Fallen to the Planet
Chapter 4: Got your Finger
Days passed by with little incident in the medical research labs. The hematologist had come and taken his blood samples, seven vials worth. The neurologist had arrived and taken several different CT scans before disappearing to his lab. The physiologist had joined in on the fun, taken several CT scans himself, along with six more skin biopsies. Numerous other specialized doctors have come and gone and come again. Their work more routine in keeping, "Than," alive and sedated, along with physical examination and her general health.
For some reason, Vincent was a frequent visitor to the research lab, coming in as often as every two days for an hour or so. No one questioned his presence in the lab, for they knew he was informally included in determining what this girl was. He watched as the never-ending examinations continued day in and day out. He saw skin cut right off her arms with blades and needles jabbed into her veins. He saw masks put over her mouth and nose and her being strapped to tables and beds. He witnessed people forcing her mouth open while half conscious, and others prying her eyes open and shining lights into them, and saw tubes and cameras being shoved down her throat the inspect her recent eating habits.
It was only in the evenings that even more extreme events took place. Vincent once witnessed several physicians cut down the entire length of her bicep to inspect her muscles, after applying a tourniquet to her arm. The lack of blood flow produced minimal blood shed, and the doctors even offered Vincent a closer look for himself, but he refused and was content to watch them play with their doll, until they mentioned a wish to inspect the girl's internal organs as well, but had to wait for the approval. Vincent never appeared to an evening research group after that.
Perhaps the reason why Vincent ever showed up in those labs was because of morbid curiosity. More than once did he find himself pondering the what-ifs of his own experimentation. Were any of these specific experiments done to him by Hojo? Was he ever managed so closely and inspected at such a personal level? Was his own experimentation even worse? Could this ever get more gruesome? Sometimes, Vincent would forget where he was from how deep in thought he was. He would lose himself in that dark past.
He hoped that we wasn't going to begin empathizing with Than.
In Reeve's office, results from numerous tests were being sent by e-mail to him everyday, some even accompanied by phone calls by bewildered scientists. Blood type proved to be inconclusive and unlabeled. Skin samples showed abnormal qualities. Brain scans appeared normal but functions were odd. Personal optical observations revealed higher than normal counts of receiving nerves. One after another, bizarre tests were sent in and baffled doctors called the man to reason out their results.
"The evidence against her is piling up, Vincent." Reeve opened up all e-mails and spread out all paper files that he had recieved for his friend to see. "I'm getting worried." Vincent picked up one of the paper reports and read it more thoroughly. "What do you see down there? Does it look like a circus?"
"No," Was his simple reply. "More like a mad house." Reeve sighed.
"Does she display any odd signs? Bleed from the eyes or something?"
"As quiet as a sleeping lamb, conscious or not." The taller man set the paperwork back down. Reeve rested his head in his hands and gave another sigh. He was doing that a lot lately. Silence filled the grand office space, and despite the bright light flowing into the room, only a sense of gloom was their third friend.
Reeve's office phone rang. He slowly reached for it and answered in a low voice, "Reeve Tuesti here." The man mostly listened to the other man on the line, and he wrote down important notes on the edge of his calendar on the desk. "Okay. Yeah. I'll be there." The man hung up the phone.
"That was one of the medical examiners," Reeve relayed to Vincent. "He wants me to be at Than's lab room around seven this evening. Said he had something important to show me." The man in red made no reply.
"Did you want to come? Should be interesting in the least." All Vincent could think about was the image of Than's arm being cut right down the middle and her muscle being exposed to the air.
"Do you know what the night shift does?"
"Yes. And before you think anything, I denied their vivisection request. Many times." Even Reeve seemed to have a little care for the odd female. Or a deep resentment for extreme medical practices.
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6:55 P.M. rolled by, and the punctual Reeve was opening the door to the medical lab when he was warmly greeted by the few doctors that waited for him.
"Good Evening, . And good evening to you, . It's good to see you've returned." Vincent only nodded his acknowledgment. Reeve quickly greeted everyone in the room as well.
"I was hoping we could just get right to the matter, Dr. Brackt."
"Oh, of course. Please follow." and the three other physicians lead their boss (and his friend) over to the strange girl's bed. "I'm sure you will find this... interesting in the least." At her bed, the girl hardly seemed threatening. She lied quite still, even for being restrained by the ankles and arms. Her face portrayed exhaust and apathy, something quite out of character.
"Has she haven any food to eat since she arrived?" Reeve seemed oddly unhappy at the thought of her starving under his care.
"Not at all. Look at the IV drip. Though feeding her is challenging while half conscious, or so the nurses say." Dr. Brackt wheeled a little table closer to him, right next to Than's bed. One of the other doctors was busy undoing her wrist straps, and another was positioning a very bright lamp over the girl and Dr. Brackt. The white table cloth was removed and a plethera of surgical instruments were revealed, all sharp and shiny and sterilized.
"Now I know this wont look good," Commented the leading doctor, "but please, bare with me." He took Than's unrestrained hand by the wrist and held it flat against a new, empty table. He parted her index finger far from the others, and took care her thumb wasn't even near. Than silently watched, while another doctor stood right near her head, observing as well. Dr. Brackt held out a free hand, a very sharp and large knife was placed into his palm, and he positioned the knife right above Than's lonely finger.
"What do you--?!" But it was too late. The doctor left no time for compliants, and suddenly the air was filled with the animalistic screams of a girl in utter pain. The doctor that stood right by her had jumped to cover her mouth with some cloth, but it hardly muffled her screams. Reeve and Vincent were shocked to silence. The immense blood that covered the table was appalling, and Dr. Brackt was holding out the missing finger in front of them. The girl could only wail on and thrash in her bed.
"Are you mental?!" Reeve yelled at the doctor, furious with the brutality he was just shown. "This isn't--"
"Calm down, ! I'm not done! Look! She didn't pass out! Any girl her age would have fainted from fear, but she's still conscious!"
"So all you wanted to display was her threshold for pain?" The inventor was still unamused.
"No." The doctor calmly replied. "Watch." He motioned for the two men to come closer, and a reluctant Reeve did with a push from Vincent. The doctor then placed the severed finger onto the table, approximately twelve inches from the now mutilated hand. Slowly, the finger began to twitch and be pulled to the bloody hand, as if drawn like a magnet to it. Reeve's breath caught in his throat as he staggered backwards into Vincent. Even the silent man's own crimson eyes widened with fear.
"We stumbled onto this by accident." explained. "The young one," he jabbed a thumb in the direction of the man trying to keep Than silent, who finally stopped screaming, "nearly severed another of her fingers off just the other night. It's healed now." He pointed to the girl's pinky finger that was on the bleeding hand. It was perfectly fine and looked well attached, apart from a small, light scar where the cut had been.
"If you'd just wait a bit," the doctor commented again, taking the bleeding hand and joining the index finger to it, "she'll heal very rapidly." Dr. Brackt was then given a needle with stitching wire, and he began to reconnect Than's finger to its rightful place. Once done, he wrapped the base of the finger with bandages a few times, a little blood trickling through, and held her hand up for examination. With the needle he was using, he lightly poked the end of the freshly attached finger. It twitched.
"Did you see? Her nerves have almost immediately started to reattach themselves. No one's nerves do that. And look! Hardly any blood pouring out of her. That means her blood vessels have been connected as well." Dr. Brackt gently returned Than's hand to her, placing it atop her belly. He gravely turned back towards Reeve, stepping closer to him, lowering his voice so he could be heard aloud.
"Whatever we are treating is not human. And you've known this from the start otherwise we wouldn't be investigating her like this. I respectfully request that you inform me what we are dealing with." Reeve had to find his voice (and his composure) to reply back in a civil manner.
"I regret to inform you that such knowledge is none of your business. It isn't your place to question, but to find answers. Besides, you no longer have to worry about this case anymore, because I'm discharging all of you from your services here. Thank you very much, Dr. Brackt." With that said, Reeve bowed his head to the gentlemen in the room and held his arm out towards the door.
"Thank you very much for your hard work, gentlemen, but you are now free from your duties here in this lab." The doctors all looked at one another with a queer expression. Were they all just fired?! The look on their employer's face was gravely serious, and now that they looked to the door, Mr. Valentine was slightly holding the door ajar for them. Without much else to do, they all began to slowly exit the room one by one. Each bowing their head with respect to Mr. Tuesti, and he bowing in return. Dr. Brackt was the last to leave, even standing in the doorway and looking back at Reeve one last time, before finally departing.
Vincent let the door fall closed on its own after Mr. Brackt, and made his way over to his firend's side, who had took a spot standing over Than's bed. He let the silence settle a little bit, and watched the girl finally peacefully sleep. Those with no energy need their rest.
"Do you think you made a good decision?" Reeve gave a sigh, kept silent, and began to slowly head for the exit, Vincent loyal the follow.
"Firing a couple of intelligent doctors for their unorthodox and brutal practices? I thought it was a good idea."
Some more thanks to warandchaoshorla, Thunderstorm101, and dizzygirl55 for showing an interest. Every little bit makes an aurthor happy.
-halfbreedfox