Chapter 61

"I understand, Commander, but we have to put a stop to this. The Navy is in a joint mission with the CIA on this case. If we are to put these criminals away, we will need your testimony," AJ said. Picking up one of the doctor's business cards, he wrote down his cell phone number.

"My name is AJ Chegwidden, and my wife is Sarah Mackenzie, that's my cell phone number if you need to get a hold of me. In the meantime, I'll notify the CIA agent that you have been helpful to our case and if need be, can be placed under protective custody. Now, I need Sarah transferred up to maternity, Commander. I trust you will do the right thing," cautioned AJ as he strode out the door heading to maternity to check on the progress of the baby and to find the room Sarah would be transferred to.

The nurse showed him to the room that Sarah would be brought to shortly. He slumped into the only chair; AJ couldn't remember when he had last been this tired. He kept trying to reassure himself that Skaggs had said she would be fine. Bud had lost a spleen and he was up and around now as if nothing had happened…well, he had lost a leg too, but that was a moot point at the moment.

Shortly thereafter, Mac was wheeled into the room. She was still unconscious from the anesthetic, but every once in a while she would moan and move a bit. He took her hand and sat there, waiting for her to wake up. Not really knowing how much time had passed when the ringing of the phone in the room, startled him. "Bayer Room," he whispered.

"Hell, AJ, you said you'd call me when she was out of surgery," yelled an angry Webb on the other end.

"Look, Webb, I've had my hands full here. I was going to call, but at the moment you're not high on my priority list," hissed AJ, pulling the phone as far from the bed as it would go.

"Did she come through surgery all right? What was wrong?" asked an aggravated Webb.

"She was suffering from internal bleeding so the doctor did exploratory surgery and found it was her spleen. They removed it and are giving her blood now," replied an exhausted AJ.

"How much blood did she lose?" asked Webb.

"How the hell should I know? Look, Webb, the doctor said she'd be all right," replied AJ. "The
surgeon, however, did say she'd be fine as long as no infection set in. If that were to happen then we'd have plenty to worry about."

"Does he expect that to happen?" asked Webb, worriedly.

"No, he said he expected a full recovery. He didn't see any complications," growled AJ. "Stop
trying to borrow trouble and back off. Try to get in touch with this doctor; his name is Commander Douglas Skaggs. He knows something about all this mess and is the one that called in the first information. Webb, he's afraid, so don't push him."

"I know how to handle my job, AJ," Webb said through gritted teeth. "When can I see Sarah?"

"I don't think you should be seen around here until after the mission is accomplished. Do that and do it right, then maybe you can see Sarah," replied AJ. "After all, it's another one of your hair brained ideas that's landed her up in here."

"No, AJ, you should have been with her and you know it," disagreed Webb.

"Just don't come by until this mess is clean up. Understand me, Webb. You can't see Sarah until the mission is completed. And Webb…don't screw it up!" growled AJ, hanging up the phone.

AJ was angry and wondering if Webb was right. Was Sarah lying there because of him? He wiped a tear from his eye, turned off the ringer, and turned out the light. That way the phone wouldn't wake up Sarah. If Webb needed to talk to him again he could call his cell, and AJ put that on vibrate so it would not ring either.

To be continued….