Page 97 of Ranger's Rise

“Spoken like a true Badass Brother,” Cort says and I hear a chair scrape as he pulls it over. “It looks good, Brother.”

“I just looked and said the same thing. Even around my eye looks good.”

“I’m glad it’s working, Brother. I have the cans. Is he ready for them, Doc?”

“The progress is at two weeks.”

“Fuck, that’s good news. So, another few days and he can go without the cover?” I can hear that he’s smiling and smile.

“Yeah, but with precautions. We’ve applied the cells longer than the hospital would have and to more than just the worst burns. His heat burn is gone. Tomorrow we’ll start just the herbal. His skin will be sensitive so the shorts and light shirts will be a must. I’d say by next week he can do the bath treatments.”

I smile. “I’m not normally a bath taker, but I’ll be so fucking glad I don’t have to wash up in the sink. I’m getting my hair cut when I leave work. I hate Freedom washing it.”

They laugh. “I bet she loves it,” Doc says as he covers my hip back up.

“She doesn’t complain, but I don’t want her to have to.” I hate making her do shit for me like that.

“Let her help. She’s not hovering around you and gives you your time to do what you can. She just wants to help. Even with a haircut, you’d still need to wash it.” Cort has a point.

“Yeah. I will and stop bitching.”

He laughs.

“You can sit. I have just your hand and leg left.”

I’m surprised Cort stays, but his words to the President come back to me. I can’t imagine how he feels when people step in front of him. He’s an Enforcer at heart. Like me, I guess.

“Fucking crazy.”

I look down and smile. Doc does his computer thing and starts typing then laughs. “We did your hand first. It’s time for the glove, Ranger.”

“No way.”

He smiles. “Way.”

He takes the spacer off and I feel it when he slides the glove on, but once it’s in place it’s not bad. My leg looks better but not as good as the rest of me. It was done last so I guess it will be healed last. It still feels good not to have a whole contraption on my hand. I love the glove. Spiderman just isn’t my thing. I smile at the thought. Actually, I haven’t stopped smiling.

The cans work with some padding and Doc is happy. I really didn’t care one way or the other, but the cans work. Life is getting easier. “It’s a good fucking day and I haven’t even seen the Alpha-Bits yet.”

They laugh.

~*~*~

~

Freedom

I hear Ranger come in and turn from the stove. “I thought I’d have to send someone to find you. Holy shit. Your hair looks great. You’re in a glove.” I laugh. I can’t believe he’s already in the glove.

“I am. It feels good. At first, I didn’t think I could do it yet, but I’ve had it on for hours and it’s fine. It’s not as heavy as the spacer thing.”

I walk to him and get a closer look at his hair. “I love the hair, Ranger. The back is faded down, that’s a Badass look you’re wearing.” The side is trimmed close on the one side and fades to his neck. When the bandage comes off, it will work with no hair around his ear. The other side is shorter than it was but hangs parted by a trimmed straight line back. Fucking cool.

He smiles. “Thanks,lo’u alofa. I didn’t want a buzz cut. Mounty brought me and told the guy how to cut it. It was an experience. The barber asked me to leave him home next time I go.”

I laugh. “I can imagine Mounty in his drill sergeant voice yelling at the guy.”

“So, you’ve seen him at the barbershop.”