Devitt shot forward, catching Mike as he fell. He managed to grab the bigger man's left arm quickly enough to prevent his head from hitting the hard ground. "Dan! Norm!" he yelled over his shoulder as he struggled to pull the semi-conscious man into a sitting position.

He heard people sprinting towards them and Haseejian's startled, "What the hell happened?!"

The sergeants got to their colleagues at the same time, Healey kneeling quickly beside Devitt and helping to steady Mike's lolling head.

"Bring the car over here!" Devitt shouted and Haseejian bolted for the Galaxie. Within seconds it slid to a stop a couple of feet away. Haseejian got out and circled the sedan, opening the back door before bending to help the others pick Mike off the ground.

Devitt backed into the car, his arms under Mike's shoulders, pulling him onto the back seat. As the sergeants folded Mike's legs into the car, the lieutenant glanced up at Healey. "Dan, you stay here and keep things moving, and we'll meet you back at the hospital when you get finished here, okay?"

"Yeah," Healey nodded curtly as he slammed the door and stood back. As Haseejian started towards the driver's side, Healey opened the front passenger door, reached under the seat for the cherry, turned it on and slapped it on the roof. As he shut the door, Haseejian shifted into Drive and the car peeled out.

Healey took a step back, watching worriedly as the green sedan disappeared down the country road.

# # # # #

It was still very early in the morning and Haseejan saw no need to turn the siren on; as long as the traffic was sparse, the flashing red light was all they needed right now. With an anxious scowl, he readjusted the rearview mirror so he could see into the backseat.

Devitt had backed himself into the corner, leaning halfway against both the door and the seat; Mike was lying against him, his head on Devitt's shoulder. His eyes were still closed. Devitt reached up and laid the back of his fingers against Mike's cheek; it was cool and clammy.

Haseejian's eyes briefly met Devitt's in the mirror; neither said a word. The sergeant gritted his teeth in frustration and worry. The road was pot-holed and uneven, and he knew Mike would be feeling every jounce of the car. The pain had to be overwhelming but there was nothing he could do about it. Time was not their friend right now.

Devitt tried to watch the trees speeding by, trying not to think, trying not to stare at the wet blood soaking his colleague's clothes. He felt Mike stir slightly and saw the blue eyes open a slit; Mike groaned and Devitt briefly and gently tightened his hold. "Easy… easy… you're in the car. We're on our way to the hospital…"

Mike moaned again. "Roy…" he breathed softly, and Devitt strained to put his ear closer to his friend's mouth. "Roy… we found Steve in time, didn't we…?"

Devitt felt his throat tighten and he lifted his head a little. He could see that Mike was smiling slightly and he smiled too. "We sure did. And I'm sure glad you got out of the car," he whispered and he felt Mike chuckle.

# # # # #

"Here," Haseejian said quietly, holding out the cardboard cup of steaming coffee. "Have you heard anything yet?"

Taking the cup with a grateful nod, Devitt sighed heavily. "Not yet."

They were standing at the far end of the waiting room, stares directed down the corridor at the double set of glass doors. Devitt had accompanied their unconscious colleague after he'd been lifted from the car, laid on a gurney and raced into the Emergency Room. He had stood by helplessly while Mike had been placed on oxygen, an IV had been started and his clothes cut off. He'd been appalled at the amount of blood that had soaked into his friend's shirt and pants, catching a glimpse of the still bleeding abdominal wounds before a pressure dressing was applied.

Doctor Cavanagh appeared and within seconds had ordered the patient wheeled to the OR. With an angry and dismissive glare in Devitt's direction, the surgeon followed the gurney as it disappeared through the far door. With a last look at the bloody, discarded clothes on the emergency room floor, Devitt found his distracted way to the waiting room.

"He, ah, he was bleeding a lot," he said quietly, feeling the sergeant's eyes boring into the side of his head.

"He didn't say anything when you found him in the barn?"

Devitt shook his head. "You know Mike… I'm sure he didn't want to worry Steve…"

His head came up quickly. "Steve! Shit… we better go find him."

"Look, ah, why don't you go find Steve and I'll stay here… in case…" Haseejian shrugged slightly.

Devitt nodded slowly. "Yeah… yeah, you're right… I'll, ah, I'll check on Steen too." He smiled gratefully, holding up the coffee. "Ah… thanks… " Finding no other words, he looked around, locating the nurse's station then moving almost absentmindedly in that direction.

# # # # #

Devitt found the thin young inspector dressed in a light blue hospital gown and sitting on an examination table in a room in Emergency, looking worse for wear. His dirty hair was matted with dried blood above his right ear, his hooded eyes were bloodshot, and under the significant stubble a bruised and swollen jaw could be seen. His wrists had already been bandaged. He was slumped slightly forward and to the right, favouring his side it seemed to the older detective.

Despite his appearance, Steve managed a warm smile when Devitt stepped into the room and closed the door. "Hey, Roy…"

Devitt smiled. "How are you feeling?"

Steve snorted softly. "I've been better." He gasped slightly as he tried to straighten up.

"Has someone been in to see you yet?"

"Yeah. They're gonna take me into X-ray to check out my ribs and my jaw, and they're gonna stitch up my head. I think they're talking about keeping me here too." He didn't sound happy about that. "Hey, ah, how's Craig?"

Devitt shook his head slightly, maintaining the institutional smile. "I haven't had a chance to see him yet. I'll do that after I finish here." He spotted a stool in the corner, dragged it closer and sat. "Look, ah, I know we're gonna have to interview you officially, but just between us, how much to you remember about that night at the bar?"

Steve shook his head slowly with a facial shrug. "Not much. I mean, after all that shit got started when that biker deliberately walked into Mike, I… I think I remember standing up and yelling something and then someone punched me in the stomach… a couple of times…" He shook his head again, his eyes unfocusing. "Nothing after that… not until I woke up in that… that barn. I was already tied to the wall." He looked up at Devitt and frowned. "How long was I there?"

"Three days," Devitt said, eyebrows raised.

Steve exhaled loudly. "Geez, I didn't know it was that long." He paused then asked quietly. "What, ah… what did they want us for, me and Craig? Do you know?"

"You weren't told?"

"They barely spoke to us," the younger man explained, shaking his head.

Devitt wanted to ask more, and tell him more, but knew he had to wait until Steve could make a formal statement; everything needed to be beyond reproach if they had any chance of getting convictions for everyone involved with the drug and human trafficking.

"Where's Mike?"

The question pierced the lieutenant's brief reverie. "What?"

"Mike. He said you were coming here together. Where is he?"

Devitt realized the question was not being asked casually; he knew Steve was suspicious of his partner's absence.

"Oh, ah, he –"

The door was pushed open and a young resident entered the room in a rush, a clipboard in his hand. He pulled up short, surprised. "Oh, sorry, didn't know you had a visitor." He turned to Devitt and held out his right hand. "Doctor Stanfield."

The gray-haired detective shook the proffered hand. "Lieutenant Devitt… I'm, ah, I'm one of his bosses." He smiled and nodded towards the inspector.

"Oh… good to meet you." Stanfield looked briefly at Steve but addressed Devitt. "Well, he's battered and bruised and a little dehydrated but he's gonna be okay. We'll see to that." He faced Steve. "Inspector Keller, you ready to hop into a wheelchair for me and I'll take you to X-ray?"

Steve, who had been watching Devitt with a frown, glanced at the doctor and nodded. "Sure." He began to slowly and carefully slide off the examination table as Stanfield returned to the door, opened it and wrestled a wheelchair into the room. Continuing to stare at the lieutenant, Steve got into the chair.

Devitt held the door open as Stanfield pushed the wheelchair out into the corridor, trying to avoid the penetrating green eyes. If anything, he knew that Steve was even more concerned. "I'll, ah, I'll see you when they're finished with you," Devitt called out feebly as the wheelchair disappeared around a corner.

With a frustrated sigh, he made his way to the nurse's station and inquired about Craig Steen.

# # # # #

"So how's the Steen boy?" Haseejian asked as Devitt approached him in the waiting room.

Shrugging, Devitt lowered himself onto the empty chair beside the homicide sergeant. "I don't know, they're still examining him. And Steve's in X-ray; they're taking shots of his jaw and his ribs. But he's doing okay, considering."

"Did he ask about Mike?"

Devitt smiled suddenly; obviously the closeness of the unconventional partnership wasn't lost on their colleagues. It hadn't taken long for a conspicuously strong bond to develop between the affable lieutenant and the charismatic assistant inspector after they had become a team. "Yeah. Luckily the doctor came in and unintentionally bailed me out, but not for long, I don't think. Any news here?"

Haseejian shook his head regretfully.

"Look, ah, I can handle things here. I think you should maybe head back to the Crockers, give Dan and the guys a hand. It's a lot of people to get processed and the sooner we get started…"

The sergeant stared at Devitt silently for several seconds then nodded. "Sure… sure…" He began to stand. "Ah, but you won't have a car…"

Devitt nodded. "I know, but I don't think I'm gonna be going anywhere for awhile."

"Right. Listen, ah, when I get a chance, I'll get Dan to drive me into Colville and we can pick up the other car. They should have the ignition lock replaced by now." Haseejian paused then asked semi-seriously. "Do you think Steve still has the keys in his pocket?"

As worried and distracted as he was, Devitt chuckled. "You want to ask him?"

Haseejian smiled warmly and shook his head. "Naw. Besides, we've already had the ignition replaced so it's kind of a moot point right now."

Devitt nodded with a soft, appreciative smile. Haseejian always had a way of injecting a little lightheartedness into the worst of situations; it was a way of coping his colleagues sometimes wanted and needed.

The sergeant sighed heavily, the playful moment over. "Okay, well, if you hear anything…"

"I'll get in touch with you one way or another," Devitt confirmed as Haseejian nodded, turning to walk away, patting his pocket to make sure he had his own keys as he disappeared around a corner.

Devitt put the back of his head against the wall, closed his eyes and released a deeply-held breath.

# # # # #

He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he heard and felt someone drop heavily into the chair beside him. Devitt tilted his head down and opened his eyes to find Dr. Cavanagh staring at him expressionlessly.

"What the hell happened?" the surgeon asked gruffly.

Startled, Devitt sat up a little straighter. "You mean with Mike?" he asked, trying to keep the guilt from his tone.

"Who else?" Cavanagh almost spat out. "Of course, Mike. I thought you told me you made him promise he would stay in the car if he went with you?"

Devitt shrugged uncomfortably. "I did… and he didn't…" He cleared his throat. "But if it makes any difference, he found his partner and one of the young men who had been kidnapped."

Cavanagh seemed to be taken slightly aback. "He did?"

"He did. And I think he, ah, he may have hurt himself trying to get to them… they were being held captive in a… in a barn…" Devitt could see that the surgeon was reevalutating the situation.

The doctor looked down and swallowed heavily. When he looked back up there was a slight smile on his lips. "That's, ah… that's very good news. Well done." He took a deep breath and sat up a little straighter. "Look, ah, I know you've been worried but you don't have to be. He's going to be fine. Yes, he ruptured a good number of the stitches but, luckily, none of them were too deep. And none of the ones in his intestines; they were all skin and muscle sutures. They bled a hell of a lot, as you probably saw, but he didn't do any permanent damage. He's going to be fine."

Devitt closed his eyes and released a relieved sigh. "Thank you," he whispered.

"So anyway, for his comfort we're going to keep him sedated until tomorrow morning, but he should be discharged in three or four days and you can take him back to that beautiful city of yours. How does that sound?"

With a soft chuckle and gentle shake of his head, Devitt smiled. "It sounds like some things are finally going our way in this case, and that means a lot."