Chapter: 37

The Sixth Day Cometh

“Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them. And the LORD God said, ‘The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever.’ So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken. After he drove the man out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground’."

Genesis 3:20-24

Nurse Stacy Billings silently walked into the room of her two patients. She noticed the young man sitting on the chair sleep. She had a note from his friends, but was hesitant about waking him. He looked so peaceful asleep in the chair. Stacy sighed and walked quietly over to him. She bent down and nudged him gently, hoping not to startle him.

Unfortunately, that was not to be so with JD Dunne. JD jumped up at the touch and Stacy backed away cautiously. “What…what’s wrong?” JD looked around tensing at the woman standing, almost staring at him.

“Nothing, Mr. Dunne. The patients are sleeping comfortably. I came to wake you because there was a message left for you by your friends. Here,” she said handing him a slip of paper.

JD opened the note and read it. It said, “Need you to meet us in the back parking lot in ten minutes.” It was not signed and JD did not recognize the handwriting.

“My friends left this note?”

“The man who dropped it off said he got a phone message from one of your friends that left here and was told to give it to his other friends who were still here. Mr. Jackson is still down in the lab and Mr. Sanchez just went to the cafeteria to get some coffee.”

JD assumed then that the message must have been from Buck and Ezra. They had only left an hour ago, so for them to have returned so soon meant something happened.

“You said that Mr. Sanchez went to the cafeteria?”

“Yes. He left a few minutes ago and told me to tell you he would be right back,” explained Stacy.

“Thanks,” replied JD, folding up the paper and putting it away in his pocket. “Listen…I shouldn’t be askin’ ya this…but could you keep an eye on them until we get back. We’re just goin’ to be in the parking lot out back.”

“Oh, of course. It’ll be no problem at all. It’s my job anyway. I can wait until you return.”

“Thanks!” exclaimed JD. “And if Mr. Jackson comes up, tell him we went to the parking lot out back to meet our other friends, okay?”

“Sure, Mr. Dunne,” replied Stacy happily.

“JD. Just call me JD.”

“Okay…JD. My name’s Stacy.”

“You’re new here, huh?” he asked the petite redhead nurse.

“Yes. I just started today. I’m taking over for Sheila on her day off. She forgot to leave the file on Mr. Jones and Mr. Smith, but I did talk to some of the other nurses on duty and they told me that Mr. Jones was having seizures so we’re keeping in restraints and Mr. Smith seems to have some broken ribs and a slight concussion.”

JD nodded. He did not think this woman should be privy to all the information concerning his friends’ conditions, so he said, “Yeah. They’ve been real sick. Especially him,” replied JD, pointing to the sleeping blond.

“I see. Well, JD, if you’ll excuse me, I have some things that I need to take care of for my patients,” she said smiling at the young man and walking over to Vin’s bed.

Stacy thought he was real cute and she noticed that there was no ring on his finger, but that did not mean anything. “Too bad,” she thought. “He had a real nice face.”

JD left the room as the nurse started taking Vin’s vitals. JD assured himself that they would be safe. It was only for a few minutes and then he and Josiah would be back with the others in no time.

*************************************************************************

Jack Trell slipped back into the driver’s seat of the black sedan. He then smiled over to Frank Marino and said, “It’s done.”

“Now we wait,” said Frank, lighting up another cigarette.

*************************************************************************

Chris awoke to the sounds of someone in the room. His eyes finally focused and saw a red haired nurse leaning over Vin with a stethoscope. His thoughts were foggy at best and he could not remember why he was in the hospital or why he was strapped down.

He moved his head a little to the side, blond hair falling into his eyes and almost obscuring his vision of the woman and man situated across from him. His eyes squinted to try and see his friend’s face, but the nurse was in the way.

“S’cuse me,” said Chris, his voice almost a croak from a long time of nonuse.

The nurse turned, startled to find the blond patient awake. She was told by the nurses on duty that Sheila had given a large amount of sedative an hour ago and that should have the man out like a light for the next three hours. But of course, Stacy did not know about Chris’ physiology and the fact that he had built up a tolerance for them.

“Mr. Jones, I’m surprise you’re awake,” said Stacy hesitantly. She finally moved into action and approached the ill man’s bed, taking a hold of his wrist to feel is pulse.

Chris watched as the nurse started to take his vitals. While she was busily marking down information on his chart, Chris could hear the start of someone whispering in his ear. He turned to the other side of the room, but saw no one there. He then looked back up at the nurse who just gave him a warm smile and continued onward with her tasks.

“Mr. Jones,” said the nurse, shaking Chris from his reverie. “You temperature is a little high today. I’m going to get you some Tylenol to help bring it down, okay?”

“Uh, Nurse…?”

“Nurse Billings. But you can call me Stacy.”

“Stacy, where are my friends?”

“Oh, they said they would be back in few minutes. Why? Is there something you need?”

“Well, this restraints are little too tight. They’re hurtin’ my wrists,” said Chris wincing in pain.

“Oh,” replied Stacy. She did not see anything that referred to the exact reason for the seizures; all she knew was that Mr. Jones was in restraints based on what the nurses had told her at the station. “I don’t understand why it was not marked down concerning the restraints and when they can be removed, but…”

“From what I understand the Doc was afraid I would hurt myself because of seizures,” Chris interjected quickly.

Stacy looked at the man again doubtfully. His reasoning sounded plausible, but it was not up to her to make that decision about releasing him.

“Well, I can’t release you since I don’t see anything here,” she started and then she saw the baleful look Chris gave her. “But at least I can loosen them up some so that they don’t hurt anymore.”

Chris smiled at that and watched as Stacy slackened the restraints on his wrists.

“Thank you, Stacy. I really appreciate it. Ah, that feels much better.”

She smiled gently at him. “Are you in any pain, besides your wrists?”

“No, ma’am.”

“It’s Miss. Alright, then. Now, I’m going to prepare you and Mr. Smith’s next medication. I’ll be back in awhile. If you need me, press this button.” And she placed the nursing station button in his hand.

“Thank you, Stacy.”

“You’re welcome, Mr. Jones.”

“Call me, Chris.”

“Okay…Chris.” She then walked out of the door.

Once she was gone, Chris smiled wickedly. The voices had told him that it would work and it did. Now he had his chance. He wiggled his wrists, ignoring the throbbing and pain that went with it as he did. Within in a minute his wrist was free and also free to remove the restraint from his other wrist.

After that, removing the ones from his ankles was easy. The IV bag that was hooked up to his right wrist, he methodically pulled out the needle and pushed the line away. He was free and it made him feel like he had accomplished a great feat.

He then lowered the metal railings to his sick bed and silently and cautiously got out and moved to the closet where he knew his clothes were. When he got to the closet he found clean clothes. Probably one of his friends had originally thought that his stay would be brief one. Of course, it had turned out longer than they had anticipated, but it was good for him. Now he had the means of making his escape complete.

He grabbed the black briefs, clean black jeans and black T-shirt, which was never worn, his sneakers and his Chicago Black Hawks fitted cap and quickly dressed.

When the last piece of the outfit was placed on his head, he took one last look around. His eyes stopped on the sleeping form of his best friend. The young Texan looked so peaceful and Chris felt a slight pang at leaving the man behind.

The voices were trying to convince him that he would be safe here, that he would have more freedom without him, but somewhere in the small space that was reserved for his heart there was doubt.

He wanted to go over and wake Vin, but he knew the voices would not let him do that. Right now, there were more in control of his will than he was. He said in a soft voice, “Goodbye, Vin.” With that, he walked speedily out of the door into the hospital corridor and freedom.

*************************************************************************

Jack Trell and Frank Marino had watched as the two men left to guard the two sick men had come outside to the parking lot out back, standing near the rear entrance of the hospital.

“Okay. Let’s go,” said Jack to his partner, as they both exited their car quickly.

They ran towards the other entrance of the hospital, but once there slowed down as not to attract attention. They both went through the revolving doors and towards the information desk of the hospital.

************************************************************************

Vin had awoken slowly to pain in his ribs and a headache that would not quit. He sat up in the bed and groaned as he pulled his hand through his sweating head. He knew he had a slight fever because the chills were playing havoc with his body.

He looked to see if Chris had awakened and was shocked to see the bed empty. He also was amazed that none of his other friends were in the room.

He frantically pressed the button that lay on the nightstand next to his bed.

After what seemed like an eternity to him, but was really only a couple of minutes, a short redhead nurse came running into the room.

She saw Vin trying to get out of the bed and quickly walked over to him, grabbing his arms and pushing him back down.

“And where do you think you’re going?” she asked.

“My friend! Where is he?” exclaimed Vin, trying to get out of the bed again. The nurse immediately grabbed his shoulders and pushed him back down.

“You’re not going anywhere!”

“But Chris…”

“I can see that. You stay in bed and I’m going to go get the head nurse in here. Your friend was here a few minutes ago. Maybe he was taken for tests. I’m going to check, but I want you to promise not to get out of this bed. You have a fever and you need to stay off your feet, got it?”

Vin nodded although he would have liked to go search for his friends himself, he knew he did not have the strength to do it at this moment.

“Do ya know where my friends are?”

“Your friends? Oh, you mean the young man that was sitting here?”

Vin knew that she was talking about JD. Everyone had a habit of referring to him as “the young man”.

“Yeah. Ya know where they went?”

“Well, I brought a message to him that was from his other friends and he said that he would be going after Mr. Sanchez in the cafeteria and that they both would be going to the parking lot out back.”

“Do ya who the message was from?” questioned Vin suspiciously.

“No. He didn’t say. He did imply that they would be back within a few minutes.”

To Vin that meant they probably knew nothing of Larabee’s disappearance.

“Okay, can ya do me a favor?”

“If it is possible,” replied Stacy thoughtfully.

“I need someone to go get my friends and bring them here, now.”

“Well…”

“Please. It’s very important.”

Stacy saw the plea in the man’s blue eyes and said, “Alright, Mr. Smith. But you promise to stay in this bed until I get back, right?”

“Yeah, yeah. Now hurry, please.”

“Okay,” she said as she started for the door. “I’m also going to check with the nurses’ station and see if there was any tests scheduled for Mr. Jones today. I’ll be right back.” She then exited the room and the door closed silently.

Vin breathed a sigh of relief as the door closed. He just hoped that the others would get back soon. He was afraid that Chris was on the run again and he did not think this time they would be lucky enough to find him.

*************************************************************************

Jack and Frank had found out that the two gentlemen that they were seeking were placed on the 3^rd floor of the hospital. It was the floor that all affluent patients were kept. They were told that the two patients were not taking any visitors who were not first pre-approved by their men.

This did not dissuade Jack and Frank. They nodded to the security guard and then quickly made their way to the back of the hospital. At the back door, which also served as one of the fire exits for the hospital, Frank starting picking the lock to the door to the entrance, while Jack stood guard.

“Hurry it up!” whispered Jack, his head moving back and forth trying to make sure they were not spotted.

Frank turned around to glare at his partner. “Listen, asshole, if you think you can do better, than be my guest,” retorted Frank, turning from his task to look angrily at his partner.

“No, no. Just…” explained Jack hurriedly.

“Yeah,” was all that Frank answered as he continued with his task.

*************************************************************************

Christopher Michael Larabee walked down the fire door exit as quickly as he could. He knew it led to the side fire exit entrance of the hospital. When he had reached the first floor, he decided not to exit there. Instead, he decided to go to the basement floor that held the indoor parking garage. He figured that he could borrow a car there to make his traveling plans easier.

He laughed silently to himself as he thought about acquiring something illegally. There was a time when Archangel Michael would not have even dreamed of taking something that was not his. But he was no longer Archangel Michael. He was Mickey Larabee, born and raised in slums of Brooklyn, New York, thief, drug-dealer and killer when needed.

As Chris passed the first floor exit and had finally hit the basement exit he heard the sound of a door opening. He knew someone had come in from the first floor door. Fearful that it was one of his friends or hospital staff looking for him, he quickly pushed his way through the basement door and fled to find his transportation.

*************************************************************************

Jack and Frank had come through the first floor fire exit, hearing a door close on the staircase below them. They both turned to eye each other and then shrugged their shoulders as they continued to the 3^rd floor unaware that their prey had just left through the door below them.

*************************************************************************

Josiah and JD stood outside the back parking lot of the hospital, looking for their companions to arrive. It was approximately 20 minutes and Josiah started getting the feeling that something was not right. He turned to JD and said, “JD, did they say when they would get here?”

“The note said ten minutes. Ya want me to call ‘em?”

“Yeah, that might not be a bad idea,” answered Josiah impatiently.

JD took the cellular phone that was in his pocket and dialed the number to Ezra’s cellular phone.

After the second ring, JD heard Ezra say, “Ezra Standish.”

“Ezra, it’s JD. Where are you guys?”

“Where are we? Where we are is on our way to where we were directed to be. What is the issue, Mr. Dunne?”

“Well, I got a message that said to meet you guys in the parking lot out back at the hospital,” stated JD, concern tickling his thoughts.

“I do not know who imparted that information to you, Mr. Dunne. But Mr. Wilimington and myself are on our way over to the Sixth Day as instructed. I suggest that the message you received is an error.”

JD looked at Josiah who was standing next to him, closely listening into the conversation.

“They said they never sent any message,” said JD surprise and fear crawling into his heart.

“Damn! Damn! Tell Ezra and Buck to get back here now!” And Josiah started to run for the hospital entrance.

“Ezra, Josiah says for ya and Buck to get back to the hospital right away!” shouted JD into the phone as he ran to catch up with the big preacher, closing the phone without waiting for a response on the other end.

************************************************************************

Chris had just completed hot-wiring an old Dodge Charger that he assumed belonged to one of the nurses or orderlies of the hospital. He would only use it to get into Vegas. From there, he would contact Queen Bea and get her to take him home.

Once he had collected what he would need, then it was on to Nadia’s house for a reacquainting. He smiled wickedly as he thought about their last encounter. Nadia was so sure of herself, but she had never really met Mickey Larabee. She had met Christopher Michael and compared to Mickey, he was angel. She was going to be in for a big surprise.

He laughed hysterically to himself as he drove away and out of the garage towards the Vegas Strip.

*************************************************************************

Vin was dozing, waiting for the nurse to find his friends, when he heard the door the room open. He opened his eyes slowly, thinking that the nurse had returned and found he was looking at two men dressed in black suits, glancing around the room.

Vin struggled to sit up in the bed and said to the two men, “What ya want? Are ya lost or somethin’?”

They ignored Vin, as he watched the Asian one go to the bathroom and look inside. The Asian returned immediately and turned to his Caucasian companion and said, “He’s not here.”

“Hey, I said what the hell do ya want?” exclaimed Vin, suspicion and anger both aimed at the two men.

“Where is he?” asked the redheaded man, walking closer to where Vin lay.

Vin knew this man was trouble and he had nothing in which he could defend himself with.

“Where’s who?” asked Vin, feigning ignorance.

“Larabee,” came the reply of the Asian man. Vin could tell that he was the leader of the two and probably the more deadly of them.

“Ain’t no Larabee here.”

“Don’t play with me, Mr. Tanner,” replied Frank.

Vin eyes looked up in shock for a second, but they quickly returned to their normal blue calm.

“So, ya know who I am.” It was more of a statement than a question.

“Yes, we do. And we want, Larabee,” interjected Jack.

“And just who might ya’ll be?”

“Who we are does not matter, Mr. Tanner,” explained Frank. “We are looking for your partner and the disk.”

“Disk? What disk?”

“Oh, don’t tell me that Archangel Michael did not tell you about the disk he stole from Mr. DeCorsia.”

“Nope. Won’t tell ya that. Will tell ya I don’t know what the hell ya talkin’ about though,” answered Vin smiling.

“He knows, Frank. Let’s just beat it out of ‘im,” said Jack, threatening and moving closer.

But he was held where he was by his partner.

“No,” ordered Frank. “I think we should just leave Mr. Tanner sometime to think on it. You need to tell Larabee that if he and the disk are not in Roberto DeCorsia’s hands by tonight that things will get unpleasant. Do you understand me, Mr. Tanner?”

“I get ya drift, Mr…”

“Just call me Black and he’s Blue,” replied Frank teasingly.

Vin eyed him knowing that this was not their real names but a reference to what they were going to do if things got unpleasant. “I get ya drift, Mr. Black. Now if ya don’t mind, I was tryin’ to get some sleep around here,” said Vin sarcastically, lying down and turning his back on the two men.

Frank smiled widely at this. He thought the boy had guts. Too bad they might have to remove some of them if they did not get what they wanted. He then motioned for Jack to follow him out of the room and towards the door that would lead them back to their vehicle.

As they walked down the stairs towards their original entry, Frank asked, “So we just gon’na wait?”

“I believe Mr. Tanner is telling us the truth, Jack. And I believe Mr. Larabee has absconded from the hospital.”

“But where? His friends are here.”

“But the disk is not.”

“So?”

“So, I say we go find Mr. Larabee.”

“But how? We don’t know where he went.”

Jack had stated an obvious truth, but Frank had read Larabee’s profile and knew the man would head back to the one place he felt safe, the one place that might hold the answer to the whereabouts of the disk.

“Tell me, Jack, where would you go to feel safe?”

“Where would I go to feel safe? Well, probably the safest place for me is ho… Oh, I get it now. He went home.”

“Yes, my dear partner. Home. Home is where the heart is and probably where the disk is.”

Jack smiled and patted Frank on the back. “Ya know, Frank, that’s reason why I like partnering with you. You are really smart.”

“And if you touch me again, Jack, you will be really dead,” said Frank, walking out of the door towards their car.

Jack stopped in his tracks, wondering if Frank was joking. But then again…

****************************************************************************

Chapter: 38

Adam and Eve

“Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.

So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.

But for Adam no suitable helper was found.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh.

Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

The man said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, for she was taken out of man.’

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.”

Genesis 2:19-25

*************************************************************************

Josiah and JD were half way to the elevators when JD saw the nurse that was suppose to be with Vin and Chris coming towards them.

“Stacy?” called JD.

“Stacy?” questioned Josiah.

“JD, I’m glad I found you. Something has happened and I came to look for you,” explained Stacy hurriedly.

“What happened?” asked Josiah, his stomach churning at the thoughts that were rapidly running through his head.

“Mr. Jones is missing and…”

“Missing? How?” asked JD, his worries confirmed.

“I don’t know, JD. I went to get his medication and when Mr. Smith buzzed I came running in to find Mr. Jones gone and Mr. Smith trying to get out of bed.”

“Sounds like something Vin would do,” stated Josiah, as the elevator doors opened. He then motioned for JD and the nurse to get on and followed closely behind them. “Let’s get upstairs and found out what’s going on.”

“I’ve called Mr. Jackson and he said he was on his way from the lab to the room,” offered Stacy.

“Thank you, Stacy,” said JD as he pushed the button for the 3^rd floor.

As they rode the elevator in silence, neither of them wanted to think what had happened to their friends.

**********************************************************************

Erza and Buck had just pulled up into the parking lot, having basically gone through every traffic violation there was in the city of Las Vegas.

They both jumped out the car and ran for the hospital entrance, almost knocking down the people who were coming out.

The security guard watched as the two men ran through the corridor to the elevators. At first he was about to leave his post and stop them, but he had second thoughts. He remembered these men as not someone you wanted to try and push, so he just ignored them.

When the elevator door opened, Ezra and Buck ran into it. Buck pushed the 3^rd floor button frantically and started pacing the elevator as it made it slow ride to their destination.

Ezra eyed Buck with annoyance. Ever since they had got the call from JD the man was a bundle of nerves. “Mr. Wilmington, would you please refrain from your stalking the premises.”

“What?” asked Buck, thrown out of his thoughts.

“You are roaming this elevator like a lion who smells his prey,” stated Ezra rolling his eyes towards the ceiling of the elevator.

“I can’t help it, Ezra. I’m…”

Ezra eyes softened. He knew how the man felt about his friends. In fact, he felt the same way. “I know, Buck. Just tone it down some.”

Buck glanced at Ezra in shock. “Just tone it down some? Have you been taking lessons from Chris?” asked Buck jokingly.

“Mr. Wilmington, I would prefer that you do not insult me with such accusations,” answered Ezra stiffly.

Buck still smiled. He knew the red jacket man had a sense of humor. It was just not like anybody else’s.

At that moment, the elevator door opened to the 3^rd floor and Buck and Ezra quickly exited it, walking fast towards the room that housed their friends.

When they got there they heard shouting and knew it to be the voice of Vin Tanner. They both entered at the same time and found a room full of turmoil.

Nathan, Josiah and a redheaded nurse were trying to force Vin Tanner back onto his sick bed. JD stood by the door anxiously waiting. Vin, well, Vin was screaming at the top of his lungs and fighting with the strength that Ezra and Buck did not think he had being ill with fever. Chris Larabee was nowhere in sight.

“What the hell is goin’ on here?” yelled Buck, walking over to the fray near Tanner’s bed.

“Vin wants to go looking for Chris,” said Nathan, again trying to help Josiah gently push the young man towards the bed. “He’s too sick to be leaving that bed!” The last part was directed at the man they were busily fighting.

“I ain’t goin’! Buck! Tell them to get away from me!”

“Vin, you need to calm down, son. We’ll find him,” said Josiah trying to make the young Texan see reason.

“I ain’t ya son and ya ain’t my father! Let go, Josiah!”

Buck shook his head at this predicament. He knew how much the young curly haired man was concerned for Chris. Shit. He had been there himself at one time or another. But he knew their young friend was not well enough to go out on his own looking for Chris. Chris would never forgive him if he had let anything happen to Vin. He trusted him to watch the young man’s back, even though he had not said so in so many words.

“Vin, they right,” said Buck approaching the distraught man. “We gotta think this out. If we go rushing into this we could put Chris in danger.”

Vin stopped struggling and looked at the tall ex-con with worry in his blue eyes. Buck had said something that finally cut through the anxiety that was eating at him at Chris’ disappearance. He sighed heavily, his head bowing in exhaustion and sat down on the bed that the others were trying to get him into.

Nathan, Josiah and the nurse also sighed in relief at the fact that the sick man was not fighting them anymore. But Vin caught their relief and said, “I ain’t layin’ down so don’t get ya hopes up.”

Nathan smirked at Josiah as he took the arm of the young nurse. He needed to speak with her away from her emotional patient.

Ezra decided that they needed to know what happened. He said, “Josiah, what happened?”

Josiah turned guilt-ridden eyes to Ezra, feeling in his heart that he had failed his friends.

“Well, from what I understand from Vin and Nurse Billings there…,” he said pointing towards the redheaded nurse talking to Nathan. “…she got some note from some stranger for us saying that you guys would be out in the back parking lot in ten minutes. JD came looking for me while she agreed to watch Chris and Vin, but came in running when Vin called and found Chris missing. After she left to find us to tell us what happened, it seems Vin had some visitors. Two real bad asses. Vin says he’s never met or seen them before now. They claim to work for Roberto DeCorsia.”

“The father?” asked JD. He had read the file that Chris had on the man. He was dangerous and powerful and those two words together spelled big trouble.

“That’s him,” answered Josiah.

“Why were they here?” questioned Buck. He did not like where this was leading. It was enough they had the son as a headache. Now the father was joining the party.

“From what they said…” interrupted Vin holding on to his aching head. “…they were looking for Chris.”

“Mr. Larabee? Whatever for, Mr. Tanner?” queried Ezra.

“Somethin’ about a disk Chris has that DeCorsia wants.”

“What disk? Why would have a disk that DeCorsia would want?” asked Buck confused.

“Buck, remember. Chris was workin’ on somethin’ for Travis,” Vin suggested.

“Yeah. And maybe Travis knows what’s on that disk,” added Josiah nodding thoughtfully.

“I’ll go put a call into Travis and see what he knows,” said Josiah walking out of the room to use the phone in the spare room next door.

Just then Nathan and the nurse had finished their conversation and Nurse Billings quickly walked out of the room.

“Hey, Nate, what was you talkin’ to that pretty little filly about?” Buck had noticed that Nathan had spent a long time talking to the young nurse.

“I asked her to be very discreet about our conversation and also to page Dr. Cohen,” replied Nathan, walking over to Vin. He then looked the young man up and down in annoyance, knowing that the man needed to rest in order to get better. “Vin, I want you to rest. You can’t keep this up. You and I both know Chris isn’t going to like having being the one responsible for your condition getting worst.”

“Nathan, Chris ain’t Chris right now. Those voices were tellin’ ‘im to do things Chris wouldn’a done. If don’t go now and start lookin’ we ain’t never gon’na find ‘im. I just know it!” Vin answered, grabbing his head again.

“Vin, you are aggravating your condition. It’s not getting better, it’s getting worst,” said Nathan, grabbing onto the young man shoulders. “Look at yourself.