In The Wrong Place
A/N Again apologies for the delay in updating...Life has been hectic...Here is the next installment...
Chapter 24 :
As the paramedics worked on Steve, Mike filled them in on the allergic reaction that Steve was having and the fact that Dr. Armstrong had been expecting them down in the Emergency Department before Joe Landers had taken them hostage...Grateful for the added information which explained a lot of Steve's symptoms one paramedic set up a saline IV in Steve's right arm while the other one redressed Steve's side and applied pressure to it to stop the bleeding...By this time Steve was drifting in and out of consciousness and Mike studied him closely fearful for the young man he cared for like a son...Moments later the paramedics had brought the gurney in and between them, Mike and Lee they carefully lifted Steve up onto it and strapped him on.. Just as they were about to carry Steve out of the house and down the steps to the waiting ambulance one of the paramedics shouted for them to put him down again...
As they placed him back down the medic used a stethoscope to listen to Steve's chest...and then quickly retrieved the oxygen that they had brought with them and placed a mask over Steve's face...Seeing this unfold Mike started to panic...
"What's wrong? "
The paramedic that was attending to Steve shot a worried glance at his colleague and then looking at Mike he asked...
"Lieutenant, Did Dr. Armstrong mention anaphylaxis when talking to you about Steve's allergic reaction?"
"No...No I don't think so...but he did say to watch out for his breathing getting bad...Is that what's happening?"
Again a worried glance passed between the two medics...causing a second one to pass between Lee and Mike...Turning to his colleague the first medic spoke urgently...
"Tony, try to get a hold of Dr. Armstrong quickly...Tell him Keller is short of breath and his blood pressure has dropped very low...Ask him if I should inject epinephrine?"...
"Use my house phone over there!" Mike said pointing to the phone in the living room and rushing over to stand beside Steve..."What's going on?...Is he in trouble?"
"I'm not happy with his breathing...He's struggling a bit and his blood pressure is heading towards non-existent!..." the medic replied while glancing anxiously over at his colleague...
Steve's eyes opened just then and looked up at Mike...Feeling the mask over his face and becoming alarmed Steve brought his hand up and tried to remove it...Mike grabbed his hand gently and stopped him...
"Take it easy buddy boy...You need to leave that on..."
"Mike...Don't feel so good...Can't... breathe..." Steve said looking at Mike anxiously as Mike took the young man's hand and squeezed it affectionately ...
"Ok...buddy boy..Hold on! It's going to be alright...Don't panic...You'll be ok"..
Mike spoke soothingly to Steve trying to calm him down but inside he felt anything but calm as he watched the two medics carefully...
"TONY!...Did you get him?"
"No Jack...He's been called away...some emergency...What do we do now?"
Jack looked at Steve who was becoming more agitated as he began to gasp for breath...and as Tony gave up, hung up the phone and raced back to his colleague the medic made his decision.
"I'm not taking any chances...I'm giving him the shot!..."
Reaching into his med kit he filled a syringe with epinephrine and getting a scissors he cut the side out of Steve's right trouser leg...
"Mike...Mike..." Steve said looking at Mike anxiously...
"Ok buddy boy...Hold on...Everything's under control..."
Mike didn't know in that instant who he was trying to convince, Steve or himself...Trying to stay calm Mike watched what the medic was doing...
"What is that? Will that help him?...Where do you have to inject him with that?" Mike asked getting flustered...
"It's a shot of adrenaline used for allergic reactions...It has to be injected into the muscle of his thigh and he should start to feel the effects very quickly" Then prepping the needle he addressed Steve..." Ok Steve, you're going to feel a pinch and a slight stinging on your leg for a few seconds but your breathing should get easier...Ok? Just try to relax for me and don't tense up"
As the medic inserted the needle Steve winced and squeezed Mike's hand...Seeing his discomfort Mike spoke again...
"Ok, buddy boy...It's ok...It's nearly done...Just relax..."
As the medic emptied the syringe into Steve's thigh, Steve groaned...He was fed up of feeling miserable and in pain and his tolerance for it was diminishing...He really just wanted to sleep for a long time and feel nothing but rest and oblivion ...He could feel himself getting upset again as he thought about what had happened to Joe and as his leg started to sting like crazy, Steve could feel tears forming in his eyes and turned his head sideways to avoid Mike seeing his distress...But the movement was not lost on Mike who felt sorry for the young man on the gurney who had endured so much misery over the last thirty hours and had been so courageous through it all...There was only so much anyone could take and Mike could tell that Steve had reached that limit and beyond...Squeezing Steve's hand tighter Mike leaned over Steve, and spoke quietly so that the other men couldn't hear what he said...
"It's alright buddy boy...You let it out...You've endured more in the last day and a half than anyone should have to...Everything's going to be ok...I'm proud of you buddy boy..."
Steve half glanced at Mike appreciating the fact that Mike seemed to understand how he felt and hearing that Mike was proud of him gave him the resolve to keep going despite the pain and discomfort he was in...Mike stood straight again as the medic continued to check Steve's breathing and blood pressure and after several minutes the medic put the stethoscope back around his neck and covering Steve up with a blanket spoke to the others...
"Ok ...His breathing is improving and so are his vital signs. The shot seems to have worked ...Let's get him out of here!"
Steve was then transported out of the house and down the numerous steps to the ambulance...As they reached the ambulance, from his prone position Steve saw the coroners wagon and the body of Joe Landers being placed in the back of it...Mike noticed him watching it sadly and immediately moved closer to the gurney purposefully blocking his view of it...Then Mike saw Jeannie hurrying towards them followed closely by Norm Haseejian...Knowing how weak and fragile Steve was at the minute he intercepted Jeannie before she reached them...Throwing her arms around Mike, she hugged him tight and spoke...
"Oh Mike...Thank God you're ok!...I was so worried..." and getting tearful she glanced behind him at the gaunt and sickly looking form of Steve Keller being lifted up into the ambulance..."Oh Mike...How's Steve?...Was he hit? Is he going to be ok?"
"Now, now, sweetheart...Everything's ok...It's over now...He wasn't hit but he burst his stitches and the allergic reaction got slightly worse but he's in good hands now...Listen I need to stick around here for just a little while to clear things up...Why don't you ride along with Steve and I'll follow you down in a little while .Ok? Oh and Jeannie...He got a little upset back there...He's upset over Joe and well frankly I think he's just sick and tired of feeling lousy...Work your magic...huh? I know you always have a way of making me feel better... "
"Ok Mike...I'll take care of him...Don't worry...Just follow me as soon as you can...Won't you?"
"Sure honey, sure...I better just tell him what's happening first..."
Climbing into the ambulance Mike put his hand on Steve's arm and could feel Steve still shivering under the effects of the fever...
"Steve...I have to clear things up here but Jeannies going to go to the hospital with you...You take it easy and do what the doctor tells you ...Ok buddy boy?...I'll follow you down as soon as I can...You hang in there now..."
Steve nodded at Mike and barely audibly spoke...
"Ok Mike..."
He was so tired...He barely had the energy to answer...Mike patted his arm and climbed down from the ambulance and helped Jeannie up to take his place...Jeannie sat beside Steve and reached out and held his hand...Steve had his eyes closed and seeing how exhausted he was she decided against too much conversation and instead searching for the right thing to say she remembered one of their earlier exchanges and leaning over she smiled and quietly whispered in his ear...
"Hey babe..."
Steve's eyes fluttered open when he heard Jeannie's voice and forcing a smile he again barely audibly said...
"Hey babe..." but he couldn't keep his eyes open and quickly closed them again.
Mike stood outside the ambulance and watched his daughter holding Steve's hand and saw how they smiled at each other...He thought about what Joe had said about them making a nice couple...He had always looked at them like a daughter and son and so had always viewed their relationship as more like a sister and brother but watching them now he began to wonder if there was something he had been missing all along...Something that it took a stranger to point out to him...He was pulled from his thoughts as the medic patted him on the shoulder...
"I'm sorry Lieutenant but we need to get the inspector to the hospital now..."
"Oh...Sorry...Of course..."
And then helping the medic to close the back doors of the ambulance he waved at his daughter through the back window and watched as the ambulance drove away...It didn't use its siren which Mike took as a good sign that Steve's breathing had improved a good bit but he was still consumed with worry about his partner and watched until the ambulance turned out of sight...Another hand on his shoulder startled him and turning he saw Lee Lessing behind him...
"Mike...Why don't you head down to the hospital too...We can wrap things up here if you like?"
"No...No..but thanks anyway Lee...I'm responsible for clearing this mess up and anyway Steve's in good hands...Now...Hows Corky doing?"
"Not good Mike...Dan's still with him but he's pretty cut up about what happened...Why do you think Joe did what he did Mike?...It was very cold and calculated..."
"Who knows Lee? I guess he just couldn't see any other way out but it's a tough one alright...I just wish it hadn't been Corky that pulled the trigger...In hindsight I probably shouldn't have let him tag along..." and immediately Mike felt guilty for involving Corky in the whole mess...
"Mike...Don't blame yourself...Corky wanted to go along remember? He practically begged you...He knew what the risks were...He knew he might have to take Joe down..."
Mike still felt responsible some how but smiled at Lee for his thoughtfulness..
"Thanks Lee...Let's go see how he's doing and finish up this crime scene...ok?"
And patting Lee on the shoulder the two men headed over to where Sgt. Dan Healy was watching over the despondent form of Officer Corky Shaffer...As the two men approached Dan looked up and looked questioningly at Mike...
"Mike...How's Steve?"
"He's not great Dan... His side is bleeding again and he's got a high fever but he's hanging in there...Jeannies gone with him in the ambulance..." then looking at the young officer who was leaning against the squad car lost in his own thoughts Mike put a hand on Corky's shoulder and spoke...
"Hey son, How are you holding up?...
Mike's voice brought the young man back to reality and looking up at Mike he answered...
"I'm ok Mike...I ...I just can't believe he would pull a stunt like that...Why Mike?...Why couldn't he just give himself up?...I can't help thinking what would my Dad say about what I just did...He cared about Joe...He stood by him...He covered up for him and I just...I just...killed him!"
"Now listen to me Corky..." Mike said firmly grabbing the young officer's shoulders so that he had his full attention..."Your Dad was proud of you...And he'd have been even prouder of you today...You had to make a very difficult choice today... You didn't know that gun was empty!.. You had to make a choice between taking Joe down or letting him take me down...You didn't hesitate Corky...You did what you had to do! And if you hadn't and his gun had been loaded well I mightn't be standing here talking to you now...Like I told you it was a righteous shooting...As to why Joe chose to do what he did...well we'll probably never know the answer to that...All I know is sometimes..people choose the easy way out...Now maybe you better come down with me to the hospital and we'll get you checked for shock..huh?"
"No...no Mike...I'm ok...Really...I just need to go home and tell my mother what's happened. I just don't want her to hear it off the news..."
"You sure you're ok?" Mike asked studying the young man carefully...
"Yeah I'm sure."
"Ok...Dan here will drive you home...Your report can wait until tomorrow...And Corky...I want you to go see Lenny tomorrow too ok? Promise me now."
"Ok Mike I promise...and thanks..."
"Alright...take it easy now...I'll see you tomorrow.." and then as Corky sat into the car Mike closed the door and turning to Dan he spoke..."Take him home Dan and stay there until he tells Nina... Then you can head back down to the Bureau."
Dan nodded and then getting in the driver's side he drove off as Mike watched them leave...Just then Lee grabbed Mike's arm...
"Mike...the Captain's just arrived...he's going to want to know what happened...You want me to fill him in for you?"
That's about all I need thought Mike!
"No...its ok Lee I'll brief him...Where is he?" Mike asked looking around...
"Over there by the coroner's wagon...And he does NOT look happy!"
Mike turned and saw Rudy Olsen heading towards him at high-speed with a face like thunder and could feel a headache building deep in his skull..Turning to Lee he said...
"Ok...Better get this over with! Wish me luck!" and with that he headed off to try to explain to the Captain what had just happened ...