Rick's Road Read online

  “Great. Just don’t do it in such a way that you get me in trouble, okay?”

  He shook his head and grinned. “Terk would know the difference.”

  “He would, but it would still make me feel guilty, like I couldn’t do my job.”

  “I’m pretty sure that never happens.”

  “Not often,” she said, with a bright, cheerful smile. “I can see now that you are healing in leaps and bounds. It looks like my job is nearly over.”

  “And then what?” he asked.

  “Not sure.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll head back stateside.”

  “Is that where you’re from?”

  “I have distant family in California, but no one close is left.” she murmured.

  “Well, I’m sure that, after looking after me for all this time, you’re more than ready for a holiday.”

  “You weren’t half bad.” She laughed. “I mean, you were in a coma most of the time, after all.”

  “Well, there is that,” he muttered, “but I’m guessing this next phase might be rough.”

  “Depends on how difficult you’ll get.” She gave him a flat stare.

  He just glared right back at her.

  She smiled. “Glare all you want. It won’t make a whole lot of difference to me.”

  He nodded. “No, I can see that, but I’m not particularly sure that anything I say will make a difference.”

  “It will, just maybe not the way you think.”

  He wasn’t sure what to make of that, but she immediately got up. “I’ll go see what we have for food.”

  “Do you do the grocery shopping?”

  “Yes, and then somebody delivers it.”

  He nodded. “Yeah, the government is pretty good on the logistical support end of things.”

  She looked at him. “My understanding is that the government is not involved.” And, with that, she disappeared.

  He frowned at that and sent another telepathic call out to Terk, but he wasn’t answering. Finally, feeling frustrated, Rick rummaged in the bedside table and found his phone, smiling to see it plugged in and fully charged. Grateful to have that much of his digital world intact he phoned Terk.

  When Terk answered, he told Rick, “You’re on Speakerphone.”

  “Great. Who’s there?” he barked.

  At that, several voices called out.

  Some Rick recognized. Wade, Gage, and Damon for sure. “God damn. It’s good to hear your voices.”

  They all replied at once, with words of support.

  “Now, what kind of a shitstorm have we got ourselves into?”

  “Well, you chose the right term for it,” Terk murmured. “We’re still not exactly sure what we’re really into.”

  “Yeah, I get that. I sure wish I was there. Send somebody over to get me. I can heal up there as well as I can here.”

  At that, Terk interrupted with a chuckle. “Not yet. Not until you can get up, walk around, take care of business, and do a full workout, before you can come here.”

  “Why the hell is that a thing?” he snapped.

  “Because,” Terk started to reply and then stopped.

  “Because why?”

  “Well, I would say, because we needed all able-bodied males we could get, but the truth is, we have an awful lot we’re looking after here, and we can’t really afford to take on more at the moment.”

  “Ouch,” Rick said. “Talk about hitting hard.”

  “No choice,” Terk stated cheerfully. “We’re in the midst of a shitstorm, as you know, and it’s not likely to get better anytime soon. So we really do need you back on your feet, and we need you here, but we must have you able-bodied and strong first.”

  Not a whole lot Rick could say to that.

  “Don’t feel bad, man. We’ve all been through it,” Gage admitted.

  “Yeah,” Damon added. “Take your time, and don’t push too hard.”

  Rick replied, “Well, I expect to be there within a few days.”

  “And, if that’s the case, you’re more than welcome,” Terk noted calmly. And hung up on him.

  Rick was getting really damn tired of that. On the other hand, he also knew that Terk meant what he’d said, and, if they needed help, he certainly wouldn’t compromise their situation by giving them another person to take care of. As long as Rick was here, he supposedly was safe, but safe from what?

  Fuming, he managed to get up and to get to the bathroom on his own, just now realizing how many bodily functions he hadn’t controlled before. As he studied his sickroom, when he got back in it, he saw all kinds of equipment, then realized that Cara had literally done everything for him, utilizing IVs, catheters, and anything else that was needed.

  When she walked into his room a little later, he looked at her sheepishly. “I’m sorry you had to do all that to see to my care all this time. I hadn’t realized, until a few minutes ago, just how involved that must have been.”

  She looked at him in wonder. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about, but, as a nurse, it is something I’m quite used to doing.”

  He nodded slowly. “And I guess that helps.”

  “What’s the matter?” she teased. “Not used to being down and needing medical assistance?”

  “No,” he snapped. “Not used to being down and out, not used to needing a nurse, not used to needing anything, in fact.”

  She laughed. “I definitely get the impression that you are one of those strong guys who doesn’t ever want to see themselves in anything other than peak form. But, when you’re in a coma, medical interventions are the norm,” she stated calmly.

  He nodded slowly. “I’m just realizing that now.”

  “I’m glad you were able to go to the bathroom on your own. That’s a huge step.”

  “And food?” he asked hopefully.

  “Yep, that’s coming too. It will be ready soon.”

  He wouldn’t dwell on the fact that she had been forced to take care of his personal needs. He was grateful that she had the skill to do so because obviously he hadn’t been capable, but that still burned him. He didn’t know what had gone on before that landed him in a coma for weeks, but he was bound and determined to find out.

  When the phone next to him buzzed, he looked down to see a text from Terk.

  This is a reminder that you are still in grave danger. No contacting anyone, no letting anybody know what’s going on.

  He frowned at that but responded in the affirmative and then sent a follow-up. More explanation is needed.

  The response, when it came, was disappointing. When you’re back up and running.

  He swore at that because he was pretty damn sure that Cara would be the one who made the decision about whether he was back up and running or not. When she returned with a sandwich and a bowl of soup, his stomach grumbled loudly.

  “Another good sign,” she stated automatically.

  He nodded. “I am hungry.”

  “And that’s good. Let’s see if we can get you eating at the table. Sit down and let me set this up for you.”

  He pulled himself from his bed and took a few steps to the nearby chair, where he sat down slowly, feeling the weakness in his body. “How long before this fatigue goes away?”

  “You just woke up,” she reminded him. “The fact that you’re even mobile is huge. Don’t expect too much out of your body just yet.”

  “I expect the max,” he stated in a hard tone, “and I’m not staying here while we’re in danger and all my friends are too.”

  She nodded. “I get that. I really do, but there’s got to be a level of common sense here.”

  “And you won’t let me get away with it if there isn’t, right?”

  “Absolutely.” She handed him the tray. “Hold this.” Then she walked over to the corner and pulled out a TV table. She set it up in front of him.

  “I could have walked out to the dining room, you know,” he added mildly.

  “Maybe,” she murmured, “but, for this first time
eating, let’s keep you where I have an eye on you and where you’re not too far from the bed.”

  He would follow along for a bit, but obviously she didn’t know that he was generally strong and healthy, and this type of behavior was quite irritating to him. At the same time, she was doing her best and would have to report to Terk, which Rick understood wouldn’t be easy for anybody. Soon she had the table set up, with the height adjusted to her satisfaction. “Go ahead.”

  He nodded, then picked up the spoon and tasted the soup. It tasted fresh, with a deep flavor, and was quite tantalizing. He stared at her. “Did you make this?”

  She nodded. “I like to cook.”

  “Well, I’m definitely happy to reap the benefits,” he murmured.

  She chuckled. “I don’t usually have to cook for anybody else.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “I suppose your patients are usually just fed through tubes, huh?”

  “Lots of times,” she agreed cheerfully. “If I’m lucky, they get out of the coma though.”

  He frowned. “I guess the alternative is no fun.”

  “Nope, not for any of us.” She gave him a ghost of a smile.

  He nodded. “Did I have any physical injuries? Outside of being a little uncoordinated, it doesn’t feel like I’m hurt at all.”

  “A concussion,” she replied. “You had a bit of a head injury that has healed nicely since your accident, but what we just don’t know is if there’s been any damage on the inside.”

  He opened his mouth and then closed it, before returning his attention to the soup and taking another sip.

  Finally she asked, “What is it you’re trying to ask but don’t want to?”

  He hesitated, then looked at her. “Was I checked over by a doctor?” She gave him a flat stare. He shrugged. “Believe me. I trust Terk as much as anybody else in this entire world, but I’m also not a fool, and I know that sometimes we just can’t get doctors involved because there’s just too much … weirdness going on with us,” he said, for lack of a better way to say it.

  She nodded. “I believe somebody did do the initial check on everybody.”

  “Okay, great.” He felt a touch of relief at that thought, then he shrugged. “It shouldn’t make any difference. I’ve certainly seen crappy stuff happen, even with doctors involved.”

  “Doctors are not infallible,” she noted immediately.

  “No, they sure aren’t,” he murmured. “What will you do when you’re done looking after me? Because obviously I’m awake now and getting much better.”

  “Are you trying to tell me that I’m fired?” She laughed.

  His grin was lopsided at best. “Nope, not at all, but you can bet that I’m bound and determined to work my way back to joining the rest of my team.”

  “I got that,” she noted, with a grin, “and that’s good. It also is good to see you eating.”

  “Did you think I wouldn’t be able to?”

  “Well, getting food in is one challenge,” she explained calmly. “Seeing how your stomach handles it is the next, and, then of course, it’s got to come back out again.”

  “Any reason to consider that there would be a problem anywhere along the line?” he asked cautiously.

  “Nope,” she replied, “but that doesn’t mean there isn’t something we don’t know about yet.”

  “Well, let’s hope it’s all fine. Anything else doesn’t sound very appealing.”

  She broke off into peals of laughter. “Nope, it sure doesn’t, but the bottom line is to ensure that you’re as good as you can be, before you head off into the crazy world out there.”

  There wasn’t a whole lot he could say to that either. He got down three-quarters of the soup, then set it off to the side. “If I finish that, I won’t have room for the sandwich.”

  “You’ve already eaten more than I thought you would anyway,” she confirmed.

  He gave her a flat stare. “Hey, I told you that I was hungry.”

  She left the soup on his tray. “I’ll leave that there, just in case you change your mind. Who knows? Maybe you won’t like the sandwich.”

  He laughed, took a bite. “It’s a sandwich, and, in my world, that means food and sustenance, which go together. I need to get my health back as fast as possible, so I can return to my world.”

  “Don’t be too eager,” she murmured.

  He shook his head. “All my friends are in danger,” he said quietly. “How am I supposed to stay here and rest, knowing that?” She couldn’t argue with that, and he was grateful when she didn’t even try.

  She picked up the empty dishes when he was done and disappeared.

  “What am I supposed to do now?” he cried out.

  “See how your stomach handles digesting your food. If it comes back up, you let me know.”

  He stared down at the bed and around him. “It better not come back up,” he muttered to nobody in particular. “That is absolutely the last thing I want to imagine right now.”

  But he was blessed, and everything appeared to stay down. A few hours later, he still felt pretty decent. He got up and wandered around the small room, feeling confined already. He opened the door and stepped out into the main part of the apartment. He was dressed in a pair of jogging pants and a T-shirt. That was something. As he walked out, he found her at the computer.

  She looked up, nodded. “I wondered how long it would take you to emerge.”

  “Apparently I was being too circumspect though, because I stayed in my room.”

  “I was hoping you’d have a nap.”

  “Not happening, at least not right now.”

  “Got it,” she murmured.

  He sat down beside her. “I’m feeling good.”

  “Good,” she murmured, studying him. “If you’re asking for permission to get out of here, the answer is no.”

  He glared at her. “You can’t keep me here as a prisoner.”

  She returned his flat stare with one of her own. “I wasn’t planning on it, and it’s not me who you have to answer to.”

  He frowned, looked around the room, and called out to Terk, “Wherever the hell you are, I want to leave.”

  Almost immediately his phone rang. “Good timing,” he muttered, casting a sideways look at her, but she ignored him completely. So either she didn’t know anything about the extent of the weirdness between all of them on the team or she knew enough to keep her mouth shut about it. Either way, he appreciated the privacy on her part.

  As soon as he answered the phone, Terk said. “I understand you’re eating.”

  “Yes, I’m eating, and I’m doing well. It’s time to pick me up and to get me back to the land of the living.”

  “You do remember why you’re there, right?”

  “Of course I do,” he replied in exasperation. “You also know that I won’t be of any value sitting here.”

  “That’s not true,” Terk argued cautiously.

  “You further know I can be of more value,” he reworded it, “if I’m there with you guys.”

  “I get that you want to be here,” Terk noted, “but that doesn’t mean it’s the right answer. Not now.”

  “How can it be the wrong one, given everything that’s going on?”

  “First, we have to find out if anybody knows where you are.”

  At that, he froze. “You think I’m still in danger? But we haven’t had any attacks in all the time that I’ve been here. Why would you think one would come now?”

  “Because I’ve been shielding you,” Terk replied.

  He stopped. “All this time?” he asked in shock.

  “Yeah, all this time, so believe me. I need you back up and running as much as you can be. Then I can stop the energy drain.”

  “Good Lord. Are the others able to manage without you?”

  “No,” he admitted, “at least that’s what I have to assume, just like with you. I’m not taking that chance.”

  “How are you managing that? You can’t be a mother hen to every
body.”

  “No, maybe not,” he replied, “but you all got hurt on the job, likely because of me. So, believe me. I’m not taking any chances.”

  “Why do you think it’s because of you?”

  “Well, because I set up this team for one thing. Plus, I couldn’t even save it when they shut us all down.”

  “I’m not sure we were at the point of saving, but we had set up plans to check in with each other coming up soon,” he replied. “I was hoping we could get clear of the government and set up our own team.”

  At that, Terk laughed. “Well, it might make you happy to know that’s what all of them are talking about now.”

  “Good. Don’t you dare set up something without me.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Terk said, still chuckling.

  “How are the others?”

  “Everybody here is much better. They’ve all gone through what you’ve experienced as well, and hopefully they’re at the point where they’re holding.”

  “I’m going stir-crazy here. So how about you fill me in, so I can at least work at wrapping my brain around it?”

  “Fine,” he replied. “I’m putting you on Speakerphone though.” And, with that, Terk proceeded to fill in Rick on some of the headaches that they had been through. By the time that was done, with the help of others chiming in, Rick had been given the gist of it all.

  He was stunned. “Good Lord.”

  “Precisely. So, as you can see, even though you might think that you’re safe, we can’t be sure, and we must be certain that we get you back here without anybody knowing where you’re going.”

  “Right.” He thought about it. “What about Cara here? Is she in trouble?”

  “We have to get her out before it comes to that,” Terk noted. “So, the patience I’m asking of you is also needed while we arrange for her to be moved somewhere clear.”

  “Got it. Any chance that they’ll try to follow her?”

  “There’s always a chance,” he noted.

  “Damn. This is one hell of a FUBAR.”

  “It is, indeed, and, if I had any answers to give you, I’d be happy to share them, but I just don’t.”

  “No, I get it,” he murmured. “Things are never that simple. Drones, huh?”

  “They’ve appeared prominently several times,” he noted.