Soulwalker (10 page)

“I was kidding, Trooper.”

“Please don’t call me that. I have a name.”

“I know you have a name. All right I’ll drop it. Now lie still.” As Asher slowly ran the device down Tarris’s back, a nearby monitor revealed her spine, nerves, and cord as an echogram. “So far, so good.”

Tarris looked up at the screen and tried to take in that the image was her spine. “Wow!”

“Been awhile has it, Tarris?”

“Don’t like medipracs. They never had anything good to tell me.”

“Yeah, this sort of stuff is old news to me, but to the common citizen, it’s still a source of amusement.” The scanner continued to move down the white back. “Ahh, here’s where you suffered the break.” Asher’s voice rose. “What is that?”

Tarris’s pale eyes narrowed as the damaged site came into view. Indeed, what was that? “What’s wrong?” There was almost a panicked edge to the question.

“You see this bit here?” Asher pointed to the bulged section of the spine. “That’s really strange.”

“Strange?” Tarris felt her heart thumping in her throat. Was this more bad news? She’d had just about all the bad news she could take about that back of hers.

“It looks…” Asher’s eyes narrowed as she moved closer to the monitor. “Oh my God, that looks like a metal ring around your spine. Did anyone say something about repairing the damaged bone with a metal ring?”

“Ring?” At this point, Tarris could barely remember her name let alone what happened sixteen years ago. She could feel Rya trying to calm her so she could think straight. “No, I don’t think so.”

Asher continued to study the image. She shifted the scanner around to get different angles of the damaged site. An adjustment of the settings on the device allowed the rays to filter past the metal to the bone underneath. Asher blinked once then looked again. She adjusted the scanner to an even tighter field so the spinal cord slowly came into focus. “What the hell is going on?”

“What? What?” Tarris was nearly hysterical. Rya fought a losing battle to calm her host.

“If I didn’t know better, it looks like there’s nothing wrong with your spine. That can’t be right,” she muttered.

“I don’t understand.”

“It looks like the ring is designed to compress your nerves.”

“You mean to say that they deliberately crippled me?” Tarris’s voice slowly rose in volume until the last word shook the glassware that sat on the shelf.

“Now calm down.”

“Don’t tell me to calm down!” Tarris’s voice was now at full volume. “Some bastard has deliberately ruined my life? What about the signal?”

“There’s a tiny device attached to the ring. I’m sorry, but I’m not an electronics expert, so I don’t know exactly what it does.” Asher hesitated. “But it looks like someone wanted to keep track of you.”

Keep track?
Tarris thought for a moment about those early days when she was learning about her gift. Her teachers had told her she was one of the best they had ever seen, but she had always thought it was designed to make her feel good. What if that were true? Had she been crippled in an effort to control her? Was someone else involved that she didn’t know about? What was she really capable of? Tarris had always thought she hadn’t yet reached her full potential. Did they know what she suspected?

“Are you all right?” Asher asked gently. Her hand slowly drew circles around the damaged spine.

“Yeah. No. I don’t know.” Tarris turned her head to look at Asher. “What now?”

“Indeed. What now? What do you want to happen now?”

“That depends on you.”

“Me?” Asher sounded surprised.

“I suppose I have two choices. Leave things as they are… or remove it.”

“Remove it?” Asher’s eyes widened in fear. “Oh no, no, no. That’s a very risky operation.”

“And you’re not prepared to do it?” Tarris didn’t want to beg, but if she had to she would.

“I didn’t say that. That ring has been in there for sixteen years. Your body has accepted it, and tissue has grown around it. Removing it will not be without consequences.”

“Asher, I am a paraplegic. How much worse can it be?”

“Infection, damage to your spine,” Asher said as she counted the problems off on her fingers, “damage to blood vessels, and the list goes on. Let alone what removing the device will do to your life.”

“Our lives,” Tarris corrected her.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Removing that device will affect us both. I suspect the Council is behind this. They’ll know you did it.”

“Another reason for me to tell you to get out.”

“Look—” Tarris said.

“But it would be inhumane of me to let you continue like this.”

“You’re running a great risk here,” Tarris said. “I’ve put you in an untenable position, and for that, I’m sorry.” It was a little too late to say sorry, but she had no choice. If she wanted Asher’s help it would take a few more “sorry”s before she was through.

“You didn’t know it was there.”

Tarris smiled up at Asher. “So now you believe me.”

“I suppose I do, though heaven only knows why.” Asher shook her head. “Give me tonight to think about it. I’ll meet you tomorrow at the Citizens’ Galleria in the Beverage Bar and let you know my decision.”

“That’s not wise. I’ll probably be watched.” Tarris suddenly felt guilty that she involved this stranger in her problems. Had she just sentenced the young mediprac to death?

“That’s my decision. Take it or leave it.”

“I don’t think I can. I feel guilty enough for risking your anonymity now. Tomorrow will only make it worse.”

“Take it or leave it,” Asher repeated.

“Fine, it’s your life. At noon then.” Very little was said as Asher helped Tarris to dress. Both seemed lost deep in thought over what had transpired and what was about to come.

Chapter 5

Tarris sat and quietly sipped her coffee substitute from her temperature-controlled cup. Her dark-tinted eyes scanned the plaza to look for both Asher and her spy. She spotted Asher some distance away, walking determinedly toward her. Rya was restless, and Tarris was tempted to send her warrior in search of their quarry, but Rya didn’t like the light. Somehow, these days, Rya’s well-being was as important as her own.

Tarris’s eyes fixed on Asher. Her mind scattered in all directions with random thoughts as she watched her approach. Tarris wasn’t sure exactly what she felt about Asher. She was full of wary optimism, suspicion, guilt, and a warm fuzzy feeling that annoyed the hell out of her.

“Hello, sweetheart.” If Tarris had made a bet with herself as to what Asher would say, that wouldn’t have even been on her “just in case” list. Her jaw dropped open when Asher lowered her head and planted a kiss on her lips. The kiss was warm, wet, and tender, and fanned the flames of the warm fuzzies swirling in her stomach.

“Errr…” Tarris stumbled over the exclamation. She must have looked like an idiot. Judging by Asher’s grin, she would have kissed Tarris anyway just to see her blush.

Asher leaned in farther and moved her lips to Tarris’s ear. “Just play along. I’ll explain later.” The whispered words were spoken quickly, followed by a kiss on the cheek. Asher’s voice rose to normal pitch. “I’m sorry I’m late. I had trouble finding my underwear. I finally located it under the mattress. We sort of lost track of clothes last night, didn’t we?”

Underwear? Clothes? What was the woman talking about… oohhh. “Errr… yeah.” Tarris wasn’t sure what game Asher was playing, but it bordered on the ludicrous.

“I’ve been thinking…”

In Tarris’s mind, Asher had done too much thinking.

“I accept your offer to move in with you,” Asher said.

Offer? There was an offer? Tarris battled on, completely ignorant of what was going on. “That’s good to hear. When can you move in?”

“I have a few things to collect back at the apartment, but today if you want.”

“Sure.” What was Tarris getting herself into? All she wanted was an opinion on her back, and now Asher had plans to move in? It was bad enough to struggle in her apartment alone, but now she would have someone watching her every move. “This better be good,” Tarris muttered under her breath.

“I have a plan,” Asher muttered back.

“A plan.” Tarris expressed in those two words what she thought of the plan so far.

Asher grabbed Tarris’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “Come on then. I’m eager to move in.” Asher slipped her arm around Tarris’s waist to pull her closer so their bodies touched. She actively encouraged Tarris to slip her arm over her shoulder so they presented an enticing image of two lovers.

“I’m going to kill you for this,” Tarris whispered.

“If this doesn’t work, you’ll be waiting in line to do that. Come on, let’s get my things.”

Despite the limitations caused by Tarris’s suit, they made good time across the city to Asher’s apartment. Once the front door had closed, Tarris disengaged herself from Asher’s arm and moved farther into the living room. “Talk.”

“You were worried about our lives being in danger, right?”

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

“Wouldn’t two lovers be less suspicious than if you came to see me for professional reasons?” Asher said. “That’s what they’re going to see, you know.”

Asher was right. Being lovers would be less likely to draw attention. “There’s one big problem with that.”

“Please don’t. I thought long and hard about this.”

“There…” This was all so embarrassing, and Tarris steeled herself for the revelation. “There hasn’t been anyone in my life, and now you pop up? That’s suspicious in itself.”

“No one? Ever? I find that hard to believe.”

Tarris’s head dipped. She just couldn’t say it. A lone finger touched her chin. Asher silently demanded that she look up into her eyes. “But why?”

“I thought that was rather obvious.” Tarris spat out the words, anger mixing with frustration and sadness. “I’m of no use to anyone.” Then, of course, there was Rule Seven.

“That is so sad. To have never experienced love.”

“Love? Sex? It’s all the same.”

“No, it’s not. They are as diametrically opposite as… as you and I.”

“I don’t need them.” Then why did Tarris feel that was a lie? She quickly changed the subject. “What was all that play-acting in the plaza?”

“Didn’t you say you were being watched by the Council? I was just adding credence to our story.”

“Our story? You decided on this action before consulting me. Now you’ve put us both in a situation where we have to continue this charade or be unmasked.”

“I didn’t have time to discuss it with you. Didn’t you do exactly the same thing last night by coming to my apartment?” Asher’s eyes blazed. “You want my help or not? This is a solution to that problem so stop complaining.”

Tarris couldn’t believe it. Asher actually argued with her even though she knew who, and what, she was. “And what does moving in with me accomplish?”

“You can’t go to a hospital for the operation, so I’m going to have to improvise. You won’t be moving anywhere once it’s done, and I need to keep an eye on you. Wouldn’t it be more logical for me to move into your apartment rather than the other way around?”

Tarris raised her hand to her forehead and rubbed briskly in frustration. “All right! All right. How did I let you talk me into this?”

“If I remember rightly, it was because you were desperate for help. I should be offended, you know, because to you I’ve become an act of desperation. I’ve never had to work this hard to get a date.”

“Let’s get this over with then.” Tarris admitted defeat.

“You’re such a sweet-talker,” Asher cooed.

“One more crack out of you, and you won’t need to worry about the Council.”

It took a couple of hours to pack Asher’s equipment and clothes. It was really happening. In a matter of hours, she had gone from a single woman living alone to someone who wasn’t going to be alone anymore, at least for the near future. Asher would know it all.

Tarris shuddered at the thought of tomorrow night when Asher would see Rya emerge, but there was no way she could avoid it. The plan was in motion, and she would to have to live with it… or, in this case, with her.

“Stop worrying. You haven’t got anything that I haven’t seen before.” Could Asher sense her concern?

“Don’t bet on it,” Tarris mumbled. She still had one surprise to reveal to her, one that would probably send her running from the apartment.

“Come on. Let’s get moving.” Asher pulled the trolley that held her bags. The medical equipment was secreted inside the bags that looked to the world like she had a huge wardrobe. The ceramic wheels moved the platform easily, and Asher needed very little energy to pull it.

Outside, Tarris touched her wrist computer and sent out a signal for a taxi. Moments later, the checkered vehicle pulled up to the curb and waited for them. Asher went around to the back of the vehicle with her trolley while the baggage platform emerged from the bottom of the cab. She pushed the trolley onto it but didn't wait to see the platform disappear back up into the metal compartment.

Tarris got into the taxi. She smoothly touched the pads that would collapse the hydraulic joints to make it possible for her to sit. Was this foolhardy charade worth the risk of them both dying so she had a chance of walking again? Sadly, there was only one answer as far as she was concerned. Yes.

*   *   *

Tarris hesitated outside the door to her apartment.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing… everything.” How could she explain this? “I don’t know if I can do this.” She flinched when Asher's hand touched her own.

“What are you afraid of?”

“Nothing. Fear makes you weak, it makes you slow, and it will eventually kill you, so it’s not a matter of being afraid.” Tarris feared very little, of that she was sure. “It’s more… more…” What did she want to say? “I suppose it’s a matter of losing my independence.” Did she truly believe that? Maybe she was a little afraid of letting someone in, and somehow she had a feeling this woman would be the one to do it.

Rule Eight in her Survival Handbook: Don’t let your enemies see your emotion; it leaves you open to attack.