On Saturday, I picked up Howie and we headed off to meet with Terrance and Julie at Heli-Services. I had called up my lawyers, highly expensive but recommended by Jake, and had them draw up the documents we needed for the deal. Terrance’s lawyers had approved everything and Howie and I expected that we’d be attending a simple signing. Terrance had other ideas.
“I’m well aware that beggars can’t be choosers and that we need this deal to keep the company solvent, but Howie explained your reasons for investing and Julie and I won’t agree to put your life at risk to save our company. Even though your instructor told us that you’ll be an excellent pilot, Julie and I need to see for ourselves. If we don’t agree that you can handle flying the helicopter, we’re not going to let you use it, regardless of your level of ownership. If that means the deal doesn’t happen, then it doesn’t happen.”
Terrance was looking at me with earnest determination. He was risking the whole deal falling through just as it was ready to be signed and it was killing him. Beside him, Julie’s expression seemed calm, except that she was fiddling with her necklace and her knee was bouncing up and down. She was nervous and having spoken with her for a little while before we sat down, I had the impression that she felt guilty for having gotten sick and put their company in this situation.
“Let’s go take a ride. Hopefully, you’ll like my flying, because being able to take out a helicopter on my own whenever I need to is an absolute requirement for me. Non-negotiable.”
They nodded at my words and we all went out to the field. Howie tried to beg off and I had to pull him along. “I have young children at home that depend on me, Abby. I can watch your progress safely from the ground.”
“Come on, Howie, you’ll love it! It’s just like being carried along in a basket. You’ll probably fall asleep.”
Howie wasn’t buying my sales pitch, but he didn’t fight too hard and was soon strapped in and wearing earphones to dull the sound and so he could speak with everyone.
Terrance and Julie didn’t try to help me in any way as I made my way through my mental pre-flight checklist. I’d long ago scan read the list into my brain and it was second nature to me. I got all my permissions from the control tower and a few moments later we were in the air. Terrance gave me directions that took us out towards the mountains and along the way he and Julie tested my ground school knowledge.
They kept at it until we reached our destination and then shifted their focus to putting my flying to the test, sometimes shutting down key systems and having me use alternative ways to keep us in the air. Howie was less than pleased when Terrance simulated stall conditions and he yelled at Terrance to ‘Turn the engine back on, right now and stop playing games!’. Once I had finished my autorotative descent and landed the helicopter, I assured Howie that it was a normal part of pilot testing and it was something that I’d trained for both in the simulator and in the air many times.
An hour after the testing began, I set us back down gently onto the exact spot that I’d taken off from. Terrance and Julie watched as I followed another checklist sequence and powered down the craft. I finished all my checks and we headed back inside.
“Are we ready sign?” I asked when we were all back in the conference room.
Julie answered quickly, “Yes! I know experienced pilots with hundreds of flight hours who couldn’t do as well as you did today. It’s like the difference between a skilled dancer and a ballerina. Andy wasn’t kidding when he said you were a natural. I’ve never seen anyone go from zero to your level of skill in so short a time. The only reason Terrance isn’t telling you this is because he’s too shocked. He fully expected to have to turn your offer down based on your flight performance. He’s still getting used to the idea that we won’t lose the company.”
When the documents were all verified and signed, and I had given over my certified check for a lot more money that I had spent on buying Hannah’s Home, I asked Terrance and Julie for a few more minutes of their time. I had another pressing issue to discuss.
“Now that we’re partners, I have an offer to make you. You are free to accept it or not. I didn’t mention it before we signed because I didn’t want you to feel that you had to accept it in order to get me to sign. Howie has known me for two years and he knows that I am often unconventional. I have my own way of getting things done. He also knows that I don’t discuss those methods. Not because they’re illegal or immoral. It’s merely that I prefer them kept secret. One of the things that I do in an unconventional way is medicine and I believe that I can remove the bullet that’s lodged right next to your heart, without any risk to you whatsoever.”
Terrance and Julie didn’t say anything and Howie stepped in to fill the void. “Abby, you need to work on your subtlety. You don’t just spring that on people. You have to ease them into it. Right now they’re probably wondering what kind of a kook they’ve partnered up with and they’re starting to think of ways to erase their names off of those documents. They think that what you just told them isn’t possible. They’ve checked with hospitals and doctors from all over.”
“Nevertheless, I can do it. The how doesn’t matter. Only results count. It’s a ten-minute office procedure. You don’t need to decide now. It’s an open offer. One thing that you need to ask yourselves is, what do you have to lose?”
Terrance finally spoke up. “That depends on what you’re asking for in exchange. An offer has two sides.”
“Yes, it does. If I succeed, I want two things from you. One is a helicopter that’s at my disposal full-time. I’ll keep it with me and only bring it in for maintenance and refueling as required. This helicopter can be one of the ones that we already have or, if it hurts the business to be short that helicopter, it can be a used helicopter that the company purchases and refurbishes. I’d be really interested in a Hughes 500D.”
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Julie smiled at that. “That wouldn’t be a problem. I know where to get one of those at a great price. What’s the other thing?”
“Howie has a no questions asked policy. I’d want the same from you two. This would apply to the procedure and to anything related to my use of the helicopter. As I’ve already mentioned, I won’t be using the helicopter for anything illegal or immoral.”
“I noticed that you’re not making that assertion on the procedure.” Terrance answered.
“No. I can’t. Only certified licensed medical professionals are allowed to perform medical procedures in this county. Although I’ve studied extensively, in my own way, I don’t have a license to practice medicine.”
“Have you ever done anything like this before? Can we talk to someone that can verify your claims?” I could tell that I’d gotten Julie’s attention. Terrance was still very skeptical.
“Why don’t you come down to Hannah’s Home tomorrow morning at eight? There are a few people there that I believe will vouch for my effectiveness.”
Howie and I left the bewildered couple to their day and headed back to Charlotte. On the way, Howie asked, “Can you really get that bullet out of her safely?”
“Yes, I can. Why don’t you come by tomorrow morning as well? I’ve been meaning to talk to you about what I’m doing there. I think that I’m going to need your help finding more donors for my foundation.”
The next morning, I greeted Howie, Julie and Terrance as I came out of the meditation building with a nine-year-old girl. She ran to her parents and I took a moment to talk to them before I waved Julie, Terrance and Howie over.
After the introductions, I left Julie and Terrance to ask their questions. I’d just finished curing their daughter of cancer and I felt confident that I’d get a strong recommendation. They didn’t have her final test results, but the very fact that she ran to her parents was enough for them. Their daughter had been bedridden for weeks prior to coming here from their home in Alabama.
I let them talk in private for awhile with the first family before walking them over to speak with my other patient for the week, a young man in his early twenties. He’d come on his own, not wanting to disappoint his mother with a failed hail-Mary cure. Sister Mary had chosen him based on a recommendation of a priest out in Vermont. He’d known the family for generations and the mother had been his parishioner since she was a little girl. Again, I confidently left them to talk to him alone. While he hadn’t needed a wheelchair when he’d arrived, he’d wasn’t far from it. He was walking tall again, if still too gaunt in the face.
Howie broke off from the discussion and came by to join me. “I’m having trouble believing what they’re telling me, Abby. Did you really cure them of their cancer?”
“Yes. I used a rare medication on them. It’s not approved and I’m only offering it to those that have no other choice. That’s what I need you for. I have two people already looking for potential candidates among the very wealthy and their families. For twenty million dollars in donations to the foundation and fees to me, I’ll provide one cure to them and nineteen other cures to those that can’t afford it. People like the ones that you’ve just met. If I fail to cure them, then there’s no charge. The cure is validated by an independent facility. I have all the paperwork arranged. What I need from you is to let me know if there are any candidates in the off-grid community or even among your customers. I can only take a few donors from you a year and everyone who signs up has to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”
“Do I get a finder’s fee?”
“Two and a half percent of the total. For that kind of money though, you need to seriously vet anyone you bring to me. Don’t bring me mobsters, murderers and thieves.”
“I’m in.”
Just then Julie and Terrance came up to us. Julie had a light in her eyes and Terrance looked to have been hit by a truck.
“When can we start?” Julie asked.
“We can start and finish right now. I’ll just get someone to give Howie and Terrance a tour of Hannah’s Home while we’re occupied.”
Soon, I had left the men in Diane’s capable hands and brought Julie to the Sister Clara’s clinic for a scan. I didn’t need it, as I’d already scanned her yesterday and had my bullet extraction technique all figured out. The scan was for her peace of mind. Showing her a scan of her bullet would add legitimacy to the whole experience for her.
In anticipation of Julie’s agreement to do the procedure, I’d prepared the scan from memory early this morning when I’d arrived. Having gone through so many different types of imaging over the years, as doctors tried to figure out if they should remove the bullet, she was extremely impressed with the speed of the scan and the ease at which she could understand what she was seeing.
We had a short discussion as to where she would like the tiny scar that I would leave and she opted for me to put it right next to one of her other scars, so that she could still wear a bathing suit without it showing. Leaving a scar was another thing that I was doing only for show, since there was no way to explain the bullet removal otherwise. I didn’t feel comfortable with leaving her a permanent scar though and so I wouldn’t be cutting through all her dermal layers. I’d make the cut as superficial as I could and still have it be believable. With the addition of some stitches, it should pass muster.
I gave Julie a pill to swallow and chatted with her for a minute while pretending to get all my instruments in order. She was just finishing telling me about her niece when I sent her to R1. Within five seconds, I had wrapped the bullet in a field and shifted it out to L2. A small nick and three stitches later, I was done. In all, the procedure had taken a minute. I bent down to pick up the bullet in L2 and took it to the sink to wash off and disinfect. Thinking that she’d appreciate the souvenir, I dried it off and put it in a little baggie for her.
I tidied up and brought her back to reality. “What? How did you get over there? You were just next to me.”
“The pill I gave you has that effect on people. Most patients find it slightly disorienting when they wake up. Anyways, the procedure went perfectly and you’re ready to go. We should go hunting for the men and make sure they’re alright.”
“It’s done? I just lay down a minute ago.”
“Check your stitches.” Julie looked down and marveled at the three neat stitches. I swabbed them down with alcohol and covered them with a small bandage for protection. “If the incision gets red and painful, come back and I’ll take care of it. I don’t think it will though. Oh, I almost forgot. This is for you.” I handed her the bullet in the baggie and enjoyed her wonder.
“Just like that?”
“Just like that.”
“I haven’t flown for the past two years because of this thing. I was terrified that I’d have something start to go wrong with my body while I was in the air. The anemia, the gastro-problems, the kidney issues. Will it all go away now?”
“If they were caused by toxicity issues related to lead poisoning from the bullet, then yes. Those symptoms should all disappear as the toxic substance leaves your body. My scans didn’t show anything else wrong with you. I can’t see why you shouldn’t fly as soon as you’re feeling better. It’s probably best to give it a week, just to be sure.”
Julie got off the table and hugged me, tears running down her face. After a bit, we wiped our eyes and went to find Terrance to tell him the good news.