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Jack whined as he felt Robby shift behind him. “Stay here,” he insisted.
“Can’t. Got work today,” Robby told him.
“Call in sick,” Jack murmured turning to face his husband. “I want a lazy day in bed with you.”
Robby leaned in to kiss him briefly. “Nothing I’d like more but we both know I can’t call in sick. I promise I will not stick around for any over time, and I’ll be home in time for dinner.”
“Don’t promise that” Jack grumbled. “Every time you promise, something comes up.”
Robby simply gave him a fond smile before scooting out of the bed and heading to the shower. Jack grumbled as he curled into bed and tried to go back to sleep. It wasn’t that he wasn’t tired because he was always pretty exhausted. But it was hard to get comfortable without Robby wrapped around him like a blanket. So instead, he closed his eyes and quietly listened to Robby moving around as he completed his morning routine.
Jack was dozing, halfway to sleep once more when Robby came back to the bedroom. “Heading out,” he said softly. “Left you breakfast in the fridge. There’s some mail for you on the table.” Jack gave a sleepy grunt, not even questioning why mail was showing up this early. Robby leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Love you,” he whispered.
“Love you too,” Jack agreed.
Robby left the bedroom and headed out. He decided to walk to the hospital today. It was a nice enough day to enjoy the stroll. Dana was already at her post at central when he got there. “Morning cap,” Dana smiled. “You’re looking good.”
“Feeling good,” Robby replied. “How is everything here?”
“Eh, the usual. Too many patients, not enough beds but at least the universe hasn’t thrown us any curveballs yet. With any luck it’ll stay that way.”
“Your lips to God’s ears,” Robby chuckled. “Who took Jack’s shift?”
“Hand off with me today,” Shen said as he approached them. “You want a minute to catch your breath or are you ready to dive right in?’
“Might as well rip the band aid straight off,” Robby decided as he followed him through handoff. They discussed the various cases and what was needed before Robby sent him home.
Shen stretched his sore muscles as he walked outside. The sun was rising but wasn’t too warm yet and he was looking forward to getting a few hours of sleep before he had to be back here doing it all over again. He never even suspected the bullet before it hit him as he rounded the corner to staff parking. Two men moved the body behind the dumpster to keep it hidden.
Javadi couldn’t help the squeak that came out of her mouth as she saw the body being dragged. She reached for her phone, trying to capture video for later but her hands weren’t cooperating and she fumbled it. The men whipped around. “Don’t move if you want to keep breathing,”
The rest were picked off like that. Some while they were driving into work, others on breaks or when they went to the ambulance bay. One or two at a time. Never enough to quite raise suspicion as others took their place. Robby barely noticed when he exited that there were cars in the parking lot that shouldn’t still be there. He was about to put his air pods in when he heard a muffled sob. He swiftly hurried around the corner to see a man holding a gun to Dana’s head while another zip tied her hands behind her back.
Robby was about to call out to her when he felt the heat of another body at his back. “If you make a noise, she dies,” a voice warned. Robby shut his mouth. “If you don’t do as you’re told, we will kill your husband.” That made Robby freeze up. He couldn’t let anything happen to Jack. “Put your hands behind your back. Cross your wrists.” Robby did as he was told and felt the bite of a zip tie squeeze them together. Soon after a bag was placed over his head. A hand was placed between his shoulders and he was shoved forward. Clearly, they wanted him to walk. He hoped Jack was safe somewhere. That he would be okay until Robby could get back to him.
Back at the house, Jack was woken up by the sound of his police scanner. He was about to turn it off and try to get a little more sleep when the alarm went off as well. He had to get up no matter what. With a groan, he rolled out of bed and began to get ready for the day. He was faintly surprised Robby wasn’t home yet. His husband was getting a lot better about not hanging out until it was time for his shift all over again. Still, they worked in an emergency department. It wasn’t outside the realm of possibility that something had forced Robby to stay later than usual.
He had his bag on his shoulder and was about to walk out the door when the mail on the table caught his eye. A thick off white envelope with a red wax seal. Jack frowned as he reached for it. On the front it had only his first and last name, nothing else. He grabbed the letter opener, slit it open and turned it over. Dozens of photographs poured onto the table. All of them were of Robby. Most were he and Robby on their days off, but some were Robby alone. At the emergency department, grocery shopping, even just at their apartment doing regular chores.
Jack felt his stomach drop to his feet. This couldn’t be real. It just couldn’t be happening to him. There was only one person who could have done this and that man shouldn’t have his name, let alone his address. He had worked so hard to get away from his past life and here it was, back to haunt him once more.
Jack barely looked up at the sharp knocking on his door. He hobbled to the door and opened it to see a man in a suit. “Only one of you?” he asked.
“Your brother doesn’t want you hurt,” the man explained. “Will you come quietly?”
“Pretty sure I don’t have a choice,” Jack sighed. “Where’s Robby?” The man produced a cell phone and showed Jack a picture of his husband with his hands behind his back and a gun to his head. “He still alive?”
“He was when I left.”
Jack did the math of distance in head and dropped his bag. “Let’s go.” The defeat in his tone was clear to anyone listening. But the photos he had just been looking at showed that his family held every card. Fighting would only hurt the person he loved most.
Jack followed the man out to the black Mercedes that waited for them. The man held open the back door for Jack with a deference he hadn’t seen in over 20 years. Jack slid inside, unsurprised to see a familiar face sitting there. “You understand I have to do this,” Pernilla said as she held up a needle.
“Had a feeling,” Jack muttered. He didn’t put up any fight as she slid the needle into his neck and pushed the plunger, knocking Jack out.