Touched by a Phoenix (55 page)

Chris yelled, “Seal the canister, I’ll alert the hospital.”

Chris shoved Brad in the SUV and hopped in the driver’s seat, throwing it into gear. He sped down South Van Dorn heading back to I-495.

Chris tossed Brad the phone, “We have a direct line set-up to the hospital. Put the phone on speaker.”

“Inbound with antidote, ETA 7 minutes,” Chris, barked.

“Affirmative, we’re ready,” Matt, responded.

Chris called out to the other drivers, “Are you in position? We’re coming through!”

Voices checked in one after the other, “V1 in place, V2 in place…,” the same response came from five more numbers.

It didn’t take but a split second for Brad to realize what the ‘V’ meant—vehicles in succession converging on the road all around them as they sped by. My God, how many vehicles did John put in place?

“Matt, John’s down—gas,” Chris explained.

“What kind of gas?” Matt’s voice was laced with concern.

“Not sure. I administered the Antidote Treatment Nerve Agent Auto-Injector. We’ve sealed the canister and it’s in the vehicle with him.”

“Is he breathing?”

“Yeah, they’re about 2 minutes behind us.”

“Matt…it’s Brad. What’s Alexis’s temperature?”

“106.7˚,” came the grim reply.

The tires screamed as Chris slammed the breaks to the floor bringing the SUV to a halt, skidding across the asphalt as they approached the hospital entrance.

Navy Seals in full combat uniform guarded the main entrance to the hospital. As they ran through the doors, Brad realized they were fully armed and ready to take out a potential intruder. The same sight met them at the elevator; the doors were open and awaiting their arrival. A direct shot to the tenth floor—no stops.

John had done all he could do to get them to the hospital in time.
God, please…let it be enough
as he and Chris rushed to the elevator.

Brad pushed his way through the elevator door as it began opening on the tenth floor. Chris was right on his heels as they raced through the hallway.

“Take a right,” he heard Chris say.

Brad moved so fast that his feet slid out from under him and he went down on one knee rounding the corner. He could see men guarding the door…almost there.

They burst through the door—he couldn’t see her. My God, how many doctors did she need?

He shoved his way through the hospital staff and shoved the antidote into the doctor’s hand. “In the neck as close as you can get to her brain.”

“Roll her over,” the doctor instructed as he inspected the vial filled with the antidote serum.

The constant beep drew Brad’s attention to the monitors….

106.8˚.

His mind raced to the video—how far had the man’s temperature climbed before the antidote began to work? Two—maybe three-tenths of a degree…had he cut it too close? Would they be able to save her? He looked at the monitor…could they stop it in time?

The haunting sound of the
swoosh
startled him. He held his breath—sweat ran down his face. He heard the constant beep…beep…beep. Her temperature wasn’t changing.

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
…the line went flat.

The room immediately sprang into chaos. The blue light above her bed began to flash with a loud alarm sounding Code Blue, Code Blue.

Gasps rang out from somewhere behind him. He assumed either Phillip or Catherine…or both that made the sound, but didn’t turn to see. He couldn’t take his eyes off the woman he loved.

An exhausted groan poured out from deep in his throat—this couldn’t be happening. Alexis was supposed to be his wife. He couldn’t lose her now.

Her cheeks were so flushed, a high pink—almost red. How could she be dying? Wasn’t death stark and cold? She was his life…she had saved him from a life of self-inflicted solitude. With every ragged breath he drew, he felt sick. He wanted her back—he needed her.

The memories sprang to life. Flashes of their life…of Alexis. Those wolf-like eyes, running her hand across his car, the look in her eyes when he caught her checking him out at the pool. Then their first kiss, oh my God…she stole his breath and his heart with that one single kiss. God how his heart had hurt when she shared the pain of the rape with him. Every sweet, loving, fiery look.

The crash cart burst through the door. Someone pushed him out of the way. He couldn’t take his eyes off the monitor. Disbelief filled him—he had failed…failed her.

He shook like a leaf in a rainstorm being battered by torrential downpours. She shivered in his arms from the cold rain; her sweet laughter rang in his ears.

Please do not take her
, he begged.

There was nothing more beautiful than her smile. Then…she touched him…with her sweet caresses. She loved him senseless. Nothing gave him greater pleasure than holding her in his arms…tasting her sweet, giving lips. His fire was being snuffed out—cold emptiness filled his chest…she was leaving him.

Fog surrounded him as his heart began to cry tears of blood—thick and murky in his chest as he heaved for air. If this was what life would be like without her…he did not want to go on. He had known all along that he could never live without her. He had loved her before love had a name—every complex little part of her. He had given her all he was, every piece…even the broken ones and she had made him whole again.

Take me instead
, he pleaded.

The sound of the defibrillator charging rattled him back into the moment. He watched in horror as they tried a second time. Nothing…no change…no sound except for the steady
beeeeeeeeeeeeeeep
.

The doctor bowed his head as his hands fell to his sides.

“She’s gone. Time of death—10:08 PM.”

“No!” he cried.

He shoved people out of the way as he pushed his way through the doctor’s surrounding her. He smothered her with kisses and anointed her face with tears.

Total devastation hit him full force. Agony. Torment. Suffering beyond compare—bottomless despair…an insurmountable hopelessness that knew no bounds overwhelmed him as he watched his life slip away.

Her skin was so hot it seared his lips as he whispered to her, “Don’t leave me…you are my only hope of happiness…of love…I can’t live without you.” Darkness filled his soul.

A mournful, anguished cry—his soul calling to hers—began in his chest and rose to his lips. The prolonged doleful cry of the phoenix echoed throughout the room. The haunting sound ripped through the hospital corridor, leaving no one untouched as tears welled for his loss.

The most important part of him died and was taking him with her. His lips touched hers. He whispered, “I love you…please stay with me,” kissing her lips.

She sucked in his breath, with a great gasp that brought her entire upper body off the bed. He felt her shallow breath on his lips. “Oh my God…Alexis…hang on, darling.”

Through the fog, he heard a slow, erratic
beep…beep
as he was being pushed away from her.

“Get them out!” one of the doctors screamed.

Several people were pushing him backwards…towards the door, as his tears continued to fall.

Then the door shut—his world went dark.

Every muscle in his body went rigid, like a vice—his jaw locked, eyes veiled into narrow slits. Brad made no effort to hide the rage bubbling within him. His head snapped around with a violent twist. His eyes filled with a dark, murderous depth to them as a low-pitched rumbling growled emitted from his throat.

“Where’s my laptop?”

“Here,” as John raised his left hand.

Brad turned to see John supported by two of his men. In his hand—he held death.

“I’ve got a private room set-up, let’s go,” John was ready.

“You’ve done enough, John. You need to see the doctor. I have business to take care of.”

“The hell you will,” he grabbed his chest as the wheezing cough violently racked his chest.

When he regained his breath, he continued, “After what we’ve just been through, you don’t think I would miss this, do you?”

Brad looked at John critically for a moment, he looked like death warmed over, and he had seen too much of that tonight. He should be receiving treatment, not helping him.

“I know what you’re thinking. I’ll see the doctor after we’re finished,” John promised.

Brad wrapped an arm around John, “Where to?”

“South side of the building—last door on the left.”

Reaching the room, Brad pulled a chair for John and helped him sit. With one swipe, he cleared the table with his arm.

Memories of another time when he had cleared flowers the same way rushed in…filling his soul with hope. A rueful smile crossed his face.

He sat his laptop up and pulled the controls out. “Is the tarmac clear?”

John tapped his earpiece, “Jim, is the coast clear?”

John gave Brad an affirmative nod.

“Open the hanger door.”

Brad pulled out his earpiece and replaced it with a headset.

“Rescue One, can you hear me?”

“Yes, Brad.”

“It’s time to fly,” as he initiated thrusters bringing her engines roaring to life.

“What is the mission, Brad?”

Venom dripped from his voice like a wild beast stalking its prey, “Seek and destroy.”

John’s eyes fixated on Brad. In all his years, he thought he had seen everything—but Brad and Alexis amazed him. Both would have made great agents. When it came down to it, nothing would stop them from their mission. He thought he had seen every side of Brad over the last thirty some hours, but this—this was new. It seems that Stephen had underestimated Brad…for that matter, they all had.

He shifted his eyes to the computer screen when Rescue One’s engines roared to life. The screen displayed everything within Rescue One’s line of sight.

Brad moved the joystick backwards as a pilot would a throttle and she began to creep forward slowly under Brad’s expert hand. He guided her through the hanger—through the open doors, and towards the tarmac.

“Engage engines,” Brad barked.

In a split second…small blue flames shot from her engines and she took off like a bat out of hell. Rescue One thundered across the tarmac and straight up into the night sky as if she were a mini fighter jet.

As soon as they escaped security’s line of fire…Brad leveled her off.

“Rescue One, shall we test the new power source.”

“Yes Brad.”

“Full throttle.”

Within seconds she sped through the air gaining speed with every second that passed—400, 450, 500mph…and climbing.

John’s face went slack, his jaw dropped an inch or two. He sat frozen…staring wide-eyed at the screen.

“Brad, exactly how fast will she go?”

“Rescue One, why don’t we show John just what you can do?”

“Of course Brad.”

John was surprised, Rescue One held a hint of amusement in her voice. Like she was pleased at the request.

“Engage afterburners.”

At Brad’s command, it appeared as though Rescue One ducked her head and tucked her wings before engaging. Her speed continued to climb until suddenly; she exploded with power and a thunderous sound rattled the building as she blew past.

“Brad, I have achieved Mach 1,” came her calm, satisfied voice.

“Perfect. Now let’s hunt them down.”

John jumped out of the chair and let out a whoop of excitement.

“She’s better than a fighter jet,” he exclaimed. He would bet money that she would outmaneuver a jet in a heartbeat.

“Rescue One, do you have a location?”

“Yes, the truck carrying ACE just crossed the river. They are on I-495 heading towards I-95 south.”

“How far from the hospital?”

“9.8 miles.”

“Let’s go get ’em, girl,” Brad smiled, as they stormed through the sky like a rocket.

John’s eyes were glued to the computer screen as he warned, “Brad, won’t radar pick her up?”

Brad maintained tight control, as he answered, “Not at her altitude.”

Threatening silence crept into the room. A sound so loud it bore down on his chest as if it were about to suffocate him. The air filled with rage so thick and deep…he could taste blood on his tongue.

“Brad, I have a visual on the truck.”

“Where?”