It's been a long day "harvest organs" as we processed the last of our Thanksgiving turkeys. Always such a bittersweet day on the farm. I will miss those silly birds.
"Can I kill him?"
The odd question pulled Mike out of his deep state of despair and anguish. Staring down at Danny who eagerly pointed at the full syringe resting against the side of his partner's neck, he found himself freezing in his spot when he watched the surgeon hesitate, then relax his grip on the plunger.
"Why now? You've had plenty of opportunity before?"
"Because the pig shot me. It's time to make him pay."
Holding his breath, Mike glanced down at his partner, meeting Steve's frantic eyes as the bizarre situation unfolded. Pinned against the floor and unable to move, he could hear the young Inspector's forced breaths all the way over on his side of the wall.
"Very well.", the surgeon said, before releasing his grasp on the plunger, then reaching for the stethoscope around his neck and the other syringe in his pocket, "Here, take these. Don't take off the cuffs until you checked his pupils for dilation and you are no longer hearing a heartbeat. Call Bobby or myself if you're not sure. If he's not dead within a couple of minutes of the first injection, give him that second one right in the heart. You've seen me do that before. Surely you can remember."
Accepting the items with an understanding nod, Danny switched positions with the surgeon and crouched down in front of Steve, one knee across his elbows to keep him pinned, and adjusting the syringe with his good arm.
"Danny…", Mike urged somberly, noticing that the young man was slowing down and listening, even though he never looked up, "Ask yourself what your mother would say if she found out how you paid for her treatment…"
"Shut up, cop!", came the reprimand from Bobby, followed by another punch, this time to his stomach.
Mike almost folded over, his cramping arms wrapped around his midsection to ease the pain. Grunting and gasping for air, he glanced down at his partner. As if he'd come to peace with his fate, Steve had closed his eyes, only the frantic heaving of his chest signaling that he was still conscious and quite aware of his surroundings and predicament.
"Let's get this one ready.", came the order from the surgeon, and Mike was unceremoniously dragged back up and away from his partner. Deliberately walking slow to buy himself time worked for the first couple of steps, but Bobby quickly caught on to his plan and brutally shoved him along, until they reached the door to the surgery room.
Taking a moment to turn around one last time, he saw Danny still bent over Steve, his expression unreadable as he fidgeted with the syringe in his hand. Swallowing hard, Mike said a prayer for his partner and best friend, before following the surgeon to the nearby gurney.