Shoshin

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

Jack didn't seem to take to the new resident as easily as Gabriel had hoped. Rather, the businessman's expression was one of distaste, disapproval. And that wasn't good news, especially if one knew just how influential the Cassidys were. I have faith in Doctor Morris, was what the man had said, and though it sounded like a compliment, Gabe knew Jack enough to know that it was far from one - nothing more than "fail, and you'll pay for it". He was one of the few people who knew what Cassidy was capable of, and how he wasn't just a "businessman", though perhaps his...other dealings constituted businesses, albeit more dangerous ones.

And now he was asking if the surgery could be moved up.

Gabriel understood, far too well, that when Jack Cassidy "asked" for something, he usually got it by pain of death...that phrase being more than just a manner of speech. It was really far more literal than people assumed. And of course James would argue that there wasn't time to change anything around. That was how it went. Schedules were schedules, and any alterations would render all those careful plans inept. Still, Gabe was far too wary of the man before him, that vulture who watched him with a dark eagerness, as if waiting for the precise moment to lay those talons upon him and rip him to pieces.

Certainly, Gabriel had a conscience. Just how much of a conscience depended on the context. Though many thought a doctor should be the epitome of warmth and kindness, the hospital was still a business. The money for all that technology had to come from somewhere. And the director himself was in Cassidy's pocket. And now, James was putting himself right in the path of something he wasn't going to like. But he'd learn. They all learned, or lost. Passing a quick glance at James, Gabe's expression was one of uncharacteristic severity, instead of the usual, easy neutrality he wore. "On the contrary...I'd be glad to shift the surgery to an earlier slot, Mr. Cassidy."

"Excellent," replied the man with a glint in his eye. "You never disappoint..." A pointed look was cast in James' direction. "I'll be back soon. Until then, keep doing what you do best, Morris." He clapped Gabriel heartily on the shoulder before departing the ward. As soon as his overpriced loafers were out the door, Gabe felt his entire body sag in a display of overwhelming relief. It was then he found it in himself to address his resident, his tone a clear indication of "no questions".

"Tell them to move it up, and tell the Charles' that we'll be conducting the harvest earlier than scheduled. If Elizabeth's parents want to say goodbye, they'd best get here now." His tone was cold, but beneath that coldness hid a helpless sympathy. This was how things were done - how they'd always been done. And there were times Gabriel hated himself for it.

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

Totally fine! Don't worry about it. Hope you're feeling better.

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

Oh dear :( No worries at all. Please take care, and thank you for the heads up.

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

It was five minutes before James' return that Jack Cassidy himself appeared to visit his wife. As the hospital's main financier, Cassidy carried himself with an assured sense of self-importance - and he was an important man. Murmurs and whispers trailed in his wake, even as he finally strode into the ward and cleared his throat in a demand for attention. Gabriel honestly hated dealing with this man, but there were things in life that you just had to tolerate, no matter how unpleasant it might actually seem. Cassidy was a walking power trip, with an immaculately tailored suit, shiny cufflinks and a silk tie which was probably worth more than most of the nurses earned in a month. His hair, graying like Hannah's, was styled back in a manner which had "corporate" etched all over it.

"Doctor Morris," Jack spoke curtly, his voice bearing a subtle, raspy edge which suggested that this was merely a professional conversation - a transaction, really. Something privy only to the both of them. He motioned Gabriel to a corner of the ward, away from Hannah's earshot. "I hear everything's been...arranged as we discussed. I'm not taking any risks with Hannah, and I've made that plenty clear to you during our first interaction."

"I understand, and everything's proceeding...well." Gabriel tried not to seem obviously uncomfortable in the man's presence, though he very much was. Like a predatory bird, Jack seemed to have the innate ability to detect fear in others. And when he did, he zeroed in on that fear and drew it out, playing on it in order to exert a terrifying amount of pressure on those he disliked. And Gabriel, for all his wiles and occasional cunning, did not want to end up on Cassidy's "list". He was the one who had to finalize the deals. He was the one who had to chat up certain...unsavory elements, mostly due to his less-than-privileged background. "I've sent a resident to schedule the surgery and make sure the paperwork's finalized."

"Good, because you have no idea how many bribes-" Jack began, just as James appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

Gabriel's eyes shot immediately to his resident, who proceeded to inform him that everything had been cleared with the Charles', and that the surgery had been scheduled for eleven that night. Jack's face remained very, very still - the businessman had always been too cold, and too hard to read. And Gabriel could only hope that the idealistic young man hadn't overheard a single word in his and Jack's conversation. That would make things significantly more...complicated. Clearing his throat, Gabe motioned James over and nodded at his companion. "Doctor Allen, I'd like you to meet Jack Cassidy."

"A pleasure." As he extended a hand, Jack's words were laced with but the tiniest hint of venom, the older man's eyes narrowed in silent calculation.

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

Gabriel had never had a good impression about politics and business in general. His upbringing had made him anything but an idealist, him having been a witness to some of the worst states of living by national standards. It was one thing to make big promises on television, but another to actually fulfill them. Politics was a game; that was all it was. And really, he wondered at what point was the line actually drawn between having power and using it reasonably, and abusing that power. Life wasn't a pretty picture, and he knew that enough not to strive towards the "ultimate ideal" of anything. Because ideals didn't actually exist. The phrase "reality bites" could've very well been his personal mantra, because he knew that as much as a man wanted to help others, he also had to look out for himself.

And in that way, he could tell that he and James were complete opposites. His resident seemed to have a very positive impression of the world. Gabe supposed it was good he did, because that way he had a constant source of happiness, even if that happiness stemmed from partial ignorance. This hospital might've seemed the epitome of a respectable medical institution, but Gabe knew better. He knew that beyond the shiny devices and immaculate walls, there was an underbelly. Here, they were a closer "family" than they seemed, and there was a time when the uninitiated would finally learn how things worked around here. Having James assist on the transplant was only the first test.

Elizabeth Charles was an unfortunate case, yes, but sometimes unfortunate things had to happen so other people could benefit. It was the circle of life. And besides, Gabriel wasn't the key player in anything; he'd merely participated due to the benefits he'd receive, and he was far from the type to mastermind anything. No. He was a survivor, and that was all it mattered. People didn't get where they were just by sitting back and being nice to anyone. And if doctors were meant to be leaders in the fields of love and charity, then they were better off working pro bono overseas rather than in the city, getting paid at borderline insane levels. In the end, people still wanted financial compensation for their time, instead of just that proverbial "satisfaction" one supposedly received from doing a good deed.

"Yes, check to see if the paperwork's been cleared." Gabriel nodded, waving a dismissive hand as he returned his attention to the chart and to Mrs. Cassidy.

---

Elizabeth Charles was as pale as a ghost, a figure swathed in bandages with spots of congealed blood staining her face, her eyes bruised. Beside her, the ECG indicated she was still alive, but the doctors had already informed her husband that she was as good as gone. Robert Charles was the figure of grief as he sat hunched at her bedside, hands forming a steeple beneath his chin. He looked as if he hadn't slept in days, and it was probably true. When he heard footsteps enter the ward, he turned, barely glancing at the man who'd entered. "They said it was an accident..." His voice was a bare whisper. "But she was always a good driver. I knew she was."

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

Yep, she's an NPC. Any character I bring in other than Gabriel is considered an NPC, so feel free to control them as you wish!

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

"Who's the heart from?"

Mrs. Cassidy spoke up after several moments of silence. Gabriel hesitated initially; he knew how kind Mrs. Cassidy was, and how her personality was the complete opposite of her husband's. How was he supposed to tell her that as of now, Elizabeth Charles was lying comatose, barely alive, while her husband sat at her side, head in his hands? It wasn't something new - no, he'd seen it before, but brain damage had always seemed like a terrible waste of youth. And Elizabeth Charles was so young. Clearing his throat, he exhaled contemplatively before speaking. "Car accident. Irreversible brain damage. There was nothing more the doctors could do."

Her eyes returned to the window at his words, as if she hadn't heard them at all. "It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" She whispered, watching sunlight flow through the glass and onto the sill. Gabe had always felt a little guilty when speaking to Mrs. Cassidy in particular. There were many other patients who needed hearts, one of whom was a child who still had his entire life in front of him. His parents had been devastated at the news, and yet, Mr. Cassidy was doing everything possible to make sure his wife got utmost priority. Gabe supposed it was what any man would do for his wife, if he loved her as much as Mr. Cassidy did Mrs. Cassidy.

But of course, he still had to wait for the assigned resident to arrive - and when said resident did, Gabriel was more than surprised to see it was the same man who'd bought him his coffee earlier that morning. He didn't even bother trying to conceal his reaction, brows raised. But he didn't spout off anything like, "Well, look who's here!" No - he was a professional, and he'd keep it that way. After James introduced himself, Gabe took the opportunity to introduce Mrs. Cassidy.

"This is Hannah Cassidy. She's the wife of Jack Cassidy - you might know him as the founder of Cassidy Enterprises." Jack was a regular on the Forbes list of the world's richest people, but he was also known for not doing much in line of charity work. He was ruthless, calculative, and notoriously hot-tempered. But he loved his wife. "I've been looking after Mrs. Cassidy since her admission, and I'd like you to understand that she is a patient of extreme importance." He looked James sharply in the eye at that comment - the hospital needed its funding, and a lot of its funding came from Cassidy Enterprises. Even the hospital director knew how important that was. "We'll be doing a heart transplant once the paperwork for Elizabeth Charles clears, and I'm going to need you to assist."

"Please, call me Hannah." Mrs. Cassidy smiled weakly at James. "And please, Doctor Morris, there's really no need to pressure the man." Her gaze drifted to James again, and there was a long pause before she released a lamenting sigh. "You have a certain...enthusiasm about you. It reminds me of my son."

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

I was thinking James could be assigned to Gabe's patient, so he'd come into the ward and be introduced, leading to more opportunities for interaction between the two.

Buying Life [Shoshin and mmidnight]

"With what you're about to go through, you're gonna need it."

Gabriel responded as he flashed a brief smile; this was followed by a professional nod as he offered the new resident a mock salute. This guy seemed particularly enthusiastic, as if he had something to prove. If not to others, then to himself. He could only hope he didn't get too curious, since this hospital's shiny exterior was a front for a lot of the things that went down behind closed doors. He would know. Stopping by his locker to wash up and slip on his white coat, he examined himself in the mirror in front of the sink for a few moments. He seemed slightly worn, but that wasn't an unusual sort of visage here at the hospital, so it wouldn't draw any unnecessary suspicion.

And the first patient he was due to check on was the most important one of the day. Stepping into the private, luxuriously maintained ward, it was eerily silent. On the bed lay the frail shape of a woman. In her early sixties, her hair had grayed to a fine silver. She was so thin, so sickly that her hands seemed almost withered, paper skin over jutting bone. It seemed like someone could break her with even the slightest touch. Yet, her eyes were wide and lucid, gazing out of the nearby window in a quiet state of grace. The light flowing through the smudged panes illuminated her face - her exquisite bone structure, the elegance with which she carried herself even in this stage of illness.

"Mrs. Cassidy. How are we feeling today?" Gabe stepped up to check her chart, smiling fondly down at the woman.

"Like I'm lucky to be alive." The woman let out a slow chuckle, turning from the window to look at him.

"Well, I've got good news for you, Mrs. Cassidy. We found a matching heart. We can get the transplant going as soon as the paperwork's settled." He noted the sudden change in her demeanor, the spark of hope in her otherwise resigned gaze. "I'm sure Mr. Cassidy will be happy to hear that, considering how worried he is right now."

And of course, Mr. Cassidy referred to Jack Cassidy of Cassidy Enterprises, one of the wealthiest and most influential men in the world. And there was no one Jack trusted more than Gabriel. Gabe had spoken to the man on various occasions, and had told him that he was willing to pay "as much as it took" if they could just find his wife a heart. Hearts were in short supply; most were taken from patients rendered brain-dead in horrific accidents. Recently they'd gotten a new one - a young woman named Elizabeth Charles, whose heart was found to be a perfect match for Mrs. Cassidy. And as soon as Elizabeth's grieving husband approved the harvest, they could proceed.

(highcas/advanced) Sho's plots/ideas.

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