Chapter 3: Ryland's POV

The bombings that have plagued the 4400 have terrified me. When I first heard that the names had been leaked to the internet, my first thought went to Diana and Tom. I wanted to scream. My two best agents had close ties to the 4400 and I was worried that I might lose them.

When the forth bombing occurred reports on the news said that there were two victims. I thought that it could have been anyone on that list but then they gave descriptions of the victims. The first description was of en eight year old girl and I immediately thought, Maia. Then they said that there was an adult who was carrying an NTAC security pass, and my brain made the connection that it was Diana and Maia in the car.

I had tried to convince myself otherwise, and sent Tom over to investigate. But then Tom called me from the hospital. He told me that Diana and Maia had been that targets.

Now I'm in my car driving to the hospital with trees whizzing by as the speedometer climbs at a steady pace. I know that I am breaking the speed limit, but the roads seem clear and I don't think I'm in danger of being tagged by any cops. As I drive my hands grip the steering wheel and my heart pounds with fear.

Diana had always been like my daughter. All my agents were like my children. But Diana was like my little girl. As most fathers and daughters I could be very protective of her, but at the same time I knew she could hold her own. But still, the thought of her getting hurt terrified me. She was so small that I could just imagine her bones breaking and the thought almost made me shiver.

As I arrived at the hospital, I started to go into a full panic. I parked the car and ran into the entrance, to the nurse's station.

"I'm looking for Diana Skouris, she was brought in with second degree burns to her back and neck," I said.

"Spell her last name, please," the nurse commanded.

"S-K-O-U-R-I-S."

A few moments later the nurse looked up, "She's in the burn unit, undergoing debridement."

"Okay, can you please, tell me where the burn unit is?"

"The burn unit is on the third floor in the right wing," the nurse said.

'Thank you," I said taking off to the elevator. I took the first elevator that opened and rushed in, I pressed the button for number three and waited anxiously as the numbers climbed from one to three before the doors opened again.

When the doors finally opened, I ran to the right and dashed through the halls, following the signs that said "burn unit" until I saw Tom sitting on a padded bench in the hallway. Maia was sleeping with her head on his lap. With a hand on Maia's shoulder, Tom stared blankly through the glass window, across the way.

"Tom, has there been any news?" I asked. Tom didn't answer and I looked through the window to see the doctors peeling the dead skin off Diana's back, leaving a raw layer of her epidermis exposed. There were tubes coming from both Diana's hands, a ventilator trailing into her mouth, her chest rising and falling with its assistance.

'The room is a hypobaric chamber," Tom muttered. "The doctors said that oxygen therapy would help flush out her burns. Then she'll be moved to a private room where the therapists will begin to rehabilitate her."

'How long have they been in there?"

"An hour, they said it would take at least three. Then they'll let her rest, and let us visit for a few moments. Then tomorrow they're going to replace the skin she lost with cadaver skin."

"How's Maia doing?"

"She's confused and tired." Tom reported looking down at the little girl on his lap. "The doctors said that there's a chance that she will lose her hearing due to her proximity to the bomb. How is she going to take care of Maia if that happens?"

"We'll find a way to help her through it. Maia won't have to lose another parent."

"This isn't right," Tom said. "Why go after Diana and Maia? They didn't do anything?"

"Hate," I answered. "That's what all this is."

I looked back through the window at Diana. She was so weak, and frail. Her skin was pale and had lost all its color. The redness of her burns stood out like a cardinal in a sea of doves against her white skin.

"What do you think the chances are that Diana will have scars?"

"Maybe fifty percent. There is no way for us to tell. We'll just have to wait."

In those moments I kept telling myself that everything would be alright. That Diana would wake up and recover from the explosion and be in perfect health.

Suddenly I heard a stirring sound behind me and I turned to see that Maia was sitting up next to Tom.

"Where's Diana?" Maia asked innocently.

"She's in with the doctor's, they're taking care of her," Tom said to the little girl.

"When can we see her?" Maia asked.

"When the doctors are finished. It may be a few more hours, why don't you go back to sleep Maia," Tom suggested.

Maia turned towards me and smiled. "Hello Mr. Ryland?"

"Hello Maia," I said. "How are you feeling."

"I have a small headache but other than that, I'm fine," Tom said.

Maia didn't seem like she was eight. The was she talked made her appear older. I can remember the time when she was sitting outside and I came out to see her. She looked at me and said, "But you didn't bring me here to talk about the weather."

"Diana will be okay right?" Maia asked turning back to Tom.

"Yeah," Tom said. As Maia settled back into his lap. "Yeah, she'll be alright."

TBC