Lawson was about fed up with the day. When he heard the gunshot, he got up to his feet faster than he thought he could. He stumbled a bit as his leg complained fiercely and threatened to buckle under him. His cane was still tied up in the rope, but he assumed pulling it out of its confines would take up too much time. With a curse on his lips, he started towards the door.
"Wait!" Blake was up and by his side in an instant. Lawson shot him a glare.
"Stay back Lucien! Your job is here," he nodded towards Bill who was also trying to get up.
Blake huffed, but didn't argue. Instead he handed Lawson his gun.
"Here. I just thought you might need it."
Lawson took the weapon, feeling a surge of gratefulness. With a nod, he limped to the door, while Blake returned to Bill, trying to convince him to settle back.
Lawson could hear Bill's cursing and would have chuckled if not for the worry of what he would find outside.
The situation wasn't as dire as he thought.
Well, at first he couldn't make out what was happening. His eyes were drawn to the police car with its lights on. It was hard to miss, really. It took a second of squinting but then he located the source of the ruckus.
There, in the shadows behind the car, was a struggling mass on the dirt. Perhaps not so much struggling anymore, but there were curses and harsh words exchanged.
Lawson made a quick sweep of the area, just to assure himself there was no one else in the vicinity posing a threat then he made his way towards the group.
His limping gait didn't do him any favours and by the time he reached the men, he was grimacing and slightly breathless. But he felt his breathing catch up as he saw that Parks and Cunningham had the perp under control.
"Everything alright there?" he asked and Danny shot him a glance. He was still panting slightly from the obvious struggle and Lawson noted Cunningham was sporting a bruised cheek and split lip, but neither of them looked seriously injured.
"Yeah, I spotted the bastard as he was trying to slash the tires," Danny said and Cunningham shook his head.
"Sorry Boss. I was trying to keep an eye on the cars, but Lewis was on the radio requesting an update. The bugger must've slipped by."
Lawson frowned. Just what the hell was Lewis doing at the station?
But that was a question for later. What interested him now was the identity of the perp buckling under Danny's knees.
"So, who do we have here?" he asked gruffly and Danny took it as a command. He reached out and pulled the dark ski mask off in one sweeping motion. If he managed to catch some hair in the process it was hardly his fault surely. Lawson didn't think it warranted the pained yelp of the man.
He shone his torch right at the face, just as Danny grabbed the man's hair at the back of his head, to dissuade him of anything stupid.
"Well, bugger me!" Danny whistled as he saw the face.
"Ernie Mulligan," Lawson said, disappointed but hardly surprised.
Cunningham looked at both of them with confusion.
"You know him?" he asked and Danny snorted in reply.
"I dated his older sister!" Danny uttered but instantly turned bright red and Ernie Mulligan shot him a deadly glare.
"You did what?! You dirty sack of sh-"
Whatever else Ernie wanted to say got lost in the sputtering sound as his head was unceremoniously pushed down to the ground. He was still spluttering dirt and dust when Lawson let out a sigh, running a hand over his face.
Ernie was a bloody nuisance but he didn't think the man had it in himself to be anything but that. Definitely didn't expect him to pull such a strange stunt on a couple of coppers.
"What the hell were you thinking Ernie? Making a false call and endangering police officers? Destroying property?" Lawson listed the offences, though he was sure he would come up with several more by the time they reached the station.
Danny snorted.
"If only that. This idiot was helping out the bastards who tried to spring free Charlie's prisoner! The same ones that tried to burn down the station, with several people still inside!" Danny said, his voice simmering with anger.
Lawson was lost for words. He knew Blake hinted at something going down at the station but what Danny was saying...
He leaned down, grabbing Ernie's head and making sure the man was looking at him.
"Is that true?" he growled and his own voice shook with growing rage.
Ernie tried to pull away but couldn't. He swallowed, the earlier bravado all but gone, replaced by fear.
"I... I didn't do anything! I swear, I don't know what he's talking about!"
Lawson shot Danny a questioning look.
"That's what happened, Boss," Cunningham spoke, his face steely. "Kelly and Thompson had to be taken to the hospital and the station is a mess. But we got them. All of them."
Lawson wanted to take a vacation. He had a feeling that the image of his calm weekend just went out the window.
"I'll ask one more time. If I don't get the right answer, I will personally throw you down those blasted stairs and board up all exits for the next week. You will be left rotting inside this bloody building just like you trapped us here!"
Ernie's eyes went wide and he shook his head.
"No, you can't do that!"
"Oh, I sure as hell will, and happily so," Lawson reassured him with a smile that had no humour but all the threat he could muster.
Ernie swallowed.
"W-what do you want to know?"
"Were you alone or is there someone else?"
Ernie shook his head.
"J-just me."
"Did you rig the staircase?"
Ernie blinked, giving another small shake of his head.
"N-no. I... I just... removed the sign."
"What sign?"
"The 'Do not enter - danger' sign?"
Lawson growled. Of course.
"What was the plan? Did you want to kill us?"
"N-no, I swear, no! I was just supposed to t-trap you here. Till the morning. That was all. I never meant to hurt anyone. Please, you must believe me!"
Ernie started blabbering and Lawson turned away from him in disgust. Sure. Just trap them here. Never mind the fact the staircase almost killed Bill and Charlie.
Thinking of Charlie...
Lawson frowned, looking around. He spotted Blake emerging from the building supporting Bill. He gave them a frustrated but acknowledging nod that the situation was under control. Still, he couldn't spot Davis.
"Where is Charlie?" he asked, turning back towards Parks and Cunningham.
Danny looked around, startled by the question. He glanced towards the front door, but instead of Davis all he saw was Blake and Hobart.
"He was right here..." he muttered and Lawson felt the panic return. He leaned back down, growling.
"If you lied about being alone-" he said threateningly to Ernie, who shook his head, swearing up and down that he did not lie.
"Davis?" Lawson called out, straightening up. Where the hell could have the man vanished?
"Charlie?" Danny shouted as well, turning this way and that.
Blake helped Bill sit down at the stairs leading from the building and headed towards them.
"Davis, I swear to god, if you know what's good for you, call out!" Lawson shouted, hoping that threats might do what a simple plea couldn't.
He listened.
There was silence then it broke with the sound of retching. He noticed a shadow moving from behind one of the parked cars, hunched in the darkness. He stepped out, intent on tearing the man a new one for scaring him like this, while also wanting to make sure he was alright.
"I'll check on him. See to the matters here," Blake told him as he passed by. Lawson paused, only because he knew that Blake would be there faster and most likely able to offer more help. And if Davis was sick, Lawson was hardly the person he would want to see.
It took Charlie a moment to realize someone was calling for him. He grimaced, wishing he could call back, offer some assistance.
His body had a different idea though. His stomach felt oddly full, despite the fact he just brought up whatever breakfast he grabbed that morning. He was left with a sour taste in his mouth and a screaming side and back.
He tried to call out, to let Lawson know his position or simply just to stop him hollering. He managed a croaky sound but that turned into a dry heave, so he leaned over, one hand clutching his ribs in support, the other grasping the car door handle to keep upright.
"Charlie?" Blake's voice cut through what Charlie would deny was a sob. The light of the torch danced around him, thankfully not yet landing on his face. The doc was approaching from behind and that gave Charlie enough time to try and pull himself together. As much as one could.
"Y-yeah?" he said, unwrapping his arm from around his ribs and reaching up to brush at his face before making the effort to actually turn around.
"Alright there?" Blake asked, even though it must've been clear the answer would be no.
Charlie grimaced then finally turned. He was shaky and the motion was ragged. He was thankful for the support of the car.
"Dandy," he said with a grimace then looked away with a grunt as the light from Blake's torch hit his face. "Doc!" he hissed.
"Sorry. I just wanted to see what dandy looked like. Didn't think it had such a ghostlike appearance," Blake commented dryly, while he gave Charlie another look.
Charlie huffed but couldn't come up with any proper reply.
"Everyone alright?" he asked, glancing behind Blake, trying to catch sight of the others.
"Mostly," Blake said and Charlie frowned. Did someone get hurt while he was puking up his guts?
Blake waved a hand.
"No worse for wear than before we arrived I'm assuming."
Charlie blinked.
"How's Bill?" he asked, trying to deflect from what was clearly the elephant in the room.
Blake ignored him. Instead he stepped up uncomfortably close into his space, especially given what he had been doing just a few moments ago.
"Come on, Charlie. What's wrong?" Blake asked and the tone of his voice broke no argument.
Charlie was reluctant to come clean. He had been feeling off for quite some time now but he still tried to convince himself it was nothing but a few bruised ribs. Now though, he was starting to doubt it. He could feel his heart beating faster inside his chest and even though he was trying to take as deep breaths as the pain in his chest allowed, he still felt winded and that scared him.
Blake must've noticed that. He reached out and put a gentle hand on Charlie's shoulder.
"Charlie, talk to me," Blake said softly but with a sense of concern.
"I probably just pulled a muscle... during the fall. Or lugging Bill around," Charlie finally said, letting a grimace slip on his face.
"During the fall?" Blake frowned and the hand from Charlie's shoulder reached up to tap his chin while the light of the torch was aimed back at him.
Charlie turned his face from the glare and tried to step back but he was leaning against the car.
"Y-yeah. The stairs..." Charlie said and Blake let out a heavy sigh.
"So both you and Bill fell. Few hours ago, right?"
Charlie just nodded.
Blake shone the light into his eyes and Charlie did his best not to pull away. Not that he could, seeing as Blake still had a firm grip on his chin.
"Doc!" he still grunted when the light in front of him turned into a myriad of stars. Blake aimed the light away thankfully.
"Did you hit your head? Lose consciousness?" he started asking, honing in on the already dried up cut on Charlie's forehead he had long forgotten about. Blake's fingers probed the skin around the wound and Charlie kept still, because he barely felt it. Though he wanted to protest when he felt Blake's fingers running over his scalp, looking for other bumps and wounds. Charlie had to cringe, imagining how messy his hair must look. He could feel the grime and dust covering every inch of his body still.
"It was all a blur," Charlie decided to answer sheepishly, hissing when Blake found a painful spot at the back of his head.
"Have you been feeling nauseous before we arrived? Dizzy?"
Charlie gave a half shrug then winced.
"What was that?" Blake honed in on the reaction.
Charlie wanted to curse but was feeling increasingly more tired and thus less inclined to fight or argue.
"Chest. Think I bruised some ribs," he admitted. "Today... sucked."
Blake gave him a sympathetic look and a pat on the shoulder.
"Alright. Why don't you sit down and let me check you out? So we know what's going on."
Charlie wanted to argue that he could wait and didn't need to sit down, but truth was his legs were shaking and the only thing keeping him upright at this moment was the car and Blake's grip on his arm.
So he nodded and perhaps too eagerly slid down to the ground.
"Whoa... I meant inside the car," Blake muttered even as he made a grab for Charlie to stop him from too fast a descent.
"Oh. Sorry," Charlie mumbled. But really, getting into the car just seemed like too much of a work seeing as he was leaning against the door.
"Alright, no problem. I wanted you sitting and you are," Blake said with a small chuckle. "Now, let's see how much damage you managed to incur in the last few hours."
Charlie wanted to take offense at the phrasing but his head was becoming more fuzzy and he thought saving his breath might be prudent. Especially if Blake planned on touching his ribs. Which he obviously did, though first the doc settled the torch on the ground and aimed it so the light shone at Charlie's torso and not his face. Charlie hoped the torch was far away from what he managed to bring up at least.
He tried to focus on anything else besides what Blake was doing but that was impossible. Charlie tried to focus on his hearing, to figure out what was happening with the others. He caught the sound of familiar voices, car door slamming, and some grunting. Perhaps he even caught his own name, but that all got lost as Blake pressed against one of the injured ribs.
Charlie took in a sharp breath, smacking the back of his head against the car as his body reacted on instinct and attempted to flee.
"Easy there," Blake soothed, giving Charlie a moment to pull himself together.
"S-sorry. Startled me," Charlie stuttered, unsure who was he even trying to convince. Blake still nodded.
"It's alright. But try not to dent the car too much. I'd hate to explain that to Matthew," Blake said, trying to lighten the mood.
Charlie gave a shaky chuckle.
"Blame it... on the ghosts," he said then hissed as Blake continued his gentle but painful check.
He had to bite down a few times but thought he handled himself quite well. That was until Blake moved just under his ribcage and pressed down. That bloody hurt. The moment the pressure eased though...
It felt as if Blake had just stabbed him with a knife. The pain was so sharp that Charlie jerked to the side, overcome by the feeling of sickness.
Nothing but dry heaves came up though and the stabbing pain dulled slightly, spreading across his stomach and back. He didn't even notice the hand placed on his back in support or Blake's attempt at calming him down. All he knew was that he was propped on his elbows, forehead pressed into the dirt, nostrils flaring as he gasped for breath, trying to get control over the pain and nausea.
He uttered a curse or at least a moan that was pretty close to it.
"Charlie? You with me?" Finally, Blake's voice broke through the thudding inside his ears. The tone was off. If Charlie didn't know better he would've said Blake was scared.
But that couldn't be. The man had nothing to be afraid of. They were safe. Weren't they?
"Doc?" he asked, wanting to make sure.
"Ah, here you are," Blake said with some relief. "You alright? Can you turn around? I need to check one more thing... then I'll let you rest a bit."
Charlie blinked, confused. Check what?
"Huh?"
"Let me help you?"
Blake's voice sounded pleading. Charlie didn't like that. So he nodded and tried to follow what the Doc wanted him to do. Maybe then he could get more comfortable and get some sleep. He felt so damn tired, as if he had ran a marathon.
With Blake's help he managed to turn around and lie down on his back. That wasn't so bad actually. Until Blake tried to prove some damn point.
Charlie wasn't sure where the man had vanished, he just heard the car door open, then Blake was back and there was something soft being bunched up under his feet.
He felt ridiculous in that position. With his legs raised he felt the blood rushing into his head. At least that was what he imagined was happening. His headache flared just a bit, then it settled into the regular throb he was dealing with since the fall. What gave him grief though was the sudden pain at the tip of his left shoulder.
He hissed and clumsily reached up with his right arm to massage the appendage.
"Hurts?" Blake asked, giving him a studious and somehow grim glance.
"Yeah," Charlie admitted with a scowl.
"Can I sit up now?" he asked somehow pleadingly, his legs already kicking at whatever was propping them up. He didn't like to be on his back. It didn't help, the pain just seemed... more intense.
Blake seemed to hesitate but then nodded in agreement.
"Alright. Here, let me help."
With some grunting and grimacing, Charlie was back in his sitting position, with his back leaning against the car. Blake had grabbed what had been under Charlie's feet. It was one of the blankets they kept for cases of emergency. Without asking, Blake threw it over Charlie's legs.
"Comfortable?"
Charlie snorted. The idea of being comfortable right now was ridiculous. Still, he gave a grunt of agreement. Sitting up seemed to ease the pain in his shoulder and it was a bit easier to breathe as well. He still felt as if his stomach was full of water, but that was ridiculous. One, he was pretty sure his stomach was empty. Two... he could've killed for something to drink. He actually wanted to ask if Blake didn't have some water, but the man had patted his leg and stood up.
"Alright. Stay as you are. I need to give Bill that shot and then get you both into a working car."
Charlie blinked, confused at the sudden urgency in Blake's voice.
"Doc? What-"
But Blake shook his head, giving him a cracked smile.
"Everything will be fine, don't worry."
Then he was gone.
Charlie wasn't sure if he blinked or his mind was playing tricks on him, but by the time he opened his mouth, Blake was gone. He would've thought it was just a dream, but the torch was still there and Charlie's legs were covered in the blanket.
However, Blake's words rung in Charlie's mind and the only thing he could focus on was 'don't worry'. It was almost funny how those words made Charlie's blood turn just a bit cold. Shivering, he pulled the blanket up over his shoulders, giving in to the trembling. All he could do was wait.
Blake felt rather disconcerted by leaving Charlie on the ground, but he needed to make sure they had at least one working car before trying to lug him towards it. If his assumptions were correct, and he was pretty sure they were, the last thing Charlie needed was to be moving around.
He also didn't need to be left alone, Blake thought with gritted teeth. That's why his steps first led towards Danny. He was currently checking out the flat tire on Cunningham's car. Cunningham was talking on the radio, most likely requesting the ambulance for Bill. The perp was sitting on the backseat, handcuffed. Blake hoped he won't be stupid enough to try and escape but that was a matter he didn't waste too much time entertaining. There were more important things to do.
He caught sight of Bill, sitting stoically at the stairs, grimacing and occasionally reaching out towards his leg only to pause mid motion and pull back. The man needed some painkillers and have the leg put into proper cast. And after realizing he fell for Charlie's game of pretence, Blake wanted to make sure Bill wasn't doing the same and hiding more injuries. He swore those men would make him turn grey.
Lawson seemed to be torn between commanding Danny to change the tire, glaring at the perp, shooting worried glances towards Bill and trying to keep standing without his cane to lean on. Blake cringed internally, knowing well the man's leg must be killing him by now.
"Well? Where's Davis?" Lawson spoke as soon as he saw Blake emerge from behind the car, alone.
"He needed a moment. Danny... could you go keep him company for a bit?" Blake asked, ignoring the frown on Lawson's face. He knew he had no business ordering Danny around, but right now neither did Matthew.
Danny looked up from the tire, confused and worried.
"Sure..." he said, dragging it out a bit. He glanced at Lawson, as if asking for his permission. Lawson ignored him, keeping his glare trailed solely on Blake. "Boss?" Danny couldn't stop himself.
"You heard the man!" Lawson snapped, casting a glance at the man inside the car and Cunningham, who looked up from the radio.
Danny didn't need any more encouragement. He quickly walked to where Charlie was supposedly 'taking a moment'.
"How bad is it?" Lawson asked once Danny was gone.
Blake had an urge to snap back 'bad enough'. How the hell did his friend not realize that Charlie was hurt? Why didn't they tell him right away?
Blake shook his head.
He could hardly blame Lawson for that. After all, he made the same mistake when he arrived. He saw Charlie standing, talking. He focused on the one person who was clearly injured. Being he had much more medical expertise than Lawson, he could hardly fault him for not taking notice.
"We need to get him to the hospital, as soon as possible."
Lawson nodded.
"Cunningham!" he called out and Cunningham popped his head out of the car.
"Yes sir?"
"Was the ambulance dispatched already?"
Cunningham grimaced.
"There's a small... problem with that, Boss."
Lawson scowled, turning his full attention towards Cunningham.
"A problem?" he growled.
"Yes. Lewis just got a call... one of the ambos transporting the injured prisoner had an... accident."
"Accident," Lawson repeated, his voice lower than a growl now. Cunningham visibly swallowed then nodded.
"It's... the prisoner tried to escape."
Blake would've sworn he could see the veins on Lawson's temple's bulge despite the fact it was dark.
"Well... did he?"
"No, Boss. The attempt was thwarted. No one was seriously hurt, but the ambulance isn't mobile now."
"Well, tell them to bloody send a different one?"
"Uh... they have their hands a bit full at the moment. Also..." Cunningham was clearly reluctant to continue.
"Spit it out!" Lawson barked.
"They refuse to send out a car unless it will be accompanied by a police presence. They are worried about... the situation turning hostile."
Blake could see that the situation was indeed turning hostile and it would most likely turn murderous, so he decided to step in.
"It doesn't matter anyway, Matthew," he said, going for a calm tone.
"Come again?" Lawson frowned and Blake realized that might've come out... wrong.
"I meant, the ambulance wouldn't help. It would take longer than if we just drive Bill and Charlie to the hospital ourselves. Not like the ambulance can offer much more than we do right now."
Lawson looked as if he was chewing on glass but spared Cunningham a blow up.
"Alright then. Cunningham, fix that tire so we can get the hell out of here as well. I'm assuming you will want Parks with you?" Lawson turned to Blake.
Blake blinked. He hasn't really thought about it, but the idea had some merit.
"Yeah. He can drive and I can keep an eye on the injured parties."
Lawson nodded as if he was expecting nothing less.
"How can I help now?"
"Maybe sit down so I don't have to worry about your leg giving out as well?" Blake noted in a quiet tone. Lawson snorted, waving him off.
"It held up this far, it can handle few more minutes."
Blake shrugged and turned to Cunningham who was opening the trunk to take out the spare tire and the jack.
"Can you radio back and ask Lewis to call the hospital?"
Cunningham looked at him and nodded.
"Sure, doc. What should he tell them?"
"To call in Dr. Hammock if possible. And that we will be transporting a patient with possible internal injuries so they better prep a team for surgery."
Cunningham's eyes widened a bit but he followed the request.
"That bad?" Lawson noted, his voice grim. Blake sighed.
"Let's hope I'm wrong, aye?"
"Just how often were you wrong?" Lawson muttered but Blake didn't deem it necessary to answer. His goal now was clear. He walked up to his car, doing a quick sweep to make sure all his tires were alright. Then he settled in behind the wheel and drove the car all the way up to the stairs where Bill sat. It wasn't all that far but he knew that with a broken leg, every step felt like a mile.
Blake grabbed his medical bag and knelt down next to Bill.
"Doing alright there Bill?" he asked even as he was pulling out a small bottle and a syringe. Bill was already pale and a bit shaky but he seemed to shudder at the sight of the needle.
"Can't wait to get the hell out of here. What's going on Blake? Where is Davis?"
"Ah... Charlie. I think the lad managed to get a bit more banged up than he let us know. As I understand, you two spent some time together on the bottom floor?"
"Yeah. What do you mean? Davis was fine... he bloody well dragged me all through the building and pulled me up the shaft," Bill said somehow gruffly then winced as Blake drove in the needle.
"Here, that should help with the pain. I don't want to give you too much, but this will take off the edge for the drive."
Blake capped the needle and packed up his bag. He took hold of Bill's wrist to check his pulse and to stall a bit. So Charlie had dragged Bill all that way? No wonder he was in a right state. Even a small tear or bleed could rapidly worsen if one was exerting himself in such a way. Blake wanted to give Charlie a piece of his mind about doing such a thing and putting others above himself, but he realised that would be unfair. Most likely, Charlie really didn't think it was something worse than a bruised or broken rib.
"Alright. Seems like you're holding on. Ready to get up? We need to get you into the car."
Bill grimaced but didn't protest. He seemed to be somehow lost in thought but Blake didn't have it in himself to try and pry. He just leaned down and offered his shoulder.
Somehow awkwardly and with lot of grunting and several choice curses, Blake managed to manoeuvre Bill into the front seat. It offered the most space for his leg. Not losing anymore time, he slammed the door shut and hopped into his seat. Once again he drove his car the short distance separating him from Charlie and Danny. It was time to get everyone the help they deserved and needed.