Theme: The Call
Summary: His mind raced with thousands of possibilities, trying to reassure himself.
The phone ringing at the warehouse was nothing new, as their collections were growing by leaps and bounds now that SPD was putting out word of their needs. Jack had actually gotten to the point where he was tuning out the phone, as Piggy usually answered it.
"Hey, Jack! Phone's for you!" the alien yelled across the warehouse. Frowning to himself, he picked his way through the maze to the phone, putting his hand over the mouthpiece for a moment.
"Who is it?" he questioned. The other shrugged, so Jack turned back to the phone.
"Jack Landors speaking, how can I help you?" he said politely. The next words from the line froze his heart in it's place.
"Jack, it's Z. I need you to come home, now," she answered, pain suffusing her voice.
"Z, what's wrong?" he questioned. His mind raced with thousands of possibilities in seconds, trying to failing to reassure him.
"I think something's wrong with the baby…I'm bleeding. Please, come home," she begged over the phone. He nodded, despite the fact that she couldn't see him.
"I'm on my way baby, hang on," he replied, loathing hanging up the phone. He stood still for a moment, struggling to function, before his body did it for him. He raced across the warehouse to where Ally was filing paperwork. "Ally, I'm leaving early. I gotta go," he muttered as he swiped his badge through the time clock. One look at him and she nodded, tossing his keys to him off the desk.
"Drive careful," she replied, worried.
He shoved the keys in the ignition, cranking the engine over and throwing the old girl into reverse without a thought to the crowded parking lot. He dug into his pocket as he turned the corner, making his way home, and dragged out his cellphone. Pressing and holding the nine keypad for several seconds, he held it to his ear as he navigated traffic.
"SPD, do you know your party's extension?" the operator asked.
"This is Jack Landors, I need to speak with Kat Manx, now. It's an emergency," he growled into the phone. He heard her clicking keys, and then Kat's voice.
"This had better be good Jack," the feline muttered as she took over the phone.
"It is. Z's bleeding."
Silence for a span of heartbeats, then the clinical detachment entered her voice. "Bring her in as fast as you can, I'll alert the cadets on patrol to keep an eye out for you. I'll be waiting for you guys," she replied, hanging up without another word.
He broke every speed limit sign he passed as he flew home.