O2 13/18

Chapter Twelve:

Kim brought the news to Don as soon as the Beta team found the entrance to the sewer system.

"He got away?" Don was furious but managed to avoid raising his voice since he didn't want to wake Olivia. He took Kim by the arm and led her back to the control room three doors down so they could talk.

"We just got the prints back on the accomplice. Turns out he's a city sanitation worker. It sounds like he helped engineer the assault team's escape through the sewer system. That's why we couldn't find the DAG right after the kidnapping. We were assuming they stayed above ground. Those tunnels are too complex to navigate without a map..."

"But the sanitation worker could easily be bribed to get them a copy of the map and advise them on a best route to get out quickly." Don shook his head. "This guy is dangerous. He's smart, slippery, and worst of all prepared. We need to move Olivia."

"Agreed." Kim pulled out her phone. "I'm calling the transport team in. Let her doctors know she needs to be ready for transport in a half hour."

Don called the emergency pager number for the doctor in charge of Olivia's care. When he rang back, Don let him know about the situation and was given the names of the personnel authorized to handle the move. No one would be allowed into Olivia's room unless they had been pre-approved as part of her transport care team.

Back in the room, Don told one of the agents to take Charlie home and guard him until further notice.

"What's going on, Don?" Charlie was concerned both for Olivia and his brother. "They think since he got away he's coming after O?"

"We just don't want to take any chances, buddy. We're moving her to somewhere he can't find her. We'll put a dummy in her bed and have a team of agents here watching it. Hopefully we'll still catch him in the act. I just can't be worrying about you as well. This guy's smart. If there's any chance..."

"But Don, O..."

"Charlie, you can't protect her but you can get in the way. She'll have armed agents all around her before, during and after."

"But..."

"And she'll have me." Don laid his hand on his little brother's shoulder, kindly. "I care about her too, buddy. Trust me. I won't let anything happen to her."

Charlie nodded and turned back to look at Olivia.

"I have to wake her up now to get her ready for transport. If you want to..." Don almost said 'say goodbye' but realized how final that sounded.

"Yeah," Charlie said.

The two men approached her bedside and Don shook Olivia gently, whispering in her ear. "O... Time to wake up now. O2! Calling Miss Oxygen!" Charlie smiled; he had forgotten Don's other pet names for Olivia. Oxygen and O2 always came up. Having studied Chemistry with Olivia, Charlie liked the moniker O2 but Don made it known that after losing control of the nickname O he was keeping anything oxygen related for his own private use.

Olivia smiled at the old terms of endearment. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked happy to see both men until she read their expressions. Don's furrowed brow and Charlie's sad and frightened attempts at a smile spoke volumes.

She shook her head, hoping she was wrong about it.

"I'm sorry, O. They had him surrounded but he got away through the sewer system. The guy who was here earlier was his accomplice; a city worker who must have given him detailed maps of the tunnels."

Olivia bit her lip and tried to stay calm.

"We're not going to take any chances, O. The doctors are on their way right now to prep you for transport. We're going to move you somewhere safe where this guy can't find you and we'll monitor this room. When he comes for you and you're not here we'll nab him then, okay?" Don tried to sound confident, hoping to allay her fears.

As the doctors filed in, Don checked their hospital IDs against his list of approved medical personnel. The staff was swift and efficient, switching Olivia's IV and monitoring equipment to smaller portable versions and removing any non-critical systems.

Charlie and Olivia shared an emotional goodbye then Don and Charlie embraced briefly as well.

"Be careful," Charlie whispered in his brother's ear.

"Always, buddy," Don replied, giving him a tight squeeze.

Finally, all that was left was to wait for the transport team to arrive.