Title: Bèi dào (Stolen)
Chapter 9 – What Matters Most
A/N: well am sorry to see that so many left (did anyone really think I'd kill Chandler?) hmm well hope you all enjoy this update and thanks so much!
He had fully expected to be greeted by opposition when he arrived back at the top floor to Ryland's office to get the antidote for whatever virus Ryland had infected Chandler with. But with Val in one ear urging him to move faster and the sounds of gunfire looming ever closer in the other, he knows time is of the essence to save his friend.
However when the door opens, it won't be an easy walk in the Park as he's suddenly under fire and forced to take cover behind a solid wood table on the opposite side of the room.
"Naturally….nothing's ever easy," Slattery grumbles as he fishes around for a grenade or something that'll set back the incoming forces a little bit longer. Nothing is to be found. But a few seconds later he takes out an incoming on his left and with the unused grenade is able to send the others back long enough to rush to the safe, open it, get the small vial and rush back toward the elevator.
But when that door opened, Slattery was handed another surprise in the way of yet another Ryland human impediment. However, he was faster on the uptake, and instantly pointed his gun in the man's face and told him to turn around.
"Move. Your. Ass." Slattery said pointedly as the man started to hesitate. But a swift blow to his jaw afforded Slattery the leverage he needed to pull the man back, slam his fist on the close door button just as the last few Ryland reinforcements stormed toward them.
"Your boss is a murderer!" Slattery hisses as the elevator zooms toward the basement.
"I don't care," the man mutters somewhat mindlessly.
Sasha looks up just as the door open and an unfamiliar face steps through and instantly freezes.
"I care!" Slattery huffs as he clocks the man on the back of the head, sending him sinking toward the floor in an unconscious heap.
"Hurry!" Sasha bellows as Slattery races across the room with the small vial in his hand. She had already gotten a needle ready and now tells herself to take a deep breath as she draws out the blue liquid and then looks down at Tom's taut arm already for the needle insertion.
"Hang in there buddy," Slattery tells Chandler as he looks at Sasha in concern when Chandler doesn't respond. "Are…we too late?"
"No!" Sasha lightly snaps as she pushes the contents of the needle into Chandler's waiting vein. "Val…when will we know?"
"Won't be instantaneous sorry. But reinforcements have arrived and no more party crashers are heading your way. A transport team will be down there soon."
"I'll go meet with Wolf and Green. Val, send them down here if possible. Do you know if they got Ryland?"
"Doesn't sound like it. Sorry."
"Go," Sasha directs as Slattery's hand rests on her forearm and gives it a comforting squeeze.
"Keep me posted," he states simply with a nod before he turns to leave. She didn't need him to apologize because if the situation was in the reverse she might have suspected him for a few moments; but hearing it made her mind settle somewhat.
"Come on Tom," she whispers as she squeezes his hand, her watery eyes begging him for a response before the medical transport team arrives. "Please…please just…squeeze my hand or…open your eyes or…" she whispers as she bends down and places a warm kiss on his cool lips. "Damn Disney films and the magic kisses…" she lightly grumbles, hoping it would at least make him open his eyes.
No response is given and her heart rate starts to accelerate.
She looks at her crude bandaging and cringes at the crimson starting to seep out the edges but is thankful that it's just a deep cut and an actual organ hasn't been taken. She had stopped the mass blood flow but still worries that the virus racing around his system was going to take him from her for good.
"Tom…I was so scared to admit this but…but I don't want to face life alone again," she admits while her hand continues to apply pressure to his seemingly lifeless limb. "You…you can't leave me now."
"Medic team is in the elevator."
"Okay that's it…I'm stripping down to…" she starts and then quickly stops when she hears the elevator nearing. "Stubborn man!" She huffs as she squeezes his hand once more.
But just as the doors open and despite her emotions all muddled together she would have to admit that his skin to her touch was starting to warm. He was coming back…just not as fast as she might want.
"I've already called ahead!" Doc Rios calls out as he nears Sasha with the medical team in tow. Both step back as the medical transport team properly package Chandler for the ride up the elevator and then into the helo to be flown to the nearest medical facility where a friend of Ping's, a general surgeon was waiting to help properly close the wound.
She didn't care about Rios watching, Sasha sat beside Chandler's body in the belly of the helo, clutching his hand and silently praying that he come back to her. To them. She relays a message to Slattery through Val to meet them at the hospital and then ends up cursing when she learns Ryland has indeed escaped.
"Don't leave me," she whispers one last time, planting one last kiss on his warmish cheek as the helo touches down and then he's rushed into the ER surgical area.
XXXXXXXX
"So…he just vanished into thin air?" Sasha asks in shock as Slattery approaches with a frustrated expression.
"Really want to get my hands on that murdering bastard," Slattery grumbles as he peers through the doors to see Chandler on the operating table; a concerned Rios a few meters to the side watching in wonder. "Uh…how is he?"
"They are trying to remove whatever bits of tissue the virus has so far destroyed. Something new that even Rios hadn't predicted."
"Better pull through," Slattery mumbles as he pulls away with a weary sigh. Sasha, however, turns back to look at Chandler's frame on the operating bed while he lies motionless; her mind racing with horrible thoughts that he wouldn't pull through and their second chance would be lost forever.
Come on Tom…you gotta make it…you gotta pull through….
She watches as Rios finally pulls away and heads toward them, Slattery, Wolf, Green, Burk and Val all crowding in around behind Sasha who waits impatiently for the door to open and the Nathan James principal physician approach.
"What's going on?"
"Well they've ruled out that it's airborne but just to be safe the antidote is being created right now and we'll all get a shot just to be safe."
"And Tom…is he…"
"The doctor who operated on him will be out shortly but they were able to successfully close the wound with minimal blood loss and he was able to confirm that no vital organs were damaged, punctured or severed so that's a relief. Now…it's up to his body to work with the antidote and fight off whatever is remaining of the virus."
"How…long?"
"Don't know. He'll hafta walk up on his own. Could be…a few hours yet. You can stay if you want."
"I want to," Sasha whispers as Rios passes her to go and talk to the others. She heads for the ER doors and then looks up to see Val's reflection in the mirror. She turns to face her with a timid smile, telling herself to keep her emotions in check until she was alone.
"So…while we wait for word on the big boss man," Val quips as Sasha's expression softens. "I was thinking about Ping and his family. Ryland is still out there and they…well I was wondering if maybe we can help them relocate somewhere…safer?"
"Why do I get the feeling you've already talked to them about this?"
"Well not them per say but I was talking to Alisha and she…"
"Really?"
"It's a great idea. I was able to find a place where they could be safe and I was wondering…if I could get his number? He can say no but…well he helped us and they have lost so much."
"Course," Sasha agrees as she texts Val the number. "Take Burk with you."
"What? More babysitting?"
"Careful, Alisha will be joining you."
"Do I have a choice?" Burk jokingly retorts as he looks as Slattery who shakes his head. "Seriously."
"Ping helped us. I'll let you know when Chandler wakes up."
"Let's go…" Burk groans as Val flashes Sasha a smile and then turns and hurries after Burk.
"At least they get a happy ending," she whispers in torment as she turns back. A few moments later the ER doctor walks toward her; Slattery, Wolf and Green once again crowding in behind her. The information is basically the same as what Rios had relayed and while that was comforting to her it was infuriating that he hadn't woken up yet.
"So…can I go in and see him?" Sasha dares to ask; the doctor slowly nodding yes a few seconds later.
"I'm gonna get a coffee and be right back. You want one?"
"No…I'm good thanks," she thanks Slattery as she pulls away and enters the quiet ER operating area. She watches as the nurse finishes hooking up the fluid IV and then tells her she is allowed to approach.
"We'll be sending him up to the ICU recovery in a bit but you can stay for a few minutes," the nurse explains as she goes to check on the ICU recovery area.
"Tom…" she whispers with a small gasp as she stops beside his bedside. Her hand hesitates for a few seconds mid-air before she is able to grasp his hand and give it a comforting squeeze. She is comforted by the fact that his skin is a bit warmer to the touch but is still dismayed that her actions still don't elicit a response from him. Any kind of response.
"Tom okay so now you have to stop being so stubborn and wake up!" She states and then lets out a nervous giggle. "Right…you don't take orders from me," she stammers as she looks at his placid expression. "I um….oh man this is tough to say. Yeah Sasha Cooper…a nervous girl right now. Oh how you'd laugh," she huffs as she leans in closer, her cheek resting on his. "I need you Tom. I…I made a mistake before…but I don't want to make another so…" she pauses as she plants another soft kiss on his lips. "So you have to wake up and tell me that you want this as much as me."
She hears a small commotion and then looks up to see the nurse heading back toward the room to take Tom up to his recovery room and her hand tightens around his. "Tom I…I lo…"
But just as she's about to finish her sentence, the nurse walks in and through the doors she watches with a widening glace as someone enters the ER waiting area. At the same time she feels something squeeze her hand and casts her watery gaze downward as Tom Chandler's weary sapphire's open and lock with hers to.
"Love you…too," he manages.
At the same time Slattery looks through the doors to see Sasha lean down to give Chandler a hug and knows his friend has pulled through and is awake but just before he can take a step to go and see them, the ER doors open and last person he expected to walk through the doors appears.
"Dennis?" Slattery asks in shock as the man who said he knew information about his son approaches. "What's going on?"
A/N: what is going on? So one more chapter after this and hope you all liked this update and please do review before you go and thanks so much
