Broken Silence

Kane was eager to make his way up into the foggy hills in the distance and find the Blackbird Institute, but he stayed in town long enough to buy a couple of dresses Camille could wear when they found her. Having her wander around in her hospital attire simply wouldn't do. He and Malina both purchased some new clothes of their own, so they didn't have to walk around reeking of seawater.

Finally, they hailed a steam-powered cab that took them as close to Blackbird as Kane dared to go. He made no mention of the place itself, not wanting to leave any links between the two of them and where they were going. Instead the cabbie dropped them off at a quaint inn and restaurant. There was a brief reprieve from the fog and the gray skies and when Kane looked up, he could see the dark, foreboding structure of Blackbird. His pulse thundered in his ears.

He wanted nothing more than to charge up the hill and tear the building apart brick by brick until he found his sister. He could sense her in that foul place and knew she must be terrified and weakened. Kane and Camille had never fancied themselves psychics, but their bond as twins was undoubtable. No matter how hard they tried as children to play hide and seek, they could never successfully hide from each other. Camille always had an idea of where he was before she even finished counting to one hundred, no matter how clever a hiding place he had found.

At least he knew she was alive. And they wouldn't have broken her yet. Camille was stronger than people knew. Malina nudged him gently as he continued to stare, rigid and unblinking, at the Blackbird Institute.

"We can't do anything until after nightfall," she said gently. "Maybe we should stop and have something to eat. You're going to need to stay sharp for this."

Kane shook himself out of his daze and flashed her a smile. "Of course. And you're probably starving. We haven't eaten since the ship. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry," Malina said, looking startled. "I wasn't thinking about food either after the ship went down."

"Well you certainly must be now," Kane said teasingly, smiling as her stomach rumbled. Malina grimaced and then laughed sheepishly.

"Yes, I suppose I am."

Kane took her arm and led her to the small tavern, where they were greeted by the friendly elderly couple who owned it.

"Oh Frank, aren't they just the most charming couple you've ever seen?" the woman gushed as she set mugs of cider in front of them. Malina blushed furiously but Kane just gave the old woman; Edna; a polite smile. As Edna bustled away to fix them some food, Kane caught Malina staring thoughtfully into her cider and smiling slightly.

"What are you smiling about, Mouse?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied, cheeks turning pink. "I was just lost in thought."

They were mostly silent through dinner, both realizing how famished they were and digging into the food Edna laid out before them. Kane paid for a room for the night, telling Edna he and Malina had some business to attend to and would return that night. He was reluctant to do so, but Camille was going to need a decent place to rest. Evening had begun in full force when they stepped out of the tavern, Blackbird now mostly shrouded in darkness and fog.

"Malina, you don't have to go up there with me," Kane said quietly. "You could wait here for me."

"No." Malina shook her head firmly. "You could use a lookout. Besides, I think it's dreadful what your uncle has done to Camille. I want to help save her."

Kane smiled faintly, brushing a lock of hair out of her face. "You've already helped tremendously," he murmured. He bent his head to kiss her. "Just stay close. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I promise."

The two of them set off for the imposing building atop the hill, moving stealthily through the trees and coming at it from the side instead of the front. Kane was so eager to finally free his twin that he could practically feel his nerves humming inside of him. Malina handed him the lock picks and the stun gun and he gripped both tightly. The surrounding woods were misty and eerily quiet, their feet making no sound as they walked over the damp earth. Kane began to wonder if they hadn't taken a wrong turn and we're now going the wrong way.

But then they stepped past the tree line and Blackbird rose before them. Kane shuddered; the place was even worse up close. It seemed to radiate malice.

"It's terrifying," Malina breathed beside him. "It feels evil, somehow."

"Stay with me and keep your eye out for the guard."

Malina kept a firm grip on his hand as they moved toward the building, searching for a side door or window they could use to sneak inside. They found what must have been a cleaning staff entrance around back and once Kane figured out how Lionel's picks worked, he had the door open in under a minute. A footstep behind them made them both freeze for a moment before Kane ushered Malina inside.

"What do you think you're doing?" a gruff voice demanded. It was the guard, and his hand was already resting on the hilt of his gun while he scowled at Kane.

"I'm new," Kane said plainly. "Just got hired earlier this week."

"Did you now? No one told me anything about any new hires." The guard continued to eye him suspiciously. "I think I'd best take you to Ms. Gunther to make sure you check out."

"Dreadfully sorry, but I've got to be getting to work." Kane whipped out the stun gun and fired. It made no noise as the guard swayed and crumpled. Kane knelt to check for a pulse to be sure the device really hadn't killed him. Sure enough, his heartbeat was strong and steady. Kane joined Malina and they shut the housekeeper entrance behind them, tiptoeing through the quiet, spooky halls of Blackbird.

"How will we know where to begin looking for her?" Malina whispered.

"I spoke to a man who used to work here. He said she was kept on the third floor. I'll be able to find her, don't worry Mouse."

Kane's nerves were taut the entire time they were climbing the winding stairs to the top floor, but they reached the wing Camille was kept in without further incident. Kane knew the man had been telling the truth. He could feel his twin nearby. He moved up the hall, glancing at the doors on either side, trying to determine where she was. He paused before the second to last door. Through the tiny window he could only make out a still figure dressed in white lying on the narrow bed. But he was sure it was Camille.

Kane set to work on the locks while Malina acted as the lookout at the other end of the hallway. He nearly dropped the lock picks several times in his desperation. Finally the lock clicked and he swung the door of the little room open and crossed to the bed. He gently rolled the sleeping figure onto her back and his breath caught. It was his sister. Her dark curls were disheveled and her face looked paler and thinner than normal. Ugly bruises and chafed skin covered her wrists and bare ankles.

She was still beautiful though. It was no wonder why heads always turned to follow her wherever she went. Kane leaned over her bed, shaking her gently. Her eyelids fluttered and she whimpered slightly. He whispered her name and finally her eyes opened, looking up at him groggily. Her eyes were identical to his; each half pale brown and half piercing blue.

"Hello, Nightingale," Kane said. "Time to wake up."

"Kane?" Her eyes blinked several times, trying to adjust to the dimness and take in his face. "Kane, is it really you?"

"It's me. Let's get you out of here." Kane lifted her carefully out of the bed, slightly alarmed at just how little she weighed. Camille had always been slight and delicate but it seemed she'd barely eaten in the entire time she'd been there. Kane carried her into the hall just in time to see Malina press herself against the wall and gesture wildly to him. But it was too late.

A young male orderly rounded the corner and froze. He opened his mouth as if to shout a warning but Malina pounced like a cat, kicking him hard in the back of his knee to bring him down and then leaping on his back and clapping her hands over his mouth. Kane hurried toward them as the orderly tried to buck her off. Setting Camille briefly on her feet, he pulled the stun gun free and pointed it at the orderly.

A look of panic flashed across the man's face and he jerked, succeeding this time in knocking Malina off of him and trying to make a break for the stairs.

"Help!" he yelled. Kane swore and pulled the trigger. The orderly went down the same way the guard had and Kane jumped to catch Camille as she nearly toppled over.

"Hugh? Is everything all right up there?" someone called up the stairs.

"Fine!" Kane shouted back. "Everything is fine, thanks!" He gestured to Malina and the two of them dragged Hugh's unconscious form into Camille's empty room, locking him inside.

"Let's get out of here before anything else happens," Kane muttered. "If I return you home with so much as a scratch I think your family will skin me alive."

Malina stifled a giggle as they hurried back down the stairs, Kane trying to be as gentle with Camille as he could. They had reached the bottom of the stairs when they ran into more trouble. Someone had apparently found the guard, and now what must have been the entire nighttime staff was congregated together, assigning pairs to search the building.

"He's taking a patient!" A large, square-jawed nurse pointed at Kane and Malina, as if it weren't obvious to everyone else who "they" were. Malina hastily dug in her little waterproof bag.

"Stay next to me," she whispered. Then she hurled whatever she was clutching and the room was filled with dark purple smoke. She grabbed Kane's elbow and hauled him back toward the entrance they had used to get in. They burst outside and ran full tilt toward the woods. They left Blackbird behind in the fog, making it back to the inn in the wee hours of the morning. They slipped up to their room quietly.

Camille stirred as Kane set her on the bed. She opened her eyes and stared up at him.

"Kane," she rasped. Some of her strength seemed to return and she flung herself back into his arms, nearly collapsing as she embraced him and sobbed against his chest. "I knew you would come for me," she sniffled. Kane hugged her back, petting her tousled hair.

"Of course I did, Cami," he said softly. Malina ducked into the bathroom and Kane heard water running.

"Cami, I have a friend with me that I'd like you to meet. Then you're going to get cleaned up and get a proper night's rest. You're safe now."

Malina came out of the bathroom as Camille finally drew back from Kane slightly, still clutching his shirt in her fists. Malina smiled warmly.

"You must be Camille. Kane has told me about you. My name is Malina."

"Malina insisted on helping me rescue you," Kane added. Camille wiped at her eyes and managed a weak smile.

"I ran you a bath," Malina said.

"Thank you, Malina," Camille murmured. She finally let go of Kane.

"We got clothes for you," Kane said, rummaging in a sack and handing her a night dress. Still looking a bit dazed she shuffled into the bathroom. Kane tugged Malina into his arms once the door was closed and kissed her. Her gaze looked unfocused when he finally pulled away.

"What was that for?" she asked.

"For everything. For helping me. For being nice to her."

"She looks so much like you." Malina glanced toward the closed door. "And she's gorgeous."

Kane chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Thank you Mouse. I owe you so much."

"I think more kisses will suffice," she said boldly. Then she promptly turned scarlet and Kane laughed again, kissing her nose.

"I'll be happy to oblige that request," he said.