Brothers By Design

Kane sat up with a start and a curse. He’d fallen asleep! What if Devin had needed him? How could he have…?

“Ah, Master Kane.” Albert’s voice came from across the bed. “The sedative has worn off, then.”

“Yeah, I guess.” That’s right. They’d sedated him. He shook his head a bit to clear the last of the fog out of the corners. Ran his hand over his face to remove any drool or anything else that might have gotten there while he was out of it. “Any change?”

“None, I’m afraid, save for the removal of the cast.”

Well, it was too much to hope Devin would be awake and all so quick – the doctor had said possible brain damage. He hoped not. The kid had enough working against him. They’d done a brain scan, but he hadn’t heard what they’d found out. He glowered at the tubes in both forearms, the medicines and nutrients to try to offset the physical damage.

He looked at the now-shaved head and bruised face. It sickened him. Not what he saw, but what could have been. If Albert hadn’t seen Shyla head to their side, hadn’t followed her…

“Albert?”

“Yes, Master Kane?”

“Thanks. For…for…”

“I only did as you asked,” Albert reminded. “But you are most welcome. I brought clothing and toiletries for you. Nancy packed them while Mary tended to Devin. Why don’t you shower? When you’re finished I will get you something to eat.”

Eat? Shower? He blinked, forced himself to think. He needed to clear his head. A shower and food would help. But he didn’t want to leave Devin. The last time he’d left Devin alone… At last he agreed and, touching the shaved and bandaged head, got to his feet.

“I’m gonna shower,” he told the unconscious boy. It was possible Devin could hear him. He hoped so. “Albert’ll be here until I get done, so you’re safe.”

Albert handed him clean clothes with a gentle assurance he would monitor Devin. Kane nodded, leaned down to brush a kiss on Devin’s forehead and went to shower. He was still so tired, numb with ice fury underneath it. She had dared hurt Devin, waiting for him to go out for his run, thinking she would be safe if he didn’t catch her in the act himself.

He showered hurriedly. Devin might wake up, and he wanted to be there. Shyla had been detained for what she’d done, but he didn’t trust she’d be punished like she should be. He’d take care of that once they were back home. Track her down wherever she was sent. Make sure she understood, for true, Devin was off-limits. She was more stupid than he’d thought.

Back in the room he nodded to Albert. He’d chosen right when he trusted the man, even if he was stuffy and proper. Of course, he was a butler. From everything Kane had read and seen, butlers were supposed to be stuffy and proper. Albert inclined his head and left to get food for them.

Kane grabbed the TV remote and turned it on as he sat, taking Devin’s hand. He wanted to hold Devin, assure himself Devin was there and real, but he couldn’t. The IVs had to stay in place to get Devin better. Holding the too-frail hand was all he could do for now. He hated feeling helpless.

There was nothing worth watching on TV. There rarely was, but afternoons were the worst. He made a mental note to ask Albert to bring him books. He’d rather read than watch the garbage on television anyway. He’d prefer a Reader, since he could choose his own books then, but he’d deal with whatever Albert brought him. With a sound of bored disgust he turned through until he found cartoons. Still stupid, but at least they didn’t pretend to be otherwise.

Albert returned with food, and agreed to supply books for him. They ate in relative quiet, knowing someone should be coming to check on Devin soon. Hopefully it would be a doctor with some answers and explanations. Maybe he’d be able to say when Devin would wake up, if he’d be all right, how soon they could leave.

Two doctors, one male, one female, entered with professionally friendly smiles. Smiles that put Kane on edge. They weren’t honest. He’d seen enough fake smiles in his life to recognize them. Mostly on people who were in a position of some power and let it go to their heads. It was the man who spoke. The lady was looking at Devin’s IVs and making notes, checking his visible injuries.

“Well, the results of the scans are in. His arm is healed, as are many previous breaks to various bones, and all internal injuries are well on their way to full recovery. We’ll do another scan in a few hours, but by morning he should be 100%. A bit weak, but healthy.”

Kane beamed in relief. Good news, finally. The man beamed back. Then the woman spoke, impersonal and detached, but not condescending. Still, something about the way she talked made Kane want to smack her. She showed no respect; maybe it was because he was a kid. It shouldn’t have mattered. Albert was in the room; she could have shown the older man some respect, at least.

“The brain scan did show evidence of damage. It appears to be minor and in none of the major areas of function. He may have no symptoms at all, or perhaps a small problem with some of his fine motor skills, but nothing very bad.” She shrugged. “We won’t know for sure until he wakes up and we can test him.”

“When’ll he wake up? Will it be soon?” He wouldn’t be sure Devin was okay until he woke up and talked to him.

“Tomorrow morning,” was the immediate, definite reply. “We’re keeping him under until he’s healed completely, and even then he will require a lot of rest for awhile. His body has to adjust to being healthy, to having a souped-up healing and immune system. And so do you, Kane. You won’t feel it as much as he does, but you have to adjust as well.”

He was puzzled for a moment, then remembered. The experiment. The changes he’d been able to ask for. He’d asked to be “enhanced”: speed, strength, stamina, endurance. All the things necessary for someone very physical. And, of course, his own healing and immune systems. He didn’t remember why.

Something to do with the experiment, working for the Agency when he grew up, probably. Besides, how could he pass up a chance to be stronger, faster, better? Healing and immune systems were a given. Fighting meant getting hurt, healing fast meant he could recover faster and be ready to fight again. A strong immune system meant less chance of being sick and out of action.

He hadn’t thought to have Devin enhanced other than healing and immune systems. With all Devin had been through, he’d figured ramping up the immune system and healing would be smart. He wondered now if he should have had him physically enhanced as well. He asked and was informed it would have been dangerous.

“Even with what we’ve done,” the man said in a sad, serious voice, “he’s never going to be very big or strong. He’s tougher than he looks. He has to be, to survive all he’s been through, but he’s pretty much maxed out. He might get to be a few inches taller than you are now, but he won’t ever be… robust.”

“Frail,” the woman interrupted. Apparently she had no respect for the other doctor, her partner. “He’s always going to look frail. He isn’t, but he’s going to look it.” She straightened up and eyed Kane.

“He’s been given to you to protect. You’d better do it. He won’t be able to protect himself. Even if we could enhance him he’d need to be protected. The only form of self-preservation he knows, the only one he has, is to let himself be…whatever is done to him.”

“You saying this is my fault?”

She didn’t have to respect him because he was a kid, but she was not going to lay the blame on him for this. She didn’t need to treat him like an idiot, either. If she was aware of the project, and she had to be from the way she was talking, she should know it was stupid to antagonize him.

The woman looked surprised. He didn’t know if it was the tone he used on her or the fact that he called her on it at all, and he didn’t care. Nobody accused him of going back on his word. Nobody.

“No, not at all. This was planned and executed for when you couldn’t protect him. And thinking to have Albert keep an eye for trouble was great forethought. I want to impress upon you the full scope of your responsibility-what you signed up for. This won’t end in a week, a year, even five years. This is for the rest of your life. It’s not going to go away because you find a nice girl and want to raise a family. This is... ”

“News flash,” Kane said. “I’m SGO. There won’t be any girl. And I’ve already found my life-long male partner, so don’t worry about me losing interest in taking care of him.”

She stiffened, flushing under his acid tone and barely concealed contempt. Like he cared. She should have checked the records before saying anything. Sexual preference was listed right next to gender. Kane was still holding Devin’s limp hand, caressing it with his thumb. She didn’t impress him, but he did need her. He made his next words softer.

“You’re trying to help him. I know that. You’ve probably seen a lot of people back in here after somebody promised to protect them. You wouldn’t bring it up otherwise. If I ever put him here, or let him be put here because I couldn’t be bothered to protect him and keep my promise, I hope I’m taken out and shot for it.”

There was a long, uncomfortable silence. The female doctor nodded, turned, and flounced out of the room. Kane bit his lower lip to keep from laughing. She might be a decent doctor, but she shouldn’t be allowed around people if she acted like that.

“We have seen it,” the male doctor said. “People who swear to take care of and protect somebody, then bring them in in…It’s always the same; they got tired of it, didn’t realize they would always have to take care of the other person, or it was too much responsibility…” His smile was weary, forced. Genuine. Kane paid close attention.

“You’re the youngest we’ve seen; they’d been focusing on adults and late teens. Maybe the age makes a difference. I hope so; it’s…I didn’t become a doctor to have to put people out of their misery.” He left.

“Albert?”

“Yes, Master Kane?”

“I start to turn on Devin, kill me. All right?” There was a thick silence, Kane’s gaze fixed on the older man’s.

“Yes, Master Kane.”

“And quit with the ‘Master’ thing. I know it’s all proper and stuff, but it creeps me out.”

“Very well…Kane.” There was a smile in the voice, if not on the face. “Tell me, are you any good at cards?”

Kane grinned. “No, but I bet I can whip you at Scrabble.”

“I shall purchase a set and we will see.”