Page 43 of Equalizer
Calvin went to the window and looked up and down the platform. “Any sign of trouble?”
Owen looked out the other side. “Nothing here.”
“Haven’t seen anything strange,” Winston confirmed. “Don’t borrow trouble. And eat—we have things to do. We’re meeting Arabella mid-morning. She’s found out more about how the body parts are being managed—and how the transplants are affecting the recipients. And, she’s gotten all three of you tickets to see Dr. Humphries’s lecture.”
“Does Arabella think there’s magic involved in the surgery?” Calvin asked.
“Oh, I’m certain there is,” Winston said. “The question is—what happens when the spell eventually wears off?”
“I’ve been wondering that,” Owen said. “Reattaching a hand or foot ought to involve connecting it, somehow, to the blood supply and nerves. That’s more than surgeons know how to do—at the edge of experimental. Magic could bridge the gap, but ifthe spell fades or fails, then the part would rot. If that happens, the person dies of sepsis unless magic can fix the infection. It’s a risky procedure.”
“People who lose a limb might be willing to take the risk if it buys them more time, no matter how little a reprieve that is,” Calvin pointed out. “It’s like saying to someone, ‘You can die now or die in a month.’ Most people wouldn’t think twice about opting for more time.”
“I hadn’t thought about it like that, but I can see it that way,” Owen agreed.
“It’ll be interesting to see what Arabella makes of it,” Calvin said. “And find out how dark the magic is that’s involved.”
They metArabella at the same tea shop. Her dark blue dress flattered her coloring and brought out her eyes.
“Welcome back. Winston says you have more questions,” she greeted as a server brought a pot of tea to one of the back tables where they wouldn’t be disturbed.
“We wanted to find out what you’ve heard from the covens—and we’ve got a few new questions as well,” Owen replied.
They settled into their seats, and Calvin was glad they were far enough away from other tables to speak without being overheard.
“People are nervous,” Arabella replied. “We might be witches, but we recognize there are dark powers that pose a danger, no matter how strong our individual magic is. The Mob families are always jockeying for power, and their witches are a big part of that. The rest of us do our best to stay out of their way and mind our own business. Unfortunately, that’s getting harder of late.”
“How so?” Owen asked.
“Word’s gotten around that there might be a new miracle surgery to reattach a missing body part.” She wrinkled her nose. “Of course, the gossips miss the part about it not being a piece of the same body.”
“What’s the word on the street?” Calvin took a sip of his tea, awaiting her answer.
“Mixed. Some people are curious. Others have religious objections—no surprise there,” she added. “And there are folks who think it’s just a rumor. The stories are all over the place, mostly explaining it badly. If you lost a hand twenty years ago, you’re not going to be able to just sew on a new one.”
Calvin nodded. “But it seems like doctors do miraculous things all the time these days. What about for someone who was just in a railway accident, for example? If they lost a foot and brought it with them to the surgeon?—”
“Maybe in the future, a doctor could fix that, but not now, except for whoever is experimenting,” Arabella said. “You’d not only need a good surgeon but a powerful witch. Even then, unless they’re reattaching their own limb, the match with a donor might not work. It’s dangerous—but desperate people are willing to take risks.”
“And not ask too many questions,” Owen added.
She nodded. “That, too.”
“Suppose someone could cover a burn with a large piece of skin or sew a finger back on. Would they need magic to keep it from rotting?” Calvin asked.
Arabella thought in silence for a moment. “I’m not a doctor. But I’ve been around midwives and nurses. Infection can set in so easily, and it’s usually fatal when it does. Until medicine comes up with something very powerful, it would take magic to forestall rot. Even then, I’m not sure it would last very long.”
“Would a spell like that have other effects?” Owen refilled his cup and dropped a sugar cube into the tawny liquid. “And would it open the recipient to being controlled by the witch who placed the spell?”
“Oooh. Good questions.” Arabella gave a mischievous smile. “Best I can say is maybe. It’s certainly possible for the witch involved to cast a compulsion or at least some sort of control along with the preservation spell. I’m not sure why they’d want to, but it could be done.”
“Would the magic affect the person’s free will?” Calvin swirled the sugar in his cup before refilling his tea.
“Theoretically, a witch could include just about any order with a deep spell like that,” Arabella said. “Tell them to rob a bank or kill their neighbor, I guess. Some people with very strong wills would probably balk and be able to resist. But most mortals are weak-willed. They might consider the crime worth it to regain the use of the body part.”
“What about requiring absolute loyalty?” Owen asked. “Reattach the part but demand an oath. It would be a way to build a strike force or security detail of people who will never betray the witch.”
Arabella frowned. “Doing it the hard way, don’t you think? There are binding spells that can accomplish that without needing to reattach a hand or a foot.”
