Chapter 3

Monday, June 23, 2014

The mood in the Stevens’ household was somber in light of recent events. We woke up at 5am and went to practice in the dojo. The Parker sisters were already there waiting for us. They spent the next two hours practicing what I had already taught them. They have been working with me for a month now. So I started this morning off with warmup exercises then I had them pare off and spar for an hour; each one trading off defending or attacking.

I watched each pair and noticed they had one thing in common; they all seem to flinch when being attacked. “Oy!” I yelled and they stopped.

“Form a circle!” I commanded. “While I watched you spar with each other I noticed that when you were defending, you all flinched. You are afraid to get hit. So that will be today’s lesson,” I told them. “Chrystal you first; lead by example, lover.”

“Chrystal and I will go first.” I set in my mind an image. Samantha’s crib was behind Chrystal and I was an assassin bent on killing her before she could grow up and be a threat to the Human Race. I sent this image with emotion to Chrystal’s mind through our link. The supposed threat to Samantha was enough to provoke her. She attacked.

I leapt in the air, spun and landed a hit to her temple with the ball of my foot. Chrystal flew out of the circle and rolled. She lay there moaning. I ran to her and leapt in the air intending to crush her chest with my knee. As I was descending Rachel slammed into my body and knocked me off course. When I landed I rolled and sprang to my feet.

“Is that the best you can do Rachel? A body slam? After all I’ve taught you in the past four weeks you couldn’t even do a kick?” I taunted her. “Pathetic. You four are no match for me. That baby is as good as dead.”

Each time I stepped toward Samantha’s play pen they would step between us facing off with me. “Aiko,” Chrystal said breathing hard, bending over in obvious pain. “What is wrong with you? You pledged to protect her.”

“Protect her? I want to kill her, then I won’t have to share this massive fortune with her. All I have to do is get through you. You want to be my slave, Chrystal? I can make that happen, you can sleep in the playroom and I can chain you to the wall.”

With that they screamed and charged. Finally, they understood what it meant to attack and defend. They were no longer afraid to get hit or to hit. Their only thought was to protect Samantha from an assassin. I was proud of them. They fought well. They lost, but they fought well. They were lying on the mat in defeat and I walked to Samantha’s crib. I heard Chrystal scream at me to stop then heard the sound of one of my swords being drawn from its scabbard. I picked up Samantha, opened my GI and let her feed. I turned around to see Chrystal pointing the tip of the sword at my throat.

“You can relax, Chrystal. You passed. You needed to know what it was like to be attacked. You needed to know if you had it in you to truly be a protector. To do that I had to make you believe I was a real threat to my daughter.” Chrystal lowered the sword and dropped it to the floor. She dropped to her knees and fell to the floor.

“Don’t you ever do that again.” She told me.

“This is your first lesson in combat. I pulled my punches because I didn’t really want to hurt you girls, but you needed to know what it feels like to get hit. The best way to overcome your fear of getting hit or of hurting other is to get into fights. Since that involves the law the next best thing is competitions. I will speak to our Sensei about getting you ready for tournaments.” I announced. Samantha had finished feeding and had fallen asleep so I put her back in her play pen.

At the mention of tournaments the girls had all sat up. I got a series of, “Really?” “Cool!” “Awesome!” Chrystal had finally crawled back over to the other battered girls.

“On your feet!” I commanded. I waited while they helped each other to their feet. I looked at the Parker sisters while they were trying to stand up. “They fought valiantly to protect Samantha even though they haven’t pledged to do so. I wonder if they would be open to joining our bond and being a part of our circle.” I thought. “Show respect!” I said. They brought their feet together left hand over right fist and bowed to me. I returned their bow. “Dismissed.”

Chrystal went to get Samantha and take her to our room when I collapsed to the mat.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Chrystal

Hi. I’m sure you know me by now. I know that this diary is Aiko’s but since she is in the hospital in a coma I am making the entries so she will know what is happening in her absence.

Feeling like I had been run over by the limo several times I was walking ... limping ... whatever you want to call it, toward the playpen to get Samantha when my head and chest felt like Aiko kicked me again and I went down. I didn’t lose consciousness like I did the first time we separated; I just fell to the floor. “NNNOOOOO!!” I cried out.

“Theresa! Mary! See to Aiko, I’ll get Chrystal.” I heard Rachel say.

Rachel ran to me and knelt beside me, grabbing my shoulders and sitting me up. “Chrystal!” She said alarmed. “What’s wrong? Are you OK?” she asked.

“The bond ... with Aiko, it’s gone. I can’t feel her anymore. Is she ok?” I wrapped my arms around Rachel and cried into her neck. I could smell her sweat, but I didn’t care. “Is she dead? I feel so empty.” I said.

“I don’t know. Theresa and Mary are checking on her.” She told me. “Theresa! Is she OK?” Rachel hollered.

“She’s alive,” Theresa said. “She has a week pulse and her breathing is very shallow.”

“We need to call an ambulance,” Mary said with a quiver in her voice. “I don’t want her to die. I love her”

“I do, too, Mary” Theresa said

Rachel was close to my ear so she said in almost a whisper, “So do I my sisters. So do I.”

This is the first time I have ever heard them confess their love for Aiko. I knew they liked her and had shown their loyalty to her, but they never said anything about loving her. I was pleased to know it, but I was too devastated about losing the bond with Aiko that I pushed it to the back of my mind for later.

I sat up letting Rachel go, “Yes, we need an ambulance.” I stood up shakily and Rachel helped me keep my balance. I ran to the intercom and pressed the button for house wide PA. “Sharon!”

A few seconds later, “What do you want now, Chrystal.” She said with impatience in her voice.

“I don’t have time for your attitude, Sharon! Aiko will deal with you later. Right now we need an ambulance. Aiko has collapsed and is barely breathing and has a very weak pulse. I think she is dying.”

With a lot more respect she answered, “I will call immediately and have David meet them at the front door.”

Shutting off the intercom I thought to myself, ‘What else could go wrong? This is the third time we have had to call an ambulance to this house.”

I tapped Theresa on the shoulder and she moved aside. I sat Aiko up and got under her and let her lean back into my chest. I held her there until the paramedics arrived. It’s a good thing our neighborhood has its own ambulance garage. They don’t have to deal with traffic until they get on the main roads outside of the neighborhood. We got lucky and they had an ambulance still in the garage and it arrived in less than ten minutes.

They apparently left the gurney upstairs as they only had their equipment bags with them. “Ok, Miss, Let’s lay her back down,” one of the men said. He lifted her off of me and Rachel helped me to scoot out of the way. They laid her down and checked her heart beat with a stethoscope.

“Heart rate is 35 BPM, breathing is shallow at 12 breaths per minute; blood pressure is 80 over 30. Pupils are dilated and do not react to light,” he called out. “We need to get her to the E.R. now, before we lose her!” Picking her up in his arms he carried her upstairs and placed her on the gurney. The other paramedic put the equipment away and carried the bags back to the ambulance. After loading Aiko in the ambulance I tried to climb in with her. The paramedic put his hand on my shoulder to stop me.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but minors aren’t allowed in the ambulance except as a patient,” he informed me. I grabbed his hand and twisted it to the inside of his body and applied force to his elbow with my other hand. That brought his head down to lay on the edge of the gurney.

“AAAAHHH!” he screamed which got the attention of the driver.

“What’s going on back there?” He asked.

“Just a difference of opinion,” I said and he looked back. He started to get out and come around. “Stay there or I’ll break his arm,” I ordered. He closed the driver’s door and turned back to me.

“As you pointed out she is dying,” I motioned toward Aiko with my head. “So what’s more important; your rules about minors in the ambulance or getting her to the E.R.?” I asked.

“Fine. Let her in, but if you get hurt or we get in trouble it will be your fault,” The driver said.

I released his arm and climbed in. I sat on the bench next to the paramedic. On the way to the hospital I called Doctor Jones’s office.

“Dr. Jones’ Office, April speaking,” I heard.

“April, this is Chrystal Samson, I am the personal bodyguard for one of Dr. Jones’ patients, Aiko Stevens. I need you to tell Dr. Jones that Aiko Stevens collapsed earlier and is unconscious. The paramedics said her vitals are: heart rate 35 bpm, breathing shallow at 12 bpm, blood pressure 80 over 30. We are headed to Long Island Private Hospital,” I told her.

“Got it, Miss. Samson, I’ll take it to her immediately,” April said.

I ended the call and called the house. “Stevens’ residence,” I heard as Sharon answered the phone.

“Sharon, Chrystal here. Have the Parker sisters bring me something to shower with and if my clothes are still in my old room a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and my sandal flats.” I instructed.

“Anything else, your highness?” she asked with a bit too much attitude.

“That is enough of that, Sharon. I will deal with you when I get home,” I said a bit upset.

About that time we arrived at the hospital. The driver came around and opened the back door. I jumped out quickly and made sure I was not in the way. I followed the gurney into the E.R. and a nurse tried to stop me. A thumb bent in the wrong direction and an angry glare was enough to end that encounter. They wheeled her into one of the rooms and I followed, much to the dismay of the staff.

“Miss, you can’t be in here,” one of the nurses said.

“I am her personal bodyguard. I go where she goes,” I shot back.

The nurse went to a house phone. “I need security in the E.R. room 3.”

Ok now, let’s see how I handle myself in a real life situation. A guard showed up and the nurse met him outside the room.

“Alright, Miss, you can’t be in here and the nurse asked you to leave. Now, come on.” The guard reached for my arm and I grabbed his hand and twisted inward, like I did the paramedic, and pushed on his elbow. He bent over. When I saw him pull out his Taser I did a front snap kick to his side and he fell over and slid into the far wall. I picked up the Taser he dropped, but I did not pursue further attack; I just resumed my place in the corner, but kept an eye on the guard.

When the guard caught his breath he got up and stepped out of the room. I heard him get on his radio and call two other guards. “This is going to get interesting,” I thought to myself. The guards were still in the hall so I decided to step out and confront them there. Four people fighting in the small E.R. room was not such a good idea. Three on one didn’t appeal to me either. I was about to take up a defensive stance when I saw the Parker sisters walk up behind the guards. I relaxed and stood there.

“Now that’s better missy. You can see we out number you. Now you can come with us. Your friend is in good hands.” One of the guards said. I hate it when adults talk to me like I’m five instead of sixteen.

“Outnumber? Can’t count can you?” I asked taunting him.

“Yes I can. There are,” and he pointed to himself and the other guards, “One, two, three of us and,” he pointed to me, “one of you.”

“You are mistaken. There are,” I pointed the guards, “one, two, three of you and,” I pointed to myself, “one,” then pointed behind the guards, “two, three, and four of us.” The guards turned to see who I was pointing at and saw the Parker sisters who had dropped my bag and taken up defensive stances.

“What’s going on here?” A man in an expensive suit hollered as he walked up behind the girls. They made space for him to pass through then closed the gap again.

“Somebody want to tell me what is going on and why are you disturbing the patients?” He asked no one in particular.

The first guard spoke up. “This young lady here was in the room with the staff and a patient. The nurse told her she couldn’t be in there and she refused to leave. The nurse called for assistance and I took the call. When I arrived she was standing in the corner and I asked her to leave. When she refused I grabbed her arm. That’s when she attacked me...”

“Self-defense,” I interrupted.

“And kicked me across the room. When I recovered I called for help and these two showed up. That is where you walked up.” He explained.

The suit looked at me and asked, “Is that true Miss?”

“Mostly,” I answered.

“Well, let’s hear your side of it then,” he said.

“In order to understand my actions you need to know who you have in that room,” I started.

“OK, tell us, who is the patient?” he asked.

“Aiko Stevens, the sole heir to the Stevens fortune and majority shareholder of Stevens Enterprises. The young lady in that E.R. room is the richest teenager in New York. Just think of your hospital’s reputation if the wealthy clients you have here were to find out, and I would make sure they did, that you allowed her to be harmed or kidnapped from your hospital, because your staff and security interfered with her personal bodyguards,” I told him.

“I know the Stevens’. While I have never met the young lady in there, if she is the heir to the Stevens estate she will be given the utmost respect and our best care. If it will keep you from disturbing the staff and the patients I will allow you to stay with her, but first thing tomorrow you will hire proper guards. Then I want you ‘children’ to leave my hospital.” He said looking straight at me.

Before anyone saw me move I was on him, I grabbed him by the suit jacket and his shirt and slammed him against the wall. My temper was flaring full blast now. “I am not a child! Do I look six to you? I am sixteen and the protector of that young lady in there. I bested your guard. Can a ‘child’ do that? You will treat me and talk to me with respect or so help me god I will use my substantial resources to make your life suck,” I told him. I let him go and Sarah stepped up.

“Mike, these girls have pledged their lives, their love, their very souls to protecting that young woman in there. You should treat them as adults and with respect or you may find yourself out of a job. I have seen her dedication to Aiko first hand.” Sarah told him.

“How did she know about the pledge?” I thought to myself.

He straightened his suit and looked at me, “My apologies, Miss.” He nodded his head and left. I was hoping that after this event word would get around the hospital and we would be treated with respect. “You three wait out here,” I told them and Sarah and I went back into the room. I resumed my place in the corner much to the nurse’s dismay. I smirked at her and she went back to work. Sarah took over as Aiko’s doctor.

I noticed Aiko’s GI on a chair by me and checked it to make sure they didn’t damage it. I took it to Rachel and told her to put it in my bag.

“Dr. Jones, There is nothing more we can do here. We’ve got her stabilized. We put her on a glucose and saline drip. Her vitals are all normal, but she’s just not waking up. What do you want us to do from here?” the E.R. doctor asked.

“Admit her and move her to ICU. I have already talked to the hospital administrator and he has agreed to allow her bodyguards to stay with her tonight,” She told him.

“Bodyguards? Those children?” He was saying.

I was out of my corner and about to jump the bed when Dr. Jones looked at me in alarm and held up her hand toward me and shouted, “STOP!”

I stopped immediately, hands on the bed and one foot still poised to jump over the bed and tear his head off.

Dr. Jones turned back to the E.R. doctor, “Tom, are you stupid or what?” he looked at her with incredulity at her question. “You just watched her take down the hospital guard. The noise you heard out in the hallway was that ‘child’ as you called her,” she did the quote thing with her fingers, “picking up Mike and slamming him into the wall for calling her a child. You would do well to keep your arrogance in check around her and her team. Had I not stopped her she would have jumped this bed and put you down like a rabid dog. You would have found yourself unemployed by the time the fight was over. This young lady in the bed is now the wealthiest teen in America and will one day be the most powerful. You don’t want this family as enemies.” Dr. Jones told him. “How does she know so much about us, about me? Who has been talking to her? Sharon? David?” I thought to myself. Dr. Jones looked at me and smiled then turned back to ‘Tom’.

“I brought her test results from her last physical with me. You need to see the results of the breast milk tests. I walked around to their side of the bed and stood beside Dr. Jones. “Look at the levels in her breast milk.” She said.

“What the...” He started. “How are they so high?” he asked Dr. Jones.

“My prognosis is that her body is shunting most of her body’s nutrients into her breast milk.” Dr. Jones stared to explain.

“That would explain a few things,” I said to myself interrupting Dr. Jones.

“Explains what, Chrystal?” Dr. Jones asked.

“Aiko and I started sleeping in the same bed together since she arrived at the house,” I started explaining. “About a week later she told Mrs. Stevens that her breasts hurt. That is what prompted the physical at Dr. Jones’ office,” I continued. I had Tom’s full attention by now. “After the exam we talked about her lactating even though she wasn’t pregnant and what to do with the milk since Samantha wasn’t born yet, so I offered to help her out. At first I was able to handle the volume she produced. About two weeks later she was examining her breasts and remarked that they looked bigger. We found a tape measure and measured her breasts and sure enough they had gone from a 36C to a 38D in two weeks. Now she was producing more milk than I could handle.

“We were pumping the excess and pouring it out. Let’s see...” I stopped to think, “I have been drinking her milk for four weeks. About every four hours every day. Since then I have been more energetic, happier and stronger and faster. I have been studying Kung Fu with Aiko for five weeks. I can run ten miles before I start to get tired and I never ran anywhere before I met her. I can bench 280 lbs. and curl 125 lbs. Before Aiko I could barely pick up an empty weight bar, I never went into the exercise room. I was too lazy for exercising.

“You saw how easily I took out the guard,” I said looking at Tom. He nodded his head. “I should not have been able to do that. He easily outweighs me by 150 lbs.,” I finished.

“Thank you, Chrystal,” Dr. Jones said

“Yes, thank you, Miss. That was certainly some very useful information,” he added.

About that time the nurse returned with Aiko’s blood test results. I remained at Dr. Jones’ side as they were looking at the blood test results.

“Yep,” Tom said. “Looks like your prognosis was correct; she passed out because of the almost total loss of supporting nutrients in her body. According to the results of the milk tests almost all of her nutrients are in her breasts. We need to find a way to induce nutrients into her body.”

“I have a suggestion,” Rachel said from the door. We all turned to look at her.

“Why not, we don’t have anything, yet. Let’s hear it young lady,” Tom said.

“I was listening to what you were saying about her nutrients so I grabbed this from the gym bag I brought. It’s called Gobi juice from a company called Treelife. It is made primarily from the Goby berry. The company claims it is the most nutritionally dense fruit on the planet. It has other things in it, too. The taste takes some getting used to.” Rachel grabbed a couple of paper cups from her bag and poured about an ounce in each cup and offered it to the doctors. “Here try it.” They took the cups and both of them made faces. Rachel and I laughed. “Told you it takes some getting used to. I suggest taking it to the lab and have it tested to see if it would be a viable solution,” Rachel suggested.

“That’s a good idea,” Tom said. “Give the bottle to Janet and she can take it to them. And Janet tell them it’s an emergency for a patient in the E.R. I want a preliminary result within the hour and have them send it to the ICU,” He ordered.

“Yes, Doctor,” she said and took the bottle and left.

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Aiko

First off, I want to thank Chrystal for taking over the ‘diary duties’ and keeping track of events in my absence. I enjoyed reading about what all happened after I collapsed.

Now for my point of view. At this time I am still in the hospital. I have not awakened yet. I just posted this at this point to keep the timeline straight.

Flashback to Monday morning June 23, 2014

“Hello?” I shouted. “What’s going on? Why am I here? I’m supposed to be in the dojo,” I was saying to anyone listening.

“You are not well, Mother. Your body is in the hospital, unconscious. At this time you are dying.”

Samantha had appeared in front of me. I fell to my knees and started crying when I heard her say I was dying. “How can I be dying? I am supposed to help you, protect you. I can’t do that if I am dying.” I asked.

“My father says that your timeline continues. You will not die. Chrystal and the Parker sisters are standing vigil over your body. Chrystal has fought valiantly to protect you.”

“Who did she fight in a hospital and why?” I asked

“She fought a large guard, who tried to remove her from your presence, and won. She fought against the director for her right to be respected as an adult and to stay as your protector while you are in the hospital. She fought with honor. Neither man was harmed, but accepted defeat at her hands,” Samantha told me.

About that time Thes showed up. “Aiko it is good to see you again. I just wish it had been under better circumstances,” he said in greeting.

“Me, too.” I replied.

“There is nothing we can do about your body; however, there is more information we can offer you about your bond with Chrystal, which by the way we had to sever when you collapsed,” he said.

“Severed? Chrystal and I are no longer bonded? What happened to her?” I asked alarmed.

“Initially she was in pain, physically and emotionally. She had thought you dead when the connection was severed. She has fully recovered and is using the pain of her loss to drive her desire to serve and protect you,” He told me. “In order to understand the nature of your bond with Chrystal I have been conferring with one of our councils. We call it the ‘council of the mind’ as they cover all things mental and spiritual. I have invited them to this meeting to speak with you.” When he said that they appeared standing in a semi-circle behind him; Thes then stepped off to the side.

“Greetings, Human. We are pleased to meet you after hearing so much about you.” Their leader said. At least I think she was their leader. There were seven of them, all women, all dressed in white robes.

“Aiko.” I said.

“We do not understand. What is ‘Aiko’?” she asked.

“Aiko is my name, not ‘human’. Human is my species.” I corrected her.

“Please forgive. Thes neglected to provide that information,” she responded.

“In order for a human to live they must have a soul. Upon examining your bond we noticed that your souls had separated from your bodies to combine into a single energy signature with your combined frequencies. It was then connected to your bodies by a band of energy of your original frequency. The distance limitation was due to the distance from your soul rather than the distance from each other. We have found a way to bond you two together so that you can continue to have the empathic and telepathic connection without any distance limitations.” She informed me.

“How? Is it possible to bond with others? I want to bond with the parker sisters and I believe the desire is mutual,” I asked.

“It is possible but more difficult and will require a great sacrifice,” she said.

“What I would like to do is form an elite squad of protectors. I want them to bond kinda like what Chrystal and I were but without the distance limitation. I was thinking six women, but seeing your council I think seven would be better.” I told her.

“If you want a group of seven you will need eight women. Bring them here and call for me, my name is Thea. One of the eight will be asked to sacrifice her life for the group. That one will then be separated from her body and become the central energy signature,” she informed me. “Do you wish to be rebonded with your friend?” she asked.

“When the time is right, yes; we will come here and call you,” I said. With that they left, Thes did as well.

“They have begun administering what you need to heal your body. You will awaken soon, Mother. We have much to discuss and little time,” Samantha told me. I don’t know how long I was in the white room with Samantha, but it seemed like a year.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Chrystal

After talking with the doctors and sending the Goby juice to the lab, an orderly entered the room pushing a gurney.

“Take her to ICU,” Tom ordered.

“Yes, Doctor,” the orderly replied.

Tom helped the orderly lift Aiko and move her to the gurney. “I wonder what Aiko would think knowing that after they removed her GI they left her naked body uncovered the whole time. Even now with the orderly wheeling her to ICU,” I thought to myself, but before he actually left the room he spread a sheet over her.

I followed them out of the room and into the elevator. Mary had picked up the gym bag with my street clothes in it and they joined us on the elevator. We rode up to the third floor where ICU was and walked to the nurse’s station.

“The E.R. called already, go ahead and put her in room 1,” the nurse said. Then she turned to us and said, “You can’t be in here. This is the intensive care unit.”

“We have already spoken with Mike the hospital administrator. We have his permission to go where she goes. We are her bodyguards.” With that we walked into the room. I still had the gym bag, but I wanted to check on Aiko before I sought out a shower. With tears in my eyes I placed a hand on her cheek, leaned in and whispered to her, “Please wake up, I need you.” Then I turned to the Parker sisters.

“You are not to leave this room for any reason. If anyone says they are taking her for tests. You will stop them. No one enters this room except the nurse outside and Dr. Jones. Is that clear?” I instructed.

“Yes, Ma’am,” the said together in a whisper.

I left the room and went to the nurse’s station. “Nurse? I left instructions with my team. No one is to enter that room without my consent except you and her personal physician Dr. Sarah Jones. Understood?” I told her.

“I spoke to the hospital administrator and he confirmed what you told me. I will see that your instructions are followed,” she told me.

“Very good. Now if you would be so kind as to direct me to a shower. I kinda smell funny.” I said trying to lighten the mood.

She smiled when I said that. “Yeah, I noticed. If you take the elevator to the basement level and turn right. Go to the second door on the left. It says, ‘Physical Therapy’. In the far left corner are some showers you can use.” She told me.

“Thank you, Ma’am,” I said and left.

I stepped off the elevator and turned right. I was halfway to the second door when I stepped in something sticky. I looked down and raised my foot to see the bottom of it. I couldn’t see anything but it was sticky in that spot of the floor. I moved to the side and walked around it. When I entered the Physical Therapy room there was one therapist working with a patient on the floor mat. He was lifting one of his legs bringing the knee to his chest.

He looked up when I entered, “Can I help you?”

Looking down at my bare feet I said, “I stepped in something sticky just outside in the hallway.”

“Oh, yeah one of my patients earlier this morning had an accident with her bladder. The janitor was supposed to come mop that up,” he told me.