Slamming the SUV into park, straddling two parking spaces, Josh jumped out of the vehicle and raced up the concrete steps and through the huge white pillars of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center.
He glanced at the appreciation and sponsor plaques littering the inside wall and slowed. Although he was here due to an entirely different set of circumstances, it was impossible for Josh not to feel what many of the plaques said far more eloquently than he could.
Gratitude for services rendered to not just military veterans and personnel, who was still near and dear to his heart, but for all of the other folks who had experienced the phenomenal healing that a good hospital can help to provide. Slowing a bit more, he read one gold and red sign supporting a picture of a double amputee soldier who’d given her all for her country. Her smile, in spite of her obvious condition, said more than any amount of words. She’d served and paid dearly. He bet if you asked her if she’d do it again, however, she would say yes.
Despite his sense of urgency, he stopped completely and saluted the young woman.
This soldier represented all that was good with this country, and she drove the point home further that he’d made the right call by ignoring Dickman.
Loyalty, honor, integrity, and a clear conscience couldn’t be replaced with a paycheck. Ever.
Silently, he thanked her again.
He turned, a wry smile on his face, and hurried through the sliding glass doors. Manny, Sophie, Alex, and Dean would be proud, and for some damn reason, that was important to Josh. Especially when it came to Williams. Every group needed a moral compass, and he was glad Manny was the BAU’s. Not to mention, he’d be hard pressed to find a better friend.
There it was again, that relationship slant. Hitting the elevator button, he waited. He decided it was too slow and sprinted up the three flights of steps. Reaching the top step and breathing a little harder, he ran down the white tiled floor, the inescapable odor of disinfectant roaming the hallway, and took a sharp right. Six steps later, he stood in Alex’s room, hands on hips, catching his breath.
The white-coated anesthesiologist, standing beside the shift nurse, was talking with Alex, telling him how the process would work. Josh heard the words “out for six hours” before the nurse, the doctor, and Alex looked his way, almost in complete sync.
Josh caught his breath, trying to calm his thumping heart, then spoke.
“I need you two to leave.”
He pulled his ID and stepped closer. “I have to speak to this man, and I want complete privacy.”
The doctor blinked, then shrugged.
“Okay, but we have a tight schedule, so hurry up.”
He left the room followed by the nurse, just as Barb, Alex’s wife, strolled through the door, coffee in hand.
“Okay, Corner. What in hell are you doing? You think I’m not nervous enough so you got to pull this stunt? Wait. It’s Sophie, isn’t it? She put you up to this. Damn. I’m going to—”
“Relax. She did nothing of the sort, although that would be a hell of an idea on her part.”
He moved closer as Alex sat up, Barb moving to Alex’s other side.
Tilting his head toward Josh, Alex’s expression changed. Trepidation didn’t fit the pudgy CSI, yet Josh could understand. His sudden appearance was, at minimum, unexpected.
“Listen. I’m here for your help. I made a choice this morning that will probably affect my employment with the Bureau, which may come to fruition within a few hours. Meanwhile, I’m going to do what we, I, should have done all along.”
The emotion in his voice surprised even Josh. Good. About damn time the “yes man” hit the bricks.
“What decision?” asked Alex.
“Good question,” said Barb.
“Let’s just say I’m not going to be getting any Christmas cards from AD Dickman. He wasn’t happy when I told him to stick this process and promotion where . . . well, you know the rest.”
Alex shook his head, then flipped the sheet from his chest, and put his legs over the side of the silver-railed bed, never moving his eyes from Josh’s face.
“I’m not having surgery this morning, right?”
“Only if you want to. I’m not making that call for you. I know what it means for both of you. But I’m not doing any more damn testing, and I’m already tired of wearing black suits and dumbass ties. I have to do the right thing for me.”
“Now there’s a concept. Can you handle the consequences?” asked Barb, her voice steady.
“I’ll have to. No one said life would be easy,” said Josh, meeting her gaze.
Alex slid off from the bed, walked to the closet, and removed his clothes, scrambling to cover a naked, chunky left cheek when the rear of the gown suddenly flopped open.
Josh laughed. “Need a picture of that for Sophie.”
Alex snorted and grinned. “How long before we get to Vegas?”
“I guess my choice wasn’t that hard to figure out, eh?”
“Not really. It’s not like I wasn’t thinking the same thing,” said Alex.
There seemed to be an aura of relief in Alex’s voice as he turned toward Josh, jeans in hand.
Good men and women were indeed hard to find. However, it was obvious that he was surrounded by them.
“Four hours or so. I’ll do my best to get surgery set up again, but I’m not able to make any promises with that one, Alex. I’m pretty sure my career with the FBI is up Shit Creek without a boat. So, again, if you want to stay . . .”
Standing tall, Alex gestured toward Josh. “Stay? Hell, you made me do this. Having said that, I’ve got to admit, I want this surgery, but it can wait. All I do is lay there and think of how I could be helping and if they’re okay. I think if something happened to those three, the new hand would have been a constant reminder, you know?” Alex buttoned his plaid shirt.
“I do know,” Josh said softly, tossing Alex’s shoes in his direction.
“Wait. We’re going to Vegas? I need more clothes,” said Barb, grinning.
“I’m sorry, Barb. You’re staying. I actually have something for you to do . . . to buy us more time, if you’re willing.”
There was a brief look of disappointment, then the slow smile appeared. “Am I going to like it?”
“I’ve only known you for a short time, but hell yes. You’re going to love it.”
Josh handed her a piece of paper. “There’s the address, and you’ll figure out the rest.”
Barb glanced at the paper, and her electric smile grew wider. “Yes, yes, I will.”
“I knew you would. Okay. That’s settled. We have to hurry. The jet’s waiting, but who knows how long before Dickman knows I have it.”
Pulling his jeans all the way on, Alex slipped into his green and white walking shoes and then hurried to his wife, kissing her full on the lips.
“You’re the best woman, the very best.”
“I’ve heard that before,” she said, then returned his kiss. “Now get your asses going.”
They didn’t have to be told a second time.
The two men bounced down the steps, reaching the front door in record time.
A few seconds later, they were heading to the private FBI airport where the jet waited for them.
It occurred to Josh that the BAU, his BAU, would be back together in a few hours.
He only hoped it was the right call and that they weren’t too late.