Page 36 of Fortress
“Go get some sleep and a solid meal,” Dr. Turner told him. “You can’t do anything more for Tobias right now.”
Jake disagreed, but he knew they weren’t giving him a choice. Exhaustion was hitting him now like a dropped piano, and he suspected that if he tried to stand his ground, getting dragged out by security guards would just look pathetic.
He made Dr. Turner promise not to let anyone into Tobias’s room besides herself and the night nurse, and she agreed. Then Jake went to the Eldorado, made a quick trip through a McDonald’s drive-thru, and returned to the hospital parking lot. He shoved food into his mouth without tasting any of it, and when the greasy hamburger and lukewarm fries were gone, he punched the speed dial for Roger’s.
“Hey there, kid. How’s Tobias?”
Jake rubbed at his forehead. “Not good. Not fucking good.” He summarized, in choppy detail, his conversation with the hospital director and the supernatural specialist, and his too-brief visit with Tobias before his panic attack and Cunningham’s arrival. It was hard to describe that part because he still didn’t understand Tobias’s reaction.
When Jake finished, there was silence, followed by a long exhalation. “Aw, hell.”
“We can’t.” Jake had to swallow before continuing. What he was saying didn’t really make sense, but he had to say it anyway. “We can’t do this again, Roger.”
“What?” Roger asked suspiciously. “A troll hunt?”
“No, this—” Jake knocked the side of his fist against the steering wheel. “Putting him through this at the hospital. Theytied him down, Roger. Treating him like he’s—Ipromisedhim it wouldn’t happen to him again. Ever.”
Roger sighed again. “You think big, kid. That’s a hell of a promise to make to anyone.”
“I’m serious, Roger. I need to know how we can stop this happening again.”
“Retire?”
Jake groaned, letting his head fall back. “Besidesthat.”
“There ain’t nothing besidesthat. You’re hunters.” Roger’s voice was quieter, gruff enough to take the finish off an old chair. “You can take bets on when you two are going to end up injured again, but it’s gonna happen. And sometimes that’s going to land you with the bone saws.”
Jake knew Roger was right. He’d known there wasn’t any way around it, but he’d had to ask. “Can we... can we swing past your place? As soon as Tobias’s cleared for checkout, we’re going, I don’t think that he’s okay here”—and Jake knew he sure as fuck wasn’t either—”but I don’t think that we can make it all the way back to Boulder.”
“Hell, for a reason like that, you could stop at Alex’s. She’s got that nice garage apartment you stayed in last time, right? I’ll give her a call to see if it’s available. You get some shut-eye.”
“Thanks, Roger.” Jake snapped the phone shut and hunkered down on the bench seat, staring up at the headliner of the Eldorado in the parking lot’s lights. Close by, he could hear the growing siren of an ambulance, bringing another sorry soul in.
Early the next morning, Jake met Dr. Turner outside the isolation ward. She looked tired too, though unlike Jake, she’d changed more than her shirt. She gestured Jake toward her office.
He didn’t move. “I want to see Tobias.”
“He’s sleeping.” She gestured more emphatically.
Jake gritted his teeth, but he followed.
Dr. Turner sat down, picked up her coffee mug, drained it, then frowned at the bottom. “Would you like some coffee?”
“No.” Not now, anyway. Coffee would come later.
She set the mug down. “Tobias’s collarbone break is almost directly in the middle, and the ends are aligned—which is lucky, as otherwise it would require surgery. He’s going to need a sling for six to eight weeks. Ice packs applied for twenty-minute intervals may help with the pain and swelling for both the collarbone and his three fractured ribs. Over-the-counter pain meds, such as Tylenol or Advil, are essential for managing the pain, especially for his ribs. He needs to be able to breathe normally and cough lightly, as that will prevent lung infections. Do you understand?”
Jake blinked at her. Maybe he should have taken the offer for coffee after all. “Uh, maybe.”
She held up a packet of papers. “Here are some handouts. They’ll tell you what to expect. It’s highly important that he see a bone specialist over the course of his recovery to ensure nothing’s out of place. Physical therapy would also be beneficial. If you can find those resources outside of a hospital, I strongly advise you to make use of them, for his sake.”
He really should have taken the coffee. “Are you—kicking us out?”
Dr. Turner sat back. “I’m recommending him for early discharge. It’s highly unorthodox, but this is an unorthodox situation, and I believe it’s for the best. For everyone.” As Jake stared, her expression softened. “Particularly for Tobias. Staying in this hospital is only going to worsen his condition, and that defeats the purpose. If you can provide him with the care he needs over the next couple of months, including other doctors to monitor the healing process, that would be the best option.”
Jake realized he was gaping. He shut his mouth and tried to get his brain back online, to find a little focus so he could besurehe was reading this right. “I, uh—that would be awesome. But what... what’s the catch?”
Dr. Turner blinked at him. “Catch? I’m not sure what you mean. This is a recommendation for early checkout. You don’t have to come back here for any follow-ups.”
