surgical evidence finding that she was in a bedroom riddled with paper books and pottery stuffed with dried flowers.

Alexius burst through the curtains, grinning ear to ear.

"Thea, you're awake! Took you long enough."

She placed her bare feet on the wooden floor but hadn't time to stand before Alex tackled her, squeezing the air from her lungs. She stiffened at first, then returned her embrace and felt a a lump grow in her throat.

"I was sure they'd kill you."

"They tried."

She glanced around in hopes of identifying their location.

"Alex," she whispered, pulling her by the arm so she'd sit beside her. "Where are we- exactly?"

Alex hadn't time to answer; another voice interrupted.

"Welcome to the 'Pyro' Base, Master Atlas. I'm glad to see you're awake."

She lept up and whipped around staring down at the man who ducked beneath the door frame with a medical bag over his shoulder.

"Who are you?"

"Thea, be nice!" Alex said.

This stranger was a giant composed of pure muscle but moved as though he could pluck a butterfly out of the air without so much as damaging its wing. Telling by his golden-brown skin, curly black hair he tied back in a bun, and the patterned tattoos that hugged his arms, he was from the coastal tribe.

"You extracted my monitor?" she asked.

He ignored her question and offered his hand in greeting.

"I'm Kaleo."

She accepted his offer, noting the strength of his grip.

He immediately got to work straightening the bed.

"Alexius, I see you removed the IV as I asked. Thank you."

"Rookie stuff," Alex replied.

Kaleo smiled.

"Your sister here has put my knowledge to the test over the last couple of days. She knows as much about nervous system surgeries as I do, and I'm ten years her senior. Those Sera schools- almost worth being Sera, huh?"

Alex tossed her hand as if to smack down his compliment.

"Master Atlas, mind taking a seat?" He gestured to the made bed.

Alethea sat down, keeping her eyes on his every move.

He pulled out a few instruments and set them on the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine. My suppressor is inactive..."

"Yes. There's a temporary Anti-suppressor on your temple."

She reached up and sighed in relief when she felt the tiny piece stuck to her skin. It wasn't that she'd mourn her suppressor, but she wanted to give consent before someone dug around in her brain.