Chapter 14

"I can't believe he missed that!" Patrick flung himself back on the couch as he began pouting.

Noah shook his head at his oldest son. "Keep it down – the boys are sleeping. Besides, I told you that the Oilers were on fire tonight."

"But the goalie was off the net – it was a clear shot." He took a long drink off his bottle of water and then angrily dug his hand into the popcorn bowl. "Stupid Ducks!"

Noah turned his attention back to the game as he drank his coffee. The boys had been down for about an hour and both men were hoping they would sleep for at least a few hours more before waking up for the last bottle of the night. "How do you think they are doing at the hospital?"

"Probably keeping busy with sprained ankles and the stomach flu." Patrick looked at his watch. "They only have another couple of hours on their shifts…" He was interrupted by his phone ringing. "It's the hospital? This is Dr. Drake."

Noah watched as his son's look of confusion turned into one of fear. "Patrick?"

Patrick jumped off the couch and headed to the door. "I will be right there." He hung up the phone and looked at his dad. "I need you to stay here with the twins."

"Patrick?" Noah was scared. "Patrick!"

"Gunmen have taken over the lobby of the ER." He ran his hands through his hair and he tried to calm himself down enough to drive over to the hospital. "They have Matt and Robin."

Noah's heart stopped. "Matt and Robin?" Patrick nodded. "Go! I'll stay here just go and get them out of there."

Patrick didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed his car keys and headed to the hospital.

Matt kept Robin behind him, effectively shielding her from the gunmen. The leader spoke again. "One more time – where can I find Dr. Scorpio-Drake?"

"I think I saw her heading up to her office a few minutes ago." Sara, a nurse from OB who had come down to transport a woman in labor up to her floor, was speaking. Fortunately the patient in question was already in a room in the ER and had not been in the lobby when the gunmen took over.

"Really?" The gunman pointed the gun at the pretty young woman's head. "Are you willing to stake your life on that claim?"

Robin had heard enough. "Stop!" She pushed past Matt and walked towards the gunman.

He turned the gun towards her. "Who are you?"

Robin stared the man straight in the eyes. "Robin Scorpio-Drake."

He smiled at her and then grabbed her by the arm, roughly pulling her towards him. He studied her and took a moment to run the gun barrel down her cheek and enjoying the slight shiver she gave in response. "Why were you hiding from me?"

"I really didn't get a chance to announce myself." Robin stood her ground. As the daughter of international spies and former girlfriend of a mob enforcer she had been around guns her entire life and while she hated them they didn't scare her. "Please quit threatening my staff and tell me why you are looking for me."

"In good time." He turned Robin around and secured her in his arms. He pointed the gun at Matt. "First I want to talk to the gentleman who was hiding you from us."

Matt took a step forward keeping his focus on Robin. His sister-in-law was putting on a good show but he could see the fear in her eyes. He nodded reassuringly at her. "I won't apologize for trying to protect her."

"Name please." He nodded at his fellow gunmen who stepped closer to the doctor.

"Dr. Matt Hunter."

"Hunter?" He smiled at leaned over to speak into Robin's ear. "This wouldn't be your infamous brother-in-law? The one who killed a woman to save your life?"

"It was an accident." Robin was quick to defend Matt. "He would never purposely hurt another human being."

"I don't know – the look he is shooting at me right now tells a different story." He nodded at his men. "Let's not give him a chance."

"No!" Robin tried to yell out a warning but, before she could stop it, one of the gunmen hit Matt in the head and her brother-in-law crumpled to the floor unconscious. "Matt!"

Sara knelt down next to Matt and began to examine him. She pulled out a penlight and quickly checked his pupils. "Equal and reactive."

Robin relaxed for a moment. "Thank God." She attempted to pull away from her captor but he pushed the gun into her side. "I have to help him."

"He is in a hospital – he will be fine." His phone rang. "Do me a favor and answer that Robin."

Robin pulled the phone from his pocket and handed it to him, shivering the entire time. She shoved it into his free hand and attempted to move away from him while he answered it. The gun went even further into her ribs so she stopped moving.

"Yes we have her. Be there in just a few minutes." He dropped the phone on the ground and stomped on it, shattering it in a dozen pieces. "Let's go." Robin began to fight the man but he shoved her into one of his companion's arms and turned his gun towards Matt. "Please don't make me shoot him."

Robin instantly stopped moving, resigned to her fate. "Fine, just don't hurt anyone."

He smiled at her. "Good." The air was cut with the sound of a helicopter approaching. "There's our ride. Gentleman, help the good doctor get ready for her flight."

"What do you mean…" Robin was cut off by a needle going into her arm. Less than a minute later she collapsed and the man holding her threw her over his shoulder.

"It has been so much fun but I am afraid we have to go." He kept his gun trained on the various hostages as he followed his men out of the lobby and towards the elevator. "To the roof men."

"Sir, I can't let you in there." The officer was trying to hold Patrick back from the doors to the ER.

"I am Dr. Patrick Drake and I am chief of staff at this hospital. I need to get in there and see if my people are okay." He was trying not to seem too desperate to get in and see his wife and brother but he was failing miserably. "Please?"

"Sir, I understand but we cannot risk you running in there and getting hurt." The policeman was well aware of who Patrick was and that his wife and brother were among the hostages. "Please let us do our jobs."

Patrick began pacing behind the police line as memories of the Metro Court hostage situation flashed through his mind. At the time Robin and him were still new in their relationship and he hadn't even known Matt existed. Now she was his wife and the mother of his children and Matt was one of the most important people in his life. Somehow, someway they had to be okay.

"Dr. Drake?" The chief called him over to his squad car. "Did you divert all traffic from the hospital?"

"Dispatch knows to divert all traffic in any hostage situation – why?"

"Because," the man's voice was cut off by the sound of a helicopter passing over the hospital and descending onto the roof helipad, "if you have diverted all traffic – who is that?"