"Damn it, clamp." The surgeon swore as he worked on Walter's gun shot wound.

"His blood pressure is dropping Dr." The nurse told him.

The surgical tech handed him the clamp.

"No kidding. I nicked his left subclavian artery. More suction." The surgeon ordered even as a nurse wiped his forehead.

"Do you want me to call for another cardiothoracic surgeon?" Another nurse asked.

The Dr shook his head. "No time for them to get here and scrub in. I can do this. Call down and get more blood though. On second thought go ahead and call for one, they can at least double check my work when they get in here."

Paige looked at her watch for about the thirtieth time since the three hour mark passed. "Didn't he say he was going to have someone come out and keep us up to date? What is taking them so long?"

Cabe smiled, but he knew how she felt. It was driving him crazy. He hated hospitals, especially after his daughter had passed. First it was Sylvester when that last bomb blew up at the crime scene. Then Walter went over that cliff in Richard's car. Then again Walter fell down the stairs at the Garage. 'Correction' he thought, when Florence tripped him.

Paige jumped up and walked over to the older lady at the information desk. "Excuse me, can you tell me if there is an update on Walter O'Brien? His surgery was suppose to be over twenty minutes ago."

The older woman smiled sweetly at her. "Sweetie, sometimes these things run a little longer then they estimate. I'm sure everything is okay. But I will go check for you."

Paige fought the urge to slap the woman. She forced a smile on her face. "Thank you, I would greatly appreciate it." She turned and walked over to the couch where she had been sitting with Ralph, Allie and Cabe. Instead of sitting she began pacing back and forth. She just knew something was wrong. From the moment she entered the ER area and felt that room. This place was cursed she thought. Then she half smiled as she could hear Walter telling her how ridiculous that sounded. But the feeling wouldn't go away. Something was wrong, very wrong. Walter was in bad shape, she just knew it.

Happy sat beside Toby's bed, uncharacteristically holding his hand. Sure, there were tender moments she did little touches but for the most part she was still a bit closed off, like with giving Toby an 'at a boy' when he did something well. She made a promise when he was better she was going to do her best to change that.

She also made a promise to try and get through to Walter. They were each other's oldest friend. She'd been stupid to walk out on him and even more stupid to listen to Toby and Sylvester about starting Centipede Partners. She was able to admit to herself the only reason she had was because she saw her family blow up and it triggered all of her childhood anxieties.

"We owe Paige a big apology." She inadvertently spoke out loud.

Sylvester looked over at her puzzled, "Just because we brought Florence in behind her back for an interview?"

Happy looked over at him. "Partly, but also because we walked out on Walter and formed CP. If we hadn't done that, hadn't given her an option she would have gotten over being mad at Walter and made up with him. Because of what we did, it gave her the excuse to stay mad without jeopardizing her ability to earn a living. Maybe then Walter wouldn't be in surgery and Toby wouldn't have been poisoned by that bitch."

Sylvester slowly nodded. "I'm not too happy with myself about Florence. How could I have been so wrong about her? Even if she hadn't done what she did, it isn't like it was Walter's fault she developed feelings for him. But instead of seeing that I chose to lash out at him and blame him. Maybe if I hadn't done that then Paige might have stayed. It's possible it was my actions that motivated her into wanting to leave."

Happy shrugged. "Well according to Toby Paige has been unhappy with how Walter has been acting all these months anyway so, who's to say. At some point it would have hit critical mass with her and she would have dumped him anyway. It is what always happens to Walter. I wish it wasn't, I'd give almost anything to mend what is wrong with him so he could be what Paige needs."

Sylvester nodded. "So you think, whatever compelled her to go out to him now, that this will happen again? He'll drive her away again?"

Happy nodded. "Walter just isn't fit enough emotionally. The only reason the Doc and I work is we're both so messed up in different ways that we offset the other's issues and we work together. But Walter's problems can play right into Paige's issues. Just like him not seeing that no woman would like their boyfriend to take another woman to an event without their approval."

"Then couple it with not telling her. Paige saw that as a huge betrayal. Look at what her Mom did her whole life. Then Drew dumped her for his career and some blonde in Tahoe and then Tim leaving her for his work in Jordan. She's got a reason to have abandonment issues." Happy sighed.

Sylvester slowly nodded as he looked at his watch and frowned. "It's been over three and a half hours. I wonder why Paige hasn't called to let us know how Walter's surgery went."

Happy shook her head. "He probably isn't out of post-op yet. She'll probably wait until then."

"No, she promised to call as soon as she heard from the surgeon." Sylvester shook his head. He stood up and stepped out of the room and pulled his phone out and called Paige. The call timed out and went to voice mail. Sylvester frowned. "Hey Paige, I was just calling to get an update on Walter's surgery. Toby is doing okay. His vitals are still all stable. Call me as soon as you can."

"What the hell do you mean you can't give us an update? Damn it, it has been more than a half hour past the time they said the surgery would take. They have to be able to tell us something." Paige was nearly screaming as she ignored her phone.

"Ma'am, if you don't calm down I'll have to call security." The woman told her.

Cabe stood there and shook his head. "My badge is bigger then their badge. Try and call security and I'll have a hundred federal agents swarming all over this place in less than an hour. Now answer the question. You have to be able to tell us something."

She sighed. "Sir, it is as I told you. My contact person has no information to pass on. I can't make them to just come up with information. When the surgeon passes on the information I promise you I will update you."

Cabe shook his head as he saw the distress on Paige's face. "Not good enough. You go back there right now and tell your contact that Homeland demands an update this minute. Walter is a high value government asset and this is completely unacceptable."

The lady sighed as she nodded. "I'll try, but I'm just a volunteer, I have no authority."

Cabe nodded. "I understand and we do appreciate your service in that capacity. And I apologize if we're coming off ungrateful. But we need information and if they can't give you any I'll call Homeland. I'm sure the hospital won't want a federal authority such as Homeland prying into their business."

The woman nodded as she moved off.

Paige half turned and put her head against Cabe's shoulder. "Thank you Cabe. I've had a really bad feeling about this ever since we passed that room in the ER. He's got to be okay."

Cabe nodded as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly for a moment. "Who called?"

Paige shrugged. "I don't care who called. I only care about what is going on with Walter right now."

Paige turned away and began pacing again.

Ralph looked up from his tablet and gestured to Cabe before he stood and stepped away from the couch and his Mother's walking path.

Cabe followed along and frowned as Ralph turned to face him. "What's up kid?"

"I hacked the hospital system again. I was reviewing the surgical system trying to get information to help Mom. It isn't good. The surgeon screwed up. He nicked a major vessel in Dad's chest. They pulled in another two specialists and they have been working to fix it. They've used up all the O negative blood trying to correct it." Ralph told him with a shaky voice.

Cabe growled. "That's probably why they haven't said anything. Damn it. Are they at least trying to get some from another source?"

Ralph nodded. "Another place is sending over several pints. It just hasn't gotten here yet."

Cabe sighed. "If they had just said something we could have had the helicopter go pick it up. You want me to tell your Mom?"

Ralph shook his head. "Nothing would make it better, but she might respond a little better from me."

Paige nearly fainted as Ralph told her what was happening. Thankfully she had listened to him and Cabe and sat down before he told her. "I knew it, I knew something was wrong. Why didn't they tell us? This is completely unacceptable."

Cabe nodded. "I'm going to call Katherine and give her an update. I'm sure she is going to be livid."

As Cabe stood up a security guard walked up with the lady from the desk. "Excuse me. Do we have a problem here?"

Cabe looked at the man and flashed his badge and Homeland ID. "We do if you think you are going to cause us any problems. Just take your rent a cop uniform back to the donuts and leave us alone."

The man glared at Cabe and reached out for his wrist. "Touch a federal officer, go ahead and give me a reason to arrest you right now and call for more agents. You'll be spending the next four years in a federal max for assault on a federal officer."

The man's hand fell to his side quickly. "You can't be causing problems."

Cabe shook his head. "Demanding answers isn't causing problems. Threatening us with calling security is causing a problem. So like I said, go on back to your donuts and leave us alone and I might just over look this."

The guard and lady stepped back a few feet as they whispered.

Paige jumped up. "And while you are whispering you can come up with some lie why you are withholding the truth about my boyfriend's surgery. That your surgeon screwed up and they are struggling to save his life."

The lady looked at Paige shocked. "H-how do you know?"

"Oh so you do know what is going on and have been lying to us trying to buy them some more time." Paige glared at her as Cabe held his arm out keeping her from storming up on them.

"I think it is time I called Homeland and get them involved in this. It is obvious this place as some serious issues that a good federal investigation might help with." Cabe told them.

Sylvester's phone rang and he looked down at his phone and saw "Ralph" displayed. He jumped up and moved out of the room even as he answered it. "Hey Ralph, how is Walter?" Sylvester looked stunned as Ralph relayed all the information they had. Finally he nodded. "I understand. I am really sorry Ralph. Yes, please keep us up to date as you learn things. Thank you. And Ralph, Happy and I are really sorry. Not just for what is going on with Walter but for all we have done starting with that night. Yea, I understand. Thanks again."

Sylvester slowly walked back into Toby's room.

Happy looked over. "Who was that?"

Sylvester looked up. "Ralph. Things aren't too good with Walter right now. The surgeon screwed up and nicked an arterial vein. They've got three surgeons working on him and they already used up their supply of O negative blood and are having more brought in from outside sources."

Happy looked down. "Damn it. What a time for Scorpion to be in shambles. The three of us should be there. Toby could charge into the OR and fix it with a paperclip, bubble gum and starter fluid."

Sylvester smiled at how humorous and ridiculous her statement was. He sat back down beside her and reached his arm across her shoulders and hugged her. Happy reached over with her other hand and held his other hand for a moment.

"How is Ralph taking it?" Happy finally asked.

Sylvester smiled. "Well, at least he didn't call me Shemp and you Moe."

Happy nodded with a smile.

Collins woke with a start. He tried to sit up but his arms were both handcuffed to the gurney. He yanked and pulled and the noise alerted one of the guards in the hallway. He stepped into the room and smiled. "Well hello there Mr. Pissed-your-pants. How are you doing?"

Collins glared at the man as he laughed at Collins. "Where the hell am I?"

The man just smiled. "Fort Irwin. We're just waiting on your transportation to ADX Florence. I hear the accommodations there are wonderful."

Collins smiled back. "I doubt I will be there long. I got friends in some very lucrative positions."

The man nodded. "Maybe so, I guess you will find out how good of friends they are when you get there."

"When do I get some food?" Collins complained.

The solder shrugged his shoulders. "Probably when you get to the prison, the Dr gave you a liquid lunch already."

Collins shook his gurney in frustration.

Florence sat in her holding cell. She'd done everything she had been told to do but so far no one had shown up to get her out like she was promised they would if anything went south. She was mentally going over all the details she'd have to follow once she got out of there so she could escape and get out of the country.

An agent stepped up to her cell door. "Stand up and put your hands behind your back and step back to the door."

Florence smiled. 'Finally,' she thought. She stood and put her hands behind her and stepped back. The agent reached in and handcuffed her.

She heard the lock flip and then the door opened and she was pulled out into the hallway. "Where are we going?"

"Your arraignment hearing," the agent told her.

Florence frowned but then figured it was a ruse to get her out of there.

The agent lead her down to a small room where she saw a camera pointed at a curtain and a monitor that she could see the inside of a court room. She frowned as she was lead over to stand in front of the curtain.

Greetings! Hope this finds you all well! Doing okay, the wife says she is doing good. I'm going to go see her this afternoon. They are suppose to put the stints in so, here is hoping!

Pamz - Thank you! That's a long way for a burger, but hey, I've done that for a buffalo burger! lol I think Carlson would have just disappeared, at least I hope he would. He was worse than Molina almost as bad as Merrick. I think that position is like the instructor for the Defense against the Dark Arts class at Hogwarts! LOL

Man, I am really sad Scorpion is off the air right now, our Katharine McPhee is preggers! They could have used this to give us a little Paige or little Walter. That would have been so awesome!

Anyway, I hope to keep updating every other day but if I can't I'll post a note on my twitter.

To the Adventure! -Tim