Beyond the Call of Duty Read Online Free Page A

of here.”
    “How are you staging my death?” he asked, watching her pulling the sweats over his bare feet.
    “It’s always easy to stage a death in the hospital. There are certain places visitors aren’t allowed to meander into, like the morgue. As long as we have a body, and we have that body cremated, how will anybody know the difference?” She smiled, wrapping her arm around his waist again. He stood up, his legs shaking as she tugged up the sweats and got him sitting again so she could put on his socks and shoes.
    She was almost done with the second shoe when there was a noise from the door. She whirled, still crouching, a huge .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol pointed at the person in the doorway.
    “Whoa, I’m a friendly,” the small nurse said, blowing out a sigh when Lexi holstered her weapon at the back of her waist. The nurse pushed the wheelchair inside and walked toward the bed, a couple of bottles in one hand and a little cup containing two pills in the other. “Doc wants you taking these until your pain is gone. One is a painkiller and the other is an antibiotic. The antibiotics are to be taken until gone, no matter how you feel. If anything shows sign of infection, bring him back immediately.”
    Lexi nodded, though she’d be calling their doctor if he needed any more care. She took the pills from the nurse. She recognized the big white pill immediately and moved the blue one until she could see the front. “Vicodin and Valium?”
    “Yes,” the nurse said.
    Lexi handed the small cup to Gabe and gave him a cup of water to take them with. Then, with the nurse’s help, she got him from the bed to the wheelchair. Everything he came in to the hospital with was to be left there; nothing could be brought with him in case something was recognized, giving away who he was.
    “Wait, Lexi. My earring studs. They’re in the drawer.”
    “I can’t allow them, Gabe. I’m sorry. Anything that might possibly be recognized from your old life can’t come into the new. If they were recognized, it could mean your life.” She was adamant, and didn’t slow her pushing, handing him the huge bouquet of flowers. “Keep your face hidden,” she said, pulling up his hood to hide his hair.
    “It’s just they were from Tony. It’s the only thing I have left of him.”
    She cocked an arched brow at him. “Your friend bought you earrings?”
    “Yeah, I know it sounds a bit strange...”
    “No, Gabe, it sounds a lot strange.” She stopped at the elevator, nodding at the cops who stepped off to head down to his room. She pushed him in, turning his chair so they could make a quick getaway when they reached the lobby floor. “I’m sorry that I have to say no. Your safety is in my hands, and I can’t let emotion or feelings change what I have to do to keep you alive and kicking.”
    “I know,” he said, moaning a little when the elevator jerked to a start. He yawned and leaned back on the wheelchair, pressing his hood-covered head into her stomach. “Can I say something without getting slapped?”
    “You aren’t going to try to come on to me, are you?” she asked with a chuckle. “I’ve had cases try that before too.”
    “What did you do?” He looked up at her, eyes still drowsy, and she knew the pills were working.
    “I kicked their asses,” she said mildly, “and I asked for Lulu as a back up. Lulu Sawyer would scare even the worst of the worst. So, what did you want to say?”
    “Nothing.”
    “I didn’t think so,” Lexi said with a laugh. She patted his shoulder as she pushed the wheelchair out of the elevator and headed out toward the doors.
    “Shit,” Gabe said softly, his gaze on the men coming through those same doors.
    “What?” Lexi asked.
    “Those are Traeger’s men. They’re the ones that killed Tony and his family.” He put his hand to his chest. “I need a piece.”
    “No, you need to keep your head down and your mouth shut.” She kept pushing as she shoved his head down