G.I. Joe: Agent Blue Jaye and the Beasts of Lakeside

Epilogue

Elise sat in her wheelchair in the hospital cafeteria. Her physical therapy was located on the second floor of the hospital and she just finished her fifth session since being released. When Elise first started she was positive, but now, her optimism had begun to fade. With all the emotional and physical strength she put into it, she felt like she had gotten nowhere and had no idea how she would improve.

The doctors told her she had a good chance of regaining some mobility of her legs, but they had no idea to what extent. Thinking on it over the past few weeks, Elise had no idea what it meant either. Would she be able to walk on her own? Would she need a wheelchair, or canes and braces? Would any sense of normal return, Elise asked to herself, looking down at the unappealing garden salad in front of her.

Jessie had been amazing with everything since she got back to the apartment, but Elise couldn't depend on her for the rest of her life. After another fruitless physical therapy session, Elise had no idea what she was going to do. Trying not to break down in the middle of the cafeteria, Elise pulled herself together and started looking around the room for something to distract her.

There was a group of doctors sitting, looking on their phones, each with a cup of coffee. Four nurses sat in one corner, two were eating sandwiches wrapped in cellophane, and the other two were reading magazines. One older man who wore a maintenance jacket, sat with a cup of soup.

Elise stopped when she saw one woman working her way through the cafeteria line. The woman was tall, a little under six feet, slender, and had long straight dark brown hair. Her face was pale, but not sickly pale, more like the color of a soft cream. She moved her tray along the counter with her left arm, but the lower half of her right arm was gone and was replaced with a prosthetic limb. Elise found herself rudely staring at the woman and the hook on the end of her artificial arm. She looked down feeling ashamed, hoping the woman didn't see her.

It wasn't her prosthetic limb that Elise was fixated on, but it was how the woman held herself that made her stand out. It was a confidence that Elise lacked, and she desperately hoped that one day she might feel as self-assured. Looking up, Elise saw the woman walk to the register, and with her prosthetic hand, she opened a small bag strapped around her waist. The woman removed a few bills, handed them to the cashier, and then zipped the bag back up. Taking the change and putting it in her pocket, the woman took her tray and started walking directly toward Elise.

She saw me staring at her, Elise thought in horror as the woman approached. Elise looked away like she didn't notice, but it was clear the woman was coming to sit down at her table. Pulling the chair out, the woman smiled at Elise and placed her tray down in front of her.

"Hi. Do you mind if I join you?" The woman asked politely, still smiling at Elise.

"Please." Elise responded.

Elise looked at the woman across from her. She was wearing a black knit turtleneck sweater and a pair of blue jeans. On her tray was a turkey club, bag of tortilla chips, and a water. Then in a short symphony of movements, the woman opened the chips, unscrewed the cap to her water, picked up the sandwich, and effortlessly took a bite. She smiled at Elise while chewing.

"Are you here for physical therapy?" Elise asked, not sure what to say. The woman wiped her mouth with her napkin shaking her head no.

"No, business actually." The woman replied, taking a chip out of the bag and popping it into her mouth. She offered the bag to Elise. Intrigued, Elise returned the smile and took a chip.

"Are you here for physical therapy?" The woman asked.

"Yes. I just started." Elise responded, looking down at her legs.

While the conversation with the woman was a welcome distraction, the sadness quickly returned, and Elise tried not to start crying. The last thing she needed was to start bawling in front of someone she just met. She looked up and gave the woman her best attempt at a smile.

Sensing what Elise was feeling, the woman placed her hand on Elise's. Elise saw the woman had a kind and empathetic expression.

"I know you might not think it now, but it does gets better. I lost my arm almost ten years ago." The woman said, as she raised her prosthetic limb.

The woman sat back in her chair, the kind smile was still on her face. Elise saw that the woman's waist bag was a tan camouflage, and had the initials A. G. K. sewn on the front. She immediately wondered if the woman was in the army. After everything that happened, Elise had gotten apprehensive whenever she saw someone with military attire. She knew it was all over, but there were still lingering effects.

"My name's Amy." The woman said and reached out her left hand.

"Hi. I'm Elise." Elise responded, and leaned over and shook Amy's hand. Her grip was soft and gentle.

"Do you go to the University?" Amy asked, picking up the sandwich and taking another bite.

"Yes. I graduate in May actually." Elise replied.

"What are you studying?" Amy asked between bites.

"Journalism." Elise said, amazed at how quickly the woman was tearing through her sandwich.

"Is that what you're going to do when you graduate? Be a reporter or something?" Amy asked, almost finished with her turkey club.

"I don't know. That was the plan before this happened. I had been working toward it since high school but now, I just don't see how that will be possible." Elise replied, looking at her legs. Amy looked to her again.

"I'm sorry. I know what it's like to be forced into a completely new life you didn't want. The beginning is always the worst." Amy said as she finished up her sandwich.

Elise looked up sensing that Amy would be leaving soon. Amy was the first person with a disability Elise had met since her accident, and it had given her a sense of hope. Elise didn't want the conversation to end.

"Are you going to be around town for long?" Elise asked.

"Unfortunately, no. I have to leave this afternoon." Amy replied.

"Oh." Elise said, trying not to show her discouragement.

"But, if you are looking for something different after you graduate, I just got a promotion and a spot on my team opened up." Amy said and reached into her waist bag and pulled out a card. She handed it to Elise.

"What do you do?" Elise asked, taking the card.

"I work in Communications. Give me a call. It was nice talking with you." Amy said, as she picked up her tray and turned around to leave.

Elise watched as Amy bussed her tray and walked to the exit. Right before heading out the door, Amy turned back one last time and gave Elise a little wave. Elise had no idea what to make of the conversation.

On one hand, she was happy to finally talk with someone who could relate to what she was going through. On the other hand, the woman looked like she was in the military, and with everything that had happened, that made Elise a little nervous. Staring at the business card, Elise saw a series of numbers printed on one side. It appeared to be a telephone number, followed by another string of digits. Turning the card over, Elise saw a single name printed. It read...Breaker.