Free The Arena: The Awakening (1) by James Robert Scott

it and carried on towards Chinatown for something to eat.
     
     
    Chapter 12
    The Awakening
     
    “Hank! Hank! Talk to me buddy” boomed an unfamiliar voice.
    Hank started to open his eyes but could only see a bright light being flashed into his eyes. Unknown to him, it was a paramedic checking his pupil dilation. Hank was sitting in a chair by this time with lots of people around him. As it turned out, the department manager and the receptionist had called an ambulance after he fainted just to be on the safe side. Hank still had the thought of panic going through his head. Once he realised that he had fainted, he remembered what he had read on the screen. Only a few minutes had passed and he was up on his feet and feeling better. Not great, but better.
    “I don’t know what came over me there. I think it’s the heat in this place” he said to the paramedic.
    “I think you’re finished for the day Hank” said the department manager. “On the top floor of the building we have some small single bedrooms for people to use when necessary. I’ve arranged for you to have one for this evening as you’re not in a fit state to drive.”
    “OK thanks” he replied and stumbled off towards the elevators trying not to let on that his legs felt like they were made out of jello.
    When he reached the room, he fell face first onto the bed. He didn’t even try to break his fall. He was borderline catatonic with what was going on in his head. As he lay there, he thought back to a dark place he didn’t visit very often. His wife’s funeral. He remembered the day clearly as it was the most traumatic thing he had ever had to face. Her passing had been something he never thought he would get over as he didn’t get to say goodbye before they buried her. She had been killed by an explosive so it was the sealed casket that hurt Hank. He never got to see her face again. Both of them had worked for the NSA a few years ago but in separate departments. Once she died, Hank decided to transfer to the FBI. As it was poor intelligence from the NSA that lead to Laura's death that was something he couldn’t forgive them for. Now, there was the possibility that she was alive and that the whole thing was fake and she was killing people!
    “ What? Why? Who?” were the words circulating in his head.
    After an hour of going round in circles, Hank decided he needed some fresh air. He left the building and went on the hunt for a coffee shop as he hadn’t had a decent cup all day. He needed the familiarity and comfort of a decent cup to bring him back to the world. Within the first few mouthfuls, he felt better. He got out his cell phone and punched in the number for the boss. Hank hadn’t realised that it was now nine o’clock at night but by the time he did, the phone was ringing. He expected to have to leave a message but was taken aback when the boss actually answered. He apologised for calling so late but then went straight into telling him what he had found. The boss went silent on the other end of the phone and just let Hank get it all out.
    After a few moments the boss said to him “Hank, don’t take this personal, or consider this a question over your ability as a Special Agent, but are you too close to this to carry on with it?”
    It was now Hank’s turn to go silent.
    After a brief pause, he replied “No, I can do this one”.
    His voice had firmed up at this point and he said it with confidence.
    “ OK Hank, I need you back at the office tonight for a debrief on what you've told me and in the meantime I’ll make some calls to see if I can uncover what’s going on.”
    “I need to make a stop on the way” said Hank “so I’ll be a couple of hours. See you then.”
    The phone went dead and Hank headed off back towards Federal Plaza to collect his car.
    On the way out of the city, Hank headed north towards Weehawken and back to Taylor's apartment. When he got there, he still wasn’t feeling one hundred percent which was