by Mark Graham
“His name was Henry Conklin, Ice,” Talon said getting closer and putting his mammoth hand on Ice’s shoulder.”
“You crush my shoulder and I’ll kick your ass, Talon,” Ice said, starting to feel the pain. He could not feel Talon’s hand on his shoulder so realized the cast was thick and more than likely was still numb from the surgery. At least he thought he’d had surgery.
“Yeah, right!” Talon said, “you big pussy. Hell I could take twice as many shots and whoop your ass.”
“That’s because you don’t have hardly any feeling you dumb ass!” Ice said, breaking out in a full smile.
Joyce just rolled her eyes, looking at the nurse that had showed up a moment before and said, “boy will be boys.”
The nurse looked at Talon and had second thoughts about getting too close to Ice. Talon looked at her, playing the dumb part, pointed his finger at his shoulder and said, “Fix!”
The nurse gave Ice a shot and told him and his visitors that he would be out in a minute or two. He started to think of something to say, but before he could get it out, he was completely unconscious.
“We’re going to try and keep him sleeping for twenty four hours so he doesn’t even try to bend that arm. He won’t be able to but we have to insure the torn muscle and ligament have time to at least start to heal.”
“How long do you think he’ll be here?” Joyce asked.
“I talked to his doctor just before coming in here. “He says that he wants to make sure everything starts healing well and will probably let him out the day after tomorrow. No idea if he means morning, afternoon, or evening.”
“Anything we should know?” she asked.
“Only that it will take a couple weeks to heal, then he’ll probably have therapy for a month or two. On that we just have to wait and see. The doctor said it would hurt, but in time he should get full rotation of that arm, and be just like new.”
Joyce said to the nurse, looking at Talon, “Bet he’s up and at it in just a few days.”
“Well, if he does he’s going to have to be very careful for a week or two,” the nurse said and walked out the door.
~~~~~
Two weeks later Ice walked into the conference room for their meeting. His shoulder was put into a leather and cloth brace type thing and the arm in the sling. He was glad it wasn’t his right arm. If it had been he would have waited a few weeks longer because he was right handed.
The agents stood up and smiled as saw him enter the room. All of them walked up to him telling him how glad they were that he had survived and still be able to go on. He found what each of said as sincere. He knew he’d get some ribbing when the others came in, but that was part of the job.
Joyce came in just before the meeting started. Ice had kept the seat next to him open for her to sit.
“First, I would like to welcome Ice and his safe return. Good to see you Ice,” the Director said. “Now that he’s back, let me let you in on everything so ya’all can relax and get your jobs done. Of course, I always expect you will be careful, and be aware of your surroundings.”
“Anyway, we of course knew that there had been some threats made to him. We investigated the thing and found out who had hired the hit, and he was hit with some high grade explosive by Talon right after. He’s fertilizing some field out there in itty bitty pieces. The thing is all tied up. Ice will start working today, but nothing to strenuous for a couple weeks.”
“We heard something about something happening with Pamela. Is she still with us?” one of the agents asked.
“No, we had some differences that she couldn’t live with so she has chosen to go elsewhere,” the Director said seriously.
“Where’d she go to?” another agent asked.
“Quit being so damn nosy,” the Director said with kind of a smile, but anybody there could tell the subject was closed. It was very strange to have an agent leave all of a sudden without the agents knowing about it.
“Let’s just say,” the Director stated, “I think she’s happy where she went and I hope the best for her. However, if you do see her let me know. As any agent who leaves on bad terms, they are not allowed to come close to this building or any of our agents.”
The statement took care of some questions, but the Director knew there were a couple who would see through the ruse. They were just too damn good.
“Okay, here’s our list for assignment. Ice and Joyce have already been assigned to help out on a few of these, with the expertise of Ice. I want him to heal properly and he can do so by doing some wet work, and surveillance and such. Items two and seven. Whoever gets them you will call and let Ice know when and where you what him. He’ll come do his job and leave. Next week Joyce is going to another school for a couple days.”
The agents started volunteering, and each assignment was covered. Ice and Joyce looked and saw that numbers two and seven were tortures. One quite easy, and the other that asked for Ice’s expertise for at least an hour or two.
THE END