Disclaimer: I do not own or have any connection with "Dark Angel", James
Cameron or Fox Network, nor do I expect to make any money at this - its
just for fun! Please be kind to my fragile ego in your reviews - this
really is my first fanfiction work I have posted!
Chapter One.
Logan sat before his computer working on his latest Eyes Only expose. The months since Max had left him had been hard, but productive. After he dragged himself out of the bottle, he dealt with his pain the way men had done it from the beginning of time - he immersed himself in his work. Logan was very pleased with the success he was having even without Max; he had reactivated some of the contacts and operatives he had let go when Max came on board and was using Asha and the S1W more often, as well as doing some of his own legwork again, and had brought down three corrupt politicians and a corporate executive using his company to manufacture street drugs on the side. He was still looking into the mystery of Sandeman and the Familiars, but kept running into dead ends. Only those close to him, like Bling, Asha and Sebastian, saw the change in Logan - the blue eyes were cold and closed and his handsome face never smiled now, even with them. Logan had shut himself from human contact again, as he had after the shooting that left him paralyzed, and Bling could only hope that time would see Logan open up to his friends again.
As Logan studied the financial data from the bank computer he had hacked into, he became aware of a sound in the hallway outside his apartment door - the elevator had opened on his floor. He waited for moment for the doorbell to ring, then quickly shut down the computer as his door was broken open. Just as he finished terminating the connection and turning off the computer his wheelchair was pulled roughly out of his office and into the living room. He was spun around to face a triumphant Ames White, flanked by three other well dressed men.
"Well, Mr. Cale," said White, "It took me a while to find out who you are, but here we are. I have a lot of questions for you."
"You could have called - or even knocked," said Logan, feeling at a disadvantage in the wheelchair, but he had gotten out of the habit of wearing the exoskeleton at home.
"I didn't want you to go to any trouble for me," replied White, "Search the place, Wilson. Bryce, stay with Cale, and Brooks and I will take a look at the computer and office. I know you are involved with Eyes Only and the Manticore trash, Cale, do you want to come clean now or do we have to do this the hard way?"
"Gee,let me think about that," stalled Logan. White and the man he called Brooks disappeared into the office, another headed down the hall of the apartment, leaving Logan with the youngest of the group. White knew he was involved with the transgenics, but not that he was Eyes Only, Logan thought quickly. He had the computer rigged so that the harddrive would erase completely if the right passwords were not used to open the Eyes Only files - that would protect his informants and operatives as well as his information on the computer, but what about what was in his head? Could he hold out against White's interrogation? Logan was sure that White would not hesitate to use any means necessary to extract the information in his head - Max, Alec, Joshua, Zack, Asha would all be completely compromised - he knew where they lived and worked. He wished he had taken a moment to grab his gun while he shut down the computer, but maybe there was another way. He studied the man standing before him, seeing the glint of excitement in his eyes - young and inexperienced and probably strong.
"So, are you one of the Familiars?" said Logan with a nasty smirk in his voice, "One of those ten-generation-selective-breeding guys?"
"I wouldn't use that tone if I were you," answered Bryce, "We are bred to be superior in every way. When all others are gone, we will remain."
"Riiight, " Logan dragged the word out with utter lack of conviction, "Superior in every way. But it takes four of you to go after a cripple in a wheelchair. And someone I know mentioned that in ten generations your women still can't get rid of their fat asses."
Bryce struck Logan hard enough to knock over the wheelchair and bloody his nose.
"Is that all you've got?" Logan asked mockingly, raising up on his elbow and wiping his bloody nose. "No wonder your women prefer to find husbands outside your group! They may have fat asses, but you guys have small..." Before Logan could finish his comment Bryce picked Logan up by the front of his shirt and threw him across the room. Logan crashed into the bookcase and slid unconscious to the floor as White and the others ran into the room.
"Dammit, Bryce, " yelled White, "What the hell were you thinking? We need him alive!" He went to examine Logan.
"He was saying ..." Bryce started to realize how Logan had used him and felt foolish. "I have no excuses, sir, I let him taunt me to anger."
"You were warned that this man already had a spinal injury and no violence was to be used on him here. Consider yourself in disgrace - your punishment will be decided later." White was deeply concerned by Logan's pallor and the clamminess of his skin - he was going into shock. The four men rigged up a makeshift backboard and carefully placed Logan on it, then improvised a stretcher. Two of the men carried Logan out into the elevator, while White and the other packed up his computer and as many disks and files from the office as they could carry. From White's cursory examination earlier there was nothing relevant in the files, but perhaps a closer look would find some clues or leads.
Ignoring the stares of Logan's neighbors and passerbys on the street, White's men placed Logan in the back of their van and drove off. White made a phone call from the car and explained the situation, then told the driver to head to the airport where they would get instructions on how to proceed. Their credentials got them through the sector checkpoints easily and soon they arrived at an airfield and they boarded a plane. White made a phone call and went to talk to the pilot when he finished.
"Change of plans," he told the pilot, " We're going to Texas instead of Maryland. Do you know the base outside of Fort Worth?" The pilot answered in the affirmative. "That's where we land then. Take off as soon as the medic gets here."
A car drove up less than ten minutes later and the medic arrived with a couple of boxes of equipment. During the flight he was able to stabilize Logan's condition and manage his pain when he regained consciousness.
The first thing Logan saw when came around was White's face, and he remembered the scene in his penthouse. He tried to bring his hand up to his face but it wouldn't move. He started to panic until he realized his wrists were strapped to the stretcher.
"Nice try, Cale," said White, "You almost made it. You may well have done more damage to your spine, though. We won't know until the doctors examine you."
"Where are you taking me?" asked Logan.
"To a very special clinic - very advanced. Don't worry about it, you will be in very good hands. Shall we talk about something else and get your mind off it? Something like, where my son is?"
"No, I don't think I want to talk about that. You are welcome to try to beat it out of me if you like," said Logan, "Since I don't know, it won't do you any good, but feel free." Logan only knew that the boy's aunt had taken him out of the country, but he didn't know exactly where they had ended up. Logan did know that White would not lay a hand on him until his condition would allow it without killing him.
White recognized that Logan had correctly assessed the situation and left him alone, instead studying the files that he had taken from Logan's office. Mostly they were innocuous documents relating to funds and investments that Logan had, some on businesses that Logan was looking into. There was also one relating to Logan's medical condition that White set aside for the doctors, as well as one on the situation surrounding Cale Industries. The pilot announced after several hours that they were arriving at the airfield and White made a quick check on the prisoner. Logan was drifting in and out of sleep from the pain killers and boredom, and White returned to his seat and fastened his seatbelt as the plane landed. They were met by an ambulance and staff car and driven swiftly to the facility where Logan was whisked off to the infirmary.
******************************************
Max was taking a break in the back of Jam Pony with Original Cindy. Not that Max was good company these days - she dragged around in a state of depression and increasing cynicism. Cindy's heart was breaking for her friend, but there was nothing she could do for Max except let her work things out for herself. Max had already refused all of Cindy's best advice weeks ago, such as to patch things up with Logan and tell him the truth about her and Alec. Original Cindy may not like men for the most part, but she thought Logan was one of the best of the bunch and he deserved better from Max than to believe she left him for Alec.
"Gonna come to Crash tonight, Boo?", asked Cindy.
"Nah," replied Max, "Think I'll take a ride on my bike. I scored some gas, think I'll blow the cobwebs from my mind with my baby. By the way," she asked too casually, "have you seen Asha there lately?"
"No," Cindy said, "Blondie ain't been in for almost a week now. Don't think Alec too happy about that either," she added cautiously, looking at her unhappy friend.
Max stood up to go, when the TV suddenly went to a special report. For a moment they thought it would be an Eyes Only hack, but a reporter started speaking instead. Max turned away, but his first words caught her attention.
"I am standing outside Fogle Tower in Sector 9, home of journalist Logan Cale, who is one of the Cale Industry heirs. That is the company that makes components for the hoverdrones that help provide security in US cities. Logan Cale was apparently kidnapped today in a bold daylight abduction. Neighbors heard his door broken down and saw Cale carried out on a stretcher and put in a van by four men, but assumed that it was a legitimate arrest, until Cale's physical therapist called police to check on him and subsequent investigation revealed that there was no warrant for Cale nor was in custody of any law enforcement agency or in any hospital. Logan Cale is a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down due to a gunshot injury almost two years ago. Anyone who has seen Mr. Cale in the last twenty four hours or has any knowledge of where he might be is urged to call the police and talk to Det. Matt Sung as soon as possible." The screen cut for a moment to a picture of Logan with a phone number under it.
Max barely felt Cindy's arm around her shoulders. Her mind spun - was it Manticore? White? An enemy from Logan's Eyes Only hacks?
"I gotta get over there - now!" she said to Cindy.
"Wait, Max," said Cindy, "What if whoever took Logan is watching? They may have been looking for you too!"
"Gotta risk it - this is my fault. I should have been there!"
"No! Call Bling first - don't be a fool, girl! You can't help him if they get you too!" Cindy shook Max by the shoulders. Max nodded slowly and headed for the phone.
Sketchy ambled over to Cindy. "Wasn't that Max's old boyfriend they were talking about on the TV?" Cindy nodded. "Harsh," commented Sketchy.
Max came back over to Cindy. "Bling says the place is crawling with cops, but he hasn't seen anyone else hanging around. He said Logan's computer and a bunch of files and stuff are missing. And his wheelchair and exoskeleton are still there," her voice quivered a bit, "It looks like there was a fight - there was some blood on the floor and a bookcase."
"Max!" Normal shouted. She went to over to the counter with Cindy hovering protectively beside her. "That was your, um, friend, wasn't it?" Normal gestured vaguely at the TV, "Do you need some time off?"
"No," said Max, surprised and touched by the unexpected sympathy, "Logan and I broke up a while ago. It's not that I don't care, but nothing I can do right now. I'd rather keep busy for now."
"Okay, hot run for you," Normal tossed a package to her.
"Boo?" Cindy said, questioningly.
"I'll go over later, after the police are gone. Tell Alec to watch his back, if you see him. I'm gonna swing by Joshua's and tell him to keep and even lower profile," Max said and left the office on her bike.
*****************************************************************
Ames White sat in the conference room with two members of the committee, three doctors and the top two officers of the facility, and did not like the turn the conversation had taken. He had already been castigated properly for the disaster his straightforward mission had turned into, and fully intended to roll it downhill. Cale was to have been taken into custody and interrogated at their East Coast headquarters, then he would be quietly disappeared. Instead Cale was now the subject of much discussion at the less secure Texas facility, where the staff had mixed loyalties.
"Can't you just patch him up so we can get on with finding the Manticore escapees?" White asked, trying to steer the meeting back to the point.
"Yes, but I don't think we should throw this opportunity away," the head doctor said, "We have everything we need here to try this procedure and Mr. Cale is a perfect subject for the trial."
"Mr. Cale is a material witness at least, and a co-conspirator to treason at worst, and needs to be interrogated as soon as possible before the others go underground again. With all due respect to Dr. Mitchell, I did not bring Cale here to be a guinea pig for him to continue his Manticore experiments on," White said sarcastically, rubbing in the doctor's past.
"All I can say to that is that the procedure I am suggesting has great potential for treating others with spinal cord injuries. The surgery won't take much longer that the standard treatment for the subject's spine, and bears the same risks. Cale could die during either surgery just as easily, or become quadriplegic. The only difference is that after my treatment, Cale could regain some use of his lower body." The doctor was exaggerating a bit, the treatment was much more risky, but he met White's eyes unflinchingly.
White looked around the table and saw that the others were leaning towards the doctor's view. He tried to come up with an unanswerable reason to stop it, but could not find one.
"This may work out better for us if he does regain some use of his legs," said the senior committee member, "That could be something to hold over him when he is questioned about his relation to the Manticore escapees and Eyes Only."
"Then it is decided," said the general in charge of the facility, "Dr. Mitchell, proceed with the surgery as soon as possible and keep us apprised of your progress with the subject." The meeting broke up.
Dr. Mitchell set preparations for his experimental treatment, then reviewed Logan's medical file again. Logan was strapped to a gurney in the infirmary, hooked up to monitors and IV tubes when Dr. Mitchell came in to speak to him. The doctor had overseen Logan's initial exam, but had not spoken directly to him until now.
"Mr. Cale, I am Dr. Mitchell," he began, "I will be performing your surgery today. If we don't operate, the pressure on your spinal cord from the damaged vertebrae will kill you in less than twenty-four hours. I have looked over your medical records, which were fortunately brought in with you, but I need to ask you if there is anything else that I should know about your condition that is not in them."
"My doctor is Sam Carr," Logan said, trying to clear the fogs from the painkillers from his mind, "Anyone doing surgery on me, I want it to be him." Dr. Mitchell did not respond. "I didn't sign any consent forms," Logan continued, gesturing with his bound right hand, "Suppose I say I refuse to permit this operation?" Dr. Mitchell still said nothing. "I see," said Logan, "This operation - is it approved by the AMA? Thought not."
"This treatment has the potential to allow you to regain use of your lower extremities, Mr. Cale. You already saw what the blood transfusion from the X5 did for you - this is an extension of that idea. You should be excited!" Dr. Mitchell said enthusiastically, "Now, is there anything else I should know about you."
Logan thought of Dr. Vertes, but shook his head no. "Just that I want to go on record as refusing permission for this operation, for what it is worth. I have no desire to have my misfortune exploited by you or anyone else."
Another doctor came over and spoke quietly to Dr Mitchell.
"Alright, people," Dr. Mitchell spoke to the staff in the infirmary, "We will begin the operation in one hour. I want this man prepped and ready now."
Chapter One.
Logan sat before his computer working on his latest Eyes Only expose. The months since Max had left him had been hard, but productive. After he dragged himself out of the bottle, he dealt with his pain the way men had done it from the beginning of time - he immersed himself in his work. Logan was very pleased with the success he was having even without Max; he had reactivated some of the contacts and operatives he had let go when Max came on board and was using Asha and the S1W more often, as well as doing some of his own legwork again, and had brought down three corrupt politicians and a corporate executive using his company to manufacture street drugs on the side. He was still looking into the mystery of Sandeman and the Familiars, but kept running into dead ends. Only those close to him, like Bling, Asha and Sebastian, saw the change in Logan - the blue eyes were cold and closed and his handsome face never smiled now, even with them. Logan had shut himself from human contact again, as he had after the shooting that left him paralyzed, and Bling could only hope that time would see Logan open up to his friends again.
As Logan studied the financial data from the bank computer he had hacked into, he became aware of a sound in the hallway outside his apartment door - the elevator had opened on his floor. He waited for moment for the doorbell to ring, then quickly shut down the computer as his door was broken open. Just as he finished terminating the connection and turning off the computer his wheelchair was pulled roughly out of his office and into the living room. He was spun around to face a triumphant Ames White, flanked by three other well dressed men.
"Well, Mr. Cale," said White, "It took me a while to find out who you are, but here we are. I have a lot of questions for you."
"You could have called - or even knocked," said Logan, feeling at a disadvantage in the wheelchair, but he had gotten out of the habit of wearing the exoskeleton at home.
"I didn't want you to go to any trouble for me," replied White, "Search the place, Wilson. Bryce, stay with Cale, and Brooks and I will take a look at the computer and office. I know you are involved with Eyes Only and the Manticore trash, Cale, do you want to come clean now or do we have to do this the hard way?"
"Gee,let me think about that," stalled Logan. White and the man he called Brooks disappeared into the office, another headed down the hall of the apartment, leaving Logan with the youngest of the group. White knew he was involved with the transgenics, but not that he was Eyes Only, Logan thought quickly. He had the computer rigged so that the harddrive would erase completely if the right passwords were not used to open the Eyes Only files - that would protect his informants and operatives as well as his information on the computer, but what about what was in his head? Could he hold out against White's interrogation? Logan was sure that White would not hesitate to use any means necessary to extract the information in his head - Max, Alec, Joshua, Zack, Asha would all be completely compromised - he knew where they lived and worked. He wished he had taken a moment to grab his gun while he shut down the computer, but maybe there was another way. He studied the man standing before him, seeing the glint of excitement in his eyes - young and inexperienced and probably strong.
"So, are you one of the Familiars?" said Logan with a nasty smirk in his voice, "One of those ten-generation-selective-breeding guys?"
"I wouldn't use that tone if I were you," answered Bryce, "We are bred to be superior in every way. When all others are gone, we will remain."
"Riiight, " Logan dragged the word out with utter lack of conviction, "Superior in every way. But it takes four of you to go after a cripple in a wheelchair. And someone I know mentioned that in ten generations your women still can't get rid of their fat asses."
Bryce struck Logan hard enough to knock over the wheelchair and bloody his nose.
"Is that all you've got?" Logan asked mockingly, raising up on his elbow and wiping his bloody nose. "No wonder your women prefer to find husbands outside your group! They may have fat asses, but you guys have small..." Before Logan could finish his comment Bryce picked Logan up by the front of his shirt and threw him across the room. Logan crashed into the bookcase and slid unconscious to the floor as White and the others ran into the room.
"Dammit, Bryce, " yelled White, "What the hell were you thinking? We need him alive!" He went to examine Logan.
"He was saying ..." Bryce started to realize how Logan had used him and felt foolish. "I have no excuses, sir, I let him taunt me to anger."
"You were warned that this man already had a spinal injury and no violence was to be used on him here. Consider yourself in disgrace - your punishment will be decided later." White was deeply concerned by Logan's pallor and the clamminess of his skin - he was going into shock. The four men rigged up a makeshift backboard and carefully placed Logan on it, then improvised a stretcher. Two of the men carried Logan out into the elevator, while White and the other packed up his computer and as many disks and files from the office as they could carry. From White's cursory examination earlier there was nothing relevant in the files, but perhaps a closer look would find some clues or leads.
Ignoring the stares of Logan's neighbors and passerbys on the street, White's men placed Logan in the back of their van and drove off. White made a phone call from the car and explained the situation, then told the driver to head to the airport where they would get instructions on how to proceed. Their credentials got them through the sector checkpoints easily and soon they arrived at an airfield and they boarded a plane. White made a phone call and went to talk to the pilot when he finished.
"Change of plans," he told the pilot, " We're going to Texas instead of Maryland. Do you know the base outside of Fort Worth?" The pilot answered in the affirmative. "That's where we land then. Take off as soon as the medic gets here."
A car drove up less than ten minutes later and the medic arrived with a couple of boxes of equipment. During the flight he was able to stabilize Logan's condition and manage his pain when he regained consciousness.
The first thing Logan saw when came around was White's face, and he remembered the scene in his penthouse. He tried to bring his hand up to his face but it wouldn't move. He started to panic until he realized his wrists were strapped to the stretcher.
"Nice try, Cale," said White, "You almost made it. You may well have done more damage to your spine, though. We won't know until the doctors examine you."
"Where are you taking me?" asked Logan.
"To a very special clinic - very advanced. Don't worry about it, you will be in very good hands. Shall we talk about something else and get your mind off it? Something like, where my son is?"
"No, I don't think I want to talk about that. You are welcome to try to beat it out of me if you like," said Logan, "Since I don't know, it won't do you any good, but feel free." Logan only knew that the boy's aunt had taken him out of the country, but he didn't know exactly where they had ended up. Logan did know that White would not lay a hand on him until his condition would allow it without killing him.
White recognized that Logan had correctly assessed the situation and left him alone, instead studying the files that he had taken from Logan's office. Mostly they were innocuous documents relating to funds and investments that Logan had, some on businesses that Logan was looking into. There was also one relating to Logan's medical condition that White set aside for the doctors, as well as one on the situation surrounding Cale Industries. The pilot announced after several hours that they were arriving at the airfield and White made a quick check on the prisoner. Logan was drifting in and out of sleep from the pain killers and boredom, and White returned to his seat and fastened his seatbelt as the plane landed. They were met by an ambulance and staff car and driven swiftly to the facility where Logan was whisked off to the infirmary.
******************************************
Max was taking a break in the back of Jam Pony with Original Cindy. Not that Max was good company these days - she dragged around in a state of depression and increasing cynicism. Cindy's heart was breaking for her friend, but there was nothing she could do for Max except let her work things out for herself. Max had already refused all of Cindy's best advice weeks ago, such as to patch things up with Logan and tell him the truth about her and Alec. Original Cindy may not like men for the most part, but she thought Logan was one of the best of the bunch and he deserved better from Max than to believe she left him for Alec.
"Gonna come to Crash tonight, Boo?", asked Cindy.
"Nah," replied Max, "Think I'll take a ride on my bike. I scored some gas, think I'll blow the cobwebs from my mind with my baby. By the way," she asked too casually, "have you seen Asha there lately?"
"No," Cindy said, "Blondie ain't been in for almost a week now. Don't think Alec too happy about that either," she added cautiously, looking at her unhappy friend.
Max stood up to go, when the TV suddenly went to a special report. For a moment they thought it would be an Eyes Only hack, but a reporter started speaking instead. Max turned away, but his first words caught her attention.
"I am standing outside Fogle Tower in Sector 9, home of journalist Logan Cale, who is one of the Cale Industry heirs. That is the company that makes components for the hoverdrones that help provide security in US cities. Logan Cale was apparently kidnapped today in a bold daylight abduction. Neighbors heard his door broken down and saw Cale carried out on a stretcher and put in a van by four men, but assumed that it was a legitimate arrest, until Cale's physical therapist called police to check on him and subsequent investigation revealed that there was no warrant for Cale nor was in custody of any law enforcement agency or in any hospital. Logan Cale is a paraplegic, paralyzed from the waist down due to a gunshot injury almost two years ago. Anyone who has seen Mr. Cale in the last twenty four hours or has any knowledge of where he might be is urged to call the police and talk to Det. Matt Sung as soon as possible." The screen cut for a moment to a picture of Logan with a phone number under it.
Max barely felt Cindy's arm around her shoulders. Her mind spun - was it Manticore? White? An enemy from Logan's Eyes Only hacks?
"I gotta get over there - now!" she said to Cindy.
"Wait, Max," said Cindy, "What if whoever took Logan is watching? They may have been looking for you too!"
"Gotta risk it - this is my fault. I should have been there!"
"No! Call Bling first - don't be a fool, girl! You can't help him if they get you too!" Cindy shook Max by the shoulders. Max nodded slowly and headed for the phone.
Sketchy ambled over to Cindy. "Wasn't that Max's old boyfriend they were talking about on the TV?" Cindy nodded. "Harsh," commented Sketchy.
Max came back over to Cindy. "Bling says the place is crawling with cops, but he hasn't seen anyone else hanging around. He said Logan's computer and a bunch of files and stuff are missing. And his wheelchair and exoskeleton are still there," her voice quivered a bit, "It looks like there was a fight - there was some blood on the floor and a bookcase."
"Max!" Normal shouted. She went to over to the counter with Cindy hovering protectively beside her. "That was your, um, friend, wasn't it?" Normal gestured vaguely at the TV, "Do you need some time off?"
"No," said Max, surprised and touched by the unexpected sympathy, "Logan and I broke up a while ago. It's not that I don't care, but nothing I can do right now. I'd rather keep busy for now."
"Okay, hot run for you," Normal tossed a package to her.
"Boo?" Cindy said, questioningly.
"I'll go over later, after the police are gone. Tell Alec to watch his back, if you see him. I'm gonna swing by Joshua's and tell him to keep and even lower profile," Max said and left the office on her bike.
*****************************************************************
Ames White sat in the conference room with two members of the committee, three doctors and the top two officers of the facility, and did not like the turn the conversation had taken. He had already been castigated properly for the disaster his straightforward mission had turned into, and fully intended to roll it downhill. Cale was to have been taken into custody and interrogated at their East Coast headquarters, then he would be quietly disappeared. Instead Cale was now the subject of much discussion at the less secure Texas facility, where the staff had mixed loyalties.
"Can't you just patch him up so we can get on with finding the Manticore escapees?" White asked, trying to steer the meeting back to the point.
"Yes, but I don't think we should throw this opportunity away," the head doctor said, "We have everything we need here to try this procedure and Mr. Cale is a perfect subject for the trial."
"Mr. Cale is a material witness at least, and a co-conspirator to treason at worst, and needs to be interrogated as soon as possible before the others go underground again. With all due respect to Dr. Mitchell, I did not bring Cale here to be a guinea pig for him to continue his Manticore experiments on," White said sarcastically, rubbing in the doctor's past.
"All I can say to that is that the procedure I am suggesting has great potential for treating others with spinal cord injuries. The surgery won't take much longer that the standard treatment for the subject's spine, and bears the same risks. Cale could die during either surgery just as easily, or become quadriplegic. The only difference is that after my treatment, Cale could regain some use of his lower body." The doctor was exaggerating a bit, the treatment was much more risky, but he met White's eyes unflinchingly.
White looked around the table and saw that the others were leaning towards the doctor's view. He tried to come up with an unanswerable reason to stop it, but could not find one.
"This may work out better for us if he does regain some use of his legs," said the senior committee member, "That could be something to hold over him when he is questioned about his relation to the Manticore escapees and Eyes Only."
"Then it is decided," said the general in charge of the facility, "Dr. Mitchell, proceed with the surgery as soon as possible and keep us apprised of your progress with the subject." The meeting broke up.
Dr. Mitchell set preparations for his experimental treatment, then reviewed Logan's medical file again. Logan was strapped to a gurney in the infirmary, hooked up to monitors and IV tubes when Dr. Mitchell came in to speak to him. The doctor had overseen Logan's initial exam, but had not spoken directly to him until now.
"Mr. Cale, I am Dr. Mitchell," he began, "I will be performing your surgery today. If we don't operate, the pressure on your spinal cord from the damaged vertebrae will kill you in less than twenty-four hours. I have looked over your medical records, which were fortunately brought in with you, but I need to ask you if there is anything else that I should know about your condition that is not in them."
"My doctor is Sam Carr," Logan said, trying to clear the fogs from the painkillers from his mind, "Anyone doing surgery on me, I want it to be him." Dr. Mitchell did not respond. "I didn't sign any consent forms," Logan continued, gesturing with his bound right hand, "Suppose I say I refuse to permit this operation?" Dr. Mitchell still said nothing. "I see," said Logan, "This operation - is it approved by the AMA? Thought not."
"This treatment has the potential to allow you to regain use of your lower extremities, Mr. Cale. You already saw what the blood transfusion from the X5 did for you - this is an extension of that idea. You should be excited!" Dr. Mitchell said enthusiastically, "Now, is there anything else I should know about you."
Logan thought of Dr. Vertes, but shook his head no. "Just that I want to go on record as refusing permission for this operation, for what it is worth. I have no desire to have my misfortune exploited by you or anyone else."
Another doctor came over and spoke quietly to Dr Mitchell.
"Alright, people," Dr. Mitchell spoke to the staff in the infirmary, "We will begin the operation in one hour. I want this man prepped and ready now."