Twenty Six
Jeff Tracy grabbed his credit card from the taxi's meter. Without a further word to the driver, without even bothering to shut the door, he ran, full speed into the hospital.
He knew where Scott's room was. He headed straight there, ignoring the frowns he was receiving from staff members over his thoughtless haste.
He flung open the door to the room. His mouth went dry when he saw two empty beds.
"Mr Tracy?"
Numb he turned to the nurse. "Oh, um, Nurse Stone..."
She smiled at him kindly. "We've got Virgil in the Resuscitation Unit. If you come with me I'll take you there."
"How is he?"
"They are working on him now." They walked the corridors quickly, but not fast enough for Jeff's liking. "Where's Scott." He managed to force out.
"We had to sedate him, he was so upset over Virgil's collapse. They've taken the opportunity to check his burns."
"What happened?"
"To Virgil? I'm sorry Mr Tracy, but I don't know. I only know that Scott found him unconscious and that his blood pressure was dangerously low. I believe that they are still working on him." They were riding down a floor in the lift. She laid a comforting hand on his arm. "Don't worry. They'll do everything in their power to help him."
The lift doors opened. They walked briskly down two more corridors before coming to a waiting room. "If you'll wait here Mr Tracy, I'll go see if I can find anything out."
Wait. The last thing Jeff wanted to do was wait. Wait for what? To be told that his son was going to be fine? To be told that his son was dead? He went to the door and looked out. The hallway was empty. He advanced cautiously into the hall and looked around him, straining his ears to catch the faintest sound that would tell him where Virgil was.
He walked a short way to his left, examining the nameplates on each door as he went. None gave him the information he sought. He retraced his steps.
This time he was lucky. An intern came hurrying past carrying some kind of equipment. As he disappeared into a room Jeff caught the recognisable sounds of people working hard and with great urgency.
He followed the intern into the room. Through one set of doors and then another.
People dressed in white were rushing around purposefully. Commands were being given and acted upon. Monitors beeped and whined. Sophisticated medical equipment did whatever it was meant to do.
No one noticed the pale, frightened man slip into the room to observe their activities.
His eyes took in everything - oxygen, I.V.s, syringes, masks, gowns. And, lying in the middle of it all, the still form of Virgil connected up to so many machines and bits of equipment that he nearly disappeared under the importance of it all.
One doctor took up a needle and the size of it made Jeff feel sick. This couldn't be happening. Another I.V. was attached.
"B.P.'s dropping!" Through the mind numbing chatter and medical jargon a few phrases stood out clearly.
"What's caused this?"
"Could it be something International Rescue gave him?"
"They gave us a list of medication used. Nothing unusual."
"Where's those lab results? We need an antidote NOW!"
"I've lost a pulse!"
"He's arrested! We're losing him!" The words jarred Jeff and he lent against the wall for support.
"No. Don't let this happen again." He whispered. "I've lost Lucille. Don't let me lose Virgil too." His eyes drifted to the heart monitor and he watched with mounting horror as the oscillations slowed, then stopped and all that remained was a single, unbroken line ______________________.
Jeff Tracy grabbed his credit card from the taxi's meter. Without a further word to the driver, without even bothering to shut the door, he ran, full speed into the hospital.
He knew where Scott's room was. He headed straight there, ignoring the frowns he was receiving from staff members over his thoughtless haste.
He flung open the door to the room. His mouth went dry when he saw two empty beds.
"Mr Tracy?"
Numb he turned to the nurse. "Oh, um, Nurse Stone..."
She smiled at him kindly. "We've got Virgil in the Resuscitation Unit. If you come with me I'll take you there."
"How is he?"
"They are working on him now." They walked the corridors quickly, but not fast enough for Jeff's liking. "Where's Scott." He managed to force out.
"We had to sedate him, he was so upset over Virgil's collapse. They've taken the opportunity to check his burns."
"What happened?"
"To Virgil? I'm sorry Mr Tracy, but I don't know. I only know that Scott found him unconscious and that his blood pressure was dangerously low. I believe that they are still working on him." They were riding down a floor in the lift. She laid a comforting hand on his arm. "Don't worry. They'll do everything in their power to help him."
The lift doors opened. They walked briskly down two more corridors before coming to a waiting room. "If you'll wait here Mr Tracy, I'll go see if I can find anything out."
Wait. The last thing Jeff wanted to do was wait. Wait for what? To be told that his son was going to be fine? To be told that his son was dead? He went to the door and looked out. The hallway was empty. He advanced cautiously into the hall and looked around him, straining his ears to catch the faintest sound that would tell him where Virgil was.
He walked a short way to his left, examining the nameplates on each door as he went. None gave him the information he sought. He retraced his steps.
This time he was lucky. An intern came hurrying past carrying some kind of equipment. As he disappeared into a room Jeff caught the recognisable sounds of people working hard and with great urgency.
He followed the intern into the room. Through one set of doors and then another.
People dressed in white were rushing around purposefully. Commands were being given and acted upon. Monitors beeped and whined. Sophisticated medical equipment did whatever it was meant to do.
No one noticed the pale, frightened man slip into the room to observe their activities.
His eyes took in everything - oxygen, I.V.s, syringes, masks, gowns. And, lying in the middle of it all, the still form of Virgil connected up to so many machines and bits of equipment that he nearly disappeared under the importance of it all.
One doctor took up a needle and the size of it made Jeff feel sick. This couldn't be happening. Another I.V. was attached.
"B.P.'s dropping!" Through the mind numbing chatter and medical jargon a few phrases stood out clearly.
"What's caused this?"
"Could it be something International Rescue gave him?"
"They gave us a list of medication used. Nothing unusual."
"Where's those lab results? We need an antidote NOW!"
"I've lost a pulse!"
"He's arrested! We're losing him!" The words jarred Jeff and he lent against the wall for support.
"No. Don't let this happen again." He whispered. "I've lost Lucille. Don't let me lose Virgil too." His eyes drifted to the heart monitor and he watched with mounting horror as the oscillations slowed, then stopped and all that remained was a single, unbroken line ______________________.