Page 157 of Their Little Ghost

Doctor Warner removes the jacket, and I flex my fingers, grateful to have regained control. While I’m enjoying the temporary relief, a sharp sting on the side of my neck makes me yelp.

“What the fuck?” I gasp, turning to stare at Doctor Warner, who is brandishing an empty syringe.

“See?” Dad jabs his finger in my direction. “More proof that she’s not acting like herself. My Erin doesn’t curse.”

“The medication will relax you,” Doctor Warner says. “Lie back.”

Do as they say, Erin’s thoughts come to me.They’ll be here…

My arms and legs don’t feel quite right. They’re heavier, and it takes great effort to move. My stomach rolls. Doctor Warner was only supposed to inject me with saline, but there was definitely something else in that shot.

My eyes dart to the doors, willing them to open. “But I don’t need a procedure.”

“Please lie down,” Doctor Warner says.

“Do as the doctor says, Erin,” Dad snarls.

“I don’t want to,” I say.

Where are they? They should be here by now! Aiden promised I’d never have to lie on the operating table.

“Just relax,” Doctor Warner pleads. “This won’t take long.”

“No!” I say, trying to stand. Shooting pins and needles makes me sit back down again. “I don’t want to!”

Dad sighs, then pulls a filled syringe from his shirt pocket. “I had hoped we wouldn’t need to fully sedate you.”

My eyes widen with panic. “No!”

A crash cuts my scream short as the theatre doors burst open. Aiden, Eli, and Lex enter. All of them look thunderous and ready to tear someone’s head off.

“Sorry we’re late,” Aiden says, glaring at Doctor Warner. “It appears there was a problem with our key cards.”

Doctor Warner whimpers like a wounded puppy. “I…”

“Enough,” Lex snaps, grabbing Doctor Warner’s wrist like a limp piece of lettuce and twisting. His bones make a horrible snap. “Now, we’re even.”

Doctor Warner slumps to the ground at Lex’s feet, sniveling and cradling his wrist like a baby.

Eli grins at me apologetically. “Sorry for the delay, sweetheart.”

“See?”Erin declares in triumph.“I told you so.”I’m too relieved to chastise her for gloating.

Dad freezes as his mind turns a thousand miles an hour to figure out what’s happening. While he’s distracted, Aiden swipes the syringe from his grasp in a slick motion.

“We’ll be taking this,” Aiden says.

He tosses it to Lex. Doctor Warner senses what’s coming and tries to scramble away. In the process, he snags a wire and wrenches it out of the machine, causing a deflated, fizzing noise.

“No!” Dad yells as the machine’s screens power off. “Put it back!”

It’s too late. Lex has already injected Doctor Warner, who is now sprawled across the floor, unconscious.

“Erin?” Dad looks quizzically from me to Aiden. “Do you know these patients?”

“We’ve become well acquainted in recent months, Doctor Acacia,” Aiden hisses.

“You’ve had your fun, Zero,” Dad says. “You should have stayed gone. Why return?”

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