Chapter 9 #2
There were a million things Scott wanted to say, but they would have to wait until he could shift again.
Thank you for searching. Thank you for saving us, his coyote thought.
“We were worried sick.” Justin kept up the conversation. “When we heard about the crash, we feared the worst.”
Their route took them past the blackened remnants of the plane. Smoke still rose from what remained of the fuselage. Scott averted his eyes from the section that held what remained of Bill and Mike’s bodies.
That was supposed to be me, Scott thought.
“We found the plane,” Justin said. “Amy had a vision, so we knew what to expect, but even so, it scared us to death. You can tell us all about it later, but I’m betting that wasn’t regular mechanical failure.”
Scott’s coyote whined to show agreement, vexed at his inability to talk.
“The plan is to let you shift back when we get to the SUV and take you to the nearest hospital,” Justin continued.
“I’ve got fresh clothing and shoes for you.
Liam did some research to find the shifter network up here and get a referral to a doctor who won’t freak out over your readings.
We didn’t know how badly you’d be hurt, so we wanted to make sure you got treated for the most serious injuries before we headed back to Fox Hollow, if necessary. ”
The coyote licked Justin’s ear to show their gratitude. Thank you. I love you. I thought I was going to die, Scott thought.
“Okay.” Justin laughed. “I’ll take that to mean you’re good with the plan.”
Back at the SUV, Justin stood guard while the others shifted. Scott’s clothing from before was bloody, wet, and dirty, so he was grateful when Justin set out a pair of sweats from the emergency bag the sheriff had in the back.
“They aren’t poachers. They were hired to clear anyone ‘nosy’ away from the mine area—and they know about shifters,” Scott said as soon as he was dressed. “Those black sedan guys, they shot down the plane and sent thugs to make sure we were all dead.”
“Fuck,” Justin said. “I was afraid of that.”
“We’ll follow up once we’re back in town,” the sheriff said. “First, let’s make sure you’re okay.”
“Let me take a look.” Brandon pulled out the emergency medical kit, and Scott submitted to his examination patiently, as a worried Justin stood nearby.
“No broken bones, no deep cuts. I can’t speak to internal injuries, so you do need to see a doctor. You were very lucky,” Brandon told him when he finished his check.
“Thanks.” Scott felt the day catching up with him. Everything hurt, and he was hungry and thirsty.
“Here.” Justin handed him a bottle of water and an energy bar. “You’re probably starved and dehydrated.”
Scott wasn’t sure he could keep the food down, but he ate it gratefully.
Armel looked to Brandon. “Does he need immediate medical care, or can we wait to get him to the shifter hospital in Fox Hollow?”
“He should be okay for the trip back,” the EMT replied. “Although we don’t want to postpone long.”
“There will be a hell of a lot fewer questions if we’ve got a doc who knows us.” Armel turned to Scott. “You okay with that?”
Scott nodded, weary of the ordeal and ready to go home. “Yeah. That makes sense. I’ll be fine.” He had worried that he might end up spending the night alone in the woods, so waiting another hour for full treatment wasn’t a stretch.
Brandon called ahead to alert the Fox Hollow Hospital. “They’ll be waiting for us,” he assured the others when he ended the call.
Armel called a local contact among the special branch of law enforcement that protected the supernatural community.
He reported the shooters and gave their location.
“Turns out the local supernatural police were aware of the ‘poachers’ and have been looking to catch them. They’ll take it from here. ”
The sheriff slipped behind the steering wheel, and the rest of them piled into the SUV. Justin, Scott, and Russ sat in the back, while Brandon rode shotgun. Justin put the rifle back in the gun rack, but kept a handgun close, just in case they ran into trouble.
“We were lucky that the crash was reasonably close to an access road, or it would have meant a much longer hike,” Brandon said.
“Two guys in suits came up to check the crash site for survivors,” Scott told them. “I had shifted by then and hid in the woods. They didn’t realize there had been a third person on board. They poured gasoline over the plane and lit it to hide the evidence.”
Armel swore under his breath. “Any idea who they were?”
“They worked for someone connected to the mine. I wondered if they were Mob,” Scott replied.
Now that he was safe, he felt his injuries in every muscle and sinew, and exhaustion set in.
Justin squeezed his hand and offered a comforting smile.
Scott squeezed back, still amazed that he was safe and alive.
“I reached out to some friends with deep connections to see what they could find out about the new mine having Mob ties and a dark witch,” Russ said. “I may have some answers by the time we get back to town.”
“Thank you.” Scott was utterly weary now that the adrenaline was fading. “I thought I was a goner.”
“We weren’t going to let that happen,” Brandon assured him. “Why don’t you rest? You’ve got some time before we get to the hospital.”
“Wake me when we get there.” Scott settled against Justin’s shoulder. Despite the cramped back seat, he fell asleep almost immediately.
The next thing Scott knew, they were pulling up to the emergency entrance of the Fox Hollow Hospital. A nurse was waiting with a wheelchair, ready to take Scott directly to Dr. Alton.
We’re going to the veterinarian? his coyote asked.
Not exactly. A doctor who knows about shifters, Justin replied.
“Do you want me to come with you, or wait in the waiting room?” Justin asked.
“I think I’ll be okay, but stay close,” Scott told him.
“Give me your keys.” Brandon turned to Justin. “I can bring your SUV here, and Russ can drive me back.”
Justin fished out his keys and handed them over. “Thank you. I hadn’t even thought that far.”
“Keep us posted,” Russ told them as both men got out of the SUV.
“I’ll let you know what I hear from law enforcement,” Armel said. “That might take a couple of days, but I’ll keep you in the loop.”
Justin thanked them all again and then followed as Scott was wheeled into the building.
Scott had been figuring out what to say about his ordeal. Dr. Alton understood about shifters and wouldn’t be surprised by the physiological differences from a regular human. That would have been a problem going to a hospital in an area where shifters weren’t common.
How much should I say about the crash and the guys who came after me? I don’t want to put the medical team at risk. The shooters aren’t an issue. But I don’t want Dr. Alton to end up on a hit list for knowing too much.
“Sheriff Armel said you were in a plane crash,” Alton said once they were in a treatment room and Scott was on the exam table.
“Yeah. It was bad.” Scott began to shiver at the memory. “We had engine trouble and went down in the woods. The other two men didn’t make it. I shifted, but then I ran into poachers. I was lucky that the sheriff and the rescue team got there in time.”
He didn’t speculate on what caused the crash and left out the visit from the men in suits, or the real purpose of the shooters.
“I’ve got no patience with poachers,” Alton grumbled. “I’m not big on regular hunting, but I can respect someone who follows the law. Poachers are scum.”
“We caught them,” Scott said, a note of tired pride in his voice. “I don’t think they’ll be poaching again for a long time.”
“Good. One less problem in the world.” Alton checked Scott over thoroughly, then had him lie back as he ran one scan and test after another, checking for deeper injuries.
“Being a shifter gave you a big advantage,” Alton said. “Shifting sped up the healing. If you hadn’t been able to shift, you wouldn’t be as far along as you are.”
You’re welcome, Scott’s coyote snarked.
The doctor logged into a nearby computer. “I’m sending you prescriptions for pain and for anxiety. They’ll help you sleep, and when you rest well, you’ll heal even faster. Take the pills. There’s no valor in unnecessary suffering.” Dr. Alton gave him a stern look.
“In the meantime, don’t shift more than once every other day,” Alton continued. “Yes, shifting speeds healing, but it also drains your energy, which will cause more problems.” He paused. “Which I’m sure you’ve heard before, but sometimes patients forget.”
“You don’t have to convince me,” Scott told him, and then paused. “I’m worried about having bad dreams.”
“You’ve been through a traumatic event,” Alton said.
“You’re going to have physical and psychological aftereffects.
The bruises and sore muscles will heal faster than the memories.
Flashbacks are common, and so is anxiety.
I’m also giving you a referral to a counselor who’s tied into the supernatural community. Don’t be too proud to ask for help.”
“I’m pretty sure my partner will guarantee that happens,” Scott replied.
“Good for you,” Dr. Alton said. “Call if you have any other issues. Otherwise, go home and rest.”
Justin jumped to his feet as soon as Scott came out of the examining room and hurried to his side. “Well?”
Scott nodded to Dr. Alton, who gave Justin a summary of Scott’s injuries and treatments. Justin took notes on his phone and listened carefully, and Scott felt another rush of gratitude at having such an attentive partner.
“I’ll keep an eye on him,” Justin assured Alton.
And so will I, his coyote side added silently.
“I’m sure you will.” The doctor chuckled. “Let me know if you need anything else.”
Justin gave him a worried once-over. “You okay?”
Scott let out a long breath. “I’m exhausted, and everything hurts. I should probably eat, but then I want to sleep for a week.”
Justin linked hands with him as they walked toward the parking lot. “Let’s pick up your prescriptions, and I’ll order dinner. Then you can sleep as long as you want.”
He frowned suddenly, as something occurred to him. “I know you were planning to drive back to Albany, but you really shouldn’t for a few days. Can you stay? That gives you more time to recuperate and for Armel’s people to make sure you don’t get any surprise visitors.”
That possibility hadn’t even occurred to Scott until Justin mentioned it, but now he had even more reason to delay going home.
“Yeah, I can stay. I didn’t bring my laptop—good thing—but all my documents and research are virtual. I need to replace my phone, but if I can borrow a computer from you, I can work remotely. I’ll get my neighbor to hold my mail. No one else will notice.”
Justin leaned in to give him a peck on the cheek. “I promise to take very good care of you.”