Chương 50: The Toll

"How..." a nurse whispered. Drawing Kenji's attention from his healed foot, he followed her gaze. Ace stood in nothing but a bulky white diaper, his chest bare. A streak of crimson traced a line down his inner thigh, puddling on the tile floor.

"Dude, you screwed something up." Kenji motioned at the ground, Ace's head dropping to see for himself.

"Oh shit, what's what?" Ace asked, glancing inside the diaper.

"It's coming from my junk! Aw man, it burns, too!" he said, doubling over in what Kenji hoped was a dramatic overreaction.

"Out of the frying pan," Kellevra said. The nurse stepped forward, stopping over a length of clear plastic tubing lying by the foot of Ace's bed with splotches of blood trailing between tube and boy. With a sigh, she snapped nitrile gloves over her hands and scooped up the severed line.

"You tore your catheter out," she said, her lips pursed.

"Looks like the valve snapped off, so the retention balloon is most likely still inside your bladder! It's not paralysis, but it is a hemorrhage risk we need to address immediately."

"And into the fire," Kellevra finished.

"Yep, it burns a lot," Ace choked out, clutching his lower stomach.

"I just—he needed my help!"

"Get back in the bed!" she barked, clearing the remnants of the vest and brace from his mattress before turning on Kellevra.

"And stop with the jokes!" When Ace finally climbed into his bed, the room suddenly buzzed as if everyone else had been waiting on pause. Two people rushed to Kurisu's side, while three swarmed Ace. Conversations crisscrossed over each other, some whispers, some shouts, and lots of medical jargon Kenji couldn't decipher. Shredded brown bandages and white cotton from his open foot cast littered the floor. Pain lancing through his chest, he hunched forward, teeth gritted, and wrapped an arm around his ribs.

The healing had fixed his heel and ankle but left his clavicle and ribs to grind against themselves with every breath. He puffed his cheeks out and exhaled, making that raspberry sound through loose lips. Kurisu had healed them. Sure, the job wasn't done, but what was done just broke him. Aged him. Something. It was too much all at once. He nearly killed us, then without a second thought makes himself older than Yoda to heal Ace? Like, damn I know he didn't mean to hurt us, I guess.

But what the hell, how'm I supposed to feel? Wait, my cheek doesn't hurt as much. Did he heal my cheek too?

"... okay?" He let out a rising groan that shifted into a frustrated bellow.

"Fuck!" The buzz in the room ceased as every head turned to look at him. Kenji felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the doctor who had put the cast on him. Was he an orthopedist, a podiatrist?

"Kenji, are you okay?"

"What...? Oh, sorry doc. I was zoned out there for a second." Nodding, the doctor moved down to his foot.

"Alright, and how are you feeling?"

"Uh, a little overwhelmed maybe, but fine?"

"We can get you someone to talk to, would you like that?" Kenji shook his head.

"No, no I think I'm fine on that front, I just—I think I have a tough decision in front of me, that's all."

"Okay, well if you change your mind, let us know. Now how's your foot feel? Is there any lingering pain or discomfort right now? Can I take a look?" the doctor asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure." Kenji waved toward the appendage. Slowly, very slowly, the doctor started by touching Kenji's toes, brushing a light finger on the pads. When Kenji gave no response, he continued to mirror the motion on the ball of Kenji's foot.

"Alright, I'm going to touch your heel now." Kenji nodded. He felt a light pressure, then a soft poke, followed by tracing the sides of his foot to his ankle.

"Can you feel any of that?" the doctor asked, frowning.

"Oh, for sure, I can feel it."

"And do you feel any pain at all?"

"Nope, nothing painful. Even my cheek feels better. Though my chest still feels like ass." Pulling his hands back, the doctor moved to Kenji's side.

"Do you mind if I check?"

"Go ahead." This time, when the doctor pressed on the bone, Kenji winced.

"Okay, that one's a bit tender still."

"Alright, that's it then, no more poking. I won't mess with your ribs. I'd like to get some new X-rays at least, see what changes we're dealing with here. Unlike your friend over there, I'd appreciate it if you didn't put pressure on that foot until I've seen the scans, okay? But it looks like, well I don't know, maybe your foot has somehow recovered," the doctor said, inspecting Kenji's foot some more.

"Ah, yeah, it was a healing mudra, a spell he knows," Kenji responded, staring at his big toe.

"Well I don't know about magic spells or anything, so I'll be keeping my faith in medical science. I'll get you sent down to imaging for those X-rays in a bit, you hang tight." With that, the doctor moved over to Kellevra and began looking him over.

"Be careful with him," Ace wheezed, pointing a shaking finger at the withered form on the other mattress.

"He's... he's brittle." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

"Heart rate is erratic!" a second nurse shouted, pressing a stethoscope to Kurisu's sunken chest.

"Secondary chamber misfiring on a delay!"

"No, he's got a six-chambered heart!" Charlotte's voice came from the doorway as she was pulled back out of sight.

"Get a pelvic binder on him, now!" another doctor barked, pushing a crash cart to the bedside.

"His hip is shattered. Radial fracture on the left arm. Careful with his skin! It's translucent! We can finally get a needle in him; stick a line! Fast! He's incredibly osteoporotic! Do we have an EKG to verify that six-chamber claim?" Kenji stared as a needle went in and an I. V. bag went up, sending fluids into Kurisu's arm. They actually got the needle to pierce him? Well, that's not good. Standing near the doorway, Agent Cox smoothed the front of his suit jacket.

"Miraculous," he muttered.

"Truly miraculous." Charlotte burst through the door a second later, shoving past a police officer who tried to block her path, with Roland following close behind, breaking off to stand beside Kenji.

"Ace!" she cried, making her way across the room before she leaned over to hug him.

"You're standing... You're standing!"

"Ma'am, I'm going to need you to take a step back, we've got to get him moved for surgery," Ace's nurse said as she guided the mother back.

"What surgery?" Charlotte asked, moving over to hug Kellevra.

"Didn't he just get healed?"

"Seems that way. We'll do some scans to make sure, but right now we need to remove the catheter balloon from his bladder. He tore the tube apart when he rushed out of bed."

"Is Kurisu going to be okay?" Ace asked, sitting up. His arm still cradled his stomach as he was wheeled past Kurisu's bed, staring at the staff securing a splint to Kurisu's arm.

"Mom, look at him."

"Let's move him," Kurisu's doctor ordered.

"Secure room is prepped. Gentle! If you bump him, he breaks." The team mobilized, unlocking the wheels of the bed to roll Kurisu toward the corridor.

"Mom," Kellevra said quietly, his eyes on the twisted bed that squeaked as they wheeled it away.

"Do we be mad at him or thank him?"

"Oh, Kellevra." Charlotte barely squeezed his shoulders, careful not to move him too much.

"Just like you have your injuries, like your elbow and knee, he has a broken heart and mind. We fix him. We help him heal."

"So is he still going to be our brother?" Cox turned toward the youngest boy trapped in the metal cage.

"He isn't your brother," he said, his voice flat.

"He is an asset. An alien entity that just underwent a catastrophic biological event." Releasing Kellevra, Charlotte stepped into Cox's personal space. Heat flushing her neck, she jabbed a finger in his face.

"What did you call him?" she hissed.

"I called him an asset," Cox said, checking his watch.

"Which is what he is. A biological—""He's my son!" Charlotte roared.

"He is my adopted son! Your judge, the one you tried to use against us, already ruled on this! The Thirteenth Amendment grants him personhood! He's not property, Cox!" Cox stared up at the slightly taller woman.

"About that... turns out the adoption papers are still pending that final signature on… June 1st, wasn't it, Mrs. Miller?" he purred, a smirk crawling across his face.

"And while the judge may have tied my hands on the Patriot Act, he has no say in Family Court. You see, custody requires a stable environment, and given what's just happened..." With a glint in his eyes that made Kenji want to punch him repeatedly, until even his own mother couldn't recognize him, Cox leaned in next to Charlotte's ear, whispering loudly for everyone to hear.

"Well, let's just say I have a lot of pull with the review board, and I'd suggest you remember that before you get in my way." Medical advice forgotten, Kenji found himself between the two, growling down at Cox. He shook, his fingers curling and uncurling at his sides as the urge to wrap his hands around the agent's throat warred with his restraint. When the agent's back hit the wall and he had nowhere else to run, Kenji finally spoke.

"Is that a threat?" he asked. Hand drifting toward his jacket, Cox stammered out, "Are you threatening a federal agent, Mr. Tetsuya?" He licked his lips, head turning to the other officer.

"Because that is a felony."

"You're baiting them," Charlotte snapped.

"You're inciting a physical altercation with traumatized minors! That isn't law enforcement, Cox; that's entrapment!"

"It's harassment," Roland cut in. Stepping forward, he placed a hand on Kenji's shoulder. He maintained a neutral expression as he looked at Cox.

"Attempting to leverage a pending family court proceeding to coerce cooperation in a national security matter constitutes a violation of due process," he continued, his voice dry.

"It's sloppy work, Agent. If you threaten these boys or their custody status one more time, my next call will be to have an injunction filed. Do you really want a judge to review your conduct today?" Staring at Roland, his jaw tightening, Cox looked back at the boys.

"I thought you wanted to be rid of the weapon," he said, smirking, a tight, thin expression.

"What?" Kenji asked, backing up a step.

"Did you think your parents would let you continue befriending a self-proclaimed murderer?" Cox asked.

"That's not your place you son of a bitch! You had no right!" Roland yelled. Head turned down, Cox pulled a piece of fluff from his jacket.

"File your injunction, Mr. Tetsuya," he said.

"I'll be outside." Turning to follow the gurney, he paused when Kenji shouted.

"Wait! Hey! You! Suit!"

"Yes, Tetsuya?" Cox stopped.

"Make sure there's a plant!" Kenji ordered, pointing a finger at the agent.

"In his room! Put a plant next to the bed!" Frowning, Cox tilted his head.

"A plant?"

"A ficus, a fern, I don't give a damn!" Kenji wheezed, clutching his ribs as the exertion caught up with him.

"Just make sure something green and alive is next to him! Do it!"

"Why?" Cox asked.

"What does a plant do?"

"Just do it!" Kenji grunted, breathing painful. Staring at him for a second, Cox shrugged at the doctor waiting by the door.

"Humor him. Get a potted plant from the lobby." As the steel door clicked shut behind them, Kenji turned to look at his father.

"So what was that about?" he whispered, the words bubbling past his lips while he made his way back to bed. Roland shook his head, glaring at the door before looking back to Kenji.

"Look buddy, your mother and I don't think you should be hanging out with him anymore. He's too dangerous and unpredictable." Why? Why does hearing that make me so angry? I mean, it's probably the smartest thing, but it pisses me off so much!

"No."

"What do you mean, 'no'? We're your parents, you're fourteen and we've decided it. It's not a discussion," Roland said, letting out a dismissive scoff.

"Why would you want to hang out with someone like that anyway?"

"Because he's my friend. Because it's my decision who I hang out with. Because it was my fault we were downtown anyway and all this happened!" Firmly shaking his head, Roland responded, "No. This was not your fault. You're a kid, you should never have been there in the first place. This is because of Steven's judgment and Kurisu's lack of control."

"This again? You think Mr. Miller could have stopped me? I get knocked through concrete walls and barely get a bruise, dad. I was the one who insisted we go downtown and fight the spider. I got cocky, I thought after a bit of practicing we were hot shit. This is my screw up, maybe even more than his. Oh, and news flash, he's a kid too!"