Chapter 4

"I'm glad that you two agreed." Walt smilingly glanced to his injured guests. "I will call her after we've eaten." He took a bite with his steak. "If you want, you both can be there with me when I talk to her, discreetly out of sight." He said in between chewing his fare.

"Manners." His wife Marie berated him. She served the cobalt-eyed teen with a slice of meatloaf. "You're the older one."

"I didn't hear them complain." Walt whined then winked at his wife. "Joking." He chuckled. "The greenhouse will be finished by tomorrow. I'm glad I have help." He nodded at the boys. "She will be happy with it."

"Who?" The cobalt eyed teen asked without a hint of being to eager of acquiring information.

"The doctor." Walt explained. "She will be planting herbs on it for medical purposes." He reached for another slice of meatloaf when he noticed that the steak were all gone. Marie served him a slice. "Thanks."

"Walt," started the blond teen. "You mentioned that the doctor helped you?"

He swallowed his food then nodded. "Yes." He cut a portion of his meatloaf and looked at the blond. "I was an Alliance soldier." He started. "I got injured that may have rendered me invalid for the rest of my life. Unfortunately for me, the doctor assigned to me has written me off as a hopeless case." He paused to have a drink of water. "Fortunately for me, Marie, found an article that mentioned the doctor and called her. It took her five calls and a week later the doctor appeared in my hospital room. I waked up with her asking Marie questions."

"She's a very serious girl for her age." Marie interrupted. "She's uses a direct approach when dealing with her patients. Well…that's what we experienced."

"The treatment was made in the hospital where she worked?" The messy haired asked. His thoughts centered on his dislike being in an hospital.

"No. At her home." Walt answered. "We stayed there for two years. But it's worth it."

"Why can't we go now?" The cobalt-eyed teen asked.

"It's accessible only by helicopter." Walt replied. "Her home is sitting atop a mountain. Built centuries ago by her predecessor." "He nodded at the five teens. "You might find her attitude quite eccentric. Don't get offended."

"We are fond of eccentricity." The cobalt-eyed teen grinned.

"No problem in that area." The blond beamed happily and resumed his eating.

"She pilots?" The tall teen asked.

"She can put OZ, Romefeller and Alliance pilots in shame, altogether." Walt grinned. "You'll see." He cackled and his wife joined him.

"Oh…oh…" Marie slapped her husband's elbow playfully. "We got quite a laugh when she outmaneuvered a squadron of Aries on the way to her home."

"In her helicopter?!" The Chinese teen blurted out incredulously.

"Yes!" Chuckled Walt. "It may look like a helicopter, but the controls and the engine are something else." He shook his head. "It flies like a suit and it can also carry up to seven passengers."

"She's also an engineer?" The tall one asked.

"An engineer, mechanic, pilot, physicist and doctor." Marie replied. "She's a degree holder in all of them. Mind you, she's a typical nerd, but she doesn't act like it."

"She hails from long line of amazons." Walt said. "But she doesn't look like it."

"She would be silly looking like an amazon in this time dear." Marie told her husband wryly. That earned a laugh from the cobalt-eyed boy.

"Yeah…it would be funny." He said mirthfully. "Wearing leaves and all that…." He grabbed his sides and roared with laughter. Occupants at the table joined in.

"Oh my…" The blond teen gasped from laughing. "This is refreshing."

"Yeah." The cobalt-eyed teen said between bouts of laughter.

"Anyone for desert?" Marie said beaming happily.

"Yes!" All male voices chimed in, that caused them to look at each other and grinned.

"I'll get it." Marie stood up and went to the kitchen. She returned carrying the dessert and placed it in the table. "Help yourselves." Indicating the dish with her right hand and sat down. The rest of the table each took a portion and ate.

Walt walked into his study two hours later while scanning his small notebook. "Aaahhh…" He mumbled. "Here it is." He sat down in front of the vidphone while in his right side out of view where the boys are seated. "You five are that intrigue?" He asked. The boys just grunted and stayed silent. He dialed the number he found and waited for it to be picked up by the other end. The image in the video cleared and the face of the doctor appeared. "Good evening ISE." Walt greeted. This caused the boys to look at each other when they heard the unusual nickname.

The face at the other end of the vidphone just lifted her brows in inquiry. Her eyes shifted to the lift to look at something. "It's late. Is there something wrong?" She inquired.

"When are you free?" Walt asked.

"You have a patient?" She countered.

"Two of them." Walt replied.

"I'll fly in on Saturday." The face disappeared from their sight briefly. Her head slightly bowed as if she's writing on something. "I took a two month vacation from the hospital. X-rays?" She asked.

"None." Walt replied.

"Very well," she stated. "I'll have everything ready here. You and Marie are coming with them? She again asked.

"If it's not a trouble. There are seven of us." Walt asked grinning. That earned him a raised eyebrow.

"I'll ready the rooms." She stated. "One for you and Marie and one for your five guests." She bowed again her head and busy with something else. "I assume they all males? She asked.

"Yes." Walt said.

"See you on Saturday Walt and have the patients ready in stretchers." She said.

"Will do." Walt answered. "Thanks. See you too." He hung up and the screen went blank.

"ISE?" The cobalt eyed teen enquired.

"Her shortened name is also her nickname." Walt explained. "Her full name is Isis Erin McHale. Take the IS from Isis and the E from Erin, thus ISE. It suits her though." He stood up and faced the boys. "Two more days and you will be going for the treatment. You must rest." He addressed the two crippled boys. "I'm going to sleep," he turned towards the door and walked. "Good night!" He called.

The five teenagers followed him out later and walked towards their room with two of them being carried.