Global Union: A New Life Page 9

  Yue and Jiao looked at DeMarcus with interest. “So, you’re an Iuvian?” Yue asked.

  DeMarcus leaned away. “Uh, not exactly?”

  “But the stuff in your blood is from there.”

  Alisha moved Yue away. “That’s enough, Yue. He’s has been through a lot. Let’s give him space.”

  Yue chuckled. “Sorry.”

  “We’ll be stopping by to check,” said Jiao, leaving the room directing Yue out with her.

  Yue turns back to DeMarcus on her way out. “You take care.”

  “And I’ll be back in a bit,” said Alisha, following them out.

  DeMarcus was alone once again. Where was his mother? He laid onto his pillow and stared at the ceiling, his mind racing with endless questions as he feared the worst. He noticed a TV screen ahead and turned on the news.

  “…one of many attacks in the Great Lake region where hundreds of people died as officials came onto the scene…” The area in the broadcast was the same place he was attacked, and his heart sank at one of the workers carrying a body bag with a golden-beige tail of parahuman’s hanging out. He turned off the TV and curled under his sheets. That wasn’t her, was it? She couldn’t be dead, no way. Something like that would be all over the news. The mere thought had him tossing and turning as the minutes turned to hours and still no signs of her showing up.

  As Alisha returned and finished her examination on his wounds, he wondered when his mother would appear. He waited for her arrival, staring through the window into the city where more pillars of smoke rose from the streets and the ruins, he fought the urge to close his heavy eyes, but the cool air lulled him to sleep until he awoke the next morning to an uplifting crescendo of a piano echoing in the room.

  Now he didn’t feel like getting up after just getting comfortable. The room didn’t seem to care—its panoramic walls kept a dark, twilight shade of purple and yellow clouds swirling around, enticing him to stay put as a nursebot entered the room. “Good morning, Mister Maahes,” the nursebot greeted. “I have been assigned as your personal caretaker during your stay. Is there anything I can do for you?”

  “No thanks,” he said. “I’m good.”

  His stomach gnawed and growled, making his wounds pulse. The nursebot stood in front him. “It seems you are hungry, sir.” It flashed a display of breakfast items, from eggs, rice, bacon, pancakes, and dozens of other items he had never seen before. “What would you like to eat? There are plenty of dishes we can make for you.”

  He selected the pancakes and eggs from the screen and waited as the nursebot stood by and set up a cooking station, stirring the batter and scrambling the eggs. As soon as the plate and table were set on his bed, he scarfed the meal down, quelling his hunger.

  “Is there anything else you would like to do, Mr. Maahes?” The nursebot asked. “I should inform you that Dr. Iyrons has scheduled a therapy session for you during the evening.”

  “What else is there to do?” he asked.

  The nursebot flashed a map of the area, showing their location and the other sections of the hospital. “We are currently in the hospital’s ICU in the northern wing. If you would like, I can give you a tour as they prepare your new room, here in the eastern wing.”

  Why not? A walk might take is mind off yesterday’s events. He got out of bed and changed into a clean set of green clothes provided by the nursebot, then walked by her side as they left the room. From the crystal solar trees and pearl white pillars in the circular plazas, it was a wonder of what this hospital wanted to project. It was heavenly, calm, and soothing—it made dying feel like something else, which was a stark contrast to the sight of body bags spread near the steps on the hospital’s southern section. Just looking at them made the nightmares creep back into his mind, and he averted his gaze the more he came across those less fortunate than him.

  Soon the old question popped back into his head: where was his mother? He didn’t want to assume the worst. She’d been through that and more. But as the hours went by, his worry grew to fear. “Is everything okay, Mister Maahes?” His nursebot asked. “Your stress levels appear to be rising.”

  “I’m fine,” he lied. “Just deep in thought.”

  “Is it about you mother?” The nursebot leaned in and met her eyes with his. “I wish I could report some good news, but there are currently no means of identifying her without a name.”

  “It’s okay,” DeMarcus said. He wasn’t going to reveal that secret if he could help it. No need to put people on alert that the so called “Bloody Leo” was missing her son. Whether that name or her real name, it stirred fear in anyone who heard it, and he wasn’t sure about people knowing that was his mother.

  He let out a sigh as he mulled to himself, then his ear twitched at a girl calling his name. “Yo, DeMarcus!”

  He looked over to Yue walking over with a human boy in a blue shirt and green pants following behind her. His dark, sapphire blue eyes matched those of Doctor Iyrons and contrasted his golden caramel complexion. To say nothing of him being much taller than Yue—taller than DeMarcus, in fact. He had a calm air around him and a faint smile at ease with the grim scene surrounding the hospital. DeMarcus stood up to meet them as they came together at the plaza, a faint smile on his face as Yue stopped before him.

  “Sup,” Yue greeted. “We were just about to come and visit you. You been okay?”

  “You could say that,” he said. He was still worried about everything that happened in the city, but it was nice to have a new friend come visit him.

  He turned to the tall human behind her, with Yue looking back in response. “Figured I introduce you to an old friend of mine, Tyrone,” she said. “He’s Alisha’s son.”

  “Nice to meet you, man!” Tyrone held out a hand, and DeMarcus shook it in a firm grip.

  “Likewise,” DeMarcus said. “I just wish things were better.”

  “Tell me about it,” Tyrone said. “Ever since the militants struck, my dad’s been out and about more than ever.”

  “Keith Iyrons?” DeMarcus asked.

  “No, that’s my granddad,” Tyrone answered. “Not too surprised you already know about him though. A lot of people love talking about him everywhere I go.”

  DeMarcus knew the feeling. He couldn’t go anywhere without hearing about his mother, which is why now of all times concerned him the most. There wasn’t a peep about her, as if she had vanished off the face of the earth.

  “Speaking of which, wasn’t he supposed to be here in the city by now?” Yue asked.

  “He’s said he was checking up at some joint facility in Great Toronto,” Tyrone answered. “That’s all I heard at least.”

  “What kind of facility?” DeMarcus asked. Maybe it had something to do with his mother?

  “Some Iuvian Terraport across the Great Lakes,” Tyrone answered. “Something about a transfer of personnel for a Civil-Military Compound and a major search operation, but he didn’t say much beyond that.”

  DeMarcus’s ears slumped to his shoulders. And here he thought it was somewhere close, and maybe he’d have some answers.

  “I heard you lost your mom, by the way,” Tyrone continued. “I…can’t imagine how that feels.”

  “It’s nothing for you to worry about,” DeMarcus said looking back out into the city.

  “Just trying to sympathize,” Tyrone said with a shrug.

  DeMarcus gave him a light smile. “I appreciate it. So, if you’re Keith’s grandson, I take it your dad’s James?”

  Tyrone’s eyes jumped, and a light smile grew on his face. “Yeah, how’d you know? Not everyone guesses that off the bat.”

  “Let’s just say my mom knew about him before she disappeared,” DeMarcus said. “Had a lot of good things to say about him and how eager he was to get things done during her rec-work.”

  “Yep, that definitely sounds like his dad alright,” Yue quipped with a glance at Tyrone. “Seems like that part sticks in every generation.”

  “We can’t help it if w
e’re treated like stars,” Tyrone joked.

  “Well try not to burn out like one, Mr. Sunshine,” Yue fired back, prompting a snicker from DeMarcus.

  “You found that funny?” Tyrone said with a smirk. “This girl’s as cold as the Arctics.”

  “She hasn’t been that way with me,” said DeMarcus.

  “Yeah? Wait ‘til you see her with her sisters,” said Tyrone. “Nothing but fighting with those three.”

  And here DeMarcus thought it having a brother or sister would be awesome. “Is that all you do, just fight?” DeMarcus asked her.

  “I try not to,” Yue said with a smirk over her shoulder.

  “Key word being ‘try,’ which she sucks at,” said Tyrone. “Both at home and at school.”

  “Hey, just be lucky it’s not with you,” Yue sassed.

  Tyrone shrugged and looked at DeMarcus. “See what I mean?” he asked, pointing at Yue.

  DeMarcus saw the malicious squint Yue gave Tyrone and took a small step away. “Careful, she looks like she’s about to go off.”

  “Oh, I’m used to it at this point,” said Tyrone. “We usually settle things at the Magna-rink down at the Rula.”

  “Sounds like fun,” DeMarcus said. “I never had a chance to go magnaskating.”

  Yue raised a brow. “Wow, really? Well, if you stick around long enough, we’ll be glad to take you when you have the time.”

  “Hopefully, I’ll be around to look forward to it,” said DeMarcus.

  The nursebot approached behind DeMarcus. “I’m sorry to interrupt, but your therapy session starts in ten minutes.”

  “Guess that’s my cue to leave,” DeMarcus said with a sigh. “I’ll see you guys later.”

  He followed the nursebot back to the hospital, passing the other survivors of the militant attack. Many of them had reunited with family and friends who were happy to see them. Yet here he was still waiting for his turn. He didn’t want to think the worst, but after a long week of waiting it made him wonder when his turn would come?

  The nursebot led DeMarcus to Room TH-9, a small room with panoramic walls of white clouds and blue skies surrounding them. A blonde human sat in wait at one of the two seats a few meters from her desk, her head lifting from her tablet to meet DeMarcus’s eyes with her own. “Good afternoon, Mr. Maahes,” she greeted. “How was your day?”

  “Fine, I guess,” DeMarcus said with a glance away.

  “Really? I know it was a typical question to ask, but there’s no need to be nervous,” the therapist said. “Your mother still hasn’t arrived, has she?”

  DeMarcus didn’t answer, thinking it was obvious.

  The therapist held a hand toward the other chair in front of her. “Come have a seat.”

  He sighed as he took steps toward the chair and sat by her. It was soft like a cloud, almost putting him to sleep as he got comfortable, and he fought the weight pulling down his eyelids as he turned to the therapist placing the tablet down on the table between them.

  “So,” the therapist began. “Anything new?”

  “Well, Yue came and visited with one of her friends,” he answered. “We talked about stuff going on in the city. They said they could take me out for magna-skating sometime.”

  “Sounds like fun,” said the therapist. “When was the last time you went?”

  “I never did,” DeMarcus answered. “Never got the chance. I’ve mostly stayed indoors. Didn’t want to get caught in a militant attack.”

  “They sound pretty common for you. It does help to play safe in the event of such things.”

  “I suppose.” And to think, the one time he wanted to explore the city, everything went to hell and landed him here. “I didn’t think they’d happen here in Grand Detroit, though. I always thought this was one of the safest cities in the country.”

  “It caught everyone off guard,” the therapist said. “I was at the center of it until I saw the Bloody Leo herself get everyone to safety.”

  DeMarcus’s ears shot up at that name. “You saw m—” he caught himself before blurting the truth. He still wasn’t sure he about telling anyone who he was. “You saw Sekhmet?”

  It was weird saying his mother’s name like that, but he had to keep things hush.

  “Just a glimpse of her,” said the therapist. “When the attack occurred, she leapt onto one of the rooftops and quickly brought things under control. I suppose that’s just luck on my end given the many dead people I saw from the explosions.”

  “I guess,” said DeMarcus. “Did you ever see what happened to her?”

  The therapist shook her head. “Unfortunately, I didn’t. Once the area was cleared, troops rushed in to find the culprits to no avail.”

  DeMarcus squeezed his hands over his lap. He encountered the culprits himself—they were the ones that put him in this situation to begin with. No telling where they are now or who they were, just that they were still out there somewhere.

  At the end of the session, DeMarcus followed his nursebot to the common rooms—a wide circular room with a view of the city from the windows. He sat at a bench by the windows, away from the other kids there as the nursebots stood watch.

  Alisha arrived and tended to the others around him before coming to DeMarcus. “Hello, DeMarcus. How was your therapy session?”

  “It was alright,” he said.

  “Mind if I check you wounds again?” Alisha asked.

  DeMarcus nodded and lifted his shirt to reveal the scar on his stomach. As Alisha examined his injuries, DeMarcus focused his eyes on a news-screen about the recent attack in the city.

  “…still no signs of the culprits responsible for what appears to be a militant attack. Some suggest a possible involvement of the Human Defense Front, although sources, including the HDF themselves, have denied their involvement.”

  Alisha made a brief glance at the news-screen before turning back to DeMarcus. “I find that hard to believe,” she said. “Who else but the Fronties would do something like this?”

  If only she knew like DeMarcus did, and even then it wasn’t much.

  “By the way, I heard you met my son, Tyrone, earlier today,” Alisha continued. “How was he?”

  “Seemed pretty cocky,” DeMarcus said with a shrug. “Said he couldn’t help if his family were treated like stars.”

  Alisha raised a brow and smiled. “He gets that from his father. He may be modest about it, but he still loves being the center of attention.”

  “I guess that’s what happens when your granddad’s a war hero like Keith Iyrons,” DeMarcus said with a chuckle. “I’m not really fond of that kind of attention myself.”

  “I know the feeling,” said Alisha. “It’s not too often I get asked what it’s like being married to an Iyrons.”

  “If you don’t mind me asking, what is it like?”

  “Let’s just say it’s hassle to get them to sit still,” Alisha answered. Then she looked over her shoulder before looking back to him. “You have another visitor.”

  DeMarcus looked up at the sight of Jiao waving at him behind the windows of the common room. He waved back as Alisha finished her check-up, then stood up as Alisha waved Jiao over.

  “Glad you could visit again, Jiao,” said Alisha.

  “Well, I just finished things at the office, and wanted to see how DeMarcus was doing,” said Jiao. “Did Yue already stop by?”

  “She came with her friend Tyrone,” DeMarcus answered.

  “Oh my,” Jiao said with a chuckle and glance toward Alisha. “I bet that was exciting.”

  “It was tamer than I expected, but nothing too out of the ordinary,” said Alisha. Her OmniMorph pinged and lit up on her wrist, and she peeked at its screen. “I’ll leave you two alone for a bit as I go check on another patient.”

  DeMarcus waved as she departed, then sat back down with Jiao. He didn’t know what to say as he looked back, only giving a slight smile as his mind buzzed around. But he forced his mouth to get something out over the chatter of the other kids
around him. “Thanks for saving me that day,” he said. “Who knows what would’ve happened if you didn’t?”

  “Well, we couldn’t just leave a child laying in the streets like that,” said Jiao. “Did they find out about who attacked you?”

  DeMarcus shook his head.

  “No doubt it was those Fronties,” Jiao went on. “They’ve been staging attack after attack these days.”

  “Believe me, it definitely wasn’t the Fronties,” said DeMarcus. He still remembered the red-eyed masks of those that pursued him through the city, the tails of the parahumans among them and the pale, raven-haired human that haunted him in his nightmares. “There were parahumans among those that chased me. The Fronties wouldn’t be caught dead with them in their group.”

  “That’s a shock to hear,” said Jiao.

  DeMarcus’s ear twitched at an OmniMorph ringing. On instinct, he looked at his empty wrist thinking it was his, forgetting he completely lost it in the attack before noticing Jiao uncurling hers from her wrist. “One sec,” she said as she answered the call. “Hey dear. How’re things back home?”

  She paused and listened before sighing again. “They’re at it again?” she asked with a grim shake of her head.

  DeMarcus’s ears made a slight dip at the change in her tone, and his eyes shifted around as he wondered what went on. It wasn’t his business of course, but he couldn’t help but be curious with how little went on around him these days.

  “Good thing you were there before it got worse.” There was another pause, then Jiao’s face lit with a smile. “I’m at the Donnel Memorial Hospital checking on the boy we brought in…yep…his name is DeMarcus.” Then her brow rose, and she made a glance at DeMarcus. “You want to speak with him?”

  Who was she talking to? More importantly, why did they want to speak to him? DeMarcus hardly knew anyone in this city for them to take a sudden interest in him. As he stared in stunned silence at Jiao folding her OmniMorph, he flinched at a transparent projection of a man sprouting from the center.