Wednesday
With the dawn came the challenge. After breakfast John and Adam were in the lab single-mindedly working on the only problem that existed for them at the moment. "Now that I can see the whole picture, I think it'll be a matter of extraction surgery."
"The doctors in Scotland never felt that surgery was the solution," John stated flatly.
"It wouldn't have been." Adam moved around him and looked at the computer displaying Dria's medical records. "They had no way of dealing with the cellular changes caused by the genetic manipulation. I can't fault them if these are the only records they saw. They wouldn't have even been able to figure out that the cells have been altered. These files have nothing at all from the year she carried you. There's only a line notation about having had a child in 1984."
"Why would they have concealed everything?"
"It's the nature of the beast, I'm afraid." Adam turned back to face him. "Unfortunately, I run into this all too often. The one piece of information that would help us the most is always the first to disappear. Had you not told me about your mutation, I would still be trying to figure out what happened."
"This is all side effects from Genomex?" John saw Adam nod. "And now you think surgery is the answer?"
"Definitely. I have to do some r-altering of the affected genes…but I think combined with surgery to extract the cancer…she'll be just fine." Adam watched as John nodded thoughtfully.
"Will her body be able to handle the surgery? And what about recurrence?"
"We'll do it in two steps. First the r-altering…give her a chance to rest…then the actual surgery. Evie will be here to help strengthen her if she's needed." Adam moved to the large monitor on the wall that was presently displaying a scan of the affected area within Dria's midsection. "Once it's out there won't be recurrence. This wasn't something that was inherent in her, waiting to immerge. This was caused specifically by the alteration procedure they used to make you a new mutant. See here? All the cancer is concentrated in one area…I'm just concerned with getting in precisely enough to get it all out the first time. I don't want to have to do this again."
"Once the r-alteration is done, the surgery would be easy for me…as long as I had the right equipment." John smiled at Adam.
"I suggest we make our proposal to the patient, Doctor."
John smiled as they headed to the rec room to find his mother.
Outside of town, a man sat in his living room, on a farm that looked as if it had long been neglected. Alone he drank his morning coffee, remembering a time so long ago. "But, Mom, tell him. I can't just stay here." A young man stood and paced by the kitchen table.
"Dear, he really does have his heart set on being a doctor," his mother tried to help convince her stubborn husband.
"What about the farm? I can't take care of it alone."
"But you won't be alone. Mary's still here." The young man argued. "You've trained her the same as me and she's tougher than I am."
"We never had a doctor in the family. We've been farmers for 7 generations," he gruffed.
"Think of how proud you'll be with your friends when you tell them your son just graduated from medical school. None of their's ever left the county." Mom moved to the sink with her empty cup as she made her last appeal.
The young man looked hopeful as he saw his father sit a little straighter in the chair as a small smile played about his lips.
"Henry's always boastin' about how his son got all the agri-awards in school. Claims his farm is the best in the county."
"I'll get a good job. We'll hire help and this place will be better." That was his last chip. There was nothing else he could say to convince him. He prayed as he waited for his father's final decision.
"All right. Be a doctor." He turned a hard stare to his son. "But you better be the best there is. Don't shame me and come home a drop out."
"Never," the boy swore. "You'll see. I know just where I want to work when I graduate. I can only be the best if I work with the best."
The man threw his empty cup and it smashed in the fire blazing in the fireplace. "He had dreams…you turned them into nightmares. I'll make you pay," he raised his fist into the air, swearing to the vision of his enemy before his eyes.
Dria and Evie were sitting with Nadene and Bryan when John and Adam walked in. "You know?" Dria looked at her son as he entered. "I remember when you were just Brian's age. I had one outfit that I just loved to put on you on Sundays. I stored it away hoping to be able to see my grandson in it."
"After the holidays are over, I will personally escort you back to Scotland to get it," Adam smiled as he sat on the floor with his daughter and Brian.
"You're sweet but it's unlikely that I'll get the chance," Dria stated, resolved to her fate.
"Not anymore," John moved to her side. "There's a reason we switched your doctors. Uncle Adam has a treatment plan we want you to consider. He and Adam proceeded to explain the details to her. They escorted her to the lab as they explained. Adam ran more scans as she tried to understand all they were saying.
"You're telling me that this is all a side effect of the procedure that gave John his mutation." Dria looked on in wonder.
"That's right." Adam looked down. "It's my fault."
"No," Dria squeezed his hands.
"The doctors at Genomex took my work and tried to tailor it to their own plans. They didn't care about side effects or mishaps. They pushed for the results they wanted regardless of the circumstances." Adam didn't want to but couldn't help looking up at her.
His heart was laid open and Dria knew it. This had become the cross he was bearing and now…it affected one of the most important people in his life. In his eyes she saw the guilt he tried to hide.
"That's why I left…and I've been doing cleanup after them ever since."
With tears in her eyes, Dria leaned in and hugged him. "You didn't do this to me, Adam." Taking a deep breath she pulled back and looked straight into his eyes. With all the strength and determination of a Kane, she stated decisively, "But now I know…you'll be the one to cure me."
Adam was held by her eyes as she spoke. He knew she saw the fears he hid from the rest of the world. Over the years his family's gotten to know him well. Evie, aside; Dria was the only person close enough to him to read his true heart without words. That was many years ago, but… sitting here she proved that nothing had changed. Even after all these years, with the things he's told her…and all the trials and mistakes he hasn't…she still knew him…too well…and most of all…she believed in him…that had never changed. Adam stood and supported her as she did the same. He embraced her and kissed her head as he held her close, knowing she understood.
The lab door swooshed as Evie and Nadene walked in. She smiled as she shared the joy in the room. "Ah…I see it didn't take long for you to learn our secret."
Dria sat back in her chair and smiled with renewed mischief as Adam looked at her then his wife.
"John, let's discuss that instrument modification." Adam turned, suddenly feeling the need to distance himself from the girls.
John mused at the glare his uncle turned on Evie then followed him to the other side of the lab.
"What secret did I uncover?" Dria's voice carried her mischief just loud enough to make Adam shake his head as he left them.
Evie put Nadene down and watched as she toddled up behind her father. "We, women of Sanctuary, know that there's one treatment in this lab that wipes away almost anything." She nodded Dria's attention to Nadene as Adam picked her up; "Hugs from Adam."
"That was my secret first. I've known that since I was Nadene's age, but I'm very glad to share it with all of you." As they watched, Nadene turned and reached for John.
John loved kids…no doubt. But when Nadene reached for him his heart melted. He took her from her father and smiled as she touched his face, her little fingers exploring his features as she looked into his eyes. He suddenly felt… something.
John's expression changed enough to tell Adam something had happened. He looked at his daughter then to his wife. Evie's eyes were closed. Evie?
She's talking to him. They watched as Nadene giggled then put her head down on his shoulder.
Dria smiled at the scene, quietly adding to their last comments, "It looks like it runs in the family."
"John," Evie called softly, "can you tell me what she said?"
John returned to the women as Adam followed. "Is that what it was?" He kept Nadene snuggled on his shoulder as she seemed disinclined to move. "You said she was telepathic."
"But she hasn't sent to any of us before," Adam stated. "What did you hear?"
"I really didn't hear anything. It was more like a feeling…a warmth…a smile…" John struggled to put words to their communication. Finally he recognized, "trust."
Dria's heart sang as she realized what she had with Adam not only wouldn't end but was being carried to the next generation.
Adam and John conferred for the rest of the afternoon about the procedure for Dria. The rest of the family prepared for their guests. Thursday came and went with much the same routine. Adam programmed the system in the lab to run a simulation of the procedure. He walked John through the genetic re-alterations on a holographic Dria. On Friday they tried the simulated surgery. It wasn't nearly as successful.
"I can't get it all. The computer resolution isn't precise enough." John complained.
"Let's let the computer laser it," Adam suggested and the simulation was reset.
"No," John was getting frustrated. "Right there. Did you see it? It's cutting deep enough but it's just not sensitive enough to detect it all. Can you boost it?"
"Not anymore. It's set as high as this system gets."
"Let me try to interface. Maybe I can compensate. You do the surgery." Again the simulation was reset and again it failed. "I don't have full control," he sighed.
"I have an idea. Let me make a call. Then we're going for a little ride." Adam pat John's shoulder as he turned and went to his office. A little while later he found Evie and the women in the kitchen. "John and I have to go to the mansion for a little while."
"The mansion?" Evie turned as he came up behind her. "They should be locking everything down about now and getting ready to come here."
"I know. I just talked to Hank. We have an idea for the surgery. I want to run a few tests to see if it'll work."
Evie looked at him then smiled and shook her head. She knew better than to try and hold him down when he had an idea. "Be back by Christmas," she smiled as she saw Shalimar and Kitty nod in understanding agreement.
Adam kissed her as he heard Dria gasp. He turned and kissed his cousin. "Don't listen to them. We'll be back tonight." Over his shoulder he called, "The guys are flying us."
"Good," Evie whispered and looked at the girls. "Now maybe we can get something done." I heard that. Maybe I'll tell them. sounded in her head. She laughed and looked up. "Adam heard me."
