Chapter 21: The Shoe Drops
After a week without any incidents Capt. Singh had to pull the officers watching over Dr. Wells and Greg. Despite that, Joe extended his stay in the guest bedroom indefinitely. He knew that Harrison was still getting up with the infant at night and ended up taking over one of the nightly wake ups, helping Harrison get some much needed rest. It had been a long day one evening when Joe entered the house. The doors opened automatically for him and he was pleased to be greeted with the delicious smell of a pot roast as he entered.
"Honey, I'm honey," Joe joked as he entered and headed deeper into the house.
"Hiya Uncle Joe," Harrison greeted him from the living room floor. "Rough day at work?" Greg was sitting on the floor gumming a rubber ducky. Dressed in grey sweats and a yellow tank, Harrison was seated next to Greg, his wheelchair parked next to a couch.
"Another church was attacked," Joe said with a sigh as he slumped into a seat on the couch. "The Captain and I are getting nowhere in our investigation."
"Is this still the lunatic screaming about Satan and his helpers?" Harrison asked, looking up from trying to extract a duck from Greg's grip. Another long sigh sounded from Joe as he nodded. "Kind of makes you wish Satan and his helpers would silence the guy."
"Oh, well, this time there was something different. He screamed that he would send the devil and his worshipers back to hell with or without help," Joe said, rubbing at his forehead. "Dinner smells good."
"Good. Greg helped me. He threw the veggies into the crock pot. You still getting teased at work?" Harrison reached out and pulled his wheelchair over, getting ready to lift himself into it. Since Joe had set up in the guest bedroom he'd been teased incessantly at work about dating Harrison and what a cute couple they made. If he and Harrison weren't best friends it might have bothered Joe, instead he found it amusing.
"Yep. Today I had some rookie ask me if I was going to propose or if you would and if you did, would you be able to get down on one knee," Joe said. He'd been more annoyed at people making fun of Harrison's disability than their friendship.
"I could fake it for a second or two," Harrison said. "Longer if I had something to balance myself against."
"See, and those kinds of comments are why people are teasing us about being a couple," Joe shot back.
"No. The fact that you are constantly nagging me and telling me how to run my life is why people think we're a couple," Harrison shot back.
"Yeah, right, whatever," Joe mumbled.
"Look, before you fall asleep, can you watch Greg long enough for me to get a shower?" It had been a long day. Greg had managed to get all sorts of materials smeared on Harrison and the scientist was desperate to get a refreshing shower.
"Yeah. Sure." Joe watched Harrison get into his wheelchair and listened to the hum as the man headed to his bedroom. "Alright kid, looks like it's just you and me," Joe mused to Greg. The baby giggled and threw a duck at him. At least it was a police duck.
Harrison enjoyed the shower, but tried not to take too long. He was hungry and knew that Joe needed a break in general. About half an hour after he'd left Joe watching over Greg the scientist pulled a shirt on and headed towards the living room. As he headed down the hall he heard a sound that immediately had him on edge. It was the sound of a gun going off followed by Joe gasping for air.
"Artemis, call the police, call for an ambulance!" Harrison shouted, steering his wheelchair back to the living room as fast as he could. He entered behind a man who stood over Greg. The infant was screaming and sending out waves of terror but fell silent as soon as Harrison arrived.
Apparently sensing Harrison's presence the man turned, raising a gun as he did. Determined to protect his foster son and friend, Harrison reached out, grabbing the man and allowing himself to be pulled from the wheelchair. They struggled for the gun with it going off several times in between them. Harrison didn't have time to focus on anything other than survival and keeping the gun from pointing at anyone he cared about. The gun went off a few more times and Harrison dragged himself away as the attacker slumped to the floor.
Harrison pulled the gun from the man's grasp and made sure there were no bullets left before tossing it aside. Next he lifted Greg from the floor, pulling the child close to his body to help sooth the infant. "Artemis, report," Harrison snapped as he dragged himself over to Joe.
"I have contacted both EMS and the authorities," came a cool, almost feminine voice. "However, Detective West has been shot in the chest and is rapidly loosing blood."
"Right." Finally reaching Joe, Harrison put Greg down so he could check his best friend. "Hang on Joe." The man was conscious but didn't have the strength to form words. "Okay, control the bleeding. Come on Harrison, this is just like in the ER," Harrison muttered to himself. "Need something to staunch the flow." He looked around, finally pulling his shirt off and pressing it hard into the wound. Joe cried out weakly.
"EMS is five minutes out," Artemis reported. At the strange voice Joe tried to look around. "I am afraid a stray shot has damaged your wheelchair. It will need repair before it will be functional again."
"Thank you Artemis," Harrison said. "Alright, Joe, I need you to focus on me and my voice." Eyes wide with the horrible realization that he was close to death, Joe tried to do as he was told. "Good. Joe, I'd like you to meet Artemis, the AI that runs security in the house and helps me keep track of other things."
"Greetings Detective West. Do not worry about responding, I am well aware that you are critically injured." There was a noise at the kitchen door. "Harrison, Carlton is requesting entrance to the house."
"Let him in," Harrison growled, barely looking up as he frantically tried to control the bleeding. There was the swish of the door and soon Carlton was at Harrison's side. "You know something that will stop the bleeding?" Harrison looked to the plant. "We have at least a three minute wait before help is here." There was a quivering of leaves and soon there was some sort of goo exuding from the plant's leaves. "Let me know when you think you have enough," Harrison told the plant. There was a whispering like the wind through leaves and Harrison pulled his shirt away allowing the plant to press its leaves firmly into the wound. The change in pressure elicited a grunt from Joe.
"Just hang on Joe," Harrison said as he watched the plant work. To his amazement the blood flow stopped almost immediately. "Artemis, as soon as EMS and police are here open the doors," Harrison ordered.
"Of course Harrison." Sirens sounded and Carlton shook as if aware that more people were about to arrive.
"Thank you Carlton, you better get out of here," Harrison said to the rose bush. There was a dipping of the leaves which Harrison recognized as a nod. Moving lithely on its roots the plant rushed back to the kitchen door vanishing out into the back yard. "Hang on Joe, help is coming." Harrison pressed his shirt back into place wondering what the doctors would make of the plant particles in wound. Maybe they wouldn't notice.
"CCPD," a voice called out.
"In here," Harrison shouted. "We were attacked, Detective West has been shot in the chest!" Two police officers entered, guns drawn. Seeing the three men on the floor, they moved cautiously into the room, one checking the body on the ground the other going to Harrison, Greg, and Joe. A numbness fell over Harrison as he slipped into mental autopilot to answer the police's questions, coming out of it when he felt Greg's fear tug on his mind. As he watched EMS do their job, he held the infant close, pausing to check to make sure the baby was uninjured.