Don checked the creature's pulse. It was slow. Too slow. He took injection of adrenaline and gave it to the creature. He can't let his heart stop. Soon the pulse became normal. It needs time to regenerate from blood loss. Lets hope that's all. He can't treat internal wounds here. Gen closed the capsule.
-"Luckily capsule have some main medical senzors."
-"Yes..."
-"You are not optimistic?"
-"No... Without proper medical care I doubt he will survive."
-"He must live. He is our only, how do you call it... Engineer?"
-"I see.. You want to say that without him these devices might turn off?"
-"There is possibility and you know what that means."
-"End of civilization on Earth.."
-"Not only civilization Don. End of life here."
-"Then you have to take risk and take him to our hospital. He must live. At any cost."
-"No, we will endanger us all."
-"Letting him die endangers us all!"
-"Then do something, you are healer right?!"
Rest of the Gen's squad gathered around them wondering what this fuss was about.
-"I am healer, not magician. I can't save him. You need hospital's devices and a good surgeon."
-"Fuck..." Gen punched the wall with his fist. "Sorry Don. It's not your fault, it's just that..."
-"It's okay, I know.."
Gen's fist was all bloody from that punch. Don would ask to help him with that but he knew Gen enough to know that he will refuse any help with an injury like that. One of the creatures that until now said only his name, which Don forgot, has spoken.
-"What if I say that there might be a way to save him."
-"I would probably just ask how can I help you."
-"Well.. I got an idea. You could expose yourself to the core.. It might give you healer's ability considering you are medic and thats who you are, remember that this core amplifies host's characteristics."
-"Are you nuts? You want me to expose myself to radiation of some strange cosmic object that even you don't know what it acually does to people. Even futher, how big are chances that something will go wrong? No way. If I can help without putting my life in danger, yes, I am here then."
-"There is a big chance that core will give you healer's abilities, you dedicated you whole life to that. About chances that core will hurt or kill you... Yes, they are big. Usually it take years for warriors to prepare for it, both physicaly and mentaly, and even then some of them die due to radiation. But honestly? I wouldn't suggest it if I don't believe you can succeed. You are mentaly ready for this, you dedication for healing people is great. On the other side, your physical condition might be a little problem, but I guess there is 50-50 chance you will endure it."
-"You guess? 50-50? You want me to endanger my own life for an outer space creature?"
-"His name is Torkard and your life and lives of every being on the planet Earth could be depending on him. He is not some outer space creature,"
-"I know, sorry but I must refuse." Don extended his hand as gesture to say goodbye. "I have done everything I could. I wish you luck."
Gen looked at the Don little disappointedly but he shaked hands with him.
-"Thank you human. I know I ask for too much. I wish you luck too."
On the way out he met Baxeus who thanked him once more for everything and handed him 10 promised bags of diamonds.
-"Bax, I didn't saved your friend.. I can't take it."
-"You did everything you could, just as you said. Take it."
-"Yes, I guess I did everything.."
Don took the bags and then one of the other creatures opened both doors and Don went outside. It was already dark outside. The door behind him closed and he was left alone. There were no one in sight. They really found the best place to make a hideout. If someone told him that he will make friends with aliens he would recommended a good psychiatrist to that person. If they manage to destroy that thing, life will get back in normal. Don thought that he will never see them again. He choose the longer way to apartment. It's better to think walking outside on fresh air than while laying in bed. The spring nights are his favourite. They have best temperatures, views and air. What if that alien dies there, correction, when that alien dies and something really happen to their devices that keeps the core stabile. Will he be responsible for the end of life on Earth? In some part yes, of course he will. It's just, he was never a hero, he is not ready to sacrifice his life for any goal, any idea.. Even now when world's destiny could depend on him. Is he so cowardly? Of course he is. He would join army or something to help people dying if he isn't a coward. No, it's better to sit in warm and safe chair and help people that way.
He arrived at his appartment faster than he thought he will. Again, alone with his thoughts. He wondered what Kay is doing right now. Is she already sleeping? He changed his clothes and went for a shower. Cold water was so good and refreshing. He stayed in shower for like good 30 minutes. When he finished, he thought about fact that he didn't ate anything for a whole day and he doesn't even feel hungry. He forced himself to eat something. Sandwich tasted so good that he made another two. He actually was hungry in the end. Then, when he cleaned table it was time to try to get some sleep. He didn't remembered his bed was that soft. When he closed his eyes he remembered to check his phone, maybe there is some missed call. When he checked it there were 12 missed calls from his dad. What the hell, what could be that important? He checked the clock, 11:23 PM. Never mind, he must call him now. It rung once, twice... Please, please answer.. Thrice...
-"Hello son.."
-"Hi dad, sorry for calling you at this hour but I saw a lot of missed calls, what is that urgent?
-"Son... I'll be straight with you... Your mom's condition got worse.. Doctors said she only has 6 months to live.. Sorry for telling you this way.."
Don didn't hear what his father was talking after that. The world stopped for him. She was fine until yesterday... Why is this happening... That must be the reason why she didn't picked up a call in the morning when he got a job.
-"Son? Are you there? Can you hear me? Don?"
Don caughed so he don't start crying now. No, she will live, he will help her, some other opinion could help. He know some people that he could ask for a favour.
-"Don? Son?"
-"Yes, I am here dad. I will come tomorrow with the first bus."
-"Son.. I am sorry..." Don could hear his saddness through phone. It breaks his heart.
-"See ya tomorrow."
Don hung up. He had to. He layed down and started crying. His mother, 6 months, dead, his father left alone that will probably die of saddness... That were only thoughts on his mind. He layed there for an hour and then there is an idea. For the first time in his life, he won't be a coward. He just ran outside of apartment in his sleeping clothes and barefoot. He ran and ran without feeling any fatigue. Or maybe his body didn't registered it. Only thing that was on his mind was that he has to save his mother. She sacraficed her money, time, nerves and in the end health and life for him, for his success. This is time he has a chance to redeem himself. He arrived at the abandoned building where Bax led him to earlier in the morning. He fall on the ground where he remembered the door was and started to yell.
-"It's me, Don. Open up. I accept! I will expose myself to the core!"