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Part
78
Johnny leaned back in his bed, hands linked behind his head as he thought about the events that had taken place the previous morning. CB's, no make that Brice's, story had shaken all gathered. And the tale he had spun about Thom . . . A shudder ran the length of Johnny's spine as he remembered Brice's chilled tone. If what he'd had to say was true . . . Johnny didn't even want to consider the possible consequences.
A light tap on the door caught his attention and Johnny turned his head toward the door, finding himself cursing once again the blindness that left him helplessly waiting for his visitor to announce his or her self. "Come in," he called out dejectedly.
"Hello John," Dr. Morton stepped briskly into the room, the sound of a chart being opened accompanying his quick stride, "how are you feeling this morning?"
"Bored." Johnny scowled in what he thought was the doctor's direction. "When do I get out of here?"
"Well," Morton dropped the chart on the bedside table and pressed a cold stethoscope against Johnny's chest, "if you're test results come back looking the way we expect, how does tomorrow sound to you?"
"Tomorrow?" Johnny immediately perked up. "Tomorrow sounds great."
"If your test result are okay." Morton emphasized, "and if you've got someone to stay with you."
"WHAT?" Johnny sat bolt upright in the bed. "Someone to stay with me? I'm not a child."
"No, but you are blind," Morton sighed sympathetically, "Look, John, I know this isn't what you want to hear, but until you get your sight back . . ."
"You mean if I get it back," Johnny muttered petulantly.
"Yes, John, that is a possibility, which makes it even more important that you get some help and start learning to do for yourself again." Morton patted his leg companionably, "Try and get some rest, Gage. Staying up worrying isn't going to do you or Roy any good."
"Roy?" Johnny tilted his head to the side, trying to fix his blank gaze on the doctor, "What about Roy? What are you talking about?"
"I'm sorry, John," Morton fidgeted uncomfortably, "I thought you would've heard by now."
"Heard what?!" His hand closed reflexively around the blankets, "What happened to Roy?"
"The squad crashed into an unmarked police vehicle on the way to a rescue."
"WHAT? Why the hell didn't anyone tell me?" Johnny threw back the covers, his feet carefully seeking the floor, "How bad was he hurt? Who's treating him?"
"One question at a time, John," Morton's hand in the middle of his chest stopped Johnny's forward motion, "Your father was on his way up here to tell you last I heard. Now, get back into that bed. I'll see if I can find out how Roy's doing."
"But . . . but . . ."
"Johnny, stay!" Morton ordered as he slipped into the hall, leaving a worried and frustrated paramedic behind.
*****
Alex Masters paced impatiently in front of the elevators, his gaze constantly traveling to the watch secured around his wrist. "Where the hell are they?" he grumbled, glaring at the elevator as if daring it to open. Turning from it with a sigh, he watched as Dr. Morton slipped out of Johnny's room and made his way toward the elevator.
"How's he doin', Doc?" Alex nodded toward the room.
"He's improving rapidly." Morton replied distractedly, "In fact, we'll probably be releasing him tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Alex tried to school a note of alarm from his voice, "Don't you think it's better for him to stay in the hospital where there's someone to look after him?
"On the contrary, if you knew John as well I do, you'd know that being confined to the hospital does him more harm then good at this stage." The elevator doors slid open in front of him, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I promised Johnny I'd go down to the ER and check on Roy for him."
"Roy?" Alex's hand snapped out, catching the door before it closed, "What happened to Roy?"
"The squad collided with a police car," Morton stared pointedly at Alex's hand, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I really need to get to the ER."
Alex stood silently, watching as the doors closed and elevator descended.
"Something wrong, boss?"
Alex looked up with a frown as the guard outside Johnny's door watched him intently, "Maybe. I don't know. Roy was in an accident and now I'm questioning my judgement in pushing him and Jack away from Johnny."
"An accident? Oh man, I hope he's all right," the guard shook his head, "That must be what the old man wanted to talk to Gage about."
"Old man?" Alex gazed at him sharply, "Jack was up here? What did you tell him?"
"That Gage didn't want to see him, or anybody else," the guard responded, "Just like you told me."
Alex sighed, "God, I hope I'm doing the right thing." He turned and punched the elevator call button.
"Where you going, boss?"
"To find Starsky and Hutch." Alex replied as the elevator arrived, "I need to finish this, and finish it now."
*****
"Wait here," Keri motioned Hutch to the wall just outside the treatment room, "I'll check with the doctor and see if it's all right for you to come in."
Hutch reached out and grabbed her hand as she started into the room, "Keri, thank you. You don't know how much this means to me."
"Yes, I do," Keri gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, "I saw your face when they brought you in. I could see how much you care about him."
"He's my best friend," Hutch replied softly, looking down, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost him."
"I'll be right back, promise." With that she stepped out of sight, allowing the door to close slowly behind her.
Once Keri was gone, Hutch slid down the wall, trying to hold back his tears as his gut tightened in fear. If Starsky was hurt bad, or worse . . . dead ... .
God, Hutch silently berated himself, why the hell wasn't I paying closer attention? I should've seen that squad before I went barreling through that intersection. Now I may have killed my best friend.
"Hutch?"
Hutch looked up into Keri's deathly pale face and felt his heart sink, "What is it? What's wrong?"
Keri swallowed hard, looking up and down the busy corridor, "I think we should go somewhere private and speak."
"Just tell me. Please." His blue eyes bore into her. "Please, Keri, I have to know."
"I-I'm so sorry, Hutch," tears began to stream down her face, "He's dead."
******
"So, doc, will I live?" Roy joked as he pulled his t-shirt over his head.
"To a ripe old age," Dr. Early laughed, "as long as you stop using the squad as a battering ram."
"Then I can get out of here?" Roy asked as he reached for his uniform shirt.
"Not so fast, Roy," Dr. Early replied as he stayed Roy's hand, "you took a pretty good knock to the head. And Bellingham tells me you were out a good ten minutes. You know what that means."
"An overnight stay?" Roy sighed, shrugging out of his shirt.
"That's right," Joe smiled patiently, "I'll have Sharon come in and get you set up with a room."
"Gee, thanks." He lay back on the gurney, "Hey, Doc, have you heard anything about the passengers of the other car yet?"
"Only that they were police officers." Joe looked up from making a notation on Roy's chart. "Apparently they had their sirens going, which is why they didn't hear yours."
"Can you find out about them? And Bellingham?" Roy asked anxiously.
"Sure thing, Roy," Joe acknowledged kindly, "Kel's in with one of the officers now. I'll see what I can find out."
******
Chet turned over restlessly in his bunk, punching his pillow repeatedly before trying to settle back down, but the effort was useless. Instead he tortured himself with visions of what Carol could be doing now and cursed himself for whatever stupid move on his part had driven her away.
Next to him, Marco lay still, trying to banish the guilty thoughts that disturbed his sleep. Mike had to know, how could he not when the guilt was written all over Marco's face whenever he looked him.
Captain Stanley frowned as he listened to Chet toss and turn and Marco's deep sighs. What the hell was wrong with those twits? Didn't they know it was the middle of the night? He looked over at the empty bunk. And where the hell was Stoker?
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