The Cupid War by Timothy Carter Page A

thought. That’s a relief.
    He closed his eyes again, and his mind drifted some more.
    Fallon paid attention again when he heard raised voices. Not surprisingly, Louis’s voice was one of them.
    â€œHow I run this place is not open to debate, Caleb! I made a call, and it was the right one.”
    â€œYour call nearly cost Fallon his soul.”
    â€œNearly,” Louis said. “He’s gonna make it.”
    â€œA few seconds more,” Caleb said, “and he would have been lost.”
    â€œThat’s the risk that comes with the job.”
    â€œDid he know that,” Caleb asked, “when you sent him to that school?”
    â€œIt was my call,” Louis said. “Everyone survived, and the Suicide was destroyed. End of story.”
    â€œThat’s not what you said about Sandra,” Caleb said softly, and there was a pause.
    â€œThat was different,” Louis said.
    â€œWas it?”
    â€œYou got no business bringing her up,” Louis said. “You close your mouth, Caleb. You close it now, or … ”
    â€œOr what?”
    There was another pause, and then Fallon heard footfalls walking away. He opened his eyes and saw Louis storming out of the room.
    â€œI think you hurt his feelings,” Fallon said.
    Caleb spun around sharply and looked down at him. “Fallon! You’re back with us.”
    â€œYep,” Fallon said, enjoying the joy on Caleb’s face. His teacher had obviously been very concerned for him. “So,” he asked, “what was that all about?”
    â€œHow much did you hear?” Caleb asked.
    â€œPretty much all of it,” Fallon said, attempting to sit up. To his surprise, he succeeded.
    â€œEasy, son, easy!” said a voice behind him, and firm hands took hold of his shoulders. “You’re not going anywhere until I say.”
    Fallon looked behind him, and immediately recognized the old yet kind face he’d seen when he’d been brought in.
    â€œI’m just sitting up,” he said. “Who are you, anyway?”
    â€œThis is Alexander,” Caleb said. “You might say he’s our doctor.”
    â€œI’m a healer,” Alexander said, easing his grip on Fallon’s shoulders. “You’re in my Healing Chamber. When one of you suffers a severe Suicide attack, I’m the one that brings you back.”
    â€œOh,” Fallon said. “Thanks.”
    â€œMy pleasure,” Alexander said. “You’re not quite healed yet, so don’t think of getting off this table.”
    â€œI’m a lot better than I was,” Fallon said, and he stood up. The moment his bum left the slab, he nearly collapsed. Caleb caught him and eased him back down.
    â€œI did warn you,” Alexander said.
    â€œThe table”—Caleb rapped his knuckles on its surface—“channels Love directly into your body. Alexander directs it through you, healing you.”
    â€œBut the process can’t work if you aren’t on the table,” Alexander said. “So don’t move.”
    â€œGotcha,” Fallon said. “I thought I just needed to eat some Love. That’s what I did last time.”
    â€œYour last attack was considerably less severe,” Caleb reminded him.
    â€œOh, been attacked before, have we?” Alexander said. “You’ll have to learn to defend yourself better. Next time I might not be able to save you.”
    â€œI ran out of Love,” Fallon explained. “Besides, if I’d known there was a Suicide in that school … ”
    â€œNo excuse,” Alexander said. “You should always be prepared to deal with Suicides.”
    â€œEven if I’m used as bait?” Fallon asked, turning to Caleb.
    â€œUnfortunately, yes,” Caleb said. He looked away, as if he were ashamed. “Louis has some … unorthodox schemes for apprehending Suicides. That one at that school has eluded us for some time