18. A Tragic Fate

Vader's pupils dilated as his eyes fell on the man he was searching for. A man who seemed to be clinging to the edge of death was lying on the bed which was located, straight to the entrance of the ward. And atop the bed was the name of the patient.

'Popey miller'

Vader was able to recognize mainly because of the name written above his bed.

"Popey miller"

Vader re-read it again since he couldn't accept the harsh reality of Popey's condition. He adrift his eyes and desperately began searching, hoping that he had mistaken a stranger as him.

However, the reality was disappointing and dreadful to believe. There was none unlike he hoped. Enduring his reflex to retch, Vader drifted his attention back to the bed in the center of the ward.

Ward three was a gruesome place to witness. It was the ward that contained the gravely injured people.

Gravely injured in the sense, it contains people who are hanging in the cliff of death, those that don't have any hope or wealth to get treated. Most of them are orphans or people that have none looking for them.

Popey's condition is something very complicated and cruel to be described.

Vader's heart sank as he approached the man straight in front of him. This was the man who lent him his hand when he was in desperate need of a job when he first took a step into the city and this is the same man who helped him in making a suit when asked. If it wasn't for him he'd have been in a terrible condition akin to him. In simple terms, to Vader, Popey is a man with a good heart.

"Fucking hospital" Vader cursed and stopped in front of the bed.

The bed was covered with a see-through net which was cloaked around to block the flies from entering. Terra might seem like a city that's rich but its major flaw is that it was just outer concealment. The riches have the access to live with prosperity but the poor don't.

The government medical facilities were one of the worst administered sectors. And a blatant example of this is Popey. Popey is abandoned and his livelihood is done for good. He is not funded enough or, one can say that his insurance quota to be treated is low that he doesn't receive any more treatment, and people with the same complications are admitted to ward three.

Vader stopped and scanned the body from head to toe with his reddened eyes. Popey's skin was cracked and torn and his bleeding didn't seem to have stopped even after being wrapped in bandages. His face was torn and he only possessed one eye and he didn't possess any of his limbs. It also seemed like his organs have been stolen judging from the vacuum gap in his body.

Organ theft is common in government hospitals. They steal from people that do not have people to care for.

'His family is dead...'

Vader was able to guess the very moment when he got to know that Popey was admitted to the third ward. This was clear as a day for Vader when he came to know that he's in the third ward. Yet, he still couldn't accept it.

It certainly wasn't Vader's mistake that Popey had to suffer such a tragic fate but still, Popey felt awful.

"Ahh, Va-Vader~"

Popey said opening his mouth. His voice was timid and very low to even comprehend.

"huh?"

Vader said with shock, furrowing his eyebrows looking down at Popey.

He was shocked that Popey was able to recognize him at first glance.

"Excuse me, sir!" A fat nurse said barging from the depth of the ward.

"Yes?" Vader asked turning his head.

"Are you his relative?"

She asked.

Vader looked down at Popey and once again turned his head back to the nurse.

'A Friend...' He thought of those words but stopped after thinking about the complications.

"His brother" Vader replied looking at the nurse's eyes. Vader said it because only close relatives can fund or get the patient treated but he truly saw Popey as a big brother from his heart.

"Vader: Popey faintly called him although it was inaudible and looked at him with his tear-clogged eyes. It seemed like he was on the verge of shedding tears but seemingly controlling it as his lips quivered and his face twitched.

Popey has been staying there for almost a week with none visiting him. His only daughter died along with his wife after the intervention of the sonic monster. He had long lost the will to live. Losing his limbs, an eye, and his organs which the mongrels of the city steal once a week.

Mongrels are burglars who are widely known for their crimes. They make deals with citizens placing a deal for the money. They take a part of the organ and use healers to grow them and transplant them to those whose regenerative span has been expired.

Nanorian's has complications in healing and the organ system. People can be saved and limbs can be grown only when aided within a few particular spans of time and when they aren't treated within that span of time they'll become a handicap. Though only organs can be transplanted. Regrowing limbs is not possible yet. Also, organ transplantation needs compatibility between the receiver and the contributor.

Organ stealing is something a bit rare unlike what one could expect.

"Va-Vader... My da-Daughter and wife..."

Popey said stutteringly with his low voice as tears dripped down the sides of his eyes.

Vader wasn't able to reply anything to his words and just stood there. It is rather a good idea to just take his life to end his suffering than prolonging his life to suffer in that rotting world. However, this comes down to Popey's desire. And if one is made to be in Popey's position they'd choose death over living with a burdened heart and a disabled body.

"They are dead vader! They are dead! Argh! Argh!"

Popey wept yelling at the top of his voice and coughed blood.

Vader just approached and hugged him giving a damn about Popey's dreadful appearance.

"I want to die, Vader! I want to die!"

Popey wept.

Without replying Vader just continued to embrace him as the fat nurse waited for them since she didn't want to disturb the men.

After a while Vader slowly made him lay on the bed.

"Popey... Honestly, I can't possibly understand the pain you feel... I am sorry for your loss but, if you've are still alive now. Just question yourself why?"

Vader felt like his words were something that seemed insensitive to a disabled man who just lost his family a week ago but he didn't know what to speak to ease his pain. His dreadful feeling turned into anger as he laid his eyes fat nurse.

'Would it be possible to get a treatment and stabilize him?'

He thought and turned his attention to the fat nurse.

"Miss is it possible to start his treatment?"

Vader said looking at the fat nurse's eyes.

"Uhmm..."

She felt intimidate and backed away since Vader's eyes contained malice and anger.

"We cannot sir... But if you can pay us a sum of 50 jade coins and 1000 jade coins for the healing. we'll start the treatment."

"Come again?"

Vader said gritting his teeth walking towards her.

"His organs have been removed from him by the mongrels and he seems like he hasn't been treated for several days. He'll be dead before I could prepare for the sum. "

"We cannot help it, sir. If you can't then please take him with you." The fat bitch said wearing a straight face there wasn't even a sliver of pity or care in her face.

"You are a fucking nurse whose duty is to take care of a patient? Saving someone's life should come first... I can easily understand that you are the one who permitted the mongrels to steal his organs and you still have the nerve to demand money?"

Vader questioned and gave her a tight slap.

he was furious because, without the hospital's staffs' help, the mongrels wouldn't be able to get their hands on the patient.

It was a new feeling for Vader himself. His blood boiled and got to the top of his head, a feeling of extreme rage took over him. However, he resorted to controlling his emotions. Sliding his hand inside his pocket, he took his insignia out.

The very next moment the nurse's eyebrows shot up as evidence of shock.

"I am sorry sir...I'll start the treatment immediately."

The nurse uttered and rushed out of the ward holding on to the notepad to bring the ward boys to take Popey into the healing theater.

"Fucking bitch"

He cursed at her and made Popey lay on the portable bed with the staff's help and followed them into the healing theater. Popey could take a few months to be fully healed considering the facility of the Government hospital of Terra still Vader didn't have the capital to help him. All Vader do with his insignia is use his VIP authority in the government facilities for better and free treatment.

"If only Maketh was still alive..."

He mumbled taking a seat that was before the healing theater.

"Sir fortunately his organs can be re healed but will take a few months. And the hospital will directly charge from the scavenger's dominion. So please fill in the details in this paper."

The fat nurse said and gave him her notepad.

"Ok"

Vader replied and began filling in the details.

***

A/N: It's been a while since I have published a chapter. This chapter may seem inconsistent or maybe not. I wanted to cover more content in this chapter but I just had time to only cover this much. I'll try to write the next chap with more quality. Thank you.