you’ll likely go to the mat. Hurts like a mother. Excuse me, Talia. Renders you unable to move, breathe. Blood pressure tanks. Here we are.”
The surgeon alighted from the elevator first and led them to a much smaller waiting room, which was unoccupied. “Whoever hit him knew what he was doing,” he said. “The blow was perfectly placed and done with harmful intent. I wouldn’t rule out brass knuckles or some other object. In any case, it was hard enough to cause a sizeable tear. Good news, your friend got here before catastrophic blood loss, and he had an excellent trauma team working on him. The tear has been repaired. He seems overall healthy. Barring any complications, which aren’t anticipated, he’ll live.”
While Mike and Talia expressed their relief, Drex turned away from them and placed one hand on the back of his neck, indicating to Talia that anxiety and tension had concentrated there. Likely he also needed a moment to suppress his emotions.
“When I got your call, they were closing him up,” the surgeon was saying. “So if he’s not already out of surgery, it shouldn’t be much longer. I’ll be sure someone lets you know.”
Drex came around. “Can I see him?”
“He’ll be in recovery ICU for several hours.”
“Can I see him?” Drex repeated.
“He’ll be out of it. But if you—”
“I do.”
Dr. Phillips eyed him as though he warranted his reputation for rudeness, but also with respect for a man who didn’t mince words. “I’ll tell the staff to grant you a minute as soon as possible.”
“Thank you. For everything. I mean it.”
The surgeon acknowledged Drex’s appreciation with a curt nod, then reached for Talia’s hand and patted it. “This business with Jasper…” He let that trail. “Margaret and I are here for you, whenever.”
“You certainly have been tonight. Thank you.”
He gave her hand a final pat, turned to Drex and Mike, and said, “I have utmost respect for the FBI. Good luck to your friend.” Then he left them as though already late to the next emergency.
“Friends in high places,” Mike wheezed as he lowered his bulk onto an upholstered love seat.
Talia said, “I’m glad I could be of some use.”
“Well, thanks,” Mike said.
Drex didn’t thank her verbally. He simply pulled her into a tight hug.
Drex had paced miles, it seemed, before he was summoned by a nurse and told he could see Gif. He followed her to one of the ICU rooms, where she left him. Under the loose hospital gown, Gif looked fragile and pale and, if Drex didn’t know better, dead. The rhythmic blinks and blips on the machines to which he was connected were reassurance that his systems were functioning.
When the nurse returned to escort him out, she emphasized that Gif was doing well, that his vitals were strong, and that she predicted a full recovery.
“Take good care of him,” he said.
“I will.”
“He’ll complain, but don’t listen. Do what’s needed to get him well.”
“I promise.”
Drex hugged her tightly, too.
He relieved Mike and Talia of their concern immediately upon reentering the waiting room. “He looks poorly, but he’s doing well. His condition has been upgraded to stable.” They were on the verge of asking questions when his cell phone vibrated in his pocket. “Hold on. This may be Locke.” He looked at his phone. “It is. He’s sent a text.”
Warning! Rudkowski here. On our way up.
Drex read it silently and then out loud. “Dammit.” Gif’s emergency had temporarily distracted him from the other crisis. This jerked him right back into the thick of it.
“He’s still typing,” he told Mike and Talia, then read the new message aloud. “‘Take fire stairs. Look for M.’”
“Menundez,” Mike said. “Go!” He shooed them toward the door.
Drex said, “I can’t leave Gif.”
“He’ll never forgive you if you don’t. Go!”
“What about Rudkowski?”
“I’ll be the sacrificial lamb.” Then, rubbing his hands over his extensive midsection, he said, “Sacrificial ox.”
They hurried down the fire stairs to the ground floor. Menundez was waiting for them where the stairwell opened into a lobby. “How’s Lewis?”
“Out of surgery and in ICU.” Drex gave him a concise update. “I can’t thank you enough for getting word to me.”
“Sure, man.” Menundez called their attention to the unusual amount of activity in the lobby. “As you can see, there’s a large police presence.”
“For us?” Drex asked.
“Busy night. Two assaults, one fatal, in the same area within hours of each other.”
“Mike Mallory stayed behind to stall Rudkowski, but he’ll be demanding to know where Talia and I are.”