by R L Dunn
Ian and Mike approached Patrick with a man in a suit. "Dr. Hedges, I'm Tobias Kane from hospital legal. Where is Governor Reed?"
"He's in the waiting room; I was going to speak with him. Beth survived another complication." Patrick's face was lined with exhaustion.
Reed glared at Ian's face and knew he lost the first battle. "Governor Reed, I'm Tobias Kane, hospital legal counsel. Elizabeth named Dr. Ruth Weiss and Dr. Joyce Bey as her medical proxy and alternate. Both women are in agreement. She is not a DNR, and they do not want you near her. As a courtesy, you may visit her before you leave. Both women also agreed you may call to check on her condition once per day at 9:00 am."
Patrick followed Talbot Reed down the hallway. Standing tall, Talbot entered her room. "Baby girl, I always did what I thought was best for us. You will understand one day."
The show played out in front of the three providers. Tuck and Pete stood at the bedside.
Reed turned and stood toe to toe with Patrick. "This is not over. By the time I'm done, this hospital won't be good enough for rats. I hope you liked being a doctor. You'll be looking for a new job soon enough."
Patrick did not react to the threat.
While waiting for official word he could be with Elizabeth, Martin stopped at the nursery to visit Austin Jr. His godson slept in his tiny crib. "You’re going to be so spoiled."
His thoughts went to another baby—Lola. He took the elevator to the PICU and rang the doorbell. "Hi, my name is Martin Bailey. I'm here to see Lola Wyatt." The door buzzed, allowing him entry.
A nurse in teddy bear scrubs greeted him. "Mr. Bailey, Colleen told us about you. Poor little thing, nothing settles her down. We’re wondering if her mom used drugs during her pregnancy. We requested her medical records, but they haven’t arrived yet. The doctors won't treat withdrawal until they’re sure." Passing a room with the name Unidentified Child—Victoria, Martin slowed his pace enough to read two signs for isolation precautions and visitor procedures.
"Speak to her great-grandfather. He's a patient. I believe the mother used methamphetamine," he advised.
"Mel Wyatt underwent surgery today. Social Services is beginning proceedings to take custody of her. He’s heartbroken,” the nurse lowered her eyes, “and so are we.”
Lola's fussing could be heard from down the hall. "Can I hold her?"
"Of course. Here's a gown. Please keep the oxygen mask on her."
Martin held her close to his chest with Lola's cheek resting against his neck. She settled fast against him.
"Um, tell me your secret?" the nurse asked.
"What? What secret?" Martin rocked side to side.
"Lola. No one will believe it. We all held her—nothing. With you, she's awake but relaxed."
Martin sat in the rocking chair with her. "Well, angel, I think you do the same for me. When you’re better, I want you to meet someone. I used to sing this to her."
Nothing to worry your head about today,
You are always safe in my embrace.
As I gaze into your beautiful face,
My heart fills with my love for you.
We have a lifetime of things to do,
But all you need is to rest without dismay.
The sound of the chair's motion, the flow of oxygen, and Lola's little breaths echoed in the room. Lola and Martin drifted off to sleep.
A buzzer sounded signaling the start of dinner in the C Block of Silverton Jail. Dinner was only a word; it was late afternoon when Troy Bremen joined his podmates for the last meal of the day. When he walked the food line, the man behind the counter plopped spaghetti and mystery meat sauce, along with its accompaniments on his tray. Troy walked over to a table to take a seat in the least dangerous spot he could find. He felt eyes watching him.
After success in making purchases for personal use, an inmate approached him to mule some pot through the facility. Troy's refusal was not well received. Prisoners cornered him in the yard earlier to prove to him his safety was an illusion. Keeping his head on a swivel, he was waiting for their follow-up.
It didn't take him long to identify the cliques. White supremacists, Asian gangs, Latino gangs, Black and Mexican gangs were divided around the room. The guards did a decent job preventing interactions and dust-ups unless it suited them.
Troy put his spork down as two other inmates joined him. In moderate security, inmates had a little flexibility in movement. Troy's neck tingled as a heavyset white man in his fifties sat close beside him.
"Hey, Fish, you refused my offer? I figure you might not know better." The other prevented him from opening up space.
"Who the hell are you?" Troy grunted.
"Your new best friend or worst enemy. Name's Brogan."
"Well, Brogan, I'm here to do my time. I'll pay for my necessities. Don't want trouble."
"Well, that may not be a choice." Brogan walked away, tossing Troy's orange from hand to hand.
Troy walked to his cell. He sat on his bunk and grabbed the paperback he borrowed from the prison library, a dog-eared version of Of Mice and Men. The theme of trying to understand men was appropriate for the prison setting. The 2100 buzzer rang, and the call for lockdown went out. Troy's shoulders relaxed, and he let out the breath constricting his chest. His peace was short-lived. A sergeant and two corrections officers loomed in the now unlocked doorway.
"Mills, where are the drugs?" Sergeant Keene Jensen's tone was bored.
"I don't do drugs, CO."
"Not what we hear. On the yellow line. Grab the bar," Jensen sneered.
Troy raised his hands, walked out, placed his feet on the yellow line, and gripped the bar atop the wall overlooking the tiers and the day room below. The Sergeant and CO Lonnie Cowan began the cell search.
The second CO, Len "Buck" Rodgers, working undercover as Chip Carlson, performed a pat-down search. "We picked up three kites naming you for possession.” A kite was an illegal correspondence between prisoners. "Don't move." Len rested the bottom of his flashlight against Troy's back for show.
"You're going to the hole," Cowan said. In his hand was a small bag containing white powder.
Troy swallowed hard at the sound of handcuffs heading toward him. "You planted that. I'm clean. I don't do drugs."
His legs were pulled out from behind, and he was dropped to the floor. Len placed a knee against the side of his head, pinning him in place. Handcuffs constricted his wrists, then he was dragged to his feet. "Don't resist. It won't help your cause," Len's voice echoed behind him.
The three officers dragged Troy down the tiers to the basement where the administrative segregation cells were. "You picked a bad night to break the rules. The x-ray machine is broken. We’ll have to search you the old-fashioned way," Cowan snickered.
"Prisoner 14237, you have violated Silverton Jail's rule for possession of contraband. You will be held in administrative segregation until your disciplinary hearing within forty-eight hours. In the presence of Sergeant Keene Jensen, Officer Chip Carlson, and Officer Lonnie Cowan, Doctor Hailey Ullman will provide a full body search including a cavity search," Jensen read off his clipboard.
"Mmmhmm. Does your momma know what you do for a living, sweetheart?" Troy's tone was lascivious as Dr. Hailey Ullman walked into his sightline.
His question was greeted with a hard elbow to his gut. "Shut your pie hole," Cowan said.
Len barked, "Mills, strip."
Troy managed a quick flash of a positive sign to his team member.
Hailey pulled on a pair of gloves and squirted K-Y jelly on her fingers. Troy took a breath and submitted to the search. "Mr. Mills, do you realize placing drugs in your body could be very dangerous?" She waved a small glycine envelope.
"Not a good start, Mills." Len's worried expression defied the punishing tone of his voice. The guards tossed him into the cell with a thin blanket to cover his naked body.
Chapter Sixteen
Ian found Martin asleep with Lola curled on his chest using the GPS tracker
all Chase employees had in their phones. The nurse whispered how he was magical with Lola. Ian leaned against the wall, observing the man his friend became, remembering.
"Lieutenant Chase, Petty Officer 2nd class Martin Bailey reporting for duty." Though only five years younger than himself, Martin—known at the time as Iowa—had the boyish look of a teenager.
Ian was responsible for integrating him into a platoon that was six months into a tour after losing a teammate. "Welcome to hell. Smooth will show you to your bunk."
Julian mumbled, "He's a baby."
"Give him a chance; he's a SEAL. Kieran says he's a damn smart tactician and shot."
"No choice. Don't want to walk a flag-draped box onto a plane again," Julian's words weighed the air. "C'mon, kid."
Joint Special Operations Command's Hearts and Minds Campaign was a plan to win over the locals and root out the evil. Plans always looked better on paper. Coupled with the cumbersome rules of engagement, it proved to be dangerous. The neighborhood for Martin's first mission had narrow streets with many high spots. The sixteen men spanned out into their usual roles. Ian assumed the risk and assigned Martin to watch his back.
The market was bustling with activity, filled with food and wares. Children swarmed the group looking for candy. Each man learned to carry a supply of chocolate bars. Fluent in Pashto, Ian and Julian entered a home to meet with local clerics. They were the real influence over the people.
"Heads on a swivel," Ian said.
At the end of the meeting, the block grew quiet. Martin's voice came over the comms, "AMBUSH!"
Ian ate a mouthful of sand, tackled to the ground under Martin's weight. The round meant for him struck the cleric instead. The enemy went into a frenzy. The SEALs were trapped as bullets rained down on them from multiple directions. Martin dragged Ian to his feet as he picked up each member's rhythm, moving with his new teammates to defend their position and escape.
Julian sat with Ian after they made it back to their command operating base. "Kid's got chops."
"Kid's got chops." His new chief executive officer was missing something. Lola curled up against his chest gave him the answer: a family of his own.
Martin's eyes opened. "How long have you been standing there?"
"Not too long. Tiny, isn't she? Nurses told me you have a knack."
"I think she likes my heartbeat. Poor baby, her great-grandfather is her last living relative. Social Services is going to put her into foster care. She’s alone."
"No, she has you."
Martin tilted his head. "I guess until I head back to DC."
"Think about what you want. Both Elizabeth's proxies are en route. They told the administration the only person they want barred is Reed, but I'm sure he's not done. I'm heading back to DC after a quick stop at the hotel."
When Martin placed Lola in her crib, she rooted around and settled. "Thank you for everything."
"Kieran and I don't doubt you, Martin. Don't doubt yourself."
Ian returned to the hotel to meet with the available staff. "Everyone, I want to thank you for your hard work. Today, after a long discussion with Kieran, the poisoning of Elizabeth Reed and the shooting of Austin Bailey are part of a designated operation—Level 4, dark." The men and women in the room breathed in sync with each other.
He sat on a table sipping from a coffee cup. "Martin is your boss. I don’t want to strip him of duty, nor do I want to interfere more than I already am, but he is involved. For those of you who are speculating, Martin is in a relationship with Elizabeth Reed. The personal info ends at that. Develop our assets. Austin's friend, Shaun Murray—work him. Pete arranged a second set of PAs to be with Elizabeth. Tuck Hanlon is here. Jamie O'Reilly and Eric Seton jumped into the pool when Pete called for referrals. Elizabeth named proxies. Josh, make sure accommodations for them are set up. I'm not writing Talbot Reed off. He's dangerous.
"Now for Operation Orange. I am upgrading it to level invisible. Person-to-person communication only. Martin found letters Elizabeth sent documenting prisoner abuse to the Department of Corrections. The tone and content are guaranteed to piss people off. Greece, as a prisoner, and the second squad from Bravo team as guards, are in the fifth day undercover. Sutton Turner, a new hire from legal, is representing him. She’s not listed anywhere on our rolls and is a fresh graduate from Drake University. Legal Aid is her first job listed on her resume.
“Last night, Greece was moved to administrative segregation. We’re doing the best we can to protect him, but in segregation, the jail is limiting visitation and legal contact. Len reported Horizon resident Dr. Hailey Ullman is moonlighting in the infirmary. Who else from the hospital is working there? This got by us; we can't miss more. For sure, we can't depend on Homeland's intel. Kieran and I confirmed that Deputy Undersecretary Brynn Hackman passed us false or misleading information. We’re not sure if she did this with Deputy Undersecretary Todd Duran's knowledge. We’re telling them Martin is on family leave, and Tech is double-checking all the material they gave us. Greece WILL NOT be the seventh undercover casualty. I also want limited visibility at Horizon. Only those who made appearances since Austin was shot may return." He stood. "Everybody clear?"
"Yes, sir!" The group stood together.
Ian took a deep breath. "All right, Mike will continue the brief. I'm out of here. Watch your six."
Mike walked in front of the group. "This is the first major operation since Ian and Kieran announced the reorganization. We need to show them their trust in us is well founded. Our undercover members are in unpredictable situations, but Greece is in real danger. This case needs to be shut down the minute we have enough evidence. I don’t want him in that hell one more second than is necessary. A mistake will mean his life."
The group got down to business and dissected the operation for any potentially missed detail.
Chief Doug Sharpe pulled up to the Reed family home. The front door opened before he could ring the bell. "Happy to see you again, Douglas." Chase Security surveillance reported the unexpected arrival to Ford.
Doug Sharpe cringed. "Governor, I wanted to give you the courtesy of hearing this in person. You may find it disturbing."
"Get to the point; you’re sputtering."
"Your daughter, Elizabeth, is about to be charged in two homicides—Dr. Randall Knox and Mr. Karl Whelan."
"Elizabeth did this? You have proof?"
"Enough. I asked my detectives to double-check everything."
"I knew things might get worse, but I never thought she would kill someone."
The chief stiffened. "What do you mean?"
"Her mother died six months ago. She took it hard, and I guess she's never recovered. She isn't thinking clearly. Are you aware she's in the hospital? An attempted suicide. I don't know if even I can help her."
"I’m sorry, sir. We’ll wait to arrest her until she can understand the charges. This will give you time to prepare your legal team concerning this matter." Doug Sharpe stood.
"Thank you, Chief. I appreciate your consideration."
Talbot dialed the former Cicely Moody. Now, after surgery, he was Thibodaux Spooner, Deputy Director of Silverton Corrections. "Tibby, how are the girls?"
"Well. Mary and Amy are at a movie. Danielle is with Trip. What's wrong, Tal? You sound troubled."
"I'm terrific. I think our problems will be over soon. Elizabeth is about to be charged with murder—if she doesn't die first. Either way, she's out of our hair. Satanta is gone. The whore is in a coma. You and Jenner need to deal with that jail nurse, Saperstein. She's waffling."
Thibodaux popped open a beer. "I hope you’re right. Elizabeth stirred up a beehive. She’s the only one at Horizon who ever sent a letter."
"I’m aware of what we will lose. No more exposure. Tell Jenner no more deaths. Knox died because of his sins. Elizabeth needs to follow. Cost of doing business."
Alden McAllister showed a naked picture of Troy to his mistress. "Here's our newest fish."
"H
e's star material. Don't mar that face. With that cock, well, he will rise above the rest. Will he cooperate?"
"I think so. Mills looked stunned when Hailey showed him the package she pulled out of his ass. A few more days in the hole, and he'll be ready to negotiate."
"Excellent. Tonette is still unconscious. They’re lightening her sedation to check for brain death. Bailey may be a problem. He’s still confused, but I think that will pass."
Alden played with one of his lover's breasts. "All he saw was a man in black shoot him. Nothing else."
"I hope you’re right."
Alden rolled her beneath him and thrust hard. "What about Elizabeth Reed?"
"She's as good as dead." Thoughts of Elizabeth Reed left her mind.
Chapter Seventeen
Monday, July 15th
An elegant woman in her fifties approached the nurse's station late Monday morning. "Hello, I'm Dr. Ruth Weiss. I am here to meet with the doctors taking care of Elizabeth Reed."
"Dr. Weiss, I'm Miles Gerba, the intensivist. Thank you for coming. Dr. Keys is on his way. Elizabeth is in room two. I wish I had better news."
Ruth kissed her. "Oh, Beth. My poor baby."
"Dr. Weiss, this is Jamie O'Reilly and Eric Seton, PAs being provided as private caregivers."
She looked both men up and down. "You may leave if Talbot Reed arranged for your services."
"No, ma'am. We’re here at the request of the Chase Group," Eric spoke in a polite tone.
"The Chase Group? They own a health center in DC?"
"I'm Jamie. Yes, among other places. Martin Bailey, CEO of Chase Security International, is an old friend of Dr. Reed's."
"Beth's Marty." She didn't elaborate on how she knew. Ruth walked to the bedside table and opened her chart. "Is she aware he’s here?"