Chapter 6
They stood staring down at Nate and all of them expected to hear the forlorn wail of the heart machine at any minute telling them they had lost a man that meant more to all of them than they could ever say. Sophie clung to his hand and never stopped talking to him, telling him she loved him and telling him he was not alone, that he would never be alone and that she would always love him, that his child would know him that he would always be loved.
"Geoff…" Eliot answered his phone as soon as it rung, and all their eyes turned to him.
"I think I have it, but Eliot if I go by your timeline, I don't have enough time to get it to you. Can you get to the lab and get a doctor on with me I can talk him through preperation?" Geoff said not bothering with any niceties.
Eliot nodded and then ran out the room leaving three people watching and wondering what was going on but hoping it was Eliot's friend telling him he had the antitoxin. He ran to the desk and asked where the labs were in the hospital. He was directed and immediately set off at a dead run.
"Sorry this area is restricted." A man said as Eliot approached the door. Eliot smiled at him and his fist flew out and the man dropped to the floor.
"Sorry I don't have time." Eliot hissed then pushed through the door. "I need a doctor over here now, right now!" He said as he stepped into the room.
"Who are you…"
"I don't have time. Are you a doctor?" Eliot said and the man nodded, Eliot could see the fear manifest on the man's face as he spoke, this was Eliot the Hitter who would brook no arguments. "The man on this phone's name is Geoff, he has the antitoxin for the man upstairs in your hospital and you are going to follow his directions and prepare it and you are going to do it now…" Eliot said handing the man the phone.
Then he stepped back and waited as he saw the doctor get to work. Minutes later security arrived, and Eliot did not resist them, he did not want to make any trouble and distract the doctor from doing what he needed to do. Shortly after security arrived Nate's doctor did, Eliot explained what was happening and he nodded telling security they could release Eliot who nodded his thanks. Then the doctor joined the one on the phone with Geoff and started to aid in his efforts.
It took the two doctors just under an hour before they told Eliot that they had what they needed, and they headed up to Nate's room with Eliot in tow. Coming into the room the doctor immediately moved to Nate's side and injected him with the antitoxin they had just made. Shortly after that Nate's heartrate went berserk before he flatlined, the doctor immediately initiated a code blue, and they were all moved out of the room.
"What's happening, Eliot…" Sophie asked anxiously, this should not be happening, Eliot had the antitoxin it should be saving Nate not killing him.
"I don't know." Eliot said softly wrapping his arm around her. Was his friend wrong, had the doctors made a mistake when making the antitoxin, or where they simply too late to save Nate?
Almost an hour later the doctor emerged, and Sophie could see on his face relief, that was a good sign she thought to herself.
"Mrs Ford your husband is stable, he went into cardiac arrest when we administered the antitoxin but we managed to bring him back, he is breathing on his own now and I think we were in time to prevent the toxin taking his life." The doctor smiled at her. "Now he could have some lingering effects from the toxin, we won't know that until we run some tests, but for now, he is stable, and he should wake up shortly."
"Thank you…thank you so much."
"I think you have to thank Mr Spenser without the antitoxin your husband would no longer be with us." He said looking at the Hitter who nodded at him.
Sophie smiled at the doctor, thanked him again and then went into the room to take her place beside Nate to wait for him to wake. The others followed her in, but Eliot stood back pulling out his phone.
"Geoff…"
"Did it work?"
"Yes…I owe you."
"Let's call it even ok. Glad I could help." Geoff said then hung up and Eliot entered the room to take his place at the foot of Nate's bed.
He looked down at the man who now looked a lot more relaxed and peaceful than he had before, Eliot could see he was not under the influence of drugs anymore but was simply asleep. He sighed and closed his eyes saying a silent thank you again to Geoff for Nate's life.
It was another hour before Nate tentatively opened his eyes and stared into the face of his wife who leaned over him calling his name out.
"Sophie…"
"Oh Nate welcome back my darling." She said leaning in and placing a gentle kiss on his lips.
"Sophie what, what happened?"
"Eliot's friend came through and they got the antitoxin, you are going to be fine Nate." Sophie told him her eyes filling with tears.
Nate looked up at Eliot who smiled at him and nodded. He felt Parker's soft hand in his and saw the relief on Hardison's face as he stood beside her. Then he turned back to his wife and lifted his hand to wipe away the tear that had escaped her eye.
"Do we know who?" Nate said looking at his wife and wondering if she were still in danger if they were still in danger and his anxiety levels rose.
"It's all good Nate." Eliot said seeing the man's angst. "Seems nobody was after you or Sophie, it was a random act by some psycho."
Nate's eyebrows rose as he locked eyes with his Hitter.
"FBI were here, seems you aren't the first one. There is a serial killer, and he is not targeting anybody specific but likes to use people to do his dirty work then waits to see how it turns out." Eliot explained.
"Well that's something." Nate said smiling at his wife. They were not under threat and he was going to be fine and all of this was over.
A week later Nate had been discharged and the group were having a family dinner at the Ford home. Nate was recovering well from the gunshots and the toxin had left no real lingering effects aside from the fact that he got fatigued quite easily and the doctor had ordered strict rest and relaxation for at least a month. They were all gathered around the table celebrating the news of Sophie's pregnancy properly when there was a knock at their door.
"You expecting somebody?" Eliot asked immediately on alert.
"No." Nate said softly as he stood and walked towards the door with the Hitter by his side.
"Yes…" Nate called out as he reached the door.
"Mr Ford it is Agent Corbin and Penton from the FBI, could we come in sir?"
Nate looked at Eliot and nodded as he opened the door to the two agents allowing them to enter then closing the door behind them.
"What can I do for you?" Nate asked looking at the two agents.
"Sorry to interrupt your dinner." Corbin said looking at the three other people sitting at the dinner table before turning back to Nate.
"What can I do for you?" Nate asked again offering them a seat and then sitting down opposite them with Sophie joining him and the other two taking up seats as well with Eliot standing behind Nate.
"We were wondering if you have any additional information about what happened at the bar, perhaps you saw something your wife did not." Corbin said.
"Nothing except I saw him enter, noticed he looked odd then saw him draw the gun and start shooting, I pushed Sophie out the way and well the rest is history." Nate told them. "I believe this is not the first thing like this to happen, do you have any leads? I mean this is an incredibly unique signature isn't it?"
"Mr Ford, we have received some communication from the man who is doing this."
"Oh…"
"Yes he is, shall we say not happy that you survived and that you and your people found an antitoxin to his weapon of choice."
"I see…"
"This is not the first time he has communicated with the police, but this time it was centred on you." Corbin said watching the man closely.
"On me, why?"
"We believe because you survived."
"What does this come down to?" Eliot asked not liking where this was going at all.
"He has made a…promise of sorts…that you were marked for death by God's selection and that you must die and will die. I think in his mind you have defied him, he decided you should die or at least you were the target, and you didn't."
"But I wasn't a specific target." Nate said not quite understanding why this man had now focused on him.
"No I don't believe you were, but you were the one his…weapon as it were…targeted and hit, you should be dead in his mind and as long as you are not he has failed in his mission."
"I see so 'God' selected me to die via his weapon, the guy with the gun and now I am not dead. So you think he will try to kill me?" Nate said sitting back in his chair. He looked over at Sophie and saw the angst in her eyes as they spoke.
"I do believe he will Mr Ford. We are prepared to put you in FBI protective custody until we find this man." Corbin said.
"I see, well what do you know about him?" Nate asked.
"Mr Ford our investigation has progressed significantly, unfortunately we cannot divulge the details to you." Penton answered.
"Yes well…" Nate said then rose and walked over to the wet bar and poured himself a whiskey. "So you know nothing, you are guessing at everything and this man, whoever he is, is playing you." Nate summarized.
"Mr Ford…"
"This is the fifth attack right? With what three people murdered in the other four in the city, you have no leads and no clue, except you now have me, a survivor and one pissed off psychopath who feels he has to ensure I die because in his crazy mind I should already be dead right?"
"Mr Ford…"
"Look thank you for your concern but I can take care of myself." Nate said as he took his seat again. "So unless there is anything else…?"
"No." Agent Penton said looking at all of them and seeing they had overstayed their welcome. "But if you think of anything else or receive any communication from him please contact us."
"You think he will contact Nate?" Sophie asked knotting her eyebrows.
"We don't know, as far as we know this is the first time he has not succeeded in killing somebody..."
"And you are not sure how he is going to react, apart from the fact that he is going to come after Nate as he told you." Eliot finished for the man.
"I will let you know if I hear from him, or if anything else happens." Nate assured them and then walked with them to the door and let them out before closing and locking it.
"So this is not over…" Nate said as he walked back to them and sat down. "Eliot…"
"The place is secure, but we will put additional security in." Eliot said looking toward Hardison.
"I am not staying." Nate said looking at Sophie and waiting for the explosion he knew was coming.
"Nathan Ford…"
"No Sophie and I am not arguing, I am not taking a chance with your life or the life of my child. Now this guy whoever he is, he is indiscriminate in his methods, he may be coming after me but he will not care who gets in the way understand, so I am not staying here and you are." Nate said and the tone in his voice told her he was not going to allow her to argue with him about it. "Hardison I need all the records of this guy from the FBI files, they said they had received previous communications, I need them, Eliot you and Parker need to ensure that Sophie remains safe understand."
"And you?" Eliot asked noting that he had not mentioned anything about what he was planning to do or where he was planning to go. "You are still suffering the aftereffects of the toxin not to mention recovering from two gunshots that nearly killed you, and are still weak Nate, you can't expect us, expect me to let you go off on your own with a mad man after you, so you better rethink whatever plan you have in that head of yours."
"Parker can take care of the security here with Hardison." Sophie said, she knew he was not going to stay here and put her in danger, and she understood that considering the fact she was pregnant with his child, but he was not going anywhere alone. "He will not be coming after me Nate." She said seeing the rebellion in his eyes as she spoke.
"Fine." Nate said smiling at her.
"It's going to take a little time to get the info Nate." Hardison said knowing it was going to be a long night of hacking for him. Getting into FBI files was not the easiest to do. The Hacker grabbed a bottle of his orange soda and then disappeared into the office and study area in the house.
"We can use one of Parker's warehouses…" Eliot said looking to the woman for confirmation and getting a nod from her. "Nobody can get to you there and they are off the grid." Eliot said as Nate was about to say something.
"Fine." Nate said quietly. Parker had several warehouses around that were totally off the grid and incredibly secure, it was a good place to hold up for a while.
"Parker want to help me check out the security?" Eliot asked knowing Sophie wanted to be alone with Nate for a while.
"Nate…"
"I'll be fine Sophie." Nate said looking at the worried face of his wife. "We will find this guy, or they will, and this will end but until then…I can't take that chance Sophie please."
"Ok…but you be careful and don't you go put a great big target on your back like you usually do. I am not raising this child alone Nate, so you let Eliot take care of you and you keep your head down."
Nate did not reply to her but dropped his eyes as he took a sip of his whiskey. The only way he could see to catch this guy is to put himself out there and let him take a run at him. He was sure that is what the FBI wanted as well, this guy was obviously elusive, and they now had a carrot to hang out for him in the form of himself. Well he wanted this ended, he wanted to be here with his wife, and he wanted to be sure that Sophie was in no danger.
"Nathan Ford look at me." Sophie said rising and going to sit beside him on the arm of the chair he was in. "Please Nate promise me, promise me you will let Eliot look after you, promise me you will not get yourself killed. I know what you are thinking but please Nate, don't do it, for me, for this child, for yourself for them, take you pick, please just let the FBI do their job and come back to me alive and well."
"I promise I will let Eliot take care of me Sophie and I will keep my head down ok?" He smiled up at her. "Now I am a little tired and tomorrow is going to be a big day, so I am going to bed." He said as he stood pulling her up and into him giving her a soft kiss. "I love you Mrs Ford."
"And I love you." Sophie said pushing him away to arm's length and looking into his eyes. "I'm going to help clean up here and then I'll join you ok?" She smiled at him and gave him another peck on the lips.
"Ok but don't be too long, I want to spend one last night with my wife ok…" He said then seeing her face darken he realised what he had said and pulled her in to him and held her tightly. "Just until this is over Sophie then I will be back, I promise." He whispered in her ear. Then gave her a quick kiss before heading for their room.
Sophie watched him go and sighed heavily. He was not going to leave this to the FBI of that she was almost sure, but she could not stop him either.
"I'll make sure he stays safe and alive Sophie." Eliot said startling her slightly.
"You will try Eliot." Sophie said and he would, she knew Eliot would lay down his life for the man, they all would, but Nate was a stubborn arse that had no regard for his own life especially if he got caught up in a job or in this case a hunt for a serial killer who was after him and might in the process put her life in danger.
