Nick entered the hospital room around midday Monday for the second time that day. His eyes scanned over Mitch who lay sleeping.
As he came within a few feet of the bed, Mitch’s eyes shot open and he braced.
“Just me.” Nick held up his hands.
“Nick.” Mitch sighed and visibly relaxed.
“Brought you a sports mag.” Nick tossed it to him.
“Thanks,” Mitch caught the magazine. “Good stuff.”
“Yeah well, I figure if you can’t run, you may as well read about it.” Nick shrugged. “How are you feeling?”
“Bit high,” Mitch said.
“Yeah? What’s in that?” Nick nodded at the IV.
“Demerol I think. Hey, you know last night, when you left …” Mitch began, readjusting himself to sit up slightly.
“Yeah?” Nick leaned on the edge of the bed.
“Did you see anyone?” Mitch asked.
“Like your ex, Charlotte?” Nick asked.
“Yes.”
“She was here, but John told her you couldn’t have visitors. Good thing, too. You were raving on about some Asian guy brandishing a blow torch and you beating the crap out of him.”
Mitch smiled and pulled himself up further in the bed. “Have Danny or William talked?”
“Not a word, but John’s going to keep Danny in solitary until after the lift this week and William, like you suggested will do whatever’s necessary so his wife doesn’t face accessory charges,” Nick answered. “We’ve got his every move covered.”
Mitch nodded. “Except he still hasn’t told us who the VIP is.”
“We’ll know soon enough,” Nick said.
“So they bought it?” Mitch asked.
“Seem to have.”
“Tell me how it went down,” Mitch said, closing his eyes.
Nick sighed. “Don’t you want the day off?”
“Nick!”
“Right. As you directed in your blissful state this morning … you know you’re much more pleasant when you’re high …”
“Nick …”
“Fine. We sent Hai a text from Danny Huang’s phone explaining he had been recalled to manage a problem on the ground in Beijing. We added that William was staying at his office premises working on a project until the lift and Hai was to take over and stick to the schedule … Mitch?”
Mitch opened his eyes. “I’m listening. What response did you get from—”
“Hai?” Nick said, “you are high.”
“I’m a bit whacked.” Mitch looked to the IV line in his arm.
Nick continued, “He said he was ready for the challenge and all that. He’s got a huge ego and thinks he should be leader anyway according to what we’ve translated.”
Mitch’s eyes narrowed in his customary fashion when thinking. “We should send an update text in a couple of days from Danny’s phone, saying all on schedule, you know,” Mitch said. “And Dylan, is he all right?”
“Yes. Ellen rang him but he said he spoke with you this morning.”
“He did, that’s right.” Mitch fought to stay awake.
Nick looked up as his housemate Amy Callaghan entered the hospital room. “Oh yeah,” he told Mitch, “I brought you a guest, they let her out of the library.” He indicated her with a nod.
“Hey.” Mitch smiled at her, “On loan to me!”
Nick rolled his eyes. “He’s a bit high.”
Amy blushed. “Hi sickie,” she said and returned his smile.
Nick noticed how Mitch’s eyes lit up and Amy’s lingered just that moment longer on Mitch’s face. She ran her gaze over his black and blue countenance, forehead stitches and the bandaging on his arm.
“Wow,” she said, smiling. “Impressive. You know, there’s easier ways to get attention.”
“They weren’t working,” he said drowsily.
Amy laughed. “Ouch, don’t make me laugh, it hurts.”
Mitch looked at her perplexed. “Isn’t that my line?”
“Swimming classes,” she said. “I’m learning to swim. Nick tells me it’s the same course that Samantha is going to be doing, only not as advanced.”
Nick shook his head. “She’s got bruises up and down her arms and side from crashing into the plastic lane dividers. We need to find a pool with padded ones.”
Mitch laughed, then gritted his teeth with the pain.
“Yes, very funny, laugh at the drowning girl,” she said and sat down next to his bed. “So any good presents?”
“Besides my magazine?” Nick reminded him.
“Mm, like chocolate?” Amy looked at his side table.
“No, sorry.” Mitch glanced at the bedside table. “No chocolate, flowers, or stuffed toys. I can offer you some hard candy.” He indicated the pack that a visitor had left earlier.
“Bet he’s said that a few times,” Nick warned her.
“When do you get out?” she asked.
“Tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll come back and get you,” Nick offered.
“Thanks, but Henri’s picking me up.”
Nick shrugged. “Probably a better idea. It’ll be more comfortable in his Jag than on the back of my bike.”
Amy scoffed. “Like he can get on your bike with those.” She nodded to the crutches. She turned back to Mitch. “When are you back at work?”
“He hasn’t been away,” Nick said. “We checked Mitch in here last night and had a team handover here this morning.”
“Handover?” Amy asked.
“Yep, Ellie’s in charge. She’s good, she’ll keep Nick in line,” Mitch said.
“And she says please after she gives an order,” Nick said.
A stern, portly middle-aged nurse entered the room. She glanced at the two guests with a look of impatience.
“Well, I guess it’s a short visit today, busy people that we are.” Nick rose.
“Thanks for coming,” Mitch said with a long glance at Amy.
“Sure,” she said. “See you back at work soon.”
Nick lingered after she left the room. “So, are you all right?”
Mitch inhaled and thought before answering. “I’m tired of being sore.”
Nick nodded. “I get that. Sam wanted to come last night and this morning, she’s pretty distraught.”
“I don’t think I can handle her until I’m out of pain,” Mitch said.
“Yeah, that’s what John thought. I think you gave him a pretty good scare this time—he’s organizing therapy left, right and center. For you, for Sam because she’s wracked with guilt, for us because we saw you getting walloped, for the person who reads the report, there was a deer that went by the window … ”
Mitch laughed.
The nurse gave Nick a disapproving look.
“He won’t be checking out tomorrow unless he gets some sleep today,” she said.
“Get out of here … please,” Mitch said.
Nick grinned. “Yes, sir.”