Edgar Aeternum, Book 1: Tales of Aeternal Love (37 page)

"Thanks, Evans," Edgar responded. "After a
while, you just do what you have to do. What I have to do now,
though, is wash Campbell off of myself. For what's it's worth, I'm
damned impressed with you, too, and you definitely have my
respect."

"Thank you," said the barrister. "There's a
fully-stocked shower through that door," he gestured at the
opposite wall. "You'll also find a change of clothing, in your
size, on the dresser." He shrugged his shoulders at Edgar's blank
look. "What can I say? I didn't expect you to do your own dirty
work, but I came prepared in case you surprised me. Now, go clean
up. I'll take care of this mess," he nodded in Campbell's
direction.

Edgar shook his head, smiling and walked
toward the shower. Mid-way there, he stopped and turned to Evans,
still seated. "I guess the only thing left is to move on," he said,
sadness in his voice. "It's probably for the best. Maddi said he
couldn't handle my disrespect for life; maybe he's right. Maybe I'm
as much a monster as she was; in any case, he's better off without
me." He turned away and entered the shower room.

Evans stood, stretching. He smiled and said
to himself, "We'll see, my boy, we'll see."

Five-fifteen P.M.

When Edgar emerged from his shower, dressed
in fresh navy slacks, a white Oxford, blue argyle socks and black
Italian loafers, he was shocked to find the room spotless, Evans
waiting for him.

"I must say," the barrister commented,
"that's a big improvement. It most likely feels better too, I'd
wager."

"Indeed, it does," said Edgar. "Thank you for
being so prepared. How did you get the mess out here cleaned up so
fast?"

"Fast?" Evans laughed. "You've been in the
shower for forty-five minutes, Edgar. I was done ten minutes ago.
This is not, as you would say, my first rodeo."

Edgar clapped him on the back and laughed.
"You're always a surprise, my friend. One of these days, I'll have
to teach you an old dance called the Macarena. I'd love to see you
do it."

Evans fixed Edgar with an icy look and raised
one eyebrow. "Not likely, my friend. I'd sooner die." Then he
smiled and burst out laughing. "Come, let's get out of here."

"Where's the body?" asked Edgar.

"Allow me some mystery, my boy. Now, move
it," he said and headed for the door.

The pair sat in silence as Evans' private
transport took them back toward the city. Finally, Edgar spoke up.
"Hey, Evans! We're passing all the magna stations and you're going
the wrong direction if you're taking me back to Altair."

Evans looked over and answered, "I'm aware,"
before turning back to gaze out the window.

"Do you mind letting me know where we're
going then?"

"Not at all. We're headed to Arandia. Your
Maddox should be done with the mind-creeper by now and I'm sure
he'd like to see you," Evans replied.

"What the... Evans! Turn this transport
around, now! You know I can't see Maddi. I just butchered his
kidnapper, personally, and he was pissed when he learned I sent my
other stalkers offworld. Shit, he left me when he found out I'd
paid someone to dispose of a few of them. What do you think he's
gonna do when he finds out about this afternoon? I can't lie to
him. That's not an option."

"Calm down, Edgar," Evans said, as though
talking to an hysterical child. "I understand the Andro code and
wouldn't dream of asking you to violate it by lying to Maddox.
However, just as we underestimated each other, I believe you
underestimated him."

"What are you talking about?" asked Edgar.
"He made his feelings unmistakably clear!"

"Yes, I imagine he did. People change,
though; most of my clients, as I said, are all for exacting their
own vengeance. Until they actually hold the weapon in their hand;
then, it's clear it's all puffery. Just the same as a sworn
pacifist might have a change of heart when subjected to violence
himself."

"Evans, if you have a point, I'd appreciate
you making it," Edgar said. "Things are good between the two of us
again, but I'm not in the mood to play games with this particular
topic."

"Relax, my boy. You'll never live to see
thirty if you don't learn how," Evans replied. "You were so intent
on revenge that I decided to let you have it before giving you the
last piece of the story." Edgar opened his mouth to comment and
Evans put up a silencing hand. "Just before we took Maddox from
Ridgely's home, we gave him some morphine for his pain." Edgar
stared at Evans, hanging on his every word.

"He stopped the medic on the way out of the
room to give me a message before passing out. It was for you,
Edgar. He said, and I quote, 'Tell Edgar I said to put this bitch
down,' end quote. Not exactly what you'd expect from a confirmed
pacifist who despises his boyfriend's disrespect for life, is
it?"

Edgar couldn't reply. He was caught between
laughter and tears at the sheer joy of knowing that Maddi wasn't
gone from his life for good. Evans, allowing his surrogate son a
moment of privacy, tapped the comm and ordered the driver, "Pour on
more speed, my good man! Traffic authorities be damned, get us to
Arandia now!"

Edgar had regained
his composure by the time the transport arrived at Arandia twenty
minutes later. He was tapping his knees with his hands, smiling,
like an impatient child awaiting a birthday gift. Evans thought for
a moment that he'd jump out of the transport before it came to a
complete stop.

"Just a moment, Edgar," Evans said. "He's not
going anywhere, you know. Besides, we need to get the report from
the attending physician first."

"I know, Evans," Edgar replied, ceasing his
drumming. "Thank you again for everything. I'm just excited to see
him!"

"Understood," Evans replied. "Don't thank me
for his change of heart, though. I told you, he's an extraordinary
young man. Quite a worthy mate, if I may say so," he looked
pointedly at Edgar.

Edgar laughed. "You're always after me to
settle down, aren't you? It's too soon to tell, but if he'll have
me, I'm his."

"Hmph!" Evans snorted. "I guess love really
is blind, after all. You two are so well-suited, I'd swear you were
destined for each other, if such existed. You'll both come around,
I think, and I look forward to the celebration of your
bonding."

Edgar actually blushed, a rarity for him. "If
I'm so lucky someday, you'll be the first name on the guest list,"
he paused, "Dad."

If looks could wound, Arandia would have had
a new patient. "We shan't speak of that lapse in my professionalism
again. That you know how I feel is quite enough without
overly-expressive gestures," Evans replied to Edgar's jibe. At that
moment, the transport came to a stop. Just before Evan turned to
exit, Edgar could have sworn he'd seen a smile on the man's
face.

They checked in at Reception and, a short
elevator ride later, were seated in a consult room across from
Maddi's attending physician. The shock of white hair in her
otherwise raven coif reminded Edgar of Rogue from the X-Men, a
thought he knew he couldn't share since no one would know what he
meant. Her manner was friendly as she briefed them on Maddi's
condition.

"Mr. Bristow is in very good health,
gentlemen," she said. "When Mr. Evans brought him to us, Mr.
Aeternum, he was, frankly, a mess." She shook her head and
continued, "He's well-hydrated, non-concussed - though he had quite
a bump on the head, and his knees..." she stopped. It was clear she
wanted to comment on his captor, but all Arandia's staff knew
better than to provide personal opinions with their high-profile
clientele.

"Surgery was successful; we did a bilateral
knee reconstruction, including soft tissue regeneration. He'll be
sore for a couple weeks or so, but he has low-grade pain meds for
that. He's confined to bed rest," at this, she looked at Edgar,
"and I mean rest, for three days, after which he should limit
activity to small walks around home. Which brings up the question:
Where will he be convalescing? It should be somewhere he's not
alone."

"He'll stay at my place," Edgar answered.
"His roommates are often gone, but I work from my home. He won't be
alone, Dr. Eldritch."

"Excellent," she replied. "That's the
physical report. Mr. Bristow also suffered significant
psychological trauma. Our psy staff is top-notch and one of the
best of them spent several hours with him this afternoon. He wasn't
too fond of the idea; apparently, he'd been mistreated by a most
unethical psy'er as a child. However, when he'd fully recovered
from the anesthesia post-surgery, it was obvious he was in shock.
During a crisis, the human mind often delays such responses until
the crisis is over, at which point the emotional response to the
crisis hits like a bolt of lightning. Often with just as much
damage"

The two men nodded understanding and Dr.
Eldritch continued. "We felt, given the level of his trauma, that
psy-treatment was necessary. Conventional therapy and processing
would have taken years with that level of trauma. There is no point
in needless suffering. Despite his reluctance, he responded quite
well to the treatment."

Edgar was doing his best to hide his
discomfort at the thought of a psy'er poking around in Maddi's
thoughts, given what he'd shared before Maddi left. The doctor
seemed unaware, but Evans picked up on it and commented. "Not to
worry, Edgar. No one here is going to share the information learned
from Maddi's psy-treatment." Edgar looked concerned that Evans had
broached the topic in front of the doctor.

Dr. Eldritch jumped in, "Mr. Evans is
correct, Mr. Aeternum. We at Arandia are unconcerned with the
intimate details of our patients' lives as well as that of their
loved ones. Whatever secrets you've shared with Mr. Bristow, even
those of an illegal nature, will remain so. There is no danger of
leaks to press or Security; our staff is well-compensated so
blackmail is not a concern either." Edgar visibly relaxed and the
doctor continued.

"As you may know, psy-treatment rapidly
accelerates normal human emotional and psychological healing.
You'll find Mr. Bristow is no longer in shock, nor is he
particularly traumatized by events. He remembers everything
vividly, of course, but it's as though they are distant memories.
The only thing the psy'er thought was needed for complete healing
is knowledge of what happened to his captor. I trust you gentlemen
have that information?"

"Indeed we do," this time it was Evans who
answered. "I believe it best that such comes from Mr.
Aeternum."

"The psy'er is in agreement," Dr. Eldritch
said. "Depending upon how Mr. Bristow reacts to that information,
he may or may not need further treatment. Other than that, I've
nothing else to report. Do either of you have any questions?"

"None here," Evans answered, looking to
Edgar.

"Only about payment," Edgar said.

"Not to worry, Mr. Aeternum," she said. "That
has been taken care of already."

"Then I'm good," Edgar said with a smile.
"Can we see him now?"

"By all means," Dr. Eldritch said, returning
his smile. "He's in room 402. Take a right out of this room; it's
at the end of the hall on the left. If you need anything, call the
nurse; if he can't help you, he'll page me."

"Thank you, Dr. Eldritch," Edgar said,
standing and extending his hand.

"You're most welcome, Mr. Aeternum," she
said, shaking his hand. She looked to Evans, also standing now.
"Good to see you, Mr. Evans; though I wish it'd been under better
circumstances."

Evans shook her hand and replied, "Always,
Dr. Eldritch."

The trio left the consult room, the doctor
going left, while Evans and Edgar headed right. Edgar looked at
Evans and said, "Someone likes you."

Evans chuckled, "I'm not unaware. However,
such things don't tend to work out well for me, as you now know. It
would be rude not to be a gentleman about it, though."

"Umm-hmm. You're sure you don't like her just
a bit?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Quit being a cheeky bastard and go see your
boyfriend!" Evans said. Despite his surly tone, the man was
grinning broadly.

"You're not coming?" Edgar asked.

"My boy," Evans replied, "I may not do well
in relationships, but I do know enough not to be the third wheel.
You don't need me for this part; I'm going to the cafeteria for
some tea. Call me when you're ready to leave."

"You got it, Evans," Edgar said, clapping his
friend on the back. Evans nodded and turned away, heading for the
elevators. Edgar took a deep breath, released it and headed toward
whatever destiny awaited him in room 402.

Edgar was relieved to find that 402 was a
private room; not needing hospitals himself, he wasn't aware that
all Arandia's rooms were private. He stood at the edge of the
doorway for a moment watching Maddi. The younger man was engrossed
in something on his padd and didn't notice his observer. The
hospital staff had been so thorough in their work that, to Edgar,
it looked as though Maddi was merely reading in bed after a long
day at school. There were no visible bruises or marks and he looked
recently showered.

Edgar stepped into the room and cleared his
throat. Maddi, assuming he was a porter come to pick up his dinner
tray, didn't look up from his padd but simply said, "Thanks, it's
on the table," and continued reading.

Edgar said, "Sorry sir, but I don't work
here."

At the sound of Edgar's voice, Maddi dropped
the padd in his lap and looked to the doorway. "Edgar!" he
exclaimed. "You came! Did you get my message?" Maddi's smile could
have lit the dark side of the Moon it was so bright, yet Edgar
could see tears welling up in his eyes.

He came to Maddi's bedside and took his left
hand in both of his own. "Yes," he said, "I did." He felt his own
tears begin sliding down his cheeks and Maddi joined him.