Thanks Becky - You're the best!

Long Ago and Far Away

Chapter 7 – Ties That Bind

"If you're going to get upset every time one of your friends visit, we may have to stop letting them come to see you." Julie warned.

"I'm fine," Rick insisted. "I'll be okay if they come."

"One more outburst, and I'll bar them."

"I'll be quiet, I promise."

The afternoon passed quietly, Rick spent the day telling Mia amusing stories about working in the circus.

"You're in a much better mood today." TC said, settling down on one of the garden benches. "You're not going to threaten to cut my fingers off and feed them to me?" He teased.

"Nah, I'm saving that for tomorrow."

"You really had me going yesterday. I called Thomas up and threatened him if he didn't get you out of here."

"I'm not leaving until we get this case solved TC."

"Chill Rick, I understand. It's okay. I just worry about you."

"I'm a big boy TC, I can take care of myself."

"I know, I know but this place just freaks me out, it's weird all these crazy people just running around loose in here like this."

"Excuse me?"

"Well, you know," TC stammered, "It's not like a …"

"It's not an insane asylum TC, it's a medical support facility." Rick explained. "The patients here aren't crazy, just in need of professional care."

"Yeah, um, like your friend Mia."

Rick glanced at the girl and smiled, "Yeah, like Mia."

"I'm sorry to interrupt," said Julie, "but it's time for your therapy Mr. Wright."

"Well I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, thanks TC."

Rick was amused by Marcus disappointed reaction when Rick left for his therapy without complaining, he whistled as the aide trailed him to the office.

"You're in a good mood." Harrison said.

"It's a beautiful day in paradise, what's there to be unhappy about?"

Harrison raised his eyebrows, while Marcus glowered and shrugged his shoulders.

"In Vietnam, you were a sniper class gunner on a helicopter." Dr. Harrison read from Rick's file. "Did it bother you to kill people?"

"What kind of question is that?" Rick asked angrily.

"I just wondered how you reacted to taking the lives of other people." Harrison said calmly.

"It was war, kill or be killed."

"How many people did you kill during the war?"

"I didn't keep track." Rick's hands tightened on the arms of the chair.

"Ten? Twenty? A hundred? You must have a general idea."

"I don't know! Why do you keep hounding me about this? What's the point?"

"You killed innocent people as well as enemy soldiers."

"No!"

"Your military files say you did."

"I didn't know!"

"So you would have left them alone, let them live if you had know they weren't soldiers?"

"Of course!"

"You don't kill innocent people?"

"I'm not a murderer." Rick growled.

"You threatened two united states marshals."

"I didn't know they were police officers."

"You seem to have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions later," Harrison needled Rick. "If they're alive later."

"I'm not a danger to other people," Rick said calmly, "if that's what you're trying to imply."

Harrison sighed. "You're learning to control your temper, that's good." He didn't look pleased. "I think that's enough for today."

Marcus followed Rick out. "I don't need an escort to my room today, thanks." he told the aide.

Susan was delighted to see that Rick was in much better humor at dinner, he made her laugh and took his evening medications without complaint. She didn't notice that he'd palmed the tablets instead of swallowing them.

Three a.m. and Rick awoke without benefit of the alarm clock. He slipped out of his room and down to the nurse's station. He checked carefully to make certain that Susan was in the lounge as was her routine. The night duty nurse was sitting at the table, munching on carrot sticks and engrossed in the paperback she was reading. Rick crossed to the med room behind the desk, picked the lock and closed the door silently behind him. Each patient had a container that their medications were kept in. He pulled out the one with Mia's name on it and scrutinized the label. Retrieving an identical bottle from the stock under the counter he switched out the one in the container for a fresh one, making certain that he matched the levels of liquid in the phial. He tucked the bottle he had taken under his shirt and quietly made his way back to his room.

The next morning when Magnum brought him the newspapers, Rick slipped the vial to Thomas. "Take this, get it analyzed and let me know what's in it."

"What is it?"

"It's the medication they give to Mia, I think it's what is keeping her catatonic."

"Don't you think that's a little unlikely?" Magnum laughed, "It sounds like a plot from a bad TV show."

Rick didn't laugh. "If you didn't want my help why did you ask me to come here?"

"Sorry Rick, it just sounds a little paranoid."

"I'm not paranoid," he angrily replied, "I just think we should check every possibility. Did you have Eudyce check those pills I gave you?"

"Not yet." Magnum hesitated, "I'm going over there today."

"Thomas! The nurses have been watching me like a hawk, making sure I take all my meds."

"I'm sure they wouldn't give you anything that was bad for you, I mean this is a medical facility, the doctors know what they're doing."

"Yeah, you're probably right. But get that stuff checked anyway okay?" Rick began to absently rub his hands nervously. "Call me right away even if it's nothing."

"I will."

"Get out of here then, I'm tired of looking at you!" Rick shouted.

Magnum winked, trying hard not to smile, "Hey, it's okay, I'll call you later tonight, okay?"

"Whatever." Rick grumbled.

"Mr. Wright," Julie said angrily. "You will be sedated and placed in restraints if you do not calm down right now."

Rick had grown more and more irritable since breakfast. His eyes were wide, pupils dilated to the point of making them seem completely black. He glared with ferocious intensity at everyone who moved in his direction.

"I am calm!" Rick snapped.

"Do I need to call Marcus?" she threatened, unaffected by his temper.

"If he touches me again I'll gut him!"

"Your room, now." Julie's voice was harsh, "You will go of your own free will or you will be taken there. It's up to you."

"Fine!" Rick shouted, "I'll go, but you keep that ape away from me if you don't want to be cleaning up his blood!"

Julie followed him back to his room and once he was inside, she locked the door. "I'm calling Dr. Harrison."

"Call him, I don't care!" Rick punched the door. "I'll kill him too!"

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