Waking Rose: A Fairy Tale Retold (45 page)

“Hmph. Just wondered.” Bear said. “All right. I’ll see what I can do on my end. Keep me up to date.”

He recognized the man’s voice on the phone. And the man recognized him.

“Well, Mr. Benedict Denniston. What are you bothering me for?” the gruff voice sounded ironically pleased.

“Are you on the job?”

“Of course. I almost didn’t pick up. My phone didn’t recognize your number.”

“I got a new one for this new project I started.”

“That’s what you’re calling me about?”

“Is this line safe?”

“You know it is. Spit it out.”

Fish outlined the plan he and Bear had come up with. “Problem is, we don’t know this area too well. But I know you know the market on illegal drugs. Am I right in guessing that some of them might come through hospitals?”

The man grunted in laughter. “That’s truer than you know. The kind of stuff you’re talking about is a lot more rare. Usually when a doctor gets thrown in jail it’s for trafficking in federally-controlled substances, not carving up humans for their organs.”

“Yes, but it’s a truism that a doctor who’s already breaking the law in one area would tend to not have so many inhibitions about breaking the law in another area.”

“So that’s why you came to me?”

“Yes. If we’re going to get anywhere, we need to have the request come through a doctor these people will trust.”

The agent on the other phone was silent. “Let me look into it and I’ll get back to you.”

Friday night, Fish drove Alex, Paul, and James to see Rose. It had become the custom, now that he had an apartment closer to Meyerstown and the campus, for him to go and hang out with them afterwards on the weekends, usually watching some kind of Japanese movie, centering either on monsters or martial arts. It wasn’t what Fish would have preferred to watch, but the films were generally inoffensive and sometimes better made than American films.

They were watching another of the countless episodes of
The Tale of Antioch
when Kateri came into the lounge, clad in her usual blue denim. Fish could tell she was in high gear, her internal energy making her seem taller than her diminutive stature.

“What’s up?” Alex asked, snapping the pause button. One couldn’t ignore Kateri Kovach when she came into the room with that air of expectation.

“I just wanted to find out who’s coming to the protest tomorrow,” she said, looking around expectantly. Her hair was tied into a long rope of a braid, which twitched behind her as she waited.

The guys looked at each other. “I’m planning on coming, at least to support you all,” James said hesitantly.

This was apparently not the reaction she had hoped for. Carefully, she looked around the room, and then moved her pointed gaze to the leader, Alex. “Anyone else?”

Alex shook his head. “I don’t think so, Kat. Sorry.”

“Why not?” she said, a bit forcefully. “I thought this was something that you Cor guys would all be into. After all, it’s engaging in a battle, isn’t it?”

Alex leaned back in his chair, his hands in a pyramid before him. “Not really. The first principle of war is to consider what fighting will accomplish. How certain are you that what you’re doing is going to accomplish anything?”

Kateri planted her feet and counted on her fingers, “Number three—it brings the public spotlight onto a hospital that doesn’t deserve the high reputation it has. Number two—it questions the credibility of a director who is under suspicion for having assaulted one of our dear friends. Number one—it could save an innocent man’s life. How is that not accomplishing something, Alex O’Donnell?”

Alex put his head to one side. “You know, when it comes down to it, Kat, I’m just not a passive resistor. I’m not going to just sit there and be dragged away by the police for my beliefs. If I was involved in something like this, it would have to be something I could really, physically fight for. Otherwise, I just don’t have the energy for it.”

“And when are you ever going to be able to really fight for something, aside from resistance like this?” Kateri shot back, her eyes flaring. “What are you going to do? Charge into an abortion clinic with one of your samurai swords and slice heads off?”

“Kateri,” Alex said, a warning note in his voice.

“No,” said Kateri coolly, her black eyes a cold fire. “You’re not. I know you’re not a psychopath, Mr. O’Donnell. But don’t fool yourself into thinking that you’re waiting for a better chance to fight. You just don’t want a real fight, that’s all. You’d rather just watch movies and play video games.”

Alex didn’t move, but Fish could see his muscles tense. Wincing, Fish had gotten to his feet. “Kateri, let me walk you back,” he said softly, hoping to defuse the situation.

Perhaps the tone of his voice worked, because Kateri turned away, her braid snapping behind her in contempt over her sturdy shoulders. “So much for your knighthood.” She walked out of the room with pronounced disdain of a very Oriental type, leaving a perfectly silent room behind her.

Fish followed her out of doors and down the sidewalk. The night air was not as crisp—the days were fast turning into spring, although the ominous threat of further chills remained.

“Tell them I’m sorry,” Kateri said shortly, after a moment. “I’m disappointed. I expected far more from them.”

Fish searched for a word of explanation or comfort, but found none. “I can understand that,” was all he said. Hoping to change the subject, he asked, “Is Donna doing this with you?”

Kateri shook her head, her braid swaying. “No. I won’t let her.”

“Why not?”

“We’re risking arrest. When that happens, sometimes, if the situation gets heated, you get roughed up by the cops. I don’t think she could handle that. She’s healing, but she’s not strong enough yet.”

“That’s a good judgment call on your part.”

“Thanks.”

“I wish I could be there. I just found out I have to work at the university tomorrow.” He paused. “Your words about avoiding a real fight hit home for me, anyhow.”

She glanced up at him. “You and Bear are up to something, aren’t you?”

He was startled. “How do you know?”

A small smile played around her usually inscrutable features. “We Kovachs have ways of finding out these things. Particularly things about the Briers, and those who marry them. Our spies are everywhere.”

“Well, if you have any idea of what we’re up to, keep it to yourself,” Fish said.

“Naturally.” She added, “Joking aside, you’ve been particularly preoccupied, in a different sort of way. That also gave me a clue.”

“I see. And I’ve always been told that I’m very good at hiding things. I must have been flattered.”

“Not at all. It’s just that I’m also good at hiding things, so I have a bit of insight into what it looks like.”

“Kat,” he said, touching her arm as they reached the dorm. “You be careful when you go in there, tomorrow. Look out for Dr. Prosser.”

“I know,” Kateri said stolidly, her dark eyes catching the reflection of the streetlights. “I understand what I’m risking.”

“Maybe you do,” he said. “But it won’t stop me from worrying.”

“I’ll call you when we’re done,” she said. “It should be on the news. That’s the job I gave Donna—call the media and make sure they get there.”

“Phone me from the jail,” he said. “Make sure you have my cell phone number.”

“I appreciate it.” And the short girl turned away, her stride defiant. He watched her go, then went back and rejoined his male companions.

They had started the movie again. Fish made his way through the crowd and sat beside Alex, who was staring at the TV screen with a deep frown on his face. On the screen, an Asian girl who looked at least superficially like Kateri chopped her way through a band of assassins. Fish decided not to comment on the irony.

“You know that Dr. Prosser has had Kateri investigated before?” Fish said casually after a moment.

“I’d heard something about that, from Rose,” Alex said distantly, not looking at him.

Fish paused. “She’s risking a lot by going into Dr. Prosser’s hospital,” he said. “I can’t be there tomorrow. She could use some support.”

Alex’s expression was a bit tight, but he said nothing. “Well, I’ll keep that in mind,” was all he said at last.

The English Department was hosting a symposium, and Fish was slated to work as the receptionist. It was a pleasant enough gathering, of visiting professors and speakers, and Fish was kept on his feet, doing minimal registration and directing the attendees to the right rooms. But he was edgy, and kept his cell phone on.

In between talks, he wandered into the lounge and looked at the television. Around ten in the morning, the news started picking up the story of the sit-in at the hospital in Meyerstown. There were students outside the building carrying signs that read: “This Hospital Might Steal Your Organs” and “RGMH: If You’re Poor, You’d Better Be Dead.”  Fish suspected Kateri had told them what to write.

 The protestors were being escorted or carried out. He thought he saw Donna and James in the crowd outside the hospital. But there was no sign of Kateri among the arrested.

Then, at 1:00 p.m., they finally showed a picture of her being hauled out of the building in handcuffs. There was a brief interview where she said, “We did this to call attention to the plight of the poor who are being victimized by this hospital, including the unborn.”

She looked a bit winded, but otherwise safe. He was relieved.

Around two, he got a call on his cell phone from the police station. It was Kateri.

“Kateri? How are you?”

Her voice was tired, though he could tell she was in good spirits. “Okay. I have two phone calls I can make. I was wondering, Fish—could you call my family for me if I gave you the number? I need to call my lawyer. The bail they arranged for me here is pretty hefty.”

“I can imagine,” Fish said. “But don’t worry about the bail. I’ll call your family though, and tell them you’re safe. Then I’ll be right over.”

21
...But one king’s son resolved, against all dire warnings, to pass through the thorns which had claimed the lives of so many...

H
IS

Fish showed up at the jail a bit cautiously, making sure that Dr. Prosser wasn’t around. But there was no sign of her, or any hospital staff at the jail. The protestors were all sitting in a holding cell, and several more were in the office on the ground. Everyone was waiting to be arraigned, which was going on in the courtroom next door.