Chapter Three
Josh and Toby didn't say much to each other as they sat by Sam's bed. Josh updated Toby on Ginger's efforts to contact Sam's parents: Sam had never updated a contact number for his father and there was no answer at his mother's home. Toby had told Josh what the doctors had said. Apart from that they had sat in silence, watching the clock and wondering if Sam's current condition counted as stable. He didn't look very stable to Toby. His breathing was noisy and strained, he was pale, shaking, increasingly unaware of where he was, and had suffered another two attacks of convulsions since Toby had arrived.
It was twelve o'clock, five hours since Sam had first become ill and seven hours away from seven pm. Ever since Dr Keel had told Josh that a victim of strychnine poisoning who was stabilised within six to twelve hours would be likely to survive, he had become acutely aware of each second that passed that seemed to tick towards a worsening, and not an improvement, in Sam's condition.
Dr Keel entered the room and studied the nurse's latest additions to Sam's chart before walking over to the phone on the wall and asking for an anaesthetist to be paged. He walked back to the bed and called Sam's name sternly but spoke more gently when Sam's eyes opened and his gaze drifted over Josh and Toby before settling on the doctor. "Sam, we need to stop the convulsions you're having and the drugs we've tried aren't working as well as we'd like. We're going to give you something to make you sleep and in a couple of hours we'll wake you. We need to make your breathing easier so we're going to put a tube in your mouth to do that. We'll put it in when you're asleep but when you wake up it will still be there."
Sam didn't really understand what the doctor was saying but he knew that he was going to be put to sleep. Dogs were put to sleep. He'd had a dog that had been put to sleep. Ruby was just too old to be happy anymore. That's what his dad had told him. It was kinder to let Ruby sleep than to keep living like she was. "Ruby...too old...kinder to put sleep...make me sleep."
Dr Keel frowned. "Sam, do you understand what I'm going to do?"
Sam nodded slowly. "Put me to sleep...don't care...just...just...want it stop."
"Oh, God, Sam, listen he's not putting you to sleep. Listen to me." Toby leant over Sam. "He's going to make you sleep so that you feel better and then he's going to wake you up, okay. You're going to wake up."
"I'm not too old."
"Not too old, Sam, you just need to go to sleep for a while."
"Okay, but wake me up."
"I'll wake you up," Toby promised and he caught Josh's eye and saw his own fear that it was a promise he couldn't keep reflected there.
The anaesthetist arrived and Josh stood and moved out of the way but Toby stayed where he was. "Why is he so confused?"
Dr Keel knew enough about Toby Ziegler to know that an answer designed to simply mollify him wouldn't be enough. He also knew that he wouldn't be going anywhere until he had answered the question. "Confusion can be a symptom of strychnine poisoning but convulsions cause a lack of oxygen to the brain and the longer they continue the greater the risk of brain damage which is why we need to do this now, to minimise that risk."
Still Toby didn't move. "Are the risks greater than any from putting Sam under like this?"
"Yes."
Toby nodded and happy with the doctor's answer immediately moved away from the bed.
Since his arrival Toby had taken control. Josh had coped with so much of the stress of the morning that he was glad that someone else was taking charge. He let Toby badger the doctor into allowing both of them to stay to sit with Sam whilst the drug was administered and he listened as Toby told Sam where they were and what was going to happen. It was only when the anaesthetist sat beside the bed and Sam looked at him in confusion that Josh spoke up again. "It's okay, Sam, look at me. Toby's here, we're both still here."
The anaesthetist injected the drug. "Tell him to count to ten," he told Josh as he carefully monitored Sam's heart rate.
"Okay, Sam, count to ten with me. One...two...three...four...five...six..." Josh stopped as Sam's eyes closed and he felt his hand relax. Josh let it fall back onto the bed and moved to stand behind Toby as they watched the doctor gently pull back Sam's head and insert the tube. The anaesthetist announced he would be staying for a while and the nurse suggested that Josh and Toby take a break.
"You should go back to the office, Josh. We've got a few hours until Sam wakes up. There's nothing you can do here."
"What are you going to do?" Josh asked as he picked up his bag and coat.
"Stay here. I can get Ginger to bring some work over. I need to write a statement for CJ. I'll need to talk to the doctors to find out about the others who were poisoned. CJ will probably want to come over but tell her to wait until later this afternoon. I'll send over what I've done." Toby followed Josh down the corridor and towards the exit. "You did well this morning. I know it can't have been easy."
"Is that stable when he's like that? Does that mean they've got him stable?"
Toby didn't answer. "Don't forget to tell CJ not to come. She'll want to but she needs to stay there."
Josh nodded and swung his bag over his shoulder. He looked like he hadn't slept in days although it had only been five hours since he had arrived at the hospital.
"Ben Canton, Jeff Dudley and Carol Harper." Ron placed the names of the people who had died that morning back into his pocket and waited for the President to reply.
Bartlet shook his head and sat down behind his desk. "Okay." He called for Charlie and told him to get him the numbers of their partners.
"And parents," Ron added, "Carol Harper was sixteen. She was spending a day with her father on a school work experience program." Ron watched the pile of papers arc through the air before they fluttered back down to the floor. Bartlet's rage had not dissipated with their peaceful scattering and he turned to Ron and released more of his anger on him. Ron waited patiently before speaking again. "We know for sure that the coffee didn't come from the White House. We know Sam's probable route to work and have been able to match it to two of the other victims. I've got two agents at the hospital and they're talking to Julia Swan who seems to be the least affected by the strychnine. Hopefully she'll be able to tell us exactly where she bought hers from."
"And..." Bartlet prompted.
"And the police have already confiscated every street vendor's stall within a mile of the White House and are talking to the vendors."
Bartlet nodded. "No notes, warnings, coded messages?"
"Nothing and I'm not sure if it's a coincidence that some of the victims work at the White House or if it was a targeted attack."
"I don't care what it was. Someone has killed three White House staff and three more lives hang in the balance. They picked the wrong house to mess-"
"Mr President," Charlie interrupted, "These are the contact details for the four victims."
"Four?"
"As of five minutes ago." Charlie saw the look of fear that flitted across the President's face and quickly added, "It's not Sam. It was a lawyer from the Hill. He died in his office. They didn't even have time to call an ambulance."
The quiet that fell over the Oval Office at Charlie's words was mirrored by a similar silence in the room where Toby and Josh sat next to Sam's bed. Only visits from the anaesthetist, doctors and nurses, had disturbed their vigil. The steady puff of the ventilator was almost soothing and more than once Toby had found himself nodding off in the warm ICU. A voice jolted awake.
"Sam, Sam, wake up now, open your eyes, Sam."
Sam could hear the voice, could hear his name being called but he was in no great hurry to open his eyes and come away from the warm, dark comfort he found himself in. He couldn't remember what had gone before but he knew that he liked where he was now and so he ignored the voice and stayed there.
"Come on, Sam." He found it harder to ignore the second voice. He recognised it and knew that ignoring it wasn't usually a good idea but hoped whoever it was would forgive him.
"Sam, please wake up." This voice was even harder to ignore, it sounded scared and Sam didn't want anyone to be scared. He was okay, he just didn't want to come back yet. The decision was taken out of his hands as gentle fingers lifted his eyelids and shone a not so gentle light into his eyes.
"Sam, it's time to wake up. It's okay and I know you're tired but I'd really like you to wake up now."
Whiteness and shapes, that's all Sam could see. The walls, ceiling and the light itself seemed to consist of a brilliant white and within that whiteness were three dark shapes. One of the shapes moved further away and another one took its place. "Sam, it's Josh. Toby's here and CJ's outside. We really need you to wake up here, buddy."
Reluctantly, Sam opened his eyes and tried to focus on the shape beside him. It wavered slightly, blurred in and out of focus but finally it stilled and became a form that Sam recognised. He tried to say hello, to tell Josh that he was okay but no words came and as Sam wakened further he became aware of something in his mouth and throat. His eyes widened and Dr Keel stepped forward again. "There's a tube in your throat to help you breathe, Sam. Try to relax and just let it work. We'll take it out in a little while."
Sam didn't want to relax. He'd had enough. They'd woken him up and dragged him into another nightmare. He hit the bedrail weakly with his fist but his intent was clear. "They'll take it out in a while you just have to wait a little longer." Toby placed his hand on the pillow beside Sam's head and tried to get Sam to look at him but Sam turned away.
"Sam!" It was Josh now and he knelt down beside the bed and into Sam's line of vision.
"I know it feels like you're choking but just relax and try not to think about breathing and it will be okay."
Sam raised his eyes sceptically at Josh but tried to do as he said. Josh nodded reassuringly. "Don't fight it, Sam." He pulled Sam's fingers away from the rail that they were clasped around and gently took hold of his hand. "CJ's outside. Feel up to a visit?" Sam nodded and Josh looked up to the doctor for permission.
"If you two go, she can come in for a moment then that will be it for a while, he needs to rest."
CJ was sitting opposite the door staring into space her arms wrapped around her waist. It was a rare show of vulnerability, but it was fleeting. "How is he?"
"He's woken up and they've got this damn tube in his mouth. He wants to see you. The doctor said it was okay but only for a while." CJ started towards the room but Josh put his hand on her sleeve and called her back. "He's frightened, CJ. I don't think he really knows what's happening and he's frightened."
CJ didn't know if Josh was telling her that to warn her or because he thought she could do something about it so she simply placed her hand over his and rubbed it before leaving him standing in the middle of the hospital corridor, Toby behind him kicking the bottom of an uncooperative vending machine.
CJ paused at the door and took a look at Sam before entering. She thought she would be able to conceal her reaction to seeing him but she couldn't hide the look of concern on her face as she made her way to the bed. She was pretty confident that she had hidden her anxiety though and rewarded herself for that at least. "Hey, Sam, I know you can't talk but you could always say more with your eyes than anyone I've ever met." She sat beside the bed and took hold of his hand. She looked into his eyes and realised how right she was; they spoke more of Sam's fear and pain than any words could. "It's alright, everything's going to be alright," she whispered and hoped that the words didn't sound as lame to Sam as they did to her.
"We've sedated him." Dr Keel's sudden presence made CJ jump. "I'm going to take the tube out in a moment but Sam was very agitated when he woke and so we've given him something to calm him down. You can stay, if you like, when we remove the tube."
CJ nodded but her gaze remained fixed on Sam. "If you think it'll help."
"I think a friend by your side is always a help, isn't it?" At those words CJ looked up. Dr Keel was smiling warmly at her and she returned the smile before turning back to Sam.
"Okay." Dr Keel's demeanour changed as he focused on Sam and told him what he was about to do. A nurse moved beside Sam and detached the tube from the machine. CJ watched as they prepared him. Sam listened to the doctor but kept his eyes locked on CJ. "Another big breath out, Sam, please." As Sam obeyed the doctor's instruction, the nurse pulled the tube out of his throat. She quickly moved to support him as he gagged and choked. CJ found herself watching Dr Keel as he spoke soothingly to Sam and tried to get a response from him. "You're doing great. Just keep breathing nice and slow." When Sam was breathing normally again he leaned over him. "Can you tell me where you are?"
CJ bit her lip while she waited for his reply. Toby had told her about the risk of brain damage from the convulsions and how confused Sam had seemed before the anaesthetic.
"Hospital…in hospital."
"Are you in pain?"
"Yes."
"Okay, where?"
"CJ," Sam smiled as if seeing her for the first time.
"Where is your pain, Sam?" the doctor repeated.
"Where is it?" Sam asked CJ, forming a frown.
"He's just disorientated from the anaesthetic the doctor assured CJ. "Where do you hurt, Sam?"
"Head, stomach, chest," Sam listed as the doctor nodded and began to tell the nurse what to give him. "Legs," Sam added and he nodded again. "Throat, arms-"
"So, it's safe to say you hurt all over?"
Sam rolled his eyes. "Yeah, all over…all hurts."
"Well, we've got drugs for that too."
"Glad…hear it," Sam replied. He closed his eyes and CJ bent over and kissed his forehead before following the doctor out of the room.
Josh and Toby spun around from their ongoing war with the vending machine when they saw CJ and Dr Keel.
"How is he?" Toby asked.
"He seems to have woken up okay and he seems more lucid than he did before, but it's early days. We'll have to monitor his breathing and just hope that we've managed to stop the convulsions."
"Is he stable?" Josh asked.
Dr Keel sighed but the sigh became a gentle laugh. "Mr Lyman, I think you took what I said about getting Sam stabilised within a certain time frame a little too literally. It's just a rough indication that patients who are stabilised within seven to twelve hours go on to survive. So for your sake I suggest you stop thinking that if Sam's condition isn't stable by seven o'clock tonight he isn't going to survive."
CJ, Toby and Josh nodded in unison at the doctor's words. Josh waited until he was out of sight before asking Toby what the time was and then muttering about 'taking things literally'.