Chapter 86: Betrayal and Redemption
The next morning, power was restored to the laboratory. The technicians connected the laboratory to the building next door as a temporary fix. Both Orcilla and Yassmay were still on the life support machines. Daily refused to turn them off. He still believed they both could recover. Yassme had remained by Yassmay’s side.
Vulay and Eugene were briefing the other enforcers at the Enforcer Headquarters. All the enforcers had gathered in the main section of the office. They were seated facing Vulay and Eugene.
‘I’ve gathered you here today because we have an incredibly important task,’ said Vulay as she looked at the group of enthusiastic enforcers sitting before her. ‘We need to find who stabbed Orcilla, and we need to find them soon.’
‘The cameras in the laboratory were disabled,’ said Eugene. ‘The many cameras outside the building were not. Friends, we need you to watch yesterday’s recordings between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m.’
‘Take note of anyone walking or standing near the buildings,’ said Vulay. ‘Look for anything suspicious, such as doors opening and closing by themselves.’
‘Go to the cameras folder on E Drive,’ said Eugene. ‘Before you start, grab a packet of popcorn.’
Vulay shook her head as the enforcers rushed over to grab the popcorn.
‘Let’s discuss where we’re at so far,’ said Vulay as she turned to Eugene.
‘Orcilla knew the attacker,’ said Eugene.
‘She put up no resistance,’ said Vulay. ‘She trusted him or her, and the attack caught her by surprise.’
‘They might have shapeshifted to someone she trusted,’ said Eugene.
‘Orcilla is not easily deceived,’ replied Vulay. ‘I think she was genuinely betrayed.’
‘Who would do such a thing?’ asked Eugene, scratching his head.
‘Through this, Hamish forced us to accept his deal,’ said Vulay. ‘He knew we would do anything to save her life. He somehow got to someone she trusted.’
‘She trusts that one in the wheelchair,’ said Eugene. ‘She picked her to be in her negotiating team.’
‘She also has extraordinary shapeshifting ability,’ added Vulay. ‘Still, that doesn’t make much sense. She could have just sabotaged the vote. I can tell from her body language that she genuinely dislikes Hamish.’
‘I found something suspicious,’ shouted an enforcer.
Vulay and Eugene rushed over to his computer.
On his screen was Yassme. She was leaned forward and covered in blood.
‘No, it can’t be,’ said Vulay. ‘It must be one of them. One of them shapeshifted into her. There’s no way she would do such a thing.’
‘They even shapeshifted her bruised face,’ said the enforcer.
‘Keep watching to see where she goes from here,’ said Vulay firmly. ‘Other cameras must have picked her up.’
Meanwhile, at the laboratory, Yassme and Daily were still in the room with Yassmay and Orcilla.
‘You still believe they’re alive,’ said Yassme as she looked over to Daily.
‘Of course, I can’t accept that this is it,’ replied Daily.
‘I feel a strange emptiness inside of me,’ said Yassme as she looked down at Yassmay. ‘I don’t feel her anymore.’
‘No, she’s there,’ said Daily as he looked at Yassmay. ‘I know I didn’t go too far.’
‘I’m not mad at you,’ said Yassme as she walked over to Daily. ‘You did the same thing as I did, and we both failed.’
Daily shook his head in frustration.
Yassme reached out and touched both Yassmay and Orcilla. ‘There is only one thing left to do,’ said Yassme. ‘Hook me up to them. Let me give my blood.’
‘They’ll pull through,’ said Daily, trembling. ‘You don’t need to take any risk.’
‘You’re going to achieve that by standing there watching them,’ said Yassme. ‘To change something, you need to do something.’
Hamish, Miro, Duffo, and Belford arrived at the main medical centre with the rest of the seaweed-based medication. Denise was there to greet them.
‘The cure is here as promised,’ said Tiberius. ‘I just have some paperwork here for you to sign, and then we’re good to go.’
‘We’re entirely grateful for your timely response yesterday,’ said Denise. ‘Unfortunately, I can’t formally accept your proposal at this time.’
‘We had a verbal agreement,’ said Tiberius, shaking his head. ‘We saved the life of your leader. And this is how you repay us.’
‘Someone attempted to murder Orcilla,’ said Denise as she walked up to Tiberius. ‘We believe someone from your side is responsible.’
‘This is ridiculous,’ replied Duffo angrily. ‘No matter what we do. You never stop disrespecting us.’
Vulay and Eugene burst through the medical centre doors. ‘Sorry, we’re late,’ said Vulay as she stood by Denise. ‘We needed to progress our investigation into last night as soon as possible.’
‘So your investigation is more important than the lives of everyone in here,’ said Miro, sounding annoyed.
‘No, absolutely not!’ said Vulay as she looked at Miro. ‘We fully agree to your proposal. In Orcilla’s absence, the two Co-Head Enforcers can sign off on this.’
‘At last, we hear a voice of reason,’ said Tiberius, clapping his hands. ‘I’m surprised it came from you.’
Belford opened up his chest cavity. The medical attendants began unloading the seaweed-based medication onto trolleys.
‘What’s happened? What’s changed?’ Denise asked Vulay.
‘Let’s have a chat outside,’ whispered Vulay.
Once outside, Vulay explained what they had found out to Denise.
‘Would she really do such a thing?’ asked Denise.
‘Tensions have been high between them for some time,’ replied Vulay. ‘Lily has been trying to manipulate her ever since she got here.’
‘You were aware of that and decided to just let it happen,’ said Denise angrily.
‘Yassme always does whatever she wants,’ replied Vulay. ‘Trying to stop her just strengthens her resolve.’
‘Where’s Yassme now?’ asked Denise.
‘She’s at the laboratory, friend,’ replied Eugene, who had followed them out.
‘Then you need to get over there and fast,’ said Denise as she stared angrily at Vulay.
‘I sent my crack enforcers over to take her down,’ said Eugene confidently.
‘I’ll head over now,’ said Vulay as she looked at Eugene. ’They’ll need your expert help here.’
Vulay climbed in her vehicle, and Denise and Eugene went back inside the medical centre.
When Vulay arrived at the laboratory, she found half a dozen enforcers standing around in the lobby.
‘What’s happened?’ asked Vulay impatiently. ‘What are you doing in here?’
‘The suspect is currently undergoing a medical procedure, friend,’ replied a senior enforcer.
Vulay rushed up the stairs to the room Orcilla and Yassmay were in. When she entered the room, Yassme was lying on a bed next to her sister. Blood was being pumped from her into her sister.
‘What’s happening now?’ asked Vulay.
‘We might be witnessing a miracle,’ said Daily as he grabbed Vulay’s hand. ‘Yassmay is showing signs of improvement. I think she might be waking up soon.’
‘My sister is coming back to me,’ murmured Yassme.
‘She volunteered to help save them?’ asked Vulay.
‘Yes, she did,’ replied Daily. ‘I didn’t know such a procedure would be possible, let alone actually work. Standing around just watching was far less helpful.’
Daily walked over to the Orcilla. ‘I’m going to resume the blood transfusion from Yassmay to Orcilla,’ said Daily. ‘We can do this.’
‘Okay,’ said Vulay in a soft tone as she stood back to give Daily space. ‘You do what you must.’
A few more minutes passed, and Yassmay began to move. Daily watched her as her eyes opened.
‘Welcome back,’ said Daily as he smiled at her.
‘What happened?’ asked Yassmay in a slurred tone.
‘I’m bringing you back,’ murmured Yassme as she looked over to her sister.
They both reached out and touched hands.
‘Are you both good to keep going?’ asked Daily.
‘Of course,’ replied Yassmay. ‘We’ll keep going until we get it done.’
Yassme nodded.
Another ten minutes passed. Yassme was slipping in and out of consciousness.
‘She’s getting too weak now,’ said Yassmay to Daily. ‘You need to unhook her. Just use me. I feel much stronger now.’
‘Sure,’ replied Daily, who promptly stopped pumping blood from Yassme to Yassmay.
Yassmay looked across at Yassme and smiled. ‘You’ll always be my sister,’ she told her.
‘She’s going to need to rest now,’ said Daily to Yassmay. ‘So we’re going to transfer her to the room next door.’
Medical attendants moved Yassme to the next room. Vulay accompanied her.
Once the attendants left. Vulay pulled out her handcuffs. She handcuffed Yassme’s hands to either side of the bed.
‘I’m sorry, but I have to do this,’ said Vulay to Yassme.
Yassme looked up at her and slowly nodded.
Another twenty minutes passed. The transfusion was now complete. All of Orcilla’s blood had been replaced with Yassmay’s and Yassme’s blood. Yassmay had stubbornly fought to remain conscious until the end of the transfusion. Now it was complete; she passed out.
‘What now?’ asked Vulay as she approached Daily.
‘I want to give her some time,’ said Daily. ‘She can’t survive off the machine yet.’
‘So she’s alive?’ enquired Vulay.
‘She’s going to be,’ replied Daily. ‘I’m going to monitor her in every way possible for signs she is recovering.’
Vulay put her arms around Daily and hugged him hard.
Sapien Loop: End of an Era
Sapien Loop: Frozen in Time is the sequel to the book Sapien Loop: End of an Era. Sapien Loop: End of an Era is available on Amazon, in collection series on my @spectrumecons account, and in individual chapters in my @captainhive account.
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