Chapter 4

The man's hands went up. "What's the deal? I'm here to check her vitals."

Frank narrowed his eyes. "Her CNA is Marcy, I recognize you from your mug shots and surveillance photos. "You have nowhere to go. On your knees now. NOW!"

Sabine slowly tried to move his arms towards his waist.

Frank snapped. "Hands up! Get on the ground NOW!"

The nurse Lynn came into the room. "Is everything…"

She didn't get to finish her statement because Sabine grabbed her and pulled her in front of him and pulled his gun. "I'm getting out of here asshole."

Lynn whimpered. "Please don't hurt me."

Sabine hissed. "Shut up Bitch!"

Frank was still standing in front of Callie protecting her. He also had to protect this poor nurse. He snapped. "Sabine drop your weapon and let her go. This isn't going to end well for you."

"I'm leaving." He started to back up.

Frank fired, hitting him between the eyes. Both Sabine and nurse Lynn fell to the floor. Lynn backed up and started sobbing on the floor. Frank rushed over to her. He helped her to her feet. "Are you alright?"

"Oh my GOD! He tried to take me!"

Frank soothed. "You're safe. Call security. I have to call this in."

Lynn swallowed. "I should have ducked. I"m sorry. My dad was on the job and he taught me to duck but I was frozen. If you'd said my buzz phrase I would have probably dropped."

Callie smiled to keep from going into hysterics herself. "What's your buzz phrase."

"Please don't hurt my family. My dad had to use it once while we were out. I still remember."

Frank patted her arm. "Go call security Lynn then get the charge nurse to call someone in to take over your shift. You need some alone time." When Lynn left he rushed to Callie. "You're safe babe."

"Oh my god! Who is that man?"

"He's a known associate of Thomas Wyatt." Frank pulled out his phone. He dialed his dispatch. "This is ASAC Frank Hardy credentials 957660 I've had a justified use of deadly force at my location. I need back up and a crime scene unit ASAP. Suspect is DOA and is identified as Mark Sabine. Pick up the following people for attempted murder of a state official. Karla Sanchez, Stanley Lee, and Issac Newman. Also I want federal protection for the families of Callie Hardy and James Hightower until this matter is resolved. I require agents to be deployed to both residences, the residence of SAC Fenton Hardy, and to room 418 at Virginia Hospital Center in Alexandria. Acknowledge dispatch."

"Acknowledged ASAC Hardy. Security details must be signed off by a second agent ASAC or higher."

Frank growled. He dialed his father using Callie's phone. "Dad, I need you to authorize the security details for my house, your house, James Hightower's, and Callie's hospital room. Mark Sabine came into her room with a gun intending to kill her. He got ahold of a hostage and I had to use deadly force. I want everyone protected. Call Joe and Vanessa and have them go to my house. I want you, mom, and the girls to go there as well. I don't want to take any chances."

Fenton was on his feet. "I'll call dispatch now. Who's the operator?"

Frank spoke into his phone. "Your operator number?"

"402286."

Frank relayed that to his father. Who promised it would be handled. That he, Laura, and the girls would go to their house in the morning.

Frank dialed his brother. He answered on the second ring. "Frank is Callie okay?"

"She's fine but I just had to use deadly force on an intruder in her room. He took a nurse hostage and used her as a human shield. He was a known associate of the man she convicted today. I want you and Vanessa to go to my house and stay there. The bureau is going to send a security detail to watch the house. I can't authorize your residence but you can go to mine. I want you and Van safe."

Joe was up. He shook Vanessa awake. "We're up and moving. I'll have my concealed until we get there. Let the security detail know that we are coming, and give them our SUV description and plates."

"Will do. Call me once you are inside. I'm sorry for this."

"Don't be sorry. Not for this bro."

Frank said. "Dad, mom, and the girls will come first thing in the morning. Love you."

Joe answered as he was getting dressed. "Same goes. I'm going to swing by the hospital and check on Callie before we come. Don't give me any lip. It's on the way. Van and I will sleep better knowing she's okay."

Frank took a shaky breath. "Be careful. We have three more known associates of Wyatt's still at large. I'm going to send you pictures. Be careful Dr. Hardy."

"You know I will." He hung up. Thirty minutes later he called. "We're in the parking lot of the hospital. I don't see anyone. We're heading up."

Frank waited until he heard the elevator ding. Satisfied that his brother and wife were alright, he hung up. He knew two agents were outside the door. Two minutes later Joe and Vanessa came in. Joe approached the bed. He took Callie's wrist and checked her pulse. "How are you?"

Callie took a deep breath. "I'm alright Joe. Frank saved me."

Vanessa came and sat in the recliner next to the bed. "We know but you shouldn't have needed saving."

Callie took a breath. "I know but I'm glad he was here."

Joe put his stethoscope up to his ears. "We are too. Let me listen to you."

Callie sat in silence as Joe listened to her heart and lungs. He pulled up her hospital gown and looked at her incision. No signs of infection. "What's your pain level?"

"It's at a 3 right now. I just had pain meds not too long ago."

Joe nodded. "Alright. Your pulse is a little high. Do you want something for anxiety?"

Lynn came back in. "I just paged her doctor that's on call. They gave me a verbal for ativan for her."

Joe noted the blood smear in the blond nurses hair. He also noted that she was sweating. "Were you the human shield?"

Lynn nodded. "Yes...I'm just waiting for my relief. Annie is coming in for me."

Joe pointed to a chair. "Sit."

She looked at his badge. She saw that he was a doctor here at the hospital. "Oh Dr. Hardy. I'm fine. Just a little shaken." Her hands were shaking.

"We would all feel better if you let me check you." Joe said soothingly.

The CNA came in. Joe saw the blood pressure cuff. "Perfect." He studied the CNA's badge. "Sandra, go get a cuff for Lynn please I want to check her vitals.

The CNA didn't miss a beat. She didn't ask any questions. She left the room to retrieve what he asked. Joe listened to Lynn's heart rate. It was very elevated. He used his watch to get a number. He counted for a full minute. "Your pulse is 183. BP is 200/110. You need to go downstairs."

"I can't leave my patients."

"The charge can watch over them until Annie gets here." He looked at the CNA. "Get me a wheelchair I'm taking her to the ER."

Sandra hurried out. The charge nurse came in and her hands were on her hips. "It's not visiting hours."

Joe showed her his ID badge. "I work here. Clock Lynn out. She's going to the ER. Her BP is 200/110 heart rate is 183."

She paled. "Oh honey try to relax. You're safe sweetie."

Vanessa had slipped into the bathroom and got a cool damp piece of paper towel to wipe Lynn's face. "You're safe honey. You're going to be just fine."

"I want my fiancé."

"What's his name?" Frank asked. "What does he do for a living.

Lynn was rubbing her chest. "He's an independent communications consultant. He's brilliant with computers. He went to MIT. I met him on a train coming from Boston. We hit it off. He missed his stop, road to mine, stayed for a month, and went back to his home for a month and moved here."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "Are. You Lynn Price?"

"Yes. How did you?"

Frank smiled. "Phil Cohen is a good friend of mine. We met for coffee a month ago after he moved here. He said he met a terrific girl and proposed. I'll call him for you."

Lynn whimpered. "You must be from Baypark. No I'm wrong it's Bayport."

Callie answered from the bed. "Yes we all are."

The CNA came in with the wheelchair. Joe and Frank helped Lynn into it. Joe pushed it out the door."

Frank smiled at Vanessa. "Why don't you lie down for a bit. Joe may be a while."