The Stolen Dozen Ch. 03

He moaned, "Something's wrong!" (He was deep in thought.)

"Why has everyone stopped talking? Why is everyone so quiet? Why has everyone stopped moving? Why are the sentries looking at me? 'OH No! My Carolyn is in trouble'."

Although the group leader, Michael, thought Robert didn't have a chance to think about what was going to happen to his wife before he died, he was wrong. Robert's last conscious thought before the bullet hit his skull was of his beloved wife, and what was going to happen to her, because he knew something was about to happen to him. As he began to raise his head, it did, and until this very moment, he didn't know what it was. Now his parents were about to tell him.

His father squeezed his hand. "We have you, Robert. Your mom and I are here, beside you. You are in a hospital. How do you feel?"

"I have a headache."

"Well, since someone shot off part of the back of your head, only having a headache is a small price to pay."

"Those bastards shot me?"

"They took off a piece of your skull, Robert. The only reason you are still alive, according to your uncle Mel, is because they made a mistake. They covered your body in honey to attract animals to come and feast on your flesh. They poured honey on your open wound and sealed it from the oxygen that would have allowed your brain to swell. Since it was not allowed to swell out of your cranium, you are still here and able to talk to us."

"Wasn't that kind of them, dad. We were out picking fruits and nuts for dinner, and they tried to killed me. At least they thought they killed me. They will wish they had killed me, dad. Why aren't my legs moving?"

Lenore said, "Robert as of a few moments ago, your lips weren't moving. Why don't you try to move your hands, and arms to see if they respond to you?"

"Mom, if you want me to raise my left hand, you're going to have to let it go first."

"At least I know you can feel your left hand now."

"Yes, I can."

Robert moved each of his fingers, bent his wrist in every direction, flexed his forearm forward and back and raised his arm almost shoulder high before it fell back to the bed, because he felt so weak.

He looked at his parents and said, "That was fun."

"Dad, you don't have to let go of my right hand."

"Why is that, Robert?"

"Simply because I can't feel a thing, except the warmth of your hand."

"The warmth of my hand is a very good thing, my son. If you can feel that, you have nerve activity in there. It may take a little time, but everything else will come back to you. Why don't we get your doctors in here so they can examine you, and see exactly where you are? The police will want to talk to you also."

"Where is Carolyn? Where is she, dad?"

"I'm sorry, Robert, there is no easy way for me to tell you this. Whoever these men were, they murdered your beautiful wife, right after they thought they murdered you."

"No, they didn't, I know they didn't. They wanted something from us that they didn't have for themselves. I knew there was something missing in their eyes, I just didn't realize what it was, until now."

"What were they missing, Robert? Who were these people?"

"I'm not going to tell you, or anyone, about them, or who they were. I'm going to take care of them myself. I'm not going to tell the police anything. I remember each of them. It will take me years to get myself ready, and when I am, they will suffer as we are suffering now.

They took my baby away from me. They took Sistene's baby away from her. I have to talk to Mr. Riefsynder as soon as he is available. I hope he doesn't kill me for losing Carolyn. He warned me if anything happened to her that I would know pain for the rest of my life. He was correct; I will. However, I will bring pain down around the necks of those men who did this to my bride. You have no idea how happy we were, mom. We had five of the most wonderful days any two married people have ever had on this planet. We talked to each other about everything. We never let go of one another. It was tough separating just so we could eat, and Sistene made her into a wonderful cook.

Mom, dad, we had so much to look forward to in our lives, and these men took it all away from us, because of their avarice and greed. I shall treat them the same way, in due time, and there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth in their families, as there is in ours today. '

"You stay with him, Lenore. I'll go tell the nurses he's awake."

"Don't get run over by the stampede as they try to get back here to him, Anthony. They will be all over him, just like the honey was."

"You are right about that, dear. After they finish with him, then the doctors will start going over him, and we will see how our son is later today."

"Folks, I'll tell you this right now. Your son is going to be 100% functional. I won't have it any other way. I don't care what I have to go through to get there, but I'm going to get there, because I have something that I have to accomplish. I can't accomplish it being a cripple. I am going to be just the way I was when I left Carolyn for the last time. When I meet her again, I will tell her that I avenged her death completely."

Lenore said, "Your uncle Mel has been saying the very same thing since the first moments you were found. He said you were destined to do something great, and nothing and no one was going to keep you from it."

"Uncle Mel was always the smartest one in this family. Remind me to thank him for telling everyone that, because he is correct."

A few short minutes later, three women in white descended upon Robert's bed. They moved Lenore's hand out of the way. The nurse stuck a thermometer in his mouth, and put fingers on his wrist, so his pulse could be taken. They put a blood pressure cuff on his right arm, and the third nurse was checking his heart, through a stethoscope. There was no wasted movement, and a clipboard and a pen were there to write down the results.

His pulse rate was up to 53, his blood pressure was 112/62, and his temperature was 97.1 degrees Fahrenheit. Robert was definitely going to survive this harrowing experience. Now they had to find out how well he was going to survive it; both mentally, and physically.

Dr. Friedman walked in to his room, looking crisp and rested.

"How you doing young man?"

"My name is Robert, Doctor."

"Your name wasn't Robert, while I was operating on you."

"I will bet you every penny you have, against everything I have that it was. When you signed the documents saying what you did to my body, my name was on it."

"Mr. Graziano, is your son always this argumentative?"

"No Doctor, I've never seen him this calm."

"I see I am going to have fun with my patient. Okay, Robert, will you at least tell me how you feel?"

"I feel like someone shot me in the back of my head. I feel as if I have a headache and I can't move my right arm or hand properly. I also cannot move my legs. My left arm and hand seem to move okay, as well as my head and neck. I am stiff as far is my shoulder and back are concerned, and I feel a little pain in my lower back. That is how I feel, Doctor."

"The headache should be transitory. You have a metal plate in your head covering the exposed area that was completely torn away. It is covered by a new material that is keeping it from touching your brain. Your scalp has been pulled closed to cover over that area and your hair will regrow so no one will ever know what happened to you. I guess that's the good news. Since your left arm is working, we will start with physical therapy on that immediately. We will take some tests to see what is going on with the rest of your extremities and your lower back to make sure the electrical signals are getting through from your brain to them. If they are not now, it does not mean they will not regenerate sometime soon in the future. It could just mean they were disconnected because of the trauma. We don't know a great deal about the circuitry of the brain. We are attempting to learn, but the equipment is still in the elementary stages.

I guess your parents have told you, that you are a celebrity, because of this incident. You, and your dear wife have been the subject of news coverage for nearly 3 weeks. Now that you have awakened, the coverage will increase exponentially. Your parents will be besieged for interviews, and so will you. We will not allow reporters into this hospital. If anyone gets into your room scream for security, and they will be taken away. You are here to get well, and that is our only job."

"I will be your willing patient Dr. Friedman. Whatever one of your staff members asks of me, I will do my damnedest to get it done."

"I know you will, Robert. Our orthopedist, Dr. Farmingham will be into check on you, and this afternoon you will begin your physical therapy."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Lenore said, "I think the doctor had more to lose and that bet that you did, Robert."

"I know he did, mother, that's why he backed down, and didn't accept it. As uncle Mel says, 'If you treat them like Gods, they will act like God's. I wasn't going to allow him to act like a God over me."

His father said, "You have some pair, my son."

"Thanks dad."

That afternoon, in the same church she was married just four weeks before, a 'Three Priest Solemn High Requiem Mass' was prayed over the remains of Carolyn Jane Riefsynder. Where her wedding only gathered less than 100 people, today the church was filled to capacity so everyone could say their final goodbyes. Each of her classmates, teachers, administrators, and friends were there. Most of the people who lived in the same building she lived in where there. All of them were there respectfully to say goodbye to a dear human being.

Unfortunately, the press was there also, and they made a nuisance of themselves, as always. It took police action to keep television reporters, and all cameras out of the church. This wasn't news to anyone; this was standard practice for any Catholic Church. However, this was an extraordinary news story, and whoever got a piece of it would look good with the people upstairs. Promotions hinged in the balance.

Bishop Sheen and Police Commissioner Ryan were best friends. One phone call from the Bishop put an end to all the press shenanigans at the Church of The Immaculate Conception. The police contingent was supplemented, and they became more insistent with their actions with their batons.

Sistene and Robert Riefsynder, with both their parents sitting behind them, grieved over their daughter's passing.

On the opposite side of the aisle, representing Lenore and Anthony, were her and his parents. No one knew, at this time, that Robert was awake.

Anthony and Lenore believed it would be best to wait until the evening to call the Riefsynder's, and give them that news. This was their daughter's day. Let them celebrate her life, and put her to rest in St. Raymond's cemetery, with her relatives, and let tomorrow start a new beginning for all of them. Their son wanted to talk to Bob Riefsynder, and that would happen in the next few days. It all depended on how Sistene was handling the situation, and his work.

Anthony knew that Bob would move heaven and earth to get to Pocono, and speak with his son quickly. He didn't know why, but he had an eerie feeling that he was going to be excluded from that conversation. It was the way Robert was talking to him and his mother about getting even with those men.

Robert Riefsynder was a Marine, and he still looked like one who was ready for battle. Is that what his son thinking about? Was he going to get ready for battle, and have Bob train him for it?

Anthony was a load master on an LST(Landing Ship Tank), and had no combat experience at all on land. He could load tanks, trucks, supplies and men all day long, but he couldn't go into battle with them and be of any help. In this situation, he couldn't help his son at all. Unless, of course, he needed supplies. Supplies he could get him, in abundance, because of the connections he had at the VFW.(Veterans of Foreign Wars) Veterans always took care of each other.

As the mass ended, the pallbearers raised the tiny white coffin onto their shoulders, and followed the priests down the aisle.

Bob Riefsynder was carrying Sistene at this point. She could not move on her own as she watched her daughter's mutilated body leave the church for the final time. When they reached the bottom steps of the church she screamed at her husband, "Do Something!"

Every reporter within earshot heard her outburst, and couldn't imagine what an insurance salesman could possibly do.

They didn't hear Robert's reply.

"Honey, as sure as our baby is lying in that casket, we will find those murderers, and put them into theirs. I will do anything and everything I have to do to make that happen. I swear to you on our Carolyn's life."

Sistene put her head against her husband's chest. She nodded, and cried, again.

At 5:45 PM, they finally arrived home from the cemetery. They were exhausted, and too tired to eat, and decided to go lie down. Unfortunately, for them, their next-door neighbors heard them come home, and rang their bell.

Bob had just taken off his shoes, so he walked to the door in his socks and opened it.

"Hello Gary, hi Nancy, what can I do for you?"

"No, not this time big guy, this time we have you covered. We brought you dinner, because we know you have to be starving, after the day you two had today. Go get your wife, we will set the table and bring everything over. Move it Marine."

"I hate you two."

"Come on, Sis, Gary and Nancy are feeding us tonight."

"Can't I just sleep?"

"If you stay in bed, Gary may join you."

"My husband may kill him, if he does that."

"We would have to go to another funeral."

"I guess dinner is the lesser of the two evils."

"Yes, it is."

Gary and Nancy brought over a nice roast beef, with green beans, and baked potatoes, homemade bread, and a bottle of red wine.

Sistene said, "You two went all out for tonight's dinner, didn't you?"

"We went all out for our best friends. You need this, you need to relax after today."

"There is no relaxing. There is no forgetting. There is only a hole in my body where she belongs. How do I fill that? I have no idea how I'm going to survive without her in my life."

"Sis, I am right next door. Any time you need me, I am available to you. I don't care what I'm doing, you are my first concern. I can't take Carolyn's place, and I won't try. I will just attempt to take some of the time out of your day."

"Thank you, Nancy. I know my husband is going to laugh at this, but I am going to try to get a job."

Robert Riefsynder nearly fell off his seat, when he heard his wife say those words. All their married life he could not convince her to get a job, because she was raising Carolyn, and would never consider having Carolyn come home to an empty house. Now she was ready to try.

"Stop it, Robert."

"I was just remembering all the conversations we had over the years about you getting a job, dear, and the variety of answers you gave me about it. I believe the answer you gave me most frequently was 'NO'."

"I believe we will discuss this later, Robert."

Gary said, "Do you always dig your own grave, Bob."

"I find it more convenient that way."

"God, you are weird."

As dinner came to a close, Gary and Nancy would not let Sistene and Bob help them clean up. They sent them to bed and took care of it themselves, like good neighbors. When they left, they locked the door after them, put a do not disturb notice on the door, and crossed the hall to their own apartment.

Sistene crawled into Robert's strong arms and just lay there thinking about the events of the past month. Her beautiful daughter's wedding, leaving happily on her honeymoon, with her entire life ahead of her. Never did she believe that anything like this could happen to them, but it did, and it was the worst nightmare believable. Not only had they killed her child, they had mutilated her. They weren't ordinary killers, they were savages. Who, in God's name, were these people, and how were they going to be found? They had to be found to bring justice to her baby.

It was 7:05 PM when the telephone rang.

Sistene yelled, "Robert's awake!"

Bob said, "Relax honey, it's probably one of my clients canceling an appointment for tomorrow morning."

"Pick up the damn phone, Robert's awake."

"Hello."

"Hi Bob, Tony, I did not want to call you earlier today, because I knew you were going to be busy with all things Carolyn. How did they go?"

"About as terrible as you can imagine, Tony. Parents are not supposed to bury their children, especially one as young and beautiful as Carolyn. Everyone was there from her schools, her friends, our building, just everyone. Then of course there were the idiots from the press who made fools of themselves. It took over three hours to get everything sorted out, and we got back home just before 6 o'clock. Then our neighbors surprised us by giving us dinner, and we just collapsed into bed moments ago."

"Then I timed this just about right, because I have good news."

"Don't tell me that my wife is right. Robert is awake."

"Robert is awake," Anthony yelled

"Sistene, you are a witch. Robert is awake."

"Give me the damn phone."

"Tell me what happened, Anthony?"

"it was very sudden, Sis. He blinked, open his eyes and said, "Something's wrong!"

"He explained to us later, that the men around him stopped talking, and moving. Everything in the area around him became very quiet, and he knew something was very wrong. As soon as he lifted his head, they shot him. He did know that Carolyn was in trouble before that."

"His last thought was of my baby?"

"Yes Sistene, it was."

"I will love him forever for that, Anthony."

"He wants to speak to your husband as soon as possible. You can't tell the police this, you can't tell anyone this. This stays between the four of us. The only thing on Robert's mind is vengeance. He will do whatever is necessary to kill these people. I know it's not what our religion says, but I don't give a damn. I will help him in any way I can. I know Bob feels the same way."

"Bob, Anthony needs to speak to you."

"Yes, Tony?"

"My son needs to speak to you as soon you can get out here. As I told Sistene, he has vengeance on his mind and this stays between the four of us. Whatever he tells you is fine with me. I will aid you and him in any way I can. He has a long road of recovery coming ahead of him. Right now, his legs don't work, and his right arm is iffy. We will do the best we can for him, but in the long run, he wants to be 100%. He won't accept 1% less. I believe that's where you come in. Good luck, Bob."

"Tony, I know the right people to get your son back together properly. However, your son is going to hate me before he is well again."

"As long as your people don't kill him, it's fine with us, Bob."

"Don't worry, Tony, he will only wish those people killed him, before we are through with him. Thank him for this opportunity, Tony. I was feeling depressed until I began thinking of what we were going to put your son through."

"Should I keep the priest on call, just in case he doesn't make it?"

"Tony, I haven't lost a recruit, yet. I do not believe Robert, with his attitude, will be the first one to fail 'my course' of instruction."

"Don't you come near me, Robert! I am too old for your shit."

"Tony, you are younger than I am. I will whip you into shape in thirteen weeks. You will love every day of it."