Under His Influence

“The only survivor of its race, bar me and my mother. The last of my tribe.”

“You think your tribe has been wiped out?”

“I’m sure of it.”

“God.”

“No. The Rixxar. And even that child will only bear half of our genetic makeup. He will have all of our power though. None of your Earthly weaknesses. That child is our sole link to the future. Unless you fancy letting me get you up the stick, that is. I’m ready when you are.”

“Stop it, John. Let me think.”

John looked pointedly at his bare wrist, where the Cartier watch had been.

“I don’t want to rush you or anything, but can I just mention the phrase ‘time-critical’?”

“Don’t fluster me.” Mimi sat with her head in her hands for a few minutes. When she lifted it once more, her gaze was cool, controlled and resolute. “Okay. Anna goes to a safe place and you make no attempt—none, got it?—to contact her until the baby is born. What you did to her was inexcusable. I know what your reasons were but you should have waited for someone stronger. You should have waited—”

“For you?”

“I don’t know. Shut up. Do you accept these terms?”

“Yes. Now get me out of here.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Mimi stood, and the nurse leapt to his feet in her wake, still bamboozled by the whole situation.

“Are you going?” he asked.

“I’d like to talk to John’s doctor, if that’s possible. Do you think you could arrange it?”

“Of course. You might have to wait around a while—they’re pretty busy as a rule. But I’ll buzz Dr. Akers and tell him you want to see him.”

“Talk to Dr. Wolseley.”

Mimi turned sharply to John, questioning with a look.

“Dr. Wolseley first,” he elucidated. “Then both of you canvass Dr. Akers. If he isn’t willing to release me, we’ll have to regroup. You’ll have to spring me somehow. Or I can get Dr. Wolseley to do it. But I’d like the record closed and my name clear, or the meeting with Merchant could be compromised.”

“Could I speak to Dr. Wolseley in the first instance?” Mimi requested.

“Sure. If she’s free. Just come with me.”

The nurse hovered for a moment or so, expecting some form of goodbye, but neither John nor Mimi seemed about to fulfil that convention so he coughed and left the room, Mimi following.

Dr. Akers was perturbed by his colleague’s demeanour, but he reluctantly admitted that he didn’t have enough grounds to detain Stone under the Mental Health Act and there was no recourse other than to let him go.

At the gates of the hospital, Mimi waited for John beneath an umbrella, protecting her expertly curled hair from a summer shower.

He strolled out with his customary swagger, despite the unshaven face and the rumpled clothes. Mimi, watching his progress along the driveway, tried to work out what, if anything, she felt for this man.

He had treated both her and Anna appallingly. He had made no apology for the heartbreak and stress he visited on anyone who stood in his way. He was single-minded to the point of sociopathy, and he didn’t seem to care what anyone thought or felt.

Except that wasn’t quite true. He could have ridden roughshod over her on several occasions, but he had hung back. He seemed to care what she thought of him. And, of course, now she had evidence that he at least loved his mum. That was something, wasn’t it? A spark of hope for him. He wasn’t all bad.

Rolling up at the gates, he smiled broadly, rain streaming down his cheekbones and dripping on to the open collar of his shirt, and held out his arms.

“Mimi,” he exclaimed. “Come to my arms, my gorgeous liberator.”