Sanctuary Bay (27 page)

Ethan struggled, finally pulling Izzy into a chokehold. Izzy twisted her head, sinking her teeth into his arm. At the same instant she kicked out with both legs, slamming her feet into the guard's chest. His head smacked the tipped-over cart when he hit the ground.

“Stop! Izzy, stop!” Sarah screamed. The guard bellowed in pain. The arm of Ethan's shirt was soaked with blood, but he was still holding Izzy. Sarah turned to the nurse. “Do something. Don't you have a sedative?”

The nurse ignored her. He had recovered enough to stagger over to the counter next to the computer.

“Let me help. I'm sorry I kicked you,” Sarah said in a rush. “I can give her the shot.”

But he wasn't preparing a hypodermic. He was pulling up a virtual keyboard.

The guard was grunting and bleeding, and Izzy was still screaming and fighting like a cornered cat. “What are you
doing
?” Sarah cried. “We need to knock her out!”

The nurse typed something into the computer, his face grim.

The screaming stopped. Stunned, Sarah spun toward Izzy—just as she went limp in Ethan's arms.

“Izzy!” Sarah gasped.

Ethan staggered back, gently releasing Izzy. She crumpled to the floor and lay perfectly still, her blond hair covering half her face, her mouth hanging slightly open. For a few seconds Sarah wasn't even sure if she was breathing. “Wh-what happened to her?”

“She was a danger to herself and to the rest of us. I told you to leave her alone,” the nurse barked.

“Don't talk! Do something!” Ethan shot back.

“Is she okay?” Sarah couldn't take her eyes off her roommate. “Why is she unconscious? What happened?”

The outside door slammed, and a woman in a lab coat ran into the room. She took one look at Izzy on the floor and pulled out a cell phone. “I need transport in Lab One,” she said, then she hung up and gestured at Sarah and Ethan. “Take these two to the dean,” she ordered the security guard, who was still holding his bloody cheek.

“No. Wait. Are you the doctor?” Sarah asked. “Why did Izzy just collapse like that? Is she hurt?”

“Answer her!” Ethan yelled.

The woman walked briskly over to the computer and began examining the information on the monitor, ignoring both of them and Izzy lying on the floor. The nurse, still hobbling, picked up the strange wire that had been attached to the port in Izzy's neck. Neither looked at Sarah.

The security guard moved toward Sarah, ready to drag her off to Dean Farrell.

“Izzy, wake up!” Sarah commanded, throwing herself on the ground next to her friend. “Iz! Are you okay?”

Izzy didn't move a muscle. Her arm felt warm, but the stillness frightened Sarah. Was she dead? Sarah brushed her hair out of her face to get a better look. Izzy's eyes were open, staring lifelessly at Sarah like two cold blue marbles. It was like gazing into Karina's eyes after she was shot. “Iz?”

“Give her a minute,” Ethan said as the guard reached for her.

Sarah slid her hand down to Izzy's wrist to check her pulse. It was there, strong and steady. But while her body might still be working, Izzy just wasn't in there.

“Let's go,” the security guard muttered, hauling Sarah up to her feet. She shook free, and she and Ethan followed the guard quietly. She couldn't help Izzy anymore. She just went along with the guard, as numb on the inside as Izzy seemed to be.

*   *   *

“Ms. Merson, Mr. Steere. Do you want to explain to me what you were thinking?” Dean Farrell barked the instant Sarah's butt hit the chair in her office, Ethan taking the chair next to her. “You were in a restricted area. More than that, you
assaulted
a nurse.”

“A nurse who had Izzy strapped to a table doing who the hell knows what to her,” Ethan shot back.

Sarah automatically looked at the dean's shoes. Red soles. Louboutin. Completely inappropriate for work. Sarah felt tears prick her eyes. That was Karina's voice, Karina's thoughts. She always did a Farrell Shoe Inventory for Karina, because her roommate loved that kind of stuff.

She pushed her thoughts of Karina away. Right now she had to focus on Izzy. “She was screaming. She never stopped screaming.”

I can still hear the screams …

The dean sighed. “I'm sure that was terrible to see. But what you did was incredibly dangerous, for you as well as the staff in the room. And, more importantly, for Isobel. She suffers from a very serious emotional disability—”

“PTSD. I know,” Sarah cut her off. “She was going for therapy, she told me. But I've had a few hours of state-mandated therapy, and it's sitting in a chair talking about your behavior. It's not being tied down and brutalized.”

“Sanctuary Bay Academy is known for its cutting-edge psychiatric treatments,” Dean Farrell said. “Many of our students would not be able to function in a regular high school, regardless of their high intelligence. Frequently families will petition to have their children sent here for that reason alone.”

She sounds like a catalog,
Sarah thought. “Izzy has always been perfectly functional,” she said aloud, though her voice wasn't as confident as she wanted it to be. Izzy-in-the-woods flashed through her mind. Izzy-the-murderer.

“That's because our treatment works,” Dean Farrell replied.

“Is that what you call it? Treatment?” Sarah shook her head.

“It looked like torture,” Ethan added.

“It's experimental,” a new voice said from the doorway. “Sorry it took me a few to get here.” Dr. Diaz came in and sat on the couch. “Izzy was just brought to my office, and I wanted to check her over.”

“Is she okay?” Sarah asked anxiously.

“All her vitals were strong,” Dr. Diaz answered.

“That's a stroke of luck,” Dean Farrell said. “Interrupting the treatment midstream is … well, frankly, it's never happened. When Dr. LaSalle called me from the site, she was afraid that Isobel might have suffered brain damage.”

Sarah exchanged an alarmed glance with Ethan. “All we did was unstrap her,” she explained. “Izzy pulled out that … tube … herself.”

“Which is precisely why she was restrained to begin with,” the dean pointed out. “And her reaction to your interference was violent.”

“She was violent the whole time,” Sarah argued.

“As soon as Sarah got one hand free, Izzy started clawing at her,” Ethan jumped in. “It wasn't our fault.”

“She was terrified by what was being done to her,” Sarah said. “I'm not sure she even recognized us. I don't think she meant to hurt me—or anyone. She just wanted to get free.”

“That must have been hard to watch,” Dr. Diaz said. “Have you ever seen a patient being treated, Dean?”

Dean Farrell shook her head.

“I've only read about the protocol myself,” Dr. Diaz went on. “I know the patients have no memory of the treatment afterward. But I can't say I blame these two for wanting to put a stop to it.” It felt good to have an adult taking their side. Sarah still wasn't used to that.

“I don't understand why Izzy had some kind of chemo port in her neck—” Sarah began.

“We can't discuss a patient's medical situation with anyone other than their parents,” the dean interrupted. “You've already compromised the treatment so much that we may have to end it.” She looked from Ethan to Sarah, disappointment creasing her face. “And that's a shame, because it was proving to be extremely effective.”

“I'm sorry,” Sarah said, especially if she'd ended up hurting Izzy worse. “I am. But I don't get what you were doing to her.”

“And you don't need to ‘get' it,” Dean Farrell said. “It's none of your business, and you weren't supposed to be anywhere near that room anyway. And once there, you ignored the warnings of a medical professional, and you attacked him.”

Sarah slumped back in her chair, feeling sick. The dean was going to kick them out of Sanctuary Bay. She'd never find out if Izzy was okay or what really happened to Karina. Ethan would never find out what happened to Philip. They were done.

“I didn't attack him.” She tried to keep her voice calm as she explained. “He grabbed me to pull me away from Izzy, and I kicked him so that I could help her. I thought he was hurting her.”

“And the security guard?” Dean Farrell asked.

“Izzy did that. I tried to pull her off him,” Ethan put in. “She bit me.” He gestured at the blood on his sleeve. “And she kicked him. Knocked him back into a medical cart she'd tipped over. She took out half the office before she, uh, went unconscious.”

The dean sighed heavily. Her mouth crooked as she chewed on her lip, destroying her bright red lipstick. What was she thinking? Was she about to call Sarah's social worker and tell her to make arrangements for a new foster home? Would it go in her record that she'd attacked someone? Who would take her if it did? “Ramon, are you sure Isobel will be all right?” Dean Farrell finally asked.

“Yes. She's resting comfortably,” Dr. Diaz answered.

Dean Farrell nodded decisively. “Sarah, you know we here at Sanctuary Bay have always believed in you. Ethan, we believe in your potential too, although you seem to find that hard to stomach,” she said. “But today's behavior is utterly unacceptable.”

“Sarah was only trying to help,” Ethan protested, not mentioning himself.

“And that's why I'd like to give her a second chance. You too, Ethan,” the dean said. “But only on the condition that you stop this sort of nonsense immediately. You must respect the privacy of your classmates, do you understand? The treatment area is strictly off-limits. You're not even to speak of it.”

“Of course,” Sarah replied. She wasn't used to being given second chances, but now that she had, she felt oddly ungrateful. She couldn't shake the feeling that Dean Farrell was hiding something. Why had Izzy's treatment seemed like torture? Wouldn't such harsh tactics make someone with PTSD even worse?

“No more leaving campus for any reason,” the dean went on. She turned to Ethan. “I know you've continued to do so, even though we've spoken about it before. If you want to stay here at Sanctuary Bay, you have to follow the rules.
Both
of you.”

“Okay,” Sarah said. She shot a worried look at Dr. Diaz.

“I'm sure she will,” Dr. Diaz added, putting his hand on Sarah's shoulder.

“And you? Are you going to behave?” Dean Farrell asked Ethan, eyebrows raised.

Sarah expected him to say no, to take this chance to get thrown out, but he just gave a quiet “Yes.”

“Very well,” the dean said, clearly dismissing them.

Sarah started toward the door with Dr. Diaz and Ethan. “One more question, Sarah,” Dean Farrell called.

They all turned back. “I'm concerned about your roommate Karina. Her cell has been offline for more than twenty-four hours. I checked with her teachers, and she hasn't been to class. When was the last time you saw her?”

Sarah took a deep breath. She could tell the dean everything. That she'd seen Karina shot, maybe a prank, maybe not. That her friends seemed to be experiencing some kind of unshakable mass delusion. That Nate had begun talking nonsense. That she had no idea where else to look for Karina.

She needed help, more help than Ethan and Dr. Diaz could give her. Dean Farrell could order the whole island searched, for starters.

But Sarah didn't trust her.

“I can't remember exactly,” she said. “When I woke up yesterday morning, she was already gone. I haven't seen her since then. But we're both busy. I don't always see her that much.” She sounded like all the other members of the Wolfpack. Vague. Unworried.

Dean Farrell held her gaze for a long moment. Sarah forced herself not to look away. Finally, the dean relaxed and smiled. “All right. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. Her cell is probably malfunctioning. If you see her, tell her to come to me for a replacement.”

Dean Farrell gave her a little wave, as if they'd just been having one of their check-in chats.

As if everything were normal.

*   *   *

“Just don't strap me to the table, okay?” Ethan said as they walked into the waiting room of Dr. Diaz's office. He had insisted on taking a look at the bite on Ethan's arm, because “human bites can be nasty.”

Sarah sat down in one of the chairs. There was really no reason for her to be there, but she wanted to strategize with Ethan when they were done.

“Don't you have a
Vogue
or something for Sarah?” Ethan asked.

“Are you scared I'm going to give you a shot? Quit stalling,” Dr. Diaz said, heading for his office.

“One sec.” Ethan rifled through the magazines on the end table and pulled out an old issue of
Car and Driver
.

Sarah shook her head. “Funny.”

Ethan leaned over to hand it to Sarah
,
whispering, “Try to find Izzy's medical files while I'm in there.”

Sarah gave a little nod as she flipped the magazine open. She wanted to see those files too. Maybe they'd explain what the Bromcyan was for. As soon as Ethan and Dr. Diaz disappeared into the office, shutting the door behind them, she jumped up. There were two other doors off the waiting room. The first was the bathroom, and the second was the records room.

She darted inside, and closed the door quietly behind her. The room was really just a large closet. The walls were lined with filing cases from floor to ceiling with barely enough space to stand in the middle. She scanned the labels, trying to figure out how the files were organized. Alphabetically by year? Or everything together?

“Don't you know it's illegal to look at private medical files?” a gruff voice demanded.

Sarah jerked her head toward the door and then immediately relaxed. Ethan. He stepped inside, pulling the door shut behind him, which pushed him so close to her that they were practically hugging. “My Izzy bite is fine, thanks for asking,” he breathed into her ear.