The Rescue Mission
Chapter 11
Written by rachel76m
Edited by Don Kaufman

We wake up in the morning at 7 AM like the last time with the phone alarm going off. My fairies flutter to the flower potted plants to get their morning meal. The nurse comes in to make sure I’m awake.

“Well, let’s see how you do in getting your own shower now, Richard.”

“Thank you very much, ma’am. These sponge baths in the bed are getting a bit old on me.”

She smiles at me, “That might be true, but let’s see how you do without slipping and falling down.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I take the covers off and sit on the edge of the bed. I slowly stand erect from that position. The nurse takes my hand to keep my balance. She escorts me to the bathroom safely. Once I’m inside, the door closes behind me.

“Yell out if you need any help. We’ll be changing your bed covers while you’re in there.”

“Yes, ma’am!” I take off my patient gown and hang it on a clothing hook on the door. I look at myself in the mirror. I still see some black and blue spots under my skin on my arms and legs. I touch one lightly with my finger tips. I smile, when I feel no pain there. “Eventually the blood pooling will disappear on its own. Thank you, my fairies.”

I bend down slowly to reach for the knobs. I turn it onto my usual hot temperature. Once I step inside and behind the curtain, I get myself all lathered up with the wash towel, soap and shampoo provided. I get done in about ten minutes. I turn off the water and step out to dry off. I smile, when I see the steamy bathroom. I’m quite sure my fairies are using the water sparingly along with the nectar to freshen up. I know they will need a good bath once they are in fairy mode. I use the towel to dry myself off. Then I put the patient gown on again.

I step out of the bathroom and get greeted by a nurse. “Here is a comb for your hair.”

“Thank you, ma’am.” I take the comb and comb my hair in the mirror that is mounted on the door. I then walk carefully back to the bed. I see the sheets have been replaced and the bed is up at fifty degrees. I sit on the edge of the bed and then I get myself situated under the covers with the nurses help.

Then Dr. Thornton and Dr. Mitchell walk into the room. “Well, you have healed faster than most people with your injuries, Richard. But considering who you are now, we are not surprised.”

“When will I be released and who will drive me to Charleston?”

“It will be Anna Thompson, your attorney. This week will be critical to see how you progress in your healing. You need to walk about fairly well. We need to make sure your strength is returning to you, especially in your wrists.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You will have two work outs a day now, for the next three days.”

I smile, “Yes, getting into a flow and sweating it out. If I get limber enough by then, can I add some of my own moves from my Shaolin sashes?”

“Are they slow?”

“Yes, it is tai-chi. The moves will help me to stay focused and balanced as I go through the moves.”

“That’s fine, Richard. We are familiar with the techniques here at this hospital.”

I smile again, “Thank you, sir.”

The doctors leave, then another nurse comes in with a tray of food. I see they have brought in scrambled eggs, grits, toast, jelly and orange juice. I also see some salt and pepper packets as well.

“We figured you are ready for a typical morning meal.”

“Yes, ma’am. That is greatly appreciated.”

The nurse leaves the room. My fairies flutter to me and sit around me like before. I give the morning thanks to the Creator. We all respond together quietly, “Thank you, Creator.”

I whisper to them while I eat my breakfast. “Are you getting yourselves clean as best you can?”

“We are, mother. We miss using those flowered scented soaps very much. We have to use the nectar from the flowers to freshen up. We do need a refill in our bag and water bottle.”

“I think Anna will be here today, Bianca. I’ll be sure to tell her when she shows up.”

“That’s good, mother.”

They flutter back to the flowers to get their morning meal. Once I get finished eating my breakfast, Anna and a nurse come into the room.”

“Good morning, Richard. I hear you to get to work out two times a day for the next three days.”

“That’s right, Anna. I’m really looking forward to it. Before I forget Anna, the butterflies here need a refill on their food.”

“Thank you for reminding me, Richard. I’ll get it done by the time you finish your morning work out by 11 AM.”

“I would greatly appreciate that. Is there anything new for me to worry about?”

“Not at this time, Richard. Mr. Bryson informed me of your plans for next week. We hope it doesn’t happen.”

“I hope it doesn’t either, Anna. But it very well could happen where ever I go to recover.”

“That’s true, Richard. Well, I need to get back to your apartment. I’ll be back by 11 AM.”

“See you then, Anna.”

Anna Dawson leaves the room. A wheel chair is brought in. I get up from the bed slowly and sit in the wheel chair. The two potted flowers are put on my laps. I hold them steady while I’m wheeled to the rehab room. Once we are there, the potted flowers are placed on a nearby table. The butterflies flutter about me while I do some movements with the hands and wrists. I slowly move the hands in all directions. Then a large piece of foam is placed in front of me. I slowly press into it while a male nurse keeps it still.

“How do your wrists feel, Richard?”

“They feel fine, sir. I’m getting no pain in the wrists.”

“That’s great, Richard. Let’s do some more bicycling.”

“Yes, sir.” I wheel myself over to the reclined bicycle machine. I get up slowly. The male nurses help me stay balanced as I sit down in the chair. I put my feet onto the pedals and spin it slowly. I keep it up for the next five minutes. Then I get out of the seat and get back into the wheel chair. I push myself over to the leg press machine. I get in and place my feet onto the stationary foot pedals.

The male nurses set the weight for thirty pounds. I push it up slowly until I’m sure of myself. Once I reach the top, I let it down slowly. Then the weight is increased to fifty pounds. I push that up and down slowly as well.

“Lift that weight five times, Richard.”

“Yes, sir.” I push the weight up and down five times with no problems.

“You’re doing great, Richard. Let’s go for eighty pounds.”

“Yes, sir.”

The male nurse sets the pin for eighty pounds. I push through the weight. This time I feel a slight strain on the ligaments. The male nurse sees it in my face.
“Keep at it, Richard. Do it five times.”

“Yes, sir.” I push the weight five times in a row. I let the weight down very easy without slamming it. “Pant . . . pant . . . it’s getting there.”

“Yes it is, Richard. Let’s work on your arms and try for some walking.”

“Yes, sir.”

I wheel myself to the arm machine and free weights. I am handed a five-pound dumbbell in both hands.

“How do they feel in the wrists, Richard?”

“Again, it is in the ligaments. I’m not getting that sharp pain that I had when I had the bone pieces there.”

“That’s good, do some wrist curls.”

“Yes, sir.” I do five wrist curls with each hand. Once I’m done with that, I wheel myself over to the parallel bars. I lock the wheels and grab the parallel bars. I bring myself up slowly until I’m steady between the bars. There is a male nurse on either side of me. I walk forward slowly until I get to the end. My fairies are fluttering around me and whispering to me encouraging words.

“That’s great, Richard. Turn around without touching the bars and return to the chair.”

“Yes, sir.”

I turn around carefully, making sure of my balance as I do it. I then step forward to go back where I started. Once I get to the end of the bars I sit down in the wheel chair. My fairies are elated that I’m able to walk so far. They return to the flowers get their rest.

“That’s very good, Richard. Well, your hour is up. Get your rest and have a good lunch. We’ll do some more this afternoon.”

“Yes, sir.” I unlock the wheel chair and push myself to the table where the two flower pots are. I grab them and put them on my lap. I hold them steady while a male nurse pushes me back to my room. When I get inside the room, I put the flower pots on the table. Then I get out of the wheel chair and walk toward the bed. I sit on the edge and get under the covers. A nurse takes my blood pressure and pulse and records them on the clip board she is holding.

“Well, I see a very steady trend, Richard. You’re in excellent health.”

“Thank you, ma’am.”

Then Anna shows up with a paper bag in her hand. Her purse is on her other shoulder. “Hello, Richard. How did you do?”

“I did more today than yesterday.”

“That’s good.” Anna steps over to the flower pots. The butterflies flutter from the flowers and land around me. Then Anna, proceeds to change the water bottle and the fruit bag inside the flower pots. She puts the used ones into another small bag and puts it on the table next to the flower pots. She turns to me. “Again there is no news yet of people looking for you, Richard.”

“I think it is just the calm before the storm, Anna.”

“You might be right. I got word from the Mission. They aren’t happy with the extra security moving in for you. The women who are still afraid, refuse to come out of their rooms. They are the ones who don’t want you there. How will you be able to prove to them that you can protect them and yourself?”

“I will have to take a walk around the property to see how it is laid out. Perhaps there are some bungalow rooms that are very far from the main complex.”

“I think there are, Richard. I will call them when I get done here.”

“That’s fine, Anna. Sigh . . . I think this problem will not get solved until it happens. It will follow me until I stand up to them.”

Anna steps closer to me and puts her hand onto my shoulder as she smiles. “You’ll do fine, Richard. The Creator told me it will work out and no one will get hurt at all, except for the ones who are coming after you.”

I look at her with a smile. “If he told you that, then I believe it will happen.”

“Well, I need to get going. It is still in the early stages of prosecution. It has been moved to DC for the court case. It will be an international case; that is for sure.”

I smile at her, “Then let’s make our reservations for a nice balcony hotel with a view to an inside court and garden.”

Anna smiles back, “I sure will, Richard. I’ll see you Thursday to sign the papers for your release that morning.”

“See you then, Anna.”

Anna bends down to give me a hug on the shoulders. She straightens back up and leaves the room.

A nurse comes in with a tray for my noon lunch. This time it is a little more substantial than just broth soup. It is a half-tuna sandwich, vegetable soup, and watermelon without the seeds. The nurses leave my room, my fairies flutter to me and sit around me.

“Thank you, Creator, for your wonderful blessings. Soon, I will be back to normal. Please be with everyone at the Rescue Mission. Comfort them and keep them safe while I’m there and when I leave. Thank you for this food that you have provided for me. Thank you, Creator.”

My fairies flutter back to the flowers for their noon meal. I turn on the TV while I eat my lunch. All that is on now, is the local news. There is only one report of the international bank scare that happened. “Apparently they are trying to keep it low key for now.”

I finish eating my lunch in about half hour. I turn off the TV when I finished eating. The nurse comes to remove my tray. She lowers the bed back down to ten degrees for my after lunch nap. My fairies flutter to me to have their rest as well. We sleep for an hour and a half until 2 PM for the afternoon workout.

~~~000~~~

In a country half around the world on an army base, men are plotting what to do next to regain their lost money. It is 11 PM there.

“We must get our money back that is owed to us.”

“I know, Captain Borhgess. We’ll get it back. But first we must find the person who did this. We have to use stealth to steal him away. Then we can force him to return our country’s money.”

“If we don’t get it back, Sebastian, we won’t get paid. We’ll be back on the streets again looking for work.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice. I know what is at stake.”

Then the door opens to their headquarters room. A single man stands there. The others in the room turn around quickly and point their guns at him.

“Who are you? How did you get in here past our guards?”

“It was no problem for me, if you know stealth like I do. Besides, I have the information you need to find this computer hacker.”

“What will it cost us?”

“It will cost you nothing, sir. I assure you of that.”

“In our line of work, you don’t get anything for free.”

“That might be true. Actually my payment will come from your country’s vice president.”

He smirks, “Good luck on collecting that. We have orders to find the computer hacker and bring him here. Then we break him down and force him to fix our computers at our banks.”

“How many are you planning to send?”

“We were thinking of an elite night force of twenty men.”

“There are other countries who want him as well. But I know where he will be in seclusion. It is on an island off the American coast.”

The men smile, “Then it will be an easy heist to get him and bring him out.”

“It might be best, you work together with two or more countries.”

“We know four of our neighbors who will work with us. It will be no problem to share him. After that, we’ll feed him to the carrion birds.”

“You do realize, there will be a force there, to protect him.”

“Those American forces are simple for us. They have gotten weak with their last five liberal presidents. We’ll get past them. If we have to, we’ll kill everyone on the island. There will be no witnesses. There will be no reprisals from the Americans.”

“So, which island is this computer hacker on, old man?”

“He’s on an island that has an old resort on it in South Carolina. It is now called the Rescue Mission. It houses women and children who have been abused.”

“Ooooh . . . women. Do you hear that men? We get to have some recreational pleasure while we’re there.”

The men give an evil laugh. “Hah, hah, hah, . . .”

“Yeah, we’ll console them all right.”

“Don’t be so over confident. He is a martial artist.”

“Hah! That’s nothing against bullets and bombs, old man.”

“But if you kill him, you won’t get your money back.”

“Grrr . . We get the point old man. We won’t kill him ... yet.”

“Well, I must be going. Good luck in finding him and getting him out in one piece.”

“This will be an easy heist for us. Thanks for the tip, old man.”

The elderly gentleman turns around and leaves the building. Once he leaves the building, he walks to a dark corner between two buildings. “Heh, heh, let’s see you get out of this one, Omega Unicorn. Hah, hah, hah!!!” He recites some words and disappears in a blink of an eye.

~~~000~~~

I wake up about ten minutes till 2 PM. My fairies flutter back to the flower pots. A male nurse comes in with a wheel chair. I get out of bed and sit in the wheel chair. I push myself to the small table to retrieve the two flower pots and set them on my lap.

The male nurse pushes me down the hallways and the elevators. We arrive on the floor with the rehab room. I put the potted flowers on the table. I then proceed to work out more this afternoon. My fairies flutter around me to whisper words of encouragement to me. I push myself harder this afternoon to exceed my efforts from this morning.

I am able to push one hundred and twenty pounds with the leg machine. On the biceps curl machine, I easily get up to forty pounds. I walk around the room, unassisted, two times around. In the reclined bicycle, I pedal for fifteen minutes this time. By this time I start to feel the glow of sweat on me. I stand there to calm down.

“You’re doing great, Richard. Are you thinking of doing some Tai-chi?”

“I am, sir.”

“Then go ahead and do it. We’ll be here to catch you if you lose your balance.”

“Thanks.”

I slowly move my arms, legs in a graceful pattern. Sometimes I’m standing on one leg momentarily. I waver a bit, then I bring the other foot down to regain my balance. I push and draw my hands outward and inward in multiple sweeping motions. I then lift my left leg again to see if I can stand on one foot. This time I’m more sure of my balance. While I’m doing this, I’m slowly breathing in and out slowly at the precise moment needed to do a block or to hit someone.

After fifteen minutes of Tai-chi, I come to a standing stop. I breathe in and out slowly as I look around. By this time, my fairies flutter back to the flower pots to get their rest.

“That was great, Richard.”

“Thank you, sir.”

“What rank are you up to?”

“I have the Shaolin brown sash with the three degrees. I’m planning to earn the black sashes eventually.”

“That’s amazing. Well, let’s head back to your room. You need to rest up and do this two more times.”

“Yes, sir.” I walk over to the wheel chair and sit in it. I push myself over to the table to retrieve the two potted flowers. I put them on my lap and keep them steady while I get pushed back to my room.

This routine gets repeated Tuesday and Wednesday. Each day, I get stronger and stronger. By that time, I am able to push 250 pounds on the leg press machine, ten times. That is their maximum weight on the machine. With the biceps curl machine, I am able to curl sixty pounds, ten times. There is no need to do more than that right now. I do a bunch of stomach crunches and push ups. For the push ups on the floor, I use my hand mainly. I did do ten knuckle push ups. I don’t feel any pain in the wrists at all.

On the pull down bar, I only bring it down one hundred pounds. That is their maximum weight. I must be able to pull down 200 pounds, this must be done so that I can pull myself up easily with my armor on.

On the bicycle machine, I am able to pedal thirty minutes without sweating. That needs to get up to an hour so I can start jogging without breaking a sweat. On Wednesday, I am taken down to X-ray to do another set of CAT scans and X-rays. The doctors look at the results and see the fantastic results that my bones have been healed.

They also see the two life forms in my womb. They told me that because of the resolution of the equipment, their wings appear invisible. So they appear as two normal children. However, I didn’t tell them that I had Croin conceal their wings before they took the images.

When I get in my room, I put the flower pots onto the table. I whisper to them. “I need a shower.”

“Yes you do, father.” I hear some fairy giggling after Lavan said that.

I whisper back, “Silly fairies.”

I hear some more fairies giggling as I get up from my wheel chair and walk into the bathroom for my last hot shower in the hospital.

When I get out of the bathroom, I get a nice dinner for my last evening meal at the hospital. It is roasted chicken, vegetables and a fruit dish with cut up fruit pieces from five different fruits.

When I get done with dinner, the nurse comes in to pick up the food tray. Once she leaves, my phone rings next to the bed. I pick it up.

“Hello?”

“Is that you, Richard?”

“Yes, it is. Is that you, Brianna?”

“Yes, my love.”

“You haven’t called all week long.”

“I know. It’s the feds, here. They are monitoring all calls in and out. Are you going to be released Thursday?”

“Anna will be here tomorrow, to sign me out. I will be leaving soon there after.”

“You should arrive here by 4 PM. You’ll be briefed on what is happening. I miss you very much.”

“I miss you very much as well, Brianna.”

Then the phone call ends with a ‘click’. I put the phone back onto the base.

“Well, it has begun.”

My fairies flutter to me and sit around me like before. We whisper to each other.

“It will work out father.”

“I know it will, Tiger. We might have to enlist the local wildlife and my memories to keep everyone safe.”

“We’ll probably will, father.”

“We’ll be in the main building. We’ll be needed there to keep them calm.”

“Please do that, my fairies. You’ll be safer there. You must be in butterfly mode to do that.”

“We know how to keep the children amused, mother. We’ve played with some around our apartment yards before.”

“That’s right, you do know what to do with children, Ruby. It will help them think about butterflies and not the noise outside the building.”

I don’t watch the news at all. I get myself comfortable under the bedclothes. I lower myself down flat. My butterflies stay around me as I fall asleep for my last night in the hospital. I get a nice peaceful rest during the night. The only thing that disturbs me is that I hear the number’s one, two, five and one hundred from the Creator.