The Ransom of Dr, Dave
Part 20
Trying to see through the smoke, Dino finally gets his target in his sights and pulls out his knife and places it near his side. He heads towards Dave's stretcher and as he approaches it he is pushed and shoved around the floor by people trying to get to the fire stairs. He is disoriented and left to try to recover.
Down in the ER, most of the patients have been evacuated along with several other floors. The fire chief and his men search the halls for the source. He assembles some of the staff that is remaining in the ER.
Fire Chief: Has anyone seen any flames or smelled something burning?
Kerry: No, there was all that smoke but no sight of any actual fire.
Fire Chief: Does anyone know where the smoke was coming from?
Carter: The vents.
Fire Chief: Men, I need some of you to help with the patients and the rest to check out all the vents. That smoke has to be coming from somewhere.
The firemen divide up and head to where they are needed while the doctors and nurses continue to get everything back under control.
Up in the ICU, Dino is just getting his bearings back but now he lost his prey. He starts wandering around the halls to try to locate him again while avoiding the doctors and nurses who keep telling him to go the fire exit. As the patients are being moved, an orderly grabs Dino and asks his help with a patient. Knowing if he refuses that could make the orderly suspicious, besides it meant he had a better chance of staying on the floor and finding Malucci so he agreed.
Most of the patients have been evacuated by now and the chaos seems to be quieting down. The firemen gather around the admit desk.
Fire Chief: Well, what did you find out?
Fireman: Not much. None of the men could tell what caused the smoke. All the vents were cleared. There was nothing out of the ordinary and no source.
Mark: Then why all the smoke?
Fire Chief: Of course we will do a formal inspection and investigation but it looks like someone's idea of a prank---a bad prank.
Luka: Not funny. Don't they realized the trouble they caused and the people who could have been hurt.
Fire Chief: Well I think it's safe to start bringing the patients back in. This is obviously a hoax. My men will reopen the elevators so you can get them back to their floors.
Capt. Amos(sarcastically): If I didn't know better, I'd say this smoke was someone's way of covering up something they've done, (pause, more serious tone) or something they're about to do. (pause) Damn it, Malucci. Call security. Send them up to ICU. Let's go men.
Capt Amos and his men head towards the elevator and up to the ICU with several ER staff members behind them.
Word has spread that there was no fire and the patients are being moved back into their rooms. Dino, who finally escaped from the orderly's sight, starts searching for Malucci again. With the smoke starting to clear out, Dino spots Malucci's stretcher and runs over to it and plunges the knife in Malucci's chest, Jing-Mei screams just as Capt. Amos and his men arrive on the floor with their guns drawn.
Capt. Amos: Freeze! Drop it!
Like a deer caught in the headlights, Dino panics and does the only thing he can to ensure his escape. He grabs Jing-Mei around the throat and pulls a small knife from the back of his pants and holds it to Jing-Mei's throat. She screams again.
Dino: Shut the fuck up, bitch!
Carter, Mark and Luka: Jing-Mei!!
Capt. Amos: Alright, just let the young lady go. You will not be harmed if you do as your told.
Dino: Fuck you! I just stabbed your doctor. I'm going to jail anyway if you catch me.
Capt. Amos: Why make it any worse. Let her go. She hasn't done anything here and no one else has to get hurt.
Dino frantically pushes Jing-Mei to the floor and runs down the hall only to caught by Capt. Amos' men. Capt. Amos runs after him as Mark, Carter and Luka check on Jing-Mei and Malucci.
Luka: We've got a stab wound to the chest here! I need to get him into an exam room. Someone call surgery and book an OR.
Carter: Are you alright, Deb?
Jing-Mei: Just a little shaken up. How's Dave?
Carter: I'm not sure. Mark and Luka are with him.
Jing-Mei: I have to be too.
Carter: No you don't. What you have to be doing is letting me take you downstairs to the ER and examining you.
Jing-Mei: I told you I'm just fine. Stop worrying about me.( she tries to push Carter away) Ouch!
Carter: See you are not fine. Now I'm taking you downstairs whether you like it or not and I'm sure Mark or Luka will let us know about Malucci.
Jing-Mei: You know John, I can't never say no to you.
Carter: That's what I'm counting on. Let's go.
Carter and Jing-Mei head down to the ER. As they arrive, the others run to them to get the details.
Kerry: Was Capt. Amos right? Was this just a way to get to Malucci?
Carter nods as he supports a crying, upset Jing-Mei on his arm.
Malik: Dr. Chen, you're bleeding.
Carter: No she's not. That's Malucci's blood.
Abby: Malucci's blood! Was Malucci's blood transfusion IV leaking?
Carter: Not exactly. She was helping to evacuate Dave out of his room when some guy came up and ....(trying to keep himself from getting emotional) stabbed him in the chest.
ER Staff: What!!! Oh god!
Lydia: How is Dr. Malucci?
Jing-Mei: We don't know. Mark and Luka are with him now.
Kerry: I'll call up and see if I can find out anything.
Jing-Mei: Thank you Kerry.
As Kerry heads over to the phone on the admit desk, Capt. Amos and another cop bring Dino down in handcuffs. Jing-Mei and Carter see them and it takes all Carter's strength to hold Jing-Mei back.
Jing-Mei: Let go of me John. I just want to put my hands on his throat for 5 minutes.
Carter: Easy Deb. He's not worth it.
Malik: Who is he?
Carter: He's the bastard who stabbed Dave.
Malik(getting upset): You little moth....
Haleh: Alright, Malik none of that language in here.
Carter: What's he doing here? Why did you bring him down here?
Capt. Amos: I know this is the guy who held you Dr. Chen but I didn't actually see him knife Dr. Dave. I need you to positively identify him.
Jing-Mei: I couldn't get a good look at him at the time because of the smoke and he grabbed me from behind but yes from what I did see of him that is the one who stabbed Dave.
Capt. Amos: That's not exactly a positive ID. We need something for definite. Can you help us?
Jing-Mei: I would love to give you a more definite answer but I can't.
Malik: So what happens now? Is he going to get off?
Capt. Amos: No. We can still hold him for the attempt on Dr. Chen and maybe with a little luck we can get him to talk about Dr. Malucci's assault.
Carter: But he did admit to stabbing Dave upstairs.
Capt. Amos: I realize that and I know we all heard it but any good lawyer will rip right through that testimony saying he was upset and scared and wasn't in his right mind to be responsible for anything he said in the heat of the moment.
Capt. Amos and the cop took Dino down to the police station reading him his rights on the way.
Carter: Come on, Deb. Let me check you out in exam 2. We may need to get some x-rays on that arm of yours.
As they head to exam 2 and the others back to work, Kerry approaches them with a grim look on her face.
Jing-Mei: Wait John. Kerry, did you find out what is going on upstairs?
Kerry: I just spoke with Mark. Malucci's back in surgery. Romano's operating.
To be continued. Please read and review.