Page 83 of Natural-Born Cullers

George knelt by Martin, a mask pressed to his face, but Martin was still out on the floor. Coughing back on the bed saw Jan on his back, rousing enough to try and push off Cal.

“Dad?” Gray got to his feet, more stumbled. He wanted to laugh, just a little. He couldn’t get his head around what was more… twisted about this scene. His father being in his bedroom, or his father being in his bedroom, wearing a gas mask… no—an oxygen mask—as he knelt over Jan on the bed.

“Get your head clear, Gray.” Cal looked him over. “You need to get over to the summerhouse.” He had a knee on the mattress as he tried to make sure Jan stayed still. Only Jan cried out, his gaze transfixed on Cal’s mask, on the one Cal tried to force him to wear.

Gray had been thrown back into the café bombing, but Jan… with gas masks. “Off him. Get the fuck off him. Vince….” He started to go over, but Raif came in, stopping him.

Cal shook his head. “He stopped breathing for a moment, Gray.”

“What?”

“I’ve got him,” Cal snapped. “It’s got something to do with his sickness and this shit that hit his system. Paramedics and a doctor’s on their way, but I have to get him outside. I can’t allow anyone in here until this place is cleared.”

“Fucking wasn’t breathing?”

“His pulse is stable.” Cal shot him a hard look, then briefly took off his mask before slipping it back on. “Just me, son.” He swiped at Jan’s face. “Easy… easy.” He knew where Jan’s head was going too with waking up next to someone with a mask.

“Go,” Cal said back to Gray as Jan jolted on the bed. “Trust that I’ve got him, please. Get over to the summerhouse.”

Like fuck. Gray started to head over, but another shove at his shoulders off Raif sent him back a pace. In the next moment, his stomach twisted despite the oxygen still hitting his system, and he doubled, fighting a battle to not throw up. That would mean him taking the oxygen mask off and more poison hitting his system. “Fucking drugged? Who…?”

“Raif’s right: it’s a carfentanyl and halothane mix,” Cal said over to him. “It’s been concentrated in here, the lounge, kitchen, and CCTV room. Ray and his two internal guards are out of it as well, and I’ve got a few of my men with them. Raif and George saw to you in here, I….” He shook his head. “Just get dressed and get over to the summerhouse. The doctor’s coming. We’ll handle Jan and Martin and then get the manor decontaminated.”

“I’m not leaving him.” He’d left Ed and….

“Go, Gray.” Jan took hold of his mask and eased Cal away before crawling down the bed, heading for Martin. Martin still wasn’t conscious, and where Jan’s breathing called out he was still too close to failing, he still shifted for Martin, maybe calling out other nightmares and needing to get to Jack along with it. “Cal’s got us. I trust him. I swear we’ll be okay. Go,please.Now.”

Gray jolted at Jan’s shout. Okay, so that was more like Jan trying to focus. No nightmare in tow.

Cal moved with Jan as Jan seemed to forget he needed his mask, one that came with an oxygen bottle that he pulled along like a pull toy. “Raif, you make sure he gets there. Give him another anti-sickness med if he vomits.”

Raif stood and picked up a med bag as Gray shifted for his wardrobe.

“Gray,” Cal said gently, and he looked back at him. “There’s only one person here with the knowledge to put this together and carry it out with the intel of how, where, and when security and you work, right?Reallyfocus your bloody head because he’s not on the grounds anymore.”

Gray stilled.

Light.

After a moment, he tugged on suit trousers, then slipped on his shirt and shoes before he made it to the bedroom door and glanced back. “As soon as Ray’s back on his feet after getting checked over by the doctor, get him to give you access to the CCTV in the labs. Find out what black spots Light fucking exploited, especially over the ventilation.” There was always something, no matter how good the plans. And Light, he would have seen it if there was a flaw. “But you get them out of here.” He pointed back at Jan, Martin, as Raif tossed his phone and beeper over. Martin still wasn’t coming around and looked so damn ill as Jan cupped his face, tilting his head back to get more oxygen into his system. Jan’s sickness, all the meds Martin and Jack took…. Christ. “Just bloody look after them.”

Gray took the walk to the summerhouse, and he made it damn well last in order to clear and cool his reactions. Windows and doors stood open, the night breeze rowdy and ruffling the blinds into conversation, and the threat behind it left both Gray and Raif still wearing their oxygen masks despite the distance.

Fastening his jacket and looking comfortable in the dark, Raif flicked him a look as he walked at Gray’s side. “He took Simon out by spiking his coffee.” Raif adjusted the mask a little. “But we took no chances with him setting up the vents of the summerhouse with what hit you. We started ventilation just in case.”

“And the mug?”

“One of Cal’s have taken it for testing.” He kept his attention on Gray. “Off the books.”

Gray nodded as he turned up the sleeves to his shirt, not really caring at this point. “Light could have mixed anything together.” Gray just needed to know how. Chemicals needed for the day were always pre-measured, with Baseman checking what was used, what wasn’t. Light was observed two-on-one when he did experiments, then CCTV kept a constant watch on the storeroom. Checks were made every two days by Ray to match stock levels with Baseman’s numbers. There was no way he could have gotten away with taking any.

“I’m thinking the likes of diazepam for the coffee,” added Raif as he gave a sniff. “Although I can’t be really sure with Light. He prefers his fingers in homemade pies.”

“Halliday gave him diazepam after Brin had been killed.” Gray shook his head. “But he’s not soft, nor Craig. They wouldn’t leave medication around for anyone to steal.”

Raif nodded as they made it to the summerhouse and held the door for him. Wearing just boxers, Simon sat at the kitchen table, elbows on the surface, head in his hands. One of Cal’s men sat opposite and pushed over a fresh bottle of water to him. All of it said Simon had only just come around. They wore masks with small oxygen cylinders close by, although Simon barely seemed to notice his.

Raif gave Cal’s man a tap on the shoulder, and he pushed out of his seat a moment later to go and wait outside. Raif closed the door behind him.

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