Cadence walked into the makeshift hospital room in the tagging center and inhaled sharply, regretting it immediately as the stench of ammonia hit her lungs. Someone had cleaned up pretty intensely recently, and she knew why. The last time she was in this room, it was full of Guardians that had essentially been turned inside out in the throat region. She was glad all of them had recovered, but the memories of that night when Bonnie had attacked, not that long ago, still made her shudder. She still had nightmares about the state Aaron had been in when she’d caught him coming through the glass doors of the reception area.
The scene before her was eerily similar, though none of these patients were bleeding, and none of them were screaming—yet. She was certain that last part wouldn’t last. All four healers were present, as well as Kathy, the Guardian in charge of the tagging center, and Dr. Morrow. Jamie had them huddled in the far corner of the expansive room, likely giving last minute directions, and Cadence surveyed the beds. Now would be the perfect time for Asteria to attack if she was going to have any chance at taking out the KC building.
Cassidy stood next to Brandon’s bed, holding his hand, and he was smiling at her reassuringly. Cadence knew he would be there because Elliott had come by her apartment earlier that morning, after speaking to Amanda the night before and spending half the night contemplating what to do, and she told him she thought he should go ahead and let Brandon go through with the procedure. Now, looking at her sister’s worried face, Cadence wondered if she’d made the right suggestion. If anything happened to him…. If anything happened to any of these people….
Aaron was chatting with Hannah but looked over and smiled at her, that spark in his blue eyes that made a shiver ride her spine. Meagan and Shane were holding hands lying next to each other, and he was whispering to her quietly. Of all of them, it was Meag that Cadence was most worried about. She’d likely freak out the second the needle went into her arm.
Christian, Aurora, Dax, Mickey, and Ashley were all there, and Cadence realized when this was over, of the team she usually took into the field, only Jamie and Cassidy would be unchanged. Since Jamie was planning on going through with the procedure as soon as the others were out of the woods, that would only leave Cass. It wouldn’t be long until her sister found a way to talk her parents into going through with it, too, Cadence imagined.
Elliott came in the door behind her and rushed over to Brandon’s bed. “Sorry I’m late. Got my arm caught in a vending machine again.”
Brandon chuckled, and Cadence wondered if that was true or just a ridiculous thing to say to make his kid feel better before he went under. “It’s okay. Nothing has happened yet.”
Turning to look at the Healers, Elliott asked, “They havin’ a medical powwow over there?”
“Yep. Trying to figure out the best way to not kill anyone,” Cassidy answered.
Cadence giggled at her sister’s remark out of politeness and closed the distance to Brandon’s bed. “Good luck, buddy. It’s really not that bad. After the pain subsides.”
“Uh, I was there when you underwent yours, so I’m gonna call bullshit on that one. But thanks.”
“Hey, it didn’t hurt me at all,” Elliott said, and Cadence cocked her head to the side to look at him. “Well, not much anyway. Not like you, cry baby.”
Cadence punched him in the arm and then turned back to Brandon. “We’ll be right here.” She bent down to hug him and kissed his cheek before moving on to the next bed.
Luckily for Elliott, Aurora was right there, so he could keep tabs on his “not-girlfriend” while watching over his son. “You doin’ okay, Roar?” Cadence asked, taking her friend’s hand.
“I am great. I’ve never been better.” Aurora’s smile was a little shaky, and it was obvious she wasn’t quite being truthful.
“You’ll be fine,” Cadence assured her. “Just push past the pain to your happy place and think of how much better you’ll be at… running.” Cadence winked, and Aurora’s face actually turned a little pink, a rarity. Proud of herself for making her friend uncomfortable, Cadence took that as her cue to exit and moved on to the next bed.
Christian lay here, next to Aurora, and Cadence really had little to say but felt compelled to say something. “You ready for this? You worked a long time to get here.” She didn’t really think that last part was true, but she may as well throw it out there.
“I’m ready,” he said with a nod. “I just hope whoever injects me doesn’t screw it up.”
Cadence thought it might be best if Dr. Morrow did his injection then since he seemed to be one of the few people left who could stand the guy. “I’m sure it’ll be fine. See you on the other side.” She smiled somehow and then moved on.
The door opened, and she turned to see Tara and Lucy come in, giggling. Their faces went straight as soon as they realized Cadence was watching them, and they both looked apologetic as they scooted across the room to Dax’s bedside. Cadence only shook her head. Had she really been a carefree, giggling schoolgirl just a few years ago? It seemed like she’d been a grown up forever now. At least Lucy was laughing—that was something. She couldn’t imagine what the poor girl had been through.
Shane didn’t look up as she stopped at the space between his bed and Meagan’s. He had her hand, and tears were streaming out of her eyes. It amazed Cadence that someone who could be such a prick most of the time could be so tender when it came to his girlfriend. “Meag—it’ll be okay,” Cadence reassured her. “It only hurts for a few minutes.”
Meagan’s lip was quivering as she turned to look at her boss. “I know. I’m just… anxious.”