Home » The Archives » Chapter 9 » Regrouping and Recouperation
| Re: Regrouping and Recouperation [message #116 is a reply to message #115] |
Sun, 22 July 2012 18:42   |
artisticrainey
Messages: 1228
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
Karma:
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Field Commander
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Brandon crumpled the message in his hands. It had been a terse communication, written in Kyrano's neat script, telling him only, "Emergency, call Shannon." Emily Tracy had given it to him, along with a sympathetic smile and a comforting pat on the shoulder, after the debriefing.
"I hope everything is all right," she'd murmured.
It wasn't. He'd called Shannon right away, and gotten her voice mail at first. He'd called again, a couple of hours later, even knowing that it was nearly midnight there. And again, around 2 a.m. in San Diego. He called his parents' house at similar intervals, and got the same results. Then he'd stayed up half the night to see if she'd call. She had no idea what time zone he was really in; she thought he was in Hawaii. Finally, at 3:30 a.m., she called back.
"Where the hell have you been, Brandon?" she shouted. Her eyes were red, obviously from crying, but she was angry, too. "I call, and I find out that you're "out". Just "out". And the old man wouldn't tell me where, and told me you couldn't be reached and would I like to leave a message?" She shook her head sharply. "Where the hell were you?"
"I was working, okay?" Brandon said, irritably. "And no, I couldn't be reached. I called as soon as I got your message." He took a deep breath, calming himself. "Now, tell me; what's the emergency?"
Shannon bit her lower lip and swallowed hard. Tears filled her voice as she said, "It's Mom and Dad. They... they were in an accident. A car accident. Hit by a drunk driver."
"Oh no," he whispered. "No." His voice rose. "Dammit, no!" Getting control of himself again, putting his feelings aside so he could do something, anything, he asked, "Where are they? What condition are they in?"
"They're... they're in the hospital. In San Diego. Mom's got a broken hip, and some facial lacerations. Dad... Dad's still in ICU. The airbags probably saved his life, but they're not giving much hope that he'll be able to walk again." She looked at Brandon, tears running down her cheeks. "I... I needed you, bro! I... I just couldn't handle it."
"Shhhhh," he said softly. "I know, sis, I know. Listen, I'm going to get out there as soon as possible, okay. I'll ask for a leave of absence right away, and be with you... as soon as I can be." He had no idea how long it would take to get to San Diego, and his head was spinning too much to do any calculations. Besides, someone was going to have to fly him home.
"Please come soon?" she pleaded. "I'm at Mom and Dad's now. I couldn't stay at the hospital another second!"
"I'll be there soon," Brandon promised. "Now, get some rest. I'm coming."
"Okay. I'll try." Shannon sniffed, and ran her finger across the base of her nose. But she seemed calmer. "Love you, Bran."
"I love you, too, Shan," he replied, giving her an encouraging smile. "Talk to you soon."
"Bye."
The connection was cut, and Brandon huffed out a deep sigh. What am I going to do? Mr. Tracy's not here to approve leave. He shook his head. I guess I'll just have to ask Virgil in the morning... later in the morning. In the meanwhile, I'd better try for a couple of hours' sleep.
He set his alarm for 6:30, and lay down on his bed. But despite his physical exhaustion, sleep eluded him, and he got up to pack his clothes for his anticipated trip home.
xxxx
8:00 a.m., the dining room
Brandon took a deep breath, and stepped inside. He hadn't been to breakfast with the Tracys since his early days as a recruit; after a while it seemed like an imposition, and an intrusion. But now... he knew he couldn't wait on this.
All eyes turned toward him. He noticed John sitting with his brothers, and Gordon trying to deal with Joshua. Tin-Tin came out of the kitchen with a platter piled high with waffles and smiled at him as she put the plate down. "Will you be joining us, Brandon?"
He shook his head. "No, but thanks anyway." Focusing his eyes on Virgil, he asked, "Could I see you for a few moments, Virgil? Privately?"
Virgil glanced at his brothers as if to ask, "Any ideas?" The responses, made in body language so subtle and familiar to the family, passed back with a resounding, "I've got nothing". Virgil looked up at Brandon and nodded, smiling. "Sure, Brandon. Will upstairs do?"
"Yeah," Brandon replied.
They left the dining room together and got as far as the study. Virgil made to stop there, but Brandon continued into the lounge. "This is an official request," he explained as he waited for Virgil to sit behind the desk. "I'd like to make it in an official way."
"All right, then," Virgil said as he sat down and waved Brandon to a chair. "What's on your mind?"
Brandon took a deep breath and began to explain the situation. Virgil nodded solemnly; his brows knit with a sympathetic look. He opened up the laptop on his father's desk, not Jeff's own but another one, linked to the Tracy Industries server and the IR one, just as his father's was. "How long do you need?"
"I... don't know," Brandon admitted. "I'm thinking this will be open-ended."
Virgil nodded. "How soon can you be ready?"
"How soon do you need me to be?"
Virgil smiled slightly. "John, my grandmother, and I are going to Kansas to sift through the rubble of the house. We're stopping in Los Angeles for a bit so we can see Dianne. We're leaving here at 10, and should get into L.A. around 7:30 in the evening... yesterday." His smile increased a bit at the small jest. "I can arrange transportation for you from L.A. to San Diego." He glanced up at Brandon. "Will that work?"
Brandon sighed with relief. "It sure will," he replied. "I'll be down at the hangar at 10."
"Good man." Virgil got up and the two walked the length of the lounge. "Have you had breakfast?"
"No," Brandon said, shaking his head.
"Then you'd better come down and have some," Virgil advised. "My grandmother will not be pleased if you leave the island hungry."
Post by Tikatu on 10/18/2006
  
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