Sunset

Between Kinshasa and Matenda

"Doctor Luka, we have to pull over for a rest," the French accent of one of the soldiers said as the truck slowed to a stop on a gravel road. "It is not safe to travel without stopping for brief rests."

Scoffing, Luka nodded and got out of the truck, a firm grip on one of the flashlights, "If you need to rest, go right ahead; I can look around the area," he said, gazing at the soldier behind the wheel.

"Do not leave the area," the soldier behind the wheel replied as the others sat silently in the truck.

Luka fought the urge to talk back; instead, he moved closer to the side of the road and shone his flashlight around in a random pattern. Perhaps Katie would be found tonight, against all the odds.

Nothing, Luka thought helplessly as he peered at the tall grass with the help of the flashlight.

Letting out a sigh, Luka waited a moment and did another sweep of the grass and clumps of trees with the flashlight; if he found nothing with this sweep, then he would go back to the truck and have a rest.

Suddenly, the flashlight shone on a patch of grass that looked a little out of place, "Katie?" Luka asked as he moved through the grass towards the disturbed patch. "I need some help over here!"

As a soldier hurried over from the truck, Luka spotted Katie lying in a nearby patch of grass unconscious and very pale, "KATIE!" Luka yelled as he threw himself into a kneeling position next to his unconscious stepdaughter; he was alarmed that she wasn't responding. "Katie, honey, wake up for me."

There was silence and, swearing under his breath, Luka checked Katie's breathing; she wasn't breathing, so he immediately started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR while the soldier watched silently.

After a few minutes, Luka was almost ready to stop when suddenly, Katie began to cough and tears rolled down her tired face even though her eyes remained closed. Luka let out a sigh of relief.

"Katie, honey, it's Luka," Luka said as he gently stroked Katie's face. "Can you wake up and speak?"

Again, there was silence and Katie's eyes slowly opened, "Daddy," she said in a faint voice.

It warmed Luka's heart to hear Katie call him 'daddy', but her health was the main priority at that moment, "I feel yucky," Katie whispered as she gazed at Luka. "I was scared of that bad man."

Luka nodded, "Do you hurt anywhere?" he asked, worried that Elton had caused some damage.

"I want a hug," Katie whispered, her body trembling with both fear and intense fever sweat.

Swallowing hard, Luka gently lifted Katie into his strong arms and held her close, "I'm going to take you to a clinic so I can help you feel better," he explained as he and the soldier moved back to the truck.

The other soldiers gaped at Luka and the third soldier was they approached the truck with Katie, "I need to get my daughter to a clinic," he said in a tired voice. "Are we closer to Kinshasa or Matenda?"

"We cannot go back to Kinshasa by the road, it is too unsafe," the soldier behind the wheel replied in a worried tone. "Going to Matenda will be safer and then we can take another road back to Kisangani."

Luka nodded and carefully got into the backseat of the truck while holding Katie against his shirt, "I do not want you to worry anymore, Katie," he said in a gentle tone. "You are going to be fine now."

As the soldiers got back into the truck and it began to move forward, Luka held Katie close and silently thanked God that Katie was alive; now, if only they could get out of Africa and back to Chicago safely.

Matenda Clinic

Soft music filtered out from a battered tape player that sat on the steps of the clinic as the sun set, enveloping the woods in darkness; lanterns and a faint lightbulb were the only lights from the clinic.

After sitting with Carter all afternoon and getting him to eat a tiny bit of soup, Abby moved out of the back area to let Carter sleep off another IV. She passed by Dalynia's bed and found Dalynia asleep. Amy was seated next to Dalynia's bed slouched against the wall asleep, her arms folded.

Soft chuckling filtered in from outside and Abby moved outside to see Dr. Pratt and Neela sharing a friendly dance near the lanterns. Dr. Rogers was seated on the steps next to the tape player, smiling.

"Where's Doctor Malucci at?" Abby asked, concerned that Dave seemed to be nowhere in sight.

Dr. Rogers sighed and moved over so Abby could use the steps, "Dave's been acting odd ever since this afternoon-"she began, suddenly being cut off by a loud round of gunfire. "What's that?"

Before Abby could reply, a heavily lit Jeep rolled up to the clinic, "We found him in the bushes, trying to relieve himself," an angry French accent said as the lights dimmed and Dave was pushed into view.

Abby turned the tape player off and watched as Dr. Rogers stood up, "I am Doctor Rogers, is there a problem?" Dr. Rogers asked as she walked reverently over to the soldier. "Release Doctor Malucci."

"This clinic is closed," a soldier said as he pushed Dave over to Dr. Rogers. "Everyone outside now!"

Dr. Rogers gaped at the soldiers, "We have only two patients and they have to stay in their beds!" she argued, both exhaustion and anxiety in her voice. "Please, don't make me bring them out!"

"What's going on?" Amy suddenly asked as she came out of the clinic and saw the truck. "Oh my."

The soldier gestured his gun at Amy, "Come down here and kneel on the ground," he ordered. "Doctor Rogers, you and that other woman do the same. Doctor Malucci, where are the other patients?"

"I'm not bringing them out to get worse," Dave replied sternly as he gave the soldier a frosty gaze.

There was silence and without warning, the soldier hit Dave in the forehead with his weapon; Dave immediately collapsed with blood running down a gash on his forehead. Dr. Rogers swore loudly.

"My head," Dave moaned; his voice full of pain as he lay there stunned. "I think I'm bleeding…."

Dr. Rogers made to move over to him, but other soldiers got out of the truck and pulled her away; the soldier standing near Dave kicked him in the side hard, causing Dave to hiss in pain and wince.

Amy, Abby, and Dr. Rogers hurriedly kneeled on the ground, "Let the women go back to Kisangani without harm and I'll stay to watch over the patients," Dave said in a weak voice. "I promise."

"I am not sure we can come back later on," the soldier replied. "Why are you being so generous?"

Dave sighed, "Amy and Abby go back to Kisangani," he said in a weak voice. "Amy's pregnant and Carter would never forgive me if something happened to Abby. Doctor Pratt and Neela should go too if there's room…my bosses in Chicago are counting on those two coming to work at County for a while."

The soldier growled, yelled something in French, and kicked Dave so hard in the side again; Dave winced and felt himself slowly passing out from the pain, "….Dave!" he heard someone shout. "…STOP!"

All of Dave's senses faded away as he succumbed to the darkness that the pain was bringing forward.

The Atrium Mall - The Loop – Chicago, Illinois

"Your dad said NO?" Sarah whined, glaring at Rachel from across the café table they were sitting at, enjoying milkshakes instead of being in school. "Come ON, Rachel! Ray Barnett's band is featuring!"

Rachel sighed and sipped her milkshake; she had brought up the concert to both her dad and Elizabeth and they had responded by saying that even though she was a responsible young lady, a concert in Rogers Park possibly involving alcohol and drugs was not a place for her to be; they had also expressed the need for her help with Ella and Daniel while Dave was away until the day after he returned.

Now, instead of going off to their own school after dropping Daniel and Ella at the elementary school, Rachel had given into Sarah's begging and they were hanging out at the mall; now, they were fighting.

"I love Ray Barnett's music, but-"Rachel began, suddenly spotting Dr. Romano, who was dressed in scrubs, a jacket, and sneakers enter the food court with a warmly dressed Joe in a Snugli and Nathan walking beside him wearing sneakers, sweats, a loose button-up shirt, and a windbreaker; Nathan's arm was still in its cast and sling, but he wasn't using his cane and he seemed to be looking healthier.

Sarah smirked upon spotting them, "Why don't you dump your sister and Daniel on Nathan?" she asked in an amused tone. "The concert's not for a few days, so he should be rested enough to babysit."

Rachel didn't reply, she watched as Dr. Romano led Nathan over to a table, "Okay, Nathan, why don't you sit here and relax and I will take your brother with me while I get us some lunch?" Dr. Romano suggested in a gentle voice. "If you feel the need to close your eyes for a moment, it's okay to."

Nathan nodded and as Dr. Romano took Joe off to find some lunch, Rachel rose from her chair and walked over to where Nathan was sitting, "Hey Nathan, how are you feeling?" she asked as she lingered by the table. "I thought your grandpa was going to keep you under lock and key til you recovered."

"Grandpa Rocket isn't a prison warden," Nathan replied softly. "He just wants me to be careful and he said that as long as I don't go out alone, I can leave the house when I'm feeling strong enough."

Rachel nodded, "Nathan, do you feel up to babysitting in a few days?" she asked, giving him a gentle look. "Sarah wants me to go to this concert with her, but Daniel and Ella need looking after."

"Rachel, I could barely get on the El this morning and that was with help," Nathan replied in a small voice as he reluctantly gazed at her. "I was almost killed and that's gonna take time to recover from."

Rachel looked upset, but before she could reply, she noticed an older man come to the table where Sarah was sitting; the man and Sarah exchanged friendly words and Sarah waved at her to come over.

Nodding, Rachel gave Nathan a dirty look and moved back to Sarah's table, "Ray, this is Rachel Greene," Sarah said, taking hold of the man's hand. "Rachel, this is Ray Barnett….the head of the band."

Unaware that Dr. Romano had returned and was watching her along with attending to Nathan and Joe, Rachel sat down next to Sarah; she wanted to forget all the grief that Nathan had just given her.

Matenda Clinic – Midnight

"….Doctor Rogers, I think he's coming around…."

Feeling intense throbbing in his chest and head, Dave opened his eyes and saw that Dr. Rogers and Abby were hovering over him, "Dave, can you hear me?" Abby asked, concerned about her friend.

"Where am I?" Dave asked groggily, wincing as he took deep breaths to calm his sudden panic.

Dr. Rogers sighed, "You're inside the clinic," she explained softly. "After you passed out, the soldiers ordered Amy, Doctor Pratt, and Neela to start walking back to Kisangani and then the soldiers only left after Amy, Neela, and Doctor Pratt started walking….I really hope that they'll be okay out there."

"Oh man, Amy's pregnant and she's out there," Dave replied irritably. "Romano's going to kill me."

Ignoring the pain, Dave pulled himself into a sitting position and saw that Carter was lying on a frayed blanket with his shirt off and an IV in his chest; Carter appeared to be asleep, but he looked so pale.

"Carter, you gotta wake up," Dave said in a weak voice as he crawled over to where Carter was laying and gently shook the man's shoulder. "Carter, you have to wake up….He's burning up."

Suddenly, Carter began to convulse violently, "Febrile seizure!" Dave shouted hoarsely. "Get water!"

Swearing under her breath, Abby grabbed several water bottles out of a nearby box and tossed them at Dave's feet. Breathing heavily, Dave emptied three of the bottles on Carter, drenching him.

After a few more seconds, Carter stopped convulsing, "Carter's getting worse," Dave commented as he watched Carter's breathing return to normal. "We need to get him a way back to civilization."

"There's an old radio under the clinic porch that nobody knows about but me," Dr. Rogers replied in a worried voice. "I'll use it to try and radio out for a truck to come here and help us."

As Dr. Rogers left, Dave watched Carter for a moment and then turned his head to see Dalynia watching them from her cot; she looked scared, but comfortable, "How's Dalynia doing?" Dave asked, gazing at Abby. "She's due to deliver any day, I think, and I'm not sure if this is the safest place to give birth."

"It may not be safe, but it's all there is for now," Abby replied softly. "At least it's a roof over her head."

Dave nodded and as he turned his attention back to Carter, he silently mulled over his surroundings and wondered what would happen if nobody was able to come and provide them help in this time of need.

With only lanterns to guide them, Amy, Neela, and Doctor Pratt walked the road back towards Kisangani with hope that they wouldn't die on the way; just in case of trouble, there was a loaded gun in Dr. Pratt's pants pocket that one of the soldiers had given him just before ordering them to leave.

Now, with darkness the only thing certain, the three doctors kept moving, "Did you manage to sneak any food along?" Amy asked in a tired voice. "I'm really sorry to ask, but I'm just so hungry…"

"Don't be sorry, you're possibly eating for two now," Neela said as she reached into her shoulder bag and took out a small sandwich. "It's not a lot, but it should help you take care of your baby."

Amy took the sandwich and quickly ate it, "Thank you," she said in a faint voice. "I'm so tired."

"Maybe we should stop for a rest," Dr. Pratt said in a concerned tone. "It's a long way to Kisangani."

Amy sighed and leaned over, "The walking helps me to ignore the nausea," she replied in a tired voice as she swallowed hard. "When we get back to civilization, I'm gonna ask for a pregnancy test…"

"Even if the hospital in Kisangani isn't available anymore, we can find transportation back to Kinshasa," Neela stated, watching as Amy straightened up. "I hope that nothing happens to us in the meantime."

Biting her lip, Amy sighed, "We should really keep walking," she said in a tired, yet firm voice.

Awed by Amy's strength and courage, Neela nodded and took Amy's hand in her own, "I know you're scared, Amy, but Doctor Pratt and I will help you through this if you'll let us…won't we, Greg?"

Dr. Pratt nodded and stayed close to Neela and Amy as they kept moving forward; if they stayed united in travelling to Kinshasa, everything would most likely be fine…hopefully even in the dark of night.

Chicago - Sundown

Relieved that Erinn and Lucas were in their rooms doing quiet activities without much of a fight, Dr. Romano set Joe down in the playpen and gazed over at the portable bed; Nathan was sound asleep under the blankets and hadn't done a lot for the rest of the day after their little jaunt to the mall.

For years, Dr. Romano had worried if, despite Amy's best efforts, if his grandchildren were choosing good friends and things to do with their day that would help them to grow...not to stagnate; he had been both relieved and concerned when Amy had married Luka Kovac so soon after they had begun a romantic relationship, but hadn't said anything that might trigger family unrest...so far.

Unfortunately, after seeing Rachel Greene with less than desirable company at the Atrium Mall that day instead of being at school, Dr. Romano knew that he would have to keep a closer eye on his grandchildren, especially Nathan; as the oldest and emotionally hardest hit, Nathan had a high risk of ending up in serious trouble if he happened to choose the wrong group of friends or activities.

Kerry had already done Nathan a great favor to keep him from trouble; she had gotten him a job as a desk clerk trainee after school hours and once he was well, the job was waiting for him to embrace.

Letting out a sigh, Dr. Romano quietly ensured that the front door was locked and then retreated into his ground floor office. Ray Barnett associating with teenagers on a potentially intimate level in a public place was alarming. Mr. Barnett was supposed to be in the midst of medical school and such unprofessional conduct could be damaging for both his colleagues and patients...something had to be done quickly...before long-term consequences materialized for Rachel or the other girl involved.

Such action may have consequences for Mr. Barnett, Dr. Romano reasoned as he took a seat behind his desk and turned on his laptop, but better one than many; a simple email to the right people would suffice and remind Mr. Barnett that everyone was bound to ethical rules...even medical students.

I have worked super hard on this story...can I PLEASE have some detailed reviews?