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............Part
27......,
Marco jumped out of his car, unsure what to do. His attention was divided between the van that had plunged down the embankment and car it had been chasing, which had slammed into a tree at the side of the road. As flames started to pour from beneath the hood of the car Marco's decision was made for him. Running to the car at full speed he yanked open the door and pulled the driver out.
"Wh-what happened?" the stunned driver looked up at Marco.
"You were in an accident, sir." Marco lay the man gently against a tree, "Can you tell me if anyone else was in the car?"
"GAGE!" Dr. Lambert sat up suddenly, the world spinning around him, "He was in the car with me."
"Johnny?" Marco's eyes widened in shock and surprise. Springing to his feet, Marco rushed toward the car and climbed inside. "Johnny? Johnny?" He tried to rouse the unconscious paramedic as he dragged him out of the car. "Come on, Johnny, wake up. You're the paramedic here, not me. I need you to wake up and . . ."
An explosion cut off the rest of Marco's sentence.
"My son?" Mike looked down at the baby, whose clear blue eyes that matched his own, "I don't understand. How? When? How?"
"How?" Sharon raised an eyebrow, "You don't really need me to explain that to you, do you?"
"Well, no," Mike blushed, turning crimson all the way up to the top of his ears, "I guess I kind of remember how that happened. I guess I just . . . I mean . . . When?"
"Six months ago." Sharon glanced up at Mike as she shifted the baby on her hip, "Do you mind if we come in?"
"What? No." Mike stumbled quickly out of the way, his eyes still wide with shock, "Please, come in. Can I get you anything?"
"I think you've given me enough." Sharon laughed, "But if you don't mind, Mikey could use some water in his bottle." She reached into the diaper bag slung over her shoulder and handed him a bottle.
"Mikey? Mikey?" A large grin split Mike's face, "You named him after me?"
"Well," Sharon cast her eyes down shyly, "you are his father after all."
"I'm his father." Mike repeated slowly, a look of joy crossing his face, "I'm his father."
"Would you like to hold him?" Sharon held the baby out to him. "Go on," she coaxed as Mike looked at the baby fearfully, "it's all right. He won't break."
"Uh, no, I don't think I should . . ."
"Here." Sharon thrust the baby into Mike's arms, "You're going to have to get used to it eventually."
"Wha . . .Huh? Get used to?" Mike held the baby awkwardly, "What're you talking about?"
Sharon bit her lower lip and turned away, "That's why I'm here, Mike. I've been offered a very prestigious position with a research team. The problem is, the team's going to be in Africa for three months gathering samples. Mikey's too young for the vaccinations that are needed for this kind of trip. So," she took a deep breath and turned to face Mike, "I need you to take care of Mikey until I get back."
We're doing some new screening tests, and we found that you're a carrier
of a genetic disorder. While the gene is harmless to you, it could
be
life-threatening to any children that you sire. . . it could be
life-threatening to any children that you sire . . . life-threatening
. . .
life-threatening . . .
Hank Stanley leapt up from the sofa and began pacing the room anxiously.
In the hours since his conversation with Dr. Donaldson he'd done nothing
but think, pace and watch the clock. Dear god, how am I supposed to tell
Dixie
about this? Hank ran his fingers through his hair, She's so excited
about this baby. It'll kill her if anything happens to it. And
what about my girls? What am I going to tell . . . He looked up as the
door burst open, "Joyce?"
Roy closed his eyes and leaned back against the wall. It had been seven
hours since Alica had disappeared from the hospital with Johnny and there'd
been no sign of either of them. With each hour that passed the knot
in Roy's stomach grew tighter. Johnny could be anywhere by now. What
if he were hurt worse? Or if the swelling in his brain had
increased? What if he were dead?
Roy tried not to think the worst, but cooped up here in the isolation ward for hours he found himself unable to do anything else. Images of his partner, his best friend, lying hurt and injured at the mercy of that crazy woman rose unbidden in his mind.
"DAMN IT!" Roy exploded, slamming his fist into the wall, "I can't just sit here and do nothing. I have to get out of here."
"Roy!" Dr. Brackett's voice came through the speaker system, "Look, Roy, I know how hard this is for you. But you need to be calm and wait. This virus is quick acting and enough time has passed since you were exposed that if your last blood test is clear we'll let you go."
"And if it's not?" Roy snapped, "What then? I wait here while you hope that Atlanta can get a cure here on time? Doc, Johnny's out there somewhere sick and injured with that lunatic doing god knows what to him. I need to be out there finding him, not stuck in this hospital room."
"Roy, Johnny's my friend too." Brackett replied sympathetically, "I understand how you feel. But the police are doing all they can to find him."
"A lot of good that's doing him." Roy glared through the glass at the well meaning doctor, "They had Alica locked up and they just let her walk."
"Roy, she killed a police officer, that's hardly letting her walk." Brackett silently cursed himself as he watched the blood drain from Roy's face.
"She killed a police officer?" Roy whispered, grabbing onto the back of a chair to support himself, "Oh my god, then there's nothing to stop her from killing Johnny."
"Roy, I'm sorry, I . . . I thought you knew." Brackett watched as the frantic paramedic made his way toward the door, "Roy, what're you doing?"
"Let me out, Doc." Roy pulled angrily at the door, "I can't wait here any longer. I have to go find Johnny."
"Roy, you know I can't do that." Brackett glanced nervously at the door as it shook on its hinges, "Those lab results should be back in about an hour."
"JOHNNY MAY NOT HAVE AN HOUR!" Roy screamed in frustration as he picked up the chair and threw it against the window.
"Here, let me take a look at him." Dr. Lambert bent over Johnny's still form and quickly examined him, "We need to get him back to the hospital now."
"My car's right over here." Marco helped the doctor lift the unconscious paramedic from the ground, "What about the van? Shouldn't we check to see if anyone survived?"
Kent's eyes grew cold as he considered Marco's question, "The driver was a lost cause even before the accident. Now let's get your friend back to a hospital."
Marco said a silent prayer they carried Johnny back to the car and made him as comfortable as possible in the backseat.
"No . . . no . . . help . . ." John muttered incoherently, "Roy . . ."
"Don't worry, Johnny," Marco replied in a soothing tone as he started his car, "We're going to get you to the nearest hospital and then we'll call Roy."
"Trying . . . kill . . . no . . ." Johnny faded back into unconsciousness.
"What do you mean I can't see him?" Joanne asked, trying to climb out of the bed, "If there's something wrong with my husband I need to see him."
"I'm sorry Mrs. DeSoto." Betty offered apologetically, "But your husband's in isolation. He's not allowed any visitors."
"I'm not any visitor," Joanne declared hotly, "I'm his wife."
"I understand that, Mrs. DeSoto," Betty replied calmly, "But you need to understand that we're doing this for your own good. If your husband's been contaminated by the virus you'll not only be risking your own life, but your baby's life as well."
Joanne fell back into the bed, defeated, and nodded slowly, "All right. But can't you at least find out what's happening with him for me?"
"I'll do that right away," Betty smiled understandingly and started for the door.
"Betty, wait!" Joanne called after her, "I know I can't see Roy right now, but would it be okay if I sat with Johnny for a little while? I know it would make Roy feel better to know that someone was with Johnny."
"Oh, Joanne, I'm so sorry." Betty bit her lower lip and looked at Joanne sympathetically, "I thought someone would've told you by now. Johnny's gone."
Kelly Brackett felt a tug on his heart strings as Dixie stepped out of the elevator and started toward him Oh, Dix, he silent chastised himself, how could I have been such a fool? You were right in front of me all this time and I just dismissed you to chase after meaningless affairs with women I didn't care for. How could I've been with Alica and Sharon when you were the one I wanted all along? Why didn't I realize that before it was too late?
"Kel, what's wrong? Did something else happen?" Dixie's stomach did a flip-flop when she noted the melancholy expression on the doctor's face, "Is someone else sick?"
"No, no. I'm sorry." Brackett smiled reassuringly, "I just stopped in to see Roy. I'm afraid the waiting is really beginning to get to him."
"It's beginning to get to all of us." Dixie replied wearily.
"How are you doing, Dix?" Brackett placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, "Shouldn't you be home getting some rest?"
"I can't rest, not until I know." Dixie looked down at the folder in her hands, "I've got the results of the latest blood tests here." She handed Kel the results, "Any word from Atlanta on when the antidote will arrive?"
"No." Brackett sighed, rubbing his hand across his eyes, "Joe and Brice are fading fast. I'm not sure how much longer they can hold out."
Dixie turned away to hide the tears that sprang to her eyes. Joe Early was one of her oldest, dearest, friends and the thought of life without him in it seemed a sad and lonely place. Now he was gravely ill and she couldn't even see him, offer him the comfort he needed.
"Dixie, don't." Kel reached out pulled her against his chest. Seeing her cry tore at his heart, "We have to believe that they'll be all right."
"You're right," Dixie wiped angrily at her tears, "I'm just being silly and hormonal again. Why don't you look at those results and give me some good news."
"Let's see what we've got." Brackett opened the folder and quickly scanned the results, "Hmm. Uh huh."
"Well?" Dixie asked impatiently.
"Oh, sorry, Dix." Brackett smiled at her for the first time in hours, "Mike's blood test is still negative. Bellingham still tests positive, but the levels of the virus in his blood stream haven't increased."
"And Roy?"
"Why don't you come with me to tell him?" Brackett offered Dixie his arm, a grin spreading across his face.
"YOU!" Joyce spat out as she rushed across the room, "This is all your fault!"
"Oh god, so you already know." Hank whispered, "God, Joyce, I'm so sorry. I had no idea or I swear I never would've had children."
"What?" Joyce stopped short, staring at Hank in confusion, "What're you talking about?"
"I'm talking about our daughter, her problems," Hank sank down to the couch, his face falling into his hands, "I talked to Dr. Donalson today. He had the results of the my latest physical in. I carry a gene that causes insanity and eventually death." When Joyce didn't comment he raised his head to look her in the eye, "Don't you get it? Alica's problems are all my fault."
A hand reached up and grabbed a hold of the guardrail. It was quickly followed by a bedraggled figure puffing breathlessly as they hauled themselves onto the tarmac. Slowly the figure rose to its feet, shaking with rage.
"They'll never keep me from you, Johnny." Alica took a stumbling step down
the road, "Nothing will keep us apart. I won't let them take you from
me. I'll see you dead before I'll let that happen."
