Chapter two
Sitting in the hospital waiting room Alan glanced across at Sammy's mother, still sobbing. She had introduced herself as Cassie Morgan. Cassie had asked Alan to accompany her to the hospital because she didn't want to be alone; her husband had left her, and she had no relatives to call.
The body of four-year-old Sammy Morgan was in the morgue. Cassie was waiting to see him. Alan sensed that Cassie knew it would be the last time she ever saw her son, and that made him angry.
Angry at Sammy, not looking where he was going.
Angry with the driver for not stopping, then running away like a coward.
He was even angry with Cassie for not keeping an eye on her son.
But most of all, he was angry with himself. Angry at not being able to save him. He was so close to Sammy, yet he still couldn't save him. But he was close enough so that Sammy's blood had splattered onto him.
A doctor approached them. "Mrs Morgan, you can see your son now."
Alan and Cassie stood up.
"Sorry sir," the doctor said to Alan. "I'm afraid it's family only."
"But I want him to come," Cassie protested. "He tried to help Sammy."
"No I didn't," Alan thought to himself. Then out loud he said: "It's ok Cassie, I have to make a call anyway, you'll be fine, the doctor will be with you." He indicated the doctor who had come collect them, who nodded.
Cassie didn't seem convinced. " Promise you won't leave."
"I promise." Alan watched as the young woman was lead to the room containing her dead son, then he went outside and activated his wrist com. "Alan Tracy to base, do you read me?"
His call was answered by his eldest brother. "Base here. What's up Alan? Is the meeting still on?"
"No Scott, the meeting finished ages ago," Alan replied. He glanced at his right hand, still streaked with drying blood.
"Then where are you?" Scott asked.
"Where's Dad?" Alan ignored Scott's question.
"Dad's taken Grandmother shopping in Boston," Scott said impatiently. "And the others are on a rescue in the Andes, now where are you?"
"I'm….." Alan hesitated, knowing what he was about to say would be followed by a tirade of questions from Scott. "I'm at the hospital."
"The hospital! Why? How? Are you ok? You're not hurt, are you?" As he had anticipated, Alan's statement had been followed by Scott's version of 'Twenty questions.'
"Whoa Scott, calm down!" Alan tried to reassure his brother, "I'm fine. It's not me, I just accompanied someone that's all."
"Who? Alan, what's going on?" 'Twenty questions' wasn't over.
"Look, I'll talk to you later," Alan replied. "Tell Dad where I am if he gets back before me."
"Alan, what….?
Alan cut him off.
The youngest Tracy leant against the hospital wall, waiting to see if Scott would call back and have a go at him for being cut off. But he didn't.
Sighing, Alan went back into the hospital. He found Cassie standing outside the morgue.
"Are you ok?" Alan asked as he approached her.
Cassie looked up, nodding. She had finally stopped crying but her eyes were still red and puffy. "He looked so peaceful in there," she indicated the morgue. "I kept thinking he was asleep, and that he would suddenly wake up and ask why I was crying."
Alan couldn't think of anything to say, so he nodded instead. "I'm afraid I have to go, I have to get back to….work."
Again, Cassie nodded. "You go, sorry I made you come."
"It's ok," Alan reassured her. "Here…," he fished a piece of paper out of his pocket. "It's my E-mail address, if you ever need to 'talk', you can."
She took it from him, smiling faintly. "Thankyou, thankyou for coming with me."
Alan gave her a brief friendly hug, then bid his farewell.
Outside, Alan began to walk back towards where the jet was stored. Along the way he passed Main street park. He froze when he came upon the scene of the accident.
There was a small pool of drying blood, and the Cadillac's tracks burnt the cement.
Alan bent down and gently ran his fingers along the blood, then he stared at the tyre tracks.
Visions of the accident began to swim in Alan's head: The car, the screams, Cassie crying, the blood splattering onto him. As a member of International Rescue he had seen many deaths, but never had he seen one so callous. To make matters worse, the driver had then ran away. Poor Cassie didn't even have the reassurance that whoever did this to Sammy was now locked up.
Looking at the tracks, Alan hoped that the statement he had given the police earlier would help catch this guy. Maybe then Alan wouldn't feel so guilty at not saving Sammy, like he had saved many others in his role as an International Rescue Operative.
His eyes narrowed, and he made a silent promise to himself: "If the police don't find you, I will."
He got up and began walking again.
Note: Well that was chapter 2, sorry it's short as well, but I like cliff hangars.