City Hospital
Orthopedics In-patient Ward
When the ambulance delivered him at noon, Samson, who'd come along had checked him in straight away on the leaders' orders. After an afternoon of tests and treatment, Johny Lee's injuries were finally under control: small, first-degree burns on his leg and hand, a twisted ankle and shoulder, and the skin slashed by fluorescent-tube fragments cleaned and bandaged. In short, nothing life-threatening.
That evening, every colleague and leader from the General Office came to the hospital to see him.
Johny had just taken his temperature, 99.1 °F and was handing the thermometer back to the nurse when Section Chief Lee and Director Zane walked in.
Flattered, he tried to push himself up. "Section Chief Lee, Director Zane." A stab of pain in his shoulder kept him from sitting fully upright.
Lee darted forward and gently pressed him back. "Don't get up...lie down, lie down."
Paul glanced at Johny in his patient gown, said nothing, and obsequiously fetched two chairs for the leaders.
Director Zane and Section Chief Lee sat close to the bed. "Johny, how are you feeling?"
Surrounded by so many people, Johny felt awkward. He coughed. "Thank you for your concern, leaders; it's nothing serious. I should be able to leave the hospital the day after tomorrow."
Lee had already asked Samson about the injuries and knew Johny was bluffing. He frowned. "Out of the question, you can't even walk. Don't worry about work; Zane and I have sorted your attendance and medical bills. Your only job now is to rest and recover."
Zane nodded. "Right, don't rush to discharge yourself."
Lee and Zane had survived professional ruin thanks to Johny's heroics, and their gratitude knew no bounds; their warmth toward him was obvious.
Lee even poured him a cup of fresh water himself. Jack and Paul had never seen the two leaders so courteous to a subordinate and burned with envy, though they dared not show it, Johny really had earned his merit this time.
Johny had only been being polite; once the leaders approved his sick leave, he stopped insisting. Of course, he didn't want to leave: first, he could barely move and his mother wasn't in the city to look after him; second, if he checked out too soon, Lee and Zane's gratitude would fade. Even if he had to fake it, he'd act half-dead so the leaders would remember the risks he'd taken.
Johny wasn't brilliant, but he had his share of street smarts.
After a few more heart-warming words, Lee's phone rang; he took the call and pulled Zane outside with him.
With the leaders gone, the colleagues no longer needed to watch their words.
Tammy grinned and gave Johny a thumbs-up. "Johny, I'm in awe, you charged into that blaze without hesitation. I was stunned!"
Jane smiled sweetly. "You weren't the only one; we were all dumbstruck. Lucky our little Johny has a charmed life."
Old Quinn beamed. "Johny has done the General Office proud."
Johny felt smug but answered modestly, "Please, don't praise me. I didn't think, I just knew if those files burned we'd all be in trouble, so I rushed in."
Jack curled his lip. Yeah, keep lying.
Paul thought the same: If not for the merit, would you risk your life? Who are you kidding?
Yet they had to admire his nerve; even with ten times their courage, they wouldn't have dared go in.
Creak.....
The door opened.
Lee and Zane came back in; Jane and Tammy quickly made room.
Sitting by the bed, Lee patted Johny's hand and dropped a bombshell: "Just got word, the Board has approved your High Council membership request."
Tammy and the others exclaimed, "But Johny only handed in his application two weeks ago!"
Johny looked stunned. "Me? Join the Council?" He hadn't even submitted a single formal review, let alone studied the Council's mandate. By normal procedure, he'd need at least a year to become an applicant, then another year as a probationary member. Half a month was impossible, it broke every rule.
Zane chuckled. "It's a battlefield promotion."
Everyone suddenly understood.
Battlefield promotions were common in crisis management: under extraordinary circumstances, the usual bureaucratic red tape was bypassed. Calamity or major meritorious service could qualify a person for immediate induction.
Lee explained, "After we put the fire out this afternoon, Zane and I discussed it, took your application up the chain, and asked for a fast-track slot. The call just came through, upper management approved it. Once you're back on your feet and take the oath, you'll be a probationary member."
Strictly speaking, Johny's midday heroics barely met the bar for such a rapid rise, but to repay their debt, Lee and Zane had lobbied hard all afternoon.
With Director Yancy having witnessed the deed firsthand, the slot was successfully secured.
Jack and Paul were green with envy, a fast-track promotion was incredibly hard to come by.
Johny was overjoyed; this unexpected bonus would thicken his résumé considerably. Putting on an emotional face, he said, "Thank you, Section Chief Lee, Director Zane. I won't betray the trust of you two and the Bureau leadership."
Lee laughed. "Wrong place for the oath, you know."
Everyone laughed along.
After the visitors left, Johny pulled the quilt over his head and laughed silently. The injuries hadn't been suffered in vain: he'd won Lee and Zane's trust, earned the Bureau's respect, and most importantly, gained in less than a month a Council membership he'd thought would take three or four years.
Authors Note:-
THATS chapter 39
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