Command Me To Be Well [Completed]

20 - Like a master

Late at night, I get a call from Timur.

He never calls me without a good reason. His face on the screen looks worried too.

"Madame President," he greets me formally, bowing his head.

"Heya, old man," I whimper, trying to keep my eyes open. "What's up?"

"Madame, we have a situation here."

"An attack?!" I guess, being still half-asleep. Since the call comes from the Gate, my first thought is still an attack, no matter how absurd it sounds. The shock helps me to pull myself together a bit, though.

"No, Madame," he grunts, losing both his patience and his manners. "Oh for God's sake, sit up straight at least, will you?"

I try to comply, but I'm only half-successful.

"The Wasps are gone, remember?" he goes on. "It was you, who finished them. And me. And Duncan. Good morning."

"It's 2 AM here, Timur." I yawn. "So instead of scolding me you could try to be helpful. What situation? Has the hospital collapsed? Have new extraterrestrial life forms appeared on the radar? Have the doctors turned into zombies, killing each other, like in that very scary movie? What?"

"Sorry, Madame," he apologizes. "I'm a bit jumpy. I had a terrible day, and my nerves—"

"Timur," I warn him. "To the point. What situation? You called me to report a situation. What? Situation?"

"It's Duncan," he answers.

"Okay," I sigh. It's still a bit painful to think about him. "How is his rehabilitation going? Is he beating the nurses into a formation already?"

"Well, he can walk with a cane now," Timur informs me. "Very slowly, but he's getting better at it."

"That's great news." I nod. "Did you call me just to tell me about it?"

"No, Madame," he says, looking away, "we have a situation here, a dire one, so—"

"Timur!" I groan.

"Alright!" he bursts out. "I fear for his life, that's why I called you!"

The lingering drowsy feeling leaves me in a second. I sit up straight and glare at Timur.

"Is it an infection?" I inquire.

"No, it's not," he says, "Or at least we don't know, what it is. He just... simply stopped functioning. It's like a system collapse, or something, without any evident medical reason. He's been taken into intensive care, but his condition is still getting worse, so—"

"Did you call me," I ask him, in a trembling voice, "to tell me that he's dying, and there's nothing to be done about it?"

"Not at all," he protests. "Not at all, Madame. There's definitely something that can be done. And that's why I called you."

"Which is?"

"You should come here," he says, looking me deep in the eyes.

"To say goodbye, or what?"

"No."

"Then what?" I yell. "What is that you're not telling me? I know that there is something else. Nothing happened, and he's suddenly in intensive care? What the fuck? Out of the blue?"

Timur looks away again, avoiding my gaze. Now I'm completely sure that there is something going on.

"Timur," I plead him. "You've always been the most normal person around me. And the bravest. Please. Just tell me."