Library Security, Episode 9

Colton opened his eyes and found himself looking at a white ceiling.  His body hurt all over to the point where he was having trouble moving.  He looked around, not recognizing his surrounding, yet they somehow looked familiar.  "A hospital..." he managed to groan.  Why did he feel so weak?

Then, he heard the door open.  He look and saw Aisha enter.  Maybe she'd be able to explain what was happening.  "What's going on here, Aisha?"

She looked at him, seeming surprised her was awake.  "Oh, Colton.  Are you alright?"

"Why am I in the hospital?"

"It was awful," she answered, sniffling before continuing.  "Your motorcycle exploded when you turned it on and you were sent flying into a car.  I...didn't think anyone could survive something like that."

The library manager came in.  "Huh?  Hey, Colton.  You're finally awake.  That was one heck of an explosion.  Surviving that is already amazing enough., but only needing five days to sleep it off...it kind of makes me wonder if you're even human."

"Five days?" Colton asked.  "The library!"  He tried to get up, but his body wouldn't let him.

"What are you doing, Colton?" the manager asked.

"I have to go to work.  The library needs me."  He forced himself out of bed and crashed to the floor.  That wouldn't stop him.  He'd crawl if he had to.  "I have to keep the library secure.  It won't be secure without me."

"Don't worry, Aisha's got it under control," the manager said.  You can take all the time you need to recover."

"She can't do it alone," Colton said.  "I have to be there."

"LSHQ sent us the finest person they could," the manager said.  "Aisha won't be alone.  They may or may not be as good as you, but we're in a pinch."

Colton started crawling toward the door.  "Must...protect...the library..."

The manager knelt down to meet him.  "Just.  Recover.  Right now that's the best thing you can do for us.  I mean, just how secure do you think you can keep the library in your condition.  Stay in bed and get healthy.  We wish you a speedy recovery."

Aisha went to get a few nurses, who lifted him back into bed.  They then strapped him to the bed so he couldn't fall out again.  Afterwards, the library manager and Aisha left, saying their goodbyes as they did.

Now he was alone.  He laid there for a while, wishing he could be at the library and wondering if he'd ever get back.  This led his mind down the another path.  "Who did this?  Who put me in this bed?"

Then, as if the universe heard his question and answered, a man walked into the room.  "Well, well, Colton.  It's been a long time."  Then, he let out a maniacal laugh.

Colton recognized that laugh pattern.  "You're the prick who was on the phone laughing.  I'm going to assume you were also the one who sent those weird letters."

The man let out another maniacal laugh.  "Yes, yes, it was all me.  As you can guess, I'm also the one who made your motorcycle explode.  The one you love most, indeed."

Now that all that was clear, Colton still some questions.  "Who are you and why did you do this?" he asked, trying in vain to shake himself loose from his restraints.

"That's why I'm here," the man said.  "I have so much stuff to talk to you about.  Twenty years worth, to be precise."

Twenty years?  What was the significance of twenty year.  He looked at the man and then he realized.  "You..."

The man let out yet another maniacal laugh.  "Yes.  Me, indeed."

To be continued...