Page 57

Jack drank it in a couple of big gulps. "More."

"Later." Tyler sat back down next to Jack. "I assume you escaped from wherever they took you."

"Yeah." Jack rested his head on the back of the couch. "I'm so tired. But I also feel like I've been asleep a lot. Can I just take a nap? I want to tell you, but…" His voice drifted away.

Tyler looked to her. "What do you think?"

She got up and checked Jack's pulse. It was slow but steady. "I'm going to need more equipment. I want to monitor his blood pressure and oxygen levels. I don't know when he was last medicated, but I am glad he's been able to talk to us as much as he has. That's a good sign."

"I sent your request to my team. Someone will have the equipment here within the hour."

"He would be better off in a hospital."

"We can't take him to East River. And, frankly, if we try to take him anywhere, he'll bolt first chance he gets. They found him before. I don't want to lose him again."

"I understand; it's just not ideal."

He gave her a faint smile. "But it's where we are."

He was definitely better than she was at making do with the circumstances he was in, whereas she was feeling very conflicted about keeping Jack away from a medical facility that could give him the best care.

"And Jack has you," Tyler added. "You're a good doctor."

"With no way to find out what's really wrong," she said worriedly.

"How about this? If things change, and you feel his condition is deteriorating, we'll take him to a different hospital. We'll make that happen."

"Okay. We can let him sleep for thirty minutes. Then we'll rouse him and try to get him talking again."

Tyler nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

"We're spending the night here, aren't we?"

"I don't feel comfortable letting you go home, Rachel, at least not tonight. There are two bedrooms. We can put Jack in one. You can have the other, and I'll sleep on the couch."

"I need to use the restroom."

"There's one by the kitchen and one in the hall."

She made her way down the hall, curious to see what the bedrooms looked like. The house and furnishings were all very neutral. There was just enough furniture, but no personal touches, no art, no colorful blankets or pillows.

After using the bathroom, she made her way back into the living room. Jack was still asleep. She checked his pulse once more, not noting any change. Then she headed into the kitchen where Tyler had opened a door into what looked like a pantry. When she got closer, she saw a wall of weaponry that made her jaw drop.

"What's all that?" she asked.

"It's everything we need to defend ourselves, but we're not going to have to do that. No one followed us here, and we got rid of his tracker. We're safe."

"I haven't fired a gun since my basic officer training," she murmured. "I didn't like the feel of it. Which was why I never wanted to be assigned to a combat unit."

"Well, you won't need to fire a gun now. I've got this. And once Jack comes back to earth, he can defend himself."

He glanced down at an incoming text on his phone. "Kara is here with our supplies. I'll let her in. We can talk here in the kitchen. Let Jack rest."

She moved to the doorway of the kitchen, looking down the hall as he opened the front door. A dark-eyed brunette wearing jeans and a navy sweater walked in carrying a medical bag, while a tall, stocky male with light-brown hair streaked with blonde brought in a grocery bag and two pizzas.

Tyler told them to follow him to the kitchen since Jack was resting in the living room.

She stepped back as they entered the room, feeling awkward and uncomfortable as they each gave her a quick assessing look. And why wouldn't they? They didn't know who she was or why she was here. At least, she didn't think they did. But she had no way of knowing what Tyler had told them about her, a thought that didn't make her any more comfortable.