Part 15
You stare from Miss Thorne to the plant and back and you really don't know what to say. From a distance John quizzes you.
[Jay? Jay, are you hurt?]
[No, no.] You tell him vaguely. [It's nothing like that. I think I just did something I'm not meant to is all.]
[Look, Jay, I'm in the middle of the interview. I'm being as boring as I know how but it takes a lot of concentration. Can this wait?]
You consider. Miss Thorne seems as stunned as you are if not more so.
[Probably.] You decide and John's presence fades from your mind.
"How?" Miss Thorne speaks suddenly and with an alarming intensity. "How did you do that?"
You smile weakly.
"It was just a bit of a magic trick, that's all." You say off the top of your head and you know at once that it was the wrong thing to say. Miss Thorne stares at you as if you've grown a second head. She grabs your arm.
"Come with me." She says shortly and you do as she says in silence, unable to think of anything to say. Denying what happened now would probably be fruitless. Unlike the plant.
Miss Thorne drags you through still more corridors lines with still more yellowing plants and it's almost a relief when you burst into the studio where John is sitting in front of a weary looking Mr. Hendry. He glares at Miss Thorne but seems almost relieved for an excuse to give John a fixed look of gratitude and speak into the camera.
"And I'm afraid that is all we have time for today. Thank you, John, for sharing your fascinating life with us all."
"Cut!" Someone yells and at once the studio is a hive of noise and activity. You shake free of Miss Thorne's grip and run up to John. Mr. Hendry on the other hand has leapt from his hair and strides over to his shaken assistant.
"Miss Thorne! What is the meaning of this? It's bad enough that the man's as dull as dishwater. I just hope that they can edit out your commotion. We need to trim it anyway," He pauses, considering. "In fact we might be able to use this as an excuse to scrap the whole interview. But that does not excuse you bursting through a red light, Miss Thorne!"
"I don't think we were meant to hear all that." John murmurs, careful to keep his face in its dull, incurious mask. His eyes though are telling a different story and you're not foolish enough to take his calm exterior for his real feelings.
[What happened, Jay?] John demands, his thoughts angry.
"He brought a plant back to life!" Miss Thorne wails. "It's huge and bushy and he did it."
"Where is it?" Hendry asks, his tone skeptical.
[Where is it?] John asks, with resignation in his tone. [Don't tell me, Jay. Just show me.]
You do as he asks, showing him the white corridor and the way the plant responded to your touch. You follow his thoughts as the older tomorrow person reaches out and teleports the healthy plant to the Lab, pulling another of its sick brothers from elsewhere in the building to replace it.
[Follow my lead, Jay.] He warns.
You all follow Hendry's lead as the man strides out of the studio, his near hysterical assistant in tow. It doesn't take long to reach the corridor full of identical and ailing plants. The sight still bothers you but you have no inclination to touch the leaves any longer.
"Well?" The journalist asks irritably. Miss Thorne walks up and down the hall in confused dismay.
"It was here, I know it was! A plant he brought back to life."
John coughed apologetically.
"Is Miss Thorne unwell, Mr. Hendry?" John asks, his tone sympathetic. "Jay tells me Miss Thorne just grabbed him and started pulling him through the corridors!"
"Why you...." Miss Thorne falls speechless.
"Perhaps a day's rest?" John suggests gently.
"That sounds like a good idea." Hendry agrees.
"And we'd better get along too." John adds.
"As you wish. Thank you for your time, John." But Hendry's eyes follow you thoughtfully down the corridor and into the lift.
John glances upwards as if looking for something before fixing you with a piercing gaze quite unlike the blank expression he has maintained all day.
[Alright, Jay. What happened?] He demands.
You tell him quickly, aware of his disapproval but aware too that he is more resigned than angry. John has dealt with enough new Tomorrow People to know that mistakes do sometimes happen.
[Well, I think we got out of it but Hendry knows something happened. He's suspicious now and it might just make him keep that interview. Even if he does it should put his audience to sleep. I managed to stay quite obscure.] He tells you after a few moments. [Did you remember to look for security cameras?] You glance upwards guiltily and he takes that for your answer. [TIM? Can you tell me where the security cameras are on the fourth floor of this building?]
You listen too for TIM's instant reply.
[Of course, John, but we have other problems.] TIM's voice, to your surprise, is worried and tight. John, too, is instantly alert.
[Where are the others, TIM? What's wrong?]
[In Russia, John. A volcano is erupting unexpectedly, hundreds of people could be killed!]
John looks at you.
[This problem can wait.] He tells you. [Let's go.]
Do you:
a) Go to the Lab first to get equipment and information?
b) Go straight to the USSR?
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