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Post by Jordanna on Feb 4, 2007 23:46:06 GMT -5
"I can take it," Sid replied, without hesitation. "You do what you gotta do."
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Post by skybright on Feb 5, 2007 0:03:29 GMT -5
Daws nodded. "Yeah, don't we all."
Once the breakfast dishes had been deposited in the sink, Daws and Father Rick turned their attention to the telephone. Daws left a brief message telling Joey to keep an eye out, spent a few minutes cajoling a promise of observations out of Sergeant Bell, and then turned the phone over to the priest, who spent the next half-hour calling various members of the parish community and enlisting their help to care for the refugee Spools.
Father Rick was still involved with that project when there was a knock at the door -- followed shortly by Caddy bounding into the front hall, bearing his black medical bag and still wearing his customary bright-green lab coat.
"Let myself in." He explained brightly to Sid. "Hope ya don't mind. Figured we're all sorta one big happy bizarre underground-resistance family, y'know."
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 5, 2007 23:17:51 GMT -5
Sid couldn't help grinning. "Yeah, that's the truth. Go on upstairs--the Major's champin' at the bit ta get inta the city." He sobered. "Things've got kinda outta control. Again."
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Post by skybright on Feb 6, 2007 19:35:56 GMT -5
"Yeah. So I heard." Caddy grimaced briefly. "Sacred Charity sent a couple of the badly-wounded Spooks our way this morning. Officially because we had better expertise -- really because they didn't want such obvious mutants in their ER. Doesn't look good in a nice Midtown hospital, y'know."
He shrugged off that unpleasant thought and made for the stairs. "Hey, at least they're at a hospital. That's something, anyhow."
Caddy paused on his way up the stairs and frowned over his shoulder at Sid. "Proteus still here?"
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 6, 2007 23:01:43 GMT -5
Sid shook his head. "Nah, he took off soon as he heard what went on. We dunno what he might be doin' now--tryin' ta find his people, I guess. Anyway, looks like the Major's gotta heal on his own now."
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Post by skybright on Feb 6, 2007 23:10:00 GMT -5
"Ah." Caddy shrugged. "Too bad -- but better him than a lot of guys I could name, I guess."
With Sid and Daws on his heels, the doctor made his way to Sid's bedroom and knocked lightly on the doorframe, sticking his head into the room. "Mornin', Major. How're the lungs today?"
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 6, 2007 23:28:35 GMT -5
"Still sucking air," Vance replied, a trifle irritably. With Proteus and his healing assistance gone, the Major was feeling more pain than he had previously.
"You've gotta clear me to move to Casselton's place in town, Doc," he went on. "I need to talk to my people, and I can't have 'em parading through here with kids underfoot."
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Post by skybright on Feb 6, 2007 23:43:15 GMT -5
"Right. Understandable." Caddy took a seat and opened his medical bag. "This is just a precaution, really. I don't see any reason you couldn't move unless you've had a major relapse overnight, and I don't think that's all that likely. But it never hurts to check. Open your mouth."
With a thermometer installed under Vance's tongue, Caddy reached to take the former soldier's pulse. "Is Miriam still planning on spending a few days at Henry's?"
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 6, 2007 23:55:47 GMT -5
Sid nodded. "Yeah, she's downstairs' packin' a bag now."
Around the thermometer in his mouth, Vance mumbled an adamant disavowal of any strong painkillers Miriam might try to give him.
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Post by skybright on Feb 7, 2007 0:01:19 GMT -5
"Fine, fine." Caddy shook his head in mild exasperation, having apparently interpreted Vance's mumbling without any trouble. "You do know you're the kind of patient doctors complain about in their off hours, right? Just an observation."
He shrugged and fitted his stethescope into his ears. "You can at least have some over-the-counter medication if you won't take anything better. Pain will addle your thinking just as much as medicating it will, you know."
Caddy slipped the thermometer out of Vance's mouth, nodded in satisfaction at the reading, and placed the end of his stethescope against Vance's chest. "Deep breath."
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 7, 2007 22:55:21 GMT -5
Vance's deep breath sounded more like an exasperated sigh.
"I'll be having Handy keep in touch with you, Sid," Vance remarked around Caddy. "Once we figure out what we're doing, he'll tell you how we can work out your offer to feed the loose Spooks."
He looked over at Daws. "I know it's a tall order, Precious--but one of the best things you could do right now is try to get a fix on Proteus. With his martyr complex, the last thing we need is for him to take matters into his own hands... one way or another."
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Post by skybright on Feb 7, 2007 23:33:09 GMT -5
Daws raised an eyebrow at the 'Precious', but chose not to comment. "I'll do my best. I figure he's gonna head for the Spooks -- even if he's planning on giving himself up. Maybe I can head him off there before he does anything we'll all regret."
"I can take you to the Parish after we get Vance and Miriam settled in -- you can start looking among the Spooks there." Father Rick broke in from the doorway -- having made his way upstairs after finishing his phone calls.
The priest crossed his arms and leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, raising an eyebrow at the Major. "Still alive, Boyo?"
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 7, 2007 23:47:50 GMT -5
"I have too much fun annoying you to give up the habit," Vance retorted, with a grim smile. "Nice to see you, Padre. Sorry it isn't under better circumstances--like planning a raid on a munitions dump."
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Post by skybright on Feb 7, 2007 23:55:42 GMT -5
The Padre chuckled. "Well, there'll be other times for that. I'm just glad you'll be around for 'em."
Caddy removed his stethescope and cleared his throat as he began repacking his medical bag. "Okay, Major -- I'll clear you to move to Henry's. Provided I have your word you'll stay in bed for another couple of days -- and don't push your luck."
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 8, 2007 0:09:15 GMT -5
Vance shook his head slightly. "I'm impatient, Doc--but I'm not dumb. Besides, much as I'd like to be seeing things firsthand, there's not much I can do yet that everybody else can't take care of. I'll be good." He smiled. "Anyway, thanks for services rendered."
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Post by skybright on Feb 8, 2007 0:16:00 GMT -5
Caddy grinned lopsidedly. "Well, you're welcome -- for what it's worth. Not like I did much, really -- you and Proteus did all the hard stuff on this one."
Father Rick shifted away from the doorframe. "Well, I'm ready to serve as transport as soon as you're ready to leave, Boyo."
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 8, 2007 0:26:46 GMT -5
"I'm ready anytime Doc Van Linden is." He pointed to the worn army-surplus knapsack sitting beside the bed. "There's the books and things Handy brought over for me. Regina, maybe you could get that, while these tough guys help me get my carcass out of this bed."
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Post by skybright on Feb 8, 2007 0:42:06 GMT -5
"Sure." Daws shouldered the duffle bag with a faint smile. "I suppose I should be glad you military guys travel light, huh?"
"You haven't known as many military men as I have." Padre replied as he moved to the bedside. "I was in 'Nam with a fella who carried enough junk in his pack to start his own city."
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Post by Jordanna on Feb 8, 2007 0:53:30 GMT -5
Vance chuckled as he carefully sat up. "You'd be surprised how little I practically did start a city with. Looks like I've got to try repeating the performance with the Spooks."
He suppressed a grunt of pain as Sid and the Padre lifted him to his unsteady feet, and with their support, he began the arduous trek down the stairs.
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Post by skybright on Feb 8, 2007 1:04:44 GMT -5
Daws followed the three men down the stairs, with Caddy close behind her. The doctor grinned at Daws' look of barely-suppressed concern.
"Don't worry about him, Daws." He advised cheerfully. "He's out of the woods. Give him a week or so and he'll be running around getting on your nerves just like old times."
Daws grinned crookedly. "From your mouth to God's ears, Caddy." She shrugged and adjusted the duffle bag on her shoulder. "You heading home from here?"
Caddy nodded. "Those injured Spooks made for a pretty hectic shift. I'm gonna crash for a couple of hours. But keep in touch, okay? If you need a doctor for the Spooks at the Parish, you call me."
Daws nodded and patted his shoulder. "I will. Miriam said she'd be willing to do some minor first aid -- hopefully that's all we'll have a need for."
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