Josiah pulled the SUV into a visitor's spot near the main entrance to Saint Vincents Hospital. He shook his head at how quickly Buck Wilmington exited the vehicle and hurried toward the doors. It was nearly 10 AM, and they'd left the hotel as soon as the DA had given them the clearance to leave.
"Damn fool didn't even check the traffic," Jackson said and closed the door before checking both ways and crossing to the doors with Sanchez right behind him. They knew exactly where to go and headed for the elevators to find Buck none to gently hitting the button impatiently.
"Won't do you any good to break it, Buck," Sanchez told him.
"Damn elevators are slower than the second coming," Wilmington spat, relieved when the door finally opened. He pushed past a young couple, apologizing briefly before hitting the button for the fourth floor.
"Take it easy, Buck," Jackson said, but he knew Wilmington wouldn't calm down until he saw for himself that Vin and Ezra were going to be okay. They exited onto the busy fourth floor and hurried toward the SICU desk located at the center of the units where critical patients were cared for by the trained medical staff.
"Vin Tanner and Ezra Standish," Wilmington told the nurse, but turned as a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"Buck, come with me," Travis said and nodded for Josiah and Nathan to come along as well. He led them to the visitors lounge at the end of the corridor and motioned for the trio to sit down.
"Orin, how are they?" Jackson asked.
"Ezra's been awake, but he lost a lot of blood and is very weak and running a fever. You can see him as soon as the nurse is done with him," Travis answered.
"Vin?" Sanchez asked.
"He's still unconscious. Simmons inserted a chest tube and wants him kept intubated for at least twenty four hours," Travis answered tiredly.
"Will they be all right?" Wilmington asked.
"They should be as long as we can keep them from doing anything stupid," Travis said.
"Vin and Ezra…do something stupid?" Jackson snapped sarcastically.
"Were you able to contact Chris and JD?" Sanchez asked.
"No, they left the conference on schedule, but they could have stopped off somewhere…"
"Orin, you're talking Chris Larabee and JD Dunne…there's no way in hell Chris could last this long with just the kid to keep him company," Wilmington offered.
"You never know…maybe Chris needed some time away from your bawdy stories, Buck," Sanchez said with a grin.
"Yeah right, Josiah, and I'm going to become a monk," Wilmington said and pulled out his cell phone. He hit speed dial and listened as Chris' service told him the user was either out of the service area or his cell phone was shut off. He tried Dunne's cell and received the same message before shoving it back in his pocket. "Says the user is unavailable."
"They could be in the mountains, Buck, you know how bad the service is there," Travis explained.
"I hope so, but Chris'll be pissed if we don't keep trying," the rogue told them as he door opened and a young nurse looked in.
"Mr. Travis, you can see Mr. Standish now."
"Thank you, Lorene," Travis said and stood up. "All right, Nathan, why don't you come with me and you two go check on Vin."
The three agents followed Travis out of the waiting room and soon found them selves splitting up to check on their injured friends. Nathan stepped into the SICU and found Ezra awake, but not fully aware as a nurse offered him a sip of water.
"Nathan, I thought you were still involved in the Rider case," Standish said, his voice raspy as he accepted another sip of cold water.
"Rider was convicted yesterday. All that remains is the sentence and that won't happen for a couple of weeks. Looks like you could have used more back up last night."
"We could have…is there any word on Vin?" Standish asked tiredly.
"He's here and you'll both be okay as long as you listen to the staff," Jackson told him.
"Something set Nicholson off…don't know what," the gambler said.
"It doesn't matter, Ezra, it's over now. You and Vin did a damn good job," Travis assured him.
"As long as those bastards can't hurt anyone any more," Standish whispered as his eyes closed and he drifted toward sleep.
"They can't…thanks to you and Vin," Jackson said and looked at the monitoring equipment before pulling a chair close to the bed and sitting down to watch over the injured man.
"I need to get to the office, Nathan," Travis said. "Let me know if you hear from Chris or JD."
"I will, Orin. We'll be in the office this afternoon," the medic assured him.
"Good, I'd like an update on the Rider case and what kind of sentence you think the judge will hand down," the older man said before leaving the room.
M7M7M7M7M7M7M7
Josiah spotted the judge leaving just as the nurse signaled that he and buck could come into the room where Vin Tanner was being monitored. He walked over to the bed and looked down at the injured Texan. Vin's hair was matted to his forehead by sweat and he looked whiter than the sheets he lay on. A thin blanket covered him to the chest, but he could see the tube protruding from beneath it and winced sympathetically before saying a silent prayer for both injured men.
"How is he?" Wilmington asked the nurse.
"He's running a fever, but the medications are helping," Julia answered, but continued to do everything to make her patient as comfortable as possible.
"Has Dr. Midland been in to see him yet?" Sanchez asked.
"I'm right behind you, Josiah," Stacey Midland said with a hint of a smile.
"Hey, Doc, just curious as to how long you're going to keep him out?" the ex-preacher said.
"Well, I just gave orders to ease off on the sedation so he should be waking up later this afternoon," Midland answered and reached for Tanner's chart.
"That's good news right, Doc?" Wilmington asked.
"I would hope so," Midland told him and looked around. "I see Nathan's in with Ezra and you two are here with Vin, but that leaves two missing. Where are Chris and JD?"
"They were at a conference…"
"Together? God, don't tell me they killed each other?" Midland quipped. She knew how JD Dunne could drive the others crazy with his one liners, but to have Chris and JD together at a conference could be a disaster in the making.
"Far as we know they left the conference in one piece," Sanchez offered and saw a hint of worry in Wilmington's face. "They left to drive back a few days ago as far as we know."
"Wherever they are there's no cell phone reception," the rogue told her.
"So they don't know about Vin and Ezra?" the physician asked.
"Not yet," Sanchez answered.
"No wonder my phone's not ringing off the hook," Midland told them before making several notations on Tanner's chart. "Look, it's going to be hours before Vin and Ezra are awake enough to know you're here…"
"We're staying…"
"Have you looked in a mirror this morning, Josiah? You look wiped out so go home grab a couple of hours sleep and come back here when these two really need you."
"You'll call…"
"Yes, Buck, I'll call if they need anything," Midland assured the two men. "Go get Nathan and get out of here."
Buck took one last look at the injured Texan before leaving the room. He stopped at the next unit and knew Standish was sleeping and motioned for Nathan to join him. He quickly told them what Midland had said as Josiah said a soft prayer for both injured men. By unspoken agreement the trio knew exactly where they were going and what the next few hours would be spent doing. Hopefully it wouldn't take long to find JD and Chris, but things were never that easy with this team.
M7M7M7M7M7M7M7
John Daniel watched as Penny bathed his hands and applied something to them. His knuckles were bruised and bleeding, but he could not remember what caused it. The golden haired beauty wore an angelic smile as she wrapped his hands in several layers of bandages and John Daniel felt at peace with himself.
"Does it hurt?" Penny asked softly as she held his hands.
"Not really…Father John took the pain away."
"Father John always takes the pain away," Penny told him. "Would you like to rest?"
"I would rather go for a walk…if you come with me," John Daniel answered.
"I would like that too," Penny assured him and helped him stand. "Father John said I am to show you around and explain what your duties will be once your hands are healed."
"What kind of duties?"
"We grow our own fruits and vegetables and also keep a few chickens for eggs. We go into town and trade for the things we cannot grow on our own. Perhaps you can accompany us on our next visit, but only if Father John allows it."
"Father John is my savior," John Daniel said, his eyes lit with unshed moisture.
"Yes, he is…he will show us the way, John Daniel, and he will never let anyone hurt us or interfere with his teachings," Penny said and smiled as he stood beside her. She linked her arm through his and walked out into the bright morning sunshine.
M7M7M7M7M7M7M7
Chris breathed through tightly clenched teeth and swallowed convulsively as pain erupted through his body. He shifted on the bed and gasped when the movement pulled on his left leg. The agony was enough to make him vomit and he quickly realized his ankles were chained to hooks at the end of the narrow bed he lay on.
Chris tried to adjust his position, but his arms were chained to the wrought iron rungs of the bed and allowed very little movement of any kind. He blinked several times in an effort to clear his vision, but the room seemed to go in and out of focus with each move he made.
Chris tried to remember what had happened as bits and pieces matted together to form disjointed images that left him confused. He knew he'd been at a conference, but couldn't remember leaving or where he'd gone when he left…if he'd actually left. Who had been with him and where were they?
Chris frowned and fought the creeping lethargy that often accompanied the use of drugs and wondered what he'd been given. Whatever it was left him weak and sick and did nothing to ease the pain running rampant through his body. He laid still, eyes closed, breathing slowly in an effort to alleviate the agony in his chest. Darkness swam at the edge of his vision and this time Chris had no choice, but to follow it into the darkness of his mind.
Author's Note—- Thanks to everyone for reading and reviewing...Winnie