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ne。 She had a broken and lacerated upper left arm and a nasty cut on her head。 When the helicopter paramedic saw the head wound heads bleed a lot he brought her here as a precaution。 We ran a plete head protocol on her； and she's fine。 A mild concussion； but nothing to worry about。 She'll be fine。〃
〃She's pregnant。 Do 〃
〃We noticed。〃 Shapiro smiled。 〃No problem with that。 The pregnancy has not been promised in any way。〃
〃She's a surgeon。 Will there be any permanent damage？〃
〃Oh？ I didn't know that。 We don't bother very much with patient identification；〃 Shapiro explained。 〃No； there should be no problem。 The damage to her arm is extensive but routine。 It should heal pletely。〃
Ryan nodded； afraid to ask the next question。 The doctor paused before going on。 Does the bad news e next 。 。 。
〃Your daughter is a very sick little girl。〃
Jack nearly choked with his next breath。 The iron fist that had clutched his stomach relaxed a millimeter。 At least she's alive。 Sally's alive！
〃Apparently she wasn't wearing her seat belt。 When the car hit she was thrown forward； very hard。〃 Jack nodded。 Sally liked to play with her seat belt buckle we thought it was cute； Ryan reminded himself bitterly。 〃Okay； tib and fib are broken in both legs； along with the left femur。 All of the left…side ribs are broken； and six on the right side a classic flailed chest。 She can't breathe for herself； but she's on respirator； that is under control。 She arrived with extensive internal injuries and hemorrhaging； severe damage to the liver and spleen； and the large bowel。 Her heart stopped right after she got here； probably almost certainly from loss of blood volume。 We got it restarted at once and immediately started replacing the blood loss。〃 Shapiro went on quickly。 〃That problem is also behind us。
〃Doctor Kinter and I have been working on her for the best part of five hours。 We had to remove the spleen that's okay； you can live without a spleen。〃 Shapiro didn't say that the spleen was an important part of the body's defense against infections。 〃The liver had a moderately extensive stellate fracture and damage to the main artery that feeds blood into the organ。 We had to remove about a quarter of the liver again no problem with that and I think we fixed the arterial damage； and I think the repair will hold。 The liver is important。 It has a great deal to do with blood formation and the body's biochemical balance。 You can't live without it。 If liver function is maintained 。 。 。 she'll probably make it。 The damage to the bowel was easy to repair。 We removed about thirty centimeters。 The legs are immobilized。 We'll repair them later。 The ribs well； that's painful but not life…threatening。 And the skull is relatively minor。 I guess her chest took the main impact。 She has a concussion； but there's no sign of intercranial bleeding。〃 Shapiro rubbed his hands over his heavily bearded face。
〃The whole thing revolves around her liver function。 If the liver continues to work； she will probably recover fully。 We're keeping a very close watch on her blood chemistry； and we'll know something in； oh； maybe eight or nine hours。〃
〃Not till then？〃 Ryan's face twisted into an agonized mass。 The fist tightened its grip yet again。 She still might die 。 。 。？
〃Mr。 Ryan；〃 Shapiro said slowly； 〃I know what you are going through。 If it hadn't been for the helicopter bringing your little girl in； well； right now I'd be telling you that she had died。 Another five minutes getting here maybe not that long and she would not have made it this far。 That's how close it was。 But she is alive now； and I promise you that we're doing our very best to keep her that way。 And our best is the best there is。 My team of doctors and nurses is the best of its kind in the world period。 Nobody es close。 If there's a way； we'll find it。〃 And if there's not； he didn't say； we won't。
〃Can I see them？〃
〃No。〃 Shapiro shook his head。 〃Right now both of them are in the CCRU the Critical Care Recovery Unit。 We keep that as clean as an OR。 The smallest infection can be lethal for a trauma patient。 I'm sorry； but it would be too dangerous to them。 My people are watching them constantly。 A nurse an experienced trauma nurse is with each of them every second； with a team of doctors and nurses thirty feet away。〃
〃Okay。〃 He almost gasped the word。 Ryan leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes。 Eight more hours？ But you have no choice。 You have to wait。 You have to do what they say。 〃Okay。〃
Shapiro left and Jackson followed after him； catching him by the elevator。
〃Doc； can't Jack see his little girl？ She 〃
〃Not a chance。〃 Shapiro half fell against the wall and let out a long breath。 〃Look； right now the little girl what's her name anyway？〃
〃Sally。〃
〃Okay； right now she's in a bed； stark naked； with IV tubes running into both arms and one leg。 Her head's partially shaved。 She's wired up to a half…dozen monitors； and we have an Engstrom respirator breathing for her。 Her legs are wrapped all you can see of her is one big bruise from her hips to the top of her head。〃 Shapiro looked down at the pilot。 He was too tired to show any emotion。 〃Look； she might die。 I don't think so； but there's no way we can be sure。 With liver injuries； you can't tell until the blood…chemistry readings e in； you just can't。 If she does die； would you want your friend to see her like that？ Would you want him to remember her like that； for the rest of his life？〃
〃I guess not；〃 Jackson said quietly； surprised at how much he wanted this little girl to live。 His wife could not have children； and somehow Sally had bee like their own。 〃What are her chances？〃
〃I'm not a bookie； I don't quote odds。 Numbers don't mean a thing in a case like this。 Sorry； but either she makes it or she doesn't。 Look； that wasn't a song and dance I gave Jack； you said？ She could not be in a better place。〃 Shapiro's eyes focused on Jackson's chest。 He jabbed a finger at the wings of gold。 〃You a pilot？〃
〃Yeah。 Fighters。〃
〃Phantoms？〃
〃No； the F…14。 Tomcat。〃
〃I fly。〃 Shapiro smiled。 〃I used to be a flight surgeon in the Air Force。 Last year I got a sailplane。 Nice and peaceful up there。 When I can get away from this madhouse； I go up every time I can。 No phones。 No hassles。 Just me and the clouds。〃 The doctor was not talking to Jackson so much as himself。 Robby set his hand on the surgeon's arm。
〃Doc； tell you what you save that little girl； and I'll get you a checkride in any bird you want。 Ever been up in a T…38？〃
〃What's that？〃 Shapiro was too tired to remember that he'd seen them before。
〃A spiffy little supersonic trainer。 Two seats； dual controls； and she handles like a wet dream。 I can disguise you as one of ours and get you up； no sweat。 Ever been past mach…1？〃
〃No。 Can you do some aerobatics？〃 Shapiro smiled like a tired little boy。
〃Sure； Doc。〃 Jackson grinned； knowing that he could do maneuvers to make a quail lose its lunch。
〃I'll take you up on that。 We work the same way with every patient； but I'll take you up on that anyway。 Keep an eye on your friend。 He looks a little rocky。 That's normal。 This sort of thing can be harder on the family than it is on the victims。 If he doesn't e around some； tell the receptionist。 We have a staff psychiatrist who specializes in working with the other victims； he calls 'em。〃 Yet another new idea at Shock…Trauma was a specialist in helping people cope with the injuries to family and friends。
〃Cathy's arm。 She's an eye surgeon； lots of fine work； you know？ You sure there's no problem with that？〃
Shapiro shook his head。 〃No big deal。 It was a clean break to the humerus。 Must have been a jacketed slug。 The bullet went in clean； went out clean。 Pretty lucky； really。〃
Robby's hand clamped shut on the doctor's arm as the elevator arrived。 〃Bullet？〃
〃Didn't I say that？ God； I must be tireder than I thought。 Yeah； it was a gunshot wound； but very clean。 Hell； I wish they were all that clean。 A nine…millimeter； maybe a thirty…eight； 'bout that size。 I have to get back to work。〃 The doctor went into the elevator。
〃Shit；〃 Jackson said to the wall。 He turned when he heard a man with an English accent two of them； it turned out whom the receptionist directed to the waiting room。 Robby followed them in。
The taller one approached Ryan and said； 〃Sir John？〃
Ryan looked up。 Sir John？ Robby thought。 The Brit drew himself to attention and went on briskly。
〃My name is Geoffrey Bennett。 I am Charge d'Affaires at the British Embassy。〃 He produced an envelope from his pocket and handed it to Ryan。 〃I am directed by Her Majesty to deliver this personally into your hand and to await your reply。〃
Jack blinked his eyes a few times； then tore open the envelope and extracted a yellow message form。 The cable was brief； kind； and to the point。 What time is it over there？ Ryan wondered。 Two in the morning？ Three？ Something like that。 That meant that she'd been awakened with the news； probably； and cared enough to send a personal message。 And was waiting for a reply。
How about that。
Ryan closed his eyes and told