Collison course

PART TWO

Captain Simon Banks wondered how Ellison managed to get himself into this one. He had the afternoon off for Pete's sake. Now here he was hurrying to Cascade Hospital after word went round that an officer was down. Blair was on his way, too.

"Captain Banks," he said flashing his badge at the lady behind trauma reception. "One of my men was brought in about 30 minutes ago- Detective Ellison?"

"Yes sir, he's in cubicle 4."

Sweeping back the curtain, Simon was met with the sight of Jim still out cold on the gurney covered by a sheet; his tattered and bloody clothes had been cut off and lay on the floor. Nurses were checking IV fluids and the monitors. The doctor looking at films on the light box spun round at the intrusion.

"Doctor?"

"Yes, and you are?"

"His boss, Captain Banks. How's he doing?"

"Not bad considering. He's suffered a hard blow to the head, which we are keeping an eye on, severe bruising and some contusions to his left hip leg and knee. Apparently he was hit a glancing blow by a car. He's very lucky he hasn't fractured his pelvis or worse. He does have some bruising to his back as well-we'll monitor his kidney functions. Generally, he's ok, but the bruising will be painful."

As if on cue, Jim suddenly murmured behind them, the monitors picking up his increasing heart rate.

"Ok, sir, can you tell us your name?" asked the doctor.

"Sgonna go" Jim said, eyes still closed.

"What's going to go?" asked Simon confused.

"Get away!" said Jim, glazed eyes open now; he struggled to get up ignoring the pain down most of his left side.

"Calm down, detective. Do you know where you are?" soothed the doctor as he tried to get him still enough to look in his eyes with the penlight.

"NO! The others!" cried Jim as he swatted away the doctor fussing around him-even Simon could tell he wasn't really with it.

'Come on, Blair,' thought Simon silently, 'You can help Jim out with this better than I can.'

"What others, Jim?"' asked Simon hoping to sort things out he moved closer.

Jim turned to Simon, eyes huge and uneven, grabbing the front of Simon's shirt in a surprisingly strong grip and pulled him towards him. "Krasky died first you know. No chance." he said collapsing back into the pillow with a moan before passing out again.

Blair made his way to the admissions desk, skidding to a halt and adjusting his rucksack. "I'm looking for a Detective James Ellison, brought in the last hour?"

"Blair!"

"Simon! Where is he, how's he doing? What have they given him? Is he talking?"

"Hold on, Sandburg. He's had x-rays; they've also done a CT scan. It looks like he has a bad concussion at the least. The car clipped him on his left side, so they're checking his hip and leg. They need to keep on eye on his kidney function too. We're just waiting till they move him into a room then we can go in for a few minutes."

"Oh god."

"He came round soon after I got here, but he said some odd stuff before he passed out again. He's pretty banged up."

"Well, I need to be with him when he wakes up properly, you know that, Simon. All the noise, smell, and stuff."

"I'm sure that they'll clean him up when they've finished their tests and move him to a room."

"Clean him up- how bad is it?"

"He looked pretty bad when I saw him-covered in blood and dirt and oil on his face and down the left side where the car hit him."

Simon and Blair sat down to wait. Simon filled him in on what had happened to Jim.

"Just one of those freaky things was it then?" asked Blair.

"I suppose. I've heard some pretty bizarre tales in my time." replied Simon with a small smile.

"Did you get who whoever it was he was chasing?"

"Yes, minor league jewellery thieves."

"Score one for the good guys doing their jobs then."

"Stupid really, Jim wasn't supposed to be on duty this afternoon-he asked for a few hours off. I guess he just can't help himself if he hears something over the radio."

"He wasn't? I didn't know. He never said anything to me." mused Blair.

"Said he had something he had to do. I didn't ask. He didn't tell."

"Oh" said Blair wondering what was going on with his friend.

A nurse came over "Gentlemen? For Mr. Ellison?"

"Detective. Yes."

"He's settled now; you can go to room 304. Ten minutes then you're out. He's on hourly observation for the concussion."

Simon knew Blair had to see and start assessing Jim's condition himself, so he let Blair go first. He'd done plenty of bedside duty over the years. It was still relatively new to Blair.

"Ah, Jim. What a mess!" Blair said as he looked at his friend lying on the bed attached to monitors and tubing. He sat by the bed and waited, quietly talking to Jim, "Come on big guy. Wake up then we can all get out of here, ok? Just wake up now, it'll be alright."