Crash and Burn

Chapter 8 – The Sword of Damocles

Nobody dared argue with Ryo that they should have formulated their plan of action before they left the station; it was all done over the radios in the cars as they raced across town towards their intended destination. In a brief moment of reflection as he sat in the passenger seat of an unmarked police car, Ryo thought about the encounter he had had with the chief as they had prepared to leave the precinct. He had emerged from his office as they were about to set off, going straight to Ryo and placing a supportive hand on his shoulder in a sensitive gesture which was highly unusual for their plain speaking chief. "Go find him Ryo," he said, his small, wrinkle-framed eyes twinkling with sincerity. They had both turned to see Rose stood in the doorway, watching the encounter closely. Instead of saying anything he merely nodded in agreement of the chief's sentiment before he turned and went back into his office, closing the door behind him.

With another twenty officers for backup, they were confident they would be able to swarm the place, locating hostage, suspect or both with the minimum of fuss and risk to their men. Everyone was keyed up; even those that didn't know Ryo or Dee particularly well. The kidnapping of a police officer was like a personal insult to anyone on the force and all involved in this particular operation were determined to do their best and bring one of their own home to safety, whilst hopefully bringing the perpetrator to justice at the same time.

They arrived at the self contained premises; a set of bolt cutters making short work of the heavy chains around the main gates. It was a bright and sunny day but all the officers were given torches, knowing the brilliance of the sun wouldn't penetrate the buildings since most of the windows were boarded up. Ryo shivered as he surveyed the place, not sure whether he wanted Dee to be here after all. Of course he wanted to find him, but he had hoped that Dee would be being kept somewhere a little more hospitable than this. Splitting into parties to search the many different buildings more quickly, they each took a radio, agreeing the call signs for if they came across either suspect or hostage so the other teams could react accordingly. Ryo was leading a team with two other detectives he didn't know particularly well and three other uniformed officers, all of whom regarded the blond man warily, knowing that out of everyone present, he was likely to react the worst if the outcome of the searches was not good. Sensing their unease, Ryo wished he'd been teamed up with Drake, Ted or even JJ, so at least his companions would have some idea what he was going through as he prepared to hunt for his lover, held prisoner for almost a week.

Ryo's team were assigned to checking several of the smaller buildings not far from the main gates. Heading first for the security guard's hut, they surveyed the simple edifice from the outside before breaking down the door and rushing inside, their weapons drawn. The sparse contents of the room were covered in a thick layer of dust and the men began to cough as the musty air found its way into their lungs. Moving onto the other buildings, the search procedure was repeated several times, each resulting in them emerging, slightly dustier and empty handed every time. They were poised to kick down the door of a small storage shed when the radio at Ryo's hip flared into life and Drake's voice leapt out into the already tense atmosphere.

"Ryo!" he yelled, his voice crackling as he abandoned any of the agreed call signs. "Get over to the main building, we've found Dee!"

Ryo looked torn, knowing his duty was to finish the searches of the remaining structures in case the suspect was there but desperate to get to Dee and check he was okay. His agonising was interrupted by a hand on his shoulder and he turned to see Detective Johnson, an older man with a well-worn complexion, smiling at him sympathetically. "You go," he urged the blond, "We'll finish up here."

Ryo nodded gratefully, handing him the radio before he set off at a sprint towards the building Drake had indicated. He found the door where the officers had forced entry, clicked on his torch and ran inside, pausing quickly to determine where the sound of voices was coming from. The urgency in their tones scared him and he started to run, pushing his body harder than ever before as he rushed to find his lover and see with his own eyes that Dee was okay. He found the room as a uniformed officer was coming out, the two men's eyes meeting only briefly before the cop looked away, not wanting to communicate to Ryo what he had seen in there. His avoidance of eye contact was enough to heighten Ryo's fears and he surged into the room and towards the group of people at the far end. Hearing the approaching footsteps, the men turned and all at once, Drake was upon him, preventing him from advancing any further. "Ryo…" the younger man appealed, knowing what he was trying to do was useless.

"Let me go Drake!" Ryo yelled, struggling against the other man's grip, "Dee, are you okay?"

He escaped Drake's hold and pushed through the assembled men, the sight that greeted him as he went beyond them bringing him to his knees in horror. It was strange seeing Dee in the dark red shirt and charcoal grey tie that he had been wearing when Ryo had said goodbye to him almost a week ago. It was almost as if those intervening days had never occurred but they had, and Dee had clearly paid the price for them. Five days worth of facial hair added to his dishevelled appearance, completed by his grimy clothes and the dried blood on his skin.

"Dee!" Ryo cried, his hands moving to touch the slumped and shackled body in front of him as it leaned forward precariously, held in place by the handcuffs which kept him chained to the pillar. "Dee, can you hear me?" On gaining no response, Ryo turned, his anxious dark eyes meeting with Drake's sympathetic ones. "The paramedics are on the way and Anders has gone to get the bolt cutters so we can free him," Drake said solemnly as Ryo turned his attention back to Dee, taking in the chain around his ankle and the handcuffs on his wrists. The manacles on his arms were bloodied and the skin around them raw, making Ryo realise how desperate Dee must have been to have struggled vainly against them and ultimately cause himself so much damage. In his current position with his arms bent awkwardly behind him, the steel was cutting further into his wrists so Ryo pushed his body upright, taking the dead weight of his lover in his arms.

"Why haven't you taken the blindfold off?" Ryo said angrily, as he reached up and prepared to do the only thing he could to help Dee before the cutting equipment arrived. His hands were at the knot as Drake shouted at him to stop. "We already tried to take it off," the other man explained before he added more gently, "but there's a wound underneath it that I don't think we should disturb. Can't you smell it?"

Ryo paused and sniffed, causing the disgusting odour to fill his nostrils. He recoiled instantly, just managing to stop himself vomiting. It smelt like death. "Oh God Dee," Ryo moaned quietly, wishing he were alone, rather than having ten pairs of eyes watching his every movement. Feeling utterly helpless, he sat and cradled Dee's limp body until the sound of approaching feet caught his attention and he turned, relieved to see the officer that had passed him in the doorway returning with the bolt cutters. Drake took them from him and knelt down behind Dee and the pillar.

"Have you got hold of him?" Drake asked Ryo as he positioned the cutters on the chain that joined the handcuffs.

Ryo nodded grimly; bracing himself for Dee's body to slump forward suddenly. As soon as the unconscious detective's wrists were free, Drake started on the chain around his ankle as Ryo laid Dee on the ground, using his coat which he shrugged off to support the other man's head. At the sound of voices approaching, Ryo craned his neck to see two paramedics jogging towards the group, clutching their equipment bags and a folded up stretcher between them. The police officer that had guided them to the room had explained briefly what was going on, although both knew about the kidnapping from the news. The older grey haired man knelt down beside Ryo as his companion began to unfold the stretcher and remove the necessary provisions. "Okay son," he said addressing Ryo gently, "Just give me a little space so we can work on him. It's Dee right?"

Ryo nodded, not trusting his voice to provide a verbal response as he reluctantly shuffled back and away from his lover. He watched numbly as the paramedic leaned in and shook Dee's shoulder gently. "Dee? Can you hear me? My name's Andy and I'm a paramedic." Getting no response, he watched Dee's breathing for a moment before he felt for the carotid pulse under Dee's jaw line after seeing the broken handcuffs and the bloody mess of his wrists. "He's got a pulse but it's pretty weak," he said, turning and addressing his companion who was in the process of unpacking an oxygen mask. "Get me some fluids too," he said as he pinched the skin on one of Dee's hands and noted a response that indicated dehydration.

"There's a wound on his face that seems infected," Ryo said, feeling like he ought to do something. The older man gazed at his pale and worried face and nodded. "We'll worry about that at the hospital but thanks for telling us," he answered kindly as his colleague came forward and began to attach Dee to an IV. As they were about to lift him onto the stretcher, the older paramedic noticed Dee's leg, resting at an angle nature would not normally allow.

"That's definitely broken," he stated, touching the limb gently as Ryo's eyes registered yet another piece of damage to his already battered lover and his heart sank with the knowledge that the months of physical therapy would have to start all over again. That of course, was providing he survived what other injuries had been inflicted on him over the last five days.

The two paramedics worked quickly and professionally and before long, they had Dee on the stretcher and ready to leave. As they prepared to take him away, Ryo suddenly looked frightened until Drake laid a hand on his shoulder and said, "Come on, I'll take you to the hospital. We can be there as quickly as them." Ryo's eyes seemed to focus and he nodded, allowing Drake to lead him away and out of the building, following in the wake of his unconscious lover and his carers. The drive to the hospital was conducted in near silence, Ryo lost in his thoughts and Drake unsure what he should say that might offer solace to the fretful detective. Dee had looked in a bad way and the 'don't worry, he'll be fine' cliché seemed inappropriate until the doctors at the hospital had had chance to assess his condition properly. They arrived just after the ambulance; Drake driving round to the main doors to let Ryo out before he went to find a parking space, promising Ryo he'd return as soon as possible. The blond man went inside and was directed to a small waiting area, decked out with plastic hard-backed chairs, several racks of dog-eared magazines and a coffee machine that on closer inspection was out of coffee. He'd sat there for several moments, not engaging any of the other anxious faced visitors before Drake appeared, pocketing the car keys and sitting down in the seat next to Ryo. "What've they said?" he asked as Ryo continued to stare blankly at a spot on the floor.

"Not much," the other man replied. "They told me to wait here and as soon as the doctor has seen Dee, they'd come and tell me how he is." There was a pause before Ryo looked up suddenly, his dark eyes filled with anguish. "He looked awful Drake. What if…"

"Hey," Drake said soothingly, laying his hand on Ryo's arm. "Don't think like that. He's safe now and in the best possible hands."

Ryo nodded, trying to rein in his turbulent emotions as Drake offered to find them something to drink while they waited. Doubting he could stomach even a small amount of liquid Ryo declined Drake's offer, watching as the other man went in search of a caffeine fix for himself, before he returned to staring at the floor. Several minutes had passed before the door opened, and Ryo looked up expecting to see Drake clutching his steaming prize but instead he was greeted by Commissioner Rose who hurried towards him, his expression serious. "What's Dee's status?" Rose asked, coming to sit in the chair Drake had vacated minutes earlier.

"I don't know sir," Ryo replied, sitting up slowly, "We haven't been here long but they said they'd come and find me as soon as there was any news."

"Okay," Rose said, readjusting his glasses and offering the younger man a reassuring smile.  "I'm sure someone will be along soon."

Rose's statement proved to be incorrect as the minutes dragged into hours. Eventually Drake had to leave to return to where they'd found Dee in the hope of finding clues as to his kidnapper's identity. Knowing Ryo's uneasiness at being around Rose, Drake looked a little reluctant to leave but the tired looking blond assured him, when Rose had gone to the toilet, that he would be fine. Not long after Drake had left, a nurse came into the room and headed over to the two policemen, recognising Rose from his many public appearances. "You're here about Detective Latener?" she said, smiling kindly at Ryo when she realised why his face was also familiar. "This way please."

The two men followed her up stairs and down endless blank corridors until they reached the critical care ward on the first floor. Unlike the other wards where the staff had tried to keep the place looking hospitable with flowers in vases and pictures on the walls, there was nothing in the stark white-washed landscape to offer any comfort for those unfortunate enough to be there. The décor was as simple as the purpose of this place; pretty pictures have no part in saving lives it seemed to say. She took them into a room; a smaller, more well maintained waiting area than the one they'd just left. Ryo couldn't help but think how many times this room must have been used to break bad news to grief-stricken families and the thought of it made his heart ache.

Rose watched him carefully as he made his way over to the couch and sat down, the numb look in his dark eyes never showing any sign of dissipating. His heart and his libido wanted him to go over there too and put his arms around the other man but his brain sensibly reminded him to give Ryo some space. The younger man was already wary of his superior and now wasn't the time to risk increasing that ill-feeling. Rose was about to take the chair opposite Ryo when the door opened and a tall middle-aged man stepped in, his white coat worn over his suit and tie identifying him as a doctor. Ryo immediately stood before the doctor smiled and gestured for him to take his seat as he came and sat down too.

"Commissioner Rose," he said, holding out his hand to the well-known head of police. "My name is Dr Sims and I'm the doctor overseeing your detective's care."

Rose nodded as he shook his hand warmly. "Pleased to meet you Dr Sims. This is Detective McLain. He's Detective Latener's partner."

Ryo took his turn, shaking hands with the older man, his smile of greeting never quite masking the anxiety written across his features as he watched as the doctor's eyes return to wander across the notes he'd brought with him. "Well Commissioner Rose, Detective McLain, I'll be straight with you. Your colleague is one extremely poorly man but that said, we're hopeful that we've managed to stabilise his condition."

"Which is…?" Rose asked, glancing at Ryo and seeing the question in his eyes too.

The doctor looked at their grave expressions and nodded, knowing they would want all the details. "Detective Latener is showing advanced signs of infection, most likely from the wound near his left eye. We've treated it straight away but it will probably be several hours before we know whether the infection has got into his bloodstream."

"And if it has?" Ryo asked suddenly.

The doctor sighed. "Sepis is very difficult to treat and can prove to be fatal but we're optimistic that we may have caught it before it's reached that stage. Unfortunately, all we can do now is sit back and wait and hope the treatment is successful."

Ryo's eyes squeezed shut as the pain in his heart intensified. He barely heard Rose asking if there were any other things they should know about Dee's condition.

"Well he's dehydrated and his right leg is broken. The wound on his face will probably need reconstructive surgery but other than that it's mostly superficial wounds." The doctor paused for a moment as he tapped his pen thoughtfully on the case notes. "Am I right in thinking this is the detective that was taken hostage almost a week ago?" Rose nodded as Ryo lifted his head up from his hands. "Well you may want to consider some counselling for him as he recovers. He looks like he's had a pretty rough time and sometimes the psychological scars take longer to heal than the physical ones." He stood slowly and turned to address Ryo directly. "Recovery from something like this is a long, hard road. He's going to need you more than I think you realise," he said not unkindly as he headed for the door.

"Dr Sims?" Ryo said before the other man could leave. "Is there any chance I could see him?" He met the doctor's gaze, his own dark eyes pleading.

The medic paused before he nodded; a sympathetic smile on his mature features. "I don't see why not, but I'm afraid you can't stay too long." Grateful to be given any time with the man he hadn't seen for almost a week, Ryo followed the doctor out of the waiting room, leaving Rose alone to relay the news of Dee's condition to his colleagues at the precinct.

The room that the doctor took him to was as blank as the corridors that led up to it. The medicinal smell that Bicky had balked at when Dee had been in hospital before Christmas was particularly strong as he entered the private room, but he ignored it as he closed the door quietly behind him so they could finally be alone. The bed Dee lay in was surrounded by masses of equipment, most of which Ryo observed was monitoring his gravely ill lover. He was breathing unaided, but the heart monitor was in use; its rhythmic beeping a somewhat comforting sign that although Dee looked at death's door, his vital organs were still putting up a courageous fight for survival. Tubes ran into his arms and up his nose, pumping vital nutrients around his battered body.

He was unconscious; his body unmoving as he lay with his arms resting lightly across his chest. The handcuffs had been removed and both wrists were bandaged, although one was slightly spotted with blood from where the limb had been rubbed raw. The wound on the side of his face had been dressed with a clean white bandage in the hope that any further infection would be prevented and his eyes were also covered by two pads of gauze, which in reaction to Ryo's shocked expression, the doctor had explained were to help Dee's eyes reacclimatise to the light. Knowing the condition he'd been found in, the medical staff had thought it wise to protect his sensitised eyes for when he awoke.

"Oh Dee," Ryo said sadly as he found a chair and placed it next to Dee's bed. "I'm so sorry it took so long to find you." He wanted nothing more than to hold the unconscious man in his arms; to feel his heartbeat and know he hadn't given up on life, but instead he reached out and gently pushed some of his dishevelled ebony locks away from his face. "I love you Dee," he said quietly, his voice wavering as it threatened to break. "Please don't leave me."

A tear slowly rolled down his cheek, which he neglected to wipe away. "I can't be without you now Dee. I need you." Gently he laced his fingers with Dee's; needing some physical connection as he lowered his head and started to cry, his sobs barely audible over the sound of the machinery. Lost in his grief, he stayed that way for several long moments until he became aware of the door opening behind him.

"Ryo?" Rose said tentatively, his stance somewhat awkward as he intruded on this tender moment. "The doctor says we have to leave now." Hastily wiping away his tears, Ryo turned and nodded his agreement, relieved when Rose closed the door again so he could say goodbye in private.

"I'll be back very soon," he promised the unconscious man before he leaned in and gently kissed the moisture-starved lips. "I love you Dee. Please keep fighting." As he went to leave, he turned back suddenly hoping there would be some movement; some indication that Dee had heard his appeal not to give up, but there was none. Wherever Dee was at that moment, it was too far away for him to be influenced by a voice from the living world, no matter how impassioned the plea.

TBC…