Flash Point

Chapter 9

By Starling

 

 

                Arys woke up from a nightmare-ridden sleep to see Remir staring down at her.   For a moment, she could not remember who he was.  Then, he smiled, and the memories returned in an awful wave.  Remir leaned down and put a hand on her shoulder.  Arys was so tired of fighting him, of fighting the darkness, the loneliness, the despair.  Every time he sent her to death's door, the darkness became stronger, seducing her with its peace, its cold quiet. 

                "I will ask you this question once and only once, Arys."  Remir squeezed her shoulder tightly, but Arys hardly noticed.  Her eyes were fastened on the white ceiling in mute defiance.

                "What did you see?"  His voice sounded almost desperate, pleading.

                This was the first time Arys had heard that tone in his voice.  She turned her head to look at him.  A distant look came to her eyes, and Remir released her shoulder, stepping back and waiting for her answer.

                "Darkness..." Arys whispered through dry lips.  "A never-ending darkness."

                An enraged look appeared on Remir's face and he leaped forward to take her chin in his hands.  "No!  That is not the answer I wanted to hear!  What did you see?!  I want to know what you saw!"

                Arys stared up at him blankly.  "May I ask you a question first, Remir?"  she asked, her voice monotonic.

                Remir nodded silently and released her chin from his grasp. 

                "Why are you doing this to me?  What is it that you want to know?"  Arys asked.

                Remir bowed his head.  "I need to know what happens after death.  I need to prepare myself...."  Remir raised his eyes, and Arys was taken aback by the fire that burned within his eyes.  "Now, tell me!"  The crazed look appeared again.

                "Your question has no answer, Remir.  I'm sorry."  Arys almost felt sorry for the man.  Apparently, he thought he was going to die soon, but from what? 

                "NO!  There is an answer and you must give it to me!"  Remir slammed a hand down on the table Arys lay on, jarring it slightly.  He stood for a few seconds, his shoulders shaking as he tried to regain control of his emotions.  When he raised his head, the suave businessman had returned.

                "Perhaps I've been going about this all wrong..."  Remir muttered as he went to the medical stand.  He pulled open a drawer and picked up a syringe.  "You've never felt pain, Arys.  One of the characteristics of death is pain.  Maybe that is what you're missing."  He went to the IV hanging beside the table and slowly injected the fluid into the tube.  "This is a sensory stimulant that heightens everything you feel, including pain.  It's a potent mixture of my own making.  It will last a few days.  Enjoy, my dear."  Remir stood above her, trailed a finger along her jawline.  He watched as Arys drew in a quick breath, saw her eyes fill with surprise. 

                "Good, it's working."  Remir smiled.  He went to the console and punched a button.  Then, he returned to the side of the table.   It was the fifth time he had poisoned her like this.  He hoped this time would be different.

                Arys' eyes widened as the effects of the gas began to race through her body.  Remir cupped her cheek in his hand.  "How does it feel to be like everyone else, Arys?  It isn't fun, is it?"

                He could see her struggling to fight off the pain.  "It won't work, Arys."  Her breaths came hard and fast, her eyelids fluttered, and perspiration dotted her forehead.  A low groan escaped from her lips.  "Pain is something you must endure, not fight off."  Remir glanced at his watch.  "Thirty seconds left, Arys.  And your life will drain away.  I'm the only one who can bring you back.  And this time, I might decide not to."

                Her eyes fluttered wide-open, and Remir saw the fear in them.  In her eyes he read that she knew she was dying.  And she was afraid. He watched as her gaze became empty.  Her skin paled to a ghostly white.  Remir leaned down and looked into her eyes.  They seemed to stare through him, their gray depths devoid of life.  He listened as her breaths grew labored.  They sounded loud in the sterile lab.  Finally, she took her last breath and her head fell back limply against the table.  Her hands, which had been clenched closed before the poison affected her muscles, splayed open limply onto the table.  The room was quiet except for the steady high whine of the EKG beside her bed.  Her vital signs had flattened to zero.  She was medically dead.  Remir stood to his feet and stared at the monitor.  How long could he wait to bring her back?   Remir picked up the antidote and studied it for a few minutes.  Then, he strode over to the table and slid the needle into the IV, pushing down on the syringe.  With contempt, he studied the face of the girl lying on the table.

                "May your life be filled with pain, Arys, as mine has been..."

 

 

                Heero sat on the cot that stood up against the wall.  A lone guard leaned against the brig door, watching him with wary eyes.  Heero glanced at his watch.  Midnight.  Time for him to break out of his cell.  He walked over to the bars.

                "Hey!"  Heero shouted at his guard.  "I'm thirsty!"

                The guard ignored him.  Heero tried again, louder.

                "Hey!  I said I was thirsty!"

                The guard rubbed his chin.  "Shut up."

                "I'll shout louder if you don't give me some water!"

                The guard stepped close to the bars holding Heero captive.  "I told you to shut up.  What do you think this place is - the Ritz?"  That was when he made his mistake.  He raised his rifle to hit the bars with it, but Heero was too fast. 

                Heero grabbed the gun with quick hands, slid it through the bars, and flipped it so that it was pointed straight at the guard's chest.   Heero flicked off the safety with his thumb.  The click echoed in the silence of the brig.  The guard stared down at his gun in amazement.   Heero motioned to the cell door with a nod of his head, his eyes cold.

                "Open the door.  Now."

 

                Heero walked into the dimly lit lab and immediately went to his wife's bedside.  He was glad there was no one in there at the moment.  He guessed that Remir had gone home or to his office.  Arys was staring blankly up at the ceiling.  Heero glanced at the monitor.  She was still alive, but her vital signs were weak.  Heero went around the table and began unlocking the metal bands around her limbs.  Then, he touched her shoulder. 

                "Arys?" He gave her a gentle shake.  "Arys!"

                She slowly turned her head to look at him, her eyes still blank.  "You're not Remir."  Her voice was hoarse, and she seemed to be having trouble talking.  Fear crept over her face.  "Are you going to hurt me?" 

                Heero took her hand, caressing it gently.  "No, Arys.  I'm going to get you out of here."

                Reason seemed to return to her, and Arys closed her eyes.  "Heero..."  She opened her eyes.  She looked at him, yet there was something behind her eyes that he had never seen before.  "It's you.  No one else touches me the way you do."

                For a moment, Heero wondered what Arys was talking about.  Then, he realized that her hand was trembling in his.   His touch had done something to her.  He tightened his grip on her hand, but her hand continued trembling.  He let go.

                "What did he do to you, Arys?"  Heero went to the console and took a vial of the poison gas, the antidote, and a blood sample kit.  He slid them into his pocket.

                "A sensory stimulant..."  Arys muttered as she tried to sit up.  She fell back with a gasp.  She clenched a hand onto the table edge as she closed her eyes against the pain assailing her body. 

                Heero took her arm, surprised.  "You can feel... pain."

                Arys nodded weakly.  "Yes.  Not just pain, but every touch, every sound, every color is amplified.  It's quite overwhelming."  Arys gave him a wry smile.  "I'm not sure how long it will last." 

                She began to cough, and Heero drew back at the sound.  There was a rattle in her chest that he had heard in others who had died.  It frightened him to hear it in his own wife.  "Arys?"

                She turned her head to look at him.  That was when he realized what it was that he saw in his wife's eyes.  It was a haunted look, along with a lingering pain.  "I... I can't move, Heero.  You're going to have to carry me out of here."  She looked almost ashamed and closed her eyes.

                Heero picked her up in his arms and Arys rested her head on his shoulder.  Her arms wrapped around his neck and Heero had to resist the urge to wince at the touch of her skin against his.  Her skin was ice-cold, as if she had been...dead.  The thought terrified him.  Heero tightened his hold on her, and carried her to the door.

                "All right, we're out of the building."  Heero set her on her feet again, keeping his arms around her waist in case she fell again.  "Do you think you can walk to my hotel?"

                Arys nodded tiredly.  "I can try."

                Heero kissed her cheek again.  She stepped forward, leaning heavily against Heero for support.  Heero kept a firm grip around her waist.  He had never seen her like this, so weak and tired.  What had Remir done to her?  He led her down the street, looking down at her every few steps to make sure she was still there.  It seemed to take all her strength to put one foot in front of the other.  Heero felt the anger boiling up within him.  Together, they slowly made their way down the street.

 

 

                Thirty minutes later, Heero had checked them into a cheap motel on the poorer side of town.  It was easier for them to escape detection there and no one would bother to ask them any questions about their lives.  Heero flicked on the light in the motel room, while Arys set their laptops on top of the dresser.  She sighed wearily and glanced at her watch.  It was almost one.  She heard Heero snort in derision behind her.  She turned to see Heero looking around at the room, a disgusted look on his face.

                "Awful.  Just awful."

                Arys walked over to him and put a hand on his cheek.  He looked down at her, concern replacing the disgust on his face. 

                "Thank you,"  She whispered to him.

                Heero gave her a surprised glance as he took her hand in his.  "For what?"

                "Saving me."

                Heero's eyes softened. 

                "Arys, you're my wife."  He put his arms around her and drew her close.  "I love you."

                "I know," Arys said, rubbing her cheek against the front of his shirt.  She breathed in his scent gratefully.  "But I thought I should tell you anyway."

                Heero tenderly ran a hand through her hair and set his chin on top of her head.

                "Will you be able to sleep, Arys?"  He asked.

                Arys stiffened at the word.  Sleep.  Sleep meant death, pain...  She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the nonsensical thoughts.  She pulled away from Heero and saw that there were dark shadows under his eyes.  He was obviously exhausted, probably from worry and from trying to get her out of the Remco building without getting caught.

                "Yes," She lied.

                Heero looked at her sternly.  "You're lying."

                Arys sighed.  Her husband knew her too well apparently.  "I...I..."  Arys gave up trying to make an excuse and instead took his hands in hers.  "You need to sleep though."  Arys gave him a gentle smile.  "I've been sleeping all day."

 

 

                Heero pulled his hands away from hers and reached up to brush a hand across her cheek.  Her skin was still cold, and the pale hue to her skin had not yet left.  She put her hand over his as she gazed up at him.  "Why, Arys?  Why did he do this to you?"

                He studied her face, his expression hardening at what he saw there.  Arys was unaware of the haunted gaze her eyes held.  He could see it even when she smiled.   In her eyes, he could see a shadow of the pain and fear she had experienced.  And it angered him that his wife had gone through such a trial.   He could tell that she was barely standing on her feet and that her inner strength was the only thing keeping her upright. 

                Arys bowed her head, as if she were ashamed to tell him the answer while looking him straight in the eye.  "He wanted to know what happened after death.  I... I don't know why."  Arys raised her head, and Heero saw the tears filling her eyes.   "He killed me, Heero.   Five times he killed me and brought me back to life."  She trembled, wrapping her arms around herself.  "The last time, the pain..."  Her eyes glazed over.  "The pain...."   Arys' hands flew to her face and she tried to stop the tears that began to flow freely.  With a soft moan, she collapsed, knees buckling beneath her, but Heero leaped forward to catch her before she could hit the ground.  Heero lowered her to the ground until she was on her knees and he knelt down in front of her.  Tightening his hold around her, he held her against his chest, wishing he could give her of his strength and hating Remir for what he had done to her. 

                "Arys..." 

                He picked her up in his arms and carefully set her on the bed so that her back was against headrest.  He kissed her before pulling out the blood sample kit.   Arys eyed it.   When she looked up at Heero, her eyes were wide and frightened.  "Why...?"

                "You still have the poison in you, don't you, Arys?"

                She nodded. 

                "I need to take some of your blood to find out how much of the antidote I can give you."

                Arys held out her arm, and Heero took some of her blood as gently as he could.  When he was done, he glanced up at Arys to see that she had her eyes closed.  He quickly tested the blood sample.

                "Arys..."  He looked down at the results, seeing how much of the poison his wife had in her body.  Apparently, Remir had not given her enough of the antidote to wipe it out. 

                She opened her eyes, their gray depths watery with tears.  "What is it?"

                Heero shook his head as he measured out the antidote.  "Nothing."  The only thing wrong was that according to the blood sample he had just taken, his wife was dead.   He gave her the antidote using a syringe and studied Arys' face as he did so.  Her color still had not returned and he could still hear that death rattle when she breathed.  He had a feeling that Sally was going to have a fit when the two of them got back to Preventer Headquarters.  His wife was in bad shape.  "You realize that you can't sleep for the next two hours?  Otherwise, the antidote won't work."

                Arys sighed.  "That's fine with me.  I don't think I could sleep anyway."  She trembled and a deep fear crossed her face.  "Everytime I sleep, I die..."

                Heero finished giving her the antidote and tossed the empty syringe into the trash can.  He sat down on the edge of the bed and cupped her chin in his hand.  "You're safe now, Arys.  I won't let anything happen to you."

                She smiled at him.  It was a weak smile, but it was a smile nonetheless.   "No, Heero.  Not even you can help me defeat this enemy."

                Heero's hand went down to her neck.  He gently rubbed the hinge of her jaw with his thumb.  Her eyes fluttered closed at his touch. 

                "I can try," he whispered.

                "Heero."  Arys opened her eyes, looking down at her lap.  "You can do this for me.  Make me forget the pain."

                Heero tipped her chin up so that she was looking at him.  His eyes saddened at the helpless expression in her eyes.  There was something else behind the expression though.  A blankness that had never been there before.  How could he banish it from her eyes?  His fingers reached up to brush the tears off her cheeks.  She closed her eyes in response and raised her chin invitingly.  He leaned close, bent his head until his lips were inches from hers, and whispered before kissing her, "I'll do my best."