Tony figured out Fritz's password in about a minute. Ashley spoke to John Russell, who said they would be on the road within the hour. “John, can you stop here, first. We need to take some stuff to Fritz.”
“Have you got TJ? We can plan what to do when we arrive. Will you need Martha to stay with the baby?”
“If she doesn't mind. I think Emily Miller will be here too, but I can't be certain. We'll have a lot more information about everything by then.” When he hung up, Ashley said, “I need to go home. I need to get some stuff too. Sorry, George, but I'll be back when I am. I'll keep you advised.”
“Mr. Gilbert, if Bill is going with you, I can stay here,” Jim said. “Mary and I will watch TJ and the house. I'll tell my instructors I'll be away for a while.”
“If you do that, Jim, the Secret Service will drop you,” said Mary. “You should go back. I'll be okay. But Ash, I think Emily will want to go to be with Linda.”
“If you think it would be okay, I can stay,” Nat said. “I have a lot of writing to do.” She looked from person to person for permission. Ashley thanked her and told her that nothing would be more important to Fritz and Linda than TJ. Lois said she would come every day until a more permanent arrangement developed. She told George to get started finding substitute teachers. Asking what Fritz would need, she said, “Let's get things in motion.”
Chapter 40
WHEN THE LOUDSPEAKER crackled that a helicopter with the president onboard was two minutes out, everyone jumped to work, but without direction. The announcement concluded by informing them that an ambulance carrying two serious injuries had arrived in the parking lot. Two women, injured and bloody, were carried from the ambulance with an Army medic leading. Attending physicians grouped in the emergency room, mostly out of curiosity, until they saw the condition of the patients. Colds and dog bites, a few car accidents or knife cuts or an occasional hunting accident provided the emergency staff's regular fare, but not severe emergencies.
When the helicopter landed, Dr. Clark called for everyone's attention and began to direct preparations. She told them the president was not a casualty, but she had a patient with a six to eight inch knife wound across the abdomen.
“We're going to need blood. Maybe a lot. Alert the blood bank. Get the chief of surgery here. No offense. I need experienced help, doctor,” she said to the resident. “And I need an expert in skin grafts. Okay, let's move.” She looked around. “Has anyone done time in a trauma center?” she asked. One young doctor, an intern, said she had worked summers during medical school in a city hospital in New York.
“Good,” said Dr. Clark. “Quick. With me. What's your name?”
“Debra O'Donnell.”
“Julie Clark.”
To the staff waiting for directions, Dr. Clark said, “Get him to the OR. I'll be right behind.” She whispered to the president, “Sir, if you know anyone, I'd call them now and fly them here. If we're going to save him, I need some help.”
The president had his phone in his hand. “Tell me what you need.”
Dr. Clark and Dr. O'Donnell went into the cubicle where Jane waited. “She's going into shock,” Dr. Clark said. “We need to get her sutured, and get her some blood. Keep her warm. Get whatever help you need. I don't think she has internal damage. Who else here has assessed a patient?” The young doctor hesitated. “Don't worry about offending anyone.”
“We have a resident, Dr. Sherry Spiritosa. She's the best here. And a nurse who can sew anything together, Robert Pine. They're both at the nurse's station.”
“Okay, Debra. That's okay, isn't it? I'm Julie. I'll get you Pine.”
Dr. Clark sent Nurse Pine to work with Dr. O'Donnell, and grabbed Dr. Spiritosa, sent her to Linda, with instructions to come get her if she needed any help. Then she asked, “Will someone direct me to the OR?”
* * *
“MR. PRESIDENT, my name is Stephen Hanover. I'm the administrator here. Can we get anything for you? The doctors have told me it's going to be a long night.”
“I've called in a couple of favors, Mr. Hanover. The best surgeon in Washington and the best plastic surgeon are on their way. I'll be leaving when they can give me a report. I've ordered an around-the-clock detail of FBI and Secret Service. Your patients are John Does for your records. That's a matter of national security. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Your staff can't be told anything, and have to be sworn to secrecy. Can you arrange for me to meet with them, in small groups if necessary? And one more thing, will you make a list of all of them, with addresses and phone numbers?”
“I'll contact my HR director tonight.”
“No. Get someone who's here now. Hand-written is fine, and have your employees sign their names. I'm serious about this.”
“Then let me get started. We've never dealt with a situation like this before.”
“If you need anything, tell me personally. These people are important to me, as well as to the country.”
At ten o'clock, a helicopter landed in the parking lot. Two agents led the doctors to the president. He noted they had been highly recommended and thanked them for coming on short notice. The surgeon, Dr. William Sherman, said he had a job to do and they could talk after. He shook the president's hand and proceeded to the operating theater. The second doctor introduced herself.
“Mr. President, I'm Jean Kramer. Can you tell me where my patients are?”
“You're a lot younger than I expected.” She told him he was shorter than she expected. He chuckled and walked her to the room Linda was in. “Doctor, I was told earlier that the best doctors here are caring for them now.”
“I'll talk to the doctors, check the patients, and take it from there, sir.”
“Thank you, Dr. Kramer.”
* * *
“SIR, THEY DON'T have the facilities here to take care of Ms. Russell. As raw as she is, I need a sterile room. Like a burn unit. I've added a pain killer to her sedative. We've cleaned her other wounds.” Dr. Kramer met his eyes. “I've never seen anything so brutal. Or even imagined someone could do this. It looks as if the man had drawn a line with a knife to cut off her head. Not deep, but all around her neck and throat.”
“Thank you, Doctor. Two questions. Where do you suggest she be sent, and will she recover?”
“First answer, I'd like to take her back to Hopkins. Second, not as easy. I'd like another opinion. I can't determine the full extent of muscle damage. If it's minimal, then she's going to need skin grafts and time to heal. I think her chances for recovery, as in survival, are pretty good. But the scarring will be more than external.”
“Can Dr. Clark act as your surgical second opinion? She's in the OR now. She's an Army trauma doc. Spent a lot of time in Afghanistan and Iraq.”
“Sure. I'd appreciate her help.” She looked hard at him. “Mr. President, who does this kind of thing?”
“Doctor, we know who. The question is why.”
As the clock approached midnight, the Emergency Room pace increased. Saturday night. The staff had offered the president a chair, but most of the time, he stood in the corner, watching and waiting to hear about Fritz. He jerked when his phone rang.
“Sir, the secretary is here,” said General Beech. “Will you be back soon?”
“Jim, it's pretty bad here. I'm waiting on the surgeons. I don't have a time frame. I'll call the First Lady and arrange to have a room set up for him. No phone. Set a guard. Two men.”
“Do you want me to stay?”
“If you don't mind. I'll have her set one up for you, too.”
“Do you think he's dangerous?”
“Not at all. But I want him out of circulation. He could be a target.” He didn't tell the general everything. Tom Andrews' disturbing report pointed fingers at trusted people within the government, and more importantly, trusted by him. If the general and the secretary were involved, then he needed to keep them under the radar and incommunicado. Locked in the White House p
rovided him two advantages: proximity and speed. Most things made sense, but none of Tom's findings did. He needed to get back, but he owed Fritz. Again.
* * *
ONLY TONY AND Jim remained in the kitchen. George and Lois had gone home. Nat went to a guest room and Mary to the bed in TJ's room. The baby had fallen asleep in her arms.
“What should we do?” Tony asked.
“I'll stay down here. Fritz's parents should be here in a couple of hours. You should get some sleep. We can trade if you want. I think someone should be awake.”
“Then I'll take over from you after Fritz's folks get here.”
“Tony, I kind of feel responsible to take care of things here. I had Mr. R as a teacher. I never cared about history until then. Even before the portal, he made you feel like you were part of history, of what was happening. Not just memorizing dates.”
“I get it. I'm a science guy myself. But we've both met Lee. That was a cool dinner. And Winston Churchill, Ben Franklin. I never figured Fritz for the hero type, or Ashley either. Together, they're funny, but well, you've seen it. They're giants. No one would guess, and neither of them cares.”
“And neither of them deserves what's happened,” said Natalie, coming into the kitchen. “Sorry, I can't sleep. I keep thinking about all they've been through. Ash losing Jane and now Fritz and Linda. I hope Linda understands how hard her leaving has been on Fritz.”
Tony said, “She may not. But that might not be her fault.”
“Yeah. It's her father,” Nat said.
“No. It's the portal, and it's changed our lives. A little nudge here, a tiny bump there. But for better or worse, only time will tell.”
* * *
“MR. SECRETARY, this is General Beech. I've been asked to inform you that we are about to arrest one of your employees.”
“General, please tell me the whole story. But why are you telling me, not the president?”
“The president is not available right now. The conspiracy against the government has unraveled and the main perpetrator has been caught. In the process, Mr. Russell and Mr. Gilbert saved the president. You remember them.”
“Of course. And the president is okay, safe?” The secretary asked the general to hold, that someone was knocking at his door.
“Mr. Secretary, they're my men. They are bringing you here.”
Chapter 41
Sunday morning, October 16
AT ABOUT THE time Fritz's parents arrived in Riverboro, Dr. Spiritosa awakened the president. No one had dared disturb him, no matter how uncomfortable he looked. She apologized and told him a man in the waiting room claimed the president knew him.
The president stretched and shrugged his shoulders. Leaning against a room divider had stiffened his neck. He asked for any news. She said Dr. Sherman hadn't finished yet. “He has a lot of damage.”
“Is he gonna make it?”
She looked in his sad eyes with her tired ones. “Dr. Sherman's reputation, he's one of the best, and…” A scuffle around the corner interrupted her.
“Let go of me. I'm going in.” Ashley's shouts drew a crowd. When the president stepped through the doorway, he saw an overturned chair by the door and Ashley fighting off six men.
“Let him go. He's with me,” said the president. The men backed off at the president's insistence. Ashley yanked his arm free of Bill Sharp's grip.
His anger visible, Ashley asked, “Where's Jane?”
“You can't go in, sir,” said Dr. Spiritosa.
“The hell I can't. I've lost her once to doctors lying to me.” He scowled at the president. “Among others. Not again. Where is she?”
“Dr. O'Donnell,” the president called. A door opened and she stepped out. She glanced at Ashley.
“Are you allowing visitors? Mr. Gilbert is here to see Jane.”
“Right now, you'll need to wear a gown and mask. Follow me.”
As he walked by the president, Ashley said, “I have no words to tell you how angry I am.”
“I know.”
* * *
BEFORE HE LEFT, the president thanked the hospital staff for their hard work, and reminded them that none of what they had seen and none of what they had done could ever be spoken of. They had had nothing more than a busy Saturday night. “Keep taking good care of them.” He boarded Marine One and in moments was on his way to the White House.
At the border of deepest night, when darkness begins to fade, he returned to the Oval Office. Waiting for him, the First Lady handed him a bottle of water, and kissed his cheek. She'd asked him to call when he was on his way.
“The general and the secretary are sleeping. They can be here in less than two minutes if you want them.”
“Not yet. I'll need them both alert.” His frown told her that the news wasn't good. “Fritz may die. He saved me again.” He related all that had happened since Fritz had called less than twelve hours earlier.
* * *
ABOUT THE TIME the president finished his story, ten FBI agents broke down Mason Hamid's apartment door. Making as much noise as possible, they found him sitting at the edge of his bed.
He dressed while the agents searched the house. The agents had been instructed to leave no wall intact, no floor board unchecked. In minutes, a full car of agents accompanied Hamid to Fort Meade. General Beech had been specific. “Don't give him one second alone.”
A call to the president woke him from what would turn out to be a short nap.
* * *
THE ADMISSIONS staffer had been up all night. After one altercation with a visitor, the President of the United States had instructed him to let no one through without a medical emergency. When Tim Miller asked where he could find his daughter, the clerk went through the motions in search of a Linda Russell.
“I'm sorry sir. No one is registered by that name.”
“Young man, I've driven through the night, I'm too tired to argue. We were told she's here, and I WANT TO SEE HER NOW!”
“Sir, this is a hospital. Please keep your voice down.” Tim had been loud enough to alert the security guard, as well as Bill Sharp, who was pacing the E.R. to keep awake. Rather than risk another shouting match, he stepped into the waiting room, as the security guard reached for Tim's arm.
Sharp looked up at the ceiling. Here we go again. He grabbed Tim's arm before he could punch the security guard, who reached for his gun. “Mr. Miller, calm down.”
“Take your hands off me. Where's my daughter?”
“My name is Sharp. I'm secret service.
“I don't give a shit who you are.”
“Mr. Miller, if you'll calm down, I'll take you inside. But, consider yourself warned. If you don't be quiet, you'll be in handcuffs, muzzled, and jailed. In that order, and in less than five minutes. You choose.”
“Don't threaten me,” Tim snarled.
“Not a threat, a promise. No, a guarantee. Last chance.” Emily had watched the argument from three feet behind. She touched her husband's arm.
“Tim, we came to see Linda. You can't do that from jail. Mr. Sharp, please take us to her.”
“Gladly, ma'am.”
They walked through the double doors as Ashley left Jane's room. Emily rushed to him.
“Where's Linda?” Tim asked, still belligerent.
Ashley scowled at Tim and turned to Emily. “You need to talk to a doctor. They're not letting anyone in. Emily, she's in bad shape.” He looked around the room. “That's her doctor. She's a specialist the president had flown in.”
“The president? What's he got to do with this?” asked Tim.
“He called to get the best doctor in the region for your daughter,” Ashley snarled. “You should say thank you.”
“Listen, you. Don't tell me what to do.” Bill Sharp, standing just behind them, pulled out handcuffs.
“Emily,” Ashley said, “let me introduce you. Bill, keep an eye on him. And keep him away from me. I've killed one guy already tonight.”
“I have it under c
ontrol, Ash.” He grinned. “Mr. Miller, I think you need to sit down. Right here.”
“Doctor Kramer, this is Emily Miller, Linda's mom.”
“Ms. Miller, I'm sorry to meet you under these circumstances.”
“Can we see her, Doctor?”
“I'll open the blinds, but I'd rather you stayed out. She's heavily sedated, and I'm preparing to take her to Johns Hopkins. She needs a sterile environment.”
“At least we'll see her. Will we be able to see her at Johns Hopkins? When are you moving her? Will she be okay?” Emily paused. “Sorry. I have so many questions.”
“Understandably. Let me open the blinds and then we can talk.”
Emily waved Tim over. Ashley gave Sharp a nod and walked away. The blinds twitched and then lifted. Emily's hand covered her gasp. Her husband froze, holding his breath.
“I'll kill him,” Tim muttered.
“I already did,” Ashley said.
Chapter 42
THE PRESIDENT DIRECTED the secretary to a seat on the couch, and stood facing him. With no niceties, he asked, “Mr. Secretary, are you acquainted with Mason Hamid?”
Noting the coolness of the president's demeanor, no small talk, no how did you sleep? he merely answered, “Yes.”
“You're aware that he's been arrested?”
“I am. Can you tell me why?”
“Are you also aware that he is involved with people trying to tear down the government?”
“Mr. President, with all due respect, that's ridiculous.” The secretary shifted on the couch, but never broke eye contact. “I've known Mason since he was a kid.”
“I've been informed that Mr. Hamid has passed information to you, and that with CIA assistance, you are running a clandestine operation with international terrorists.”
“You have the wrong idea of this. It's just the opposite. Mason came across an informant who warned him about an organization that's undermining us at every step.” The secretary looked around at Clemmons. “For the past few months, Mason and I have been gathering information, trying to connect dots. We didn't have enough evidence to be certain the facts could be real. Until the past few days.”
Storm Surge (Quantum Touch Book 5) Page 22
