Tachibana No-Akane hung up the phone and sighed; thankful for at least one headache dealt with, the were-vixen still had others aggravating her. Despite the elder council present at her estate, there were two unaccounted for. Leon Talbot, the were-lion rep and the were-panther rep Lance Knight. However after talking with Lance, Tachibana did realize he had a valid reason for not attending; assisting the sheriff in keeping the reporters that descended on town in check, the were-vixen acknowledge that was an important task and hung up after wishing the man well.
Leon however had a different excuse; one that Tachibana was not exactly happy to hear. Growling that he was sick and tired of having to deal with whatever fire involving Frederick Parker; Leon made it clear that he had company over at his place and was indisposed. Tachibana fuming naturally pressed for details. Only to be snapped back that it had to do with a future son and daughter in-law, as well as the fact that Peter was home from the hospital. That was before Tachibana contacted Far and his grandson stuck in Seattle observing a certain were-panther.
“Any word from the hospital?”
Tachibana turns around to see Randolph the werewolf rep speaking to her. Remaining silent, the were-vixen shakes her head.
“It would be helpful if we had news,” Randolph being his natural surly self; “before CNN airs it.”
“Not helping,” Tachibana staring at her phone resting on her lap as she sits in a lotus position; willing it to ring as she waits for word from her grandson Tora Tachibana.
*******
Tora pulls off the surgical mask after leaving the operating theatre. His job done after saving the life of a man shot, he enters the waiting area to see a deputy waiting for him.
“I take it you are here for my patient,” Tora looking tired.
“By Sheriff Cooper’s orders,” the deputy answering; “what is the status on Frederick Parker?”
“He will live,” Tora absently looking at a chart handed to him; “orderlies are transporting him to an ICU room as we speak.”
“Then you must take me there,” the deputy speaking; “my orders are to make sure he remains in custody.”
“Afraid he will escape,” Tora seeing the handcuffs the deputy is fondling; “he is in no position to run off at this moment.”
The deputy looks serious as he makes it clear to the doctor that this was a serious issue that demanded a serious response. Tora shakes his head as walks out of the waiting area; with the deputy following the doctor. Heading towards the intensive care ward, Tora enters the recovery room to see a nurse finishing up the last of the medical equipment monitoring Frederick Parker. Looking at the man’s chart, Tora is surprised to see the deputy already next to the unconscious mobster and securing the man to the hospital bed with the handcuffs.
“Is that really necessary,” Tora putting down the chart; “the man is out cold and nearly died. Handcuffing Frederick to the bed seems extreme in his condition.”
“It’s procedure,” the deputy answering; “Frederick is still under arrest and still awaiting custody transfer to the FBI.”
“Frederick is not walking out of the hospital,” Tora snorting; “the man won’t ever walk again.”
“Excuse me,” the deputy looking at Tora quizzically.
“The bullet that hit Frederick went through his spine,” Tora making a note in the chart; “Frederick is paralyzed. Possibly from the chest down,” Tora approaching the i.v stand and making an adjustment to saline drip; “whether or not he needs a feeding tube or to be intubated so can keep breathing remains to be seen.”
“Be that as it may,” the deputy pulling out his cell phone; “you did your job, so let me do mine. I have to contact Sheriff Cooper and let him know of Frederick’s status.”
*******
Soon after, word spread of Frederick Parker’s condition. News reporting on Frederick surviving the assassination attempt, yet now a cripple. Tachibana sighed as her Grandson phoned her soon after coming out of surgery. Hearing Tora lament at how difficult the surgery went. Several times Frederick needed blood and several times the nursing staff nearly gave the man blood meant for a were. Shocked over a lack of blood for normal humans; Tora had to get several of the hospital’s non-were staff to donate a pint. Those whose blood type matched Frederick had their blood used to keep the man alive as Tora worked to suture the arteries that got severed.
Tachibana hung up her phone and soon stood up. Informing every council member at her estate over the news. Randolph turning on the televisions, sniggers as Tachibana got the news minutes after the press announced Frederick’s recovery.
“Someone at the hospital must have blabbed,” Randolph responding; “wonder how much that person got for the information.”
“Once again,” Tachibana giving Randolph an I’m not in the mood stare; “not helping.”
*******
Tora was sitting in his office, exhausted after performing emergency surgery. Drinking decaffeinated coffee; Tora was not eager to be wired for the night. A knock on his door makes the tired were-fox look up and scowl. Standing at the threshold of his door was Marcus Huntington; a fellow doctor, an oncologist and a were-rat. Tora knew the man had loose ethics; never shying from performing radical and untested procedures. Some of those procedures were not for the betterment of the patient but for the man’s own ego and sense of worth. So when Tora saw the man looking at him, he scowled.
“What do you want?”
“There is a way to save Frederick Parker’s life,” Marcus responding.
“Frederick’s lie has already been saved,” Tora answering flatly.
“Yet he will never walk again,” Marcus entering Tora’s office.
“What are you getting at,” Tora’s patience thinning by the second.
“The were-virus,” Marcus answering; “not only does it allow us to heal fast, it also can help cure a wide variety of maladies.”
“ABSOLUTLEY NOT,” Tora roaring as he jumps out of his chair; “I’m not going to risk exposing our existence to the world by turning a mobster facing a life sentence into one of us!”
“But,” Marcus stunned at Tora’s anger but getting interrupted.
“Get out of my office,” Tora snarling; “and you better stay the hell away from my patient. If I find out you have been skulking around Frederick’s Room,” Tora clearly angry; “I’ll have you kicked out of this hospital. You are already on thin ice what with your radical treatments towards Abigail Carter.”
“What is so radical in regards to targeted gene therapy,” Marcus snapping back; “the Cancer Treatment Center of America uses it to help treat various types of cancer. Why can’t we use it?”
“I’m not saying we can’t use it. But Abigail’s cancer is terminal,” Tora not eager to be having this argument again; “there is no surviving pancreatic cancer.”
“For a normal maybe,” Marcus retorting; “my patient is a were. Like you and I. I’m certain the were-virus will help with the treatment.”
“As in re-growing or repairing a sick organ,” Tora shaking his head; "as an expert and one who has done extensive research into to the virus that makes us what we are. I can tell you that it has limits,” Tora clearly exasperated; “rapidly healing a cut or a broken bone is one thing. But trying to get it to regenerate a failing kidney or another vital organ? It’s not possible. We may be robust, but we are not immune to the ravages of time.”
“Those who donate a lobe of their liver or bone marrow,” Marcus sticking to his guns; “eventually their bodies repair and restore what was taken.”
“That is because the doctor didn’t take the entire liver or suck the person’s bone marrow dry,” Tora fuming and tired with this; “now before you go into your next attack, save it. Because I don’t want to hear it. I’m allowing you to do the therapy for Abigail because at her stage it is merely palliative care,” Tora moving to make Marcus leave his office; “but don’t mistake my permission as leave to start acting like a mad scientist. I am watching you,” Tora slams the door close shutting Marcus Huntington out and down at the same time.
Heading back to his desk chair, Tora sighs as he sits back down.
“I can’t wait for your maternity leave to end soon enough doctor Lawson,” Tora talking to himself; “right now I need all the help I can get.”