The Fat Lady requested that Akeno be strapped to the table. Ebony made sure there were plenty of blankets and sheets under him to help him stay comfortable. She and the Fat Lady had their instruments around Akeno’s feet, ready to go.
The entire counsel came to wish Akeno luck—Brojan, Gallus, Sweet Pea, and a few older Makalos Jacob hadn’t met yet. The whole room was very light yellow mixed with light orange—the colors for apprehension and nervousness. Jaegar brought Kaiya and the baby, Echo, to give Akeno hugs before taking them to a neighbor’s house, where he’d tend them. Brojan and Sweet Pea left, but Kenji sat near the door, wanting to be in the room, but not close enough to see everything.
“I’m going to need Matt and Jacob’s help for the operation,” the Fat Lady said. “They’ll need to hold Akeno down, in case the straps aren’t enough.”
Matt sat on one side of Akeno, and Jacob on the other.
“All right, we’re ready,” the Fat Lady said. “First, by mouth.” She held the purple potion out to Akeno. “Only drink a tiny bit. It shouldn’t taste too bad.”
He lifted his head, tilting the vial to his lips, and swallowed a little. His shoulders relaxed. “That was much better than I expected,” he said, giving the vial back to the Fat Lady.
“Next, by blood.” She took out one of the syringes, dipped the end into the potion, and drew with the plunger until a few drops entered the barrel.
She approached Akeno with a slight frown on her face. “I’m actually not sure . . .”
Matt stood, and Jacob wasn’t surprised. His older brother was obsessed with doctor-type TV shows. “You can’t just poke it in him. You have to find a vein. Here, on the inside of his elbow.” He pointed to the little blue vein visible there. “And you have to strap his upper arm, though I don’t know why.”
He took a piece of cloth and tied it around Akeno’s arm tightly.
“Next, you have to make sure there aren’t any air bubbles in the potion. Give me the syringe.” He held out his hand. The Fat Lady gave it to him and he tapped it on the table, the way they do in the movies, then held it needle-side-up and squirted just a tiny bit of the potion out.
“Okay, it’s ready.”
He showed the Fat Lady how to find the vein. “I’m not going to do that part—you have to,” he said.
Akeno shut his eyes and turned away. Jacob found himself so fascinated, he had to watch.
The Fat Lady poked the needle into the inside of Akeno’s elbow and looked at Matt.
“Uh . . .” Matt said. “That should be good.”
She pushed the plunger, injecting the potion into Akeno, then pulled the needle out.
Akeno opened his eyes. “Done?”
The Fat Lady nodded. Sweat dripped off her forehead.
“Oh, good,” Akeno said. “I barely felt anything.”
“That has to mean something, right?” Jacob asked.
Matt nodded. “I think so.”
The Fat Lady sat for a moment, wiping her face, and motioned to Jacob and Matt. “We need to bind Akeno’s arms down now.”
Jacob grabbed one of the straps and tied Akeno’s right arm while Matt did the left. They looked up at her expectantly.
“And that’s it. Everything’s almost ready.” She rested for a moment longer, making sure Ebony had Kaede Sap nearby. The two women started cutting strips of clean cloth.
Jacob sat near Akeno’s head, wanting to watch the operation, but not wanting to at the same time. He was afraid he’d be unable to look away, like with the needle. Would the procedure give him nightmares?
Akeno stared at the ceiling. Sweat was building up on his forehead, but his face was calm.
“You going to be okay?” Jacob asked, realizing it was a stupid question right as it came out.
Akeno shrugged. “Never done this before.” He laughed. “It hasn’t even started yet, and I already hope I won’t have to do it again.”
Jacob smiled. “I won’t let it happen again, if I have any control over that.”
Akeno sighed. “I know. Thanks for being my friend.”
“No, thank you—”
“Oh, stop it!” Matt said, laughing. “You guys should go into the Hallmark-card-making business!”
Jacob playfully punched his brother’s shoulder. “Whatever, dude.”
“Seriously, though,” Matt said, addressing Akeno. “Do you want anything to help keep you distracted?”
“I’d love a movie right now,” Akeno said.
“Anything you’d like!” Matt paused. “Uh . . . how do you watch movies here?”
“We use that outlet over there,” Akeno pointed, “and the TV in the back room can be rolled here.”
Jacob stared at the outlet in wonder. How’d he never noticed it before? He’d been here tons of times! “Where do you get the power?”
“Rezend—we can control electricity, to an extent.”
Jacob nodded. He remembered Akeno saying this. “All right, where are the movies?”
“I’ll grab them,” Kenji said, jumping to his feet and rushing out of the room. Jacob had nearly forgotten he was there. A moment later, Kenji returned, pushing an old, ugly TV on a cart. “I wasn’t sure which movie you wanted to—”
“Any of the X-Men,” Akeno said quickly. “They’re my favorites.” He smiled sheepishly at Matt and Jacob.
Kenji got everything hooked up.
The movie began and the Fat Lady and Ebony finished the cloth strips, then started the surgery.
Kilenya Series Books 1, 2, and 3 Page 88