33.

Upon his apprehension Philippe was left with a walk of shame, although to him he had nothing to feel shameful about, sure what shameful acts he had perpetrated were nothing more than indulgences in an addiction, in his addiction. None of this is as simple as indulgence though to that one person in particular it may as well be. There is no remorse, no shame. He enjoyed what he had done, and he would happily do it again if he could.

As large as the ship is, word spreads quickly. The hallways of The Pathfinder would become lined with just about everyone on board, all the way from the quarters belonging to Philippe Bateman all the way to the vessel's main holding cell, all wanting to have a look at who it had been that had caused so much mayhem throughout the ship. To look at Philippe it seemed that he was almost enjoying what was happening. It was almost as if what was happening was feeding his soul. A show is occurring in Philippe's mind, and he is the star attraction making a glorious debut worthy of the greatest of awards.

The name calling, the heckling all along the route would become food for the soul, feeding Philippe's ego. His grin being one most definitely narcissistic in nature remains etched on his face throughout that walk and this grin would turn into a short snarling laugh upon being placed in the holding cell. If he can help it then he is nowhere near done yet. For starters, Philippe, once locked within a holding cell, is demanding to see the doctor. He doesn't want to see just any doctor; he wants the ship's chief medical officer.

The Owens brothers weren't having any of it. Philippe is a criminal, a horrid criminal, a perpetrator of horrible crimes. He does not have the right to make demands; he does not deserve the right to make any demands though at that he smiles, happy with the knowledge that he has one bargaining chip. He has information with which he is sure will grant him whatever the hell he wants.

'There is absolutely nothing you can offer us ...' Kyle tells Philippe, '... that will get you any kind of trade.'

'Really?' Philippe wants to taunt; he wants to play games though he decides not to. He wants to get down to business. At that he still has that grin of his. It almost has become a now permanent feature upon his face whether he wants it to be such or not. 'Then you are happy enough not knowing what I done with organs belonging to two members of the recently departed?'

'You son of a ...' Jinder is certainly not happy with this development.

Kyle grabs a hold of Jinder in a manner which suggests he is silently asking a question. What harm could granting the prisoner a visit from the doctor do if one burning question can be answered?

'And to be clear' speaks the prisoner. 'I will only tell the doctor the location of the missing organs.'

'You probably ate them ... you're sick, you know that?' Jinder once again allowing emotion to get the better of him, he knows he shouldn't, still it is difficult.

'I have asked for the doctor, haven't I?'

It may seem like he is playing some sick game, Philippe has his reasons for wanting such a visit as the one he is requesting. He is being serious no matter how his almost trademark like grin makes him look. What can the Owens brothers do other than grant a request. Thing is too, will the doctor want to pay a prisoner a visit? It is not like he knows the chap; it is not like anyone aboard The Pathfinder knows anything about the nefarious man locked within a cell.

Doctor Stanley Holmes has his first official house call to make, well if it can be called that. He has not come to investigate an injury or illness though he may have to all the same. The request made of him was for a one-on-one visitation. This is alright for Philippe is locked behind triple glazed glass paneling which is electrically locked, and Philippe definitely has no access to any locking mechanism.

Conversation between the inside and outside of the holding cell can only occur when the person on the outside activates a speaker system, so Stanley doesn't have to listen to anything he doesn't want to, however, the main reason he has come is because he too would like to know where two sets of missing organs are.

There is a chair waiting on the doctor's side of the cell, so he takes advantage of its presence. His counterpart remains standing. Lighting inside and outside the cell is bright so things are as comfortable as they can be, as comfortable as they will be during this encounter. Nothing physical is in any way hidden. Stanley's counterpart indeed is standing and looking right at the doctor. There indeed may be triple glazed paneling and plenty of light between the two though Stanley feels anything but comfortable.

'So, why am I here?' asks Stanley once the speaker system is open.

'Isn't it clear?'

'Not particularly, no.'

'Doctor, if you came into contact with a seriously wounded animal, what would you do?'

'What do you mean? I don't understand.'

'Can't get much clearer Doc, if you come into contact with a dying animal, what would you do? ... You would end its life, wouldn't you?'

'I don't know about that.'

'It would be the right thing to do, the humane thing to do.'

'I guess. What's your point?'

'I am that animal Doc ... maybe not injured but I am sick. If I ever get out of here, I will kill again.'

'Is there a question coming? ...'

'More of a request ... Doc ... you have to put me down. I do not want to kill again.'

'You won't kill again; those days are over. You are a prisoner now.'

'What if someone slips up and I get out of here? What if we manage to reach a new world? What happens then? Am I to be left in here all alone? That would be cruel, wouldn't it?'

'What happens to you has nothing to do with me. It may be questionable as to if you are a sick animal, what happens to you is not my decision or concern.'

'Doc, c'mon now, do the right thing. There must be some kind of concoction that you can inject into me to ... em ... you know ... put me asleep. It is the right thing to do, and you know it.'

'I'm done with this conversation, are you going to uphold your end of the deal?'

'Only if you agree to put me to sleep, this is the deal of all deals Doc.'

Stanley turns off the speaker controls, stands and slowly leaves the area he had come to then has himself a conversation with both Owens brothers, informing them of what had occurred, and they concur with the doctor's decision. There are no death penalty judgments within this space traveling city. It wouldn't be something left up to them to make if there were. They are enforcers and nothing more.

George Jones has overheard the conversation between the doctor and the Owens brothers. He didn't mean to eve's drop, such a thing is kind of in his nature, eve's dropping that is. He is naturally curious, and this is something which can work against him just as easily as it can work for him.

Some of the things George does in his life in general and not just onboard this fine vessel, they come more as a survival mechanism than anything else and such indeed is what he had been used to on Earth. Things are different now; change however does not come so easy despite his desire to better himself. It may still only be a matter of weeks living in this floating city though George Jones is in a better place; he is becoming a better person. He wouldn't be so quick to make a decision as he once would have been, so at least he hopes.