Five Minutes Longer

by Five Minutes Longer [Dreamspinner MM] (retail) (epub)

  Chapter Twenty

  FINN STOOD with his bag and watched Drew drive away. It had been awkward, and neither of them really knew what to say to each other, but Finn was fortunate to spy Drew going to his car as he stepped outside his building.

  When he’d finally dressed after his shower, he walked into his living room to find Gael stretched out asleep on his couch, the TV on low, and kids’ cartoons playing. He’d been wondering what the hell to say to Gael and almost got giddy in relief when he realized he didn’t have to. He couldn’t just walk out, though, so he had taken the coward’s way and left a brief note apologizing once more.

  He had gathered up his few clothes and his dead cell phone and asked Drew to drop him at the hospital. He wanted to see Adam before he tried to visit the bank again, and if he didn’t see him now, he didn’t know when the next time would be. The only bright spot in his morning was that Drew made a quick phone call to confirm all his travel expenses had been reimbursed into his bank yesterday, so he had enough cash to find some cheap accommodation while he looked for a job. Agent Gregory must have been listening after all.

  Finn walked in the door, and in a complete stroke of luck, spotted the nurse who had looked after him coming out of the elevator, pushing a lady in a wheelchair. Finn stepped up. “Hi, sorry. I don’t know if you remember me, but—”

  The nurse grinned. “Of course I remember you. It’s not often I get to look after celebrities. How are you feeling?” The guy raked his assessing brown eyes over Finn’s still-bruised face.

  Finn waved off the question. “I’m fine. I was hoping to ask for a favor.”

  The nurse raised his eyebrows and bent down to the lady. “Ooh, do you hear that, Alice? Intrigue.” The woman he was pushing took no notice, just grunted unsympathetically. “Just wait there. I’m just delivering Alice to X-ray, and then I’m on break.”

  Finn nodded in relief, and in two minutes, the nurse was back.

  He grinned and put out his hand. “Jeremy.”

  “Finn,” Finn replied and shook hands, then felt really silly as the nurse knew who he was.

  “Come on. I need a coffee, and the surgery staff’s break room will be completely empty, as they are halfway down this morning’s list.”

  Finn smiled and followed Jeremy down a corridor, into a small room, and to the coffee machine in the corner.

  “Want one?” Jeremy waved a cup.

  “Yeah, please.” Finn put his bag down and glanced around. A few easy chairs and coffee tables. A small microwave sat next to the coffee machine. Some old magazines were flung in the corner.

  “So I saw the TV. Shit really hit the fan, huh?”

  Finn glanced at Jeremy warily, but Jeremy looked like he was trying not to laugh. Finn relaxed. “Yeah.”

  “So what can I do for you?” Jeremy sat and hugged his coffee mug.

  “There’s a patient…,” Finn started.

  “Let me guess: Your friend from school?”

  Finn gaped, but Jeremy shrugged. “It was all over the news, and my girlfriend’s obsessed with it. I’m not too sure I shouldn’t be asking for your autograph or something. My girlfriend’s older brother’s got a mark.” Jeremy tapped his face. “We haven’t seen anything mind-blowing, but he’s incredibly strong. He works construction with his dad and their other brother.”

  Finn smiled. He sounded like Vance. “I need to get in to see my friend.”

  Jeremy frowned. “So what’s the problem? I mean, can’t you flash your badge or something? Cops would let you straight in.”

  “I don’t have a badge,” Finn said. “They disbanded the unit after the interview, and I’m currently out of a job.”

  Jeremy leaned back and whistled. “Well, that sucks. Your friend is awake. He came to a few hours ago, but the doc has refused all interviews until later on, after the surgeon’s seen him when he’s finished in surgery. About an hour, I think.” Jeremy suddenly jumped up. “I know just what to do.”

  Ten minutes later Finn was dressed in identical blue scrubs to Jeremy and clutching an empty bedpan covered in a disposable sheet. Jeremy had assured him the cops would have no interest in challenging anyone who carried one of those, and he was right because they both walked straight past them and into Adam’s room with the cops barely glancing their way.

  Jeremy took a quick look at Adam’s monitor and whispered, “You’ve got five minutes.” Finn squeezed Jeremy’s shoulder in gratitude, and Jeremy said, “I still think my girlfriend wants an autograph.” He chuckled and let himself out of the room.

  Finn stared somberly at Adam. He was propped up, bare-chested, with wires and small suction pads attached at different points, and hooked up to a monitor that beeped quietly every few seconds. A huge gauze pad was taped to his chest, presumably covering where the bullets had hit him. Adam had gotten shot protecting him.

  He was seven the first time he got on the school bus and met the new boy who was sitting on his own. “I’m Adam.” Finn had just been made the class buddy, and it was his responsibility to make sure any new kids made friends. He had serious responsibilities, like making sure no one touched the frozen strawberry jelly because everyone knew it was made from blood because their school cook was a vampire, and never sitting behind Rolly Jameson in class after lunch. Well, not without a mask and goggles. In fact, Annie Tollinson had boasted her brother was a diver in the Navy and could get them all proper oxygen tanks next time Rolly ate pizza rolls.

  Adam had looked at him in awe that any kid was talking to him, maybe being nice, and they hadn’t been apart on the school bus ever again. Until that last day, when Finn had to travel alone.

  Adam’s eyes were closed, and he was breathing slowly. He looked asleep, but Finn didn’t think he was.

  “Adam,” Finn said.

  Adam’s eyes shot open, and they stared at each other in silence. “You look good, Finn,” he said quietly. “Well….” He gestured to Finn’s face.

  Finn’s face broke into a huge smile, and he hurried forward. “I can’t believe it. Do you know how often I tried to find you? How many hours I spent on the computer at college, searching?” When Adam blinked a few times, Finn bit his lip. “I missed you.”

  Adam swallowed. “So… FBI, huh? Look at you.” He grinned. “You in disguise?”

  “I don’t know where to start,” Finn admitted. “But I’m not FBI anymore.” He told Adam what happened.

  “But that’s nuts, Finn. We haven’t seen each other in more than ten years.”

  “I know, but….” Finn took a breath. “How can I help?”

  Adam shook his head. “You can’t, Finn. You need to stay away from me. I’ve caused you enough trouble already.”

  Finn put his hand on Adam’s. “This isn’t you, Adam. You wouldn’t even steal one of my fries at school.”

  Adam gripped Finn’s hand tightly. “That’s because you’d have given me every last one anyway.” He sagged a little. “Everything’s messed up. I made some bad decisions. I think they’ll lock me up and throw away the key.”

  Finn shook his head. “No, they won’t, and I’ll speak for you. You were trying to protect me when you got shot, and you never used your gun.”

  Adam opened his mouth to answer, but at that second, they heard a shout from outside and loud footsteps. “Shit, Finn. Get outta here. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

  Finn turned and then ducked automatically as rapid gunfire and shouting was heard from the corridor. He didn’t have time to reply, shout, or anything as the door burst open and two huge guys ran in. Finn froze and raised his hands slowly, staring straight at the identical scars on both their faces. Enhanced.

  One of them lifted their gun, and in that split second, Finn knew he was going to get shot.

  “No,” yelled Adam. “He’s a friend.”

  Finn cringed, but then the accompanying silence made him look up, straight into a pair of luminous gray eyes. Finn was caught, staring into the swirling depths.

  “Friend,
huh?”

  Finn heard the voice as if it were far away and tried to pry his eyes from that powerful gaze.

  “Sleep, then,” the voice said again, no threat to it at all, and Finn felt himself relax as a wave of tiredness rolled over him. The man stepped closer. “Sleep.”

  Finn stumbled and put a hand out to be caught by another strong one. His eyelids were closing, and he forced them open, but the effort was too much, and they slid closed. He vaguely heard the word “sleep” whispered once more, and Finn relaxed completely. He didn’t fall; he felt arms seem to cradle him as he floated quietly away.

  TALON DROVE through the gate at Finn’s apartment complex and spotted Vance’s truck. Gael opened the door to the apartment block, followed by Vance, as he drew up. They jogged up to Talon’s car.

  “So what’s the plan, boss?” Vance grinned, and Talon shook his head in amazement. Vance humbled him. He never had any doubt their abilities were a good thing, that he would get to be part of the law enforcement community he’d wanted to be a part of for so long. Talon wished he had his confidence.

  “Let’s eat first,” Gael suggested. “We need to meet up and form a plan.”

  Talon frowned. They needed to find Finn, but equally, they couldn’t turn up at an office they were escorted out of yesterday.

  “We can kill two birds with one stone,” Vance said and walked to his truck. “Daniel’s home.”

  Gael grunted in satisfaction. “I’ll tell the others to meet us there.”

  That isn’t a bad idea, Talon thought as he got in his truck and followed the other two out.

  Vance’s mom would feed them all with pleasure, and Daniel was a senior intelligence officer in DC. He’d never been an agent; his skill set was all about information technology, and last Talon heard on the quiet was he was wrapping up a huge mortgage fraud investigation that would cause a lot of financial ripples on Wall Street. He was desperate to recruit Gael with his language skills, and he didn’t mean talking Swahili or any shit like that. It was weird what he’d seen Gael get computers to do, as if Gael understood their language as well… which was nuts and made Talon’s head hurt in all sorts of ways.

  Of course, Cohen was a superior to Daniel, but Daniel had a lot of friends and was influential in his own right, even if he was technically a civilian.

  Talon sighed and thought about Finn. He knew at least two of Vance’s brothers could get Finn’s other cell phone number. He was pretty sure Jacob, who was a sergeant in the TPD, might be able to unofficially look for him as well.

  Talon swallowed his worry down and pulled up to join the line of cars that was spilling out of Vance’s driveway. What he was most afraid of was Finn still being sick and Talon not being there to make sure he was okay. He shouldn’t have let Finn come into the office two days ago, and if he’d been with him instead of throwing his own pity party, he would have been able to make sure.

  “Hey, little brother!”

  Talon couldn’t help the grin that accompanied all five feet eleven inches of Daniel unsuccessfully trying to wrap his arms around Vance, who was bigger than most people Talon had ever met. In fact, now that he came to think of it, he was pretty sure he didn’t know anyone to top Vance’s size.

  Talon shook hands with Vance’s younger brother Tim, who was also seated at the table, and got enveloped in a hug from Connie. Talon was ashamed to say he stood a little quieter and a little longer in her embrace than he usually did. Connie took a step back and gazed at him. He didn’t bother hiding his anguish. His defenses had been useless against her for the last year since the first time Vance brought him and Gael home to meet his folks.

  He heard the door open and shut, and the kitchen was suddenly full with Eli and Sawyer as well. Connie understood not to touch Eli. It was enough of a win getting him seated around her table. Eli didn’t do families. He used to say his own experience of them cured him for life, and even Talon didn’t think he knew the whole story.

  Talon inhaled and his gut rumbled as Connie put a basket of homemade biscuits on the table. Vance stopped her from bending to the oven and sat her down while he got out the cooked bacon and sausage patties.

  Connie smiled indulgently and patted Vance. “I’m going to sort out my rooms upstairs. You all give me a shout when you’re done talking shop.”

  Talon looked apologetically at Vance, but Vance shook his head. “It’s okay. She ate already.” That wasn’t what Talon meant, and Vance knew it. Evicting Connie out of her own kitchen felt wrong.

  “Okay,” Daniel said with a small smile as he helped himself to more coffee. “I saw the news. Someone want to tell me what shitstorm you’ve all been brewing, now?”

  Talon barely joined in the laughter and listened as Gael brought Daniel up to speed on what was happening, but he gave up picking at his breakfast, even with the looks the rest of the team kept throwing him.

  “So you need me to find out what support you have? See if there’s anyone who can influence Cohen?” Daniel asked finally.

  “No,” blurted Talon. He rubbed a hand across his tired eyes. “Yes, yes, we do.”

  “But we gotta find Finn first,” Gael finished for him.

  The room was silent for a few seconds, then Eli’s chair scraped a little. “Do we, boss? Is that what you want us to do?”

  Talon looked at the faces in the room. He knew what Eli was really asking him, and he knew he would have to be careful what he said in front of Daniel and Tim.

  “I think he’s good for the team,” Talon said slowly.

  “So do we,” Gael said firmly, as if the matter were decided.

  Talon stared at Eli. Eli didn’t smile, but he didn’t frown either, and after a few seconds, he just nodded to indicate his agreement. Talon felt like he’d just won a huge battle.

  Daniel stood. “Let me get his cell phone number first.” They all watched as Daniel dialed the number for the Tampa field office. He could have found out via his laptop, as he had a much higher clearance than even Agent Gregory, but Talon had a feeling he wanted to make his interest officially known.

  They all listened while he exchanged pleasantries with the operator, but Daniel’s smile vanished as he listened to whomever he was just put through to. He looked around the room and was silent for quite a few minutes as he listened intently. “I’ll tell them all to report immediately.”

  Talon’s heart started pounding.

  “That was your A-SAC, Tony Gregory. He was just going to dial all your personal cells, seeing as your company ones are still there. The team is recalled as of immediately.”

  “What?” Talon exclaimed as he lurched to his feet.

  “Finn Mayer was dropped off by an Agent Fielding at Tampa General over an hour ago. His intention was to visit the prisoner from the attempted bank robbery. Thirty minutes later armed enhanced broke through security. Shots were fired but no fatalities. The enhanced left with the prisoner, but they also took Agent Mayer. The press has gotten hold of the whole story and is out for the FBI’s blood. Apparently the poster-boy image you were all trying to create has worked. In particular the elderly mother of Senator Julio has been vocal on News Seven. She was one of the hostages in the robbery and is definitely part of Finn’s cheerleading section, and by association, all of you,” Daniel added dryly, but Talon hadn’t heard anything since Daniel said they took Finn.

  Talon tried to swallow the fear that tightened his throat. He’d let Finn down again.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “GAEL, YOU and Eli go to the field office and get everyone’s IDs and service weapons. We need to go to Tampa General, and it’s in the opposite direction,” Talon ordered.

  Vance opened one of the bottom cupboards in the kitchen to reveal a safe. He keyed in the code and withdrew two guns. “They’re both registered to me already.”

  “Vance?” They all turned at Connie’s question. She was staring at the guns.

  “The unit has been recalled, Mom,” Vance replied as if that explained everything.
/>
  She turned to gaze at Talon, resignation written on her features. She’d been a cop’s wife a long time. “Bring them home safe.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Talon brushed a kiss on her cheek, as did Vance and Gael. Sawyer gave her a pat on the shoulder, and Eli even smiled.

  They ran outside, and Vance and Sawyer climbed into Talon’s truck with him. When they had Finn back safe, he would personally make sure they got whatever armored vehicle was the biggest and baddest and keep Finn locked up in there, or something, at all times.

  Talon shook his head. He had a feeling half his life would involve keeping his partner out of trouble. And he would keep him out of it. He just needed the chance to be able to.

  They pulled up at the hospital, and Talon nearly said a prayer of thanks when he saw Lieutenant Dobbs from the hostage crisis, who strode over as soon as he spied him and stuck out his hand. Talon returned the handshake immediately. He liked Dobbs, a no-nonsense sort, and after the bank robbery, he felt comfortable working with him.

  “I’ve just been given the news that your team is taking point. If you want to follow me, the video surveillance shows a reasonable image of the assailants entering the corridor. No cameras in the rooms, obviously.”

  They followed Dobbs into a small ground-floor office. “I reckon we’re going to be seeing much more of each other,” he added with a wry smile.

  They all crowded around the monitor where a guard had the image of the gunmen entering the hospital.

  “They’re making no attempt to hide their enhanced status or their appearance,” Sawyer noted as the two big guys breezed down the corridor. The screen blurred to the next image of the cop at the entrance to the corridor where Adam Mackenzie was being treated, facedown and cuffed with his arms behind him.