One Punch Knife Fight

359.

The scene is like watching the sunrise. When the darkest hour just before the dawn's first light begins to blanket us with a hopeful warming luminance. I sense that the tide of victory has turned in our favor. The erie sounds of armed conflict begin to fade as I assist Agent Kirkpatrick field dress Sheeners leg and place him in the Escalade, his freedom once again terminated by foolish decisions and inability to see reality. In his few moments of clarity as we waited for transport, he whined about my 'using her to get to me.' Refraining from reminding him of another maxim, the one about all being fair in love and war, I let him rant without comment, seeing no need to pour additional salt into his wounds - emotional or physical. I ask AK if he can handle it from here and with his approval, I head back to the ProMaster for a bit of forensic investigation, calling Julie along the way for updates.

Mustang has been sky lifted by the SWAT team and is en route to the local emergency facility. I feel a responsibility to follow, but reconsider knowing she is in good hands and I might simply be in the way.

"We had a video feed from several of the body cams of the responding security forces and local police, as well as feeds from the Capitol surveillance - until it was apparently terminated by the insurrectionists - we did assist with inter-agency communications until we got the all clear signal about fifteen minutes ago. Are you OK?" Julie says.

"Yeah, I'm fine, but Mustang has been medivaced to local hospital, condition unknown, but she did have a weak pulse when I last checked. She was wearing a vest that, probably - hopefully - saved her life."

"The Capitol is secured, if you want to go to the hospital, you can."

"Roger, I have a few things left to do here and then I will head over, thanks, can you get me the direct line to ER?"

"I will, and hey, the reports I got indicate that you were running around like a football star without your cane, what's up superhero?"

With her unexpected comment I suddenly realize that I am walking unassisted and using my right arm as if it had never been compromised by gun shot wound trauma and almost seven months of atrophy. I consider all this as I near the 'remains' of the ProMaster. "All the therapy, the experimental steroid test, and a sudden jolt of adrenaline must have done the trick," I lie, "that and a lot of help and support from my partner."

"You need to get over there," she says, "I just sent you the number. We can handle it from here. Go."

The phone number pops up as a text as I arrive at the scorched carcass of the van. The SFD is there securing the area for oil and gas spills, the fire doused by fire retardant foam. I ask the unit Captain if I can enter and take some pictures, identifying myself as I inquire. But before I do I call the number Julie provided to get a status report on Mustang.

"She is in surgery, critical, GSW to shoulder, neck and left side of her head. She was wearing a vest which prevented additional, most likely fatal, damage. She'll be in ICU for at least another five hours, I'll call if there is any update. There is nothing you can so here."

I thank her for the information and return the cell to my pocket. I look around the interior of the ruined vehicle. It is outfitted much like an Army communications Hummer. I take a series of photos of each of the stations, driver, escort, com center and Timothy Sheener's station decked out with state of the art gaming equipment and the burnt remnants of what appears to be a Cliff Notes abridged study guide.

I look closer flipping a few pages with Mustang's Halo that I pocketed after the one-punch knife fight.  

A Man In Full.  

I can't help but feel sorry for the kid. Abused, mistreated, orphaned, gaslighted, used, played and eventually abandoned. He fell hard for her and will now spend the remainder of his days incarcerated and isolated, left to reconcile his inability to separate reality from perception.

"A Boy in Transition," Might be a more appropriate title, I consider thinking what a shame it is that our society turns such cold shoulders to those in need of the most help. "This could have all been avoided."