No wonder

Jason tried to keep his mind clear and focus as Rick worked on him. It was hard figuring out exactly what everyone was saying, and it sounded like they were all talking in slow-motion. He managed a squeeze to Katie's hand. "Not your fault," he answered quietly. "I'm glad...glad you were here." 

"Alright, come on." Rick reached down to help get him up. "Wyatt!" he called. "Unless there's a war going on out there, we could use your help..."

The ride to the Elite was a fast one. Jason drifted in an out, never losing his grip on Katie's hand, and doing his best to follow directions. He wasn't sure exactly how he got from the car, all the way into the infirmary, but he didn't really care either. Lying on the bed, his main concern was controlling his pain until it was over. 

"Misty - need your help." Rick, with Wyatt's aid, deposited Jason on the bed, his voice conveying that this was an emergency. "He's got a bullet in his shoulder that needs to get out pronto, and he's already lost more blood than I like." 

Tears stung Jason's eyes as he writhed on the bed, trying so hard to lie still like he knew he was supposed to. Rick glanced to Misty with concern - he'd never seen Jason react like this before. He had such a high tolerance for pain that seeing him in such agony was scary to say the least. 

It didn't take much time before Jason was sedated and Rick was trying to dig out the bullet with Misty's help. "Of all the..." Anger was in his tone now. "Misty, take a look at this." He moved so she could see the wound. A partial bullet was in clear view, along with multiple fragments around the area. "They're using a different kind of ammo. The bullet didn't explode completely, but it looks like it came apart on impact to do more damage. No wonder he was in so much pain." He sighed and glanced over to Katie, then back to Misty again. "This is gonna take a while to make sure we get all these fragments out. I may need your eyes." 


"Well, he ate a piece of toast at least and I think maybe he drank a little orange juice." Laura cleaned up the breakfast dishes the next morning, talking as Nate got ready for work. "Still haven't seen him outside the bedroom, but I think we've made a little progress anyway." 

Turning from the sink, she dried her hands on a towel and came over to Nate to give him a kiss. "If anything changes or I need anything, I'll call you. Janet's gonna come over and help watch Brian while I get some housework done so I won't be alone. I do need to do some shopping, but I can wait until you get home later." 


Chance bit his lip as he contemplated his answer, and his eyes dropped a little. "I do. I mean... I've been working with them for years." Of course, he'd also been a double-agent for years. "I kinda miss Toby, as much as he rode my butt about things. It's hard to believe the Elite is down to such a small group here now when they used to be worldwide. I guess that's what 'real' law enforcement does, though. Puts restraints on you and..." 

Realizing he'd just started to ramble, he stuffed another bite of meat in his mouth. "Maybe I just don't like the FBI getting involved. Makes it...I dunno, too...restrictive. I don't do well with all those rules and protocols. Get the job done, that's what I say." He shrugged. "Maybe I don't fit there anymore."