Chapter 30

Present – Jens – C130 headed to DIA

I look around the plane and note that everyone either has someone or is asleep except for me. Once again I'm alone and lonely as heck for Ben. But now, thanks to Maria, I understand things much better. I'd kiss the heck out of her if I was into that sort of thing...

So I wander up to the flight deck to see what's going on and how soon we will be at DIA. I almost reach the flight deck when IT hits me! I slump to the floor...

Present – Thom and Byron – C130 headed to DIA

I've had a few too many cups of coffee to be able to rest or sleep, and I lost my chance with Maria when she took off with Linus. But that's okay because I can tell she's looking for commitment – the sort of commitment that starts with a W and ends with an E-D-D-I-N-G. And I'm too old to be around one woman long enough for my boots to wear out. Besides, since my TSIFFTS team is back together, I'm going to be busy.

I look at Byron and ask, "Byron, what's your take on Linus and Maria?"

Byron grimaces and responds, "Thom, you already know how I feel about emotional entanglements with team members. They aren't good."

I add, "You're only half right, they aren't good but are dangerous."

Byron asks, "So since you're back in the saddle again, how are you going to handle this?"

Damn him! He's my best friend but sometimes he's also the biggest pain in my ass.

I scratch my chin and come up with a hell of an idea. Just as I get ready to answer, I notice Jennifer Donaldson fall to the floor. I yell, "Hey something's wrong with Jennifer Donaldson!"

Present – Maria – C130 headed to DIA

Linus and I are just starting to get busy (well as busy as we can get on this crowded flight) when I hear someone yell, look over and see my Princess Boss fall to the floor. I go with my normal response and say, "Shit!"

Linus looks worried and asks, "Did I do something wrong?"

I answer, "Hell no! Something's wrong with my Princess Boss, she just fell to the floor."

I jump up and begin to get back into my clothes. Linus is up and like a typical man, finishes before I do and takes off to help Jens...

Present – Linus – C130 headed to DIA

Shit is right! Things were just getting good between Maria and me and then Jens (I laugh like hell that Maria calls her 'Princess Boss' but think I will start doing the same) is on the floor.

Maria dismounts and starts to get dressed, I beat her to it and head toward Jens...

As I run past Jim and Megan, I glance toward them and yell, "Something's wrong with Jens."

Present – Megan – C130 headed to DIA

I'm languishing, enjoying being held by Jim even though he's asleep. He is so gentle and kind he just might change my mind about men. Then one of the men runs by and yells, "Something's wrong with Jens."

It wakes Jim and he asks, "What's going on?"

I'm feeling better, so I begin to get up and answer, "I guess something's happened to Jens so I'd better go see if she needs my help."

Jim is so sweet when he inquires, "Are you sure you can walk, because I can carry you."

I give him a kiss and say, "Thanks honey but I can walk now." Then we stroll hand in hand towards the front of the plane.

Present – Masha – C130 headed to DIA

I am awakened from a very troubled sleep - I had a terrible nightmare that I lost Jack and Ivan. If that ever happened, the only recourse for me would be to terminate my life: Because life without Jack would be hell and life without Ivan would be terminal.

I listen and surmise that something is once again wrong with Ms. Donaldson. She and her queen of drama antics are wearing on my patience and if she does not terminate her follies then I will be forced to find a permanent solution.

As I slowly rise, my shoulder is throbbing but I use my training to ignore the pain and head toward the crowd at the front of the aircraft...

Present – Megan – C130 headed to DIA

I get to the crowd, push my way though and see that Jens is on the ground half undressed with her chest bared to the entire world. Thom is over her giving her mouth to mouth and chest compressions.

I demand, "Thom what the hell are you doing?"

He stops the rescue breaths, begins the chest compressions and says, "She fell to the floor and I figured she needed some help."

I angrily respond, "You have a plane full of doctors and YOU decide she needs CPR? Don't you think you should have consulted one of the doctors?"

He stops and answers, "Well everyone else was just standing around and she didn't seem to be breathing."

I order, "Move your ass out of the way and let one of us professionals look at her." As I motion to one of the doctors, Thom moves and taunts, "Have at it Sigmund." I ignored his crass comment and we kneel beside Jens."

Present – Thom – C130 headed to DIA

Excuse the hell out of me! Is what I really wanted to say to this psych bitch! I have no use for psychologists; they are all just Sigmund Frauds. When I was in Nam, we had to act and act fast. We didn't have time to sit around and have tea parties while we discussed politics. Hell no, that was war and war is hell!

I move toward the back of the crowd where Byron comes up and says, "Thom, you did the right thing even if they didn't appreciate it. But Megan was also right."

I look at him and say, "Byron, what sort of half assed statement is that? How can we both be right?"

He shrugs his good shoulder and says, "Well you felt like the situation required action but Megan was right you should have motivated the doctors to look at Jennifer."

I give him a dirty look and complain, "After the way we have both been treated by doctors you have the gall to say that?"

He smiles and explains, "Thom these are TSIFFTS doctors not VA doctors."

I stare dumbfounded at him - I hate it when he's right...

Present – Maria – C130 headed to DIA

I was about ready to rip Thom a new asshole! CPR my ass, he was using the situation to feel up my Princess Boss. Linus sensed what I was going to do (how did he know?). He pulls me to the side and cautions, "Maria, your assessment of what's going on is incorrect."

I give him a nasty look and demand, "How do you know what I was thinking?"

He smiles at me, "I saw your body become tense, like a cobra getting ready to strike. Thom is really trying to help, but sometimes he goes about it in the wrong way. If we're going to be on his team together, you will need to learn to cut him some slack."

I turn back and note that Thom's been replaced by Megan and a doctor. My anger melts, Linus smiles at me and I inquire, "So what team is this that I am going to be a part of?"

Present – Linus – C130 headed to DIA

Shit! I might have just fucked up. I didn't clear bringing Maria on the team with Thom yet and I already asked her. Now she wants to know more about the team. Yeah I really screwed the pooch on this one! Perhaps I can distract her with some loving. I hug her and say, "Maria, you're a wonderful woman."

She pulls back and says, "Linus, that statement had better not be followed by a 'but.'"

I give her a shocked look and say, "No Maria, you have it all wrong."

She pulls her hand out of mine and states, "Linus until you get your head out of your ass, I don't want you touching me."

She moves over by Jens and I mentally yell: Women are sure fucked up! Here I was trying to be nice to her and all I did was get her upset...

Present – Masha – C130 headed to DIA

I determine that once again Ms. Donaldson is holding this entire aircraft hostage with her antics. I look at everyone watching her and make a decision. If Jack leaves me and takes Ivan, then I will terminate Ms. Donaldson before I terminate my own life!

I smile inwardly, yes I will torture her so slowly she will think it is her new career and when the time comes, she will gladly beg me for a merciful death...

Present – Megan – C130 headed to DIA

Jens is a stiff as a board. When the doctor is finished examining her and pulls back, I look at him and inquire, "Well?"

He shakes his head and responds, "Physically Ms. Donaldson seems to be fine. She has a strong heartbeat in spite of the unnecessary chest compressions; her breaths are regular but extremely slow."

So I question, "Psychological catatonic schizophrenia?"

He nods his head, "That would be a possible diagnosis."

Damn sometimes I hate doctors even though I am one. We hate to go out on a limb with a diagnosis unless we run hundreds of tests. Oh well it's not our fault, it's the damn lawyers and all the fucking malpractice cases.

I decide this is my realm so I order, "Okay let's carefully move Jens to a bed."

The doctor asks for confirmation, "Are you sure it's wise to move her?"

I give him a dirty look and say, "Listen Mengele, you can't do anything for her so she's my patient."

He spouts, "Well I never!" He leaves and I say after him, "Yeah, I bet you never did."

I look at the crowd and say, "Are you all deaf? I said let's move her to a bed."

I'm shocked when Jim doesn't offer to help, but turns away and leaves. What did I do to make him upset? Well, I need to look after Jens first then figure out what has Jim upset. Men!

Present – Jim – C130 headed to DIA

Hmmm. Megan is cute as hell and I'd love to get in her panties, but this situation has shown me something I hadn't seen before: A bitchy side of her that sours my stomach. I turn, walk away and head back to my bed where this bitch sure as hell isn't welcome. Women!

Present – Matt – C130 headed to DIA

I guess the show is over - at least Jens isn't dying for right now. But Megan has a hell of a lot to learn about men. She's pissed Jim off with her attitude and he took off sulking like a scalded dog. I catch up with him and advise, "Jim, you need to cut Megan some slack."

He glowers at me and complains, "I'm fucking tired of cutting women slack. Look at what it got me with my ex. I cut her slack and she removed my balls."

I try to counter, "Jim, she never was right for you?"

He snaps at me, "Then why the hell didn't you tell me before I married the bitch?"

Shit! He has a valid point, I should have told him...

Present – Maria – C130 headed to DIA

We get my Princess Boss to a bed and Megan starts studying her more closely. I ask, "Can't you give her something?"

Then the bitch gives me a foul look and snaps, "Yes I can and will, but first I need to do a total physical assessment, so back off."

Back off my ass! I just get ready to open up a can of whoop ass on her when Linus comes, grabs my arm and whispers in my ear, "Maria, let Megan do her job." Then he leads me to the edge of the group, I watch her work on my Princess Boss and dream about later when I'm going to teach her a lesson...

Present – Byron – C130 headed to DIA

Megan has done a good job of alienating nearly the whole plane, so I guess once again it's up to me to try to patch things together.

I walk over close as Megan begins to prepare a syringe and ask, "What are you going to give her, a benzodiazepine?"

She snaps at me like I figured she would and says, "That's right gramps, I'm giving her Ativan to try to bring her out of the seizure. What business is it of yours?"

I just love shrinks, they think they really know how to help people, but they sure hate it when you use their own weapons against them. I smile at her and say, "Well just like you I care for Jennifer so that's my concern. Now would you like to tell me how her current condition is making you feel?"

She gives me an ugly look and answers, "Hell no I wouldn't like to tell you how her current condition is making me feel."

I smile and answer for her, "Isn't becoming defensive a typical response to stress and doesn't it precipitate making mistakes? You might want to double check that dose before you inject her."

Megan looks at the syringe, looks at the bottle and then she slumps to the floor and begins to cry. Shit, I hate crying women!

I look around and motion to Thom. He comes over and I ask, "Thom can you take care of Megan?"

He gives me a dirty look and refuses, "That's a hell of a thing to ask after what she did to me." Then he leaves.

I look around and the only one she hasn't insulted is Masha. I give Masha a pleading look and ask, "Masha can you help?"

Masha walks up, smiles and states, "Byron, I can not move Megan because of my shoulder. If you would remove Megan I would be more than happy to administer the proper amount of Ativan and then monitor her response."

I help Megan up and lead her away.

Present – Masha – C130 headed to DIA

My hopes are dashed! I recognized Megan was going to overdose Ms. Donaldson. While unfortunately it might not have been fatal, it would have prevented her from being a nuisance for an extended period of time. Now I must perform my duty with care and concern because if Ms. Donaldson dies in my care then the light of suspicion will be cast upon me. Especially since Ms. Donaldson's aide is right at her side scrutinizing everything I am doing.

I draw a dose of Ativan, apply a tourniquet around Ms. Donaldson's arm, sterilize her skin, get ready to apply the injection when the aide interrupts, "Are you certain that is the correct dosage?"

I stop and offer, "If you would prefer to administer the injection, it would not offend me."

She gives me a troubled look and answers, "No thanks, I am just doing my job."

I apply the injection, then I check my watch because I know we should see some results soon.