Title: Too Tough To Die
Chapter 27 – Nightmares!
Jamie entered the precinct that same morning and tried to tell himself that he had to just breathe but keep his wits about him and get the job done – get a snap of Blueridge's phone. He knew if they put Blueridge back on Wilder's detail then Wilder would be doubly suspicious and clam up. But with Blueridge all over the place, pinning him down so he could get his phone wouldn't be easy.
Think Jamie…think…his brain commanded as he entered the area and then saw Parker in the distance. Parker will be there for a bit to put in an appearance. Danny will be fine. He has breakfast in the morning and then a session.
Just as he rounded the corner he stopped short just as Blueridge looked up and then sneered at him before he turned back to some mindless conversation with two other officers. Oh yeah…this will be easy, Jamie's mind drawled in sarcasm as he looked away and then headed for the coffee stand as he tried to come up with a way to get Blueridge's phone.
If I mess this up even once…he'll be even more suspicious and it's game ove…Jamie's mind spiraled downward as he poured himself a small cup of coffee.
Shower? Yeah staking out the shower room might draw the wrong attention, his mind inwardly huffed as he as he took a sip and then cradled the cup in his palm as he turned back and then casually surveyed the room while his brain tried to come up with a plausible way to get Blueridge's phone.
"Jamie."
"Hey Charlie."
"Well…at least he's in a good mood this morning," the other officer sighed as he too poured himself a cup of coffee.
"Who, the boss?"
"Wilder. I'm on his detail today. Ugh damn bastard," Charlie groaned. "But I was talking to Jenkins and he said Wilder is in a chipper mood. Even whistled a bit. What the hell right?"
"Yeah…" Jamie offered lightly as he watched Charlie pull away and head for the stairs to go down. Chipper? What…why? He pulled his phone and looked at it and then frowned.
"Aww what's the matter Reagan? She give you the wrong number?" Blueridge laughed as he slapped Jamie hard on the back as he passed.
"Jerk," Eddie chimed in as she neared. "What's up?"
"Uh…nothing," Jamie replied as he looked at Blueridge's back and then frowned. This won't be easy…he inwardly cursed as he looked back down at his phone. If Danny were in trouble I would have heard…he's fine…just concentrate on your job – getting Blueridge's phone!
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What's going on? What…where….
"Danny? Mr. White…can you hear me?"
"What's going on in here?"
Danny's mind flashed him back in time to when he saw…or thought he saw Thomas Wilder walking into his hospital room. He was…sure it was Wilder. But the room…things around him were distorted. He was dizzy and almost lucid at the same time. His heart was racing and skin on fire. Sounds were amplified. Voices…he heard…Wilder!
He watched as Wilder came toward him and then he lunged, all his agitated anger giving him strength he didn't even know he possessed. He got one hit in and then he was jumped. His heart rate continued to soar. His body temperature was almost at crucial and the room continued to spin.
"Why is he restrained?"
"Wh…at?" Danny's mind tried to bring him back. I know that voice…that's…"What…the hell…" his voice died out as he tried to lift his arms to wipe some sweat from his face but found himself unable. "Why…why am I…"
"Just hold on Danny. What happened?" Sheryl Higgins asked in haste as she looked at the nurse and the two orderlies – one who sported a black eye. "What…happened?"
"We heard Mr. White shouting…and when we came to see what was going on, he attacked Roger," the nurse replied and then nodded toward the disheveled orderly.
"I didn't…attack him! It was…Thomas…Wilder!"
"Danny, please," Sheryl lightly instructed as she looked back at the nurse.
"Get these damn things off!" Danny demanded as his arms flexed and he tried to pull himself free.
"How long has…he been like this?"
"Few hours," the nurse named Ruth answered in truth. "Since just before breakfast until now."
"Danny…"
"WILDER!" Danny shouted as he looked at the orderly and Wilder's face appeared. "Get him…" Danny strained as he tried to pull himself free. "Why is he…let me go!"
"He needs to be quiet, other patients are…"
"Okay. I want you all to leave the room. Ruth, I want that detailed report right now."
"Do you want security sent up?"
"No. I'll be fine."
"Stop him!" Danny shouted as Sheryl looked down at Danny in concern.
"What's wrong with him?"
"I'm going to find out."
"I want a blood sample taken right now and the results rushed."
"Hey!" Danny tried as his body buckled.
"Okay."
"HEY!"
"It's okay…just get it done."
Danny watched the people leave, the shape of the room still somewhat distorted as his watery eyes blinked and then tried to re-focus on the woman as she sat down beside him. "What…where is he!"
"Who Danny?"
"Wilder!"
"He's in jail," Sheryl replied calmly as she rested her hand on Danny's flushed forehead. "Can you tell me what happened Danny?"
"Wilder tried to kill me! He was here! He wants…me like this…" Danny grunted as he continued to struggle in vain against the padded restraints that held him fast. "Let…me out…OF THESE!"
"Danny…you need to just…"
"Stop…moving…"
"What?"
"Moving…stop…moving," Danny slightly slurred as he tried to pull himself free once more; his body now wracked with sweat as his chest continued to ache. "Where…is Wilder? Why…" Danny paused just as they heard a noise and another face appeared. "Wilder!" Danny shouted as the orderly handed Sheryl the file and then ducked back out. "Why…why is he loose?"
Sherryl looked at the report from the nurse, the results from Danny's blood test still in the works. She read that the nurse had brought the two muscle relaxants that she had prescribed but knows that they wouldn't cause the reaction in Danny that he's having now.
"You need to calm down Danny. You need to listen to my voice. Danny? Danny, look at me."
"Stop moving!" Danny bellowed as Sheryl frowned and continued to write down her notes. "Why…is Wilder here?"
"Danny, you are having a major anxiety attack and…although I haven't seen one this severe in a while."
"Come on…let me…stop…shouting. Please."
Sheryl looked at Danny in concern as she raced for a rational answer. She pondered what might happen if she gave him something to make him relax but she had already prescribed that and this was how he reacted. And she didn't want to prolong his visual anxiety. But as she continued to study him she noticed something…something familiar…something she had seen in other patients. Is he…high?
"Danny…"
"I need…to get…free…" Danny huffed as he squeezed his eyes shut. "Make…the room stop…moving!"
"I need to check on a few things and I hate to do this but I am going to leave you like this."
"What?" Danny's eyes snapped open as he glared at her as she tried to stand up. "No! NO!" Danny shouted and then coughed as his lungs started to constrict. "You can't…leave me like…this."
"Only I know your real identity and the head administer who you met last night," Sheryl tried to explain as Danny's eyes frantically darted around the room and his body continued to buckle against the padded restraints. "The rest of the staff know you as Mr. White and I'd prefer to keep it that way."
"I need to…" Danny hissed as his arms tightened and flexed but he was unable to pull himself up further than a few inches before he was forced to slump back down.
"You need to just rest. I want to put in an IV of fluid but you won't lie still long enough and I don't want to hurt you or me and I don't want to give you any more…"
"You gave me drugs!" Danny growled as he slumped down in captive misery. "Why…are you doing this! WHY!"
"To keep yourself and others safe. I understand for someone who is used to being in control that this can be very frustrating for you but the nurse assured me that they didn't hurt you. But they had to restrain you because you hurt someone."
"I did not!"
"Do you remember hitting the orderly?"
"I hit…WILDER!"
"Okay. I have to check on a few things and I'll be back in a little bit."
"NO!" Danny called out in a panic as Sheryl stood up and paused at the door. "You can't…he's still out there!"
"Wilder has been taken back to prison Danny. You're safe. Now just try to relax and hopefully whatever is going on will…be over soon."
Danny watched her leave and then the door close and his body started to buckle against the restraints even harder. "Wilder!" He shouted as he heard Wilder's taunting laughter in his head. "You're dead…DEAD!"
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Wilder leaned back in his prison cell with a silent knowing smile on his face as he watched the various officers walk past, all of them oblivious to the sinister plan that was already in play.
If I make Danny look like he's losing it…seeing me elsewhere when I'm right here…if I push him closer to the edge…force his superiors to take a closer look…if I make it seem that Danny is more about revenge than justice…
"Then he'll be locked up," Wilder whispered as his expression darkened even further. "Oh Danny boy…did you honestly think I'd surrender without a complete plan in place? You…you are so far out of your league."
Let the games…RESUME!
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"Okay…thank you. Let me know when…something changes."
Frank hung up with Sheryl and leaned back in his chair and let out a horrified growl. "What have I done," he muttered as he looked at Danny's picture on his desk.
'Frank, something happened with Danny. I was late in arranging the first session due to an emergency with one of my clients but when I got to Danny's room he was restrained. The nurse told me that just before breakfast they heard Danny crying out and when they went into his room…he just attacked them. He hit one of the orderlies and called him Wilder. The orderly is okay. Just a bit of a black eye. I told them Danny was…I said it was part of why he was in here but Frank I am worried. I don't know what happened but I promise you I will find out. I had to leave him restrained but it's for his own good. If he was slipped something or he took something…he could be a danger to himself and others until it wears off.'
'Danny would never…take any kind of mind altering stimulant or hit someone for no justified reason.'
'I agree under normal circumstances, but this isn't normal for him. Maybe being in the hospital, coupled with the stress of what's going on. Seeing Wilder instead of the orderly. I don't know but I promise I have given this my top priority. I might get Baez to come and see him. Maybe a friendly face will help calm him down. I'll keep you posted.'
Frank looked at the clock and knew it was too soon to call for an update so instead he tried to find something to keep his mind occupied. But he knew…after this disconcerting news, that would be nye impossible.
"Danny…"
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"What'd you find?" Jamie asked Anthony as they stood in the back of the diner about an hour later.
"Okay so was able to find a reoccurring face in those surveillance photo's," Anthony explained as he pulled out his notes. "His name is Keith Sanders. Still working on getting a fixed address but this is the guy Blueridge was seen talking to more than the others and if you look at this one…"
"He paid him for something," Jamie concluded as Anthony nodded. "Okay good so we need to know where he lives and then pay him a visit."
"Working on it. And…the phone?"
"Working on it," Jamie retorted dryly as Anthony offered him a look of sympathy. "He uh…he knows I'm on Danny's side so I can't just walk up to him and ask for his phone. Tried to create a distraction. Tried to use Eddie at one time but…but he was wise to it. This will be tougher than I thought."
"Just send him down a dark alley. I'll be waiting."
Jamie was just about to offer a retort when he looked at Anthony in wonder and then paused.
"What?"
"Not necessarily a dark alley but…but I wonder if we can…you know when he's at one of these clubs. His guard is down. Maybe we can use that to get the phone?"
"Yeah…when he's distracted," Anthony agreed as he pulled one of the photos. "Think I might be able to get one of the girls to really distract him."
"Really?" Jamie asked in amusement.
"Just don't tell Erin where my money goes," Anthony countered as Jamie slightly chuckled.
"Okay we'll go tonight," Jamie started to plan. "You get it ready and when he shows up…if he shows up…she just needs to get the phone and slip to me…I'll be…a few minutes at most."
"He doesn't know me."
"If this goes south…" Jamie paused. "Just be careful."
"I'll get the picture and you do the rest."
"Okay."
"Okay."
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I'll always be with you Danny…ALWAYS!
"Hey…welcome back."
"Ahhh…damn," Danny groaned as he once again tried to lift his hand to his face but was unable. He looked up to see a friendly and familiar face looking back down in sympathy. "Baez…what um…what happened?"
"You tell me."
"It was…one helluva party…" Danny huffed as he slumped back down, his body completely depleted of sweat and energy. "Where's the doc?"
"She's coming. What happened?"
"I don't know. I remember seeing Wilder…but it was so…so trippy."
"Trippy? You? Trippy?" Baez retorted in amusement.
"Yeah I don't…okay I need these removed. You okay?"
"Yeah. Bored. Or was until I was told to come here. Dr. Higgins came and got me."
"Where the hell was Parker?"
"He was following something else up. Dr. Higgins is checking out the security footage to see what happened."
"I need…just remove one of these damn things," Danny pleaded in misery. "I feel like…a damn criminal."
But before Baez can respond, they both hear the door open and then look up to see Dr. Higgins enter with a serious expression.
"Danny."
"You promised doc! No more pills."
"The muscle relaxants were just to help you relax," Sheryl tried to explain as she neared.
"No…no pills period!"
"Not all pills are bad. However…I have some news about what happened?"
"Fine," Danny huffed, "can you let me outta these damn things yet?"
"Yes we can. Detective Baez you can remove them."
"So what…happened?" Danny asked as he was finally able to pull his wrists to his face, rub it and then his wrists before he quickly sat up. But in doing so he dealt himself another bout of dizziness and quickly grabbed his head. "Ahhh…."
"Danny, just lay back down and relax," Dr. Higgins stated as she helped Danny's sweat laden frame slowly lie back down. "I think you were exposed to something psychotropic or hallucinogenic."
"What?" Both Danny and Baez asked at once.
"How?"
"Still working on that but I just got back the results from your blood test and there are trace amounts of…LSD in it."
"LSD! I don't take drugs!" Danny insisted in haste as Sheryl nodded.
"I believe you, and I'm working to find out what exactly happened but our system here, while sophisticated in some areas, is quite archaic in others. If you're up to eating I'll get you some supper but I do want to get you started on fluids as soon as possible and rest the rest of the night. Tomorrow, you'll meet William for a session but right now I just want you to relax."
"No more pills."
"I give you my word," she promised in earnest. "No more pills."
Danny looked at her with an uneasy expression before he nodded and then rubbed his face. But when he pulled his hands away he heard Wilder laughing in the distance. Damn bastard…he set this up! But how! Does he have someone here…on the inside? WHO!
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Jamie paused just before he entered the nightclub about an hour later but an hour earlier than Anthony told him Blueridge would show up. Anthony would show up about fifteen minutes after Blueridge and Anthony had told him that he had one of his own inside guys there to back them up and to keep an eye on Jamie just in case he needed help. The girl would be well paid and since owed Anthony a favor wasn't about to let on to Blueridge that something was up.
Let's hope I get that phone tonight…Jamie's mind stated as he pulled the door open and entered the less than reputable establishment. For Danny.
The only thing that would ruin it for Jamie and plunge him into a world of trouble was for someone to show up and blow his cover. Destiny was about to show him that no plan is foolproof.
A/N: oh dear! Course things weren't about to go smoothly inside or out! Hmm Danny…who gave you drugs? Will Jamie's plan actually work? And how will the rest of Danny's night fare? Don't want to give too much away so please do review before you go and thanks so much!
