Page 19 of Reclaiming Chaos
The medics went to push the gurney away, and the nurse stopped Carlee from following. “You’ll have to wait here.”
“I’ve got to go with her.”
“And you are?”
“Her sister, please,” Carlee said.
“Family can wait in the OR waiting room.”
She shook her head. “I need to be with her. I need to—”
“I’m afraid that’s not possible, sugar,” the nurse said, leading her behind the gurney. “We’ll get you when the operation is over and she’s put in a room.”
The elevator was about to close when the medic stopped it with his hand. He leaned into the doctor and whispered, and Melony flashed her badge. They both turned their gazes on Carlee.
“Are you serious?” the doctor asked.
“Bloodbath and he was adamant. She’s not to leave the federal agent’s side,” the medic announced.
After a short pause, the doctor agreed. “Let her on. She’s coming with us.”
“Thank you.” Carlee’s heart raced as the doors slid shut. She glanced at her watch. The FDG agents had two hours before the next attempt. Two hours to get into town from wherever the hell their office was located.
The medical staff steered the gurney straight into the operating room. The doctor escorted Carlee into a viewing room that looked down on everything going on. “This is as close as I can keep you. You’ll be safe here, and when it’s over, you can go with her.”
“Thank you.” Carlee paced the viewing room. She didn’t want to watch what they were doing. She didn’t have the stomach for it, so she kept her gaze trained on the door below to watch everyone coming and going from the room.
Time sped by in a blur, and every few minutes, she checked the clock, counting down and hoping Melony made it out of surgery before the next attempt.
An hour had gone by when the door opened both in the ER and in the viewing room. A redheaded woman stepped inside with a gun in her hand wearing tactical gear.
Carlee slowly backed away.
She held up her hands to stay Carlee’s retreat. “Bennett Boy.”
“Are they with you?” Carlee asked, pointing to the other two women who’d entered the operating room below.
“Yes, they’re with us. His partner is safe, and so are you. I’m Gwen Bennett, FDG. Ridge’s cousin.”
Relief swarmed through Carlee’s system, and her legs almost gave out. “Thank God. There’s going to be another attempt on his partner’s life in…” Carlee glanced at her watch. “Five minutes.”
Gwen pressed something in her ear and spoke into a transponder attached to her shirt. “ETA five minutes. Stay sharp.”
Gwen gestured toward the door.
“I can’t leave until I’m sure she survives,” Carlee said.
Gwen lowered her hand and pulled out a gun. “Do you know how to shoot?”
Carlee nodded. “I’ve seen it on television.”
“Great.” She sighed. “Aim and pull the trigger.” They waited, and Gwen whispered words of warning into the transponder attached to her shirt. The new girls in the room moved to different areas. One whispered into the doctor’s ear. He glanced over his shoulder and up into the room. His eyes widened as if he now understood Carlee had been telling the truth.
He worked faster and harder, and when the door opened, two men in scrubs walked in, eyeing everyone in the room. One produced a weapon from beneath his fake uniform.
The doctor presiding over the surgery dropped his body over Melony’s protecting her from the new threat.
Two shots rang out, one at each guy. The new arrivals both dropped to the ground. The agents from FDG pulled the bodies away from the door and handcuffed them to a piece of equipment. Their weapons were confiscated before one of the agents nodded to a nurse, who moved in quickly to stop the bleeding on the handcuffed men.
Both women kept vigil, staring at the door with their weapons drawn as if waiting to see who might show up next.
