Chapter 5: Race Against Time

"He's unconscious…" Rudy's words still hung in the air.

"We must work quickly! In a matter of minutes he could be gone!" Rudy again laid Steve's still body down on the counter.

"What can we do, Rudy?" Oscar anxiously questioned.

While the two men quickly assessed Steve's condition Jaime stepped back, frightened drawing her hands back from Steve's limp one, letting it fall back, lifelessly.

Tears streamed from her eyes….

He loves me!? She thought. She hadn't let on…but while preparing to break in the window, Jaime's ear had picked up Steve's near-final whisper to Rudy…

"Rudy, when the time is right…you tell Jaime…tell her that I love her…"

Suddenly that odd, disjointed feeling she'd had ever since waking up to Steve's unfamiliar face, melted way…only to be replaced by hurt, panic and confusion. He loves me? Why didn't he tell me!? And now…he's…

Jaime was snapped back by frantic shouts at her, from Rudy and Oscar.

"Jaime!?" Rudy hollered.

"Oh! Yes…sorry…" Jaime sniffled back her tears.

"You alright, babe?" Oscar looked at her, caringly, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

"Yeah…"Jaime gave a brave smile.

"Jaime, how smoothly do you think you could carry Steve's body, while running quickly?" Rudy questioned.

"What?"

"The ambulance can be carrying him out in a minute, but not quicker, or more smoothly than you could…Do you think you could carry his body, gently and run to the hospital? We need to get him in FAST."

Jaime thought for only a second before nodding a quick yes. She approached his still form, slowly. She shook off the mixed feelings. She had a job to do. It was up to her now to save Steve. Taking most of his weight in her bionic arm, she laid his head on her right shoulder and wrapped his torso firmly in the embrace of her bionic arm. Oscar gently draped his legs over her left arm, and she hefted his weight ready to go.

"Run smoothly honey… and run the fastest you ever have….Good luck, Jaime." Rudy gave her a nod.

Jaime did not need Steve's bionic eye to see the glint of tears hiding in the eyes of Rudy and Oscar.

Gently balancing his body, Jaime carried Steve outside, and to the road. She began to run.

The instant that Jaime stepped into the ambulance bay, a team of familiar doctors were swarming over her. They lifted Steve from her arms, and onto a gurney. Immediately, they began to hook him up to various machines and IVs. They whisked him away, into the hospital.

Jaime stood out in the cold entry-way, staring blankly at the door. She could hear the doctors shouting orders and attempting to restart Steve's body.

In a moment, the ambulance carrying Rudy and Oscar pulled up, and Rudy ran inside, with a quick nod to Jaime.

In a minute, the doctors, led by Rudy were in an Operating Room with Steve before them. They had his pulse monitored by a beeping machine and an ominous hose snaked out of his mouth and nose, regulating his breathing. Before the doctors could really begin though, the crucial, "after consciousness" minutes ran to their end.

"B.P's dropping fast Rudy!" one doctor shouted.

"Respiration's almost non existent!" A nurse stared in shock at Steve's motionless form.

"Come on Steve!" Rudy begged.

"We're losing him!"

"Rudy! Pulse falling off!"

They turned in horror to the heart monitor, showing Steve's rapidly slowing pace.

"Come on Steve!" Rudy cried again, feeling helpless. "Hang on!" Rudy knew that if they could override his natural processes and get Steve hooked up to machines that would keep him breathing and his heart beating, before the natural organs failed, they would have a chance to save him, but they had to work speedily.

Beep…Beep…Beep…Beeep….Beeep….Beeep….Beeep…..

The pace slowed more and more.

Beeeep…..Beeeep…BEEEEEEP…BEEEEEEEEP…

"RUDY!"

He looked over in horror at the sound:

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP….

Flatline.

TO BE CONTINUED ON THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN AND THE BIONIC WOMAN

END OF CHAPTER 5

END OF PART 2