Coffee

Part Eight-Nine: A Plan

As we make our way to the breezeway, I have a plan to lure Jackie right into the line of police defense. If I can get them across the breezeway and through Radiology, we will be right at the double doors that lead to the North Lobby.

"Helen, what are you doing?" Max quietly chides me as we walk.

"Just trust me."

"This isn't about trust. This is about..."

"This is all about trust. If you can't trust me then I really don't belong here." As I say this his face pales.

"How much further?" Jackie asks and I turn to look at her.

"Just across the breezeway. We're close." I say and we keep going.

"It better be or you're the first person who's going to receive a bullet." She states and I don't even look at her when I say my next thought out loud.

"Well let's hope you can aim properly." Jerking his head to look at me, Max is just taken aback by my snarky comment.

"Well we can find out shortly." Jackie states back and his eyes widen even more. Getting into the breezeway, there is a cop patrolling it.

"Who are you and what are you doing?" He asks and I remain calm.

"Dr. Helen Sharpe. We are escorting my patient to an OR room. She's in dire need of surgery right away or she won't make it." I state. He looks between all four of us. "This is Dr. Max Goodwin. The Medical Director of the Dam."

For a moment, I think Max is going to tell the guard to take Jackie out, but he thinks wise of the situation.

"They're with me." He holds out his ID and the officer steps aside. We make our way across the breezeway and Max just looks at me. He's not okay with this plan. He knows if I get them to the OR then it's all over.  Opening the next door, we  walk down the hallway and through Radiology. His brows furrow as he now realizes where exactly I'm taking them.

"It's just through these double doors up here."

"Good. We can get this done and be gone." Jackie states.  Walking up to the double doors, we stop and both Max and I have our hands on the push handles.

"Do you trust me?" I ask and he smiles sadly.

"With my life." It takes me a moment and then we push open the doors and yell gun.

The police officers raise their guns and Max and I both dive on either side of the entry way- he takes the inmate with him and Jackie immediately drops her gun and gets on the ground. I cling to the wall and and when I look at Max, his eyes have that spark back to them and a huge grin on his face. Unbeknownst to me, a smile has crept on my own face. They take the inmates, handcuff them, and haul them off. Coming over to me, Max extends his hand and I'm back in that world of numbing pain.

But I take his hand. I take it and stand up. As he goes to say something the chief of police comes over to him and starts asking us questions. He makes it a point to both scold and praise me at the same time for what I did. They take Max off towards their small group of police and news reporters. I leave the area and go to grab my things from my office.

Why'd he have to look at me like that?

Like he cared.

No matter how many times he says, I don't think I'll ever be able to believe it again. I get a text from Mariana, a nurse who was assisting Reynolds this evening.

Reynolds Stabbed. Sutured you're. Resting.

Poor Floyd.

I hope he's alright. I get another text from Lauren.