ASJ Fanfiction: Chapter 14
Warning: this fic contains graphic descriptions of a gunshot wound, along with medical procedure. Don’t read unless that sort of thing is interesting to you.
Hannibal Heyes is gunned down by a dry-gulcher on his way back to his hotel room. He and the Kid stumble into a time portal and wind up in the present day, just in time to nearly be run over by a passing car.
Chapter 14
The Kid started awake. Heyes wanted out of bed again. Jed was actually relieved to see him up and about, even though the constant in and out kept Jed up. At least he wasn’t just lying there any longer, staring listlessly at the ceiling.
They did another round of the floor. Heyes was doing better after practicing most of the night. He could get around the whole unit without stopping now, even though he still hung onto the pole for support. Jed carried the collection box, making sure to keep it low so it drained properly.
The night shift nurses clocked out. The Kid headed for the cafeteria while they changed shifts. When he got back (with a cup of stronger coffee for Heyes), Etta was checking Heyes’ vitals - or trying to.
“You out of bed already?” Etta asked. She flipped through Heyes’ chart as he got back under the covers. “I should have figured you’d be a bad patient. Don’t you know when to take it easy?”
“I took it easy for two days.”
“It doesn’t count if you were unconscious half of that first day.”
Heyes shrugged. “I was lying down, wasn’t I?”
“Just keep those cold packs around you until that fever goes back down.”
Heyes pulled the sheets up and repositioned the packs. He took a sip of the coffee - something called “Starbucks” - and smiled. “I feel better already.”
“Your temperature is still 102. You’re not out of the woods yet, so don’t go getting cocky.”
Jed set his coffee down on the table. “I’ll make sure he don’t get cocky, Miss Etta.”
“He ought not be out of bed this soon. I’m surprised at Dr. Kealy.”
Jed managed to meet her gaze for a moment. Seems Miss Etta shared his view on that subject. “I reckon she figured he was gonna figure out a way to do it whether she said he could or not.”
“Mr. Smith, you’re a horrible patient. I just hope you don’t regret it.”
She left them alone then. Jed spent the day alternating between dozing in the chair and helping Heyes walk around the unit. Etta said he could bring Heyes back something from the cafeteria, so he brought up one of the tasty “burger” sandwiches they made to order.
“This is pretty good,” Heyes had to admit. “Why doesn’t the hospital get their food from that café?”
The kid shrugged. “I reckon they have to make sure the sick folks get special extra-healthy food. At least it’s filling.”
“Bland is what it is. But this sandwich is OK. Is this tomato ketchup?”
“I got you some mustard too, in case you didn’t like it on your sandwich.”
“How do you get the ketchup out of this package?”
Jed showed him how to tear open the end, not mentioning his disastrous first attempt at the same. He’d finally watched others in the café to see how they dealt with the odd little packages.
Etta came in for the after-lunch vital readings. Just as she was checking what she called his blood pressure, a knock sounded at the doorway.
“Can he have visitors?”
The Kid studied the man at the door. Shorter than Jed by a good five inches. Dressed in an expensive-looking suit. He had a notebook just like all of the other official visitors.
“Not supposed to,” Etta said testily, “but with all the traffic in and out of this room since he got here, what’s one more?”
“I’m from social services.”
Etta sniffed. “‘Bout time you lot figured it out. We need to make sure he’s got a clean place to heal up. Not that rat-trap Arms Hotel.”
The man smiled. “I think I can guarantee something will be done about that.
He stepped into the room. “Call me Sam,” he said, holding out a hand.
Heyes and the Kid shook. Etta finished her measurements and returned to the station, not without a parting glare at the visitor.
“Don’t tire him out, Sam.”
As soon as she was outside, Sam leaned in close to Heyes and spoke softly. “I’m afraid I lied to the nurse. I’m not with anybody she’d recognize. But I am here to make sure you get home safely.”
Heyes shot the Kid a skeptical glance. “And how do you propose doing that exactly? We’re not from Blue River.”
“I know. You’re not from 2018, either.”
Heyes sat up straight, his expression wary. “What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said. Let me explain and you’ll understand everything.”
Sam took a seat on the edge of the bed. He glanced at the doorway to be sure they were still alone. “I’m part of an undercover organization. We’ve discovered time travel. Unfortunately, so has another group in China. They’re using their knowledge to attempt to go back in time and change American history so that their country ends up ruling the world.”
The Kid snorted. “So you go back in time?”
“Not so loud. That nurse would have all three of us in the psych ward.” Sam glanced at the door again. “But yes, we do. However, something went wrong this time.”
“You don’t say.” Heyes crossed his arms and leaned back against the pillows.
“I do. I can’t tell you what’s in store for you, but you’re going to do something that makes a big impact on the country’s history. That’s why the Chinese sent that assassin back to murder you both.”
Jed frowned. “But he only shot Heyes.”
Sam smiled. “I figured you could take care of him. Our own operative wasn’t so lucky. He was supposed to bring you both here to the hospital, so we could save your lives and return you to your own time. The assassin must have gotten him, because he never came back.”
Heyes raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying you meant for us to be here in 2018? It’s not some freak accident?”
“Not at all. The only problem was that you stumbled through the portal unaccompanied. Dave was supposed to pull you through to his … well, horseless carriage. We had a surgical team waiting at our headquarters.”
The Kid traded another glance with his partner. “But Heyes is gonna be OK now. He did have surgery but they say he’ll be fine.”
Sam nodded. “And I’m sure he will be. I looked up your surgeon and she’s supposed to be the best in the area. It’s just that now you’re in the system, so to speak. We’re going to have to figure out a way to get you both back to your own time without affecting things here.”
Heyes frowned. “What do you mean about the system?”
“The hospital staff thinks you’re from this time, of course. They’ve given you identities - probably think you’re both some sort of drug addicts if you told them where you were staying. The Blue River Arms isn’t a nice hotel in our time.”
“They think Heyes is crazy. The doc even gave him some medicine for it.”
Sam put his face in his palm. “I was afraid of something like that. You don’t know things that an ordinary person would know. You have no identification cards, no insurance, no modern money.”
“And funny clothes,” Heyes muttered.
“Exactly.” Sam shoved out off the bed to pace the room. “There’s got to be some way for us to get you out of the hospital without anyone thinking there’s anything funny going on. That’s why I picked social services - they’d be called in if you were really poverty-stricken or homeless.”
“I reckon we are.” The Kid frowned at their visitor. “Our money’s no good and we can’t stay at the Arms if it’s that bad.”
“There’s one thing I can do.” Sam pulled a wallet out of a pocket in his trousers. Jed thought it was a funny place to keep your money. Anybody could just walk by and pluck the wallet out. Sam peeled off a sizable wad of cash. “I don’t have enough to pay your bills, but we’ll handle that for you as well. This is so you can buy some more clothes - and food while you’re here. I know the cafeteria isn’t cheap.”
“It’s near ten dollars for a meal. I been selling some of our old money to the nurses for modern cash.”
Heyes looked at the Kid with admiration. “That’s using your old noggin. Why didn’t you tell me the food was that much? You don’t have to eat at the hospital, you know.”
“Actually,” Sam said, “that’s the best thing for him to do. The fewer people who actually interact with you, the better. Less of a chance for someone to figure out what’s really going on.”
Jed didn’t mention that Dr. Kealy already knew, and Heyes wasn’t the sort who’d admit to anything on general principle.
Hannibal Heyes is gunned down by a dry-gulcher on his way back to his hotel room. He and the Kid stumble into a time portal and wind up in the present day, just in time to nearly be run over by a passing car.
Chapter 14
The Kid started awake. Heyes wanted out of bed again. Jed was actually relieved to see him up and about, even though the constant in and out kept Jed up. At least he wasn’t just lying there any longer, staring listlessly at the ceiling.
They did another round of the floor. Heyes was doing better after practicing most of the night. He could get around the whole unit without stopping now, even though he still hung onto the pole for support. Jed carried the collection box, making sure to keep it low so it drained properly.
The night shift nurses clocked out. The Kid headed for the cafeteria while they changed shifts. When he got back (with a cup of stronger coffee for Heyes), Etta was checking Heyes’ vitals - or trying to.
“You out of bed already?” Etta asked. She flipped through Heyes’ chart as he got back under the covers. “I should have figured you’d be a bad patient. Don’t you know when to take it easy?”
“I took it easy for two days.”
“It doesn’t count if you were unconscious half of that first day.”
Heyes shrugged. “I was lying down, wasn’t I?”
“Just keep those cold packs around you until that fever goes back down.”
Heyes pulled the sheets up and repositioned the packs. He took a sip of the coffee - something called “Starbucks” - and smiled. “I feel better already.”
“Your temperature is still 102. You’re not out of the woods yet, so don’t go getting cocky.”
Jed set his coffee down on the table. “I’ll make sure he don’t get cocky, Miss Etta.”
“He ought not be out of bed this soon. I’m surprised at Dr. Kealy.”
Jed managed to meet her gaze for a moment. Seems Miss Etta shared his view on that subject. “I reckon she figured he was gonna figure out a way to do it whether she said he could or not.”
“Mr. Smith, you’re a horrible patient. I just hope you don’t regret it.”
She left them alone then. Jed spent the day alternating between dozing in the chair and helping Heyes walk around the unit. Etta said he could bring Heyes back something from the cafeteria, so he brought up one of the tasty “burger” sandwiches they made to order.
“This is pretty good,” Heyes had to admit. “Why doesn’t the hospital get their food from that café?”
The kid shrugged. “I reckon they have to make sure the sick folks get special extra-healthy food. At least it’s filling.”
“Bland is what it is. But this sandwich is OK. Is this tomato ketchup?”
“I got you some mustard too, in case you didn’t like it on your sandwich.”
“How do you get the ketchup out of this package?”
Jed showed him how to tear open the end, not mentioning his disastrous first attempt at the same. He’d finally watched others in the café to see how they dealt with the odd little packages.
Etta came in for the after-lunch vital readings. Just as she was checking what she called his blood pressure, a knock sounded at the doorway.
“Can he have visitors?”
The Kid studied the man at the door. Shorter than Jed by a good five inches. Dressed in an expensive-looking suit. He had a notebook just like all of the other official visitors.
“Not supposed to,” Etta said testily, “but with all the traffic in and out of this room since he got here, what’s one more?”
“I’m from social services.”
Etta sniffed. “‘Bout time you lot figured it out. We need to make sure he’s got a clean place to heal up. Not that rat-trap Arms Hotel.”
The man smiled. “I think I can guarantee something will be done about that.
He stepped into the room. “Call me Sam,” he said, holding out a hand.
Heyes and the Kid shook. Etta finished her measurements and returned to the station, not without a parting glare at the visitor.
“Don’t tire him out, Sam.”
As soon as she was outside, Sam leaned in close to Heyes and spoke softly. “I’m afraid I lied to the nurse. I’m not with anybody she’d recognize. But I am here to make sure you get home safely.”
Heyes shot the Kid a skeptical glance. “And how do you propose doing that exactly? We’re not from Blue River.”
“I know. You’re not from 2018, either.”
Heyes sat up straight, his expression wary. “What are you talking about?”
“Just what I said. Let me explain and you’ll understand everything.”
Sam took a seat on the edge of the bed. He glanced at the doorway to be sure they were still alone. “I’m part of an undercover organization. We’ve discovered time travel. Unfortunately, so has another group in China. They’re using their knowledge to attempt to go back in time and change American history so that their country ends up ruling the world.”
The Kid snorted. “So you go back in time?”
“Not so loud. That nurse would have all three of us in the psych ward.” Sam glanced at the door again. “But yes, we do. However, something went wrong this time.”
“You don’t say.” Heyes crossed his arms and leaned back against the pillows.
“I do. I can’t tell you what’s in store for you, but you’re going to do something that makes a big impact on the country’s history. That’s why the Chinese sent that assassin back to murder you both.”
Jed frowned. “But he only shot Heyes.”
Sam smiled. “I figured you could take care of him. Our own operative wasn’t so lucky. He was supposed to bring you both here to the hospital, so we could save your lives and return you to your own time. The assassin must have gotten him, because he never came back.”
Heyes raised an eyebrow. “You’re saying you meant for us to be here in 2018? It’s not some freak accident?”
“Not at all. The only problem was that you stumbled through the portal unaccompanied. Dave was supposed to pull you through to his … well, horseless carriage. We had a surgical team waiting at our headquarters.”
The Kid traded another glance with his partner. “But Heyes is gonna be OK now. He did have surgery but they say he’ll be fine.”
Sam nodded. “And I’m sure he will be. I looked up your surgeon and she’s supposed to be the best in the area. It’s just that now you’re in the system, so to speak. We’re going to have to figure out a way to get you both back to your own time without affecting things here.”
Heyes frowned. “What do you mean about the system?”
“The hospital staff thinks you’re from this time, of course. They’ve given you identities - probably think you’re both some sort of drug addicts if you told them where you were staying. The Blue River Arms isn’t a nice hotel in our time.”
“They think Heyes is crazy. The doc even gave him some medicine for it.”
Sam put his face in his palm. “I was afraid of something like that. You don’t know things that an ordinary person would know. You have no identification cards, no insurance, no modern money.”
“And funny clothes,” Heyes muttered.
“Exactly.” Sam shoved out off the bed to pace the room. “There’s got to be some way for us to get you out of the hospital without anyone thinking there’s anything funny going on. That’s why I picked social services - they’d be called in if you were really poverty-stricken or homeless.”
“I reckon we are.” The Kid frowned at their visitor. “Our money’s no good and we can’t stay at the Arms if it’s that bad.”
“There’s one thing I can do.” Sam pulled a wallet out of a pocket in his trousers. Jed thought it was a funny place to keep your money. Anybody could just walk by and pluck the wallet out. Sam peeled off a sizable wad of cash. “I don’t have enough to pay your bills, but we’ll handle that for you as well. This is so you can buy some more clothes - and food while you’re here. I know the cafeteria isn’t cheap.”
“It’s near ten dollars for a meal. I been selling some of our old money to the nurses for modern cash.”
Heyes looked at the Kid with admiration. “That’s using your old noggin. Why didn’t you tell me the food was that much? You don’t have to eat at the hospital, you know.”
“Actually,” Sam said, “that’s the best thing for him to do. The fewer people who actually interact with you, the better. Less of a chance for someone to figure out what’s really going on.”
Jed didn’t mention that Dr. Kealy already knew, and Heyes wasn’t the sort who’d admit to anything on general principle.