I think this chapter is a little on the fluffy side but if you can bare
with me for this one and the next the excitement will pick up I hope.
*-*-*-*-*
Clarke answered the telephone whose ringing tore him away from Gloria's naked form which was spread across the bed. "Clarke here."
Gloria ran her manicured hand over his muscular chest and gave him a satisfied smile as she pulled the sheet up over herself, "Don't be too long."
"What the hell do you mean?" screamed Clarke into the receiver and jumped out of bed. Gloria cringed away from his fist that he hit the pillow with. "He got away? He got away and you are just telling me this now? You were supposed to kill the son of a bitch!" He paused and listened to the man on the other hand. "I don't care if he killed your crew or the entire population of Los Angeles YOUR job was to kill that mute bastard and you let him get away."
"He got away?" questioned Gloria kneeling with the sheet wrapped around her and grabbed for the phone. She didn't want to hear this second hand.
Clarke brushed her off and continued, "So where is he now?" The man, the one who got away, explained to the FBI agent with the crooked nose that he had tracked Anthony to LAX and that he had caught a flight back to Chicago.
"So he is here now is he? Thanks," he said a bit calmer laying the receiver back on the phone. Turning to Gloria he said, "They didn't kill the Thin Man, he is back here in Chicago."
Gloria got out of bed and began to get dressed. "Where do you think you are going?" he asked.
"Where do you think? The same place that the Thin Man is the hospital to see that slutty little angel, that is where." She pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater then combed her hair all the while Clarke watched her.
"I don't know that he would be there. He has to know the police are looking for him. Everyone saw him on stage and there were at least 400 witnesses that he killed Vivian. I don't think he will show up there. Too risky," said Clarke popping open a beer.
"You have never been in love have you Clarke?" The agent didn't say anything. "Trust me he'll be there and so will I," she said grabbing her purse. "If you want to come good if not fine by me but I am seeing this through to the end and if I am lucky I'll get the angel's daddy too." Clarke grinned as he watched her leave. He always liked women who knew what they wanted.
"Hang on. Im comin' too. I want to watch," said Clarke getting out of bed.
*-*-*-*-*
The news segment on the TV over the body of Agent Daniels caught the eyes of the angels. They stopped gapping at the television. "My god who could have done that?" asked Natalie. "Vivian is dead; Matthews and the body guard are in jail." She looked at Alex, "Do you think it could have been the Chief?"
"I don't see what he would have to gain. We better catch up with the Thin Man." Alex's eyes widened. "You don't think that he killed Daniels do you?" Natalie didn't think so but they couldn't rule him out. They then went down the hall following Anthony, Leon, and Bosley.
Anthony scanned each side of the hallway for the room in which Dylan was. He soon came to room 404. "Stop man," called Leon as Anthony reached for the door handle. He paused as Leon caught up. "You just can't barge in there. I am a doctor first you have to think about her health. Johnson is good let him work."
Anthony peered through the rectangular window in the door. He couldn't see Dylan through the doctor and nurses crowded around the bed but he could hear Dr. Johnson barking orders for more current to shock her heart into beating again. Soon the noise died down and everyone could hear the steady beep of the heart monitor. Johnson came out and looked at the people in the hallway.
"I suppose you already know we had an emergency. Dylan has taken a turn for the worse. I honestly don't think she will make it to morning. I am sorry. Dr. Wilson," he said noticing the other physician in the corridor, "how can I help you?"
"You can help me by giving her this." He held out the test tube.
"What is this?" He asked taking the vial from Leon's hand.
Leon looked at Anthony then back to Dr. Johnson, "A cure."
"There is no cure. I talked to the men and women working on this at the University they said that it couldn't be stopped." He looked tired and worn out.
"Listen Rick, at least test it see if it's what the man says. If it is then good and well, you give it to her and she lives. Do you really want to see her die if the cure is in your hand?" asked Leon.
Five expectant faces and the Thin Man looked at Dr. Johnson. "Fine I'll test it. See if it's what this man claims it is. It will take a couple hours, the lab is backed up."
"You yourself said she might not make it a couple more hours," said Getty angrily. "Whatever amount of money it takes I'll pay it so long as it gets tested tonight."
"Mr. Getty I know you are worried about your daughter but there are other patients here you need treatment. Some as bad if not worse off than she is. I don't mean to sound cruel or uncaring, but your money doesn't mean anything to their families. I'll put in word to rush it that is all I can do. Now everyone back out into the waiting room." He shooed them with his hands.
They walked slowly out to the waiting room. Alex and Natalie sat down with their boyfriends and explained what went on in the hallway outside Dylan's room. Bosley took out a deck of cards, "Anyone what to play?"
"I'll take you up on that," said Getty and Bosley began to deal.
Anthony sat away from the others. "Hey quiet man, I know it's not ideal but you gave them something they didn't have before- a solution." said Leon to him. He saw Anthony watching the others. "Join them. You all are on the same side for once; you want Dylan to get better as much as they do. Let them support you and you support them." All he received in return for his advice was the usual cold stare. "Listen if you need anything you know how to contact me. I'm going to check on a few patients of mine in CICU then go home and get some rest." With that he left the Thin Man alone.
Across the room Alex arm wrestled Pete and Natalie leaned back in the crook of Pete's arm watching David Letterman. "Come on Alex best two out of three," said Jason as she beat him.
"Okay," she said and made sure her elbow was steady on the table. It didn't take long before she dominated him again.
"Three out of five?" asked Jason. Alex just rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.
"You know," said Pete out of the blue, "I think he is more worried about Dylan than any of us."
Natalie sat up and looked at her boyfriend then at the two men playing cards, "Who Getty?"
"No, the guy you call 'Creepy Thin Man'," he replied. When he saw her skeptical look he continued. "Think about it the man went out and found a cure.yeah we don't know if it works but you don't think he would have done that if he didn't care about her do you? I would probably do it for a girl I wasn't interested in but he doesn't strike me as the type. Does he you?"
Nat thought about what Pete was saying. "And he's sitting there all alone," she said her eyes getting teary. "Maybe we should try to talk to him." She then corrected herself. "We should try to talk to him as much as anyone can talk to him. By the way, his real name is Anthony; I don't think he'd like it if we called him 'Creepy Thin Man'".
He tried not to be obvious about watching them. He just had so little association with regular people he couldn't help but observe their behavior. Then he noticed the blonde angel Natalie and her boyfriend looking at him, he was fairly sure they were talking about him as well. "Let them," he thought it wasn't as though people didn't talk about him before. He reached into his pocket for the strand of Dylan's hair. It looked colorful again, maybe it was just the poor lighting in the cab. He closed his eyes and ran it over his cheeks inhaling the fruity scent of her shampoo. It tickled his lips and nose. Suddenly a voice woke him from his revelry. "Hi, can we join you?"
Anthony opened his eyes and looked up there stood the blonde angel and her boyfriend. The angel stuck out her hand. "I don't think we have ever properly met, I'm Natalie and this is Pete." Anthony just stared at her hand not taking in. Natalie awkwardly put it down.
"Sooo.you're Anthony," said Pete. The sound of his name startled him. It wasn't often that people used it; not that many people knew it. In reply he nodded slowly. "Did you catch the Bulls-Lakers game that was on earlier?" Pete realized how silly that sounded; of course the man didn't he was finding a cure for Dylan. "I guess not," said Pete not bothering to wait for an answer.
Anthony was having trouble holding back and amused smile. He had never seen two people so ill-at-ease before. They looked like Hansel and Gretel holding hands and confronting the witch. Part of him was tempted to be nice and to try to relieve the tension but he quickly shut that part up. This was too interesting, the uncomfortable looks they gave each other, they way they rocked from foot to foot.
"I guess you're worried about Dylan," said Natalie. At that he nodded, he was there right? It obviously wasn't too much of a secret that he cared for her. "Is that stuff you brought really a cure?" asked the blonde. Anthony looked around before answering and noticed that all the eyes in the room were on him. He brought out his notepad and wrote, "Yes it's a cure."
Natalie continued, "I'm sorry about all the questions but did you make it? Where did you get it from?"
"A friend," he wrote and tapped the paper to indicated that it was the answer to both. Then Alex came over. "Why should we believe you?" she demanded.
"Why shouldn't you," he replied in writing.
Alex looked at his answer and narrowed her eyes, "Don't get me started on all the reasons." Anthony held her stare and she continued, "How about working of Knox just as a general example."
He jotted down, "I saved you, Max and Dylan." He shook his head. He didn't know why he was even responding. To them he would always be 'the Creepy Thin Man'. He just wondered if that is how Dylan saw him as well.
Then Alex's boyfriend looked at the note, "Did he really save you?" Reluctantly Alex admitted that he did do what he had written. "But," she added "I could have avoided that guy easily". Anthony gave her a look that said, "Sure you could have."
"Then I think I owe you a big thanks," said Jason offering his hand much like Natalie did earlier. This time Anthony accepted. "I'm Jason Gibson. You know, Maximum Extreme AND Maximum Extreme 2," he said making the hand motions. Anthony looked at him with his perfected cold stare. "Okay then," said Jason suddenly uncomfortable, "anyone want coffee? I'll make the run." Everyone except Anthony did and Alex volunteered to go with Jason to help carry them back.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"So do you have a plan," asked Clarke as they climbed into the tiny rental car, "or do you just plan on going into the hospital guns blazing?" He fastened the seat belt around his broad chest.
"Don't worry about it. I know what I am doing," said Vivian putting the car in reverse and backing out of the parking place. Clarke snorted. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"
"I was just wondering if Vivian thought the same thing," he remarked just to rile her up. He loved watching the way her eyes blazed when she was angry.
"Vivian's plan was foolproof. It would have gone off without a hitch had that little bitch not jumped out of the plane. So, currently I don't have a plan but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll have one by the time we get there."
*-*-*-*-*
Clarke answered the telephone whose ringing tore him away from Gloria's naked form which was spread across the bed. "Clarke here."
Gloria ran her manicured hand over his muscular chest and gave him a satisfied smile as she pulled the sheet up over herself, "Don't be too long."
"What the hell do you mean?" screamed Clarke into the receiver and jumped out of bed. Gloria cringed away from his fist that he hit the pillow with. "He got away? He got away and you are just telling me this now? You were supposed to kill the son of a bitch!" He paused and listened to the man on the other hand. "I don't care if he killed your crew or the entire population of Los Angeles YOUR job was to kill that mute bastard and you let him get away."
"He got away?" questioned Gloria kneeling with the sheet wrapped around her and grabbed for the phone. She didn't want to hear this second hand.
Clarke brushed her off and continued, "So where is he now?" The man, the one who got away, explained to the FBI agent with the crooked nose that he had tracked Anthony to LAX and that he had caught a flight back to Chicago.
"So he is here now is he? Thanks," he said a bit calmer laying the receiver back on the phone. Turning to Gloria he said, "They didn't kill the Thin Man, he is back here in Chicago."
Gloria got out of bed and began to get dressed. "Where do you think you are going?" he asked.
"Where do you think? The same place that the Thin Man is the hospital to see that slutty little angel, that is where." She pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater then combed her hair all the while Clarke watched her.
"I don't know that he would be there. He has to know the police are looking for him. Everyone saw him on stage and there were at least 400 witnesses that he killed Vivian. I don't think he will show up there. Too risky," said Clarke popping open a beer.
"You have never been in love have you Clarke?" The agent didn't say anything. "Trust me he'll be there and so will I," she said grabbing her purse. "If you want to come good if not fine by me but I am seeing this through to the end and if I am lucky I'll get the angel's daddy too." Clarke grinned as he watched her leave. He always liked women who knew what they wanted.
"Hang on. Im comin' too. I want to watch," said Clarke getting out of bed.
*-*-*-*-*
The news segment on the TV over the body of Agent Daniels caught the eyes of the angels. They stopped gapping at the television. "My god who could have done that?" asked Natalie. "Vivian is dead; Matthews and the body guard are in jail." She looked at Alex, "Do you think it could have been the Chief?"
"I don't see what he would have to gain. We better catch up with the Thin Man." Alex's eyes widened. "You don't think that he killed Daniels do you?" Natalie didn't think so but they couldn't rule him out. They then went down the hall following Anthony, Leon, and Bosley.
Anthony scanned each side of the hallway for the room in which Dylan was. He soon came to room 404. "Stop man," called Leon as Anthony reached for the door handle. He paused as Leon caught up. "You just can't barge in there. I am a doctor first you have to think about her health. Johnson is good let him work."
Anthony peered through the rectangular window in the door. He couldn't see Dylan through the doctor and nurses crowded around the bed but he could hear Dr. Johnson barking orders for more current to shock her heart into beating again. Soon the noise died down and everyone could hear the steady beep of the heart monitor. Johnson came out and looked at the people in the hallway.
"I suppose you already know we had an emergency. Dylan has taken a turn for the worse. I honestly don't think she will make it to morning. I am sorry. Dr. Wilson," he said noticing the other physician in the corridor, "how can I help you?"
"You can help me by giving her this." He held out the test tube.
"What is this?" He asked taking the vial from Leon's hand.
Leon looked at Anthony then back to Dr. Johnson, "A cure."
"There is no cure. I talked to the men and women working on this at the University they said that it couldn't be stopped." He looked tired and worn out.
"Listen Rick, at least test it see if it's what the man says. If it is then good and well, you give it to her and she lives. Do you really want to see her die if the cure is in your hand?" asked Leon.
Five expectant faces and the Thin Man looked at Dr. Johnson. "Fine I'll test it. See if it's what this man claims it is. It will take a couple hours, the lab is backed up."
"You yourself said she might not make it a couple more hours," said Getty angrily. "Whatever amount of money it takes I'll pay it so long as it gets tested tonight."
"Mr. Getty I know you are worried about your daughter but there are other patients here you need treatment. Some as bad if not worse off than she is. I don't mean to sound cruel or uncaring, but your money doesn't mean anything to their families. I'll put in word to rush it that is all I can do. Now everyone back out into the waiting room." He shooed them with his hands.
They walked slowly out to the waiting room. Alex and Natalie sat down with their boyfriends and explained what went on in the hallway outside Dylan's room. Bosley took out a deck of cards, "Anyone what to play?"
"I'll take you up on that," said Getty and Bosley began to deal.
Anthony sat away from the others. "Hey quiet man, I know it's not ideal but you gave them something they didn't have before- a solution." said Leon to him. He saw Anthony watching the others. "Join them. You all are on the same side for once; you want Dylan to get better as much as they do. Let them support you and you support them." All he received in return for his advice was the usual cold stare. "Listen if you need anything you know how to contact me. I'm going to check on a few patients of mine in CICU then go home and get some rest." With that he left the Thin Man alone.
Across the room Alex arm wrestled Pete and Natalie leaned back in the crook of Pete's arm watching David Letterman. "Come on Alex best two out of three," said Jason as she beat him.
"Okay," she said and made sure her elbow was steady on the table. It didn't take long before she dominated him again.
"Three out of five?" asked Jason. Alex just rolled her eyes and kissed him on the cheek.
"You know," said Pete out of the blue, "I think he is more worried about Dylan than any of us."
Natalie sat up and looked at her boyfriend then at the two men playing cards, "Who Getty?"
"No, the guy you call 'Creepy Thin Man'," he replied. When he saw her skeptical look he continued. "Think about it the man went out and found a cure.yeah we don't know if it works but you don't think he would have done that if he didn't care about her do you? I would probably do it for a girl I wasn't interested in but he doesn't strike me as the type. Does he you?"
Nat thought about what Pete was saying. "And he's sitting there all alone," she said her eyes getting teary. "Maybe we should try to talk to him." She then corrected herself. "We should try to talk to him as much as anyone can talk to him. By the way, his real name is Anthony; I don't think he'd like it if we called him 'Creepy Thin Man'".
He tried not to be obvious about watching them. He just had so little association with regular people he couldn't help but observe their behavior. Then he noticed the blonde angel Natalie and her boyfriend looking at him, he was fairly sure they were talking about him as well. "Let them," he thought it wasn't as though people didn't talk about him before. He reached into his pocket for the strand of Dylan's hair. It looked colorful again, maybe it was just the poor lighting in the cab. He closed his eyes and ran it over his cheeks inhaling the fruity scent of her shampoo. It tickled his lips and nose. Suddenly a voice woke him from his revelry. "Hi, can we join you?"
Anthony opened his eyes and looked up there stood the blonde angel and her boyfriend. The angel stuck out her hand. "I don't think we have ever properly met, I'm Natalie and this is Pete." Anthony just stared at her hand not taking in. Natalie awkwardly put it down.
"Sooo.you're Anthony," said Pete. The sound of his name startled him. It wasn't often that people used it; not that many people knew it. In reply he nodded slowly. "Did you catch the Bulls-Lakers game that was on earlier?" Pete realized how silly that sounded; of course the man didn't he was finding a cure for Dylan. "I guess not," said Pete not bothering to wait for an answer.
Anthony was having trouble holding back and amused smile. He had never seen two people so ill-at-ease before. They looked like Hansel and Gretel holding hands and confronting the witch. Part of him was tempted to be nice and to try to relieve the tension but he quickly shut that part up. This was too interesting, the uncomfortable looks they gave each other, they way they rocked from foot to foot.
"I guess you're worried about Dylan," said Natalie. At that he nodded, he was there right? It obviously wasn't too much of a secret that he cared for her. "Is that stuff you brought really a cure?" asked the blonde. Anthony looked around before answering and noticed that all the eyes in the room were on him. He brought out his notepad and wrote, "Yes it's a cure."
Natalie continued, "I'm sorry about all the questions but did you make it? Where did you get it from?"
"A friend," he wrote and tapped the paper to indicated that it was the answer to both. Then Alex came over. "Why should we believe you?" she demanded.
"Why shouldn't you," he replied in writing.
Alex looked at his answer and narrowed her eyes, "Don't get me started on all the reasons." Anthony held her stare and she continued, "How about working of Knox just as a general example."
He jotted down, "I saved you, Max and Dylan." He shook his head. He didn't know why he was even responding. To them he would always be 'the Creepy Thin Man'. He just wondered if that is how Dylan saw him as well.
Then Alex's boyfriend looked at the note, "Did he really save you?" Reluctantly Alex admitted that he did do what he had written. "But," she added "I could have avoided that guy easily". Anthony gave her a look that said, "Sure you could have."
"Then I think I owe you a big thanks," said Jason offering his hand much like Natalie did earlier. This time Anthony accepted. "I'm Jason Gibson. You know, Maximum Extreme AND Maximum Extreme 2," he said making the hand motions. Anthony looked at him with his perfected cold stare. "Okay then," said Jason suddenly uncomfortable, "anyone want coffee? I'll make the run." Everyone except Anthony did and Alex volunteered to go with Jason to help carry them back.
*-*-*-*-*-*
"So do you have a plan," asked Clarke as they climbed into the tiny rental car, "or do you just plan on going into the hospital guns blazing?" He fastened the seat belt around his broad chest.
"Don't worry about it. I know what I am doing," said Vivian putting the car in reverse and backing out of the parking place. Clarke snorted. "And just what is that supposed to mean?"
"I was just wondering if Vivian thought the same thing," he remarked just to rile her up. He loved watching the way her eyes blazed when she was angry.
"Vivian's plan was foolproof. It would have gone off without a hitch had that little bitch not jumped out of the plane. So, currently I don't have a plan but you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll have one by the time we get there."