Chapter 20

"I'm telling you Bryan, that kid is scared," said Tony. "I can see it in his eyes. I think the doctor's involved in what's happened to him somehow." Both he and Bryan were sitting in a coffee shop after work, talking shop.

"I hear you man, and I agree, but unless Sam says something, there's nothing we can do." Bryan sipped his coffee thoughtfully.

"We need to do something," said Tony. "We need to get him out of there before it's too late. If the doctor is involved, then he has that kid right where he wants him. He can do anything he wants to do to him."

"What do you suggest?" asked Bryan.

"I don't know. Something. Take him into protective custody. Anything. Hell, kidnap him again," said Tony.

Bryan just looked at his partner with a pained expression. "You're joking, right? Kidnap him again? We're cops Tony."

"You know what I mean," said Tony.

"Yeah, I do, but Sam has to tell us that he's in trouble. We can't just take him into custody." said Bryan.

Tony just looked at his partner.

"Okay," said Bryan after a few minutes. "Let's go see him again and see if we can get him to talk to us."

They left the coffee shop and drove back to the hospital. They went to Sam's room but he wasn't there.

"I knew it man!" said Tony. "Something has happened to him. We should have gotten him out of here Bryan."

Bryan was getting nervous too. "Come on," he said and he and Tony went to the nurses' station.

"Excuse me," said Bryan.

"Yes," said the nurse. "May I help you?"

"I was just wondering where the guy in room 306 was? His name is Sam."

"I'm sorry," said the nurse, "I can't give out that information. It's against the rules."

"We need to know," said Bryan as he and Tony showed her their badges.

"He was the victim of a crime and we need to talk to him again."

"Oh," said the nurse. "Just a moment." She checked Sam's records. "Here it is. It seems like Sam left AMA."

"AMA? What's that?" asked Tony.

"It means that Sam left against medical advice. He left the hospital. We were going to move him to another floor but he decided to leave. The doctor couldn't stop him. He has a right to do that if he wants to."

"What?" asked Tony. "Do you have an address?" He was getting very nervous.

"Sorry," said the nurse. "He didn't leave one."

"All right, then what about the doctor? Can we talk to him?" asked Bryan who was also getting nervous.

"Just a minute," said the nurse as she made a phone call. "Thank you." she said as she hung up the phone. "The doctor left around 6pm. He's taking a few days off."

"Okay, thank you," said Tony. "Can you tell us what the doctor's name is?" he asked her.
"Yes. It's Doctor James Lucas."

"Thanks," said Bryan and both he and Tony left the hospital.

"I told you Bryan." said Tony. "Sam leaves AMA; the doctor takes off a few days? I mean come on! He has him, Bryan. He has that kid somewhere and he is going to do God knows what to him. We've got to find him!"

"Would you calm down," said Bryan. "Let's get back to the station and look this doctor up. Maybe we can get a lead." He was worried too. He and Tony had been working together for a long time, and they had learned to trust each others' instincts; right now those instincts were telling them that Sam didn't leave AMA. He was taken. Not only were Tony and Bryan partners, but they were also best friends, and they listened to each other. They drove back to the station as fast as they could. They had to find out where Sam was before it was too late. They didn't know about Dean.