Chapter 2

Pain shot through Lee's arm, jolting him into consciousness. He found himself on his back on a gurney, bumping along toward an awaiting ambulance. A thumping sound reverberated through his ears. Confused, Lee tried to raise his head slightly but found he was strapped down, an oxygen mask pressing against his face. He shifted his head enough to focus on his wrecked minivan. "Where's my son? My wife?" he stammered softly.

When he didn't get a response, he panicked. He lifted one hand and batted at the mask on his face until he managed to knock it lower. "Where's William and Amanda?!" he demanded louder.

One paramedic looked down at him. "Is that the boy's name? And the woman in the front?"

"Yes… my wife and my son. Where are they?" Lee choked.

The paramedic ignored Lee's question. "How old is the boy?"

"He's five… just turned five last week. What's happening? Where are they?" Lee's heart hammered in his chest and he began struggling against the straps holding him down.

The paramedic clicked the mic attached to his shoulder and stated, "MedFlight 774, do you copy?"

"MedFlight 774, Go."

"Male child, age five. Name, William." From the small device, a crackling voice replied, "Copy that. ETA three minutes. Boy is unresponsive but vitals are stable. Woman has coded once, currently intubated, and vitals are weak." With a chirp, the voice silenced.

"Amanda!" Lee shouted. "I need to get to them. You don't understand, they are counting on me to be there for them and I am helpless here. That's my wife… my son… Please… get me to them..." He began hyperventilating as fear filled him.

"You need to calm down, sir. We'll get you there as fast as we can, but you need to settle down. It's not going to help your family if you're incapacitated." The paramedic pressed the oxygen mask back over Lee's face as they shifted him into the ambulance.

Lee closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, although his mind screamed for him to get up and find his family. As he settled slightly, he remembered, "Where's the other woman? Her name is Emily… where is she?"

The paramedic expertly inserted an IV into Lee's arm. "She's on her way to General. Like you, she got lucky… looks like a broken leg, but we won't know for sure if there's any internal stuff going on. How about you? Other than the arm, do you feel any pain anywhere?"

"My arm?" Lee asked, confused. He finally registered the intense pain in his arm, which was currently splinted and strapped down against his chest. He breathed heavily again as his brain started to react.

The paramedic placed his hand on Lee's shoulder and assured him, "You're going to be okay. Just keep breathing for me."

"But my son…" Lee choked out before tears began to burn his eyes.

"That new integrated car seat he was in saved his life for the moment. Looks like a piece of the door caught his head, though. It could be nothing, but don't hold me to that. Head wounds bleed like crazy and he might be just fine by the time we get there," the medic tried to reassure him. "Has your wife ever had a cardiac event before?"

"Yes." Lee nodded his head aggressively. "Seven years ago, she took a bullet to the chest. She coded once in the hospital. She's tough as nails… wait…" Lee paused as he searched back in his brain to a few minutes before. When the words from the crackly radio registered, he began to panic again. "They said she coded. I need to know what's happening. Find out what's happening with my wife. Please."

The paramedic glanced toward the driver. "ETA to General?"

"Eight minutes, Ken."

Ken, the paramedic, depressed the talk button on his radio. "This is Unit 1-4-Young. I need an update on the woman and the boy."

"Medflight 774 has just touched down. Passing off to the trauma unit. Woman's vitals are still weak. Boy is still the same," the crackly voice replied.

Ken looked at Lee and stated, "They're in the best hands they can be in now."

"No. They're not. In my wallet in my left pocket is my identification. On that card, is the number for my supervisor, William Melrose. Call it and say these words, 'Eagle One, there's a bird in the nest.' Tell him where my family is. He will deploy NEST. They are the best doctors in this city."

Ken wiggled his fingers into Lee's pocket and pulled out the small leather case. He flipped it open and immediately depressed the button on his radio again. "I need a phone patch. Priority. I have an injured federal agent here."

"My wife is an agent, too. Get them to her," Lee pleaded.

"We have a situation," Ken stated with a nod.

As Ken continued to bark instructions, a lone tear snaked down Lee's cheek. He felt completely helpless, strapped down to the gurney, speeding toward the hospital while Amanda and William were being whisked through the hallways of the hospital without him. He closed his eyes and fought the burning tears. He inhaled slowly as he attempted to slow his racing heartbeat. He focused on nothing but the image of Amanda and William in his mind, ignoring the pain in his body. He blocked out every sound around him.

Lee was snapped from his focused state when the back doors to the ambulance rattled open. Ken rose to his feet and announced, "We're here. Your team is on its way. The older woman is in X-ray right now but they told me she's asking for you. I'll be praying for you, sir."

"Thank you. I'm not a real religious man, but I'll take anything we can get," Lee admitted.

Ken wheeled Lee into the Emergency Department, where he was handed off to the trauma doctor and several nurses. He spent the next twenty minutes answering questions while getting poked and prodded.

He was startled when Billy rushed into the small space, several NEST doctors in tow. "Thank you, Doctor, but our team will take it from here. Where are the other occupants?" Billy's deep voice commanded.

"The older woman is in X-ray. The younger woman and the child are in CAT scan. We were just getting ready to send Mr. Stetson to X-ray for that arm," the doctor stated. "What can we do to assist?"

"Lee, can you tell me what happened?" Billy turned to him.

"Emily spotted Barta at the baggage claim at Dulles. As we headed to the van, Krejci tried to take us out in a sedan. Somehow, he got out of the garage before we did. I don't remember a lot after that." Lee's eyes darted from side to side as he struggled for memories.

"Barta. Okay. I'll get a team on him," Billy stated.

"Billy… Get to Amanda and William. They need help. They said Amanda…" Lee paused, his voice cracking as he tried to find the words. "She coded once. William was covered in blood from his head… Billy, they have to save my son." Uncontrolled tears streamed down his face.

Billy squeezed Lee's shoulder tightly, looked behind him, and ordered, "Amanda Stetson and their son, William, are top priority. Go, NOW!"