Does anyone remember in which chapter I talked about the Collar competitions? As in, did I by chance outline a number? I thought I did, but now I can't find it, and I really don't have time to reread the whole story. So, if anyone knows, please clue me in.
Once Duo was out of the way, I turned my attention toward getting Heero some help. I was aware that the guards were not happy to have me there, but it was more important to get Heero seen than to comply with them. After what I had just witnessed, I really didn't feel bad about making life harder for a pair of guards.
How dare anyone lay a hand on one of my boys? How dare they? Did they think I wouldn't notice? Did they think I wouldn't mind they fact that they had beaten him nearly to death? Even if it was Shinigami, and even if he was a nuisance and my newest slave, did they really think I wouldn't mind?
But that was in the past, and there was nothing I could do about it now. It was a lesson well learned, for I would never allow my slaves so far from real protection again, and I could only hope that Duo would not have to pay for the lesson with his life. But, in the meantime, I still had Heero to see to. So, knowing full well that Duo's fate was now out of my hands, I turned my attention toward getting someone to see Heero, who was much less injured than Shinigami but injured none the less.
"Sir, I need you to follow me," one of the guards told me.
"If you hadn't noticed, I have two slaves that need medical attention. I will be happy to follow you after a doctor has seen my second slave and reported on my first. If you wish me to leave before that, you may remove me bodily, but I warn you that I will go neither peaceably nor quietly. Do you understand?"
"Uh... yes, sir. I'll see if I can find someone," he said, then walked away, leaving his partner to keep a steady eye on me.
I was much relieved, a few minutes later, to see Dr. Hutch, the same doctor who had treated Quatre, come bustling out of a pair of double doors. He seemed harried but composed as he waved for us to follow him, then led us into a small examining room.
"You have a knack for trouble," Dr. Hutch commented as he signaled for me to help Heero onto the examining table as he got out his instruments.
"It would seem so," I replied as I finished with my task and stepped back to allow the doctor to begin his examination. Heero was exhausted and submitted easily to the doctor's probing. The Dr. Hutch, for his part, seemed to realize how tired the boy was and attempted to make his exam quick but thorough.
"It would seem that buying the Shinigami is merely asking for trouble," he said to me as he shined a light into Heero's eyes.
"I suppose, but I don't quite think that Shinigami is beyond redemption. Ornery, and certainly a pain in the ass, but not bad enough to warrant the death penalty," I told him. Of course, that was only part of the reason I had taken him. Beyond that, he had also formed some kind of bond with Heero, and I hesitated to let that bond slip away, for Heero seemed to be shy and unable to connect with most of his peers in a friendly way. Everything was business to Heero, and everything was a game to Duo, so perhaps they could learn from each other. And, on the off chance that they did learn, I might find myself with a highly prized slave who could potentially aide me in Collar. I doubted it, but it was worth a shot.
"Ah. And yet he is closer now than every before," he said, a hint of disapproval in his voice as he finished examining Heero's head and began to wash the gash on the side of his head. It stung, to have him so readily point out that I had failed my slaves once again.
"Yes, and I take responsibility for that, but I was not aware that the guards would be so cruel or bold," I said. The doctor nodded even as he picked up a spray and generously coated Heero's gash with it, then immediately began to stitch it up. Heero didn't even flinch, though, so either the spray had some kind of numbing effect or the day was catching up with him. Or a little of both.
"They are always cruel, but not so often bold. You may sue them for damage such as that done to your slave as long as you saw it, so they usually do small cruelties. Actually, we have to hand pick guards for the hospital to make sure they will not abuse patients," the doctor said, finishing the stitches and beginning to bandage his work. "You know that you caused quite a stir today, don't you?"
"Yes. I suppose there aren't many slaves that come in such a state."
"That wasn't it. We have bloodied slaves come through that door every day, but we never see a master walk through there."
"I don't understand. Why is it such a problem?" I wondered. What would a master want with an injured slave?
"Because the only time a slave is safe is when a master can't get to them, and the only time a master really can't get to a slave is when he doesn't know where it is. Slaves are merely pawns in the master's world, but by chance or by accident they can suddenly become important pawns. No master is supposed to know where the hospital wing is, because what's really to stop them from sending someone to kill that slave? What's to keep him from taking the slave before he's ready? They drive them so hard, with so few breaks and so little compassion, that half the slaves here are suffering mostly from exhaustion. We hid them here, and now there is no where to hide."
"You know I would never..." I protested, but he cut me off.
"I know, and I think that you'll keep the secret and keep from abusing this knowledge, but that is what they see. All they can see is the end of their sanctuary. Which is why I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You can take Angel with you as long as you wake him up every hour and make sure he takes the pills I give you, but Shinigami will have to stay."
"Obviously," I told him, rolling my eyes and a little annoyed, but in complete understanding of why he would throw me out. I was, after all, upsetting his patients, even if I didn't mean to. "But first I want to know Shinigami's condition, and I want you to call me every two hours with an update or any time anything changes."
"Alright, but I'm not going to sugar coat it for you. Shingami's in bad shape. They had to put in a tube to help him breath until the swelling in his throat goes down, and they can't get a good picture of his ribs but we're fairly sure they're cracked. They won't trying anything else until the swelling in his chest goes down so they can see what they're getting into. If the ribs are just cracked, we could do more damage by trying to fix them. He's listed as critical right now."
"I see," I said and was about to say more when Heero suddenly closed his eyes and began to tumble forward off the table. I cursed and caught him, laying him back down while the doctor jumped into action taking his medical signs.
"He's fainted," the doctor sighed after a minute. "I really can't let him go with you now. He'll have to stay over night for observation and probably a fluid drip to help him bounce back."
"Can you put him in a room with Shinigami?"
"Huh? Oh, sure, I guess."
"They're rather fond of each other. Heero might be able to keep Shini a little calmer," I said, looking down at Heero's swollen and emotionless face. I felt a pang, knowing I would leave him in just a few moments, but I knew he was in good hands with Dr. Hutch.. "But, other than that, please just take good care of them and call me if anything happens."
"I will. And, Zechs? Thank you for understanding. I'm sorry it has to be this way."
"It's more my fault than yours," I told him with a smile that didn't make me feel any better. "I was supposed to be watching them. I turned my eyes, and look what happened."
"You can't blame yourself."
"Ah, but I do. It was my job, after all," I told him, then headed for the door, knowing that if I waited much longer I would not have the guts to leave either of them again.
I can't remember the walk back to the apartment, just Trowa opening the door and leading me to the bathroom so I could wash Duo's blood off. I'm pretty sure I terrified Quatre, but I can't seem to remember the face he made when he saw me. Just his gasp of shock. I remember the phone calls the hospital made word for word, but they all said pretty much the same thing, "Heero is doing well, but Duo is still touch and go. We'll keep you posted." By the time they got Duo stabilized enough for me to dare to sleep it was well into the next day, and we were supposed to leave in only a few short hours. In the end I had to tell Trowa and Quatre to finish packing, answer the phone, and to wake me if there was any news about Duo or Heero. I went to sleep with the knowledge that our flight arrangements had yet to be made, but I managed to go to sleep, because I knew I'd be useless tomorrow if I didn't. And when I did finally sleep it was uneasy and restless, but I took what I could get, knowing the next few hours would be take all of my strength to get through.