Chapter Thirteen
Mark started to climb over to the scaffold when he felt a hand on his arm.
"Mark wait. Let me go and get him." It was Jesse who was already climbing down to the scaffold to go and bring his friend in.
Mark watched as the young doctor climbed over the wall and landed lightly onto the floor of the scaffold. Jesse started a quiet monologue not wanting to startle his friend into an action that could be fatal to both of them. Jesse crept closer and closer until he could almost touch Steve.
"Don't come any closer Jesse. You'll make us fall." The fear in his voice was clear and it broke Mark's heart.
"We're not going to fall Steve. Listen to me Buddy. I want you to take my hand and together we are going to climb back onto the roof and go back inside, OK. Steve look at me." Jesse was so close, but he was afraid if he grabbed his friend he would make things worse.
Mark stood by and watched helplessly as Jesse tried to talk his son into letting go and coming back to the roof. Suddenly he found that Amanda had led several people up to the roof and was now flanked by Chief Masters and Captain Newman.
"How long has he been like this?" the Chief wanted to know.
"He's been out there for about ten minutes. He won't let go and I'm afraid if we insist he's going to react the wrong way and fall. We have to get him off that scaffold." Mark could hear the fear in his voice himself as he all but pleaded with the Chief.
"Jesse. I want you to come back up here and let me trade places with you." Jesse looked up as the Chief gave him the order. Without any sudden moves Jesse made his way back up over to the roof and stepped out of the way as John Masters descended to the scaffold.
With confidence and assurance Masters stepped up to his detective who had a death grip on the bars of the scaffold and with a voice that was smooth, even and stern he ordered the Lieutenant to stand up. Steve merely shook his head no and never budged.
"Lieutenant, I said stand up." As he gave the order he reached down and took Steve under the arm and pulled him to his feet. "Now let go of the bars and follow me over to the roof."
Steve just stood still never letting go of the bars. Masters once again tried to order his detective into submission. But this time Steve could not make himself do as he was ordered.
Masters turned to Steve and with out any warning landed a right fist into Steve's jaw knocking him smooth out. As the Chief leaned in to catch the unconscious detective over his shoulder he said. "There is more than one way to get him off this scaffold. I'm sorry Mark. I had hoped to avoid this."
As Mark and Newman leaned over to drag Steve up onto the roof Mark said to the Chief. "I don't care how you got him off there. You could of shot him in the leg for all I care. I just wanted to get him off that scaffold before he fell."
As the Chief scrambled back onto the roof Mark reached out and touched his arm. The Chief looked at the Doctor and seeing the gratitude in the older man's face the Chief merely nodded towards the unconscious figure laying on the roof and said. "I hope I didn't hurt him. I didn't want to hit him to hard but your son has a very hard head."
Jesse smiled up at the Chief and assured him. "He's alright. He might have a headache but that's better than the alternative."
When Steve opened his eyes he found himself lying on the exam bed in his father's exam room. He started to sit up but a firm hand kept him where he was.
"Lay still son. You need to take things slow for a moment." Mark reached for his little light to check Steve's pupils.
"What happened? How did I get here? Where's Edwards?" Steve fired out the questions anxious that he had missed the thief again.
"Slow down Lieutenant. Edwards is in custody. He's through playing games with you. You got here because I hit you and brought you down here." There was no apology in the Chief's voice as he answered Steve's questions.
Steve stared at the Chief, as he comprehended what he had just been told. "You hit me sir? Why?" Steve was confused to why his Chief would hit him and knock him out.
"It was the only way we could get you off the scaffolding Buddy. You had a grip on that thing that dynamite couldn't loosen. The Chief did the only thing that he could. Oh, and by the way, I think you are in big trouble." Jesse smiled at his friend as if enjoying the fact that Steve was about to get his butt chewed out.
Steve looked up at the three faces that were starring at him from above. He felt that he was at a distinct disadvantage since he was being forced to stay in a somewhat prone position.
"Am I in trouble?" He asked the three faces.
"Oh yea." Came the reply from all three men.
Steve stole a look at Jesse who seemed to be having the time of his life as he watched the man that he had come to think of as his big brother squirming on the bed. This was going to be good and he wasn't about to miss a single word of it.
For the next forty-five minutes all Steve could do was lay there and endure the lectures and the wrath from his Chief and Captain.
"What were you thinking Lieutenant?" The Chief demanded from Steve.
"I was thinking Sir, that if I didn't do as he said that we would never catch him. He was quite plain about his instructions. I couldn't take that chance. Surely even you can understand that." Steve was pleading for mercy and getting none.
"No I can not understand that. You went against orders and nearly got yourself killed." The Chief shot back.
"But I wasn't killed. In fact I don't see a scratch on me." Steve tried to plead his case again.
"Only because the Chief went out there and got you Steven Michael. You were petrified out there and we couldn't get you back on the roof. You were wrong and you know it." Mark was very angry with his son at this point.
'OK. This isn't getting any better. Dad just used my full name. That means that I'm not getting off easy at all. And if Jesse doesn't wipe that smug look off his face I'm going to wipe it off for him. He's having way too much fun over this.' Thought Steve.
"You are suspended for one week. Then after that you are assigned to your desk for one more." The order was swift and smooth, cutting through the air like a knife. Masters never batted an eye as he delivered it.
"Two weeks of inactive duty. Isn't that a little harsh sir." Steve pleaded.
"On the contrary. I think it is just what you need. I want you to have plenty of time to think about what you could have done better. End of discussion." The Chief looked at Steve daring him to defy his orders.
"I think he will have plenty of time to think about his decision and how he could have made a different one. You're grounded for the next week. No dates. No going out with Jesse. You stay home and practice following orders." Mark felt something he hadn't felt in over twenty years as he dealt out Steve's punishment. It felt good too.
Steve just stared at his father with his mouth open. His Dad hadn't grounded him since he was a kid. No way this could be happening. "You have got to be kidding me."
"You try me and see if I'm kidding. You are still my son and I'm your father. You will not go out for a week. What you did was dangerous and careless. You scared the life out of me. I want you to think about that."
Steve knew he had put his father threw a very bad scare so he decided to just take his punishment and try to help his father get over the trauma of seeing his son frozen on a scaffold ten floors off the ground. He stole a glance over at Jesse who was still smiling smugly at his friend who was emerged up to his neck in hot water.
"Does that mean that I can't even go into the restraunt and work my shifts?" Steve looked up at his dad with innocence.
"That means you won't leave the house period and that's final young man." Came Marks answer.
Steve looked over at his friend and smiled innocently. "Sorry Jess. I guess you are going to have to cover my shifts until I get through with my grounding." It was a small victory, and one that Steve knew would not be of much help in about two days when he was about to go bug eyed nuts from having to stay in the house. But for now it made him feel a little better. Especially now that Jesse had a very confused look on his face.
"Wait a minute. How come he gets into trouble and I get punished too." Jesse asked.
"Well think about it this way Jesse. While you are out catching some waves, Steve will only be allowed to stand and watch. Now do you feel better?" Mark smiled at both of the boys as he saw the smile on Steve's face transfer to Jesse and the frown that had been on Jesse's face transfer to Steve's.
It had been a long time since Mark felt the need to deal with his son in such a manner. Well maybe not a long time. The truth was there had been lots of times he would like to have dealt some good old fashioned parental discipline. Well there was no time like the present.
Finished.
Mark started to climb over to the scaffold when he felt a hand on his arm.
"Mark wait. Let me go and get him." It was Jesse who was already climbing down to the scaffold to go and bring his friend in.
Mark watched as the young doctor climbed over the wall and landed lightly onto the floor of the scaffold. Jesse started a quiet monologue not wanting to startle his friend into an action that could be fatal to both of them. Jesse crept closer and closer until he could almost touch Steve.
"Don't come any closer Jesse. You'll make us fall." The fear in his voice was clear and it broke Mark's heart.
"We're not going to fall Steve. Listen to me Buddy. I want you to take my hand and together we are going to climb back onto the roof and go back inside, OK. Steve look at me." Jesse was so close, but he was afraid if he grabbed his friend he would make things worse.
Mark stood by and watched helplessly as Jesse tried to talk his son into letting go and coming back to the roof. Suddenly he found that Amanda had led several people up to the roof and was now flanked by Chief Masters and Captain Newman.
"How long has he been like this?" the Chief wanted to know.
"He's been out there for about ten minutes. He won't let go and I'm afraid if we insist he's going to react the wrong way and fall. We have to get him off that scaffold." Mark could hear the fear in his voice himself as he all but pleaded with the Chief.
"Jesse. I want you to come back up here and let me trade places with you." Jesse looked up as the Chief gave him the order. Without any sudden moves Jesse made his way back up over to the roof and stepped out of the way as John Masters descended to the scaffold.
With confidence and assurance Masters stepped up to his detective who had a death grip on the bars of the scaffold and with a voice that was smooth, even and stern he ordered the Lieutenant to stand up. Steve merely shook his head no and never budged.
"Lieutenant, I said stand up." As he gave the order he reached down and took Steve under the arm and pulled him to his feet. "Now let go of the bars and follow me over to the roof."
Steve just stood still never letting go of the bars. Masters once again tried to order his detective into submission. But this time Steve could not make himself do as he was ordered.
Masters turned to Steve and with out any warning landed a right fist into Steve's jaw knocking him smooth out. As the Chief leaned in to catch the unconscious detective over his shoulder he said. "There is more than one way to get him off this scaffold. I'm sorry Mark. I had hoped to avoid this."
As Mark and Newman leaned over to drag Steve up onto the roof Mark said to the Chief. "I don't care how you got him off there. You could of shot him in the leg for all I care. I just wanted to get him off that scaffold before he fell."
As the Chief scrambled back onto the roof Mark reached out and touched his arm. The Chief looked at the Doctor and seeing the gratitude in the older man's face the Chief merely nodded towards the unconscious figure laying on the roof and said. "I hope I didn't hurt him. I didn't want to hit him to hard but your son has a very hard head."
Jesse smiled up at the Chief and assured him. "He's alright. He might have a headache but that's better than the alternative."
When Steve opened his eyes he found himself lying on the exam bed in his father's exam room. He started to sit up but a firm hand kept him where he was.
"Lay still son. You need to take things slow for a moment." Mark reached for his little light to check Steve's pupils.
"What happened? How did I get here? Where's Edwards?" Steve fired out the questions anxious that he had missed the thief again.
"Slow down Lieutenant. Edwards is in custody. He's through playing games with you. You got here because I hit you and brought you down here." There was no apology in the Chief's voice as he answered Steve's questions.
Steve stared at the Chief, as he comprehended what he had just been told. "You hit me sir? Why?" Steve was confused to why his Chief would hit him and knock him out.
"It was the only way we could get you off the scaffolding Buddy. You had a grip on that thing that dynamite couldn't loosen. The Chief did the only thing that he could. Oh, and by the way, I think you are in big trouble." Jesse smiled at his friend as if enjoying the fact that Steve was about to get his butt chewed out.
Steve looked up at the three faces that were starring at him from above. He felt that he was at a distinct disadvantage since he was being forced to stay in a somewhat prone position.
"Am I in trouble?" He asked the three faces.
"Oh yea." Came the reply from all three men.
Steve stole a look at Jesse who seemed to be having the time of his life as he watched the man that he had come to think of as his big brother squirming on the bed. This was going to be good and he wasn't about to miss a single word of it.
For the next forty-five minutes all Steve could do was lay there and endure the lectures and the wrath from his Chief and Captain.
"What were you thinking Lieutenant?" The Chief demanded from Steve.
"I was thinking Sir, that if I didn't do as he said that we would never catch him. He was quite plain about his instructions. I couldn't take that chance. Surely even you can understand that." Steve was pleading for mercy and getting none.
"No I can not understand that. You went against orders and nearly got yourself killed." The Chief shot back.
"But I wasn't killed. In fact I don't see a scratch on me." Steve tried to plead his case again.
"Only because the Chief went out there and got you Steven Michael. You were petrified out there and we couldn't get you back on the roof. You were wrong and you know it." Mark was very angry with his son at this point.
'OK. This isn't getting any better. Dad just used my full name. That means that I'm not getting off easy at all. And if Jesse doesn't wipe that smug look off his face I'm going to wipe it off for him. He's having way too much fun over this.' Thought Steve.
"You are suspended for one week. Then after that you are assigned to your desk for one more." The order was swift and smooth, cutting through the air like a knife. Masters never batted an eye as he delivered it.
"Two weeks of inactive duty. Isn't that a little harsh sir." Steve pleaded.
"On the contrary. I think it is just what you need. I want you to have plenty of time to think about what you could have done better. End of discussion." The Chief looked at Steve daring him to defy his orders.
"I think he will have plenty of time to think about his decision and how he could have made a different one. You're grounded for the next week. No dates. No going out with Jesse. You stay home and practice following orders." Mark felt something he hadn't felt in over twenty years as he dealt out Steve's punishment. It felt good too.
Steve just stared at his father with his mouth open. His Dad hadn't grounded him since he was a kid. No way this could be happening. "You have got to be kidding me."
"You try me and see if I'm kidding. You are still my son and I'm your father. You will not go out for a week. What you did was dangerous and careless. You scared the life out of me. I want you to think about that."
Steve knew he had put his father threw a very bad scare so he decided to just take his punishment and try to help his father get over the trauma of seeing his son frozen on a scaffold ten floors off the ground. He stole a glance over at Jesse who was still smiling smugly at his friend who was emerged up to his neck in hot water.
"Does that mean that I can't even go into the restraunt and work my shifts?" Steve looked up at his dad with innocence.
"That means you won't leave the house period and that's final young man." Came Marks answer.
Steve looked over at his friend and smiled innocently. "Sorry Jess. I guess you are going to have to cover my shifts until I get through with my grounding." It was a small victory, and one that Steve knew would not be of much help in about two days when he was about to go bug eyed nuts from having to stay in the house. But for now it made him feel a little better. Especially now that Jesse had a very confused look on his face.
"Wait a minute. How come he gets into trouble and I get punished too." Jesse asked.
"Well think about it this way Jesse. While you are out catching some waves, Steve will only be allowed to stand and watch. Now do you feel better?" Mark smiled at both of the boys as he saw the smile on Steve's face transfer to Jesse and the frown that had been on Jesse's face transfer to Steve's.
It had been a long time since Mark felt the need to deal with his son in such a manner. Well maybe not a long time. The truth was there had been lots of times he would like to have dealt some good old fashioned parental discipline. Well there was no time like the present.
Finished.