Archive of Our Own ^beta

MISSING: AMY DYER

HAVE YOU SEEN HER?

PLEASE CONTACT PHILIP WILSON (01555 280528) OR KIEREN WALKER (01555 194423) WITH ANY INFORMATION

In a cold, sterile room, miles and miles from Roarton, Amy dreams of fire. 

Father,

I hope this letter reaches you well. There’s so much to say and never enough time, but do know that everything appears to be going as planned. I can feel the moment coming. Any day now. You were right, of course, she is the light and the key lies within her.

Your faithful servant,

X.

HALPERIN & WESTIN

The 13th of November, 2014

SUBJECT NAME: DYER, AMY
SUBJECT ID: R100034891

DATE OF BIRTH: 3-Apr-1988
DATE OF DEATH: 14-Sep-2009
DATE OF RISING: 20-Dec-2009
DATE OF REBIRTH: unconfirmed

AFFILIATION: Undead Liberation Army (?)

Subject appears to be responding well to treatment. Notable progress from merely a week ago. As her condition continues to stabilize and adjust to the increased dosage of the serum, we will monitor her closely. Subject retains basic motor functions and is able to communicate by blinking. We are fully confident that she will be cured in due time without a trace of PDS left.

 

Amy wakes up in dusty old room she doesn’t recognize, surrounded by medical equipment, but not a soul - living or otherwise.

She finds herself clad in a drab hospital gown with an IV drip coming out of her arm, which she frowns at, while yanking it out - a quick sharp pinch causing her to gasp. She stares at a drop of blood trickling down her skin in curiosity before wiping at it roughly.

Moving off the bed, Amy wracks her brain trying to piece together something, anything. She remembers Maxine Martin going mad with a knife and pain, loads and loads of pain, but not much else. Right now, she doesn’t feel much of anything at all.

Behind Amy, the door swings opens, revealing a smartly dressed woman, clipboard in hand.

“Wonderful, you’re finally awake,” the woman starts, voice almost a bit too gentle - as if Amy was some spooked animal to be calmed. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

Amy frowns. “Yeah, and who’re you then?”

The woman puts her hand out, which Amy shakes hesitantly. “Nina Ford. Pleasure to meet you, Miss Dyer.”

Amy pulls back, eyeing Nina suspiciously. “How do you know my name?” She darts a glance around the room, shuddering. “And what is this place - I feel like some sort of lab rat.”

“I work with Halperin & Weston,” Nina explains. “My colleague and I brought you here from Roarton because we couldn’t let you die. It’s been nearly a year since Maxine Martin made an attempt on your life.”

“I don’t-”

“You’ve been in a state of induced stasis for months now,” Nina explains. “We’ve been treating you with a special serum that enables you to-” 

“Hang on now,” Amy blurts out, quite indignant. “You’ve been shooting me up with lord knows what and-”

Nina cuts her off decisively. “We’ve been taking care of you. You were dead.” She pauses. “Well, re-dead, I suppose may be more accurate.” Her tone softens. “Thankfully, we managed to find your grave site and revive you in time, but you must understand the gravity of it all.”

“Let me get this straight - you literally stole my body in the night? Surely, there’s laws against this sort of nonsense, even in little old Roarton.”

Nina furrows her brows, disbelieving. “Are you saying you’d rather we left you to die?”

“No,” Amy shakes her head fervently. “But I hope you realize how mad all of this sounds.” She wrings her hands in her lap. “Even to a PDS sufferer like me.”

Nina nods in agreement. “I understand it’s all a bit much to take in, but hopefully, over the next few weeks, you can reacclimate yourself to, well, living again.”

“Serious?”

“Dead,” Nina returns, straight-faced for a beat before both women burst into nervous laughter. It's awkward, but it diffuses the tension in the air, and Amy can breathe just a little easier. Breathing, imagine that. 

In an overly fancy room, based in Halperin & Weston’s facilities, Amy dreams of home. 

“So when can I finally leave this hellhole?” Amy's getting a tad sick of being poked and prodded. She misses her grandmother's house. She misses Kieren and Simon. She misses Philip.

Nina easily sidesteps the question, having heard it a million times before. “Look, Amy. I promise you we’re not the bad guys here.”

Amy rolls her eyes. “You nutters dug me up from my grave. Not to mention you’re working with the same bloody people who killed me. There’s not exactly a whole wealth of trust to go around.”

“I know your retrieval, so to speak, was a little less than orthodox, but we were working on the shortest of timelines. There was not a moment to lose.” The older woman sighs. “You must understand that we don’t necessarily believe in the politics of the ULA and other extremists like Ms. Martin, but we share a common interest, a very important goal and you’re at the center of it.”

“Why me?”

“Believe it or not, you’re the First.”

Amy snorts in disbelief. “You’re mad - there’s nothing special about my rising. Loads of people rose at the same time.”

“There most certainly is,” Nina presses on firmly. “The fact that you’re here talking to me right now is proof of that, the fact that the serum has taken to your bloodstream without the slightest bit of resistance is another sign." She looks Amy straight in the eye. "There’s something about you. You're the key in all of this. That's why we're here - we still need time to understand what's going on biologically so we can help others like you. That's not so terrible is it?"

Amy slumps back in her seat, shaking her head. "Well, when you put it that way, I'm a fucking saint." 

"Just hold out a little bit longer. I promise we're not trying to keep you here forever." Nina reaches over and places her hand over Amy’s. “We will get you home,” she says confidently. “I will absolutely make sure of it.”

 --

Father,

I need you to help me understand. If she is the key, and she truly is, why do so many stay lost? What more must I do?

Please send guidance.

Faithfully,

X.  

As far as Amy can tell, Nina is true to her word. Not three months later, Amy is released from Halperin & Weston with little more than the clothes on her back and a business card and a few fivers. There are also spare doses of the serum tucked away in her pockets, but the doctors swear she won’t need them. Amy hopes they’re right.

Nina offers to drive her all the way back to Roarton, but Amy makes her stop a few miles out so they can say their goodbyes. This is something Amy wants to do by herself. 

--

In a quaint little inn, just outside Roarton, Amy dreams of tomorrow.