BRAINSTORM

Chapter Twenty-six - Uncivil servants.

Nick surveyed the living room of the safe house from his perch on the sofa, finally free from the hospital bed. After another day hooked up to the IVs, he finally convinced Sonya he could do without them. No way was he at 100 percent, but he recovered quickly and wasn't worried about it.

Melissa slipped next to him, and he reached an arm around her. "How are you doing?"

She smiled crookedly. "You're the one who almost died, and you ask me how I'm doing?"

"I didn't almost die."

She raised an eyebrow, and Nick kissed her there. 

Pulling away, she blurted, "I want to visit the Walkers. I know you went there, and—"

"No, Melissa. You have to stay here. You aren't safe out there—at least, not yet. Not until I know more. We can't chance it."

"You let Victoria leave."

"Melissa, look at me."

"What! I can't stop thinking about Sidney. Maybe the Walkers know something."

He hated seeing her in so much pain, but she couldn't leave. "They already told me everything they know. I won't have you put yourself at risk."

She frowned. "But I hoped they could describe him to me, tell me something about him. I only had him for two weeks, Nick. I don't know anything about him." She wrinkled up her nose and sniffed.

"Come here." He held out his arms. She started to move into his embrace, but the doorbell interrupted them.

"That must be Natalie." Melissa sprung up and rubbed the tears from her eyes on her way to the door. Before she opened it, she said, "I want to be here when you two talk."

"Okay."

Melissa opened the door, and Natalie walked into the living room. "I can't stay for long," she said as she started to take off her coat.

"Let me take that." Melissa took her coat and hung it on a hook by the door.

"Thanks. How are you feeling, Nick?"

"You said you don't have long. That means no time for small talk."

Natalie's eyes flashed with hurt but she nodded, looking around for a place to sit and settling on an armchair situated catty-corner from the sofa.

Melissa sat on the sofa near Nick. He could tell she was nervous by the way she fidgeted.

Natalie took a deep breath. "Okay, so here is what I know for sure. Like I said, I'm not assigned to the project, so I don't have full clearance. But I know that the NIH somehow sends the missing children from Sunshine to CIRAS, which the NIH funds.

"I think it's a safe assumption that the children become the Tabula Rasa think tank. Rumors are that no one has ever met a member of that group, so CIRAS is most likely hiding something about them.

"Considering how Sebastian Warner works and Dr. Maxwell's reputation, God only knows how they've been manipulated to be the human supercomputers everyone says they are. I have to admit I don't like the ideas my imagination comes up with. Hopefully, they aren't as bad as that."

Melissa looked stricken. "Wait a minute. Isn't Warner the guy Nick told me about? The one who authorized horrible experiments on prisoners? And Dr. Maxwell, what's his reputation?" 

Before Nick could stop her, Natalie answered. "Yes, Warner is who you think he is. He isn't exactly known for his high moral standards."

Melissa interrupted. "So, the director of the NIH set up CIRAS? He designed experiments for Sidney and other children like him?"