The Tin Men Job
Gordon Randall hit the scan button on the radio of his car. The slow beat that had been emanating from the speakers didn't mesh with the swirling Portland traffic around him. He wanted something faster, something livelier. The lights ahead of him all turned green as the perfect tune reached his ear. He stopped the scanner and pressed the gas pedal down.
The beat thumped as the wheels churned faster and faster. Gordon opened his mouth to begin singing along when a wave of lightheadedness overtook him. His hand slipped from the wheel, the world around him darkened. He blacked out, his body slumping down as his car continued its momentum straight into a line of cars waiting for the approaching MAX.
Parker placed a checkmark on her clipboard and dumped it on the bar. She sighed and spun around to take in the pub. One gentleman sat at a table by the window with his coffee and paper. Dinner traffic would begin rolling in within the hour. Every table had been straightened, candle lit, and menu replaced. Amy came around behind the bar carrying a tray full of cleaned glasses.
"I cleaned every dish, and cleaned the bathrooms. We should be ready to go," she sighed.
"That's it for the checklist," Parker smiled as she marked Amy's progress.
"How's it going?" Hardison's voice carried ahead of him as he came around the corner from the backroom. He stopped behind Parker and glanced over her shoulder.
"We're ready if Eliot is," Parker replied, handing the checklist to him.
"Excellent. Yo Eliot, how you doing back there?" Hardison called.
Eliot approached the opening between the bar and kitchen, wiping his hands on a towel. "Food is prepped, and I finished up some desserts for the new menu to try."
"Ooo," Parker's eyes lit up as she sat up straight trying to see past Eliot to the desserts.
"Later Parker," Hardison chided. She slouched down.
Amy glanced down at the back bar, a phone lay there flashing. She held it up to the window. "Somebody wanted to talk to you."
Eliot dropped the towel on the counter and grabbed the phone from her. He unlocked the screen and looked at the call list. The voice mail icon flashed. "Dammit, what time is it?"
"About 5," Hardison replied.
"Hey Eliot, my flight got in a bit early. I know you're working so I took a cab. Be there soon." William's voice carried loud enough for them all to hear.
"Isn't it weird that your dad is coming to visit you while your mom is staying with your sister?" Parker frowned. Hardison stared at her with wide "shut up" eyes.
"Jesse's in her nesting phase. Mom is helping out and as Dad put it- unless you're the father, you're only in the way. He did his turns and had no interest in dealing with more. I know he'd rather stay home but I'm sure Mom told him he had to come if he wasn't going with her. She still doesn't want him alone," Eliot explained.
"Your mom seems to wear the pants in your family, huh? Wish my mom did, might not get such disapproving looks all the time," Amy muttered.
"The message is 30 minutes old," Eliot sighed.
"So he should be getting here any minute now," Parker grinned.
"Old man Spencer in Portland… this oughta be REAL interesting," Hardison laughed.
A group of men entering the pub, speaking in raised, excited voices disrupted the group.
"That was ugly, man."
"I didn't even know we had that many ambulances here…"
"Excuse me, couldn't help but hear. What are you talking about?" Parker blurted.
One of the men looked at her as his companion took a seat. "Some big wreck down the street- bunch of cars and the MAX. It ain't pretty. Gonna be a lot of bodies I think."
"Guess it's a good thing your dad's not a fan of the mass transits. Could have been on that train instead of a taxi," Hardison offered.
"You waiting on someone in a cab? What company?" the man asked.
"Don't know which one he took," Parker answered.
The man swallowed, "Well, I hope it isn't but there is a cab in the middle of that mess."
Eliot's jaw and cheeks slowly drew down away from his face. His eyes were large as saucers. He didn't utter a word as he tore around the kitchen, through the pub, out the door and down the street as fast as his legs could carry him.
"Ok, THIS is not what I meant…" Hardison swallowed. Amy and Parker both looked at him sorrowfully.
His breath and heartbeat raced heavily as Eliot slowed his speed approaching the cordoning line. He surveyed the scene. The cab was sandwiched between the MAX and two other vehicles. The paramedics and firemen had already winched one car back to gain access. He began searching the scene wildly trying to find the rescued occupants before finally spotting two gurneys being loaded behind the pile of cars. A female paramedic was leaning over one gurney asking the man his name.
Eliot threw the cordon line up and ran toward the gurney. Two officers spotted him and gave chase. They were two steps behind when he reached his destination and grabbed William's hand.
"Da… dad?" Eliot stammered, gasping for breath.
"Sir, you can't…" the officers began, their hands raised cautiously in front of them.
The paramedic waved them off. "It's okay, it's his father. I got it," she replied.
They scowled but slowly retreated back to their posts.
"He's your father?" she asked Eliot.
He nodded and swallowed. "Yeah," Eliot choked on his word.
"Breathe for me, okay? You want to accompany us?" she offered. He nodded without thought. She offered a seat out of the way.
"Closing up," her partner barked as he closed the door behind them and ran to the driver's seat.
"What's your name?" the woman asked.
"Eliot," he replied.
"Eliot, okay. I'm Beth Ann. What's his?" she nodded toward his father.
"William."
"William… okay, William, I need you to stay with me, okay. We're gonna get you to the hospital as quickly as we can and get you all patched up but I need you to do what I say in the meantime."
"How bad is it?" Eliot swallowed.
"We don't know. They had to cut him out of the back of the car. There's some internal bleeding. He's not wanting to answer questions so we can't rule out a head trauma of some kind either."
The tears burned in Eliot's eyes as he fought them back. He swallowed hard and nodded. "But he can make it, right?"
"I've seen some survive worse… but can't give him odds without more information that we just don't have the time to get. He's got a chance, and that's good enough for me." She smiled and turned to grab some supplies out of the doors behind her. Eliot laid his hand on William's shoulder and took a deep breath.
Nate and Sophie turned the corner into the hospital waiting room. Parker and Hardison sat in the corner talking amongst themselves.
"How's he doing?" Sophie asked as they stood up to meet them.
"Not good. They had him in surgery for a while but… he asked for Eliot a minute ago," Hardison explained. His eyes shifted low as he spoke.
"And Eliot?" Sophie swallowed.
Hardison shook his head slowly. Sophie nodded her understanding.
Eliot approached the hospital bed carefully. William was still, the machines around him buzzing. Even with all the noise, Eliot could hear his own breathing loud and clear.
"Come here," William requested. His voice was meek but the intent was strong. Eliot stepped up to the bedside where his father could see him.
"Dad," Eliot began.
"Listen to me carefully."
"No, Dad you fight this. You understand me?" Eliot barked.
"Boy…" William's eyes pinched shut as he swallowed a moment. "Eliot… there is a time to listen and a time to act. This is one of the former."
Eliot hung his head and gave a quick nod.
"I'm not one to share or show myself. I know you were cursed with that. Let me pass along a lesson you need to know."
"You don't…"
"Eliot… it took me a long time to learn and I don't want to see you waste any more time on it. While I don't know the story you hide in shame, I do know you will not get past it without sharing it. I won't ask you to tell me, but I ask you to share with someone."
"I can't do that. No one can understand what I did."
"Your friends… they will understand. I know you don't believe me but please find someone you trust to tell. That is a weight you need to lose. No matter how bad it is, you can't keep it in. It will destroy more than you know."
"I know it will, but I can't. They'd never be able to see me the way they do anymore. I can't…"
"You can't know how they see you now. I know they know you hold that darkness. They may know and understand more than you believe. I only ask you to try. Don't be me. I lost twenty years with you that I'll never have back… don't make the same mistake for yourself. Don't lose people including yourself over what was." William coughed harshly.
"I've spent years trying to change…" Eliot stated.
"And you can lose it in a moment. You trust someone… or you don't. But you can't ask more of anyone than you are willing to give yourself." His eyelids fought to stay open and his breaths struggled to enter.
"Dad?" Eliot tried to remain calm. William failed to respond in kind. One of the monitors began a high pitched screech. He repeated his statement.
Several medical personnel began flooding the room. One ushered Eliot backwards to the door, begging him to give them room. Eliot resisted slightly but allowed his transfer to the hallway outside. He stood in the hallway staring though the door as the medical staff worked feverishly.
The team saw the commotion and noticed Eliot now stone still in the hallway. They approached carefully and silently. Sophie reached him first, placing her hand on his shoulder.
"Eliot," she began. He pulled back from her hands, proceeded several steps down the hall and grabbed a trash receptacle between two benches. A few breaths later he heaved into the bin. Hardison doubled over trying not to get sick himself. Parker rubbed his shoulder while Sophie went to assist Eliot. Nate lowered his eyes and sighed deeply.