Chapter 16 - Surrender
lysses and Nera stayed with Giles another 8 days. It hadn't taken long for Ulysses to see Giles's doctor, but
the MRI and follow up results took longer. The diagnosis: three cracked ribs on his left side. The doctor told
Ulysses there wasn't much to be done about it other than wait. He wrote the young man a script for
ibuprofen, advised him to be careful, and suggested as much rest as possible for the next two months. Ulysses
booked a follow up appointment that he knew he wouldn't keep.
U
Being under doctor's orders to take it easy was somewhat comforting. Ulysses had already managed to rest a fair
amount while he'd waited on doctors and medical scans. It was the first real opportunity he'd had to catch his
breath since Burning Man. Ulysses knew he wouldn't be whole again by the time both he and Nera returned to the
U.S., but that didn't matter to him. What mattered was getting time with Nera and Giles while he was still free.
While Giles was at work, Ulysses and Nera spent most of their time talking, cuddling, and having sex. Ulysses
thought it was more diplomatic for the two of them to fuck only when Giles wasn't home. He didn't want to annoy
Giles anymore than they already had.
Ulysses took Giles out for drinks a few of the nights they stayed with him. The two of them would carry on as
though the American was just in town on a social call. He'd brush Giles aside whenever he reminded Ulysses that he
didn't have to turn himself in with Nera. Giles would shrug, mutter into his beer, or suddenly exclaim something
about what was on the bar's TV in response to Ulysses's dismissals.
It was a Sunday afternoon when he and Nera said goodbye to their host. He drove them to a spot near where Nera
had hidden her saucer. The three of them sat in the car for a moment before Giles broke the silence.
"Right, so you've called Special Agent Yank, so he knows you're heading over."
"Yeah," said Ulysses. "I expect there will be some kind of a welcome wagon with him when we get there."
Giles nodded. "I wouldn't expect it to be much of a homecoming. Probably be best to anticipate some rough
treatment. I figure they'll be rather strict about how they want things done."
"Seems likely. We'll just follow all of their directions and hope that's good enough, I guess. Not much more we can
do going into this kind of situation." Ulysses looked at Nera when he felt her hand on his. Her smile was gentle.
"Right, well, I hope all of this is worth it anyway. Seems like a crazy, bloody fucking mess, but you already know
what I think about all this." Giles swallowed and looked out the driver side window. "Maybe you'll get lucky and it
won't take long for those things to make their move. If we're all lucky, no more of them show up either."
"Please do not worry, Giles. I will find and kill the remaining hyssopshebolith." Nera sounded a little too cheerful.
She quickly added, "And I won't let anything happen to Ulysses."
Giles muttered something to himself, and then said, "Of course, yeah, Nera. Yeah. I know you'll look out for good
ol' Lee. No doubt in me mind about that." Nera beamed at Ulysses over the tepid endorsement.
He suppressed a grimace, then said, "Hey, c'mon man. We'll be okay. And I'll see you again someday. Once Nera