Chapter Four
Lying behind her, his fingers trailed along her body from her hip to her neck. She shuddered slightly and let out a soft, appreciative moan. He gently nibbled at her neck, watching her wake from her peaceful slumber.
She hated to admit it, but she liked it here, in his arms. He smelled good, he felt good. He was an affectionate and gentle lover, with just enough of a wicked streak to keep things interesting.
Her eyes opened languidly and the first thing she saw was the digital alarm clock. "Oh my God! Why did you let me sleep so late?" She immediately jumped out of the bed and ran for the bathroom, hopping in the shower. He tried to catch her and pull her back, but missed. Sighing, he got up and followed her. "Oh, no you don't! The last thing I need is for House to think we've showered together… again! Out!"
"Allie, for heaven's sake, we're adults, who cares what House thinks?" He shook his head and started to brush his teeth.
"I just can't stand him looking at me the way he does! It's like he's always holding something over my head," she shouted over the rushing water. This was probably the fastest shower she'd ever taken. Quickly lathering her hair, she realized she hadn't brought her own shampoo and was afraid she'd smell like Chase. Oh, great, House is bound to spot it. She rinsed and climbed back out of the tub. "I've got to get going. I'll see you at work."
He grabbed her wrist and spun her back around to him, pulling her close. "Good morning, sunshine," he said as he kissed her.
"I'm sorry, Robbie, good morning!" She returned the kiss. Then she was gone.
He sighed again, wondering if this fellowship was ever going to end. He so wanted to get into the 'real' world and out from under his boss. After showering himself, he decided he'd dry his hair. Just to take some pressure off Allie.
Sometimes he just wanted to chuck it all and go home. Bloody Americans. But, really, there was no one at home anymore. There were times he felt like he was the only one left on the planet, lonely and alone. Just like he felt right now.
It was all of 8:55a.m. when Chase got to work, a bit rumpled in his khakis and blue oxford shirt, but presentable. Dr. Eric Foreman had been there for only a few minutes and Dr. Allison Cameron had arrived at 8:30a.m. which was thirty minutes later than usual. At this moment, she was rifling through House's mail.
"Good morning, my naughty penguins!" If House could have skipped into the conference room, they thought he just might have done.
"Finally get some you didn't have to pay for?" inquired Foreman, checking his watch, but not looking up from his newspaper.
Cameron was also glancing at her watch, surprised to see House in the hospital so, well, early, "Something going on we don't know about?" She asked, innocently enough. Chase also looked to his watch and noticed his tie was askew. House zeroed in on it,
"There's always something going on you don't know I know about. Wouldn't give you enough time to dress properly this morning, eh, Chase?" He passed a little too uncomfortably close behind Chase, headed for Cameron. Bending over, pretending to pay attention to the pile of mail on the desk, House took in the scent of Cameron's hair. "Ha! Just as I thought!" He gave them all one of his superior smirks and completed his journey to his office, closing the door behind him.
"What was that all about?" Foreman asked, raising his head. Cameron's face had flushed to almost the same shade of rose as her silk blouse.
Chase straightened his tie and mumbled, "Who knows?"
Foreman wasn't buying it. "Oh for crying out loud, are you two at it again? Please tell me you're keeping out of the hospital this time!" He rose, shaking his head, and walked over to the coffee maker. Dr. Eric Foreman took pride in his appearance and wearing his charcoal grey three piece suit he was a walking GQ cover, turning many a feminine head in the hospital and a few male heads, as well.
Before anyone had a chance to say anything the overhead P.A. system crackled to life, "Code Green, Third Floor West. Code Green, Third Floor West. Code Green, Third Floor West." Chase's eyes widened in surprise. He then bolted out of the room, headed for the nearest stairwell. Taking the stairs two to three steps at a time, he hoped he'd be able to get to Esi's room in time. He was sure the Security alert was concerning her.
House limped out of the office for a morning cuppa. "What's a Code Green?" He lazily inquired.
"Usually a violent patient or visitor gone berserk," replied Cameron, "but Chase just ran out of here like a scalded cat. I can't imagine…" Before she could finish her sentence, House was out the door as well. Foreman and Cameron looked at each other.
"I guess we should join the party?" Asked Foreman. They agreed and headed to the third floor.
Chapter Five
The commotion started just after the breakfast trays had been passed. Doctors were still making early morning rounds, families were either coming in to visit patients, or leaving after having spent the night with their loved ones. Ancillary personnel were bustling about, performing phlebotomies, x-raying patients and transporting other patients to and from different departments. Early morning surgical patients had left the floor about an hour earlier. In short, the third floor was as busy as usual.
Esi had been declared a 'no information' patient, which meant the staff was not to give out any information regarding her to anyone other than hospital personnel involved in her care. The staff was not even allowed to confirm or deny her presence.
Which is why antennae twitched when the tall, exceedingly handsome black man dressed in a very expensive suit and even more expensive shoes arrived on the floor asking for her by name.
"I'm sorry, Sir, but we do not have anyone by that name on this floor, might I direct you to the information desk in the lobby?" Susan Larson, one of Chloe's favorite young nurses, was consulting the computer and cheerily responding to his enquiries.
"Ah, yes, you see," he began in a beautifully lyrical Bahamian/British accent, "I've just come from there and they directed me here, you see my dilemma. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Alexander Dagomba, Miss Dagomba's cousin from Ghana."
Susan smiled, maintaining a polite demeanor. "One moment, Sir, let me get my charge nurse, perhaps she can shed some light on the matter."
Susan rose and headed to Chloe's office. After hearing the news, Chloe picked up the phone and called Security. "Jean, we're not calling a code green, but you need to send a couple of guys up here, we might have a problem in the making. Thanks, hon." She left her office and shot a questioning look at Susan. "Where'd he go?"
At that moment a terrified scream came from the end of the hallway. Chloe called out to Jennifer, the unit secretary, "Call a Code Green, Now!" She then ran down the hall with several other staff members.
As they approached Esi's room, they were confronted by a terrifying sight. 'Alexander' had her by the neck, trying to strangle her. Esi spotted Chloe and suddenly began to fight for her life. She managed to twist away from him and slide out of the bed, running for the door.
Chloe positioned herself between Esi, who was cowering behind her against the wall, and the very angry man who had tried to claim her as a 'relative'. Speaking in forced calmness, Chloe was repeating a softly spoken mantra, "This child is not leaving this hospital with you or anyone else."
Security had responded to the code green en masse, spreading themselves out in the hallway, blocking his access to the elevators, hands ominously near their weapons. The older and larger member of the security team began to speak, "Sir, what seems to be the problem?" No one took their eyes off him.
'Alexander' bobbed to his right and turned, heading for the exit stairway. He didn't get far, connecting his jaw quite neatly with the fist of Dr. Robert Chase.
Chapter Six
"Ms. Marzhal, you're not the only one who has or who can make a connection with this girl. You need to let go of this for your own safety and let us do our jobs." The FBI agent, Special Agent Alan Michaelson, was speaking in low, soothing tones, with an undercurrent of finality.
Chloe hung her head, he was right. "I just hate the thought of abandoning her now."
When the Code Green was called early that morning, the Security department did two things. They responded with their well-practiced efficiency and they placed a call to the FBI. Within an hour, Special Agent Michaelson was onsite.
The ethical arguments had raged. On the one hand, Esi was not a United States citizen and therefore did not qualify for the federal witness protection program as such. On the other hand, she was the only one who had the information against Jason Adler the FBI had been craving for the past year and a half. They had lost two experienced field agents to Mr. Adler and didn't want to lose any more. Protecting their only witness was at the top of their to-do list.
Sending her back to Ghana was discussed in depth. It was pointed out that if she returned to her village without the education they were expecting that she might be shunned as having failed her family. On the other hand, they could contact the order of nuns which had taught Esi her English to see if they would be willing to take her in. This, it was thought, might place her in better standing with her family and the village elders.
None of this was discussed with Esi. No one had contacted her family yet. No one had contacted the Ghanaian Embassy. For the moment, Esi was in the care of Sister Augustine and the nuns at the St. Joseph the Worker Monastery (you might remember House's pet name for it). Chase had contacted Sr. Augustine and her Mother Superior asking if they could house Esi for a time. They were more than willing to take on the responsibility. Young Sr. Pius identified and loved Esi from the beginning and kept a close eye on her. While it wasn't home, Esi did feel comfortable and safe. Esi had a penchant for herb gardening, which made her a hit with the nuns in the kitchen.
The FBI had 'Alexander' in custody having already determined he wasn't who he claimed to be. That was a revelation to no one. However, they were having trouble identifying him at all. He didn't seem to be in the system. They were busy contacting the Bahamian authorities, hoping for some enlightenment. What was surprising, though, is that he hadn't requested a lawyer and Mr. Adler hadn't sent one. Interesting.
In the meantime, Chase was in the radiology department having his hand x-rayed to rule out a fifth metacarpal fracture, commonly known as a 'boxer's fracture'. His hand hurt, but he thought everyone was making too big a deal out of what was, in point of fact, a lucky punch. He'd been in worse matches than this, for heaven's sake! He suffered through it though, happy he'd been able to be of assistance.
"You're lucky," quipped House, gazing at the x-ray, "most pretty boys end up hurting themselves more than their opponent."
Chase shook his head. "A.) I'm from Australia, we learn how to take care of ourselves at an early age, and B.) I've been boxing since I was fifteen, I know how to take as well as give a decent blow, thank you." House recalled that Chase did take more than one blow well. Emotionally, physically as well as mentally. The fact that he was still House's fellow proved that if nothing else.
"The point being that you've placed yourself squarely in the middle of this thing. Now you've joined Chloe in the target club. I don't think Cuddy would approve of losing you to the witness protection program, such as it is." House screwed his face into something almost resembling concern.
"You're exaggerating as usual," Chase took the x-ray down and walked back into the conference room. "Can we get back to the patient we can't seem to diagnose?"
"Oh! Didn't you hear, we solved that puzzle without you, Ali. Treatment's already begun and is showing promise. Thanks for asking, though." House settled himself back in his chair and flipped on his music, turning it up loud. Chase looked with confusion at Foreman and Cameron.
"It's true. Turns out she had a rare genetic anomaly which wasn't brought to our attention until her grandmother showed up to visit and filled us in on the family medical history." Foreman shrugged his shoulders and returned to his newspaper.
Cameron took Chase's arm, "Let's go down to the clinic, we've got some hours due." They left with the sound of House's voice in their ears.
"No storage closets!"
Chloe sighed and clocked out. She had the next two days off and was glad of it. She needed time away from this mess. Opening the door of her apartment, she immediately realized that something wasn't right. She couldn't put her finger on it, but something…
"Good evening, Ms. Marzhal. It's such a pleasure to meet you again." She froze, how could she ever forget that voice?
"Jason," she located him in the corner of the room, "what can I do for you?"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Such lack of manners. I thought Lawrence did a better job with you, you always seemed so accomplished. It's too bad really." He was goading her.
"Lawrence was a good man. You know that and you killed him anyway." Her eyes were icy and heart just as cold.
"Oh my dear, you have no proof of that!" He was smiling.
"I'm not a court of law, Jason, I don't need evidentiary proof. I simply know." The last word was filled with malevolence. "You have invaded my home, I have every right to shoot you dead where you stand."
"With this?" He held her 9mm handgun in his outstretched hand. "Don't worry dear, I've unloaded it, this could be very dangerous in the hands of an untrained individual."
"What do you want?" Was her only reply
"What I want is to propose a bargain. Make a deal, if you will. A life hangs in the balance, perhaps several. You can prevent harm from coming to anyone. It's your choice, really."
"What is your proposition Jason?"
She listened.
"Think about it, will you and do let me know… soon?"
He left her shaken. She really needed to talk to someone. Problem was, she had no idea who would listen.