Tegan Chronicles

Intuition and Lies 14

"Janet."

She lifted her brow but didn't turn toward Dana.

"You need to get some rest, something to eat."

"I'm fine." She sounded more like Tegan than Janet.

"It's been twenty-four hours since her surgery. Which means it's been closer to thirty-six since you've eaten or slept."

"I'm not leaving her until she comes off the vent."

"If you run yourself into the ground I can't take care of you both. Now you hired me because you know I'm a competent doctor. I wouldn't be here otherwise."

Janet nodded. "But I need to be here."

"I can get her off the vent if she starts to breathe on her own, and I'll send for you if anything changes."

Janet shook her head, she hadn't left Tegan's side since surgery that Dana was aware of except once or twice to use the bathroom, despite both her and Greg being there.

"When's the last time you went to the bathroom?" She watched Janet shrug. "You're dehydrated and in no shape to be caring for her. And I can always go find someone who out ranks you to give you orders to rest."

"I'm CMO."

"And I can demote you doctor." General Hammond spoke through the intercom connecting the observation room to Tegan's isolation room.

Janet glanced back over her shoulder, was there no where on base she could get a modicum of privacy? When it came to medical matters her orders often outweighed his, but she also knew he could override her. She gave him what she imagined was the same look Cassie gave her when she told her she couldn't go out with friends before standing up and turning to Dana. "You..."

Dana stopped her with a whisper. "I didn't know he was there."

"You'll get me if anything changes."

Dana nodded.

Janet returned eight hours later looking a little more refreshed. She'd forced down a turkey sandwich, though if asked what she'd eaten she couldn't recall it to save her life. She'd showered and changed and even slept for a few hours, if she subtracted the tossing and turning.

Dana looked up hoping it was Greg coming in to relieve her. "You weren't gone long."

"Eight hours." Janet responded looking up at the monitor and then over to the ventilator. "No changes?"

"Unfortunately not." Dana's eyes traveled the prone body. "Dr. Raynes should be in soon."

"Thanks, I can take over from here."

"I don't mind staying."

Janet shrugged. "You should probably eat and rest."

Dana nodded.

"Dr. Fraiser?" It was several hours later when Julie opened the door to the room where Tegan lay motionless except for the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest. "There's a Jessica Kiser on the phone, she says she's Major Kiser's sister."

"Get a number and tell her I'll call her back."

"I already tried that. She's very insistent that she speak with you." Julie looked at Tegan. "Reminds me of her, she threatened to go to my commanding officer if I didn't get you on the phone. When I informed her you were my CO, she said she'd go over your head to General Hammond."

"She knew his name?"

"Yes ma'am."

Janet shook her head and sighed. "I need someone to stay with her."

"I will."

"Thanks." Janet mumbled as she walked past.

Janet took a deep breath as she picked the receiver up and pressed the waiting line. She waited a full second before speaking. "Fraiser."

"Dr. Fraiser, this is Jessica Kiser." The voice on the other end needlessly introduced her self.

"What can I do for you, Ms. Kiser?" She intentionally withheld pleasantries.

"I'm calling about Tegan."

"What about her?"

"Ok, I don't play these little games, so let's just cut to the chase. I know about her 'injury'." She put emphasis on the word to bring home the point.

"Even if I knew anything about this supposed 'injury,' I couldn't share any information. Patient confidentiality and all." Janet didn't want to get into the semantics of the classified nature of Tegan's job. Still something in her gut told her to tread carefully where the other Kiser was concerned.

"I'm her sister."

"I realize that." Janet's voice softened. "But I can't discuss a patient with anyone not listed on their chart. Nor can I confirm or deny if she's injured or a patient."

"Cut the crap!" Jessica's tone was sharp. "Are you in your office?"

Janet hesitated.

"Look, I know your office line is the only unmonitored line on base and I'm calling from a disposable cell."

"Yes, I'm in my office. But I still can't give you any information."

"You will." Jessica promised. "Just listen, I work for the DOD and I intercepted a fax to one of Senator McKenzie's elite detailing Tegan's injuries. So you've got a mole somewhere."

"And you're telling me this?"

"I was hoping under the circumstances I could get an update on my sister."

"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't." It was nicer than telling her to go ask her mole.

"Fine, I can't hold onto this information any longer without putting my job on the line, and I'm sure Senator McKenzie can get to the bottom of it."

"I'm sure he can, worms are notorious for their ability dig deep." Janet slammed the phone down. She wasn't entirely sure just what the other Kiser was offering, or if she was even willing to withhold the report in an attempt to get information but she couldn't put her own job on the line.

"I need to know." Jack heard Janet's voice as he turned the corner nearing the infirmary. He looked up to see Greg against the wall, and it wasn't a casual lean, it was more a mouse backed against a wall by a lion. Jack immediately felt sorry for the guy, he knew Janet was formidable despite her size. If push came to shove she could put a Marine drill sergeant to shame.

He stopped walking and stood there quietly observing, though he knew Janet wouldn't have cornered the doctor in front of anyone. She was more professional than that.

"I don't know." Greg responded honestly, it was just his luck to be at the wrong place and the wrong time ans wasn't a miracle worker after all. "I wish I did. I wish I could tell you that she's going to be just fine. That it's all swelling from the surgery, or even the tumor. I can't do that."

Janet bent her elbow lifting her hand palm up in frustration before letting it drop. "She doesn't want this. She doesn't want to be kept on life support."

"Then take her off." He didn't want that. He didn't even sound convincing.

"I can't."

"If you have…"

"I don't. She talked to me a few days before this happened. She never signed the papers." Janet lifted both hands and looked at them. "What the hell is going on? She's not running a temperature, her EEG is normal. She should be alert, and talking, and she should be breathing on her own."

"I don't know."

Jack knew he had to do something; Janet was on the verge of hitting someone, throwing something, screaming, or all of the above. He knew instinctively she was about to do something he didn't want to see her do. Her professionalism was about to crack. "Dr. Fraiser."

"What?" She bit out as she turned toward him before blushing apologetically. "Sorry sir."

"I think Dr. Raynes should go back in and check on Major Kiser, while we get some fresh air."

"I don't need fresh air sir."

"I think you do." He nodded to Greg who took the opportunity to slip away.

When they were on the elevator Janet turned to Jack, she knew how much he hated Senator McKenzie. "We've got a mole sir, and they've leaked Tegan's condition to McKenzie."

"I hate that son of a..." He clenched his teeth.

"Hate's such a strong word."

"Not strong enough." He took a deep breath. "How do you know?"

"Seems Jessica Kiser works for him and called to give me the heads up."

"Really?"

"No, more like she tried to use the information as a way to blackmail me into telling her how Tegan was doing. I neither confirmed nor denied the validity of the report."

"When did you get the call?"

"Five, ten minutes ago."

"So." Jack looked at his watch as the elevator opened. "We've got a couple hours before he arrives on base."

"Only a couple?"

"Yup, unless he decides to call out of the goodness of his heart to see how she's doing."