Walls Came Tumbling Down

The first helicopter was a false alarm. It was Madeleine arriving back from Near's London HQ, where she was the only available person qualified to administer drugs to Morien Williams. Ann was waiting for her at the garden's back entrance. Madeleine looked harried and pale. She shook her head, as she approached, then greeted the housekeeper with the words, "We need more staff."

Ann gave her a sympathetic look and locked the gate behind her. "Jamboree's been in the infirmary, getting a bed ready for Mello. Maybe she can help you out more?"

Madeleine nodded. "She already has been." They had been walking at a brisk pace, so they were nearly at the house. Madeleine paused on the path. "Ann, I've got to tell someone. I don't know what they're playing at anymore." She seemed stressed. She pulled on Ann's sleeve and drew her back behind a large rhododendron. It shielded them from the view of the house and afforded a small bit of shelter from the icy evening wind. "Chrissie had me measure out a general anaesthetic, in liquid form. She then had three of Near's men hold Matt down, while I'm told to pour it down his throat. Three! For little Matty! Of course, I'm just stood there like a lemon, not liking what I'm seeing, so that Gevanni takes it off me and forces Matt to drink it. I'm allowed in to deal with the aftercare, as he's going under, but you can imagine that he didn't like that much."

"Oh my..." Ann let her words peter away, as she did picture it very well. "Did he hurt you, dear?"

"No. I was surrounded by burly bodyguards, but that wasn't the point. Matty looked scared, at the instant before he went under, I was just trying to reassure him with no idea of what they intended at all. He held onto the hem of my cardigan." Madeleine's brow creased with pity. "Not bunched up, holding on; not like he was threatening me. Just the corner, like he tried to reach for me at the end."

Ann bit her lip, with her head shaking, "Matty? He must have been scared. Oh! Tell me that they didn't hurt him!"

"Wanted me to do a full medical examination." Madeleine still felt affronted. "I'd already seen him twice, both times when he was awake. When he first came in, I was there next morning to basically do an inventory check up, so they could answer any allegations of abuse later. Then when he broke his finger, I patched that up. But Chrissie demanded the works. Full body x-ray; brain scans; blood taken for tests; the whole shebang."

"What did you do?" Ann gasped.

Madeleine deflated. "What could I do? I did it. Told them that I wasn't happy about the way they went about it, but I did it." A wave of guilt passed over her suddenly furtive features. "Been wanting to give him a proper check up for ages, but that wasn't the point. He should have given his consent. It wasn't right, how they went about it." Beside her, Ann shook her head in agreement. "They've got that poor kid watched 24/7. Valerie is sitting in the computer part, taking notes for his psychology assessment. Gevanni is reporting everything back to Near. Chrissie is making her notes for goodness knows what. I keep wanting to warn him."

"He'll know." Ann assured her. "Are they going to let him come here?"

"I know nothing about that." Madeleine started to walk back to the house. It was bitterly cold standing there. Ann followed. "Lauren was incandescent with rage. Didn't know she had it in her. She'd nipped to the loo, when they pounced. Came out to find a security guard standing outside the ladies'." Madeleine exhaled her disapproval. They entered the house.

Ann asked, quietly, "But he's alright though? His check-up? All came out alright?" Madeleine gave a short nod and walked away, into the infirmary, to prepare for Mello's arrival.

The second helicopter was heralded with a 'phone call. They were ready. The Wammy's House minibus was stationed at the edge of the green. The landing pad did not belong to the Institution, though they had had permission to use it since the days of Mr Wammy. It was only a short stroll away, but very public and too much for someone as weak as Mello. As soon as it was safe to approach, Bill Gregory, the caretaker, drove the minibus right up to the helicopter and Mello was stretchered into the back of it. He was laid upon the floor, with Hal perched on a seat, holding up his drip. A hired medic crouched just inside the backdoor, monitoring his progress.

They drove around to the front gate and then up onto the grass, churning tyre-tracks into it, as the chill wasn't yet enough to ice the rain-sodden turf. Bill reversed the minibus up the narrow side of the Institution, causing everyone watching to wince, as it seemed that he would scrape the sides on the brickwork. He didn't, but no-one was sure how. He took them nearly to the end, before plants and other foliage were in the way. Madeleine rushed forward with a trolley bed, upon which they could convey the stretcher to the Institution's back door. Mello would have to be carried the rest of the short distance on the stretcher alone, supported at each end by two caretakers.

Ann caught her first glimpse of him as he passed by just outside the back door. Mello was out cold, sedated for the journey, with blankets piled about him. He had on a warm woolly hat. His face beneath it was lined, even in sleep, with pain. Ann could have cried for him. He was soon whisked indoors and she let them get on with settling him. She stood sentry in the corridor, ensuring that none of the children ran down to investigate. Jamboree was in there, but she was assisting Madeleine, with an eye to training as a surgeon after graduating from Wammy's House. None of the others even ventured into sight. Luigi was distracting them with something in the science lab. She hadn't asked what.

Hal slouched wearily to her side. She looked very tired. "Any chance of a cup of tea, Ann?"

"Always an urn on the go here." Ann smiled, unrepentant at being the cause of caffeine addictions in just about every child who had passed under her influence. "I'll get you one poured, poppet."

"Thank you very much. There will be one for Mrs Evans too. She's kept him comfortable on the way here." Hal correctly interpreted Ann's questioning glance. "Senior staff nurse at the hospital in Aberystwyth. Signed to secrecy and handsomely paid. The way things are going, having a physician on the pay roll in that town will be useful in the future too."

They watched the caretakers file out of the infirmary. The back door was closed, shutting out the crunching sounds of the minibus being driven out from the side of the house. A tiny, but extremely stout, Welsh woman stepped out of the infirmary and exchanged relieved smiles with Hal. Ann understood that it had been a fraught journey. "I'll sort out that tea. Where will you have it served?"

"Is my office presentable?" Hal asked.

Ann nodded, "Oh yes. I had Luigi clear his junk out of it, soon as I heard you were on your way back. I've just the hoover and duster around. Go on in." She wondered if she should mention the G-2 visit, but assumed that Luigi had dealt with that sort of thing. She fetched the tea and, having gleaned the measure of Mrs Evans with a sweeping look, added a large selection of biscuits to the tray. She dropped a couple of chocolate bars into her apron pocket, before delivering the tea. She didn't envy Hal having to deal with visitors, when she looked like all she craved was a hot bath and bed. Ann took the longer route back, stopping to check in on the lab, as some of the younger ones were close to bed and might be getting tired. The children were all crowded around a single workbench, resplendent in protective goggles and overalls. Sounds of awe and giggles rose loudly from amongst them, as Luigi presided over bubbling, steaming, glittering and exploding test-tubes. She left them to it.

It was much more peaceful in the infirmary, with Mello sleeping and Madeleine murmuring instructions to Jamboree. Ann melted into the room and ambled to Mello's side. His bedding had already been tucked around him and his hat taken off, so there was little she could do to salve her instinct of care. She ran her fingers through his hair, gently guiding out the tucks and knots. She would do better with a comb, but there wasn't one to hand. Madeleine caught her eye and smiled. Ann whispered, "His hair has always been so fine. No body in it at all. One breath of wind and it's all over the place. Always had to stick a hat on him, as a child, just to hold it down outside, else it was permanently in his eyes; and him hollering over it."

She yanked her hand away, as his dry, thin rasp startled her. "Trade secrets, Ann." Mello's eyes opened drowsily. "Classified. Need to know basis."

"Welcome home, Mello." Ann smiled, warmly. "Safe and sound now, dear." He attempted a smile, but his eyes were closing again and he was obviously still half-asleep.

Madeleine hurried back to his side, trailing Jamboree. She checked his vital signs on the monitors and leaned over to try and see his pupils. Mello's eyes remained closed. "You're in the infirmary, at Wammy's House." Madeleine informed him, briskly. "Everything is alright and you're doing just fine."

"...anks." Mello mumbled.

"Don't force anything. Let yourself come 'round naturally or, even better, go back to sleep. Sleep is doing you the power of good." Madeleine waited to see if he was going to open his eyes again. It took him around thirty seconds, but he did. She was smiling down at him, quickly comparing them. "Ok, you're still quite sedated. Just let yourself relax. You're in safe hands and Ann will keep the hair out of your eyes." She moved away to let Ann sit with him.

Ann pulled up a chair and eased herself into it. She took his nearest hand into hers and was gratified to feel the briefest squeeze upon it. He knew that she was there. She didn't have to say a word. They sat quietly for nearly 40 minutes, before his eyes flickered open again. He surveyed her solemnly and she smiled, thinking him too out of it for conversation. Madeleine drifted back to see. Mello blinked, then spoke with a sandpaper throat grating the words, "It was a yellow hat. With a bumble bee on the side."

Ann frowned, thinking him hallucinating, "What's that, poppet?" Then she recalled that she had bought him a woolly hat like that, when he was just five or six. He was continuing their earlier conversation. "Oh! Yes. You did. Bonny, little thing, you looked in that. Cute as a button."

Madeleine helped him sip water to wet his mouth and soothe his throat. He smiled gratefully, offering a weak, "Thanks," when she was done. Mello lay back, drained, while she told him that his pupils were evenly dilated. He gave a half-nod, too exhausted to finish it. "News from Mail?"

Ann rushed to answer, "Mail is fine." Her whole face was arranged to reassure him. Madeleine turned guiltily away. "Don't you worry about him. Maddie was with him just a few hours ago and he's bearing up well."

"Phone Chrissie. Tell her to come here." Mello licked his lips, with his eyes closed again. "Need to speak with her."

"We'll do that tomorrow, shall we? After you've had a good night's rest." Ann still held his hand. She used the other to gently pat the top of his hand. "Nothing's going to change between now and then."

"No. Tonight." Mello said, firmly.

Ann looked to Madeleine for support. Jamboree had already left to resume her revision. Madeleine called out, "Rest tonight and you'll be a lot more with it tomorrow."

Mello's eyes snapped open, fixing first on Ann, then on Madeleine. "I will speak with Chrissie tonight. I will wake up with Mail right here tomorrow."

Ann grimaced. "I'll put the call in, but it's already gone eight. It's a good run to London and back. She'll probably say tomorrow now."

"Then put her on the 'phone." Mello stared unblinkingly at Ann now. "I will have my Mail back. Tonight or tomorrow. He's coming."

She returned a long-suffering look. "All I can do is ask, darling. I'm not promising a thing and I'm just the messenger."

He gave her a beatific smile. "Thank you, Ann."