Taming The Tiger Man - Genma Series #1

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Three cans of decaffeinated coffee had managed to dispel Angelina’s sleepiness, which had lingered since the alarm woke her at seven in the morning. The woman now paced restlessly in front of the locked door, her previous drowsiness forgotten.

Angelina’s under-eye bags were slightly swollen and darkened as her mind maintained an exclusive focus on ensuring the safety of the ailing creature left unattended since dawn.

A few minutes later, Angelina’s wish came true. A brief beep accompanied the change of the small light on the handle from red to green, and the door swung open to reveal Nixon’s smiling face.

“Good morning, Doc—” Nixon began.

“Come on, let’s go,” Angelina cut in before he could finish his greeting.

Nixon’s smile faltered, and he snorted, folding his arms across his chest. “Good grief, Doctor. That’s not a very polite way to— Hey, wait for me!”

“I’ll be damned if his condition worsens,” Angelina muttered as she ignored Nixon’s call, stepping out of the room and heading for the elevator.

“Doctor, hey!” Nixon exclaimed, catching up and walking alongside her. But Angelina’s mind was elsewhere, her hearing temporarily shut off.

Is Ramaik awake? I shouldn’t have left him like that. Angelina tightened her fists, attempting to calm her racing heart. Her brisk steps brought them to the elevator faster than usual.

Angelina pressed the elevator button, waiting for the doors to open. She stood in the middle of the elevator, her fingers tapping nervously on her brown fabric trousers. They had installed surveillance cameras to spy on him, and there were no emergency calls. Did that mean Ramaik was okay?

“From Earth to Doctor Angelina!”

“Mr. Nixon, could you please operate the elevator? I have work to do!”

Angelina’s impatience erupted, replacing the confusion in Nixon’s eyes with irritation. He frowned and protested, “Doc—”

“Right now, or you’ll be responsible for my delay!”

Nixon’s mouth hung open momentarily, but he turned around and closed the metal door access. Angelina caught a muffled grumble under his breath. “Damn cat, pretending to be weak for sympathy.”

“Stop bullying Ramaik!” Angelina snapped. “I should have stayed with him.”

Angelina’s frustration was evident, but Nixon only offered a dismissive glance and snorted. He leaned against the wall and spoke lazily. “Doctor, there’s no bed in there. I don’t think lying on the floor would be comfortable for you. Besides, aren’t you curious about where Doctor Fonda is?”

Angelina fell silent, the memory of their last encounter leaving an uncomfortable feeling.

“Well then, welcome to hell.”

Fonda’s sarcastic words and scornful expression replayed in Angelina’s mind, intensifying her discomfort.

“Mr. Nixon, is Doctor Fonda exclusively responsible for looking after Ramaik and the animals here?”

“Hmm? I didn’t expect you to be more interested in women.” Nixon tilted his head slightly and chuckled. “Too bad…”

“Enough with the jokes!” Angelina grumbled. “I’m serious!”

The elevator’s female voice announced their arrival at the Tiger Floor. Nixon stepped out and gestured for Angelina to follow. “Come, Doctor.”

Ramaik!

Angelina remembered her priorities. Her pace quickened, prompting Nixon to shout, “Doctor, wait for me!”

However, just like before, Angelina ignored Nixon’s call because her sole focus was reaching her patient as quickly as possible.

*****

The mummified figure that should have been lying helplessly on the bed was nowhere to be found where Angelina had left him, despite his supposed illness and inability to move. The experienced veterinarian stood in stunned silence, staring at Ramaik sitting at the edge of the bars, his head bowed, mirroring his posture from the previous days.

“H-how is this possible?” Angelina’s surprised voice caused Ramaik to look up. Their eyes met, and Angelina noticed that her patient was no longer wearing bandages. Blood-stained strips of white cloth and the detached IV needle lay scattered around him.

“Oh my, Ramaik! Why did you remove the IV?” Angelina’s voice grew louder, her frustration evident. “Only a doctor is allowed to do that, and once I’m certain you’re healthy! There are no blood bags for transfusion. It’s the only way to prevent dehydration!”

Ramaik watched Angelina’s change in expression with apparent amusement. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Annoyance replaced the warmth in Angelina’s cheeks. She felt somehow embarrassed. However, Nixon’s complaint disrupted the moment. Sitting nearby, he commented, “The beast seems fine. No need to worry. He’s probably pretending weakness for sympathy.”

Angelina furrowed her brow, observing Ramaik closely. He yawned and leaned against the wall with his eyes closed.

Did he tease me?! Angelina cursed. She scanned the scattered bandages with an angry expression. I’ve spent hours bandaging him! What if the surgery site opens up again?!

Angelina rushed to the cage door and gave an order. “Open it! I have to re-bandage him!”

“Doctor, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Nixon rejected Angelina’s crazy wish. “He could break your neck.”

“Then sedate him!” snapped Angelina. “I have to check whether his surgical scars are still in good condition!”

“All right.” Nixon shrugged as if he didn’t care. He cocked his stun gun and aimed it at Ramaik, who spontaneously opened his eyes.

The creature’s pupils turned yellow. Ramaik transformed in a matter of seconds. He dodged by rolling nimbly forward as a stun bullet whizzed towards him.

“Mr. Nixon! With a blowgun! No, a gun!” screamed Angelina in surprise. She squealed as Ramaik jumped onto the bars and tried to claw at Nixon.

“Much faster like this,” Nixon replied casually. He repeated the shot, causing the stun bullet to pass between the bars.

However, Ramaik was more agile. The creature had swung around so much that the tranquilizer bullets missed its target. He then hit the bars with full force.

“Damn cat! Take this!” Nixon’s successive shots and Ramaik’s acrobatic moves made Angelina run out of patience.

However, this time, she chose to scold her patient. She yelled at Ramaik after that creature had just done an aerial somersault.

“Stop acting up! I told you not to remove the bandage! If you had obeyed, you wouldn’t have needed anesthesia!”

Ramaik paused the attack. The creature turned to Angelina, who was glaring at him.

“Now, stand still and let me do my job!” snapped Angelina impatiently. “Mr. Nixon, where’s the blowgun? Let me sedate him!”

The last shot rang out just before the tranquilizer bullet pierced Ramaik’s shoulder and knocked him out cold. Angelina widened her eyes in surprise. She looked back and found her bodyguard shrugging his shoulders as he said, “It’s much easier this way.”

Crazy baboon! Angelina squealed inwardly. She was about to unleash a barrage of anger and attempt to explain the risk of tissue damage from the anesthetic bullet before Nixon’s words stopped her.

“Doctor, how about we go on a date now? Let’s go to the cafeteria,” Mr. Nixon suggested.

“Mr. Nixon, I’ve already told you I’m married,” she responded flatly, feeling tired. “Open the cell. I need to check on him.”

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