Hospital

Dr. Kline examined Jimmy's eyes while asking a typical basic question. "James, do you know where you are?"

Jimmy responded with a not so typical answer. "The Roosevelt?"

Doctor Carolyn Kline allowed a small laugh to escape. "A little upscale wouldn't you say?"

"The Holiday Inn?" His voice raised slightly to amuse the doctor.

"That will do. You have a nasty bump back here. We will need a scan to see if anything serious is going on under your lid." Dr. Kline stood straight. "How are you feeling?" She listened for any slurring of his words.

"Like I could sleep for a month, but no one lets me." Jimmy spoke unfiltered. "I am tired, doctor."

"We will take some bloodwork and get a CT scan." Doctor Kline looked at Jimmy's hand pinch his skin. It did not immediately rebound as healthy skin should.

"Oww! What the hell?" Jimmy pulled his hand from the doctor.

"Mr. Dunn you are severely dehydrated. Marilyn, can you come in here?" The nurse stepped into the curtained area. "An electrolyte IV for Mr. Dunn and get him down to digital health."

"Mr. Beaufort?" Dr. Kline called out.

"Right here!" Alex made his way to the curtained area.

"Your friend will be staying the night." The doctor explained her reasoning. "He is dehydrated and we need time to determine how bad his injury is."

"Can I see him before I leave?"

"Sure, but keep it short."

"Hey, Alex." Jimmy called out to his new friend.

Alex entered the curtained area. "Hey Jimmy, looks like you are here overnight. I'm gonna head home. What should I tell, Windy?"

"Tell her...I...I. Tell her I am going crazy." Jimmy then frowned as the pain returned. "Arghhhh!"

"I will tell her." Alex looked at Jimmy. "Hey, doctor!"

"Mr. Dunn. James? You should leave now, Mr. Beaufort." Doctor Kline tried to get Jimmy's attention then called for her nurse. "Marilyn, we need to know what is happening with Mr. Dunn. Let's get him to digital imaging now!"

Jimmy slipped into unconsciousness once again. His mind took him right back to his apartment just off Main street in Vancouver.

"Geesus, Win! What was that for?" Jimmy rubbed his shoulder. "You are stronger than you think!"

"That was half what I have. Screw up after you open this door and feel the full force of Hurricane Windy." She pushed him towards the door.

Jimmy opened the door and smiled as his eyes met Dana's. "Hey Dani, come in!"

"Hey, Jimmy! A basement apartment, eh?" Dana gave a look suggesting he should be a little further along in the housing market.

"Well, things will be changing soon enough." Windy poked Jimmy in his back. "Oh hey, this is Windy. My friend I told you about."

"Windy! It's great to meet you. Jimmy has told me so much about you!" Dana smiled that new girlfriend smile, full of optimism.

"I guess he told you, I am very busy and I should be going." Windy tried to sidestep the couple.

"Oh, I had so many questions." Dana looked at Jimmy to get his friend to stay.

"Come on, Win. Stay for a coffee get to know Dani."

"Dana." Dana smiled.

Windy held her frustration with Jimmy in and provided a facade of the happy ex-girlfriend. "One coffee couldn't hurt."

The first few moments were quiet as the three sipped on their coffee. Jimmy nervously gulped his hot beverage. The hot coffee scalded the roof of his mouth and he spat whatever was inside - out, covering the table.

"On that note." Windy rose from the kitchen chair. "I am busy and I need to go now."

"Win?" Jimmy winced. "Really?"

"Jimmy let her go." Dana pulled on his arm.

Windy pointed at Dana. "Listen to Dana, Jimmy, let me go."

"I didn't mean it like that, Windy!" Dana reassured her. "I meant..."

"I am not sure what you are thinking about Jimmy and me. We are just friends." Windy emphatically dispelled the notion of anything more. "Oh and friends without the benefits." She poked Jimmy in his chest. "Got it?!"

Dana and Jimmy were wide-eyed watching Windy.

"He has a good heart, but sometimes he tries too hard. He is messy, can't cook, and hogs the hot water. A twenty-minute shower?" Windy shook her head  "And another thing Buddy, when you ask Dana to dinner, you pay! No splitting the bill!"

"Ah, anything else?" Jimmy stood there in shock.

Dana looked on.

The ex-girlfriend pressed her lips together, tilted her head, and lightened her tone. "Yeah, despite all these flaws...be good to him Dana. He's worth it."

An emotional Windy left the apartment with Jimmy still standing at the same spot in the kitchen. Dana said goodbye to Windy and closed the apartment door.

"Jimmy. Ah, Jimmy....." Dana tried to get his attention.

"James! Come back to me." Dr. Kline raised her voice. "Mr. Dunn!"

Jimmy opened his eyes. "She still loves me."

"Ah, ah. Mr. Dunn, I am Doctor..."

"Kline, I know. I am talking about my friend. She still loves me." Jimmy's smile looked as though he had Windy all figured out.

"You are delusional!" The doctor put her hand on his forehead.

"Yeah, you weren't there that day." Jimmy repeated. "She loves me! All this time...unbelieveable. ha!"

"Do you remember who you are?"

"Not exactly." Jimmy laughed the question off.

"Then what?" The doctor seemed concerned and interested in this development.

"I know the people around me. From my past that is. My friend...she still loves me. I didn't see it until just now!" Jimmy babbled on. "I thought she was just being nice, you know? But she stuck around because she loves me!"

"Now? You were completely out of it, Mr. Dunn!" Dr. Kline shook her head.

Jimmy laughed without a care in the world. "I've been told that before." He continued, "when she met my girlfriend she defended me! Man, I was blind!"

"I will take your word for it." Dr. Kline had no choice but to keep Jimmy longer. "Your stay here at Saint Vincent's will be extended a day or two."

"A day or two?" Jimmy shook his head.

"Our neurologist, Doctor Solder will take a look at your scan tomorrow. Then we will see when you can leave."

"Great. Fantastic." Jimmy didn't like the idea but knew something was not right.

Alex and Marie's Apartment

"Put the gun away, Marie. I'm not going anywhere." Windy held her hand out to calm the woman.

"How do I know for sure?" Marie looked frightened at the thought of Windy leaving without helping her situation.

"Okay, now you are forcibly confining me? That is a minimum of eight years. The prison system is no place for you, Marie." Windy looked more annoyed than scared.

"But Alex needs to get out of here! That loan shark, Nick? He is sucking the life right out of him. Alex will not live to be thirty. I want children. Maybe a dog or a cat but we are trapped, Windy! I know I said I could live like this but I don't want this! I can't take this! Do you understand? I can't..." Marie closed her eyes and lowered the pistol.

"Marie. Marie!" Windy shook Marie's shoulders trying to shake the hysteria from the young woman. "Marie? We will figure something out. Just trust me."

Marie placed the handgun on the table. "Oh, God. What came over me?"

"From here? It sounded like the truth." Windy released Marie. "You are not happy with your present situation."

Marie realized what she had just done. "Windy. I pointed a gun at you."

"Marie. You're desperate but I knew you wouldn't shoot." Windy decided to change the conversation. "Didn't Alex say he would call?"

"Yeah, he says a lot of things but doesn't always follow through." Marie tilted her head and shrugged. "Kinda cute...some times."

Just then Alex walked into the apartment. Windy stood and Marie ran to the door to hug her husband.

"What was that for?" Alex looked surprised at his wife's reaction.

"I just needed to do it." Marie then gave Alex a kiss on his cheek.

"How's Jimmy? You were supposed to call!" Windy called Alex out.

"He is there overnight at the very least. They were about to give him a lobotomy or a scan. The doctor told me to go home." Alex shrugged off the responsibility. "So, I came home."

"Very funny. Which hospital?" Windy kept the pressure on Alex.

"Saint Vincent's, why?" Not able to connect the dots Windy had drawn.

Windy returned to her laptop and searched for Jimmy's information. "Here it is, James Dunn. CT Scan performed. Doctor Solder to review case in the morning. Solder? Solder?"

"What's up, Windy?" Alex frowned.

"I read that name today. If I read it today, it can not be good." She queried, 'Doctor Solder' in the deleted email folder. "Several hits."

Alex looked at the screen. "Really? You're in the deleted email folder?" He then added in an innocent tone. "Maybe he just does analysis for the precinct."

"Yeah, and I am Mary Poppins." Windy scanned email after email collecting data. "Solder and the Governor's Aide. What the hell?"

"Open it up, Windy. This keeps getting more surreal." Alex slid a chair next to Windy.

"Welcome to the rabbit hole. Shall we tumble down or just get Jimmy and run?" Windy looked at the couple.

"Aren't you forgetting, Lana? And what about the prostitute? Her family deserves closure as well." Marie pointed out the obvious.

"Just saying, Marie. You had your chance to turn away now let's see where this takes us." The computer hacker gave a chagrined look before continuing.

Alex began to read for all. "Doctor, the district attorney has been asking too many questions. This city is tapped out." Alex rubbed his eyes. "We must cease acquisitions of our vulnerable citizens. The freaking Governor's aide!"

Windy chortled. "Tapped out, eh?"

"Continue to read, Windy." Marie urged.

"Okay, Marie." She read on. "We must find a conclusion that draws the district attorney away from us and to a lone individual." Windy looked to the married couple. "Jimmy. They want Jimmy to take the fall!"

"Once Solder sees Jimmy he will be exposed." Alex ran his hand through his hair. "They will not release Jimmy from Saint Vincent's until he is given the okay. And Solder is the neurologist that holds the key to getting out of the hospital."

"Unless." Windy looked like she had another option.

"Unless what, Windy?" Marie watched Windy close her eyes.

"What is it, Windy?" Alex witnessed Windy smile and shared in the hope of an answer for his new friend.

Windy held a finger up then searched for a woman neurologist who was Black and turned her laptop to the couple. "Meet, Dr. Sarah Moore."

Alex grabbed the digital camera. "You will need a photo for identification, Doctor Moore!"

"Wait, wait, wait! What if he needs to stay in the hospital?" Marie looked out for Jimmy's best interest.

"A chance I am willing to take, Marie."

"I agree Marie, he is dead or arrested if Solder finds Jimmy." Alex agreed with the guest.

"But he could die, and you know it Windy!" Marie could not imagine a decision that could see Jimmy die.

"Okay, Marie." Windy gave in. "Then what can we do?"

"Have a real neurologist examine him."

"Before Solder?" Windy asked.

"Like tonight!" Marie excitedly suggested.

"But who?"

"Dr. Sarah Moore." Marie pointed to the screen. "She's here. Tell her it's an emergency and Dr. Solder is not available. Huh?"

"Why do you want to help Jimmy so badly, Marie?" Alex looked at his wife.

"For our future, Alex. We help Windy and she gets us out of here!" Marie looked determined to change her future.

"Out of here? Marie! What are you saying?" Alex stared at his wife.

"This is not where I want to raise our children. We need to move." Marie turned to Windy. "California, right?"

"We get Jimmy out safely. You get California, Marie." Windy pointed to Marie.

Marie held her hand out and surprised Windy. "What's this?"

"We are making a deal. Right here. Right now!" Marie kept her hand out waiting for Windy to accept. "Seal the deal."

Windy looked at Marie then at Alex. "Are you in on this?"

"If this is what Marie wants. I'm in, Windy." Alex too held his hand out for Windy.

"Okay. Deal!" Windy accepted and shook hands with the couple. "Time to plan this out."