Invisible Liaison
part five
by mardel

I just borrowed them for the story

Alex reached for her phone as she moved to examine Eberts.

Bobby was already beside him, taking the shotgun and helping him.

"Easy Eberts, why don't you sit down." Bobby had one hand under Eberts elbow
he could see the color was draining from Eberts's face.

Alex had reached them and was assisting. She could see the dark spot in
his jacket from the bullet and the blood that was just starting to soak into
his jacket. Bobby reached for his handkerchief, and held it firmly to the
site of the wound.

"Hang in there buddy it doesn't look bad.." Bobby told Eberts.

"Hello, yes we need an ambulance at this location, a man has been shot."
Alex snapped closed her phone, "They are on the way it shouldn't take
long."

Darien raced back over from his brief battle with the gunman.
"Eberts man hang on." Darien exchanged looks with Bobby, as if to ask how bad
their friend had been hurt. Bobby didn't look reassuring.

"Fawkes help Alex get these guys cuffed." Bobby nodded his head towards the
group of men they had taken into custody.

Alex had moved to check on her target. He was dead, but the man Bobby had
shot was bleeding. He was holding his good hand over the wound in his
shoulder. "I need a doctor."

"You'll get what you deserve scum. Sit there and don't give me a reason to
put another bullet into you." She handed Darien a spare set of handcuffs
so he could put them on the man he'd knocked out near the door.
"The rest of them are done. I'll keep an eye on 'em."

Surprisingly the sound of sirens was already coming up the long road to the
airport.
A police car was leading the way as Darien opened the hanger door wider.
He waved to the ambulance driver that the hurt man was inside.

The paramedics grabbed their box of medical supplies and ran inside.
Bobby moved out of the way as they took over. He looked worried for Eberts.
Alex was keeping her eye on the bad guys and talking with the sheriffs deputy
that had just arrived.

"Is he going to make it?" Darien asked Bobby who had some experience with
bullet wounds.
"It looks bad but they got here pretty fast. I think he'll be OK. We have to
finish things up here, why don't you go to the hospital with him. How are
you doing? You don't need a shot or anything?"

Darien hadn't even checked his monitor, he lifted his arm and looked. He was
three segments from the end, so he was fine if he didn't go invisible again
before
he got his shot.
"I'm good, I'll go with Eberts. I have my phone if you need to contact me."

The paramedics were putting Eberts on a stretcher, and preparing to take him
to the hospital. Darien touched Alex on the back as he moved in close to
her side. She'd just finished explaining what had taken place to the officer
who'd gone to radio in.

"I'm going with Eberts, I'll see you later." He studied her face, he knew it had
to be rough taking a man's life. He wanted to let her know he was there for
her if she needed to talk it out.

Alex looked into Darien's eyes for a second and nodded. She lifted a hand to
his chest. "I'll see you at the hospital as soon as we are done here."

Darien ran to catch up with the paramedics. "Eberts buddy, I'm here man."

Bobby and Alex had to explain the entire operation to the local sherif when
he arrived at the hanger. He'd been contacted about the operation by the
Official
but they still had to explain why they had a shoot out in his county.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"Yes?"

"We got the terrorists, but Eberts was wounded. It was pretty bad but the
paramedics
got here quick. Darien is with him at the hospital." Alex explained.

"Eberts was shot? What happened." She could hear the tension in his voice.

"We had them cold, and two of the jerks went for weapons. I took out one and
Hobbes
wounded another. When Eberts was covering them another man from outside took a
shot at him. Fawkes took him down a second to late."

"How serious was he hurt?"

"It looked bad but the paramedics got here in a few minutes and took him to the
hospital. Darien is with him."

"Did you prevent the delivery of the rifles?"

"Yes Sir, all the guns are accounted for. The terrorists are in the custody of
the local
sherif's department."

"Good work, I'll want a full report when you get back."

::::::::::::::::

"Hello?"

"Darien how is Eberts?" Asked the voice of his boss.

Darien answered his cell phone in the waiting area of the hospital. He'd never
gotten
a call from the Official before.

"He's in surgery now, he lost a lot of blood. But the Doc seemed confident he
would
pull through."

"I see." there was a pause then, " Tell him we are all pulling for him when he
comes
out of surgery. I'll call back later."

The Official hung up his phone he looked both relieved and worried. Eberts was
an important part of his organization he needed him. On a personal level he
liked him,
even though he treated him like crap. "Get well Eberts." He said to the empty
office.

Darien was waiting in the hospital room beside the bed when Eberts opened his
eyes
after the surgery. He was hooked up to several monitors, but he was looking
better.

"Hey man, you're going to be OK." Darien moved in close to the bed so Eberts
could see him.

"Darien how long have I been out?"

"Not long a few hours. The Official told me to tell you they were pulling for
you
back at the agency." Darien smiled, as he remembered the tone of voice the
Official
had expressed his good wished in.

"Did we stop the shipment of the guns?"

"Yeah, we stopped them. Alex and Hobbes should be here soon they had to wrap
things up first."

Eberts grimaced as he took a deep breath. "How bad was I hurt?"

"The doc said the bullet missed every thing important. It nicked a rib that
slowed
it down so that it lodged against your liver but didn't penetrate it. He said
you
were very lucky."

Eberts nodded, he felt like hell.

"I'll get the nurse it's probably time for you to get some pain medication."
Darien moved towards the door.

Alex and Bobby arrived at the hospital when Darien was out in the hall
waiting for the nurse to be done in Eberts room.

"Hey, how's he doing?" Bobby greeted his partner.

"The Doc said he'd be OK. He's looking better since he woke up."

"That's good can I go in and see him?"

"Yeah as soon as the nurse is done."

Alex smiled when she heard that Eberts was going to be fine. "I'm glad to hear
it.
You look beat I'm going to get some coffee do you want anything?"

Darien's first reaction to that question was yeah he wanted her in his arms.
But since it was kind of a secret they were together he couldn't embrace her.
"I'll go with you. Bobby ?"

"I'm good, I'll look in on Eberts."

Darien and Alex walked off together down the hall. It wasn't until they were
on the next floor that Darien touched her, placing a hand in the middle of her
back he leaned over a little and asked. "How are you doing? That was rough
today."

Alex was waiting for the elevator to take them to the third floor cafeteria. She
was
holding it together, but it was only the second time she'd actually killed a man
in
the line of duty. She looked at Darien, ready to let him help her with the
feelings
welling up insider her.

"I could use a shoulder to lean on." She whispered as his arms surrounded her.
She wrapped her arms around his body and held on. Darien stroked her back
and placed a kiss on her temple.

"You did what you had to do." He assured her.

They held on to each other for a minute then the elevator arrived.



"Ebert's buddy how are you feeling?" Bobby approached the bed once the
nurse told him it was alright to visit for few a minutes.

"Better since the nurse gave me some pain medication." Eberts half smiled at
Hobbes.

"You handled yourself real good out there on this one. I'd be proud to have
you as a partner anytime." Bobby told him sincerely.

"Thank you Robert." Eberts was feeling a little woozy but he understood that
Hobbes was concerned for him.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No, I think I'm going to go to sleep now." Eberts eyes were already drifting
closed.

"Ok, we'll be here when you wake up." Bobby nodded.

Bobby stepped out into the hall once Eberts was sleeping. He went to the
nearest pay phone and made a call.

"Hello?"

"Hey Keepie how are you?" Bobby knew she'd been scared when he and Eberts had
gone missing.

"Bobby, I heard you were successful. How is Eberts? Have you seen him?"
Claire was glad to hear his voice. It put her more at ease to talk to him.

"He's a trooper, he's going to be fine."

"Good I'm glad to hear it. Tell him I expect to hear he's following doctors
orders
so he can get well and come back to work." Claire was smiling now.

"I will." Bobby paused and changed the phone to his other ear. "I wish I could
see you tonight. After everything that's happened I'd like to spend the night
holding you close."

"So do I, but you'll be back soon. I miss you."

"Can't be soon enough." Bobby admitted.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



"Claire made me learn to give the shot incase you ever needed it when she wasn't
around. But I never expected to have to. Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait
and
have Bobby do this?" Alex asked, she was nervous about jabbing him in the arm
with the needle.

"I'm sure, you can do it. Unless you really don't want to?" He was teasing her
now.

"OK you want me to then I will." She positioned the needle one last time and
stuck
it in his arm. She depressed the plunger and Darien exhaled. Her touch wasn't as
gentle as Claire's. But it was her first time giving a shot to a real person.

"Thanks, it might come in handy later." he bounced his eyebrows at her.

"We'll see." she evaded answering him one way or the other.

"We should get Bobby and go find a motel and get some food. We are staying
around until Eberts can travel aren't we?"

"I think so, he can ride laying down in the back of the van." Alex put the empty
vial in her small kit and zipped it closed.

They went back to Eberts room and found Bobby sitting in the waiting area.
The three walked out side by side.

::::::::::::::::::::::

Eberts woke up in the middle of the night. His back was hurting again.
He saw by the clock across from his bed that it was 2:00 a.m. He was surprised
to see Bobby sleeping in a chair near his bed. His feet propped up on the edge
of the bed.

Eberts sighed, he wasn't use to people worrying about him. But it was nice to
know that his co-workers were his friends. Darien had been genuinely worried
about him. Bobby was keeping watch over him now. He cared about them all
but he hadn't realized until now that they cared about him. He'd always felt
a little left out, as the computer expert and office assistant for the Official.
He rang for the nurse, and reflected on his current situation.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

"The changes that have occurred in this country over the last several months
have
demanded more of my agents than ever before. They have all proven themselves
up to the task. I'm proud of them all, especially Eberts who didn't sign on for
endangering his life on a regular basis. My Agency is ready to defend and
protect.
My people are the best."

end