Killshot rolled his eyes from left to right.
Seems like even their own UNSC marines never really saw the Spartans out of their armour.
Killshot brought his hand up to his sunglasses and took them off with a sigh.
"I knew today was going just too smoothly…"
Noble 6 only chuckled.
They looked to the window. It was a miracle that their neural interface picked up on one of the Darter Pilots for Project Caduceus announcing the names of the injured from the highway.
Noble 6 and Killshot had looked at each other when the names Gloria and David Martinez had been one of the list.
They ran to the nearest Darter picking up injured citizens, and had helped them stabilise the few in exchange for taking the two Spartans to the medcentre of Santo Domingo.
"There's the building." Noble 6 noted as the Darter landed on the helipad, Killshot looking at the opening door to see several Spartans and medical officers stationed and ready to carry the injured in for proper treatment.
Noble 6 and Killshot helped a few stretchers out, before they walked in and asked for the room David and Gloria Martinez was placed in.
-oOo-
David woke up on a bed much more comfortable than the one in his own room. Sheets were silky smooth and the pillow was soft.
Temperature in the room was well moderated, and the walls and floor and ceilings were sparkling clean.
Rectangular doorways had near militaristic shapes patterned below the door window, soft light-blue lights lining the corners that buzzed softly, creating a sort of soothing white noise for David to drown out.
It was different to even the richer hospitals he had seen during his study at Arasaka Academy, when his classes had several blueprints of various architecture to look at to analyse the designs and functions. No, not just different- better. Safer. Compared to the near hostile environments of run down hospitals or high-end corpo interiors.
It looked more like a space ship than a typical Night City Med Centre, really. Especially compared to the near-rundown hospitals that his mother had to work at.
None of it smelled of disinfectant or artificial filtered oxygen. Yet it was clear the air was devoid of contaminants and dust. It was way too clean.
David shook his head, for the moment his memories came up blank in how he ended up here.
But then he remembered everything: the car crash, the flaming aftermath…
He jolted up, looking left and right.
Mom- she was…
She was sleeping in the bed right next to his. To his left.
Unlike him, she had IV fluid still plugged into her. Yet with the shallow but stable breathing indicated by the rising and falling blanket and the heart monitor showing a steady rhythm of her heartbeat, she was fine.
David sighed in relief.
They were saved.
They were safe.
David looked at himself. Unlike his mother, there were no fluids or wires attached to him.
As if he didn't need it. And honestly, he didn't feel like he needed them either.
He didn't feel any pain, no saw any bruises on himself.
"… Mijo…?"
David heard his mother's faint voice and looked back. Gloria was awake, only ever so slightly. Eyelids only opened halfway, and voice sounded she just woke up.
"Yeah, mom. It's me…"
David said with a smile. Gloria simply looked left and right, just like how David did when he first woke up.
"… Where… are we?"
David answered the only way he knew.
"I don't know. We were saved by the Arbee guys, though. So probably in a hospital their company own."
To be quite fair, with the end of Biotechnica: there weren't any other proper company capable of filling that part of the niche. He can attest how easily and quickly the position was changed from Biotechnica to Reds and Blues.
Gloria stayed quite for the moment, simply drinking this all in. She blinked a few times, before looking out at the window.
It was early midnight- the Darters were still flying up and down the carrier pads, transferring patients and going back out there to gather more after getting the news that people were getting hurt.
The light pollution was still bad with all the buildings, electricity, and neon saturation. But that was the Night City Gloria remembered.
It was a near endless job, sure. But Reds and Blues had gathered a lot of homeless war vets that were more than willing to throw themselves back on the field to save human lives.
And all of that, starting from just a small kindness.
Gloria smiled.
This was far removed from her usual work environment.
"I guess they really do keep their words, huh? All that talking and ranting." Gloria said as she lied back down on her bed.
"Yeah, we're lucky. I guess." David could only reply with a smirk.
They were saved, swiftly and securely, by Reds and Blues. David still remembered the entire situation. How gentle the Spartan was for his massive strength.
David and Gloria looked at their surroundings, pristine and clean and as the two would call it, 'nova and preem'. Silver floors and walls that shined under the neon lights bouncing into from the window. However, the door soon opened before they would be completely left in their own surroundings and both mother and son looked to see who was coming into their room.
A Spartan, with purple Mark VI armour- a shade lighter than Cell's- walked in while waving at the two.
"Hi! I'm Medical Officer Frank DuFresne for Reds and Blues. But you can just call me doc if that's too hard to pronounce. Most of my friends call me doc too, anyway."
David nervously waved back at the surprisingly cheery Spartan as Doc tapped through his compad.
"Right, so you must be David Martinez and you must be… Gloria Martinez? Is that right?"
"I… yeah…" David answered.
"Ok, great! I'm in the right room. Well, first off let me just check you guys' health."
David and Gloria flinched when Doc grabbed a strange looking chrome white device from his holster and pointed it at David. The shape of the device had bent into a weird blue C-shape, both the upper and lower end glowing blue.
Doc looked at the scared David and Gloria and laughed, pointing at the device with his free hand.
"Oh, don't worry about it. This is just a medical scanner, standard issue equipment. Just gonna check if you have any withstanding injuries."
Doc casually waved the device up and down, and read the holographic screen popping up just above the handle.
"Mhmm… Mhmm… Yep! Seems like you're all fine and good to go! Wow, normally we have to do some more treatments to get rid of the bruises and torn muscle fibres. You heal up really quick! Almost like a Spartan."
"I… I can leave?"
"If you want to. You can also stay and wait for your mother to heal up and be discharged from the med centre together. Speaking of which,"
Doc turned over to Gloria, waving the device up and down just like how he did with David. A new holographic screen replaced David's results.
"Yeeep, this is something more to what we expected. Bit of torn muscles, bones realigned but cracks haven't fully sealed up yet, not to mention the amount of malnutrition and overexhaustion. You'll probably have to be here for about 3 to 4 more days."
"3 to 4 more days?! But I can't just leave my work!"
Doc sucked air in through his teeth sharply.
"Yeah, we heard about standard work conditions on Earth… Not, a good environment. Unfortunately, even if we discharged you now, you wouldn't be able to walk or handle anything. Still god a broken shin and shoulder to deal with. Your details say you're a paramedic, so you probably know how bad those are without me explaining furrther…"
Gloria ran a hand down her face in frustrating, exhaling strongly as she pushed her head further back into the pillow.
"Look, we'll do our best to speed up the healing, but no promises."
David looked to his mother. It looked like she needed him, and he was perfectly willing to stay here with Gloria. Didn't have anywhere else to be, and no one else to stay with for the next 3 to 4 days anyway.
Gloria, however, had other vehement ideas.
"Dee, you go to school." Her problem was her own. Not her son's.
"But-"
"Mijo, I want you to go to Arasaka Academy. Okay? Don't worry about the money or the medical bills. I'll handle it." David wanted to say something further, but the conversation he had in the car, and his mother's quite stern tone cut this argument short.
Doc cut in, holding a finger up.
"Actually, we don't charge you medical bills for this. Just that you leave once we check and have you healthy to be discharged."
Gloria blinked.
"What do you mean no bills?"
Doc shrugged.
"Cell just didn't want to have a hassle with charges and arguments about helping someone and having them angry or sad about the fees. Just easier to fix them up and throw them out without asking anything more from them."
Gloria blinked again. And again, each time faster than the last.
"But didn't adults have to pay for the health care?" She asked.
"Oh, that! Yeah, those are for those that came in here themselves and requested for medical care. For those that were rescued in Project Caduceus, bills kinda fly out the window."
She breathed in and out. Really? No bills? Trauma Team and Meat Wagon would jump up and down in frustration and disbelief at such a claim. Hell, Gloria herself was taking time coming to terms with that. Well, that takes care of one worry.
Another knock was heard from the door, which opened up soon after, not even waiting for a reply from the other side.
Two men walked in, both clearly 2 metres tall, or even slightly taller than that. One wearing what could be considered a blend between Kitsch and Neomilitarianism, coupled with plain looking sunglasses. Another just wore plain grey shirt, black jeans and a jacket. Doc waved at the two, and the two waved back in return.
"Oh! Hey Killshot! Good night, Noble 6!"
David and Gloria's eyes widened. Gloria knew the two because Maine kept talking about the 'newest NC boogeyman'. David knew Killshot from the emergency conference. Hell, he was the talk of Arasaka Academy.
A Spartan, and an Arasaka combined into one will never not be a hot topic. Especially so when the dog tags were shown that made his words carry weight.
Did Killshot know that Arasaka was doubly cautious than normal because of Killshot's ties to his extended family? He probably did, and was probably vouching on it to act as an emergency deterrent.
All David knew from the words around the academy was that Saburo was preparing to get in contact with the CEO of Arbees to talk about Killshot. He didn't exactly know when, however.
"Sorry, Doc. I had something to talk about with David and Gloria Martinez. Should we wait outside, or…"
Doc shrugged.
"Honestly, bit too late to ask that after you just barged into the room. But I've finished most of my work here for now. Just make sure they get some rest, okay?"
Killshot nodded as Doc waved at Gloria and David before walking out of the room.
Uncomfortable silence fell on the floor. Gloria and David looked at Killshot expectantly, and a bit nervously too considering this Spartan right here specialised in making people disappear without a trace at this time of night.
Killshot, on the other hand, was thinking up how to break the ice and break down the news.
Guess he should start with making sure everyone was comfortable.
"It's going to be a bit of a long story. Would it be okay if we turn on the night lights?"
David complied without a word, turning on the clean lamp above his bed. He didn't know where the button was, but quickly found out that just touching the lamp was enough to light it up.
Now the room had a serene atmosphere, almost like the inside of a plane, or a space shuttle with how the orange and yellow light softly illuminated a quarter of the room.
Killshot grabbed a chair on the side of the left wall and lifted it to be directly between the two beds. Noble 6 remained standing next to the back wall. Killshot had silently gestured to the other chair, offering to move it for Noble 6. Noble 6 only shook his head and lifted a hand in decline before crossing his arm.
"Right… so…"
"You're the guy Maine told me about? The guy who knew my husband?"
Before Killshot could properly speak, Gloria cut to the chase first.
Killshot sighed and chuckled, nodding his head.
"I had to pull some strings through Reilly… but yes. I am here… on behalf of Gloria Martinez's husband… and David Martinez's father."
David's brow furrowed a little. That man disappeared for who knows how long, and now that he zeroed, he suddenly has a will for them? That's it?
Just like that?
David kept quiet, because just as he was about to shout something, he heard his mother breathe in deep, close her eyes for a moment and open her eyes, talking first.
"And what did he have to say."
Killshot shuffled in the pretty spacious metal chair, ruffling something from his techwear coat.
"First off, if I ever went to Night City, and I could find the two of you: He wanted me to tell you two about how sorry he was for just running away and disappearing."
Gloria sat up in the bed, using the pillow to rest her back on.
"And how would a Spartan know a man that disappeared 7 years ago?" Gloria shot back with a bit of bite in her tone. Killshot knew that's how she would react, and just nodded at her words.
Killshot pulled out something that neither of the two could make out in the dark. So much for Killshot asking the room to be illuminated when he positioned his seat to be on the edge of the light.
"Because roughly 7 years ago the Covenants managed to find Earth through sheer mistake, and invade New Mombasa. I wasn't a Spartan then, just an ODST dispatched to help civilians and fight back the Covenant forces."
Gloria furrowed her brow, frustration and confusion wrought over her face.
"And why would Leopold Martinez be in New Mombasa?"
David looked to his mother. David himself wanted to ask what exactly the connection between New Mombasa and his runaway dad was about.
Killshot held something in his hands, running his thumb over with an expression hidden well by the shadows and sunglasses. When he held enough courage, he leaned forward in his chair and stretched out his hand towards Gloria. Something shined in his hands through the light of the orange and yellow lamp as he casted long shadows over the room, framing Killshot's figure in a surreal glow as he extended the object. Gloria's eyes widened and took the object without further questions or biting back.
David himself was confused what it was, but Killshot's short sentence explained it for David in the most confusing way possible.
"Because Leopold Martinez's real name was Leonard-131."
In Gloria's Palm was Leopold Martinez's dog tag. Or rather, the UNSC dog tag that Leopold hid in the house until 7 years ago.
"I told you two that this would be a long story. Still willing to listen to it?"
David looked at the dog tag, and then to Killshot, before looking back to his mother.
He saw how Gloria's eyes blinked, before her pupils started to shake.
Killshot didn't push the two, and simply waited patiently for their answer.
David didn't know what that meant. What do you mean dad's real name was Leonard-131? What did that mean? Was he a test subject? A fugitive? A criminal?
Frustration was bubbling up, but there was no way for him to vent it out. Who would he vent it out to? The confusion was in the end, in his mind. The only closest thing he could do would be to shout at Killshot to clarify ASAP, but he couldn't dare do that when his mother was busy recollecting herself.
Gloria herself was in disbelief, yet the dog tag with the symbol of the Eagle with its wings outstretched, perched on top of the globe of Earth stamped on it with the UNSC insignia told her enough that her husband was a soldier.
And not just some soldier in Arasaka or Militech. A UNSC soldier, which when pieced together with the war of New Mombasa told her enough story about why Leopold had left.
Yet she wanted to know more. About what sort of man she had married and lost.
She loved him so much, laughed so much time whenever he had hugged her and their son, yet she didn't even know what happened to him for the past 7 years. And only just realised that she essentially knew nothing about him.
Gloria wiped her cheeks with the uninjured arm, she had just realised the tears falling down and making stains on the blanket. And even before that she had the gist of the emotional outburst when the dim glow of the nightlights became blurry, the world beyond the hospital bed reduced to vague orange and yellow streaks, coupled with the pink and sky blue neon lights coming from the window.
She nodded. She felt her throat close and twist, and she realised she probably wasn't in the condition to vocally express her thoughts.
Killshot saw the nod. He sighed, breathing in as he brough the chair closer to the two.
He had thought about this moment long enough, ever since he saw the Spartan hand him that dog tag before jumping in, shooting at the Covenant with the Plasma Rifle ripped out from the hands of the elite he killed.
He vowed as he survived through the hell that was the Human-Covenant war, that he would follow through with Leonard-131's last request. The Spartan deserved that much at least.
Killshot finally crossed over the border between the light and shadow, framing in fully in the lamp light as he took of his sunglasses to properly meet with the family of his hero eye to eye.
"Cell would be talking about this in this week's documentary interview, and I got confirmation from Captain Church to go through with this. But please remember, this is only for your ears for the time being. At least until the documentary is out. Can you two promise me that?"
The two nodded. Yes, for christ's sake, yes. Just… please, answer them about what kind of man Leopold was, and what happened to him.
Killshot looked to the floor, blinking twice before he looked back up to Gloria.
"In 2027, UNSC had kickstarted the Spartan II program in secrecy. They had identified 150 candidates throughout the UNSC-owned Colony planets. Among these candidates, 75 of them were kidnapped. Those that were kidnapped, quickly replaced with a flash clone that died soon after. Technological limitations and complications during that time… these… 75 candidates were ranged somewhere around 6 years of age."
David's eyes widened.
"I've heard about that, in the conference… Cell said that."
Killshot nodded with a grim expression- lips stretched tightly in distaste of the dark history of his predecessors.
"He did. And it's true. Among those 75, only 33 candidates survived the procedure. Those were the Spartan IIs. But… among those 33, two had escaped. One committed suicide after meeting their flash clone, while another one had escaped to Earth. We could risk our identity to Earth at that time, so we had no choice but to let it go. After all, the escaped Spartan II didn't make any noise, and disappeared from even our sights. We wrote him down as KIA. Thought he just committed suicide… Until we found him again in New Mombasa."
Killshot pointed to the dog tag.
"That was Leonard-131. Or as he called himself to you, Leopold Martinez."
David felt his tongue dry, and realised that he had his jaw slack.
Gloria didn't blink either, and only realised she needed to when she felt her eyes sting against the air.
David actually felt his heart race, he felt as if time slowed again- like he could see how slowly the Killshot's hair bristled, or how the reflection of the light moved across the sunglasses Killshot held in his hand.
"… He seemed like he was living the way he wanted. Like a human. Meeting someone he could love without strings attached, having a child that looked like him in every way. But he knew the moment news about New Mombasa arrived on his TV monitor, that when the chips were down: He was who he was made to be. A Spartan, a soldier… a father. He told me he didn't want to be involved. This wasn't Earth's problem. But then he saw his friend on the screen. John-117. Master Chief, as we called the Spartan II that saved humanity.
He saw his friend, and he knew he had to step up."
Killshot chuckled as if he remembered a good joke, but the tears glistening his eyes told the two that it was nothing more than a light moment in a very, very dark situation.
"He didn't know the full gist of the situation either, we had to brief him during all the barrages of plasma shots and hot lead whizzing through the air. About the Covenants, about why we were here, about… about what was at stake. He nodded, told us that it was a good choice to come to New Mombasa after all." Killshot rubbed his index finger under his nose as he briefly cupped his palm over his mouth.
"… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have chuckled like that."
Gloria looked down at the dog tag.
Leonard-131 glistened as the light filled the imprint stamped mechanically on that small metal shard.
"… And Leopold?" Gloria finally spoke, pushing through the pain in her throat. Yet she wasn't strong enough to push through the choke.
Killshot couldn't answer for a good minute or two. Simply looking down at the silver floor. Too scared to break the truth, no matter how clear and obvious it was to everyone in the room.
"… What happened to dad?" It took David speaking up as well for Killshot to finally open his mouth, to ready himself.
"… After the New Mombasa conflict was over, we gathered all the bodies of our fallen we could find. Master Chief… Master Chief himself carried the body in his arms. An old mark IV, barely… barely even working, barely maintained. Like it was left to rust and rot in a shed, to help Leopold forget that he was ever a Titan from the stars."
Killshot looked Gloria and David in the eyes. His voice, shaking, was still firm. Enough training? No, it was enough loss experienced. Just… not experienced in telling this to anyone that wasn't part of the military. His fingers interlocked into a single fist tightly, yet he restrained himself from breaking all ten of his fingers into each other.
"He was a hero, Misses Martinez. He was a hero that fought to keep his wife and his son safe. And I'm sorry it took 7 years to clarify to the two of you, that he wasn't a coward that ran away from his family to live a better life."
David looked at Killshot. He looked at the Spartan, and even when he heard the sounds of sniffling and sobbing to his right, he couldn't take his eyes of the Spartan IV's eyes.
"He… gave up his life, so you two could keep yours."
Half-opened, like he was perpetually tired. Maybe he was, of fighting… of carrying. Yet even then he came here to tell this truth, and to look at David and Gloria in the eyes while telling so.
Gloria on the other hand, failed to meet the bearer of bad news in the eyes. For years she had thought that he abandoned them, that even if she loved him so much, that was something she wouldn't forgive him for.
Of course, she wouldn't forgive him. But for a different reason now.
She wouldn't forgive him, amidst the tears that she couldn't stop or the sobs she couldn't silence, she wouldn't forgive him for never telling the truth. She wouldn't forgive him for never coming back in their arms.
The room's white noise seemed to have been drowned out by emotions from both parties. Even the silence of Killshot deafened the room.
David's own dam broke soon after. Tears falling down, and mutters of 'god damn it' and 'fucking hell…' echoing out in the room.
He had tried to drown out all those memories, of his father lifting David up on his shoulders, of him teaching David how to play ball, how to ride bicycles, how to cook rice, how to eat Spaghetti… All because he thought his father was a piece of shit that chose a richer life than what he had now.
He couldn't face his father's acquaintance in the eyes anymore. Not after David realised that his father had already chosen the richer life- with David and Gloria. And he went to fight tooth and nail for it.
Killshot sat silently to let the two let all of their emotions out.
-oOo-
Killshot handed the two a tissue box from the small table on the corner of the room. David and Gloria took it without hesitation to blow their nose and wipe their tears.
"Thank you for telling us about Leopold…" Gloria muttered as she closed her fist around the used tissue. Guess Killshot was like the tissue, keeping her grounded and tangible in her pain.
Killshot only grimaced, lips revealing teeth that expressed guilt, fiddling with his sunglasses as he replied, looking down at the floor.
"There's nothing you need to thank me for. It took me 7 years to finally deliver the message, after all. You just happened to get the shittiest mailman in the universe." Killshot moved uncomfortably in his seat. "Besides, there's… something else I needed to talk about. About David specifically."
Gloria and David looked at each other. David didn't know what else there was that they needed to talk about, but Gloria had caught on quickly when she remembered about the Spartan II program.
Killshot was about to tell this to Gloria, but decided it was better to move around to David and talk to him directly about it. After all, David may have been Gloria's son, but he was in the end, David.
"David." Killshot spoke a bit more curtly. David blinked a couple of times at being directly addressed by the Spartan, and nervously coughed before he spoke.
"Yes..?"
"Ever since in your childhood, were you… physically and academically gifted? I'd say specifically… top of your classes or sports?"
David looked to the wall in thought and nervously nodded.
"How about… diseases? Did you ever get sick easily? Injured easily?"
David shook his head this time. Now that he thought about it, when most of his friends got sick from drinking the water of Santo Domingo without medication, he was the only one unaffected.
"How about… recovery? I've… gathered that neural implants for communication and those…" Killshot turned around to Noble 6 for assistance in memory while snapping his finger.
"Shards." Noble 6 assisted with a single word.
"Yeah, Shards." Killshot said as he turned back around. "Anyway- after surgery, how quickly did you heal?"
David rolled his eyes around, trying to jog his memory.
"2 hours." This time, Gloria answered. She remembered everything about David's childhood like it was yesterday. "Even the doctor said it was near supernatural recovery time, said that 7 year olds would normally take an entire day to heal from their first implant surgery."
Killshot sighed as he blinked, folding the legs of the sunglasses in and out repeatedly, the rhythm of the plastic snapping echoing out like a metronome before-
"Shit. That pretty much has everything point to it…"
David was about to ask pointing to what, but he was a smart and talented kid.
Spartan II,
His Dad,
All these questions…
It wasn't hard for him to piece three and three together.
"Doctor Catherine Halsey is currently charged and scrutinised for the invasive procedure. Among them were genetic modifications and augmentations. Which included the germ line of the candidates, and even other factors that can be passed down as epigenetic factors. Stick to the bases of the chromosomes in the gametes. I believe the two of you can understand what I'm inferring."
Gloria's eyes blinked before widening. She was quick to accept it, But David was… David's own age had resisted the information going as quickly into his mind as his mothers.
"David, you're a son of a Spartan II. Quite possibly the only offspring we have from the Spartan II candidate. While you may not have gotten all the features of a Spartan II… I mean, it's hard to pass down ceramic exoskeleton coatings and enhanced muscle fibres- you most likely got a significant amount of it. From recovery speeds of the cells, to general hormone control… resistance to contaminants. So on. Most likely heightened reflex times."
Killshot lifted the tissue box, gesturing silently at David with his head and eyes that non-verbally screamed he was going to throw that at faster velocity than one could normally react.
And before David could even respond, he followed through with half of his Spartan IV strength put into it.
The box struck the wall like lightning at the sound of cardboard crushing in echoed like thunder.
Yet even then, David had dodged perfectly out of the way last millisecond. Crouching down low on the bed before rising back up and looking to the back. The box had landed where his head would have been.
David scoffed with bit of sweat running down his forehead at the sudden fright.
"Maybe give me a second next time?"
Killshot shrugged his shoulders.
"Then it wouldn't have worked. I'm really sorry for startling you two, but this pretty much confirms it… unless- David, do you have those…" Killshot snapped his finger again, looking back at Noble 6. Ignoring the wide eyes of Gloria.
"Sandevistan?" Noble 6 asked.
"Is that the one that heightens reflex time?"
"Yes."
"Yeah- Sandevistan. David, you don't have a Sandevistan implant, do you?"
David shook his head. "Don't have the money for it."
Killshot nodded and shrugged his shoulder. "Then yeah, it pretty much confirms it. David Martinez, you're… like a Spartan 2.1."
Killshot stood up from his chair. David and Gloria had forgotten how intimidating the build and stature of this man was when he had spent most time speaking to them in quiet calm tone and vulnerable posture of slightly leaning forward.
Yet Killshot had decided to take one knee in front of the David, helping Killshot properly meet with David eye-to-eye.
"My superior officer had requested me specifically to take you with us. Considering how much of a danger you could be if any Megacorps on Earth caught wind of your father's… identity. But I don't want to kidnap you back with us. After all, all risk and no reward with that kind of method, and it would only worsen your relationship with us. But just… please. To you, and to Gloria." Killshot turned his head to also look at Gloria in the eyes. "Think about what I've told you. Keeping David exposed under Arasaka might only be detrimental to the two of you in the future."
"And what about you being part of the Araska's extended family?" David asked. It was less out of spite or anger, and more about curiosity and worry himself. Killshot's expression changed to acknowledgement as he nodded and tilted his head.
"Touche. But at least I'm capable of putting a bullet in between the eyes of anyone Arasaka sends to try and stab me with a syringe. Besides," Killshot continued as he stood back up, placing the sunglasses back on. "my family's the ODST and Spartan Division of UNSC, not Araska."
Killshot looked at the window, still neon-saturated midnight.
"… Would any of you two be discharged from the hospital? If you want, I could take you guys home?"
"No, it's fine. Really-" David try to say with a smile, holding up his hands. But his mother interjected.
"David was told that he was fine to leave by the medical officer named Doc. He should know the address, so if you can. Please take him back home safely."
"Mom!"
"You still have school tomorrow, Dee. The doctor said you'll be fine. And to be quite honest… the way you moved? You're more than fine to go back."
David looked to Killshot for assistance, to at least have the Spartan help him convince his mother that he should stay the night with his mother.
"Sorry, David. But Killshot's reply was those of relent and acceptance.
"Oh come on! You said that I shouldn't be exposed to Megacorps for my own safety!"
"I did say that, touche." Killshot nodded in agreement. Then he added in more. "But I'm your father's colleague. And last time I checked, under normal circumstances mothers far exceeds a father's colleague in ranks."
Killshot walked over and tapped David on the shoulder.
"Come on. I've got a guy here that's more than willing to lend me his car. Ever wanted to sit in a Black Mamba? Now's your chance~." Killshot smirked with his sunglasses on.
David heard the name of Arbee's first car models. The one that's still considered 'Nova' above all other vehicle models. Heard about how some of the Automobile companies like Arasaka and Herrera was trying to follow them.
Arasaka Academy outright told him in one of the lessons that the complexity of the engines and steering meant that production cost would far exceed the profit at their current technology level, so it couldn't properly compete.
Then again, Arasaka also told that to add 'any student that can figure out a technological breakthrough to make this work will be promised an executive position upon graduation'.
David relented, stilling acting hesitant on surface to make sure it didn't look like he agreed just to take a ride in the most Preem car of Night City.
As David got out of the bed to grab his belongings folded neatly on the table to the right of Gloria, Killshot turned to Noble 6.
"Thank you very much for accompanying me, sir. I appreciate."
Noble 6 nodded as he walked to the door first. But not before he turned around to Killshot for the last time tonight.
"Call me, when you need me."
Killshot smirked as he nodded. Not 'if' you need me, 'when' you need me.
Killshot couldn't deny that clam, however. With David's situation, he most likely needed all the help he could get.
"I'll call you when I get home." David said to his mother as he put on his jacket.
"Take my uniform with me too. I'll probably have to go explain to R.E.O Meat Wagon about the situation before I can continue my work." Gloria replied with a sigh.
David smiled a little bitterly about their current situation. Especially since this accident would make the family tank a few hits on their eddies.
David looked to Killshot waiting patiently for him, apparently calling someone while he was getting ready to leave.
At least he and his mom finally find out about his dad. And knowing his dad had friends like the Baba Yaga? David thought as he walked up to Killshot, telling him he was ready to go and ride the Black Mamba.
Shit, maybe life wouldn't go as badly as he thought.
-oOo-
David blinked and cringed hardly at how bright some of the lamps in the hallways were. And it showed just how good the walls were at keeping down voices when the hallways were bustling with people- ranging from the standard Night City Civilians, to ODSTs, marines, medical officers, and Spartans.
Some people were finished getting operated on and moved into rooms to rest up. Others were already getting discharged, casts being removed and helping to them walk before they were capable of holding balance on their own two feet.
Many of them were smiling, something David rarely saw in this city.
"Come on, Bones! We went over this! The locus helmet is too intimidating to be used in hospitals and medical centres!" David watched as Doc, the Spartan that were treating him and his mom, weakly argue with the Spartan that had saved the two from the crash.
The bone-white colouration of his armour was a lot scarier than when he first saw him, something that Doc was protesting about.
Bones was on his way to start his night shift, and stopped in the hallway to shrug his shoulders and chuckle.
"Sorry, Doc. I like this aesthetics. Besides, lots of gangs stop firing at our patients when they see the mask. Better to have them run away than look all cuddly, right?"
"Damn it, Bones! You're going to give our patients heart attacks!" Doc cried out in weak frustration.
As if the world was timing for a moment to prove Doc wrong, a family of three walked up to Spartan Bones.
"Excuse me… would you be the Spartan that saved us?" The father carefully asked.
Bones tilted his head before casually point it finger at the father.
"The family caught in the shoot out between 6th street and Valentinos at Arroyo?"
The father and mother shook their head quickly in response.
"Yes! Yes! That's us!"
"Aaaah." Bones looked around the family. "And how's the wounds? Healing up?"
The father laughed, and the Spartans could pick up that it was to hide a sob coming up his throat. "Yeah…" The father answered, voice straining from pushing through the choke forming inside. "Yeah, we're… we're fine… Our baby girl's fine because of you, I… we… we thought we wouldn't make it… we… oh god…" The father's voice faltered as he looked to the floor, ashamed to show tears in front of a stranger, even if he admitted that the stranger was their saviour.
"We didn't have enough to pay for Trauma Team's services and I… I saw our daughter bleeding and I… We… I…" The father stopped when Bones gently placed a hand on his shoulder. The Spartan medic tried his best to ignore the mother already grabbing her daughter tightly, sobbing. For her sake.
The daughter didn't know why her parents were crying. The eyeless skull man had saved them from the car crash. Shouldn't they be happy?
"Seriously. It's fine." Bones finally added through the voice distorted and modifited by the Locus helmet and the PROJECT ENOCH Up armour. "I signed up to Project Caduceus specifically to keep my skills honed. You have no reason to thank me."
The father stared at the eyeless skull-like helmet, face cringing from the fact that he was already failing to hold back more tears. He quickly scrambled into his pocket, fishing out what little pocket change shards he had.
It wasn't enough- not for a man who had saved their lives- but it was all the father currently had. The thought twisted in the father's chest like a scalpel.
"This isn't much and I know it isn't much, but this isn't all of what I'm willing to repay you, sir. I'll make sure to pay for-" The father was rambling, but a cupple of 'whoa, whoa, whoa' from Bones as the 2 metre tall titan put his hands up in subtle and gentle decline cut the father off.
"I can't take this. It's fine. You don't need to pay."
"…No, no! I have to pay! You saved our life! It's- it's Night City! I have to pay-" Bones placed both hands on the father's, softly but firmly.
"Seriously. No. I can't take this. Cell will beat my ass. Really: He's capable of beating my ass every Spartan training session. I don't want to get my ass beat by him out of training. Please don't make Cell beat my ass."
Bones chuckled when he heard Doc snicker.
The father and the mother really looked like they were going to fall down on their knees and cry. Barely keeping composed because the Spartan was gently holding the father together in his hands.
The daughter escaped from her mother's arms, walking up to Bones and pulling on his Rakshasa MJOLNIR undersuit.
Bones looked down and took a knee, trying his best to lower himself down to her eye level.
The daughter smiled as she fished through her dress pocket and pulled out a piece of old, battered up candy.
Bones cautiously raised his hand into a raised palm, and the daughter placed the candy in the giant palm in front of her.
She smiled, opening her smile wide enough to show her white teeth.
"Thank you for saving us, Mr. Angel."
Bones quietly regarded the candy in his left palm, rolling it around before carefully using his right palm to grip the tip of one of the candy's wrapping.
Then he used his left hand- now free- to grip his helmet and take it off, laying the helmet down on the floor.
For an intimidating helmet, the face held within was… surprisingly unremarkable. A very short hair, with quiet soft eyes. A scar running vertically across the chin had long faded into a darker patch of skin.
The daughter held her breath, finding out that Mr Angel here looked nothing like the robotic skull she had imagined.
Bones smiled, pulling the wrapper with both hands and popping the candy into his mouth. Still grinning as he rolled the candy around in his mouth.
"Thanks, kid." Bones spoke, voice undistorted. "I didn't have any lunch today."
The daughter giggled as Bones ruffled the daughter's hair. Grabbing the helmet and putting it on again as he looked back to the father, showing him the wrapper.
"Honestly, if the thought of a debt is still tugging the back of your mind- your daughter paid the debt. So forget about it. Rest easy for a couple days here and go back working and loving your family. For all of us working here. Okay?"
The father couldn't stop the tears rolling down his cheeks. Didn't bother wiping them either. He just sobbed, grabbing the Spartan's chestplate and dragging himself into the Titan.
"You're an angel…" The father sobbed, the mother slowly walking forward to hug Bones too. "You're a goddamn angel sent down from the sky…"
Bones sighed, but still reassuringly tapped the parent's back.
"Honestly, I came from Space so you're not too far off. I guess…"
David blinked at the sight. It was… it was so different to what he saw from the footages- of the precise aimings, the raw destructive strength shown when crushing Adam Smasher into the cold asphalt…
"… Shit…" Killshot muttered next to David, David looked up at Killshot. To his surprise, Killshot's expression was less of crying, and more worrying.
David knew why when Killshot spoked further.
"That's the guy I need ask about borrowing the Black Mamba. I'm sorry David, we'll have to wait a bit until he finishes handling the patient."