The Last Train to Portland

Collinsport. As Nicole Collins continues to decide what to do about the odd bookcase that has send her and Easter Freidman and Samantha Brook back into time, seeming odd but disconnected events have taken place. She and her mother, Erzsébet Báthory, have sensed the presence of at least two other vampires in Collinsport. Rhyaad de’Annar, missing since the night of the passage back into time, has turned over his business interests to a rather disagreeable Darien Blackwater – yet another vampire. And today’s Collinsport Star brings the disquieting news of a young woman’s body found on the beach of Frenchman’s Cove – apparently attacked and killed by the bite of an animal. Wounds were discovered on her throat. But before she can determine who or what attacked the woman – she has received a text asking for her assistance. A doctor from Providence is arriving in town. A doctor whom Nicole owes a favor.

Act 1

The headlights of the black Ferrari 458 Italia skims along the tarmac of South I-295 as she follows the highway to the right off of I-95. Nicole had arisen with the setting of the sun and set off on the normally three hour trip to Portland – only with her senses, and the dwindling light of dusk into night, she was aware she could spot the little or no law enforcement that would be out trying to impose the Interstate speed restrictions. And so the car touched 160 km/h several times as she made her way south along the rolling country side of occasional apple orchards and small farmlands, past the long grass and scrubs of the outer edges of ancient Maine forests deepening into gloom, as she travels to Portland.

She had gotten the text message from Dr. Sabine the night before. Her quo for his earlier pro. Meet me Portland Station. Downeaster. Last Train to Portland. Tomorrow night.

Alone, a light Jazz station playing on the radio, she sat back and let the 274.5 cu in. V-8 run the recently re-paved surface of the freeway. The trip had given her time to think – to think about the crazy bookcase in Samantha’s bedroom and whether she should have taken an axe to the bloody thing. Only, she couldn’t bring herself to do it, even though she worried about it being there in Samantha’s bedroom: if it allowed them to past through, was it possible that something else could pass back . . . was it two-directional? Was there yet another bookcase like it – in another time? If so, who or what could use it as they had? Could they just suddenly appear in Samantha’s bedroom? It was just all too reminiscent of the Stairway into Time built in 1840 by Quentin Collins – as related in her father’s journals. A time that had been the catalyst of events which had nearly brought about the brink of disaster for the entire Collins Family – as her father had so succinctly put it. The time of a powerful sorcerer, Gerard Stiles, who would come to haunt Collinwood in the future with the sole and sinister determination of destroying not only Collinwood, but also the Collins’ family. And so, in order to save them, her father had had to journey back into the past, back to 1840 to stop the events that would eventually bring about the destruction of the family, of the great house, Collinwood – in the future. To do so, they had had to use the Staircase into Time, which had been created in 1840 by Quentin Collins, a student of witchcraft.

Only her father had written that it had been destroyed – by Desmond Collins – as he used it to return to 1971.

Was this bookcase something like it?

It too was constructed by Quentin? He was after all Samantha’s father and the bookcase had been a gift from him.

And that is why she had not taken an axe to it – for if her father had been able to change time? Why couldn’t she? Why couldn’t she rearrange history for Esther? For herself?

But hadn’t there been severe consequences to her father’s rearrangement of history? The death of her mother Angelique and her subsequent resurrection as a succubus? The death of the Jennings brothers? Maggie Evans’ breakdown? The Arcadia Club? The advent of Mr. Jericho? Quentin Collins and her father’s angry confrontation and their loss of friendship? The evil brought to Collinsport by the mad Dr. Gretchen Warwick? And what else – what other consequences had there been owing to his changing of the past, which had he had not put in his journal?

She was more than well aware that she had to come to terms with this particular aspect of her character, perhaps genetically handed down to her by her father, this innate and overwhelming curiosity of hers, this driving force to protect those she cares about by gaining more and more knowledge about things arcane and unseen, to know, to learn too much, to gain far too much knowledge, in order to understand and control things – things that were best left alone.

Isn’t this precisely what led her to Madam Champeaux in the first place?

God how she had so longed to put that out of mind – to forget what she had done that night and yet . . . events as they have unfolded have only begun to revealed the consequences of her actions that night. Consequences of her actions! She will never forget that subterranean chamber, the dampness, the ancient stones – having been unearthed and moved there to France in order to form the altar – the circle and the symbols in a language not of earth, a formula she had written in Aklo. The lovely Madam Champeaux breathless, excited as her too handsome companion stood silent and brooding watching as she tentatively stepped into the circle, the circle she had drawn in blood—the blood they had lied to her and told her was the blood of a young ewe lamb—stepping within the blood written Aklo formula, her hands upheld, as she began the intonations. The candles beginning to flicker from some wind that came from a place beyond the chamber – from the opening of the rift she was creating. She will never forget Madam Champeaux’s voice, the almost sensual ecstasy within it’s trembler as she called out suddenly to her companion: “My god, she – she is doing it! She is opening the gate. Hurry Joseph – before HE comes.” And her too sudden realization now that Joseph was dragging a young woman, hands tied behind her, a cloth gag keeping her from screaming, as he pulled her out of a secret recess hidden within the stone chamber – struggling with her to bring her ever closer to the altar before which she stood intoning the ancient formula, even as she began to hear the chirpings and murmurings of things so completely unknown to this earth – only, now within the circle, the formula activating the shift in 5th-and-6th-dimensional time/space, she could not stop, she had to maintain control, she had to continue the formula, there was no turning back, or there would be utter annihilation for them all, and so she was unable to keep him from lifting the poor girl up and placing her on those ancient black stones, or stop him from stabbing the golden dagger into her heart – the scent of blood filling the chamber – oh God her first scent of human blood, a foreshadowing of what she was all too soon to become, as THAT from beyond detected its all too enticing scent – IT was coming – she could suddenly see the inexplicable color of the chamber beyond, see the tall, heavily cloaked, ancient ones standing there on the curved line of their quasi-hexagonal pedestals – she could feel HIM in her mind – speaking to her without sound or language . . . yet, seemingly with a terrible and yet mesmerizing voice inside her mind: “Young and yet so powerful, innocent and yet filled with such corruption . . .” She could hear HIS voice but he was not speaking to her directly, but to the others, those upon those vaguely hexagonal pillars and to—to another woman—with short, platinum blonde hair and wearing a pair of antique Victorian glasses – glasses which now could no longer mask the odd clockwork irises of her eyes. And suddenly, her consciousness was no longer in the subterranean chamber but there in that chamber lit in a light of no assignable color, of carven alien and incomprehensible designs, before the robed shape that seemed to float or glide across the misty unsubstantial floor. “She too seeks the Book of the Messenger – the P’Dwahr M’ankanon Nyarlathotep” It was the voice of Umr at-Tawil! She knew that with all certainty. She had opened the first gate. She could see that the woman standing before HIM held a key. The Silver Key! She had read of the KEY . . . but had never seen a true representation of it. It was so horribly beautiful. And as she looked upon it, she could not believe she was here, in HIS presence, as she watched not in fear but in rapt curiosity. “I am the way, I am the gate, I see all that is and that ever was.” The robed arm rose and made as if to point at her, “You both shall find what you seek. You will pay his price. You by death in life.” HE turned to the woman with the Silver Key, “And you by walking the streets of bone within the City of Death.” The light of the chamber suddenly turned a darker hue. Madam Champeaux had stepped into the circle – she tried to speak . . . only the Prolonged of Life grew enraged!

She had had to use the last verse of the ninth chapter of the Necronomicon to shut down the rift – to close the gate before it was too late.

Nicole was entering Portland, watching the road signs for the exit to Thompson’s Point Road. She took the exit and saw the familiar red, white and blue stripes of the Amtrak station. She downshifted the 458 Italia, slowly pulling the car into a open parking space – he didn’t say, but she more than assumed there was a reason he was leaving Providence. That he was taking the last train to Portland, rather than to Bangor – or Collinsport.

The glare of the train’s headlight appears as a cyclopean eye moving toward the station.

He puts aside the New York Times, placing it now on the seat beside him, atop the Providence Journal and the Boston Globe, which he had already read. He felt the train jar now as it took the switching points to bring the Downeaster into the station – to the platform. He sat back and watched the well lit Amtrak train station come into view, saw the few people on the platform looking at the last train in anticipation of seeing those they had come to meet.

Only, he did not see her.

“End of the line, Portland Maine.” The recorded feminine voice said on the intercom, “All off for Portland, Maine.”

He sits for a few moments letting others exit before him as he continues to look out the window. She had texted him and said she would be there. Maybe she was running late.

The three remaining people grab their bags and exit, before he rises in the empty car and moves along the narrow passageway.

The train sits loudly idling as Nicole Collins pushes through the mullion glassed, wooden doors and steps out on the platform.

She sees Dr. Sabine as he is enlisting the help of a conductor with one of his bags.

“Careful with that please.” He tells the man as he slips him a tip. The conductor nods a thank you and hands over the case.

Nikki lifts her head to allow the breeze of the summer night to slip through her hair as she steps forward. Dr. Sabine thanks the conductor and begins to gather his baggage.

“Dr. Sabine – and how was your trip?” He recognizes the voice, the British aristocratic accent, as he turns now to see her sauntering toward him.

“The kids where noisy, the women where obnoxious, and the old folks where loud snorers.” He says, “Other than that – rather uneventful.”

“Well that is good,” She tells him.

“Thank you for meeting me on such short notice.”

“Certainly doctor, think nothing of it. I owe you for Woonsocket.” Nikki replies and looks down at the bags before him, “Are these yours?’

“No. I stole them.” He growls, “Yes their mine.” He picks up both bags and puts one on each shoulder.

“Come on, let’s get clear the platform.” He says, his eyes keening observing everyone, as if he were looking for someone in particular.

Nikki catches a fleeting thought – knows he is – that he has something he wants to keep secret.

She motions to the nearest station door, “I have my car out this way, doctor.” Respecting him, she does not try to read him any further – he will eventually tell her, of that she is more than certain.

Nikki pushes open the door and they enter into the nearly deserted train station. As they walk across the wide lobby, Nikki glances at him, “Not certain if you want to say, but how come you have left Providence and Woonsocket for a small town on the coast of Maine?”

Dr. Sabine, following her, being careful to make sure that at least one of his bags has plenty of room and is not jostled by the few late commuters, replies, “Ever see the TV show Kung Fu?”

Nikki smiles and shakes her head, “Sorry Doctor, I am from England and I didn’t watch a lot of telly when I was younger—read too much.”

“Good for you kid, America’s going to hell because no one reads anymore.”

“Yes, only some would say I’ve gone to Hell for what I have read.”

He looks at her. “Well it’s a show from the seventies. Probably before your time anyway.”

They step out of the station to cross over the access road to the parking lot lit by the rosy hue of the high lighting poles. Her right hand, holding her car keys, Nikki now points over to her car, “We’re just right over here, Doctor.”

The electronic key unlocks the doors.

“Trunk please?” He says, not at all out of breath for the walk and the weight of his bags – as he is in much better shape that his rumpled suit gives the appearance.

“But, I would suspect it has some significance . . . the reason – for your being here. In Maine.” She inserts the key into the boot of the car and opens it for the doctor.

Dr. Sabine sets his two bags in the trunk. She notes one more gently than the other. “Just walking the earth Miss Collins. I’m just walking the earth. And besides—it’s best to move to a new town where at least one person already knows you.” He turns to give her an odd smile.

He shuts the trunk.

Nikki smiles in return, “Yes, I am sure you are right”

She is more certain now that earlier, as she catches him looking out over the top of the car, double checking to be certain no one is watching, there is more than he is saying, as he walks over to the passengers seat and gets in.

As they make their way out the station, taking Thompson’s Point Road back toward I-295 North toward Newport and I-95 back up toward Bangor, Nikki sits silent, as does the doctor. He adjusts himself to get comfortable.

“Nice car.”

“Thanks!” She tells him.

Once they are on the I-295 and away from the lights of the city, she looks over toward him, “I never got a chance to get back with you about the girl, Alison, she is okay?”

He looks over at her, aware that it is bad news for her, “She made it past you, but unfortunately, last I heard she was six-feet under. Or at least, in Woonsocket, in a dumpster somewhere. Pity. Nice kid for a hooker. Lamont . . . you know Lamont?”

“Lamont Tresichore—the guy who worked at the motel.”

“Yeah, well he was all worried about her. Then—“ He shrugs, “He was back to being busy getting high and not so talking much about her—all I got from him was that it was all a big mystery. Kid had a nice voice you know.”

“Yes—“ Nikki said, remembering her – remembering the taste of her blood.

“Singing voice – she could have fronted a band you know.”

The doctor looks over and has to reach awkwardly across the design of the console in order to turn on the radio and adjusts the station as the Moody Blues Singer in a Rock in Roll Band fills the dark interior of the car.

“A thousand pictures can be drawn from one word –
Only who is the artist . . . “

Nikki suddenly finds her foot now pushing down the accelerator.

“A thousand miles can lead so many ways –
Just to know who is driving –
What a help it would be – ”

The black car racing through the night – as the doctor glances at the speedometer watching it moving past 100.

“You can see exactly what to do –“

Nikki looks at the highway and has a terrible feeling that she should have done something—she should have gone back to Woonsocket. She should have tired to help the girl. She knew her – knew her dreams and her aspirations – they had in that moment become one –

“How can we understand –“

God she had such lovely blood!

“For the people who are only destroying . . . themselves —“

But then there was the business with Petofi. And she had not gotten back – damned!

“It’s sad, but that’s life. Wish I couldah been there to save her. But whatcha gonna do. Can’t win’em all.”

“ . . . Scorching this earth . . . “

“You said there was some mystery? Do you have no idea what happened to her? “

“Not a clue.” He looks over at her – even as the car hurls along the highway he remains unconcerned.

“I’m just a wandering on the face of this earth.”

He knows what she is – he is well aware of her reflexes.

“Well it’s all really a big mystery. I mean no one talks about it. As I said, you might try calling Lamont.”

Nikki sighs. She runs her fingers back through her hair. Right—he would not tell her anything . . .

“ . . . and if you want the wind of change
to blow about you
and you’re the only other person to know . . . “

“I am not certain whether or not he would even take the call . . . you see he knew what happened between Alison and me.”

“True.”

The car races through the black Maine night.

“Well—doctor I do so hope things are much quieter for you in Collinsport. Although if you don’t mind, I do need to ask you for a favor.” She glances at him.

“Well I hope things aren’t too quiet. I gotta eat, you know.” He looks at her in the yellow glow of the virtual speedomemter “That’s what I’m here for—favors.”

Nikki smiles, “Oh, I can help with that – I have a friend I would like you to take a look at – I am not certain if her jaw is broken.”

He looks at her, “So—wha’d’did she do? And, what species is she?”

“She’s human. She got into a fight with a vampire.”

”I’m just a singer in a rock and roll band—“

Nikki now notes the look on his face and nods, “Yeah I know, not a wise thing to do.”

“And all she’s got was a broken jaw?” He purses his lips together, “F***er must’ve gone easy on her.”

“Well I hope that is all, if you would take a look at her I would certain appreciate it doctor.” Nikki says, “I am not at all happy this individual is in town, apparently on the invitation of a friend of mine.”

“Gotta be careful who your friends are.”

. . . who are scorching this earth . . .

“Course if it is, broken, I’m not sure what I can do . . . “ He looks over at her, “I could probably MacGyver somethin’ up. But, why didn’t you take her to see a doc at a hospital? Why come to me? It’s not like she’s got a bullet wound—you know.”

“Well, at the moment, there is a certain officer with the Collinsport Police Department, and she’s keeping too close eye on me and mine at the moment.”

He raises an eyebrow, “Ah, I see.”

“And Collinsport being Collinsport—she would certainly hear about Samantha’s jaw and then start asking questions I don’t want to answer, about who she got into a fight with. He is not long on discretion as I understand it.”

”We are just singers in a rock and roll band.”

“Say no more. I’ll look at it.”

“Thanks Doc. If you want to kick back, it should be a short drive”

Nikki continues the journey now towards Collinsport.

The Ferrari speeding down the highway as she approaches I-95.

“Yeah, well, if I start snoring too loud, just punch me in the arm.” He tells her and curls up in his seat.

“Not a problem.”

Nikki’s cell phone suddenly rings—she turns down the music as she answers the call.

“Yes.”

The voice on the phone sounds momentarily distracted, ” “Miss Collins? Nicole Collins?”

“Yes – this is she.”

“Will you be in your offices tonight?”

She looks at the caller ID, Unknown Caller, “Yes—I should be, shortly. Who is this?”

“I would like to see you if at all possible.”

“I would like to know who this is.”

“My name is Corso, Dean Corso—I think I have something you might be interested in.”

She continues looking ahead at the road. She knows him, his reputation. “Okay, Mr. Corso—I should be in the office sometime after midnight.”

“I will see you then.”

Nikki hangs up.

Dean Corso? Odd. But then things are odd to begin with—vampires in Collinsport. That poor dead woman in the papers on the beach.

She was certainly glad that St. Clair was around to keep things under control.

She looks over to see the doctor has fallen asleep.

Act 2

Esther crumbles the pack of cigarettes and tosses it into the wastebasket. She should have left for home over an hour ago, she wanted to – but, she also wanted to be certain that Sam was all right. And so she had remained waiting for Nikki to return.

She opened her desk drawer and took out a new pack of cigarettes and pulled the small tab to tear the cellophane free from the top, opening it so as to retrieve a cigarette.

She didn’t know for certain who this Dr. Sabine was – but apparently he meant something to Nik or she would not have made the trip down to Portland to meet him. Why was he arriving in Portland and not through Bangor or the Bangor to Collinsport train?

He was from Woonsocket – Nik didn’t talk a lot about what had happened in Woonsocket.

She struck the striker wheel of the Zippo and lit the cigarette and checked the time once again; Nik should have been back by now – especially the way she drove. She returned to typing on her laptop – when she saw the glare of headlights on the storefront windows, and recognized the motor of Nikki’s Ferrari.

Nikki pulls into the parking slot outside the old law offices and smiles as she reaches over and lightly pushes on the doctor’s shoulder, “Doc, we are here.”

Dr. Sabine startles slightly, awakening as if ready to have to defend himself, his fists tightly clenched. He looks out the window. He looks up through the windshield and sees the black lettering on the windows, Matigan & Wiley – Law Offices. “It’s almost as rundown as the place I’ve supposedly rented.” He says

Nikki’s mouth curls in a smile, “I do try to keep a low profile.”

He looks over at her.

“Low?” He says. ‘That’s not existent.”

“I know it says it’s a law office, I just haven’t gotten around to changing the windows.”

Nikki steps up on the sidewalk and turns to Dr. Sabine, “Do you need your bags?”

“I need one . . . ” he tells her, as she observes that once more his keen eyes are slowly taking a quick and furtive reconnaissance of the darken storefronts, the grassy circular park in the hub of the main rotary, which is the center of Collinsport. It only confirmed what she already knew—he was running from something . . . he was concerned that he might have been followed.

Nikki opens the boot of the car, and steps back to allow him access to his luggage. Dr. Sabine reaches in and grabs one of the two black bags, hefts it up and out and then turns to begin walking over to the double front doors of Collins Investigations.

Nikki looks down at the other bag and then closes the boot, and follows the Doctor, but before he can reach the door, she is there and opening it for him: “Here let me get that for you.”

He looks at her and gives her a tight smile, “Thanks—no need to remind me.”

She cocks her head, ‘Just to let you know you have certain friends if you need them.”

He looks at her and nods appreciatively.

The front door opens just as Esther is tapping ashes into her crystal astray. She looks up and gives the doctor a quick inspection. Rumpled suit. Close cropped hair. But his shoulders are held back, straight posture, even carrying the weight of the black bag. His chin is held up, his head high – eyes quickly taking in his surroundings. Something about him tells her he is ex-military. “Ah. Welcome back Nik.”

“Esther – this is Dr. Sabine. We met in Woonsocket as I told you a while back, and he’s – here on holiday.”

“Dr. Sabine.” Esther says and takes a drag off the cigarette.

“Miss Friedman, right? Esther?”

“Yeah.” She nods amiably – he gets points, he didn’t say anything about the cigarette.

“I asked him to take a look at Sam.” Nikki steps over to the desk, having closed the door behind her, “How is she?”

“She’s stopped bleeding for the most part. But, you know Sam – so, I really don’t know what she is doing up in that room.” Esther replies still examining the doctor.

Nikki smiles, and turns to him, “Dr. Sabine is a specialist.”

Sabine looks at her with a cocked eyebrow.

“A specialist?” Esther taps ashes into the astray.

“In discretion.”

He smiles, “Indeed. Now, if you would lead the way, please.’

“She’s up in her room. This way,” Nikki tells him and with a motion of her hand indicates the narrow steps leading up to the second floor landing. In doing so Nikki and Esther exchange looks – Esther letting her know that for now, she approves of the man.

The doctor carries his black bag as he follows Nikki up the steps and to the landing, watching as Esther crosses over and locks the front door. He quickly surmises that Miss Friedman is in charge of the command and control center. And she’s got hunters eyes – he detected that rather quickly. Little gets past her. Collins is wise to have her on point.

Nikki briefly knocks on the door and opens it to find Samantha on her bed gently stroking her pet ferret, which hasn’t awaken up since it was violently sent flying across the room and striking the wall—but Nikki can hear that it is still breathing.

Dr. Sabine gives the room a quick glance seeing that it has fairly recently been converted over from having been a storage room.

Esther now ascends the stairs to check on Esther and watch the specialist.

“Doctor, this is Samantha Brooks, a very good friend, would you please look at her for me?”

Dr. Sabine nods and looks at the patient.

He steps purposefully over to the bed and looks down at her, still holding his bag, “Get the rodent out of here. Then get some godd*** light in here. Oh, and get me a glass of water.”

“Um?” Esther says as she enters the door, seeing that he’s turned to look at her.

“Yes, you. You’re the one that knows what the hell is going on around here.” He says as he moves a crate over to the side of the bed and drops his bag on to it. “Get some lights in here. It’s too dark. I can’t see my hand in front of my face.”

Nikki moves over to the dresser and lifts the lamp from it and moves it over closer to the bed, “Esther, could you get Dr. Sabine some water? Thanks!”

She removes the lamp shade exposing the naked bulb.

Esther gives the doctor a look and then turns to exit the room and down the stairs to get him a glass of water.

“Sorry Doctor, this used to be a storage room.”

Dr. Sabine looks at the boxes, “Used to be?”

Nikki looks over at them, “Yes, well things have been a bit busy here the last few weeks.”

He pulls out a very strange looking piece of machinery. A nanoray, a portable x-ray device capable of generating x-rays via carbon nanotubes, which allows for quick x-ray procedures in ambulances or in certain field settings. Emergency situations. Dr. Sabine turns to Samantha, “Ok. Rise and shine Brooks. Time t’ah get that jaw looked at.”

Samantha clings to the ferret, “Nooo.” Her eyes wide, looking at the strange device and the rumpled doctor.

“Please do not try talking, you will only aggravate the injury.” He tells her. “ Now sit up kid. And someone please take the godd*** rodent!”

Nikki pushing a crate over with her foot places the lamp on it and reaches down to take the ferret. Samantha tries to hold on to the animal, but Nikki pulls and she lets go, letting Nikki have it. The ferret sensing Nikki’s state of undeath, suddenly awakens and begins to struggle. Samantha’s eyes go wide – in that he has awoken, but also that he is struggling.

Nikki lifts the ferret so as to look at it, whispers something, and the animal goes docile and then curls up in her arms.

Samantha wants to smile but it hurts too badly.

Dr. Sabine pulls a wooden crate over to the bed and sits down.

Samantha looks at him and then Nikki and then sits up carefully.

Nikki finds a box, and quickly empties it in order to lay Samantha’s ferret down into it, and looks over to Samantha and smiles. She nods a thank you back to Nikki.

Downstairs, Esther goes into Nikki’s office, opens one of the drawers of the wooden file cabinet and finds a glass. Although the only water it has ever seen is that used to wash the cling of blood stains from it, she takes the glass into the restroom to fill it with water.

Dr. Sabine continues setting up the Nanoray and looks back over his shoulder at Nikki, “If anyone asks, you never saw this—particularly, if his name is Mr. Brescoeni.

Nikki smiles and holds up her hands, “See what Dr. Sabine?”

“Dat?” Samantha points at the odd looking device.

Dr. Sabine connects some leads together and hooks up the screen. Sets the device off to the side. “Ok Brooks. I’m going to physically examine your jaw first. And please – do your best to refrain from speaking. You got that?’ He leans forward, “Give me a thumbs up if you understand.”

Samantha’s her eyes go even wider as she tries to scoot away.

“Sam, please let the doctor take a look.”

“Oh for the love of god, kid!” He reaches into his pocket and takes out a pack of cigarettes, which he has been wanting for sometime now and lights one up. He exhales with a sigh, “Okay, let’s try this again kid.”

Samantha, seeing that the doctor has lit a cigarette becomes bit more comfortable with him – not the usual medical practitioner she’s normally forced to see – and takes a deep breath and grimaces as best she can, holding as absolutely still as possible.

“Good.’ He says, cigarette between his lips as he reaches over and feels the jaw through the skin.

Nikki looks over at Samantha, “Trust him Samantha, he is very good. He was a field doctor in Afghanistan.”

“Two tours.” He squints against the smoke.

Samantha suddenly jumps and shies away at the touch, whimpering.

“Still now, kid. Don’t want me accidentally breakin’ the whole godd***ed thing off.”

Esther now enters the door carrying the glass of water and walks over to set it down on the crate with the lamp that has been moved over closer to the bed. She gives the doctor and the cigarette a look.

Samantha once again tries to hold still despite the pain.

Dr. Sabine moves the mandible open for a brief moment, then lets go.

Samantha yells in pain.

“Ok kid. Now try to bite down, but keep your lips open.” He tells her, “Your doing fine. Just bite down.”

Samantha bites down, panting and whimpering as she does so, her eyes looking up at him.

Dr. Sabine takes off his rumpled jacket, dropping it on the end of the bed and loosens his tie, pulling it free of the knot and lying it down on the crate. “Good. That’s good. You can stop now.”

Samantha sits moaning softly.

He stands looking down at her as he unbuttons the cuff of his shirt sleeves and begins to roll them up. “There is definitely a break. Perhaps two. Not certain till I get a better good. Luckily I don’t think it is shattered. Sam? I’m going have to give you an x-ray.”

He lifts the odd device and taps it, “That’s what this is for – got me?”

Samantha nods – having actually read about one of these.

He turns on the device that looks more like some retro-futuristic ray gun.

Samantha glances among them all, nervous – although she knows the principle of the device, she isn’t uncertain that it’s still not experimental.

“Now, I’m going to point this at you.” Dr. Sabine tells her turning a dial and holding the screen in one hand, the device in the other, as he points the Nanoray at her jaw. He suddenly stops at one point, “Ah here. Hmm . . . “ And he pooks intently at the image.

Still looking at the image he says, “Esther?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you happen to have any thick copper wire hanging around?”

“Um. . . I don’t think so . . . “

“Well could you go on out to a store and pick some up. And a soldering iron while you’re at it.”

Samantha quickly points under the bed.

“Ahh—at this time of night? This is Collinsport – not wherever.”

Samantha continues to point more furiously to indicate something she wants them to understand about under her bed.

The doctor looks at her. He takes the cigarette out from between his lips, “Hey, kid, you trying to say you’ve got thick copper wire and a soldering iron . . . under the bed?”

Samantha nods.

Dr. Sabine looks incredulous at her. He sets the portable X-ray down. He then gets down on his hands and knees, looking under the bed. “Collins you need to get some more godd***ed light up here.” He strikes a match and holds the flickering flame out to see under the bed. “You’re s**ting me, “ He flicks out the match and reaches under to extract a box within which there are two spools of industrial grade wire and a soldering kit among some other things – tools, saved pieces of cut pvc plumbing pipes, circuit boards.

Sabine lifts up the box and raises his eyes to look at Nikki.

She looks at the doctor, “Sam likes to tinker with things.”

Dr. Sabine puts the box on the foot of the bed and takes out the wire and soldering iron. “Great! Now, do any of you ladies sew? I need a sewing needle about yea thick,” he indicates with his fingers. “I also need a pot of boiling water. Think you kids can do that for me?

Esther shakes her head, “I don’t sew. Nik?”
The doctor pulls out a small bottle of Diethyl Ether.

Esther looks over to her, “Do you sew Nik?”

“A little.” Nikki admits. “But not very well.

“Ah don’t need your sewing skills. I just need a thick needle.” Dr. Sabine tells her over his shoulder as he looks around for someplace to put out the cigarette. Decides the floor will have to do and crushes it under his toe, “Unfortunately, we will have to pin this bone back up, and I’ll have to make due with what I have.”

“I have a small sewing repair kit in my desk.” Nikki tells him.

“Please go get it for me. And Esther. Please boil a pot of water for me.”

“Uh. Sorry we don’t have a stove here.” Esther tells him.

“Then use a candle, the fireplace or something. But I’m not cutting with these scalpels the way they are.” He says rummaging through his black bag atop the crate as he starts taking out instruments, as well as various sized scalpels, as he prepares for the operation.”

“I got beer.”

“Not enough alcohol content.”

“Well—if we had a coffee maker?”

Samantha scoots to the other side of the bed and points down.

Esther looks at her, and then steps over and looking beside the bed and the wall finds a coffee maker in an opened cardboard box.

Nikki descends the stairs and hurries over to her office where she keeps a small plastic sewing travel kit. She removes it from the drawer of her desk and carries it back up to the doctor. “Will this do?”

Esther removing the coffee maker from the cardboard box takes the carafe downstairs to fill it up.

Dr. Sabine taking the sewing kit from Nikki, opens it and examines the various needles inside, removing the thickest, “This will have do.”

“So—is it severely broken doctor?”

Sabine reaches into his black bag of medical tricks and removes a rag and pours the Diethyl Ether onto it. “The amount of pain experienced by the patient and the results of the preliminary X-ray scan indicate that this is most likely the case.

He looks over at Samantha, “Uh uh. Please sit still.”

Only Samantha’s attention is diverted by the scalpels, the sewing needle.

“Here Sam,” He says as she turns and puts the rag by her nose and mouth, “Just breath deeply.”

“Sam I am so sorry.” Nikki says, her eyes darkening.

“That’s it kid; it will all be over soon. Just breathe in, and out.” He tells Samantha, “In, and out.”

Esther returns with the pot and puts it on the coffeemaker’s hotplate.

Nikki stands at the foot of the bed, looking at Samantha as she slowly breathes in and out just as she is being directed by the doctor, and as she watches, she adds yet another name, Darien Blackwater, to the growing list of individuals, who will be receiving unexpected visits from her.

“That’s a good kid. Breath in . . . and out . . . “

Nikki’s attention is diverted to the sound of the water beginning to brew and drip through the coffee maker.

“You are doing great Sam.” Nikki tells her, “Just hold on for a bit longer.”

Dr. Sabine with his free hand, first moves the X-ray machine onto the floor, and then takes the coffee pot of water and sets it on the crate. He gently drops the needle, the wire, the scalpel and some clamps into the pot and then puts the pot back on the hotplate. The water begins to flow once more into the carafe.

“In and out. Good. You’re doing fine. I’m sure your friends are proud of you.” He tells Samantha.

“So you think it is just the jaw—nothing like the cheek bone or anything?”

Samantha’s eye slowly closes.

“No—I don’t think so.” He says without looking back at her, “She lucky.”

He removes the rag from Samantha’s nose and mouth. Puts it on top of the crate and reaches into this bag. He removes a pair of tongs. He sets the tongs aside and takes out a very small hacksaw.

Using the tongs, he takes the needle out of the hot water and using the hacksaw, he cuts it into three pieces. He then puts the pieces back in the pot and removes the scalpel.

Dr. Sabine turns back to Samantha and feeing for the break, he leans forward and with the scalpel makes an incision to open the skin at the jaw. He then takes some clamps out and gently clamps back the skin.

“Think you can restrain yourself Collins?”

Nikki turns to Esther, having taken a deep breath filled with the scent of her blood, “Esther—could we,” she motions to the door.

“Good idea.” He tells her over his shoulder.

Esther looks from the doctor working on Sam to Nikki and then it dawns on her – the blood. She nods and follows Nikki out onto the landing, where they stand looking down over the office below.

“Have you gotten any calls from a Dean Corso?” Nikki asks.

“No. I have not. Should I have?”

Dr. Sabine having noticed a small portable radio on the dresser, steps over and with his bloody fingers turns it on – adjusting it to find a lite rock station.

He listens for a moment; he likes the song and returns to his patient, wiping his hands on a cloth rag he has taken from the bag.

He reaches over for the soldering iron and cauterizes the most offensive bleeder.

Picks up the scalpel again and continues with the surgery

After getting through the muscle, he looks at the bone.

“Not sure. I got a call from him earlier tonight. If you happen to hear from him please let me know. In his call, he said he was going to stop by the office tonight, but it’s well past the time he was supposed to have arrived.”

Dr. Sabine proceeds with inserting the makeshift pins into the two pieces of bone. Luckily, only one is needed.

“Corso? So—what does he want?”

Nikki shook her head, “I am not certain actually. He said he thought he had something I might be interested in.”

“Great.” Esther reaches for her pack of cigarettes, “More vague hints and clues.”

“I know him—” Nikki admits, “He is a book mercenary.”

Esther opens her Zippo, flicks a flame into life and lights her cigarette. Snaps the Zippo closed again. “A book mercenary?’ She exhales smoke, “What? He lends his books out to people to use in combat? Or he lends soldiers out to books? Either way, I’m confused.”

Dr. Sabine now starts to put the muscle back together.

“Professionally, he is supposed to be just a rare book dealer in New York, but in truth—he actually procures books for the right price.”

“I see. Like this Cairo character – only he does just books?”

Nikki takes a deep breath, savoring the scent of Samantha’s blood escaping from her bedroom. “Yes—similar.”

Dr. Sabine now takes out his own small sewing kit from his medical bag and begins stitching up the incision.

“So, either he has something rare and stolen—or he may be trying to steal something from me—either way just be wary of him. He can be dangerous.”

Esther takes a long drag off her cigarette, “So what, now we’re dealing in stolen goods?”

With one of his rags, Dr. Sabine looks at his work, and then wipes away the last of Samantha’s blood from her jaw. He takes a moment, lights up another cigarette and looks over the stitches, before he turns and walks over to the door.

“No—well, maybe. The books he deals in—they are the sort of books that usually are supposed to have been burned or locked away somewhere with the idea no one would ever see them again – and so, if he has . . . “

“Excuse me please ladies. I just need to wash this blood off my hands.” Dr. Sabine says as he steps out on the landing and squeezes past the two of them.

Esther steps back to let him pass.

“But—I wanted you to know, because he can be rather ruthless if he is after something. He usually doesn’t care how he obtains it. And I have a few rare items – but they are all at the Old House.”

“So. . . “ Esther can’t help asking as she looks down to see the doctor heading into the bathroom, “Are you expecting him to announce his intended armed robbery over the phone to you? I mean, if he called, it sounds like he might want our help.”

“With him I never know what he is up to. I just wanted you to be cautious,” Nikki looks over to her, her blue eyes bright and intense as they cut for a moment toward Samantha’s room. “I don’t want anything to happen to you. I have dealt with him before – I had some dealings with him. I just don’t trust him.”

Esther seeing the concern in Nik’s eyes nods, “Ok, I’ll remember to be extra cautious. And if I hear from him, I will let you know.”

They watch as Dr. Sabine exits from the bathroom with clean hands.

Nikki looks down at Dr. Sabine, “Is she going to be okay?”

“Yeah. She’ll be just fine. If I had a plate, she would be fine to move her mouth in a few hours. But, since I’m not that lucky, I gotta’ get her jaw wired to her teeth. It will have to be on her for a few weeks.” He says as he crosses back over the lobby to the stairs.

“She’ll have a little trouble with chewing, and her speech will be mostly a mumble, but she should be right as rain. “ He says as he ascends the stairs, “Oh,” he comes to a sudden halt as he is about to pass Nikki, “Except, now she can really piss off airport security with that metal in her mouth.” He looks at her, “I must impress upon you. Do not let her take off, or cut off, the wiring, as all this could dramatically backfire.”

“Okay thanks Doc.” Nikki tells him,

“Of course, I have to actually make the wiring into shape, so I will leave you two to talk.”

He then heads back into the room and pulls out the thick copper wiring from the boiling pot of water, and starts to fabricate it into a jaw brace of sorts.

“Looks like Sam will only be having food through a straw for a while.” Esther says with a sigh – she is going to be unbearable to live with now, she thinks.

Nikki nods and runs her fingers back through her hair, “I just hope we can keep her from trying to take the bloody wiring out.”

Cue Music end of Episode.