Sebastian Duke
Registered but either hasn't added self to a roster yet or doesn't RP
XWF FanBase: Very random (heel alignment but liked by many; has earned respect despite breaking the rules often)
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Joined: Tue Jan 01 2013
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04-05-2015, 03:52 PM
Tuesday, March 31, 2015 | 10:21 PM Local Time | The Trauma Hospital Berlin | Berlin, Germany
It's been an emotional day for everyone involved. From riding high over the meeting with the United Nations, to torturing and killing assassins. A day like this could make some men crack and crumble at the pressures. But not the Illuminatus. 'Next man up' is their motto. If someone should fall, there is always another to take their place. Of course, that's in theory. In the King's mind, there would be no replacing Jacob Anderson. The man has put his body on the line for his King on more than one occasion. It's a brand of loyalty unmatched by anything in the animal kingdom. A long time ago, back in junior high school, it was the King, then just a son of a former Catholic Priest, that joined a new school and stopped the much smaller Jacob Anderson from being bullied by larger kids his own age.
Jacob's loyalty started there and never ended, but for one brief period a couple of years ago. That sudden break in the bonds of loyalty and friendship wasn't easy for either of the two men who grew up like blood brothers. It was more of an emotional reaction to a terrible event that saw the death of Lucas Anderson, Jacob own older brother. In his mourning for his own personal loss, Jacob began to blame Sebastian for his brothers death. It took the King of the Illuminatus quite some time to come to grips with the fact that maybe he had been responsible. He tortured himself, wondering why he hadn't provided more security for those under him.
Lucas passed away. Now history was repeating itself. Only this time, it was the best friend he had ever had and more importantly, Jacob is a fixer. He was always able to get things done that shouldn't have been possible. Now his life hangs in the balance. The King finds himself wondering why the hell additional security was not implemented. He wonders if things would have been different had he made that order. He wonders, had he made the order, would those bullets have found Jacob anyway?
The four men enter the trauma ward of the hospital with heavy hearts. All of them, namely the King himself, feels pendent doom. As if there were a dark cloud descending upon the Illuminatus. Gabriel and James flank either side of the Dukes, bracketing the leadership between them with guns drawn. The four men march forward in unison, but not purposely. They stomp down together as if they were in some form of military march. They arrive together in the waiting room where armed security completely separates the German Chancellor and Matthew from everyone else in the trauma center. As the mean near the force, they clear a path for them to enter the circle.
â€Where the hell have you been?†asks a disheartened Asmodeus. It looks like he's shed a tear or two in the time he's spent at the hospital.
â€I've had to take care of some things,†says the King as he takes a seat beside his father. â€The assassins were caught.â€
â€These assassins, were they sent by who I think?†asks the Chancellor.
â€It's more than that,†Sebastian starts. â€There's other plans and at least two more teams,†he concludes.
â€I see,†replies Asmodeus as he leans forward and looks down at the bright and shiny tile floor of the hospital. â€What of the captured?†he asks, looking over at his son.
â€They're dead,†responds the King emphatically. â€What's the word?†asks the King, referring to Jacob's condition.
â€Well,†Asmodeus starts, â€he was hit twice. In the neck and in the chest,†explains Asmodeus before being curtly interrupted by his son.
â€I know that already,†says the King hotly. â€In case you haven't noticed, his blood is still upon my hands.â€
â€Yes, well, his carotid artery was nicked. The other bullet nicked his heart. Hes in surgery still. I don't think their hopes are too high, son. Yours shouldn't be either,†concludes the Chancellor, complete with the most grim look on his face he's ever had.
â€I just feel like, if I had changed the security detail...†starts the King before being interrupted by his father.
â€Then Jacob still would have been shot, son,†he says with a pause. â€He knew what he was up against. We all knew, Sebastian. You can not blame yourself for this. At any given time, crack pots and the Catholic faithful can take their chances from anywhere in the world,†he pauses again. â€Still though, this is Jacob. Not some underling whose name we never remember.
“As much as you feel like he's your own flesh and blood, son. I feel the same way. You feel as if he's your own brother, Sebastian. I feel as if he is my own son. And I love him as such.â€
For the first time, Asmodeus shows some emotion to the world as a tear escapes his ducts and rolls down his cheek. Perhaps it puts Jacob's existence in their world into perspective. Jacob Anderson isn't just another member of the Illuminatus. He's been a part of their lives since he and Sebastian were twelve and thirteen years old, respectively. For the vast majority of the last nineteen years, the two were joined at the hip. They love each other because they are brothers. They fought with each other at times because they are brothers. They protected each other because they are brothers. They have put their lives on the line for one another because they are brothers.
Nothing could ever break that bond.
A tall, middle aged man in a white lab coat sifts his way through the security force and enters the empty circle that acts as a shroud around the Illuminatus leadership. He speaks softly, â€My Fuhrer,†says the doctor to the Chancellor.
â€Please, doctor, do not use that term. Chancellor will suffice,†he instructs the doctor.
â€My apologies... Jacob is out of surgery, but its not good,†says the doctor.
â€What's the prognosis?†asks the King, motioning for the doctor to take a seat.
The doctor takes a seat next to the King of the Illuminatus before informing them all on Jacob's current condition. â€I'd like to just shoot it straight, if I may,†he says with great hesitation. To which, Sebastian nods, confirming that its the best way to say it all. â€If he lives, gentlemen, it'll be nothing short of a miracle. My best guess is if he does live, he'll be paralyzed from the waist down. That's certainly not the worst of it. The worst of it, is that he will likely be brain dead.
“The second bullet,†explains the doctor, â€is the least of his problems. It entered his chest, pierced his heart and lodged in his spine. The spinal chord itself is not severed, but its in a precarious position and we can not risk removing it.
“It also punctured his long, collapsing it in the process.
“The first bullet severed his jugular vein which is basically the main blood supply to the head. Even if we had been at the scene, gentlemen, it probably wouldn't have made much difference. The blood loss was catastrophic, which I'm sure is evidenced by the amount of blood in your car.
“The lack of blood from the first projectile combined with the lack of oxygen from the second, you can understand why I'm not very hopeful of his recovery,†concludes the doctor.
â€Are you saying there is no hope for recovery?†the King asks.
â€No, I can not say that for sure. There is some hope, but not much. I can not and will not lie to you. I've induced a coma in order to help his healing process. While chances are slim, I can not stress enough that you must visit with him. You must talk to him. We will monitor his progress in the mean time. If he shows brain activity while in the coma, then his chances of survival will increase. His chances of living without significant brain damage will increase.
“I know it is a grim outlook, but you need to stay positive,†the doctor says as he stands up.
â€If he does live through this, what are the chances he won't be paralyzed?†the King asks of the doctor.
â€Well, its hard to say for sure. He may live in pain the rest of his life. He may have bouts of numbness in his lower extremities. Odds are, he'd need rehabilitation in order to learn to walk again.
“Hope is not all lost, gentlemen. But hope is very slim,†concludes the doctor as he starts to walk away.
â€Doc,†says the King, stopping the doctor in his tracks. â€Take me to him.â€
â€Yeah,†the doctor says, stepping back toward the Illuminatus leadership. â€He's in intensive care. I don't know that its such a wise decision.â€
â€Forgive me Doc, but I just don't give a shit,†the King replies as he stands to his feet.
The doctor looks around at the leadership. â€Come with me,†says the defeated doctor.
Sebastian Duke follows him down the hallway, Gabriel right on his tail. â€How damaged is the heart?†asks the King quietly.
â€It's pretty torn up, sir. We closed up the tears the best we could. Like I said, if he lasts twenty-four hours, we have a shot,†concludes the doctor.
â€What you're telling me, is that his heart could just give out on him,†the King questions.
â€To be candid... I'm surprised it hasn't yet. You need to know that in his current condition, if he goes into cardiac arrest, there simply is just nothing we can do for him. His heart isn't strong enough right now to take adrenaline shots or even the defibrillator.
“We'll know more in a day,†says the doctor coming to a stop at the Intensive Care entrance.
â€Or less,†says the King, almost finishing the doctor's statement.
The doctor swipes his identification card and the wide doors swing open. â€Yes, Mr. Duke... or less... Third door on your right.â€
â€Thank you, doc.â€
Sebastian and the new Praesul of the Sanguis Consulere proceed down the hallway toward Jacob's room. At the door, the King stops and strokes his beard a couple of times, seemingly mentally preparing himself for what he may see when he enters the room.
A few moments go by and the King, with Gabriel staying posted at the door, enters the hospital room.
![[Image: ekg-o.gif]](http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view4/1506671/ekg-o.gif)
The EKG beeps in rhythm with Jacob's heart beat and for a few moments, the King can't bring himself to look away. It's almost as if he thinks that if he looks away, those peaks and valleys may cease and Jacob will flat line. He finally buries that thought and takes a seat in a chair resting near Jacob's bed. He drags it in close and grabs a hold of Jacob's hand.
â€You remember that time back in 8th grade when that fat kid was harassing you? That was my first day,†starts Sebastian, choking back emotions. â€That was my first day in that school. I don't know why, but I felt like I had to put that kid in his place. You were so much smaller than everyone else. You and I became such good friends after that.
“I remember when your parents died in that plane crash. I remember I begged my father to let you and Luke come stay with us,†he continues on, as a single tear drops from his eye. â€Who knew that either of you would have played such pivotal roles in the Illuminatus?†he asks his comatose friend.
â€Look man, you need to come out of this. Theo is coming over for Easter dinner and I don't know who is going to argue with him over every little thing. I think he enjoys that,†the King jokes, apparently to himself.
â€In all seriousness, Jake, I wouldn't be where I am, I wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for you. You've been my best friend since I was thirteen. You've been my rock and my conscience. You've steered me clear of obvious traps I just wasn't seeing, you've hatched extremely successful plans. Like Jonathan. That fucker might have beaten me had it not been for you.
“There's so much unfinished work, Jake. I need you by my side,†says the King as Jacob's EKG starts reacting. Sebastian looks back at the monitor and its beeping faster and faster in unison with the peaks and valleys.
Suddenly, without warning...
![[Image: heartbeat.gif]](https://shortfictionbreak.files.wordpress.com/2014/10/heartbeat.gif)
Jacob's EKG readout flat lines.
â€JAKE!†shouts the King as he stands up. His whole world today seems vertiginous and out of control. â€DOCTOR!†he shouts. A second later, Jacob's doctor walks in, notices what Sebastian Duke is reacting over and just folds his arms over his chest.
â€I was afraid of that,†the doctor says sheepishly.
â€Do something god damn it!†the King demands.
â€I told you, Mr. Duke. There's nothing I can do,†he replies as Sebastian Duke walks over to him and slams him against the wall. â€This is why I didn't want you to come in here tonight. He's in God's hands now, Mr. Duke.â€
â€Not half as sorry as you're gonna be!†he replies, just prior to shoving the doctor to the floor and storming out of the room. Gabriel hurries to catch up to the King as he exits the Intensive Care ward. The King, with Gabriel in tow, makes his way back to the waiting room with the Illuminatus present. Rather than rejoin the leadership, the King proceeds toward the exit. In quick fashion, the leadership follows suit. No one says a word until they cram into the Lincoln Continental.
â€How did he look?†Asmodeus asks his son, initially not noticing the Kings hand trembling as he strokes his beard and stares out the window. He notices now.
â€Jesus,†Asmodeus states, coming to his own conclusion of Jake's current condition. And the correct one at that. The Lincoln starts back toward the Chancellery building. It's minutes of dead silence before Asmodeus breaks the silence again, â€Son, I need your focus,†he states, remembering his sons history of loss.
Sebastian doesn't answer and within a few minutes, the car comes to a stop at the curb outside the Chancellery.
â€Sebastian,†Asmodeus says as he climbs out of the car. His son continues to walk away from him toward the building.
â€You have my focus Asmodeus!†the King shouts before coming to a stop and turning around. â€In fact, I have never been more focused than I am right now!â€
With that, Asmodeus stops dead in his tracks, wondering just what the hell is going through his sons head at this very moment. The leadership of the Illuminatus proceeds to safety within the building.
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