The Complex - Chapter 3 - Part C

(To read the beginning of the original novel "The Complex" click HERE.)

Chapter 3 - Part C


Both Conner and Duncan had come to Brookhaven at nearly the same time. They had been assigned to the same two man apartment and even though they were as different as night and day, they had become close friends over the past few years. They had always looked out for each other and liked to work the same assignments. Conner had never seen Duncan act this way over a client before, and they had seen a few really beautiful women come through here. It worried him about the trouble Duncan could be in, but respected Duncan's curiosity and courage. He was worried, however, that Duncan might say things that would unlock parts of Sarah's memory. That would be devastating for Sarah and more trouble for Duncan than he could ever imagine. Conners decision was to try and stop Duncan, but not by reporting him to Dr. Kapinski like he should. A plan was formulating in his mind, but it was too soon to carry it out. If it had been anyone else, thought Conner, I'd let them sink. But their friendship carried a strong bond and he wanted to try to help Duncan. Maybe over time, he thought, Duncan will just forget this foolishness. He will be so busy with others in the Complex he won't have time for this.



"Especially when he meets the General!" Conner laughed. He knew the General, which was his nickname, would take every new nurse in the Complex and attempt to educate them in the British Army way of doing things.


Conner's plan, he had decided, was that while he was still working at the monitors as a technician, he could use Sarah's implanted stimulator and place suggestions to her that Duncan was someone undesirable or unsafe to know... someone to watch out for. This was totally unethical... yes... but Conner did not care. He had gotten away with plenty of things with just a little bit of cunning. Duncan nor the doctors would not be suspicious, and after a while, with no response from Sarah, maybe he would deal with his disappointment and forget about her. Besides... she might not even be somebody he actually knows!




Both Duncan and Conner had a plan, each opposite the other. And, after knowing each other for so long, both already knew what the other was up to. Unfortunately Duncan did not know that Conner had a back-up plan if this one failed.




* * * * * *




Mr. Dan Wu did not make many visits to Brookhaven. In fact, he rarely came to America at all except to sign papers and check on his investments and holdings. He had discovered long ago that he was not fond of American ways and traditions. After Dr. Thornton had restored his adopted daughter's legs and she could walk, they had flown back to the Orient and she was never seen by Dr. Thornton again.


Mr. Wu was, however, interested in the promised added bonus that came with this particular investment that had cost so much more to build. Creating the Complex to Dr. Thornton's exact specifications was not a small task... especially on an island instead of on the mainland. But it was Mr. Wu who had insisted it be on this Oregon coastal island for the privacy it afforded. So he had agreed and had been willing to wait to see the outcome of this venture based on what he had learned about Dr. Thornton and his abilities. Because he considered himself a patient man he was also willing to wait for Eric Kapinski to become educated in this new, very extraordinary technique. Things were taking a bit longer than the originally mapped out plan and he had not seen any of Kapinski's work become successful yet.




On this particular visit, he had come to the Complex to see this new patient--number "7". Mr. Wu had personally arranged for this patient to become a resident in Brookhaven, so he had a special interest in her progress. He had been told by Dr. Kapinski that her entire memory had been revised. So much so that they were able to tell her she had been in a wheelchair for years before she came to the Complex. After perusing the data of this experiment, he was encouraged as to the many uses of this unique investment. But, because he was a careful man, he wanted more information from Dr. Kapinski. To himself, however, he toasted his fortune of having run across this idiot Kapinski before someone else did. Greed was a strange thing, Mr. Wu thought. If you are not careful, you can find yourself in permanent slavery, humiliated and disgraced.




Dr. Kapinski had also told Mr. Wu about Sasha, but reassured him that everything was fine. Mr. Wu was always concerned when he heard that there were difficulties in his business dealings or when something troublesome was suddenly considered to be "fine". As he sat sipping his tea from the small china cup, he swirled the tea leaves around in the cup and decided that she was too much of a risk. The answer was simple: eliminate the problem and pull up the roots.




Dr. Kapinski was summoned to his office and had recieved the instructions from Mr. Wu. But he argued, "It's already all taken care of, isn't it? Why risk more trouble?"




"She's still here and that can mean trouble. Also, what does she know?"




"She knows nothing!" assured Dr. Kapinski. "She's as docile as a lamb."




"For now she is. What about later? What if Dr. Thornton finds out what you've done?"




"He already knows. And there's nothing he can do because he signed off on the surgery without even realizing it!"




"And how did he do that?" Mr. Wu's patience was starting to wear thin with this simpleton. But Dr. Kapinski was proud of his own percieved success and answered with disdain and sarcasm. "I put it in with his papers and told him he needed to sign them off as the senior doctor. He was so broken up over the poor child that he signed the papers without a second glance. Then I told him what he'd done." Dr. Kapinski paused and reconsidered Mr. Wu's instructions. "We also have to deal with her family, sir. They will be asking questions and if she just disappeared... I mean... what would we say?"




"Dr. Kapinski... I assume you understand the concept of someone dying from severe head injuries?" Mr. Wu stood up but never raised his voice. "Get rid of the girl before my next visit. That should give you plenty of time to plan something."




Mr. Wu left him standing in his office, his mouth wide open and beads of sweat on his forehead. Mr. Wu walked through the corridors of Brookhaven Hospital contemplating his next step. Should he allow Kapinski to continue as their go-between? Maybe he should put one of his own men in here instead. But, he had given Dr. Kapinski until his next visit to fix it.




"We shall see..." Mr. Wu murmured as he pulled a cell phone from out of his pocket. "It's time to go." was all he said to the person on the other end of the phone.




Mr. Wu's jet was gone within the hour and everyone exhaled a sigh of relief. As the plane soared up in the air, a young priest riding a bicycle stopped and shaded his eyes to get a closer look at the craft as it soared upward into the clouds. He looked at his watch, turned his bicycle around and headed back to the monastery.






(to be continued...)


Original novel "The Complex"
by Karen Elizabeth Brown
Copyright 2009