CHAPTER 7

"Put the scalpel back on the table, Doctor Troy," said Pepe suddenly. John turned to look at him innocently, but Pepe nodded to his arm, where he had concealed the scalpel, then back at the table. "Put it back now." And he cocked his gun directly into John's face.

Without saying anything, John put the scalpel back. He noticed that Sean was already sweating, and that his hand was shaking. With an abrupt movement, he knocked the tray of instruments to the ground, and whirled around to face his captors.

"I refuse to operate on this poor child," he said. "Do what you will, you can't force me."

Miguel smiled, an evil smile. "I can force you, or at least, I can force your partner."

"No," said Sean. "I won't do it either!" and he took a deep breath, and came around to stand next to John.

"Oh, how many times will you listen to your partner scream, Doctor McNamara, before you do what we want?" asked Miguel, still smiling, and grabbing John by the arm, and pulling him viciously off balance, and causing him to stumble up against the adjoining bedroom door.

Sean's eyes widened with horror. Miguel laughed, and hit John with the barrel of his gun, across the face, and John fell backwards, hitting his head on the door on the way down.

Pepe ignored what Miguel was doing, and calmly indicated to Sean, to pick up the instruments that had fallen on the floor, and commence his operation.

Miguel opened the adjoining bedroom door, and half shoved, half threw John through the opening, where he lay sprawled on the floor, looking slightly dazed, blood trickling down from his temple. Miguel smiled again, in cruel anticipation, and stepped into the bedroom, his hands undoing his belt buckle as he kicked the door shut.

Sean was frozen to the spot. Pepe, with an evil smirk, indicated again, that he start the operation, and perhaps, he said, Miguel would not kill his partner, just play with him a little.

Finally Sean bent down, and slowly began picking things off the floor, his heart thumping. At the same time, Salvatore came through the other door, angrily, enquiring what was going on!

The sound of thumps, and muffled yells came from the other bedroom. Salvatore smiled, and looked at Pepe.

"It appears as if Miguel is having his fun," he said smiling. "You had better start doing what we want Doctor, or like your partner, you might find facing yourself Miguel. And you would not like that experience, trust me."

"I can't use any of this now," said Sean shakily, indicating the dirty instruments. "I'll have to sterilize them befo…."

He broke off as an almost inhuman scream came from the bedroom next-door, loud, anguished and horrible and cut off with a suddenness that was even more shocking.

All three men paused, Sean's heart fell with a sickening thud; he thought he was going to be sick, he knew with a certainty now that there would be no miracle escape for them and that John, if not terribly injured in some horrible and disgusting way, was probably dead.

Salvatore gave a little laugh, and Pepe joined in. "Perhaps your partner is regretting his arrogant words now, Doctor McNamara," he said, grinning widely, his back to the opening door, as he gloated at Sean. "Perhaps he wishes he had not tried to annoy Miguel."

"Or not," said John, leaning in the doorway, looking remarkably calm if a little disheveled, and pointing Miguel's gun directly at Salvatore's head. "I'd appreciate it, Pepe, if you gave your gun to Sean. Now!"

The three men turned as one, and goggled at the speaker in shocked amazement.

"Oh God John, I thought you were dead " exclaimed Sean hyperventilating, but still grabbing the gun from the suddenly shocked Pepe. "I thought that big ape had killed you – or worse!"

"Yeah, well he tried – unsuccessfully, I might add," replied John with a grin. "But I had other ideas. I warned him that I was going to take that gun away from him and shove it where it hurt him most! He was a little upset by my methods as I am sure you heard."

As he was speaking, he was indicating to the two men to get into the corner, and down on their knees. He moved a little gingerly, with one arm pressed to his side as he walked.

"What do we do now?" Sean asked John. "We have to get out of here and get help! Are you all right, you look a little worse for wear."

"I'll be fine, just a few bruised ribs, and a bump on the head. Nothing really - I've had much worse." John grinned and looked with interest at the range of syringes that were on display, then over at the two men in the corner.

"You are the doctor, do you have enough of the anesthetic, to put these guys to sleep for a while? It will save tying them up, and having to watch them. Miguel is already asleep, possibly permanently," he said, raising an eyebrow and indicating the bedroom behind them.

Pepe made a sudden violent move, but John was quicker, he brought the gun level, and the two men glared at each other, dark brown eyes clashing with cool blue. Then Pepe knelt back down, and John looked back at Sean, who began drawing liquid into a syringe.

Salvatore tried to pull his arm away, but John held it out with one hand, while keeping the gun pointed on Pepe with the other. Sean injected the anesthetic into him, and after a moment he closed his eyes and dropped onto the floor. Sean repeated the same again with Pepe.

"What do you want me to do with her?" Sean asked, and John turned to look at the sleeping girl.

"Leave her," he said, "Unfortunately, she is evidence. I have to ring this in."

"Evidence? Are you a cop?" Sean asked, the relief at being suddenly free overshadowed by the fact that John might have overheard something that would bring back the events of last year that had culminated in he and Christian dumping a body in the Everglades.

"No, not a cop, not any more," replied John. "F.B.I."

"Oh God," said Sean, "What's going to happen – I mean am I in any trouble?" he blurted out, and John who was on his way out the door to find a phone, turned back to look at him in surprise.

"Why would you be in any trouble?" he asked, genuinely surprised at the question. "You were the one they kidnapped, obviously because you are a well known plastic surgeon. You won't be in any trouble. Oh, can you check on Miguel in there. Let me know if I killed him or not? I am going to find a phone, and call in. And thank my team for the wonderful job they did of coming to our rescue," he added, sarcastically.