Peril (32 page)

Tyler gently nudged Lee away and took a step closer to Nathan, the look on his face one of quiet contrition.

“Send me in. I'll willingly go. I'll sign whatever waiver you need me to sign. I know two of these men. I can try to help talk some reason into Scott.”

Nathan shook his head. “No, absolutely not.”

He wasn't about to give them another hostage. Another positional murder victim.

Lee placed his hands on his hips. “It may not be a bad idea,” he said.

Nathan reeled his head back. “Is this not against every SWAT directive known to man? We are not going to give them more hostages!”

Lee pulled Nathan to the side. “I'm not saying we do it for free. Let's get something out of it. Have them release the children.”

“How are we going to do that? Some of them are on ventilators. We would need additional medical personnel up there to help get them down to the ER. Do we even have enough beds left in the ER?”

“Okay, how about those children who can be moved? I think only four are on ventilators. Get the mother out of there. Maybe the nurses.”

“Can Morgan and Tyler care for those remaining four kids? That puts them in a very tight spot. Will they have enough hands for an emergency? I'm not going to short them that.”

“Okay, the children who can be moved. The parent. And the soldier who dropped from whatever happened.”

Nathan shook his head again. “Tyler's not an unbiased participant. That complicates the situation exponentially. It's his wife in there. You don't think he's going to function mostly on her behalf?”

“What's the problem with that?” Lee asked.

“It adds another unknown. What do we expect him to do when the gun is to her head? He's going to act rationally? The actuality of gunfire set him on edge.”

“That's because he didn't know if she was safe. Adams knows these guys and their issues. He's a doc who can also help care for the patients. For me, the benefits outweigh the risks.”

Nathan approached Tyler, who had taken a seat back at the conference table. “Dr. Adams, if I send you in there, you have to do as we say and not act like some maverick trying to rescue everyone. Help care for the children. But mostly, try to talk some sense into this Scott Clarke character.”

“I will.”

“Don't try to physically disarm him. Try to get him to give up his weapons voluntarily.”

“Got it.”

“Absolutely no heroics. That's what I've got these guys for.”

“Right.”

Something about his ready answers made Nathan more uneasy.

Lee's head tilted toward his earpiece. “Nathan, it is confirmed. Just smoke at the entrance of the unit. Found the canister. They're going to start venting the hall.”

Finally, something favorable.

“Lee, we need to start a rotation,” he said. “I want eyes on that door and the back stairwell. Every thirty minutes, trade out bodies. I want the men at their sharpest. Let's get a few small cameras for Tyler here to set up on the unit for us.”

Nathan placed the call to the PICU. It rang and rang, unanswered.

Someone pick up this phone!

Finally, a click and then the audible heave of someone's rapid breathing on the other side.

“Morgan?”

“She's busy. Did you reach the great and powerful Dr. Reeves?”

“Scott.” Nathan inhaled to calm the adrenaline that thickened the muscles in his throat. “I'd like to work a compromise with you. Dr. Reeves is having some difficulty getting to the scene, but I have one of his colleagues here, Dr. Adams.”

Nathan waited. The man's breathing paused. Nathan hoped it was in positive contemplation of this proposal.

“Tyler is here?”

“Yes, and he'd like to come in and offer a hand. Talk with you about some of the things that are going on. See if he can offer some answers. Have a one-on-one conversation.”

Nathan watched the seconds pass on his watch.

Come on, work with me on this one.

“Fine. Send him in.”

“Scott, that's great. Thanks for being willing to let him come in and help. But as an act of good faith, I need you to do something for me in return. Can you put Morgan on the line? Put me on speaker?”

There was static on the other side as a hasty hand was placed over the receiver. Nathan heard muffled yelling. He took a chair at the table and prayed silently.

Lord, you know Colorado cannot take another incident like this. I need to bring everyone out alive. Show me that you are there. Show me that you can help. I can't do this again on my own. They're just children. Very sick children.

“I'm here, Nathan.”

Hearing Morgan's voice brought a wave of relief washing over Nathan.

“Morgan,” he said. “It's good to hear your voice. Listen, Scott has agreed to allow Dr. Adams to come in and help—”

“No, you can't do that!”

What?
The protest came from Morgan. Nathan started to fume.
Why is the hostage not helping me?
“Our goal is to resolve this peacefully. This will be a step in the right direction.”

“I'm asking you not to do this. Don't allow Tyler to come in here. I can handle things on my own.”

What is going on here?

“Morgan, Scott has agreed to this. In return, I'm asking him to release the children who aren't ventilated, the parent, and any extra nursing staff you can do without.” He glanced back at Tyler. Lee seemed to be briefing him as he fitted him in a flak vest.

A hard smack echoed through the phone line. A faint whimper. Then Scott's voice. “I decide what happens in this unit.”

Had Scott hit Morgan?

“Okay, Scott,” Nathan said. “What's your decision?”

“Tyler comes in. Then we'll release everyone who can walk or be carried out.”

Nathan's gut churned. He'd just allowed someone to become a hostage. Something he never imagined doing. “It looks like you have yourself a physician.”

Chapter 36

1400, Saturday, August 11

M
ORGAN HAD TO PHYSICALLY
pull Lisa up off her chair to get her near the door.

She scratched at her, spittle hitting her face as she screamed. “How could you do this? I'm not leaving Seth. I'm not leaving my son.”

Morgan let go of her arms, and Lisa backpedaled and fell onto her butt, sliding a few inches back on the tile. Her mouth gaped. Morgan sighed, and scanned the unit.

Drew was at the door near Jose. He'd been forced to intubate him and now he was pinned there trying to keep one of their hostage takers alive. Scott paced at the center of the unit. Trudy, Izabel, and Lucy were vying to be let out, but Morgan couldn't let everybody go and still care for the remaining ventilated patients adequately enough. She didn't know how long the situation would last, and if she didn't provide at least basic nursing care, the patients would suffer complications.

Dylan worked at the door, removing the IV bag bombs to allow traffic through them again. Drew was pointing to his patient and the transport gurney he'd brought Scarlett in on. Scott stomped his direction and scooped down to pick up his friend's limp body. Drew motioned for Dylan to give Jose breaths so he could grab the transport monitor.

Why in the world did Tyler agree to this?

In her heart, she knew it was to save her. He still worried she'd be reckless with her own life.

Maybe he's right
.
A hostage taker's bullet is an easy out. More sympathetic than straight-up suicide.

Scott eased Jose onto the transport pram. Perhaps they weren't on opposite ends of the spectrum after all. What had caused the death of his infant son? Something niggled in her mind. She needed to figure out exactly what had happened.

Morgan took a knee to the floor, and forced her mind to focus on the tantrum happening in front of her. She took a breath quick in her chest, felt the fire of adrenaline funneling her thoughts. She spoke in a low, determined voice. “Lisa, do you realize what's going on here? I need you to cooperate with me.”

“I don't trust you.”

“I know.”

“I don't trust you to take care of Seth.”

Morgan dropped down to both knees. “I know you don't. And I know if I said I would take care of him just like I took care of Teagan, that wouldn't help any.”

“It won't. You don't remember it, do you?”

“What, Lisa? What is it that you want me to remember? Why is it that you keep punishing me for Teagan's death?”

Lisa slapped at her chest. “Because you knew! In your heart you really knew what was happening to Teagan. You didn't listen to yourself. You didn't listen to what your own experience was telling you.”

Morgan's face paled and she slumped all the way to the floor. “What are you talking about?”

“Weeks before that day, you came to me concerned about some bruising on her face. You said a baby that young should never have bruising there.”

“But there was a plausible explanation.”

“As much as you talk about denial, you're living it every day. You wiped it from your own memory because your pride won't allow you to believe that it was really your inaction that took Teagan's life!”

“I do blame myself!”

“Guilt is not the same as confession. Think about that. And now you want me to leave my baby in your hands? I just watched another infant die because you couldn't save her.”

Morgan buried her head under her arms. Nothing made sense anymore. Was her confidence in her ability really arrogance that blinded her to the truth? She wasn't a good nurse. She'd ultimately failed her own daughter by not acting on what her gut had told her. She was failing as a wife and her marriage was ending. Lisa had every right to distrust her. In the end, she'd fail Seth, too.

Likely, everything she'd ever known was going to be gone. She'd lose
her license for operating outside her scope of practice. She'd be fired for the same. Tyler would leave her and she'd deserve it for pushing him away. Then she could do as she planned. Leave this vile, dreaded earth and find the place where Teagan had gone.

Would it be so wrong to hasten all this to its conclusion? She gathered herself up off the floor and stared at her sister-in-law.

“Lisa, you are leaving. I need you to carry Bree.” She looked to the rest of her staff. “I need one nurse to stay and help me care for the patients. Tyler will help when he's here. We'll have three patients too unstable to move safely. Who will stay with me?”

“I'll stay,” Drew volunteered. “I know I'm not a nurse, but I'll record vital signs and do the vents. You can worry about care and medications.”

Three critically ill patients. Typically, two per nurse was the maximum limit. But if no one else volunteered, how could she expect any of them to stay and possibly die?

“Thank you, Drew. Is the door clear?”

Dylan nodded and eased the door open a hair. “Looks like they're ready. I can see a man in scrubs out there.”

The phone rang. Scott nodded his permission for Morgan to answer.

Nathan's calm voice in her ear. “Morgan?”

“I'm here.”

“What's the plan?”

“The nurses are leaving. Drew and I are staying. There are three patients that can't be easily moved. Plus, the parent is leaving.”

“Okay, that's great. You ready for this?”

“Yes.”

“Everyone who leaves will need to have hands raised up unless they are carrying a patient.”

“Got it.”

“Let's get them lined up. Nurses, patients, and parent out first.”

“Okay.”

“Then we'll put Tyler in.”

Morgan hung up the phone and grabbed Lisa, pulling her to Bree's crib. She unplugged the IV pumps and wrapped the cords around the pole. Reaching down, she lifted the small toddler in her arms, positioning her in the crook of one arm, and grabbed the IV pole with her free hand. “You'll have to hold her like this. She can't go without the pump.”

Lisa reached for the girl. At first, Bree snaked her arms around Morgan's neck, and it immediately brought thoughts of how it would have felt to have Teagan do the same. Morgan hugged tightly.

“Sweet girl,” she said, “this is Lisa. She's a super-nice lady.” Morgan eased the child back. “She's going to take you to your mommy, who I know is very worried about you.”

Lisa grabbed the girl, and Bree latched herself to her in the same fashion. Lisa took hold of the pump. “Morgan . . .”

“It's all right. I'll take care of Seth. I swear it. I'll give up my life for his if I have to.”