Blood on the Wall

Chapter 1

Yeah?"

„Hey Mac! Watcha doin' bud?" Jacks cheerful voice sounded through the phone.

Sleepily Mac blinked until the numbers on his alarm clock came into focus. „Jack, it's three in the morning. What do you think I'm doing?" He asked annoyed.

„A bit on the grumpy side, hoss? Jus' wanna make sure, you're ok Mac," came the answer in a thick Texas drawl.

„You wake me up in the middle of the night to ask me, if I'm ok?" Mac asked suspiciously.

„Can't I check on my partner ... ow ... will you be careful ... wait a moment Mac ...." Jack had put his hand over the speaker, but Mac was able to understand bits and pieces of the conversation Jack had with somebody else. „... put away ... syringe ... stitch ... no IV ... get done ... home ... clean .... blood..."

The words he could hear made Macs blood run cold.

„So bro, I'm back. Where were we? Ah yes, just wanted to make sure you ok buddy? But as it seems nothings wrong at your house, have a good night, Mac. See you tomorrow at Phoenix."

„Jack! What the hell is going on? And I don't want to hear nothing! I heard the words syringe, stitch, IV and blood. So tell me straight what is wrong?"

„Ah, I had some visitors tonight. Seems like our little gun-runner Alexej had a brother, who was a little pissed that I put a bullet in his brothers head. So he decided to pop up at my place with a sidekick and show me, what he can do with a knife. Don't worry bro, I'm good. Gave them a piece of their own medicine, earned me a little cut on the arm. Ow, I said to be careful. I'm good Mac." Jack added, but Mac could hear the pain in his voice.

„Are you at Phoenix Medical?"

„Yup."

„I'll be there in twenty."

„Mac you don't have ..." but the line was already dead.

When Mac drove to Phoenix all kind of horror scenarios appeared in his mind. The only thing, that calmed him down a bit, was that Jack was able to talk and made sense. At least no head injury, he tried to console himself. But a knife wound, those were always a bitch. As soon as he reached the parking lot, he noticed Jacks GTO in his usual spot. So the Delta drove to Phoenix by himself, with a knife wound, what a jerk. Seeing the blood on the door handle, made Macs stomach churn. He started running into the building. When he entered Medical he could Jack hear complaining. An annoyed nurse greeted him on the floor. „Good that you're here Mac, he's driving us nuts."

„How bad is it?"

„Doc Ward is with him, just go in." She pointed to the room and walked away.

Mac entered the room and interrupted a staring contest between his partner and the physician. Doctor Ward had been with Phoenix for a long time and had a lot of experience of how to deal with his stubborn patients, especially these two.

„Either that Jack or a syringe or you're staying here and I set you up with an IV, where I can administer the antibiotics and pain meds. Your choice." The older man smiled, knowing he had won this round.

Jack sighed defeated. He was very pale and a thick bandage covered his right forearm.

„Hey how are you doing Jack? How bad is it?" Mac stepped forward and sat down beside the bed.