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Chapter 19.
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'Between reality and wishes'
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When Dennis heard Penhall's full of panic shout he felt immediate rush of blood in his veins. They were so close. It was impossible that after so long time of looking for Hanson he was going to die now. It looked like some very bad joke. Dennis shot scared glance at Tom who was resting limply in Doug's arms not giving any signs of life. The bigger man placed him on the floor, bent his head back and then he breathed smoky air into the unconscious man's mouth.
Noticing this Booker reached to his rucksack and got out can with Sprite and opened it.
"Doug, breath through this, otherwise you will push smoke into Tom." He poured the liquid on his headscarf and handed it to Doug.
Penhall took the thing without hesitation and inhaled several times through it feeling relieve it gave him to breathe with relatively cleaned air. Then immediately he bent over his friend and passed the precious breath into Tom's lungs.
Dennis in this time went back and continued working with the stubborn padlock, concern about his friend giving him new strength and will to fight stronger. Soon his efforts were praised when the thing broke and opened the way to freedom. Booker entered quickly the cell and run towards Doug who was still desperately working over Tom.
"Let's go." He said and helped the man to raise Tom's limp body and lock him safe in Doug's strong arms. Then they run up the stairs and further towards the exit. On their way they passed dangerously full of flames room. Dennis carefully paved the way so that Doug could without a hitch carry their partner and continue breathing air into him.
Finally they reached last door and crossing it to get outside the dangerous building they suddenly found themselves in centre of complete turmoil. The air was filled by deafening noise of squad cars sirens and shouting people. Fortunately in spite of all that tumult they were noticed almost immediately and two firemen came to them quickly and without asking one of them put on Tom's face his own mask with oxygen and another one took him from Doug's embrace. Then they headed with a hurry towards near ambulance and handed Tom to professional hands of paramedics. Although Doug and Dennis were extremely tired and out of breath they didn't hesitate any single second and immediately followed their friend.
Penhall all the time kept his eyes on his friend's unconscious form. He wished it was possible to send his own strong vital energy towards Tom and breathe it into his body and move his heart back to life. He wished miracles happened.
The young man was remotely aware of Captain and rest of the Chapel team standing next to him and watching with tension as paramedics checked for Tom's life parameters. Everybody sent fervent prayer for him after one of the paramedics immediately placed mask on his face and started rhythmically pump oxygen into his lungs while another one put his palms on Tom's chest and pushed when it was his turn.
Doug nervously made painful wheezing breath and shifted his weight on another leg. His throat and head ached from the smoke and eyes were irritated. He knew he should be checked by doctor but in that moment he didn't dare to move away from his friend. Suddenly as for an answer to his thoughts he felt as somebody put blanket on his arms and then placed oxygen mask on face. Doug looked thankfully towards young paramedic who immediately turned and walked to Dennis to give him blanket and mask as well.
Next to Doug Judy watched the scene with highest intention unconsciously covering her mouth with hand. She fought tears, which wanted to get outside from sorrow and grief she felt. Tom's bad state shocked her. He looked so battered and where was all that blood from? Until now she lived with illusion that he will be all right. Though after a week on Guardians mercy common sense suggested something quite reverse. But between what she wished and what her realistic mind told her there was still hope. She knew it was very naïve but she couldn't help it. And now looking at the battle playing in front of her she hoped again.
"How bad he was, Doug?" she could hear Fuller asked with quiet gloomy voice, as if he didn't want to distract anybody. The fatal state of his subordinate didn't promise anything good. Doug before focused his mind on shaping words to answer the question looked first at Dennis who refused the offered mask with oxygen and nervously ate his nails. Penhall felt as with every breath his body slowly became drowsy, tiredness and stress of last events finally taking its toll on him.
"Really bad, Captain." He answered finally and unconsciously pushed away as somebody started fussing around him and distracting his attention from what was happening with Tom. The same paramedic as before, not bothered of angry looks from his 'victim' dutifully continued checking him for injuries concerned about blood covering his arms. After he noticed seriously burned palm he turned his attention to his midsection checking for any other more serious injuries.
"Ouch!" Doug hissed as the man's hands jarred his bruised stomach and flinched away from him. "Don't do this anymore."
"Stop crying, it's my job." The man answered and shot bright light from small handy torch into Penhall's eyes distracting him completely.
"We've got pulse!" Suddenly one of the paramedics shouted to acknowledge everybody and rushed to put Tom to the ambulance. There was simultaneous sigh of relieve, people were sending thanks to their gods or another unknown forces they were praying to, some other were shaking hands or embracing with each other. Judy as well found herself being crushed in Ioki's full of relieve strong grip.
"Doug, you should go with Tom." Captain Fuller in all this mess stayed calm and turned to Doug, put his hand on younger man's arm and headed him towards the ambulance where Tom was already fastened safely to the stretcher. "You need doctor as well."
"What about Dennis?"
"He is all right. Don't worry. Now go. We will follow you."
"Thanks." Penhall answered and quickly entered the car and was directed to sit by Tom's head so that he wouldn't disturb anybody. The door was closed and with sirens turned on the ambulance rushed forward with full speed.
It didn't take much time for him to realize there was outside some strange noise closing up quickly to the ambulance. Feeling warmness spreading all over his body from suspicion he looked through the window and saw with growing pride string of police squads surrounding ambulance and guarding it. All that was connected with flashing and buzzing sirens.
The surprised paramedics watched the scene outside as well, forgetting for a moment about their patient. One of them looked at Doug with questioning eyes and indicating his finger towards unconscious man asked:
"Who is this guy?"
Doug put his hand on Tom's head and caressed it gently. Then he smiled and answered:
"He is my friend."
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"Out of the way!" There was loud shout piercing through the overall noise and rumble spreading around as two paramedics rolled stretcher out of the ambulance and further along the hospital corridor. Third paramedic was kneeling on the stretcher pushing his hands rhythmically on chest of limp body lying under him and counting in step with his movements.
Doug jumped out of the ambulance after the paramedics and tried to follow them in order to keep at least sight contact with his unconscious friend. But to his irritation the police officers who seconds before helped the ambulance to get as quick as possible to the hospital area now crowded the place making almost impossible to get further more. Using elbows and force he paved his way forward determined to throw last glance towards his friend. Soon though, he and the rest of crowd were stopped by two nurses who in vain tried to shout over the noise explaining that they are in hospital and should respect that fact. Fortunately for those two poor women not knowing where from appeared Captain Fuller and using his authoritarian voice calmed them down a little.
"Now." He continued trying to look to everybody's face. "If you were so kind, go to waiting room and stay there and I will try to get some informations about Tom." As he noticed people started breaking up he shouted after them. "And try not to damage anything, okay?"
Soon on the corridor left only Captain with Doug, Judy, Harry and Dennis. For some time there was only silence ringing around interlaced with typical hospital sounds. Nobody had will to speak; now left in sudden peace and quiet they found fear and worry started slipping into their souls with doubled force.
Penhall rubbed the bridge of his nose and eyes willing to push pain and tears back inside his head. He felt depressed and tired… and guilt… and helpless… and angry. Not to mention the headache was getting worse with every minute and the burned hand pleaded him to take care of it immediately unless he wanted to start to weep from pain in it.
Captain noticed the movement and moved to his subordinate turning his anger and annoyance about inability to help Tom into concern about his another injured officer.
"You should see doctor, Doug."
"Yeah." There was an answer, but no attempt was done to fulfill the suggestion.
"I am serious." Fuller urged worried and then spotted some dark haired women dressed in white apron walking up to them.
"Is Officer Doug Penhall here?" She asked looking at the faces of officers surrounding her.
"That's me." Doug answered quickly and then added anxious to hear bad news about his friend. "Is Tom all right?"
"I am Doctor April Stalker." She introduced herself. "I was informed by paramedics that you need medical help."
"But what about Tom?" Penhall demanded stubbornly. Other officers closed up to him and looked at the doctor expectantly.
"I am sorry but I don't know." She answered. "Doctor Zarmansky took care about your friend, so after he finishes you can ask him. Now if you please mister Penhall, follow me."
Doug obeyed quickly disappointed by those cool answers and moved walking almost hot on her heels.
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"How is your head mister Penhall?" Doctor Stalker asked moving her fingers around Doug's skull and probing every suspicious bump.
"Hurting." He answered and winced a bit at the sudden pressure delivered on the most injured part of his head. He shuffled himself back mechanically on hospital couch he was sitting on. "You should know something about Tom. At last you are a doctor."
"I am. But your friend is not my patient." Doctor took small torch and bent over police officer. "Please, try looking straight and not winking."
"His name is Tom Hanson. If you got know anything…"
"Officer Penhall." The women exhaled irritated. "You spare your voice and time if you ask his doctor about him. Now give me your hand. This burning doesn't look good."
"And about this doctor… er… how did you call him…?"
"Doctor Zarmansky."
"Oh, yeah." Doug remembered and winced as next wave of pain washed through his head.
"I will give you shot with analgesic." The doctor informed immediately as she noticed the grimace, turned around and moved towards cupboard. "It should decrease headache and pain in hand." Saying that, she took out syringe and filled it with some liquid.
"Erm…" Doug eyed the syringe with needle on its top with some kind uneasiness and simultaneously he moved back on the bed as she approached him. "I don't really think I need painkillers, doctor."
"It won't hurt, officer." She accented the last word with more force and disinfected the area on Doug's bicep.
"But you are going to jab my skin with that dangerously looking… thing."
"How did you get those earrings therefore?"
"Oh…" Doug reached his hand to earlobe and touched the jewel. He smiled at the memory. "It was… Hey!" He shouted surprised as noticed the needle piercing his skin. "It was a low trick doctor!"
"It is over now."
"Never trust doctor." He grumbled accusingly. "I always knew it."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really." Penhall answered rubbing off red drops of blood from small spot which was left after the needle. Relieved that it didn't hurt that much, he changed topic. "That doctor Zarmanski… Is he good doctor?"
"One of the best. Please lie down on the bed."
"Why?" Doug asked suspiciously.
"Because I am your doctor and I am saying so." Mrs. Stalker answered a bit amused by her patients' childish, scared looks. "I am not biting."
"No, not biting. Just attacking people with needles."
"Okay. I confess. I am just going to check your midsection for any serious injuries, possible internal bleeding, broken ribs etc."
As Doug assessed there won't be any danger to him when he lies down he decided finally to obey. He felt with relieve the painkiller started work slowly and the pain recede gradually. It was good change. Now he felt he could stay in that position and fell asleep. But there again guilt and worry rushed through him washing away any sign of tiredness.
"You think Tom will be all right, doctor?" He asked once again willing to hear anything, even the smallest word of consolation. Something he could hook his hopes on.
"You never give up, officer?" Unfortunately doctor didn't notice that need or simply didn't want give false informations.
"Yeah, typically professional behavior." Doug thought and swallowed sudden need of cry. "I never give up, doctor." He exhaled and smiled insincerely faking good mood. "April… What is it a name anyways?"
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