“Are you sure Zoe’s alright doctor?” Aunt Anne asked Claire. “I mean other than the paralysis.”

“Zoe will be as good as new once I replace her spine,” Claire answered. “She is stable and doesn’t have any kind of brain damage. There was only minor damage to her cybernetic systems which is also good.”

“Can I see her?”

“Tomorrow,” Doc Brown answered. “Zoe is sleeping right now and needs her rest.”

“Ok. Thank you,” Anne replied. “Will you call if anything changes?”

“I promise we will,” Claire said. “You’re welcome too, and we’ll see you tomorrow.”

*

“Jimmy, call your slacker cousin and tell her I need her to make a run. I can’t get through to her,” Riccardo Capone told his subordinate. He was ticked that Zoe hadn’t answered his call.

“Uh Nucky, mom just let me know Zoe just woke from a coma,” Jimmy replied.

“What?”

“She had an accident on the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge,” Jimmy answered. He explained what Anne had told him and that Zoe was at Doc Brown’s clinic.

“Now she’s worthless to me,” Nucky complained.

“We could take the bike and have Sal empty her bank account,” Tommy said.

“The motorcycle was totaled Tommy,” Tony said as he joined the others. Capone gave him a questioning look. “The tow company that was called to the accident is one of fronts and I had been there talking to Mark when the wreck came in.”

“Ah,” Nucky said.

“Don’t empty the girl’s accounts either,” Vinny said from the corner table he was sitting at. “The girl is worth more than taking whatever she has and writing her off.”

“What do you mean consigliere?” Tommy asked. Nucky glared at him for speaking out of turn. “Sorry boss.”

“Simply put, Jimmy’s cousin has value as a courier. Henri Cartier says she is dependable and efficient. That means she is making a name for herself amongst the couriers,” Vinny explained. He briefly glanced at Jimmy before giving Nucky and Tony a meaningful look. “And that will be beneficial if things keep going according to plan.”

“Too true,” Tony agreed thinking about the bank heist they were still preparing for. Sal had reported him, and his slicers were having a harder time creating a Rabbit that wouldn’t replicate beyond the targeted system than they had thought.

“Alright, I’ll bow to your wisdom consigliere,” Nucky said. “Jimmy, send your cousin some flowers and a get well soon card on behalf of the family.”

“Sure Nucky,” Jimmy replied.

*

“Thanks Doc,” Henri said. “I’ll let the others know. They’ve been worried about her.”

“Let us know what?” Chloe asked after Henri ended the call. She already had the others on a conference call.

“Let me call the others and I’ll explain all at once.”

“Just call me. I have them on already” Chloe said.

“Reading my mind again Cee?” Henri asked.

“Always,” Chloe replied as she accepted Henri’s call and added him into the conference.

“Ok folks. The short story is that Zoe was in a coma for two days and has come out of it,” Henri said. The others started talking and he silenced them. “She is still paralyzed though.”

“Can we go see her?” Newt asked.

“Not yet,” Henri replied. “Doc Brown wants her to recover first.”

“How is she going to recover from paralysis?” TK asked. “On the bright side, she’s better but this means more party invite runs for us.”

“Geez TK. Must you always be an asshole? Keep those thoughts to yourself,” Vee said. “Even Terr has more tact than to say something like that.”

“Hey!” Terr said to some chuckles. “Thanks, I think.” That earned some outright laughter.

“Don’t blame me,” TK said. “I bet everybody was thinking the same thing.”

“Doc Brown is going to replace her spine and nervous system if Zoe wants, which Doc thinks Zoe will agree to,” Henri answered.

“Did the doc say how long Zoe would be out of action?” Terr asked.

“Non,” Henri replied.

“You’re not going to fire Zoe, are you?” Newt asked.

“Of course not,” Cee said jumping into the conversation. “Henri will be sleeping on the couch if he does.”

The others laughed.

“I’m not that cruel,” Henri said after the laughter died. “If she still wants to be a courier and has a ride, which is in question, she’ll still have her job.”

“Could always let her work the front desk,” TK said.

“Perhaps,” Henri said. “With Hayabasa backing off pressuring us, you guys need to get back to work.”

*

“Father, what are you saying? Why are we paying for the damages the Blanco girl caused?” Haru asked Ken Hayabasa, his stepfather, and the owner of Hayabasa Transportation.

“Let’s just say that I’ve been advised that it would be in my bests interests to do so,” Ken replied. “And I’m heeding that advice.”

“Who could the girl possibly know that has that much power and influence? Surely none of uncle’s people.”

“No. None of the Yakuza know Zoe Blanco. She hasn’t even made any of the rare deliveries that Cartier does in our neighborhoods,” Ken replied. “I’ll just say this person has ties to the CSA and could get AmeriNet to look at not only our operations but those of your uncle’s as well.”

Haru blanched. “That’s not good.”

“No, it is not,” Ken agreed. “That also brings up another thing I want to discuss with you.”

“And that is?”

“You will stop all this racing nonsense. Not only was the bike you were racing for totaled, but you were caught on camera in broad daylight!” Ken said. Haru started to object, but Ken silenced him with a wave of his hand. “You will start acting your age or I’ll cut you off.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh yes, I would. I am tired of paying for your partying and mistakes,” Ken said. Seeing the look on his stepson’s face he continued, “your mother and uncle both agree with me.”

“You’ve already talked to them?” Haru asked.

“I have,” Ken said sitting back and smiling for the first time since Haru entered his office. He sent a message to Haru. “Now, go do these runs.”

“Yes father,” Haru Kimura replied sullenly before exiting the office.

“Ah. Finally, a little respect. Hopefully he will finally learn and grow up,” Ken said to himself as his 25-year-old stepson left.