The Awakened Pt. 01

"Yes! No one's been telling me anything!"

She laughed at his excitement.

"Well, that's partly my fault," she said in her pleasant, lightly accented voice. "I wanted to be very sure that we were giving you the right information after the considerable trauma that you've been through."

Kane nodded impatiently. She pulled a chair up to his bed and sat down, placing the manila envelope that she'd brought in with her on the overbed table.

"I think that you know about the general state of your injuries, the badly broken leg and the multiple breaks in your back. You also had some internal injuries but we're confident that they were mainly bruising - painful, but not as serious. Your back and leg went through two surgeries, both of which were successful. We were able to confirm that the spinal cord had not been damaged and that your leg artery had been successfully repaired.

"However, as with all seriously injured patients, throughout your four weeks here we've monitored your condition carefully. During that time, from your arrival in the hospital until your unexpected awakening, and please excuse my bluntness here, but you displayed literally no brain activity. None."

She stopped allowing that to sink in.

"But how is that...?"

"Believe me, Mr Daniels, when I say that we have all been asking the same question. You are currently under discussion at hospitals around the world."

He looked at her dumbfounded, and more than a little uneasy.

"So the scans..?"

"...Were to help us try and answer that question. And they've actually presented us with more questions."

She looked at him and drew in a deep breath.

"Your MRIs were almost completely normal. You have the body and brain of someone about ten years younger. It's a tribute to how fit you must have been before the accident. Muscles obviously atrophy after long periods of enforced rest and yet you are in remarkable condition. Were you a triathlete or something..?"

"Err...no. I'm a developer."

"So a gym fanatic..?"

"Well, I suppose I do go there a couple of times a week, but a fanatic? No."

She pursed her lips.

"Please, there shouldn't be any false modesty."

"There's none, I assure you."

The doctor looked at him in disbelief and reached down to a large manila folder. She cleared her throat.

"These are your x-rays, Mr Daniels. These ones were taken right after your accident. You can see here the damage that you sustained. They were very serious and we questioned, were you to wake up, whether you would have any feeling or movement below your waist at all."

Kane blanched at how close he'd come to being paralysed. When she saw that she had his attention again she continued.

"These were taken two weeks ago. They are absolutely in line with a typical recovery. You can see here, good bone density between breaks. Everything is consistent with the timeline of your accident. We were happy with your progress."

She looked down at the next set of x-rays and seemed to gather herself before looking back at him.

"We actually took two different sets of x-rays today because they make even less sense than the MRIs. Take a look."

Kane looked at the x-rays seeing today's date and his patient details on them. However the bones showed no sign whatsoever of any damage.

"What exactly am I supposed to be looking at? Are these the right x-rays?"

"You now see why we repeated them. Your leg and back injuries, after -four- weeks...have completely healed. You have made the most astonishing recovery and I am at something of a loss. If I was an independent consultant on the case and hadn't been part of the surgical team I would question the record keeping involved and whether you had in fact been in any kind of accident at all."

"You're sure about this?"

"Very, very sure."

"So we could take off these casts?"

"Theoretically, yes."

"But I'm better, right? So why not?"

"Because you shouldn't be! Everything that we know about medical science says that this," and she pointed for emphasis at his x-rays, "should not be possible."

She stood up and started to pace.

"I'm under considerable pressure to get you to sign a range of forms and submit to a number of tests that I have to say, as your physician, I am not comfortable with. Your case has been treated with complete anonymity but obviously there are a large number of people that have been consulted. I'm sorry but I can't guarantee that continued anonymity in the face of continuing pressure from medical professionals around the globe and from the Minister of Health."

"The Minister of Health? What are you trying to say, doctor?"

"I'm trying to say that everyone wants a piece of your miracle cure. I also believe that much of the pressure from people presumes your agreement, to you wanting to help with research that is at best experimental."

"They want me to be a guinea pig?"

"Bluntly, yes."

She sank back into her chair, looking concerned at what his reaction might be.

"Thank you."

"Pardon?"

"Thank you for telling me. Thank you for putting me and my interests before this barrage of pressure that you must be feeling."

Dr Ramakrishnan leaned back in her chair, slumping slightly as her worry over his anger, over his possible reaction to her news drained from her.

"You're welcome. You're my patient after all."

"How soon can we get these casts off and me out of this hospital?"

Her expression clouded over with concern.

"If you didn't have the background that you have then we could do it tomorrow. But what if the tests have missed something? What if we've missed some kind of issue in your back? There are so many possibilities that I'd really like to check with other tests. I'd like to get other people involved and a second opinion to make sure that I haven't missed anything."

"But what else could you sensibly do?"

She slumped back in her chair.

Kane leaned forward and gently took her hand.

"I will not be a lab rat. I understand that my recovery is unusual. I understand that there is considerable interest in me because of what has happened. But you must have blood samples, MRI results and everything else that you need. You don't need me. Please just get me out of here as soon as possible."

She looked him in the eye and after a brief period, looked away and nodded. She stood up and put his x-rays back into the folder that she'd brought in.

"I'll have you out of here as soon as possible. I promise."

Which is how he found himself sitting on the chair in his room, dressed in his own clothes that Gus had brought him from home, and a laptop bag at his feet waiting for one of his colleagues to come and collect him.

There was a knock on his door and a faintly familiar face looked in the door.

"Mr Daniels?"

"Hello...Si, was it?"

He smiled, and pushed the door further open.

"You remembered. That's very kind. Can I take a moment of your time?"

"If you like, but I'm just waiting for someone to come and collect me."

He came in and shut the door but otherwise kept his distance.

"I heard that you'd been moved from the others in your ward and I was keen to chat and make sure that you've got the support that you need after your loss."

"Are you part of some sort of organisation?"

"No. But I've experienced my own loss and know how hard it can hit. I like to think that a more personal approach can help. Please?"

He approached the bed and left a card with his details on the table.

There was a knock at the door and Gus breezed into the room.

"Come on then old son, let's...oh sorry."

"Don't worry Gus, Si was just looking in on me. Thank you, Si."

Kane reached out and took the card. Si took a deep breath and offered his hand to shake and Kane unthinkingly took it. There was a faint shock from the contact and suddenly he was in what he'd come to think of as the spirit world.

Kane reeled back in shock as he saw Si was there in the spirit world with him.

[What..?]

[Kane, we don't have time. Please believe me when I tell you that I have every interest in you remaining anonymous and being out of this hospital. There are military police looking for you downstairs right now. I can help you and explain a few things but not here and not now. Please call me on the number on the card and do it soon. I have to go now, there is too much risk here for both of us.]

And then they were both back in their bodies.

"Hey buddy, are you OK? You looked a little faint there," said Gus.

"Err...yes. Yes, I think I am. Just a rush of blood to the head when I stood up."

Si had already retreated to the door.

"Thanks for your concern Si. I'll be in touch."

"You're welcome. Look after him," he said to Gus as he turned and let himself out of the door.

Kane stared after him in shock.

"Nice guy. Ready to go?"

Kane shook himself and pushed all the questions that had exploded into his brain and turned to Gus.

"Hell yes!"

Gus started to move towards the main hall leading out. Paranoia suddenly took over as he remembered Si's warning.

"Can we take the stairs? I just want to stretch my muscles a little bit."

"Err...sure. I think that's this way...?"

They turned and took a slightly different route out of the maze-like building. Kane pulled on a hat and coat as they walked getting ready for the change in temperature and also to cover his face from any cameras or anyone that might be looking for him.

The walk felt good and he was stunned that he felt fitter than he had before the accident. He hunched over slightly to reduce his height and he didn't breathe properly until they were in Gus's car and leaving the hospital.

As they left, he noticed two blacked out Range Rovers parked in the ambulance bay with two very military looking people with earpieces in waiting beside them. He slumped down in the seat of Gus's BMW.

He really needed to talk to Si!