Authors Notes: This chapter has been a doozy. Not with the chapter itself but actually writing it. After three years of avoiding it I finally caught the 'rona. And it's all thanks to my two petri dishes...I mean my nieces. This chapter was brought to you by the power of Tylenol, apple juice, and my two rescue kitties who cuddled me the entire time I was sick.
Anyways I survived and got it done. I appreciate every single comment that is left (even though I'm too chicken to reply to them). I hope you all enjoy chapter fifteen.
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There was only so much staring at the wall Raiden could do before he felt like he was going insane all over again. He had been in the recovery room for several days now and yet it felt like the purgatory had stretched on for several lifetimes. He let out a dispirited sigh as he continued to look for patterns in the wall's subtle flaws.
His Brain-Machine-Interface was still a horrid scrambled mess. To be trapped in his head and unable to move was one thing, but to be in possession of a body once more and still be largely immobile was a fresh sort of hell. There were improvements, Raiden had to admit. Sitting up was no longer an issue which was a minute improvement as he had a strong aversion to being forced to lay there. Coordination and fine muscle control were still a disaster however.
His first few attempts at walking invariably led him getting tangled up in his own legs and landing in the floor. Raiden no longer tried to get up and walk while John was around as the well meaning boy had tried to catch him on his way down once. Thankfully George had pulled his son out of the way before John could hurt himself in helping.
This had led to his hotheaded son nearly picking a fight with the taller boy before they could explain just why that it was an exceptionally bad idea to try and catch him. Still stubborn, it had taken John trying to lift just one of Raiden's legs for the boy to fully grasp how heavy an artificial body could be.
Eating was a humiliating disaster. The Doktor had forbidden him from the simple and easy nutrient packs in favor of forcing him to eat the old fashioned way. 'Do not give me that look young man. You need to get more rooted in reality. These? Bah, not good for the psyche. Ja I know cleaning out one's filters can be a pain and nein I do not care. It is for your own good.'
Well it was doing a piss poor job at improving his psyche while he making a mess everywhere because his hands didn't want to work right. He was too proud to let Sunny and John feed him despite their offers and reassurances that it was not a bother. He just had to endure the embarrassment of having to be cleaned up after his less than stellar efforts.
Those unsettling gasps for air no longer plagued him. Either whatever the Dok was doing with his head everyday was working or Wolf had gotten more skilled and subtle in manipulating his autonomic nervous system to where it had become unnoticeable. Either way Raiden didn't particularly care. He had more important things on his mind than his own physical well being or lack thereof.
Things like Raiden's conversation with Boris several days ago. Things like being frightened for Rose.
With as much as he had been slipping in and out of sleep, Raiden shouldn't have been surprised that he drifted off while waiting to speak with the man. Despite the turmoil and worry surging through him he had opened his eyes, unaware that they had even closed, to see his old companion sitting in John's abandoned chair typing steadily away on a laptop.
Raiden didn't announce his waking at first. He took the time to fully gather his wits from the haze of sleep and to observe the other man. Other than some grey peppering the Russians dark hair and mustache, Boris looked the same as Raiden had always known him. It was a strange comfort to see the man so unchanged. After seeing the children and himself so altered it was nice to have a beacon of stability. The steadfast old friend was an anchor in the storm.
Eventually the older man's instincts prickled at being observed causing Boris to look up from the computer. His serious expression dissolved away instantly into a look of sincere joy.
"Ah Raiden. You are awake now, yes?" Boris kept his typically spirited voice down to a gentler volume which Raiden appreciated immensely.
"Yeah…" An inelegant response perhaps, but Raiden had more pressing worries.
"It does my heart good to see you so recovered tovarich. I have been deeply worried about you. As have a great many others." The kind smile the other man gave him struck a cord in Raiden's heart. Were he not so preoccupied with other thoughts he would have been warmed by the expression.
"Boris, where's my wife?" The smile withered and Boris looked away. A cold shiver of dread washed over the bed fast man.
"That I cannot tell you my friend." Regret was present in every word. Raiden's fear for Rose only grew. "I give you my word that I have searched with all resources I have at my disposal. We could find no trace of her for good or ill." Boris turned back to him only to avert his gaze once more at the stricken expression that Raiden wore.
Raiden had hoped that John had simply been misinformed. And if it were true, then he had hoped that John's optimism had proved to be correct and that she had been found. The thought of Rose being captured by those that had done this to him was soul chilling dread.
If they were cruel enough to remove his body and put out his eyes then what would they do to her in retaliation for his rescue? Raiden closed his eyes and sent a prayer out for any God that would lend an ear to such a blood drenched soul that she had managed to avoid capture.
"How?" Raiden choked out, drawing Boris' attention from where he had been regretfully staring off into space. "How did Maverick…" The proper words eluded him in his grief.
"Become involved?" Raiden nodded. "It was actually she that contacted us." Boris turned to his computer and began hunting through it.
From the small laptop that Boris held on his lap Rose's desperate call was played out to him.
"I need you to deliver a messaged to Boris Popov immediately." Rose had snapped over the call, no nonsense over the sounds of the road in the background.
Wolf actually had to prompt Raiden to breathe once more as the sound of her voice after so very long stole his breath away. Even though her tone was distracted and short tempered it was the most beautiful sound he's ever heard.
"I'm sorry ma'am. Mr. Popov is currently…" Another woman, presumably a secretary began to try and shut the request down. Rose however, was not having it.
"I don't care. Do it. This is an emergency. Tell him I'm Raiden's Rose, he'll know who I am."
That gnawing fear that had been tearing at his heart at the implication that she had moved on was greatly soothed at those words. His Rose…
"I'm listening ma'am." The stress on that last word indicated that the secretary was rather annoyed at being bossed around. The joke was on her though. Attitude never stopped Rose from getting her way. He would know.
Raiden's drifting focus was pulled back to the present as Rose had rattled off an address Raiden recognized as their home and then a set of coordinates that were not familiar.
"At those two locations you will find my son and missing husband." Rose snapped, distracted and distressed the sounds of other vehicles in the background growing louder. "Money is no issue. Hal Emmerich will see to it. Tell Boris to bring Sunny over as well. She will be important. I want Maverick to protect my boys. I will..."
Whatever Rose was going to say next was cut off by gunfire.
Helplessly Raiden listened as there were shots exchanged over the call with Rose's cursing peppered throughout. Then there was the sound of screeching tires, shattering glass, then silence as the call had been dropped. Boris closed the laptop after the recording ended.
Raiden looked up to the older man pleadingly.
"We found her phone and vehicle. There was no trace of her. We strongly suspect she had managed to overcome her pursuers as there were three bodies at the scene."
Boris went on to explain how Maverick had been in contact with the New Zealand government for the autopsy reports and information on the bodies but Raiden had stopped listening. All he could hear was the sound of gunfire replaying over and over in his mind. He let the words wash over him as the Boris explained how an agent retrieved his son and how a rescue party had retrieved him.
Boris talked of how Maverick had learned that Raiden had been maintained by a local recluse. This individual had worked at the hospital where the medical equipment used to keep him alive had been stolen from. He also said that this individual had apparently 'committed suicide' by jumping off a bridge the night Raiden was retrieved, but Boris was highly skeptical that it was a voluntary leap. The remains had been too badly damaged by the fall to extract much information from his software. The man's apartment had also been conveniently destroyed in a fire on that same night.
The Russian told him that although all the surface signs pointed to this individual being responsible, given the man's mild history it was unlikely he was the orchestrator of the whole event. All the investigation that Maverick had done so far has pointed to a third party hacking this recluse for theft of medical equipment and maintenance on the captive cyborg.
After Boris trailed off at Raiden's lack of response, and seeming lack of interest in the circumstances around his capture, the younger man managed to get out a single word.
"Who?" The single syllable was as flat and lifeless as he felt.
"My people and I unfortunately do not know. You will be heartened perhaps to know that I have been contacted by your old friend Dr. Emmerich. He says he can clear up many questions on the situation and is on his way here in a few days to do so in person." Boris looked Raiden over worriedly.
"In person?" A prickle of curiosity had pulled the man's focus back from the edge. Why would Hal act so hush hush about this instead of letting them know now? Now that the thought occurred to him, Raiden wondered where the man had been all this time. They were not the closest of acquaintances but they had history and he figured Hal would have been here at least for Sunny's benefit as she fretted over him these past few weeks.
"Yes. He would give no hints over the phone. He has also subtly advised us to increase our cyber security. We have eavesdroppers it seams." Boris' voice dropped suspiciously. "I have taken this advice seriously and we are taking steps. Rest assured."
Raiden tried to find the words to respond but they all fled before they could form. It was all too much. Too many words, too much information. And all with the sound of Rose's voice being overshadowed by the gunfire and broken glass.
"I am truly regretful my friend that I can tell you no more." Boris slowly stood, tucking the laptop under one arm. He turned to leave but paused. Raiden's attention was reluctantly pulled away from darker dwellings by the solid yet gentle hand placed upon his shoulder.
"I promise you this that you may rest easy now. I will do everything within the power of myself and my company to protect you and your family. You and your son are safe under Maverick protection and we search for your wife even now."
Boris was earnest in everything he ever said or did. Not a word came from that man's mouth that he did not mean and now was no different. Raiden looked up from the hand to meet dark eyes. He saw utter sincerity in those eyes, a promise that all would be well if Boris had any say about it. Just like Wolf always lingering in the back of Raiden's mind to keep watch over him, it was a foreign comfort to no longer be alone.
"...Thank you."
"You are very welcome, my friend."
It had only a few days ago and yet that conversation seemed years in the past. While Raiden did not expect Maverick to find Rose immediately, especially if she had gone underground, every day and night that passed without word only deepened his worry for her. The fact that he couldn't even take care of himself right now only amplified the bleakness of his thoughts and the lowness of his spirits.
Raiden did his best to hide his troubles while the children were around. John, Sunny, and occasionally George had made it their personal mission to keep his spirits up. The four of them along with Wolf would play simple card games when he was wakeful to help his focus. Raiden did his best to put on a brave front but he was never that good at lying and his flock of teenagers knew when he would joke around only for their benefit.
At the moment the man had been left to brood in peace and he was making up for lost time. Hal was due to arrive later this day and Sunny had left with a Maverick escort to go meet him. Doktor had finally cleared Raiden to be able to leave the recovery rooms. He halfway suspected that the Dok wanted to keep him there longer, but at Boris' insistence of upgrading cyber security all the staff with implants had to see the man. The increased traffic and noise had begun to rub Raiden's nerves raw and Dok had probably only cleared him as an act of mercy.
Upon receiving word that his father was good to leave, John had a distinct 'oh shit' expression come over his face. The boy had told (pleaded) him to wait here for a little bit while he got the apartment ready. John used the excuse that some of the furniture and such had to be moved out of the way due to trip hazards from Raiden's lack of coordination.
While that may have been true, Raiden suspected it was more the fact that the boy took after his mother in the cleanliness department and the rooms desperately needed to be cleaned first. The fact that John took Wolf for assistance only furthered that theory.
Without his usual company Raiden was left to his thoughts which began to fester in his solitude. Eventually he could not take it any longer. The man rolled away from the wall and looked out over the empty recovery rooms. Dok's latest patient had yet to come out of the labs to rest and recover after having their minds tinkered with. The assistants were also preoccupied elsewhere. Raiden was completely alone.
He wasn't going to get a better opportunity than now.
Raiden gave one last look around to make sure that no one was going to scold him back into the bed. Seeing that he had truly been left to his solitude in thought as well as body, Raiden awkwardly managed to sit up. Dizziness was far less of a problem than it had been in those earlier days but still it was one of the many sensations that he would have to get used to once again.
First one leg swung over the side of the bed, then the other. He hated how he had to cling to the bed for stability as he shifted his weight from sitting to standing. The first time Raiden had tried this he had immediately buckled and down to the floor he went. Now he was pleased to see that there was only a slight waver as his nerves properly executed his will.
And that was that for the simple part.
Slowly and with much greater unsteadiness, Raiden released his hold on the bed to stand fully upright. Standing was such an integral and ingrained part of the human body that one never put much thought into it until something went wrong. There were so many muscle groups tensing and relaxing in turn to maintain a bipedal posture. When the coordination was out of sync and the sense of balance was untrustworthy standing upright was a precarious endeavor indeed.
Ignoring his good sense telling him to sit the hell back down, Raiden harnessed the feelings of uselessness and the need to do something to urge him forward. The first step went surprisingly well, only a slight sway forward as his foot had come down. The second step was taken with a bit more confidence, anticipating the sway. The third and fourth as well. He slowly began to make his way across the room.
Naturally it turned into a disaster the moment he felt the slightest spark of confidence. The man made the fatal error of looking up too quickly from his feet to see where his path was leading him. The disorienting change in view as his feet moved caused him to misstep and the world began to tilt beyond his ability to recover no matter how he flailed to keep upright.
Raiden hit the floor hard, artificial nerves dutifully reporting the blunt pain of the impact. Ironic that he had no issue receiving signals, only executing them. The open doorway with no obstacles between he and it mocked him silently. The man wanted to feel indignant and angry, but all he felt was dull acceptance.
Raiden averted his gaze from the door as the sounds of footsteps approached. So much for his tentative plans to make it back to the bed before someone found him like this. Again. Staring tiredly down at his hands, the man waited for whoever was approaching to discover his sorry state.
"Oh hey, you in the floor again." A cheerful voice that was starting to become very familiar sounded out. Raiden looked up as George entered the room, unfazed by the sight of him in the floor. "Didn't expect to see you there. You gots lot farther than you did yesterday."
"An outstanding halfway across the room. Setting world records here." Raiden tried not to let the sardonic quip sound too bitter, and failed miserably. Having done this song and dance many times over the past few days Raiden wordlessly got into position.
He sat up with his knees bent and feet flat and crossed his arms over his chest. George came around behind him and slid his arms underneath and around to hold on securely to the man's wrists.
"Kay. Up ya go now. One, two, and three…" The teenager effortlessly lifted him back up to his feet. Keeping hold of him for stability, George guided him back to the bed where he was sat back down.
"I thought I had it that time." The grumbled confession slipped out of Raiden as he rubbed at his eyes. They still felt like an uncomfortable presence that irritated him at times.
"It may had been only some but it's more than before. Gotta break room records before moving up to the big stuff." George cheerfully declared. It was as if the kid had every confidence that Raiden was already back in top form and encouragement would be all that was needed to help the man realize it himself. While he appreciated the sentiment, Raiden felt that this vote of confidence was grossly misplaced.
"Does the record transfer between rooms? I'm going to be moving today. I'd hate to lose my grand progress and have to start all over again." Raiden watched as George picked up and began folding the blanket that had fallen as he slipped out of bed.
"Moving rooms huh? That desperate to get away from my help now is it? I see how it be." The teen grumbled in faux indignation as he worked, doing a rather terrible job at keeping the smile off of his face.
"I've spent enough time in labs. Believe me. And these have been getting a little busy lately. I need to get out of here into somewhere else before I go back crazy."
"It do be getting tense in here. Dok gets a little pissy when it comes to unplanned jobs, especially large ones. Security upgrades for everyone is just a little unplanned ya know?" George tossed the neatly folded blanket over on the bed that John had been occupying the past several nights.
"I can only imagine the workload."
"Yep, best get out of here while you still can. I bet the rooms be a lot nicer than here though. Never gots a chance to see them. Although you gotta be careful not to fall up there since I wont be around to help you up." The teen cautioned like an overly worried mother.
"I'll let Wolf handle that if it comes to it. I'm way too heavy for John. No need to ruin his back before he's even properly grown into it. And he would hurt himself trying to pick me up even if I tell him no."
"Stubborn nah? I wonder where he get it from."
"I have no idea." Raiden deadpanned. George would never have believed him if he told the teen that Rose was the more stubborn of the two of them. Raiden only hoped that her stubbornness had carried her through these past few weeks.
"Speaking of stubborn, where were ya headed?" George asked, jarring him from his worried thoughts. The kid nodded towards the doorway. "Any place in mind or were ya gonna figure that out if you managed to get out of the room?"
"Pretty much that actually. Perhaps hit up the cafeteria if things were going well. At least get the Dok off my back about eating." Raiden stared at his feet as he flexed his toes. The little digits sluggishly obeyed his command. At least they obeyed now. Before they would just twitch and shake.
"Well no problem. We can do that." Raiden looked up in confusion at George's cheerful declaration "The Dok sent me on over to help you up to ya rooms before the next upgrade group came over. If you wanna stop and grab something to eat before I wheel you on up we can do that."
"No." Raiden shut down the suggestion instantly much to the teen's confusion. "I'm not getting in a wheelchair. I'd rather crawl my way up." It was his turn to be confused as George laughed instead of trying to prod Raiden into cooperating.
"I had a feeling you might say that but what the Dok don't know wont hurt him." The kid said conspiratorially.
"I don't follow."
"He told me to wheel you up and 'don't let zat stubborn man tell you othervise.'" George put on a surprisingly convincing accent, pulling an unwilling smirk out of Raiden."But I think if you lean on me you should be able to make it. If not, I drag ya back down here then we can argue about the wheelchair."
"Deal." Raiden laughed and the two shook on it.
Getting his feet on the floor once more, the man stood although he leaned heavily on the boy rather than the bed. The teen guided his arm over his shoulder to hold onto the metal one as George took hold of the waist band of Raiden's sweatpants for extra stability. It hurt his pride at how much he had to lean on the kid to stay upright and how unsteady his steps were. It was better than falling yet again though.
George bore his weight easily without complaint or pity. He didn't try to guide the man or hurry him along, instead letting Raiden go at his own pace as he wished. Despite his displeasure at needing so much help to even be able to walk, Raiden was grateful at being give the exact type of support that he needed.
Sunny tried too hard to keep his mood upbeat and to play off setbacks as a temporary inconvenience. John struggled not to cry at the sight of him floundering. Wolf was constantly questioning and seeking verification that his assistance was correct. George kept silent letting Raiden instead focus on whatever he was attempting to do, and only stepping in as necessary. The kid really was suited for this kind of work.
Although slowly and with assistance, Raiden exited a room under his own free will for the first time in years. They made their way slowly through the halls, and Raiden relished being able to move instead of being stationary. At an intersection it took him a moment to get his bearings. It had been years since he had walked through Maverick's halls and his memory had taken a nasty hit since then. He was jarred from his thoughts by the appearance of one of the lab assistants.
The young man was so preoccupied with his clipboard and sketchpad that he nearly careened head first into the walking pair. Raiden saw the blood drain away from the shorter man's face as he looked away from his papers to meet his eyes. From that slack jawed expression of horror, one would think that the man laid eyes on the devil himself. Retreating back one step, then two, the lab worker muttered out nonsensical apologies and hastily walked off in the other direction, just shy of running away.
"What was that all about?" Raiden grumbled, not knowing whether to feel amused or insulted.
"I heard that Aaron was the one watching over you when you woke up. I was told that it wasn't a very nice wake up time." George said awkwardly, uncertain about how to address the subject.
"It wasn't." Was all that Raiden had to say in reply. No wonder the lab assistant looked so disturbed by him. It was one thing to see that mess unfold in VR, it was another to come face to face with such a disturbed individual. He pushed the memories away and focused on the task at hand. Raiden recalled that the direction that this Aaron had come from was the direction of the elevators and onward that way they slowly shuffled.
It was a relief to stop walking and lean against the wall of the elevator, even if it was just a short ride up to the ground floor. Raiden was not tired, at least not physically, but the coordination and constant mental focus it took to stay upright and move forward fatigued him.
"I bet I'm cutting a pretty pathetic figure right now, huh?" Raiden looked over to George with a crooked self depreciating smile. "I bet this is putting one hell of a damper in what you think of me as compared to when we first met."
"Naaaaah." George waved off the thought as he pushed the proper button. "You is the only one thinking you need to be better. Everyone else is just happy that you is alive and here. I know I am."
"Thanks George. I know it might come across as whining but it's just hard for me to get used to being like this." The elevator began to move and the change in balance had Raiden clinging to the railing and the kid to keep from falling over.
"Ya don't have to get used to it." George adjusted his grip slightly in response to Raiden's mild distress. "You'll be back to doing back flips over UG's in no time. I betcha my good arm you'll be up and doing your ninja stuff within a month. Bet."
"I don't have anything good left to wager with. Kinda hard to agree with you though when a simple elevator is kicking my ass." He was extremely grateful that the ride was so short, as the floor still seemed to be moving even as they shuffled down the hall and past the lobby.
Raiden hesitated as the next set of elevators came into sight. The thought of having to endure another twenty nine floors elected a groan out of the man. The teen let out a good natured chuckle at his distress.
"Yeah it sucks but I don't think you can manage so many stairs. And I reaaallly don't think you would want a piggy back ride all the way up."
"Indeed not."
This ride up was much longer and thus worse than the previous trip. It was helped somewhat by George guiding him to the corner where Raiden could hold himself up by the rails on either side. The man was grateful for the illusion of independence as others got on and off of the elevator as they proceeded upward.
Raiden declined stopping at the cafeteria to fetch some food. He was beginning to wear out and the staring of the unfamiliar employees was rubbing him the wrong way. Sidelong glances out of the corner of their eyes at his scrub top and bottoms, his bare feet, and the lingering looks at his face when they thought he was not looking.
Raiden had gotten used to people staring over the years. He never truly blamed them as he was somewhat a walking embodiment of the uncanny valley. Normal looking at first glance but with a hint of something...off. The texture of fake skin, the movement of artificial muscles. He was different and human instinct always prickled up at those that looked different. He understood but it still stung at times.
Maverick was no stranger to cyborg employees though. The other passengers paid little mind to George. The teenager wore his cybernetics openly and proudly. There was no synthetic skin covering the arm exposed by the boys short sleeves. Perhaps it was not his face that was bothering the others so, he considered. Perhaps it was his eyes.
The stare of a predator, someone had once called it. Even as pathetic as he felt Raiden knew that his eyes held the same sharpness that they always had. Possibly it was another set of instincts acting up that had the other occupants so uncomfortable.
Normally he would shrug off the prolonged glances no matter their reason, but that was back when he was fully capable and confident. Now when he could hardly keep himself upright, the weight of their eyes was a little too much for him to carry at the moment.
There was a huff at his side that shook the man from his thoughts. George had noticed the uncertainty of the other passengers and looked downright offended. Raiden shook his head at the kid who looked to be winding himself up to say something. They could not truly be considered at fault for being uneasy around a not-quite-right look of a clearly unstable man.
The kid was in clear disagreement but obeyed, casting his eyes downward. The problem resolved itself as the other passengers gradually cleared out as the elevator ascended. By the time they reached the twenty ninth floor Raiden and George were the last ones on although the easygoing mood had soured somewhat.
"Ok then." George began as they both got back into position and made their way off the elevator into the hall. "Where is we going?"
"...That's a good question." Raiden said to the boy's amusement. "John never said. He just asked me to wait a bit for him to get it cleaned up. I really don't care if hes trashed it though, I needed out of those labs. More importantly though, I need to sit down. I'm about done for at the moment. Lemme call Wolf and get him to help us."
Raiden hailed the AI over the codec which had hardly rung a single time before the call was answered.
"Raiden." Wolf greeted him.
"Hey Wolf. John never told me what room to go to. Can you help us out? Me and George are at the elevators."
"I will be there shortly." Wolf ended the call without ceremony. It was only about a thirty second wait before the click clack of metal claws could be heard on the tiles and then seeing Wolf's face peering about the corner.
"What have you got all over you?" Raiden asked bemused as Wolf approached suspiciously sparkling under the hall's bright lights. As the AI came closer, he could see that liberally sprinkled over Wolf's muzzle and the tip of his tail was glitter and what seemed to be a few stray sequins.
"Many shall be displeased if I ruin the surprise. John asked me to help prepare it while he worked. I suspect that John will not be happy at your arrival this soon. He expected you much later I believe." Wolf shook himself as a wet dog would, sending glitter dancing though the air. Despite what he dislodged it did not look like the amount on him was reduced in the slightest.
"Please tell me that there's not a surprise party waiting for me in there." Raiden rubbed at his eyes anticipating all of the noise and having to play nice with people when all he wanted to do at the moment was lay down.
"There is not." Wolf motioned for them to follow with a flick of his tail. "I do not think you would be receptive to such a thing even under normal circumstances, much less your current state."
"Smart wolfy." George quipped, hauling Raiden along.
They followed Wolf along the hallways and near identical doors until down the hall one of the doors opened. John peeked out of the open door and immediately disappeared back inside. Raiden was suspicious of his child's antics but was far too exhausted to question it. What would come would come.
Wolf slipped on inside first and held the door open for the both of them. Raiden took a look around the apartment. He had never been up to the VIP wing before. He had either always stayed down in the labs for work or repairs or had been up in Boris' office before being shuttled off in a plane or a car. It was a lot nicer than what he had expected for all the nagging Boris had done about their budgetary concerns.
There was a large patch of the carpet that was wet with suds and what seemed to be faint ketchup stains that refused to be scrubbed out. Socks lingered under the couch and a shirt lay over in a darkened corner. Judging from the indents in the carpet, John had arranged the modest furniture as promised to have a more open walking area.
Raiden didn't have the best view of the kitchenette area from where he stood but he could still see some of John's efforts. A trash bag was overflowing with fast food containers and the small sink was filled with bubbles and dishes. A few of said bubbles still lingered in in his son's hair.
His slightly breathless child picked up a stray towel and chucked it into the corner with the shirt and beckoned them both further in.
"I didn't think you would be up here so soon. I didn't quite have a chance to finish everything up yet." John scratched his head awkwardly, looking at the stained carpet. "I gathered up all the garbage and Courtney's dishes but I didn't have a chance to get them done yet. Oh and I moved all my stuff to the smaller room to give you the big bed. Crap! I still gotta make that bed. I can…"
"Don't worry about it son." Raiden cut off the boys rambling. John looked back and forth between him and a room adjacent from the living room.
"It wont take anytime at all." John shifted his weight as if he were toying with the idea of darting into the room to try to complete the task before the older man could make his way into the room.
"It's ok John. Really. Unless there's something in there that you don't want me to see." John shook his head vehemently no. He also none too subtly tried to scoot what looked to be a shard of broken glass underneath a nearby sitting chair.
"It's nothing like that Dad. It's just that I know you like clean places and I was kinda hoping to get everything done before you came up."
"Sorry about that." George said a little sheepishly, looking at a broken picture that sat in a corner. "If ida known I would have got the Dok to wait a little while or someting."
"It doesn't matter. I've slept on worse than a messy bed. Besides, I really need to sit down." Raiden said as he started towards the bedroom door. He was relying on the older teen heavily for help now and desperately wanted to lay down. The weariness of mind was starting to interfere with his BMI and it was only a matter of time before he hit the floor again. It finally got through to John just how much his father was struggling and rushed ahead to open the door for the pair.
Raiden focused hard on his feet to keep from stumbling over them. He was torn between being put out that a simple walk, and most of it spent on elevators no less, had completely done him in or be exultant in the fact that he had actually walked. The conflicting feelings were washed away by the sheer relief whenever George had maneuvered him around and into the bed. With a sigh he gratefully laid back into the pillow mound that John was prone to making and closed his eyes.
"See? Piece of cake. Told you I could do it." Raiden quipped, mentally dismissing his BMI error messages for what felt like the hundredth time that trip.
"You were just too stubborn for the piggy back ride. Woulda saved ya the filthy feet." The enhanced skin that the Dok was so proud of relayed the sensation of being poked in the foot by a metal finger.
"Probably should have taken you up on that. Would have given them an actual reason to stare at me." The mental image of the other elevator passengers faces in that scenario was amusing but not strong enough to prompt a smile through the exhaustion.
"People were staring?" John asked somewhere off to his right.
"Ah, just some skunts that act like they never seen a cyborg before." There was a nearby click that promoted Raiden to open his eyes once more.
Beside him John had turned on the bedside lamp. Raiden didn't know if Rose had told John about his somniphobia but the boy made sure that he was never without a light on near by when resting. He thankfully also never said anything these past few days sleeping on the next bed over in the recovery rooms whenever Raiden inevitably woke from a nightmare.
Between the lamp and the light coming in from the en-suite bathroom that George had stepped into, the lighting was low enough to not be overwhelming but still allowed for plenty of illumination to the room. And now that Raiden had his eyes open and was not looking at his feet he could see why Wolf was covered in glitter.
The AI in question sat by a long dresser opposite of the bed. The top of the dresser was completely covered by cards. They had been sorted by size and color in neat descending rows, organized just as an AI would. From Raiden's vantage point somewhat propped up in the bed they all looked homemade and decorated in various ways. Colored pencils, paint, some done in origami styles, and much much glitter covered the assortment.
"What's all this then?" He looked to the three of them questioningly.
"When the Dok was getting all your parts ready he let it slip to the other kids about you." George stepped out of the bathroom shaking out a dampened rag. "They made all these get well cards. They also went and made a hella lotta thank you cards for saving all of them. You kinda disappeared after you saved us. We never gotta chance to say thanks." The kid sat down at the end of the messy bed and reached for a foot.
"George I can do that." Fighting against the weariness, Raiden sat up and reached for the rag. The boy wasn't having it.
"Wolf. Hold him." George commanded without hesitation. The AI promptly complied.
"Hey."
"There's also these Dad." John said, still lingering by the bedside table. Raiden looked away from the two traitors that held his legs fast and to where John indicated. There were three cards placed on the table in a more haphazard fashion, which suggested that John had been the one to set them out. These looked to be store bought rather than the colorful homemade projects of children. Raiden reached for the one closest to him.
The cover of the card was a generic beach scene with the accompanying platitudes in flowing font. He struggled somewhat to get his fingers to cooperate enough to open the card. When he succeeded the inside of the card revealed a familiar flowery handwriting that Raiden had not seen in some time.
Hi Raiden. It feels like its been forever since we last talked. While I know that these circumstances are very unfortunate, I am very glad to hear that you are… well...ok might not be the best word for it, but I'm glad you pulled through and are improving by the day. I was told to give you space so please please please don't think that I didn't care or I've been ignoring you. If I wouldn't have gotten in trouble with Boris I would have been by to visit you already. That and if you even wanted me around that is. If not, that's ok too, no pressure or anything. But if you do still want to be friends let me know :). I've missed having somebody around to try new foods with and there is so many new dishes I have to tell you about. If you get in the mood for a particular meal while you're recovering hit me up. I'll make anything you want. Oh and please tell John I haven't forgotten about those cookies. Things have just been a little crazy lately.
-Wishing You All The Best
Courtney
Raiden quirked a slight smile at the sentiments. It didn't sound like Courtney had changed in the slightest. It was good to see that she held no hard feelings about his departure. The young woman had shed a tear or two at his leaving Maverick for the last time. The fact that she knew about his demons and the truth of his nature and was still interested in friendship was moving.
Raiden set the card down on his lap, seriously considering on taking her up on her offer. If he had to eat, might as well make it something worth his while. It would help bridge that gap that he had opened between himself and the Maverick crew, even if it had been for their own protection to not be dragged into the fallout of his actions.
At the end of the bed Wolf released one of his legs after the aspiring caretaker had cleaned off that foot. Raiden pulled that leg back looking up at the two of them with a glare of half-hearted irritation, which they naturally ignored. Ignoring them right back he reached for the next card.
This card was also store bought and generic with a nighttime city skyline depicted. Ignoring the text on the front, Raided also opened it after a moment of frustration. The text in the card written in the sharper hand that usually accompanied his mission reports.
Hey there Raiden. Your man Kev here. Glad to hear that you're doing better. All of us here at Maverick have been worried shitless about you. Yeah, you might be a little rougher off this time but like always no matter what's thrown at you somehow you always seem to manage to get out of it. Are you sure you're not part cat man? Definitely have used up some of your nine lives with all the stunts you pull. I have a few grey hairs with your name on them. But seriously though Raiden, I really am glad to hear you're doing better. Hope to see you soon whenever you are up to it. I ran it by Boris and set up a video streaming service up in the rooms for you and your kid. I've already showed John how to get on it. I figured you would need something to keep you occupied until you get back on your feet. I really hope it's soon man.
Kevin
Raiden closed the card, looking over the photo of the darkness bathed city once more. He was mildly surprised that Kev wanted anything to do with him. They often butted heads and while Kevin was always friendly, he tended to hold people at arms length. Kev had been hurt by his departure those years ago. The man didn't say anything negative at their parting but Raiden could practically see himself being pruned away from the man's thoughts in order to stay detached.
Looking back, he had been initially pleased by this. He had been hell bent on doing this hunt alone so there would be no resistance or collateral. Now that Raiden had a taste of what it meant to be truly alone, the loss of a friendship stung. He couldn't tell if the lighthearted tone of the letter was Kev's usual arm's length friendliness or a sincere offer to reconnect.
He sat aside both his card and his thoughts on the subject for the moment to be examined later. The two at the end of the bed completed their task and released him as Raiden took the final card that remained on the little stand.
The cover held no pictures but was grey with silvery embossed patterns on the borders. As this one was fairly larger than the other two cards it was slightly easier to thumb open. Raiden's eyes were immediately drawn to the handwritten text in the center. Boris' handwriting was as bold and proud as the man himself.
Raiden. There is saying in my country: "Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light." Things may seem dark for you now tovarich. You have lost much dear to you and the night stretches on with no hint of dawn on the horizon. I know that there are no words to relieve your pain but know this, you are not alone in the darkness. We are many, those that walk with you this night. You are more beloved than you realize my friend and you need not fear whatever foe may lurk in the shadows. There is simply no room left for them due to all of us.
The white paper of the inside of the card was nearly completely obscured with the sheer number of signatures peppering the inside. There were many signatures he recognized such as the Doktor's and the Gemini Twins'. But there were so many others that he did not know. The card was so covered it seemed as if the entirety of Maverick headquarters had signed it.
"Dad?" John asked as Raiden had yet to look up from the card.
"Sorry." He murmured with a shake of his head. He gathered up the three cards and quietly set them aside on the night stand.
"Ya want us to grab the others?" George jerked a thumb towards the cards arranged neatly on the dresser. There were so many that they nearly made a mound even as orderly as they were. The two teenagers and AI looked at him expectantly. Whatever he need help with they would be off scrambling for it, all he had to do was say the word. And not just them either. There were many others helping him, as he had just been reminded.
Raiden was slightly cowed by the weight of all those names, all those cards. A small select few by his side was all he had expected, not this outpouring of support. He looked over at the children's cards and wondered just how many there were. Raiden never knew that they had been told about him. So many children out there considered him as their hero.
The awareness of so many people that held him in their thoughts and that looked up to him was one that he didn't know how to respond to. It was a far cry from where he lay an hour earlier morose, alone, and feeling completely and utterly worthless.
"You ok?" John knelt down beside the bed with a small frown.
"Yeah." Raiden pulled his focus back once more. He looked at the boys who were starting to grow concerned. "Yeah. I'll have to wait a while on all those cards. That walk took more out of me than I realized. I won't cheapen all their hard work by spacing out as I look at them. I'll have to wait until I can give them the proper attention that they deserve."
"Yeah you probably need to rest. Its been a while and you're due for a nap." The boy shrugged off the uneasiness now that he had an explanation for why his father was acting oddly.
"Gee. Way to make me feel like its nap time in the kiddy corner son." Raiden griped even as he settled deeper into the mound of pillows John had left behind on the bed.
"Want me to tuck ya in? Tell you a bedtime story?" George couldn't help but cheekily toss in.
"Out. Get out of here. All of you." He commanded in faux sternness. Raiden would have tossed a pillow at the retreating trio but the snickering boys were already following the AI out of the room before he could pull one free.
The dim room with its simple decor and silence was a hell of a lot easier on the senses than the labs. Even during the night hours down there, whether it be the beeping of computers or the droning of the air system, something could always be heard. Other than the muffled voices of the teenagers in the next room over as they finished the cleaning, and occasionally Wolf's digital monotone, it was blessedly silent.
Raiden looked over to the three cards sitting on the nightstand. After several moments he reached over and drew them near. He did not open them again but rather looked at the pictures depicted and ran his fingers over the paper's thick edges.
To sort out how he felt about such an outpouring of support was somewhat beyond him at the moment. The thrice damned drowsiness was creeping in once more, but the exhaustion did nothing to dim the depth of how moved he was. To have so many on his side, even if conveyed only by the little tokens, was such a stark contrast to how abandoned he felt those three long years in the black and the cold.
Raiden eventually quit fighting sleep and drifted off with the cards still resting on his chest. This time there were no nightmares to plague him as his dreams were far too full of everyone for them to fit in.