Madeleine & the Mind (6 page)

Madeleine rubbed his shoulder. "What are you so obsessed with, sweetums?"

"Why do you treat him like a child? He's a scientist."

"Be quiet, Mike. There's a reason for everything he does, and he's staring at this bookcase."

Madeleine searched the titles at eye level then turned a doubtful eye on Steven. "Love sonnets? Somehow, I don't think…Although, I did mention a love sonnet to him yesterday. I'm game." She reached up and grabbed several books. "These have never even been read. Does anyone use this library?"

Mike laughed. "I tried to tell you. Scientists…"

"Never mind. Where's the gym?"

In the gym, several people labored at weights, bicycles, treadmills, and stair steppers. It was available to all personnel.

"What does Dr. Faraday usually do?"

Steven was already walking to the weights.

Madeleine grabbed his hand. "Not right now, sweetums."

Mike had to pull Steven out of the room. He obviously wanted to linger. If it was that important to him, she'd bring him back later.

The next door could not be entered without a keycard. Mike pulled one out of his pocket and slid it alongside the door. A buzzer sounded, and they went through to a small vestibule. This time, Mike went to the box on the side of the door, opened it and leaned forward with his face plastered to the front.

Madeleine laughed. "You've got to be kidding. It's reading your eye?"

A door slid open, and Mike gave her a grave look then held up his hand for her to follow.

She sighed. "You guys are really serious. You're really…somebody."

"Yes, and somebody tried to kill Steven in this room...which means they had clearance."

Madeleine looked at Steven to see if he acted nervous. His eyes were totally blank which could be an indicator that he was very upset. She took his hand and whispered in his ear. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Mike had already gone inside, so Madeleine wandered in after him. He stood to the side, talking with Dr. Giliteau.

Madeleine moved past them. This was like no science lab she'd ever seen. There were definitely things in here she couldn't identify. An entire wall was devoted to chemicals. In a closed cubicle at the end of the room, a man pointed a long cylindrical tube at a simple battery. Nothing came out. He stood up and hooked the battery to a battery tester.

She rolled her eyes at Steven and flicked her head in the direction of the cubicle. "I think that scientist is losing it. There's nothing coming out of his laser gun, and he doesn't seem to notice."

The corner of Steven's mouth twitched, as if he were about to laugh.

Madeleine peered into his eyes, but they were dull and lackluster.

Nothing in the room seemed dangerous enough to hurt him, so she dropped his hand and joined Mike.

Dr. Giliteau gave her a brilliant smile. "Well, the therapist looks even better when she's dry. Have you found everything you need Mademoiselle Madeleine?"

"Yes, Dr. Giliteau. What is a Frenchman doing with American scientists?"

Mike interrupted. "I'm Canadian. Steven is the only American." He pointed at the cubicle. "And Dr. Benjamin is an Israeli."

"I'm impressed! I've heard the country of Israel is teeming with technological brain power." A look of annoyance marred Dr. Giliteau's handsome face, but it passed quickly. Perhaps he was jealous because she hadn't noted the brilliance of the French. "Do you have any other geniuses running around here?"

She gave Dr. Giliteau her full attention, and he practically crowed like a rooster.

"Yes. Ours is not the only project underway at The Institute. Would you like to see a little of what we do?"

She batted her lashes at him. "I'd adore it."

He took her by the elbow, and she winked at Mike as she walked past. There had to be some way to determine who the murderer was. Flirting always helped to lighten the mood.

Dr. Giliteau took her inside the cubicle. "Do you see this long barrel?"

She nodded, watching his face with rapt attention.

"It's actually a facilitator for an electro-magnetic pulse laser."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"No one does. That's what Dr. Faraday was working on when he lost his ability to articulate."

"I see."

It looked as if Madeleine was going to learn Steven's secret whether she wanted to or not.

"If it worked, that laser could point at any rocket, any ground-to-air missile…" He shrugged his shoulder in a Gaelic gesture. "Anything that operated with any form of electricity would be shut down instantly."

"What about whatever was holding the laser? Why doesn't it shut itself down?"

He looked at her in amazement. "Very good, Mademoiselle. We created a shield, or barrier, that protects the sender of the signal." He stepped to the side of the room and picked up a model F-16. "For example, this fighter could point the laser at a heat- seeking missile and knock out the navigational system of the missile without setting off the bomb. However, it would have no effect whatsoever on any of his systems."

"How dangerous is the laser?"

"Relatively no effect on anything that isn't electrical."

"It sounds ideal as a defensive weapon. But couldn't it knock out anything else electrical…like a city or an entire country?"

"I suppose there are those who might take advantage of this technology, but that is not its primary purpose." He set the model down and leaned against the counter, closer to Madeleine. "When do you get a break from the wonder-boy?"

She smiled up at him. "I think, Dr. Giliteau, that you mean boy wonder."

"Call me Frank."

At that moment, Steven stumbled between them and knocked a beaker of fluid all over Dr. Giliteau. He jumped back with a nasty look on his face, clenching his fists.

Madeleine felt the tension in the small space and took Steven's hand before he could cause any further trouble.

"I'm not sure about my break, Frank. I really do need to buy a few things. I've lost all my belongings. Unfortunately, it will have to wait until the Institute gives me my first paycheck."

"I'd be happy to cover anything you require. Perhaps tomorrow, after Dr. Faraday's fiancée arrives."

Steven pulled at Madeleine's hand.

"I'll let you know." She let him take her out of the cubicle. "What is it, Steven? Where are you going?"

He took her to a counter lined with beakers and picked up a flask of fluid. She tried to grab his hand, but Mike stopped her.

"Let him. You said you wanted him to remember."

Steven mixed the fluid with another flask and handed it to her. Madeleine almost dropped it. "It's freezing." She sat it on the counter. "That was very impressive."

"Yes, if you're taking high-school chemistry."

She glared at Dr. Giliteau's back. "Don't listen to him, Steven. You're very bright. Now, why don't we come back when these other scientists are not so busy?"

Mike walked them to the door. "So long. Your lunch tray will be delivered to your room around noon. Try not to let the boy wonder push you in the pool."

That gave Madeleine an idea. She took Steven by the hand and led him down the hall.

"Why don't we go swimming?"

Madeleine took Steven and strode for the elevator. He resisted her when they passed the weight room. The room was now empty. The other employees must work out early then go to their jobs.

"Why don't we come after lunch? You aren't dressed for exercise."

She turned back to the door, but when she reached the hallway, he wasn't with her.

She poked her head back in the room. Dr. Faraday had taken off his shirt and was pulling off his shoes. By the time she reached him, he was tugging at the belt to his pants.

"No, no, no. You can't take off your clothes in here. Someone might see you. For goodness sake, I might see you."

He dropped his pants, and she ran to the door with a squeal.

"Stop that!"

She looked up and down the hall. What was she going to do?

Lord, why is that man trying my faith? I'm a professional, I can do my job, but he's a grown man with a grown man's body.

She heard the treadmill start behind her and peeked into the room.

Dr. Faraday was jogging. And he wore shorts. He must have been wearing them under his slacks. Madeleine banged her fists against the wall and walked back into the room. "You might have told me. I thought you were doing a strip-tease."

And with a body like that, no doubt, many women would pay. As usual, he ignored her.

Madeleine stepped on the machine next to him and turned it on low. She hadn't done much jogging lately, but she did need the exercise.

She ran for about five minutes. Jogging without music or someone to talk to was extremely boring. Steven probably managed it because he was locked in his own world, but she was bored.

"What's your girlfriend like? Let me guess. You're tall, so she's probably tall. Blond, and extremely gorgeous. She'd have to be to compete with you. You seem to be fairly fastidious. A byproduct of that scientist's mind, no doubt. So, your girlfriend is probably some stuck-up, uptight…I should keep my mouth shut. If you love her, that's all that matters.

"What about parents? Don't you have any parents? You seem young to be involved in something so…important. Dr. Giliteau told me about your project. I suppose you heard him. You pushed him on purpose, didn't you? You don't have to be jealous. They pay me to take care of you. I'm not going to run after anyone else."

He turned off his machine and walked out.

Interesting. What had she said that he didn't like? Or, was he completely oblivious to her conversation?

She gathered up his belongings and followed him to the elevator. "Steven, you can't leave your clothes lying around. And you shouldn't go traipsing about without your shirt. None of the women will get any work done."

They stepped into the elevator, and she helped him slip his shirt on. She buttoned the top button then looked up at his eyes. They held that intent look again.

"What are you thinking right now?"

Her hand dropped away from his shirt, and she stepped back.

He gave her a wide, innocent smile.

Suddenly, the bell dinged, and the door opened behind her.

When they reached their rooms, Madeleine got out her bathing suit. "I'm going swimming. Do you want to go?"

She wandered into his room and found him sitting at the window. She walked over to him and reached for his face.

"Look at me. Do you even know why I'm here? I'm supposed to help you speak again. Don't you want to speak?"

He gave her that innocuous, childlike smile. He was so beautiful, it was heartbreaking. Tears filled her eyes, and she blinked them away. There was no reason to distress him. She had to believe God would heal him, would show her how to help him.

"Give me your hand, Steven."

He held it up, and Madeleine put it on her throat. She hummed. "Can you feel that? I need you to try that."

She put her hand on his Adam's apple. "Try to make your throat vibrate."

She waited several seconds, but nothing happened, so she dropped her hand away. "It's all right. We'll figure it out."

He reached up and covered her neck with his hand.

"You want me to hum?" She hummed, and he grinned. "You can feel that, can't you?" She hummed again then she reached for his neck. "Now, you."

She stared into his eyes, waiting for him to try it. All of the sudden, his eyes went blank.

She dropped her hand and stood. "You know, sometimes you just close up. But I appreciate those moments when you really look at me." She stepped to the dividing door. "I'm locking this door, because I'm going to change my clothes. Put on your bathing suit. When I'm ready, I'll knock."

Madeleine slipped into the black suit, deep in thought about her patient. Dr. Steven Faraday was an enigma. Madeleine desperately needed to speak with his physician. Maybe there was some type of therapy Steven needed, something she hadn't thought of. And who was in charge at The Institute? Thus far, Mike was the only person who told her what to do. Shouldn't someone be checking on her program of therapy?

She knocked on the door and waited a few seconds. It wasn't as if he would answer. She opened the door, and he was sitting at his desk writing. She gasped. He was writing!

She ran to look over his shoulder.

Madeleine Madeleine Madeleine Madeleine

He was writing her name over and over and spelling it correctly. She sank back on his bed and watched him. Why in the world was he writing her name? It could mean any number of things. Maybe he was trying to communicate what he couldn't speak.

She watched him for five more minutes before he put the pen down.

She stood and looked at the paper. Nothing but her name. So much for communicating.

She patted his hand. "That's very smart of you. You spelled it correctly, and you have lovely penmanship. May I have this?"

He handed it to her.

Madeleine took it to her room and placed it beside her bed.

"Are you ready to go swimming?" she called from the other room.

Steven walked in carrying a bottle of sunblock and a towel. He handed her the sunblock and turned his back to her.

"I take it you want some lotion."

She rubbed lotion across his back, keeping her mind under strict control. She tried not to think about how it felt to touch the hard muscles of his back. "There."

He turned around.

"I think you can handle the front." She handed him the bottle and went to the bathroom to get a towel.

While she put her hair in a ponytail, he crept up behind her. She caught his reflection in the mirror. "What is it?"

He held up his hand. It had lotion on it. He reached for her back, and she nearly jumped when he touched her. His hands crept across her shoulders in slow, sure movements. Madeleine's toes curled with the tension he created in her. Not a good thing.

She stepped away. There were some things she was not prepared to endure. "That's good, really. I'm not one of those red-heads who burn. Well…I'm strawberry blonde…anyway."