Chapter 45

Doug was the first one out of the taxi when it stopped. He threw some money at the driver and helped Abby out. "come on." he said jogging around the back of the building. "this one?" he asked. "here I'll give you a boost up to the window; you tell me what you see."

Abby felt Doug lifting her up. "God it's dark in there." She said pressing herself up against the glass window. "Oh god Doug there he is. They are over in the corner." Abby wanted to just burst thought the window and grab him. "I can see Carter and another man. He's about 5'4, I'd say about 140 and holding a, I think it's a 9 mm."

"alright" Doug said letting her down. he took off his coat and laid it on the ground. after feeling in his pockets he pulled out a small pocket knife. "great" he said looking at it. "ok...you go over to the main door, make some kind of noise...do something. once i see the guy walk over ill hope through the window...just try to stall him but if he looks like he's going to grab you touch you whatever get out of there." Doug was talking quiet and fast. he was afraid for them all. he just wanted to get carter out of there. "go on go... and be careful"

Abby nodded, "you too." She said as she took off towards the main door. Make some noise this should be easy enough as her hands started to shake, "okay big boy come to mama." she said as she started to bang on the door as hard as she could. "Carter, come on let me in, I want to see John!" She screamed.

"Great" Doug sighed as he heard her yell. he was hoping for something a little more inconspicuous but it would work. he pulled himself up enough to be able to see into the window. at first the man didn't move. however after Abby banged enough he saw him walk out of sight. as quietly as he could Doug pushed open the window. he pulled himself up and over trying his best to land quietly inside. he pulled out his pocket knife and walked over to carter to look at him in the face. he was bleeding pretty bad but seemed to be holding up. "Hey John, it's me Doug." he whispered. "You ok? I'm going to get you out of here just be quiet."

Abby watched as the door slid open. She could now see inside the warehouse and Doug over by Carter. Just keep him distracted long enough for Doug to get Carter out of there. "Hey there." She said to him, "I think you and I need to talk. You have my boyfriend in there and I have what you want for me to get him back." Her hands were shaking. God Doug grab Carter and get the hell out of there. She took a couple of steps back from the man. "So just tell me what I need to do. What you want and I'll give it to you."

John watched as Abby talked to the man. "my...shoulder ...hurt...s" he said trying to stay a wake He had lost so much blood from the time he had shot him. The man walked over to Abby. "Where's the money?" He asked her letting her in

Abby didn't move inside. She tried to keep his attention focused on her, 'come on Doug get him out of there', "I have it, and don't you worry. I didn't come all this way to not give you the money." She said taking another step back, "it's out here in my car. Why don't we go get it?

"Fine lets go" The man shouted at her and followed her to her car. "Hurry give me the money you have" he said to her.

"Hey just calm down there big boy." Abby said smiling coolly at him. This wasn't her car, but she needed to buy Doug time to get Carter our of there. "I just have to find my keys."

"Come on carter" Doug said cutting the ropes and throwing him over his shoulder. he carefully pushed carter onto the window ledge. after jumping through himself he pulled carter down and set him on the ground placing his jacket under carters head. Doug ran around the building to find Abby and the man standing by the car. "hey!" he yelled, trying to get the man's attention hoping Abby would run.

"what pretty lady like you doing with a geek like that, you could do better" he said moving closer to her. "You deserver much better

Abby heard Doug's voice and elbowed the man behind her turning to run as fast as she could.

Doug took a step back waiting to see what the man was going to do. He didn't really want to get shot but if the man pulled a gun on Abby he knew he would have to take him down. "Hey what are you doing!" he yelled again, trying to keep him distracted. "oh god Doug what are you doing?" he thought to himself. he hoped Abby would find carter no matter what happened to him, and get john out of there.

Abby ran as fast as her legs would carry her around the backside of the building hoping that the man with the gun wouldn't shoot. She knew that Doug was standing out there in the open. She opened up her cell phone and dialed 911. She gave what information she could to the operator and then ran over to where Carter was, "hey baby were going to get you out of here." She said as she dropped down to the ground next to him.

Carter just watched as Doug got him out of there and then lay him on the ground under his jacket, well just his head. he heard him say Abby... "Abby...is...she ocher asked her

The man groaned in pain. "You bitch," he shouted at her

"Carter baby I'm fine." She said kneeling next to him. She pulled her scarf and used it to put pressure on his bleeding shoulder, "we're going to be okay, I promise, I'm going to get all three of us out of this."

"Abby I love you" he said to her "I' was...scared...i...never...see you again" he told her as he laid there. He looked at Doug

Where were the cops? Abby thought to herself as she sat next to Carter. "I know baby, but it's over now I've got you." She saw that Carter was looking where Doug had been standing. "He's going to get his ass shot." Abby said out loud. "Don't move baby." Abby said as she slid along side the building quietly. He had two girls that he needed to go home too, and right now Carter was safe and that was all that mattered to her. Abby could see the police car in the distance; they were approaching with their lights off. Thank god for small miracles, maybe then Doug wouldn't get shot. And they could all get out of here in one piece. She slowly moved back to where Carter was, as she checked on his shoulder. "Help's almost here." She said, "you just have to hold on for a little while longer."

The man turned to him. "Who the hell are you and what happened to that bitch?" he asked him.John looked at her..."I'm trying" he said to her He just looked at Abby as she held his hand, he tried to stay awake.

Doug was looking where Abby had run to and hadn't paid attention the fact that the man standing a few yards from him had a gun. "Ummm why don't you just put down the gun?" Doug said taking a few steps backwards. he was close enough to the corner of the building that, if he had to, he could try and run away. but he knew that was where carter was and didn't want to lead the man near him. "come on man. just put it down." Doug stepped back a few more. he could see Abby and carter together on the ground out of the corner of his eye.

The man looked at him. "Me put my gun down, why should I, I asked for money, and have I gotten it yet" He shouted. "I can kill your friend in there, if that is what you are to them" He shouted. "I only asked for her alone and the money she just had

"well that's not going to happen." Doug said. he could see the police were on their way. he just had to stall. the man was short; Doug knew he could take him if he didn't have that gun. "now come on...this isn't going to end well. if you just put that gun down, we wont press charges." Doug doubted if that was true, but he had to say something. he took a step forward this time to make sure that the crazy man in front of him would have to go through him to get to carter and Abby. "come on, don't be stupid about this. no one has to get hurt here."

"Yea why should I give you the gun" the man said to him. "you don't know what its like to have a family that messes up your life" He shouted. "Especially the Carter Family."He screamed. "There stinking rich" He said to him. "My family deserves better then that" He shouted, but at that moment, he dropped the gun on to the ground.

"I know." Abby said still holding onto his shoulder to keep the bleeding at bay. "We're almost out of here. Stay awake John."

Doug ran over and grabbed the gun to get it out of reach of the man. he saw the police were pulling up. Doug slowly walked back to where he could see carter and Abby. "is he ok?" Doug asked Abby. "the police are almost here."

"Yeah." Abby said looking down at Carter, "just get them back here!"

"All right" He said to her, He just started staring at her now, he felt more disoriented at where he was or what was happening. He was still trying to stay awake.The man was looking sober; he couldn't believe what he had done. "I Surrender" He shouted not believing he had made it easier for the police just there and then. He didn't see them, but then the police arrested him. "You ok Sir" The police asked Doug

Finally the police pulled up the hill with an ambulance not far behind. Doug handed them the gun and tried to explain as best he could. After he talked briefly to the officer he directed the paramedics to carter. "I'm a doctor, i can help. he's lost a lot of blood. we need to get him to a hospital right away. "Doug knew county wasn't the closest around, but he wasn't worried about carter dying on them. as they strapped carter onto the backboard Doug looked at Abby. she had blood all over her and was pretty shaken up. "are you ok?"

John just watched as they lifted him up onto the gurney, or more like into the ambulance. Well he never ridden a ambulance this way. He looked around for Abby; his eyes were still disoriented as he was trying to stay conscious for her. He knew that she needed him, and he needed her

Abby leaned back against the building, "I have never been so scared in my entire life. I'm just thankful that he's going to be okay." She paused for a minute. "Thank you Doug, thank you for sticking you neck out to help me."

Doug leaned back next to her. "Ahh... dont even think about it. I'm just glad my window climbing abilities are still up to par." he looked around the corner to see them shut the ambulance door. "do you want to ride with carter? i think there is room in there for one."

"Uh oh yeah, I want to but I don't want too," She said looking down at her blood stained hands, "but I'd better I guess. I'm sure that they could give you a lift too. I think I'd feel better knowing that there's a doc in there besides Carter."

John just laid there tired, why couldn't good things happen in stead of bad things. The paramedics had shut the door, and no sign of Abby. Paramedic: Hey one of you or both of you coming with us?" they asked looking around, before they drove off.

Carol was smiling to herself, glad she had Doug back in her life. They were getting along better. She had taken the bath, but she was now missing Doug. So she decided to go into work, just to be with him. She walked into the lounge and saw Kerry and Luka in there. "Hey you two" she said smiling not aware of the day's event on them

Kerry looked up, "Hi Carol." She said not moving from her perch on the couch, "Doug still at home?"

Abby climbed up into the back of the ambulance and sat down. She leaned against the side of it and reached for Carter's hand, her own still shaking from earlier events. "We'll be at County before you know it baby. We're going to take good care of you, you're going to be alright John, and you're going to be alright."

"What are you saying Kerry, he told me he had to come here for work or something, so I thought he was on shift" she said a little worried. Where was he now

John smiled at Abby as he was really trying to focus. "i...can't...stay...awake ...abby'He said to her."I...need...sleep" he told her. The paramedics put the oxygen mask on him.

Doug stood outside the ambulance. "I'll meet you guys there ok? you take care of him Abby." Doug shut the door and watched the ambulance drive off. he took a deep breath. "what a day" he said to himself. he walked back over and grabbed his jacket. he would have to get a new one without carter's blood over it eventually, but this would work for now. since the police didn't need anything else from him he slowly walked down the street to clear his head before going back to county? he was sure it would be the only time he would have to himself for awhile after he went back.

Abby put her head into her hands. "Just hold on John." Abby said to him as she felt the ambulance flying down the streets of Chicago.

Kerry looked at Carol, "I didn't page him, I thought that with Anna's death and Carter missing he would need some time off."

John watched as the ambulance was going fast. "I'm...hangin"but all of sudden his eyes closed. The paramedics looked at them. "Start compressions, this guys lost a lot of blood"Well he said he was called in Kerry, so I thought I come here and work with him today" she said. "And what do you mean Carters missing?" she asked confused.

Abby reached out opening the IV wide. He needed volume and he needed it now. Maybe they should have gone to Mercy or Northwestern than back to County. "Come on Carter." She said as she started compressions on her chest, "What's our ETA?" She said worried about him.

"Maybe some one else paged him in." Kerry said not wanting to upset her, "Carter's missing, I don't know anything more than that. The police are checking into it. "

The paramedics happened to look at her. "we're about two minutes to county" she said to her as they looked at him. "volume is still low" she said"Thanks Kerry I think I will call him on his cell, "she said worried about him. I hope carter's ok" she said to her

Abby grabbed another liter of saline and squeezed it in. She felt the ambulance pull to a stop in front of County, "oh thank god." She said as she pushed the back door open and helped pull the gurney from the ambulance. "Trauma one," She said as the headed inside. "Hey I need some help over here!" She snapped. "Carter's crashing hard."