Gary replaced the receiver, already unsure about what he had just done.  Chuck had all too been eager to take on the responsibility of the paper for the day whilst he was stuck in England.  He could imagine returning to Chicago the next day to find Chuck a millionaire and in jail for fraud.  Not that Gary had much choice.  He was in the UK and in a few hours time the paper would be on his doorstep in Chicago.

The paper that had brought him on his journey across the globe, sat at the end of the hotel bed and he checked it before going to sleep.  Gone was the horror of the train crash and the hundreds of victims, all that remained were photos of Jessica Parnell's show biz wedding.  He tossed it back into his bag and slumped onto the bed.  His whole body ached from running around airports and being shoved about in lines.  Despite missing every meal except breakfast, he wasn't hungry.  Not even caring what clothes he slept in, Gary closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

He awoke a few hours later, feeling alert and refreshed, but very stiff.  A hot shower soon helped to ease his aching muscles and also awoke his stomach.  Changing his sweater, Gary wandered downstairs to find some dinner.  The hotel restaurant was closed, but the night porter gave him directions to a nearby pizza takeaway that stayed open all night.  It was only a short walk down the street and out of curiosity he stopped in a 24 hour gas station on the way back and picked up a copy of The Daily News, one of the local papers.

He sat in his hotel room reading the newspaper and eating slice after slice of deep pan pizza, realising why he hadn't been called in to help before.  The paper was full of comic articles, lottery winners and music news - no murders, stabbings and definitely no train crashes.  It made a change to read a paper that was full of good news instead of bad and he actually began to relax.  Chuck and Marissa knew he was okay and although he couldn't get back to keep any eye on him, Gary knew that Chuck wouldn't do anything too stupid with the paper.  He had finally been given the one thing he had prayed for since the paper had first dropped on his doormat - a day off - and he was determined to make the most of it.

Switching on the TV set on top of the closet he found that a cable channel was showing the comedy film that had been the in-flight movie on his way to Britain.  Watching it in different circumstances and surroundings, he found himself laughing hysterically.

Pizza, a good movie and no paper, he thought ecstatically,  My life can't get any better.

***************

THUD.  "MEEOOOW".  Gary automatically pushed back the covers and got out of bed.  Heading across the floor to the door, he was shocked to walk straight into a wall.

"What the...?"

Fumbling around in the dim light of morning, his roaming fingers found a switch and the room filled with bright light.  Gary screwed his eyes shut tightly and then opened them slowly, one at a time, allowing the pupils to adjust.  As he took in the unfamiliar surroundings his memory caught up with its abrupt leap into action and reminded him where he was.  Brief sounds from his sleep came back to him and he shuddered as he remembered the cat.

"I can't even escape it when I'm asleep," he though miserably.  "I'm even dreaming about it now."

Crawling back under the duvet, he closed his eyes and tried to drift off again.  A new, but familiar, sound filled the room and even with the warmth of the cover, the hairs on the back of Gary's neck started to prickle and his flesh goosebump.  Throwing back the covers once more, he managed to get to the door without banging into anything in between.  Taking a deep breath he pulled open the door.

"Oh jeez no!"  Gary rubbed his eyes, hoping the mirage or hallucination would go away.  Unfortunately, it remained.  On the square mat outside the door the orange cat sat licking its paws, keeping a copy of tomorrow's Daily News warm for him.
 

*BOMB DESTROYS CASUALTY DEPARTMENT*

A huge explosion ripped through the Accident and Emergency unit of Staines City hospital at around midday yesterday, killing hundreds of patients and staff.  Police officials estimate that nearly 235 people died and around 50 others seriously injured when a device went off in the reception area of the hospital.  The unit was packed to capacity after a local football match erupted in violence and fans invaded the pitch.  Most were waiting for treatment in the main reception area when the device exploded.  Police are investigating reports of an unmarked white van seen in the Ambulance bay area shortly before the explosion.  No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

***************

A picture filled the width of the front page.  A blackened shell of twisted metal and crumbling brickwork, only identifiable as a hospital by the crushed ambulance which  stood in front of it and the scorched NHS sign on the wall.  The front of the building was gone, blown to a heap of dust and rubble.  Survivors wandered amongst dead bodies, dazed, hurt and in shock.

*So much for the quiet life* Gary thought bitterly, re-reading the cover of the newspaper, *I should've known I couldn't escape it that easily.*  He glanced at the cat who was sniffing the hotel room floor eagerly.

"I hope you're not expecting breakfast," he told him.  "I don't even think I'm allowed pets here so you better find somewhere to hide."  The cat stared back, unconcerned.  "Have it your way," Gary told him, "but I ain't gonna rescue you from the Cat Pound."  He didn't know if there was such a thing, but it did the trick.  The cat slid under the bed.

He wondered if there was anything else that needed his attention.  Flicking through the paper he found a report of a child being knocked off her bike and killed.  Luckily he recognised the road as being near the airport, within walking distance.  The majority of the first five pages covered the story of the bombing, but there were no clues that he could pick out as important.  Remembering the football match mentioned in the first article , Gary flipped the paper over and read through the sports section.  A picture of the teams lined up ready to play reminded him that the game was very different from American football.  The article was written as a tribute to two players in the match.  They had been injured during the pitch invasion and after being taken to Holby City Hospital, had been killed in the blast.  According to the tribute one had been a promising young goal scorer, set to play for England.

Gary wondered what to do.  He had three things to prevent, two of which were linked, but he couldn't be in two different places at the same time.  Even he wasn't capable of that.  First he had to find out how far away Staines was.  He hoped it was on a bus route.  He felt strangely isolated and vulnerable without his friends around.  This would be one of the rare times when he couldn't discuss his day with Chuck and Marissa.  Their regular breakfast at McGinty's was a staple part of his routine.  It made him feel more confident that he was on the right track - even if he did spend most of it trying to keep the sport and finance sections of the paper away from Chuck.

Leaving the paper on the bed, he wandered over to the window and lifted the net curtain.  Outside the city was just starting to wake up.  Hundreds of miles across the sea, Chicago and his friends were still asleep.  *Actually, knowing Chuck*, Gary thought, *he's probably only just gone to bed*.  He looked at his watch.  Only eight o'clock.  That made it around two am in Chicago.  The telephone sat on the bedside table, urging him to call. Gary knew he couldn't wake his friend after what he'd put him through the previous day, but he did pick up the phone and give the switchboard a number in Chicago.  He didn't call either of his friends though.....

"Hi, this is Gary.  You've guessed I'm not here, so talk to the machine awhile instead"

He waited for the familiar tone and then launched into his prepared message to Chuck.
 

Gary stood next to the bedside table, phone receiver in one hand.  He used the other to pull his arm out of his sleeve and remove his jacket.  Swapping hands he managed to get the whole coat off and dropped it onto the bed with the paper, without taking the phone from his ear.

He thought back over the last hour.  Leaving the hotel, he had found the spot where the girl would be knocked off her bike and waited.  He recalled his heartbeat speeding as he grabbed her out of the way of the car.  She had picked herself up and ridden off as if nothing had happened.  Gary frowned at the recollection of yet another thankless little kid.  The morning hadn't been a complete disaster though.  He had managed to find out a bit about Staines.  It was only just across the river and there was a train and bus route which went through the city.  After the previous day's problems with trains, Gary decided to chance the bus and brought himself a day return ticket.  All he had to do was hop on and he would be in the city centre in fifteen minutes.

The phone had been ringing as he unlocked his hotel room door and now an angry, familiar hiss was coming from the other end of the line.  He held it away from his ear slightly.

"I had to listen to that message five times before I got the number down in the right order.  Gar, d'ya know how many digits you have to put in front to even *reach* England?!  And then - when I finally manage to get through - you're not even there.  I've been trying every ten minutes."

"Hey gimme a break Chuck, I didn't expect you to get the message for at least another few hours."  Gary was starting to wish he hadn't called at all.

"I thought it'd be easier to stay over at your place," Chuck explained.  "If I'd known you were gonna starting yelling in my ear in the middle of the night I would've stayed at home!"  It had obviously been a shock, hearing Gary's voice on the answering machine.

"How was I to know you'd turn the phone up loud Chuck," Gary reminded him, "I didn't even know you were there.  The whole reason I left the message at my apartment and not your place was so I didn't wake you.  I figured you'd pick it up when you collected the paper."

"We'll Marissa came over and I didn't feel like going home so I stayed.  Jeez I wish I hadn't.  I can't wait for that darned cat to turn up."  Gary found himself smiling,

"Well you don't have to worry about that," he said, "the cat's here."  The phone line went dead and for an awful moment Gary wondered if they'd been cut off.

Chuck's voice came back a few seconds later,  "Okay Gar I'm awake - I'm listening.  All you had to do was yell - you didn't have to trick me into giving you my full attention, but since you have it, what's so important you have to call in the middle of the night anyways?  In case you forget I've got to rescue Chicago in a few hours."

"I'm telling you the cat's here.. and he's brought the paper,"  Gary couldn't believe how hard it was explaining the situation to Chuck.

"What *the* paper?"  Finally something had sunk in.

"We'll of course not *the* paper!," Gary replied, "This is London.  As far as I know they don't get the Sun Times over here.  Come on Chuck, pay attention.  I need your help on this one!"

"What am I supposed to do from here?" exclaimed Chuck, "Flap my arms and fly over.  Didn't you notice Gar, it's quite a trip!"  He was still annoyed that Gary had woken him and more confused than ever with the unusual events that had taken place.

"Of course not, but I can tell you what's going to happen and maybe you can work out how to stop this thing." Chuck yawned loudly on the other end of the phone.  Gary supposed his friend was reminding him that he'd appreciate *some* sleep that night. Then he heard Chuck sigh in defeat,

"Okay let's hear it."
 

The bus was crowded with football fans, decked out in opposing colours, one set blue and white, the other gold.  Every seat was full so Gary grabbed hold of a rail and tried not to fall over. According to the articles, it was going to be an important match, a Cup Final. The Staines team had to win the game.  Their opponents were an easy side - to lose to them would be unthinkable. The passengers were obviously getting into the spirit. Men, children and even some women were dressed in replica team shirts, scarves and hats and most had whistles or rattles. One or two smelt strongly of alcohol and appeared agitated.

"Which team do you support?" the driver asked.

Gary looked up from the paper and realised he was talking to him,  "Sorry?"

"I said which team do you support?  You ain't wearing any of the team colours."  Gary was surprised to see that even he had a blue and white scarf wrapped around his thin neck.  He glanced back at the paper.  The tribute on the back page still hadn't changed.  One player from each team would die unless he stopped the game from being invaded.

"I'm not rooting for any team," Gary replied.  "I'm rooting for a peaceful match."

The bus pulled up outside the huge, brick building and he got off.  He was quickly caught up in a sea of colour, all washing towards four very narrow turnstiles in the wall.  The swell eased as it neared the entrance, much to his relief, and he was able to get through safely.  On the other side the crowds were thinner.  Gary made his way to the ticket office with relative ease and with a little reluctance bought a ticket from the boy in the booth.  He knew there was no way he would be allowed into the match without one, even though he had no intention of actually watching the game.  Following the signs, he found himself in a large, stepped area.  All around him people were cheering and chanting, waving their scarves and jeering at the opposing fans.

Gary pushed through them, until he was standing on the bottom level of the terracing.  Now there was just a waist high rail between him and the edge of the soccer field.  He waited as the stands filled and the officials came out onto the grass and still he didn't know how he could stop the fighting.  He looked at the excited crowds and knew he couldn't hold them all back.  There was a policeman standing nearby and Gary tried to enlist his help.

"Officer, officer!" he shouted over the chanting.

The young constable turned in his direction.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"You could say that," Gary said and then realised that his words may be taken the wrong way, "I just heard some guys up there say they were gonna invade the game."

The policeman laughed.

"This must be your first match," he said, noting Gary's accent, "Don't let it bother you.  They'll say that at a home game.  They get all worked up and make threats but they won't do anything.  Besides, there's enough of us.  I'm sure we'll handle the odd hooligan.  Just you enjoy the match and let us worry about the unruly ones."  He turned back to his colleague, leaving Gary despondent and panicky.  He'd only come to the game to try to stop the casualty unit being so overloaded.  Now he was afraid he wouldn't have time to get back to the hospital and find the bomb.

Movement on the field caught his eye and he realised the teams were lined up.  With a blast of a whistle the players leapt into action, kicking the ball down the field towards the far goal.  A cry of anguish rose from the Staines fans around him and Gary knew the other team was going to score.  As people around him began to press forward and jump over the railing, the police all left their posts around the ground and descended on the one terrace, leaving the other stands clear.  The referee blew his whistle and waved frantically for the teams to abandon the match as people poured onto the soccer field from the undefended angles.  Most of the players disappeared into the tunnel as quickly and silently as they had appeared, but a few were caught by the fans.  Two faces stood out amongst them... faces which Gary recognised from the back page of the paper.
 

The atmosphere in the football ground was eerie.  Cheers of anticipation had been replaced with screams of pain and terror.  Children sat on the muddy grass, cut and bruised.  One of the goals had collapsed under the weight of a group of men, crushing a father and his young son.  Gary rushed down onto the field to try to help, but was immediately held back by the young policeman, who now guarded the players' tunnel.

"Let me go.  There must be something I can do?"

"There's nothing.  We have to wait for the paramedics.  I should've listened to you earlier.  It's too late now."  The officer was no longer laughing and joking.  His eyes danced with fear and panic and Gary realised he didn't know how to handle the situation.  Gary tried to calm him down and help some other way.

"You can get everyone that's okay out of the grounds," he said, trying to stay calm, "There's too many people just milling around and they'll get in the way of the ambulances."

The young policeman slowly came to his senses and nodded,

"You're right."  He moved his radio to his mouth and began issuing commands to his colleagues.  The sound of sirens drowned him out and he moved into the dark tunnel to cut out some of the noise.  Gary watched as three ambulances weaved amongst the injured fans and drew to a halt, cutting their sirens as they did so.  The rear doors of the nearest vehicle sprung open and a familiar figure dropped onto the ground, dressed in green overalls.

"Sara?"  The smart chestnut bob was pulled up into a high ponytail, sharpening the delicate features of her pale, but determined face.  Deep brown eyes, filled with sadness, met Gary's.  As he made his way towards her he noted another woman, in identical overalls, pick up a large first aid box and run over to the father and son under the goal.

"Gary, right?  What are you doing here, Gary?  What happened?"  Something told her that after the previous day, if he was involved, the explanation wouldn't be a simple one and she didn't have time to listen to it.  "Look I can't stop, I have a job to do."

"You're a nurse?" If she had asked him to guess yesterday what she did, Gary would have probably said student. He was a little surprised therefore , but pleased nonetheless, to find that she was in such a caring profession.

"Red Cross member," she said, "Voluntary First Aider really.  That's why I couldn't hang around yesterday, I was on my way home for a class." A sudden cry of agony grabbed Sara's attention and she flickered worried brown eyes towards the sound. Nearby, a woman sat holding her bleeding arm, sobbing in pain.  "I'm sorry Gary I have to go."  As she moved away Gary saw the hospital name on the side of the ambulance clearly for the first time.  He felt himself shiver.

"Sara, you can't take these people back to the hospital."

The girl didn't try to hide her sarcasm.

"Where else are we going to take them?" she queried, "Gary, they're hurt and in shock.  They need proper treatment and they can only get that at Staines.  Shock makes people lose their body heat.  If we leave them here they'll die of exposure."

Gary knew he was trapped.  If he kept on at Sara she was bound to get suspicious, especially after everything he'd done the day before.  But if he let her leave with all the casualties, they would get caught in the bomb blast and he'd be stuck at the football ground unable to do anything about it.  The only other alternative was to tell her about the paper, but that was out of the question... wasn't it?

"Sara, you have to listen to me, please!"  He didn't realise how hard he'd grabbed her arm until she prised his fingers off, but it did the trick.  One look at his earnest face and she knew there was more going on than she was aware of.  However busy or tired she was, she had to find out what it was.

"Okay, but this better be important Gary."

"It is.  Believe me it is."
 

Sara couldn't believe what she was hearing.  Yesterday, on a train journey that was nearly her last, he had seemed like a godsend, her guardian angel.  Now, after she'd spent a morning rushing back and forth from the casualty unit, dealing with drunks, asthma attacks and a child with a penny stuck in its throat, he was a lunatic.  A lunatic living in a fantasy land.

"You waste my time with some ridiculous story and then you expect me to take part in the whole little charade?"  Sara jabbed at him with her index finger, her face scarlet with anger.  "You must think I'm mad!  I came out here to do a job.  *My* job.  After you stopped that train yesterday I figured I owed you something, anything.. but this?  It's like something out of the X-files."

Gary watched all hope at success disappear out of the window.  He had been totally honest with Sara.  He'd gone against all his self made rules and explained about the paper, the cat, Chuck and Marrissa and .. she didn't believe him.

*Hell, why should she.* he thought bitterly.  His eyes dimmed and he let his head drop to his chest, feeling deflated.  *Who in the right mind would.  I'm just fighting a losing battle.*

He turned his back on the girl and hurried out of the football ground.  There wasn't anything else he could do for any of them now, he just hoped he had enough time to get back to the hospital and find the bomb before all those people were killed.  The article had said something about a white van parked outside, He reached round to pull out the paper and stopped short.  The paper wasn't there.  He checked his jacket pockets, hoping he'd just misplaced it, but it was gone.

*I must've dropped it on the soccer field* he thought.  His face froze in horror as he realised, with a start, the consequences if someone found it.  He swung around to head back into the ground and found himself face to face with the very person he'd been running away from.  Sara stood silently, her eyes large and alert, her hands behind her back.  She brought one arm around and held out the newspaper.  Gary's first reaction was relief, then came hope.  If Sara had read the paper...

"I think this is yours," she said, handing it over.  "I mean, I think you're the only one I know who gets tomorrow's paper a day early."  Gary's breath grew shaky with elation as he took in the full meaning of her statement.  She believed him.  She'd seen the paper and she believed him.

"I'm sorry Gary. I should've guessed after yesterday but can you blame me?  It's not something you hear everyday is it?  Whatever, you need my help more than they do at the moment," she continued.  "You just have to tell me what to do."  Guilt wasn't a feeling she was used to and Sara wished she wasn't feeling it right now.  She already regretted the way she had treated Gary and couldn't meet his gaze.  From the field, the occasional scream of a child in pain, cut the air and her lips pursed, suppressing a sigh.  Sara glanced around the litter covered entrance and concentrated on an old, squashed coke can, trying to block the thoughts running through her head.

"I don't know if there's anything we can do," Gary admitted, "But I'm gonna start by going to the hospital to try to find the bomb.  Maybe I can stop them planting it in the first place."

"I can call the hospital from the ambulance.  All we have to do is tell them where the bomb is, or is going to be, get the place evacuated and everything will be okay."

"It wouldn't work."  Gary knew that much.  He'd been caught out too many times before.  "They'll think you're mad and you can't go showing *this* {he waved the paper at her} to everyone you meet to convince them.  No.  We have to get to the hospital and tackle the problem from there."  A bus rounded the corner and Gary held out his hand to hail it.  He hopped onto the platform and searched his pockets for his ticket.

"Go back to the ambulances and get a lift to the hospital with one of them.  I'll meet you there.  And Sara....."  The girl had started towards the field and the medical team, but stopped at the sound of her name,

"Yes?"

"No heroics," he ordered, and then added softly, "be careful."

She didn't reply, just turned with a slight smile and was gone.  Gary couldn't help but think how beautiful she was.  He remembered how she'd walked away from him the previous day and left him alone.  He prayed history wouldn't repeat itself now.
 

"Where did you get to?  You're supposed to be treating people, not getting off with your boyfriend."  The paramedic assigned to look after her had every right to scold Sara sharply, but the girl was too busy trying to work out how to solve Gary's problems.

"I'm sorry Jason, but it was important."

"More important than your patients obviously.  Now concentrate won't you?  I have to get a chest drain in the boy by the goal posts, his lung's collapsing and his BPs falling.  You'll need to get him hooked up to the oxygen straight away.  His father's not so bad.  He's cracked a few ribs and he knocked his head pretty hard, but he's regained consciousness now and he's pretty coherent."  Sara took in all the information and digested it.  The quickest way back to the hospital now was with a casualty, but to get anyone into the ambulance she had to make them fit to travel first.

She dragged a box over to the young boy and pulled on rubber gloves.  He was unconscious and his face was ashen.  Short, wheezy breaths escaped between blue lips and Sara hurried to find the right position for the chest drain.  Making a small incision between his ribs, Jason inserted the tube and watched in relief as it filled with blood.  He checked his breathing and allowed himself a brief smile,

"Good job," Sara told him. She still smarted from the scolding but she'd worked with Jason on and off for a long time and knew he was only being cruel to be kind.

"Not bad.  The lung's inflating and BPs rising again.  Pulse is easing off."  He knelt next to the boy and checked his pupils,  "Reactive, excellent.  Let's get him and dad into the ambulance and get him onto a ward."

The hospital was hectic.  Reception was full and overflowing into the corridors and lobby.  Sara scanned the faces, trying to spot Gary's dark head, but he was nowhere to be found.  The message board lit up a two hour waiting time, but no one left.  Sara contemplated telling someone about the bomb but deep down she knew Gary was right.  She hadn't believed him and he'd saved her life once already.

"You've done all you can Sara.  Come on, let's go."  Jason appeared at her side and took her arm.

"I can't....  I have to stay here."

Jason's face said exactly what he was thinking. His eyes narrowed slightly and his lips set in a tight smile.  He had been her friend for two years, all through her medical training, but there were still times when they might as well have been strangers.  He shrugged,

"Suit yourself.  I'll see you tomorrow?"  Sara nodded and walked off down the corridor towards the toilets and relatives rooms, without replying.  Jason didn't bother to watch her go.  The next crew was ready to take the ambulance back to the football ground and he had to go through the hand over procedures with them.  He pulled out of the ambulance bay and headed down the main road.

Sara stood at the window and watched him drive away.  She strolled back through the reception area and checked the entrance.  Ambulances were arriving and departing as normal, but one vehicle remained stationery.  A small white van was parked on the edge of the roadway, along side the hospital wall.  Sara recognised it from the newspaper article and knew, without checking her watch, that it must be nearing midday.  As she made her way once more into the lobby an ambulance screeched to a halt and a paramedic flung open the two rear doors from inside.  He helped two football players down the steps from the vehicle.

Sara looked all over the hospital but couldn't find Gary anywhere.  He wasn't in the x-ray department or the casualty unit.  Time was passing quickly and she was running out of options.  Stopping for breath in a deserted corridor, something on the wall caught her eye and her lips broke into a grin.

"I don't know if this will work, but it's a start," she thought out loud.  Crossing the fingers of one hand, she grabbed her penlight firmly with the other.  "I hope I'm doing the right thing Gary."  The glass splintered as she jabbed the pen light into its centre.  A deafening, high pitched ringing filled the empty corridor.  Nurses, doctors and patients all filed outside as the fire alarm spread throughout the hospital.
 

The bus stop left him on the other side of the town from the hospital and the connecting service meant a twenty minute wait.  Gary rechecked the timetables, but there weren't any other buses.  It would take too long to call a taxi, so checking his map, Gary started running along the streets.

The hospital was easy to find, all he had to do was follow the ambulances.  He rounded the corner of the main road and jogged up to the entrance.  That was as far as he got.  A police officer, the same one from the football ground, barred his way.

"I'm sorry Sir, there's been a fire alarm.  The whole building's being evacuated.  No one's allowed inside."

*Oh Sara that's perfect,* Gary thought. *Now I just have to sort out the bomb itself.  If I leave it they could let all these people in before it goes off.*  He stood to one side and pulled out the newspaper to check the article.  The picture showed the same structural damage to the entrance, but now there were no casualties outside.  There were still some inside the hospital though :

"Nurse Ben Stanton, six children and a Red Cross volunteer, Sara Kingston were killed in the explosion.  Ten other children escaped with serious injuries.  Miss Kingston was helping the Children's nurse evacuate the children after a fire alarm was activated.  They were the only people caught in the blast."

Gary's eyes widened in horror and his heart quickened.

*I have to get in there* he told himself.  Determined not to see Sara hurt, Gary left the group of onlookers at the front of the hospital.  He made his way around the side and finally the back.  There didn't seem to be any other way in.  The site was surrounded by a high metal fence.  Gary found it a little strange, although he didn't have time to think to hard about the reasons for it.  He assumed it was there to protect the patients' privacy, but it hindered his attempts at entering the hospital to save their lives.  Following the fence around, his luck held as he came across a gate in the fence.  He made sure no one was watching him and climbed over as quickly as he could.

The hospital was eerily quiet.  Gary had no idea where he was supposed to be going.  The shiny floored, white walled corridors all looked the same and although he had entered the building on the ground floor and hadn't changed levels, he found himself three floors above the entrance.  He avoided the elevator and raced down the stairs, two at a time.  If he was too late, the last thing he wanted to do was to be caught in a metal box when the bomb exploded.

As he passed the door to the second level he heard voices and his heart started to race faster.  Pushing through the swinging doors into the passageway he saw a group of children running ahead of a man in a white jacket and behind him, a girl in a green jump-suit.

"Gary!  Where have you been?"

"I can't explain.  Sara you have to get out, but not this way, it'll take too long.  Go back into the building, as far as you can go and try to get out there.  If you head for the sides you'll get trapped."

"What are you going to do?"

"I have to find the bo... fire."  Sixteen pairs of eyes gazed up at him - scared, confused eyes that would fill with tears if he mentioned the bomb, he knew.

Sara's eyes widened,

"Are you sure that's a good idea."

"I'll be fine," Gary replied, wishing he felt as confident as he sounded.  Of all the things in Chicago that he'd come across and had to sort out, he hated bombings the most.  He wasn't sure if it was the unpredictability of them, the destruction and mass killing, or simply the unbelievable pain and suffering they caused.  Whatever it was, he hoped he could give Sara, the nurse and the children enough time to get out.  If they were hurt, after everything she'd done to help him, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.

Gary saw the fear in Sara's bright watery eyes and realised how very worried she was about the danger he had to face.  He knew he couldn't just leave her.  If the worse happened and Gary didn't make it, he wanted Sara to know how much she had meant to him.

The hug took her by surprise.  It made her feel safe and secure.  The soft kiss on the cheek was even more unexpected.  Sara almost missed Gary's last words as she tried to recover from the shock, but she knew now that she couldn't follow his simple instruction.

"Don't follow me."
 

Gary jumped down the last of the stairs and cautiously opened the door into the reception area.  It was deserted.  Careful to avoid being spotted from the main gate, he crept past the lobby doors.

"Think Gary, think.  If you were gonna plant a bomb, where would you put it?"

The idea was absurd.  He loathed the thought of someone even planting a bomb.  He had no idea of the best place to hide one.  Everything rested on him finding it before it blew the department, and him, to pieces.  The ticking of the wall clock seemed to grow in volume, letting him hear the time pass by. It seemed to match the rhythm of his beating heart.

"Look around," he said aloud, trying to remain calm.  "Look for anything that could be suspicious."  It was unbearable.  With no idea of the exact time the devise would go off, Gary knew that each second could be his last.  For a brief moment he considered making a run for it, leaving the bomb to explode, but he knew he would never be able to make his legs move.  It was cold outside, cold enough for patients to deteriorate if they couldn't get treated properly.  If the unit was destroyed they would all have to be moved to the next hospital and that was miles away.

Gary started to slowly move chairs and magazine tables, searching for anything strange.  The action lost him valuable minutes.  When he eventually found the bomb, he nearly ignored it - it was too ordinary.  A plain white carrier bag stuffed under a chair.  It could've been dropped by any one of the patients waiting in reception, but something about it made Gary return.  Maybe it the was the instinct he had acquired with the paper, but more likely it was the sudden appearance of a ginger cat.

The animal shot out from behind the reception desk and straight over to the bag.  Gary leapt backwards but the bag remained intact.  With a loud meow the cat pawed the bag one last time and strolled off down the hall.  However little he wanted to, Gary had to pick up the bag and look inside.  What he found looked harmless enough - a ball of grey putty like material, a few wires and a timer.  But Gary didn't need to wait to find out how destructive it could be, he had seen the pictures already.  All he needed to do now was get rid of it somehow.

"Meeeoow."  The cat re-appeared in the corridor.

"Y'know this is getting like Lassie," he told the feline.  His hands trembled under the deadly package they held and he took a deep breath.

"Okay, I'm trusting you on this," he said, "I hope you know where you're going."

Gary carried the package along behind the animal, along corridor after corridor, past wards and theatres, bathrooms and kitchens.  Eventually he noticed a trend in the signs they were following.  The cat pushed through two swinging double doors and Gary found himself in a small changing area.  Through the glass the Hydrotherapy pool lay still and calm as a lake.

"I owe you a steak," he told the cat.   It stared back with deep green eyes and meowed at Gary, unimpressed.

"Okay, a fish dinner then!" he suggested, aware that time was precious.  Satisfied, the cat started to purr loudly.

Gary ran through into the pool area and flung the bag into the centre of the hot, deep pool.  Bubbles rose as the bag filled with water and he watched it sink slowly to the bottom of the pool.  He turned towards the changing room, expecting the cat to be standing in the doorway, but the animal had vanished.  Gary had only taken a few steps towards the side room when a boiling, frothy ball of water shot out of the pool.   The muffled explosion rocked the tiled floor, throwing him forward onto his outstretched hands.

He rolled onto his side, clutching his wrist as burning daggers of pain shot through the joint.  As he lay on his back, he felt the ground beneath him crack.  At the same moment, the ceiling above him started to crumble and fall.  Levering himself up with his good arm, Gary stumbled into the relative safety of the adjoining room.  Chunks of plaster rained down outside, blocking off the doorway and his escape.
 

Sara knew he wouldn't give up.  It wasn't enough that everyone would be out of the building, he had to go back and try to destroy the bomb.  Determined to see the job through to the end, however much it took..... that described a lot of Jason's paramedic friends.  Some had gone into burning buildings to save people when the firemen had taken too long to arrive, others had sat with casualties trapped in motorway pile ups, even when the fuel tank could explode at any moment.

As soon as the children were safe she had decided to go back for him.  She may have only known him for a day or so, but she couldn't let him get hurt.  He'd saved her life.  Trying to tell herself that she cared because it was her job didn't work. *He is the bravest, most compassionate person I've ever met* she realised.  *Stupid as it is, I think I'm falling in love with him.  As if he'd be interested in a nineteen year old Florence Nightingale.*

The group came out at the back of the hospital and Ben sat the children down against the far fence.  Once she was sure they were all right, Sara started back into the building.

"What do you think you're doing, Sara! Stay here." Ben grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the safety of the group, "You can't go back. You know the drill. We have to stay out here until the alarm stops."

Sara gazed at him with pitying eyes.  *How little he understood*

"Ben, there isn't a fire," she said, keeping her voice low, "but there is a bomb.  I set the alarm to get everyone out."

His grasp loosened,  "A bomb in the hospital? Why?"

"I don't know Ben, but I promise you it's th...."  It was at that moment that the windows at the far end of the hospital blew out.  Ben instinctively went back to calm the terrified children, leaving Sara alone.  She didn't waste the opportunity.  Grabbing a hard hat from the store cupboard near the door, she ran back along the corridors towards the source of the explosion.

"Gary?  Gary where are you?"  Sara climbed over the fallen debris and continued to call, "Gary!"

The hydrotherapy pool room was a wreck. Sara peered through the gap where the glass had blown out of the window and tried to see anything amongst what was once a high tech treatment area.  The cradle and chair lift were buckled beyond repair and the therapeutic water had vanished through a wide crack in the bottom of the pool.  Sara tried to push open the door of the changing rooms, but it stuck after only a few centimetres.  Through the small gap she made out material and a shoe.

"Gary!  Can you hear me?  Gary, talk to me."

*If I could get on the other side I could move the blocks out of the way to open the door properly, I just need to get it started*

Bracing herself against the nearby wall, Sara put all her strength into her leg and kicked the door repeatedly. It inched back, bit by bit, until there was enough space to squeeze through.  She bent next to Gary's still figure and gently tilted his head back, opening his airway.  She lowered her ear to his mouth and gave a sharp cry of relief as she heard him breathing.  Kneeling beside him, Sara smoothed his hair away from his eyes.  A vivid bruise was forming on his cheek and his lip was cut, but he could have been sleeping.  As she waited, his eyes flickered open.

Gary tried to sit up.  He raised his hand to rub his eyes and winced.  "Ouch!"  A jolt of pain through his wrist brought the accident back in a rush.

"Take it easy," Sara told him.  "I don't want you moving around too much until I've checked you're okay.  It looks like you took quite a knock.  Do you remember what happened?"

Gary nodded, "It was in a bag under a chair.  I threw it in the pool."  He remembered something else too.  "Er Sara, Did I tell you about the cat...."
 

"Did you want to come in for a drink?"  Gary struggled to undo the seatbelt with one hand and gave up with a sigh.  Sara leant over and unclipped it.

"I'll come in and make sure you're settled," she said, "I can't just leave a one handed patient to fend for themselves now can I?  Let me park the car and I'll meet you in the lobby.  Jason will kill me if I leave it out here and it gets stolen."

Gary opened the car door and climbed out slowly, careful not to bump the white sling which held his sprained wrist.  He waited for Sara to drive around the side of the hotel and then walked through into the foyer.  The receptionist smiled as he entered and waved him over,

"Mr Hobson you had a call.  Heathrow called to say you have a seat booked on the 19:25 flight to Chicago."

After the excitement of the day, going home had completely slipped Gary's mind.  All the way back in the car he had dreamt of relaxing in a hot bath, watching some television and having an early night and now he was going home.  *Why aren't I happy?* he puzzled.  The answer came through the door and walked across the lobby towards him.

"Gary are you all right?  You've gone white."

"I'm fine.  Sara, I .. I have to leave."

"Sure.  Where do you want to go?  Buckingham Palace, Houses of Parliament?"

Gary shook his head sadly, "No, I mean I have to go.. home.   I hate to do this but.. could you help me pack?"  Sara did her best to smile, but the action didn't quite make it to her eyes and Gary noticed.  As soon as they were alone in his room she let down her guard.

Her face crumpled beneath a river of tears.  "I'm sorry."

Gary enveloped her with his good arm and pulled her close.  "Hey don't be.  It's nice that someone's upset to see me leave."  He pulled back slightly, "Sara you've been fantastic help y'know that?  Without your help a lot of people would've been killed today, whereas now.."  He pulled out the paper from his back pocket and flicked it open.  Sara was surprised when he started to laugh.

"What?"  In reply, Gary handed her the paper.

"Keep it, as a memento," he told her, "Finding out you're getting a bravery award is one thing, but finding out a day in advance, I think that's kinda special," he said, "Just like you.  You're gonna make a great paramedic someday, but meantime enjoy yourself a little."

Sara wiped her eyes, "Thanks Gary."

"Hey it's nothing," he replied easily, "Now are you gonna help me with this suitcase or do I have to struggle on my own?"  Sara laughed and started tidying his clothes.  Two hours later saw the pair standing at the Departure gate.

"Take care of yourself Sara, and keep in touch?"

"You can count on it," the girl replied.  She waved as he walked down the long passageway to Customs.  He looked back only once, just before he disappeared around the last corner.  From the lounge he made a final call.

"Chuck?  Can you pick me up from the airport?  What d'ya  mean you've been out all day with the paper?  *I've* been out all day with the paper y'mean!  Chuck, cal.. Calm down Chuck!  You must've been dreaming, the cat's been here all day.. I promise you Chuck... Whatcha mean you ain't doing it tomorrow!  Chuck don't be like that... Chuck!"

Email the author: copper.fair@lineone.net
 

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