Fuchsia was exhausted, she tapped nervously on the desk with one of her nails. This had to work! She steadied her shaking hand and made one final adjustment to the schematic of Jax’s new neural implant. The schematic glowed on the screen as she rotated the 3D image. Someone walked up behind her and spoke, she jumped. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on her. She needed to pull herself together, Jax needed this surgery ASAP. Her hands shook as she rolled the chair back to look the doctor in the eyes. A woman with grey hair and dark brown eyes smiled gently back at her. Fuchsia stood up and said, “I am finished with the schematic, please let the others on our team know.”

  The woman reached out and placed a hand on Fuchsia’s shoulder. “You need to rest, you can’t perform the surgery like this.”

  Fuchsia sighed, “Jax, needs the surgery now, I can’t rest until it is done!.”

  The woman shook her head and said, “Fuchsia, if you want his surgery to be a success you need to rest. We are a capable team.” The woman reached for Fuchsia’s trembling hands and gently held them. “This is a risky surgery, Jax needs you to be at your best. Let us help you, please!”

  Fuchsia looked away closing her eyes, could she really trust these people? What options did she have? This was it. Whether she liked it or not, she had to trust these people.

  She opened her eyes and turned her head back towards the woman, “Please let the team and General Morgan know I am ready to meet.”

  Fuchsia went to the restroom and washed her face with cold water. The other doctor was right, she needed to sleep. She looked in the mirror, her hands trembled as she tried to dry her face and hands. She adjusted her hair and straightened her clothing trying to gain some professionalism in her state.

  —------------------------------

  She walked into the conference room and was greeted by the other doctors. General Morgan was nowhere to be found. Fuchsia scanned the room looking for the doctor with the soft brown eyes and gray hair. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. “Ahhh, Dr. Moore, is everyone here?”

  Dr. Moore, looked a little agitated, “General Morgan is dealing with a…uh…a situation. He will be here soon.”

  Fuchsia placed her hand over her eyes, “Please tell me it isn’t Bren.”

  Dr. Moore squeezed the edges of the tablet she was carrying. “Umm…he…” the door opened and General Morgan entered.

  He looked like he was in a bad mood as he walked to the closest seat. “Let’s get started. I have a matter that I have to return to.”

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  Fuchsia looked worried but knew she needed to focus on Jax right now. She walked to the front of the room so she could share the schematic of the neural implant and her plans for Jax’s surgery. The meeting took about an hour and a half. As she finished up there was a noisy chatter among the doctors both amazement and curiosity in their voice. If there had been more time they would have liked to have asked more questions and learned more about her and her research and development. Luckily, Fuchsia had step by step instructions for the other doctors to follow in order to prepare the neural implant and surgical room tools. Many of the doctors tried to follow her and ask questions, but Dr. Moore shooed them away knowing that Fuchsia needed to leave and get some rest.

  Fuchsia approached General Morgan who was already trying to make a fast getaway. She reached out and grabbed his arm. He stopped and said without turning around, “I have had to place Bren in a holding cell. He was determined to see Jax as soon as he heard about the surgery. He won’t be harmed, you needn’t worry.” Fuchsia released General Morgan and said nothing. General Morgan walked through the doors never turning around.

  Fuchsia stood motionless until Dr. Moore gently pushed her. Let's go find you somewhere to get some sleep.

  Fuchsia turned and held her hand up, “I need to see Jax first.”

  Dr. Moore nodded and they walked together to see Jax. He was in a dimly lit room. He was sedated but his face looked pained as he lay there silently. She brushed his hair behind his ear, and noticed he was still fevered. It was disconcerting, but not unexpected. There were two nurses and a doctor monitoring his condition. She leaned forward and whispered something in his ear and left.

  Dr. Moore walked Fuchsia to a different building next to the one that Jax was in. The halls were busy with lots of people walking around. After getting access to the building they walked to a dimly lit hallway. She stopped not far down the hallway. “This is it.” She knocked twice and the door opened.

  Fuchsia shifted uncomfortably not wanting to share a room with anyone. She felt something brush her leg and realized it was Nix. She bent down and scooped the cat up. Nix purred in her arms as she hugged him. She looked up as she heard, “Nix!” Dr. Moore smiled and stepped aside as she said, “I will leave you to get some rest.”

  Fuchsia walked into the room, shut the door, and was welcomed by Sina’s open arms. The cat hissed, having been squished between the two. His little claws madly scratched at Fuchsia’s coat. Fuchsia let go of Nix, and the cat dropped to the floor and ran. They stood there a moment in silence. Sina finally gently pushed Fuchsia away, “There are clothes and toiletries, go take a shower. We can talk when you are out.”

  ______________

  Fuchsia was not gone for long before she returned in clean clothes and her hair wrapped up in a pink tinted towel.

  Sina was sitting on the couch stroking Nix’s fur. Fuchsia plopped down on the couch and yawned. Sina looked her way and asked, “Were you able to figure something out?”

  Fuchsia, tiredly reached over and pushed Nix out of Fuchsia’s lap. She leaned over letting her head take Nix’s spot. Her eyes were heavy and glossy as she spoke. “I have left them with a schematic for the neural implant and instructions to prepare for the surgery. I am afraid I have not had enough time to think everything through well enough, but we are out of time.”

  Sina reached down and wiped away an escaping tear as it rolled down Fuchsia’s cheek. Fuchsia blinked as more ran down, “It is going to be a dangerous surgery and I am afraid that it will have more…” Fuchsia started to cry, but her eyes were getting heavier. Sina placed a hand on Fushia’s cheek as she fell asleep. She moved her hand to the dye stained towel that was still wrapped around Fuchsia’s hair. She gently pulled the towel off of her hair as Fushcia lay undisturbed in a deep sleep.