Surrogate For Alpha Dom

Ella

“I really must insist,” Leon says awkwardly, looking around at the packed guest bedroom, “that we …thin the crowd. Just a bit.”

“Well, I’m not leaving,” I say, stepping forward and bouncing Rafe in my arms as I look down at my sister laying on the bed. Cora is awkward and uncomfortable as she looks around at the collection of investigators, at Roger, at me, Rafe, and Sinclair, all standing around her. Leon sits primly squeezed into a chair at her side.

“Perhaps…the child?” Leon suggests and I sigh, realizing that he’s right. I turn to Sinclair, my eyes pleading.

“Can you?” I ask.

Sinclair blanches at me. “Ella – I have to be here to hear this

”

“Please,” I say, stepping towards him. “Maybe we can….like, is there a way to make a video feed? Or sound? So you can hear in another room?”

Leon’s eyebrows go up. “That would work,” he says, looking at Sinclair, who nods firmly, reaching out for Rafe.

“I owe you,” I whisper to him, standing on my toes to give him a kiss on the cheek and handing the baby to him. “I can’t leave her.”

“I understand,” Sinclair murmurs back, “I’ll send someone up with AV equipment in a few minutes.” He brushes my cheek with his thumb before signaling to the investigators to leave the room with him. I turn back to my sister and then blink when I see Roger still standing in the

corner, his arms crossed.

“What are you still doing here?” I ask, surprised.

Roger just stares at me for a moment, apparently appalled that I would ask. “I’m the lead investigator on this, Ella!” he informs me, frustrated, throwing out an explanatory hand. “I need to be here! To ask questions! To guide the investigation!”

“Ooooookay!” I say, putting my hands up placatingly. “I just didn’t know lead investigators were usually so pissy.”

“Pissy!” Roger gasps, leaning forward to me, aghast. “Ella, I –”

“Roger,” Leon says, holding up a hand towards him. “We need a calm environment for this to work, and your level of agitation is…non–conducive.”

Roger stares at Leon, his mouth open, shocked to have been put in his place so politely.

“Yeah,” Cora says, grinning at Roger and wrinkling her nose at him. “So, in other words, stop being so pissy.”

Roger stares between us for a moment and then leans back against the wall with his eyes closed, taking a deep breath and raising a hand to press the bridge of his nose between his fingers.” Sisters…” he mutters, “I am never again spending any time at all with…sisters.”

A younger member of Sinclair’s team enters quietly then, nodding to me and beginning to set up a computer and a microphone on Cora’s far side. He works quickly while Roger composes himself

prepares the ether shot. I sit down on the end of the bed, putting a hand on Cora’s ankle

only thing near enough for me to touch – and mouth “thank

and leans her head back on the pillow, nodding to

comforting hand on her shoulder that makes her flinch. I

is about this. “I know that

little different. I’m going to give you the

to your memories of that day. You’ll hear my voice, and

you’ve accessed your memories, Roger will join me in asking you some questions. Is

right?”

want?” Cora asks, looking anxiously up at the doctor.

a little on her shoulder.

We will stop whenever you’d like. And if you’d like to give

whenever she gives the word as well, if she

your sister permission for that?”

me for confirmation. I slowly

her back, as I always

Leon says, smiling around at Cora and Roger and me. “Then let’s get

nice and easy.”

deep breath and closes her eyes again. She

2/4

long

to flicker, though, a little behind her eyelids as the ether takes

enters a dreamy half–awake state. I watch her, curious, wondering if I looked the same

care. His eyes also on Cora, Roger comes and sits next to

to the action. I give him a warm little nudge of my shoulder, both in welcome

few minutes earlier. I’m glad he’s

a few minutes. “How are you

says, a peaceful smile on her

you?” he asks.

Cora replies, her voice carefree. I

own hypnotic

nodding and taking a little notepad out of the bag at

a happy

makes a noncommittal noise. “Eh. I’d rather

you like work, Cora?”

my sister nod and smile, my heart warming to see her happiness. “I like

voice breezy. “And busy.”

Why don’t you go to work now, and tell me

Leon continues. “What day is it, Cora?” he asks, his

Leon is stupid for asking. “Duh.” I bite