Page 84 of Ranger's Rise

Chapter Eight

Ranger

“I’m not laying in bed all fucking day. I promised Jacques I’d take him swimming today.”

Freedom is swinging her head, but Doc is nodding. “I’ll get you home, but you can’t go swimming.”

“I promised. I’ll get someone, any fucking one to go in with him, but I’m there.”

Freedom laughs and I’m relieved. I can’t let him down, he was so fucking excited yesterday.

“I’ll get the paperwork. You need to be covered in the sun.” Doc talks while he’s looking at the computer. It shows cell shit, but I don’t care.

“We’re in the As building.”

He shuts the computer down and turns. “Good. You’ll see me three times a day. If you give me shit, I’m bringing you right back and they can sedate you until the new skin is formed enough for you to be out.”

Fuck. “Roger, Doc.”

Freedom smiles at me. “He means it. He had Cort shackled to the bed overnight.”

Fuck. “I’ll see him and do what he says. I’m not in that bed another fucking minute.”

Doc swings his head and walks toward the door. “You’re on an IV for another three days. Badass or not, you need the fluids for this to work right.”

“Okay, Doc.” I’ll agree to anything as long as he gets me out.

When he leaves I get a kiss. “The rest of you okay?”

I have burns on my chest, arm and leg. The heat on the plating left me with red skin, but it’s fine. My hand worries me. It’s completely covered and has weird wire spacer things keeping it open. It’s strapped to a plastic thing and has shit on it with a cover. The wires look like a spider over my hand. The cover is on my neck and part of my face and head. I feel like a one-eyed mummy. “I’m fine. He said his cell shit is already working.”

She nods. “It is. Anton got some progression thing for him. He used the results from the test they did. Doc will have the thing that does the test and Anton went back this morning to get a computer in the medic room so they can watch all the cells grow.” She's smiling.

“Anton was here all night?” Cort said he was here, but not that he stayed.

She nods. “He was here when they sprayed you. He got the information to Doc and Brinks sent the chopper to the city to get the ReCell stuff. Since he watched them put it on then do the first test, he did whatever on his computer and did the progression thing. He slept in that chair so he could see the test results they got in the middle of the night. The boy understands better than I do. He was smiling when he left.”

Shit. He got the stuff and is tracking it working. This means something to him. Fuck. And Cort, Brinks, Freedom and who the hell knows who else. I need to pay attention. My biggest concern in all this is that I fucked up and need to take Jacques swimming. I need to honor my Brothers and show appreciation for all they’ve done for me.

I look at her sitting on the bed and know I’ve been a dick. “Thank you,lo’u alofa. I’ll stop bitching and show them and you the appreciation you deserve for taking care of me.”

She smiles. “You’re doing fine, Ranger. The boys will be happy to see you and everyone understands you were burned yesterday. You’re allowed to bitch for an hour.”

I’d swing my head but can’t right now so I smile. “I’m done.”

She laughs. I don’t want to, but I ask, “Am I going to scare them?” I should have asked Doc while Freedom was out of the room.

“No. You’re covered and it looks better already. The black was cleaned off, but you can’t see the cells or new skin or however you say it. The gauze covers it. Your ear is bandaged. Do you want to see?”

“No. I’ll see it soon enough. There are no mirrors in here. Even the bathroom doesn’t have one.”

She nods. “It’s the burn unit. They probably have patients a lot worse off.”

That throws relief. VP comes in smiling. “Doc is almost done. The chopper is out front.”

I’m smiling too and feel it pull on the side by my ear. “Thanks, VP. The kids aren’t going to believe that you’re afraid to fly if you keep going in the choppers.”

He laughs. “They know. I’ve done the kid pick-ups in the choppers.”