| |
Rick was awake but he didn’t want to open his eyes “My head hurts,” he managed to croak out. He didn’t expect an answer but got one anyway.
“I’m not surprised, you hit your head on the way down.”
Rick recognized the female voice, but for the life of him he couldn’t remember her name.
“You had a concussion.”
Rick opened his eyes and recognized the woman standing over him. It took a moment to remember her name. “Well, if it isn’t nurse Nancy.”
“That’s a good sign. Do you remember your name?”
“My name is Rick.”
“Good do you remember what happened?”
Rick had a vague recollection of the interview with Collier and the conversation with Hobbs. Then an overwhelming need to protect them both. “Somewhat.”
“Give it time,” said a voice from the door.
“Dr. Weller. Are you my attending physician?”
“That is a good sign that you remember me.”
“You know that’s what Nancy said.”
Weller smiled and turned to Nancy. “I need to talk to him alone.”
“Yes Doctor.” She left the room.”
“And now that you are a Director, yes I am your Doctor. So Rick,” Weller was using his bedside manner. Somehow Rick got the feeling that bad news was on the way. “When you came in you were in very bad shape. The CEO and I had a talk about intervening on your right to treatment.”
The fog was lifting from Rick’s mind. “And that means exactly what Doc?”
“Let’s keep it simple. You didn’t give permission for me to treat you.”
With each passing moment Rick thought processes were getting clearer. “What procedure did you preform?”
Weller seemed to be bracing himself for an explosion. “In the simplest terms, the same one I used on Bannic.”
Rick wondered why Weller thought he would be upset. “You mean the one where you used the stem cells and regen gel to repair the damaged parts of my brain.”
Weller looked surprised. “Yeah that’s the one.”
“What about the blast wound to the shoulder?”
“That was superficial, some burned skin and a broken bone. We fixed that up no problem. Although that area will be a little tender for a day or two.”
“Thank you Doctor, you did an excellent job. How long have I been here?”
“About four and a half hours.”
“Have you talked with the CEO about the bio-tracers I’ve been tagged with?”
“As a matter of fact I have. It’s an oil-based gel that was absorbed through your skin. The bio-organic nanobots will flush out of your system in the next twenty-four to thirty-six hours. “Your body has already started to attack them as foreign objects.”
Rick wanted to confirm something that Collier had said, ‘were trading medical technology in return for helping them track down the labs.’ “What did you think about the of the technology used to tag me?”
“Well in a way I work with organic tech every day, but this goes way beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed of.”
“If Ridges was using this tech for his health, why was it not effecting me?”
“I think it was,” said Weller. “When the CEO told me about the situation, I did a complete scan of your body. I compared it to the scan I did when you were shot. There were minor repairs done throughout your body.”
“Minor repairs,” said Rick. “Like what?”
“Well your cholesterol always was a little high, now it’s in perfect range. You were starting to have plaque buildup on your arteries, that is now gone. The small scar on your right forearm is now gone.”
Rick thought about what Weller was saying. “Have you ever heard of any kind of work being done in that area?”
“I have not, but I am going to start. If I could make this tech work it could save billions of lives across the galaxy.”
Once again Rick had heard Collier’s words coming out of someone else’s mouth. “How so Doc?”
Just then Nancy burst into the room. “You boys can talk later; Rick needs to see this.” She turned on the screen. Hobbs was coming up to the podium that Rick recognized as the press room in the admin building.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have just come from an emergency Board meeting. Events are spiraling out of control. Just over eight hours ago Rossom ships launched an unprovoked attack on our ships along with a Langley ship in Langley space. The Langley ship gave warning, but the Rossom ships opened fired on all three ships in the area. Two of the Rossom ships were destroyed and one fled the battle zone. Less than five hours ago a number of operatives infiltrated and attacked the Legal Building. These operatives have been traced back to the Rossom Corporation. We view these attacks as an infringement upon our sovereignty as a nation. A number of men are dead as a result of the attack and more were wounded including Director Thompson. He showed great courage protecting my live and that of others. In the coming days we may all need to show the same courage. The Wilson Corporation has now opened an official declaration of war. There is no turning back. We need to make the Rossom Corporation understand that they can’t do what they want. To all the people in the Wilson Corporation I’m sorry but we have no choice. We are at War.”
Hobbs left the stage and the commentator came on. Nancy shut off the screen. Everyone seemed to be stunned into silences.
Rick had a thought. “The last time I was here it was because I was trying to save Colliers life. I’m here again because I was trying to save Colliers life. Next time I think I’ll leave him to his fate.”
“That will defiantly save you a trip to the hospital,” said Nancy. They all laughed.
As the laughter died down Rick heard the buzzing of his phone. “Where are my things?”
Without a word Nancy went to the nightstand and opened the drawer and handed Rick his phone.
He put it in his ear and hit the button. “Hello.”
“Rick,” it was Hobbs. “How are you doing?”
“Better, Dr Weller has taken very good care of me.”
“I was sure that he would. Look Rick, I’m sorry that I violated your rights...”
Rick stopped him, “Yeah. Weller has already told me what happened, but I don’t look at it that way. I trust Dr. Weller to do the right thing. If he said that there was no other option, then I must have been close to death.” Rick was looking at Weller as he said this. Weller looked back and nodded. “So that decision saved my life. Thank you for that.”
“Your welcome,” said Hobbs. “Now I get to yell at you for being so reckless in the first place. You are a Director now. You need to have your life protected. There are people to do that for you. What were you thinking?” Hobbs seemed a little mad but was trying to yell at Rick with a light touch. After all Rick was wounded.
“I was thinking that we had an asset to be protected. Yes I am a Director and as such it was my responsibility to protect my prisoner. I was thinking that the CEO was near a firefight. I was thinking that Collier was telling the truth when he said that I was tagged. So, I was trying to get as far you and Collier as I could. Because I am one of the people that will protect your life. I never intended getting into the shootout.”
Hobbs seemed a little humbled by Rick’s answer. “Well, Alright. I guessed you saved my life so now we are even.”
“So how much of Collier’s story have you been able to verify?” said Rick. Weller point to Nancy and then to the door. It seems that he had the good sense to leave so Rick could finish his conversation with Hobbs.
“Well, we sent five battleships to Horse on a diplomatic mission. It took a while, but we convinced them that we were going to take that ship.”
“I bet the display of force made them think about giving the ship up.”
“Actually No. They were willing to fight. But we used the paper trail to prove that the ship belong to Collier and that Wilson had a right to that ship. Anyway we have the ship and it is under quarantine until it gets home. I’m going to have Justin pull the recorder and analyze both it and the shields.”
“What about the fighters on Horse?”
“Collier has released them to us. They are now the property of the Wilson Corporation. I’m still trying to figure out what Collier’s angel on that is,” said Hobbs.
“That action all by itself makes me more inclined to believe Collier. I mean why would you give a bunch of ships to a group you are going to fight. Unless there was a bigger threat to all sides?”
“You may be right,” said Hobbs. “Collier is a cold, and manipulative person. I need to see evidence before I can trust a thing he says.”
“I can understand that,” said Rick.
“I’ve got things to do. You are going to take a couple of days off.”
“But...”
“No buts, with that tracker in you I can’t let you near what’s going on. As soon as Weller says you are clear you can come back to work. Not before.”
“Yes Sir.”
“Good Hobbs out.”