Braxton thought fast and pulled the tubing out of Marissa's hand with a hard yank. The cannula came out from under the clear tape. Marissa woke up with a scream. He pushed the slider clamp over to stop the solution from dripping out.

The woman dropped the syringe and ran for the door. Braxton climbed over Marissa (who screamed again when he accidentally put his weight on her cracked knee) and the rail and landed on his feet, running after her. A real nurse appeared and the poser pushed her aside and ran toward the unit's door with Braxton in hot pursuit. He surprised himself at how fast he was running, given his age and physical condition - or lack thereof. He caught up to her just as she reached the closed clear glass door to the hall and slammed her into it.

“Let me go!” she demanded.

“Not a chance, sister”, he replied, breathing heavily. “What was in that syringe?”

“Pain medication.”

“What medication?” She struggled to get away but he had her pinned to the door. She elbowed him in the belly. “Nice try, but I have lots of padding.”

Dr Payton approached. “Security is on their way up and the police have been called”, she told Braxton. “Can you hold her until then?”

“Yes, but how is Marissa?”

“She's pretty upset and confused. What happened? We found an empty syringe on the floor and her IV was pulled out.”

“This woman injected something into it. I pulled it out and put the clamp on to keep it from running out. Hopefully, the lab can find out what was in it. And I hope none got into Marissa.”

“Physically, she doesn't seem to be harmed by it, but there's a nurse in her room with her. We'll keep a close eye on her. I'm going to get blood drawn, too.”

The elevator dinged, signalling it's arrival. The door opened and a security guard walked off. Braxton pulled his prisoner away from the ICU door so the guard could enter. He told him what had transpired. “The police are on their way”, Dr Payton informed him.

“Do you have a room we could put her in until they get here?” he asked.

“I don't think anyone is using the family room”, she replied. “You can use that.”

The guard took his handcuffs from his belt. “Ma'am, please put your hands behind your back.”

“Could you cuff me in front? Please. I have a sore shoulder, I'm waiting for surgery on it.”

“I'm not sure I'd trust her”, Braxton said.

“I have a gun. She won't get far if she tries anything.” He handcuffed the prisoner with her hands in front of her and took her to the family room. She asked for some privacy, so he shut the door and stood outside the room, figuring there was no other door so she wouldn't be able to get away.

Braxton went back to Marissa's room. The bed was flat and she was lying on her back, tears running down her face. Her hand was bandaged and there was blood on the floor. An ice pack sat on her knee, her leg lying on top of the blankets. A nurse was sitting with her. “I'll leave you alone with her”, Tammy said to him. “She's quite upset. Maintenance will be up shortly to mop the floor.”

He lowered Marissa's bed rail and sat down beside her. He pulled her up and into his arms and let her cry it out. When her sobs subsided, he reached for the tissues and dried her face. “Wh-what happened?” she asked.

“Someone who isn't your nurse injected something into your IV. That's why I pulled it out of your hand without warning you. I had to do it fast to make sure it didn't get into you.”

“What ... was it?”

“I don't know. The lab will analyze it and find out.” He imagined it wasn't anything good that was injected into the IV.

“Will ... she .... come back?”

“No, honey. I caught her and security is holding her until the police get here.” Marissa felt a sense of relief, but how long would it be until someone else came to try to harm her?

“She ...was ...from the ...Cartel?” It was more a statement than a question.

“I suspect so. I'm going to see what we can do to keep you safe.” Braxton held her close, thinking about how close he may have come to losing her forever. His heart was pounding but he tried to not show any signs of the distress he was feeling. Marissa was upset enough as it was. “I'm really sorry about your knee, honey. I didn't mean to hurt you.”

“I ... know ....it's ... okay.” She was well aware that Braxton may have saved her life and her knee hurting more than it had been was a small price to pay.

There was a bustle in the hallway and a voice came over the loudspeaker, calling a code blue in a room in the ICU. Thoughts of what had just happened were momentarily forgotten as Marissa and Braxton thought of the patient that had arrested and hoped the medical staff could bring him or her back.

A few minutes later, Gael and Irene arrived. “We got a call from the doctor here saying there's been a problem”, Marissa's father said.

“Are you okay, honey?” Irene asked. Braxton stood up so she could give her daughter a hug.

“I am... fine. Braxton .... saved ...my ....life.” She lay back on the bed after Irene pushed the button to raise the head.

“The doctor told us. We owe you a big debt of gratitude, Braxton”, Gael said gratefully.

Braxton spoke. “We don't know what was in the substance that was injected into Marissa's IV line. It may not have been something that would have been fatal.”

“I doubt it was anything beneficial.”

A police officer appeared in the doorway. “I'm looking for Braxton”, he said to the group.

“That's me”, Braxton said.

“I need to interview you about what happened. Can you come with me? Officer Mullen is going to put the IV bag into an evidence bag to take for testing.” A young female officer walked into the room.

Braxton got off the bed. “I'll be back as soon as I can”, he said to Marissa. He followed the officer to the nurses' break room, which the cop had received permission to use.

They sat down and Braxton told Officer Daniels what had transpired. When he finished, he asked “You're going to test the IV, right? To see what she injected?”

“Of course - for the report. There likely won't be a court case, though.”

“Why not? The perp is in the family room. I saw her do it.” Braxton was becoming incensed. How could they not charge her?

“Calm down, Braxton.” Braxton looked like he was going to explode. “She may not survive.”

“What do you mean?”

“The security guard checked on her in the family room and she was on the floor non responsive. He initiated CPR and a code was called, but they were having no success with resuscitation efforts. She's down in the ER now, but I don't know if they are having any better luck.”

Braxton was instantly subdued. “What happened? Heart attack?”

“I don't know. If she doesn't make it, hopefully an autopsy will tell.”

“What happens now?”

“We will get the contents of the IV bag and tubing analyzed to see what she injected into it. We need to contact the FBI as Marissa is flagged as a witness. It's very possible this woman was sent by the drug cartel to eliminate her.”

“I was thinking the same. They are going to be furious when their minion doesn't return.” Braxton was concerned about them sending someone else, maybe with a weapon. “How can we protect Marissa?”

“I will talk it over with my supervisor and the FBI - they will probably take charge of the case. I need to interview Marissa now.”

“She doesn't really know anything. She was asleep until I yanked the IV out of her.”

After talking to Marissa for a few minutes, Officer Daniels went to make some phone calls. Officer Mullin stayed just outside Marissa's door, in case any further trouble ensued. Braxton told Marissa and her parents what he had found out about the woman who'd injected a substance into her IV. “Oh, no!” she cried. “What ... will they...do...now? Mama ... Daddy ... Braxton - go ... get away ... from here.”

“We're not going anywhere, Rissa”, Gael said.

“You ... have to ... Daddy! If they... come again ... I don't ... want ... you ... to get hurt! Rather ... them get ... me.”

“Marissa, I gave birth to you”, Irene broke in. “I would do anything to keep you safe and that includes dying. I'm not going anywhere and neither is your father.”

“I'm not going anywhere either”, Braxton stated. “But I am going to see if you can be transferred somewhere else. In the meantime, you should try to get back to sleep. Are they going to put another IV in you?”

“They ... said ... they are.”

A nurse eventually came and started a new IV. She put this one in Marissa's inner arm near her elbow. Marissa was glad of this because it meant that Braxton could hold her whole hand now. Dr Payton insisted on a sedative - she was worried that her patient would not be able to sleep without one, given what had just happened. Braxton lay on the bed with her until she drifted off, then he and Gael left the room to try to find out what the situation was.

The ER had not been able to revive the woman who'd posed as a nurse and injected something into Marissa's IV. She had been pronounced dead shortly after being taken down there. The body was taken to the morgue and an autopsy would be performed in the morning. The ER doctor smelled bitter almond on her so he thought that she may have taken a cyanide pill. The police hoped the lab would find it in blood samples, but they knew that that might not be possible as cyanide has a short half-life.

Agent Avery from the FBI was notified of the incident and he went to Syracuse to interview Braxton, Marissa and the security guard in the morning. He agreed with Braxton that Marissa needed to be moved. He, Braxton and the Brennans sat in the family room discussing where to send her. The Brennans suggested Great Falls, Montana, where she'd gone for scans on her kidney. It was close to the border and would make it easier for them if she was hospitalized long term. Rex Avery nixed that, saying that the Cartel would likely try to find her in hospitals closer to her home.

Braxton wondered if Denver would be a good place. Marissa's oncologist was there and he thought the Cartel wouldn't think to look there since she'd been there for three years. They would likely think that the authorities would feel it too risky to send her there.

“That's a brilliant idea!” Rex said. “You are probably right - they would never to think to look there!” He called Gideon Maynard on Skype to get his input.

Gideon was dismayed to hear of the possible attempt on Marissa's life, but he agreed that Denver would be a good place to send her. She could be under his care there and he vowed to not let her leave the city until he had taken that kidney out.

Rex got to work on arranging a secure med flight. Because Marissa was a federal witness and her life was threatened by the Cartel, he was able to get the US Marshal service to cover the cost. He was pretty sure the Brennans would not be able to afford it and he didn't think her insurance would pay since it wasn't a transfer because of medical need. The plane would take off at 3:00pm.

He chose Alia Medflight as they were the only company that allowed multiple loved ones to go with the patient and they allowed baggage as well. They were a bit more expensive but he felt Marissa would do better on the flight with her parents and Braxton with her. The Brennans left for the hotel just after noon to go pack up. They asked Braxton if he was okay with them packing his suitcase so that he could stay with Marissa. He took them up on the offer.

When he was alone with her, Braxton sat down on Marissa's bed and took her right hand in his. He was very gentle as it was a bit sore from him ripping out her IV. The spot had been covered with a bandage. “How are you feeling, sweetie?” he asked.

“A ... bit sore”, she replied.

“I think you are due for your pain medication soon. How are you feeling emotionally?”

“Are ... you ... shrinking me?” she asked, looking at him with suspicion.

Braxton chuckled. “I guess I am. “You don't have to tell me if you don't want to.”

“It's ... okay. I ... trust ...you. I ... am... scared.”

“That the Cartel will send someone else after you?” Marissa nodded her head. “That is why you are being transferred to Denver ... the Cartel likely won't think to look for you there.” Braxton talked to her for a bit, then Marissa drifted off. He sat beside her bed watching her sleep. She hadn't had anything at breakfast, but he and her parents were able to get her to drink some broth and eat a bit of jello at lunch before the Brennans had gone back to the hotel. The doctors had said that they needed to go slow in getting her stomach used to having food in it. So far, she'd kept everything she ate or drank down. She hadn't wanted coffee, and her parents knew that was a big sign that she really wasn't hungry. When she refused java, they knew something was really wrong.

The flight to Denver was four hours, but because of the two hour time difference, it was only 5pm local time when they arrived. Rex had arranged for a rental car for the Brennans and Braxton. He would be in close contact with them for the next little while.

Marissa was transported to the hospital in an ambulance. Gideon Maynard met it when it pulled up in front of the hospital's main door. “Marissa!” he greeted her. “Am I ever glad to get you down here, though I wish it were under better circumstances.”

“Hi ...Gideon”, she said with a small smile. “How ...are you?”

“I am fine, my dear, but the question is how are *you*?” She looks awful, he thought. Not surprising, though, given what she's been through.

“I ... am... okay”, Marissa got out. She'd slept for part of the flight, but she was still quite tired.

“You are lying”, he said, winking at her to indicate that he was teasing her. He may have been joking but he knew she was not okay. University Hospital had emailed a copy of her chart to him and her test results were not good. While they were a bit better than they'd been at first, he was concerned. He'd get the lab here to run her bloodwork and see what the results were.

Gideon accompanied the stretcher up to Marissa's room in the ICU. He would not be her attending physician until she was released to a regular room, but he would be consulting with the ICU doctors regarding her care. He helped her get settled in her bed and put the monitoring equipment on. A nurse came in and drew blood to send to the lab.

Dr Silas Hale, the ICU doctor on the day shift, came in and introduced himself. “I read your chart from Syracuse and I'll be doing the same things they were doing with you - IV antibiotics and fluids, pain medication and you need lots of rest. You also need to eat. I see you haven't been doing very much of that.”

“We'll work on that”, Gideon broke in. “Maybe I can get her Mom to cook at my place and bring it in to Marissa. She may eat better with home cooking and Irene is an excellent cook.” He winked at Marissa. “We need to get you well and in good condition for that surgery, dear. Eating properly will really help.”

“I...will...try, Gi-Gideon. Sor-sorry ....I can't... talk ... better.” Marissa was getting really frustrated at her inability to talk normally.

“Don't you worry about that. It will come in time. You are still very weak.”

“Have you been out of bed at all besides your trip here? Dr Hale asked.

“No ...I ...haven't. Was ....su-supposed to...this morning.”

“We will see about getting you up in a chair for a bit tomorrow, okay?” Marissa nodded.

The Brennans and Braxton soon arrived. Gideon was still in Marissa's room and greeted them warmly. “I've talked with Pauline and Caitlin and we insist on you staying with us while you're here in Denver.”

“Oh, we couldn't impose”, Irene said.

“It's no imposition. We have the extra rooms and we would love to have you. We insist.”

“Then I guess it's settled.” Gael accepted the invitation.

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

“What did you find out?” Craig asked his assistant, Seth.

“We've lost Tori. She must have taken the cyanide pill. She was able to inject the pentobarbital into Marissa's IV line, but her friend pulled it out of her in time.”

Craig was not happy to hear this. “Any word on the traitor doctor?”

“No, I can't find anything on him. The FBI have the case - they may have hidden him.”

“Here is what you are going to do”, Craig said in a menacing tone. “You will get two people to go with you, you will be armed, and you will finish what Tori failed to do. If you fail, all of you will be in those cells and in worse shape than Marissa was. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” Seth knew that when Craig got that tone, you did not protest or argue.

“Good. I have enough going on with everyone arriving for the lie detector tests and the brainstorming about the defecting mules. I don't need any more headaches.” He feared he was going to lose the organization either to arrests or defections. He desperately needed to regain control.

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

Nico placed the last of the bombs in a service room in the basement of the compound's “hospital”. It wasn't really a hospital, but they called it that. It served as a medical clinic and infirmary, where people needing care could stay until they were better.

As the compound's maintenance man, Nico could go wherever he wanted without questions or suspicion. It made it easier to plant 50 bombs in and around the compound. He had his own little house, with a workshop in the basement. That made it possible to build the bombs.

He walked back to his house thinking of what had brought him to the point of wanting to blow the compound up. He had voluntarily joined the Cartel five years ago, after being fired from his job at a high school. He had been caught having sex with a teacher in a storage room. It wasn't the first time, which was why he was let go - he'd had two warnings previously. Due to being unable to provide references, he couldn't find another job and became homeless.

Then one day, when he was sitting on a park bench, a man who said his name was Keith sat down beside him and struck up a conversation. He said that he could give Nico employment and that he'd never be without a job again. In return, he had to leave behind everyone in his life, including his family, and never look back. Nico was estranged from his family and hadn't seen much of his friends since he lost his apartment because of being unable to pay the rent. He gladly accepted the deal.

Keith had done his homework. He had known Nico's name and the details of his life. Because of his experience with repairing and servicing all sorts of equipment, the Cartel wanted him at the Compound as their maintenance man had had a fatal heart attack.

Despite his reservations, Nico accepted the offer. The promise of his own house and never needing to scrounge for food again was too good to pass up. He didn't find out what the Cartel did until he arrived at the compound. He tried to back out, but he was told it was too late. They could not take the risk of him ratting them out. They assured him that he would not see any violence or bloodshed. He later found out that they were playing with words and that they meant that he would not see it happen, not that he wouldn't see blood and gore when he had to clean up.

Nico tried to get used to the aftermath of the hidden violence that he had to clean up after. He was not successful, but it happened intermittently enough that he was able to put it out of his mind - until the next time. Eventually, it became too much and he formulated a plan to get back at those who were keeping him there. It was easy to get the materials needed to build the bombs as he had the freedom to come and go as he pleased. It had not always been this way - he had had to earn his bosses' trust. It took him a long time to build the bombs as he could only get so much of the materials at a time so as to not arouse suspicion, and he had to do it in his off time. He had been finished for a number of months and had been looking for the right time to put his plan into action.

That time was now. The woman he saw in the cell that he walked past to fix a faulty light socket in the hallway clinched it. He'd gained the trust of the men who guarded the cells, and he had asked the guard on duty that day what the prisoner had done. The guard had thought she had run away. He told Nico that they were killing her slowly with a kidney infection and that they had made one of the doctors remove a drainage tube. Nico could not abide this. It was bad enough that it was a woman, but to kill someone slowly and painfully was even worse. He couldn't do anything when they beat someone to death, but he could do something about this.

Nico trusted Dr Cardenas and had a feeling that the physician was disgusted with the Cartel, too. He went to his apartment at night, when he'd be there alone, and told him about the woman in the cell. Dr Cardenas knew about her and said he was troubled by what his bosses were doing, too. He assured Nico that he would take care of her.

When the doctor and the woman disappeared at the same time, Nico feared that the former had been caught trying to get the prisoner out. Then he heard that the computer system had logged his card being used to open the gate after midnight Thursday night, which told him they'd gotten away. Victor Cardenas must have chosen to not come back. Good. At least one innocent person would be spared. He could not help the rest. Nico decided to hide the bombs all over and he would detonate them within the next couple days. This was a good time since the supervisors were coming in from all over. If he could take out all but the mules and escorts, perhaps that would be the end of this cartel.