“How is he doctor?”

“Well Mam, at first glance it looked like a simple case. A person faints, fine, injured, we have the medicine. But this? Unresponsive, even to psionic probing. It’s almost as if his soul was sealed or stolen.”

“There are treatments for this, right?” I asked

The doctor sighed, muttering “If I had a dollar for every time I heard that.”

“What?”

“You do realise we don’t know what’s wrong with your father. His vitals are fine, better even than a normal person, The muscles are still strong, so his heart won’t stop, and there is no evidence of brain damage. So by all accounts, he should be up and doing his regular thing. Heck I bet this guy could dress as Batm*n and beat Superm*n without the gadgets, except the suit and krypt*nite”

“That doesn’t sound feasible.” I was confused, what did those two, fictional people, have to do with this?

“Don’t read many comic books do you?” the doctor asked in a slightly dissapointed way

“My father wanted me to, but mother said it was bad for my education and burned them all.”

“How many did he have?”

“Remember the giant smoke column that everyone though a volcano erupted silently?”

“No way… was that?” the doctor stuttered, clearly he was one of those people

“Yup. my father’s comic book collection. Statistics show that week was twice as hot as it should’ve been. Anyway, is it possible for him to wake up?”

The doctor looked at the chart

“it is possible, just from what we are seeing, very unlikely. The most scientific answer is maybe a psionic ‘mind crushed’ him, but that’s doubtful as the eyes roll back into the head are the first common symptom. The other ones he clearly didn’t experience. However, I would recommend him staying in the hospital in the comatose area”

“How much would that cost?” I don’t earn enough for that kind of constant treatment

“Oh don’t worry, apparently he is working with LOGIC when this happened. The CEO himself said that he would cover all expenses”

“What do you…”

The doctor’s pager starts beeping

“Sorry mam, I have to attend to my other patients, if there are any questions, feel free to ask one of the nurses” and after saying that, the doctor walked out of the room.

I sat on the chair that was next to my dad’s bed.

His rugged face looked peaceful, sleeping without a care in the world. A tiny aged scar above his left eye stood out against his sun tanned skin.

I reached over to the remote and turned on the TV, which was already on a bad talk show that I watch, only to make fun of the people on the show.

I look over to the nightstand, where his watch, phone, wallet and keys are.

“He wouldn’t mind if I looked, right?”

My dad never let me look inside of his wallet; alway went on about me stealing money and a man’s personal privacy, but I knew he was always joking.

Opening the worn wallet, and the first thing I see is a picture of mom and me at the park with thin, elegant writing in the corner. Don’t Forget Those Who You Love. Love, E.W.

My mother is a lawyer, however she always insists on paper copies compared to digital, saying her signature looks better on paper.

Of course that wasn’t true, but her associate's never knew why she insisted on paper.

Come to think of it, I don’t know why she insists on paper.

However, I do know what my mother’s signature looks like.

And it perfectly matches with the one on the photo.

However I remember seeing this photo, without the writing, when we finally found a house after Mom divorced Dad.

The wallet was packed with bills from various countries and credit cards in no particular order.

Oh, a free mochachino at… Bobbie's hamburger joint… in venezuela...and it expired five years ago.

Well, who am I to judge

“How does he find anything in this cluster of junk?”

I know it’s comical, but I feel like a kitten with a new toy. I walk over to the table and dump the contents of the wallet onto the table.

Several coins, bills, receipts, and expired coupons fell out. Is this his tax return?!

Finally the only thing left inside the wallet is the picture

“What’s this?”

Behind the photo was a small, barely noticeable slip of paper

Taking the note out from behind the photo, the first thing I notice is the quick, broad handwriting that is my Dad’s.

Findings on the LOCK Corp case. What is contained inside is confidential and should be given to Joseph Lock as soon as possible.

“Breaking News! Hello and welcome to this breaking news report. World wide millionaire Jose Jackson, owner of the Sanders baseball team and business rival to Joseph Lock, was killed today before unveiling his newest product, a Psionic Amplifier.”