She gave him a fleeting smile."It'll be some time, I'm afraid.There is a high risk of infection when we're dealing with the stomach.The surgery went well, and no major organs were damaged, but..."She kept on talking, but he spaced out.
"Do you have any questions?"
He couldn't recall what she'd just told him and shook his head, then he looked at his hand with the cannula."I need my gloves."Who had taken his gloves?Panic crashed into him, and the machine beeped faster.
The woman curled her fingers around his wrist and turned his hand over.His entire palm and fingers were taped with blue medical tape."Your brother did this.He wasn't pleased to learn someone had removed your gloves."
Frode winced.Hjalmar could be loud when he wasn't pleased.
"Is it sufficient for now?"
Frode nodded.He feared the tape might come off, but he trusted Hjalmar to have done a good enough job for now.
"Press the button if you need anything."Then she breezed out of the room.
It took effort to turn his head to Nikolai, and his eyelids were drooping."It was Saylor."
"We know."Nikolai was by his side between one blink and the next.
"Did you get him?"
Nikolai looked grim."They're looking."
Frode's eyes popped open."You didn't get him?"
Nikolai sighed."They will.Don't worry.Saylor might be smart, but there is a manhunt.Altman is already in custody."
Fear swept through Frode, and the machine beeped faster again.
"Hey."Nikolai kissed his forehead."Don't worry.There is an officer outside your room, and Hjalmar and I will be here until he's caught."
Hjalmar.The fear didn't subside."What if he comes for Hjalmar when he's out there?"
Nikolai shook his head."He's safe."
"You don't know that."
"Yes, he does."Hjalmar walked into the room, face pale and drawn, but unharmed.
Frode let out a breath and melted into the pillow.
"How are you feeling?"Hjalmar squeezed his shoulder.
"Fuzzy.How many clocks are there on the wall?It looked like three, but now I think there are two."
Hjalmar snorted a laugh."Sounds plausible."
It took all his energy to produce a smile, but he did it, then he closed his eyes and drifted off.
* * * *
Nikolai blew out a breath when Frode fell asleep.A fist squeezed his heart, but he had woken up.The more time that had passed, the stronger the fear of never seeing Frode's eyes again had grown.
"Was he awake for long?"
Nikolai shook his head and looked over at Hjalmar.He looked like shit, though Nikolai suspected he didn't look any better.He most likely looked worse.Hjalmar had showered and shaved; Nikolai hadn't.He rubbed his chin and grimaced.
"I don't know how much he understood of what the doctor told him.He appeared to be spacing out."
