Chapter Nineteen
Danny slowly wheeled Flack along the corridor as they searched out the room they were looking for. The lady at the reception desk had stated it was up to the third floor in the elevator, then turn right, go down to where the hallway split, turn left and follow the corridor round past the lounge to where it bent to the right. Then take the second door on the left and that was when Danny had stopped listening.
"Faster," huffed the man in the wheelchair impatiently.
"Alright, moany," Danny replied. "You ain't the one having to push your heavy ass along so quit your moaning!"
Flack mumbled something under his breath and Danny smiled. Of course, what he'd said was completely untrue and both men knew it, which is why they could laugh. Flack was still incredibly underweight for his height and his face still had a gauntness about it. But then it had only been a little over four months since the day Flack had come back to them and it turned out that recovering from a strange virus was incredibly difficult and complex. Doctor Caramel hadn't really known what to expect so Doctor Mick Fry had been on hand throughout most of Flack's recovery process. Even now, they still weren't sure if the virus would ever come back one day but so far so good.
Flack had left the hospital one month ago and it had been decided for him that he would stay with Danny and Lindsay as their apartment was still adapted for someone in a wheelchair to live in comfortably. He had made remarkable progress and his eyes had finally returned to their former bright blue colour and his skin was now a normal shade too. His hair had grown back and the dark strands were long enough to cover up the permanent reminder on the back of his neck of the ordeal he had been through. Danny was glad of that. He didn't like to be continually reminded at how close he was to almost losing his best friend.
Even though Flack had started taking physical therapy classes to build up his muscle strength where the virus had eaten away at them and could manage a few steps, he still relied heavily on the wheelchair. Due to his body being so close to death, it had taken a while for Flack's organs to start working properly again and therefore the total recovery time was made even slower. He was still too weak and frail to manage much standing upright and Danny had promised he would be on hand every step of the way and could somewhat sympathise with Flack and what he was going through. No-one worried that Flack wouldn't get back on his feet eventually. They all knew the drive he'd had to get better the last time something had knocked him back and there was no doubt in any of their minds that this instance wouldn't be the same.
"You've got us lost, haven't you?" Flack grumbled from the chair.
"Look, am I driving or are you?" Danny retorted.
"I don't see why, I'm sure I could walk perfectly well if they let me," Flack continued to grumble.
"Flack, like the doctors have told you, you gotta stay in the chair till you build up enough strength to walk more than two steps, okay?" Danny stated as he continued to look for the room.
He heard Flack once again mumble grumpily under his breath and grinned to himself. It was good to have Flack back. Grumpy, sarcastic, wonderful Flack.
"Hey, here we are," Danny smiled as he finally reached the room. "You want me to come in with you?"
"No, I'm not a child," Flack grumped as he looked over his shoulder at Danny.
Danny sighed and then came round and knelt down before Flack.
"Flack, I know you're not a child. I'm just making sure you'll be okay by yourself and that you don't want me to come with you for moral support," he sighed.
Flack stared at him for a moment and then nodded his head. "Sorry, Danno. I guess...I guess this just takes a lot of getting used to. I don't like it... that I can't look after myself."
Danny smiled at his friend as he patted his knee. "Doesn't make you any less of a man, and I should know."
"Thanks, Danno," Flack nodded, smiling happily.
"Just glad you're still with us," Danny murmured as he stood up and sniffed.
"Are you crying?" Flack asked as he tried to look behind himself at Danny who was hiding.
"No, of course not," Danny sniffed again.
"You are!" Flack exclaimed. "What, you turn into a girl or something while I was away being tortured like a real man?" he joked.
"Yeah," Danny smiled through his tears. "Yeah I have, Donny boy."
Danny leant forward and gave Flack a hug for a moment and Flack let him.
"Okay, that's enough now," Flack muttered. "Don't want you turning me into no girl as well."
Danny grinned and then gently tapped on the door. After a voice called 'come in' Danny nodded at Flack and then turned to leave.
"You call me when you want picking up," he called over his shoulder.
"Will do," Flack replied. "Thanks Danno."
Flack took a breath and then pushed open the door and wheeled himself into the small bedroom. It was nice, a bit plain but cosy and had been made homely with the many hand drawn pictures on the wall.
"Don!" squealed a voice and then a figure darted over to give Flack a huge hug.
"Whoa there," Flack grunted and then pushed the kid off him. "How are you, Brody?"
"I'm good," the kid grinned at him. He looked so different now. His eyes were a bright green and his figure was much fuller, the way it probably ought to have been. He had a shock of blond hair growing from his head that shone yellow in the light.
"Would never have pegged you for a blond," Flack snorted as he fixed the breaks on his chair.
"I guess I am," Brody smiled. "I couldn't really remember." He turned back to Flack and then frowned. "You look strange with hair."
"Thanks," Flack muttered and rolled his eyes.
Brody giggled and then sat on the edge of his bed facing Flack.
"Thanks for coming, I know you got real friends and all so you probably..." he started to stay.
"Course I was gonna come and see ya," Flack interrupted gruffly. "So they figure out who you are yet?"
"Yeah," Brody grinned excitedly. "Benny got my name right. I'm Brody Boxer, born 23rd May 1981 and I come from New York. Got no family though, I was in the foster system apparently, that's how I got taken."
Flack nodded sadly and then suddenly something occurred to him. "What, you're thirty?" he asked in disbelief.
"Yeah," Brody grinned.
"You look about sixteen, kid," Flack replied, shaking his head. He guessed it was the way Brody had been treated by Emerson that had stunted his growth.
"Oh, I got a letter from Benny," Brody said as he stood and hurried over to a wall where he took down a picture and handed it to Flack. "They reunited him with his daughter who is now grown up and has a daughter of his own. That's them there in the picture."
"I'm glad he found his family," Flack smiled as he looked at the gruff old man he'd known smiling away.
"He said in his letter he'd like to come and visit you and Mac one day, thank you guys properly," Brody said.
"He doesn't need to do that. We were only doing our job," Flack stated as he handed the picture back to Brody.
Brody took it from him and then didn't let go, holding tightly onto Flack's hand.
"I don't think it was your job to do what you did for me," Brody said sincerely, staring across at Flack. "It should be me in a wheelchair now, not you. I know that."
"Don't be silly," Flack muttered. "You're a kid and it's my job..."
"No," Brody said quietly but firmly. "It wasn't your job. Not in there. We were all on level pegging. And I'm not a kid, am I? I must only be a few years younger than you."
Flack stared at Brody for a moment and then sighed. "I wasn't gonna let them hurt you again now was I?" he muttered.
"You're so brave," Brody replied. "I guess I just... I just wanted to thank you... for saving my life. Because you did."
"That's alright," Flack murmured and then smiled as he gave Brody's hand a squeeze. Brody returned the squeeze and then let go of Flack's hand.
"So, I heard they are re-homing all the patients that were trapped where we were," Brody said in interest.
"They are indeed. And all the doctors and nurses that were involved have been arrested and charged. They'll all spend a long time in jail. As will Thomas, Kyle and Logan," Flack replied.
"What about... what about Emerson?" Brody whimpered.
"He's been charged with numerous accounts of all sorts of things," Flack smiled. "He'll go away for life, no doubt."
"I hope he never gets out," Brody said, hands in tight fists.
"He won't," Flack reassured him.
"Good," Brody said unclenching his fists and smiling. "I just gotta work out what I'm supposed to do with my life now."
"Yeah, I was thinking about that," Flack replied.
"I'm not quite sure how to function out in the real world. It seems scary," Brody said, shivering at the thought.
"You just take your time, Brody," Flack said reassuringly. "And don't worry about where you'll go when you think it's time to fit back into society because I want you to come and live with me."
"W...w...what?" Brody stammered, eyes wide and staring at Flack.
"When you're well enough...and when I am too," Flack said. "I want you to live with me, unless you got other plans of course."
"Live with you...but I'd get in the way..." Brody mumbled nervously.
"Hey," Flack said gruffly as he took hold of one of the younger man's hands. "The offer's there if you want it."
Brody continued to stare at Flack with his green eyes and then he smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Don."
"That's alright," Flack smiled back and squeezed his hand gently. "Now how about you tell me who's been doing all this lovely artwork decorating your room?"
Brody grinned excitedly and then stood up, chattering nineteen to the dozen.
...
"My dear ladies and gentlemen," Professor Partridge stated pompously as he looked round the small gathering on the lawn in front of him.
"That guy looks like he's ready to kick the bucket," whispered Adam to Lindsay as they watched from the wooden chairs laid out on the lawn.
"Shhshh," Lindsay whispered back in amusement.
"I once again thank you for coming on this most prestigious of days," Partridge waffled on.
"How much longer can the guy talk for, my arm is aching," Adam complained, holding up his arm that held the video camera with his other hand.
"You do realise that will now be heard on the video?" Hawkes replied out of the corner of his mouth.
"And hereby appoint Doctor Sidney Hammerback as an honorary fellow of Harvard College," Partridge said as Sid stepped forward onto the small platform that had been set up on the lawn and Partridge shook his hand.
"Wooohooo!" Adam yelled loudly and cheered, gaining some rather disapproving looks from the stuffy professors that sat around.
"Yeah!" Hawkes grinned and stood up, clapping loudly. Lindsay joined him, both of them nodding at their old friend who had tears in his eyes.
"And you will be most pleased to know we are renaming our previous Emerson Room the Hammerback Room," Partridge smiled at the crowd.
"Geoffrey, you didn't have to..." Sid murmured as he watched the small crowd clapping loudly in his honour, including three of his best friends.
"Yes, Sid, yes we did," Partridge replied quietly. "You saved a man's life. You showed true courage and cool logic in the face of a real evil and under an enormous time constraint."
"I did what anyone would have," Sid replied.
"You did only what a hero could," Partridge said as he turned and smiled at Sid. "You and all your team. I heard it was over four hundred men and women that were found in that asylum. They were all saved due to you and your friends. You are all heroes of men."
"Thank you," Sid replied gratefully, tears still in his eyes as his old professor hugged him.
"There, there," Partridge said as he stepped back and blew his nose into a huge white hankie. "I feel quite overcome. How about some tea and cake on the lawn?"
"Wonderful," Sid replied as he stepped down from the platform with Partridge and began milling around the professors and learned academia of the college.
"That was awesome," Adam grinned as he shut of the camera. "Except I can't feel my arm anymore."
"Stop whinging, Ad," Lindsay laughed. "Let's go and get something to drink."
"I hope they have wine...or champagne," Adam said excitedly as they approached the buffet table.
"Tea and cake only, I'm afraid," Hawkes grinned as he helped himself to a cup.
"I don't even like tea," Adam sighed.
"We do have some orange squash if you would prefer, Sir," said a helpful lady who was standing behind the table.
"Yeah, go on Adam, have the squash," laughed Hawkes as he bit into a mini Victoria sponge.
"Lucy will be jealous...squash!" Lindsay chuckled as she sipped her tea from the beautiful china cup and saucer.
"You guys pick on me," grumped Adam as he took the cup of squash from the lady.
"Only cos we love you," Hawkes grinned as he gave Adam a friendly clap on the back.
"All of us," Lindsay said as she gave his arm a gently squeeze.
Adam blushed and immediately looked down at the cake, pretending to chose which on to have.
"Hello guys, thank you so much for coming," Sid said as he came over and hugged all three of them individually.
"Of course we were going to come," Lindsay said happily. "And I know the others would have come too if they could have."
"Yeah, you know how it is for Mac and Jo, big bosses have big responsibilities," Adam sighed.
"And Danny is looking after Flack," Lindsay added.
"And Flack would have loved to have come but you know..." nodded Hawkes.
"I do," Sid replied. "We're lucky to still have him with us."
"Because of you," Hawkes replied while the others nodded.
"I still feel..." Sid sighed and then stared up at the buildings around him.
The others waited patiently for him to continue, knowing he needed a moment to collect his thoughts.
"I still feel like if I had said something all those years ago I may have saved so many more," Sid finally finished.
"Sid," Hawkes said as he came round and put an arm over his old friend's shoulders. "You did more than anyone in this case, more than anyone ever could have. You worked tirelessly on that tranquiliser, you figured out who we were dealing with, you stopped Emerson from killing Jo and Mac and you cured Flack. You shouldn't ever feel guilty."
Sid smiled at his young friend and then the two hugged each other again.
"Well isn't that simply delightful to see," Partridge said as he came over and beamed at them. "Are you all enjoying yourselves?"
"Sure am," Hawkes said as he pulled away from Sid.
"Kind of," Adam mumbled, staring at his squash.
"It's lovely," Lindsay said politely.
"Oh jolly good," Partridge nodded. "Oh I say, is that Battenberg? Mmm, my favourite," he added as he went over to the table behind them.
The other four chuckled in amusement between themselves.
...
It was lunchtime when Jo and Mac found themselves sat on Jo's sofa sitting across from Ellie as she typed on her sparkly pink phone. They looked at each other, sighed in almost a nervous fashion and then turned back to the teenager.
"Ellie," Jo started.
"Hang on, Mum," Ellie replied as her fingers moved at speed over her phone. "Tina's just told me that Dan has a secret crush on Emily, but Emily likes Cody but we think he could be gay and fancies Brad. But Brad is like the coolest jock ever and totally digs Julie who is really emo and doesn't even like boys... or girls."
Jo glanced at Mac and saw what looked very much like a frightened look on his face. She smiled to herself at that. So murderers, guns, maniacs and being held hostage for a month didn't scare him, but teenage girls did.
"Ellie Danville, you put down that phone this instant. Mac and I have something to say," Jo scolded.
"Urgh," Ellie sighed as she rolled her eyes and then put down her phone on the armrest next to her.
"Good, now as you know, Mac has been staying with us for the past month and a bit while he was recuperating from injury," Jo explained.
"Mum, I do know that. You think I wouldn't notice a weird man in our house!" Ellie told her mother as if she were stupid.
Jo sighed and looked at Mac for help.
"Yes, and I really appreciate you letting me stay here with you and your Mum," Mac added as he sat forward.
"And we wanted to let you know that..." Jo took a deep breath and then smiled. "That Mac is the man I have been dating, that you heard round the apartment before."
"Like I didn't know that already," Ellie moaned in a bored voice. "It was so completely and totally like obvious."
Mac and Jo sat back on the couch together looking rather dumbstruck at the observant teen.
"And I thought you said you had big news to tell me anyway?" Ellie continued. "Like you are moving in here permanently because you totally should. You make Mum happy and I so need someone to call Dad."
"Ellie Danville," Jo gasped in bewilderment while Mac just looked amused.
"It really is about time guys," Ellie said knowingly. "And I totally need someone who can give me lifts to parties and mall trips. That would be you," she added, looking at Mac.
"Well, that's good. That's good, isn't it?" Jo asked, looking round at Mac.
"So you don't mind me moving in on a permanent basis?" Mac asked.
"Of course not," Ellie giggled. Suddenly her phone beeped and she picked it up. "Oh. My. God. Apparently Tina got it wrong and Brad likes Emily. I so have to call her."
Ellie stood and rushed into her room to make the call, leaving the two dumbfounded adults sat on the couch speechless.
...
"So why are we in the lab?" Flack moaned as he and Danny rode up in the elevator together.
"Why are you so questiony all of a sudden, can't you just wait for five seconds to find out?" Danny replied.
"Mess, I'm a detective. I've always been questiony," Flack retorted smugly.
"Well hold your horses," Danny grinned.
"Urgh. I just don't want people to see me like this," Flack sighed as he subconsciously scratched the back of his neck.
"You look fine," Danny told him in all seriousness.
"At least you can't see this stupid number anymore," Flack moaned as he tried to flatten his dark hair.
"It really isn't that bad," Danny said. "Hey maybe we can just say it means something else. Like the number of times a girl chose me over you," he grinned.
"Mess," Flack moaned.
"Or the number of times I called you a dumbass," Danny chuckled.
"Messer," Flack growled.
"Or how many times I kicked your ass at Pro Evo?" Danny laughed.
"Starting to get thin..." Flack warned.
"Oh I know, I know... it's the amount of times you've said something stupid to Mac," Danny giggled in hilarity.
"Oi!" Flack shouted.
"Yeah, you're right. That's way higher!" Danny laughed.
Flack reached out and whacked Danny's arm in offence and then sat grumbling in his chair for the rest of the ride up. Secretly he was glad his friend could laugh about it, make light of something that told of a very dark and hopeless situation.
"Here we are," Danny grinned as the doors slid open and he pushed Flack down the hallway into the breakroom.
"Flack!" cheered Adam as he saw the man being wheeled in.
Flack stared around at everyone who was gathered in the breakroom. Mac, Jo, Sid, Adam, Hawkes and Lindsay.
"Hey," Danny murmured as he went over and kissed his wife. "When did you get back?"
"About fifteen minutes ago. It was lovely," she replied.
"Was Sid okay?" Danny asked as he looked over at the older man.
"He got a bit emotional, but I think he's slowly forgiving himself," Lindsay replied and then kissed him again.
"What are we all doing here?" Flack asked as Adam moved him closer to the group.
"Well I thought it might be nice for us to all be here together for the first time in three months," Mac replied as he handed Flack a glass of juice.
"Wow, has it really been that long?" Hawkes said in disbelief.
"It has," Mac replied. "A toast, to the team. The best team I could ever have asked for, without whom I wouldn't be standing here right now."
"The team!" everyone cheered and raised their glasses.
"To Adam," Mac continued. "The one who put the last piece of the puzzle into place."
Adam blushed furiously and looked down at his feet.
"To Sid, for working against the clock and solving an almost impossible puzzle to save a friend's life," Mac said.
Sid smiled as he felt a hand on his shoulder. Hawkes.
"To Hawkes, for never giving up on the evidence, for always being there for a friend and leading him to the identity of our killer," Mac said to the young doctor.
Hawkes grinned and then tightened his hold on Sid's shoulder.
"To Danny, for always having a friend's back. For never giving up hope. And for going against the rules. Though don't ever do it again," Mac chuckled at the spiky-haired man.
Danny laughed as he hugged his wife by his side.
"To Lindsay for her hard work and dedication to not only her family, but her work family too," Mac said kindly.
Lindsay nodded at him and leant her head on Danny's shoulder.
"To Jo, a brilliant leader in the face of disaster who held a fragmented team together and came out on top," Mac said as he looked into the face of the woman he loved and all around him the others knew it.
Jo smiled back at Mac, unusually shy.
Mac sighed and then turned to the last man sat in the room.
"And to Don... for his bravery. For having the courage to stand up for what is right and just and for those weaker than himself. And without whose sacrifice neither he nor I would be here today," Mac finished.
Flack nodded as he locked eyes with Mac and a silent message passed between them. One that only they would understand. Something that only the two of them had been through.
"And to Mac," Jo said coming forward. "A leader of men and our lifeline."
Mac looked at her as she came forward and then she kissed him on the cheek.
"To the team," Flack said from his chair and they all toasted and drank again.
"That was lovely," Jo whispered to Mac as they broke up into smaller conversations.
"I know how much hard work everyone put into this. They deserve to be thanked," Mac replied.
"Well aren't you just a sweetie, Mac Taylor," Jo laughed. "My lucky number 567."
"What?" Mac frowned.
"Don't tell me you haven't you heard of lucky number 567?" she scorned, laughing at his blank expression. "Such a fashion accessory. I might get one to match."
"Don't you dare, you're perfect just as you are," Mac replied.
Over by a table Hawkes was talking with Adam and Sid.
"So Jo said that the Thorn Everidge Institution is to be shut down. They were supplying Emerson with patients and doctoring the books to make out they'd died," Hawkes said angrily.
"I'm just glad it's all over and they caught him," Adam sighed.
"Me too," Sid murmured.
"Did you know they found out who our John Doe was?" Hawkes said after a moment. "Digger Johnson. Detective Purvis went out to tell his family a few days ago."
"At least they should gain some peace from knowing," Sid mused.
"I'm glad he finally got his identity back. I hate it when people are buried with no name," Hawkes said sadly.
"Hey, cheer up guys, this is supposed to be a celebration," Adam grinned.
Danny hugged his wife as she looked out of the window over the city.
"Feels nice to have put away such an evil force," she murmured.
"Yeah. Make the city and world a safer place for out little girl to grow up in," Danny agreed.
"We were so lucky this time," Lindsay replied.
"We were. And hopefully there won't be a next time," Danny said as he held her tightly.
"How are you doing, Don?" Mac asked as he came over to his friend.
"Not bad," Flack smiled. "Hate this though," he added gesturing to his chair.
"Just a temporary measure," Mac said kindly.
"Mac..." Flack sighed as he looked up at their friends talking happily around them.
"Yes?" Mac asked when the younger man didn't continue.
"You should have gone without me. You shouldn't have stayed," Flack murmured earnestly.
"Don, I was never going to leave you behind in that place," Mac stated severely.
"I found out why they took me," Flack said quietly, not looking at Mac. "What you went through...was all just to protect me. To stop him from hurting me."
Mac gently placed a hand on Flack's leg. "And what did you do to save Brody and me? You sacrificed yourself. You very nearly died, Don. It's what we do, a part of who we are. We protect our friends."
"Thank you, Mac," Flack said sincerely as he looked up at his friend with solemn eyes.
"You never have to thank me for being your friend, Don," Mac replied as he smiled a little.
"And what are you two ladies gossiping about?" Jo asked as she came over and Mac took her hand.
"Hey Jo," Flack smiled.
"It's lovely to see you looking so well, Don," Jo replied as she leant down and gave him a hug.
"Thanks," he grinned.
They smiled at each other happily and knew there were no hard feelings between the two of them over what had been said after Mac had been taken. Life was too short and they'd both been through so much since that time.
"I'm just gonna see Sid," Flack said to Jo and Mac as he wheeled himself over to the oldest member of the group who was sat by himself.
"He looks so well," Jo murmured to Mac.
"He does indeed," Mac replied in a pleased tone.
"I just worry about what Emerson said," Jo sighed.
Mac reached out and took her hand gently. "Don't be."
"He said there were others that would carry on his work. That he had many followers, Mac," Jo said worriedly.
"I don't doubt that," Mac said. "But hopefully with him gone they will now see the error of their ways. And the FBI are going through both Emerson's Asylum and the Thorn Everidge Institution with a fine toothcomb for any links to other places or people. It's out of our hands now."
"At least I have you safe," Jo smiled.
"And I you," Mac replied.
"Hey Sid," Flack said as he wheeled himself over to his friend.
"Oh...Don," Sid said nervously.
"You've been avoiding me," Flack said quietly as they watched all the others.
"No, no...of course not," Sid stammered.
"Then why haven't you been to see me?" Flack asked.
"Busy, work, I..." Sid stopped and then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Don. I just haven't been able to face up to this. To what Emerson did to you. To how I once idolised him and he..."
"Sid, stop," Flack interrupted. "You saved my life. You and you alone. No-one else. And to me, that blows everything else out the water."
"Don..." Sid murmured sadly.
"No, Sid. I wouldn't be sat here now if not for you. It's that simple," Flack shrugged casually but firmly.
Sid hesitated for a moment and then smiled. "It's good to see you better, Don."
"Oh, nothing can keep me down for long," Flack grinned. "I'm like a rubber ball, I just keep on bouncing back."
Sid laughed loudly and clapped a hand on Flack's knee.
"Thank you, Sid," Flack chuckled as he placed his hand over Sid's.
The two men grinned and then watched their family around them laughing together and making jokes. It was like nothing had changed.
...
Far, far away, over a desert-like wilderness, lights flickered on in the solitary edifice that overlooked the barren landscape. A door was pushed open and a lone figure exited down the steps. Bare-headed and dressed in white, he was a man.
The man ran...
…...
The End
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A/N – Now some boring George notes – No copyright infringement intended on the following novels due to direct quotations taken from the text.
'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' by Ken Kesey.
'Animal Farm' and '1984' both by George Orwell.
'The Island of Doctor Moreau' by H. .
'A Clockwork Orange' by Anthony Burgess.