| Subject: The Dragonslayer, Chapters 19 & 20 |
Author:
Jaron
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 19:09:15 12/18/01 Tue
In reply to:
Jaron
's message, "The Dragonslayer" on 16:44:37 12/16/01 Sun
The Dragonslayer, Chapter 19
“Madeline,” Walter groused, “You are the one who started this four years ago when
you stole Rene away from Michael and then made that deal with Grace. If you take
Rene away again, you’ll lose Michael. My advice to you is to look at the facts and deal
with it.” Walter pulled the com-link from his ear and threw it down on the
communications table. “Well, I put my foot in the middle of this one.” He whispered
to no one in particular, but I heard him just the same.
“Walter, thank you. And you are right about Michael. I don’t think he would last long
without his relationship with Rene.” And I wouldn’t last long without the both of
them, I told myself silently. The two of them, and Rene especially, were my reason for
being, and I wouldn’t want to go on without them.
Walter sniffed and turned around to face me. “I know where the bones are buried in
Section, Gracie, and no one is going to come between Rene and Michael. I promise
you that!” He said forcefully. Behind him, the comm-unit beeped again. “Aw, hell! I
hope it’s not her again.” He put the comm-link back in his ear. I watched as he let
out an audible sigh, and spoke, “Carson, how long? ....Good.....We’ll be ready, just
drive up the back ramp and we will be ready to fly. How’s......yeah, the Doc is here
and waiting. Gotcha.....Out!”
“Grace, get Rene and keep the both of you in your seats. They’ll be here in a few
minutes. I’ve got some things to take care of and I don’t want either of you getting in
the way. Just stay in your seats! Understand?” He spoke to me gruffly and I knew he
was just as worried as I was for Michael, but still, his brusque manner caused tears to
sting in my eyes. I quickly walked over to Rene to explain to him what was going to
happen in the next few minutes. Walter hurried forward in the transport to alert both
Dr. Williams and the pilots of the eminent arrival of the team and its precious cargo,
at least the cargo was precious to Rene and I. I knew also that the cargo was precious
to one of the team members as well.
Rene was excited and worried all at once. He stood in his seat and watched as Walter
hurried around the plane checking and rechecking everything in sight. Suddenly, the
entire plane shook as one by one the engines started up. Rene yelled above the roar
of the engines, “Daddy’s coming, Daddy’s coming.” As gently as I could, I pulled Rene
into my arms and started talking to him, giving him the instructions that Walter had
given me. He listened wide-eyed, asking a question, here and there, accepting the
fact that we would have to let the doctor be the first one to see Michael.
When the team arrived, everything started happening at once. The big, black
Suburban roared up the ramp, and several airmen who had been waiting, locked the
wheels to the metal deck of the plane. That done, they quickly exited down the ramp,
just before the huge back door which had been the ramp started closing. I held Rene
tightly as several team members got out and ran to the back of the truck and opened
the back doors. As one, they carefully pulled out the backboard to which Michael was
strapped. The only glimpse that Rene and I had of him was a fleeting glance of a pale
face framed by curling dark hair, a big white cervical collar and a piece of sturdy
webbing that held his head to the backboard. Rene against stood in his seat to watch
as Michael’s team carried him forward to the hospital set up near the front of the
plane. Rene started to jump down out of his seat, but I stopped him and held him in
my lap. “Not now, Rene. Let the doctor help your Daddy first. Remember what Uncle
Walter said.”
I knew his little heart was breaking, but Michael was in good hands and we would
know soon how he was.
The Dragonslayer, Chapter 20
The minutes dragged on. And we waited. In the field hospital in the front of the big
transport aircraft, Dr. Williams continued his examination of Michael, commenting on
the injuries and asking questions of Porter and Nikita, who had stubbornly refused to
leave Michael’s side.
“You say he fell out of a helicopter? Well, some of these injuries didn’t come from a
fall, he was beaten, probably kicked. That’s what most of this bruising and the
internal bleeding is from.”
“Grace told us that she saw them kick Michael after they handcuffed him, but she only
saw them kick him once.” Nikita volunteered, reaching out to touch Michael’s face
and push a curl back behind his ear. She was glad that he was letting his hair grow
again after it had been cut short during his last medical emergency. Had it only been
a little over three weeks ago? She smiled and decided that when he awoke, she would
tell him he was going to have to be more careful.
“I’d say he was kicked 10 or 12 times, judging from the number of bruises on his
chest and back, as well as this one on his right temple. This concussion was
complicated by this blow over his eye.” Dr. Williams peeled the bandage from the cut
over Michael’s right eye. “A few stitches and he won’t even have much of a scar. I
just wish he would wake-up. It’s not good that he has been out so long.” The doctor
frowned again and looked up at Porter. “How good are you as a surgical assistant.?”
Porter stared back at Dr. Williams. “I’ve done my share of surgical procedures. I was
a surgical nurse before I was recruited for this outfit.”
“Good, good,” said the Navy doctor, “You’re about to add one more to the list. This
is what I want you to do. And young lady, this time you will leave my operating
theater. Understand?” He gave Nikita a hard stare and she brought Michael’s hand to
her lips and then placed it carefully on the gurney beside him as she reluctantly
stepped away from Michael. “And the same goes for the rest of you. Out of my
operating room! Now!” The members of Michael’s team followed behind Nikita
quietly as the doctor and Porter got to work.
*******************
I saw them all walking toward Rene and I, a worried look on each face. I stood and
suddenly found Nikita in my arms. “Oh, Grace, I am so scared for him. The doctor is
preparing him for surgery to stop the internal bleeding.”
“Shhhh, Nikita, we both know he’s going to be okay, don’t we? Rene says he is
indestructible, and he is, isn’t he. He has to be, doesn’t he? We looked into each
other’s eyes and found the strength to endure the next few hours. We sat down next
to each other and each of us held the others hands and hoped and prayed.
Rene had managed to slip by me while I was talking to Nikita. He thought that he was
slipping by unnoticed by everyone, until Carson scooped him up and asked him
where he was going. “I’m going to see my Daddy, that’s where I’m going. Let go of
me!” He tried the slippery eel act with Carson, but it didn’t work. Carson was a lot
bigger and a lot stronger than Walter, and Rene stayed trapped in Carson’s arms. His
wriggling soon stopped when he realized that he wasn’t going anywhere. “Rene, as
soon as the doctor makes your Daddy better, I’ll be the first one to take you to see
him, but for now we have to wait. Okay?”
Rene relented and calmed in Carson’s embrace. “Okay,” he said, “but I get to be the
first to see him. Promise?”
Carson smiled at Rene, “Promise. Now come on and let me tell you how your Daddy
brought down a flying dragon.” I was glad that Carson was taking charge of Rene,
because I suddenly felt exhausted and drained of all energy. I leaned back in my seat
and closed my eyes, feeling safe and comforted by the hand of the woman my
Michael loved sitting next to me.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 