Chapter 15

When the time and place of my examination came I was in a room of my own. An examiner was about to give me my first exam when I brought a barrister into the room. After introducing himself as my representative he presented a document from the dean stating that he had permission to be present.

"But this is not allowed. Only people taking the tests are allowed."

The barrister simply said, "You are here and so am I. Proceed with the examination or I will see about a court order." He sat down and watched the proceedings with interest now. The tests were designed to take up to thirty hours all run consecutively. I finished a four hour exam in an eighth of the time.

"Next test please."

This was going to be refused me but my legal representative stepped in, "There is no minimum time limit even if the test is not intended to be finished. Give my client the next test and record the time accurately."

"You can't do this..."

"I am authorized to initiate an injunction if you do not comply. It will name you and every one of the medical lecturers in this school and may go on to include the entire BMA. The timing will allow you to continue this harassment but the case will continue with meaningful damages sought."

I got the next test and the one after that. A break was scheduled but I had all the tests done before that time. Each of my sheets had my signature, date, test name and page number with a total given at the end of the sheets.

The doctor had to sign that all sheets were given him so that any lost would be on his shoulders.

I got home to find Sharon crying. Looking into her mind I saw everything she saw and heard. A man who had tried to take Jennifer had been restrained and struck by Sharon. Jennifer had run off while Sharon had been arrested, but later released on her own recognizance.

"Tell me all about it Sharon."

"I... I... "

"Take it easy and tell me one thing at a time."

It took twenty minutes but I got her to say everything she saw. "You are not in trouble. The man did not identify himself and it looked to you like Jennifer was being kidnapped by a man."

"Sharon, stay here no matter what and I will get Jennifer."

"But..."

"Stay here."

"Ok..."

My eye was doing a search pattern and I couldn't seem to find her anywhere. Using my mind I spoke, "Jennifer it is Shawn. Can you hear me?"

I tried very hard and knew I could send well but Jennifer might hear me but not be able to respond. "If you can hear me, go to a phone and call us. I will ask questions and you can tap out an answer."

I repeated my request and ten minutes later I got a phone call and nobody spoke on the other end. Sharon was still crying so I said, "It's Jennifer." Then to the caller I asked, "Are you all right? Bang once for no twice for yes."

When the message came in I said, "Not so loud sweetie. Do you know where you are?"

No.

"Is there some big buildings nearby?"

No.

"Is there a park?"

Yes.

"Is there a statue in it?"

There was no reply and I was getting worried. In a moment I got a yes.

I called out letters one after the other and got a tap at the right one. Soon I had the street. The same thing happened for the address.

"I will be there in ten minutes, you ran pretty far. Stay where you are and don't leave. Do you understand sweetie?"

With a final yes I handed the phone to Sharon and ran out of the house. My eye had found her and there was no pursuit. A taxi drove me to the area and I knew Jennifer had run across the road because some young men were bothering her. I could foresee this as a potential rape and got the driver to go faster.

He stopped and saw me jump a high iron fence and keep on going. I ran up to a youth and just drove my heels into his back. The two others went down just as quickly. I picked the distraught girl up and took her to the gate and waved my hand at the driver after putting Jennifer down.

The driver was angry when I ran away without paying and he clearly was not over it by the time I got back to him. His loud voice was scaring Jennifer so I just reached in the window and pulled the man's shirt outside with him in it by my power and muscle. "Shut your mouth. Drive us back. Can't you see the girl was in trouble?" I let the man go and he lost his anger to be replaced with more than a little fear.

We got into the back and the driver drove back to where he had picked us up, so I gave him the full fare together with a tip and just left. Jennifer and I walked in the back door and all the girls came out to see how she was doing. I gave them a rundown on the three boys and our rather one sided fight.

I phoned the solicitor I had that morning and requested his secretary that he call me when he got back.

The girls were upset and so was Jennifer. Part of it was that she couldn't talk to let us know and part that people were again chasing her. Her old remedy was sill a viable solution.

When the phone call came I answered and had the solicitor on the line. I explained about the problem with Sharon and the man she fought, not giving any identification. I purposely said nothing about Jennifer because there was nothing he could do that would give her freedom without risk. I was told the matter would be taken care of and probably without a court case.

I thought the man right and even had the possibility of a counter claim of assault if the agency did not see things our way.

Now to the problems with Jennifer. For months now I had the solution and had only waited to pass my tests. The marks were not tabulated but other than outright illegalities the diploma would be mine. The matter of a one year internship still stood between me and the licence though. Jennifer needed to go away. She had to be with people I trusted. Those people had to keep her from doing something very stupid and permanent. She was definitely going to miss me and this could bring on another episode.

I took Jennifer's hand and pulled her to her feet. Turning to the rest I said, "We will be busy tonight and I will see the three of you in the morning. Jennifer will be sleeping in. Sharon, I would like you to take first shift tomorrow." There was no need to tell her why.

Once in my shop I said to Jennifer's mind, "Remember when I said that I would put you on the right track?"

"Yes," came her silent reply.

"I am going to fix you tonight and in a while you will start hearing better. Other things I will repair too. Do I have your permission to do this?"

"Will it hurt?"

"Not much but you will be better."

"Ok."

"Then go have a shower and use the toilet too. You won't want to use a bed pan do you?"

"No."

I cleaned my bench and laid a sheet on it along with a pillow. Most of this was theatrical and I wanted her to remember most of it. She came back in her pyjamas, which she usually never wore unless it was exceptionally cold. I helped her onto the hard bed. She saw the instruments on a clean cloth beside me. I gave her a kiss and her arms came around me as if she were going to leave me forever. "Don't worry you will be better in the morning."

With a tap to her forehead she fell asleep. Looking inside her ear I saw the tiny bones misaligned. I used a tiny bit of force and corrected the problem and started the molecules around the junction to flow. Twenty minutes later I did the other side and had to do a lot more work because of degeneration. I took the scalpel and cut her behind her ears and then stitched the incision up. Soon she would be able to feel her stitches and think I had worked from the usual direction.

All this could have been done long ago but she needed to go now not in a year's time. I sliced a small sliver off the inside of her throat and placed it where her larynx should have been. Both ends were anchored and the blood encouraged to flow where it should. The wound was repaired as well as I was able to. The strip of flesh encouraged to grow the way I wanted. This was very tiring work, even surpassing forging steel beams out of mild steel plate.

Two hours later I rested a bit and had a drink. The girls were still downstairs thinking we were making love but they wondered since they didn't hear Jennifer's guttural screams. I ate some fruit and in a moment went back to trying to take one cell and make it grow into another. It had just been determined last year that the key to life was a double helix of amino acids. After hearing of it I searched and found this elusive target. Using plant cells first I was able to see how different groups on the chain could alter the plant if the sequence were changed.

Fruit flies and others exhibited a similar pattern and I had spent a considerable amount of time to unravel the sequence. It was almost nine months now and I was only partially done. School and other commitments had slowed this endeavour very much.

The cells did multiply but I had to go much slower than I would like. I gave the cells and myself a rest and picked Jennifer up and put her on a more comfortable bed. Three times I got up and went back to work. There were other things I could do for her but I was too tired to try to juggle so many things.

With the first step done I went to sleep for a few more hours. Waking up later I got Jennifer up and helped her to the bathroom. She felt her bandages along with a little pain but I got a big smile when she heard things she never heard before.

I was careful with her as a ploy and she slowly pantomimed out how she could hear much better but had a sore throat. She was only allowed liquids and after an hour I had her back on the counter top. This time she was very happy to go.

To give the larynx a further rest I went for the area of her brain that governed her aggression. It was undeveloped and I worked at stimulating the cells to grow as in her throat. Again I had to take frequent rests and got more fruit to eat. For two days between classes I worked on my Jennifer. I seem to have lost a few pounds even though I was eating. Jennifer got up regularly, drank juice and after a little exercise and a shower went back to my shop.

Half way through the fourth day I figured I was finished except for minor touch-ups.

I cast my mind around the house and found some girls here that had no real job prospects at the moment. Some had decided to work for me full time instead after graduating and forego their careers. There were many places I could use this talent and did my best to teach them about business as well as their regular classes.

Of the fourteen members of the sorority, ten had graduated and only three wanted new assignments. This was understandable because of all the money they and their families had put out to get them educated in the first place. The three would go in a few weeks and had that time to prepare. They also worked for me and made more spending money. That night I gave them plane or train tickets to their new life and again many tears were spilt. Beth was one of the ones to go and she was with Jennifer and I heard a scream like no other. I raced into the room and found Beth with a frightened face at Jennifer's mons.

Both girls were shocked but for different reasons. Beth heard a scream like she did when Jennifer made love to her. Jennifer was just out of it, enjoying her most recent orgasm.

I kissed Beth's lips and tasted Jennifer. "You started her, perhaps she will talk soon."

"Talk? She can't talk"

"I didn't just work on her ears, you know. Stay with her now and give her the good news. I never said anything to her about it."

She kissed me hard and pressed her naked body against me. They were usually shy about making love to each other with others looking, especially me. But now it was different.

Ten minutes later a naked Jennifer ran into me and squawked a sound something like my name. I held her too me and said, "That was fantastic Sweetie. I am glad your first word was my name." She pulled me close and I think she was the happiest she had ever been in her short life.

We had a party that night and Jennifer tried to say all the girls' names but most came out almost the same. This was a vast improvement over having no vocal cords at all. I looked into Jennifer's mind to see the small changes which in a few years would make her behave like any other girl you would meet. The vocal cords might come relatively quickly, but the whole persona would take time to adjust to her more aggressive spirit. Who knows, maybe she could get into sports soon but she wouldn't do it here.

We had another small party when I got my diploma it listed my degrees in medicine and all the other subjects I wrote exams for a term earlier. Next term I would be an intern and in my spare time teach if I could. I knew from other people that most had little time to do anything even if it was four hours a day of sleep.

Sharon's case was quashed and the man was obliged by the judge to make his own apology or face the consequences. Sharon was very happy and kissed me in the court.

I had been talking to Monique on the phone and she loved her job but missed us something terrible. I asked if she wanted some visitors and she almost came through the instrument at us. I hadn't told her about Jennifer yet so it would be a surprise. I had made arrangements that Beth work at the same university as Monique for an ulterior reason. Stephanie, one of the sorority sisters at loose ends, was offered a special job. Jennifer and she were lovers along with Beth and Monique. Beth was the only one of the three to hide with each of her sisters to make love. The rest basically had a free for all and enjoyed it.

I told one of my first lies now and it felt as if I were stabbed. Jennifer was told she was going to visit Paris with Monique, Beth and Stephanie the later was to be her companion for the four month visit.

Jennifer was both sad and glad but hated to leave all her friends. There was a party of sorts but everybody was too sad to participate. Three days later Beth and Stephanie crossed the channel on a ferry and took Jennifer's property with them.

A day later and at night I brought Jennifer to the ferry and put her to sleep. In this condition I picked up her body and put her on my back. We flew under cover of darkness across the gap to the continent. The channel looks small on the map but it is very wide to fly across. I did cheat and rested on a ship for a few minutes and continued our flight.

I chose this method to avoid checks for papers that Jennifer did not have. After we landed between two buildings we took a taxi to the ferry terminal and Jennifer saw a boat just leaving as I awoke her.

She believed we came by boat and were safely through customs and immigration. A few hours later a train brought us into Paris and twenty minutes later we were knocking at Monique's door.

Monique had just woken up. She had a hard night with her two friends and her legs, tongue and crotch were still sore. She hugged and kissed us both and said, "Come in and give me your jackets."

"Thank you Monique," came quietly and hesitantly from Jennifer.

It took a few seconds but Monique was now fully awake. "How..."

"Shawn fix... fixed me good."

We got another hug and this time I was worried about my bones. Beth and Stephanie were awake now too and smiled at how Monique was taking the news.

The girls did a bit of talking but Jennifer went to sleep because I purposely made her stay up late to make her this way. With the girl in the other room I sat in the small kitchen and talked to the three girls. "It is getting too difficult to keep Jennifer in London. You three girls are the ones she loves the most in this world. I lied to her about being here four months. It may need to be three years until she is sixteen and can come back to London. Besides Jennifer's voice and hearing, I worked on her brain and she will become more assertive as time goes on. This means she will be in less danger from others and from herself."

"I want to get you a larger apartment possibly closer to the university that the two of you will work at. Stephanie is to keep an eye on Jennifer and teach her French and all other subjects. For this service I will pay her and supplement the cost for a larger apartment. Beth and Monique will have to watch Jennifer to give Stephanie a break. You all love one another on many levels and I want Jennifer kept within the love of this group."

We talked more on this and many scenarios were covered. Stephanie could leave if another came in her place. Money was placed in a bank with regular deposits to cover the cost of food. The girls would now live much better than Monique alone but not free enough that they could not work.

The next day I searched for an apartment and ended up purchasing the building and the one next to it. The cost was low and like London the prices would only rise in time. Much of the city had been destroyed and the cost of property was cheap.

That afternoon at an attorney's office I had the papers drawn up and the buildings were mine. A penthouse apartment was vacant and in need of repairs. Workmen came the next day and started doing what I asked.

Monique wanted to see the apartment I 'rented' and I mentioned that it was being worked on. We saw the sights of Paris and I got to see into some very remarkable brains. The diplomats here were not the same as the ones visiting Rhodesia. They were even slimier however their thinking was rather more creative.

Some furniture was ordered, delivered and set up. There was nothing more needed except the girls and their personal belongings. I presented each girl with a key. We entered the lift and Monique had to use her key to get to the higher floors. The lift had an antique handle and I had Jennifer do the honours this time and just said, "The top."

When the door opened they saw large doors and rich furniture in the hallway. Equally rich carpet covered the hallway. Looking into the doorways Monique thought that somebody had left their apartment doors open. She said, "Those rooms are so big and beautiful. Quick. Shawn I want to see ours?"

"You are in it."

"Shawn this is a hallway. Cut the jokes. Where is the apartment you rented?"

"Do I have to repeat myself woman?"

She knew the voice and decided to search for herself. Soon the others started to wander about. Beth even knocked on a few doors to see if some of the other tenants would help them. I walked into a large room and kicked off my shoes and lay down on an antique couch that was worth a fortune.

Monique saw me and whispered as loud as she dared, "Shawn get off that. The owners will come and call the police."

"Recently I told you that I lied. Take a guess at how many times I have done that. Then remember my last words to you."

Her mind worked through the logic. So many times it went right on the money then veered off from the impossible. She was still at it when Beth came back and said, "The place is empty. There is no clothes, shoes, food; nothing."

Monique looked at me and then both looked at me. Monique repeated all my words as good as she could remember them and Beth came to the conclusion, "This is all one apartment and you rented it?"

"No, I didn't."

Jennifer pleaded with me and used her voice to say, "Pleeeese."

"Ok, I own both the building and the apartment building next to it. This is my apartment when I am here and you will be staying in it. The four of you will have to manage the two properties by yourselves. Get used to French law and I will negotiate to get a good plumber, electrician and others to help you when you need it. The building is old but in good shape.

Monique looked around and said, "You own this!"

"Now let's get you moved and see what we can do for last month's rent."

I took Monique to my solicitor here and had her sign some papers for me. She had a good business head but had little time other than in my store to use it.

That night I flew back over the channel alone and felt alone now even more than when I first came here over a year ago. The train took me to London and I reported to the school for classes and to the hospital to see when I was needed there.

Both institutions wanted me now so I called the mathematics department and explained, "I don't think I can handle the classes till I find out how I will be run ragged by the hospital. Already they are angry that I didn't report in at midnight."

"That sounds like the usual way of handling things. I don't know why any sane person puts himself in their hands."

"From my point of view as a potential licensed physician, I would have to say that I agree with you one hundred percent. I asked some questions and found that they hadn't even contacted me to tell me this but it was still my fault for not coming on time. Sounds a lot like the way it was last semester."

"Get used to it Shawn. I will try to see if I can get a schedule for you that they will stick to and then you can see what classes you can teach. Don't even think about having weekends off. That is when you will be working the most to cover for other doctors."

"Thank you sir."

I was placed in geriatrics and actually liked dealing with older people. Then again most of the people in the hospital were older than me anyway. The patients were understandably shocked to see me even though I was in the papers a lot recently. A boy almost five (but not quite) does not at first inspire a lot of trust and confidence. Some patients with less than their usual faculties thought of me as their grandchild or even great grandchild on occasion. Here wearing a white smock and stethoscope in my pocket did not make me look as I should.

Many patients thought me not competent enough to treat them. I would explain how I had done all this for years I was hit with derision and ridicule when they subtracted years from my apparent age. We would travel around in groups like a pack of hyenas and this was the only reason I got to get close enough to give a logical reason for having an accurate diagnosis. Standing out in the hallway and noticing that somebody had irregular heartbeat was sure to get even more tongues wagging.

Sometimes it wasn't even the patients giving me grief. Visitors would object to their parents or grandparents being treated by me. The physicians now with their conservatism were obliged to stick up for me even if they didn't like to. It was easy to see how distasteful this was to most.

The nurses had been following my career were in general much more sympathetic but by no means all were so supportive. They were at least professional and only talked among themselves. Things did start getting better when the nurses began talking to the patients and expounding on my virtues.

One old woman was brought in but her name and her history were unknown. She had liver cancer and would die soon. She was dirty and looked to have lived on the streets for quite a while. The woman was unable to speak coherently and only mumbles came from her. By piecing together the random seeming events in her mind I was able to piece together her identity. The information though had to be found by other means or it would present me with a great many problems. While the rest were giving their reasons for what ailed the woman I went to her clothing and searched through it to get a reason to supply her name.

Our resident said, "And what are you doing Mr. Boz? Looking for change?"

"Sir, unlike you I will try to be a gentleman. The woman cannot understand us or even understand where she is. In a few days she will die of advanced liver cancer. Her present bout of hepatitis will accelerate the matter. She has been living on the streets for at least ten months. There is a slight possibility that this lady's next of kin will want to come and pay their last respects before the inevitable happens. Her clothing and skin suggest a possible middle class upbringing but the clothes may be cast-offs. Her hands have a vague outline of many rings suggesting she at one time could afford such things. There is a possibility that I will be able to find some evidence so that at least her identity can be determined.

"As for the 'change' remark, I will have you know that I am no thief. Our sovereign has seen fit to reward me for some things I have done and I doubt if a common thief would make it through her screening. I might also like to remind you that I have gained considerable wealth here on my own merit and have no need for the coin or your bias accusation, sir."

He made no apology but continued with the rest of his pack of followers. At the nurses station I made a quick call to the police and gave them enough information to helpfully locate the name from a missing person's report and then the woman's relatives. Most of the information could actually be gleaned from what was in the room and from the salt smell about her clothing.

An hour later we broke up for lunch and our resident asked me to step into his office for a moment.

"Certainly sir."

Once the door was closed he turned to me and with saliva spewing from his mouth said, "How dare you insult me in front of the people that will one day be doctors. I have put in many years to gain my position and many more to build a reputation as a competent doctor. I will not have an upstart on my floor trying to ridicule me."

I jumped in at a pause to gather more spit. "You may be a doctor and well thought of generally but you are a stupid man with a decided streak of envy. If you didn't want my retort why did you attack my honour in front of those selfsame doctors? Did you think I would take that from a man that hears my voice and automatically considers everything said false? If you go through my record you will find I am consistently correct in my assumptions while you are hesitant to make your own position known. Is it fear I smell when you have to make a decision near me? You at one time may have investigated the patient's background but you are not the same man you were when you were young. You have lost your suppleness and wit to gain your present position. Why else would you immediately jump to the conclusion that I was trying to steal something when you once may have done the same thing?"

The man was now seething and trying to hold himself in check. "Are you going to strike me sir in the privacy of your office with no witnesses to the fact? Has your professional conduct suffered so much that your envy clouds your mind and soul?"

With a visible effort he pulled himself together and said, "Get out."

I left and closed the door behind me. The nurses and some patients had heard through the door what was happening. I had spoken just as loudly as my antagonist and wanted people to know what was happening. I walked to the nurses' station and said, "Hello Susan, if the police phone will you or one of the other nurses call me so that I may return the call?"

I got a crisp, "Yes doctor."

That afternoon I used the telephone book and called some of the woman's relatives. I quizzed them if they were missing a loved one. After the confirmation I told them of her condition and then that she was not lucid most of the time. I said that I had heard her mention the family name but this was only in her thoughts and never verbally.

I had completed my rounds with the group and finished my classroom work much faster than the rest. This was one of the reasons the resident was so ticked off with me. I had returned to the ward and was sitting with the street woman trying my best to clear her mind. Part of this was accomplished by talking to her as her eyes rolled about the room. Most of the time I was getting through and felt some gratification at this.

Into the room burst a heavyset man, his thin wife and an older child. They were all distraught and looked at the woman trying to see if this were the person they had been looking for.

The man called out, "Momma," and reached past me to hug the woman on the bed. I moved out of the way but stayed in the room. I heard a one sided conversation and some crying.

The wife turned to me and said, "What's wrong?"

"I am sorry to say that your mother-in-law is going to pass on in a few days. She has liver cancer and there is nothing we can do for her except make her last moments here on Earth comfortable."

"Who are you?"

"Just the intern that called you and others of your family. She has not been of much help but I have spoken to her for a while and on occasion I was able to make out words and even names." This was not quite true but she did tell me in her mind. We waited a while until the son was able to take note of his surroundings then asked the same things his wife did.

"That can't be. She has to live. We can get another doctor."

"I am sorry sir. Your mother reminds me of my grandmother and I would feel just as bad if this were happening to her. You may get another opinion if you wish but I would like to show you something first." I showed him the yellow skin and all the large clues that led to a logical conclusion. The other facts I could actually see inside the woman naturally had to be kept secret. "Our resident and a dozen interns all gave the same diagnosis as to what was wrong."