5

Harris Awakens

The little room adjoining the nurses’ station was soon packed with a small crowd of people rushing to get in. Claire and Ben arrived in the lead to see a nurse tending to a groggy Agent Harris, while behind them came Agent Hessman, Captain Beck, then Dr. Weiss using his cane to clear himself a way through. All of them wanted to crowd in around the bed, but the nursing staff had other ideas. Even when General Karlson himself finally came up, they would allow no more than Claire and Ben to enter; the rest would have to wait just outside, though with a clear view as the attending nurse worked the controls of the bed to move Agent Harris up into a close approximation of a sitting position.

“Sue, you’re back with us!” Claire exclaimed.

Claire looked as if she were ready to crush Agent Harris beneath the weight of her eager welcome, but a look from the attending nurse and she relented with a light touch to her shoulders, to which Agent Harris replied with a very slow nod and weak smile.

“First question: What century is this?” Agent Harris asked slowly between breaths.

The others out in the hallway broke into relieved chuckles, though Agent Hessman kept a steady eye on every detail of Sue’s appearance and apparent health.

“We’re back in the present,” Ben assured her. “The mission was a complete success, though we lost Phelps.”

Sue bowed her head briefly at mention of Phelps, then looked back up to Claire. “I’m glad the mission worked out. But if I may ask, and don’t take this the wrong way,” she said slowly, “but what are you doing here?”

More smirks circulated the small crowd, not the least of which was from Claire as she answered the question.

“Ben brought me forward, then had the doctors fix me of my pneumonia. He saved my life.”

Agent Harris noted how Claire looked up with such loving eyes to Ben by her side, and managed a weak chuckle.

“That’s what I get for being unconscious for . . . How long have I been out, anyway?”

Before anyone could say anything, Claire simply brought up her hand with the ring and showed it to Sue with a wide grin on her face.

“That long,” Sue replied. “Well, that’s all I need to know for now. Congratulations.”

“I want you to be my maid of honor,” Claire announced. “Would you please?”

“I’d have drop-kicked anyone else that you would have asked.” Sue weakly grinned. “Just as soon as I can hobble out of here.”

“Hey,” Dr. Weiss called in, “maybe we can have matching canes.”

“Sam?” Sue said, looking up. “How’d you get up and around before me?”

“I didn’t come riding in attached to a bomb.” Dr. Weiss grinned.

“Oh yeah, I knew there was something unpleasant I’d been through. Looks like the rest of you made it. Sorry about Phelps, though.”

“I’m glad you pulled through, Sue,” Claire said. “I don’t have too many friends in this century, after all.”

To Ben’s exaggerated throat-clearing, Claire glared in his direction. “You’re my lover and betrothed, so that doesn’t count,” she said.

Sue chuckled at the remark, or rather tried to and ended up wincing briefly. That was when the attending nurse intervened.

“Okay, everybody out; generals too. Agent Harris needs to rest now.”

“Some of us have some duties to get to anyway,” Agent Hessman put in. “Welcome back, Agent Harris.”

A chorus of well-wishes hit Agent Harris as the nurse shooed everyone away from the small room, then drew the partition across into place, cutting off view from the others.

Claire sighed. “Well, at least I can sleep better knowing she’s going to be okay.”

“I thought there was another reason why we weren’t sleeping much,” Ben quipped‍—a comment which earned him a light punch in the arm by Claire, while General Karlson called everyone back to order.

“Okay, everyone, back to your duty stations. Hessman, I want more on those Russians as soon as you can.”