Chapter 8

He turned back to the rest of the room. “I suppose that my years of experience aren’t tangible. So, how about the fact that there has been a Homeland Security directive to all law enforcement concerning matters such as this? Knowing the players involved, the police would have called in and had a team check the area. They then notified the hospital of what, if anything, was suspected. That would, in turn, cause the hospital to take blood samples for testing. Now, I may have been dazed or something, but I believe they took five vials, two in the ambulance and three in the ER. But not being a doctor, I can’t say that is enough for all the tests you will need to run. So, here is one tiny tidbit. Let’s say I missed something. Always a possibility. I was in close proximity to the bomb for over three minutes. On top of that, I was closest to the explosion. Yet I show no outward signs of anything being wrong. Now add to that this tidbit. In this room alone are three others that were within five hundred feet of the explosion. None show any signs of sickness. And it has been over twenty-four hours.”

She stood by the door in thought. “Why didn’t you tell him all that?”

Jason searched the room. “Is there anything to drink? And I think someone mentioned dessert.”

Selena got up. “No coffee if that is what you are asking. We do have that tea you seem to like so much. It and dessert are in a chill chest. I will get it after you answer her.”

Jason sat back and grunted. “I can go without either one.”

Selena shoved him against the shoulder, making him topple back onto the bed. “Stop being a jerk and just answer her. She is just trying to do her job.” He had heard that voice a few times. It was her courtroom voice. Well, for the moment, a mock courtroom voice.

Jason held his hands up in surrender. “Easy, counselor, I’m a patient in this place. I might bruise easily or something.” That got him punched in the leg. When he only laughed, she got furious and started to use both hands.

“Sweetheart, he just finished eating, so I’m not sure that is advisable. Besides, if he’s too busy fending you off, he can’t answer,” her mother told her as she tried not to laugh at the scene. She failed. “Besides that, I think he is enjoying it too much.”

Selena stepped back. “Well?”

“Oh ouch, I hurt; I need a doctor,” Jason curled up on the bed. Selena just moved in and reached to hit again, but he grabbed her and pulled her up on the bed with him. “Relax, tigress,” he laughed. “It is really simple. He is new to the field, new to the service, and inexperienced. He isn’t going to listen to anyone but his supervisors. Like many, he doesn’t want to be the one who didn’t see something and, therefore, didn’t react to it. Top it off, he’s an army doctor. They have authority even over officers of higher rank in some situations. Sometimes, it is nice to have an upper hand when we get it.”

“So you were acting like an ass because you could,” Selena rolled away from him. “I’ll get that tea.”

Astrid laughed harder. “Someone is in the dog house now,” she spat out as soon as Selena was out the door.

Jason paid her little attention as he was staring at where Selena had gone. When Astrid’s laugh was joined by the others, he focused on the nearest of them, Dr. Stanton.

“I seem to have missed the joke,” he looked at all that was in the room.

“Wow,” Dr. Stanton patted Astrid on the shoulder. “I didn’t believe it when you told me, but you were totally right. Maybe I need to run some other tests.”

“Maybe. But even he will understand sooner or later. Will it be sooner or later? The true question is whether it will be in time.”

Jason waved at them as if to push them away from him. “I’m two feet away and still get talked about as if I’m not even in the room,” he got up and started to search. “Has anyone seen my cell?”

Gus pointed at it, sitting on the window plugged in.

“Well, I don’t recall having a charger, let alone plugging it in,” Jason said as he picked it up. He pressed his finger to the reader to unlock it. He was just laying it on the bed when Selena came back in. She had a tray with two bottles of tea and several bowls.

She walked around and gave everyone a bowl before she stopped in front of him. “Not that you deserve any,” she handed him one of last three bowls.

“Natillas,” he sighed. He had a weakness for puddings, and natillas was one that she had introduced him to. He glanced down at the phone as the screen lit up. “I’m guessing you are upset because of Dr. McCann. You think it was mean to let him get worked up over something that is potentially serious?” He had set the bowl down on the table to reach out to her, but she pulled away. “Okay, fair enough. It was a bit mean. It is a serious matter. But would it make you less mad at me if I were to tell you that he already knew it?” That got a few “huhs” from the rest of the room. “Or that he probably wasn’t on the phone with Army medical or even the army base. In fact, I would bet that he isn’t exactly who he said he is.” That got the officer’s attention.

Kathy stepped back into the room. “Are you saying he isn’t a doctor? He...”

Jason stopped with his hand up and shook his head. “No, he is that. I think that he is even a Lieutenant. No, what I am saying is that he wasn’t sent here by the Army.” Again his phone lit up, flashing twice.

The officer set his bowl down, his hand on his sidearm as he looked at the door. “If you are right, then who sent him?”

Jason shrugged, grabbed his bowl, and shuffled back on the bed. “I don’t have that answer for that. NSA, CIA, and Homeland top the list. My suspicions are that it is not even that high up but an individual.” He took a bite of the pudding and sighed. It was only pudding, but something about the way it melted in the mouth, the creamy texture just made it seem different. “Well, Doctor, are you going to come back in and explain, or should Officer Garland come out to get you?”

It took a moment but the Lieutenant walked in his hands were slightly up showing they were empty. His first look was at officer Garland. The expression on the officer’s face said a lot to the officers thinking. The hand on the sidearm he wore spoke even more.

Gus was looking like he could kill as well. He moved between the door and his wife and daughter. Astrid, however, just pulled him back beside her. Selena just frowned.

“You are a fake?” she asked coldly.

McCann just stood with a solemn look as he looked at all of them. Officer Garland started moving to bring everyone’s attention to him.

“I don’t think that will be necessary, Officer,” Jason said calmly and unconcernedly.

“If what you say is true, then it is. He impersonated...” Officer Garland moved closer but was cut off by McCann.

“I assure you I am what I said. I am a doctor with the army medical core,” he said quickly, holding his hands up in a defensive posture.

Jason glanced sideways. “Yes, well, that is good since you were attending patience the last few hours. That could have been very messy if you weren’t. Fortunately, if I am guessing right, most of your story was true.” Jason surprised everyone by laughing. “Officer, it is fine. He isn’t going anywhere. Even if he tried, we were on the sixth floor. Odds are that you would catch him before he got to the elevator. Finish your dessert. It tastes better when it isn’t warm.” Jason took his own advice and took another bite. “You are not going anywhere, are you Doc? You may as well sit back down and have some, too.”

Everyone had turned to look at him like he had lost his mind. Even McCann was eyeing him, waiting for whatever it was he was trying to do. “What? Everyone should have dessert when it is this good,” he said when he looked up from his bowl. Then, with a shrug, he started to get up. “Well, if you all don’t think so, more for me. Think I’ll get some more.”

Selena shoved her bowl at him and pushed him back. “Last I checked, you were supposed to be resting.”

Jason started to respond but Dr. Stanton cleared her throat and had a smirk on her face. “I am beginning to see. So smart yet so clueless. Nonetheless, she is right, you should be resting still. We haven’t cleared you.”

“I just wanted some more. Doesn’t seem right taking...” he started to rise again. Selena grabbed the bowl and sat on his legs. When he went to move her she turned her fury on him.

He tried not to but it just seemed funny as all hell. So he laughed and laughed hard. Selena decided to silence him but shoving a spoonful of the natillas into his mouth.

“Well Lieutenant I tried to buy some time for you but it seems there are a lot of people that want to hear why you are here” he got out as after swallowing.

Selena bent when his phone went off again. Jason snaked his arm around her and held her back as his other hand reached for the bowl. She pulled it away. “Hey, you gave it to me,” he pouted. That started the spoon-feeding. It was a half bite for him and a bite for her, mostly.

“Well, Doc, the day isn’t getting longer, and dinner isn’t going to be all that good being hospital food. I’m still game to go out for steak, but I don’t think that these people are going to let anyone leave until you come clean. Start with who told you to come here and go from there.”

From the expression, McCann was debating his options. There was also a little fear in his face. Officer Garland moving got him talking.

“I am new to the base. Though technically, I am still on leave. I went to check around the base and get my bearings about a week ago. I met several while I was there, including Captain Jeb Pierce. I talked with him for the longest time and even had tea in his office. He said he was there to take over for Captain Parks, who was with his pregnant wife. We may have talked longer, but he had to rush out for a late lunch meeting. He was the one who called me and told me what I had to do. He told me where to pick up the model kit as well. He said that the base General had already paid for it, and they were expecting me to pick it up. I was given a small brief on you while I drove here. He said it was all for national security.”

Jason opened his mouth to stop him there. Selena took the chance to spoon what was left of the natillas in his open mouth.

The doctor continued. “I may not be very experienced at all this, but I did think to question things since it was all out of the blue. I called a friend, and she checked things out. What she told me said it could all be possible. You have been in the service even before you graduated high school. A long and sealed career history. What she could find out and tell me is that you served time in the military office of the White House.” McCann bent as he smacked his forehead. “I didn’t think to even ask about Pierce.”

Jason patted Selena on the back. “We need bigger bowls next time. Wonder if there is any left.” He reached for the forgotten bottle of tea. It was a lost effort as it was beyond his reach.

“Typical man, never asking for help when needed,” Astrid chuckled as Gus handed over the bottle. It was a dry laugh as she considered what she had heard about the man holding her daughter from behind. There was more to him, and she was not sure if that was good or bad ... yet.

“I ask for help all the time when needed. But all that I needed was to move the hundred fifty pounds weight from my legs.”

Selena gasped and elbowed him. “I am not that heavy,” she jabbed at his stomach. “Unlike some.”

“You could stand to lose some weight,” Kathy pointed at him.

“I’ll just stop eating out, which seems to be very fattening. But we are getting off point here. I don’t know any Captain Pierce. But that doesn’t mean much. It doesn’t make much sense.”

McCann leaned forward. “That may be, but he knew you or about you. I’d never heard of you until today.”

“Again, doesn’t mean much. I have dealt with a lot of people over the years. From the sound of it, all he wanted was test results.”

“Yes. That and my opinion of your mental health and memory.”

Jason patted Selena on the back. “Time to get up,” he told her. She didn’t move, so he scooped her up to stand. She put her arms around his neck when he tried to set her down. “Unless you want to go to the bathroom with me, I suggest you let go.”

She didn’t let go even then, so he just started off in the bathroom.

“Selena,” her father called out. She didn’t let go until they reached the door.

“Could be a good time to see if there are any natillas left,” Jason half-joked as he closed the door and gave her a little push toward the hallway.

Jason did his business, thinking as he washed his hands. Inadvertently, he checked himself in the mirror. He had gained a little weight in the last couple of months. He had been forgoing the gym. For some reason, he was totally out of his routine.

The room was less full when he walked out this time. Gus and Selena had both left. Instead of the bed, Jason went to the window. Looking out he couldn’t see much beyond the hospital itself. It was a nice day by the look of it, no rain clouds in sight.

“What do we do now,” he asked, thinking out loud. “I suppose any earlier tests can be copied and taken to this captain Pierce.” He kept going as if no one was in the room.

“As much as I would like to stick around I have to get back downstairs and relieve someone,” Kathy was standing to the side. “However, a copy will not be enough. Tests are timestamped. If he asked for the tests to be redone the stamp will show that they weren’t.”