Chapter 12

''Let's get you taken care of,'' Rudy gently told Steve. ''I have a surgeon waiting.''

''I need to stay with Jaime.''

''You need to have that fracture set before serious infection sets in!''

Steve reluctantly nodded his assent. ''Take good care of her, Doc; she's been through Hell.''

''You both have.''

''How did this happen?'' Oscar fumed. He was livid! He should've been at the hospital by now, at the side of his three injured colleagues...and friends.

Jack Hansen was beyond livid. ''How did this happen? I'll tell you how it happened, Goldman! Your man told us the suspects were secured! Five secured in the attic, he said!''

''They were lucky to escape with their lives,'' Oscar said softly. ''We could've lost three of our best tonight.''

''Be that as it may,'' Hansen ranted, ''one of your best screwed up big time! We looked like the damned Keystone Cops, bumbling our way into the backyard after criminals who were already gone! There are terrorists on the loose - terrorists! - when he had them! Or...he should've had them. He told us he did!''

''A poor choice of words, yes,'' Oscar admitted. ''but they were tortured, Jack. Tortured! We've done all we can here. Our men are on it. I need to get to the hospital.''

Michael went over Jaime's test results with a careful, cautious eye. The news was good...and bad. She had suffered a serious concussion - and pressure was once again beginning to build in her skull. But she'd sustained no internal injuries and Michael would be able to administer the coumadin that would hopefully keep any blood clots from forming. Oxygen therapy with respirator indicated if no improvement, he noted. Coumadin and IV Mannitol. Monitor closely. Jaime's leg had been opened and the drill bit carefully removed, then closed again...for now. Further repairs would wait until her condition had stabilized. Arrange consult with Mark Conrad,Michael wrote...then closed the file.

Once she was awake and out of danger, Jaime would probably not react well to a consult (and, hopefully, treatment) by the OSI psychologist, but in order for her to fully heal, they would need to treat not only her physical injuries but also any damage to her mind and her soul.

''So I steered into the tree...on purpose,'' Mark Russell explained to Oscar. He was already sitting up in bed, on heavy painkillers and his broken nose bandaged - but he'd requested this meeting with his boss. ''When I saw we were in trouble, I'd hoped to turn around, floor it...and lose them. But the tree was a better choice than a head-on collision - or a crash I couldn't control. Slid into it as gently as I could, on the side that would do the least damage -''

''You did great,'' Oscar assured him.

''Steve and Jaime were hurt...''

''It could have been much worse.'' Oscar hesitated, then continued gently. ''Michael has arranged for Mark Conrad to fly in and consult with Jaime - actually, with the three of you...if you're willing.'' Oscar knew that the psychologist (and Post-Traumatic Stress specialist) could only be as helpful as his potential patients would allow.

''I'll see him, of course,'' Russ agreed. ''But I'm okay, Oscar. Really. I knew what was coming - and it was rough. Really rough. But I braced for it. We trainedfor the possibility.'' He fell silent as he realized Jaime no longer had the benefit of that training. He wasn't sure what had happened in that attic but he knew that Jaime and Steve had been subjected to far worse than the beating he'd endured. ''What about...Jaime? Will she be okay?''

''Michael and Rudy are optimistic,'' Oscar told him. ''And...we'll just have to see what Doctor Conrad has to say.'' Her survival seemed more certain now...but would she ever be mentally fit for work as an operative, after all she'd been through?

Oscar's next visit was to Steve's room, where his friend was just emerging from surgical anesthesia. There would need to be a serious conversation between boss and operative eventually...but now was not the time. ''Hi, Pal,'' he said softly when Steve opened his eyes. Oscar flashed him an encouraging smile as the nurses moved in to assess and tend to their patient.

''How's...Jaime?'' were his first words as he slowly became coherent again. ''Can I see her?''

''Maybe in a few hours, when you've had a chance to rest,'' Oscar promised. ''She's doing as well as can be expected. Michael's keeping her sedated until they're sure the swelling in her brain has been halted. But there are no signs of rejection or blood clots.''

''That's...good news. And...the terrorists...we got 'em, right?''

Oscar paused. It seemed the time he hadn't looked forward to had arrived sooner than expected.