Nemesis Chapter 29

The next morning, Nicholas was up early, arriving at the hospital before breakfast was served. He knew that it wasn't visiting hours in the critical care ward just yet, but he could at least check on the conditions of his two teammates while he waited.

He made his inquiries at the nurse's station, where he talked to the same nurse he'd seen in Jim's room the day before. She smiled at him.

"Your uncle is doing quite well," she informed Nicholas. "The tests we ran last night showed no evidence of heart damage. We'll be moving him to a regular room on fourth floor today, and if all goes well he'll be discharged tomorrow."

Nicholas smiled broadly. "That's excellent news! What about Shannon?"

"She is still sedated, and critical," the nurse replied. She saw Nicholas' smile fade. Quickly she added, "But the doctor thinks the antibiotics are starting to work. She has a long road ahead of her, but there's reason to be hopeful. We will watch her today, and we may start trying to wean her off sedation as early as tomorrow."

Nicholas beamed and shook the nurse's hand. "Thank you for all you've done, and are doing," he said sincerely.

He left the sixth floor and started downstairs to check on his other two friends. Figuring that once again donning a doctor's coat was the best way to find out what was going on, he made his way to the closet he'd found yesterday. This time, someone had left it unlocked.

Saying a silent prayer of thanks for that, and hoping it was a good sign of things to come, Nicholas slipped the coat on and went up to the fourth floor.

*******

The nurse was just bringing breakfast when Nicholas entered the room that Max and Grant were sharing.

"I see I'm just in time," he quipped.

"Good morning, buddy," Max smiled from the bed nearest the door. He reached out his right hand, no longer constantly supporting a pillow in front of him, and clasped Nicholas' in a firm handshake.

"How are you guys feeling?" Nicholas asked, as he moved to Grant's bedside and clasped his left hand in greeting.

"We're both doing much better," Grant answered.

"Yeah, he's still got a mild fever and a pretty wicked concussion," Max chimed in, his voice a combination of worry and relief, "so he's staying put for a couple more days."

"And you?"

"Well, I still have to take it easy for a while," he replied, a grin curling his lips, "but they're releasing me today."

"Good thing, too," Grant jibed. "I can't sleep with him in here. Ever heard the man snore?"

Max winked at Nicholas. "See? It's the concussion talking."

Nicholas chuckled at the banter, but his mind was racing. If Jim were transferred to the room with Grant after Max's release, then the four of them could be in the same room together. No one would question why he and Max were "visiting" Jim and Grant. It would sure make communication easier.

"How are Jim and Shannon?" Max asked, suddenly remembering the conversation from the day before, and Nicholas quickly filled them in on what the critical care nurse had told him.

"What happened to them, anyway?" Grant wanted to know.

"I have a feeling we all have stories to share," Nicholas answered, "but it's going to have to wait. I've got an idea. I'll be right back."

He walked down the hallway until he found a phone, then dialed the number of the critical care unit. Disguising his voice a bit so as not to be recognized, he spoke to the nurse in schoolboy Italian.

"This is fourth floor. Could you tell me what time Mister Phelps is set to be transferred?"

"Looks like twelve o'clock."

"All right. We'll have room twenty-one ready for him."

Following this conversation, Nicholas walked up to the fourth floor nurse's desk.

"Excuse me," he said kindly, "My name is Doctor Black. I'm going to need the patient in room twenty-one, bed A, discharged by noon today. I have a critical care patient upstairs who needs the bed."

"But Doctor Fazzoli said last night that Mister Phelps was going to twenty-seven. There's nobody in there."

"I know what he said," Nicholas responded flippantly, "but twenty-one is closer to your station and he wants the very best care for our patient. You can call him if you want," he added, continuing the bluff and hoping the nurse didn't call him on it.

She didn't.

"No, that's fine, I'll make the appropriate changes in the paperwork."

"Thank you," Nicholas said sincerely, flashing the nurse a pearly white smile, and then returning to his teammates' room.

"Well, it's all arranged," Nicholas reported triumphantly, and filled them in on what he had just done. "We'll be able to talk more this afternoon. For now, I think it's best if I make myself scarce. A doctor shouldn't spend too much time in one room, after all."

The trio said their goodbyes and agreed to reconvene later in the afternoon. Nicholas made a quick trip up to critical care to visit with Jim and Shannon, then off to find some breakfast.

*****

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