Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, Black River Memorial Hospital, 2019
"You guys need to get out of there!" Chris warned over the phone. "Pretty soon that hospital's gonna be crawlin' with cops!"
Noah's voice caught in his throat as he tried to reply. He coughed and leaned back against the cool wall, tilting his head and pressing the pay phone to his ear.
This was the end. Nine years running and the final showdown would take place in some backwater hospital in Wisconsin. Only it wouldn't be the scene he'd always imagined. There would be no gunfire, no shouting; no resistance at all.
"We're staying here," Noah softly told Chris, the words sounding foreign to his ears. He watched Luke across the hall; where the blonde sat slumped and emotionally drained in a plastic bucket seat. They hadn't needed to discuss it. Both men knew how this would end.
"You can't be serious?" Chris earnestly replied.
"He's our son, Chris," Noah resigned. "How could we leave?"
He heard Chris sigh with understanding.
"I get it," Chris said. "But I want you to know I'm not gonna stop, okay? Not this time! I'm still going to Branson and I'm gonna find the evidence to free you guys."
Chris's determination made Noah smile a little. He fiddled with the hem of the blue scrub shirt he was wearing; given to him by a kindly nurse. "Thanks, man. It feels good to have backup after all these years."
As he finished off his telephone conversation with Chris, he spotted the young doctor, Jacob, making his way toward them down the stark white corridor that smelled of bleach and antiseptic.
Luke bolted from his seat and they met the doctor halfway down.
"Is he okay?" They asked simultaneously before the doctor could open his lips to speak.
Jacob smiled and nodded. "It was as I suspected. The bullet simply grazed his side. But he lost a lot of blood really quickly. That was what weakened him so badly."
"Can we see him?" Noah anxiously asked.
"Yes. He keeps asking for you. Brave kid. Actually seems more worried about you guys than he is about being shot." Jacob smiled, "He's gonna be fine."
Both men released loud gasps of relief and hugged each other tightly with small laughs.
"Thank you so much Doctor!" Luke exclaimed, vigorously shaking Jacob's hand, "I can't tell you what this means to us!"
"Just doing my job." Jacob winked and then pointed down the hall. "You'll find him in Ward 162. Just down the hall and to the right."
Thanking the doctor one more time, they rushed down the corridor in search of Leo. They found the boy dressed in a spotted hospital gown and sitting up in bed, half-heartedly thumbing through a magazine.
Leo's eyes shone at the sight of them and he grinned widely at Noah's attire in particular. "Geez Dad! You look like you just stepped out of an episode of Gray's Anatomy!"
It was such a physical and mental relief to see Leo so lucid and with much needed color back in his cheeks that Noah had to surreptitiously lean against the side of Leo's bed to hide how wobbly his knees were.
Unlike Luke, who never hid anything. The blonde sat right on the bed beside his son and pulled the boy into such a tight hug the child winced.
"Ouch, Pop! Watch it!"
"Oh my God. Sorry…" Luke pulled back and began a vigorous examination of every part of Leo. "Where did I hurt you? Are you okay?"
Leo just laughed at him while continuing his conversation with Noah. "Sorry 'bout your shirt, Dad."
Noah smiled, "That's okay. Pop hated that one anyway!"
Luke laughed, "I did actually!"
Leo wasn't alone in the ward. His bed was up near the far wall. In the cot beside him was an elderly gentleman with a large hearing aide, bending his head sideways to listen in on their conversation.
Opposite Leo was a woman with a broken arm and leg. She wore earphones and seemed intent on the soap opera they could see playing on her small television screen.
To give them a little more privacy, Noah pulled the curtain around them and sat on a stool on the opposite side of the bed as Luke. He took his son's small hand in his. "I'm so sorry Leo."
"God you guys! Stop! It's not your fault, okay?"
"We took a dangerous risk, Leo," Noah persisted. "And you were hurt because of that."
"Yeah but if you didn't you'd be in prison right now!" Leo said loud enough to convey his frustration, but low enough not to be overheard by Mr. Curious in the next bed. "And that's also why you have to leave me now."
"What?" Luke asked, stunned.
"You haveto!" Leo insisted. "Hospitals report shootings by law! I know 'cause I've seen it on TV! The cops will be on their way right now!"
"Leo," Luke shook his head. "We're not gonna leave you."
"But you have to, Pop! I can't go with… I'll slow you down…" Leo's face clouded in panic as he realized what his parents were prepared to do. "Please! Dad?" He looked over at Noah, who returned his son's gaze with a growing realization of his own. "You know I'm right!"
"Leo, stop it! Stop it right now!" Luke chocked. "We are not leaving you here on your own and that's final!"
"Don't you see, Pop? They don't want me. I'll be safe. They'll just take me to a home or something and I'll be fine. I can handle it. But I can't handle you guys dying."
Suddenly, Leo looked far older than his 12 years; and Noah could see how quickly their child was being forced to grow up because of this sudden impact on his life. He thought he heard his heart crack a little.
"You and Dad have a real chance here!" Leo continued. "This Chris guy might be able to help you. If you stay they're just gonna separate us anyway? But if you go you can clear your names. There's still a chance if you go."
Noah smoothed his son's long dark bangs from his forehead. "When did you get so grown up, ha?"
"If you guys had stopped for a sec instead of yelling at me all the time, you might have noticed!" Leo joked with a sad sideways smile.
"You think so, ha?" Noah joked back. "Maybe if you behaved yourself we wouldn't have had to yell…"
For all his forced joviality, Noah felt like he might break in two. This had to be one of the hardest things a parent could ever do. He had only to look over at Luke for Luke to realize what he was thinking.
"No!" Luke shook his head. "We stay together! We keep the family together above all else!"
"Luke…"
"That's what we've alwayssaid!"
Noah reached over Leo's blanket-clad legs to take hold of Luke's hand. "We've always said that Leo comes first."
"He does!" Luke replied firmly.
"Yes," Noah agreed. "But in this case Baby, leaving is the best thing for him. It's the only way we at leasthave a chance to be together."
"Promise me you'll try," Leo begged. "Please, Pop!"
Luke looked tearfully into his son's eyes and then back at Noah. He lifted Leo's hand and kissed his fingers. "Shit!"
"Promise me!" Leo repeated.
"Okay," Luke reluctantly whispered, quickly getting a hold on himself. "I promise."
"Me too." Noah tried a brave smile.
Sniffing, Noah stood quickly and pulled a wad of cash from his jean pocket.
"Take this," he told Leo. "Hide it away somewhere safe and make sure nobody sees it. Okay?"
Leo nodded, trying to look brave even as his shuddering breath gave away his fear. He took the money from his father and lifted his feet from under blanket, so he could stick the wad into the side of one sock.
"We'll find you, okay? I promise," Noah told him, pressing a kiss to the top of Leo's head. "Once we've cleared our names. Wherever they take you, we'll find you!"
"I know, Dad," Leo reassured him.
Noah had to hug Leo then. He held onto his precious son for minutes, afraid to let go even as he knew he must. "I love you, Leo."
"I love you too, Dad. And you, Pop."
"I love you, Baby." Luke said, moving in for his turn, once Noah released Leo.
They stood on either side of their son's bed. Each man holding one of Leo's hands while they held each other's. A family circle broken by need rather than by choice.
Eventually, they could no longer afford to stay. With heavy hearts and tear-streaked faces, they left their son's room, only to be brought up short less than 10 yards from two men making their way down the corridor.
One was mid-40s, tall and well suited, with an almost official high forehead and square mouth that screamed FBI. By his side was an older man, slightly overweight, wearing jeans and a checked button down shirt. He had the distinct aura of an out-of-city cop.
Both these men's eyes simultaneously widened in undeniable recognition at the sight of Luke and Noah.
Shit!