Chapter 4

Dr. Gregory House was just dozing off in his soft, leather armchair when the shrill ring of the telephone jerked him back to reality. Annoyed, he grabbed the handset that was resting on the ottoman and glared at the call display. Who the hell would be calling him at 11:45 on a Friday night? Squinting at the offending device he was irritated to read:

PrincetonPlains

555-4354

11/21/05 11:46pm

Scoffing at the idea of being called in to work after such a crappy week he simply ignored the call and let the machine pick up. He settled back into his chair and popped a Vicodin, waiting for sleep to once again claim him.

What seemed like two seconds later, his pager started buzzing furiously on the coffee table. Muttering several curses, House pulled himself out of his cocoon in the Laz-y-Boy and retrieved the vile device. Glancing at the flashing screen, he was suddenly more awake than he had been in weeks.

Msg Received: 11/21/05 11:52pm from DR.L.CUDDY

"Need you in ER. Dr. Cameron involved in robbery"

House, not realizing that he could actually move so fast if he really had to, was up and out the door within thirty-five seconds. On the drive over to the hospital, he wondered what this cryptic message from his boss could mean. He supposed that either Cameron had gone ape shit from the stress and robbed someone or something had happened to her that he didn't even want to think about.

Dr. House arrived in the ER, looking suspiciously at the empty beds and empty nurse's station. "Where the hell was everyone?" House wondered briefly if this was just a cruel joke but then he got a glimpse of Cuddy waiting with several other doctors by the ambulance bay; all wearing yellow protective gowns.

He limped over to her. "So Cuddy, did my little duckling finally crack and kill someone?"

Dr. Cuddy, who was completely unamused, glared at him. "You have a lot of nerve even saying that! I just hope to god Cameron is okay."

House's hopes fell. Obviously something had actually happened to Cameron and it wasn't a laughing matter. He sombered, "What's going on?"

Cuddy sighed, "I'm not too sure." The ER just got a call from a police officer who is on his way here from the scene of a violent store robbery. He said he has a Dr. Cameron from PPTH in the back of his squad car trying to resuscitate a fourteen year old boy with a gunshot wound to the chest. Two more ambulances are on the way here with a woman who was also shot and a man who is assumed dead."

"God," House breathed, "Is Cameron okay? Assuming this is actually Dr. Allison Cameron." He was more worried than he cared to admit and hoped Cuddy wouldn't notice.

"The cop said she was pretty roughed up but otherwise she seemed okay." Cuddy looked at her watch, "The call came in ten minutes ago as I was just leaving." She sighed impatiently, "Where the hell are they?"

No sooner than the words left her mouth, the piercing wail of a police car was becoming louder and louder. The car pulled up to the doors with two ambulances close on it's tail.

"Showtime," Cuddy muttered as she pulled on her gloves.

T.B.C...