Nowhere To Run
Chapter Twenty-one
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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all the kind reviews! This is the second to last chapter. I hope you enjoy!
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Jake pulled into the parking lot of Brookside Psychiatric Hospital. He shut off the motor and sat there for several moments before exiting the vehicle and heading toward the entrance. He was tired. Totally exhausted. The events of the previous twenty-four hours had totally wiped him out. He was amazed at how so much had changed in such a short time. After leaving Kate at the morgue, he'd caught up with Tom. He'd let Jake know that Daniel Lindford had already given up at least one of his other cohorts, Mike Becker, also a FBI Director. They talked for a few minutes about the implications of it all. Tom had been vague about the details but had assured Jake that the men who were responsible would be brought to justice, one way or another. Jake wasn't sure what that meant, but given the circumstances, he figured that it would be anything but public. If the American people found out that Justice Dept. officials were putting contracts out on other JD agents, the shit would definitely hit the fan. And somehow he figured that the powers that be would do anything to keep that from happening. In the end, Jake figured that those decisions would be best left to others. Right now he had enough on his plate. Namely, what was happening with Frank Donovan.
Jake sighed heavily and forced himself to move. Opening the truck's door, he stepped out and made for the rather imposing building that stood before him. The hospital had been built in the rather opulent 1920's. But of course, it had been totally remodeled just 3 years ago. It was now considered state-of-the-art as well as being one of the best in the country. If any satisfaction could be derived from the current situation, it was that Frank would be in the best hands possible. He'd receive all the help that he needed. As he approached the front steps, Jake noticed that the sun would be up very soon. The eastern horizon had already brightened considerably. He glanced at his watch. 6:35AM. Again he was amazed to think that at this very same time yesterday, life had been vastly different. Shaking his head, he put his hand on the door and entered.
He was greeted by a lobby that looked like it belonged more in a four star hotel than a hospital. The space was open and airy as the ceiling reached all the way to the second floor level. A chandelier hung from the ceiling above him and a very large flower arrangement adorned a round oversized wood table that stood directly in the center of the room. Overwhelmed by all of the finery, Jake didn't immediately notice a woman who was making her way to his side.
"Can I help you, sir?" she asked politely with a smile.
Jake turned to view the woman before him. She was very professional looking with an expensive tailored suit and a stylish haircut. She appeared to be in her early 30's and Jake noticed that her nametag read "Robyn -- Registration". He pondered briefly over the fact that "registration" seemed an odd word for being admitted to a mental institution.
"Yes," he answered, "a colleague of mine was brought in late last night. I'd like to know his status."
"Of course, sir. If you'll follow me to the desk, we'll see what we can find out." The woman walked over to the other side of the foyer and sat down behind a large Victorian style desk. She motioned for him to sit at one of the comfy chairs that faced the desk.
"Your colleague's name?"
"Frank Donovan." She typed the name into the computer and after a few seconds a small frown appeared on her face. She read a few more lines on the screen and then eyed Jake warily.
"May I ask your name, sir?"
"Of course, it's Jake Shaw." She once again read what was on the screen.
"Do you have an ID with you?"
"Sure," Jake answered digging his ID and badge out of his jacket pocket. He handed the items over to the girl and watched as she studied them carefully. Once done, her appearance brightened considerably.
"Here you go, Agent Shaw," she said, handing the ID and badge back to him. "When Agent Donovan was admitted last night, we were given strict orders that only certain visitors would be allowed to see him or to have any knowledge of his whereabouts. I hope you understand our caution in this matter."
"Please, don't apologize," Jake answered sincerely, "we need to do everything that we can to protect him."
"Of course. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to where the rest of the agents are waiting."
Jake followed the woman through a series of corridors and doorways. The further they got into the building the less it reminded him of a luxury hotel. By the time they reached their destination, the place definitely had the feel of a regular hospital. The walls were mainly white, the carpeted floor had given way to tile and the doorways now needed a pass key and security code to enter. At last he was led to what could only be described as a typical hospital waiting room. Inside he found Cody asleep on a rather uncomfortable looking couch and Alex and Monica had both propped themselves up in equally uncomfortable chairs.
When the door opened, Alex was immediately awake and practically sprang to her feet. Monica soon followed suit. Cody on the other hand, looked like he'd be able to sleep through anything.
Robyn turned toward the three and said, "One of the doctors on staff will be in to talk with you momentarily. They'll be able to answer any questions that you may have about Agent Donovan's condition. One of the staff will bring by some coffee and pastries for you as well. We only ask that you remain in this room until a member of the staff can escort you out. If you need to leave before they arrive, please use the phone on the wall to contact the front desk. Can I answer any other questions for you at this time?"
"No, I don't think so. Thank you for your help," Jake replied. The woman smiled politely and then left the four alone.
"So…….have you heard anything yet?" Jake asked anxiously.
Alex shook her head. "Not a thing. We arrived here a little after 1AM. They took him away in a wheelchair and then they escorted us here. Another member of the staff arrived a few minutes later. They asked us ten thousand questions. We answered as best we could. Then we informed them of the extra security precautions that would be needed. They asked a few more dozen questions and then said that someone would be with us in a while. That was nearly 5 hours ago." Jake nodded his head in understanding and then moved to sit on one of the chairs in the waiting area. He scrubbed his hands over his face hoping that the movement would somehow help to wake him up.
Monica sat across from him and studied him for a few seconds. "How are you holding up?" she finally asked. Jake looked up at her incredulously.
"How am I holding up? You gotta be kidding me, right? How do you think I am? The world has been turned upside down in the period of twenty-four hours. The people that we thought we could trust ended up being the bad guys. A woman was shot and killed right before my eyes. A man that I've come to admire and trust killed her to save me and now he's in a mental hospital having some sort of breakdown. So tell me……..exactly how should I be holding up, Monica?"
"Jake!" Alex interjected. "You want to take it easy! She was just asking you a question."
Monica held up her hand to stop Alex. "No…….he's right. It was a stupid question. I think all of us are feeling a little unsettled right now. We're tired, angry, disillusioned, and worried. We just gotta remember that we're all we have right now."
Jake sighed and closed his eyes knowing that she was right. "I'm sorry Mon. Really. I had no right to talk to you like that. I am tired. More tired than I think I've ever felt in my life. And it's not just physical exhaustion. I just feel mentally drained. Know what I mean?"
Monica nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. I think we'll all feel a lot better once we know that Donovan's going to be OK. I think it was just shock. And if that's the case then it should be wearing off soon."
"What if………," Alex began but then paused.
"What if…..what?" Jake inquired. He watched as his partner nervously chewed her bottom lip.
Alex looked at first Jake and then Monica. She even gave a cursory glance at Cody. "What if it's not just shock? I mean what if he's…….you know…….really lost it?" The three looked from one to the other, but no one answered the question as each was lost in their own thoughts. Just then the door to the waiting room opened. A man entered wearing not a typical hospital lab coat but instead a suit and tie, a look that most certainly was meant to fit in better with the rather upscale image that the facility chose to portray.
"Good morning," the man said cheerily. "I'm Dr. Rawlins. I understand that the four of you are here for Mr. Donovan."
"That's right," Jake answered for the group. "Can you tell us about his condition? We've been waiting for several hours for an update."
"Of course," the doctor replied while taking a seat near them. "I'm very sorry that it's taken so long to get back to you, but the truth is that we haven't had any information to give you."
"What do you mean?" Monica inquired.
"I mean that, unfortunately, Agent Donovan's condition hasn't changed at all. He is almost totally unresponsive to anything we say or do. He'll follow simple commands like to sit down or drink some water or such, but other than that, he remains in a nearly catatonic state. Of course we're still evaluating his condition and we're checking with the Justice Department to see if he's had any past history of such behavior."
Jake looked at Alex and Monica before stating, "I think that it would be a safe bet to say that he has not ever displayed symptoms like this before. You don't rise to a position like Frank's with a background like what you're describing."
The doctor nodded his head in response. "I understand, Agent….?"
"Shaw. Jake Shaw."
"Agent Shaw? Are you the agent that Frank spoke to earlier? The only one that he's addressed since this happened?"
Jake sighed and then suddenly looked wearier than he felt. "Yeah……I guess that would be me."
The doctor viewed Jake momentarily as if pondering something. "I have an idea, Agent Shaw. Since you're the only that he's responded to since the shooting, would you be willing to be part of an experiment?"
Jake eyed the doctor suspiciously. "Experiment? What kind of experiment?" he asked.
"Perhaps experiment is the wrong word. But with your cooperation, I'd like to try something."
"Try what?"
"If you'll come with me, Agent Shaw, I'll show you." The doctor then stood and motioned for Jake to follow him to the door. Jake looked back at Alex and Monica for moral support, and both waved their hands for him to follow the doctor out. Jake shrugged his shoulders and left the room. Just as the door closed, Alex and Monica heard a sound in the room. Both turned in it's direction.
Cody slowly sat up, yawning and stretching like a cat. "Any word yet?" he asked groggily. The two women shook their heads in disgust before turning away from him. "What?" he asked innocently. "What'd I miss?"
Jake followed Dr. Rawlins down a series of hallways. As they progressed, each doorway's level of security increased. By the time they reached the last doorway, a pass key, security code and voice scan were needed to enter. Jake could at least appreciate the fact that Frank would be completely safe. Of course, he couldn't help but wonder if the security doors were meant to keep people out or to keep people in.
The doctor saw Jake eyeing the elaborate set-up. "I see you've noticed all of the security measures we have in place. This particular wing is intended for the criminally insane or the ultra-violent." He noticed Jake's immediate reaction to that statement, but quickly held up his hand before Jake could utter a word. "The only reason Agent Donovan was brought here was because it is the most secure area of the building," he said reassuringly. "Your associates made it quite clear that Agent Donovan was to be protected at all costs. And that is the only reason he was brought here instead of to another area of the facility." Jake nodded his understanding but was still bothered by the fact that Frank would be housed in the same wing with the criminally insane.
The doctor stopped before an ordinary looking door. The only one, Jake noted, that didn't look like it was made of steel, and the only one that didn't have a rather severe looking lock attached to it. "This is the observation area. Agent Donovan has been brought into the adjacent room and from here we'll be able to watch him through a two-way mirror." The two entered the darkened room and could easily see through the large glass panel on the wall. Through that, Jake could see Frank sitting at a table staring off into space. The scene made him feel vaguely nauseous.
"As I stated before, we haven't been able to get him to respond to us in any way. What I'd like to see is if he'll respond to you. Just like he did earlier. Are you willing to give it a try?" Jake continued to gaze through the glass and almost didn't hear the doctor's question, but then quickly snapped out of his intense stare and nodded in response.
"Good. If you'll follow me, one of my associates will prepare you."
"Prepare me? Prepare me for what?" Jake asked suspiciously.
"What I meant to say was that my associate will make sure that you're not carrying anything harmful into the room with you." Jake scowled at the man, not sure at what he was getting at. "Your gun. Any other metal objects that you may have with you that could be potentially used as weapons. That sort of thing."
"You think he could get violent?" Jake asked incredulously.
"I highly doubt it. But there is always the chance that he could snap out of the catatonia at any moment and if he does, it's always possible that things could escalate quickly. I want to protect you and Agent Donovan in the event that would occur."
"OK………let's do it." Jake then followed the doctor down the corridor to another room that looked more like an office area. There he was told to remove any item that was, or could be used as a weapon. After doing so, the assistant even used a metal detector wand over him to make sure that he didn't forget anything. After divesting himself of all those items, they once again approached the room that held Frank. Jake took a deep breath and motioned with his head for the other man to unlock the door.
Jake entered the room cautiously, partly because he was keyed up but mostly because he didn't want to startle Frank. The room was simple. There was a table and four chairs and nothing else. The room was painted an off-white color and the tile on the floor was a very light beige. The only other things in the room were the mirror that lined one wall and a window without any sort of blinds or curtains. Frank sat with his back to the door facing that window.
Jake edged his way further into the room, never taking his eyes from Frank's motionless form. As he made his way to the other side of the space, he turned to face Frank fully. Frank didn't acknowledge him any way. He simply continued to stare out the window. Jake pulled back the chair opposite him and sat down. The two sat in silence for several minutes.
"Frank?" Jake said quietly. No response.
"Frank………it's me……….Jake." Nothing. Jake sighed in frustration. He'd hoped that the doctor had been right about his assumption. He'd hoped that Frank would once again respond to him. Thinking about how best to gain his attention, Jake tried something else.
"I did like you asked………I went with Kate to the hospital." Jake watched Frank's face for any response, but again nothing seemed to register. He turned away from Frank and crooked his head so that he too could look out the window. The sun was up now. The sky held a few clouds, but all in all, it looked like it would prove to be another clear, crisp fall day. Turning back toward Frank he nearly gasped when he realized that Frank was staring directly at him. The two locked gazes for several minutes before Frank finally said something.
"Where……..," he began quietly, "where is she?" Jake paused not knowing how best to answer the question. Did he tell the truth or say something comforting trying to allay Frank's fears.
"She's at the morgue, Frank," Jake responded, feeling that holding anything back could ultimately cause more damage. He watched as Frank slowly closed his eyes and inhaled, his breath catching as he did so. He stayed like that for several moments and when he opened his eyes once more, Jake swore that he'd just seen the man age twenty years. His eyes looked haunted and Jake shivered involuntarily seeing how utterly defeated he looked.
Jake glanced at the mirror, wondering how far he should go with this contact. Not knowing if what he was doing was helping or hurting, he was hesitant to say anything further. When no one entered the room or nothing else occurred, Jake presumed that they wanted him to continue on.
"I talked with the funeral director before I left her," he began eyeing Frank cautiously. "They'll be by this morning to pick her up. Do you know if there was anything special that she might've wanted?" Jake hated this conversation, but going on the assumption that the truth was better than candy-coating the facts, he continued on.
Frank looked at him sadly and then finally answered. "She…..she told me once that…..she wanted…… to be cremated. 'Less fuss,' she said." Jake nodded.
"No problem, Frank. I'll make sure it gets taken care of." After Jake answered him, he noticed that Frank's gaze once again became riveted on the window above his head. He was slipping into his unresponsive state once more. Jake sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. 'Well at least he answered some questions,' he thought to himself desolately. Figuring that that would be all that he'd be able to get out of him at the moment, Jake rose from the chair and quietly headed toward the door. Just as he reached it, he heard Frank's voice once more.
"Afterwards………will you take her up to the mountains? She always loved the mountains. My parents owned a place in Montana. I haven't been there in years…….but you could take her there. Lots of trees……the mountains…….a small lake. She'll like it there." Jake paused waiting for him to continue, but he said nothing more.
"Of course, Frank. I'll take care of it." Then he turned and knocked on the door signaling that he was ready to leave. Once out of the room, Jake leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes. Dr. Rawlins, who had been watching the whole exchange, opened the door to the observation room and joined Jake in the corridor.
"That was amazing, Agent Shaw," the man stated excitedly. "You've done what none of us could do over the last six hours. Extraordinary. Obviously the key to getting him to open up, is to have him talk about this Kate." Jake looked at him with almost undisguised disgust.
"Please, Agent Shaw……," the doctor quickly added having seen the look Jake just threw at him. "I'm not saying that we're going to exploit that fact or even that we're only going to focus on that. What I'm saying is that at this point, that seems to be the only thing that he's willing or able to respond to. We'll start there and work our way away from last evening's incident."
"Right……sorry……it's been a long night," Jake said apologizing.
"I understand. I'll take you back to where you're colleagues are waiting."
As the two made their way through the seemingly endless maze of corridors, Jake finally worked up the nerve to ask what needed to be asked.
"How long do you think he'll be in here?" The doctor turned to look at Jake and then answered truthfully.
"I honestly don't know. There is no pathological reason for his state. Meaning that it's not caused by any physical cause or trauma. There is no chemical imbalance in his brain. The situation is caused by an emotionally catastrophic event. In some ways, it's easier to treat physical causes than emotional ones. How long he's here is completely up to him. He has to want to get better. And that being said, I would highly suggest that both you and your other colleagues visit him on a regular basis. Obviously contact like that can be invaluable, especially in this case."
"Absolutely, Doc. You can count on us. We'll be here every day if that's what it takes." The doctor smiled at him.
"Wonderful. Once we have him settled in, I'll call you and let you know how best we should proceed." Just then they arrived back at the waiting area where they had left the rest of the team. Jake turned to Dr. Rawlins and offered his hand. The doctor returned his handshake.
"As I said, I'll get in touch with you very soon. I'll give you a few moments to fill the other agents in on what we've talked about and then I'll have one of the other staff members come by to escort the four of you out." Jake nodded and then entered the room. Alex, Monica and Cody were immediately on their feet.
"So…..how did it go?"
"What did they say?"
"Did you see Frank?"
"How did he look?"
"Is there……." Jake held up his hands trying to stop the seemingly endless string of questions that the three had.
"Whoa! One at a time, huh?" The three looked at him rather sheepishly.
"Sorry Jake. We're just feeling a little out of the loop stuck here in this room. Know what I mean?' Alex explained.
"Yeah. I hear ya. Let me tell you what I can. First of all, there really hasn't been any change. He's still pretty much unresponsive."
"You said pretty much…….does that mean he spoke to you?" Monica inquired.
"Yeah……..he said a few words. Only about Kate though. He wanted to make sure that she'd be taken care of. He told me that she wanted to be cremated and then he asked me to take her ashes to some place his parents owned in Montana. Any way you can find out where that might be, Cody?"
"Not a problem. I'll have an address for you as soon as I can get to a computer."
"Thanks. Other than that, the doc says that contact with the four of us could be the quickest and most effective way for him to get through this. I told him that all of us would do whatever we can to help out." The other three nodded their heads vigorously.
"Anything else?" Alex asked.
"No……not really. Just that we can rest assured that he's completely safe here." Alex, Monica and Cody eyed him curiously.
"What do you mean?" Cody finally ventured.
"He's being housed in the same wing with violent offenders and the criminally insane. The security protocols are amazing." He watched as each absorbed that bit of news, clearly as uneasy about it as he was. "I know……I'm not crazy about it either, but look at it this way. He'll be getting out… the rest of them won't. And if we wanted him to be somewhere safe, I'd say this would be at the top of the list." That seemed to ease their minds a bit……but not much.
"Alright…..what do you say we see about getting out of here. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could sleep for a week." Deep down inside, he wondered if he'd ever be able to sleep soundly again. He was sure that he'd have nightmares. And in those nightmares he'd be back in the basement of that factory staring down the barrel of Kate's gun, watching her eyes dance crazily, wondering if she'd pull the trigger this time. Or would he replay in his head the same grisly scene over and over. The one where all of a sudden she freezes and her eyes fly open wide in shock as her blood begins to erupt from her open mouth, the result of having been shot directly through the heart. He'd watch in horror as she jarringly sinks to her knees only to fall flat on her face just seconds later. He knew he'd never forget the way his heart had pounded wildly in his chest, wondering how close he'd come to dying in her place. No, he was sure that that would be something he'd remember till the day he drew his last breath.
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Four months later
Jake entered the Nest at about 4:00 in the afternoon. He found the rest of the team working steadily away at some paperwork.
"Hey…….how'd it go?" Alex asked. "Any news yet?"
Jake joined the others at the conference table. "Yep………actually I do have some news. He's being released tomorrow."
"Really?" Monica inquired cheerfully. "That's fantastic. How's Frank feel about that?" she asked knowing how apprehensive he'd seemed last time she'd talked to him. She understood how he felt. Patients of any type, and even prison inmates, felt the same way. For weeks, months or sometimes years, they'd known only what was going on in their confined little world and when faced with the idea of having absolute freedom, many felt anxious about the transition.
"Well……I can tell he's a little uneasy about it, but I know he'll be fine. He'll just need a little time to adjust, that's all."
"Yeah," Cody interjected, "he'll be fine. After all, he's got all of us, right? I mean….come on….we've gotten this far. The rest is a cake walk."
"Right. Anyway…….any news here?" Jake inquired.
"Not really……not yet. Tom said he'd stop by this afternoon. We haven't seen him yet," Alex informed him.
"I wonder what was decided," Cody worried. "I mean, don't tell me that he's gone through all this therapy just to be faced with criminal charges. They can't possibly mean to charge him with anything……can they?"
"I guess that's what we're gonna find out," Alex answered. "I just wish he'd get here." As if on cue, they heard the door open.
"Hey everyone. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was hell getting here from the airport," Tom informed them. He looked at their expectant faces. "Right……..how about I skip the chit chat."
"I think we'd all appreciate that," Jake stated.
"Well…..," he started, "I just came from a meeting this morning with all the Justice Department heads and this is what has been decided. To say that this whole incident has been an embarrassment would be an understatement. Not one but two FBI directors were involved in this which is bad enough, but then also three members of the CIA as well. A seemingly innocent agent was shot dead and one of their best agents has suffered a mental breakdown. The five men that masterminded the whole thing are being held in an undisclosed location for probably the rest of their lives. They only question mark in their book was Frank and what to do about him." Tom paused as he paced around the table where the four sat.
"As you know they've been questioning and debating about whether or not to bring him up on any sort of charges. Well that was pretty much thrown out the window in light of the latest revelations. If the meeting had been held before all involved were taken into custody, who knows what would've happened. Hell…..they might've even found a way to make that aiding and abetting charge stick. But like I said considering the circumstances, he's free and clear." He looked around the table and saw that the team didn't look quite as pleased as he expected them to be.
"Guys……this is good news. What's up?"
Jake looked at the other three before answering. "I guess this sounds a little selfish, but……what happens to us? What about this team? Are they going to allow Frank to come back here?" Tom sighed knowing that they wouldn't like what he had to say next.
"No. He won't be back. Granted, there were no charges filed, but there are two things they can't ignore. First……he became personally involved with a then presumed suspect. And second……..they question his ability to mentally handle the ongoing stress of this job." He saw them all building up to a large argument, so he immediately interrupted before they had the chance.
"And there's one more thing you should know………I've already spoken to Frank. They've given him the choice to return to active duty and he's declined. He handed in his resignation about an hour ago."
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Next chapter: Frank's future
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Chapter Twenty-one
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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you for all the kind reviews! This is the second to last chapter. I hope you enjoy!
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Jake pulled into the parking lot of Brookside Psychiatric Hospital. He shut off the motor and sat there for several moments before exiting the vehicle and heading toward the entrance. He was tired. Totally exhausted. The events of the previous twenty-four hours had totally wiped him out. He was amazed at how so much had changed in such a short time. After leaving Kate at the morgue, he'd caught up with Tom. He'd let Jake know that Daniel Lindford had already given up at least one of his other cohorts, Mike Becker, also a FBI Director. They talked for a few minutes about the implications of it all. Tom had been vague about the details but had assured Jake that the men who were responsible would be brought to justice, one way or another. Jake wasn't sure what that meant, but given the circumstances, he figured that it would be anything but public. If the American people found out that Justice Dept. officials were putting contracts out on other JD agents, the shit would definitely hit the fan. And somehow he figured that the powers that be would do anything to keep that from happening. In the end, Jake figured that those decisions would be best left to others. Right now he had enough on his plate. Namely, what was happening with Frank Donovan.
Jake sighed heavily and forced himself to move. Opening the truck's door, he stepped out and made for the rather imposing building that stood before him. The hospital had been built in the rather opulent 1920's. But of course, it had been totally remodeled just 3 years ago. It was now considered state-of-the-art as well as being one of the best in the country. If any satisfaction could be derived from the current situation, it was that Frank would be in the best hands possible. He'd receive all the help that he needed. As he approached the front steps, Jake noticed that the sun would be up very soon. The eastern horizon had already brightened considerably. He glanced at his watch. 6:35AM. Again he was amazed to think that at this very same time yesterday, life had been vastly different. Shaking his head, he put his hand on the door and entered.
He was greeted by a lobby that looked like it belonged more in a four star hotel than a hospital. The space was open and airy as the ceiling reached all the way to the second floor level. A chandelier hung from the ceiling above him and a very large flower arrangement adorned a round oversized wood table that stood directly in the center of the room. Overwhelmed by all of the finery, Jake didn't immediately notice a woman who was making her way to his side.
"Can I help you, sir?" she asked politely with a smile.
Jake turned to view the woman before him. She was very professional looking with an expensive tailored suit and a stylish haircut. She appeared to be in her early 30's and Jake noticed that her nametag read "Robyn -- Registration". He pondered briefly over the fact that "registration" seemed an odd word for being admitted to a mental institution.
"Yes," he answered, "a colleague of mine was brought in late last night. I'd like to know his status."
"Of course, sir. If you'll follow me to the desk, we'll see what we can find out." The woman walked over to the other side of the foyer and sat down behind a large Victorian style desk. She motioned for him to sit at one of the comfy chairs that faced the desk.
"Your colleague's name?"
"Frank Donovan." She typed the name into the computer and after a few seconds a small frown appeared on her face. She read a few more lines on the screen and then eyed Jake warily.
"May I ask your name, sir?"
"Of course, it's Jake Shaw." She once again read what was on the screen.
"Do you have an ID with you?"
"Sure," Jake answered digging his ID and badge out of his jacket pocket. He handed the items over to the girl and watched as she studied them carefully. Once done, her appearance brightened considerably.
"Here you go, Agent Shaw," she said, handing the ID and badge back to him. "When Agent Donovan was admitted last night, we were given strict orders that only certain visitors would be allowed to see him or to have any knowledge of his whereabouts. I hope you understand our caution in this matter."
"Please, don't apologize," Jake answered sincerely, "we need to do everything that we can to protect him."
"Of course. If you'll follow me, I'll take you to where the rest of the agents are waiting."
Jake followed the woman through a series of corridors and doorways. The further they got into the building the less it reminded him of a luxury hotel. By the time they reached their destination, the place definitely had the feel of a regular hospital. The walls were mainly white, the carpeted floor had given way to tile and the doorways now needed a pass key and security code to enter. At last he was led to what could only be described as a typical hospital waiting room. Inside he found Cody asleep on a rather uncomfortable looking couch and Alex and Monica had both propped themselves up in equally uncomfortable chairs.
When the door opened, Alex was immediately awake and practically sprang to her feet. Monica soon followed suit. Cody on the other hand, looked like he'd be able to sleep through anything.
Robyn turned toward the three and said, "One of the doctors on staff will be in to talk with you momentarily. They'll be able to answer any questions that you may have about Agent Donovan's condition. One of the staff will bring by some coffee and pastries for you as well. We only ask that you remain in this room until a member of the staff can escort you out. If you need to leave before they arrive, please use the phone on the wall to contact the front desk. Can I answer any other questions for you at this time?"
"No, I don't think so. Thank you for your help," Jake replied. The woman smiled politely and then left the four alone.
"So…….have you heard anything yet?" Jake asked anxiously.
Alex shook her head. "Not a thing. We arrived here a little after 1AM. They took him away in a wheelchair and then they escorted us here. Another member of the staff arrived a few minutes later. They asked us ten thousand questions. We answered as best we could. Then we informed them of the extra security precautions that would be needed. They asked a few more dozen questions and then said that someone would be with us in a while. That was nearly 5 hours ago." Jake nodded his head in understanding and then moved to sit on one of the chairs in the waiting area. He scrubbed his hands over his face hoping that the movement would somehow help to wake him up.
Monica sat across from him and studied him for a few seconds. "How are you holding up?" she finally asked. Jake looked up at her incredulously.
"How am I holding up? You gotta be kidding me, right? How do you think I am? The world has been turned upside down in the period of twenty-four hours. The people that we thought we could trust ended up being the bad guys. A woman was shot and killed right before my eyes. A man that I've come to admire and trust killed her to save me and now he's in a mental hospital having some sort of breakdown. So tell me……..exactly how should I be holding up, Monica?"
"Jake!" Alex interjected. "You want to take it easy! She was just asking you a question."
Monica held up her hand to stop Alex. "No…….he's right. It was a stupid question. I think all of us are feeling a little unsettled right now. We're tired, angry, disillusioned, and worried. We just gotta remember that we're all we have right now."
Jake sighed and closed his eyes knowing that she was right. "I'm sorry Mon. Really. I had no right to talk to you like that. I am tired. More tired than I think I've ever felt in my life. And it's not just physical exhaustion. I just feel mentally drained. Know what I mean?"
Monica nodded. "I know exactly what you mean. I think we'll all feel a lot better once we know that Donovan's going to be OK. I think it was just shock. And if that's the case then it should be wearing off soon."
"What if………," Alex began but then paused.
"What if…..what?" Jake inquired. He watched as his partner nervously chewed her bottom lip.
Alex looked at first Jake and then Monica. She even gave a cursory glance at Cody. "What if it's not just shock? I mean what if he's…….you know…….really lost it?" The three looked from one to the other, but no one answered the question as each was lost in their own thoughts. Just then the door to the waiting room opened. A man entered wearing not a typical hospital lab coat but instead a suit and tie, a look that most certainly was meant to fit in better with the rather upscale image that the facility chose to portray.
"Good morning," the man said cheerily. "I'm Dr. Rawlins. I understand that the four of you are here for Mr. Donovan."
"That's right," Jake answered for the group. "Can you tell us about his condition? We've been waiting for several hours for an update."
"Of course," the doctor replied while taking a seat near them. "I'm very sorry that it's taken so long to get back to you, but the truth is that we haven't had any information to give you."
"What do you mean?" Monica inquired.
"I mean that, unfortunately, Agent Donovan's condition hasn't changed at all. He is almost totally unresponsive to anything we say or do. He'll follow simple commands like to sit down or drink some water or such, but other than that, he remains in a nearly catatonic state. Of course we're still evaluating his condition and we're checking with the Justice Department to see if he's had any past history of such behavior."
Jake looked at Alex and Monica before stating, "I think that it would be a safe bet to say that he has not ever displayed symptoms like this before. You don't rise to a position like Frank's with a background like what you're describing."
The doctor nodded his head in response. "I understand, Agent….?"
"Shaw. Jake Shaw."
"Agent Shaw? Are you the agent that Frank spoke to earlier? The only one that he's addressed since this happened?"
Jake sighed and then suddenly looked wearier than he felt. "Yeah……I guess that would be me."
The doctor viewed Jake momentarily as if pondering something. "I have an idea, Agent Shaw. Since you're the only that he's responded to since the shooting, would you be willing to be part of an experiment?"
Jake eyed the doctor suspiciously. "Experiment? What kind of experiment?" he asked.
"Perhaps experiment is the wrong word. But with your cooperation, I'd like to try something."
"Try what?"
"If you'll come with me, Agent Shaw, I'll show you." The doctor then stood and motioned for Jake to follow him to the door. Jake looked back at Alex and Monica for moral support, and both waved their hands for him to follow the doctor out. Jake shrugged his shoulders and left the room. Just as the door closed, Alex and Monica heard a sound in the room. Both turned in it's direction.
Cody slowly sat up, yawning and stretching like a cat. "Any word yet?" he asked groggily. The two women shook their heads in disgust before turning away from him. "What?" he asked innocently. "What'd I miss?"
Jake followed Dr. Rawlins down a series of hallways. As they progressed, each doorway's level of security increased. By the time they reached the last doorway, a pass key, security code and voice scan were needed to enter. Jake could at least appreciate the fact that Frank would be completely safe. Of course, he couldn't help but wonder if the security doors were meant to keep people out or to keep people in.
The doctor saw Jake eyeing the elaborate set-up. "I see you've noticed all of the security measures we have in place. This particular wing is intended for the criminally insane or the ultra-violent." He noticed Jake's immediate reaction to that statement, but quickly held up his hand before Jake could utter a word. "The only reason Agent Donovan was brought here was because it is the most secure area of the building," he said reassuringly. "Your associates made it quite clear that Agent Donovan was to be protected at all costs. And that is the only reason he was brought here instead of to another area of the facility." Jake nodded his understanding but was still bothered by the fact that Frank would be housed in the same wing with the criminally insane.
The doctor stopped before an ordinary looking door. The only one, Jake noted, that didn't look like it was made of steel, and the only one that didn't have a rather severe looking lock attached to it. "This is the observation area. Agent Donovan has been brought into the adjacent room and from here we'll be able to watch him through a two-way mirror." The two entered the darkened room and could easily see through the large glass panel on the wall. Through that, Jake could see Frank sitting at a table staring off into space. The scene made him feel vaguely nauseous.
"As I stated before, we haven't been able to get him to respond to us in any way. What I'd like to see is if he'll respond to you. Just like he did earlier. Are you willing to give it a try?" Jake continued to gaze through the glass and almost didn't hear the doctor's question, but then quickly snapped out of his intense stare and nodded in response.
"Good. If you'll follow me, one of my associates will prepare you."
"Prepare me? Prepare me for what?" Jake asked suspiciously.
"What I meant to say was that my associate will make sure that you're not carrying anything harmful into the room with you." Jake scowled at the man, not sure at what he was getting at. "Your gun. Any other metal objects that you may have with you that could be potentially used as weapons. That sort of thing."
"You think he could get violent?" Jake asked incredulously.
"I highly doubt it. But there is always the chance that he could snap out of the catatonia at any moment and if he does, it's always possible that things could escalate quickly. I want to protect you and Agent Donovan in the event that would occur."
"OK………let's do it." Jake then followed the doctor down the corridor to another room that looked more like an office area. There he was told to remove any item that was, or could be used as a weapon. After doing so, the assistant even used a metal detector wand over him to make sure that he didn't forget anything. After divesting himself of all those items, they once again approached the room that held Frank. Jake took a deep breath and motioned with his head for the other man to unlock the door.
Jake entered the room cautiously, partly because he was keyed up but mostly because he didn't want to startle Frank. The room was simple. There was a table and four chairs and nothing else. The room was painted an off-white color and the tile on the floor was a very light beige. The only other things in the room were the mirror that lined one wall and a window without any sort of blinds or curtains. Frank sat with his back to the door facing that window.
Jake edged his way further into the room, never taking his eyes from Frank's motionless form. As he made his way to the other side of the space, he turned to face Frank fully. Frank didn't acknowledge him any way. He simply continued to stare out the window. Jake pulled back the chair opposite him and sat down. The two sat in silence for several minutes.
"Frank?" Jake said quietly. No response.
"Frank………it's me……….Jake." Nothing. Jake sighed in frustration. He'd hoped that the doctor had been right about his assumption. He'd hoped that Frank would once again respond to him. Thinking about how best to gain his attention, Jake tried something else.
"I did like you asked………I went with Kate to the hospital." Jake watched Frank's face for any response, but again nothing seemed to register. He turned away from Frank and crooked his head so that he too could look out the window. The sun was up now. The sky held a few clouds, but all in all, it looked like it would prove to be another clear, crisp fall day. Turning back toward Frank he nearly gasped when he realized that Frank was staring directly at him. The two locked gazes for several minutes before Frank finally said something.
"Where……..," he began quietly, "where is she?" Jake paused not knowing how best to answer the question. Did he tell the truth or say something comforting trying to allay Frank's fears.
"She's at the morgue, Frank," Jake responded, feeling that holding anything back could ultimately cause more damage. He watched as Frank slowly closed his eyes and inhaled, his breath catching as he did so. He stayed like that for several moments and when he opened his eyes once more, Jake swore that he'd just seen the man age twenty years. His eyes looked haunted and Jake shivered involuntarily seeing how utterly defeated he looked.
Jake glanced at the mirror, wondering how far he should go with this contact. Not knowing if what he was doing was helping or hurting, he was hesitant to say anything further. When no one entered the room or nothing else occurred, Jake presumed that they wanted him to continue on.
"I talked with the funeral director before I left her," he began eyeing Frank cautiously. "They'll be by this morning to pick her up. Do you know if there was anything special that she might've wanted?" Jake hated this conversation, but going on the assumption that the truth was better than candy-coating the facts, he continued on.
Frank looked at him sadly and then finally answered. "She…..she told me once that…..she wanted…… to be cremated. 'Less fuss,' she said." Jake nodded.
"No problem, Frank. I'll make sure it gets taken care of." After Jake answered him, he noticed that Frank's gaze once again became riveted on the window above his head. He was slipping into his unresponsive state once more. Jake sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. 'Well at least he answered some questions,' he thought to himself desolately. Figuring that that would be all that he'd be able to get out of him at the moment, Jake rose from the chair and quietly headed toward the door. Just as he reached it, he heard Frank's voice once more.
"Afterwards………will you take her up to the mountains? She always loved the mountains. My parents owned a place in Montana. I haven't been there in years…….but you could take her there. Lots of trees……the mountains…….a small lake. She'll like it there." Jake paused waiting for him to continue, but he said nothing more.
"Of course, Frank. I'll take care of it." Then he turned and knocked on the door signaling that he was ready to leave. Once out of the room, Jake leaned up against the wall and closed his eyes. Dr. Rawlins, who had been watching the whole exchange, opened the door to the observation room and joined Jake in the corridor.
"That was amazing, Agent Shaw," the man stated excitedly. "You've done what none of us could do over the last six hours. Extraordinary. Obviously the key to getting him to open up, is to have him talk about this Kate." Jake looked at him with almost undisguised disgust.
"Please, Agent Shaw……," the doctor quickly added having seen the look Jake just threw at him. "I'm not saying that we're going to exploit that fact or even that we're only going to focus on that. What I'm saying is that at this point, that seems to be the only thing that he's willing or able to respond to. We'll start there and work our way away from last evening's incident."
"Right……sorry……it's been a long night," Jake said apologizing.
"I understand. I'll take you back to where you're colleagues are waiting."
As the two made their way through the seemingly endless maze of corridors, Jake finally worked up the nerve to ask what needed to be asked.
"How long do you think he'll be in here?" The doctor turned to look at Jake and then answered truthfully.
"I honestly don't know. There is no pathological reason for his state. Meaning that it's not caused by any physical cause or trauma. There is no chemical imbalance in his brain. The situation is caused by an emotionally catastrophic event. In some ways, it's easier to treat physical causes than emotional ones. How long he's here is completely up to him. He has to want to get better. And that being said, I would highly suggest that both you and your other colleagues visit him on a regular basis. Obviously contact like that can be invaluable, especially in this case."
"Absolutely, Doc. You can count on us. We'll be here every day if that's what it takes." The doctor smiled at him.
"Wonderful. Once we have him settled in, I'll call you and let you know how best we should proceed." Just then they arrived back at the waiting area where they had left the rest of the team. Jake turned to Dr. Rawlins and offered his hand. The doctor returned his handshake.
"As I said, I'll get in touch with you very soon. I'll give you a few moments to fill the other agents in on what we've talked about and then I'll have one of the other staff members come by to escort the four of you out." Jake nodded and then entered the room. Alex, Monica and Cody were immediately on their feet.
"So…..how did it go?"
"What did they say?"
"Did you see Frank?"
"How did he look?"
"Is there……." Jake held up his hands trying to stop the seemingly endless string of questions that the three had.
"Whoa! One at a time, huh?" The three looked at him rather sheepishly.
"Sorry Jake. We're just feeling a little out of the loop stuck here in this room. Know what I mean?' Alex explained.
"Yeah. I hear ya. Let me tell you what I can. First of all, there really hasn't been any change. He's still pretty much unresponsive."
"You said pretty much…….does that mean he spoke to you?" Monica inquired.
"Yeah……..he said a few words. Only about Kate though. He wanted to make sure that she'd be taken care of. He told me that she wanted to be cremated and then he asked me to take her ashes to some place his parents owned in Montana. Any way you can find out where that might be, Cody?"
"Not a problem. I'll have an address for you as soon as I can get to a computer."
"Thanks. Other than that, the doc says that contact with the four of us could be the quickest and most effective way for him to get through this. I told him that all of us would do whatever we can to help out." The other three nodded their heads vigorously.
"Anything else?" Alex asked.
"No……not really. Just that we can rest assured that he's completely safe here." Alex, Monica and Cody eyed him curiously.
"What do you mean?" Cody finally ventured.
"He's being housed in the same wing with violent offenders and the criminally insane. The security protocols are amazing." He watched as each absorbed that bit of news, clearly as uneasy about it as he was. "I know……I'm not crazy about it either, but look at it this way. He'll be getting out… the rest of them won't. And if we wanted him to be somewhere safe, I'd say this would be at the top of the list." That seemed to ease their minds a bit……but not much.
"Alright…..what do you say we see about getting out of here. I don't know about the rest of you, but I could sleep for a week." Deep down inside, he wondered if he'd ever be able to sleep soundly again. He was sure that he'd have nightmares. And in those nightmares he'd be back in the basement of that factory staring down the barrel of Kate's gun, watching her eyes dance crazily, wondering if she'd pull the trigger this time. Or would he replay in his head the same grisly scene over and over. The one where all of a sudden she freezes and her eyes fly open wide in shock as her blood begins to erupt from her open mouth, the result of having been shot directly through the heart. He'd watch in horror as she jarringly sinks to her knees only to fall flat on her face just seconds later. He knew he'd never forget the way his heart had pounded wildly in his chest, wondering how close he'd come to dying in her place. No, he was sure that that would be something he'd remember till the day he drew his last breath.
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Four months later
Jake entered the Nest at about 4:00 in the afternoon. He found the rest of the team working steadily away at some paperwork.
"Hey…….how'd it go?" Alex asked. "Any news yet?"
Jake joined the others at the conference table. "Yep………actually I do have some news. He's being released tomorrow."
"Really?" Monica inquired cheerfully. "That's fantastic. How's Frank feel about that?" she asked knowing how apprehensive he'd seemed last time she'd talked to him. She understood how he felt. Patients of any type, and even prison inmates, felt the same way. For weeks, months or sometimes years, they'd known only what was going on in their confined little world and when faced with the idea of having absolute freedom, many felt anxious about the transition.
"Well……I can tell he's a little uneasy about it, but I know he'll be fine. He'll just need a little time to adjust, that's all."
"Yeah," Cody interjected, "he'll be fine. After all, he's got all of us, right? I mean….come on….we've gotten this far. The rest is a cake walk."
"Right. Anyway…….any news here?" Jake inquired.
"Not really……not yet. Tom said he'd stop by this afternoon. We haven't seen him yet," Alex informed him.
"I wonder what was decided," Cody worried. "I mean, don't tell me that he's gone through all this therapy just to be faced with criminal charges. They can't possibly mean to charge him with anything……can they?"
"I guess that's what we're gonna find out," Alex answered. "I just wish he'd get here." As if on cue, they heard the door open.
"Hey everyone. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was hell getting here from the airport," Tom informed them. He looked at their expectant faces. "Right……..how about I skip the chit chat."
"I think we'd all appreciate that," Jake stated.
"Well…..," he started, "I just came from a meeting this morning with all the Justice Department heads and this is what has been decided. To say that this whole incident has been an embarrassment would be an understatement. Not one but two FBI directors were involved in this which is bad enough, but then also three members of the CIA as well. A seemingly innocent agent was shot dead and one of their best agents has suffered a mental breakdown. The five men that masterminded the whole thing are being held in an undisclosed location for probably the rest of their lives. They only question mark in their book was Frank and what to do about him." Tom paused as he paced around the table where the four sat.
"As you know they've been questioning and debating about whether or not to bring him up on any sort of charges. Well that was pretty much thrown out the window in light of the latest revelations. If the meeting had been held before all involved were taken into custody, who knows what would've happened. Hell…..they might've even found a way to make that aiding and abetting charge stick. But like I said considering the circumstances, he's free and clear." He looked around the table and saw that the team didn't look quite as pleased as he expected them to be.
"Guys……this is good news. What's up?"
Jake looked at the other three before answering. "I guess this sounds a little selfish, but……what happens to us? What about this team? Are they going to allow Frank to come back here?" Tom sighed knowing that they wouldn't like what he had to say next.
"No. He won't be back. Granted, there were no charges filed, but there are two things they can't ignore. First……he became personally involved with a then presumed suspect. And second……..they question his ability to mentally handle the ongoing stress of this job." He saw them all building up to a large argument, so he immediately interrupted before they had the chance.
"And there's one more thing you should know………I've already spoken to Frank. They've given him the choice to return to active duty and he's declined. He handed in his resignation about an hour ago."
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Next chapter: Frank's future
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