"So, what you're telling me," Potter leaned back in his chair, "is that the bastard got you too, and then used you as a hail mary when he beat Pierce to the brink of death." He took a liberal belt, hoping to be able to swallow the cursed news better with some liquor.
"Yes, Colonel. "I don't think he'll be able to survive much longer; I was only let go because the man would be too preoccupied, with punishing him for fighting back, to deal with me. We have to find him."
"Damn right. Radar!"
"I'm here, sir," The company clerk replied precisely when the call was yelled, coming in through the swaying doors carrying stacks of paper.
"What's all that, Radar?" BJ asked.
"It's everything I used to get ahold of the line that Hawkeye's captor used in the first place. I called as many stations as I could get ahold of, and made a record of everything in case we had to do it again."
"Hawk told me about your call. Listen, I don't think that should be our first move… he really took quite the punishment for that."
Potter sighed. "I know that, I was the one on the line. That man had me listen. Still, it's really all we can do. There's nothing else in our power. Perhaps we could negotiate."
BJ shook his head at that. "There's no negotiating with him, I tried. He's only interested in Pierce. He's not going to let him go that easily."
"I think it'll take more than a surgeon like you or I could sort. We need another sort of doctor."
"Sidney?"
"Exactly."