The Net 7.0

her face and her eyes were closed, so she looked at Sophie and then to Omaha.

  - I'm sorry Frances, but now you understand that your son died. - Sophie said.

  - No. - She said pathetically.

  - Why not?

  - But then have you not seen? - Frances explained. At the end it is my son who is alive.

  Sophie started to say something, but she cut the sound in half, like that only an incomprehensible noise was heard, then she sighed and remained silent.

  - Show me the current image, right now, show my son at the hospital. - Frances asked shaking her hand toward Sophie.

  - Your son is dead Frances - Sophie said? There, at the hospital, is another patient. Please.

  - I don't care! - Frances roared. Show me the image of the patient. Show, show him now! - She insisted vehemently, almost shouting.

  Sophie has a few commands and the image was shown on screens. Frances looked with tenderness for that image on a screen right in front of her, all her fury faded, she touched her hand on the screen, as if caressing that image.

  - Show me the face.

  Sophie made a few commands and the patient's face was shown in close. The expression of Frances was more pious yet.

  - My son... My son... - Frances said slowly.

  She drew with her finger the outlines of that face that appeared on the screen in a typical gesture of caress. That face on the screen was swollen and pallid, almost yellow, and a plastic pipe entered the mouth. There were some movements in that face, but they were all small spasms, nothing that represents an emotion, just like babies just born. The eyes were closed and seemed to move like dreaming.

  - I know where this face comes from - said Frances. The first time I saw him when he was born, he had a round face like a ball, and was all red, and he was so cute. Then I remember; that face while I nursed, when he was covered with porridge, when he did something wrong and I corrected him, when he looked angry to me, the many times he smiled, the times when I tickled him, the times that he cried in pain from minor cuts and bumps, of the time he was running a fever, that time was a black eye from a fight, and his joy disguised telling me about his first girlfriend. I know where this face comes. I simply know. This is my son's face. There is my son Louis.

  Sophie stared at Omaha, which did not match the look of Sophie and merely continued undisturbed. But Ubi has demonstrated certain restlessness. Sophie continued to look to Omaha, because Sophie was quite struck by the emotional weight of the words of Frances, then he understood the unspoken of Sophie, and he asked Ubi:

  - Ubi, Did you follow all the legal commandments in the death of this boy Louis?

  - Yes - Ubi said, settling into the chair. To tell the truth, I did not treat this patient, another doctor at the hospital did. But I know that all legal requirements to certify brain death in this patient were met.

  - How can you know if you did not treat him? - Inquired Omaha.

  - I am responsible for part of the transplants since 20 years ago, and whenever we have some brain-dead patient, all documentation and verification of standardization is directed to me.

  - And in this particular case, was everything within the rules?

  - Perfectly.

  - But in this particular case is there any doubt about the death of this patient Louis? - Omaha insisted, and continued to speak without give response time for Ubi: - Do not answer me now. - So Omaha turned to Frances and asked her: - You said doctors have warned you of the brain death of his son Louis, but at some point did they say to you that they would use his son's body for transplantation?

  - No - answered Frances. In no time they told me something like that.

  A tip of satisfaction came over Omaha. But this time Ubi sensing the danger, he stood firm without apparent emotion.

  - I do not understand Ubi - Omaha said. How can you have followed all the rules, if not communicated the fact of using Louis's body for transplant to his own mother, do you can clarify this?

  Ubi made a pause of silence, which left everyone anxious at that room.

  - I want to remember - he said at last, apparently calm - that in certain emergency situations the doctor may choose to take some shortcuts, and do not comply with certain minor rules. What mean that a doctor's priority is to save the life of his patient, and after this, the doctor tries to meet the standards, provided that such zeal by the rules does not harm or risk the life of his patient. But it is all academic as you should be aware, that is present early on at medical learning, doctors are pointed in that way.

  Omaha immediately understood the strategy adopted by Ubi. Omaha knew many court cases in which many doctors had based their defense on this principle. It is actually the principle behind large legal disputes, such as capital punishment, abortion, euthanasia. In all this contentions the core is exactly the fight between how much is allowed to put the human life under risk, or even put an end on it. At first is the person, present and real, on the other hand, the improvement of the life on a society, abstract and future. Omaha knew the weak point of this strategy.

  - I must conclude - continued Omaha - you did not report to Frances yours intention to use the body of her son to do the transplant that you intended.

  - It turns out that...

  Ubi began, but Omaha would not let him proceed.

  - You must answer yes or no. - Demanded categorical.

  Ubi looked at Omaha, and had hardened his features.

  - No, I didn't warn her.

  - And that does not constitute a failure to the procedural requirements? - Omaha said finishing his thought.

  - I discarded that requirement because I had to save the life of a patient. - Ubi said.

  - This patient by coincidence is his son Hugh.

  Omaha emphasized the word "son" in his sentence. Ubi shows further irritation.

  - Yes - said harshly. But I had no time to read all little rule from the entire book, I wanted to save a life, as father and doctor. I had followed the clinical situation of my son since he arrived at the hospital, I knew, and any other reasonable doctor will confirm that Hugh would not survive for long. It was just a matter of days, even less than that. The body of Hugh was too hurt. I had to do something very quickly. So when they sent me the certificate of death to this boy, Louis, with brain death. I... It was like a snap. Everything seemed so clear...

  - I wonder when was that? - Said Omaha interrupting Ubi's speech.

  - I don't remember exactly.

  - Hours? Days? Weeks? How long before you actually perform the transplant?

  - Days.

  - So Ubi - Omaha said - you will want to convince us that you did not report to Frances because of lack of time.

  - But that's exactly what happened. I had no time for anything but to prepare myself to try to accomplish the brain transplant.

  - There is no time left to simply warn the mother of Louis? - Insisted Omaha.

  - No - Ubi agreed - see images in the file AIC2112, you will see that I worked in the hospital all the time, collecting information and everything needed to perform the transplant. I had no time neither thought, to make such a warning, this was not a priority, priority was to save the life of Hugh.

  - Look at your side - Omaha pointed to Frances - I think she doesn't agree with the organization of your priorities. But on the other hand, maybe you would have stopped doing this warning purposely, thus preventing other doctors and specialists in brain transplant to intrude between that idea, and then disagreeing with you, to prevent you from carrying it out?

  Ubi blinked and looked down. Frances looked at Ubi. Omaha had closed the circle of his thought and had reached his goal, Ubi was surrounded. After a pause of silence, Omaha returned to the attack.

  - Ubi - Omaha calmly said, calling the attention of Ubi - you see, you're the father of Hugh and doctor, as we will be convinced, that for example, you did not kill Louis in your eagerness to save Hugh?

  Ubi squeezed her lips and narrowed his eyes, he was annoyed with the statement of Omaha, then
struggled to control himself, only then he said:

  - It is absolutely unnecessary to address this question to me. Hence even where you are, you can access the certificate of death of Louis, who is a medical technical piece, which demonstrates: when, how and why the death of Louis. I advise you to get how many experts you want to understand this piece, since I doubt that you can discuss with me the technical aspects. Beyond that - Ubi continued, pointing to Sophie - tell me, what is this? Is it a judicial inquiry?

  - No. Not a chance. - Affirmed Sophie.

  - So - Ubi continued - why this astute inquisition and those cunning traps. I have nothing to hide. All I care about is saving the lives of Hugh.

  - But how far are you willing to go for it? - Omaha whispered.

  Ubi started to get up from the chair, he was very upset. But Sophie stopped him with a hand gesture. Sophie then looked at Omaha.

  - Omaha! - Sophie said calling his attention. Ubi is right, this is not an inquiry. Please! We will need the cooperation of all to get to our goal as soon as possible. Surely, you remember what our goal here is, is not it Omaha?

  - Please forgive me. - Omaha said, looking at Ubi with a slight smile on his face.

  Ubi remained silent and still kept his expression tense.

  - Actually - starts Sophie - I am very worried about you, Frances. I would like you to see some psychologist and participate in some aid group.

  - Why are you worried about me? – Frances said.

  - After what you saw and heard here today - Sophie said - you have to accept the facts of the death of his son and deal with it.

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