tc.patriotgames-第71节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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