As we watch the black hummer containing Merton and Medic disappear in the distance, I have a sudden thought: that was all a bit too easy.
Kade dives back up into the operating bus. I’m right behind him.
I arrive right in time to see something gross: the woman winked at Kade.
And worse, Kade high five’s her, “You did real good, makeover woman!” He hollers.
This familiarity, this kind of connection between them bothers me.
Kelly rises and tears at the prosthetics on her face, “Phew, my stitches were getting really itchy, I thought I was gonna blow it at one point,” she says.
As I watch Kelly peel off her prosthetics I’m hit with the sudden implausibility of it all. I shake my head, “This doesn’t make medical sense. Her face is just skin, transplant it on to mine and it would mould to my underlying structure, I’d still look like me.” I say.
The woman’s response is immediate, “The planned procedure involved removal of the frontal cranial structure along with underlying tissue and skin, then fusing it with yours. That’s why I have my male colleagues, I needed muscle to hammer and hack through skull,” she says.
Kelly removes the final piece of her prosthetic, “That’s sick,” she says, while ripping out her stitches.
I’m still doubtful, “There’s no way I’d be recovered from such major surgery in a week,” I suggest.
“That’s very true. But it’s feasible that you could walk down the aisle in a week. And besides, that was part of my remit, to have you ready to meet their wedding deadline,” she says.
This woman does seem legitimate. Her body language and rapid answers seem to come from a place of truth. She doesn't hesitate, stumble or seem overly rehearsed, all the usual tactics of liars.
I begin to relax – a little.
Kade resumes his leadership stance, "OK folks, we gotta head back to the fort and plan our next moves. We haven't got time for complacency," he says, opening up the back of the bus.
There's something else I need to know from this woman before I head back anywhere, "Wait, one last thing: why did my parents change my gender?" Kade's immediately impatient, "You know why. It was one of their clinical experiments," he says.
I glance at Kade, "Please, let her tell me what she knows, this is important to me." I see a sudden flash of sympathy in his eyes, "Sure thing," he says, closing the door, gently.
The woman leans against the operating table, "Kade is correct. From what I understand, your parents were approached by a very large organization to conduct a clinical study into whether gender and sexuality can be fluid..."
..."What does that mean," I cut in.
"They want to discover whether female gender and sexuality can be learned and accepted if the male gender is removed without consent," she says.
Kelly jumps from the table, "Why did they choose to do it on their son, why not kidnap some random kid, like they always do?" She asks.
The woman hesitates, for the first time she seems unsure of what to say. I move closer, “Kelly’s right, why did they do it on me?” I ask, while searching her face, still looking for any clue that she’s lying.
She stares me in the eye intently, which is a pretty good indicator of truth, “I’m not sure it’s my place to tell you,” she looks at Kade and Kelly, “or indeed any of you,” she says.
Kade’s interest is suddenly piqued and he draws closer to the woman, “Please, tell us anything you know, you owe it to us, we’ve saved you from them,” he says.
I see sadness in her face, or is it a riot of regret? Whatever, her face softens as she speaks, “I’m not sure I’ll ever be safe from The Surgeon, I’m in far too deep,” she says.
Kade, is as always, positive, “We can all be safe from her, look what we’ve just achieved,” he says.
She smiles, warmly, “I admire your optimism.”
Kade tries again, “So tell us, why’d they change their son’s gender?”
The woman looks upwards, as if seeking permission to speak. Eventually she inhales, exhales and talks, “Tanya, your father couldn’t live without his princess, his pride and joy, his world – your sister.”
I splutter, “I’m an only child!”
She shakes her head, emphatically, “No, you had an older sister, her name was Tabitha.”
“WHAT?” I’m incredulous, “How could they hide a sister from me?”
“Tabitha died before you were born,” her words are delivered with the gentle tone of someone who cares.
The revelation makes my head spin, but I’m hungry for more information, “How’d she die?” I ask.
“It was a tragic mistake.” Tabitha had to undergo routine surgery to have her appendix removed. During the procedure an error was made and she never woke from the anesthetic." She looks directly at Kade and Kelly, “Your father was the surgeon.”
Kade and Kelly eyeball one another, their faces register revelation rather than shock, "Was it my father's error?" Asks Kade.
"No, but The Surgeon, blamed him." She looks upwards, as if trying to recall facts. Her focus returns to me, "Initially, your parents were paralyzed with grief at the loss of their beloved Tabitha, the ultimate girly princess. But they had one hope... "
..."What was that?" I interrupt, impatient for more info.
"Your mother…”
…”Don’t call her that!” I cut in.
“The Surgeon was in the late stages of pregnancy. They desperately hoped for a girl to replace Tabitha. When you were born a week after her death, their disappointment was profound.”
She pauses, to gauge my reaction, she continues when she notes my composure, “How do you know this?” I ask.
The woman has a calm and kind manner, reminding me of the bereavement Counselor they employed to help me let go of Thomas after my transition, “I was a junior doctor at the time, I worked with The Surgeon and Kade and Kelly’s father,” she says.
She perches on the operating table and continues to confide in us, her words are clear and for her, cathartic, “Tabitha’s death and your birth both conspired to change and irrevocably damage your parents. Their grief at Tabitha’s death was followed by an incendiary anger that you were not a girl. Their anger turned into a pathological need to control everything, even their child’s gender.” She pauses and looks at me, “It’s no coincidence that your gender reassignment surgery was carried out on your sixteenth birthday; Tabitha died on her sixteenth birthday and they wanted to recreate her in you. They saw your surgery as Tabitha’s re-birth.”
“So is this whole Clinical Trial thing a charade, to deflect from the truth?” I ask.
She shakes her head, “Oh no. The Clinical trial is very real. They thought they’d kill two birds with one stone: recreate their daughter and scientifically experiment at the same time,” she says.
Kade approaches the woman, “Why are you telling us all this? You work for these people,” he asks.
She suddenly looks sad, “I’m seeking redemption. The Surgeon has great wealth and power. A power that she is abusing; things are going too far, there are many dark and dangerous deeds on her horizon.” She looks upwards, I can see this is an attempt to stifle tears, “When I see you young people, fighting for a life free of her control, I want to redeem myself by helping you – even though it probably means losing my life.”
Kade lets out a loud sigh and looks over at Kelly, “So now we know how our folks got involved in this,” he says.
The woman responds, “Right. The Surgeon forced them to stage their deaths and work for her. They agreed to it, to save you both.
"To save us from what?" Asks Kade
The Surgeon and her husband wanted you both dead, to avenge Tabitha's death,” she says.
……
Kade remains quiet: reflective.
He stares at the woman.
Their eyes lock.
Kade walks toward her.
After a long stare off, Kade speaks – “I’ve met you before, haven’t I?” He says.
Her eyes don’t leave Kade’s, and a smile breaks her lips, “Yes, you have,” she replies.
Kade returns her smile, “Thank you.”
I walk toward them both and break their moment with anger fueled words, “What are you thanking her for?”
Kade puts his arm around me, “For introducing me to you,” he says.
I shake my head, “No. The first time I saw her was in this operating truck,” I say, throwing a pointed finger toward her.
Kade squeezes my shoulder, “This was the woman who stopped me on Valentine’s Day, said she was doing a radio stunt and asked me to ask you out. Remember when I first stopped you on the street and asked for a date and you took off across the street like you were running from a bad smell?”
I suddenly smile at the recollection, “Yes, I do.” I look at the woman, “You orchestrated our meeting?” I ask.
“Yes, I did. Like I said, I wanted to redeem myself – and bringing you two together was my start point.”
“Wait – but you were gonna hack my face off!”
She shakes her head, “No. I wouldn’t have done it. That’s why we turned our backs on you, to give you the chance of escape. It's why we are at this point now,” she says, with a warm smile that seems genuine.
……
Alone in my room, I reflect on the days revelations. I feel strangely comforted by the memory of my sister, Tabitha. Her death gives me a motive for my parent’s madness; it helps me to understand what has been done to me. Maybe one day, I may even accept it.
……
A gentle rapping on my door interrupts my thoughts, “Can I come in?” Asks Kade
“Sure you can.”
He sits on the edge of my bed, “Are you ok?”
“I’m good. You?”
He smiles, “I’m real good. I feel we’re close to the end of our journey. We’ve just got to battle hard through the final chapter. Are you feeling confident?” He asks.
I sit up, “Sure I am – we’re gonna defeat The Surgeon at The Wedding, aren’t we?”
“Yes we are,” he says, with the confidence that I really admire.
He shakes his head, “Troy and Kelly are so loved up down there. I was beginning to feel like a fifth wheel.”
“What do you mean?” I ask.
He laughs, “Unwanted, like a fifth wheel on a car; they were planning their first date.”
“Really,” I chuckle.
He smiles wide and looks me in the eye, “Can we make it a double date?”
I return the smile – “You bet your bottom dollar – we can.”