The Aftermath
"How many have you got out?" Mark asked as he discussed the unfolding events with his son, via their cellphones.
"Quite a few, about eight I think," Steve said. "I wasn't as difficult as first thought. Jesse had put most of them under tables."
"How about in the Gateway Office?" Mark asked, referring to the building next to BBQ Bob's.
"Fire crew are still dealing with that. A team will be sent into it in about three minutes," Steve explained. "Has Jesse arrived yet?"
"Not yet," Mark replied.
"Brace yourself, Dad," Steve warned. "His injuries were not pretty."
"What did he have?" Mark asked.
"I'm no doctor, I hope you know," Steve told him. "Well, his head was bleeding in a couple of places. His chest was bleeding, too."
"Probably broken ribs," Mark sighed.
"The rubble landed on one side," Steve said. "That was the side that was bleeding. Right side I think."
"All right, he's here, I gotta go," Mark spoke hastily. "Talk later."
"Doctor Sloan," one of the paramedics called. Mark hurried over, and tried not to contort at the sight of Jesse's injuries.
"What have you got?"
"Head injuries, concussion, broken ribs, one deflated lung, possible fractured upper arm," the paramedic recited as Jesse was wheeled into one of the ER rooms.
Mark took a look himself. He winced, "Jeez." The injuries, as Steve had said, were serious. He then reeled off all the treatments and diagnoses that Jesse would need.
As Jesse was wheeled away, Amanda arrived with Dion.
"Hey Dion," Mark greeted, nodding at Amanda. Mark reached behind the boy's ear and produced a coin. Dion grinned. "Now, another magic trick. You put that coin in that machine over there, press a couple of buttons, and you get a candy bar!"
Dion did not need to be told twice. As he jogged over to the machine, Mark turned to Amanda. "How are you holding up?"
"Still a bit shaky, but better than before," Amanda told him.
"How's CJ?"
"I don't think the shock has sunk in yet. Physically, though, he's fine." Amanda sighed. "Once the shock sinks in, I'm going to have a lot to deal with. Plus, there's Dion, who really did not need to see something like this. He's been through enough as it is."
Mark nodded. Dion was on his way back now. "When are we going home?" The boy asked.
"In a while, honey," Amanda said. She turned back to Mark. "How's Jesse?"
"Too early to tell," Mark said. He hesitated, before saying, "it's serious, though."
"Serious?" Amanda queried. Evidently, she had not yet heard about the ceiling caving in.
"You could say that. You see, the ceiling could not take the strain of the explosion and the heat," Mark explained. "It caved in."
Amanda was stunned. "What kind of injuries?"
"Probable broken ribs, concussion," Mark told her quietly.
At that moment, another fleet on patients were streaming into the hospital.
"Doctor Sloan," a paramedic grabbed his attention. Mark hastened to the gurney.
"What have you got?" Mark asked.
"Man, forties, severe burns, possible broken arm. Found him in the back office of Gateway Insurance Office."
"Take him to X-Ray, and have Doctor Marsden deal with the burns," Mark replied as the gurney was wheeled on its way.
Patient after patient were rolled into the hospital, and each time, Mark had visions that the next casualty might well be his own son, whom was working fervently at saving the lives of those at the scene of the bombing. Seeing Jesse being brought in was bad enough, and that was with prior warning from Steve.
It was not long before Steve himself entered the hospital. "Hi, Dad," Steve said. "How're you holding up?"
"So-so," Mark replied. "What's the latest at the site?"
"We've got everyone out of BBQ Bob's. Only one DOA from in there," Steve concluded.
"We have got Jesse to thank for that," Mark commented.
"I know," Steve replied. "He got everyone under the tables, so that the ceiling did little damage to them when it fell in."
There was an awkward silence, before Steve said, "Can I go and see him yet?"
Mark shook his head. "He's in surgery. He suffered broken ribs and they need to be dealt with before they puncture a lung."
"How many broken ribs? And what other injuries?" Steve persisted to know.
"I'll know exactly how many broken ribs there were later, when he comes out of surgery, but as you said, they were all on his right side. Other injuries include the trauma to the head, and again we'll know all about that when he is finished in surgery."
"How about CJ, and Amanda and Dion? How are they?"
"They are all physically fine, but it is going to take a lot of hard work to help them get over what has happened."
Steve sighed. "It's one of those things that you think, it will never happen to you."
Mark replied, "life throws some crazy things at you."
"If that girl had not skated into Amanda's car, it could have been so much worse," Steve mused. "You, me and Amanda would have still been in there when it went off."
"And Dion would have still been in there if he hadn't have left his coat in the car," Mark added. "You're right, Steve. We ought to be thankful that it wasn't that worse. It could have been all of us where Jesse is now."
"It shouldn't have been anyone! Why is this guy out to bomb every insurance office in LA? What's wrong with him?"
"Calm down, Steve," Mark soothed his son. "I'm angry about this, too, but getting livid about it will not do anyone any good."
Steve chuckled at the remark. "Now look who's talking?"
"All right, all right," Mark held his hands up in the air. "I know, I know. But, I have learnt my lesson. From now on, I stay totally rational and clear-headed, and that's a promise."
"Sure," drawled Steve. "Until the next argument."
Mark was about to retort when Steve's cellphone rang. "Sloan here... okay... when? Now? Sure... right... I'll see you there."
Steve replied to Mark's questioning look. "They've got everyone out of the sites now. Expect two more casualties and one body arriving pretty soon. They've declared the site okay to start investigating, so that's where I'm headed."
"Sure," Mark said. "Afterwards I deal with the two expected patients, I'm going to wait for Jesse to come out of surgery."
"How come you're not doing the surgery yourself?" Steve asked.
"Are you kidding? For one thing, Jesse is my friend and I'd probably go nuts if I had to operate on him. Secondly, we're needed in ER to admit the patients from the bombsite. Thirdly, I'm probably still a bit shaky having just witnessed a bomb go off not more than a couple of hours ago. Fourthly..."
"Okay, okay! I get the picture! When he comes out, phone me and I'll be back here quicker than you can say potato chips."
"Hungry?" Mark asked, knowing that when Steve was hungry, food was always a priority in his mind.
"Starving," Steve replied, giving a wave as he headed to an exit of the hospital. "See ya later!"
A few moments later, the two gurneys were rolled in with the last two casualties from the fifth bombing site. Mark dealt with these two patients, and then headed to where Jesse was in surgery.
Steve had been picking around the site for almost an hour, and had not come up with anything. He was beginning to get bored, and ticked off. This was really not going to be his day.
"Lieutenant Sloan," one of the officers called him over. Steve was in a team of investigators at the site of the fifth bombing. The area was a complete mess, and Steve was feeling low at seeing his business in ruins.
Steve walked over to the officer. "What is it, Bill?"
"See here?" Bill asked, pointing to the wall.
"To Beverly," Steve read.
"Well, there's a tree just here," Bill motioned. "And I dug up a bit of the ground at the foot of the tree, and I found this." Bill held up a clear evidence bag, containing a ring. "It's inscribed. `Beverly, love always, Frank.' Short and sweet."
Steve grinned. "Bill, when the Captain hears about this, he will be over the moon. All we have to do is find this Frank character, and we've got this guy."
"If I find anything else, I'll be sure and let you know."
"You'll be hearing from me," Steve called as he got into the car. For a start, this ring was inscribed. Secondly, there was always the chance that there would be fingerprints on it. Bingo!
Steve thought to himself, it was only five minutes ago that he had decided that it was not his day. Boy, had that changed! He had, thanks to the sharp wits of his colleague Bill, a piece of key evidence that would most probably lead to the guy behind all of the bombings.
Steve just wished that he could have caught him before his best friend had been hurt.
"How many have you got out?" Mark asked as he discussed the unfolding events with his son, via their cellphones.
"Quite a few, about eight I think," Steve said. "I wasn't as difficult as first thought. Jesse had put most of them under tables."
"How about in the Gateway Office?" Mark asked, referring to the building next to BBQ Bob's.
"Fire crew are still dealing with that. A team will be sent into it in about three minutes," Steve explained. "Has Jesse arrived yet?"
"Not yet," Mark replied.
"Brace yourself, Dad," Steve warned. "His injuries were not pretty."
"What did he have?" Mark asked.
"I'm no doctor, I hope you know," Steve told him. "Well, his head was bleeding in a couple of places. His chest was bleeding, too."
"Probably broken ribs," Mark sighed.
"The rubble landed on one side," Steve said. "That was the side that was bleeding. Right side I think."
"All right, he's here, I gotta go," Mark spoke hastily. "Talk later."
"Doctor Sloan," one of the paramedics called. Mark hurried over, and tried not to contort at the sight of Jesse's injuries.
"What have you got?"
"Head injuries, concussion, broken ribs, one deflated lung, possible fractured upper arm," the paramedic recited as Jesse was wheeled into one of the ER rooms.
Mark took a look himself. He winced, "Jeez." The injuries, as Steve had said, were serious. He then reeled off all the treatments and diagnoses that Jesse would need.
As Jesse was wheeled away, Amanda arrived with Dion.
"Hey Dion," Mark greeted, nodding at Amanda. Mark reached behind the boy's ear and produced a coin. Dion grinned. "Now, another magic trick. You put that coin in that machine over there, press a couple of buttons, and you get a candy bar!"
Dion did not need to be told twice. As he jogged over to the machine, Mark turned to Amanda. "How are you holding up?"
"Still a bit shaky, but better than before," Amanda told him.
"How's CJ?"
"I don't think the shock has sunk in yet. Physically, though, he's fine." Amanda sighed. "Once the shock sinks in, I'm going to have a lot to deal with. Plus, there's Dion, who really did not need to see something like this. He's been through enough as it is."
Mark nodded. Dion was on his way back now. "When are we going home?" The boy asked.
"In a while, honey," Amanda said. She turned back to Mark. "How's Jesse?"
"Too early to tell," Mark said. He hesitated, before saying, "it's serious, though."
"Serious?" Amanda queried. Evidently, she had not yet heard about the ceiling caving in.
"You could say that. You see, the ceiling could not take the strain of the explosion and the heat," Mark explained. "It caved in."
Amanda was stunned. "What kind of injuries?"
"Probable broken ribs, concussion," Mark told her quietly.
At that moment, another fleet on patients were streaming into the hospital.
"Doctor Sloan," a paramedic grabbed his attention. Mark hastened to the gurney.
"What have you got?" Mark asked.
"Man, forties, severe burns, possible broken arm. Found him in the back office of Gateway Insurance Office."
"Take him to X-Ray, and have Doctor Marsden deal with the burns," Mark replied as the gurney was wheeled on its way.
Patient after patient were rolled into the hospital, and each time, Mark had visions that the next casualty might well be his own son, whom was working fervently at saving the lives of those at the scene of the bombing. Seeing Jesse being brought in was bad enough, and that was with prior warning from Steve.
It was not long before Steve himself entered the hospital. "Hi, Dad," Steve said. "How're you holding up?"
"So-so," Mark replied. "What's the latest at the site?"
"We've got everyone out of BBQ Bob's. Only one DOA from in there," Steve concluded.
"We have got Jesse to thank for that," Mark commented.
"I know," Steve replied. "He got everyone under the tables, so that the ceiling did little damage to them when it fell in."
There was an awkward silence, before Steve said, "Can I go and see him yet?"
Mark shook his head. "He's in surgery. He suffered broken ribs and they need to be dealt with before they puncture a lung."
"How many broken ribs? And what other injuries?" Steve persisted to know.
"I'll know exactly how many broken ribs there were later, when he comes out of surgery, but as you said, they were all on his right side. Other injuries include the trauma to the head, and again we'll know all about that when he is finished in surgery."
"How about CJ, and Amanda and Dion? How are they?"
"They are all physically fine, but it is going to take a lot of hard work to help them get over what has happened."
Steve sighed. "It's one of those things that you think, it will never happen to you."
Mark replied, "life throws some crazy things at you."
"If that girl had not skated into Amanda's car, it could have been so much worse," Steve mused. "You, me and Amanda would have still been in there when it went off."
"And Dion would have still been in there if he hadn't have left his coat in the car," Mark added. "You're right, Steve. We ought to be thankful that it wasn't that worse. It could have been all of us where Jesse is now."
"It shouldn't have been anyone! Why is this guy out to bomb every insurance office in LA? What's wrong with him?"
"Calm down, Steve," Mark soothed his son. "I'm angry about this, too, but getting livid about it will not do anyone any good."
Steve chuckled at the remark. "Now look who's talking?"
"All right, all right," Mark held his hands up in the air. "I know, I know. But, I have learnt my lesson. From now on, I stay totally rational and clear-headed, and that's a promise."
"Sure," drawled Steve. "Until the next argument."
Mark was about to retort when Steve's cellphone rang. "Sloan here... okay... when? Now? Sure... right... I'll see you there."
Steve replied to Mark's questioning look. "They've got everyone out of the sites now. Expect two more casualties and one body arriving pretty soon. They've declared the site okay to start investigating, so that's where I'm headed."
"Sure," Mark said. "Afterwards I deal with the two expected patients, I'm going to wait for Jesse to come out of surgery."
"How come you're not doing the surgery yourself?" Steve asked.
"Are you kidding? For one thing, Jesse is my friend and I'd probably go nuts if I had to operate on him. Secondly, we're needed in ER to admit the patients from the bombsite. Thirdly, I'm probably still a bit shaky having just witnessed a bomb go off not more than a couple of hours ago. Fourthly..."
"Okay, okay! I get the picture! When he comes out, phone me and I'll be back here quicker than you can say potato chips."
"Hungry?" Mark asked, knowing that when Steve was hungry, food was always a priority in his mind.
"Starving," Steve replied, giving a wave as he headed to an exit of the hospital. "See ya later!"
A few moments later, the two gurneys were rolled in with the last two casualties from the fifth bombing site. Mark dealt with these two patients, and then headed to where Jesse was in surgery.
Steve had been picking around the site for almost an hour, and had not come up with anything. He was beginning to get bored, and ticked off. This was really not going to be his day.
"Lieutenant Sloan," one of the officers called him over. Steve was in a team of investigators at the site of the fifth bombing. The area was a complete mess, and Steve was feeling low at seeing his business in ruins.
Steve walked over to the officer. "What is it, Bill?"
"See here?" Bill asked, pointing to the wall.
"To Beverly," Steve read.
"Well, there's a tree just here," Bill motioned. "And I dug up a bit of the ground at the foot of the tree, and I found this." Bill held up a clear evidence bag, containing a ring. "It's inscribed. `Beverly, love always, Frank.' Short and sweet."
Steve grinned. "Bill, when the Captain hears about this, he will be over the moon. All we have to do is find this Frank character, and we've got this guy."
"If I find anything else, I'll be sure and let you know."
"You'll be hearing from me," Steve called as he got into the car. For a start, this ring was inscribed. Secondly, there was always the chance that there would be fingerprints on it. Bingo!
Steve thought to himself, it was only five minutes ago that he had decided that it was not his day. Boy, had that changed! He had, thanks to the sharp wits of his colleague Bill, a piece of key evidence that would most probably lead to the guy behind all of the bombings.
Steve just wished that he could have caught him before his best friend had been hurt.