Chapter 2

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Sam watched Jack's expression grow somber. Her first thought was that the higher-ups were already planning an OPR into how they handled the case but she knew they had done everything by the book. How could they have predicted that do-gooder Paige would turn into an international assassin?

It was when she saw all of the color drain out of Jack's face that her gut contracted and she knew something was seriously wrong. She tried to think of what it could be? Viv was fine, they had Paige in custody, and Martin and Danny were driving Adisa to INS. Could something have happened to Maria or the girls?

"Where?...How bad?...How long?" Jack's voice was gruff as she searched his face for answers. Unfortunately her mind was racing too fast to stop and read them. "I'll get back to you." He hung up and stared at the phone.

"What? What's going on?" Her voice was urgent and demanding.

He paused for a moment that seemed to stretch on to an eternity. He cleared his throat and looked up at her. She couldn't help but remember he had that same look on his face when he ended their affair. "Danny and Martin were attacked while transporting Adisa."

"Attacked? What do you mean 'attacked'?" Sam could feel all the cells in her body jump up and stand at attention.

"They were shot." Suddenly she felt like she couldn't breathe. Jack continued, "I don't have all the details but they are on their way here to St. Andrew's."

"I don't understand how this could happen. Were Adisa's people trying to free him?"

Jack sighed and shook his head. "I don't think it was Adisa's people. Adisa Teno is dead." Sam knew what he was afraid to say aloud. If whoever did this killed the prisoner they certainly would not leave two FBI agents behind as witnesses. Jack touched her elbow to lead her to the elevator. "We should head down to the ER."

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As they walked Sam started pelting him with questions, "Do you know how badly they were injured? Where were they shot? What about the shooters…?"

"I don't know. Van Doren called me right after she heard," Jack replied as he pressed the call button several times praying for the elevator to hurry. Miraculously it opened seconds later. Any longer and he was sure Sam would have insisted they take the stairs. He knew it would have felt faster to at least be moving but with his bum knee it would have taken longer. He turned to her and said, "They're going to be fine."

He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince: her or himself.

They hurried into the ER and he immediately sought out someone who could give him some answers. He spotted the check-in desk and was about to head over when the ER doors slid open and he recognized the person being wheeled inside.

"Hispanic male, 31 years old, gunshot wound to the left shoulder, started an IV, strong pulse….."

Danny was strapped into the gurney accompanied by two EMT's who were quickly ushering him into the ER bay. He spotted Jack and they immediately made eye contact but before Danny could speak, a doctor and some nurses rushed him away.

"Danny…." Jack began to follow them when a nurse grabbed him by the arm.

"You know him?" He turned around to find a determined looking ER nurse eyeing him carefully. She was Puerto Rican and couldn't have been much older than Sam.

"He's one of my agents. Is he going to be okay?" Jack once again made a move towards the room where Danny was taken. His mind was fluctuating between concern for his welfare, needing to know what happened and finding out who was responsible so he could inflict some serious harm.

"I'm sorry, you can't go in there." She had a calm yet firm tone that seemed to come from years of deflecting anxious family and friends.

"I need to talk to him."

"I promise, as soon as he's stable you can see him. But please, for his sake, let us do our job." She gave him a comforting smile and walked to where Danny was being treated and closed the doors.

Jack stood there staring at the ER doors in disbelief. It took him a few moments to finally pull his eyes away and he saw that Sam was looking dazed and withdrawn. An angry or confrontational Sam he could handle; a stoic one terrified him. He knew that she was worried about Danny but more nervous that Martin hadn't arrived alongside him. Years of experience had taught them that when two people are involved in an accident but don't arrive together it was never a good sign.

He approached her carefully, studying her expression and trying to think of something to say. When no words came, he simply stood next to her, put his hand on her shoulder and they waited.

He didn't know how long they were standing there when Sam finally broke the silence. "Why isn't he here yet?"

She spoke so softly, like a timid child, that Jack almost didn't hear her. He was searching for a response that wouldn't sound condescending when the ER doors opened again and there was Martin.

He flew by in a blur of activity as the EMT's began shouting stats to the doctors and nurses who hurriedly joined them in leading Martin's gurney into another ER exam room. "White male, 35 years old, multiple gunshot wounds. Two shots to the chest and one shot to the head. He flat-lined at the scene; down approximately two minutes, we were able to revive him but he's still unresponsive. Collapsed lung, we inserted a chest tube…. " And as quickly as they came in they were gone.

Jack shot a glance to Sam and saw that she had gone completely pale. He walked over to where she stood and put his arms around her as she broke down.