Cut and Run 4 - Divide and Conquer

target,
    understood?”
    “Yes, sir,” Ty said mutinously. “Anything else?” He wanted to
    dart to the elevator and get up there as fast as he could, but he had to at
    least pretend he still gave a shit about the case.
    “Go on,” McCoy answered, nodding his head toward the elevator.
    Then he started talking with the other agent, who held an armful of file
    folders.
    Ty‟s mind whirred the entire ride up the elevator, throwing all
    sorts of grim scenarios at him that he tried hard to ignore. He‟d no
    sooner gotten to the nurses‟ station than he heard his name again.
    “Special Agent Grady?”
    Ty turned to meet the doctor who‟d called his name, abject terror
    clogging his throat.
    The doctor was a younger man despite his nearly white hair, and
    he projected an air of knowledge and experience around him. “I‟m Dr.
    Jameson,” he said, holding out his hand. “An agent downstairs called
    up to say you were on your way.”
    Ty shook his hand automatically, not bothering to try to be polite.
    “Special Agent Garrett has you listed as his emergency contact.
    Does he have any family? Wife or children?” Jameson asked, his voice
    dropping to a tone that was probably supposed to be soothing.
    98 | Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux

    Ty‟s mouth went completely dry, and he had to work just to
    swallow hard enough to get words out. “He has family in Texas,” he
    said hoarsely.
    The doctor nodded. “His next of kin will need to be notified, of
    course.”
    Ty stared at the man, trying to take in what he was implying as he
    felt tunnel vision threatening. It just wasn‟t making it through. He
    opened his mouth to respond but couldn‟t manage it.
    “Special Agent Grady? Are you all right?” Jameson asked in
    concern. “I was told you weren‟t injured. Your partner will need
    someone with him until his family can arrive.”
    Ty closed his eyes and cocked his head to one side, trying to
    maintain control for just a little while longer. “You saying he‟s alive?”
    he managed to ask shakily.
    Jameson‟s jaw dropped. It would have been comical under other
    circumstances. “I‟m so sorry—I thought you‟d already been informed.
    Special Agent Garrett is in serious but stable condition.”
    Ty took a deep breath and balled his hand into a fist, telling
    himself that throttling the doctor would get him nothing but jail time.
    “Can I see him?” he asked through gritted teeth, glaring at the doctor
    dangerously.
    “Of course,” the doctor said immediately, apparently realizing
    how upset Ty was. “This way.” He turned and led the way, punching in
    an access code at a secure door, which he held open for Ty before
    leading him through a maze of bays to one only dimly lit. The doctor
    stopped at the entrance by the glass door. “You should have some time.
    We‟re taking him for a CT scan soon.”
    Ty stood at the doorway, looking in at an all-too-familiar scene.
    They were going to have to make a deal about staying out of hospitals
    for a while. It was beginning to wear on his nerves.
    “Thank you,” he forced out to the doctor before he moved into the
    darkened bay.
    Divide & Conquer | 99

    “He has a concussion,” Jameson said. “We don‟t know how
    serious yet. He hasn‟t woken up, but the swelling inside his skull is
    already subsiding. I think he‟ll be okay.”
    “You think a lot of things, Doctor,” Ty said coldly without
    looking away from the bed. “What do you know?”
    Jameson spoke after an awkward pause. “Special Agent Garrett
    has a hell of a hard head,” he said frankly. “I expected several skull
    fractures, but I only found bruising and a split scalp that we stitched up.
    As it is, his brain got rattled. We‟re focusing on trying to reduce the
    swelling, and my hope is that we won‟t find any internal bleeding.
    There‟s no evidence of any so far. That doesn‟t rule out other injuries
    or blood clots. But overall? Your partner is a very, very lucky man.”
    With that, the doctor nodded uncomfortably when Ty glanced at him,
    and he left.
    Ty watched him go, then looked back down at Zane with a
    sickening lurch of his stomach. He moved closer to the bed and leaned
    over him, looking at him closely. “We‟ve done this before, Zane,” he
    whispered to his partner. “You need to be more creative with your near-
    death experiences.”
    There was no reply. Zane lay absolutely still, the rise and fall of
    his chest only barely visible under the cotton gown and