Region: Global Front Section 4
Province: Arizona
City: Phoenix
Location: Sunrise Hospital
Date: 2124
Thin beads of sweat crawled off the doctor’s forehead. “Push harder. Just a little bit harder. It’s almost here.” His sharp chin jutted out with every command.
“You said the same thing five minutes ago,” the woman replied in between grunts.
“Well I mean it this time. Now concentrate and push harder.”
“I can’t!”
His blue eyes squinted with anger. “Then I’ll just come back when you can,” he feigned leaving.
“No,” the woman raised her sinewy arm. “Give me… one more shot,” she groaned.
“You better hope so lady, you only have this room for one more hour.”
“Here… it… comes,” she clenched the bed sheets in anticipation, the rivers of veins pulsated throughout her arms as she tightened her grip. She screamed one last time before the momentary silence.
The doctor held the baby with care, tapping it on its back until the sound of crying filled the room. He quickly cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the crying baby in a carefully laid towel. The woman laid her head on the pillow, too exhausted to notice her creeping auburn hair that poked into her eyes. Saliva flowed from her mouth as she breathed deeply in a careful attempt to catch her breath.
“It’s all over now. It’s done,” the doctor announced, handing the baby to the head nurse on his left. “Nurse, I already brought in some ID tags over there on the table. Please tag this baby and get it cleaned up and over to the infirmary as soon as possible. We’re already a half hour late from the beginning of the estimated infirming process.”
The woman’s light copper brown eyes opened with urgency. “Boy or girl? Is it a boy or a girl?”
The doctor ignored the question, looking only at the head nurse.
“Doctor,” the woman pleaded. “I want to see my baby. Let me see my baby.”
The doctor slumped his shoulders, capitulating to her demand. “Nurse, please hold up the baby.”
The head nurse held the baby at arms length to the woman while the staff nurse anxiously looked on.
“It looks like a boy. Let me hold him. Just for a minute. What harm can a minute do?” the woman pleaded
The doctor shook his head stoically. “Nurse, please go now. We do have a schedule to keep.”
The woman’s pleads turned into screams as quickly as the head nurse walked out of the room. “Just a minute. A goddamn minute. What can a goddamn minute do?”
The doctor craned his neck over the woman. “Plenty when the Scourge’s involved. You know the rules. For all we know your baby could have been exposed just in the moment we wasted by showing you your baby. Is that what you want another outbreak of the Scourge, just because you selfishly wanted to hold your baby?
“All I wanted to do was hold my baby. I don’t even know if it’s a boy or a girl,” she cried.
“You’re selfish miss and I’ll be glad when your hour’s up and you’re out of my hospital. I can’t even believe insurance allows an hour these days for childbirth. I personally pushed for the 15-minute post-birth rule. You’re lucky that the insurance companies are governed by more lenient people than I.”
The woman breathed deeply, her attitude shifting quickly from anger to concern. “When will I get to see my baby?”
The doctor stood up, grabbed a pamphlet from a pre-sorted pile, and threw it onto the woman’s stomach. “I just love how you people pretend to not know the rules. Here’s the pamphlet, I suggest you read page one repeatedly until you know the rules.
“I read the pamphlet, but it wasn’t clear.”
The doctor turned to the staff nurse and laughed. “You hear this one, she read the pamphlet but it wasn’t clear.”
The staff nurse smiled awkwardly while the doctor disdainfully ripped the pamphlet open and held it up to the woman at an angle where they could read it together.
“As is clearly states on page one, the parents of the newborn will be reunited after a five year mandatory infirming process. This process ensures that any and all infections, including the deadly viral respiratory illness commonly referred to as the Scourge, is contained.”
The woman smacked the pamphlet out of the doctor’s hands. “All I want to do is see my baby.
Exasperated, the doctor stood up and sighed. “No, no, no. These are the rules and there are no exceptions. Not for the premier of The Global Force and not for you. Be thankful that he appears healthy.”
The woman smiled. “I knew it was a boy. I just knew it.”
“Look, officially the sex of your child is unknown. It is against strict hospital rules that you not know the sex of the child until the anniversary day of the five-year infirming process. Believe me, it’s better that way. We’ll send your life mate now.”
“I don’t have a life mate. Scourge got ‘im. Doesn’t make a difference though, ‘cause he was a life mate with equal measures of dumb and bad.”
The doctor jerked his arm uncomfortably. “I am sorry to hear that. Is there anyone else waiting for you?”
“A friend. Just a friend.”
“I’ll have your friend brought in.”
“Thank you doctor.”
“Your welcome Miss…” the doctor looked down at the woman’s hospital chart, “949ARW8”.
“You can just call me 949. Everyone else does.” she said in an inimitably prepared fashion.
“Well you are welcome 949.”
“Nurse,” the doctor turned to the staff nurse.
“Yes Doctor 34,” the nurse answered.
“I’m going to have Ms. 949’s friend brought in now. Please make sure that while she waits, you setup her automated weekly meeting at the Hub and provide her with post-birth amounts of fish oil. We want to make sure that she remains healthy.”
“Yes Doctor 34, I will.”
“Excellent.” The doctor turned to the woman. “Good day Miss 949, stay healthy.
“I will Doctor…34 I believe the nurse called you.”
“Indeed she did. A little easier than 949ARW8 I suppose.”
The woman laughed. “Yeah. I guess I went into the wrong profession. You doctors get the best names.”
“There are no wrong professions, only wrong attitudes about one’s choices of their profession,” he replied pompously. “Good day Ms 949.”
“Same to you Doctor 34,” the woman said as the doctor briskly exited from the room.
The staff nurse leaned over to the woman. “You’re lucky that you had Doctor 34. He’s the nicest doctor in the hospital you know?”
“Yup, I’m lucky all right,” the woman replied.
“Now per the doctor’s orders, I am going to set you up for a standard post birth weekly checkup at the Hub. For the next five weeks, you will need to show up 15 minutes prior to your normally allotted scan time to allow for the extra post birth scan time. After the fifth week, you may resume your normally scheduled scan time. If you forget any of this, there’s no need to worry, it’s all in your pamphlet.
“Thank you nurse.”
“Sure thing Ms. 949.”
A man with a fedora hat and a neatly trimmed gray beard slowly walked into the hospital room. “I heard it went well honey.”
“Daddy,” the woman exclaimed. “You’re a site for sore eyes.
“As you are honey. I want to hear all about it.”
“Nurse, would you mind allowing my father and I some privacy?”
“Absolutely Ms. 949. Let me just provide you with the recommended dosage of post-birth fish oil before I go.” The nurse handed the woman a plainly wrapped bottle.
“Thank you nurse.”
“Rest well, Ms. 949.”
The woman smiled and waited patiently for the nurse to exit the room. She motioned her father to close the door.
He quietly closed the door and obeyed when she motioned him to move close to her.
“The room’s video feed shuts off once the doors are closed,” she whispered.
“Still, I want to get you home.”
She placed her fingers on his mouth and whispered. The audio feed may still be on.
“I am not comfortable being here at all,” he said in a hushed tone.
“I know. It’s the last time, I promise.”
“That is not a promise for you to make, but I appreciate it.”
“Oh daddy, when will this end?”
“Soon”, he clasped her hands tightly. “Very soon.”
Location: Sunrise Hospital Entrance to Infirming Hall
Doctor 34 quickly undressed and threw his clothes into the corner of his office. He turned and briskly walked from his office to the long conveyer belt that led to the Infirming Hall.
The canned audio message immediately switched on after he stepped on the conveyer belt. “Welcome. Please do not move while on the conveyer belt. We are currently scanning you for any potential infections. Please wait while we finish the scan.
A tall thin man in a powder blue jumpsuit with a clear helmet guard smiled as he watched Doctor 34 slowly pass by on the conveyer belt. He stood in front of a discreet sign that read “Technical Center” in gray lettering. Tiny floating computers framed him when he turned to face Doctor 34.
“Hey Doctor 34, it’s my second favorite time of the day.”
“Oh yeah. What’s your favorite 17?” Doctor 34 pretended not to know the punch line to the same joke that he had heard virtually every time he passed Tech 17.
“It’s when Doctor 48 visits the infirming hall. Watching her is something I could do all day long. It even makes this job worth it. She hasn’t come by much lately, but she will. I have all the time in the world.”
Doctor 34 laughed. Every time I hear you say that I get scared because I’m still trying to figure out why seeing me is your second favorite time of day.
Tech 17 saved his hands emphatically. “No Doc, its nothing like that. I just like talking to you that’s all. Most of the other Doctors ignore me, but not you.”
“Sometimes I wish I did.”
Tech 17 laughed. “Hey say what you will Doctor 34, but insulting me won’t take away from the fact that it looks like you’ve been going a little heavy on the tigs lately. You better slow down. I heard that Doctor 16 didn’t request his transfer but instead was booted after getting into it with Admin 1 about his shall we say slight weight gain? You know what the pamphlet says about weight gain? Don’t ignore it, they’re serious.”
“I don’t even like tigs. They’re too mushy. And about Doctor 16, just to set you straight, he did request a transfer.”
“You have your sources Doc, and I have mine.”
“Yeah, but I heard this from the horse’s mouth. Your sources are from a less desirable area of the horse.”
“Say what you will, Doc, but take a tip from a friend and go easy on the tigs.”
Doctor 34 chuckled. “Thanks for the tip, 17. Between you and Tech 11, I get a chockfull of the daily gossip that I just can’t live without.”
17 nodded seriously. “That’s why I give it to you Doc. ‘Cause you’re a friend and that’s what friends do…But I really would go easy on the tigs.”
All right 17, the gloves are off now. Let’s see how great your nude bird-like body looks as you pass by this thing.”
Tech 17 laughed. “Hey Doc, that’s why I get to wear the puffy suit over here. No viruses are coming or going near me as long as I wear this thing. ‘Sides, between the morning scan and weekly hub scan, I get my fill. I can’t imagine having to do this several times a day like you guys though. Must get annoying.”
“Not as annoying as you and Tech 11,” Doctor 34 said as he nearly passed from Tech 17’s sight.
“Right back at you my friendly tig lover,” 17 said as Doctor 34 completely passed out of view.
“I don’t eat…” Doctor 34 stopped realizing he was wasting his breath as the conveyer belt sped up past the Technical Center.
The conveyer belt stopped at the entrance of the infirming clean room while the clean room doors opened. The belt creeped forward while the computerized voice started speaking again.
“Good afternoon, Doctor 34. Your scan is complete and you have been admitted into the infirming hall. Prior to entering the infirming hall, you will pass by the infirming clear room where you will be thoroughly disinfected for safety precautions. Disinfection will start in five seconds. Please do not move during the disinfection process.”
Doctor 34 breathed calmly as he watched the disinfecting agents swirling around him in a seemingly inefficient manner.
“Thank you Doctor 34. Disinfection is complete. Based on your scanned measurements, a clean suit has been provided for you. The conveyer belt will now stop to allow you to dress in the pre-provided clean suit.”
The conveyer belt stopped allowing Doctor 34 to carefully dress in the clean suit.
The doors to the Infirming Hall opened and the conveyer belt quickly moved the doctor into the entrance of the Infirming hall after the Doctor dressed in the suit. The computerized voice started speaking as the Infirming Hall entrance doors slammed shut.
“You are now in the Infirming Hall entrance room where you will be scanned again before you are admitted entry into the Infirming. Please be patient, this may take a few moments.”
As he waited for the scan to complete he thought how this was by far the quietest room that he had ever experienced. It was a room where even time appeared to stand still. Even his muffled breathing seemed inaudible. After a few moments, the computerized voice broke the silence.
“The scan is complete. You will now be admitted into the Infirming Hall. Please remember to keep your clean suit on at all times. Failure to abide to this rule and the other rules listed in the pamphlet will warrant penalties. Thank you and goodbye, Doctor.”
The entrance doors to the Infirming Hall finally opened after what seemed an eternity and Doctor 34 walked through the doors. He habitually started walking only after hearing the Infirming Hall doors seal closed behind him.
He briskly walked through the maze that was the Infirming Hall. He was framed by hundreds of rows of babies in the newborn area that were sealed behind thick paned protectoshield, which always made him nervous. Knowing that the babies contained in his Infirming Hall and Hall’s like it around the world were systematically raised by computers from newborn status until the age of 5 was bad enough. Seeing it firsthand was even worse. But experiencing it in the drenched reality that came along with never knowing parents outside of machines held no equal in despair. Doctor 34 continued to walk jarred all at once by thoughts of the machines that raised him and that still ‘spoke’ to him at the weekly Hub scans. His thoughts only shifted when he reached the V shaped bifurcated hallway that marked the proximity to his destination. Doctor 34 walked left towards the sign that read Newborn Sector K. That was his sector.
Duffy’s house
“I think its rubbish that fish oil has a calming affect and I have the finest proof there is. Just look at me. Do I seem docile to you?” He asked with a slight grin on his face.
“Oh daddy, you’re as docile as a freight train, but maybe that’s because you need to increase your dosage”, she laughed, pleased at the fact that her pain was finally subsiding. She had been lying in bed all day since coming from the hospital and just now she was starting to gain some strength. The pain was bad but not like before. She reached over from the bed that and tapped his fedora hat playfully.
He stood up from the chair and walked towards the door, straightening his hat.
“I’ve read study after study extolling the benefits of fish oil. First it was good for your heart, then it was good for your skin, then your circulation and now it supposedly has a calming affect. Well, considering the fact that I’ve been eating the fowl stuff since I can remember how do you explain my weak heart, mediocre complexion, varicose veins and curmudgeonly disposition?
“Genetics.”
He furrowed his eyebrows and tickled his beard, a sure sign that he was getting flustered.
“You’re just like your mother, there’s a simple answer for everything. I could offer 10 indisputable scientific reasons for why the sky was blue and she would simply say that it’s as nature intended. Well, what I would always tell your mother is the same thing that I’m going to tell you. Provide me with some evidence to support your claim. I mean you’re just like your mother. I suppose that’s my punishment for…” There was a loud knock on the door.
“Sir, Doctor 34 is here.”
“How many times have I told you Greg, in my house we have names not numbers. Send Adam in.” He unlocked the door and opened it slightly.
“Yes, sir.”
“Oh dad, why are you so ornery?”
“Maybe because I prefer to be called Duffy instead of 341ZPW8. In my house we call him Adam not Doctor 34, just as we call you Eve instead of that atrocious moniker 949ARW8.”
“Now Eve, about the whole fish oil thing…”
“Yes, I’ve been meaning to talk as soon as you deemed it necessary to take a breath.”
His face started turning red.
“You asked for evidence, well how about this. The first, and deadliest, wave of the Scourge came in 2080. In 2084, with two thirds of the world’s population decimated by a disease we still don’t fully understand, the Global Front Liberation Act was signed allowing the Global Front complete autonomy in all matters related to governance, including health care. In the short five years between 2080 and 2084 there were thousands of reported rebellions, and countless unreported ones. By 2087, the Global Front instituted harsh if not draconian measures to ensure the survival of our race. These measures included the complete regulation of the food supply whereby any item considered to be potentially harmful was replaced with a like fish oil related product. In the nearly forty years since the Liberation Act there has not been one reported rebellion.
Adam stood silently in the hallway next to the slightly opened door. He took a deep breath and opened the door.
“There also haven’t been any reported signs of the Scourge, smiling children, or happy parents. Which leads to the logical conclusion that an organization created with a “means to an end” dictum must have an end itself. Even if that end must be implemented by a foreign party. Right, Duffy?”
Duffy smiled.
“ I could not have said it better myself.”
“Oh, forget that whole thing just for a moment. Where is he?”
“I’ll leave you two alone”, Duffy walked out of the room.
Adam closed his eyes and walked over to her bed. He squeezed her hand tightly. “He’s in the infirming hall.”
“But you said…”
He sighed. “I said that I would do the best that I could. It’s too risky right now. I’ll bring him soon, but not now. We have much to do first.”
“Oh, Adam, he’s so beautiful” she smiled. “I only saw him for a second but he has your eyes.”
“And your beautiful smile,” he kissed her gently. “But let’s get our minds off of what we can’t control right now and just talk.”
He sat down on the austere green chair next to her bed. He sat in as much of a relaxed position as the rigid chair would allow. “I can’t wait until we get furniture with some fabric on it.” He laughed. “It really is the little things that add up throughout the day that get to you.”
“You sound just like my Dad.”
“Well Duffy’s a wise man.”
“That’s one adjective out of many that describe him well.
Adam snickered. “So how are you feeling? Did Duffy give you some pain medication? Are you feeling better?”
“Whoa. One question at a time, okay,” she playfully tapped his leg. “Yes, he gave me some drugs and they’ve been steadily kicking in. I feel much better now than I did before, which is unfortunate for you.”
“And why is that,” Adam laughed.
“Because now I get to talk to you about how much of a jerk you were this morning.”
“Wait a minute, hold on. I told you beforehand, nobody can know about my life outside the hospital, it would ruin everything we’ve all worked so hard for. That was an act and I thought that I did a pretty good job.”
“If you were playing the role of a pompous ass, you did a superb job,” she quipped. “I can’t believe how pompous you were telling me that there are no wrong professions, only wrong attitudes about one’s choices of his profession.”
“Wait a minute,” he grew defensive. “I had to act that way so nobody could say that I treated you any differently than anyone else. Like it or not, and believe me, I hate it. It’s frowned upon for me to be any nicer than I was today. But let’s talk about you for a second.”
“Me.”
“Yeah you, little Miss “I have the dumbest and worst husband in the world?”
“I didn’t say that,” Eve smiled. I said equal measure bad and dumb.
“Oh, I apologize that’s so much better. Thanks for the clarification.
“Do you think they bought it?
“Absolutely. I was just as hard on you as I am on everyone else.”
“That’s surprising since the nurse said that you were the nicest doctor in the hospital.”
“You have no idea, honey. Did you really think that I was exaggerating all of the stories that I’ve told you?”
“I guess embellish is a better way of saying it.”
“Well I didn’t. We’re ordered to be firm and rude if necessary with our patients. It’s all part of the infirming rules, ya know?”
“Sorry to interrupt children, but we don’t have much time,” Duffy bellowed as he marched into the room. “The mandatory hub session starts soon and we all have to go.”
“I can’t be seen going with all of you.”
“Which is why we need to talk now. Did you bring any samples?” Duffy barked tersely as Adam reached beneath his jacket to pull out a satchel.
“Five new samples as you requested. That’s all I could get.”
“That’s more than enough, my boy. I’m close.”
“How are you going to test it?”
“Just as I don’t ask you how you procure your blood samples to ensure your safety, I will not answer that question. What if you were ever questioned about me? The less you know the better.”
“Yeah,” Adam agreed to the long ago pledged promise between he and Duffy. It was the same careful promise that all who fought the Global Front along with Duffy agreed to. “Still, what if anything happens to you?”
“It’s a valid concern, my boy, but one that we’ve spoken of before and you know that I don’t like to bring up in front of Eve.”
“Look dad, I’m a big girl. I know the danger. Besides I have an important role in this too.”
“I know honey. It’s just after we lost your mother…”
“Enough with that Dad. I’ve heard it since I was a kid and the conversation always has the same ending. It gets old after awhile. Don’t worry about me, I can take care of myself.”
Duffy straightened his posture and turned to Adam.
“All you and Eve need to know is that if anything happens to me, there are copious notes explaining all of my research. Should anything happen to me, the location of the notes will become clear.”
“Look Duffy, whatever you want. You want to play around with all of the Cloak and Dagger stuff that’s fine. But just realize that we don’t have much time. The Global Front is voting on a new set of resolutions soon that includes such wonderful propositions as increasing the age of the infirming process to ten years rather than five to ensure a full immunization from the Scourge.”
“Where did you hear that?” Eve asked.
“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that as you were intimating before Eve, forty years ago, The Global Front brought order to chaos where there was none. Now, they use the threat of that past chaos as an excuse to dictate everything from the clothes we wear to the age we are allowed to see our children. And…and… everyone is so afraid of the Scourge that they don’t even question any of the rules anymore. Where does this stop? When will it end?”
“I love your fire boy, I wish I had that at your age.” Duffy placed his hand on Adam’s shoulder. “Now get out of here and go home before anyone sees you. With the latest blood samples that you gave me I’ll be able to complete my tests. Come back here in a couple of days and I’ll have the results.”
Adam begrudgingly nodded his head. He started to walk over to Eve until Duffy gripped his shoulder tighter and nudged him towards the door.
“Go.”
Eve smiled and waved goodbye while Adam bit his lower lip and shook his head.”
“Go,” Duffy prodded him again. Adam sighed and walked out the door.