Returning The Favor
Chapter 15
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Bosco felt himself being wheeled into the emergency room of Angel of Mercy. He could see Faith alongside him with a worried look on her face. God, she'd worried enough lately.
"Faith," he said, but too low. "Faith!" he repeated louder, this time getting her attention. She looked at him and bent down to reassure him.
"We're here, Bos. It's okay. You're gonna be okay," she said, trying to reassure him. He tried to shake his head 'no' - to tell her that wasn't what he was worried about - but because of the spinal immobilization he was unable.
"No, Faith. I just wanted to tell you to lighten up a little. I'm okay," he said, trying to smile through the pain that was pulsating in his back and legs. "At least I can feel my legs this time," he thought to himself.
"Ligthen' up?!" Faith said, almost sounding angry with him for making light of his situation.
"How's Littrell?" Bosco asked as he caught sight of his friend being brought in alongside him. "I couldn't find out anything back at the house."
Faith looked over in the direction of Littrell and then back to Alex. "Alex'd know better than me," she said, deferring to Alex who was at the head of the stretcher that Bosco was on, pushing him into the exam room.
"Uh, looks like he's still unconscious. But, I don't think the wounds are very serious," she said, looking over at Littrell being transferred from the ambulance stretcher to the hospital's bed. "I'll go see what I can find out," she said, starting to peel away from the rest of the entourage.
"Alex!" Bosco called to her, making her stop and turn back to him. "Thanks, for saving my ass once again. I couldn't get to my phone," he said.
"No problem, but don't make a habit of it," she joked as she returned to the mission she'd been sent on.
Bosco felt himself being moved from the ambulance stretcher to the hospital bed and despite how hard he tried, the pain from the movement made him cry out. He gripped tighter onto what he was holding and then realized by Faith's face that it was her hand and loosened his grip. A fine film of sweat developed on his forehead and then he passed out.
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Alex walked over to where Littrell was being treated. She stood in the corner of the room so that she wasn't in the way. She watched and listened as the doctors examined him. Apparently, there were no life-threatening gunshot wounds, but they had to determine why he was unconscious. He would require surgery to explore the wound in his side, but the doctors didn't expect to find anything serious according the x-rays. He would be sent for a CT scan of his head before surgery and was being prepared to make that move shortly.
Alex walked over to let Bosco know what was going on, when she heard one of the nurses say that Littrell seemed to be regaining consciousness.
"Mr. Griffith, you're at Angel of Mercy. I'm Doctor Conrad and you're going to be just fine. You were shot, but your wounds do not appear to be life-threatening. Do you understand?" asked the doctor in charge of the patient.
Littrell didn't answer right away as his mind processed what had happened. "What the hell happened," he thought to himself when out of the corner of his eye he saw Alex.
"Alex," he said. "What happened?" The doctor looked over his shoulder at the medic and stepped aside to make room for her to come closer.
"Littrell, you're gonna be fine, just like the doctor said. You and Bosco were working out in the weight room when somebody came in and started shooting," she said, and then was interrupted.
"Bosco. How is he?" Littrell asked, suddenly remembering what had happened.
"He's okay. They have him in the next room just to check him over," Alex said, trying to keep him calm. He had enough to worry about and Bosco was in good hands.
"Saved my life," Littrell said. "I didn't see the him come in until it was too late. Bosco shouted to me about the gun, but I didn't move quick enough," he said, getting slightly agitated.
"Hey, okay. It's over now and everyone's gonna be fine so just relax and concentrate on getting better. I gotta go tell Bosco what's going on with you so he can stop worrying, okay? I'll be right back," Alex said and Littrell nodded.
Alex moved to the other side of the curtain again to let Bosco know what was going on and noticed that he seemed to be unconscious. She looked at the doctors and then at Faith. "What happened?"
"Doctor thinks it's from the pain and moving him. He passed out, but they said his vitals were good. They're gonna send him for x-rays and the back doctor's coming down to look at him," Faith said. "How's Littrell?"
"Okay. He's gonna need some minor surgery, just to look around and make sure nothing got nicked, but he seems to be okay. He's conscious. He said that Bosco saved him from getting hurt worse," Alex reported.
"Yeah, he has a habit of doing that for people," Faith said, looking over at her partner.
"I'm gonna go let everyone outside know what's going on. You okay in here?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, thanks again Alex," Faith said.
"Like I told Bosco, just don't make a habit of this," Alex said jokingly and walked out of the room.
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Alex walked out into the waiting room and was immediately surrounded by personnel from the police and fire departments. She gave her reports on both men and then Lieutenant Swersky, from the police department, asked her if Littrell could talk. They needed to get some information, because apparently there was no one around outside the firehouse when the suspect came in so they had no description or identification.
Alex told the Lieutenant that Littrell was conscious, but that they were getting ready to bring him to CT and then surgery. The Lieutenant left to see if he could get some information out of the injured medic before they took him upstairs so they could start looking for the suspect.
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Lieutenant Swersky briefly spoke with Littrell's doctor and got permission to speak to him before they took him upstairs. He walked over to Littrell's bed and introduced himself.
"Mr. Griffith. I'm Lieutenant Swersky of the 5-5. Do you feel up to answering a couple of questions? We'd really like to be able to start looking for whoever did this to you."
"Sure," Littrell said weakly.
"Okay. Did you see the suspect that shot you?" the Lieutenant asked.
"Just before I hit the floor. Bosco and I were working out in the weight room. I had my back to the doorway, but Bosco was on the other bench and was facing the doorway. We'd just started our workout when I heard Bosco yell 'Gun!'," the medic explained. "I guess I hesitated just long enough to get hit when he opened fire. I saw Bosco dive off his weight bench and try to get to his bag where his gun was and then I felt the bullet slam into my side. As I fell, I must have turned because I remember landing and making eye contact with him," Littrell continued, getting visibly upset.
"Okay, just relax, Littrell. You're doing fine. Now, did you know this man, or have you ever seen him around anywhere? Possibly someone you treated while you were working?" the Lieutenant asked.
Littrell shook his head. "I know exactly who it was and he wasn't aiming at anyone but me," he said, the tension clearly evident on his face.
"Okay. So, who is he and why was he gunning for you?" the Lieutenant asked, grateful that they were about to get a positive identification on the shooter.
"His name's Johnny Branson. He's my brother-in-law and he didn't like the fact that I helped my sister and my niece and nephew leave him and go to a shelter. He's been beating her and the kids and threatened to kill me if I didn't tell him where she went," Littrell said, hardness settling in his face.
"Okay, do you know where this Johnny Branson lives? And if you let me know where your sister and her kids are, I'll send someone to check on them to make sure they're okay while you're in here," the Lieutenant offered.
Littrell gave him the address of both his brother-in-law and the location of his sister and her children. And then, the doctor returned and said that it was time to take Littrell upstairs.
The Lieutenant shook Littrell's hand and told him that he would send Officers Sullivan and Davis to check on his relatives. Lieutenant Swersky went back out to the waiting room and briefly spoke with Sully and Ty who then left to do their assignment. Faith came over and talked with the Lieutenant who informed her of the information. He told her that he was going back to the station to put out the information on Johnny Branson and have someone go sit on his apartment in case he came back.
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As Littrell was being wheeled to the elevator, he remembered the words of his brother-in-law as he struck his head on the floor at the fire station and started to lose consciousness. "I will finish the job," were the words out of the man's mouth right before Littrell lost consciousness, as he heard the approaching sirens of help.
He wondered if Bosco had heard those words as well and again worried about the only other person that could identify his brother-in-law as the subject who had shot at Bosco and himself.
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TBC...
Chapter 15
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Bosco felt himself being wheeled into the emergency room of Angel of Mercy. He could see Faith alongside him with a worried look on her face. God, she'd worried enough lately.
"Faith," he said, but too low. "Faith!" he repeated louder, this time getting her attention. She looked at him and bent down to reassure him.
"We're here, Bos. It's okay. You're gonna be okay," she said, trying to reassure him. He tried to shake his head 'no' - to tell her that wasn't what he was worried about - but because of the spinal immobilization he was unable.
"No, Faith. I just wanted to tell you to lighten up a little. I'm okay," he said, trying to smile through the pain that was pulsating in his back and legs. "At least I can feel my legs this time," he thought to himself.
"Ligthen' up?!" Faith said, almost sounding angry with him for making light of his situation.
"How's Littrell?" Bosco asked as he caught sight of his friend being brought in alongside him. "I couldn't find out anything back at the house."
Faith looked over in the direction of Littrell and then back to Alex. "Alex'd know better than me," she said, deferring to Alex who was at the head of the stretcher that Bosco was on, pushing him into the exam room.
"Uh, looks like he's still unconscious. But, I don't think the wounds are very serious," she said, looking over at Littrell being transferred from the ambulance stretcher to the hospital's bed. "I'll go see what I can find out," she said, starting to peel away from the rest of the entourage.
"Alex!" Bosco called to her, making her stop and turn back to him. "Thanks, for saving my ass once again. I couldn't get to my phone," he said.
"No problem, but don't make a habit of it," she joked as she returned to the mission she'd been sent on.
Bosco felt himself being moved from the ambulance stretcher to the hospital bed and despite how hard he tried, the pain from the movement made him cry out. He gripped tighter onto what he was holding and then realized by Faith's face that it was her hand and loosened his grip. A fine film of sweat developed on his forehead and then he passed out.
*^*^*^*^*^*^
Alex walked over to where Littrell was being treated. She stood in the corner of the room so that she wasn't in the way. She watched and listened as the doctors examined him. Apparently, there were no life-threatening gunshot wounds, but they had to determine why he was unconscious. He would require surgery to explore the wound in his side, but the doctors didn't expect to find anything serious according the x-rays. He would be sent for a CT scan of his head before surgery and was being prepared to make that move shortly.
Alex walked over to let Bosco know what was going on, when she heard one of the nurses say that Littrell seemed to be regaining consciousness.
"Mr. Griffith, you're at Angel of Mercy. I'm Doctor Conrad and you're going to be just fine. You were shot, but your wounds do not appear to be life-threatening. Do you understand?" asked the doctor in charge of the patient.
Littrell didn't answer right away as his mind processed what had happened. "What the hell happened," he thought to himself when out of the corner of his eye he saw Alex.
"Alex," he said. "What happened?" The doctor looked over his shoulder at the medic and stepped aside to make room for her to come closer.
"Littrell, you're gonna be fine, just like the doctor said. You and Bosco were working out in the weight room when somebody came in and started shooting," she said, and then was interrupted.
"Bosco. How is he?" Littrell asked, suddenly remembering what had happened.
"He's okay. They have him in the next room just to check him over," Alex said, trying to keep him calm. He had enough to worry about and Bosco was in good hands.
"Saved my life," Littrell said. "I didn't see the him come in until it was too late. Bosco shouted to me about the gun, but I didn't move quick enough," he said, getting slightly agitated.
"Hey, okay. It's over now and everyone's gonna be fine so just relax and concentrate on getting better. I gotta go tell Bosco what's going on with you so he can stop worrying, okay? I'll be right back," Alex said and Littrell nodded.
Alex moved to the other side of the curtain again to let Bosco know what was going on and noticed that he seemed to be unconscious. She looked at the doctors and then at Faith. "What happened?"
"Doctor thinks it's from the pain and moving him. He passed out, but they said his vitals were good. They're gonna send him for x-rays and the back doctor's coming down to look at him," Faith said. "How's Littrell?"
"Okay. He's gonna need some minor surgery, just to look around and make sure nothing got nicked, but he seems to be okay. He's conscious. He said that Bosco saved him from getting hurt worse," Alex reported.
"Yeah, he has a habit of doing that for people," Faith said, looking over at her partner.
"I'm gonna go let everyone outside know what's going on. You okay in here?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, thanks again Alex," Faith said.
"Like I told Bosco, just don't make a habit of this," Alex said jokingly and walked out of the room.
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Alex walked out into the waiting room and was immediately surrounded by personnel from the police and fire departments. She gave her reports on both men and then Lieutenant Swersky, from the police department, asked her if Littrell could talk. They needed to get some information, because apparently there was no one around outside the firehouse when the suspect came in so they had no description or identification.
Alex told the Lieutenant that Littrell was conscious, but that they were getting ready to bring him to CT and then surgery. The Lieutenant left to see if he could get some information out of the injured medic before they took him upstairs so they could start looking for the suspect.
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Lieutenant Swersky briefly spoke with Littrell's doctor and got permission to speak to him before they took him upstairs. He walked over to Littrell's bed and introduced himself.
"Mr. Griffith. I'm Lieutenant Swersky of the 5-5. Do you feel up to answering a couple of questions? We'd really like to be able to start looking for whoever did this to you."
"Sure," Littrell said weakly.
"Okay. Did you see the suspect that shot you?" the Lieutenant asked.
"Just before I hit the floor. Bosco and I were working out in the weight room. I had my back to the doorway, but Bosco was on the other bench and was facing the doorway. We'd just started our workout when I heard Bosco yell 'Gun!'," the medic explained. "I guess I hesitated just long enough to get hit when he opened fire. I saw Bosco dive off his weight bench and try to get to his bag where his gun was and then I felt the bullet slam into my side. As I fell, I must have turned because I remember landing and making eye contact with him," Littrell continued, getting visibly upset.
"Okay, just relax, Littrell. You're doing fine. Now, did you know this man, or have you ever seen him around anywhere? Possibly someone you treated while you were working?" the Lieutenant asked.
Littrell shook his head. "I know exactly who it was and he wasn't aiming at anyone but me," he said, the tension clearly evident on his face.
"Okay. So, who is he and why was he gunning for you?" the Lieutenant asked, grateful that they were about to get a positive identification on the shooter.
"His name's Johnny Branson. He's my brother-in-law and he didn't like the fact that I helped my sister and my niece and nephew leave him and go to a shelter. He's been beating her and the kids and threatened to kill me if I didn't tell him where she went," Littrell said, hardness settling in his face.
"Okay, do you know where this Johnny Branson lives? And if you let me know where your sister and her kids are, I'll send someone to check on them to make sure they're okay while you're in here," the Lieutenant offered.
Littrell gave him the address of both his brother-in-law and the location of his sister and her children. And then, the doctor returned and said that it was time to take Littrell upstairs.
The Lieutenant shook Littrell's hand and told him that he would send Officers Sullivan and Davis to check on his relatives. Lieutenant Swersky went back out to the waiting room and briefly spoke with Sully and Ty who then left to do their assignment. Faith came over and talked with the Lieutenant who informed her of the information. He told her that he was going back to the station to put out the information on Johnny Branson and have someone go sit on his apartment in case he came back.
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As Littrell was being wheeled to the elevator, he remembered the words of his brother-in-law as he struck his head on the floor at the fire station and started to lose consciousness. "I will finish the job," were the words out of the man's mouth right before Littrell lost consciousness, as he heard the approaching sirens of help.
He wondered if Bosco had heard those words as well and again worried about the only other person that could identify his brother-in-law as the subject who had shot at Bosco and himself.
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TBC...