Devolution TOC

Chapter 116

But thou, O Lord art my protector, my glory, and the lifter up of my head.

Frisco paced around the ER waiting room, anticipating his brother's arrival. He glanced at his watch. He should be here by now. His stomach growled, and he reflected that he hadn't eaten since breakfast with his daughters nearly twelve hours before. Maxie's face rose up in his mind, and he shivered as he glanced around him at the sterile surroundings, remembering the daughter he'd almost lost, the certainty of her death sending arrows through his soul. And then BJ had died in a tragic accident. Frisco's feelings had been such a jumble at the time - sorrow and grief mixed with hope and happiness at the possibility of his own daughter's survival through his niece's donated heart. He'd never been able to untangle or process those emotions - they'd coiled in on one another until they took on a heaviness or density that demanded burial. He didn't know what to do with them, so he'd tried to stuff them down and pretend like they didn't exist. The problem that he didn't recognize was the aversion that he'd developed as a result of his denial. It had become too simple, too easy to blame his work on his long absences from his daughters' and brother's lives when in fact it was his own cowardice and fear of being hurt or inflicting that same hurt on them.

"Frisco! Where's Lucky?"

Frisco turned toward his brother's loud voice and red face, and he took in Bobbie's tear-stained cheeks and worried gaze. "He's in an ICU room," he explained. "I thought you could meet with Dr. Thornhart. He's been taking care of Lucky."

Frisco recoiled when Tony roughly grabbed him by the arm. "How could this happen?" Tony demanded. "You said you had your best men on this case!"

"I did. The boys took off for Spoon Island. We didn't figure on needing boats to monitor them. Faison got to them before we arrived at the island. It was a matter of minutes."

"It only takes minutes for someone to die!"

"I know," Frisco offered in a small voice. He cast his eyes down to the floor, holding a hand to his head as he began sweating.

Tony flung Frisco's arm away. "Where's Ian?"

"He's in his office," Frisco explained. "Down the hall," he pointed as he walked in the direction. "Bobbie, I'm so sorry," Frisco said.

"I know," Bobbie replied tensely.

"Tony." Ian rose from his desk. His face was haggard, and he looked on his friend with sympathy. "Come on in, the whole gang, and have a seat."

"Lucky's in a coma?" Tony asked with a shaking voice.

Ian's lips tightened, and he nodded. "He was comatose upon arrival to the ER." Ian gestured toward Frisco. "If it weren't for your brother's quick thinking and actions, he wouldn't have survived at all. We've given him the contents of two cyanide kits, and it's wait and see while we offer him life support."

"Cyanide?" Tony whispered in disbelief.

"He received a moderately high dose," Ian explained. "It was meant to kill him but not immediately. We did what we could for him, including pumping his stomach to eliminate as much of the poison as possible from his system. But you understand how the drug works."

"Gradual suffocation of the body's cells leading to cardiovascular collapse and death," Tony said leadenly.

"What does this mean for the chance of his eventual recovery?" Bobbie asked with a soft voice.

"We wait while his body metabolizes the cyanide. He should wake up within several hours if he survives this. His lactate levels were high, and he was in metabolic acidosis, but not yet at the point where he sustained permanent damage. He was fortunate in that aspect. He was given 100% oxygen when he needed it."

"And his brain function?" Tony questioned.

Ian rubbed his chin. "The fact that he's been in a coma isn't good. His EEG indicates he has sufficient brain function to survive. If he wakes, we'll need to do an MRI to determine the extent of any damage to his nervous system. He's been experiencing convulsions periodically."

Tony remained stonefaced as he looked down at his hands. He sighed and reached out for Bobbie's hand. "Let's go see our nephew."

~*~*~*~

Bobbie wasn't totally prepared for Lucky's condition, and she let out a soft cry when she saw her nephew. The physician in Tony immediately looked at the readings on the cardiac monitor, but his eyes soon grew teary as he regarded Lucky.

Renée, the ICU nurse, rose from her chair and smiled sympathetically. "My name's Renée, I'll be with Lucky for the evening." Bobbie appreciated the friendly nurse, glad that her nephew was in good hands. "Any change?" she asked.

Renée shook her head. "He's still in a coma, no signs of waking."

Bobbie ran her hand over Lucky's forehead and cheek. "He has a split lip and some bruises.".

Renée nodded. "He does have bruises consistent with a beating. There are more on his back and ribs."

"When are you going to catch a break, little one?" Bobbie asked sadly. Her heart hurt when Lucky made no reaction to her touch or voice.

Tony patted Lucky on the shoulder and rubbed his arm. "Your Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Tony are here," he said. "We'll be here with you all the way."

Silence filled the room, and only the sound of Lucky's ventilator and cardiac monitor punctuated the sad atmosphere of the ICU. Frisco left the room and headed for the hallway. After a minute, Tony followed him.

"Taking the coward's way out?" Tony baited him.

Frisco's face set and he turned away from his brother. He rubbed his left shoulder distractedly and tuned out his brother's voice.

Tony grabbed Frisco's arm and swung him around. "You're going to face this," he yelled. "No running away this time!"

"I'm here, aren't I?" Frisco yelled back, his eyes flaring with temper and hurt.

"Still short on responsibility, though," Tony said.

"Saint Tony, sorry I forgot to genuflect," Frisco replied shortly. He made a motion with his hands that infuriated Tony. Tony shoved Frisco away from him, and Frisco balled his fists, ready for a fight.

Alexis paused in her walk down the hallway. She had deposited Nikolas in his hospital room, remaining with him until he'd fallen asleep, and now she was on her way to Lucky's room for a progress report on her nephew's brother. She watched the unfolding show with the fascination of someone passing by a car wreck.

"You've never forgiven me for what happened with BJ!" Frisco shouted. He hung his head, and Tony's mouth opened in surprise. This was the last thing he'd expected his brother to say. His gaze softened when he saw the depths of Frisco's pain.

"I didn't realize there was anything to forgive," he said softly. "BJ's heart and Maxie's life were wonderful gifts that came out of a tragedy. You're not responsible for BJ's death. It was an accident." The wheels in Tony's brain began turning as he started putting two and two together in the puzzle of Frisco's distant behavior. Was he pushing me away out of guilt?

Frisco breathed in heavily and refused to meet his brother's eyes. Tony reached out to touch Frisco's shoulder, and his brother reared back, gritting out, "Don't!" Frisco banged his back into the wall and breathed harder as he rubbed his arm and bent over at the waist with a grimace marring his face.

"Look," Tony reasoned. "We're not helping Lucky by fighting in the hallway outside of his room."

"I know," Frisco said in a low voice. "I'm sorry for what happened to him. I tried my best. I never intended for him to be hurt. You have to know that."

"I do," Tony said. "But allow me my anger, okay?"

Frisco nodded wordlessly as Tony returned to Lucky's room.

Alexis walked up to Frisco. "Are you the man who called me about Nikolas?"

"That was me," Frisco admitted.

"You were really quite nice to me," she said. "You calmed me down and helped me to think so I could get here right away. Thank you."

Frisco smiled and leaned back against the wall. "You're welcome."

Alexis took in Frisco's rough appearance with the torn blue jeans and muddy boots.

Frisco caught Alexis' assessment, looked down at his clothing and smiled a lopsided grin. "I clean up well," he offered with twinkling eyes. "This is my disguise - dockworker. I'm a WSB agent in real life."

Alexis held out her hand. "Pleased to meet you..." she trailed off and raised her eyebrows in question.

"Jones. Frisco Jones." Frisco took her hand and shook it briefly.

"Tony's brother," Alexis deduced.

Frisco nodded. "That's right, Alexis." He took in a sharp breath as pain flooded his chest. "I'm not doing so well," were his last words before he collapsed in a heap in front of Alexis' shocked face.

~*~*~*~

"Kevin, it's Ian Thornhart. I have some bad news and a few questions for you."

Kevin had come to dread unexpected weekend phone calls as they invariably brought bad news of the professional kind. He adjusted the phone against his ear and braced himself. "What's up, Ian?"

"It's Lucky Spencer. He was brought in with cyanide poisoning several hours ago. It was attempted homicide by the man who'd kidnapped him. We've done all we can for him, but it's not looking good. He's comatose and has been since he arrived. What I need to coordinate with you are his medications. Tony Jones recommended we keep him on his anticonvulsant as he's experienced intermittent convulsions, but I'm not sure about the psychotropic drugs he's taking. Can we eliminate them until we see if he recovers?"

Kevin's heart dropped when he heard the news, and anger burned inside of him. "That damned Faison! I knew nothing good would come of this. Do you expect him to make a full recovery?"

"I don't know," Ian hedged. "His heart is sound. I'd say there's some hope. It could go either way."

Kevin rubbed his forehead. "He doesn't need another load of drugs when his system is already toxic," he said, thinking aloud. "Put a hold on the psychiatric drugs I've prescribed him until he wakes up and his health is fully assessed. I'd planned to meet with him on Monday and was going to recommend changing his medications, so this just forces the issue." Kevin cleared his throat as a few tears built up in his eyes. "Dammit, Ian," he said in a choked voice without explaining further.

"I know," Ian said. "I'm not feeling too wonderful myself. The kid kind of grows on you."

~*~*~*~

Alexis' hand fluttered near her mouth. "Oh my God!" She ran into Lucky's room, searching for Tony.

Tony turned and frowned when he saw the horrified look on Alexis' face.

"Alexis? What..."

Alexis waved her arms up and down. "Your brother, the hallway..." she tried to explain in her panic. She pushed at Tony's arm. "Go, go. He's in trouble."

Tony and Bobbie ran out into the hospital corridor, and Tony rapidly knelt by his brother. Bobbie's mouth hung open as she looked back and forth from Alexis to Frisco. "Frisco," Tony said authoritatively as he patted Frisco's cheek and grasped his chin, trying to communicate with his brother.

Frisco was curled up on his side, only semi-conscious and in great pain. He grimaced and held his hand over his chest. "Hurts," he breathed out before his eyes closed with a finality that sent a chill of fear into Tony. Tony took his pulse and noted Frisco's pale, sweaty face. "We need to get him to the ER!" he said loudly. "I think he's having a heart attack."

~*~*~*~

Tony gnawed on his thumbnail as he nervously hovered in the background of the ER exam room where Frisco was being worked on. I'm ten years older than Frisco. He's only 41 years old. Why is this happening to him? Tony recalled their father, a man who had died of heart disease at a young age months before his fortieth birthday, leaving their mother a widow. Okay. It makes sense. But why now?

Tony snapped to attention when Dr. Karen Wexler approached him. "Tony, we've given your brother some morphine, so he's resting comfortably now." She hesitated before continuing. "He experienced a myocardial infarction. There's blockage in his two of his coronary arteries, and he's scheduled for an angioplasty tomorrow morning. He was fortunate to be in a hospital when this happened. A cardiologist will be by soon to review his tests. Are you okay?" Karen asked. "You look wiped out."

Tony shook his head. "My nephew is in an ICU, and he might not make it. I was up there when this happened with Frisco. It feels like my world is falling apart at the seams. What next?"

Karen placed a reassuring arm around Tony's shoulder. "I don't know about your nephew, but I believe your brother will be fine. He'll have to make some modifications to his lifestyle and take medications, but he's in good hands."

Tony nodded. "I need to talk to him." Tony was cautious when he approached Frisco. Even though Tony had seen Frisco in the hospital numerous times with gunshot wounds, he'd never seen his brother looking so lost and helpless, connected to cardiac monitors and IV's and not moving around or cracking jokes. Frisco's eyes were closed and his breathing regular. He wasn't as pale as he'd been when Tony found him in the hallway. Tony tapped Frisco on the side of the cheek.

Frisco's eyes opened as slits. He tried to smile and act nonchalant. "Are they letting me out of here?"

"Ah, no." Tony answered. "You had a heart attack. You don't get off so easily this time. You'll be here for several days."

Frisco frowned. "No, I don't think so. I have work to do."

"Not for awhile you don't," Tony replied. "Is there someone you want me to call for you at work?"

Frisco half-heartedly tried to rise up from the table. "I'm leaving. Get out of my way."

"Dammit!" Tony yelled as he pushed him back down. "Stop being such a baby. You have a problem with your heart, and you're going to handle this situation like an adult. You owe it to your children to take better care of yourself."

Frisco's face screwed up. "They don't need me."

"Bullshit. You're the only father they have."

Frisco remained silent as his hands played with the leads attached to his chest. "I was tired last week," he admitted. "Is that why this happened?"

Tony sighed. "I think you inherited Dad's bad genes, and your stressful lifestyle and lack of social connections have done you no good. Maybe it was inevitable. What's your diet been like?"

"Oh, shut up, Tony," Frisco gritted out. "Dr. Donut has the nerve to question me. Piss off."

"And wouldn't it be so much easier for you if I did," Tony replied. "Then you wouldn't have to hear things you don't want to acknowledge. Listen up, Frisco. Take control of your miserable, lonely life."

"You're on a roll," Frisco answered shortly. "Are you this way with every dying patient? It's a wonder they don't sue you for malpractice."

"You're not dying," Tony scoffed. "You were privileged to have a wake-up call. I suggest you take advantage of it." He turned to leave and patted Frisco on the leg before he exited the room.

Frisco sneered and mimicked at his brother's back.

"I heard that," Tony said.

~*~*~*~

Alexis walked up to Tony when he exited the exam room. "How is he? How's your brother?"

Tony was surprised. "You're still here. Have you been waiting all this time?"

Alexis nodded. "I went to check on Nikolas once, but I came back. I'm so worried about your brother. We were talking, and he just collapsed right in front of me."

"He's going to be fine. He did have a heart attack, it runs in our family, and he'll need an angioplasty tomorrow. But he'll recover."

Alexis' dimples deepened when she smiled. "Good. He seems like a very nice man."

Tony felt a chuckle rise within him. Frisco strikes again.

~*~*~*~

Tony walked up to Bobbie and placed his hands on her shoulders. "How's my angel?" he whispered in her ear. Bobbie reached behind her and squeezed Tony's hand.

"Tired," she answered. "And scared to death."

"Frisco did have a heart attack, but it was mild and he should be okay."

Bobbie turned toward Tony. Her eyes were red from crying, and she looked shaky. She stood and hugged Tony tightly. "This is a nightmare," she said. "I'm going to have to call Luke tomorrow. What do I say?"

"Maybe there will be good news tomorrow," Tony said.

"He hasn't moved once since you left to be with Frisco," Bobbie said. "I keep touching his arms and squeezing his hands, but there's been no reaction."

"He could snap out of it at any time," Tony said. "We'll hold on to that hope."

"I want to show you something." She moved Lucky's gown to one side. "Look."

Tony leaned in for a closer view and blanched when he saw the marks on Lucky's side. "That looks terrible. Did Faison do that to him?"

Bobbie nodded. "Tony, what I can't stop thinking about is how Faison tortured him for an entire year. This is the result of spending less than an hour with the man. Will Lucky even notice these bruises or will they be so familiar to him that he disregards them?"

Tony stroked Bobbie's hair sympathetically. Bobbie sighed. "Kevin stopped by. He wanted the particulars of what occurred on that island. Nikolas talked to the ICU nurse, so she was able to fill in some of the blanks."

Tony looked around the room. "Where is she?"

"On break. I volunteered to watch Lucky."

"What did Kevin say?"

"He recommends transferring Lucky to the psychiatric ward when he's stable and begins to show signs of waking. He feels that Lucky was close enough to a psychotic episode before this happened, and he wants to make sure that Lucky and the staff are safe. He's going to try a new medication for Lucky when he recovers from the poisoning."

Tony noted Bobbie's optimistic use of language in assuming that Lucky would indeed wake. "I'm feeling a little crazy right now," he said to his wife. "I couldn't believe when Frisco collapsed in the hall outside of Lucky's room. I guess I know what it feels like to have the roof fall on your head."

Bobbie stroked Tony's hand. "I was shocked when I saw Frisco lying there. Are you sure he'll be okay?"

Tony nodded. "He was fortunate to be in the hospital when this happened. There was no damage to his heart muscle. Getting him to modify his lifestyle might be a challenge, though. He actually was trying to escape from the ER. I gave him a piece of my mind."

Bobbie laughed delightedly. "Poor Frisco."

Tony's face set. "He needs to grow up. I told him so."

"Felicia is dropping off a change of clothes for us - I suppose I should tell her what happened."

"Oh boy."

"My thoughts exactly. It was nice of her to volunteer to keep the kids for another day. I don't know what we'd do otherwise." Bobbie sighed deeply. "I'm really tired, but I feel like I need to be here for Lucky."

Tony nodded. "Me, too. We can spell each other off and take cat naps in my office if you want. Why don't you go first after you talk to Felicia? I want to sit in the chapel for a few minutes."

~*~*~*~

Tony entered an empty chapel that was illuminated by the glow of an eternal flame flickering its light through a red glass lamp. It was late, and no one else was in the room with most people having gone home for the day. Tony felt pleasantly alone as he sat down on the wooden pew in the first row of the chapel. He folded his hands in his lap and remained silent for several minutes.

"This is an awfully large load you've placed on us," Tony finally spoke in a quiet, intense voice. "We've done everything we can to help this boy, and now it's time for you to take over. There's nothing more we can do." Tony felt a pull on his heart, a deep resignation that refused to leave him. "Lucky means the world to us, to me and Bobbie, his father and brother and sister. Please let him survive, no, allow him thrive. How much more should Lucky suffer? I can't see the purpose. Please help me to find the good in this situation." Tony ran his hand over his forehead. "I'm a neurologist. I know what can happen when the brain is deprived of oxygen. I've seen patients who have suffered from cyanide poisoning after a bad fire. I ask you to spare Lucky that misery. We've hoped and prayed for this boy throughout the year. He does so much to bring happiness to people. Let him stay here with us and be happy. Give him your presence and strength."

Tony stood and walked up to a few candles standing on a small table. He lifted them up and fiddled with their burnt wicks, snapping them off with the flick of his thumb. "My brother Frisco needs your help, too. He's been carrying a lot of grief for many years. Why didn't I see it before today? All I saw was my own hurt at his absence in our lives. Please help him with his surgery tomorrow. Help him to heal, physically and emotionally. Bring him back to his family. Forgive me for being so judgmental toward my own brother."

Tony picked up a bible and rifled through the pages. He stopped when he reached the Psalms, and he placed a finger over the pages. What did you do when you were down and out, beaten and dying? You turned to the Word of God, your word, to the voice of your ancestor David who cried out to you in faith, and you heard him. I have to believe you are willing to do the same for this Spencer-Jones family because we place our hope and trust in you. You will see us through these troubles.

Tony spent the next fifteen minutes leafing through the Psalms and reading.

Psalm 4
1 Unto the end, in verses. A psalm of David.
2 When I called upon him, the God of my justice heard me: when I was in distress, thou hast enlarged me. Have mercy on me: and hear my prayer.
3 O ye sons of men, how long will you be dull of heart? Why do you love vanity, and seek after lying?
4 Know ye also that the Lord hath made his holy one wonderful: the Lord will hear me when I shall cry unto him.
5 Be angry, and sin not: the things you say in your hearts, be sorry for them upon your beds.
6 Offer up the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the Lord: many say, Who sheweth us good things?
7 The light of thy countenance O Lord, is signed upon us: thou hast given gladness in my heart.
8 By the fruit of their corn, their wine and oil, they are multiplied.
9 In peace in the selfsame I will sleep, and I will rest:
10 for thou, O Lord, singularly hast settled me in hope.

Tony closed the book and laid it on his lap.

~*~*~*~

Bobbie accepted the small suitcase from Felicia. "You're a godsend, my friend."

Felicia looked at Bobbie with concern. "I just want to help in any way I can. I'm so sorry about Lucky. Has he improved any?" She leaned over Lucky to see his face, and patted him on the shoulder. "I'm sorry, Lucky."

Bobbie stirred uneasily in her chair. "Something bad happened this evening. Something you might want to know."

Felicia frowned. "You're worrying me, Bobbie. It's not Tony, is it?"

Bobbie shook her head. "Actually, it's his brother - Frisco."

Felicia reared back slightly with a puzzled expression. "Frisco? He's back in DC. He left on a plane this afternoon."

"No, he didn't. He was on a mission to protect Lucky." Bobbie smoothed her hand protectively over Lucky's hair. "As you can see, it didn't go as planned."

"Now I'm really scared, Bobbie. Frisco's never lost a mission. What happened?"

"Several mistakes were made, but what I'm talking about occurred right outside of Lucky's room in the hallway. Frisco was talking to Nikolas' aunt, and he suddenly collapsed with a heart attack."

"Oh my God!" Felicia shouted. She quickly placed a hand over her mouth and glanced at Lucky. "I'm sorry."

Bobbie laughed. "If it'll wake him up, go right ahead. Scream your lungs out. Lucky will thank you for it"

Felicia's voice quivered. "Is Frisco dead?"

Bobbie's expression softened. "No. It was a mild heart attack. He has surgery tomorrow morning, but Tony said he should fine. If he doesn't leave the hospital that is."

Felicia nodded. "That sounds like the Frisco we all know and love. But he's so young. A heart attack? I'm shocked."

"You recall how his father died, don't you?"

Felicia's eyes widened. "Oh. A heart attack. But Frisco was always so healthy. He was never sick a day."

"You can't see damage that's done to the heart," Bobbie explained.

Felicia sighed. "I need to see him."

~*~*~*~

Felicia paused outside of her ex-husband's hospital room. She couldn't recall the last time she'd felt so shocked and uncomfortable. As much as she'd been angered by Frisco's abandonment and his casual treatment of the girls, she'd never wished him harm. He was her first love and the father of her children. To her, he'd always seemed so invincible - at least physically. His was the strong shoulder to lean on, to depend upon. She'd always felt safer when he was around, like bad guys begone because Frisco Jones was nearby.

Felicia pushed open the door and walked in hesitantly. "Frisco?" she whispered. Her ex-husband was asleep, his bangs tousled and his skin smooth, looking like the charming boy without a care even past age forty and while in the hospital.

Frisco's blue eyes opened hesitantly to meet his ex-wife's concerned gaze. "Felicia?" he asked as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"To see how my ex-husband is doing after having a heart attack," Felicia answered dryly. "What do you want me to tell the girls? And it better not be that you're on an overseas mission and not able to contact them for months."

Frisco shook his head on his pillow. "No. Tell them the truth I guess. Their dad had a heart attack and is recuperating nicely." Frisco's expression intensified. "Be careful what you say to Maxie. I don't want her to worry too much or associate her problems with me. It's a different situation."

Felicia nodded. "I know. Bobbie mentioned your father, and I'd completely forgotten about how he died. I suppose you did, too."

Frisco colored. "No. I didn't. He was my dad. So you think I'd forget him?"

Felicia's first instinct was to retort that Frisco had no trouble forgetting the rest of his family, but she held her tongue and sighed deeply instead.

"I just didn't think it'd happen to me, that's all. Tony was always the one with a few extra pounds and a junk food habit," Frisco said. "I was in good shape because of the type of work I do."

Felicia placed her hand on Frisco's arm. "But that's not the way it works with genes," she said. "Are you going to listen to the doctors and take care of yourself? You're too important not to."

Frisco's face brightened. "You think so?"

"Sure," Felicia stated. "You have plenty to offer the world. We need you here."

Frisco's eyes darted around the room, and he became edgy. "I haven't been a good father."

"You're a very good father when you apply yourself," Felicia disagreed. "The girls just need more attention and a steadier influence. That can change if you want it to."

"I'm not sure I know how," Frisco admitted truthfully with a catch in his voice.

"You're smart. You can learn," Felicia encouraged. "You have plenty of people to help you if you ask."

"Maybe."

Felicia bent low to kiss Frisco's forehead. She took his hand and looked him straight in the eye. "Good luck with your surgery tomorrow. I'll be rooting for your recovery. Call me if you need anything. I'll bring by Maxie and Georgie if you're feeling better. Maybe tomorrow evening?"

Frisco nodded. "Thanks."

Next...

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