Freedom Day

Chapter 13 - "The Last Straw"

Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC), Fort Sam Houston, Texas
Containment Ward

12 hours after the Redmond Siege

...

It was the dead of night. The faint stench of chemicals was still strong, even from the hallway. Antiseptics, bleach, iodoform... hospitals smelled the same everywhere. Best to get away from it, lest one's dinner ended up somewhere it shouldn't. There was one spot in the Ward that had the faintest stench: a plain wall with no bench in sight. It was the next best place to make a call, far from home.

Diane Hollinger was probably still in bed, dreaming. Still, it wouldn't hurt rousing her.

*ringing noise*

"Hey D."

"...E-Ethan?", the cellphone replied with a woman's voice. "Why are you... Shit, it's three in the morning."

She sounded quite groggy. But for once, Ethan didn't care about her beauty sleep, no matter how selfish that notion sounded.

"I know, I know... Sorry, I just..."

"You sound tired. W-What happened?"

He wanted to ask her if she heard about what happened in Redmond. But in the last minute, he pulled back from the thought. He couldn't tell her that he was involved in that mess. Let alone that he was 'working again', the prime source of the rift between them. Truth be told he just wanted to hear a familiar voice, after everything that happened today. He prayed that his ex-wife would indulge him, even for a few minutes.

"Nah, it's... it's nothing.", Ethan continued. "Are you and Jenny doing okay?"

"*yawn* Yeah. She got an A+ from her science teacher the other day. 'Perpetual motion machine'... Looks like she's gonna be at the science fair in Massapequa next month..."

"Heh. That's my girl."

"Why are you calling, Ethan?"

He leaned his head into the wall, frustrated tears forming in his eyes. He tried his best to keep himself together. So much had gone wrong today. He feared that this chat would end the same way.

"Is it bad if I want to hear your voice, D?"

"God, you can do that tomorrow before the flight."

"Flight? What flight?"

The woman stammered.

"Oh... Jen didn't tell you? We're going to Honolulu for a week. *yawn* I finally got that time off I've been asking my boss."

A little relief. There were at least two people in his life who had been doing well.

"Lucky you. *sigh* I'd like to be there with you if... if only..."

His eyes started to redden, but he continued fighting them back. He wanted to reach into the phone so he could hug her. Alas, that would never come to pass, even if reality was to be defied. They were only friends - had been, since he and Diane came into a mutual understanding. Death was his life and his business, and there was no power on Earth that could change that. It was best for him to stay away, especially for Jenny's sake.

He wanted to punch the wall. Didn't matter how much it would hurt.

"Ethan?"

"I'm here..."

"Now's really not the best time for this."

"I know. I'll call you tomorrow."

*click*