Chapter 17

Roberta and another woman were waiting when they finally rolled me back to my ICU room, hours later. I wondered about Roberta's willingness to stay with me the way she was, and resolved to ask what was driving her to be so determined to be beside me day and night. The second woman was older than Roberta, stout, and quite stern looking, except when she saw that I was awake. Then she broke out in a wide smile, so wide that it got me wondering.

"David, I am SO HAPPY to see you awake," Roberta said emotionally. She was happy. "You didn't look so good when they took you away, before."

"The doctor just told me I was dead for about five minutes before they got my heart beat back." I said to confirm her worst fears, and assure her that I was back from the dead and intending to stay that way.

Roberta looked stricken, but happy about it, so I figured she must be overtired, and let it go.

"David, let me introduce you to my Aunt Franny Mathers. That's Federal Judge Fran Mathers. The Judge looked like she'd been up for two days, and in a bad mood about it, even though she was putting a good face on things.

"I am pleased to meet you, Your Honor," I said. "Please forgive me if I don't stand up. My mother would be furious if she were alive to see me disrespect you this way."

That got a smile that was genuine, and Aunt Franny pulled up a chair and sat down to have a chat. "I am pleased to meet you also, David. Roberta tells me things about you that frankly, stun this old broad." Her smile was one of those sneaky ones I like so well. Right then I liked her very much.

"I was rather anxious to meet the young man that could take on six desperate terrorists, then turn around and ask for an official representative to be appointed to protect him while he is under the effect of anesthesia, and pain drugs. You showed remarkably good sense, maturity far beyond your years, and inner fortitude that amazed me, when it all came to my attention.

"Then you order my niece – who happens to be as highly trained agent of the US government – to run for her life, while you hold off a small army of terrorists, intent on killing you both. If that wasn't enough, you then killed six of them, and critically injured two more, by yourself, while you were trapped in a hospital bed, unable to do little more than turn your head.

"You seem to be made of better 'stuff' than others of your generation, and when I just recounted your exploits, you actually blushed. Where do you come from, young man?"

I might have tried to answer that one, but she didn't give me a chance. "You DO know who was in the crowd that those terrorists were shooting at, don't you?"

I had no earthly idea, and said so.

"Among the hundred, or so, innocent bystanders being shot at by six deadly terrorists, was the only daughter of the former UN Secretary General. The illegitimate, but much beloved daughter was visiting friends that go to UT, and they were having coffee and snacks when the shooting started. I'd have THOUGHT my niece would have told you that by now, but I see I was giving her far too much credit for competence." She giggled when she said it, and Roberta ducked her head in mock shame. They were having fun.

"You are quite the hero, right now, young Mr. Walsh. We will be keeping an eye on you as the days go by..."

That certainly explained the relatively small press coverage. The DHS people wanted to keep her name out of it, to keep certain factions from thinking that killing the children of diplomats, on US soil was a good idea.

She fondly mussed my hair and found it seriously in need of a shower. I cringed and started to apologize, but she never gave a chance. "Roberta, be a dear and get us a basin of warm water, and an empty basin along with it. You and I are going to get this young man cleaned up. I can see – even if you can't – that being this unkempt is causing him serious discomfort. Now scoot and get me my water. And bring that awful, hospital shampoo they use here back with you."

She fussed with my gown and draped a towel around my neck to keep the water off my chest. When Roberta brought the hot water, Aunt Fran lovingly wet my scalp and massaged the shampoo into my hair. Her gentle touch belied her size and gruff demeanor, and I found myself enjoying her attention.

When she was satisfied that she had shampooed the grime and grease out of my hair to her satisfaction, she allowed the remaining water to run across my head and caught most of it in the basin. The remainder was trapped by the towel which quickly became saturated.

"Bring me two more towels, Roberta, dear, and be quick. We can't have our brave hero catching a cold because we left him wet and shivering, now can we." She favored me with another warm smile while we waited.

Roberta joined Aunt Fran in drying me down and wiping me up. When her phone chirped, Fran stepped out to take the call, and I took the opportunity to brush my teeth and rinse my mouth with the bottle of mouth wash, thoughtfully provided by the hospital – which would probably cost me hundreds of dollars when the bill was itemized.

Fran bustled back bringing a straight chair with her, took a seat beside me, and then said, "What were you thinking? Really. Why did you think to chase my God Daughter away, and take on a platoon of heavily armed, terrorists, when you were OUR guest? Roberta tells me you gave her absolutely no choice – first demanding she turn over one of her weapons to you, then simply demanding she abandon you to your fate, and run for help.

"What drove you to such insane behavior?" Her tone was firm. Her eyes flashed her frustration at me, and there was something else – something just beneath the surface that I couldn't identify – as she pummeled me with her questions.

I had no hiding place. No one was coming to throw her out, and nobody trumps a federal judge, so refusing to answer was out. There was nothing left but to surrender as little information as possible and try to stay out of some secret government underground bunker.

"Judge Mathers, I was out of options. Roberta couldn't have known that I had no strength left. I couldn't have sat up, much less stood and walked. The weakness was all through me, and if she stayed, the only thing I knew for sure was that there would be two dead bodies when reinforcements arrived.

"Dying wasn't nearly as stressful as worrying about getting her killed. I KNEW I was going down shooting. Why take her with me when that wouldn't change the outcome?"

She saw the truth in my eyes and had no arguments left, so she gave up and smiled, again. "Well, I am very glad you are BOTH alive to tell me your side of story. If the US Government had done its job properly, things would have never come to this. Sometimes I think the federal branch breeds incompetents just so there will always plenty of people around to screw things up."