Raven's Peak by Lincoln Cole Page A

Delirious and raving.”
    “But my apartment…” he said. “The people chasing us . . . ”
    “I can assure you, if something like that had happened, we would have heard about it on the news. Where do you live?”
    “At the corner of Rochester and Bixby,” he said.
    She looked surprised. “Oh.”
    Haatim was used to that kind of response when people found out where his apartment was located. Those units weren’t cheap by any means and catered primarily to wealthy individuals with expensive lofts. He didn’t have a huge apartment, but it wasn’t shabby, either, and it was definitely expensive.
    But it wasn’t something he paid for. His father footed the bill for his accommodations these last few months. He was furious with Haatim’s decision to return to the States, but he had still rented the apartment for him.
    “Well,” the nurse added, finally. “There was certainly nothing on the news about gunshots in that neighborhood, and you’re a long way from home.”
    “Where is this?”
    “Mohave County,” she replied.
    That was nowhere near his apartment. It meant he was, at least, a few hours northwest of home. Haatim shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts and make sense of the situation.
    Haatim hesitated. “No, that can’t be right. We were being shot at, and we rushed down the stairs and…”
    He trailed off again.
    “And?” the woman prompted.
    “And I was given something to drink, and I blacked out.”
    “That’s the last thing you remember?”
    “I barely remember it,” he said. “It’s foggy, and I don’t recall anything clearly.”
    “I wouldn’t expect you to. You were dosed with some pretty heavy sedatives and amphetamines. There’s no telling what you experienced while they were in your system.”
    She turned toward the doorway. “Doctor?” she called. A moment later a tall man in a lab coat and blue scrubs strode into the room. She handed him the clipboard, and he walked up to the bed with a small smile. He was gaunt and balding.
    “Well, well. Our patient has finally woken up,” the doctor said.
    “He’s doing quite a bit better,” the nurse added.
    “How are you feeling?” the doctor asked.
    “I…” Haatim said. “I’m OK, I guess.”
    “That’s excellent,” the doctor said, making a note on the clipboard. “Most excellent. Do you have any residual effects from the drugs you were administered? Any nausea, dizziness, or lightheadedness?”
    “No,” Haatim said. “My head is killing me, but otherwise, I feel fine.”
    “How about your stomach? Is it OK?”
    “I think so,” he said.
    “Then are there any other problems to report?”
    “Other than the fact that everything I remember from yesterday is hazy,” Haatim began. “No, I don’t think so.”
    “It’s somewhat expected with how many different chemicals were in your bloodstream. They can alter your perceptions dramatically.”
    Haatim let out a sigh. “Tell me about it.”
    The doctor noted on the clipboard again. “In any case, I think we can discharge you in a few hours. All of our tests came back negative, and I think you’re going to be all right.”
    “Good,” Haatim said, lying back on the bed. He felt relaxed and sleepy, and all he wanted to do was take a nap.
    He found it hard to believe that he’d simply imagined the events of the previous night. But then again they were pretty outrageous when he actually stopped to think about them. Maybe he’d just been on a really bad psychedelic trip and imagined most of it.
    It sounded way more plausible than demon’s being real and hunting him. Actually, the more he thought about it, the more reasonable it all sounded. He’d been tracking Abigail, and when he caught up with her she’d drugged him to give him the slip.
    “Can you sign this here?” the doctor asked, holding out the clipboard and a pen.
    “Sure,” Haatim said, reaching out. As he moved his right arm he felt a sudden burst of pain in his shoulder and cried out. He