Becky - Sorry it took me so long to post this next chapter. Thanks so much for your encouragement!
Long Ago and Far Away
Chapter 9 – Paint It Black
The wind was picking up, driving the rain in curtains. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed over the mountains as TC landed the chopper on the front lawn of the clinic.
"What's the plan, Thomas?"
"Rick's out of his mind, so try not to hurt him." He checked his pistol, clicking the safety. "Try not to let him hurt you either."
"What about Marcus?"
"If you find him make sure he can't get in our way. If you find Rick, bring him back to the lobby."
"I don't like this."
"Neither do I. Let's go help Rick."
They split up and Thomas cut through the lobby toward the offices while TC went back to the patient rooms.
Magnum found a blood trail in the hallway and tracked it back to an office. The door had been forced open, hanging by one hinge. Just inside, he noticed the blood covered knife on the floor and several feet away, Dr. Harrison. Thomas checked for a pulse, even though he knew from seeing the knife wound that the man would be dead. "Rick, what have you done?" he whispered to himself as he followed the blood trail that led outside where he lost it in the rain.
The storm was dragging, stalling out over the mountains as the thunder rumbled loudly and lighting continued to pound the forest. Magnum could hardly hear and visibility was so bad he couldn't see three feet ahead of him.
"Rick!" he shouted, hoping his friend could hear him. "Rick, where are you?" Hearing a gun fire, he started running, heedless of the branches slapping at him. He crashed through an overgrowth and fell when something hit him in the shoulder.
Magnum was barley aware of being pulled through the mud and under the cover of a tree. "Rick?"
"Thomas! What the hell are you doing out here?" Rick demanded.
"Looking for you." He groaned and Rick pushed him back down.
"You're supposed to be in Honolulu, I could have killed you just now!"
"Lucky for me" Thomas moaned, "you sush … a lousy… shof."
Rick growled angrily, pulled off his shirt and held it against the wound. "Stay awake Thomas! Come one, you gotta hold pressure on this."
"'m fine." Magnum slurred.
"You're not fine, you're going into shock, now hold this!"
"Wha you goin'?" Thomas asked as Rick stood up.
"Be quiet! Someone's coming."
"Whoa!" TC stopped short, staring at the gun pointing at him. "Take it easy Orville, you remember me? I'm your friend."
"Dammit TC get your ass over here!" Rick lowered the gun.
"I'm not gonna hurt you."
"Jesus Christ, I don't have time for this shit, Theodore! I am not crazy but I am getting pissed that everyone is treating me like I am. Get over here and help me with Magnum!"
"What happened to Thomas?"
"I shot him."
"What!"
"I didn't know it was him." He glared at TC, "He's gonna be okay but you'll have to carry him."
"Carry him?"
"I can't carry him; I'm average height, he's twice my size. You, on the other hand, are a freak of nature like Thomas so you get to carry him while I take point. Now move it!"
"Rick, what the hell is going on?"
"They're trying to kill me…Don't you look at me like that," he glared at TC. "I am not lost in some paranoid delusion! I don't have time to explain it all right now just back me up on this okay?"
"Where's Mia?"
"Who?"
"The girl in the wheelchair."
"She's safe." He replied distractedly. "Let's move, we're sitting ducks out here."
"What about Dr. Harrison?"
"Dammit, I don't have time for twenty questions, get Thomas up and let's go now if you want to live!" He rubbed his bare arms, "I'm getting cold and shivering is going to make me burn up the dose of ephedrine which means that shot of yohimbine is going to kick in and then you will be in the shit."
"What are you talking about man, you're not making any sense."
"Harrison injected me with yohimbine; mix it with the meds he has me on and you get some nasty flashbacks. I managed to grab an epipen but that's not gonna last long. You're going to end up in my nightmares if you don't get the hell out of here."
"Shit Rick I was in 'Nam with you, I lived the nightmares."
"Not mine."
"Hey Wright!" Marcus shouted, "I know where you are!" Bullets peppered the ground only a few yards from them. "I'm going to find her you know, and when I do I'll be sure to kill her slowly just for you."
"You and Thomas keep your heads down; he doesn't know you're here. I'll take care of him."
"Rick, he's got a gun and he wants to kill you."
"You think I don't know that!" Rick snapped. He broke the pistol down, flicked the cartridge out and reassembled it.
"You stay with Thomas, I'll go." TC offered.
"No! I can handle this. I'm not the scared puppy tagalong little brother you two think I am."
"Come on out," Marcus taunted. "Let's see what you've got, weapons specialist Sergeant Wright."
"Don't do this, Orville." TC grabbed Rick by the wrist.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Rick yelled as he shook free. "Leave me alone TC, I can feel it… you better get Thomas and get out of here while you still can."
"I'm not leaving you behind!" TC insisted.
"You stay with me and Thomas could die; you could both die. Get out of here." Rick pleaded, "Help Thomas and Wendy." For a moment he looked scared, "I'll catch up, I promise, just go!"
"Dammit Orville, wait!" Before TC could reach for him again Rick had darted out into the clearing, screaming like a banshee.
Marcus brought his gun around, firing wildly. Some angel must have been watching over Rick, not a single bullet touched him. Rick fired once and Marcus went down, legs folding under like a marionette with the strings cut.
TC pulled Magnum up, half carrying him, to stand in the clearing with Rick. He looked down at the aide; Marcus had a surprised look frozen on his face and a small, dark hole in the center of his forehead.
"Oh man…" TC sounded sick. "Jesus…" He turned to find Rick pacing back and forth, banging the pistol against his head and muttering. "Orville?"
Sirens sounded, getting louder as they got closer. TC let Magnum slide to the ground. "Hey Orville, give me the gun, okay?" he asked softly.
"No!" Rick looked wildly around, "Can't let them get me!"
"It's alright Orville, I won't let them. Just give me the gun. It's all over."
"It is?"
"I swear, no one is going to hurt you if you give me the gun." He held out his hand, "Please Orville, give it to me now."
Rick rocked back and forth, obviously debating with himself the safety of giving up his weapon. Hesitantly, he passed the gun to TC who tossed the weapon away. Minutes later police officers swarmed around them, weapons drawn and shouting. Rick struggled as he was pushed to the ground and handcuffed.
"Don't hurt him," TC pleaded as Rick screamed, "He's sick, he doesn't know what's going on."
I have this all planned out but I'm not sure I like where it goes. The ending is so angsty I may have to totally redo it and that could take a while. If anyone pleading look at Becky would be willing to help me out with this I'd be forever grateful. Please e-mail me at:
