Page 26 of Dark Flame

“No, nothing other than the headache, which you both took care of,” he said, smiling at Fiona. Adam nodded and explained what they were going to do with Ivy. Regan listened carefully, nodding in understanding.

An hour later, blood drawn and a small biopsy on her back taken, Ivy was ready to head back to her bed, exhausted and confused.

“We’ll figure this out, Ivy. Don’t worry,” said Adam, reassuring the young woman. She nodded and clasped her hand with Regan’s.

“What do you think?” asked Fiona.

“I honestly have no idea,” said Adam, hugging her close. “You tried to take it away, didn’t you?”

“I did,” she said in a serious tone. “It’s the first time ever that it didn’t work. What do you think that means, Adam? I’ve always been able to cure. I mean, I have no idea what it is, but I’ve never really known the medical reason someone was suffering unless it was an obvious break or something. Why not now?”

“I don’t know, baby, but we’ll figure this out.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Nat watched the team working on the intricate system of pathways that would lead from one cabin to the next. The Russian workers camped out in tents lower in the valley and made the trek up the mountain for their shifts every day. They didn’t seem to mind the thistles and loose rocks, but the team certainly did. Ensuring a safe and secure pathway for everyone would be key to their little community operating effectively.

She watched in amazement as Flip moved the larger boulders with just a flick of his wrist. He stacked them strategically, creating a manmade barrier around their piece of the mountain. A giant wall of boulders circled the land, lining the edge of Uri’s property.

Along the pathways, Ivy created long lines of beautiful landscaping, defining the spaces more clearly. Nash rerouted part of the stream so it would align with the cabins, making it useful but also aesthetically pleasing. The clear crystal water was their water source, a purification system placed near the top of the stream as it trickled down from the snowy caps above them.

Kane stopped in his tracks and held up his hand.

“What’s wrong?” asked Flip, suddenly on high alert, his body tense and ready to leap into action if needed.

“I don’t hear anything.” Kane strained to hear the sounds of the workers but nothing.

“Yea, me either. What’s the problem? Never mind. Why don’t we hear anything?” asked Flip.

“Oh, sorry,” said Ashley and Akin in unison.

“That was us,” said Akin. “We were getting a headache with all the pounding of the construction, so we’ve been blocking the sound for the last few hours. We can release it if you like.” He grinned at Kane and then back at his sister. They were eerily identical, other than being male and female.

“Pretty cool, guys,” laughed Kane, “but I wouldn’t want something to happen at the construction sites, and we can’t hear it. I think we can suffer with the hammers and saws for a while longer.”

Akin nodded and held his sister’s hand. A few seconds later, the buzzing and hammering continued as if never disrupted. Kane could only shake his head in amazement. Adam watched with medical interest, shaking his head as well.

“Fascinating,” said Adam under his breath. “Have you two always been able to do that?”

“Yes,” they said in unison.

“And do you always answer in unison?” he laughed.

“Not always,” said Akin, “but most of the time. We started blocking out sound as toddlers when we tried to go to bed. We would block out the television or radio in our parents’ living room. They didn’t know it, but we could do it and go right to sleep.” Adam nodded again.

“Is Ivy here?”

“She was with Regan,” smiled Flip. “Find one, and you’ll find the other.”

Adam grinned and nodded, walking around the area as work continued. He found Ivy seated on a large boulder beneath the shade of a tree, Regan seated next to her.

“Hi, Doc,” she said cheerfully.

“Hi, Ivy, how are you feeling?”

“Okay. The medicine seems to be controlling the discomfort, but the rash is still there.”

“Ivy, I want to ask you some questions about your time at the Depot,” he said calmly.

---