This one is for Miss Mango, who knows the real reason we all watched Captain Planet...to learn the importance of shutting off the lights when leaving the room...yeah, that's it...or was it the electricity between Wheeler and Linka that we cared more about? Definitely a toss up.
Sorry it took me so long to get the next chapter up, LouiseX found so many mistakes it took me forever to fix them! j/k Well, she did find a lot of mistakes, but the delay was all on me. Damn real life getting in the way.
Plunder looks into the rear view mirror, spotting both the father and son behind his vehicle. For a brief moment, he regrets having to hurt the boy. He had gotten used to him and felt he was making progress towards turning him against his parents. His plan had quickly fallen apart though. If he couldn't make Wheeler and Linka miserable by taking their son, he'd just have to kill Wheeler and the boy, leaving Linka grief stricken. He puts the car in reverse and slams on the gas again. Mikey is frozen in place, knowing that he is about to get hit, but not wanting to leave his father's side. Plunder's backwards progress is abruptly stopped by Captain Planet, who dives down and allows the car to crash into him in solid steel form, sparing Mikey and Wheeler.
"Captain Planet?!" The young boy exclaims.
"Hi there Mikey. Long time no see. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine...my dad..." he chokes, his eyes filling with tears.
"Help is on the way...stay here. I'm going to make sure Plunder doesn't go anywhere. Don't move your dad though ok?"
"I know."
"Bozhe moy! Wheeler!" Linka cries as she watches Plunder crash into him.
"Don't worry, we've got paramedics heading out with the task force," Matthews reassures her.
"Plunder is backing up!"
The group at the Command Post can only watch as their view from Captain Planet's camera shows him closing in on the vehicle, then going black as the bumper collides with him, damaging the equipment and causing them to lose their feed.
"NYET!" Linka's blood curdling scream and the string of unintelligible Russian spoken through uncontrollable sobbing gives everyone in the command post goose bumps.
Her friends try their best to console her as the Agents jump into action to find out what hospital the paramedics will be taking Wheeler to and give instructions to keep them informed of his condition so that they can keep Linka updated until they get to the hospital.
"This is what I've got so far…your son is just going for routine observation. The medics at the scene reported that he was uninjured. Plunder is a bit sore from his run in with Captain Planet, and Wheeler is in serious, but stable condition. They'll know more once he gets to the hospital, but the first report is he's pretty banged up, and sustained possible internal injuries," Agent Mason informs Linka.
"He'll be ok Linka," Gi says. "Wheeler is a tough guy. He's still young and healthy. He'll bounce right back from this."
"I know you are trying to be comforting Gi...but all I can think about is 'what if Wheeler gives up? What if he thinks he has nothing left to fight for now?' And it is all my fault."
"He still has Mikey. He wouldn't give up...and I find it hard to believe he's given up on you. He'll be back putting up a fight in no time!"
"I did not give him any choice. I pushed him away...again. Just like I used to..."
"And he didn't give up then."
"He still had hope back then. I gave him back the rings. I convinced him it was over...and I convinced myself..."
"But now, you're not so sure?"
"I do not know what I am thinking. Am I just reacting emotionally and not thinking clearly?"
Before Gi can respond, Agent Young touches Linka's shoulder to get her attention.
"I can get you to the hospital. We can get there faster in my car with lights and sirens going."
"Thank you. Can we go now?"
"Yes, as soon as you'd like."
Agent Young escorts the distraught mother to her Bureau vehicle and turns on the lights and sirens to expedite their travel time. The media personnel begin buzzing with activity, getting cameras set up to prepare for any breaking news. Photographers snap pictures of the Agent's vehicle in the hope of getting glimpse of the occupants. Some get in their news vans with the hope of being able to follow the Wind Planeteer, not caring about her personal tragedy, just wanting to get the story.
The hospital that Wheeler and Mikey were taken to was a little less than an hour away from Linka's house, but the drive there felt like it was taking forever. While Agent Young drove Linka to the hospital, the other agents wrapped things up at the Command Post and answered questions from the press. The other Planeteers decided that they would stay behind to get the house straightened up so that it looked like a home again, and not a command post call center. Gi even headed to the grocery store to pick up stuff to make some of Mikey's favorite meals since Linka would most likely be spending a lot of time at the hospital with Wheeler and not have time to make dinner.
Captain Planet had stayed with Mikey the whole time he was being checked out by the doctors. The young boy had been putting on a tough act, reminding Captain Planet of his father, but as soon as he saw his mother, his tears started to flow as they ran towards each other.
Linka kneels down before him as he throws his arms around her neck and they both begin sobbing.
"I'm sorry Ma," he says against her neck.
"Sssh, baby, you did not do anything wrong. It was that man. Plunder is a very bad man."
"I'm the reason Dad got hurt...I told Mr. Plunder it was Dad. I didn't know...I didn't know Dad was trying to rescue me. I didn't know I was being kidnapped. I thought you and Dad didn't want me."
"It is ok, it is not your fault. Your father and I would risk our own lives over and over to keep you safe, but why on Earth would you ever think we did not want you?"
"I'm the reason you and Dad are getting a divorce."
"Nyet, you are the one thing that will always keep us together," Linka tells him, holding him tight as she turns her head and kisses his temple.
"But Mr. Plunder said..."
"Listen to me, he may have seemed like a nice man, but he is a very good liar and manipulator. I want you to tell me everything that he told you, but I am telling you right now, I can guarantee that everything he said was a lie to turn you against us and to make you believe he was your friend," Linka says.
"So you weren't really a drug addict?" He asks, pulling back to look at her.
She sighs in frustration, knowing that the day would come where she would have to have this conversation with him, but was not expecting it to be so soon.
"Unfortunately, that was true."
She saw the disappointment in his eyes and hurried to tell him her side of the story.
"I did not want to. I was tricked...by someone I trusted. He gave them to me without me knowing and they were highly addictive."
"Who gave them to you? Was it Dad?"
"Nyet! Did Plunder tell you it was?"
"No...you just said it was someone you trusted...I figured it was either him or one of the other Planeteers."
"It was my cousin, Boris."
"Oh...I don't think I've ever heard you talk about him before. Did I ever meet him on one of our trips to Russia?"
"Nyet...he died...because of the drugs."
"Oh," he says sadly.
"I probably would have too if not for your father. He and the other Planeteers saved me. I did not make it easy on them and getting over the addiction was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. But you have to know, I did not take the drugs willingly. I never would."
"I didn't think so."
"If you ever have any more questions, do not be afraid to ask me. I promise I will be honest with you about it."
"I don't...not now anyway."
"Ok...what else did he tell you?"
"He said you and Dad blamed me for the divorce."
"Nyet, the only ones to blame for our problems are your father and me."
"But why didn't either of you want to come get me? Why weren't you worried when we didn't show up at the court house?"
"We were done at the courthouse long before you even finished school. I came to pick you up and that is when I discovered you were gone. I thought your Dad took you to that movie you two wanted to see, but when I called him, he had no idea what I was talking about. When we saw the surveillance video of you leaving with Plunder, we were worried sick. He is one of our worst enemies from our days as Planeteers. He wanted to get revenge on us by taking you from us...which reminds me...WHY did you leave with a stranger?!"
"He said he was a friend of yours...that you and Dad needed me to come to the courthouse so I could pick who I wanted to live with. He told me you were going to take me away to Russia."
"Nyet, this is your home. Your friends are all here. I would never take you away from that...or away from your father and grandmother. The only time I would ever take you to Russia is for a trip to see your Uncle Mishka, Aunt Nastya, and cousins Zoya and Grigori. Only for a visit, not to live."
"He also told me that Dad didn't like me because once I came along, you stopped paying attention to him. He said I was the reason the Planeteers stopped being around...because you and dad had to quit once you got pregnant...and that I ruined things by being born. You and Dad had barely had a chance to enjoy being a couple. That you hated being a mother and Dad hated that I took your attention away from him, and that's why you guys never had any more kids."
"Bozhe moy, that liar...none of that is true! We love you. We wanted you so badly. The day you were born was the happiest day of our lives. When I find out what is going on with your father, once he is feeling better, I promise the three of us will sit down and talk. Just PLEASE put it out of your head that we did not want you or that you are to blame for our problems. We were not even Planeteers any more when I got pregnant with you. Your father and I had been married for a few years already and were ready to start a family. We wanted a baby...we wanted YOU more than anything."
"Ok. I believe you."
"Good." She pulls him closer and hugs him tightly. "I do not know what I would have done if anything happened to you. Now we just need to find out how your father is doing."
"He'd be a lot worse if not for Captain Planet. He saved us both."
Linka looks up at her hero who had been standing there quietly watching the happy reunion.
"I saw...thank you Captain Planet. You saved both of my boys. All these years and you have not lost your touch."
"Once a hero, always a hero...although I don't think the agents are going to be too happy that I broke their toy," he says, holding up the smashed camera.
"Do not worry, they already know...we saw it happen!"
"Well then at least they won't be surprised."
"I can take things from here. You should go back to the house so you can take your credit at the press conference."
"I didn't do it for the credit. I did it for my family."
Linka smiles, stands up, and gives him a hug.
"Spasiba...but still, it would probably not be a bad thing for the other Eco-Villains to see you are still around...just in case they get any ideas to follow in Plunder's footsteps."
"Good point...you sure you're ok here?"
"Da, everything is fine now...or at least it will be once I know Wheeler is going to be ok," she says.
"He's strong...but I really think he needs some reassurance that you care...I know things have changed between you two, but if you can still manage to convey your feelings to each other without even speaking, I think he could use it."
"Da, ok."
She hoped he was right. If the strength of her love had the ability to heal Wheeler, he'd be just fine.
Linka takes Mikey by the hand and leads him to the nurses station.
"Excuse me, I am looking for someone who can tell me the status of a patient that they just brought in. Jason Wheeler. He was struck by a car."
"I'm sorry ma'am, I can't just give out that sort of information. What is your relation to the patient?"
"I am his wife."
"Ex-wife," Mikey reminds her.
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, not wanting to scold the boy for correcting her because she'd just gotten him back and didn't want him to think she was angry with him.
"Right...this is his son. I would like some information on him so that I can call his mother and let her know."
"Please miss, is my dad going to be ok?"
Any frustration Linka had just felt about him correcting her quickly disappeared as she recognized Wheeler's ability to charm people into giving him what he wanted had worn off on their son.
The woman behind the desk types on the computer to pull up the patient information.
"It looks like they are waiting for him to stabilize before taking him to surgery."
"Can we go see him?" Linka asks.
"I will call the ER nurses station and see if they have any more details."
Linka runs her hand over her son's head and smiles down at him.
The woman hangs up the phone, pulls a crisp dollar bill out of her purse, hands it to Mikey and says,
"Why don't you go get a candy bar from the vending machine over there while you wait."
Linka gets a bad feeling when she realizes that the woman was trying to spare Mikey from hearing what she had to say.
He looks at his mother with a silent question, not sure if he's allowed to accept the woman's offer. She nods her approval and releases his hand.
"Thanks!" He says to the woman.
She smiles at him and once he is out of ear shot, tells Linka,
"Mr. Wheeler has been taken into emergency surgery."
"What is wrong with him that he needs surgery?" Linka asks.
"There were some internal injuries. He's bleeding and they need to determine where it is coming from. They need to go in to determine where the bleeding is coming from so they could not wait any longer."
"But was he stable enough for surgery?"
"It's pretty bad, but they had no choice. If they would have waited for him to stabilize, he would have bled out. Our best surgeon is on his way in."
"Is there anything I can do?" Linka asks.
"Pray?"
"Anything I can ACTUALLY do to feel useful? We are the same blood type...I can donate."
"I will let them know that if they need more, you have offered."
Mikey rejoins them.
"I got a Twix because there's two so you can have one and I can have one."
Linka bends to kiss the top of his head.
"That is nice of you Sweetheart, but I am not hungry. You can have them both."
"I'll save the other one for Dad."
Linka can only smile and nod at him.
The woman at the desk tells them,
"You can follow this hallway and make a left at the end. That will take you to the ER waiting room. Check in with the nurse when you get there so she can keep you updated."
Linka did as she was told as Mikey took a seat and began to eat his candy bar. As she was speaking to the ER nurse, a handsome man in scrubs hurriedly interrupted.
"Excuse me, sorry, Mary, what room is the car vs. motorcyclist victim in?"
"Jason Wheeler. They're expecting you in O.R. 8 Dr. Owens."
"That is my husband. Is there anyway I can see him...even just to stand outside the room. He needs to hear my voice. I have to tell him I am here and that I need him to fight."
"I'm sorry Mrs. Wheeler, the best I can do is tell him for you, but I need to get in there and do my job."
"Ok...please, just save him. You cannot give up on him...too many people have given up on him," she says regretfully.
"I promise," Dr. Owens says.
"He's the best," the ER nurse says. "Your husband is in good hands."
"Thank you," Linka says, leaving to go sit next to Mikey.
A half hour has passed as Linka and Mikey wait for news on Wheeler, Mikey's head is resting on her lap as he's sprawled out across the chairs, sleeping. She watches him, her hand idly brushing through his hair, finding it hard to believe that it has only been a little over 36 hours since he first went missing.
"Mrs. Wheeler?"
"That is me," Linka says, carefully lifting Mikey's head and gently laying him back down as she stands up and approaches the nurse. "How is he?"
"Still in surgery as far as I know. I just wanted to bring you his personal items." The nurse hands Linka a bag. "There is a smaller bag in there with his wedding band and some other rings."
"Ok, thank you."
Linka resumes her seat and settles Mikey's head back onto her lap. He stirs briefly, but once she starts brushing his hair again, he remains asleep. She decides it would be best to keep the rings in her pocket to keep them secure in case someone should happen to take the bag whether by mistake or on purpose. Although Linka would like to think that in a waiting room of concerned people, most of whom are praying for loved ones, stealing someone else's belongings would be the last thing on their mind. However, in her lifetime, she's seen the worst and never underestimates anyone and what they're capable of doing.
She pulls out the smaller bag and opens it. In it, she finds Wheeler's Planeteer ring, his wedding band, and on a silver necklace, her wedding band and engagement ring. She undoes the clasp and puts Wheeler's rings on the chain as well. She's about to put the necklace around her neck when she stops, takes her rings off, and puts them on her finger before putting the necklace on. She shuts her eyes and leans her head back against the wall, willing Wheeler to pull through. She reaches up and grasps the rings in her hand and squeezes. She can feel him; feels his arms around her. She smiles. Captain Planet was right. They still have that connection. Typical Wheeler, offering her comfort when he's the one hurting.
To Be Continued...
