The Front: A tale of Violence, Greed, and Corruption in the fantastic world of tomorrow (Teen+ to M and Accepting with 1 spot remaining)

He didn't really have to tell me that he was new in town. I could easily guess that. Gabe thought, as he could tell that the man was feeling nervous, or awkward about the situation.

"Well, that doesn't really surprise me too much Doc. That's pretty much how people are around here." Gabe stated matter-of-factly, while casually glanced off to the side at a clock on the wall. He had less than forty five minutes before his rendez-vous. "I mean, I just helped you out, and I'm not getting paid squat."

Carlisle scratched the back of his neck nervously as he listened to Gabe's point. "Well umm....I suppose I'll just have to pay you then." He decided before placing his hands into his pockets and pulling out the money he was going to spend on lunch earlier.

"I know it isn't much, but it's about an hours wage and should give you two meals if you just have yourself to feed." He explained with a cautious enthusiasm as he hoped it was good enough for the young man. "I'd pay more but...well yeah."

Gabe flinched when the doctor actually handed him some money. Man, this guy really is new. He didn't actually expect the man to pay him, and he could kind of see how the doctor didn't get paid by his clients. He felt kind of sorry for him.

Despite what the doctor said about it not being much, it seemed like a pretty good amount for an hours wage. "Umm, thanks..." Gabe said before taking only half of the money and stuffing it in his pocket. "I really didn't do much, so I'll only take this much. If you still feel like paying me more, then perhaps I could work for it or something...?" Gabe suggested a bit reluctantly, as he glanced at the clock again.

Carlisle bit his lip as he realized that the differences in wages between the Front and Cevalia were more then he had thought. "Well umm you can....show me where I'm suppose to find some actual food I suppose, just wait here for a second." Carlisle insisted for a second as he jumped up the stairs, not even paying attention to see what Gabe's reaction would be as he realized that the thug might wake up soon, which would be unfortunate for Carlise the Doctor thought.

As he unlocked his front door using the second key and walked into his private quarters. The Doctor quickly walked over to his money drawer and took out a bit of his leftover rent money. "I'll just have to make sure that one of my patients pay me before the rent is due next week, shouldn't be too hard." Carlisle mentally decided, hating the decision he was currently making.

He quickly walked across the room towards a rather large cabinet as the Doctor pulled out the third key and unlocked the full box. He quickly grabbed a giant bag that was full of some of his medical supplies, and then added a small set of full needles that were each labeled differently into the bag.

Carlisle looked up at a small device that looked like a rather fat pen. It was a rather important surgical laser that was an expensive and vital part of Carlisle's medical supplies, but he knew that it would also work as a rather useful weapon as well if he was stuck in a bad position. "I'll just bring it in case it's needed to save someone's life later, it's not like someone is just going to rob me in the middle of town...." Carlisle informed himself, not believing a word he had just said.

So the Doctor threw the laser into his bag and then shut the cabinet and locked it, then left the room and locked it before running back down the stairs. "Sorry for making you wait, just had some business to take care of." Carlisle shouted as he ran down the final flight of steps with his bag.

"Uh, okay..." Gabe uttered as the Carlisle rushed up the stairs barely giving the teen any warning.

Gabe waited, tapping his foot impatiently for a bit, until he suddenly realized that Carlisle had left Gabe alone with the unconscious thug. Double checking to make sure that the Doctor was out of sight, Gabe crouched down to the thug and began to clean him out of his weapons and supplies.

He started by unlatching a knife from the thug's belt and attached it to his own. He then sifted through his coat, and found quite a few knives; 2 pistols; a small submachine gun; a deck of cards; a good deal of ammunition; a couple sticks of gum; a package of crackers; and a small sum of money. Gabe decided to leave the money though, when he realized that the man might end up having to pay Carlisle for treating his wound.

Gabe stood up, and casually looked at his watch when he heard Carlisle starting to come down the stairs. "Oh, it's okay. No problem at all. I'm not really sure if we should leave now though, because I don't know when this guy'll wake up, and I don't think you want him robbing you."

Carlisle nodded in agreement as he looked down at the Thug's body again, deciding that getting over with it would be for the best. He placed his medical bag on the ground and pulled out a small syringe, a small bottle, a thin black ribbon, a small plastic pack and two pills. "It looks like you've fractured his nose, it'll have to be set I suppose, and I'll have to use the anesthesia of course." Carlisle explained as he tied his hair up into the ribbon, a small habit he had learned from his old teacher.

He picked up the syringe and took a small plastic bit off of the tip of it before injecting a bit of it into his patient's face, just left of his nose. "Now he should still be able to talk after this, and there will still be a mild amount of pain since I didn't use the surgical brand, but he wont be screaming in pain and he'll be much weaker for the next few hours." Carlisle explained carefully as though he were teaching Gabe.

Carlisle slowly slid his finger across the man's bloody and rather gross looking nose before he grabbed the plastic pack and opened it, revealing a damp disinfectant wipe which he then cleaned the man's nose with. "Well hello there Mr. Smith, nice to see that you're still alive." Carlisle greeted as he noticed the thug blink for a second as he came to. But before the patient could move Carlisle's hands quickly shot forward and carefully grabbed part of his nose, and then placed it back into it's original resting place.

"Now this is the second time I've had to help you, I expect to be paid before I do it a third time Sir. I really do not think that that is too much to ask since I'm being honest with you right now." Carlisle informed the thug in a matter-of-fact tone as he handed the bandit the two pills before placing the rest of his supplies back into his medical bag.