Coming of Edge 10: Fellowship of the Thing

Elise arrived at the repurposed depot in Norrahammar. As the cab pulled up to the driveway, she could already see Andrew, de Vries, Curreri and Rosenberg standing outside. They were drinking what looked like champagne. She frowned. She needed to insert some female experts into the team. Homogeneous bro clubs had the habit of unhinging into hubris.

She exited the car and approached the group. Andrew smiled at her and gave her a small fake peck on a cheek which she returned. She found it to be an elegant loyalty check in a cultural setting where this was uncommon.

“Elise, you want some champagne, too? It’s good you’re finally here,” he said. He was in a pleasant mood. She didn’t know how his bad moods were.

She smiled a polite and disapproving response. “No, thanks. Not while I am working.”

She shook the hands of the others. De Vries responded heartily with flushed cheeks, it almost reminded her of the time when she had been his student. He liked a drink.
Curreri seemed pretty and elegant again like the other times she had met him. He held his glass delicately and with purpose and with slender fingers. The combination of khakis and the deep-blue sweater worked perfectly with his chiseled face. The boldly framed, anthracite glasses matched his wavy and greying black hair. He obviously cared for his looks and behaved consistently classy. It made her a bit restive.

The small and ancient Rosenberg was polite and distant. His glass was barely touched. “Ms. Skoglund. It’s nice to finally meet you. I heard so much about you.” His old eyes gleaming through his tiny glasses, she realized that he was smiling only with one corner.

What had her boss told her five months ago?

‘Elise. I do not like you much but I respect you a lot. You have the mind of a ruthless pragmatist, you are disciplined and you know how to read people. You are a piece of the puzzle to make the world a bit better, but you need to seek advice from empathy.’

He had laid out his vision, his puzzle to her. She was an integral part and Rosenberg was, too. And he always showed his puzzle to everyone. Keep it in the light for everyone and only a few will really look at it.

“Mr. Rosenberg. I am glad you joined us. We all think your experience will be an immeasurable asset for the challenges we are facing,” she said.

“Call me Ebon. And yes, challenges. Should the three not be here by now?” His smile was gone but he did not seem unfriendly, just professional.

“The kids should be here shortly. They are en route separately and so far everything is proceeding well,” she answered calmly.

“Good. My hand-picked staff should also arrive soon.” He looked at the other men conversing and frowned. She could not place where that came from, it seemed like disregard.
“I am rather surprised we are so few people here to receive our patients. It does seem a bit understaffed.” He was really polite while dealing blows, she gave him that.

“The medical staff is traveling with the patients. If we have need for more it should not be a problem,” she explained, trying to avoid sounding snappish.

He raised an eyebrow, nodded then changed the topic.
“Did you hear about the sighting in South Korea?” His voice constantly had a sharp edge. It exposed him as a critical, concerned, confident thinker and also made her angry.

“Of course,” she answered, “a girl lighting up like a mirror ball at a concert of her favorite K-Pop band.”

“Funny how that is still a thing. I really did not think the hype would last that long,” de Vries said with a sly smile, joining their conversation. Curreri was right behind him and managed a form of innocent amusement on this. Rosenberg was visibly annoyed. She was not sure how to react. The Rosenberg-style would have been her preferred official choice but she felt the immediate desire to let Curreri charm her with sophisticated rascality. He had nice teeth.

“I suppose that means there are more of them. And those kids are not only turning up here in Europe.” Curreri said factually.

They all watched him silently. It was the implication she had feared to become true but was not really able to voice until now. More of them. Possibly not containable. Unidentified until chaos and destruction reigned upon the world. Her heart started pumping, she closed her eyes.

“So, I suppose we need to follow the tabloids and listen to the flat-earthers then to find them.” De Vries chuckled.

It had been a long time since she'd last been thankful for de Vries' improper remarks. She looked at him and he grinned broadly.

“Elise, don’t thank me, thank Barry Sonnenfeld.” he patted her back and strolled to the table to get more snacks.

“This is going to be a very interesting work environment. Pop cultural references whenever the tension goes up.” Rosenberg’s partly comic, partly snarky remark drifted between them the moment they just stood there, slightly too long in silence and awkwardness. They were saved by the sound of something vibrating.

“They are almost here.” Andrew checked his smartphone and disrupted the tension. “There’s a problem with the Hugger transport. They suspect it’s his powers.” He remotely opened one of the gates which had been used for truck deliveries. It had been retrofitted for emergencies.

“Fill us in.” Elise said.

“I don’t know much, the medical staff with him messaged he’s mutating. And they feel really sick.” Andrew was totally clear and factual. The distant sound of sirens appeared on her sensory horizon.

“They?” She realized she had severely underestimated the situation. “We only sedated Müntzner,” she stated, her face tight. “Hugger is supposed to be stable!” Rosenberg looked at her and hurried towards the building, mumbling about being back in a second.

An ambulance turned into the driveway, sirens and signals blazing. It came to a rumbling stop on the gravel, the sirens died and the door to the driver’s cabin opened. The man nearly fell out of the vehicle as Andrew raced to him, catching him.

The man seemed to have been starving for weeks. His bones and sinews were clearly visible under his skin, his scrubs far too wide.
“The others, they–” The man fell unconscious. Andrew looked up to her. “We need a medic,” he said, stating the obvious. He shouldered the emaciated man, carrying him to the building. “The others!” His breathing was heavy from adrenaline and worry.

Elise looked around. De Vries and Curreri had already reached the back of the ambulance and opened the doors. Where was Rosenberg? They had a medic. They had one of the best ones.

She saw Curreri stumbling backwards. His eyes wide open, he was swallowing hard. De Vries was shouting and climbed into the vehicle. She heard rummaging and muffled swearing. Shortly after, the slightly less massive de Vries climbed out again, carrying two persons who also looked starved, like skeletons even.
“Prepare the fucking ICUs! Elise!” He looked at her when he sprinted to the gate with his burden over his shoulders. “Snap out of it!”

But she couldn’t. She remembered the exhausted face of Dr. Altmayer back at the UKE. She remembered the burning image of the boy’s mutated body. The extra limbs, the pulsing veins, the bulging tissue, the misshapen head. His labored breathing, his breaking voice as she talked with him.

She couldn’t.

She felt a hand on her arm. She turned her head and it was old, small Rosenberg. His eyes soft and empathetic. He carried a set of syringes and sedatives.

“Get in there and help the others. Just for a few minutes until the other staff arrives.” He nodded at her and walked to the ambulance. He also approached and touched and talked to the struggling Curreri, who still used the vehicle door for support. Then he disappeared in the ambulance.

Curreri came closer, still visibly shaken, he pointed to the depot so she would go inside as well. He looked a lot thinner than a few moments ago. Still pretty, though. And now, that she understood better what Leo Hugger was capable of, she hoped that Ebon Rosenberg knew what he was doing.

Hey, there. I love writing and will do it until that love will cede. Still, it takes a lot of time and effort (and minor infrastructure bucks). So, if you like CoE it would help immensely if you'd support me by either recommending the stories to your friends or by donating to the cause. Thx. :)

→ all CoE stories (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)
→ Donation via paypal.me/chupavaca (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre)