The Virus Within (Original rough draft)

Chapter 59

Nicky yawned as she sat down with her breakfast plate. I was in my usual spot while Nina and Daniel were already seated with their own breakfast. Nicky shook her head as she tried to wake up, "I can't believe how hard I slept last night."

I tilted my head slightly as I examined her, "Do you remember anything from last night?"

She blinked slowly as her eyes flickered briefly to our two companions, "Uh... No... My head hit that pillow and I was out like a light. Did I miss a party or something?"

I raised my eyebrows, "So you don't remember Daniel and me having an argument in your room in the middle of the night?"

Nicky's jaw dropped as she gaped at me, "What?! How could I have missed something like that?" She turned to glare at Daniel, "I don't recall inviting you into my room. Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

He looked faintly amused, "I did knock the first time. You didn't answer."

Nicky glared at him, "The first time? Why the hell were you in my room to start with?"

He took a bite of toast, unconcerned, "The first time was to ensure that you were still in your room. The second time was to stop Trinity from kidnapping you."

Nicky narrowed her eyes, "Unless I was screaming bloody murder, then you don't have to consider it kidnapping if she is dragging me around. She had plenty of opportunities in the past when we were in the forest. Besides, I did holler and shout that one morning on the trip here when she threw me over her shoulders like a sack of potatoes and not one person so much as lifted a finger to help me!"

Daniel snorted, "You were clearly out of your mind at that point in time and we heard you loud and clear. That time we chose not to intervene. This time was different since that hot chocolate had been drugged so you would sleep."

He had the oddest ways of admitting what he had done. Nicky inhaled in shock as she glanced at my unimpressed expression. She turned back toward Daniel as her anger was starting to show more clearly, "Why the hell was it drugged?!"

Quite a few at nearby tables had been listening with wide eyes to the conversation. I guessed that only a couple of people had been aware of how close we had been to leaving. None were aware of that little fiasco last night. The loud thunder had possibly covered up the sounds that Daniel and I had made in our spat.

Daniel raised his eyebrow, "Your room was bugged with a small microphone and a certain conversation the other night prompted such a precaution."

Nicky stood up suddenly as her face contorted in anger, "You bugged my room? Where is that mic? I want to try out my yodeling skills. If they wanted me to audition, all they had to do was say so!" Heads started turning as Nicky stood up and her chair legs squealed a bit.

I growled lightly, "Sit back down wildcat. I am right beside you, so lower your voice. Daniel used up my daily allotment of patience last night. If you are going to attempt yodeling, wait until I am out of earshot."

Nicky dropped back into her chair with a grumble as she glared at Daniel. She glanced at me, "So what exactly happened last night? I must admit that I was quite confused by the red marks on my floor this morning."

The blood must have been from when I skinned my knees on the rough carpet. It would have dried within minutes so it wouldn't have been contagious. I sighed, "Long story short, I lost a fight with Daniel before he took me to Nina so they could tell me exactly what was going on in this place."

Nicky's jaw dropped, "Shit! There was a bottle of liquid soap in my backpack, you should have grabbed it. If I had been awake I had four cans of tomato juice in there as well." Daniel narrowed his eyes even as Nina's eyes lit up in curiosity.