Lost Inside - 25. Chapter 25

“Poking and prodding is all done, right?” Yuri and Benny surprised the doctors with how well they healed, and Yuri was eager to get to Benny’s surprise. Dr. Vancould was cautious about being too optimistic.

“I don’t think we need to give you another dose of venom,” Millie said. “Maybe in six months we can repeat the treatment. Right now, your brain is furiously at work, stimulated by the neurotoxin proteins latching onto the cell receptors in your brain at rates I’ve never seen before.”

“So I’m better? I know I remember better.” He’d remembered the doctor’s names, and that he was getting a surprise. “My head doesn’t even hurt now. Still don’t know why I needed a shot though.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say you’re all better. But you’re getting there.” She patted him on the arm. “And Dr. Vancould agrees with me. He’s just being cautious. He doesn’t want to get your hopes up too high, or make you think that we’ve miraculously healed you.”

“Still, it’s good to hear some encouragement.” Benny pulled Yuri closer to him. “We needed good news.”

“Well, I’d say this is good news. We just need to watch and see if we need to watch carefully to see how the treatment is progressing. If it slows, we’ll reassess, but until then, I’d say we need to see Yuri once a week for a scan and interview. Other than that, you’re free.”

“You’re staying in town?” Benny asked.

“I am,” Millie said. “I want to talk to Velaku and Davis some more, and I can do my work in any lab. Dr. Pannar has offered me a part of his clinic that will do nicely. I’m very interested in this case, obviously, and I can do the scans. We’ll do a screen chat with Dr. Vancould from my temporary office.”

Yuri jumped up and hugged Millie. “I’m glad you’re staying!”

She smiled and patted him on the back. “Thank you.”

Letting her go, Yuri turned to Benny. “They said we’re all done. Can we go? I want my surprise.” He bounced on the balls of his feet, twisting his hands together.

“All right. Let’s get while the getting’s good.”

Yuri cocked his head and frowned. “Get what?” He didn’t understand. “Is it part of my surprise?”

Benny chuckled. “No, I just meant we should go before they think up anything else to ask us.”

“Oh!” Yuri nodded. “Yes, let’s get then. Bye!” He waved at the doctors over his shoulder with one hand, and towed Benny toward the door with the other.

The arcade fun center Benny took Yuri to was amazing. It wasn’t too loud, either. There was a Wolf operating the admissions booth, so it was a local Clan establishment. He didn’t seem to mind they were Tigers.

Yuri was surprised, and then surprised at his surprise. “Why did I think that Wolf would be mad we were there?” Yuri asked after they left. He held a bunch of stuff he’d picked out at the prize counter in his lap in the truck. The pink fuzzy dice made Benny grimace when he hung them from the mirror.

“Our Clan isn’t much for outsiders. I thought that was how the world worked—until we got away from them.” He turned a corner and the dice swayed. “Do I really have to keep those there?” He spoke through his teeth.

Yuri snickered. “Yep. What? You don’t like my gift?”

Benny closed his eyes. “Of course I do.” He so didn’t, which Yuri thought was hilarious. He’d make his mate keep them up for a few days.

Maybe a week.

“Can we go swimming? I liked the bumper boats, but the water smelled bad. There’s a lake not far from Cleara and Szorpin’s eyrie. We could get the younglings and take them too!”

“I’ll call, but it’s not quite warm enough to swim in the lake. Maybe we could take them to a park for a picnic instead.”

Yuri slumped in his seat as the light changed and they turned the corner by the bar. “Okay.” He sat up and frowned when they drove past it. “Where are we going?”

“Did you think your surprise was over?”

“It’s not?” Yuri watched out the window to see where they were going. “That’s Cleara’s van!”

Two Falcons set down next to the truck when Benny pulled up to the curb.

“And we’re at the park! You already called her,” Yuri accused Benny. He grinned.

“Yep. I thought you might miss everyone. Right now we have six guards with us, so everyone should be plenty safe. Just stay in the park area with everyone, all right?”

Yuri nodded. “I’m not stupid.”

“I know. I just worry.” Benny touched his cheek. “Okay, let’s go have some more fun.”

Yuri hadn’t realized how much he missed everyone until the younglings climbed him like monkeys instead of Falcons. Cleara nagged at him to eat with his mouth closed over lunch, and Yuri didn’t even get upset.

By the time it was close to dinner the young, and Yuri, were worn out. “Are you coming home?” Leelan asked as Cleara buckled everyone in.

“No, I’m sorry. My home is with my mate now.”

Leelan’s lip wobbled. Yuri ducked inside the van and hugged him. “But we’ll still see each other, lots and lots, okay?”

“Okay, cause otherwise all I got to play with are girls!”

“One day, that might not seem so bad,” Cleara said smartly. “Now buckle up. You”—She tapped Yuri on the nose—“don’t be a stranger. Come to dinner next week.”

“We will,” Benny said. Yuri backed out of the van and stood on the sidewalk.

“We will,” he echoed. “Bye!” He waved as Cleara drove off. “Home now? I’m wiped out.”

“Home it is.” Two of the Falcons made hand signals to Benny and then shot up in the air. His mate grabbed Yuri and handed him the keys. “Unlock the truck.”