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Safe House Bash

Chapter 11

"I thought living here would allay my fears," G said, as he swam next to Sam.

"It doesn't?" Sam asked.

"No, I think I'd rather have my gun and hold up at your house."

"You forgot one thing."

"And that is?"

"Hetty can't backstop your face." Sam laughed and swam away fast knowing his partner's reaction.

G swam after him.

Sam dove under G and grabbed his legs, pulling him under the water and swimming with him to the shallow end. They both broke the surface of the water at the same time breathless.

"Was that a Navy SEAL maneuver?"

"Yeah, one of my special moves I pull on you."

"When you want to have your way with me," G said. "You always want your way with me."

"It's your sexy body and those skintight jeans you wear."

"If you want something—"

Sam pushed G backward against the shallow end steps. "If I want something, I'll take it without asking." He winked at his partner.

"Ooh, big guy, what are you gonna do with me?"

"Anything I want, but later."

"Aw, you got me all hot and horny for your take down and now you put me off."

"I've got plans."

"You've always got plans for ravishing my body."

Sam straddled G and pushed him further back onto the steps, kissing his mouth and planting kisses down his neck. He sat on G's lap stroking and caressing him. After a few minutes of enticing his lover, Sam leaned back into the water and floated away.

"Okay, where's the rest?" G said.

"Later, sweetheart, as I said, I have plans."

"I wish Hetty could backstop my face."

"Now how would that work?"

"Give me another face and identity."

"You're into science fiction now?"

"Whatever works." G reclined against the seven steps, resting his upper body on his elbows and forearms. "Seriously, I wish I had my gun."

"And you'd hunt Robert down and kill him?"

"Wish I could, but I don't believe in retribution." G sighed. "If I did though, that would solve a whole slew of my problems."

Sam swam back over to G's side and drew him into his arms and hugged him. "I think it's time we thought about dinner."

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, I need to fatten you up again."

"Oh no you don't, I'm enjoying my new svelte body."

"Svelte?"

"Yeah."

"Slender and elegant?"

"What?"

"Defining the word for you."

"I ought to slug you."

"But instead you'll have me for dinner."

"Sounds about right." G wrapped his arms around Sam's neck and pulled him down for a kiss. "I guess living here isn't so bad. I get to swim with you in the nude everyday."

"You mean, because you finally learned how to swim?"

"I knew how to swim."

"Not for exercise though, only to float around on your back."

G glanced at him sideways.

"Got you."

"Yeah, you did." He smiled.

"Let's go put two steaks on the grill." Sam and G climbed out of the pool holding hands.

"I don't think I told you lately how much I love you."

"No, you've slipped since we started staying at The Ritz."

G laughed.

"One thing for sure, I haven't seen you this relaxed in weeks."

"You do that to me."

"That and this secure location."

"It wears thin on me though." G entered the house first.

Sam followed him into the master suite's bathroom. "How so?"

"I'm protected, but what's there to do."

"Work through your memories and see your new psychiatrist."

"Almost finished with that." G wrapped himself in a bathrobe and laid on the bed. "I'm wiped and I'm taking a nap."

"A nap?"

"Yeah, tired after that swim."

"Want company?"

"Not if you plan to accost my body and mind."

"Poor sport," Sam said, winking at him. "I'll marinate the steaks for the BBQ later."

"Glad you're don't want to marinate my steak."

"Oh, that comes later tonight." Before Sam left he leaned over and kissed G. "See you later, sweetheart." He noticed his partner was already sleeping. G slept way too much since they arrived at Hetty's compound two weeks ago. He had gotten more exercise than usual, but still it didn't account for a complete change in sleeping patterns.

An hour later, Sam returned to their master bedroom to awaken his partner. "G?" He gently shook his partner's shoulder. "Come on, man, time to get up. I got dinner on the BBQ." He stroked G's face. "G!" Sam shook him harder. No response. He grabbed his cell phone off the mahogany night stand and autodialed Hetty. "I think we've got a serious problem."

"What is it, Sam?"

"G is sleeping too much and too soundly."

"When did this start?"

"I noticed it few days after we came here."

"Are you two eating and drinking the same things?"

"Let me think." In his mind, Sam went over the differences in their diets. "He drinks protein shakes three times a day."

"You don't drink any protein shakes?"

"Absolutely not."

"I need a sample of the protein powder ASAP," Hetty said. "Expect Deeks and Kensi to arrive there within the next thirty minutes. And Sam, you'd better load Mr. Callen into the car and get him down here for testing."

"I'll get Deeks to help me dress him, because I've got a feeling G won't be helping me or himself." He glanced over at his partner. Still out cold. Not good. "Talk to you later."

# # #

After Sam pulled the steaks off the BBQ and put them away, he came back to dress G. He heard a car pull up into the driveway outside and strode to the front door, gun drawn. Upon peering through the peephole, he saw Deeks and Kensi and opened the front door. He returned his gun to his holster.

"G sleeps?" Marty asked. "Now that's a miracle."

"Not a great miracle if he's drugged," Kensi said. "Where's the suspect protein powder? Hetty decided she wants the whole container tested."

"It's in the kitchen on the island," Sam said, watching her walk toward that end of the long corridor which connected to the living room, dining room, family room, and kitchen. "I'll need your help with G." He eyed Marty and strode back into the master bedroom. The first thing Sam noticed when he entered the bedroom was G's breathing. He rushed over to his side and shook him. "Come on, man, wake up!" G didn't stir and his breathing continued, slower than normal and labored. "Help me get him dressed." Sam autodialed Hetty again.

"Mr. Hanna?"

"His condition has worsened, his breathing is slower and more labored."

"I'll call 911."

In the background, he heard her dialing the landline. "I'm hanging up and getting him dressed."

"I'll see two at the hospital," Hetty said.

"Come on, sweetheart, let's get you dressed," Sam said, sitting G on the side of the king size bed.

"Sweetheart?"

"Marty quit it and help me with him." Sam steadied his partner on the side of the bed, dressing him in a blue sweat shirt.

"It's a sweet pet name," he said, " that came out all wrong." Marty laughed and crouched down to help Sam dress G in blue sweat pants.

"Hey, what are two doing to me?" G said, his speech slurred and slow.

"Dressing you for a 12K race," Marty said.

"Seriously."

"Seriously, we're dressing you for a trip to the ED at the nearest hospital," Sam said.

"I'm not gonna stay there." G started to topple over to his left side.

Sam sat next to him, holding him up. "You'll stay as long as they need to keep you."

"Did I do something wrong?"

"No, sweetheart, you're sleeping too much."

"You always complain about my sleeping habits and now I'm sleeping too much?"

"Yeah."

"He's funny when he's drugged," Marty said.

"Maybe you need a spanking Marty." Sam shot him a look.

"Sorry Sam, but you got to admit he's talking weird and slurring his speech and it's cute and funny at the same time."

"I'll show you cute and funny," he said, giving him a look. "Now help me get him to the front door." Sam and Marty half-dragged, half-walked G to the front door and sat him on a bench. "I'll stay with him while you bring the paramedics in here."

"My head hurts." G brought his right hand up to his forehead and rubbed across it.

"You have a headache?"

"Yeah, a bad one," he said with slurred, slow speech. "My heart beat feels strange too."

"Like what, G?"

"Fast and—" He slumped forward.

Sam grabbed him before he hit the ceramic tile floor head first and laid him on the bench. "G?" His partner was out cold again.

The paramedics entered the foyer and came over to G's side.

"He told me his head hurt, a bad headache, and his heart was beating strange just before he passed out again," Sam said.

The two paramedics loaded G onto a gurney and strapped him to it. One of them took his vitals while the other talked to the hospital by his cell phone. "Has he taken any drugs?"

"We think someone drugged his protein shake mix."

"Any idea what it might be?"

"No, it's just an idea at this moment," Sam said.

One of the paramedics placed an oxygen mask over G's face. "Your friend is near comatose with his shallow breathing. It's a sign of several things; several drugs, including narcotics, cause this reaction. Ready?" The guy eyed his partner.

"I'm going with them, Marty, can you lock up and secure the place?"

"No problem," he said, watching Sam follow the two paramedics to the ambulance.

# # #

Sam followed the paramedics into a private bay at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center's Emergency Department. He hovered over his partner, unwilling to step away from the gurney the nurses had moved G onto.

"Sir—"

"Mr. Hanna."

"We need you to step back a few feet while we—"

"No, he's my partner and I'm not leaving his side."

"We need room to work and—"

"No, I'm staying right here."

"Sam."

He spun on his heels to face Hetty.

"Come with me and let them work," she said, tugging on his left arm.

Sam followed her into a private waiting area off the treatment bay.

"I know you're worried, but they need to do their job unfettered by your presence."

"I feel as if I'm a lion keeping watch over a cub."

"They should soon know what caused this and the toxicology test results will be back within the hour."

"He needs me, Hetty."

"Guilt?"

"Damn it, yes, I feel guilty that I neglected to investigate his excessive sleepiness," he said. "I thought it was because it felt more relaxed at your compound. Every day it worsened and I just chocked it up to the extra exercise and swimming. Damn."

"You're not to blame for missing this, Sam."

"I'm an undercover agent and I missed my own partner's problem and I'm not to blame?"

"Sam, stop berating yourself," Hetty said, patting his arm. Her cell phone buzzed. "Yes, Ms. Jones, thank you." She hung up.

"That was short."

"She confirmed the initial test for altered ingredients on the protein powder."

"Not good."

"Not good at all." She sighed.

A short, blond nurse entered the private waiting area. "He's asking for you," she said, eyeing Sam.

He followed the nurse into the treatment bay and came along side the gurney.

"Sam, where… how did… what happened…" he said, his eyebrows drawing together.

He grasped G's hand and caressed it. "Easy, man, you're in the ED."

"Why?"

"You don't remember what happened earlier?"

"No."

"Hold on a minute." He stepped away from G's side and took the nurse aside. "What's going on? Why is he confused?" He lowered his voice.

"The doctor will explain his condition later."

"Is this serious?"

"It can be if the cause isn't determined and resolved soon."

Sam returned to G's side and grasped his hand again. "I'm here, sweetheart."

"You have to say that in here?" G cracked a wry smile.

"I don't care who hears me, I love you."

"Excuse me, I need to obtain arterial blood gases from Mr. White."

"White?"

Hetty stepped beside Sam. "Heightened security protocol," she said. "I just had all his records changed."

"Probably a good idea under the circumstances," he said.

"It's more than that, Sam, the protein powder is laced with narcotics."

"What?" His jaw dropped.

"I presented a list to the doctor that's why they're performing blood gas test."

"What kind of narcotics are we talking about Hetty?"

"Let's discuss this in the waiting room." Sam followed Hetty into the room and sat close to her, leaning forward. "The drugs were crystalized and micro-filtered and then mixed with the protein powder. A toxicology screen test revealed Valium, Halcion, Seconal, and Quaaludes."

"He should be dead with that much in him."

"With the micro-filtration, the drugs are dosed in minute amounts," Hetty said. "Over time though, the drugs amplify each other and accumulate."

"Make sense and it's why his sleepiness increased over the past few days."

The nurse stepped into the room again. "Excuse me, you calmed him down when you were in the room, and I could use that right now to obtain the blood gases."

Sam reentered the treatment bay and stepped up to G's gurney. "Hey, I'm right here." He grasped his partner's hand and caressed it.

"Don't let them, please."

"G, they need to do this test to determine specific levels of gases in your blood."

"I know the test and it hurts like hell."

"I know, sweetheart, squeeze my hand."

"I anesthetized the area around the site, so you should feel less pain," the short, blonde nurse said. "Okay, here we go, you will feel a stab and pressure."

G bit his lower lip and sucked on it while squeezing Sam's hand. "Take it out, damn it, take it out."

"Almost finished Mr. White, hold still… there I am done."

"Stop doing that!"

"G, she's finished."

"No, she's pressing down on my arm."

"It is necessary for five minutes."

"I'll hold it, damn it, Sam, let me do it."

"Could I hold it for you?" Sam asked the nurse.

She nodded.

He came around to the other side of the gurney and continued to apply pressure. "Okay, G?"

"Yeah, better, thanks." He closed his eyes and sighed. "Sorry I freaked out on you. I'm just so confused about things. How did I get here? Did I already ask you that?"

"Yeah, you did, by ambulance."

"Mr. White, I need to place the oxygen mask over your face again."

"Why?" G asked, his eyes opening. "Can't you use a cannula?"

"No, you need the mask."

"Damn it, okay, but I'll put it on." G grabbed it from the nurse and tried to place it on his face, but he had it upside down. "Why is this not fitting?"

"You have it upside down, sweetheart, here let me—"

"No!" He flipped it over and pressed the outside of the mask to his face. "Damn it, this doesn't fit."

"G, please let me help you?"

"Damn it, okay." He averted his eyes to the wall opposite from Sam. "Why can't I figure out how to do this simple task? Damn this."

Sam grasped the mask with his left hand, turned it over, and placed it on G's face. "The elastic band goes behind your head."

"I knew that," he said his voice cracking and his eyes moistening. "I feel so stupid."

"When you feel better, I'll explain why you're confused."

"I'm glad you're waiting, because if you told me now I wouldn't remember what you said." He closed his eyes again.

The nurse returned with a bandage for G's arm. Sam released the pressure on his partner's forearm. "Here you are Mr. White." She finished placing it and left.

"This isn't your fault, G, I promise things will make sense later when I explain what happened to you."

"I sure hope so or I'm going crazy," he said. "If this is what it feels like to go crazy, I don't like it one damned bit."

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