Those Eyes, This Got Personal, Barton is Coming, Spike Keeps Things Safe & Scott's Plan

Hospital – ER Treatment Room

For the last hour and a half Spike had done his damnedest to keep Noah Barton calm. The man kept vacillating high and low. But Spike had found the key to keeping him calmer. His brother's well-being was of utmost importance to Noah.

Noah had not forgotten for long that he was armed. Spike had to surrender his weapon in order to keep Jasmin alive. But he knew where Scott's weapon was if things escalated. Either Jonas didn't know Scott had been armed or forgot. Either way, it was a safety measure that allowed Spike to relax a bit.

Spike looked down at Scott. He had worsened rather quickly. Scott was clearly feverish now. So far Noah had not allowed Vanessa or Jasmin to come tend Scott. But he needed to try again.

Clearing his throat to gain Noah's attention Spike said "Noah, we have done everything you have asked for Jonas. You can see that I want this to end with everyone coming out unharmed. Scott is not doing so well. Would you allow Jasmin or Vanessa to take a look at him?"

Noah paced. He looked at Jonas then at Scott then back at Jonas. His brother was nearly finished with his blood transfusion. He was tired of waiting on the damned surgeon. His brother took precedence over some stupid cop.

He made a decision. The keys to the sno-cat were with the guy named Ron. Ron was in the surgery with the cop. Ron and Spike were the only ones Noah worried about being a threat. Scott was clearly not capable of any movement now. He had watched him deteriorate as he sweated profusely from the fever that had taken hold of him.

Noah moved close to Vanessa then waved the gun at Jasmin and said "You, move over there by Scott slowly, no fast moves." Then he aimed the gun at Vanessa head and said "Don't try anything or I kill the doctor."

Jasmin slowly moved towards Scott and Spike. She was shaking. She hadn't stopped shaking since this whole thing began. She shook so much it was almost like when she was a little girl, only ten, and fell into the icy lake. She almost died but a boy reached her in time and kept her afloat until help arrived.

That was when she first met Doc Landry and decided to become a nurse. Jasmin never knew who the boy was that saved her. He was not a local boy. But she sure shook violently as she had warmed up that day in the Craig hospital.

As Jasmin got nearer to Spike she looked into his reassuring brown eyes. He had kept her and Vanessa alive so far. Every time Noah put the gun to her head Spike had interceded and gotten him to lower it by talking to him. Jasmin whispered "Thank you" so only Spike could hear her.

Spike gave the very frightened Jasmin a small smile he hoped would reassure her. Spike was hopeful that some sort of help would be arriving soon. He surely needed it.

Jasmin turned her head to look at Scott. He was not doing very well at all. His wound must have gotten infected or he caught a cold in the hours he spent in the frigid temperatures trying to get help for his cousin. She listened closely to his breathing and it seemed to rattle a bit. It did not sound good. She took a cloth and wiped his brow.

Scott's eyes opened at the touch. They met with Jasmin's. His were feverish but confident and hers were filled with compassion and fear.

Jasmin drew in a sharp breath. Those eyes. She remembered those eyes. She had stared into them before. Images from when she was ten flooded her mind. She whispered "It was you. You saved me from the lake."

Confusion crossed Scott's face. "Saved you?" came out a bit raspy. Then Scott began to cough.

Spike went to help sit Scott up a bit but was stalled in place when Noah yelled "Don't move Spike or I shoot Vanessa here."

All Spike could do was stand there and watch helplessly as Scott hacked and coughed. All those hours out in the storm and impaling his leg must have weakened his immune system.

Jasmin helped Scott sit up and then lay back down as the coughing subsided. She got a cup and poured a little water as she handed it to him she said "You sound like I did after I got rescued from the lake. I got bronchitis real bad. But that was better than drowning. I never knew who saved me. But your eyes. I will never forget your eyes. Thank you Scott."

Scott shook his head "I've never been here before. I did not save you."

It was Jasmin's turned to look confused "I'm sure it was you. I will never forget those eyes. They were my lifeline when I thought I was going to die."

Scott took Jasmin's hand "Not me, my cousin Sam. Sam used to come here when he was sixteen and seventeen with a family friend. It must have been him."

Spike said "Remember I told you Scott and Sam look like twins."

Jasmin nodded then said "I should take a look at your wound." She removed her hand from Scott's and proceeded to unwrap the bandage around Scott's leg.

Noah decided to wait just one moment before moving on with his next step. He wanted to see just how incapacitated Scott was. That coughing had made him smile. It did not sound good. He didn't have too many bullets so if nature could take out some of them, all the better. He kept the gun trained on Vanessa's head to maintain compliance from Spike.

Examining Scott's bandage Jasmin gasped. She turned to Vanessa "I've never seen drainage like this Vanessa."

Vanessa held very still but requested "Describe it to me Jasmin."

Jasmin examined the bandage closely then turned to Vanessa. Jasmin described what she saw "It is green with blue-green center, almost like the inner circle of a target. It is foul smelling too. I've never seen the likes of it."

Vanessa let her minds roll back to her course in infectious diseases and organisms. She was searching for the answer. There was one organism that produced that pigment. What was it?

It popped into her head. Vanessa said "Pseudomonas aeruginosa. It is a cryophil organism that grows at temperatures below freezing. It is in water and dirt. Scott could have been infected with it when his ski pole impaled him. It is the only organism that produces a blue-green pigment which can stain the drainage. You need to start him on Ceftazidime by IV." She then rattled off the dosage.

Jasmin looked at Noah and her voice shook "Can I go get that from the pharmacy?"

"No" Noah said sharply. "My brother comes first. I'm tired of waiting on the surgeon. Jonas has gotten his blood, now it is time to get that bullet out."

Spike looked at Scott with concern.

Scott said "I'll be okay."

Noah yelled "No talking." As he swung to the emotional side again. Then he yelled "Spike and Jasmin over here. You will push Jonas to the surgery." He grabbed Vanessa's arm with his empty hand and said "Try anything and she dies."

Spike hesitated to see if he could get ahold of Scott's gun. He could not do it without being seen though. He opted to say as he slowly moved forward "Leave Jasmin here. I can push Jonas and you will have one less person to worry about. Jasmin and Scott cannot go anywhere due to the storm and Scott is in no condition to be a threat to you and Jonas. Let her tend Scott and we will take Jonas to get his bullet out."

He knew that it was a long shot. He worried most that Noah would choose to shoot Scott dead and then force Jasmin to come with them.

Noah pointed his gun at Scott and said "I should just put him out of his misery."

Scott looked at the gun sighted on him and used an overly weak voice "You could but that would leave you one less bullet. When you and Jonas leave you will be on the run and need all the bullets you have. I cannot walk and Jasmin is too frightened to do anything. You can shoot me but it makes no sense. I'm no threat as Spike said."

Noah stared at Scott. He looked and sounded like he was dying anyways. He grunted and said "Alright you and Jasmin stay here. If I see either of you in the hall I will kill Vanessa and Spike."

Scott forced a cough to reinforce that he was incapacitated. Without realizing it Jasmin helped to reinforce that impression by turning a very worried expression to Scott and helping him sit up again. Scott's voice was so weak when he said "Understood."

Noah turned to Jonas to talk to him "We are going to get you fixed up now Jonas. Then we will leave. I promise you."

In the time that Noah turned, Scott winked at Spike and gave him a quick smile. Spike understood Scott's ploy. Make Noah think he was not a threat. He gave a barely imperceptible nod to Scott.

Special Forces Arctic Unit – Trekking to Craig Hospital

Vinson had made good time to the rendezvous point. The unit had been blown much further away than they had wanted. They had five miles to trek to the hospital. The unit took a quick break to allow Vinson to re-hydrate after he arrived. Then the unit set off in the direction of the hospital at top speed.

The gale force wind was a huge factor and it slowed them down. Vinson was at the rear of the line as they started off single file. They would make better time if they skied in each other's tracks. Each would lead and blaze the trail for a quarter mile then move to the side and let the next one in line take lead. They would resume skiing at the end of the line. This kept each one from over exerting so they had energy when they made it to the hospital.

Each unit member reviewed in their heads the layout of the hospital and their assigned areas to clear as they skied to the hospital. They had gone over all the mission details in the plane. Vinson was the new guy to the unit, no rookie, but new to the unit nonetheless.

As a result, Vinson was paired with Sergeant Grey. He liked to keep watch over his newest members for a while to get their full measure.

Their target area was to secure the surgery and recovery room. A three man team led by the second in command would secure the ER where they suspected the target was located. The third two-man team would secure the café then head to the second floor to secure the patients.

Vinson finally understood why General Braddock would care about the SRU Officer and the Naval Officer. Sergeant Grey passed around his phone with four photos that he received in-flight that showed the three 'friendlies' and one that showed the Barton brothers.

The Naval Officer was Scott Braddock, the General's nephew. God he looked so much like the General's son. One of the two SRU Officers was none other than Samuel Braddock, the General's son.

That one surprised Mark the most. Sam Braddock had left JTF2 very quickly after the friendly fire incident. Mark never put stock in all the rumors flying around about Braddock. Most of it was sour grapes by envious men or those that were just plain idiots.

It wasn't until the intense interview after Sam got shot in the chest by the General's own aid, Corporal Merrill, in machinations orchestrated by Major Plouffe, did he remember Sergeant Gleason's murder. At that time he also remembered how Murphy and Plouffe plotted to murder Sam to get at the General.

This mission became personal when he saw those photos. Mark felt that perhaps this was a way to atone for not saying something sooner before that damned IED locked away his memory. He might have been able to save the Braddocks from so much heartache if he had just said something to someone. Vinson resolved that he would do his best to make sure the Braddock family did not suffer any more heartache today.

Hospital – Surgery

Ron looked out the window "Oh shit. Barton is coming. He has Spike pushing the gurney with his brother on it and the gun to Vanessa's head."

Minna's eyes widened "Do you see Jasmin?"

Ron shook his head and raced to the recovery room door. He pushed it open and urgently whispered to Jeremy "Be quiet. Very, very quiet. Barton is coming this way. Maisie you stay here."

Maisie said "But what if Landry needs help."

Ron said "I'll help. Please Maisie stay here. I don't want you anywhere near him. Please."

Maisie nodded.

Ron turned to Jeremy "I'm counting on you to keep everyone quiet. Listen at the door but I'm going to lock it from my side to try and keep you all safe."

He then pulled the door closed and locked it from the surgery side.

Hospital – Hallway Outside the Surgery

Spike's hands were bound in the soft restraints to the head of the bed as he pushed. It was not ideal and his head was spinning as he tried to figure possible scenarios. How could he get everyone in the surgery out safely leaving only himself as a hostage? His mind was coming up with and discarding thoughts rapidly.

Noah called out "Stop." Then he yelled to the surgery "Open the doors. I don't care if you are done with that cop or not. My brother Jonas is getting taken care of now. He has waited too long already. The cop can die for all I care. I already got rid of Officer Roman when he shot Jonas. So what's one more cop."

The doors remained closed.

Spike heard the click of the gun cocking again and called out "Ron open the doors. He will shoot Vanessa if you do not. We need to comply." In his head he added 'for now'.

The doors were unlocked and Ron pushed them outward. He saw that Spike was bound to the bed at the top by both wrists. Vanessa was bound to the bed at the side by one wrist too. Ah crap.

Hospital – Surgery

Ron stepped back into the room. He noticed Minna had pulled Doc Landry to the back corner and was standing in front of the doc trying to shield him. He positioned himself in front of Minna.

Spike pushed the gurney into the room and saw Sam on the table. He was glad to see his leg intact and bandaged. Good Doc Landry had finished and it looked like Sam was still out. He saw the cloth over his head and the heart monitor leads.

He stopped when he was fully inside the room. Then he chanced to speak "Noah why don't you let Ron and Minna go. It is a bit crowded in here. They can transfer Sam to a gurney so the table is clear for Jonas."

Noah looked around. It was small but he was not going to let an able bodied Ron out of his sight. "No. Ron, close and lock the doors."

Ron hesitated to move from Minna.

"NOW or I blow Vanessa's brains out and there will be nothing the surgeon can do to save her" Noah roared as his eyes darted around the room taking everything and everyone into consideration.

Ron moved to the surgery doors and closed then locked them. He went back to where he was in front of Minna.

Noah stepped back from Vanessa but kept the gun trained on her. "Now, Doc Landry you will operate on my brother. You will get the bullet out and prepare him for travel. No funny business or I kill everyone in this room."

He pulled Spike's gun from the back of his pants and pointed one at Vanessa and the other at Spike. "I'm ambidextrous and shoot quite well with both hands. I'll take out Vanessa and Spike then Ron and Minna then you doc and your cop patient. I do not care one whit about any of your lives; only Jonas'. So you better do as I say or this place becomes covered in all your blood."

Landry said from behind Minna and Ron "I'll need to scrub in. I'll need Vanessa's and Minna's help too."

Noah responded "Okay." He released Vanessa's wrist from the restraint.

Minna pushed Landry to the scrub sink and the three of them scrubbed in. When they were done Minna prepped the surgical instruments and prepared Jonas' shoulder area in sterile draping.

"Ron, my boy, I need you to push me to the other side of the table" Landry said holding his gloved hands up so as to not contaminate them.

Ron shuffled around Spike to get to the doctor. He started to push Landry to the other side but Spike was in the way.

Spike said "Noah you need to uncuff me so that the doctor can get to your brother. I will not do anything, just like in the ER. I want everyone to stay safe today. So everyone in here is focusing on doing what is necessary for your brother."

Noah kept his gun trained on Ron and moved the other one to Spike now as he said "Ron you can uncuff him. Spike, stand in that corner, make sure I can see your hands and do not move a muscle."

Ron complied and uncuffed Spike. Spike moved to the corner indicated and put his hands up at his chest level with palms out to show Noah he was no threat and complying.

Spike said "See complying. Perhaps you can lower the guns. They are making everyone a little nervous. Doctors that are nervous might have shaky hands and that will not be good for Jonas."

Noah started to lower one weapon but kept one on Spike as he said "Doc if you don't do what you need to for Jonas, Spike's death is on your head."

Ron then moved Landry to the other side of the gurney. He stayed right where he was and put his hands up just like Spike had his. The worst thing that could happen was if Noah got spooked and started shooting. They were like fish in a very tiny barrel in here.

Sam heard voices when the others entered the surgery. He was fuzzy but he comprehended the situation was bad. He remained in stealth mode and used his ears to help him determine everyone's position.

He determined that Spike was in the right corner at his feet. That might be good if he had to wake up because he could make eye contact with Spike. The other gurney was on the side he had seen a door on when he woke earlier. Noah Barton was positioned for now in the left corners on the wall with the doors to the hall. Those doors had small windows in them if he recalled correctly.

Sam was struggling to stay awake but his body was forcing him back under. Damn, Spike needed help because he did not hear Scott. What happened to Scott was the question on his mind as blackness took him away again.

Landry spoke to Vanessa "My legs will not hold me up right now. I will stay seated and monitor the nitrous. It is the safest path without an anesthesiologist here now. I would prefer to use a general but a local with nitrous oxide will have to suffice."

Jonas looked at Noah "I don't want to feel pain Noah. It hurt too much already. Make them give me something that will take all the pain away."

Noah pointed the gun at Vanessa as he spoke "You heard Noah. Give him the strongest pain meds you can. If he even winces in pain I will kill you."

Vanessa nodded "I have something I can give him and it will make him sleepy too. Jonas will feel no pain I assure you."

"Do it then" Noah ordered. Then he turned to his little brother "You're gonna be fine. I'll take care of you. I always have. No pain."

Jonas nodded and closed his fearful eyes as Vanessa added some medication to his IV line.

As Doc Landry, Vanessa and Minna began the operation Spike took the opportunity to study Sam. He saw he was sweating. His eyes were closed and Spike wondered if Sam was truly out. With Sam you could never really tell. Spike wanted to ask but he did not want to draw attention to Sam. Noah was basically ignoring Sam right now and that was good.

Noah looked at Ron and remembered he needed the keys to the sno-cat. He said "You, Ron. Put the keys to the sno-cat on the counter over there. Then move back" as he motioned with the gun he had previously lowered.

Ron said "They are in my right front pocket. I'm going to pull them out."

Noah nodded and watched closely as Ron reached in and slowly withdrew the keys.

Ron then took slow steps to the counter and placed the keys were indicated. Then he moved back to where he had positioned himself close to Minna and Doc Landry again and raised his hand too. He was glad Noah did not order him by Spike. He liked being close to Minna and he would protect her if he could.

Spike glanced up at the clock. He prayed for some help. Any help. A unit storming in here would not be the best. But given what the Barton's had done, how many innocent lives they had taken, how many in this room he was threatening, Spike found himself decidedly unsympathetic to Noah and Jonas Barton. He also found that he would not mind it so much if a unit sniper took Noah out.

He began to wonder what Scott's plan might be. That wink and grin told him he was going to be up to something.

Hospital – Hallway Outside the Surgery

Scott had Jasmin help him into a wheelchair and then push him slowly down the hallway while he trained his gun forward. He knew that with Spike cuffed to the gurney he would be in the surgery with Noah, Jonas, Vanessa and most likely the Craig's, Ron and Minna. And of course Sam. That is unless Noah made one of them push Sam out of the surgery room or he was already in recovery.

He hoped Sam was in recovery. He asked Jasmin quietly "Is there any way they can see us coming?"

Jasmin whispered "There are two small windows on the surgery doors. We can hide if we hug the right wall. But the recovery room door is to the left. So we will have to duck down and cross right next to the doors."

Scott nodded and said "Get me to the wall next to surgery. Then I want you to get upstairs. Find the other nurse."

"Vera" Jasmin supplied.

"Find Vera, and let her know that Jeremy will be coming up soon with Ethan and his parents" Scott explained.

Jasmin looked at Scott "What about you?"

Scott responded "I'm armed and I'm trained in how to use it. I will stay here to back up Spike."

Jasmin nodded. She thought that Spike and Scott were so brave. Scott was saving her like Sam apparently saved her when she was a little girl. She hoped she would get a chance to finally tell him thank you. She pushed Scott to the wall.

Scott looked at Jasmin and she was still shaking with fear. Very softly he said "You have done so good. I'm very proud of you. You have courage."

She shook her head "No I'm not courageous. I'm scared to death."

Giving her hand a slight squeeze Scott said "That is what makes you courageous. You are taking action to help others when all your body is telling you to do is run and save yourself. You are very courageous. Now go."

Jasmin squeezed his hand back and said "Too bad you are married. You stay safe you hear."

Scott nodded and Jasmin headed for the stairs.

Lowering himself to the ground Scott belly crawled past the surgery doors. He sincerely hoped he could get someone's attention in the recovery room without drawing Noah's attention.

Hospital – Recovery Room

Jeremy was listening at the surgery door as Ron told him. He could hear Doc Landry instructing Vanessa on how to do the operation. Other than that it was quiet in the room.

Ethan's father had picked up his son and cradled him in his arms. He was very careful how he held him. But Ethan had woken up and he needed to keep his boy safe and quiet. If they had to run he wanted Ethan in his arms.

Maisie was sitting near the door to the hallway when she heard light sounds on the bottom of the door to the recovery. At first she wondered what would make that kind of sound. But then she recognized a pattern to the sounds.

She listened closely and a smile lit her face as she translated Morse code in her head.

− − − (O) · − − · (P) · (E) − · (N)
· · (I) − (T)
· · (I) · · · (S)
· · · (S) − · − · (C) − − − (O) − (T) − (T)

Maisie stood and went to Jeremy and whispered "Scott is at the door."

"How do you know?" he whispered back.

"Morse code" Maisie whispered then went to open the hallway door.

Scott grinned up at Maisie. She quickly knelt down "Are you okay?"

"Yes for now. I need you all to leave" Scott said.

Ethan's parents and Jeremy gathered close to Scott as he instructed "Go quietly. Duck under the windows and head upstairs. Jasmin is alerting Vera you will be coming up. Lock yourselves in rooms. Help should be arriving soon. We got a call into Sam's father. General Braddock is in charge of Special Forces."

Jeremy's eyes widened "Really?"

Scott answered "Really. They have units trained for this weather. They should be here soon. So go. Get to safety while Noah is occupied in surgery."

"What about you?" Ethan's father asked seeing an incapacitated man.

"I'll be okay. I'm trained for this" Scott said.

In his head, Scott acknowledged he never had real world application of his training. But all those paintball games with Sam gave him an advantage. His strategy would be to find a hidden spot that still gave him a view.

Scott wished he could climb up into the ceiling. That had been Sam's favorite place to hide. Sam had kicked their asses game after game until they finally located him in the rafters. "Go now, quickly" Scott said as the four lingered a moment.

He scanned the recovery room and the hallway. Too bad there was no line of sight from the recovery room to the surgery. There were several options here that would be good. The hallway it would have to be. He saw a rolling cart and figured he could maneuver it into place and be able to cover both doors while being hidden.

Scott crawled towards the cart as Jeremy was the last one to make his way under the surgery doors. He maneuvered in place and then stopped a moment to cover a cough into his elbow hoping it was quiet enough. This one rattled and left him feeling breathless. He wiped the sweat that was dripping in his eyes and ignored the pain in his thigh.

Jeremy had stopped at the corner and looked back when he heard Scott coughing. He wondered how any of them would have survived if it wasn't for these guys. He sent up a prayer that they survived too. He turned and headed up the stairs to make sure Maisie, Ethan and his parents made it to a room and got locked in.

Part of Jeremy wanted to go back down and help. But Ron's words echoed in his head again. So Jeremy would do as Scott instructed and locked himself in with the others.

Scott watched the surgery door and dug deep to find it within himself to stay the course. Spike and Sam and the others needed him to back up Spike. He could not let Noah kill his cousin or Spike.

He leaned his back on the wall as he drew a shallow breath to prevent further coughing fits. He looked down at the blue-green stained bandage and wondered how much trouble he was in. This was an infection that not even Sam could match in weirdness. Shit, Laura was gonna be really pissed off at him now.

.

AN: Thank you Elise Deschat for the cool blue-green infection to give Scott.