Perseverance (The Resident FF) by Frances51163

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: Mission Success

The following day passed slowly for Conrad. Although he knew his friends would do their best he worried in case something unforeseen came up. After receiving a call from Eric confirming they were about to put the plan in motion Conrad retreated to a recent place he found solitude, the roof. Looking over the dull skyline he chided himself for being worried. His two friends were well able to look after themselves and it wasn't like there would be any weapons involved. Elbows leaning on the wall Conrad looked down and wondered yet again how his friend must have felt as he jumped. He knew he stood more or less in the same spot where Andy had stood before taking the fatal plunge. Knew because the area where he landed was directly down below. Of course there was no physical trace remaining of the bloody collision of flesh and concrete. Power hoses were good for more than washing cars. As so often happened up here the third year Resident felt guilt for not preventing the tragedy. If he had paid more attention things might have turned out differently. Of all the questions given birth by the suicide one of the most serious ones which vexed him was why had he chosen Chastain Park? Andy was definitely surprised to meet Conrad there so his presence was not connected to his chosen place. Upon checking Conrad had learnt that his friend did not in fact have a meeting arranged with the CEO on the fateful night. It transpired however that he had visited the hospital a week before as he was observed by CCTV entering and leaving. Security footage had shown him take an elevator up to the fifth floor. The police assumed that he checked out the roof on that occasion although the stairwell was not for public use. Sighing Conrad checked his watch willing his mobile to ring. A voice behind him startled him and he cursed to himself before turning around.

"You're a difficult man to track down," Mike commented.
"Not really."
"You come up here a lot?"
"Mike it's quiet up here. Don't read too much into it," Conrad chided as he went to head for the door.
"So you came up here, even before your friends' death?" the Psychiatrist put out a hand to stop his friend.
"No but that doesn't mean anything," Conrad pointed out rubbing his forehead, "what brings you up here?"
"Wanted to see how you were doing?"
"Well as you can see I'm fine," the Resident scoffed and pulled his arm out of the grip on it, "got work to do."
"Conrad if you ever feel like talking you know I am always free, any time. Day or night."
"Thanks but I'm good."
"Well that's great then," Mike grinned broadly as he walked beside his young friend, "we'll see you around seven."
"What?!" Conrad stopped as he pulled open the door.
"You didn't forget did you," Mike frowned innocently, "you promised Jane you would come to dinner?"
"When did I do that?"
"When she visited you the night you collapsed."
"She didn't visit."
"We called in after a night out. Ask Devon. He was there."
"I don't remember," Conrad looked at the other man trying to gauge if this was just a ploy to get him talking, "sorry but I have plans made for tonight."
"Oh dear," Mike sighed in regret opting to pile on guilt, "Jane was so looking forward to catching up. We haven't seen you properly in a couple of months she was really looking forward to it. She has a chicken ready for roasting."
"But ...,"
"It's okay I'll ring her and say you're going to be tied up at work."
"Okay, okay," Conrad shook his head in resignation as he led the way downstairs, "but I won't stay for long."
"You sure?"
"Yes," Conrad nodded as they reached the fifth floor corridor, "can't believe I forgot."
"Well you weren't well at the time. I better go. Promised Jane I'd pick up some groceries on the way home so I'm heading off early. Talk later."
"Yeah sure," Conrad forced some enthusiasm into his voice, he really was not in the mood for company.

Mike watched the younger man walk away looking bothered as he dialled home. Time to inform Jane they were having a guest for dinner then he would have to get groceries, including a chicken. If this was the only way to spend some time with his friend then so be it. He was determined to be there for the young man who had helped his wife selflessly.

Getting beeped to attend Emergency two hours later Conrad frowned when he was led by Irving into a cubicle where two well built tall men were waiting. Neither looked hurt and he was about to ask about where the patient he was called down to see was when the man nearest started laughing and Irving left with a smile.

"You did tell us not to look like ourselves," Eric grinned at his friends' expression as he ran a hand down long black hair.
"We even changed eye colours," Danny pointed to his blue contact lenses, shielding his dark brown eyes.
"Is that a wig?" Conrad asked as he pulled at Dannys' new blonde curls.
"Hell no!" Danny yelped.
"You dyed your hair?!"
"Figured you only live once and Eric is always telling me blondes have more fun."
"Thought that was only women."
"Hey I should know since I'm a blonde," Eric protested pushing the black hair back.
"I'll ask your wife what she thinks next time we talk," Conrad grinned cheekily.
"Now no need to be causing trouble," Eric feigned hurt.
"Anyway it will wash out," Danny explained.

"So it went okay?" Conrad asked although he already knew the answer as his friends wouldn't be engaged in banter if something had gone wrong.
"Like clockwork."
"He believe you?" Conrad looked at Eric.
"I can be quite convincing like I said. In fact I may have been a bit too convincing," Eric winced.
"You didn't hurt him did you?"
"No nothing like that," Danny quickly interrupted, "Sessions believed him so much that he had an accident."
"He tripped?" Conrads' puzzlement was obvious.
"No," Eric rolled his eyes, "he wet himself."
"Good," Conrad stated without remorse but then something struck him, "what if he comes back here and sees ye?"
"Don't worry I told him to leave the city by the end of the week or else and he assured me he would be out of Atlanta in a couple of days. He had no trouble walking away without talking to the girl. Just headed for the exit as fast as he could and left the dog behind."
"Eric gave the dog back to her and told her Sessions had been called away on urgent business. She was going to phone him but Eric said he would be in touch next week."
"We followed him to the house and he's already moving storage boxes from the garage."
"That seems awful fast," the Resident looked at his friends doubtfully.
"That's what we were thinking too until his wife turned up," Danny agreed.
"Tell me."
"We could hear her from where we were parked yelling at him. She was not a happy person. Don't know what he told her to get her to go home but she wasn't surprised to see the boxes."
"It's too fast," Conrad didn't like this, "what were they doing when ye left."
"Both of them were packing."
"Maybe you should ring your PI friend," Danny suggested, "maybe he has some information that might explain things."
"Yeah," the tired Resident nodded deciding not to say anything to Pedro and Alonzo until he knew for sure everything was going to be okay.

tbc