Shadows of Recovery (Everhart Family #3)

Chapter 14

Fourteen

I nside the building, Sophie struggled to maintain consciousness as she was roughly shoved back into the main hallway. Damon stood nearby, his eyes cold and calculating. The previous hostage exchange had gone smoothly.

Damon’s voice was laced with a sinister calm. "You did well, but don’t think for a moment that you’re in control here."

Sophie swallowed hard, nodding. "I understand."

Damon pulled viciously on her ponytail, causing her to wince in pain. "Good. Remember that."

As she was dragged into the doctor’s lounge, Sophie’s mind raced. She had to find a way to keep the other hostages safe and buy more time for the authorities outside. The grip on her hair was a constant, brutal reminder of Damon’s power. She silently prayed Brad would come through for them before Damon’s cruelty escalated further, though she didn’t know how much more she could take.

* * *

Tristan watched as Brad stood at the head of a large conference table to give the next briefing. The atmosphere was uptight. FBI agents and local law enforcement officers huddled around those seated.

Just as Ethan began a discussion about how to deal with a personality like Damon’s, the phone rang. Brad answered and, with two fingers against his lips, placed the phone on speaker.

"Hello, Brad Killian," Damon barked. "Talk to him. Know she’s on speaker."

Sophie’s trembling voice filled the airwaves, "Brad?"

"It's not Brad, Dr. Everhart," came a calm, measured voice. "Damon, I’m Tristan Blackwell. I'm Dr. Everhart’s boss."

Sophie gulped. "Tris-tan.”

"Sophie, I need you to stay calm and listen carefully," Tristan said. "Are you alright?”

“I’m ok…ay,” she stuttered, her voice cracking.

Defiance filled Damon’s tone as he demanded, "Your boss?"

“Yes.”

“Ask him to speak with me,” Tristan said.

"Damon," she said carefully, "Tristan wants to speak with you himself.”

Damon’s voice made Tristan’s skin crawl. “Hello, Tristan Blackwell.”

“Thank you for speaking with me, Damon. What will it take to end this peacefully?”

Damon's voice turned icy. "My terms are simple. I need these medical supplies for Eldon Falls. If you can't deliver that, there's no deal."

Brad scrawled a note and handed it to Tristan. "Damon, we can discuss terms, but we need to establish some ground rules. We need to ensure everyone's safety first."

Damon scoffed, "Ground rules? My rules. You do it my way."

“We need a gesture of good faith. Release more hostages as a sign that you’re willing to work things out," Tristan said.

"A gesture of good faith, huh?" After a long moment, Damon said, “Fine. One hostage. But the FBI and the highway patrol better not mess with me."

"This is good, Damon. We're making progress. Nobody wants to mess with you. We all want the hostages safe and sound and you satisfied,” Tristan said.

Damon laughed maniacally. “I’m satisfied… Did you know the pretty little doctor is a real redhead?

Sophie cried out, and the line went dead.

Tristan’s gut tied in a knot. Sophie sounded more than scared. He kicked a chair, and it went flying. His brother James pulled him aside. “C’mon, grab a glass of juice. You’re exhausted.”

Brad turned his attention to the group. "We need to be strategic about this. Our usual tactics, like cutting off power, are off the table because of the patients—especially the infants and children. Any disruption could be catastrophic for them."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the group. The hospital was at capacity, filled with vulnerable patients who couldn't be moved or left without essential services, staff and visitors. The usual pressure tactics could endanger lives, complicating an already delicate situation.

Ethan added, "Any sudden moves could trigger more violence. Damon Whitlock is unpredictable and looking to prove himself. We need to wait him out, keep negotiations open, and look for any opportunity to de-escalate."

“I agree. We got one more patient. He agreed too easily, though. Something else is going on,” Brad said.

The head of the FBI’s hostage recovery team’s frustration was evident. "Waiting them out could take days. We don’t have that kind of time. Staff is fatiguing, and medication and food will run out. We need to get those people out."

Brad added, "I understand, but rushing in could lead to a bloodbath. We need to be smart about this. Our priority is the safety of the hostages. We need to continue to communicate with Damon directly. Appeal to his ego, his desire to prove himself. If we can keep him talking, we might find a way to defuse the situation."

Ethan nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good point. Damon wants recognition. If we make him feel like he’s in control, we might be able to buy some time and create an opening."

Tristan grumbled, “Don’t you people realize the son of a bitch is in control?”

The team began to brainstorm, throwing out ideas and strategies. Every second counted, and they needed to be prepared for anything.

As law enforcement and medical personnel coordinated their efforts, Tristan felt helpless. His hands were shaking, and his eyes were wild with desperation. "James, I can't do this," he said, his voice breaking. "All I want is for Sophie to be safe. I can't focus on anything else."

James placed his hands on his brother's shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Tristan, listen to me. I know you're scared. I am too. But you have a responsibility here. As the head of the ER and a member of South Dakota's Emergency Management Division, you need to stay focused on the patients. All the patients. You can't help Sophie right now, but you can help the people who are being released."

Tristan took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "I know you're right, but it's so hard."

James nodded, his grip firm. "I understand. But if you fall apart, you're not helping anyone. Sophie needs you to be strong. The patients need you to be strong. You can do this, Tristan."

Tristan swallowed hard, forcing himself to calm down. "Okay. You're right. I'll focus on the patients."

As they rejoined the others, Ethan approached them, his expression serious. "We’ve just negotiated the release of another patient. Tristan, we need you to be ready."

Tristan nodded, his resolve hardening. "I’m ready."

Moments later, the FBI hostage rescue team escorted an elderly woman out of the hospital. Tristan immediately assessed her condition, noting signs of severe dehydration and stress, as well as the GI symptoms she went to the emergency room with. He worked quickly, stabilizing her and ensuring she received the necessary care.

As he worked, Tristan's mind remained on overload. He couldn't shake the image of Sophie, bruised and terrified, from his thoughts. But James's words echoed in his mind, reminding him of his duty and the importance of staying focused.

Throughout the evening and into the night, more patients were released, each one bringing a mix of relief and frustration. Tristan’s training kicked in, and he focused on providing the best care possible under the circumstances. Every time he stabilized a patient and arranged for their transport to Waverly Junction Community Hospital, where the most critical could be airlifted to Pierre or Sioux Falls, he felt a small measure of accomplishment, but his heart remained heavy with worry for Sophie.

As the sun began to rise, casting long shadows over the command center, Brad approached Tristan and James. "We’re making progress, but it’s slow."

Tristan nodded, though patience was the last thing he felt. "I understand. But we need to get Sophie out of there."

"We will," Brad assured him. "We just need to take it one step at a time."

Tristan looked at his brother, who gave him a reassuring nod.