The Abandoned Trilogy (Book 1): Twice Dead (Contagion) by Suchitra Chatterjee Read Free Book Online Page B

TV screen that had not long ago been showing the Wizard of Oz.
                  He licked his lips and I added truthfully, “I think it’s amazing you are training for the Paralympics.”
                  He puffed up with pride at my words, his angst with Adag momentarily forgotten, “I’m going to Tokyo,” he boasted which wasn’t a lie per se, he was in the running to represent GB in 2020 Paralympic Games.
                  Adag shot me a grateful look as he hurried off to get a DVD and as soon as he was out of earshot I asked her, “What’s in the orange juice?”
                  She didn’t lie to me, “Something to help them sleep,” she said simply, “Until we know what is going on, they will sleep until the morning, it won’t harm them.”
                  I actually understood her reasoning and Stevie soon returned, carrying one of his DVD’s and two of his rubber-coated exercise dumbbells that he liked to show off with. He had impressive muscles; he worked out every day in the patio area weather permitting. He was I suspected as strong as Cassidy was when the teenager was on the rampage, but Stevie was a lot more mellow than Cassidy, he very rarely lost his temper even when he was upset. Today was an unusual occurrence.
                  I put on the DVD and I offered him the juice and chocolate biscuits, which he willingly took off me. He sat on the sofa, taking a large mouthful of the liquid, his eyes glued to the TV. I was glad that he had big pillows behind him because when he fell asleep I could just cover him up with a duvet and leave him where he was.
                  Adag gave Paul a milder tranquilizer than the others, mixed in with his milky coffee that he liked in the late afternoon. She then went back to her office, telling me she was going to finish off her paperwork. There is nothing like routine to keep you calm and focused.
    I made myself a cup of tea in the kitchen, drank it and then headed in the direction of my room. The door to Adag’s office was partly open and I saw her at her desk, her back to me. She had the office landline phone pressed to her ear and I heard her muttering, “Please pick up Pia, please…” it was obvious Pia didn't pick up because Adag slammed the phone down into its cradle with the words, “Bloody answerphone!”
                  Not wanting her to realise I was listening, I quickly moved away. As I limped by Phoenix’s door it swung open and Seb slid partly out of it in his wheelchair.
                  “Lucy,” he said and I turned. He jerked his head for me to enter Phoenix’s room. Instinctively I wanted to ignore him, to take refuge in my room, to my surprise he used Adapted Makaton, saying, “You have to see this.”
                  Phoenix was working at his computer; his uneaten lunch was still on his bed. He didn’t turn when Seb and I stood behind him, looking his shoulder.
                  The message in red was gone and a green screen with small white boxes was pulsating steadily as Seb’s fingers flew over the keys.
                  “Is the web back up?” I asked hopefully.
                  “No,” Seb said, “At least not the web as we know it,” I am no computer buff; I know how to operate one and surf the web.
                  “Phoenix’s hacked into the COBRA Defense system,” I looked at Seb with a look of bewilderment and Seb sighed, “It’s the government’s crisis centre in London, way underground, and its active.”
                  “So?” I said.
                  “COBRA is only active if something is happening, so whatever has happened they know about it, or their system would be dormant.”
                  I tried to get my head around what Seb was saying, “So what has happened?”
                  “I’m