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Chapter Seven
Neal had been moved from recovery into ICU by the time Peter arrived back at the hospital, Once he showed his identification, he was allowed back without any resistance from the staff. Dr. Morrison had left a note in Neal's chart that Agent Burke was allowed to be present outside of the regular visiting hours. He had cited 'Extenuating circumstances' as the reason.
The bruising on Neal's face had deepened somewhat, but having been cleaned up and dressed in clean clothing, he looked a considerable amount better than he had before. Lying so still and pale, he looked younger than usual, and the machines and wires made him look defenseless. That was too reminiscent of his appearance in the basement, causing the band around Peter's chest to tighten again.
He had requested Neal's medical records, the ER notes, and comments. After glancing over the main points, he understood the demeanor of the staff when they came into the room to check Neal, and understood the sympathetic looks he was receiving as well. It was clear they were aware of what the extenuating circumstances were.
The doctor's notes were clear and concise and defined medically what Neal had endured at the hands of McGrail and Stanger. Peter read the highlights, skipping over the longer medical passages full of the terminology he didn't hope to understand.
Contusions and abrasions on the subjects face, head, and body consistent with blunt trauma due to physical assault. Minor concussion. Ligature marks on the wrists and ankles consistent with restraint; most severe on the wrists. Radial damage to be determined.
Peter looked up from the reports. Neal hadn't moved; his chest rose and fell gently. He hadn't noticed his wrists in the basement but knew that they must have been damaged. They were now both swathed in bandages, lying motionless on the top of the blanket at his waist.
Blunt force trauma over eighty percent of the subject's body; various stages of bruising consistent with blows from a cylindrical object approximately an inch in diameter. Four bruised ribs; two fractured. Damage to the intestines, liver, and spleen.
There were several lines of medical terminology- thoracic injury from non-penetrating trauma-that Peter supposed had to do with Neal's ribs, followed by a several pages that dealt with Neal's various internal injuries, the most serious of which-Splenic rupture resulting in blood leakage into the abdominal cavity-dealt with the injury and subsequent removal of the spleen.
The next section summarized the injures that had been caused by the taser he had observed at the scene.
Wheal shaped first and second-degree burns (twenty-eight contact points) on the subjects torso consistent with contact from a stun gun on the subjects. Blisters and yellow crusting present. All superficial wounds in various stages of healing.
There was also a summary of Peter's initial comments to the attending about how Neal had sustained his injuries, including that he was had been abducted and subjected to physical abuse over a period of approximately seventy-two hours. It had been important for the Medics as well as the emergency room staff to know he had been the victim of a violent crime. That way, they were careful to keep samples and collect any evidence they came across, and also checked for all signs of abuse, including sexual. Thankfully, they had found nothing along those lines. However they had bagged Neal's clothing immediately for the Crime Scene Unit. He looked up when someone entered the room. It was a nurse doing her check on Neal's condition. She smiled at him.
"There is coffee at the nurse's station," she said, "feel free to help yourself."
"Thank you," Peter stood, needed to stretch his tired body anyway. He stepped nearer to Neal, on the opposite side of the bed where she was checking the monitors and making notes. He didn't say anything until after she had finished listening to Neal's breathing.
"How is he?" he asked quietly.
"He's holding his own," she answered, "His vitals are stable; lungs are clear." She glanced at Peter, "Every hour he stays this way is a good sign."
"He hasn't moved," Peter comment, "not even a twitch."
"That is because he is heavily sedated," she explained, "We are keeping him in that way to reduce the strain on his organs." She checked one of the iv's that hung from the stand, "He has about another eight hours to go and then we will discontinue and see how he responds."
"Will he wake up then?" Peter asked, looking at Neal's pale face. He desperately needed for him to wake up; to wake up and be Neal again. Irritating, aggravating and prone to not follow directions.
"Maybe," she replied, "but even without sedation it may take several hours for him to wake." She pulled down the blanket, moved the gown that covered Neal's midsection to the side, and proceeded to check the area around the surgical site. The sight of Neal's midsection took Peter off guard. He had read the details, but it didn't compare to seeing the baton marks, the bruises or the dozens of blisters covering his torso. He must have made a sound because the nurse looked up quickly in question, her expression changing immediately to understanding. "They will heal," she promised, replacing the gown to its place and pulling up the blanket again "they are shocking to see but superficial." She gently moved Neal's hands back on top of the blanket. She paused a moment, looking down at Neal's face.
"It amazes me what human beings can do to one other," she said, reaching down to adjust the oxygen tubing, and then almost as an afterthought, her hand moved to Neal's forehead. "I am afraid in cases like this it's injuries that don't show that are the hardest to recover from." She looked back to Peter. "It's good of you to sit with him like this, Agent Burke," she said, "but does he have any family at all? Anyone that would make him feel safe?" She again looked at Neal, "After what he's been through he's going to need that more than anything."
"No biological family," Peter answered, "but I am as close to family as he has," he paused before adding firmly, "If he sees me when he wakes up, he will know he is safe."
"Then it's good you are here," She took the clipboard she had been scribbling on and started out of the glass doors that separated Neal's room from the rest of the ICU. "I've got to chart this into the system," she explained, "Remember: Coffee at the nurses station if you are interested, or I can bring you a pillow and an extra blanket." She nodded to the chair he had been sitting in. "It reclines you know. You could get a few hours before his medication runs out."
"Coffee now, pillow later," Peter answered with a weary smile.