Nathan turned to Ezra who had been parked behind the group. The con man’s face was no longer pale, thanks to the transfusion, and the lines of pain were gone. The sedative was finally beginning to take effect. "How you doing, Ezra?"

"How am I doing in comparison to what? In comparison to a man seated on a deck chair in the Bahamas sipping an 1860 bottle of wine, I am doing poorly. In comparison to the parking attendant Buck decked, I’m doing remarkably well."

His teammates crowded around him. "Looks like it might be a short wait," Nathan explained before turning to Josiah and drawing the other man a few feet away. "The doctor was right. We need an expert down here to treat Vin. You said you spoke to a couple."

Josiah breathed deeply. "Yeah, but we’ve got fat chance in hell of getting either of them down here. Dr. Yates is the leading authority… pretty much the only authority… on Jungle Fever Coma survivors and his secretary charged me by the minute just to speak to her!  And I had to pretend to be the President just to get Dr. Harris, who’s the expert on Amnesia, to speak to me.

"Phone please," Ezra snapped to J.D. Sedative or no sedative, Ezra Standish’s sharp mind was zapping at a million miles an hour. J.D. glanced at the injured agent and decided to humor him. No doubt Ezra wanted to call the Bahamas to make a reservation. Dunne handed his tranquilized friend his cell phone before joining Buck, Josiah and Nathan as they debated getting the two experts to Texas.

"I could kidnap the damn doctors. It wouldn’t be any problem," Buck growled.

"Be serious, Buck," J.D. muttered. Josiah, Nathan and Buck looked at their companion. J.D.’s eyes widened. Clearly, he’d misunderstood. Buck was deadly serious. "But you couldn’t... I mean..."

"For Vin, I’d kidnap the Pope."

"Might not be a bad idea. He’s supposed to have a direct line to God and I reckon Vin could use the Lord’s help right about now."

"How serious is Vin’s condition?" Buck asked Nathan. He hadn’t been prepared to ask until Chris was out of earshot.

The medic sighed, stared into the expectant faces of his companions and turned away. It wasn’t easy being the one who was always the bearer of bad news.

"Nathan?"

"It’s bad, Buck," Nathan stated softly. His eyes were focused on the door Vin had disappeared through. "It’s real bad."

"But..."

Nathan turned back to the captain. He needed to put it in terms his friends would understand. "If he’d been shot four times in the chest and lost three litres of blood, it wouldn’t be any more serious."

Buck stared at the medic horrified. "He’s gonna make it isn’t he?...Nathan?... NATHAN!"

"I honestly don’t know."

Buck’s mouth started moving but he couldn’t find words. They’d just found Vin. They’d got him to a hospital. Surely...

"We need to get those experts here," J.D. whispered.

"Maybe we should call Travis and see if he can arrange it?" Josiah suggested.

"Would he able to?"

"He’d have a better chance than we would."

"I’ll get them here," Buck promised, starting for the door. His face was dark and severe. If kidnapping these two doctors was what was needed to save Vin’s life then Buck Wilmington was more than prepared to do it.

Ezra’s raised voice interrupted the men’s conversation. "I said, just a minute!" Buck paused.  Nathan, Josiah and J.D. turned to see Ezra wrestling with an orderly who was attempting to remove the cell phone so the injured man could be taken to surgery. Ezra said a few more things into the phone and then signalled his associates. "Unfortunately, Dr. Yates is out of the country and isn’t due back until Friday.  However, Dr. Harrissss assures me he is more than capable of treating Vin and he will be here ssssome time thissss evening.  "

Josiah, Buck, Nathan and J.D. felt their jaws drop. "You’re kidding?”

"I can not fathom why you are gaping at meee, so." Ezra’s speech was slurring as a result of the sedative. "I am the purchasssing and supply officer of our dear little group. We need it, I sssupply it. That’sss my duty - ass menial a duty as it isss. I wass destined for greater thingsss I assure you and it painsss me to think I have sssunk to the role of purchasssing and sssupply officer, but it would appear that is my penance for being sooo ssskilled in thisss obviousssly esssential area. Now, if you will excuse meee, this gentlemen hasss offered to take me to an able ssurgeon who will repair the damage that heathen’sss bullet did to my ssshoulder."

His four friends smiled.

"You’re amazing, Ezra. You’re lying there doped up with a bullet hole in your shoulder and you still manage to arrange a miracle."

"It’sss a gift," Standish grinned. "Sssome people are born with good lookss, otherss with a good brain and sssome with good luck. I happen to have been blesssssed with an abundance of all three." His companions burst out laughing and stepped back so the orderlies could whisk Ezra off to be treated.

"Any of you need to stay with him?" the tentative hospital worker asked carefully. Considering the last encounter the orderly decided it was safer to be sure.

"Stay with him? Are you kiddin’!" Buck laughed.

"I am deeply traumatized by the sscantiness of your concern for my sstate of being, Captain Wilmington. I will have you know..." Ezra was still articulating his disgust when he finally disappeared into a treatment room.

"If you cut his head off, he’d still be talking," Buck laughed. He was well aware of the fact Ezra had been injured attempting to protect him.

Josiah patted his shoulder. He could see the guilt flash across Buck’s eyes.

"Do you think... I mean, do you think Kane might come here to collect the bounty on Lieutenant Tanner?" J.D. inquired.

Buck shook his head. "Kane will be off licking his wounds."

"Which reminds me, we should ring the locals and send them out there," Nathan suggested.

"No," Josiah disagreed. "If there are any Hawks still running around, the locals will be out of their league. I’ll ring Travis and have him send in Special Forces."

Buck grinned. "Shit, that’ll make us popular. You know how Special Forces loves cleaning up after us."

**********

Doctor Allison eyed Chris carefully as Vin was settled in his room. The soldier hadn’t moved an inch from the injured man’s side. He had been scrubbed down by a nurse, watched as the patient was dressed in a hospital gown, surveyed the surgery without comment, walked beside the stretcher as it was brought to the room - and never once had he released his grip of the injured man’s shoulder. Doctor Allison had initially suggested Vin be taken to intensive care, but the soldier had made a different ‘suggestion’.

"No, we’ll need a large private room. There will be five of us with him at all times and one of those is Dr. Jackson. He will be more than capable of monitoring Vin’s condition. I want my other injured man brought into the same room.  4 beds in total so my men can take turns resting."

Doctor Allison didn’t argue.

Now, as the doctor studied Larabee’s worried face, he realized for the first time this was more than some Colonel throwing his weight around. This man was genuinely concerned for the young man lying on the bed.

**

Chris watched as Vin was attached to a dozen machines. The bullet had been removed and the wound stitched and bandaged. When a nurse wheeled in yet another monitor, Chris’ concern peaked. "Is all of this necessary?" he asked Allison.

"I’m afraid so."

"The wound isn’t that serious," Chris argued.

The doctor paused. "How much has Dr. Jackson told you about your friend’s condition?"

 "Nothing. Nathan’s told me nothing," Larabee stated carefully.

Allison considered his options. This man was a solider and no doubt desensitized to the emotion usually connected to serious injury. That made Allison’s job easier. He could simply tell it straight without the traditional cushioning necessary around family and loved ones. "Your friend is suffering trauma. Not physical trauma, but emotional and mental trauma. His body has shut down all functions except his heart and breathing. Unfortunately, his breathing is erratic at the moment. These machines will help us monitor his condition and hopefully stabilize it."

The Colonel’s expression was intense. "He’s going to be alright." It was a statement, not a question. Typical of a high ranking solider, the doctor reflected.

"I’m afraid I can’t tell you. His condition is beyond my expertise. While I understand the physical side effects resulting from the trauma and I can attempt to treat them, I can’t comment on the source of the condition. Your Dr. Jackson is arranging for an expert in that field to be brought here."

The colonel continued to stare at the doctor, clearly unhappy with what he was being told. "What is his physical condition?"

"His body is failing to maintain the functions necessary to sustain life. I advise to you to contact his relatives and get them here as quickly as possible."

Larabee’s eyes clouded, the emotionless composure dissolving… the colonel was gone.

In that instant, Dr Allison realized he had made a grave error. "I’m sorry."

"You’re saying he’s dying?" Chris clarified in a low voice.

"I’m saying his chances aren’t... I’m sorry. I’ll send for your friends." Dr. Allision turned and left the room quickly.  If he’d realized the colonel was family he would have handled it differently - a lot differently.

**********

Chris stared down at Vin who appeared to be hidden under the mass of tubes and wires. His friend’s face was as pale as the pillow on which his head rested. His chest rose and fell - or was forced to do so by the breathing apparatus he was attached to.

It was Vin… Vin who was alive…Vin who looked so fragile.

This couldn’t be happening!

Larabee squeezed Tanner’s hand. "Don’t you die on me, Cowboy. We need a sharpshooter on this team and you’re it. You hear me?"

The only response was the gentle beeping and buzzing of the technology surrounding the bed.

Chris swallowed. He’d found Vin after all this time and now… Larabee lost the control he was renowned for. Tears filled his hard eyes. "If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day, so I never have to live without you," he whispered, quoting from Winnie the Pooh. It had been his son’s favorite book. Why that popped into his mind at that moment, Chris didn’t know, but it echoed his every feeling. He had dragged himself on after Sarah and Adam’s death, despite wishing he had died in the fire with them. He had forced himself to continue with life when Vin had disappeared, despite the gnawing acid of guilt in his stomach. But there was no way on God’s earth that he could do it a third time. "Don’t leave me, Cowboy. Not like this."

**********

As few moments later, the boys joined their leader.

"Oh God," Buck murmured. Hesitantly he made his way to the bed. Buck placed his hand on the top of Vin’s head. "Hey, Kid. It’s been a long time… too damn long."

Silence filled the room. The sound of the breathing apparatus, EEG and other instruments beeped and buzzed filling the entire ward with cold, clinical sounds. The reality of the situation hit home in those few seconds. Vin’s condition was critical - they could lose him.

Chris flicked his eyes to Nathan. The medic lowered his face. "It’s alright, Nathan," his leader whispered. "This isn’t your fault."

Josiah slipped his huge arm across the medic’s shoulders and guided him forward. The men stood silently.

Josiah closed his eyes and began to pray aloud. "Heavenly Father, we come before you this evening and ask you to lay your healing hand on Vin. We understand you have a greater plan in mind and that plan may be beyond our human understanding - but we need Vin. You brought us together. Five men without purpose, friends, or loved ones. In each other we found the family we were seeking. Please, don’t take Vin from us. You have told us you hear our every thought and know our deepest secrets and desires. We all desire only one thing -- Vin returned to us safe and healthy. Quite selfishly, we ask this for ourselves and not for Vin - for Vin would gladly give his life for any one of us. Please, Father, help our young brother now. We ask all of this in Jesus’ name, Amen."

Buck Wilmington was unable to control his tears and they started running down his face. Josiah’s words had moved him powerfully. How right The Preacher was. They had been five men without purpose or family. Five individuals who had amalgamated into a single unit. Buck removed his hand from Vin’s head and picked up his silent friend’s callused fist. Vin looked so frail. He didn’t look like he’d eaten a decent meal in the two years he’d been separated from his team.

"Doctor Allison thinks he’s dying," Chris stated quietly.

"Doctor Allison doesn’t know Vin," Nathan replied with more confidence than he felt.

"He said you’ve arranged for an expert."

"Not me. Ezra."

"Ezra?" Chris asked.

Buck lifted his eyes from Vin’s silent face and forced a grin, wiping the tears with the back of his hand. "Finesse."

Chris noticed J.D. hovering in the doorway, obviously feeling out of place. Larabee inclined his head. The youth walked in apprehensively. "How is he?"

"He’s been better," Chris whispered. "But if there’s a chance, Vin will make it."

"Ezra’s on his way up. The surgery went well. The doctor said Nathan had done most of the work.”

"I rang Travis and told him what was going on. He’s sending Special Forces in to do the clean up."

Larabee nodded, though his mind wasn’t truly functioning. The bile in his stomach and ache in his heart filled his entire being. Staring around at the strained faces of his men brought out the leader in him. It was up to him to hold it together for his men - just he had done in Katinda. His men hadn’t eaten all day -time to remedy that.

"Josiah, arrange for some food. We’ll take shifts using the two spare beds.  When is the expert getting here?"

"Ezra said some time tonight."

Chris turned to Vin. "You hear that? Help’s on the way, Cowboy."

**********

Buck, Josiah, Nathan and J.D. continued to talk, laugh and throw food at each other around Vin, much to Dr. Allison’s horror. His patient’s condition was serious. Didn’t these imbeciles realize that?

Chris added whispered words of encouragement and several words to calm his men. To Dr. Allison’s amazement, Vin’s condition improved dramatically - almost as if his team mate’s antics were having a calming and healing effect on him.

Half an hour after Vin had been settled in the room, his own breathing became strong enough to take over from the machine which had been regulating it. Within two hours, Larabee and his men were feeling far more confident. All but the device monitoring Vin’s brain waves had been removed. The young man’s condition had stabilized and Nathan assured his companions the sharpshooter was out of immediate danger.

Ezra was wheeled into the room and regained consciousness with a mouthful of complaints, which eased the others’ concern. If there was one thing they knew of Standish, it was if he was in good voice, then he was in good health.

"I do declare this bed had more lumps in it than Sergeant Jackson’s gravy."

"There ain’t nothing wrong with my gravy," Nathan snapped indignantly.

"I would like a new mattress. Someone pass me the call button. I intend complaining to the hospital administration."

"It’s good to see you’re feeling better, Ezra," J.D. grinned.

"Feeling better? How on earth did you arrive at such a nonsensical conclusion? I have been shot."

"Ezra, how did you get Dr. Harris to agree to come here?" Josiah asked curiously.

"It was the second thing that my mother ever taught me. The first, of course, was how to shuffle a deck of cards. I am told that I could play poker at the age of two."

"I don’t doubt that," Buck chuckled.

"The second thing the mother taught me was... money talks and bullshit walks." All of the men looked surprised. They had never heard Ezra use such a coarse phrase.

"You offered to pay him?" Chris asked.  "How much?"

"I am a gentlemen, Sir and a gentlemen never discusses the cost of..."

"How much?"

Standish’s eyes softened, the bravado and facade disappearing. "It was money well spent, my friend."

**********

Doctor Harris arrived around 10:00pm and after interviewing Nathan and Josiah, talking to Dr. Allison and examining Vin himself, he announced Vin was doing exactly what was needed. He required rest to stabilize his physical condition - and stabilizing it had to be their first priority. In Harris’ professional opinion, once Vin’s essential brain functions returned to normal, the sharpshooter would regain consciousness. The moment he did so, his mind would sort through any memories that had surfaced during the encounter with the Hawks.  While that could prove dangerous, it was necessary and the expert would be on hand to assist him deal with the trauma associated with the return of his memory.

**********

The hours ticked by but Vin showed no sign of waking. This was a source of great concern to the doctor responsible for his physical condition.

"There is practically no brain activity," Dr. Allison commented, studying the machine beside Vin’s bed.

"It’s not something we need be concerned about," Nathan assured the other man.

"I disagree. The only brain activity is maintaining essential life functions. I would be more comfortable if there was some sign of actual thought processes. It’s almost as if there is brain injury."

"I am no doctor, but I fail to see why Lieutenant Tanner would be contemplating anything," Ezra commented as he dealt another hand to Buck and J.D. -  both of whom had lost their next three week’s pay to the accomplished card sharp.

"Normally there is far more brain activity than this,” Allision insisted.

"I hate to be the one to inform you, doctor, but Lieutenant Tanner is about as far from normal as the good captain here, but for completely different reasons." Buck scowled at Ezra. "Captain Wilmington was obviously raised by wolves, which explains much of his ill-mannered behavior."

"Shut-up, Ezra," Buck snapped as he shoved The Gambler good-naturedly.

"Lieutenant Tanner, on the other hand, has a somewhat dubious and misplaced sense of trust. Colonel Larabee told him to relax and assured him everything was okay.  Now while that may not be enough for the likes of you and me, I am led to believe Vin’s faith in Chris is so strong it would be sufficient. Anyone care to comment or debate this issue?"

Josiah glanced at Ezra thoughtfully and nodded his agreement. "Ezra may have a point. Chris told Vin to relax and that is exactly what he’s doing. He’s letting us do the worrying. He knows we’re here and he’s in good hands."

Doctor Allison eyed the men. The blind faith they were talking about was, in his opinion, a myth found only in fairy tales. What the doctor did believe was his patient was failing to show any signs of regaining consciousness and there was no physical reason why he shouldn’t do so.

“I believe there is reason for concern,” Allison repeated.

Josiah snorted. The doctor could and would never understand the bond Chris and Vin shared. Yet, somehow, Ezra Standish did. Complete trust and loyalty was a rare thing.

Chris glanced down at his silent friend. You trust me that much, Cowboy? What the hell did I ever do to earn that trust? Chris knew he’d done nothing - not a single thing. The trust Vin had in him simply existed. Why? Chris couldn’t answer that, but he trusted Vin in the same way.

You just keep on resting, Vin. The doctors agree that’s what you need to be doing, so just keep doing it. The boys and I are here to watch your back. Chris squeezed Vin’s shoulder. There was a momentary jump in brain activity recorded by the monitor, but it settled and returned to the same pattern it had been beeping for the past few hours.

**********

A full day rolled by.

Doctors Harris continued to drop in every half an hour to collect the printout being discharged from the machine monitoring Vin’s brain waves before disappearing again.

"How much did you say you were paying him?" Buck grunted.

Nathan noted the doctor’s actions had become increasingly short and sharp in the last two visits. The E.M.6 medic nudged Josiah and the two of them approached the pair of experts as they left the room.

“Is there something we should be told?” he demanded.

"First, as I’ve said to you before, Jungle Fever Coma survivors aren’t my area of expertise.  While they certainly suffer amnesia, it is only one aspect of their condition.”

“So we need to get Yates here,” Josiah agreed.

Harris nodded somewhat reluctantly.  “However, I’m not sure that will make much difference.  I believe he should have regained consciousness by now.” 

"But you said the longer he rests the better," Nathan argued.

"Yes, but I expected his brain activity to increase. There is no cognitive activity apart from what is required to keep him alive.  I’m afraid he is sinking into a coma."

"The hell he is," Nathan snapped.

"Why didn’t you tell us you wanted him awake?" Josiah demanded.

"There seemed little reason to concern you all. I had hoped once Lieutenant Tanner’s body recovered sufficiently from the physical trauma he sustained, he would regain consciousness of his own accord."

"Vin thinks he’s supposed to be resting."

"Your friend is not ‘thinking’ at all. Only non-elective processes are occurring. Ones that do not require thought."

Josiah continued to glare at the doctor.  First, Harris had led them to believe he could handle the situation and that Yates wasn’t required.  Now he was admitting he didn’t know what he was doing! "Vin was ordered to rest. He isn’t going to do anything different until he’s told."

"You talk as though you could just walk in there and ask him to wake up," Dr Harris exclaimed with annoyance.

"Not me, brother, but I know someone who can."

"Your friend is not simply asleep. He has moved into deep unconsciousness. I’m afraid that once in a coma there is..."

"Boys, Harris wants Vin to wake up," Nathan announced turning and re-entering the ward. For a split second the other men froze. The time they had all been waiting for had arrived. Slowly Buck and J.D. rose to their feet. Ezra pulled himself up straighter in bed.

"This could be a little hairy depending on how Vin reacts," Josiah explained, signally Dr. Allison to join them.  "Boys we need to stay out of sight so move back against the wall and keep real quiet. Remember, we don’t know how Vin’s going to react to the memories he’s regained. We don’t even know if he will maintain the memories that came back during our battle with the Hawks. No matter what happens, keep your mouths closed and yourself out of his line of vision," Josiah ordered. "We don’t want him suffering another memory rush."

"Memory rush?” Dr. Allison inquired.

Buck, J.D. and Nathan backed away toward the right. Josiah glanced at Harris and Allison "You two better get up there beside him." Then the huge preacher nodded to his leader.

Larabee lent close to Vin. "Lieutenant." With that, Chris rose to his feet, slowly released Tanner’s shoulder and then backed away, his eyes riveted to Vin’s pale face.  Come on, Vin. Take it easy. You’re going to be okay.

For several seconds nothing happened. The two doctors exchanged a knowledgeable glance. These poor deluded fools actually thought...

Vin’s chest heaved. His friends held their breaths. The monitor beside the unconscious sharpshooter began to beep as the young man’s brain activity increased rapidly.

"What the...?"

"He’s showing signs of regaining consciousness!" Allison exclaimed.

Harris leaped forward. Vin’s eyelids moved and he began blinking as he clawed his way back to awareness.

**********