There comes a time when you must put into perspective the decisions you have made in the past. To address them, organize them, catalogue them, and figure out which mistakes were the good ones that led you to figure out more about yourself. Standing in front of Tiara with what could amount to a “caught red handed” look on my face, was hardly any way to invoke confidence in my story. She had a scalding look of disappointment on her face, and it made me question whether it was in my best interest to bring her in on the loop.

Protection wise, being arrested may have been an astounding way for me to escape an untimely demise from whomever was looking to have me killed. At least until they managed to get into the cells with me, either through a paid off Order operative, or prisoner. Long term however, prison doesn’t do great things for the people inside. Prison would not lend me a helping hand with future career prospects, nor would it help to provide a positive investment on my general livelihood.

Bottom line, prison was not the place I needed, nor had any interest in being, and I had to convince Tiara that she didn’t want to put me there.

I took a step back, raising my hands in a “stop” gesture.

“Tiara wait. Listen to me, I…”

She moved quickly. I may have been able to put up some resistance in the best of conditions, but I was hardly at the top of my game. Against the strength of her cybernetic augments, resistance was pretty much futile as she took hold of my right wrist, spun me around and forced my cheek against the door.

“Tiara… Listen!” I spoke through a gasp.

“Stow it Don…” She said flatly. You have the right to remain silent. You are going to be processed, but first you are going to be assessed in the infirmary. Do not resist. Don’t make this harder on yourself…”

She clasped a set of restraints on my wrists and pulled up applying pressure to my shoulders. I winced, and moved with her as she moved the restraints. She pulled me back and opened the door, then ushered me through.

“Tiara, I spoke in confidence damn it!”

She didn’t reply, instead she forced me to move ahead of her.

“You know me! I am a damn straight arrow! I have been the same since we have known each other and have never had interest in compromising!”

She said nothing and forced me to make a left at the end of the hall.

I struggled a little bit, and she raised the restraints making me pay for it.

“Damn it! Tiara, you know Temple! The only reason he let me go in our last encounter was because he needed me for something. The only reason he let me go this time is because he needs me for something!”

We continued walking down the hall and she continued to give me the silent treatment.

I grew a bit angry, partly out of fear, the rest due to her stubborn refusal to acknowledge what I was saying.

It wasn’t so much begging half as much as pitched insistence, but I continued.

“Tiara, there is something big going on in the Sanctuary! Temple didn’t send Tuekoe after me, and you were right about Tyson and the other Rippers involved in those murders. They are all connected to this.”

We rounded another corner, and she ushered me into a stairwell leading up.

“You knew Tyson, didn’t you.” She questioned quietly as we climbed.

“Cripes, yes…” I begrudgingly admitted. “Yes, I knew him, he is the one that carved my leg during Temple’s interrogation last time.”

She gave no response.

“I had to remove his mention from my file for my protection. You don’t live through encounters with Rippers in the Rails, Tiara. I had to do it for both Baxter and my own protection.”

We reached the next floor turned left down a hall that had offices to the left and right full of lab equipment.

“I didn’t want to tell you, because I figured it would be safer for both of us if you didn’t know. Had I known I was already a part of an assassination attempt, I would have probably let you know what I knew sooner. At the time I didn’t think it mattered either way that I knew him.”

We passed an infirmary sign and made a right at the end of the hall. She continued to remain silent, and I started to get a case of the panic butterflies in my stomach. Rational thought and explanation were clearly not working in my favor. I am not above begging, at least not to some. She was tired, she was emotional, so maybe it would give her pause before she effectively committed both Baxter and me to an early grave.

I tried to look back to her, and she twisted the restraints up. Despite the pain, I forced myself to endure in hopes it would help win her over.

“Tiara!” I exclaimed in wincing pain. “Damn it! I need to get to the hospital! You are going to kill me by putting me in prison!”

She opened the door to the infirmary and walked me inside. A slender, attractive, brunette in a white pleather doctor’s uniform looked up from a file she was reading at her desk in the back of the room. She was a rig, and an obvious one given the cybernetics where her eyes and hands should be.

Tiara pulled my restraints up, and I winced with a gasp of pain. Two seconds later, the restraints popped, and Tiara pushed me hard enough that I stumbled a bit forward into the office by a bed.

“You are going to kill yourself if I didn’t get you to the infirmary…” Tiara spoke flatly.

“What the hell?” Confusion must have been obvious on my face as I gave her a wide-eyed glare, rubbing at my shoulders.

Tiara dangled the restraints from her finger and gave me a flat glare.

“Remind me never to share secrets with you Don… You could have just stopped talking back when I cuffed you.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“What the hell was all of that?!” I shouted, giving a presenting gesture toward the hall.

“You are an impossibly stubborn person.” She gave me an imposing look along with an accusing finger. “I can guarantee that you would not have come to the infirmary. You would have waited for Baxter in the lobby, and you would have talked him down until he agreed to go with you to the Hospital.”

“So you threaten to arrest me to scare the piss out of me?!” I complained, getting angry.

“No.” She corrected. “I was going to arrest you. Then you explained yourself, and I felt it important that you take care of yourself first before we take the next step.”

I held up my hand for her to stop and rubbed my temples.

“Wait, what do you mean “We”?”

She approached quickly and prodded my chest with her finger.

“You are going to stay right here and get looked at. I am going to go get some things together that we may need to go have a chat with the good Doctor, while we wait for Baxter to get here. I want to keep both of you close until this is over.”

“Tiara?” The doctor spoke in a soft voice.

Tiara looked over my shoulder.

“Mrs. Vargas. I apologize for the lack of notice.” She prodded me in the chest again, “This one is not to leave this room till I get back. Use force if necessary, and you are free to utilize uncomfortable methods regarding his checkup. He has earned it.”

Mrs. Vargas smiled.

“Wait what?!” I protested.

“Stay in this room!” Tiara scolded.

Mrs. Vargas approached, Tiara exited the room, and I was left confused. Mrs. Vargas softly insisted that I take a seat on the bed.

Reluctantly, I obeyed.

*************

I winced as I shut my good eyes tightly, “Do the bandages have to be so tight?”

Mrs. Vargas fastened a clip to the bandages at the back of my head, then leaned close to get a good analytical look at my face.

“Mr. Kenter, I have cleaned your wounds, and dressed them. Given the wound above your eye, and the bruising, you probably have a concussion, and you are lucky that headache, ringing, and feeling lightheaded are the only symptoms you are experiencing, given what you experienced. Head please.”

I looked to the ceiling and tilted my head to the right as prompted.

“Fortunately, I am on my way to the hospital. Do you think I should get his looked at? Or can I get away with some bed rest and a “Take it easy”? Can I put my shirt back on yet?”

Vargas grimaced as she moved her observation to my chest, shoulders and back, “Bandages are secured, the bruising is very bad on your right shoulder. Numerous contact burns, and several unique bruises that you are going to feel in the morning. How do you feel now?”

“I am overdue for a nap.” I replied flatly.

She smirked.

“Check your wrist. Has the new mediband finished downloading your meta-data from GOD?”

I looked, and it did, so I nodded and winced as she applied pressure to my side.

Vargas sighed and stood back up.

“As I said before, you either have deep bruising or you sprained your leg. Given that you are at least able to walk, it may be minor. Minimal swelling: you are lucky Mr. Kenter.”

I grumbled to myself.

“Lucky, would have had me at home, watching Fieldman’s campaign on the news.”

Vargas rolled her eyes and walked to a medicine cabinet.

“Not sure why anyone is paying attention to him anymore. He is going to win his seat the same as he always does.”

“Not a fan of the “good” Senator?” I inquired.

She gave side look begging the question as to whether I was serious.

“Kenter there are no “good” politicians in the Mantle.” She pulled out a capsule and thumbed the top twice, pulling two translucent beads into her palm. She shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong; Paul represents the region well. His policies are popular. He has just been there a long time.”

“If it’s broke, don’t fix it. Makes a hard sell for term limits if the person you’re voting for is constantly desired.”

She nodded, and approached, “You could say that yes. You must take the bad with the good. While Paul may be great, others are not. Term limits make sense when members of the senate can live well beyond a hundred years. Take Albrecht for example.”

I chuckled, it made me feel a little sore, “Yeah, that guy might as well have his head in a jar by now. You would think his body would have fallen apart by now.”

She added as she collected a pad of notes she had made while she tended to my wounds, “I am certain he is medically dead. He rolls around in his chair, signs his name to legislation, rarely if ever gives speeches, and those that are conducted are done through a synthetic voice. I think he is simply kept in the Senate for his vote, and the chamber props him up to the people via sympathy.”

I was about to add my agreement to her theory, but she raised her pad and stopped me.

“Enough politics, I have a list of things I would like you to do for yourself.”

I rolled my shoulders with a grimace.

“Doctor, I will do my best to work with one hundred percent of whatever you want me to do.”

She handed me the two pills.

“First, swallow these. They are painkillers.”

I shook my head.

“I can’t have anything mind affecting right now. Way too many things to do today before I get to go home.”

“These are not.” She insisted. “They will help with the swelling and numb you to pain a bit. Should last a few hours at least until can qualify a proper subscription from your prescribed doctor. Your information, and the note about these pills should be properly updated in your mediband for their reference when you link up next.”

I swallowed the pills as Baxter’s voice sounded from the hall.

“Is he alright?!”

Tiara’s voice sounded frustrated and closer.

“For the last time Baxter, yes, he is alright.”

The door slammed open as Baxter rushed in. He took a moment’s pause to assess my condition before releasing a deep sighing breath. He closed his eyes and took a seat on a stool next to him, saying under his breathe, “Thank Fate…”, as his shoulders and head drooped, resting his elbows on his knees.

Tiara entered soon after, carrying two mugs. She handed me the mug that read “Best #2”, saying, “Figured you need a pick me up about as much as I do, so I got you a cup of “liquid sleep” as well.”

Mrs. Vargas protested and reached to take my mug.

“Donovan cannot have caffeine with his pain meds.”

I pulled away.

“Doc, I will gladly do ninety-five percent of what you want me to do…”

She pressed her lips into a frown, shaking her head in disappointment at me in a condescending way. I defiantly took a generous and loud sip from the mug, with an emphasized gulp.

Mrs. Vargas rolled her eyes and spoke to Tiara.

“If he passes out or anything unusual. Be sure to alert the doctor that I gave ample warning against this.”

“Noted.” Tiara replied.

Mrs. Vargas returned her attention to me, folding her arms.

“Don’t push yourself. The last thing I want to hear is that, due to the pain meds, you went jumping from roof to roof or some hair brained gymnastics stunt and injured yourself further because you didn’t feel the need to hold back.”

I nodded and took another sip of the synthetic coffee.

“Precinct doesn’t have real beans?”

“You are lucky you are hurt, or I would belt your shoulder...” Tiara glared.

“That is why I asked.” I smiled.

“Actually go to the doctor. You may ultimately be fine with rest, but you will want to get a checkup from your PCP.” Mrs. Vargas added.

“I will be with him.” Tiara said.

Vargas gave her a side look.

“Good.”

She relocated back to her desk, and resumed whatever she was doing before we arrived.

Tiara tossed me a belt.

“Put that on. It’s a jammer that should mask the signal coming from your beacon.” She paused for a moment, took a sip from her mug, “Least I hope it will. If not the Holste will probably know we are coming.”

I caught it and gave it a look over as she addressed our plan of action.

“Let’s get going. The hospital is a solid forty or so minute walk, and I need to return what was left of both of your gear, get Baxter’s collar and leash registered, and finish processing both of your passes to the Mantle.”

She turned to make her way out the door but stopped and quickly moved up close pointing her finger accusingly at my nose.

“I am also going to watch you set the leash’s passcode correctly.”

She then gave Baxter a sour glare, to which he returned a toothy grin and a submissive shrug.

I nodded and took another sip before presenting my mug to her.

“Number two? Really?”

She leaned close and gave me a squint-eyed glare.

“That’s right.” She snarked, as she presented her mug that read, “#1 Boss”, and arched a thumb to her chest. “I’m number one.”