July 23, 2010

Chapter 12:White Walls and Realizations

"No!" Mack screamed. His eyes bulged in alarm. The nurse recording his monitor readings dropped her clipboard in fright, running from the room and shouting something that the red ranger couldn't understand. Though, thinking back, the Overdrive ranger reckoned she was speaking Cantonese.

The whiteness of the hospital room was cold and intimidating, not a sign of warmth or inspiration to live. Mack tried to sit, but was met with immediate and paralyzing pain. He breathed in a laborious manner, the simple task proving difficult. A tall, rectangular man, who looked to be in his fifties, approached Mack's bedside. His faced paled as he feared that he wouldn't be able to understand the doctor anymore than he had the nurse.

"Mr. Hartford, Mack, you had us worried," he smiled, warmly. Mack breathed a sigh of relief, grateful the doctor spoke English. Noticing Mack relax at his entrance, the doctor continued. "You aren't out of the woods yet, but just being awake greatly increases your ability of making a full recovery. Surviving a campsite fire, that is really lucky," he remarked, winking at the man.

A campsite fire? Is that what he told everyone? Mack wondered, chuckling to himself. Even though the Overdrive rangers were public figures, the public was still mislead of their endeavors, always clueless to the true perils they were in. "I will go tell your friends and family that you are awake." Mack blanched. The last people he wanted to see were his father and friends. How would he explain everything to them? Would they even understand? The doctor tucked the clipboard under his arms, pressing his lips in a paternal way, he asked, "Would you rather I not permit them to visit?"

The archeologist closed his eyes. "No, it's okay." He would have to face them eventually.

Room 502

Ronny was sore and would wake with a terrible crick in her neck, or so believed the black ranger as he watched the racecar driver sleep, using a portion of his bed as a place to rest her head. Her long hair masked parts of her face, but her sleeping form brought a smile to his face. It was somehow relieving, despite the bleakness of everything, to have Ronny there. The nurses told him that she had stayed up most of the night and into the wee hours of the morning until exhaustion finally overpowered her and she passed out.

Tyzonn expecting to still see Will sleeping; clasped his hands over his mouth to stifle his cry of joy discovering otherwise. It was his quick reflexes that allowed the Mercurian to follow Will's silent orders to not wake Ronny. "I'm going to get Dax," he whispered. He disappeared before the black ranger could object, knowing that Ronny wouldn't be able to continue to slumber with the blue ranger there.

Room 274

Lily zipped back and forth between the two beds. Doting on the two rangers, Casey and Theo, was an all night job that carried into the morning. The cheetah insisted on handling everything, only allowing the nurses to do the things that she was unqualified for. RJ watched Lily fluff Casey's pillow, before dabbing Theo's forehead with a cool rag. The yellow Jungle Fury ranger scurried to open the window, but not as to give a chill to either ranger. "Lily," the wolf ranger interrupted. She turned to him, her hair unruly – wild looking and her eyes bloodshot, weighted down with bags. "Get some sleep."

"I'm fine."

"Lily," he began.

"I'm fine!" Hearing Theo moan, shifting under the covers, Lily froze, hoping to not have woken him up. She quickly escorted RJ out of the room, practically shoving him to the point that he almost fell.

"You're not fine, Lily. Look at yourself, you're overworked," his voice was soft and quiet, but there was an undertone of seriousness.

"How can I rest when I know the reason they're laying in those beds is because of me! If they didn't have to save me they wouldn't be there. They got hurt saving me!" She was near tears, the cloud of guilt that had been hovering over her releasing like a dam.

Grasping her by the shoulders so he was looking her in the eyes, he said firmly, "This isn't your fault. I know you, Lily. You would have done the same thing if the roles had been switched. You need to rest. We are at half mass. We need all the capable people we can to be ready for when Zhao Lee reappears."

Acquiescing to him, knowing he was right, she followed him as he led her to a bed he secured with the help of Andrew for Lily to recuperate. The nurses smiled as they passed, secretly thanking RJ for leading Lily away as the dancer was beginning to interfere with their jobs of tending to the patients.

Room 312

Andrew dragged a hand down his unshaven face. He had taken the Sonic Streaker to the hospital the rangers were flown to get treatment. He looked at his son's long and wavy hair and five o'clock shadow overdue to be taken to a razor. Andrew patted Mack's knee, what could he say to his son after hearing the story? So many emotions were swirling that Andrew, himself, wanted to be admitted – to the psych ward that is. The situation had spun out of control, it seemed that every time he thought it was over a new level, a new obstacle presented itself.

"We'll figure it out, Mack," he soothed. "First, we have to return back to the Command Center. We have the best chance of saving Rose and defeating Zhao Lee there. Everything we need is there. We'll leave as soon as we know we can all make the trip back home," Mr. Hartford added confidently.

"Not without me you won't," a woman interjected, her arms crossed defiantly. Andrew looked puzzled, seeing the nurse lean, nonchalantly against the door frame, displaying an unimpressed and determined expression. After a few seconds, Mack's eyes grew large, he knew who that nurse was; although, that was only a guise. It was Camille.

Mack paled, seeing the chameleon saunter in cockily, made his heart thump faster. Detecting Mack's distress by his son's facial appearance and the sudden increase in beeping from the heart monitor, Andrew stood between Mack and Camille. "I don't know what game you're playing, but you need to leave." Andrew's fist shook, more in fear than anger.

Camille narrowed her eyes, studying the older Hartford gentleman. "Really? And if I don't then what? I've visited your rangers, and they seem – how do you put it – out of commission." She smiled, biting her manicured nail. "Face it, you need me." She directed this statement at Mack. Shamefaced Mack's eye drifted to the black speckled tile floor. In a softer and unusual demeanor, Camille walked up to Mack's bedside. "I understand, I was robbed someone, too," waiting for Mack to look her in the eyes, "it's not too late if we leave now."

~ End Chapter 12

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