Dr. Johnathan Crane:
"Will you stop complaining?"
The Man shouts as he helps me organize everything inside the Junker's infirmary. The Junker's infirmary is a little smaller than the one inside the base. There are about as many fully-stocked cabinets, but instead of six beds for patients, there are only two. Also, there is less equipment, my desk is a lot smaller, and I only have one computer.
I shake my head as I open a cabinet and read off all the medicines inside.
"How could you kidnap me again! I mean, truly, I appreciate everything you did for me, I really do-"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Doc. The list. The list! What's inside there?"
The Man taps the end of his pen against the paper and the clipboard he is holding.
"Oh, yes. This cabinet is filled with painkillers. I see about one dozen bottles of oxycodone and morphine. Besides those, I see fentanyl. About six bottles."
"Got it. Fentanyl. Six bottles. Next."
Closing this cabinet door, I move on to the next one.
"Anyway. As I was saying, I appreciate everything you did for me, I really do, but kidnapping me? Twice? Even I have my limit. This is mostly basic first aid. I see gauze, bandages, and antiseptic wipes."
"Got it, and Doc, I already apologized. Twice. I don't know what else you want me to do."
"You could stop kidnapping me? Please?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Why not?"
"Because, Doc, you are my doctor! If someone gets hurt or wounded, it falls to you to help get them back on their feet."
"But why can't you do it? You taught me everything I know. You're a better doctor than I. You have years of experience. Possibly decades."
"Centuries, actually."
"Why can't you be the doctor and I be back in the hidden base?"
"It's because I can't be both a doctor, a fighter, and a strategist. Kara and the others, while yes, they are incredibly skilled at fighting, are not the best strategists. Don't you remember? Before I came along, the Insurgents were running around, struggling just to stay afloat. They didn't have a plan to go against Superman, or enough supplies, or even really a base of operation."
I close the final cabinet door and sigh.
"So, what you're saying is, because you'd rather fight and strategize, I have to be knocked out and carried onto a ship against my will."
"No. What I am saying is that, because I need to fight and strategize, you need to overcome your fear and help the others as a doctor."
When I hear what The Man said, I freeze. My whole body stiffens, and I can't move. My eyes, the only thing still moving, rotate to the side, and I see my metal hand. Flashbacks of what happened force their way into my head, and I'm back in Ace O' Club Bar in Central City.
"Ahhh!"
I screamed and fell over as Wonder Woman cut off my whole hand. Falling back down onto the floor, I held my wrist. Slowly, I opened my hand to look at my second hand, but there was no hand.
I screamed again. My wrist was on fire. It feels like I can still wriggle my fingers, but when I look, I see no hand!
"Ahhhh!"
As I tried to calm myself down, I heard footsteps and looked up. Wonder Woman was standing over me, her sword pointed out toward me. She took a few steps, and now the tip of the blade is pressed against my face.
"Considered this a warning. Next time, it will be your head."
Swinging her sword, Wonder Woman jumped into the air. She flew and broke through the ceiling, leaving me behind. Looking left and right, I didn't see anyone. Screaming and fighting, I pulled myself up. Leaving behind my mask and gas tank, I ran to the back door.
"Ahhhhh!"
Slamming through, I ran into the alleyway. About to run somewhere, trying to find help, I stop when I see a tall man with sunglasses standing in front of me.
"Do you need some help?" The Man asked.
"Doc. Doc? Doc!"
Something hits my arm, and the flashback ends. I'm standing back in the Junker's infirmary, the ocean-blue wall making me a little sea sick.
"Ooohh."
My stomach turns, and it feels heavy, like there are rocks inside it. Someone taps my shoulder, so I turn around.
"Here. Take this. "
The Man offers me a small white and blue bottle. On the bottle, it reads Dramamine.
"Thank you."
While I remove the cap and drop a pill into my hand, The Man also prepares a cup of water.
"Listen, Doc. I have to go now. Take care, don't puke or I will make you clean it up, and stop being such a big baby."
The Man turns to leave. Opening the door, about to exit, he then stops.
"Here. Catch!"
Turning around, The Man throws something at me. Dropping the cup, I throw myself forward to catch it. Almost tripping over my two feet, I catch myself and look at it. It's a small silver disc with a thick black outline.
"An excellneno disc? Why are you giving this to me? I don't fight. You said it yourself. I'm the doctor."
"I am a fighter, a strategist, and a doctor. I am also the captain of both the Rusted and the Junker. I have worked in both deep space and deep sea. I have worked as a janitor, a manager, a vice president, a president, and a CEO. I was once a king and an emperor, and many times over, I have even been homeless."
"Okay. Why are you telling me all of this?"
"Doc. We are never one thing. All we need is a spark to become something more."
The Man nods before leaving the infirmary. With him gone, I look at the disc in my hands.
"I'm not a fighter. Not anymore. I can't even leave my room without having a panic attack."
Hearing the door open again, I raise my head.
"Hey. You can have this--"
"Dr. Crane."
"Ms. Iris West!"
Instead of it being The Man, the person who opened the door is Ms. Iris West. As she comes in, I see her soaking wet and shivering. Shoving the disc into my pocket, I run to one of the cabinets and grab a handful of things.
"Here."
Ripping off the plastic, I offer Ms. Iris a heating blanket. While she takes and throws it over herself, I guide her to the closest bed and help her sit down. Ms. Iris is still shivering, so I give her the other things I grabbed.
"You have a slight fever. Take this."
I give Ms. Iris a cup of water and an ibuprofen pill. She doesn't even wait for me to pull back my hand before swallowing the pill. Despite both the blanket and the pill, Ms. Iris is still shivering. She leans forward and wraps her hands around me.
"Uhhh."
My mind goes blank, and I don't know what to do. Clearing my throat, I raise my hands, wrapping them around Ms. Iris.
"Ms. Iris. What are you doing here?"
"I...I came to... help. I...I can....I can help too..."
I can barely hear Ms. Iris over the sound of her chattering teeth.
"I...I want...I want...I want to help. But The Man...He...He doesn't know...about me. Please...Don't tell him."
I look at Ms. Iris as she holds onto me. As a lump forms in my throat, I swallow it.
"I won't tell him. Come on. You should get some rest."
Getting off the bed, I make room for Ms. Iris before helping her lie down to sleep.