Chapter 10

Jaime looked pleadingly at Michael to intercede...but for now, there could be no relief. Unless (or until) Oscar's questioning put her in actual physical danger, there was no choice but to allow it to continue.

''Steve...needed me!'' she sobbed. ''You - you're twisting things around!''

''Then tell me what really happened, please,'' Oscar pressed, leaning closer.

''I...I wanna see Steve now.''

''I'm afraid that's not possible, until we've finished. You could taint each other's statements.''

''Then I need Mark. Where...when...can he come back?''

''We still have things to discuss regarding his treatment techniques, as well. I could page Irene -''

''NO! I won't talk to her...and I don't have to! You said - you told me - that you wanted to talk about Steve. And...I will, since...I have no choice. But then you get me Mark! One thing...at a time!''

Michael turned away from Oscar to hide his smile of pride at hearing Jaime stick up for herself. ''She's right, Oscar,'' he agreed without turning around. ''Can't you question her about Mark another time and stick to one topic at a time? Jaime's doing her best to cooperate with you. How about letting her focus on one subject at a time instead of purposely confusing and sidetracking her? It's only fair.''

With a sigh and a silent, inward harrrmph, Oscar rose and opened the door, nodding for Mark to join them. The therapist moved quickly toward the bed, assessing his patient with practiced eyes before taking his habitual, silent seat in the corner.

''There was an explosion - from an article you carried from the building and gave to me. What made you decide to go back inside?'' Oscar probed.

Jaime glared at him. ''I didn't...'run back'...inside. Mark...the one you accused...the one you seem to think...hurt me...he stopped from going in! Why...you wanna know why I went in? It was because...YOU sent me! YOU got that needle and YOU made sure I knew how to use it!''

''You wanted to bring Steve out safely, didn't you? What did he tell you, once you were back inside? Did he admit to trying to kill me - and was that before or after he took you hostage?''

Steve woke from a peaceful dream about Jaime and Becca to see Russ standing beside his bed...and his sense of peace shattered. ''Are you here to arrest me?'' he grumbled resentfully.

''Should I be?'' Russ asked, slipping automatically and effortlessly into his former role. ''What is it you think you've done?''

''Sorry; not gonna work with me.''

''What's not going to work?'' Russ probed.

Steve shrugged...and winced in pain. ''Classic interrogation technique; I use it all the time.''

Russ smiled. His past role was so ingrained in him that he hadn't realized what he was doing. ''I'm sorry about that. I didn't come to interrogate you or even to take your statement. I'm here as a friend, to see if there's anything I can do to help.''

Steve was dubious. ''How can you help when I obviously broke the law? Hell, I broke at least a dozen laws,'' he added miserably.

''I know you,'' Russ told him. ''What they're saying you did, well, none of it would've happened without an awfully good reason. I can get the lawyers here faster for you...or maybe make some phone calls. Whatever you need.''

Steve nodded his gratitude and paused to think. ''I need to talk to Oscar, to try and explain, not that it'll help now. What happened with Anna - what I did - it scared me. I ran...and everything just snowballed from there. None of it was intentional but I don't know how to make it right except to try and talk to Oscar. Can you set up a meeting for me? Hopefully soon? And can you take me to see Jaime?''

Right now, Russ could do neither one...

Jaime reacted as though she'd been struck. ''Steve would never...and he didn't! I...I wasn't a hostage! I was there...to help my husband...and to help you!'' As her tears began anew, her voice broke and fragmented. ''I even...I can't believe I...stuck up...for you!''

Oscar was unmoved - and relentless. ''Then he found the needle and injected you? Why? Was he upset that you'd sided with me?''

''You just...don't get it! He...Steve never...tried to hurt me!''

''He could have killed you; do you realize that?''

''Stop it! Just...stop it! He...didn't...I...I can't...''

Michael stepped forward for a look at Jaime's monitors and was both alarmed and disappointed. The multiple surgeries she'd endured had carried the hope (and promise) that she might return to 'normal'. Oscar's questioning was rough, but the 'normal' Jaime should've easily been able to withstand it. Instead, her vitals and her frightened, tearful demeanor told Michael he needed to put a stop to the session for his patient's safety.

''She's had enough,'' Michael told Oscar firmly.

''We need to finish,'' Oscar insisted, glancing around Michael to study Jaime a bit more. She'd grown visibly frightened (and angry) at his questions. What was she hiding? Was she protecting Steve, Mark...or both?

''No; you're done now.'' Michael had stepped between Oscar and Jaime, his arms emphatically folded across his chest. ''Maybe you can try again later, but for now she needs a break.''

''I need...Steve...'' Jaime sobbed brokenly.

Oscar shook his head. ''I'm afraid I can't allow that. Not until you've both completely finished your statements.'' He turned to go, while Michael patted Jaime's shoulder soothingly and Mark approached the bed.

While Mark tended to their patient and Oscar paced the hallway waiting to finish what he saw as essential business, Michael returned to his lab. He hung all of Jaime's x-rays and MRIs in side-by-side lightboxes and studied them intently. She had not yet returned to anything approaching 'normal' - and he couldn't figure out why. Her speech was still broken and her body unable to tolerate even the smallest amount of stress. The needed nerve connections were obviously not being formed. Another round of surgery would not only be indescribably dangerous, it would also be like admitting failure - and for Michael, failure was unthinkable. The surgery was experimental but there was every reason to believe it would be successful. According to Jaime's x-rays, what he'd done HAD worked...and yet the miracle of normalcy still evaded her.

Michael went back over every test result, every MRI and each data entry in Jaime's file one more time. What was he not seeing? The printed results were exactly what he'd planned and hoped for. The sets of x-rays showed all of the expected physical progress...and yet his patient's behavior and outward visible results did not follow the charts or his expectations. Why? There HAD to be a way to send Jaime's brain waves in the needed direction, to help her nervous system make the final, crucial connections...to force her into the results the tests all indicated she should already be achieving. How to manipulate her brain waves and nervous system and FORCE those vital connections was the question before him. Then suddenly Michael's eyes snapped open with a new knowledge and realization.

Suddenly, he HAD it: an answer beyond anything he'd been searching for!

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