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The machine beeped nextto me, the sound a steady rhythm to the background noise. It was quiet in the medical wing, only Milo requiring a room. Leo had been brought back here but was gone now. He’d needed stitches but hadn’t required surgery for his bullet wound. The doctor credited Milo with saving him.
While we waited for Milo to return from surgery, Ryker called to tell us that all in all, Milo had saved ten people. The death toll was at four, with multiple injured. Two deaths were from the drones, and two from the bomb that had been set off in the shoe store on the corner of the food court. The Order had taken over the investigation, acting as FBI and Homeland security. There wasn’t any information released yet to the press, but it was only a matter of time, and I was curious how they would spin it. It made me wonder how many things had been spun my whole life, like Mongoose’s murder.
Now, I sat alone next to Milo’s bed. He’d been back from surgery for a couple of hours. He’d woken once, but it had been brief. I debated if I should tell someone, but I didn’t think outside of us that Milo had any family. None that he talked to anyway.
So, I sat in the quiet room, the heart rate machine my measure of how he was doing. Asa and Cohen had kept me company for a while, but I’d sent them to the room to sleep. Milo was in a stable condition, so there wasn’t any need for them to stay here. I just didn’t want him to wake up and be alone. My eyes scanned over his frame, taking in each new cut and mark.
He’d been grazed by a few bullets in multiple areas, but it was the burns and slight swelling on the brain they were most concerned with. Milo had come out of surgery well, and the doctor had high hopes for his recovery. Apparently, they had some advanced technology that cut rehab time in half. It was nice to know it wouldn’t ruin his plans to start at Lux in the fall if he was able to recover from this. It would be one less thing for me to feel guilty over.
“Stop,” a voice said, drawing my eyes to his. His glasses had been knocked off in the explosion, so I wondered how well he could see now without them. His eyes were clear, though, and I could see them without any intrusion.
“Hey,” I said, moving closer to peer at him. “How are you doing?”
“Like I’ve had a whole building fall onto me. Oh, wait.” He smiled, the motion looking more like a grimace. Laughing, I wiped a tear, unable to stop them.
“None of that, darling. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” I shook my head, my lip wobbling as I tried to find the words.
Milo lifted his hand, taking mine. With his other, he hit the button to lift the head of his bed up, allowing him to sit up.
“Bring me the chart, will you, darling?”
Sucking in a breath, I dropped his hand, padded over to the wall, and grabbed it. I waved at the nurse outside, and she smiled, returning to her computer. Carrying the folder to Milo, I tried to show a brave face. In reality, all I really wanted to do was curl up in his arms and sleep for a few days. I handed it to him, and he pulled the tray across the bed, surprising me with how well he knew how to operate a medical room.
“I just graduated, Fin. I’ve been doing clinical rounds for years in med school.” He peered at me with a soft smile, easing my guilt.
“Right, doctor.” I nodded as he winked. He flipped through it, taking in everything that looked like a foreign language to me.
“Okay, so it’s not as bad as you’re making it out to be. The way you’re going on, I thought I was dying.”
“Milo!” I gasped, shocked he’d be so carefree with his words.
“Yes, darling?” His eyes twinkled, and I couldn’t reconcile them with him in the hospital bed.
“You could’ve died!”
“But I didn’t. So, who do I need to see to get out of here? I’d prefer to sleep in a bed with you than this.”
“But… your injuries! You just had surgery.”
“Yes, it was minor, and I’ve been in recovery for hours. All of my wounds are superficial and have been bandaged. My burns are covered, and I’ll need to have them checked out over the next few days, but nothing that requires me to be here. There will be tests to come, I know this, but again, there’s nothing that requires me to be in a hospital bed right now.”
“He’s right,” a voice said from the door. I turned to find Ryker standing there. He looked exhausted.
“You okay?” I asked. “Did you find anything?”
“It’s been a long day. Can we debrief in the morning? I just came down to see how Milo was doing. The doctor on duty gave me a rundown, saying he’d be free to go once he woke up. He’s awake and seems clear-headed to me.”
His eyes held mine, emotion swirling in them, and I realized I had to trust them. I didn’t know why I was so focused on Milo needing to stay anyway. It was better if he wasn’t here. Dropping my shoulders, I walked over to the bag I’d put together and placed it on the bed.
“I brought you some clothes.” I kissed his cheek, walking out of the room to give him some privacy. Ryker followed, taking me in.
“How are you doing with everything? I still can’t believe Dex would go to this extreme.”
“Whoever you thought your friend was, you were wrong. He’s not that guy anymore if he ever was. I’m sorry, but you can’t keep holding onto Obsidian as we knew him. For all we know, that wasn’t even the real him. He’s killed people. Innocent people. And I, for one, am tired of feeling guilty for his actions. So, how am I? I’m pissed, and I’ve never been more ready to take someone down. You said you’d hold him responsible. So, the question is, will you stand by me or just be in my way?”
Ryker watched me through my speech, my shoulders straightening with every word I said, a promise zipping through me to hold them. This had gone on too long, MKG and Dex needed to be stopped. And I hoped Ryker would be with me. But either way, I knew I had three men who would be.
