Chapter 5
"Everything bolted and locked?" Walt asked the boys while buttoning his heavy coat. He caught their nods as they too snuggled in to their coats. He went to his wife and helped her button down her coat. "She will be here in ten minutes." He grabbed the two-way radio near the porch and went down the stairs to look up the sky. "Can you hear that?" The others strained to hear a sound and they heard the sound of the helicopter flying their way. Eight minutes later the chopper came into view. It approached them steadily, hovered and landed. The pilot climbed out from the cockpit and approached Walt who greeted her.
"Good afternoon, Walt." She nodded her head and glanced to where the others are sitting in the porch. "Hello Marie!" She waved her arm and Marie responded with her own wave. "They are the patients?" She asked and walked towards the porch.
"Yes." Walt said. "Found them in the shack eight days ago."
"This is bad." She muttered. She jogged and removed her gloves when she approached the two figures in the stretcher. "Remove your coats." She ordered the two. She just lifted her brows when the messy haired boy glared at her. They followed her orders anyway that caused the other boys to smirk. "How long have you had these injuries?" She asked both of them.
"Three months." The blond answered.
"Lift them and place them into the chopper." She ordered the rest of the boys. "We need to hurry." She took Marie's bag and hurried back towards the helicopter. Marie followed after her with Walt and the boys carrying the patients.
She opened the side doors and threw the bag she is holding inside. She climbed up and began folding the chairs to make room for the stretchers. "Marie, you will sit beside me." She ordered. Marie scrambled towards the cockpit. "Comfy?" She asked her male passengers. When they acknowledged she went to the cockpit. "Strap yourselves tight and lock the doors!" She started the controls and piloted the craft away from Walt and Marie's place.
The helicopter flew like a jet. The boys could not believe it. The pilot scaled the sides of the mountain with ease and experience. Two hours later, Walt stirred from where he sat. He motioned for the other three to look at the window.
"Look," he said. "Her home….." He gestured towards the window using his head.
The three boys looked outside and they just gawked at the sight. There is no indication where the castle foundation will end. The castle seemed to be the top of the mountain itself. The aerial view is majestic. The helicopter made a turn and they could see an opening in the side of the mountain. The helicopter went in and landed in the landing pad located inside the mountain. Walt opened the door in his side and climbed out. He waited and reached out when the first stretcher is being lowered. The tasks where completed for ten minutes and the party followed Marie to the elevators. ISE is already waiting. When they reached the elevators, ISE closed the doors and it carried them up. The elevator doors hissed open when it reached a certain level and it revealed a very spotless room full of medical equipment of all kinds. ISE briskly walked towards an equipment that resembled a coffin and hurriedly pressed a button in its side. The top of the object lifted and it revealed a glass tube with holes and straps. She walked on the other side to let her guests look at the object. She waited for a few moments then gestured towards the object.
"This is an x-ray machine." She told them. "It's not your usual x-ray machine, because the patient will be fully immersed in a solution that will enable me to determine the extent of the damage and what possible treatment needs to be done." She pressed a button, the side of the machine lifted to reveal a monitor. "This monitor will reflect the data needed for my examination." She pressed the button once again and the monitor was covered once again. She pressed another button and the top of the x-ray machine went back to its original position. "We will do the x-ray after I escort all of you to your respective rooms." She walked briskly again towards the elevator. "Come along." When all are in the elevator, she pushed a button and they ascended once again. "All of your rooms are in the same wing."
"That would be lovely dear." Marie replied happily. "It would be easy for the boys too."
"Why is that ma'am?" The blond asked.
"It's near the elevator and the view outside is marvelous!" Marie replied.
The elevator stopped and the door opened to reveal a corridor with glass windows on the right side. Each window is stretched from waist up and ended 3 meters from the ceiling. The view reveals the side of the mountain. They all stepped into the corridor and the floor where they are standing went into motion.
"It's an escalator!" Exclaimed the cobalt eyed teen. "Cool!" He leaned to the right and peered in the window. "That is quite a drop!" He mused aloud and continued surveying his surroundings. The other teens were doing the same. They reached a door and ISE pressed a button in the panel. It revealed another elevator. It lifted them up to another level and this time it revealed a very beautiful and cozy room.
"Here we are." ISE announced. She alighted from the elevator and stood at the center of the room and faced her guests. "This is the guest wing." She informed them. "To my left is where the rooms you will be staying. There are fifteen rooms in total. Twelve rooms can accommodate up to twenty persons. The remaining two rooms can accommodate only four for each room. Complete with amenities at your disposal." She gestured to her right. "To my right is where you will find the garden, the exercise room, the indoor heated pool and the zen room. This is the lounge. Television and sound system are located over there," she gestured at her right side. "The small library is situated around it. I've already assigned your rooms and you will find it in your respective doors. I will let you all settled in first. I will be at my workstation. There are phones in your respective room just press the green button if you need anything. I will be back to escort the patients back to the clinic. Feel free to look around!" She nodded her head towards them and left them standing near the elevator. When she was out of view the cobalt eyed teen looked at Walt.
"She's that thorough?" He asked.
"Wait till she's in doctor mode." Walt replied, grinning like a loon. "Come on, follow me." Walt led the group to where the rooms are located and helped the teens settle in their room. The room is large and filled with twenty single beds with ten beds on each side of the wall. Each bed has a side table and an overhead lamp. At the foot of each bed is where the heater is located. There are small glass windows near the bed on the right side of the room to grant the occupants a view of the mountainside.
"Comfy." The cobalt eyed teen said. "I think the two of you will occupy the third and fourth bed near the door."
"Hn." The messy haired youth replied.
"I'll occupy the first bed near the door." The cobalt eyed teen supplied and looked at his friend. When the two nodded the rest helped them settle in their beds.
"Thank you." The blond teen replied gratefully. He watched while his friend is being assisted to the bed designated by their friend.
"Comfy?" The cobalt eyed teen asked his messy haired friend. The teen just nodded his head silently.
"The phone's right here dears." Marie gestured towards the phone in the wall. They noticed that the buttons are colored. "Our room is two doors down." She walked out of the room followed by Walt after nodding their way. The Chinese teen bowed them out and closed the door.
"We'll wait." The tall youth said quietly. He chose a bed situated across from the blond and settled down. The Chinese teen followed him and settled in the bed next to him. The cobalt eyed teen jumped into his bed situated near the door. They all sat silently waiting for about twenty minutes when the phone in their room rang. The cobalt eyed youth answered the call.
"Be out in a jiffy!" He said to the caller after listening for awhile. He hung the phone and looked at his friends. "Let's go to the clinic guys!" He smiled widely at his friends. The other two readied the stretcher. They helped the blond first when there is a knock in the door. The cobalt eyed teen opened it and revealed Walt. He stepped in and proceeded to help them carry their patients to the clinic.
"Believe in what she can do and you'll bet she can carry it through." Walt said with a smile. "I did."