All My Tomorrows (34 page)

CHAPTER 41

Chuck was awakened early the next morning by his cell phone. "Jessie?" he said eagerly as he answered.

"Malone," a man's voice said. "I want Lewis to bring the device to 1248 Flynn Avenue at ten this morning. She is to come alone. If you involve the police I will kill your daughter and Lewis. Is that clear?"

Jordan appeared in the doorway of the guestroom. "I heard your cell phone. Is Jessie all right?" she asked.

Chuck covered the receiver. "He's set up a meeting time. He wants you to go alone. You don't have to do this, Jordan."

"Like hell I don't. Tell him I'll be there."

Chuck held the phone to his ear once again. "Before we agree to anything, I need to know that Jessie is okay."

"Hold on," the man said.

"Daddy?"

"Jess, honey. Are you all right?"

"When are you coming to get me?"

"Very soon, love. Very soon. Baby, are you okay? He hasn't hurt you, has he?"

"No. I'm okay, Daddy. Please hurry. I love you, Dad."

"I love you too, sweetie. Be brave."

"That's enough, Malone. I expect to see Lewis here at ten."

"Ten o'clock," Chuck said out loud as he looked at Jordan. A moment later, the line fell silent.

Jordan looked at her watch. "Ten o'clock is only four hours away. We need to get to the lab."

"What are we going to do?" Chuck asked.

"We're going to get him a device."

Jordan turned to go back to her bedroom and ran headlong into Maggie.

"I'm going with you," Maggie said.

"You can come to the lab with us, Maggie, but I'm on my own for the drop-off," Jordan said. "You'll need to wait, out of sight, with Chuck."

"Jordan, I can't let you do that. You're pregnant, for Christ's sake."

Jordan took Maggie by the shoulders. "I know that love. Believe me, I know. I have no intention of putting our child or myself in danger. I'll be careful. I promise. I just need to get in there, give him the device and get Jessie out."

* * *

It was seven thirty before they stepped into the lab.

"Where's Tom?" Jordan called out as she walked through the lab.

"Right here," Tom said as he poked his head out from behind a piece of test equipment.

"Tom, we have a delicate situation on our hands. I know you've been working on prototype packaging for the computer chip. How quickly can you pull something together that might look authentic to a non-computer person?"

"Jordan, what's going on here?" Tom asked, drawing the attention of the rest of the team. Soon all six team members were gathered around waiting for an explanation.

Jordan looked at Chuck who gave his permission for her to speak. "Okay, I'll be honest with you. Chuck has a thirteen year old daughter named Jessie. Jessie has been in a wheelchair for three years after a car accident took away her ability to walk. As you may have guessed, she is our test subject for the human trials on the new device. Yesterday, she was kidnapped and is being held in exchange for the device. We think whoever is behind this is also the one responsible for the hack job on my back a few months ago."

"So, you want me to create a bogus device to give him in exchange for the girl," Tom said.

"That's exactly what we want to do."

"How much time do I have?" Tom asked.

"We meet him in less than three hours in the south end of Burlington."

Tom glanced at the clock on the wall. "I'll do the best I can."

Jordan grabbed Chuck's phone out of his hand and threw it to Jackson. "Hey, Mr. IT expert, I need you to determine the origin of the blocked call in Chuck's cell phone. Don't hesitate to ask Carrie for help if you need to."

"Right away," Jackson said.

Julie stepped forward. "Is Jessie okay?" she asked.

"I talked to her this morning," Chuck said. "She's scared, but we think she's unharmed. So far, anyway."

Julie placed her hand on Chuck's arm and squeezed. "I'm going with you for the exchange," Julie said. "If anything goes wrong, it will be good to have a doctor on hand."

"I agree with Julie," Maggie said.

"Okay, but you'll have to stay out of sight. I won't have anything interfering with getting Jessie back safely."

"I understand."

* * *

At ten sharp, Jordan walked into the lower level of the warehouse and looked around. It was empty.

"Hollinbeck," she called out. "Show yourself."

A man appeared at the top of the stairs leading to a loft. "How did you know it was me?" Hollinbeck asked.

"I've been suspicious of you for a long time. I'm pretty sure you're the one who butchered my back a few months ago."

"I have to admit I was surprised to find the device had already been removed. All of this could have been avoided if it had still been there."

"You're one sick son of a bitch, you know that? What I want to know is who is working with you. That wasn't your voice on the phone yesterday," Jordan said.

"You're right. It wasn't. Did you bring the device?"

"I did."

"Jordan? Jordan is that you," Jessie's voice came from above.

Jordan walked quickly toward the stairs, but stopped short when Hollinbeck pulled a gun out of his coat pocket. "Stop right where you are," he said.

"I need to see her. I need to know she's all right," Jordan insisted.

"Not until you give me the device."

Jordan pulled the device out of her pocket and handed it to Hollinbeck. He turned it over in his hand, a smug look on his face as he inspected the casing and the wires protruding from each end. Jordan's gaze never left Hollinbeck's face.

After a few moments, Hollinbeck stepped aside and allowed Jordan to ascend the stairs. He followed close behind with the gun trained on Jordan. The moment Jordan saw Jessie, she ran to her and fell to her knees in front of her. Jessie threw her arms around Jordan's neck and hugged her fiercely.

"Are you okay?" Jordan asked as she held her close.

"I'm okay. I just want to go home," she said.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible for either of you," Hollinbeck said as he paced back and forth in front of a ceiling to floor window overlooking the yard below.

Jordan stood and faced him. "What the hell does that mean?"

"It's really very simple. I can't allow the girl to go because she can identify me. I can't let you go because I need your expertise to make this device work."

"You made a deal, Hollinbeck."

"No I didn't. You made a deal with Robinson, not me."

"Robinson?"

"Carl Robinson. He's the CEO of the Spine Institute. You see, he's not as smart as he thinks he is. All he cares about is making a fortune with this device. I, on the other hand, care about the medical industry finally realizing how brilliant I am. When I release this device to the world, not only will I be rich, but I'll be famous. Robinson threatened to destroy me if I didn't get this device for him, but I've turned the tables on him."

"Whatever happened to your Hippocratic oath? Whatever happened to 'first, do no harm'?"

"Think about it, Lewis. Think of all the people I can help with this device. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a few to save many. Unfortunately, you and the girl over there will become collateral damage. You, I need to keep around long enough to get this device working. The girl, on the other hand can be eliminated immediately."

Hollinbeck leveled the gun at Jessie.

"You son of a bitch," Jordan said as she lunged forward and grabbed his arm, thrusting it high in the air. The firearm discharged into the ceiling. They wrestled with the gun for a few moments until Jordan managed to lift her foot and place it in the center of Hollinbeck's stomach. She pushed as hard as she could in an attempt to wrench the gun away from him, but only succeeded in sending him backward into the window.

"No!" Jordan screamed as Hollinbeck grabbed her shirt in an attempt to save himself as they both crashed through the glass pane and fell to the ground below.

"Jordan!" Jessie screamed as she wheeled her chair over to the broken window.

* * *

"Jordan!" Maggie threw the car door open and ran across the yard when she heard the gunshot. She was halfway across the parking lot when Jordan and Hollinbeck fell to the ground. Jordan landed on top of him then rolled off onto her back.

"Jordan. Oh, my God, Jordan," Maggie cried as she threw herself on to the ground beside her.

"Maggie, don't move her," Julie yelled as she ran across the yard behind her. "Don't move her, please."

Maggie cried uncontrollably as she rocked herself back and forth. "Jordan, sweetie, please don't die," she cried.

Jordan's eyes opened. "Maggie," she rasped.

By this time, Julie was by her side and kneeling on the ground beside her. "Don't move, Jordan. Chuck called for an ambulance."

"Maggie," Jordan said again as she slipped her hand into Maggie's and squeezed.

"Do as Julie says, love. Please don't move."

"Hollinbeck?" Jordan said.

Julie felt for a pulse on the man lying beside Jordan. "He's gone, Jordan."

"Jessie?"

"Jessie is fine, thanks to you," Chuck said as he carried his daughter out of the building and put her on the ground beside Maggie, then went to kneel at Jordan's head. "Hang in there, my friend. The ambulance will be here in no time."

"Maggie, this is all my fault," Jessie cried.

"No. Stop it. This is his fault," Maggie said, pointing to the dead man.

Jordan squeezed Maggie's hand once more. "Maggie."

"I'm here, love,"

"Maggie, I can't feel my legs."

CHAPTER 42

The EMT's secured Jordan to the back board and carefully lifted her onto the stretcher, then loaded her into the ambulance.

Maggie grabbed Julie's arm before she climbed in behind her. "Julie, Jordan is pregnant. I'm worried about the baby."

Julie's eyes widened. "She's pregnant? Sheesh, Maggie, drop another bomb on me, why don't you." Julie looked at the EMT's. "Go ahead and start the drips."

"Is that safe for her and the baby?"

"It's a Ringers Lactate. It's perfectly safe for both Jordan and the baby. How far along is she?"

"About two months, that is, if she didn't lose it in the fall," Maggie said, her voice breaking with emotion.

Julie took Maggie's hand in hers. "I'll check her out as soon as we get her stabilized. "Are you coming with us?"

"Yes," Maggie said as she climbed into the ambulance behind Julie. She sat on the bench next to the stretcher and took Jordan's hand.

"The baby," Jordan said.

"Don't worry about that right now. I love you, Jordan, no matter what. Always remember that. Just focus on recovering from this mess, okay?"

* * *

Maggie paced back and forth across the emergency room while she waited for Julie to give her an update on Jordan's condition. Chuck arrived about an hour into her wait. He took Maggie into her arms and held her close.

"How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'd be doing a lot better if they'd just tell me how she is," Maggie replied.

"Jessie told me what happened between Jordan and Hollinbeck. Apparently, he planned to kill Jessie and to hold Jordan hostage so she could help him make the device functional. After that was accomplished, he was going to kill her as well."

"That son of a bitch. Good thing for him that he's already dead, because if I ever got my hands on him—"

"Anyway, he pointed the gun at Jessie, but Jordan grabbed his arm and forced it upward. The gunshot we heard was him discharging the weapon while they struggled with it. The next thing Jessie remembered is them falling out the window. She saved Jessie. I don't know how I'll ever repay her."

Maggie took Chuck's face between her palms. "She will not expect repayment, Chuck. She loves Jessie."

"And Jessie loves her. She loves both of you, in fact. We're lucky the two of you came into our lives."

Their attention was suddenly diverted to Julie as she entered the waiting room. Maggie immediately went to her.

Julie took Maggie by the shoulders.

"Okay, here's what I know at this point. She did not lose the baby. It appears Hollinbeck's body absorbed most of the impact. Thank God she was only two months along. She did, however, break her back again."

"Oh, my God," Maggie said as she began to cry.

"Her spinal column has not been severed, but it has been damaged. We have the tangle of electrode wires we left in her spine to thank for that. Without the added strength those wire provided, the damage to her spinal cord would have been much worse. In just the hour or so that she's been here, some of the feelings in her legs has returned, but she is unable to move even her toes. She is being fitted for a body cast right now, to immobilize her spine. Once the swelling has subsided, we'll do more tests to determine how permanent the injuries are."

"Can I see her?" Maggie asked.

"Yes. As soon as her cast is set, she'll be moved to a room. I'll ask the nurses to move a cot into her room for you if you want to stay with her for the next few days. She should be able to go home within a week."

"Yes, please. I'd like that," Maggie said.

Julie turned to Chuck. "How is Jessie?" she asked.

"Jessie is physically okay, but she's feeing pretty guilty about all of this."

"Well, if I know Jordan, she'll set the record straight with Jessie as soon as she's well enough for visitors. How are you holding up?" she asked Chuck.

"I'm okay. Just worried about Jordan."

"Well, I'm here to tell you, she's one lucky lady. We all saw her and Hollinbeck hit the ground with her directly on top of him. Her impact injuries were relatively minor compared to what they would have been if his body hadn't absorbed most of it. She has a tough road ahead of her… I won't sugar coat it, but she's been there before and I have confidence that she'll bounce back quickly."

"Spare no cost in treating her, Julie. I will cover whatever it takes."

Julie nodded. "Okay. I should get back to her." Julie turned to go, then looked back at Chuck. "Could I interest you in dinner once we have Jordan settled in a room?"

Chuck smiled. "That would be nice."

"All right. I'll call your cell phone as soon as she's resting comfortably."

She approached Maggie, who was standing by the window staring out over the city. "Are you ready to see her?"

"Yes, please," Maggie said as she followed Julie out of the waiting room.

Maggie sat by Jordan's bedside holding her hand. "You scared the shit out of me, Jordan," she said.

"Julie said the baby is okay," Jordan replied.

"Yes. Apparently, Hollinbeck absorbed most of the impact for both of you. Thank God you fell directly on top of him," Maggie said.

"She also said I've injured my spine again."

Maggie lifted her hand and brought it to her lips. She kissed the knuckles and closed her eyes in an attempt to hold back her tears.

Jordan squeezed her hand. "I'm sorry to put you through this, Mags."

"I'm just glad you're going to be okay."

"I'll most likely be confined to a wheelchair again."

"For a while, anyway," Maggie said. "Jordan, you have technology on your side. The wheelchair will only be temporary."

"Yes, but it will be several months before I'm healed enough to accept a new implant, and besides, Jessie goes first."

"What about re-implanting the old device back into you? Julie said the injury was in the same location as the last one."

"That's a good idea, love, but we can't do that until we're sure the new implant works. The old one may need additional reverse engineering if we run into unexpected issues. We won't be able to do that if it's back inside my body. Once the new device is operational and Jessie is on her feet, I'll feel comfortable doing that."

"I understand. We need to find a gynecologist who has experience with paraplegic pregnancies since you'll be in a wheelchair until after the baby is born."

* * *

Seven months later…

Jordan wheeled her chair through the lab and stopped at the table on which testing was being carried out on two rats with prototypes of the new device implanted over complete SCI's. She smiled as she watched them wobble across the table with halting, jerky movements.

"Why are their movements so irregular?" Jason asked. "It's almost as though something is interrupting the flow of electricity to the implant."

"Well, both rats are having the same issue, so I would guess the problem lies in the device, not in the rats," Wendell said.

"I know what the problem is," Jordan said.

"Please enlighten us," Jason said.

"Before I elaborate, set up a camera and record their movements for the next twenty minutes or so. We'll need a baseline for comparison after the issue is fixed."

"Okay, Jord, spill it. What's causing this?" Jackson said.

"Significant digits," Jordan said.

"Significant digits?" Carrie repeated.

"Yes. The problem is in your algorithm. As you know, the algorithm supplies current alternately to each side of the injury. I'm willing to bet the code that controls the timing for current delivery has a different number of decimal points on one side of the injury compared to the other. The unequal number of significant digits is causing a slight pause between impulses, causing the jerky movements."

Carrie immediately called up the algorithm and searched through each line of code. "Well, I'll be damned. She's right. Look, four significant digits on the electrodes implanted on one side of the injury and five on the other. Let me fix that right now." Carrie typed a few changes into the code and saved the algorithm. "Okay. I'm ready to load it into the device as soon as we have enough baseline video."

Moments later, the new algorithm was loaded and the rats were once again released on one end of the table and enticed to make their way across the length of the field by food staged at the opposite end. Both rats exited the gate and walked toward the food with steady, event gaits.

"Whoa! That's awesome," Jackson said. "How did you know?"

"Like I said, I've seen it before. The same thing happened when we were testing the original device."

"Well, you just saved us a shit-load of time debugging the problem. Now all that's left is the battery pack. The last thing we need to do is figure out how to teach the body to kinetically charge it," Jackson said.

"You leave that to me," Jason said. "I have some ideas that take advantage of synapse activity and the energy produced during that process. I should be ready to test it in about two weeks."

"That's good news, Jason," Jordan said. "I knew I had faith in this team for a reason. I… ah. What the hell was that?" Jordan said as she grasped the side of her bulging abdomen.

"Is the baby coming?" Carrie asked.

Jackson and Jason immediately backed up several feet.

"Not on my watch," Jackson said. "To quote Gone With The Wind… I don't know nothing about birthing no babies."

"I'm with him," Jason said.

"Ahhhh," Jordan said again. "Okay, something is definitely happening here."

"Where's Julie when you need her?" Tom said.

"Oh for crying out loud," Wendell said. "She's in labor. It's not contagious, you know. Tom, call Maggie. Carrie, please call an ambulance. Jordan, take deep, even breaths. This is your first baby, so it will probably take a while."

"Do you have experience in this kind of thing, Wendell?" Jordan asked.

"I spent twenty-five years as an ER doc, what do you think?" Wendell replied.