Casey Vs. The Deja Vu
Chapter 20: Time For Action
"Can you believe he actually said that? I thought I was gonna die!" A young nurse giggled and twirled a phone cord on her pinky. "What? Oh yeah … he totally digs me and … Oh my God! Tara, I have to go!"
The nurse slammed the phone down and ran out from behind the desk.
"I need a doctor! We have to get him to the ER now!"
Two surgeons ran into the hallway and grabbed the gurney from the frightened nurse. The tall man huddled on it convulsed into spasms, his face turned pallid and his eyelids fluttered.
"Where the hell did he come from?"
"I don't know! I just turned around and he was there shaking like a leaf!"
When they wheeled him into the room, they tore open his shirt and saw cryptic block letters on his chest.
REVIVE ME!
The doctors were stupefied, but there was no time to investigate. They used the defibrillator, but after three attempts, his vital responses were minimal.
"We have to begin CPR!"
~Oo~
Casey gradually awoke, the skin on his chest felt seared and his head pounded, but he was alive. He'd been placed in a hospital bed in the general patient area. He looked over and saw a man under sedation. Casey eyed his clothing and sneakers. He glanced at the wall. It was nearly 8:00 am. The TV weatherman began his forecast.
"It's going to be another scorcher this Saturday morning in … "
His fully revived heart leaped. "Oh damn! She did it! She sent me back earlier. Beautiful Rhea." He murmured with a wide smile, feeling the dried tears caked around his eyes. She'd sacrificed her life to help him and he wouldn't fail this operation. Casey quickly unhooked the devices and forced himself up. It was time for action.
~Oo~
Just as he figured, the shirt was too snug, the pants too high, and the sneakers too tight, but he had to make do. Casey grabbed a potted plant off the table and maneuvered his way out of the ER, pretending to be a visitor. He made a hasty exit to the ambulance parking lot. A security guard and driver were eating breakfast on a picnic bench. Casey stalked over and wrenched the gun from the guard's holster. They jumped up frightened.
"What the hell!"
"I'm a Federal Agent, NSA, and I need your vehicle now! Give me the keys!" Casey wagged the gun at the driver and caught the keys he flung at him. He backed toward an ambulance.
"Don't move! Keep your hands on those donuts where I can see them and stay put!"
Casey leaped in. He yanked the distracting two-way transmitter out and raced from the parking lot. Rhea had sent him to a hospital closest to Lane's hideout, but there was still a drive ahead of him. He couldn't risk getting pulled over, so he stayed at the absolute speed limit, if not a few miles over. He gritted his teeth anxiously.
"I'm gonna make it, Chuck! I promise!"