Mantis (K19 Security Solutions 4)

What the hell? “Where in Boston?”

“Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.”

“You’re sure?”

“Positive. She was flown by medical helicopter this morning, piloted by Pierre Mondreau, and accompanied by his wife, Matille.”

“I forgot he was a pilot. Although I didn’t know he was licensed to fly helicopters.”

“Pierre flew with the Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre originally,” Doc told him.

The “land army,” as the French military called it, was made up primarily of infantry; however, helicopters were considered part of that branch, but used mainly for medical evacuation.

He remembered Alegria telling him that Pierre’s service in the French military was one of her father’s primary objections to her choosing to transfer to the United States Air Force Academy and, ultimately, becoming an officer and citizen of the country. Although she’d also told him that her father had been opposed to her serving in the French military too.

Mantis ended the call and pulled up Spaulding Rehab’s details on his phone. It made sense that they’d taken her there; it was second in the nation for spinal cord injuries resulting in paralysis.

He tried to call Alegria again, but like before, it went straight to voicemail.

—:—

Alegria looked out the window of her new hospital room and sighed. Her father had been rude to every person they’d interacted with, and her mother wasn’t much better. Did they really think berating the hospital staff would result in her receiving better care? The nurses would probably end up hating her.

“Stop, Maman, s’il vous plait,” she begged, but her mother didn’t act as though she’d heard her. Instead she was looking at her phone.

“Where is my phone?” Alegria asked.

Her mother shrugged.

“You don’t know? Is it with my other belongings?”

“I don’t believe so.”

“Would you please check?”

Her mother stood and walked over to a closet. Alegria couldn’t see what was in it from where she was.

“I don’t see it.”

Had she even looked? “Please check again.”

“I told you I don’t see it,” her mother said, closing the closet with more force than was necessary.

Alegria felt equally angry and powerless. The idea that she may have this same struggle—unable to get up and check for herself—long term, made her want to hit something.

“You have no need for it anyway.”

“What did you say?”

“You heard me. You have no need for your phone.” Her mother stood and walked out of the room.

What had she been thinking when she called her parents? Had she really believed that they would treat her any differently now than they had the rest of her life?

Rather than being sympathetic to her condition, it was as though they believed it was her fault she was paralyzed. They went as far as suggesting that if she hadn’t been with Mantis and his family, she wouldn’t have sustained further injuries. They didn’t disparage just Mantis; they went after his parents too.

“It was an accident,” she’d told them, to no avail.

They acted disgusted by the whole thing, as well as very put out by having to come to the States and deal with her.