Disclaimer: I own a lot of stuffed animals (with names) but I do not own the Mentalist.
From the last chapter:
The doctor leads Cho away as Grace gathers herself. Before going to the fifth floor, they stop by the cafeteria to calm their nerves. The doctor and Cho stop just outside the Emergency Room doors. He turns to Cho.
"You will need to make a verifiable identification. Now, do you know if he is taking any new medications?"
"Yeah. He got something for migraines."
Cho pulls out his cell phone and selects 'messages', then hands it to the doctor.
The doctor reads aloud, "Norethandrolone. Hmm… Sounds illegal. I'll look it up. Do you know who his doctor is?"
"Vanice Quad."
"Thank you, agent. I'll run this up. You may go see him now."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
And now…
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cho carefully pushes the door open. A thick, musky scent swallows the room. A dim light shadows a single bed. A figure lies, wrapped in bandages, on a cold, hard cot. Its arms are pinned to the mattress and the left leg is held up in a brace. There is a bandaged cube enfolding around its head, with minor slits open for the senses. Before Cho gets in a word, two doctors sweep in, pushing him out. Jane seems undisturbed. One of the doctors is the same one as before but the other man is tall and lankly, tripping over his papers.
"My name is Doctor Barra. I know you've met my superior, Doctor Astim."
"Yes."
"This medicine," he begins. "You are positive this is the right-"
"Yes."
"Very well. Norethandolone is an anabolic steroid."
Cho looks up to Dr. Barra as if he is speaking an alien language. Dr. Astim smiles.
"This is an androgen to use after severe burns," the older doctor clarifies. "It has only been approved in Australia, Switzerland and France."
"So it was smuggled." Cho concludes.
"If only it were that simple," Dr. Astim sighs.
"This certain medication was pulled off market in 1965." Dr. Barra ends. "It was found to induce jaundice and hypnotism in male patients within the thirty-five to fifty age group."
"It seems he was inadvertently drugged around eleven yesterday morning and hypnotized around 9:30 last night," Dr. Astim adds. "His logic is found to be completely disregarded and his judgment was entirely impaired. He will need to undergo another surgery immediately, and once it has been completed, Patrick will have lost a full half of a day. He is very lucky."
Cho thanks them and turns to leave. He runs into yet another doctor.
"Agent Cho, right?" the man asks excitedly. When Cho nods, the doctor continues. "Fantastic! My name is Dr. Lokit. I hear you and two other agents are with us today from the CBI. Not to worry, Mr. Jane will be taken care of shortly. Please, adjourn with me to the fifth floor. Your colleagues and Miss Teresa's doctor is awaiting your arrival. Just off to the left!"
Dr. Lokit pushes Cho into and elevator then runs off. Cho shakes and presses the number five.
"I cannot wait to get out of here." He mumbles to himself.
He rides up to the fifth and shows his badge to the receptionist to the left. She nods and points behind her. Cho nods back and walks over. Rigsby is holding Grace. Cho smirks and turns to the doctor.
"What's the damage?"
"Agent Cho, my name is Dr. Seart. It seems the airbags in the government vehicle were transferred into the Citroen. Plenty of padding in the automobile Miss Lisbon was driving. She needed a few minor organ transplants and she has only some bad bruises along her limbs. She will be perfectly stable enough to go home within the matter of hours. Say, around five or six tomorrow evening."
"Thanks. Do you know about Jane?"
"Well, as I've said. The airbags were transferred. Mr. Jane had none. He was also not wearing his seatbelt. He was thrown through both windshields and it seems his head was, uh, slammed into the Citroen's rear window."
"Damn."
"Now, Miss Lisbon's memory has relapsed. There should be a rather large blank between two o'clock yesterday afternoon and three this morning. She will gradually remember on her own. Please, do not pressure her."
Dr. Seart leaves the team behind. Cho leisurely walks into the room, tapping on the door to make their presence known. Lisbon is sitting up on an uncomfortable bed. Her right arm is in a sling and her forehead is all bandaged. There is an IV running through her arms and she is a bit drowsy.
"Chimball!" Lisbon grins.
"Hey, Lisbon." Cho smirks. "How you feeling?"
"I taste silver." She sticks her tongue out.
"You remember anything?" Rigsby asks.
"Bright lights," she mutters. "Cars… pain…"
She has trouble holding her head up. Grace walks a little closer and squeezes Lisbon's hand. She smiles and squeezes back. Lisbon suddenly gasps and the three agents look back in alarm.
"Where's Jane?"
"He's uh…" Rigsby burbles.
"In the hospital." Cho finishes.
"Okay." Lisbon nods. She looks down. "How bad? My injuries?"
"Not much." Cho shrugs. "Broken arm, memory gap."
"Oh, is that all?" Lisbon questions sarcastically.
Grace cannot stop looking at Lisbon's cuts and bruises, so she and Rigsby leave for the waiting room. Lisbon understands and continues a conversation with Cho. A while later, Lisbon dozes off. Cho sits down to watch her when Dr. Astim rushes in. He marches up to Lisbon and adjusts her IV. He then turns to Cho.
"Agent, Mr. Jane has awakened. If you'd like, you can come with me to room six-oh-seven."
Cho instantly jumps up and follows the doctor. As they are walking up the stairs, they strike up a conversation on Jane's well being.
"…and he was technically dead, for only five minutes."
"That's something to leave out."
They ride up in silence and stop just outside the room as they hear Dr. Barra talking with a hoarse-voiced Jane.
"…and yet it hardly seems penetrated. Can you tell me anything about your childhood?"
"I went across the states in a broken recreational vehicle playing Boy Wonder for all the marks attending carnivals with a demanding alcoholic father." Jane deadpans with hatred.
"I… I see," Dr. Barra stammers. "And, and your m…mother?"
"Abandoned us when I was five. Gave my father plenty to hate."
"Did he ever, um…"
"Physically abuse me? Yes. Are we finished?"
"Almost, Mr. Jane." He steps away from the bed. "Have you ever been hypnotized or unknowingly drugged?"
"Both." He stares with determination. "I'd rather not talk about my early days anymore, thank you."
Dr. Barra nods then leaves the room. Dr. Astim takes his place and regulates Jane's IV levels. He folds into the bed.
"Okay," he turns to Cho. "I've injected him with a potent oxide. He will talk with us, expecting the full truth and counteracting his biofeedback." Comprehending the bitter glare given, he dums down the doctoral language. "Uh… you can ask him anything and he will tell the truth, as far as he believes it."
"Hey, Jane."
"Cho."
"Do you know what happened? Why you're in the hospital?"
"No."
"Have you heard any rumors or secrets about Lis-"
"I've always told Lisbon everything. Maybe not all at once. But little by little. Except one thing. That I was only supposed to keep a secret for a while. But she's dead now."
"Who?"
"Lorelei Martins."
Cho sighs but pulls up a chair. "You want to tell me about the only girl you've slept with in the years you've known me?"
Dr. Astim hears this and quietly slips away.
"No." Jane groans as he sits himself up. His arms are no longer bound to the bed. "I want to talk about love."
"Love." Cho repeats, fully dreading the topic.
"Love and secrets."
"You were in love with Lorelei?" Cho asks uncertainly.
"Never." He speaks with venom in his voice. This makes Cho lean back with hesitation. He picks up again, this time quieter. "Remember what I said about biofeedback? Well, I used that and Proforol. Gave her some and let her believe what she wanted to. Removed some of our clothes, messed up our hair and got us under the covers. I've never believed her. I would never betray my celibacy for someone as untrustworthy as her. She's…"
"Jane?"
Jane looks over to Cho and smiles. He clutches a nearby blanket and throws it over himself. He lets out a yawn and settles down. He reaches over to a remote and turns down the lights.
"I'm going to sleep now." Jane sighs.
"Wait, Jane. She's what? You said you'd never betray your celibacy because she's untrustworthy. Lorelei. She's what?"
Jane smiles again and glances back to Cho. He pulls the covers up to his neck and closes his eyes.
He whispers, "She's no Teresa."