Hope there won´t be many mistakes, because my dictionary isn´t working right now.
All disclaimers apply.
Old Acquintance
PTL Fan Fiction by Nicol Leoraine
5. Part
"But no shot guns. The knife can stay, I´ll keep mine. The boys will not interfere, wouldn´t they?" smiled Richter at the others, though they didn´t react. Nick took down his jacket and both guns from the holsters, keeping only the knife. He weighed his chances and came to the conclusion he didn´t have any. Even if he wouldn´t be injured, Richter taught him. It was hard to conquer him. But Nick was injured. With broken arm it was almost impossible to win, and he knew it, just like Richter or Derek. If he has to got a chance, he will need all the guarding angels on the world.
He looked at Richter and their eyes locked. The men were gone, it was just Richter, Nick and Derek in the cave. Both of them stepped away from Derek so they´ll have enough space for the fight. Richter bowed and Nick repeated the move, even so slightly. The fight started.
They circled each other, as Richter attacked. The knife was aimed at Nick´s throat, but Nick side stepped and kicked Richter to the stomach. He only laughed and launched for Nick´s abdomen, this time scratching him, when Nick kicked the knife out of his hand.
This time it was Nick who attacked and cut Richter´s arm. He took a step back, growling, and wildly kicked out. Though Nick awaited this move and was prepared for it. He jumped from the way and pulled the leg from under Richter, sending him to the ground. That was the chance Nick needed as he launched at Richter. They fought few minutes, till Nick realized, that if he don´t do something more effective, he would lose, and Derek will die.
Nick pushed Richter out from his way and jumped up as quickly as he could manage. He get to the jars with all the spiders and started tossing them on the ground. As they one by one shattered, Richter screamed and jumped at Nick. He didn´t see Richter, but hearing the scream Nick turned and Richter impaled himself at Nick´s knife.
The spiders were everywhere, crawling up at Richter. Nick used the distraction and run to Derek, cutting the ropes his hands. He was about to take down the tape, when he saw Derek´s warning look and quickly turned, instantly kicking out the rifle from Wakefield´s hand. When he cut his throat, Wakefield fell and vanished. Richter sent every member of his team at Nick, but he always somehow escaped, killing them one by one. Derek meanwhile took down the rope from his legs, along with the tape - just in time to scream in warning.
"Nick - behind you!"
Nick turned and with his peripheral vision spotted Richter, aiming at him with a gun. Nick jumped as Richter fired. Luckily the bullett missed him. Derek also fell to the ground, trying to evade any stray bullets. Richter once again aimed, half lying on the ground surrounded by his precious spiders. A shot rung out, but it wasn´t Richter who fired. Richter was looking at Nick, while the blood run down his face. He was still staring at him, when his heart stopped beating. Nick carefuly stood, not letting his eyes down of the dead body and stepped to him. He didn´t utter a voice, only stared. Then in a slow motion raised his gun and fired, once, twice... till the cartridge was empty. His finger pushed the trigger even though there were no more bullets. Derek slowly approached him, not wanting to scare him. He touched Nick´s arm and the gun fell from his hand. With a tired eyes he looked at Derek and in the next second collapsed at the floor. Derek caught him in the last second, pulling him up and out of the cave full of crawling spiders. No one stopped them and Derek doubted he will see any of the soldiers from Nick´s team in the future.
It was dark outside and Derek eased Nick down to the ground, near the entry to the cave.
"Nick? Come on, wake up," pleaded Derek, though without success.
"We have to get away from here," he said, and even if he don´t wanted to leave him alone, Derek had to go back inside the cave. There must be something to help them, he mused, trying to watch out for any spider, though it was futile, because all of them were on Richter, covering his dead body. He started to search the hall. First he needed something for light, then something warm for Nick and himself. He found a flashlight and some garments, though he wasn´t curious as to whom they belonged. Once he turned up the flashlight, something sparked on the table and Derek found the keys from a car. Now only find that car, and they could even get out of this all right. He took the keys and left the cave, returning to Nick.
He was still unconscious and Derek had a chance to look at him for the first time, thanks the flashlight. The Precept cringed at the sight. Nick´s face was bruised, he had several cuts from the knife on his torso, though they don´t looked too deep or life threatening. His broken arm was twice its original size and Nick was visible shaking. Derek covered him with his jacket he found back in the cave and tried to woke him.
"Nick, wake up!" Derek slapped him lightly on the face and Nick blinked, looking at him in confusion.
"Wh-what was that for?" he mumbled, in the end of his strengths, which scared Derek the most.
"Sorry, Nick. I need you to stay awake. Do you understand me?"
"Yeah," came the soft reply.
"Okay. Richter´s dead, you can relax. It ended. How are you feeling?"
"Like crap," said Nick and Derek felt the fear creeping in his stomach. Nick qwould say "I´ll be fine" even on his death bed.
"Just hold on, Nick. I found a keys from the car. I´m going to look around. Just - hang on, okay?"
"´kay. Be... careful." This brought a slight smile on Derek´s lips.
"I´ll be."
With a flashlight, he started to look for some foot trail or road. After a while, he found it. Before him lay a narrow forrest-road, not very travelled one, butit didn´t matter. The thing that really mattered was the red Dodge Pick Up sitting there. Not the faster car, but Derek was grateful for anything driveable. He tried the keys and let out a sigh of relief when the doors opened. He quickly found his way back to Nick, who looked asleep, but opened his eyes when Derek touched him.
"I found the car. We can go home."
With Derek´s help, Nick stood up. Limping, they slowly made it to the Pickup. Derek helped Nick inside and seated himslf on the driver´s place. He put the keys to the ignition and before turning them, he let out a silent prayer. The motor started and Derek smiled, the first real smile in the last days. Turning on the lights, he stepped on the gas.
It took them a hour to get out of the forest, as slowly as they could at the dark. Another hour when Derek spotted the first city lights, and twenty minutes till they found a hospital. Nick slept through the drive but when Derek tried to rouse him now, he didn´t react, so Derek left the car and walked inside the Emergency room. It was three in the morning and the nurse sitting by the admit desk stared with dismay at the disheveled, older man with trails of blood on his clothing. But Derek ignored it and asked for help.
"I need a doctor. My friend is in the car, probably unconscious. We crashed and had few other problems." The nurse called the doctor, who along with the stretcher get to the car. Assessing Nick´s condition, they immediatelly admitted him to the hospital and brought him inside the emergency room. Derek followed them, but was stopped in front of the doors to the exam room. A nurse asked him if he is in a need of medical treatment, but when Derek replied with a "I´m all right," she led him to the waiting area. Derek now paced from one side to the other, nervous, because nobody told him anything. Eventually he realized that he must contact Alex and Rachel, and presumably call off the search party. He asked for some change, as he didn´t have any, promising to pay it back as soon as someone comes after him. It was Mitchell who took the call.
"Hey, Mitchell. Can I talk to Alex or Rachel?"
"Sir? Is that you?!"
"Of course," answered Derek a little irritated.
"Dr. Rayne! Thank God, we were so afraid... Are you all right?"
"Yes, Mitchell," answered Derek with a little more enthusiasm than he felt. "Can you give me Alex?"
"Of course, sir."
After a moment the voice of Alex Moreau almost exploded in Derek´s head, as she pretty much shouted to the phone.
"Derek? Are you all right? What happened? Where are you?" she rattled of the questions.
"Calm down, Alex. I´m all right. We´re at the hospital in the city called Claiton."
"Hospital? What happened? Is Nick okay?" the fear she felt for them was back and he heard she was close to tears.
"Alex, I´ll explain everything, once you got here. Nick is in the ER, I brought him in about twenty minutes earlier. They didn´t told me anything, though I think he´ll make it. Now try to calm down, I want you to inform Sloan and call off the search, then get in the car and come here."
"We´re on the way," said Alex, trying to control her emotions. They´re safe, and Nick will make it. He always did. "Hold on, and if anything - call me on my cell phone. Bye."
"Bye," muttered Derek to the deaf phone and hanged up. Few minutes later an older Dr. emerged from the exam room, holding a chart in his hand.
"You´re here with Mr. Boyle?"
"Yes. How is he?"
"I´m Dr. Richard Jackson. Are you a relative?"
"Dr. Derek Rayne. No, we´re not relatives, though I knew his father and I´m currently working with Nick. So... how is he?"
"He should be okay. They´re just taking him up to the OR, because of that broken arm. He also had few deeper cuts, that were stitched up. Two broken ribs, three bruised. Abrasions and severe bruising on his upper body, as well as legs. Pretty concussion, that will need to be observed closely for the next twenty four hours. Also a dehydratation. All in all, he´ll stay here for few days, probably a week. We put him on wide scale antibiotics, to treat the infection from the cuts. He now need plenty of rest to let his body heal, but I think there shouldn´t be any complications."
Derek let out a sigh full of relief, feeling as if someone just took a worlds height down of his shoulder.
"I just wanted to ask, Mr. Rayne-"
"Yes?"
"Some of the injuries are almost two days old, while the others are fresh. What happened?"
"Out helicopter crashed in the woods, then some lunatic started playing games with us. That´s all."
"I recommend you inform the police," said Dr. Jackson and Derek only nodded.
"I think also you need some rest. Go to the hotel, Mr. Boyle will be all right"
Derek shook his head.
"No, thanks. I want to be there when he wake up, and anyway I´m waiting for my friends. They´re searching for us for two days. I can´t leave." Doctor smiled at him with understanding.
"Okay. You´ll need to wait a little longer, until he´s out of the OR. After that he´ll be in the Recovery for another half hour at least, then they´ll move him to a normal room. I´ll tell the nurse so she would let you stay there, though I´ll first ask her for some clothes, so you can get cleaned up."
"Thank you, Dr. Jackson."
"You´re welcome," said the doctor and retreated.
The nurse brought Derek some clothes and showed him, where he could change. Derek washed up and returned to the waiting room, where he resumed his pacing. After a considerable amount of time, the nurse informed Derek that Nick is out of the Recovery and getting settled in a regular room. When Derek entered the room, he found a pale Nick lying on the white bed, with IV and cardiogram. His head was re-bandaged, along with the ribs. The piece of body that wasn´t covered, showed bruises in different stages and color. His left arm was in a soft bulky dressing and a large Ace wrap. Derek touched his face, as if assure himfels that they´re really there, alive. After that he sit down to the chair near Nick´s bed. In a moment he was asleep.
And that was the way Alex and Rachel found them a while later. Alex walked to Nick´s bed and Rachel touched Derek´s shoulder to wake him up. Derek stirred and looked up at Rachel, instantly smiling when he recognized the face.
"Hi," Rachel hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Derek raised his eyebrow.
"That was for what?"
"That you´re alive." Derek only now spotted Alex, who also hugged him.
"God, we were so afraid. What happened?"
"I see you´re surrounded by beautiful women, Derek,"
Everyone turned to Nick, who was just trying to sit up, but it was a futile effort. Alex and Rachel were instantly next to him."
"Hey, Sports. I see your eyes are intacted," said Alex with a laugh.
"How are you feeling?" asked Rachel, always the doctor and Nick thought about the answer.
"Will you take ´Fine´as an answer?"
"No."
"Well, in that case - miserable. One question Derek."
"Shoot,"
"How did we get there?"
"What´s the last thing you remember?" Nick frowned, thinking.
"The fight."
Both Alex and Rachel were surprised by the answer. They thought Nick and Derek only crashed. Derek meanwhile nodded and Nick continued with trepidation.
"I remember Richter on my knife, then the fight with Banks, Scott and Wakefield. You warned me... and I turned to Richter. He fired... then I fired. Did I hit him?"
Alex and Rachel were both confused. Richter? But he´s dead, thought Rachel and feared that Nick was hallucinating.
"You hit him," assured him Derek.
"Is he dead? Really dead?"
"I think so. You emptied the whole cartridge at him." This surprised Nick.
"What happened next?"
"You collapsed, I found the car and voila, we´re here."
"A car?" Nick was confused. "What would Richter do with a car?"
"It was a mystery to me too, up to the moment I found the map to Angel Island and also a plan for the helicopter and some changes he made. I think he did it himself."
Nick was satisfied of the reply, at least for now. Later, he will have to make some changes in the security system. Looking around himself, for the first time realizing his own condition, he spotted the bandage on his left arm and tried to lift it.
"Leave it down, Nick," advised him Rachel.
"And I thought it will be in a cast," mused Nick.
"No, they had to set it operatively, in that cases there don´t use to be a cast."
"Oh - so what´s holding it together?"
"Pins," said Rachel with a smile as Nick frowned, not sure if she´s just kidding or not. Nevermind, he left the arm on the bed, concentrating on the pure fact he´s in the hospital a place he so hated. Well, thinking what they get through, it was still a better place to be than morgue, but he didn´t have to like it anyway.
"When can I go home?"
Derek, who knew how will Nick react, looked at Rachel with a plea for help, but Rachel and Alex tried to be unseen.
"Uhm... few days... maybe."
"Days?! What do you mean, days? I want out right now!" exclaimed Nik, but stopped, for the first time registering the painful throbbing in his head and ribs, along with a really uncomfortable feeling of nausea.
"You´ll have to talk with the doctor, about that," advised him Derek and Nick looked at Rachel with pleading eyes. She laughed, but shook her head.
"No, Nick. You´ll stay, and that´s final. At least we´ll know you´re out of trouble."
"This wasn´t my fault," protested Nick.
"We know. You stay," said Alex and Nick frowned at her.
"Traitor," hissed Nick at the double image, blinking.
"Derek, we reserved rooms in the hotel. We can stay here for few days, until they release Nick."
"Good. Alex - did you inform Sloan?"
"Yeah, and he said you should immediatelly call him." Derek let out a sigh, as the doors opened and Dr. jackson walked in, nodding at the others. Nick didn´t look very appreciative when he walked next to his bed.
"Mr. Boyle - I´m glad you´re up. I´m your doctor - Richard jackson." Not waiting for the reply, Dr. Jackson turned at the others.
"I will have to examine my patient. If you can give us few minutes?"
The others quickly retreated, leaving them alone.
"When can I go home?" asked Nick, trying to supress the growing nausea.
"Should I first examine you?" asked Dr. Jackson with amusement. Nick would have protested, but he had enough to concentrate on as the pain medications from the anesthesia were wearing off. The doctor examined him, taking notice of his blurred vision and pain.
"I´m sorry, we can´t give you nothing stronger then Tylenol right now, but I´m prescribing you some Compazine, so you won´t feel the nausea. To answer your question, you should be outa here in three maybe four days."
"That much?"
"Can be more, if you will not cooperate. Now try and get some sleep."
"I need to - talk with Derek."
"He can come back later,"
"No, doctor. Please - it´s important," insisted Nick.
"Okay," concured the doctor and left the room. The others were waiting behind the doors.
"I´ll send in a nurse with his medication. I want him to sleep, but he needed to talk with you, Mr. Rayne. He said it´s important. Five minutes, then I want you all gone. Is that understood?"
"Yes," replied Derek. Rachel and Alex said their goodbyes and left, knowing that Nick will probably want to talk with Derek in private.
"The doctor said you wanted to talk with me about something important, Nick."
"Yeah I... I wanted to ask, if it´s not too much..."
"Nick, you know I´ll help you with anything," said Derek, seeing that Nick has a hard time formulating his question.
"Yeah, I know. It´s just a little silly..."
"Go on,"
"Will you return to the cave and see, if Richter´s really dead?" blurted out Nick.
"Ah," sighed Derek.
"Never mind, Derek," said Nick, thinking it was a refusal.
"No, I will do it, Nick," assured him Derek. "really. I think we have to do it anyway - Sloan will want to know too."
"Derek? Don´t go alone."
"I won´t."
Nick was trying hard to keep his eyes open, but it was a futile job.
"Sleep Nick. We will came later today."
"Huh?" Nick didn´t understood.
"It´s already six in the morning, Nick. I need some sleep, too," grinned Derek and stood. He was in the doors, when he heard Nick mutter sleepily.
"Thanks Derek."
"You´re welcome," was the answer as he left the room and joined the two waiting women. Both Alex and Rachel were curious as to what happened, though Derek didn´t talk with them. Once in the hotel room Derek realized it´s already morning and he have to explain everything to Rachel and Alex, not mentioning the call to Sloan. Only morning, but he was already bone tired. Now that the adrenaline rush abated, his energy was spent and the only thing he longed for was a warm and comfortable bed. But he resisted the urge to send everyone away, sit at the couch and ordered cofee and food from the hotel service. Once the food was there, he started to explain.
"At least we now know why the rescuers couldn´t find the chopper. Richter played with the navigation system, and you were diverted from your course. You were flying straight into his trap."
"Yes. If we get a new helicopter, we will have to make better security arrangements. If we get a new chopper."
"Ah, if we´re talking about them, where is the old one?"
"I think I could find it. I knew where it was on the map. The chopper wasn´t damaged badly - though I´m not sure what Richter did with the system. By the way - we´re going back to the cave. Does anyone of you come with me?"
"Why in the God´s name would you want to return there?" exclaimed the surprised Rachel.
"Nick asked me to. He want´s to make sure that Richter is definitely dead, and I want to check it out myself."
"I´ll go," said Alex. Rachel don´t needed to think about it anymore and agreed. Derek yawned.
"I think you should rest now. Nick wasn´t the only one lost. Go to sleep, and we´ll go to that cave later."
"But you should find the time for a call to Sloan," reminded him Alex on her way out. Derek felt ten years older, when he picked up the phone.
Later that day, Derek was woken up by a knock at the door. He tiredly looked at his watches and was surprised to find it´s already past noon. He get up, dressed and opened the doors.
"Good morning, Derek. How did you sleep?"
"Like somone knocked the light out of me. You should´ve woke me sooner."
"We didn´t have the heart. Come on, I bet you didn´t eat much the last days. We´re going to the lunch, then to the cave." They found a little restaurant not so far from the hotel, sit down and ordered some food.
"I wanted to see Nick before we go," said Derek.
"Don´t worry, he won´t miss us now," chuckled Alex. Derek frowned.
"We just came from the hospital, Derek. Though Nick wasn´t very talkative."
"Is he all right?"
"Oh yeah, but he´s sleeping - like a baby. He´s so sweet," cooed Alex and Derek almost burst out laughing. He could imagine Nick, hearing those words. The image itself was scary.
After the meal, they headed for the forest. It took a little more time to find the cave. Derek took his flashlight and the three of them walked inside. They approached the hall slowly, though now when ther was no one to threaten them, it looked smaller to Derek. The hall where Nick only hours before fought for his life with Richter and his team was silent. Waving the flashlight through the room and pointed it at the place, where lied Richter.
For a second Derek´s heart stopped and he heard that Alex and Rachel gasped behind his back. Under the light of the torch something moved. When Derek realized what it is, he had to supress an urge to vomit.
The spiders that gave Richter his life not so long before, were now squirming at his skeleton. Only hours ago it was a body, with clothes and meat. Now there were only bones and pieces of meat, that quickly dissipated in the spiders entrails. Derek turned away and walked out of the cave, followed by Alex and Rachel.
Three days later, Nick was finally released. The first day he slept away, waking only for a while when the others came. They told him about the skeleton and Derek assured Nick that this time, he really was dead. After a quick conversation about what was going n while they were missing, Nick once again fell asleep.
The second day it was a little worse, because Nick was feeling a little better, which meant, that he was not willing to sleep away the day. Alex was making him company, and by the end of the day, she was ready to knock him out with anything - a sleeping aid or hammer. Derek and Rachel meanwhile helped Sloan´s team, which was sent to collect the wreck.
The third day was pure hell for the staff of the hospital, as well as for the Legacy team. It took all of Derek´s authority like a Precept to made Nick behave. Finally, at the morning of the fourth day, Dr. Jackson discharged Nick much to the patients as well as the nurse staff´s relief. When they made it down to the parking lot, Alex and Rachel seated themselves in the back of the car, while Nick lingered at the front. With a chaffing smile he asked Derek:
"Can I drive?"
Derek shot him a bewildered look and answered:
"When the hell freeze."
Nick laughed and along with Derek get to the car, so they could head to home.
THE END
I know this was a little short ending, sorry. I´m working on the new fic - Noble Memoirs. You should check it out in a day or two.
Your comments or reviews are greatly appreciated at or leave a review.
Maybe it´s a little soon, but - pretty hollidays and much snow at Christmas wishes Nicol Leoraine)
"Courage!
I have shown it for years;
think you I shall lose it
at the moment when my suferings are to end"
- Marie Antoinette
"If you are going through hell, keep going."
Sir Winston Churchill
"One cannot live with the dead; either we die with them, or we make them live again."
-Loius Martin-Chauffer