CHAPTER 7

The Next Showdown

The other nurses rushed to assist Phil, who was walking slowly, leaning on the wall at intervals. The name on her name tag decoratively hung from her breast.

"Vicky, you were in charge of the wounded guy who walked in here earlier. Did you give him the proper medications?" Nurse Gracie asked, turning to look at the earlier nurse who had handled Phil in the emergency room.

"Gracie, there's nothing I can do for that guy. I only had to give him proper first aid, but he is a scholarship student and, as you know, he'll need to apply for his medication bills from his scholarship source," she yanked off with a quirked eyebrow, turning to Phil with her usual smirk which suggested mockery.

"Vicky, you should know that he is a patient and wouldn't be lucky, rich, or connected like you and the other students here. So always try to assist, please," Nurse Gracie yelled at the others who treated Phil with contempt, unknown to her of his true personality.

She rushed to a drawer, picked a file, and brought out the scholarship application slip.

"What's your name, please?" she asked politely, but then Phil looked at her as she bent over.

"What a perfect ass you've got there, ma'am.

Nurse Gracie was shocked, she couldn't believe that to come from a patient she was trying to assist.

"What did you just say? the nurse asked with a widened stare and a tight jaw.

The other nurses laughed hysterically.

"I wonder if you're some sort of Holy Mother or always trying to be better than everyone here," Nurse Vicky replied, nursing deep feelings of annoyance at Gracie.

"You needed to see how she let go of her pay last month to assist some poor folks.

"You should open up a free medical center to win the award for the best nurse," another nurse replied bitterly, with scorn and contempt in her tone, as they laughed in unison.

"It's pathetic that she's got some bills to foot," the other added as they laughed even harder now.

Phil couldn't believe the weight of humiliation that was rained on him at the medical unit. He could understand the difference in class structure; it was obvious that it spread everywhere.

"How much are the medications, Ma?" He asked defiantly.

"It's $800, Everything is costly here. You know it's a high-end institution," she raised her eyes to Phil, who was staring at her without an iota of surprise.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Phil's emotions shifted the intoxication from the marijuana he smoked earlier increased, enveloping him in an aura of intense energy. Obvious to everyone else in the room, he focused on the nurse's identification. He ran his fingers through the air, as though gesturing.

"See that, he is even mentally unstable!" Nurse Vicky screamed, her voice laced with disdain.

Nurse Gracie jumped in fear from her recent position, her eyes wide with surprise and fright at Vicky's words. Liam's power seemed to read through her, a form of hacking through her details.

"What are you pointing at, boy?" The nurse asked hastily, but then Phil smiled, his darkened teeth showed.

"You've got a round perfect body", he blinked his eyes but before he could notice what was happening, the nurse had called security who rushed in to seize him.

**********

At the other side of the block, Liam quickly credited the school's account with $1,0,000. It dropped instantly, but the notification was off. He turned to the cashier, who was already reaching to get the application bill from him, he had applied for a new ID only to be insulted by the cashier.

"Here, Ma, please apply fast. his health is fast deteriorating, and the inflammation on his face needs to be taken care of," A woman said politely, handing Liam's application booklet to the cashier. She then rushed to the refrigerator to fetch him an energy drink.

"Here, boy, this should help energize you in the meantime." No one needed to tell Liam that she was a good woman.

He nodded gently in his feigned pretense. "Don't worry, Ma, I'll be fine," he replied hastily.

"Are you scared of footing the bills?" the woman asked with a smile on her face. "I will make sure I take care of some of those bills, Liam." She gestured as she talked.

Liam stretched to get the drink, thanking the woman severally.

30 minutes later, Liam had fallen asleep, his head resting on the sofa. He had thought of how to leave the ID center without much questioning, as his blue light rays could heal faster than the needed application. Of course, the amount of money resting in his account could foot the bill for anything he needed there, but he was scared of being exposed, as he couldn't control his newly gained powers.

A voice woke him with an unusual tap. He blinked and saw a familiar face. Yes, it was Lindy.

"Hey, I've been looking for you everywhere, Liam," she shrugged, her tiny voice filling the room. "What are you doing here? What's wrong with your face?" She bent to look properly.

"I'm fine, Lindy," Liam replied coldly.

"No, you're not," she cut in, snapping her fingers on Liam's face and his eyes flickered in response.

"I said, what's wrong with your face? Is there anything you're not telling me?" She queried as though she was indeed concerned.

"I think it's time I let the school authorities know about these things you go through, Liam."

The women turned to stare at Lindy. The curiosity in their faces was visible enough.

"What happens when you put your fingers in a crocodile's mouth?" a student with a fractured leg asked. His humor made Lindy giggle.

"He got bitten, man. So there's nothing to report to the school authorities here. They'll never say a word about it," the boy added, rolling his hands on the fracture as though he was trying to ease the pain.

"Hey there!" Another voice caught Liam's attention. It was Vanguard. She was told that Liam was in the ID center, and she walked into the space with all amount of bellicosity.

"Liam, why did you do that shit you did? Why did you fail to keep to your part of our agreement?" She yelled, her jaw dropped in anger.

"I paid off and rescued you from Sandra's humiliation, and you thought you could play smart, right?" Her hands grabbed Liam's shirt.

"You bastardized liar!" The women rushed to the scene, but before they could rescue Liam, Vanguard landed a heated slap on his face. The sound of it echoed through the room.

The weight of that humiliation hit Liam like a piercing knife. He rubbed his face slowly, trying to ease the additional pain. The swelling parts of his face reddened.