"Infirmary?" Matasumi frowned. "I don't believe this subject--"
"Her name is Elena," Bauer said.
"I prefer Ms. Michaels," I said.
"I'd like Elena checked by Doctor Carmichael immediately," Bauer continued. "I'm sure she'd appreciate the chance to stretch her legs and have a look around. We can continue our discussion with her in the upstairs room. She'll get tired of these four walls soon enough."
"May I speak to you privately?" Matasumi asked.
"Yes, yes. You're concerned about security. I can see that," she said, lips twitching as she looked from my restraints to the guards. She slanted an eye-roll at me, as if sharing a joke. "Don't worry, Lawrence. We'll make sure Elena is properly restrained, but I don't see the need for excess. Handcuffs and armed guards should be quite sufficient."
"I'm not sure--"
"I am."
Bauer headed for the door. My picture of the power structure here was developing fast. Research assistant, guards, half-demon, all roughly equal--the hired help. Scientist above them, mystery woman above scientist. And Ty Winsloe? Where did he fit in? Was he even involved?
My guard unstrapped me from the chair and removed the restraints from my arms and legs, then herded me into the corridor. My cell was the last one on the end, across from a recessed metal door with two red lights above it. At the other end was a matching door with matching red lights. Twin rows of one-way glass flanked the hall. I counted doorknobs. Three more on my side, four opposite.
"This way, Elena," Bauer said, walking right.
Matasumi gestured to the closer door. "This route would be quicker."
"I know." Bauer gestured me forward, smiling encouragingly, like I was a toddler taking her first steps. "This way please, Elena. I'd like to show you around."
Really? A guided tour of my prison? Well, I couldn't argue with that, could I? I followed Bauer.
CHAPTER 14
EXHIBITION
As I walked toward Bauer, I passed a chair facing my cell, presumably where Tess had been taking notes. When I glanced at the chair, it started to shake. I'd like to think it was scared of me, but I rarely evoked that response in living things, let alone inanimate objects.
"Earthquake zone?" I asked.
"Shhh!" Matasumi said, holding up his hand.
Matasumi crouched beside the chair and studied it. The chair rocked from one diagonal to the other, back and forth, faster, then slowing, then regaining speed, tilting almost to the point of tipping, then reversing.
Matasumi motioned me forward. When I didn't move fast enough, he waved impatiently. I stepped toward the chair. It kept rocking. Matasumi thrust his palm at me, telling me to move away. I did. No change. He crooked his finger to motion me back, eyes never leaving the chair. I walked beside it. The chair kept rocking, speed unaffected. Then it stopped. Bauer flashed me a wide, almost proud smile.
"What did you think of that?" she asked.
"I'm really hoping it doesn't mean this place is built on a fault line."
"Oh, no. We chose the environment very carefully. You didn't feel a tremor, did you?"
I shook my head.
"You'll see that sort of thing quite often down here," she said. "Don't be alarmed if you wake up in the morning to find your magazines in the shower stall or your dining table upside down."
"What's causing it?"
She smiled. "You are."
"Ms. Bauer means all of you," Matasumi said. "Our subjects. I doubt you personally would have much impact. Werewolves are known for physical, not mental powers. These events began several weeks ago, as our collection o
f subjects grew. My hypothesis is that they result from the high concentration of diverse psychic energy. Random spurts of energy causing equally random events."