“I’m okay,” I assured her.
“Are you sure, do you need anything? How about some ice chips?”
“You don’t need to fuss but some ice chips would be nice.”
“I’ll be right back.” She swooped out of the room only to be replaced by Eddie.
“Kay?” he said tentatively as he stepped inside.
“Come on in, Eddie.”
I was hoping this wasn’t going to last long as I was already starting to feel tired.
“I know you need your rest, but I just wanted to see for myself that you were alright,” he said gently.
“I’ll be fine, I’ve been worse.” I gave him a weak smile.
“I know, but a person can only take so much.”
He had a point. “I know, I’ll be fine,” I told him.
“Carolyn and the girls sent these.” He walked over and placed a vase of flowers that he had been holding on the windowsill.
“Thank you, those are beautiful. Please tell them I love them,” I smiled.
“They wanted to come see you, but I told them to wait until you are stronger,”
“They are welcome anytime, Eddie. Just like you.”
He smiled. “I wish I could have done something to prevent this.”
“There isn’t anything anyone could have done.” I tried to reassure him.
“Do you remember what happened?” he asked.
“Not really. I stayed up late watching old movies and I guess I had too much to drink because I fell asleep and the next thing, I knew I woke up in the back of a van.”
“You didn’t see any faces of the persons who took you?”
“No, not that I can remember.”
Eddie nodded.
“How did you know I was missing?” I asked him.
“When you didn’t come into work on time, Sherry tried to call you and when you didn’t answer she sent me over to check on you.”
Sherry stepped back into the room.
“You two are my heroes.” I smiled.
“Oh no, Ethan is the real hero.” Sherry stepped around Eddie to sit down next to the bed.
“Oh?” I was intrigued.
“I called him after I called Eddie.” Sherry began “The local police showed up and that was a real mess at first. Ethan and the detective got into it and Ethan had him thrown off the case. That detective was pissed, I can tell you.”
I was more than intrigued. “Really?”
“Yes, and then Ethan and his team, oh and Mac, started investigating even though it was really up to the local police.” Sherry whispered.
“They were looking at traffic cameras and everything and that is how they found you.” Sherry leaned back in the chair nodding.
“Traffic cameras?” I asked.
“Yes, just like on TV. It was a good thing too, because there was a storm coming and if they hadn’t found you in time...” Sherry started to sniffle.
“They did find me.” I said weakly. I was trying to remember but I couldn’t.
“Yes, they did.” Sherry squeezed my hand. “And you’re a lucky woman.”
“Is everyone else okay, did anyone else get hurt?” I needed to know.
“No, Ethan put Michael in protective custody, I think they call it,” she explained.
“Why? Do they know who did this?”
Sherry looked uncomfortable and looked around the room. Then she leaned over and whispered. “They think it was Todd Bannister from InDesign.”
“Are they sure?”
“Ethan is.” Sherry insisted.
“Don’t take this the wrong way but are we sure Ethan is thinking clearly right now?” I was getting concerned about him.
“How can you say that after everything he went through?” Sherry protested.
“I’m sorry, you’re right. I guess my brain is still foggy.” I didn’t want to have an argument with Sherry and I also wouldn’t expect her to understand.
Her demeanor changed and she gave me a sympathetic pat on the arm. “I’m sorry, I’ve kept you too long. You need to rest.”
She stood up.
I tried to look drowsy. “Sherry, you’re my best friend. Thank you.” I said reaching for her hand.
She smiled and then a tear escaped down her cheek. “I love you, Kay and if you need anything you call me okay?”
“I will, I promise.”
She seemed to have forgotten my questioning of Ethan’s judgement and she and Eddie left. I closed my eyes, I was exhausted. I thought about what Sherry had said about Todd Bannister and if it could actually be true.
I drifted back to sleep.
***
There was debris flying and I couldn’t hear anything. I knew I should be able to hear something. I could see the mouths moving on the marines as if they were shouting but I couldn’t hear the words. My leg felt like it was on fire and I was frozen and couldn’t move. Oliver was waving at me to get down, but I couldn’t for what seemed like an eternity. He was running towards me then a cloud of smoke blocked him from my view and when I saw him again, he was lying face down on the ground. I wanted to scream. Maybe I did but I couldn’t hear anything. I looked around and when I could hear again, everyone one was down on the ground. No one was left standing. There was rubble and debris all around me and no one was moving. I looked beyond the space we had been occupying. There used to be walls but now there was nothing. There had been furniture, a table and some chairs. Now there were only sticks. The marines that had been standing just a few moments ago were all bleeding and hurt and I just stared at them.
◆◆◆
I woke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat. I think I must have called out.
“Hey, there. You’re okay. I’ve got you.”
I was startled to hear someone’s voice. Every other time I woke up from that dream I had been alone. The voice was new, and it scared me as much as the dream itself. I flinched.
“Kay, it’s Ethan. You’re safe. It’s me, Ethan.”
“Ethan?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” The voice was so calming.
I didn’t remember an Ethan on our team in Afghanistan. It took me a minute to realize where I was. Thousands of miles and six years away from that day. The day the world around me blew
