[June 1st] [Perry Mason] Lux Aeterna, 1

[insaneladybug.livejournal.com]

Title: Lux Aeterna, scene 1
Day/Theme: June 1st - Death's Shadow Grows
Series: Perry Mason
Character/Pairing: Perry Mason, Della Street, Sergeant Brice, Lieutenant Anderson
Rating: T/PG-13

This month my idea involved Florence, Vivalene's sister, finally coming to the forefront and enacting her plan, which consists of taking over the world as a dark queen. (Much more ambitious than Vivalene.) I have plunnies for many other things bouncing everywhere, so I'm not sure if I'll be able to do the full month again. But I want to try, at least.

As before, scenes are not in chronological order in the least.


By Lucky_Ladybug

“How is he?”

Della looked up with a start as Perry came to stand in the doorway. She shook her head, the sadness in her eyes. “Bad.”

Perry frowned deeply. Entering the dimly lit room, he reached above his head to push aside the heavy blanket that served as a blockade of telltale light against the sentries on the streets. “Worse than before?”

Della dipped a cloth in a metal bowl next to the table and placed it on the motionless man’s forehead. “About the same. Perry, that bullet wound. . . . It’s still bleeding.”

Perry gripped his fist with his other hand. “We have to get it to stop. He’ll die from loss of blood if nothing else.”

“Have you seen Andy?”

Perry shook his head. “No, I haven’t. He’s taking this hard, especially since Sergeant Brice was injured when Flo’s guards opened fire on Andy.”

Della looked down, feeling the tears pricking at her eyes. “It’s so strange,” she said. “To see him like this, I mean. I never remember him being in trouble before.”

“I know.” Perry gazed sadly at their comrade and friend. “He’s been around for so long, assisting Tragg and Andy and Steve. And now this. . . .”

“And Tragg’s been missing for days. . . .” Both Andy and Brice had been devastated over that. Della clasped and unclasped her hands and finally returned her gaze to Perry. “Do you think Flo had him captured?”

“I don’t know. She might have.” Perry stared at his ring.

“. . . What do you think she’d do with him?” Della watched Sergeant Brice as she spoke. He was deathly still and pale. She might believe him to really be dead, if she could not see that he was weakly and painfully breathing.

“Keep him locked up, probably. Or end it all.” Perry closed his fist. “I don’t believe she would torture him. One thing about Florence is that she doesn’t seem sadistic like her sister. She just wants to get things done in the most efficient way possible.” He hesitated. “Of course, if she thinks Tragg might have some information she wants . . .”

“. . . Then she might find torture efficient,” Della whispered.

Perry nodded. “Exactly.”

Brice stirred, groaning weakly in his delirium. “Lieutenant?” His eyes opened but gazed blankly into the ceiling. “Lieutenant, are you . . . alright?”

Della leaned over him, the worry clear in her eyes. “He’s not hurt, Sergeant,” she tried to comfort him. Of course, that statement only worked if he meant Lieutenant Anderson, and she assumed he did. But he could also be calling for the missing Lieutenant Tragg, for all they would know.

And Brice did not appear to hear her anyway. He slumped farther into the mattress, his weary eyes sinking closed again.

“Oh Perry. . . .” Della looked up at the lawyer, her eyes shining with fear. “We have to get him to a hospital. He’ll die here, like this!”

“I know.” Perry’s frown deepened. “It’s a risk to go out, but we’ll have to take it. Or at least some of us will. The nearest hospital to here is Central Receiving.” And they would have to pray that that hospital would still be friendly to them. There were those who still resisted Florence’s rule as dark queen. They were just forced to do so in private.

“I want to go.” Della spoke with no-nonsense determination.

Perry sighed. “Della, it’s dangerous. Someone needs to stay here and hold down the fort.”

“Which isn’t dangerous?” Della returned.

“Not as much so. We haven’t been bothered here.” Perry headed for the doorway. “I’m going to find Andy and let him know. I’m sure he’ll want to come.”
****
Andy was standing at the doorway leading outside, staring off into space. Perry approached him slowly, carefully. “Andy?”

The policeman started and turned. His eyes were haunted, filled with sorrowful, grim reminders of the past few hours. “How is he, Perry?” he pleaded to know. “Has there been any change?”

“Nothing positive,” Perry frowned. “Andy, we’re going to have to move him. He needs a hospital.”

Andy stiffened. “I know, but . . .” He struggled to say what he dreaded. “What if the sentries catch us on the way?”

“We’re going to have to pray they won’t,” Perry said. “He’ll die if he doesn’t get the proper medical care.”

“He’ll die if they catch us, too.”

Perry could not disagree with that. “But,” he said, “at least if we try, he has a chance.”

Andy nodded. “I’m willing to take any risk. I’d be dead now, if it wasn’t for Sergeant Brice.” He walked away from the door. “I’ll get the car ready.”

“Bring it to the back,” Perry directed. “We have to move him as little as possible.”

“Of course.” But Andy hesitated. “I wonder . . .” He shook his head. “Nevermind.” He reached into his pocket for the car keys and drew them out. As he sought the correct one, however, he froze.

Perry moved forward, his concern building. “What is it?”

Numbly, Andy held up the ignition key. It was stained red. “The last time I drove the car was when I . . . I brought him back,” he choked out. “His blood was all over my hands. . . .”

Perry laid his hand on Andy’s shoulder.

“. . . If Lieutenant Tragg were here, I wonder if he would blame me for this.”

Perry stared. “Of course he wouldn’t,” he said in stunned amazement. “What would give you that idea?”

“Lieutenant Tragg knew Sergeant Brice for years before I ever came along,” Andy said as he ran his thumb over the key. “Now Brice is dying because he saw something I didn’t and pushed me out of the way. And he couldn’t save himself and me both.”

Perry’s grip tightened. “Andy, Tragg would never blame you. He thinks of you as his son. And Brice is your friend as well as Tragg’s. He would know you’d feel horrible about what happened.”

“I know.” Andy slowly nodded. “But it’s hard to keep in mind. When I blame myself so deeply, I can’t imagine how someone else could not.”

“Well.” Perry gave him a kind smile. “Here’s one person who doesn’t.”

Andy looked up at him. “Thank you, Perry.” For a moment, the weight revealed in his eyes seemed to lessen. “I’ll get the car.”
****
Andy had the vehicle at the back door within a couple of minutes. He hastened into the building, where Perry already had the makeshift stretcher out and waiting. Della looked up as he entered, her eyes filled with worry.

“Andy, he’s been asking for you,” she said. She was still tending to Brice with the damp cloth, although it did not seem to do much good. He was still distressed and almost delirious with pain and possibly with fever.

Andy made his way to the bedside, his heart increasing in speed. “I should have tried to get him to a hospital to begin with,” he berated.

“Andy, you couldn’t,” Perry retorted. “All of the roads were blocked. It’s a miracle you were able to bring him here.” It was, too. The car bore several new bullet holes where it had been shot at by Florence’s sentries. The driver’s side mirror was completely missing.

Andy knew that logically Perry spoke the truth. But he could not help wondering what else he could have possibly done. Brice was lying so agonized, so pained, in the bed.

When he saw Andy his eyes flickered and he reached for the other man’s wrist. “Lieutenant?”

Andy fought to swallow the lump in his throat. “Yes,” he said. “I’m here.” He laid his other hand on Brice’s shoulder. “We’re going to get you to a hospital, Sergeant. You’re going to be alright.”

Brice continued to gaze up at him. Speaking was very difficult; he had to struggle to get any words out at all. “Lieutenant, please. . . . You have to find Lieutenant Tragg.” He looked pleadingly at Andy. “He . . . he might be hurt. Please. . . .”

“We’re going to find him,” Andy said. “We’ll all be together again. Then we’ll take back the police department from Florence’s workforce.”

At last Brice relaxed, a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. “Good.” He sank into the pillows. His grip loosened on Andy’s wrist at the same time his eyes fell shut.

Andy stared at him for a long moment, too sickened and too afraid to move. Then, abruptly, he came to life, shaking as he gently pried Brice’s hand away and laid it on top of the covers. He checked for a pulse before he let go.

“He’s still alive,” he whispered in relief. “Let’s hurry. I’m afraid he doesn’t have much time left. But I’m not giving up on him.”

“None of us will,” Perry said as he started to pull back the quilt.