I faced my opponent, hands already up. Not in supplication or defiance. I had just scrubbed in, but I knew I was defeated.

“Dammit, if we don’t perform this procedure, there’s a good chance that the girl will die!”

“No, Doctor. I will not allow you to do this. You may save the young ladies life, but you will kill the unborn son.”

“But we can’t afford to delay for her sake. And an emergency caesarean would be too risky. Not even you could save him if born this premature!”

“You speak of possibilities, but I only know of certainties. I will not let you end the life of an innocent, Doctor.”

My adversary left, message delivered. Any further attempts on my part would be swiftly thwarted. I could not help her, my oath be damned.

My staff, no threat to my patient, would handle and comfort her from here. This had been her choice, her decision. There would be no champion for her rights.

These enforcers of law, with their superpowers and supermorals are not not the heroes we wanted.