Ransom and Strange Blessings

Part 8

Three weeks passed and Leo had seen enough of the place that he had formulated a plan to escape. The humans had him on a daily schedule and he quickly fell into a routine. It helped him to regain his strength.

He was up in the mornings by 8, they brought him his breakfast, they had him relax in the yard for a while to let his food digest, then it was exercise time to keep him in shape. Exercise was just walking, of course, and some light weight lifting. After that he had lunch, an afternoon nap, more time in the yard, swimming exercises, a bath in the evening every few days, go back to his room and dinner, and then it was time to settle down with reading before bed at 9. And of course, Leo was only let out in the yard on nice weather days.

His captors had come in to examine the babies two more times. It was done weekly as Johnson had said it would be. Leo had resisted one more time and after the consequences the second time, he cooperated the third time. He hated being wrestled onto his back and held down. It put stress on him and the babies and that wasn't good for any of them.

It was the day for another exam. Leo was in his room when the humans came wheeling the machine into his room.

"You want to go through this again?"

Leo saw the needles ready and there were several officers standing ready should he try to fight or run.

"No." Leo said, and he laid back.

"Good turtle."

Leo still watched everything the tech did. He rested his hands on his chest.

The man put the gel on Leo's swollen stomach, turned on the computer and put the wand on his belly.

Leo did want to see them.

The man moved the wand around, looking for all four fetuses. He found all four, but when he got to the fourth, on Leo's upper left, he found that something was wrong with that fetus.
Leo saw a look pass the man's face.

The tech suddenly took the wand off Leo's belly and put it down and got up. "Make sure he stays that way." He said on his way out.

The head guard nodded as the tech left the room.

Leo was left wondering what was going on. With the guards in there, he wasn't allowed to move from his position.

Within a short time, the tech came back in with Johnson.

"Ok, show me." Johnson said, and the tech sat down and picked up the wand again and placed it back on Leo's belly. The gel was cold by now, making Leo shiver.

The tech moved the wand all over Leo's belly again until he came upon the upper left spot. Johnson looked carefully at the image on the screen.

"Play the hearts." Johnson ordered.

The tech played the hearts and he moved them all around again, but coming up to the fourth, it signaled a problem.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked nervously.

The tech and Johnson looked at the pregnant turtle, concerned.

"There's a problem, Leonardo." Johnson said.

"What is it?" Leo demanded. "Tell me."

"We can't find a heartbeat on the fourth baby." Johnson said.

"What?!" Leo shouted and sat up.

"Lie down, Turtle." The tech snapped.

"I want to know what happened!" Leo said through gritted teeth as he was pushed back down.

"That's what we're trying to figure out and we could if you would lie down." The tech said grumpily.

"Leonardo, please lie down." Johnson said, in an attempt to soothe.