William Drake was immersed in his work on the new prosthetic limbs. He was checking all the artificial nerve wiring in his son's new arm, when a sudden hug startled him.
- You get too caught up in your work, - his wife Marion scolded him affectionately.
He got up from the workbench, hugged her and kissed her on the cheek.
- I just want everything to be perfect, - he said. - It's a complicated operation, it must work properly.
- You need to rest from time to time, otherwise you'll lose focus, - she told him.
- I guess you're right, as usual.
- Come on, take a break and eat with your beautiful wife in the garden, - she said showing him the picnic basket she was holding.
- Your wish is my command, my lady, - William made a pronounced bow, which brought a smile to Marion's face.
The garden at Drake Industries was Marion's pride and joy, and she had been adamant about it. The company's workers needed a place where they could take a moment to relax, spend time with their families during breaks in the day, or just get a breath of fresh air.
William and Marion were not the only ones who had thought of having lunch in the garden. Oscar and Frannie were sitting on one of the stone benches on the gravel walkway that ran through the garden. Everyone in the lab knew about their relationship, although they kept trying to pretend they were merely work colleagues. Alexander played with his five-year-old daughter, Maggie, under the watchful eye of his wife Camile, who smiled at the sight of her husband dancing with their little girl in his arms. Many workers from the other departments also used to take advantage of the garden to relax before getting on with their work.
Drake Industries consisted of four buildings facing the four cardinal directions, with the large garden as the central link between them. In this way all the employees got to know each other and became acquaintances even outside their respective work areas, which fostered a camaraderie and friendliness that made Drake Industries a comfortable place to work.
William Drake always thought of his company as an extension of his family and knew every worker at Drake Industries personally. He also saw to it that the professional and personal situation of his workers was optimal, even becoming personally involved in the lives of his employees, who were very fond of him, seeing him not only as a good boss, but also as a friend.
William helped Marion spread a blanket on the lawn, and they sat comfortably.
- How's the work going? - Marion asked as she began to take containers out of the basket.
- Well, we've made good progress thanks to the help of Ruslan and his army buddies, - her husband replied as he sat down next to her.
In the end Ruslan had managed to convince 5 people, plus Constance Perry, to join the project as test subjects. They had all added a great deal of context, thanks to their medical examinations and suggestions for the performance of the new prostheses.
Constance had even made good friends with the Drake family. As the only participant in the control group who did not live in London, the Drakes had offered her hospitality and found the chatty girl to be anything but boring. Drake Manor had never been so lively. She had especially hit it off with Jack Drake, the youngest son, as they had similar personalities and tastes. Within a week of meeting Jack was already taking Connie on the rounds of London's nightclubs, and more than once Ruslan or William himself had had to scold them for a few excesses, though nothing too much.
- The other patients' operations have been a success, 5 of them are about to start rehabilitation according to Frannie. Connie's operation was carried out yesterday, so she had to rest reluctantly today. Ruslan tried to stall her as best he could, but ended up calling Jack, - William said.
Marion Drake chuckled.
- Yeah, Ruslan never had much patience, remember when you tried to teach him how to build a model?
- He ran off after ten minutes, - laughed William. - He was always a very impetuous boy, and he was terrible at waiting.
- I wonder who he went out to?
Marion changed to a more serious countenance and looked at her husband.
- And with Ruslan, do you think it will work?
- Yes, I'm sure, - her husband reassured her. - He's strong, he'll stand up well to the intervention. Besides, we have put all our resources into the new prostheses, and in the other six cases it has been a great success.
- When is the operation scheduled?
- It will start first thing tomorrow morning. It will take a few hours, but you'll be notified when Ruslan comes out of the operating theatre.
Marion nodded, still with a hint of worry in her eyes. Her husband hugged her and stroked her hair.
- Everything will be fine, I promise.
- I know, - she replied more calmly.
The day had arrived, Ruslan was impatient to get the long wait over and done with. As he entered the operating theatre, he saw his father, Frannie and Oscar, who would be performing the operation, assisted by several nurses and an anaesthetist. He lay down on the operating table and his father proceeded to explain the procedure to him.
- During the first part of the operation we will use general anaesthesia, proceed to reinforce the bones on the left side of the rib cage with metal plates and drill anchor holes for the retaining rivets, and then proceed to re-close the wounds and fix the new artificial shoulder joint, which will also cauterise the incisions made for the reinforcement. We will have to wait until you are conscious to proceed with the second part of the operation, which will be the implantation of the prosthesis into the joint and the connection of the artificial nerves. I won't lie to you; it's going to hurt like hell.
- I know, Connie and the others warned me, - Ruslan said.
- The third part will be the implantation of the prosthetic eye. We will have to keep you conscious as well and we will have to pull the optic nerve that has retracted in order to connect it to the implant. We won't be able to use anaesthesia for this part of the operation either, - his father told him.
- We will have to strap you down, - Frannie warned him. - The elongation of the optic nerve will hurt like hell, much more than even connecting the nerves in your arm. And once we start, we won't be able to stop the operation, or it will be impossible to do it again.
- I understand, - Ruslan replied, there was no hint of doubt in his voice.
- Well, let's get started, - Frannie said.
The anaesthetist proceeded and Ruslan was unconscious within seconds. Frannie began the operation with a steady hand and Oscar proceeded with the rib, shoulder blade and collar bone reinforcements in record time. William, looking at his son's face before continuing, implanted the joint, heated red hot so that it would cauterise the incisions and adhere to the skin and muscle, then riveted the retaining pins which were fixed into the reinforced bones through the muscle. The whole procedure for the first part of the operation took just three hours.
Ruslan began to wake up, blinking several times, as his vision began to clear. He saw his father and Oscar to his right. His torso, left arm and legs had been strapped to the operating table with leather straps.
- Did everything go well? - he asked, his voice still sounding a little mushy.
- Yes, everything went perfectly, - his father replied as he checked the connections of the prosthesis.
Ruslan began to feel a burning and stinging sensation in his side, the anaesthesia was wearing off completely. His father put his hand on his left shoulder and tried to reassure him.
- Be prepared, this part is always the worst, - he said. - Think about what comes next.
- You mean the optic nerve? - his son asked sarcastically.
- No, I mean when you can use your arm and eye again, - said William, smiling and patting him affectionately on the forehead. - You have a dark sense of humour, my son.
- You can blame it on Connie, I've spent too much time putting up with her macabre jokes.
William got ready, Frannie gave Ruslan a leash to bite and when he was ready, he instructed his father to begin with a nod. William fitted the prosthesis into the joint and closed the pins, the connections sealed with a metallic sound. Then Ruslan experienced even more excruciating pain than when his arm had been ripped off. It was as if he had been struck by lightning, a shock of pain that left him unable to move. His father patted him affectionately on the left shoulder.
- That's it, - he said sparingly.
- It wasn't that bad, - Ruslan tried to joke, but he could hardly catch his breath. - Now I understand why Connie said she would have wanted to punch you as well as thank you.
- Yes, it's not the first time I've been told that, - William said sympathetically.
Frannie reached over and fastened his head to the table with yet another strap. Now came the worst part. A shiver ran down Ruslan's spine as he saw Frannie grab a pair of forceps and approach his face.
Marion Drake and her two children, Cathe and Jack, were waiting in the waiting room next to the operating theatre. Constance, still on crutches, was talking to Jack, trying to take the heat off him, to keep him from worrying.
- Don't worry, Jack, your brother is a very tough guy, - she said, turning to Catherine and Marion. - Do you know the first thing he did when he woke up in the field hospital? He started asking about his soldiers, even though he was worse off than anyone else. He's always stepped up to the plate when needed.
She barely had time to finish the sentence when an atrocious scream flooded the room, coming from the operating theatre. Marion Drake's heart shuddered, her daughter Cathe sat beside her and hugged her as she tried to reassure her with words of encouragement. Jack buried his face in his hands, elbows resting on his knees. Connie sat beside him, leaving her crutches to her left, white as paper. She had cried with rage and pain when the prosthetic leg had been attached, the pain had been even worse than when that shrapnel blade had amputated it. But her captain, her friend, had never wavered, she had never seen him complain about anything. That desperate howl had shocked her, what kind of pain had forced the toughest and bravest man she knew to scream like that?
After a few minutes the door to the operating theatre opened and William Drake walked out. They all looked at him with concern in their eyes but were reassured to see his smile and his confident look.
- It's done, he will recover without any problems, he said.
His wife and daughter got up and hugged him. Jack relaxed and leaned back in his chair, letting out a sigh of pure relief. Constance gave him a friendly tap on the arm with a look that screamed "I told you so!" even though she still had tears in her eyes.
Ruslan opened his eyes and, for the first time in months, he could see to his right without having to turn his head. His mother was sitting next to the bed where he was lying, but as soon as she saw him awake, she got up and hugged him. His brothers, his father, even Connie, were there.
- Looks like someone missed the reveille, - Connie joked.
- How are you feeling? - Ruslan looked to his left and saw Frannie and Oscar.
- I'm fine. But I'm finding it hard to focus my eyes at all.
- We still have to evaluate the ocular prosthesis and devise a rehabilitation protocol so you can use it normally, but it will take some time, - McBride replied.
- For now, - his father said. - Alexander will set up a rehabilitation programme for your arm.
- Understood, - Ruslan replied.
He looked at his new right arm for the first time. It had the same exact measurements as his left arm, the metal plates were a dull silver colour, with the joints covered by flexible sections of black rubber. The joint that had been inserted into his torso reached halfway up his right pectoral and up to his fourth rib, covering his collarbone almost to his neck and a good part of his right shoulder blade.
- You will have to rest for a day or two to allow the anchor incisions to heal completely, but the operation was a success.
For the next six months, the patients in the Renaissance project, as the autolimb lab experts had dubbed it, exercised according to strict rehabilitation and re-education programmes, always guided by Alexander Vermont and closely monitored by Oscar McBride and Frances Solomon, with regular check-ups. After six months of rehabilitation, the other five patients had decided to remain in civilian life, but Constance and Ruslan wanted to try to re-join military service, so they followed an even stricter training regime to get back in shape. After a month of intensive work, the Army Medical Service granted them both a review board to determine whether they were fit to return to active service.
After successfully passing the medical examination, they were sent to boot camp, where they were required to pass various fitness tests. A 100-metre run, an obstacle course, a hand-to-hand combat test, and finally they were sent to the firing range for a performance test.
- Sergeant Constance Perry - Connie's combat merit promotion had finally been accepted and she smiled as she loaded her rifle. - You have 5 shots; the minimum score is 50 to pass.
Constance stood ready at her marksman's station, as the targets began to appear she fired without hesitation, the 5 shots had no more than 1 second between them. After emptying the gun 5 targets showed a hole in her scoring zone, 85 points out of 100.
- OK, check that the gun is empty, put the safety on and step away from the shooter's station.
Connie handed the gun back to the quartermaster. As she passed Ruslan, she winked at him knowingly.
- Major Ruslan Drake, - the examining officer called; Ruslan had learned of his combat merit promotion at the same time as Connie, no one had deigned to tell them since their return to Albion.
Ruslan approached, but instead of a rifle he was provided with a revolver. A colonel approached and pulled the examiner aside.
- As you are an officer above the rank of captain, your service weapon will be a revolver only, no one expects an officer and gentleman to work as a rifleman, - said the colonel. - You will also be given ammunition for 2 reloads. The minimum passing score is 50, but since you broke all the records at the officer's academy, we expect to see perfection in your performance. Do we understand each other?
Connie was about to protest, but Ruslan looked at her and shook his head. It seemed that someone in high command wanted to boycott his re-entry and believed that the shooting test would be his weak point.
Ruslan entered the marksman's station, stowed the quick loaders with 6 rounds each in a pocket of his trousers. He checked the gun, cocked it and waited for the order to fire.
- You may begin, - the examiner said.
The targets began to come out at high speed, more than twice as fast as during Connie's test. Someone definitely wanted to sabotage Ruslan. But the month of intensive training included a rigorous schedule of daily target practice. Ruslan fired the six bullets from the barrel of his revolver in rapid succession with his right hand, the impacts echoing off the metal plates in the centre of the targets. He quickly switched the revolver to his left hand, emptied it of spent shells and reloaded it in record time, firing the 6 bullets again and repeating the process, this time switching the revolver back to the right hand. Eighteen impacts resounded in the targets; all the shots had hit the metal plate indicating the maximum score of the target.
The colonel and the examiner could not hide their astonishment, as they passed glances from one to the other and to Ruslan, who still with his back to them was emptying the revolver of the last six fired shells. Connie let out a whistle of admiration that snapped them out of their disbelief and they proceeded to announce Ruslan's score.
- Major, you scored 100 out of 100, congratulations, - the examiner announced.
- Thank you, sir, - Ruslan saluted both the examiner and the colonel, the latter's face twisted and without returning the salute he turned and started to walk away, unable to hide his anger.
- Sergeant Perry, Major Drake, you have a meeting pending with General Abernathy, who will tell you if you have passed the tests and if so, will assign you to your new assignments.
Saluting the examiner, Ruslan and Connie turned and followed the angry colonel's footsteps to the barracks administration building, where they were called separately to deal with the general. Connie went first. It didn't take her long to come out, and when she did, she didn't look at all pleased. She looked at Ruslan and shook her head. Just then the General's secretary motioned Ruslan into the office.
- Welcome Major Drake, - said General Abernathy from behind his desk.
- Sir, - replied Ruslan, squaring his shoulders and saluting with a crisp, precise wave of his new right arm.
- I have been provided with your evaluation reports. Impressive results, especially given the wounds you suffered in combat.
Ruslan said nothing, but he could see a "but" coming from the general.
- But unfortunately, as you know, active personnel are not allowed to be dependent on autolimb technology. They are only allowed to work in administrative services.
- I know that, sir. That applied to the old prostheses, both Sergeant Perry and I have undergone an experimental reconstruction project, the new prostheses have been designed for use by military personnel wounded in combat.
- Yes, I know. Drake Industries has already presented us with their project and their findings. But standards are standards.
- Sir, the standards have evolved as new technology has been incorporated into military service.
- But it's up to the chain of command to decide what technology to include and when to include it, Major. And they don't think it's time to use this new autolimb prostheses yet.
- I understand, - Ruslan said unconvinced.
- Look, I know it's not what you expected. And the truth is, given the results you've achieved in your fitness tests, you'd be more than capable of returning to active duty. But we cannot depend on an external company for the implementation and maintenance of new technology. Especially when that company has always refused to take an active part in military development.
Ruslan finally saw what they were getting at, not just the general, but those pulling his strings behind the scenes. Drake Industries had always refused to allow any military or police organisation to use its technology or resources for warfare or weaponry purposes. William Drake had always ensured that his discoveries were only used to improve people's lives, not to cause harm. And now the military believed it had a way to force William Drake's hand through his son.
- Let's be clear general, what you're trying to say is that if Drake Industries allows you to use their technology as you see fit, you'll approve my return to active duty?
- I see you're pretty straightforward, son. Yes, that's what I'm saying. You've been a great career military man. You understand the military's need to have control over the technology that is applied in our field.
- Permission to speak freely, sir.
- You're still on leave, Major, technically you're a civilian, you don't have to ask for permission, - the general said with a smile faker than a wooden coin. He thought he had already won.
- I can't speak for my father, but I can speak for myself when I tell you to shove your veiled blackmail up your uniformed ass.
- How dare you...!
- Shut your mouth! - Ruslan's tone of voice struck Abernathy dumb. - Let me make one thing clear, I will not serve as a bargaining chip for you to take advantage of my father's legacy, or my family's resources. I will not re-join a corrupt and unseemly entity that allows the likes of you to be in positions of power!
And approaching the general's desk, he picked up his reinstatement application documents and ripped them in half, threw them on the desk with disdain, turned and walked calmly out the door.
Connie turned at the sound of the door and saw Ruslan walk out.
- What happened? - she asked, seeing the serious, almost angry look on his friend's face.
- I just sent a two-star general to hell, - said Ruslan as if talking about the weather, and started walking towards the exit of the building. Connie followed him.
- Wait, you did what?! - she said, perplexed.
- He wanted to blackmail me to force my father to hand over Drake Industries patents.
Connie stopped in her tracks. Ruslan stopped and turned to face her.
- I'm not going to put my father between a rock and a hard place, just to further my career. I'm leaving it here.
- Well, if you're leaving, I'm going with you," she said without hesitation. - Besides, they would have forced me to be locked up in an office.
Ruslan smiled and started walking again with Connie at his side. They both walked out the door of the administration building without looking back.