Chapter 31: New friends
Our routine doesn't change much over the weeks to come, we still go to the DOJO and still practice at the station gym, and we still do our early morning routines. The biggest surprise was Dad. He had the forms down in about a week, and was doing them with a desire I had not seen before. "Dad why are you trying so hard"? "Daniel, I'm doing this so hard, so I can keep up with your mother, I don't want her to leave me behind ever again". "Does it have something to do with your scars"? Dad deflates a bit, "yes Daniel it does". "Can you tell me about it dad"?
"Daniel before we married, we were on a routine patrol we had received a report of some suspicious characters in an alley a few blocks away from where we were. We pulled up to the alley, the cruiser being to big to go down the alley, the perps ran when they saw the cruiser. Well you know how fast you mother is, she was ahead of me when one of the perps pulled a gun and shot your mother. I managed to trank him, before he could put a second bullet in to Judy.
I then gathered her up in my arms, and turned not knowing the second perp was right behind me, behind the dumpster. He jumped out and clawed my back, I went down to my knees with the pain but wouldn't let go of her, I got up and I ran. He then picked up the gun and shot me in the shoulder, the bullet didn't penetrate the shoulder blade, luckily. Your mother in my arms had the presence of mind to trank the second perp, how she made that impossible shot, I'll never know. She then used my radio to call an ambulance for both of us. I barely got us back to the car, before my legs gave out. We both passed out before the ambulance got there.
We were told the perps were just waking up as our fellow officers got there. The perps are doing life for attempted murder of two police officers.
When I came to, I was flat on my front in a hospital bed, hooked up to all kinds of machines, I even had a catheter in as they didn't want me to move. Judy looked so small and fragile in the bed next to me. All I wanted to do was hold her, I just kept trying to reach her. A nurse not sure which one pushed our beds together. And I was able to hold her paw. I was so tired I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I had a bunny cuddled up in my left side, we talked and expressed our love for each other. and we have been together since then. We married as soon as we could both walk. We went to the clinic while we were still convalescing. We spent six months off work, and had only been back on the job two weeks when the clinic was fire bombed. The chief wasn't happy when we took the week of personal leave thinking we had lost our only chance at having a family. But here you are, our family, all of you".
I related all this to everyone as dad told it to me. When we got back to the living room everyone was crying and trying to hug mom all at once. When they saw dad, they did the same thing to him. Mom, with a perplexed look on her face asked, "Nick, do you know what's going on"? "I told Daniel the shooting story, I guess he told everyone else, kind of beats having to tell it more than once".
When Jack and Skye return to practice a week later, I could tell something had changed, they both positively glowed. Skye was unbeatable in the ring, we fought to a draw. Her lag time was gone. Jack still wasn't as good as Skye, but he had a few tricks I had not seen before, so we also fought to a draw. As Jack and I finished, Skye came over and hugged him, and planted one on the top of his head. No need to guess at what had happened. Grandma just gave a knowing smile. Jack looked kind of embarrassed, but shrugged and pulling Skye down, plants one on Skye's muzzle, they hold the kiss a little longer than necessary, they then leave the station arm in arm.
Miss Watts was taking longer to learn the forms, but I wasn't pushing her as I could see the fear she was living with, but it was getting less, and I hoped that we soon could do away with it. She was getting better with our causal attire after swimming, mom even stopped wearing a bathing suit, she was self conscious but relaxed a bit, when she found the only one looking at her was dad, his state of mind was evident by the protrusion, but he hid it well, mom would just blush at those times.
Rick and Ava had begun to work on their new computer. Rick had the whole house wired with Cat5, and a line running down to the lobby by our elevator. They figured they could have the new computer up and running by Christmas. The had built Rick's jamming design in various configurations and brought them to Ava for Programing, they had sent a computer programmer over to try to learn Ava's computer language, but he threw his paws up after several days and stormed out of the house.
It was the middle of October, it was a warm, windy, sunshine day, and we were walking to the park, the whole family was there, grandpa and Davis were talking medical stuff, mom and dad were just strolling down the street. Susan and I were talking and strolling behind them, and grandma was in the middle of the pack holding Ava and Suzie's hand.
As we came to the parks entrance, two perps came out of the bushes, and grabbing Susan and Rick, and started to run down the street. They didn't get far, Susan did a double fist punch to the one holding her, and broke his rib. He dropped her, and on the way down, she got a good solid kick to his family jewels. As he was doubling up in pain, she kicked off from the pavement, and using the same double fist punch, broke his jaw on the way up. He was out like a light. God, it was good to watch my love in action.
Rick wasn't as lucky; this guy had a good solid grip, and Rick had no room to move. Mom on the other hand was bouncing off the wall as the perp started to run with Rick. She did a double foot plant in the middle of his back, and pushed off with all her might. Dad caught her as she rebounded back at him. But the perp was headed for a face plant on the pavement, he let go of Rick, who rolled out of the way, the perp trying to brace himself landed hard on his right arm, breaking it. He just lay there in pain clutching his arm. Dad was on the phone to the police, when a call for help echoed in our minds.
As one our heads snap to the direction of the call, it sounded a lot like William. "Grandpa, Davis you're with me, everyone else stay put". I got down on all fours and started to run to the call I could still feel. Grandpa who was bigger just loped along beside me; Davis was right on my heels. We came to a secluded section of the park against the back hill. I found a burrow that some one had dug into the hill. As I approached the call got fainter and then faded away. "Grandpa do you have a light"? Grandpa reaches into his pocket and pulls out his pen light, and taking it, I go in.
It's William all right, but he is badly messed up, he's still breathing though. Davis goes in to look him over as I crawl out. "Grandpa call an ambulance, there's a kit in there badly messed up". Davis comes out asks for some thing for splints and some bandage material. Grandpa takes his jacket off, and using his claws shreds it in to strips, he hands these to Davis. I hand him some small branches I found lying around, he takes it all back in. A few minutes later Davis come out with a piece of jacket trailing behind him. "Grandpa I need you to pull on this gentle". Grandpa pulls gentle on the strip, there is some resistance at first, but it starts to come out as the wail of the ambulance could be heard.
When William is pulled out, he's in worst shape than I thought I can see a bloody bandage around his middle, and left arm, and a splint on both his right arm and right leg, the bone had been protruding out of his leg. The attendants pick him up and put him on the stretcher. Grandpa gives me a look; "go grandpa we can make our way back to the rest". He jumps into the ambulance and they take off for the hospital.
Dad meets us about half way across the park. "Dad we need an emergency transport to the hospital, William is going to need blood and we are the only ones that can give it to him". "Daniel, what do you mean"? "Dad, William is as special as us he will have our blood type". "How do you know this Daniel"? "Dad he can project his emotions as well, and if he can do that, I'm sure that his blood type is the same as ours". Dad doesn't question me more he just calls for the transport.
We all arrive at the hospital, and grandma calls Peter. He comes out a few minutes later with the bad news. We all look at his face, and can feel the bad news coming. "I'm sorry guys, William is not doing to well, he has lost a lot of blood, and we don't have his type on record. We have nothing we can give him, it's only a mater of time".
"Grandpa is his blood that unusual"? "Yes, it is, it's like nothing I have ever seen". "If you had a universal donor, would that help"? "If such a mammal existed it would be a big help". All of us jump down and step forward. "Grandpa we are all universal donors". "Daniel, I know you would like to help, but I don't see as how you can". "Peter, says dad, Daniel is telling the truth. Bobby Hofmeyr from the ZPD lab said his blood was universal meaning it could be given to both pred and prey".
Grandpa's eyes get big, "you were Hofmeyr's sample"? "Yes, grandpa I was". "God, Daniel you and William have the same blood, when he released the study, the medical community laughed at his findings, said he had to be faking it". "So, can we give"? "We"? "Yes grandpa, we all have the same blood type". Grandpa gets excited as we are ushered into the emergency ward. Mom and dad and grandma are sitting in chairs, the rest of us are sitting on the bed.
Several nurses rush in and take blood from us all. As we are all feeling a little woose, we just curl up and go to sleep for a while. As I wake up, the adults are talking. I croak for some water. Mom picks up a glass and hand it to me, I drink it all down in one go. "How is he Grandpa"? "God, Daniel, you did it, you all did it, he's going to make it". "That's good grandpa, you know what this means don't you"? "No Daniel, what"? I look over at mom and dad, "I think that William is my older brother".
"Daniel, why would you say that"? "Mom, you always told me that you had six viable embryos, William can do the same stuff as me. He can throw out his emotions, and his blood type is the same as mine. That in my book is way too many coincidences for chance alone". As we talk the rest of my mates wake up. "Did you all feel William call for help"? My mates and I all nod our heads yes. "I think William is a runaway from an orphanage. With all the negative emotions at an orphanage, I think I would have runaway too". "All right Daniel, Nick and I will look into it". "Oh, and one more thing, check to see if another was brought in with William, I don't see the institute making more than one trip to get rid of unwanted experiments".
"Grandpa, can we get a DNA test done on William"? "Yes Daniel, that shouldn't be a problem". "How soon tell he wakes up"? "We have him in a medical induced coma, I'll bring him out about noon tomorrow". "Can I be there when you wake him up"? "As he has no family members to say no, I believe his friend should be there".
William slowly comes awake, it takes him a few to realize he is in a hospital. "Oh, good someone heard me". He then feels the pain. "God, I'm hurt really bad". "Not as bad as you think", I sent back to him. His eyes snap open and he looks around for the person who said that. Not seeing anyone, he wonders if he has finally gone insane. "You're not insane William, I'll be in, in a minute".
I Slowly open the door and l enter. "Hi William", "Daniel, that was you"? "Yes, it's me, and no I'm not going to hurt you". "Daniel how can you read my mind"? "I can't read your mind William; I only can read your emotions, same as you". "You don't know anything about me Daniel", he says with a little bit of venom. "William, I know you are a runaway from an orphanage, I know you have no training in your gift, and I know how unbearable negative emotions can be". William deflates a bit, "and I know you need training". "I'm not going back to that damn orphanage; I'd rather be strung up in a tree than go back".
"William, you nearly were". "So, what are you going to do about it"? "You know I can see right through the tough guy act, right? I can see how scared and hurt you are, and I can see the conflicting emotions as you try to decide if you can trust me". "Are you going to make me trust you"? "It doesn't work that way, William, I really can't make you trust me, why would I invite that kind of resentment into my life or yours"? "But I've made people leave me alone, and made them give me money". "William no one here faults you for what you had to do to survive". "Can you tell me how you got beat up as bad as you were when we found you"?
"Your trying something right now"! "No William, I'm not, my sibling are just projecting calm at you", they all stop at this point. William can feel the world crashing in on him, and lets out with a scream, which in his condition come out like a croak. We all project calm at him, and he settles down fairly quick. "William we all have natural shields against the out side world, you do not. Would you like to learn some shields"? "YES, GOD, YES". I project to him how to create a shield, and after a few minutes he has a rudimentary shield, the look on his face as we stop projecting calm to him, was one of peace.
William breaks down, "I'm sorry Daniel, I've always been alone, and I hurt so much, it's hard to trust someone". "You can trust me William, I would never do anything to hurt you. If I hurt you, I would feel your pain, which would hurt me, why would I hurt myself"? William chuckled a bit, but ends up coughing.
"All right Daniel, I believe you. In answer to your earlier question, I was scrounging in the garbage for something to eat", he blushes, and his emotions say shame. "Hey, I told you no one here is judging you". "Yes, well, as I was saying I was looking for food when I noticed two guys hanging around the front entrance to the park. So, I snuck up behind one of them and lifted his wallet.
As I turned to run the other one grabbed my arm. I twisted my arm out of his grip and started to run, as I twisted out of his grasp, I ripped a gash in my arm on one of his claws. I ran through the play ground equipment bobbing and weaving. I managed to get a head start but they caught me by my tree. The one who's wallet I had, grabbed me and threw me into the tree. My leg was at a bad angle when I hit the tree, I heard it break. As I landed on the ground still clutching his wallet, he ripped it out of my hands opening the gash in my belly. I swore that one was going to kill me, when the other turned to him", "he's not worth it, we have a job to do, lets go".
"He kicked me in my arm as he walked away. My arm broke, I heard it too. I passed out from the pain. When I came to, I dragged myself to my grave". He looks up with tears in his eyes, "Daniel I thought I was going to die. With all the pain, I wanted to die. But into all my pain came a voice that told me to try, one last time. So, I called out not expecting a response, and I kept calling until I passed out".
Mom and dad came in the room at this time. William gets a fearful look on his face; "you brought the cops"? "No William, they brought me. These are my parents; William I'd like you to meet my parents Nick and Judy Wilde". Mom spoke at this time. "William, we needed the information of your attack, Daniel wore a wire so we could get that information. If we showed you some mug shots do you think you could pick them out"? "One of them anyway, I'll never forget that look of murder on his face. So, are you going to arrest me"? "What for William"? "Well I did just admit to lifting a wallet". "I didn't hear that did you Judy"? "Seems to me, all I heard was something about a chase, and being hurt, I didn't hear any thing about a wallet. William you are the victim here not them".
"William, I'm sorry, I didn't tell you, but would you have talked to the cops about what happened"? "No Daniel, I wouldn't, But I would talk to a friend". He looks at me with hope in his heart and soul. I crawl onto his bed and just hold his good side, "friends", I say.
Judy turns to Nick as they exit the room, "Nick those two guys were waiting for us". "How can you be sure fluff"? "Look at who they grabbed, Susan I could understand, but Rick was in the middle of the pack, there were much easier targets than Rick". "So, if I'm reading you right you think this was an attempted abduction of the O'Hare children"? "Yes Nick, I think it was. William said that they had a job to do, what possible gain could they have for abducting one of our kits? No, Nick this does add up to attempted abduction of the O'Hare kits".