Venom by Winnie

Hueco Tanks
Late evening

Jack Wallach reached for the cup of coffee offered to him and smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Adam," he said and returned his attention to the spectacular painting being created by God's hands. He'd seen pictures and paintings of sunsets done in oils or matt finishing, but no artist had ever been able to capture the surreal beauty spread out across the horizon.

"Jack, are you all right?" Adam Marquez asked his friend.

Lloyd Morgan was tending the campfire and the smell of fish being fried made his stomach rumble in anticipation. They'd been so busy lately with natural and manmade disasters and Jack had been on the receiving end of several dressing downs because he wanted the government to do what was right, what they'd promised. More funds for those who needed it, medical help to disaster areas and shelter for the victims. Most of the time they were given what was needed, but there were times when begging and borrowing wasn't the answer and stealing was never an option.

"I'm fine, Adam, just tired," Jack answered. "Sometimes I wonder if we're making a difference in people's lives or giving them false hope."

"You did everything you could, Jack. There's no way you're to blame for bureaucratic red tape and the jerks who play God with other people's lives," Marquez told him.

"Listen to him, Jack, he makes sense," Morgan called and flipped the trout over, enjoying the scent of burning wood and frying onions as it mingled with the fresh mountain air. The rented RV was parked near the base of the Hueco Tanks of West Texas and gave them a place to sleep without worrying about the wildlife. Lloyd knew Jack and Adam planned to explore the Tanks come morning and he hoped it gave the younger men a chance to relax and unwind. They'd chosen this area because it was a place where they could be alone without worrying about being called to some disaster or another. It had taken a long time and they'd had to procure special permission to explore the area without the recommended guides. Jack needed this more than he or Adam because Jack had a habit of burying himself in the victims' lives and feeling their pain when their needs were ignored or passed over. It didn't happen often, but when it did Jack Wallach bore the brunt of the angry people he desperately tried to help.

"How long before dinner's ready, Lloyd?" Jack asked, moving toward the fire as Morgan checked the frying pan.

"About two minutes," the older man answered.

"Good, I'm starved," Jack told him as Marquez stepped into the RV and returned with a pot of steamed vegetables. The trio were soon seated around the fire, enjoying the late meal as the sun dipped below the horizon. Jack sighed heavily as he ate the savory trout and nibbled at the veggies. He could feel his friends watching him, but chose to remain silent as Morgan filled three metal cups with Southern Comfort.

Lloyd handed one to Jack and one to Adam, before lifting his own in salute and clinking their cups. They relaxed in each others company and listened to the sounds from the nearby brush.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hueco Tanks
Early morning

Jack was awake before his friends and took the coffee maker outside in an effort to let the others sleep. He quickly set up the machine and waited for it to perk. Jack stood and stared up at the vast blanket of midnight black sky speckled with dwindling stars as the horizon lightened with the promise of a new day.

Jack thought about the last disaster he'd been called to investigate. A series of violent tornados had swept through Oklahoma, leaving damaged homes, and destroyed lives. The government had agreed to step in, but it had taken longer than it should have and tempers had escalated while people waited for word on whether they could rebuild. One elderly couple, Martin and Janet Bolin, had lost everything and had no insurance, which meant they could not rebuild without help. Jack had tried to harden his heart to their plight, but he couldn't and had been floored when Adam gave him the news that the Bolins were dead. Their family would be claiming the bodies and starting an investigation into their deaths.

Jack knew he did his job to the best of his ability, and most times when push came to shove he got what he was after. Martin and Janet Bolin were victims, but not the faceless ones he so often dealt with. He knew he couldn't save them all, but he continued to do everything in his power to set things right. Sighing heavily, the FEMA agent turned as the door opened and Adam joined him.

"It looks like another hot one," Marquez observed and saw the blond head nod once before his friend moved to the coffee pot and poured two mugs. "Thanks...what time do you want to leave?"

"We should leave as soon as we eat...I'd rather not be walking during the hottest part of the day," Jack answered.

"Sounds like a plan...you want bacon or sausage?"

"Bacon," Jack told him. They had already agreed that Adam would take care of breakfast, Lloyd would make lunch, and he would take care of dinner, the exception being the night before because trout was Lloyd's specialty.

"Bacon it is," Adam said moving to the Coleman stove and placing the frying pan on top before heading inside to grab the bacon. He watched his friend closely and wished there was some way he could ease the burden the man placed on his own shoulders. Adam knew Jack felt guilty about the Bolins, but that guilt wasn't his to shoulder, it belonged to the bureaucrats who sat on their asses and wouldn't help cut through the red tape. Adam didn't mean to lump them all into the same boat, but he was angry and hated seeing anyone lose their homes, and worse, still, when it cost people their lives. "Jack, you did everything you could..."

"Did I, Adam, the Bolin family doesn't think so," Jack told him.

"They're angry and full of grief...once they find out what you did they'll know you are not to blame," Marquez said.

"It just isn't right. They worked all their lives for that home and raised their kids and even a couple of grandchildren only to lose it because they couldn't afford the insurance premiums and our damned government doesn't give a damn about the elderly!"

"Jack, it doesn't always happen this way..."

"I know, Adam, but it did this time and that's something we have to stop. People like the Bolins shouldn't be forced out of their homes...not after they worked so hard to own it," Jack said and walked away, shoulders slumped dejectedly as he thought about the elderly couple and their senseless deaths. He heard Morgan speaking with Marquez and knew they were worried about him, but right now there was nothing they could do to help him. This was something he had to work out for himself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hueco Tanks
Mid Morning

When they'd agreed to take a break from their hectic, stressful lives, the three men had chosen the Hueco Tanks because of its seclusion. The massive hills were like islands that rose from the floor of the Chihuahuan Desert floor. There were labyrinthine chambers, secluded alcoves, rocky overhangs, natural basin and cisterns. The darkened stone gave the area a spooky aura, but did not take away from the natural beauty of the area.

Jack took the lead, feeling some of the tension leave his body as he explored the area. They'd been following the natural path high into the hills for nearly an hour and had seen a Kit fox and a bobcat perched on one of the flat rocks to the east of their location. By unspoken agreement the two friends had circumvented that area in respect of the bobcat's strength.

"Jack, look at that," Marquez said softly, pointing to mule deer standing majestically less than 100 feet from their location. Adam lifted his camera and snapped several pictures before the animal became aware of their presence and disappeared from view. He continued to snap pictures of the shrubs, cacti, and wildflowers that speckled the landscape. Birds twittered nearby and he'd been lucky enough to capture several rare varieties during their hike.

Jack smiled inwardly at the excitement and boyish enthusiasm his friend showed and reached for the bottle of water in his backpack. He took a long drink and replaced it, knowing both of them had several bottles of water with them. Water was hard to find here and dehydration was always a danger in the desert, yet it didn't take away the regal beauty of natures elements.

"Jack, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Adam, just thinking how beautiful this place is," Jack answered.

"That it is," Adam agreed snapping a picture of his friend and thinking God had shown his handiwork in more ways than just the landscape. Jack Wallach looked as if he belonged here in the tight blue jeans and white shirt that was no longer tucked into the waistband of his jeans.

Jack could feel the other man watching him and walked toward the edge of the rocky ledge they were standing on. He glanced down at the desert floor and could see the RV parked in the shade provided by the Hueco Tanks. He knew Lloyd Morgan was probably relaxing with one of the Louis L'Amour books he'd brought with him. The older man had a love of western novels and enjoyed L'Amour's writing so much he had searched through second hand book stores until he had the complete collection.

"Careful, Jack, don't get too close," Marquez warned and snapped a picture of his friend when Jack turned toward him. The green eyes danced with excitement as Jack smiled and took a step away from the edge.

"You worry too much..." his words trailed off when a familiar sound came from a small crevice to his right. Jack reacted instinctively and dove to his left as the snake struck. He felt the fangs in his calf and lost his balance, his sideways momentum pulling him toward the edge of the hill.

"Jack!" Adam cried and raced toward his friend just as he disappeared over the edge.

Jack tried to grab onto anything within reach, but nothing was strong enough to stop his downward slide toward the desert floor over a hundred feet below. He had time to think he was lucky this wasn't a steep slope before his left leg slammed into something unmovable and shockwaves of pain raced unheeded along ragged nerve endings. He cried out, breathing through tightly clenched teeth as he stared upward through partially open eyes.

Jack tried to control his breathing, but bitter bile rose up in his throat and he turned his head to the side as he lost the contents of his stomach. He tried to move, but the pain overwhelmed him and darkness began to grow at the edge of his vision. "God," he cried out, dropping back to the ground and staring up at the azure blue sky high overhead.

"Jack, don't move!"

"Lloyd..."

"I'm here...I already called for a Medivac chopper. Where are you hurt?" Morgan asked, relieved to find the man conscious.

"Everywhere...snake...damned snake...didn't...didn't see it," Jack explained.

"Did it bite you?"

"Yeah..."

"Jack!"

"Over here, Adam," Morgan called, wishing he had something he could cut through the heavy denim material.

"How bad?" Adam cursed.

"Snakebite. We need to cut away the material...Medivac is on the way...should be here in less than 30 minutes," Morgan told him.

"Thank God...I'll get the scissors and first aid kit," Adam assured them, patting Jack's right shoulder before racing toward the RV.

Jack could feel Morgan's hand on his ribs and gasped when he touched an area that sent tendrils of pain straight through him. He knew he had damage to his ribs, and if the pain in his left leg was any indication his ribs weren't the only thing damaged. The pain levels were increasing as he tried to stay calm, but his body shook with the shock of his injuries.

"Jack, we need to sit you up a little to keep the bite lower than your heart," Morgan explained, relieved to see Adam returning with several pillows from the RV.

"...k...cold," Jack murmured as Morgan lifted his upper body slightly before lowering him to the firm pillows.

"How is he?" Adam asked as Morgan began cutting through the material covering Jack's right leg.

"Shocky...nauseas," Morgan answered. "Did you see what type of snake it was?"

"No..."

"Black...Tail," Jack managed, fighting to stay conscious as Morgan stripped away the torn material to reveal two distinct puncture wounds. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on breathing, but the nauseating pain kept him aware of everything that was happening to him.

Morgan nodded and took a deep breath as he cleaned the wounds as best he could with the antibacterial disinfectant they had. He knew there wasn't much they could do until the chopper arrived and turned his attention to the other injuries. There was damage to Jack's ribs on the right side, but it was the left leg that had him worried as he began to cut through the denim, revealing mottled flesh beneath.

"Thirsty," Jack said and felt some water trickle into his mouth.

"Not too much, Adam," Morgan warned, glancing at his watch and noting less than ten minutes had passed since he'd seen the younger man fall. He glanced at the sky hoping to catch sight of the chopper, but he knew it was too soon.

"Lloyd, I'm going to pack up so we can leave as soon as the chopper arrives," Adam said and hurried away.

Morgan knew the younger man was worried and understood his need to keep busy. They'd done all they could for Jack Wallach and now they needed to keep him calm until help arrived. He looked down at his friend, not surprised to see a pair of glazed green eyes staring up at him. There were lines of pain written on the too pale face and Morgan gently squeezed Jack's right shoulder. He could hear Adam working steadily at putting things away and glanced at his watch, as guilt washed over him in.

"Lloyd...it's not your fault," Jack managed.

"The hell it's not, Jack, it was my idea to come out here," Morgan said softly.

"I'm a grown m...man, Lloyd...Adam and I wanted to ex...explore the Tanks," Jack said, grimacing in pain as he tried to find a comfortable position. He lifted his left hand and rested it against Morgan's left leg in a gesture of friendship and closed his eyes as a single tear slid from Morgan's dark eyes.

"Lord, the world needs men like Jack Wallach and I pray that you're not ready to take him from us," Morgan said softly, looking up as a new sound reached his ears. He searched the sky until he spotted the dark speck against the perfect blue sky and breathed a sigh of relief. "Help's here, Jack..."

"Good..." Jack mumbled and opened his eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight as Adam hurried toward them, waving at the chopper as it swung in low over the Hueco Tanks and landed near the RV. He hurried toward them and helped unload the equipment before racing alongside them until they reached the injured man.

"What happened?" Alex Marcos asked as he knelt beside the patient.

"He was bitten by a Black-Tailed Rattler around 35 minutes ago," Morgan answered. "I think he busted his left leg and some ribs when he fell."

"What's your name?" Marcos asked the injured man as his partner, Miguel Sanchez, removed the equipment they'd need.

"Jack Wallach."

"Are you allergic to anything?"

"Penicillin," Jack answered.

"Well, Jack, my name is Alex and my partner is Miguel. He's going to start a couple of IVs and we're going to hook you up to the monitors before we get you out of here," Marcos explained.

"...k..."

"I'm going to give you a little oxygen as well," Marcos explained as his partner worked to start the IV. He examined the site of the bite and marked the point of swelling before attaching the leads that would give them some idea of what they were dealing with. The two men worked together until the patient was ready for transportation. Because of the fall they'd placed him in a C-collar and log rolled him onto a backboard before placing him into the stokes.

"What hospital are you taking him to?" Morgan asked.

"Thomason Hospital...4815 Alameda in El Paso," Sanchez answered.

"Thank you," Morgan said, standing beside Adam as they secured Wallach in the Medivac chopper.

"Come on, Lloyd, I'll drive," Adam offered and hurried to the waiting vehicle as the chopper lifted off. He climbed in behind the wheel and entered the hospital's address on the GPS tracker. He put the keys in the ignition and waited for Morgan to put on his seatbelt before driving away from the Hueco Hills.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomason Hospital
El Paso
Late Morning

Bradley Carlyle looked up as a nurse hurried toward him. He knew they were expecting a male snakebite victim and that there were other injuries involved. According to the paramedic nearly an hour had passed since the strike and the edema was steadily growing. If the information was correct it was a Black-Tailed Rattler and he checked to make sure they had a supply of Antivenom on hand. He'd also been in contact with Dr. Amanda Murtaugh at the Poison Control Center and been given expert advice on how to proceed where his patient was concerned.

"ETA on the chopper is two minutes, Dr. Carlyle," Anna Tucker told him.

"Is trauma one set up for him?"

"Yes, and the rest of your team is already there," the nurse answered and hurried back to the main desk as Carlyle and a nurse headed toward the landing pad pushing a gurney between them.

Carlyle was familiar with the treatment of snakebites and already had a list of blood work and other tests he wanted done. He knew they'd also need x-rays and scans depending on the extent of the injuries caused by the fall. The chopper was just touching down and he stayed back as the blades kicked up dust all around before slowing down. The doors were opened and Bradley stepped inside to check on the patient, relieved to see two large bore IV lines were already in place.

"Patient's name is Jack Wallach and he was bitten by a Black-Tailed rattlesnake approximately one hour ago. He's having a lot of pain in the site and also has damaged ribs and possible broken left leg. He's allergic to penicillin," Marcos explained as they helped off load the patient and place him on the gurney. Marcos continued to give the trauma specialist a rundown on vitals and treatment he'd received during transport.

"Well, Jack, I'm a trauma specialist and we're going to take good care of you," Bradley assured the injured man as they rushed him through the ER doors and into Trauma One where the rest of the team was already set up. The transfer of medical equipment was done quickly and efficiently as the team worked like a well oiled machine. "All right, people, we have work to do," Bradley said as two nurses began cutting Wallach's clothing from his body, while another took several vials of blood. He turned his attention to the snakebite and knew they would need to call in an orthopedic surgeon to check the damage to the left leg.

"His blood pressure is a little low," Carol Wilcox told him as she finished hooking up the monitoring equipment.

Jack could hear them talking and cried out when the doctor probed the area around the bite. He breathed through gritted teeth and opened his eyes as a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"Jack, I know you're in a lot of pain and we're going to give you some morphine..."

"...okay..." Jack managed, relieved when he felt the warmth of the medication entering his blood stream and numbing the pain that bordered on unbearable.

"It's going to make you sleepy, Jack, so don't fight it," Bradley ordered and watched as the lids closed over glazed green eyes. He knew they needed to start the Antivenom immediately and wrote up the orders as Wilcox readied the medication. It looked like they had a hard fight ahead of them, but his team was ranked amongst the best in the country and that meant Jack Wallach had a damn good chance of making a complete recovery.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomason Hospital
El Paso
Early Afternoon

Adam Marquez and Lloyd Morgan hurried through the ER doors and up to the desk. They waited impatiently for the nurse to finish with the people in front of them, but were finally at the head of the line.

"Can I help you?" Anna Tucker asked.

"A friend of ours was brought in...Jack Wallach," Marquez told her.

"Dr. Carlyle, these gentlemen are friends of Jack Wallach," Tucker explained as a middle aged man with thinning dark hair hurried toward them.

"Gentlemen, follow me," Carlyle ordered and led them toward an area designated as a waiting area.

"Doc, how is he?" Morgan asked.

"First off...is either of you related to Mr. Wallach?" Carlyle asked.

"No, but I have POA for him," Morgan answered and showed the other man the card. Jack had no next of kin and had asked Lloyd if he would make decisions on his behalf should the need arise.

"Good," Carlyle said and handed the card back to the older man and glanced from one to the other before continuing. "Your friend is in rough shape right now, but he's got one of the best damn trauma teams in the country working on him. It was a Black-Tailed Rattlesnake?"

"Jack's the only one who saw it and he said that's what it was," Marquez told him.

"Was he bitten before or after he fell?"

"Before...I heard the snake just before Jack fell," Adam answered.

"Does it make a difference?" Morgan asked.

"Not really," Carlyle said and looked at Wallach's chart. "We're monitoring the site of the bite and will continue to treat him with Antivenom. We'll also be watching for signs of infection and Compartment Syndrome. When he's stabilized, Dr. Santos will fix the broken leg, but for now he's being moved to the ICU and monitored round the clock. He's also having trouble breathing and that could be because of broken ribs."

"Can we see him?" Marquez asked.

"Not until he's settled in the CCU, but he may not even be aware of your presence," Carlyle told them. "We've got him on some pretty heavy pain medications and he'll be sleeping most of the time."

"Is he going to be all right?" Morgan asked.

"We're going to do everything we can to see that he is," the physician assured them and stood up. "Now, I have to get back to my patient, but if you go to the second floor and check with the CCU nurses they will let you know when you can visit him."

"Thank you, Dr. Carlyle," Marquez said and shook hands with the doctor before heading for the elevators.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomason Hospital CCU
Late afternoon

Jack had no idea how much time had passed since his world had become one that revolved around how much or how little he hurt. The relief he felt when someone took pity on him and injected something strong into his IV was a precursor to the heavy lids that refused to open. He'd heard voices speaking in worried tones, but he could not find the strength to answer them.

"I think he's coming around..."

"Jack, can you hear me?"

Jack knew those voices and managed to open his eyes to half mast. His vision refused to cooperate, but his instincts told him it was Lloyd Morgan and Adam Gomez. He shifted slightly, reawakening the pain that had eased slightly.

"Easy, Jack, you're going to be okay," Marquez tried and moved away as the nurse stepped up to the bed.

"Si...sick," Jack managed and was eased slightly onto his right side as his stomach gave up its meager contents. His body shook and he felt cold even as tiny beads of sweat formed on his brow.

"Mr. Wallach, I've put in a call for Dr. Carlyle and he should be here any minute," Ronnie Lawrence explained, before she eased the injured man back on the bed.

"What's wrong?" Morgan asked, worried for his friend who appeared to be in so much discomfort.

"Dr. Carlyle wanted to be kept abreast of every change," Lawrence told him. "He's developing a fever and we need to keep an eye on it."

"Ronnie, what's going on?" Bradley Carlyle asked upon hurrying into the room.

"There is a marked increase in discomfort and his temperature is 102.7," Lawrence answered.

"Gentlemen, I'd like you to leave for a few minutes while we make Jack comfortable," Carlyle said, relieved when the two men exited the room. "Jack, I'm going to increase the morphine and check the wound. I'm pretty certain infection is setting in and I want to start you on a strong antibiotic. Don't worry, we know about your allergy to penicillin."

Jack simply nodded and allowed his eyes to close as the doctor and nurse talked about what was to be done. Sleep beckoned to him and he allowed the blanket of darkness to claim him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomason Hospital CCU
Midnight

The familiar clicks and beeps told him nothing had changed except the time of day. He opened his eyes, relieved to find that the lights had been turned down low and the nurse was smiling at him.

"How do you feel, Mr. Wallach," Susan Dryden asked softly.

"Sore," Jack answered. "What time is it?"

"It's nearly midnight," Dryden told him, producing a glass of water and helping him drink his fill before placing it on the bedside table.

"Thanks."

"You're welcome. Your friends are in the waiting room..."

"They should get some rest," Jack told her.

"I told them the same thing, but they are worried about you," Susan said with a hint of a smile. "Perhaps if I let them see you they'll do just that."

"Maybe," the FEMA agent told her.

"Would you like me to raise your head a little?"

"Yes...please," Jack said, holding his breath as she pressed the button and nodding when he was comfortable. She left him alone for a few minutes and returned with Adam Marquez and Lloyd Morgan.

"Hey, Jack, you look better than you did the last time we saw you," Marquez said, relieved to see some color returning to the injured man's face.

"Thanks...I think," Jack told them.

"Dr. Carlyle said you're responding to the new antibiotics he ordered and they should be able to move you to a regular room late tomorrow or early the next day," Morgan told him.

"Sounds good," Jack said, feeling the exhaustion settling over him once more. "You two should get a hotel room and get some rest."

"We found an RV camp just outside the city," Marquez told him.

"Good...use it," Jack ordered.

"All right, Gentlemen, now you heard my patient and visiting hours ended several hours ago," Dryden warned.

"Jack..."

"Go, Lloyd, I'll be here when you guys come back," Jack told them, yawning tiredly before closing his eyes.

"Get some rest, Jack," Marquez told him before they left the room.

Jack heard the nurse say something to the two men, but the affects of the pain meds he'd been given sent him into a deeper sleep. He didn't feel the nurse lower his head or the blankets she used to cover him, but he soon felt the warmth spread throughout him as he gave in to his body's need for sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomason Hospital
Early morning
Two day's later

Jack looked up from his laptop and watched the two men enter his room. The two men had spent every minute they could keeping him company, but they would be returning to their jobs the following day. Jack knew he would be spending the next few days in the hospital before returning to his home. He would be taking some sick time because of his injuries, but he'd be using it to catch up on paperwork and updating files.

"I thought you were supposed to be sleeping, Jack," Morgan lightly scolded.

"I've had enough sleep," Jack told them. "I figured I might as well update the files."

"Are you up to some company, Jack?" Marquez asked.

"Company?" the FEMA agent asked curiously. As far as he knew the only people who'd be interested in visiting him were the two men already present.

"Daniel Bolin and his wife are here and they wanted to speak to you," Morgan explained, and didn't miss the sorrow in the sea-green eyes.

"I guess it's time to face the music," Jack said, sighing tiredly as he pushed the table with the laptop on it away.

"Do you want us to stay?" Marquez asked.

"No, I can handle it," Jack assured them, closing his eyes as a wave of nauseating dizziness washed over him. He stayed that way for a few minutes until a soft voice broke through his misery.

"Mr. Wallach, we don't mean to intrude. I'm sorry, perhaps we should come back later."

Jack opened his eyes and looked at the woman standing beside his bed. Her eyes shone with unshed moisture and her face showed the sorrow she felt. "It's okay, Mrs. Bolin, I should be the one apologizing."

"Thank you, Mr. Wallach," Daniel Bolin said and pointed toward his wife. "Sandra and I just wanted to let you know we're sorry for causing you any problems. WE know you did everything you could for my mother and father, but at the time we were both looking for someone to blame for their...their..."

"I understand, Mr. Bolin...I'm sorry for your loss. Believe me when I say I'm going to fight to make changes when I get back to Washington."

"If there's anything we can do to help don't hesitate to ask," Daniel offered.

"Thank you, Mr. Bolin, I'll keep that in mind," Jack assured them.

"Mr. Wallach, we're sorry for the trouble we caused you, but when Mom and Dad called us to say they'd spoken with a FEMA agent and had gotten nowhere we thought they meant you. Sandra did some checking and found out you were the one who was helping them before you were called out to another emergency," Daniel explained.

"If I'd known what was going to happen I would have turned that case over to someone else and stayed with your parents until their case was resolved," Wallach said.

"Thank you for that," Daniel said and pulled his wife closer. "We are having a memorial service for the victims of the tornados and we'd be honored if you could be there. It's not until next month."

"I'll be there," Jack assured them and shook hands with the couple before they turned to leave. He lay back against his pillows, turned his head toward the window and wondered how many people had been touched by the disasters, both natural and man made that swept through his country.

"Jack, are you okay?" Morgan asked upon entering to find his friend staring out the window.

"We need to make sure nothing like this happens again," Jack told him.

"We can't be on top of every situation, Jack," Marquez offered.

"Maybe not, but we can make damn sure the people who need aid get it before it's too late," the injured man spat.

"We do what we can," Morgan said and wished he could relieve the sorrow written on the pale face. "Jack, there are plenty of people we've helped..."

"It's still not enough, Lloyd, we have to make sure we help them all," Jack said, trying, but failing to find a comfortable spot.

"We'll work at correcting the problems, but at least there are some programs in place. Look, Jack, Adam and I have to get back," Morgan told his friend.

"I know...see if you can get things rolling until I get back. Set up meetings with each of the agencies and make sure the people we need to talk to are available. Tell them we'll go to the papers if we have to," the senior FEMA agent ordered.

"We'll take care of things from our end, Jack, you relax and heal," Morgan said.

"There doesn't seem to be much choice," Jack told them. He shook hands with both men and watched them leave; wishing he was going with them, but understanding it would be some time before he was released. He turned his attention to the laptop and pulled the table close once more. There were several e-mails he needed to answer, but his mind was occupied with the recent disaster and the trouble getting aid to the people who needed it. No matter how many times he read the files he came back to the same thing. There had to be a way to make the system work for the injured party.

Jack leaned his head back and closed his eyes as the headache he'd been ignoring made itself known once more. He pushed the table away and tried to get comfortable, but the pain was unbearable and he pressed the button to summon the nurse. She entered the room with the medications he needed and placed them on the table beside the laptop.

"You know you really shouldn't be working...you're supposed to be resting," Janet O'Neill scolded and she hooked up the antibiotics and injected the pain medication into the IV line. "That's going to make you sleepy so why don't we just put this over here."

"Hell," Jack said when he saw she'd placed the laptop across the room.

"Yes, it will be hell if your doctors catch you overdoing things," O'Neill said and tucked the blankets around him before closing the blinds over the window. "Now lunch will be here in about an hour so that gives you just enough time to catch some sleep."

"Thanks," Jack said and lowered the head of the bed slightly. It wasn't long before he felt the medication working and drifted off to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

North Bend, Washington
Two weeks later
Early afternoon

Jack Wallach had never been so glad to see his home and sighed heavily as Lloyd Morgan pulled the van into the long, tree lined driveway that lead to his home. It was a two story ranch style house set against the backdrop of foothills leading into the mountains. He'd selected the place because of its seclusion as a safe haven from the turmoil of his day to day work. The creek that ran along the back of his property gave him the chance to fish for fresh trout or other game fish and he'd often enjoyed a meal with his friends.

"God, it's good to be home," Jack observed as Morgan pulled to a stop near the front door.

"I bet it is," Morgan said, opening his door before moving to the opposite side and helping the injured man with his crutches. He could see Jack's attention turning to the smoke coming from the chimney and smiled as he explained. "Adam's inside making lunch."

"Oh," Jack said with a grin. He used the crutches and made his way up the two steps and onto the porch. He stood for several minutes, enjoying the sights, scents, and sounds associated with life in the country. Morgan had already updated him on the meetings that were being held in Washington and things looked promising where more funds were concerned. It was still going to be a fight, but it was one he was going to win no matter what it took.

"I love coming here, Jack, this place is so peaceful," Morgan told him.

"That's why I bought it, Lloyd," Jack said, moving to sit on the porch swing.

"You should rest..."

"That's exactly what I'm doing, My Friend," the senor FEMA agent said with a hint of a smile. "Tell Adam to bring lunch out here."

"Now that sounds like a plan," Morgan agreed and hurried inside.

Jack looked around and knew this was where he'd be spending his retirement when the time came. It had everything he needed in the event of an emergency including a top of the line working generator that would keep the electricity going in the event of a major storm or power outage. The fireplace and wood burning stove would give him warmth as well as providing a way to cook food and heat water. He lifted his injured leg onto the bench and smiled when his friends joined him. Lloyd and Adam understood him and knew he took pride in not just doing his job, but doing it in the best possible way and getting the results they needed. It was just a matter of fighting the bureaucrats and cutting through the red tape.

"So, when did they say you could return to work?" Marquez asked while placing a tray of sandwiches on the side table.

"It'll be a couple of weeks before I get rid of this cast, but I can get caught up on the paperwork," Jack answered.

"Well, seeing as how you're going to be..."

"Forget it, Adam, I hate paperwork as much as you do and I'm not volunteering to take on yours."

"Hell, Jack..."

"Hell's right...and you have yours, Lloyd has his, and I've got my own," Jack told them. "For now though...I'd just like to enjoy the day and forget about everything else for a while."

"Sounds like a plan, Jack," Morgan agreed. The trio relaxed, enjoying the afternoon sunshine, and relishing the fact that they were still a team.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

FEMA Headquarters
Washington DC
Four months later

The phone rang as Jack Wallach hurried inside his office. The FEMA agent had just returned from the site of several forest fires and was in the process of getting aid for the struggling farmers who'd lost so much.

"Wallach," he snapped.

"Jack, we've got a Dr. Lily McKee on the line," Marquez told him.

"Who?" Jack asked.

"Lily McKee...she says there are asteroids headed our way."

"We get hit by asteroids on a daily basis, Adam, what's so different about this time?"

"She says there's a big one coming in with the Fletcher Comet...ELA type..."

"Is she for real?" Jack asked.

"Lloyd checked her out and she's legit," Marquez told him.

"Find out when we can meet with her," Jack said, settling wearily on his chair at the thought of another disaster demanding their attention. He hung up the phone, glanced at the bottle of Tylenol and wondered if it was time to buy stock in the company as he popped two and grabbed the bottle of water. This was his job, and he thrived on doing it no matter what the outcome might be. If McKee was right and they were about to get hit with a comet big enough to be considered an ELA then there was no time to sit on his ass. Grabbing his jacket he hurried out the office door, ready to face Dr. McKee and her asteroid.

THE END

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