Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8
Chapter 10: A Risky Assessment
(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)
Two years prior…
I was in my room in the infirmary wing as I was looking at the repairs done on the Order's main headquarters on Westeros. After being forced by Empress Zaralia to take a long leave of absence, I was starting to get worried about what was going on after the destruction of the Sol-3. I was starting to feel useless as I was getting out of bed in which I felt my knees buckling under pressure. The battle to destroy Project Amaterasu had weakened me as it was making it hard for me to stand. Slowly getting up, I was ready to go out the door as I wanted to rescind Zaralia's decision. I didn't want to be rendered useless as I slowly crept to the door until I saw it opening up in which I noticed Dean standing in front of me, for he wasn't about to let me off the hook after agreeing with the Empress to take a long stay in order to recover.
"What are you doing out of bed?" he asked me.
"I was just about to get some exercise," I said.
"You went up against Sawney Masbath and even blew up the Sol-3 in which the bulk of your dangerous overexertion of your raw power nearly killed you while you saved our asses from the red wrath of that deranged asshat."
"I don't want a wheelchair right now, Dean. I don't want to be rendered useless after all that has happened."
Without warning, I felt my knees buckling under pressure again as I collapsed onto the floor. I was struggling to get up on my feet as I was weeping from my constant folly. I hated being crippled like this as I was once told that it equated to weakness. I had to remain firm as I had to return to the field as soon as possible. When I got back on my feet again, I saw Dean grab my hands as he steered me out of the hospital room and onto one of the wheelchairs that were near the bathroom. When he put me in it, I was feeling defeated by this lingering form of frailty, for this wasn't my day at all.
"You can't just say that you're fine when you aren't, Sam," he said to me. "It's high time that you start a long recovery so you can get back in the game once you complete it."
"You know I won't do it!" I yelled. "I won't shirk my duties after all that has happened!"
"There are others who are ready, willing, and able to pull their weight in which they will stop at nothing to target the Executive Division and their allies and stick their feet up their asses, but you need time to heal before going back out there."
"I will not be rendered useless!" I was starting to have a nervous breakdown as I was itching to get out of the wheelchair. "You need me on this! The rest of the Order also needs me on this! I won't abandon my duty right now!"
I saw several members of the Order staring at me as I was a nervous wreck. Standing in the center of them was Shion as she was concerned about my health after what I went through. I wasn't doing too well as I was put at the mercy of the Order's higher-ups as they were about to put the squeeze on my field work, for they weren't about to let me off the hook just yet.
"Sam Winchester," said Shion. "As of now, you will be forced to take a long leave of absence to focus on your recovery. A seaship that arrived here in the harbor is ready to take you and your family to Matarote Island for both your recovery and your safety reasons."
"I won't let you bench me!" I yelled. "I have all the raw power to even put a damper on Project Helios! I don't want to be rendered useless! All of you need me on this! I don't want a vacation right now! It's nothing more than a waste of time while everyone is trying hard enough to put the clampdown on our worst enemies! The war effort is more important than some pathetic vacation and I'm your best bet into stopping—-"
"—Your health is more important, Sam!" said Dean as he wasn't having it. "I know that it is hard for you to take a leave of absence, but you need to heal first! Time and again, you step in and save our asses and for what?! By crawling on the battlefield with your entire body damaged from the tussle with Sawney Masbath? I want you to heal, Sam. I want you to get better again, you got that? Now, if you'll excuse me, Reuben is waiting for you so he can see you off."
I nodded sadly as I was backed in a corner. I didn't want to take a long vacation as I was worried about everyone in the Order. They needed me, but they couldn't let me overexert myself to no end as I was more than likely to be going to Matarote Island soon enough, for it was too much to bear right now…
Present Day…
I was in a Medical Corps ship after returning from Tenebrae with the children. Even though I was in my quarters, I was looking at the projector that Osgilia gave me before parting in which she wanted to do more exploring due to her status as an ambassador to that planet. Just as I was about to turn it on, I saw the door open as I saw Gabriel entering in which he was dressed up in a a zoot suit that looked like a pimp outfit due to the hat with a feather in it. He was keeping an eye on me as he was more than glad to see me into this upcoming assessment. For my own troubles, I didn't want to go to any assessment right now as I was yanked out of one situation and roped into another, for I wanted all this to be over as soon as possible.
"You don't look happy, do you?" said Gabriel.
"Going to the Order's main headquarters on Valinor isn't something that I had in mind," I said as I put away the projector. "Reuben knows how to run a tight ship, but shouldn't be worrying about me too much while others are suffering from the painful trauma of war."
"For starters, you need to lighten up more. Second, you should be thankful that you got a long furlough. And lastly, you're getting assessed in which they're gonna be looking into everything, including the undercarriage."
"Thanks for the warning…"
I crawled into the bed with warm blankets as I was dreading this assessment. I also didn't like it when the Medical Corps kept prying into my affairs as I was also at their mercy due to what happened to me in the past two years. All I wanted to do was sleep during this trip as I closed my eyes. I was basically dozing off as I wanted to just rest up along the way, for this wasn't my day at all in this moment of errors…
Akio was in his office in the Order's main headquarters on Valinor as he was looking at the newspapers that were on his desk. The sight of this ongoing war unnerved him as he was also seeing the news about the Blight making their mark with the Executive Division in which the sight of a clinic being destroyed on Lannister was more than enough to keep him on edge. When he left his office, he went to the assembly hall as he saw several dignitaries worried about the situation that plagued all of us since this ongoing war started, for this was getting more dangerous for everyone both in the Order and every planetary army who served alongside them.
"This is an outrage!" yelled a Lannisterian delegate. "The Blight aren't liberators of everything, they're terrorists!"
"I see that the feeling is mutual," said Akio.
"We can't just sit here and do nothing!" cried the Gondorian delegate.
"Ever since this war started, the Executive Division has been causing chaos that started with the failed revival of Project Apollo. Next, there was Project Ra. Recently, we had Project Amaterasu in which it was destroyed like the first two. The last one to be axed from the Sol Project is none other Project Helios on the Sol-4. What we also know is that a terrorist cell known as the Blight have been targeting anyone who deals with medicine and that includes the Medical Corps."
"Gods help us…"
"We will not bend the knee to the Executive Division nor would we bend the knee to the Blight, either." said a Sindar Elf with white hair as she was dressed in local clothing. "The galaxy needs medical workers in this ongoing war and we won't allow those who would kill our healers to get their way. Keeping them further away from the people only fans the flames to the Blight who made their mark by ravaging our clinics and hospitals. The galaxy needs the presence of medical workers whether we like it or not or else we fall prey to the Executive Division and those who would want to eradicate our healers."
Akio was impressed by the Sindar Elf's speech as he wasn't about to bend the knee to the Executive Division nor would he do so with the Blight. The Sindar Elf herself was no stranger into going up against our enemies as she was basically wanting to put a stop to the threat that was putting medical workers at risk. By the time the meeting was adjourned, Akio followed the Sindar Elf as he saw her going towards a coffee shop, for she wasn't about to let our enemies win.
"You're concerned about the Executive Division and their alliance with the Blight, aren't you?" he said. "The recent attack at a clinic on Lannister has proven our latest form of foes to be equally dangerous than the ones we are fighting."
"I can't and won't allow both groups causing harm to our medical workers," said the Sindar Elf.
"From what I gathered, this isn't your first rodeo with those clowns, is it?"
"For the record, my name is Celine Fournier of the Fournier Clan."
"Fournier? I've heard of them before in which they have high regard for the Medical Corps over the centuries."
"The medicines that we craft have proven to be of good use in which we're also treading on thin ice when it comes to the Blight causing problems to our medical workers."
Akio went to the window as he saw a Medical Corps ship approaching. He was aware that Reuben would be here as he was also concerned about the attacks that were carried out by the Blight. He didn't want him to get in the way as he had to warn him and those in the Medical Corps about the presence of the Blight, for they were a much equal threat like the Executive Division…
I was dreaming as I found myself being wheeled into a laboratory in a stretcher by members of the Medical Corps. I was going in there to be assessed as I was dreading it with my eyes closed. By the time I was wheeled in, I opened my eyes as I saw the lights flickering while the laboratory was in the dark. Sitting up, I saw the members of the Medical Corps brutally murdered as I saw their bodies dismembered beyond recognition. Getting up from the stretcher, I went towards one of the members of the Medical Corps as I looked at him directly in which he was savaged like the rest. When I went in front of him, I noticed his eyes gouged out as I noticed his tunic and shirt being ripped to shreds the moment I recognized Reuben due to the Winchester sigil tattooed on his left shoulder. I was horrified as I began to shake with fear until I woke up panting in shock. I was back in my quarters as I got up from my bed in which I left towards the mess hall.
"This isn't what I asked for…" I said to myself.
The sight of some of the Medical Corps members eating a breakfast that consisted of fruit cocktail and milk was very unappetizing to me as I left the mess hall the moment I looked out the window. The ship I was in was parking into the clearing of the Order's main headquarters on Valinor as I saw the interior infrastructure that was more beautiful than anything else I saw. Still, I wasn't too thrilled to go to my assessment as it was a huge headache for me. When the ship landed, I felt my knees buckling again as I was still reeling from the attack that Miriam gave me yesterday. To my surprise, I saw Reuben with the wheelchair as I began to sit in it, for I was still weak from all the stress I suffered from.
"We're only going to conduct some tests on you, Sam," he said to me as he wheeled me outside.
"I hope it goes okay," I said as I felt shaky.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"I had a nightmare. I was going into a lab to be assessed. When I woke up, I saw everyone slaughtered as if I was in a horror movie. I saw you there, but you were killed the moment you were ripped to shreds with your eyes gouged out. It was horrible…"
"Nothing bad will happen, believe me. Besides, this assessment will see if you're ready to go back on the field in two years."
"Just get this over with…"
Reuben wheeled me into the main hall of the Order's main headquarters on Valinor as we saw Elven artwork adorn the walls. The sight of Elven craftsmanship was a bastion of elegance as I was marveling it for what it was made for. By the time we entered into the infirmary wing, I was greeted by members of the Medical Corps as they were waiting to assess me after what I went through in the past two years. I also noticed Kotori following us as she was there to assess that if I improved or not, for she was there for support.
"First, we'll examine your vitals, Sam," she said. "After this, we'll be surveying on how your raw power is improving when you took two years of your four-year furlough."
"I'm not thrilled with this assessment," I said.
"As soon as we get this assessment done, the better," said Reuben. "If you're fit to recover in your four-year furlough, you'll be in the clear."
"And if I'm not?"
"There will be time added in which it'll give you more than enough to focus more on your health."
We were inside of the infirmary wing as I was wheeled into a hospital room. With Reuben leaving into the hall, I was alone as I saw a hospital bed complete with a television screen and a table. I had to wait until I was called upon until I saw the door open up. What I didn't expect was that Celine burst into the room as she was concerned about what was going on earlier, for she had to tell me eventually.
"Your friends in the Medical Corps are in danger," she said to me.
"I know who you are," I said. "You're Celine Fournier of the Fournier Clan."
"I'm here to put a stop to the Blight. They've been targeting medical facilities just like the Executive Division targets towns, villages and cities. Their only features are black outfits with plague doctor's masks to cover their identities." Footsteps are heard coming towards the hospital room as Celine was prepared to take her leave. "Reuben is coming, but you must warn him of the danger coming here to the Order's main headquarters."
I saw Celine open up a window as she leaped out of it. Still, I had to warn Reuben about the Blight as I was concerned about his safety and that of the entire Medical Corps. By the time he showed up, he wheeled me out of the hospital room and into one of the changing rooms the moment I was forced to strip off my clothes and into a hospital gown. When I put it on, complete with a robe, I sat back down in the wheelchair as Reuben wheeled me into one of the examination rooms. By the time I got in here, I saw Kotori enter as she had her medical bag with her, for she was ready to examine me on the spot.
"Let's get you prepped," she said as she shoved a thermometer into my mouth.
I stood still as I was sitting on an examination table in which I also felt a blood pressure cuff wrap around my arm. With the diaphragm part of the stethoscope on my arm, I the cuff squeezing it as the feel of it made me uncomfortable. With the thermometer taken out of my mouth, Kotori read it as I had a slightly high temperature of 100.3. After I had my blood pressure examined, I felt the diaphragm part of my stethoscope touch at my chest as I was breathing in and out to the point I started to cough. It wasn't a good sign for me as Kotori wasn't about to let me off the hook yet.
"It seems that your heart and lungs are in bad shape," she said to me. "From what I heard from Reuben, your stress levels still haven't improved due to the fact that you've been forced to go back into the field to the point of someone attacking you due to the cuts and bruises on your body."
"Reuben's gonna love that," I said as I was starting to feel very annoyed.
"As soon as we get the go-ahead, the better we get to the examination lab to assess the rest of you. I know that you're not into it, but it has to be done."
"I just hope that Reuben makes it quick before anything bad happens…"
"What are you talking about?"
I clenched my hands in fear as the nightmare that I had was about to come true. I didn't want to do this as I was forced into a corner. By the time I went out of the room after being examined, I saw some of the members of the Medical Corps arriving with a wheeled stretcher in which they were ready to collect me for some labwork. I was also having second thoughts as the nightmare that I had was starting to come true. Looking out the window of the examination room, I saw a suspicious person dressed in black as he was walking towards the infirmary wing with several other people. Why was I afraid all of a sudden? What was really about to happen? I had to warn Reuben and the others in the Medical Corps as I found a communications console the moment I grabbed a phone and began to issue a warning.
"You have to protect the Medical Corps," I said frantically. "They're in danger! Please, get here immediately!" I saw some of the members of the Medical Corps grabbing me as I was being shoved out into the hall. "Please, I beg of you, protect the Medical Corps!"
I was finally outside of the examination room as I dropped the phone while the members placed me on the wheeled stretcher. I couldn't ignore the ominous warning as I had to do something before it was too late, but my protestations fell on deaf ears. By the time I was wheeled into the laboratory, I felt an oxygen mask filled with a sedative and anesthesia placed over my face as I was struggling to get free, for I had to prevent the people assessing me from being massacred in broad daylight.
"You're in danger!" I yelled. "Please, you have to stop this assessment if you want to live!" The mixed sedative and anesthesia started to hinder my protests as I was struggling to stay awake. "You… have… to get out… of here…"
I was finally sedated as I was asleep from what was given to me. When Reuben came into the laboratory he was ready to examine me with the team in the Medical Corps as he was there to assess my health the moment he was about to do so. When everyone around me was about to begin the assessment, a loud explosion was heard as the wall to the laboratory blew on the side in which several suspicious people arrived with plague doctor's masks on their faces. Reuben knew of them very well as one of them tossed a holographic sphere onto the floor, for it broadcasted an image of the ominous leader who orchestrated the attack on the Zasselian base in Balin a few days ago.
"Hear me, members of the Medical Corps," said the leader. "Your days of meddling in the lives of innocents have been numbered! The attack at a Lannisterian clinic is just the beginning of our reign of terror just to cut the rot from this galaxy. Medicines have been once made to help those with ailments and illness, but they have become a commodity for the intergalactic drug cartels. Vaccines have been made to prevent diseases, only to cause autism and death!"
"Oh, go fuck yourself, Andrew Wakefield!" yelled Reuben as he was in front of me in the stretcher.
"All medical workers are scum! It's time to cut this ongoing rot from the galaxy, for a planetary system without doctors is a glorious one indeed!"
The suspicious people in plague doctor's masks were ready to do their worst as they brought out their weapons. Reuben was ready to defend the integrity of the Medical Corps and myself to fight off the enemies until they were stopped by an unknown force. The suspicious people had their eyes melted off through the plague doctor's masks as a woman dressed in Sindar clothing stepped in while surrounded by an angelic aura of twelve angel wings. She was a knight of Heaven as she refused to let Reuben and his team be harmed by the attackers who tried to kill them in the first place, for she wasn't having any of it. The Medical Corps members were thankful that the Knight of Heaven stepped in as she wasn't about to lose to the ones who were threatening harm towards medical workers, for she knew of them very well.
"Thanks for the assist," said Reuben as he was elated that everyone was safe.
"Your half-brother was pleading for help and the Blight sent some of its cronies to sabotage this assessment," said the woman. "We Knights of Heaven have our reasons to protect the innocent and those who would help them maintain their health as well."
"We never saw it coming… Sam was trying to warn us, but we brushed it off until it was too late."
"This isn't the first time that the Blight has targeted those who care for the ailing and injured. Their followers view medical workers as scum that aren't worthy of having a place in the Grey Havens, for I won't stop until they're finished."
"You're a Knight of Heaven, aren't you?"
"My name is Flanna Fournier. My daughter, Celine, alerted me of how the Blight's leader sent his followers here to kill those in the Medical Corps."
"Sam was right about this…" He sees me still sedated as he was prepared to move me into a different lab. "The assessment still stands, but I won't be intimidated by those who mercilessly target our medical workers."
"Fair enough…, but I must warn you that there will be more attacks from the Blight, for I will also put a damper on them."
It wasn't long until Kotori rushed into the ransacked lab as she found that everyone around me was safe from harm. Even though the assessment still stood, it was getting much worse as the attack against the Medical Corps was just the beginning of extreme measures…
I was moved into a different lab as Reuben stood firm while assessing me, but with extra security guarding the front. The stress level scans, bloodwork, brain activity, and collection of other bodily fluids from me were being analyzed for possible future ailments. Still, I was being put through the ringer as I was about to be finished up. Round the clock, Reuben and his team refused to leave my side as they were ready to give out their diagnosis on me, for the answers wouldn't be great after all that has happened in the past few days.
"Patient's stress levels are still high, but need to be lowered," said Reuben. "Bloodwork indicates that the patient has been anemic due to exhaustion. Urine, semen, and stool samples are normal. Brain activity is normal… for now that is…"
It wasn't long until I woke up in the middle of my assessment in which I noticed that I was out of harm's way. When Reuben saw me up from the sedation, he never expected me to be coming around in this state as I was thankful that everyone in his team was safe. When Reuben saw me sitting up, he went towards me as I began to hug him out of concern for his safety, for I was also glad that he was still alive.
"Sam, let me go, please," he said as I refused to do so.
"I'm so glad that you're safe," I said as I wept. "Thank the gods… I'm was so scared for you…"
"Yeah, I get it…"
"What happened?" I let go of Reuben as I saw everyone else safe and alive. "Where are we?"
"We're in a different lab, Sam," said Kotori. "Akio and his cleanup crew went in and assessed the damage in which the attackers came in without warning. Luckily, Lady Flanna came here and stopped the threat."
"Thank the gods…"
"After all this time, your warning came true, but Lady Flanna saved us from death at the hands of the Blight," said Reuben. "I know that you didn't do much, but your warning saved our asses and Lady Flanna did the rest."
I continued to weep more tears of joy as I was more than blessed that Reuben and his team were unharmed after all that has happened. With the assessment finished, I was ready to go back to Skald Island until I heard footsteps approaching. When Reuben and his team was ready to escort me out of the lab, I saw the doors open up as I noticed Dean rushing in here the moment he heard of the attack here in the Order's main headquarters on Valinor, for he was worried about my safety as well.
"You shouldn't be in here," said Reuben.
"Like hell I am!" yelled Dean as he was worried to the extreme.
"You should be with your unit on Shiganshina," I said as I was still feeling loopy from the sedative.
"I heard about the attack from Akio and he's pissed! What I didn't see coming was that those clowns in plague doctor masks blew up a clinic on Lannister."
"Those 'clowns in plague doctor masks' are known as the Blight, Dean," said Reuben. "Their leader and those who follow him wear those things to cover up their identities in which they carry out attacks on hospitals and clinics. They even targeted the Medical Corps just to get their kicks in their twisted crusade."
"Well, the Blight's gonna one huge foot up their asses when they see me. For the record, I'm putting my foot down after that attack! If the Blight wants to go toe-to-toe with us, then they will be met with those who stand with every single medical worker all over the galaxy!"
Dean wasn't about to let this slide as he refused to let his guard down. He was also concerned for my safety as he also had to return me to Skald Island soon enough, for I wanted to go back after all that has happened earlier…
Akio was surveying the damage in the lab as he saw the bits of rubble on the floor. The sight of the holographic sphere on the floor was evidence that the Blight meant business in which they were a much equal threat as the Executive Division. When he saw a hex bag that was outside of the wall, he had a gut feeling that the attackers were wanting to take out Reuben and his team as he also noticed a plague doctor mask on the floor. Picking it up, he was aware of the latest attack by this hodge-podge of terrorists as they targeted Reuben and his team for some odd reason, for their allies were mainly after me for being the ultimate prize.
"Liesel sure knows how to make good friends," he said to himself.
It wasn't long until Celine came here as she assessed the situation that was put in front of her. She was aware of the Blight's presence as she saw the damage that was there. Thankfully, she was glad that her mother stepped in as the situation would've been much worse, for dealing with both the Executive Division and the Blight was getting more dangerous than normal.
"This isn't an ordinary attack," she said as she saw the hole in the wall.
"Normally, the Blight would target hospitals and clinics, but targeting the Medical Corps?" said Akio. "Enough is enough! From now on, all members of the Medical Corps will have bodyguards protecting them round the clock, regardless of what soldier corps unit they serve on."
"The Blight didn't just target this attack to kill Reuben and his team. They were after the ultimate prize to give to the Executive Division and that happens to be Sam."
"Sam's gonna have to watch his back. Still, he needs to return to the safety of both Matarote Island on Westeros and Skald Island here."
"Two more islands on two different planets have also interlocked with those ones: Nekotani Island on Alecrast and Valle del Perro Island on Drakonus. All four islands are strongholds to protect Sam and his family."
"It makes sense now, but Sam also has to recover after Mom's fiasco by forcing him to go back on the field backfired. His raw power may be vital, but he needs to focus on his health after that tussle with Sawney Masbath two years ago. He even got rid of Project Amaterasu at the time, but his overexertion of his raw power nearly killed him."
It wasn't long until the holographic sphere on the ground turned back on again as Akio saw the image of the Blight's leader standing in front of a cobra motif. Celine also saw him in that image as she had nothing but disdain against him and his followers. She bore a long grudge against those who have sold their souls to be indoctrinated in the Blight as she was wanting to put an end to their nefarious activities that they have committed against all medical workers.
"Hear me, brothers and sisters who serve me in our long battle against all medical workers," said the Blight's leader in the holographic image. "The time to eradicate them is at hand and all people who live in the Ashizoka System will revere us once we remove this ongoing rot from this galaxy. Those from the Order may have foiled our latest attack on the Medical Corps in order to bring what the Executive Division wants, but we are in the shadows bringing havoc to those who would peddle their poisons to innocent people. We are like the hydra in ancient Greek mythology: cut off one head and another one grows in its place. Cut off a lizard's tail and it'll grow back. Cut off a serpent's head and another will replace it. We are the Blight and we will not rest until we eradicate all medical workers from the entire Ashizoka System, for a galaxy without doctors is a glorious one."
Akio stepped on the holographic sphere as it shattered into pieces. He was getting fed up with the Blight's scare tactics as he was not about to let them win. He had to protect the Medical Corps as they have been targeted for extermination from a terrorist group who would stop at nothing to eradicate all medical workers from the entire Ashizoka System, for he wasn't about to go down without a fight so far…
I was in a hospital room in the infirmary wing as I was resting in my bed after the assessment that I had. I was also glad that everyone in Reuben's team was safe and unharmed as I was aware of what the Blight could do if not averted. Sitting up, I stared out the window as I saw the leaves falling from trees in which it also happened to be the first day of autumn. Even though the weather outside is changing, I was in a warm room as I would soon return back to Skald Island to be with my family and focus more on my health. Just as I was about to go back to sleep, I heard the door open as I saw Dean enter with a tray of food in his hands. The smell of the bowl of soup on it was something that I never expected to sense in a while as I recognized it directly, but I wasn't hungry after all that has happened.
"The cafeteria is in the hall across the hall where Akio's office is," I said.
"This bowl of food isn't for me, it's for you," said Dean.
"You know that I'm not hungry right now."
"You're eating it whether you like it or not, Sam. The stuff in the bowl happens to be our dad's cure-all kitchen sink stew complete with cayenne pepper to open up your sinuses."
"I know the smell very well…"
"C'mon, Sam; you need to get some food so you can get your strength back."
I reluctantly accepted the tray of food in front of me as I tasted the stew that was put in front of me. The mixture of egg noodles, various vegetables, and spam that were blended with the garlic and cayenne pepper reminded me of how Cynthia forced Dad to cook while she was pregnant with Clayton and Carter at the time. Still, I had to eat it as my stomach got the better of me the moment I ate the stew so I could regain my strength. By the time I finished up my stew, I was ready to lay back down until I saw another bowl in front of me, but it wasn't a second helping of my dinner. It was a bowl of fruit cocktail as I saw the blended mixture of grapes, peaches, pears, pineapples, and cherries. I even noticed a plate of pie slices next to it. The sight of the cream pies were appealing, but I didn't want to be stuffed like a fat turkey in which I was wanting Dean to have them, but he stood firm into making sure that I ate what was in front of me.
"I'm still full from the stew, Dean," I said as I was starting to feel a little irritated.
"You're eating those things whether you like it or not," he said to me.
"I don't want to be a fat turkey, Dean. Besides, aren't you wanting some of the pie on display?"
"I had my piece of pie, but it's time that you had yours."
Once again, I had no choice but to eat the dessert of fruit cocktail and pie slices as I felt like becoming too fat, but my metabolism got the better of me. I was eating what was in front of me like I did while I was on the train on Trost two years ago. By the time I finished it, I moved onto the pie slices as I ate a piece of the peanut butter one. Bite after bite, I felt more in tune as my metabolism was taking in the food I ate the moment my raw power began to fluctuate. When I finished off the remaining pie slices, I was full as I didn't want another bite in which I also felt fat from it, for I had enough food to regain some of my strength back.
"I can't eat another bite," I said. "I feel like a stuffed turkey right now…"
"What are you talking about?" said Dean. "You're still you without the fat rolls due to what your raw power processes."
"I see what you mean…"
"As I recall, you did eat the queen mother of all burgers, the Ulti-Meatum of all foods."
"I remember that one…"
I saw Reuben enter into the room as he was not too thrilled with his findings after the assessment. I was also dreading the results as I had no other choice but to hear what is put in front of me. I just wanted it to be over with as I also wanted to go back to Skald Island, for I was getting impatient with what was going on all over.
"You don't look too happy, do you?" said Dean.
"Sam's four-year furlough has officially become a five-year furlough," said Reuben.
"But I have two more years to recover, not three," I said.
"I saw the results, Sam. Your stress levels have gotten higher ever since Seto forced you to go back on the field. And another thing, you've become anemic due to the exhaustion you suffer from and that's not just from your battle against Sawney Masbath two years ago. You're still weakened from what happened, but you need to focus a little more on your health."
"I see…" I started to feel defeated as I laid back down in my bed. "My recovery has had a setback and it sucks…"
"Hey, you're sticking to your recovery, doctor's orders," said Dean. "Besides, you need this more than you need to be back on the field. If you're that concerned about your fight against the Executive Division, that's our department 'cause you can't just do the heavy lifting alone."
I was backed in a corner as I had no choice but to resume my recovery after all that has happened. Still, I was ready to resume my furlough as I saw it added by one year. I missed the field work. I missed all those times that I helped with everyone as I couldn't bear being useless on the sidelines, for I had to remain strong if I wanted to make a full recovery. Just as Dean and Reuben were ready to leave, I heard the door open as I saw Kotori enter in which she was concerned about my health, for she was wanting me to recover from what I was suffering from as well.
"Did you hear the results?" she asked.
"Yes, and I have to have another year added to my furlough," I said.
"You've been stressed out, exhausted, and now anemic. This isn't good."
"And I'm going back to Skald Island in order to recover." I yawned as I was wanting to fall asleep from all this trouble. "I've been put through the ringer just because I have to deal with those who are forcing me against the wishes of the Order's higher-ups to go back on the field, but you're right about me not doing too well."
"The seaship that's arriving in the harbor will bring you back to the Skalvarg Archipelago, but you have to take the train to get to it. The ship arrives in two hours, for it will be there once it goes to Skald Island."
"I'm gonna remedy that situation," said Dean.
It wasn't long until I was out of my bed and into a wheelchair as Dean wheeled me out of the hospital room and into the hallway. When we reached the elevator, we went in it as Reuben and Kotori were also running towards it. By the time we reached the main floor, we were outside as we left out of the Order's main headquarters and directly to a train station. The latest train was behind schedule as the way of going back to Skald Island was getting complicated, but Dean had a plan to get me there to the harbor. To my shock, I saw the Impala parked near the station as I would soon sit in the backseat due to my condition. Getting up from my wheelchair, I slowly got up from my feet as I was about to get inside of the Impala, for I was ready for the first car ride in a long time.
"It's been two years since I saw it," I said as I folded up my wheelchair and set it into the Impala.
"You've been Shanghai'ed on an island for two years just to focus on your recovery," said Dean.
"As long as we can get to the harbor, the better…"
"You'll be fine, Sam," said Kotori. "As long as you focus on your health, the better you feel."
"We'll keep in touch," said Reuben as he got in on the passenger's side.
"Now, then; let's haul ass," said Dean as he got in on the driver's side.
And so, the Impala took off as Kotori saw it in the distance. She had high hopes for me like everyone here as it was time for me to return to my recovery, for I needed to focus more on my health a lot more than anticipated…
To be continued...