Coming Home

Chapter 4

By WildClover27

Christine and Major Richards waited in the small waiting room at the beginning of a short ward that was being used for Garrison's group only. The two chairs and small couch were not any more comfortable than the ones at Archbury.

"Do you know what happened?" asked Chris. "What went so wrong?"

"I don't know details," said Major Richards. "What was reported by the Resistance and Terry was apparently Lt. Garrison and Casino were captured. Terry and the other three made it to the safehouse, but not without injury. Terry went with Resistance to break Garrison and Casino out. They succeeded, but both men were injured further. Terry took Garrison and his men in the truck, attempting to get to Switzerland. They did not make it. Terry tried to run a roadblock. She took most of the gunfire in the front of the truck. The Resistance were following, but not too close. They wiped out the troops at the roadblock and drove the Garrisons and the men to Zurich to meet the plane."

"So they didn't get whatever they were after?" It was more of a statement from Chris than a question.

"No," said the major. "I would ordinarily try to debrief with the men who are able, but there aren't any of them who know all the details. It will have to wait."

A half hour had passed when the gurney with the confidence man was wheeled past. Chris was up and in the hall in an instant.

"Please," she begged. "Just a minute only?"

The orderlies with the gurney stopped. Actor turned his head to look at the younger girl. He motioned her to come close so he could speak quietly into her ear.

"I am sorry, Christine," he whispered with genuine sorrow. "I could not keep her safe."

Chris swept her hair back and touched her forehead to his. "It sounds more like she was trying to keep you safe," she whispered back. "Kit went to get Julie. We didn't know how badly you were injured other than 'bad,' and we didn't want her find out from someone else if you and Terry both die."

Actor nodded. "Thank you," he said.

"We have to go, Miss," said the orderly at Actor's head.

Christine straightened and looked at the man. "Thank you." She watched the gurney disappear around the corner before walking back to her seat.

Major Richards did not ask what was said. Instead he asked the young woman if she would like coffee or tea while they waited. She smiled her appreciation and asked for coffee. When he returned with their drinks, nothing more had been heard. They sat in silence, sipping at the hot beverages.

Twenty minutes had passed from the time Actor had been wheeled into surgery. A tall, dark-haired man dressed in scrubs and surgical coat came around the corner and looked at the two seated in the waiting room. He nodded to Major Richards and turned his attention to the woman.

"I am Major Lathem," he introduced himself. "You are Christine Garrison?"

"Yes," replied Chris with a tinge of apprehension.

"Major Horner is in surgery with Mr. Borghese. His injuries were more serious than expected and his surgery will take longer," said Lathem. "Major Horner asked me to come in and assist. I will be taking your sister, Teresa, to surgery in another surgical suite. We will both keep you informed as much as possible."

"Thank you, Major," said Chris.

The doctor turned and walked back the way he had come. Again, Richards and Christine waited. About ten minutes later, heavy footsteps could be heard running toward them in the main hall. Both in the waiting room jumped to their feet. A darker skinned man, dressed in a flight suit skidded around the corner and to a halt.

"Monty!" cried Chris and threw herself at her adopted brother.

He grabbed her in a tight hug. "What happened?" he demanded.

Before she could answer, Monty noticed the British major standing a few feet away and shot to attention with a sharp salute, one arm still around his sister.

"At ease, Lieutenant," said Major Richards. "Thank you, but you do not need to salute."

"Thank you, Sir," said the Lakota sibling of the Garrison clan. "Can one of you tell me what's going on? All I was told was they're all hurt, and Craig and Terry may be dying."

"We don't know all the details yet," said Major Richards. "Lt. Garrison and Casino were captured. Actor and Chief were shot. Terry took them and Goniff to a safe house, and she went after Garrison and Casino with Resistance. Two of the Resistance were killed, and Garrison received more injuries. Terry was attempting to get all of the men to Switzerland and a transport plane. She tried to run a roadblock. She took the brunt of the gunfire. Goniff was in the back and was hit. The Resistance was following them and drove them to the pickup in Switzerland. They were brought here. The Lieutenant and Terry have not regained consciousness." Richards stepped up and held a hand out, introducing himself to Monty. The two shook hands.

The rattling wheels of another gurney were heard approaching. The three stepped out of the hall and into the waiting area. Two orderlies with the gurney passed them.

Christine took a seat again. She picked up what little story was left that they knew. "Actor is in surgery. They called in another doctor, and he is going to take care of Terry."

"What about Craig?" asked Monty.

"We don't know," replied the major. "They never expected him to make it to Switzerland, let alone here."

Monty positioned himself where he could see down the hall. Major Richards remained standing to the side. As soon as her brother stiffened and the rattling wheels could be heard again, Chris jumped to her feet and stood next to her brother.

When the orderlies were about to pass them by, Monty shot a hand out. "Wait a minute."

"We need to get her to surgery," said one of the orderlies. Still moving the gurney forward.

"Just a minute," said Richards in his best order-like voice. "These are Miss Garrison's brother and sister. You can at least allow them to see her while she is still with us."

They stopped the gurney and Monty stepped up to it, Christine beside him.

"Oh my God," breathed Monty.

Chris gave a little whimper. Neither sibling had ever seen her this badly injured. There was a dressing wrapped around her head with blood beginning to seep through. He right arm was splinted atop the covers. There was no response to Monty saying her name. What other injuries she had were hidden under the blanket. After another couple seconds, the orderlies continued on.

"I don't want to know how many holes are in her under that blanket," said Chris almost tearfully.

Monty held her and rocked her. "Come on, Chris," he said softly. "You were told they wouldn't make it to Switzerland. They both made it here. They haven't given up. One thing I learned bein' part of this family is Garrisons are made of tough stuff. Don't count Craig and Terry out of it yet. And maybe Terr's injuries aren't as bad as they looked to the Resistance."

The younger girl nodded and straightened. She had to do something to keep from sitting here worrying about things. And now she allowed herself to wonder about Rainey. Chris turned to the Commando officer.

"Major," she began, "now that Terry and Actor are in surgery, do you think we could see Casino and Goniff and Chief for a few minutes?"

"Oh I think I might be able to pull rank enough to get a few minutes with them," he said with a smile.

The three walked down the hall to the ward at the end. Major Richards stepped into the room first. A nurse looked up checking the dressing on Casino's arm.

"Nurse," said Richards, "may we visit with these men for a few minutes?"

"I don't see why not," smiled the curly haired blonde woman. "I was going to check on the other three nurses anyway."

She left the room and Richards and the Garrisons pulled chairs out to the middle of the room. Christine carefully avoided looking at Chief, but her brother had no qualms.

"Hey, Brother," said Monty. "How'd you get hit?"

"Tryin' to get to the car," replied the scout.

"How bad is it?" asked Chris.

"Bullet went through. Didn't break anything," Said Chief.

"Why are they taking you back to surgery?" asked Major Richards. "I thought the wound had been taken care of on the plane."

"Was," he replied. "Doc here wants to check it again and clean it better."

Major Richards turned his head to look at Casino. "Can you tell me what happened at the party?"

Casino gave a small grin. "We debriefing?" he asked.

"Until we are told to leave," replied the major amicably.

"I don't know how they got onto us," began the safecracker. "We got the papers outta the safe. Warden, took pictures. Suddenly three Krauts came in with guns drawn. Nothin' we could do. They had us cold. Took us out the back and hauled us off to a camp. No headquarters or anything. Next thing we know a bunch of Resistance comes in and that crazy woman." He stopped and looked sharply at Richards. "They still alive?"

"Yes," replied Richards. "Terry is in surgery and the Lieutenant is in a room." He drew Casino back to the debriefing. "What happened when you tried to leave?"

Casino shook his head. "There was shootin' everywhere. Terry musta gone over by the truck. We were almost there when I caught a bullet through the arm. Guess somebody threw a grenade. The Warden and the two Resistance guys took the brunt of it. The Resistance guys were killed. Warden took something to the back of his head and caught a lot of the shrapnel." He took a breath. "Terry did the best she could with the aid kit. We picked up Actor, Chief and Goniff. Terry was drivin' and Actor was in the front with her. Warden was out cold, and I couldn't see out of the back. Ask Limey what happened."

The three on the chairs turned to look at the Englishman.

"Can you tell us more?" asked the major.

"Goniff nodded. "I were watchin' out the back and there was a tail. Terry was tryin' to drive real careful-like, but when we spotted the tail, she nailed it. We lost 'em I guess. Suddenly she slammed on the brakes. Threw us around a bit, it did. She got out an' took a look. Came around to us and said to get down and stay down. There was a roadblock and she was goin' to try to run it." He paused. "She crashed through, but there was a lot of shootin'. I was shooting out the back and caught one to me chest. Doc said it hit a rib and ricocheted. I went down. Truck kept going for a while. Then it slowed to a stop and the horn was blowing. The Resistance caught up wiff us. They put Terry and Actor in the back too. Terry was out. She was bleedin' pretty heavy from the head, and she were covered with blood. Actor had a bad break of his arm and took a bullet to the hip." He stopped talking, remembering all of them in the truck and wondering if the Warden and Terry were going to make it."

Casino picked up the story. "Resistance drove us to Switzerland. Went to an airport. There was a plane waitin' for us. We were put inside and it took off for England. There was a doctor in the back of that plane. He did the best he could for all of us. Hard to do much with one man and six of us in a plane. Then we got here. You know it from there."

"Thank you," said Major Richards.

A minute later a nurse came into the room and handed a paper to the Major. He opened it, read it and frowned. His attention turned to Christine.

"I'm sorry. I am being summoned to Command. I will call and check on you and the men later," he said.

"Thank you for staying as long as you did," said Chris. "I know how busy you are."

All three stood up.

Richards turned to Monty. "It was nice meeting you, Lt. Garrison," he said.

"I can stay with Crystal a little while longer," said Monty. "Then I have to go to debriefing."

The Commando major strode out of the room. Chris walked closer to Casino.

"Why aren't they taking you to surgery?" she asked.

The safecracker shrugged. "That doc on the plane took care of my arm. Guess he wanted somebody else to work on Geronimo here."

Monty laughed and looked at Chief. "At least he got the tribe right."

Chief made a face. "I guess."

Casino was never one to let go of something. "So, Monty, what's a Lakota?"

"Sioux," replied the Garrison brother.

"So what's that make you?" persisted Casino.

Monty grinned wickedly. "Crazy Horse."

The safecracker gave a snort. "That figures."

He missed the grin on Chief's face.

"You guys are terrible," said Chris, shaking her head.

Finally, Monty had to leave. He promised he would stop back when he could. Chris pulled her chair closer and sat back down.

"You don't mind if I stay here with you, do you?" she asked tentatively.

Three voices quickly told her they didn't mind. The men knew how worried she was about her siblings. She stepped down the hall to check on Craig, but she was not allowed in his room. They were working on his injuries in there and he wasn't conscious anyway. So, she went back to the ward and told the others what she had been told. She took her seat again and Goniff tried to talk to her to keep her mind occupied on something besides worry.

Another hour had passed when the sounds of two gurneys could be heard approaching. Chris got up and went to the door, looking down the hall. The occupied gurney stopped and turned to go into Actor's room. The one behind it moved past and was coming to the ward.

"Chief," she warned him, "I think they are coming for you now."

She stepped into the hall and moved out of the way. Walking down a little way, she stopped and leaned against the wall across from the door to Actor's room. A couple minutes later, the gurney with Chief on it was pushed past her. She reached a hand out toward the scout, but the gurney was pushed on past her. Now she waited.

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