Sorry, Sorry, Sorry. My windows operating system crashed and I had to rewrite this story.

Hurry Up Part 3

Secret service scrambled to get into place. There had been no further communication with the terrorist, and would not be for another 10 minutes. Simon wished he were in the building. He had teams setting up cameras from crawl spaces and air ducts, but he wanted to be physically in the building; he wanted to be the one to take out the terrorists. He had the utmost faith in his men, but it was personal.

"Sir, all teams are in place, and ready to go." His lead announced.

"Hurry up and wait." He said to himself.

Josh was finding it increasingly hard to make objective decisions. CJ was drifting in and out of consciousness. Part of him knew she was in shock and he should keep her awake, but she was in so much pain the other part of him wanted to let her sleep through it all.

"CJ, you need to stay with us." Sam, the voice of reason, spoke. His hand gently touched her shoulder, hoping the physical contact would keep her with him.

CJ's eyes fluttered open. They all could tell she was trying to stay awake, but was loosing the battle. "I'm not going anywhere." She answered quietly.

"We're going to hold you to that." Sam responded. He needed to keep her talking. "CJ, you need to drink some water. You're going to dehydrate from the loss of blood." She nodded and Sam looked up at Josh. They were going to need to move her to get her into a position to drink.

Josh nodded his understanding. "We're going to sit you up, ok?" He felt her body tense, and her grip on his hand tightened. "We'll take it slow."

CJ tried to push herself up off Josh's lap, but her arms could not support any weight. Sam slipped his arm under her chest careful to avoid touching her back. Once in a sitting position she leaned forward, supported by Josh's arm across her chest. While she sipped water offered by Donna, the terrorist suddenly came to life as Waleed entered the room.

"They aren't going to listen to us." He told Khalid.

"We figured that was going to happen. I'm sure they've surrounded the building while we've been waiting here."

"What now?" Waleed asked.

"We leave, and take a hostage with us." He answered simply.

Waleed eyed Josh, "Let's take her. Leave the rest of the President's staff. They seemed to be quite attached. Maybe they can sway the President."

Josh's grip on CJ unconsciously tightened causing her to shift uncomfortably.

"Plus she's injured, that may make them respond faster."

The negotiator hung up the phone, and shook his head. Simon spoke into his wrist wire. "Negotiations failed, take the building."

Everything was out of his hands now. From experience he knew the frenzy of activity that was occurring because of his order even if he couldn't see it. He also trusted his people and he trusted his plan. "Hurry up and wait." He breathed.

Secret service swarmed in from every direction. Sam was helpless to wait until the activity settled. Once he heard a series of all clears, he got up from his friend's prone position. "They're gone, they just went through that door." He told one of the agents.

The agent glanced done at Josh, now unconscious with blood running down his forehead. "Where's Ms. Cregg?"

"They took her. Please, they just left." Sam pleaded.

"Fredericks, Hanson, Schmidt, let's go...White, get the paramedics in here now." Just as suddenly as they arrive, the agents were in pursuit of the terrorists, and paramedics were treating Josh, who had taken a butt of a rifle in the head as he tried to protect CJ.

Sam looked off to the door where the agents just disappeared through, and where his friend moments before was pulled through.

CJ struggled to keep up with her tormentors. Her hands were tied and her back felt like it was on fire. She suddenly stumbled causing Waleed to swear and kick her back. The pain, that she thought only moments before could not get any worse, became a physical object she swore she could touch. Then hands roughly grabbed hold of her right arm lifting her with such force she heard a pop in her shoulder. She was pushed through a door and the cold November air hit her. She was shoved into a van, closed her eyes and took a moment of solace in the fact that they had stopped moving. Before Khalid could start the vehicle the side door opened once again, and CJ heard four gun shots. Her brain failed to register Waleed falling lifeless to the ground next to her. She closed her eyes again and waited for the bullet that would kill her. In that moment she realized that she loved Josh more than anyone in her life. Their idea that some things were just more important than love was the most foolish idea she had ever had. Now that she was about to die she would have given anything to—suddenly a hand touched her shoulder. She jumped slightly, and then heard her name.

"CJ, it's Simon. CJ you're safe open your eyes." Simon tried to comfort her. He was physically affected by the fear and pain evident in her face. He heard his team come up behind him. "Get the paramedics here right now. Consider that a presidential order!"

CJ's eyes flew open, finally registering the fact that she was still alive. The fear in her eyes was evident as she looked at her savior, "Simon?"

"Yeah CJ, you're going to be ok." He spoke trying to shield her eyes from the four bodies now lifeless within the van. "I need to move you to untie your hands." CJ nodded and Simon shifted her limp body and began working the rope gently. Her wrists were already rubbed raw.

"Josh?" She pleaded as her eyes drifted shut again.

Donovan could see she was fading fast, "CJ you gotta stay awake." The van shifted as the paramedics entered. Simon moved out of the way, but still not willing to leave her side. The President had called him personally just before the strike began, {{CJ is your personal priority. The rest of your team can be objective, but CJ's safe return is your responsibility}}. Now he watched her like a hawk; he would have anyway. The sudden activity around her made her shrink back in fear. Simon squeezed her hand, "CJ, it's ok. They're here to help. No one is going to hurt you anymore." She calmed slightly, but still flinched when one paramedic reached a hand out to insert an IV.

"CJ!" A voiced cried just outside the van. Simon heard people arguing, and he knowingly looked out to see Josh and Sam fighting with Hanson.

"Mark," Donovan spoke the agents name to get his attention. The message was received and Simon moved to meet Josh at the opening of the van.

"Mr. Lyman, the paramedics are looking her over right now. Wait until she's out—" Donovan was interrupted by a weak cry from CJ. Josh leapt into the vehicle to see the paramedics lowering her right arm. "It looked like her shoulder was pulled out of joint." Simon explained.

Josh wasn't listening, "CJ, I'm here, I'm right here." He whispered getting as close to her as possible.

TBD...