The next day, Day 4 (Monday, May 2, 2022) Undisclosed location, New Jersey, United States

“Navneet, you need to go get cleaned up and get some sleep,” Henry regarded his wife with worry.

“No. I want to be here. What will happen if she dies while I am away? We… we need to get Harish so he can be here too.”

“And how will we explain this?” Henry motioned to the facility they were in. These strange creatures; the half-scorpion, half-men; had been bringing in equipment. The MRI machine in the other room had been installed yesterday and were making space for whatever a PET scanner was. Not that Henry knew what that was, but Navneet had given a low whistle.

The number of doctors they had brought here had increased too. From all over the world. And none of them had much to offer. Skin grafts were to be scheduled soon, but the MRIs had revealed bizarre imaging artifacts throughout Ella’s body that made everyone nervous. A biopsy and possibly a laparoscopy were also being discussed.

Charlie sat in a large chair asleep. Navneet had been vacillating between being upset at Eesha for keeping secrets — and by proxy at Charlie — and holding her hand tightly. Neither would leave the room. So they both sat in awkward silence, as Henry tried to make sure they ate and moved around and took some care of themselves.

Arcsa came and visited often as did Bahu. They rarely said much, just stood in a military parade rest stance and watched Ella and left. There were guards posted everywhere as well as constantly sweeping the halls, in full tactical gear and armed to the teeth. It was terrifying in its own way. Arcsa said they shouldn’t go outside as the soldiers outside had orders to shoot on sight.

The group of doctors they had imported for all over the world were an argumentative sort, all prima donnas in the worst sense. Competing with one another to suggest the right way to heal her, to keep her alive. The amounts being paid to have them drop everything and come here must have been staggering.

Eesha herself lay on the bed, wrapped in bandages still. Occasionally twitching. The sounds of monitors, the breathing apparatus, the special mattress which inflated and deflated in a steady rhythm to prevent pressure sores, all that noise faded into the background.

Which is why when Eesha convulsed, it took everyone a moment. The heart monitor started blaring as she seized up.

“V-fib,” Navneet said in a firm voice, secure in her element. She yelled to the room guard outside, “Get a defibrillator and a crash cart. Code Blue!”

There was a flurry of movement, and Navneet grabbed scissors and started cutting away the bandages on Ella’s chest. A team of doctors raced in with the cart. One already had defibrillator paddles in hand. He called a clear and everyone watched as he shocked Ella’s chest, they waited.

“V tach now. No P wave and QRS varying - Polymorphic. Again.” Navneet whispered.

The doctor had come to the same conclusion and called for another clear and provided another shock. The nurse next to him was injecting epinephrine and amiodarone.

They watched the still monitor.

Then a beep. And another.

“Rhythm restored. Normal rate… Oxygenation looks good.” Navneet said again quietly, almost under her breath. She was shaking. Maybe only Henry could hear her.

The doctors began to pull blood samples and examine the EKG traces. The on-site lab was still being kitted out but there was a nearby blood lab for use. What Arcsa had not told them was that the lab techs had been there twenty four hours a day at gunpoint as well.

A cardiologist came in to consult, and Navneet moved closer to listen in.

Henry watched. He felt lost. He was a professor of cultural anthropology, not a doctor. He didn’t know what he could do to help.

Charlie sat in the corner hopelessly. She had gotten the Aqrabuamelu to provide her with a computer, but it routed it’s networking through multiple VPNs and was quite slow. They had told her every single keystroke was being monitored, encrypted, and otherwise examined to make sure no sensitive information was leaked. She sent a curt message to Xu that she was out sick and kept a stream of vague messages to Jade and Isaac.

After the doctors had left, Charlie and Navneet found themselves sitting together and holding one another’s hands. Henry got them both a proper meal and shower. He then had the guards bring in additional hospital beds so they would have a place to sleep in the room

Ella’s dreams continued to be strange. She dreamed of flashing prismatic light while she was dancing at clubs, strange conceptions of the universe that involved cream filled donuts. None of it made sense except that everything made sense in her dreams.

Eventually she was riding a large fluffy bunny when she looked back and felt something gaining on her. When she flared her eyes to see what it was, she felt excruciating pain all over her body. She fell back into a dreamless sleep.

Aqrabuamelu compound, Flushing, Queens, New York, United States

Ansheth waited for God. He was strapped to the table still, but he had long ago loosened his restraints. God wanted him here so he stayed.

He waited patiently in his madness, knowing that God would provide succor when he needed it.

The Aqrabuamelu continued to minister to the wounds they had inflicted. He would heal first and then serve God by slaying them all. These fascinating weapons and devices they used he would learn about. The other drow were worshipping a false God on the throne, it was all so clear now. He must cleanse them also. There was also the matter of the unworthiness of the rest of the world. So he would kill each and every one of them until only God and he remained. Then, and only then, in that bliss God could grant him release.

He began composing a couplet for the impending end of pain.

It turned comical and he began to laugh, first just inside but when he laughed out loud, his guards rolled their eyes and ignore him. He was mad after all.