Author Topic: Heroes of Paragon  (Read 3438 times)

Roughtrade

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Heroes of Paragon
« on: December 03, 2012, 10:07:53 AM »
Quote
This one I submitted once but was not accepted.  Lighthouse later sent me a email saying the 'print a player story' thing was ending.  Comic went to electronic print only soon after.  Anyways, I always kind'a liked this one.  I like dealing with the stuff around the Heroes as much as Heroes themselves.


"Pardon-me-coming-thru-hero-onna-mission!"

Exiting the monorail at the Bronze Way Station and heading down the ramp, absorbed in thought Jonah barely understood the shout of warning before the blinding amber glow moving at near supersonic speeds bowled him over from behind.  Though not directly stuck by the speeding girl in what looked to be a cheerleader costume, the wall of wind she kicked up was sufficient to send his briefcase soaring into the air and his coffee cup flying in the other direction over the railing of the ramp way to the monorail station.

"Gotit, gotit, gotit!" 

Another voice called out, as a young man in blue jeans, a sweat stained tee shirt and a stocking mask, moving at an equally impressive speed as the girl, turned on a dime and raced to catch the coffee mug before it shattered on the concrete below.  He returned in time to offer Jonah a hand in regaining his feet. 

"Sorry citizen."  A cheerfully smiling girl floated down wearing star spangled costume, blue blouse with red shorts and with a short cape.  She offered Jonah his briefcase, which she had caught in midair.  "Pepper is pretty excitable and, well, we are in a hurry."

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!"  The cheerleader zipped back, smelling strongly of cinnamon and shouting crossly at her team mates.  "Vhaz-inna-office-people-in-trouble-crazy-bad-lady-wanna-be-pretty-again-we-gotta-GO!" And with a whipping of her rowan ponytail and flash of light, she was out of sight.  The man sped away after her in a footrace that only a God of Speed could hope to follow.

"Duty calls."  The flying young blonde gave him a wink and flashed a perfect smile before zipping off after her friends, leaving only pink sparkles and a causal.  "Be safe, citizen!"  trailing in her wake.

Jonah blinked, readjusting to his surroundings.  "I hardly lost any of my coffee."  He noted aloud in bemusement.

"Yeh."  A young girl in brown slacks with a black apron over her green blouse smiled at him.  "All Nighter is addicted to the stuff.  You notice how he caught your cup, but not you.  Heroes get some skewed notions sometimes."

"You..  You ah, work with a lot of heroes?"  Jonah gave her another look.

"Me?  Oh no."  She laughed.  "But my pop owns a coffee shop over in Skyway and I've been working there since I was sixteen.  Now we have the sole franchise in all Pandora Box outlets.  After a while, you just get sort'a used to them."

"Skyway?  I heard that was dangerous." Jonah said.  "Your father let's you roam around in a district like that?"

"First of all."  The girl frowned at him.  "I turned twenty five three months ago, my father doesn't get a choice in where I 'roam around' any more.  And secondly, you must be new to say things like that."

"I was born in Paragon, I went to school in Skyway where I met and married my high school sweet heart, who now teaches English there and hopes half his class doesn't end up strung out on superdyne or co-opted by the Cooties."

"My mother and father were married under the Atlas Tree in Perez Park, my uncle Tony was a fire fighter who died during the evacuation of Baumtown, my brother Paul is on the King's Row SWAT force and my aunt Lydia works directly for the Paragon Heroic Licensing Authority." 

"The gangs won't intimidate us into leaving, the cultists and zombies won't scare us away and the Rikti didn't destroy us.  If you tourists think Paragon Rhode Island is nothing but a 'City of Heroes' then you've got another think coming!"

Most of the people passing by had avoided the steadily rising and angry voiced girl, intent on getting to the monorail station and on with their lives.  There were, however, several people who had stopped to listen and applause broke out as the other city dwellers gave Jonah scathing looks.

"I'm sorry."  He said to the girl, and then repeated louder to appease the audience.  "I'm sorry, really.  I'm not a tourist.  I'm just newly arrived."

The gathering melted away as people returned to their own lives.  Jonah hadn't won any hearts, but at least he wasn't going to be lynched.  He shrugged his jacket back into place, again picked up his briefcase, and started down the ramp. 

****

"Hello Doctor Jacobi."  A dark skinned woman in Hero Corps regalia called to Jonah as he began to ascend the steps to the hospital.  "I hope your journey was pleasant." 

"Ummm.  Yes."  He let her shake his hand, looking warily at her.

"Oh, I'm not a mind reader."  Her laugh was more of a giggle.  "They told me to be on the look out for you.  I'm the official rep for the Corps around here, and well...  We take a rather vested interest in keeping the hospital and it's staff safe." 

She boldly hooked her arm through his and proceeded to drag him up the rest of the stairs towards the gleaming white doors.

"Colleen!  Colleen!  Wait!"  A voice shouted from across the parking lot. 

Jonah and his escort turned to watch as a man with steely gray hair wearing paramilitary gear crossed from the sidewalk by Gimry Ridge over the street and all the way to the hospital steps in a single bound.  The newcomer was bulky, though it could have been from the armor plating in his costume as much from the obviously superhuman physique.  Except for the steel color to his hair, he looked about the age of the young coffee shop girl Jonah had met by the tram.  Until you looked into his eyes, there was something of wisdom and age there, something that spoke of years of pain.

"What can I do for you, Abrahms?"  Colleen asked. 

"Here."  His voice was deep and resonant.  "I kicked apart about a dozen or so of those damn toys before I could figure out what they use for a power source."  He shrugged, adding in a sheepish tone.  "Actually, had to have a techno type help me figure it out.  They look like brass scarecrows to me."

"Thanks, Abe."  She smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek, causing the hero to blush.  "I'm sure this will help me understand the Clockwork better. I'll let you know what I discover."

"Thanks...  umm.."  Abrahms cleared his throat.  "Zot, the techno lady that helped me find it, she was interested in that wave scrambler gizmo you had me test out.  She has an armored suit that works off electromagnetism, said she would like try it out, compare it to her own systems.  If you could put in a good word for her with the boys in DATA, she's been a big help in working over these things."

"Sure thing, Abe."  Colleen assured him.  "Just tell her to swing by tomorrow.  Worst case, they tell me no.  But more likely they will have made upgrades after the info you gave from the field test last week.  That's the thing with DATA, there's always another field test to run."

"Oh, before I forget."  She said as the green clad hero turned to leave.  "You were interested in the Council, right?"

"I know a guy."  She told him without really pausing for an answer.  "Warren Trudeau.  He's an FBI agent, out of the station center in Skyway.  He's a smoker, so half the time he's out in their smoke break area, on the south west corner of the office building.  He was talking about some new Council activity and I told him I knew a guy who might be interested in lending a hand.  Was I wrong?"

"You're telling me you know a guy and you told him you know a guy?"  Abrahms chuckled.  "You make it sound so classy."

"You can take the girl outta Jersey, but you can't take the Jersey outt'a the girl."  She laughed in response.  "I gotta go.  Seeyou around, Abe."

***

Jonah received a tour of the facilities at the Steel Canyon Medical Center and found them quite impressive.  He had read technical articles on the Emergency Medical Teleportation Transport, and the vast array of high tech equipment provided at cost by the Crey Corporation.  Machines so advanced they not only diagnosed injuries and performed emergency triage, but they could take in account the improbable anatomy of mutants, gene spliced science projects and creatures summoned out of bottles and still provide accurate medical care.  He had studied the controls and read about the machines, but to see them in operation was a different matter entirely. 

"Incoming, tube six!" A technician shouted. 

"Multiple EMTT activations."  Called another.  "We've got four, no five teleport recalls activating from the same location."

"Confirmed."  Said the first as other lab coated medical personnel sprang into action.  "It's a Triple Tee."

"Doctor Jacobi?  If you could take station one, please?"  He asked.  "Hero Transport Badge ID indicates that's Kara.  She's one of the tough ones, the kind they call a Tank.  If she went down, it's gonna be ugly."

It was the pretty flying blonde with the cape, only now her head was half bald and bubbling with acidic mucus.  Her face was bruised and bleeding, her jaw appeared shattered and other wounds were in evidence.  The smell of burning flesh as acid continued to eat away her body was nauseating.  Jonah confirmed the medical machine's diagnosis and authorized the request for neutralizing agents that would quiet the terrible effects of Vhazilok Zombie vomit.  Tapping other keys he initiated tissue regenerative conditioning and the other marvelous, nearly miraculous, healing functions of the apparatus. 

"Hey."  She blinked and smiled weakly at him.  "It's coffee guy."  She sat up, her smile becoming wry as she folded her arms over the tattered remains of her mostly dissolved blouse.  "If you're not gonna turn your back like most of the rest do when I get beamed in, could you at least hand my replacement uniform over?" 

"Oh!"  Jonah blushed.  "Sorry.  Very sorry."  He snatched the colorful pile that was neatly folded on a table at the right side of the unit.

"It's okay."  She laughed, turning her back to him in order to remove the ruined costume and dress herself, adding.  "I wish Serge hadn't talked me out of using something more durable.  It does look good, but the reimbursement Hero Corps takes out of my allowance means I'll be eating macaroni and cheese for the next week."

Kara and her team were out of the door and racing back to finish their mission before Jonah could make any more of a fool out of himself.  The cheerleader shouting something about needing to save some hostages before a psychotic woman in black leather and zippers skinned them alive.

So he had healed some heroes.  His first "super team" assistance action.  And by extension, saved the lives of the hostages remaining in Vhazilok clutches.  Even after all that, Jonah felt more like a technician.  After eight years of medical school, it looked like he was going to be baby sitting a control console.  Somehow it didn't seem as important as saving lives ought to feel.

"It's okay, go walk it off." 

The technician, nurse, Jonah needed to remember they were all medical personnel here, even if they dressed more like computer scientists.  The nurse put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"It's always a bit of a rush, but newbies feel it the worst."  She said.  "Go walk it off, Doc.  The unit goes on stand-down for cleaning and recalibration after every Triple Tee.  Anything that causes a Total Team Takedown always gives the machines a workout."

He took an elevator down and walked about the ground floor, becoming familiar with the floor plan and general layout of the facilities.  The nurse had been right, seeing heroes taking such a tremendous beating and yet still so..  so cheerful.  So willing to throw themselves into the breach, to risk their lives.  It was a humbling thought that he was part of the process, even if he wasn't wearing spandex.  Still, he could not shake the feeling that he was nothing but a glorified typist. 

Suddenly there was a sound of sirens, muffled by the heavy construction of the hospital walls.  A woman's voice called for help from a room behind a set of double doors.  Jonah sprinted, and was joined by several men and women in hospital greens.  Frenetic activity greeted them, doors to outside bounced open as stretchers came crashing into them.  Men ran outside and through the open doors Jonah could see a smoking ambulance and crackles of light as someone in a black cape created a miniature cyclone that tossed away a blue skinned man with lighting flashing from his hands.

"What happened?"  He shouted.  "What's happening?"

"If you're not a doctor, get the hell out of the way!"  A man in EMT uniform shouted at him.

An overweight woman with red hair and a pink sweater over her nurses uniform grabbed Jonah by the arm and snatched him out of the way.

"You're Doctor Jacobi"  She said.  "I saw them give you the grand tour earlier, they didn't show you the Men's Room here, did they."

"I...  What...?"  Jonah felt like he was going to remain bewildered until he left Paragon City.  Every time he turned around it seemed like he was completely lost in a conversation"

"Hero Hall is upstairs."  She declared loftily while three more gurneys were wheeled in before the doors closed on the combat outside.  "Down here, we save regular old human lives.  Men and women.  No special equipment, no fancy gadgets and no teleporting badges."

She gestured towards the doorway.  "Ambulance was bringing someone in, looks like some Outcasts attacked it, hoping to get the drugs, or just shooting at anything flashy and traveling fast.  Looks like Westwind and the Elementals of Fame landed on them, but not before our driver got hit."

Fortunately, the driver had only minor injuries.  Some glass fragments, a burn mark on his forearm where the voltage from the Outcast Shocker had grounded out into his vehicle.  After an hour of observation, he was released.  Over the next four hours, Jonah treated similar injuries, including some youths dressed in gang colors, low tier Outcasts without powers who had been rumbling with Hellions.  "The Men's Room" didn't care who you were or how you got hurt.  The Hippocratic Oath demanded that all who were sick or in need of aid were equal and provided with care.

The sun was setting and Jonah was wondering how much paperwork would be involved in transferring from the Hero Hall to work down here in the basement.  It would mean a pay cut, and he would never get his name in the paper, he would never see that brilliant smile from Kara flashed his way again.  At least, not unless her friends knocked him over at the monorail station.  A woman was brought in to his corner on a stretcher, breathing but in a semi comatose state.  Jonah was surprised to recognize her as the coffee shop girl that had lectured him that morning.

"Hey."  She said groggily.  "Issa tourist."

"Jonah."  He told her.  "I'm a doctor actually.  Do you know your name?  Can you tell me what happened?"

"Name's Leeesa.  Issa damn Cooties."  She slurred.  "I should'a known better'n to cut across the park."

"Cooties?"  Jonah checked the dilation of her eyes reaction to light and continued to keep her in conversation.

"Circle of Thorns."  Lisa told him.  "Most locals just call 'em Cooties."

"They grabbed me and hauled me up to the top of Gimry Ridge.  Was really pretty, all floaty and green lights.  Wasn't really even very scary."  She laughed.  "The Cooties didn't hurt me, but I fell down the damn hill when some hero swooped in and popped the lead guy in the pointy hat.  I think I hit my head."

"I wanted to thank him."  Lisa lay back against the bedding.  "He hadda nice cape."

Her vitals looked stable, her pulse was strong, and her eyes had shown no sign of concussion.  Jonah let her lay back and rest.  Her prognosis was good, he left his notes for her care with the big nurse and went back to collect his briefcase from upstairs.  Jonah remembered the heading on the letter he had been sent when his application had been approved.  "Healers are Heroes" was the official motto of the Paragon City.

That may be true, he thought.  But it was the citizens, the people who continued to live their daily lives without special powers, without special training, the people who kept the City of Heroes alive with commerce, with construction and even with coffee shops.  They were the real heroes of Paragon.

Nebularian

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Re: Heroes of Paragon
« Reply #1 on: February 21, 2013, 07:37:06 AM »
A couple of months late but.....I wanted to say Ai found this really enjoyable.  Well done!
(@Nebularian)(AKA Dylan Clearbrook) Champion/Virtue - Nebularian/Sgt. Raines/Nurse Darklight/Cosmicana-Cosmicella/Mercy Vengeance/Angel Sprite/Suzy Uzi/Blue Arc/Dark Carolyne 
 Website: The Continuum Worlds

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Re: Heroes of Paragon
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2016, 03:54:21 AM »
After working in the "Mens Room" for a few years, and withstanding some comments made by some jerks from "Hero Hall", Jonah was getting the hang of the hospital, Steel Way or Canyon, Paragon City and yes even the heroes running around.  When the phone rang in his private office, Jonah was shocked from a memory of his first day "in zone" as they call it.

"Dr. Jacobi."  Jonah answered the phone.

"Yeah, doc, I wanna make an appointment to see you.  I heard about you, frankly I don't trust those machines either.  Sure, they've saved my cheese more than a sneeze time, but they are made by Crey."  The caller rattled.

"You say you want to make an appointment?  Who is this?"  Jonah asked confused.  Most of his patients come in by ambulance.

"Look, I can pay."  The caller grew indigent.

"No, sorry, I just need your information for the records."  The doctor questioned.

"Of course.  My name is SUPER FIRE DRAGON!"  Super Fire Dragon said proudly.

"So you're a super?"  Jonah surmised.

"So Tuesday at 9, Wednesday at 2, Monday at 7, Thursday at 3, Friday at 10 or Saturday at 7?"  SFD rattled off random days and times.

"Hold it, hold it.  No, this is an emergency department.  Walk-ins welcome."  Johan made a joke.

"Ok, I'll be there soon.  Will I have to wear one of those silly hospital gowns?"  SFD asked.

"Ummm, well it depends, I would guess not."  Johan hadn't been in a conversation like this one for a very long time.

"Ok, great, just great.  Goodbye."  SFD hung-up.

Jonah got up from his desk and went to the cafeteria.  That's what they called the little nook with 4 vending machines.  He got a cup of coffee and wondered about Lisa for the first time in several months.

"Dr. Jacobi, it's a slow day you can head home if you want to." One of the other doctors offered.

"Thanks, but I have a patient coming in."  Jonah said smuggily.  Noticing the look on the face of the other doctor, he finally managed to confuse somebody else.

The front doors sprung open and in walked a four foot dragon wearing a white dress shirt and a black tie and nothing else.

"Visiting hours are from 1 to 4 and 6 to 9, today."  One of the nurses explained, hinting that the dragon had come at the wrong time to visit a sick friend.

"Thanks, but no thanks.  I'm here to see a doctor."  SFD announced.

"Well, you've come to the right place for that."  The nurse replied.

"Who is that guy?"  Johan asked.

"I'll handle this."  The other doctor said.  He walked over to the dragon and began to question him.

"I pay my taxes.  I know my rights.  You can't force me around.  Well, actually, I don't pay taxes.  It's a long story, but let's just say that the Comptroller owes me big time.  And to admit the truth, I don't know my rights.  I guess the subject has never really come up before.  But that last one, oh boy, that last one.  What was the last one?"  SFD raged and then rambled.

"You look like a super, but you don't look hurt; you didn't teleport in.  You probably want the Hero Hall, upstairs ..."  The other doctor continued.

"No, that's just it.  I don't what Hero Hall.  I want Dr. Jonah Jacobi, the best doctor in all Paragon City, and the Rogue Isles, and probably Praetoria too, but it's hard to tell about things over there, but a whole lot better than any doctor in Cimarora."  SFD interrupted by deomonstrated his talents for stringing sentences together.

"Oh, he's right over there."  The other doctor directed with a sigh of relief.

"Super Fire Dragon, won't you come into my office."  Jonah invited as he motioned with his arm towards his office.

"Don't mind if I do, but I need certain assurances that no funny business will go on behind those doors.  I've heard about you doctors and your so-called exams."  SFD said while walking into his office.

Jonah closed the door behind him and told the dragon that he was there to provide medical care, but if he wanted a nurse present during the examination that would be ok.

"No, doc.  I was just yanking you.  You see I have two problems.  Or was it three.  I know it wasn't four, that would be silly.  Anyway, maybe I should see a doctor.  Do you know any lady doctors that are into super dragons?"  SFD rattled.

"Might I guess that one of your problems is the inability to focus?"  Jonah asked.

"Exactly, and while you're up, can you get me some cheese?"  SFD asked.

"There will be no eating until after the examination.  Hope up on the examination table and cross your legs."  Jonah instructed.

"Like this."  SFD asked as he sat on the edge of the examination table with his legs crossed.

"Now, besides the loss of focus, what else is bothering you?"  Jonah asked.

"Well, I hate sitting with my legs crossed.  Why do I have to sit like this?"  SFD asked.

"Well, because I don't want to see your pickle."  Jonah stated.

"Ha, that's funny.  Ok, the main reason I came here was that I have cheese stuck in my left ear."  SFD said pointing at his left ear.

"Thanks, Iwe studied ears in medical school."  Jonah was strating to get annoyed by this dragon.

"Doc, you have got to stop watching House reruns."  SFD said.

"Ok, ok, so how did you get cheese in your ear?"  Dr. Jacobi asked.

"Have you ever made a reformed Arachnos Night Widow angry?"  SFD asked.

"Well no."  Jonah answered.

"Don't."  SFD advised.

"Wait a minute, I remember reading something about this."  Jonah suddently stated.

"You read about Kolissa?"  SFD asked.

"Who?  No, attention deficent brought on by foreign matter stuffed into the ear canal in certain species of talking dragons.  Let me check the computer."  Dr. Jacobi said as he strated punching keys on the computer's keyboard on his desk.

"Great, just great!  I knew Kolissa was the root of all my problems."  SFD stated.

"Ahh, yes.  You have Hydrotensiveendroisis."  Jonah stated pleased that he found the answer without those high priced toys in Hero Hall.

"Oh no!"  SFD gasped.  "Do I have to put on a hospital gown, now?"

"No, just remove your shirt and tie and lie down with your ear facing up."  Jonah ordered.

"Which ear?"  SFD asked.

"The one with cheese in it!"  Dr. Jacobi shouted.

In a flash of light and a clap of thunder, Super Fire Dragon changed into his "all-natural" costume.  He then did as the doctor instructed.

"Wow, you supers sure are showy."  Jonah commented.

"It's expected of us.  Well not expected as much as desired.  Is desired the right word?  There are so many words.  I know nearly 11d12 words for butter.  Let's see butter, bread-spread, margerine, oleo, cow sauce, yellow plaster ... "  SFD rattled.

"Here, breathe deeply into the mask."  Jonah instructed.

"Wow, you have to knock me out for this procedure?"  SFD said right before Jonah put the mask in place.

"No, not really.  I just couldn't stand your rattling on about butter."  Jonah admitted.

Several minutes later, the dragon woke with a snort of fire.

"Yikes!"  a hospital worker exclaimed who was watching him.

"It's ok, babe.  I always do that.  Where am I?"  SFD asked.

"You're in the recovery room."  The attendant replied.

"Well maybe you should get some one to mop it up."  SFD joked.

"I don't follow."  The attendant said becoming worried about her patient.

Just then Jonah walked into the room.  "You're awake."  Dr. Jacobi said in a very cheerful voice.

"Doctor, fire came out of his nose, and he doesn't seem to be making sense."  The attendant informed.

"He's a fire breathing dragon, so fire is bound to come out sooner or later.  You say that he's not making sense?"  Dr. Jacobi asked.

"Yes, when I told him where he was, he said that somebody should mop up in here."  The attendant replied.

"Oh, he does have a sense of humor, but I better check.  Thanks, I'll call you when I'm done."  Jonah said.

"Yo doc, you gone and done it.  You put me in a hospital gown."  SFD said in disgust.

"Yeah, sorry that the only one that would fit is a maternaty one.  Though the pink roses look cute on you."  Jonah joked.

Super Fire Dragon ripped the gown off and threw it across the room.

"Hey, that was hospital property.  Anyway, I need to examine you."  Dr. Jacobi replied.

"Fine!"  SFD said calming down.

"Tell me about Kolissa."  Jonah asked.

"Oh, yes, you should probably operate on her too.  She is out of control.  Us supers can get away with stuff from time to time, but Kolissa is stealing diamonds.  She did stop a war, but does that mean you can take other people's diamonds, just for rescueing them.  It's against our code and oyr ethics.  But getting back to your question, yes.  I do want some cheese."  SFD rattled.

"Dragon, it sounds like you still have loss of focus.  We thought that removing the cheese from your ear wouldrelieve the pressure on your novasinusventrical."  Jonah rasttled.

"Me?  You're the one not making sense."  SFD fired back.

"Perhaps this is normal for you.  Is there anyone I could call to verify your mental state?"  Jonah asked.

"The best person to call would be Ms. Liberty, but she is probably too busy at this time of day.  Kolissa would be my next choice, but right now she's so mad at me she would have me locked up.  Necrophillia could help, but well, when is visits the hospital people run from her begging that she not take their souls.  It's pretty funny, but we really don't want to disrupt things any more than we have already."  SFD responded.

"Well, you are wordy my friend, but at least you're not talking about butter.  You're free to go."  Jonah advised.

"Thanks, doc.  You are the best doctor in Paragon City."  SFD offered.

The dragon and Jonah shook hands exchanged goodbyes and the dragon left.

As he left, another doctor walked into the recovery room.
"Jonah, what was that all about?"  He asked as he walked in.

"That dragon is one of the ones keeping us safe."  Dr. Jacobi stated.

"Oh yeah."  The other doctor replied.

"Be worried.  Be very worried."  Jonah said.

They both laughed.

Paragon Avenger

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Re: Heroes of Paragon
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2016, 05:45:00 AM »
It's not the same as it once was, with heroes running in and out.  Boy, what one stupid decision can do to a place.

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Re: Heroes of Paragon
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2016, 04:36:25 AM »
"That Dragon was suppose to come in for his follow-up visit."  Dr. Jacobi stated.
"Maybe he got tied-up."  Another doctor replied.
"He could have called."  Dr. Jacobi insisted.
"Well, not if he was tied-up."  A nurse commented who happened to be walking by.
They all laughed.