Going Under

True to her word, the nurse arrived a few minutes later, two syringes in hand. Eyeing the new people in the room, she said, "I'm sorry sir, but you can only have 1 guest in the room at a time."

Stillman came over and asked her, "Ma'am, what is your name?"

"My name is Judy Benson, RN," the nurse replied. "Who are you?"

"I'm Agent Stillman, FBI," he said, showing her his badge. "Over there is Sergeant Thompson from the Illinois State Police. He is tasked with guarding this person here," he gestured at the driver, "who is a witness to a murder, and now a federal investigation."

A look of shock came over her face. "I'm so sorry sir," she gasped, "I had no idea who you were, and nobody told me you were coming. Let me get this cleared with the administration after I give him his medication."

"Yes ma'am," Stillman said. "If they have any issues, here's my card." He produced a business card for her, which she put in her shirt pocket.

"Thank you sir, now let me give him his cocktail," the nurse said, producing the syringes.

"Just for curosity," Stillman asked. "What is it you are giving him?"

The nurse looked at the driver, who nodded. "He's receiving 1 mg of Dilaudid, and he is being switched over to Phenergan for nausea. He was on Zofram, but he's received the max amount he's supposed to have, so the doctor changed it," shew told Stillman.

Stillman nodded his head. "OK, ask the doctor if I can speak with him once he gets back. I need to keep him in the loop as well."

Nodding, the nurse said, "Absolutely." She turned to the IV, then administered the two drugs. Once finished, she left the room, and Stillman's phone rang.

"Stillman," he said into the phone. "Uh-huh." He walked over to the door and opened it. "We're in room 318." He walked back to the driver. "Okay." He ended the call, and said, "That's the food. They're bringing it right up."

Nodding, the driver shifted positions slightly, and resettled himself. A knock at the door, and a young man in a cheap suit entered. "I brought the food, Mr. Stillman," he said with a shaky voice.

"Thanks, Jimmy," he said. Looking in the bag, he look up at Jimmy. "That's all?" He turned the bag over, and two sandwiches came out. "Did you not understand what I was saying?" he gruffed.

"Sorry sir," Jimmy said panickedly. "I thought you meant just for you."

"No, I need some for this man here too, and the sergeant as well. Now, run back to the restaurant and get four more of these, and some coffee," he grumbled.

"Yes, sir," Jimmy said, almost running into the door before exiting. The patter of steps could be heard down the hall as he ran for the elevator.

Turning back to the driver, Stillman said, "He's a great analyst, but a horrible waiter." His phone rang again. "Yes?" he asked the caller. "Well, if you're hungry also, get two for you too, Jimmy." He waited for a sec. "No, that will be all, Jimmy. Now hurry up." He hung up and shook his head. "I wonder if his momma still ties his shoelaces."

Thompson chuckled, and said, "I got one of those too. Great kid, but very nervous." He looked out the window, and said, "Don't ask him to get you coffee though. He loses half of it before it gets to you."

Forty five minutes later, Jimmy returned with the necessary sandwiches and coffee, and even had the good sense to bring sugar and cream in case anyone wanted it. As everyone ate, the nurse came in, and seeing the added personnel, she said, "If I'd known there was a buffet, I'd have sent my order in too," She said with a small laugh. Stillman looked at her and said, "If you want, I can have Jimmy go back out."

"No," she said, "that's fine. I've already ate." She smiled, and produced the driver's medication. A few minutes later, she pulled the last syringe from the line, and left the room. The driver took a couple of minutes to get readjusted, the set to work on small bites of breakfast.

The day passed without incident, save for the occasional trip to the bathroom. Questions from Stillman and Jimmy produced no more results than before, and Nurse Judy came in like clockwork to make sure he was comfortable, and to give medication. The final time she came in, she had the nurse with her from the night before. Her smile made the driver feel more comfortable, like a younger sister taking care of a sick brother. Officer Nichols showed up a few minutes later, and relieved Thompson, who left. Seeing his original guard there gave the driver some reassurances, as Nichols sat down in the recliner like the night before.

The nurse came in after Judy left, and went to administer his medication, when a thought hit him.

"Ma'am," he said, "I apologize, but I never got your first name last night."

"Oh," she replied, "I'm Tina."

"Well, Tina," he said, "I'm pleased to meet you finally. It dawned on me that with all of the stuff going on, I forgot to catch your name."

"It's ok," Tina replied. "Once I gave you that double, I'm surprised you remember anything."

Nodding, he stated, "Yeah, that first one was potent. Did I do anything stupid?"

"No, but when you nodded off, you sounded like a chainsaw cutting through an oak tree," she joked.

"As long as I didn't yell 'Timber', I think we'll be okay," he replied jovially.

She gave him his medication with a smile, then left the room. Nichols looked over at him and asked, "How was your visit with the feds today?"

"Exhausting," the driver replied. "I think they picked my brain of everything I knew."

"They have a tendency to do that to you," Nichols said.

Smiling, the driver laid back in bed. Like before, uneventfulness was the order of the evening. Tina came in with food and medicine, and Nichols watched over, asking a question here or there. The same thing as before, the driver ate, relaxed, and answered as best he could. Once midnight came, Tina made sure there was no more food or drink again in anticipation of the surgery the next morning. The driver basically slept until the next morning, interrupted by Tina giving medicine and bringing Nichols coffee.

The next morning, the driver got prepped for surgery. Paperwork, changing of guard, and Thompson and Stillman returning. Once he was prepped, he was wheeled to the operating room, accompanied by Nurse Judy. Finding out she was going to be in the operating room while he was under, the driver's tension eased a bit, knowing someone familiar was going to be in there with him. Entering the sterile smelling room, Dr. Zhen came in, wearing his green gown, with his hands raised upwards. Seeing the nurse put his gloves on for him, Dr. Zhen turned to the driver, and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," the driver replied.

"OK," Zhen said. Turning to the nurse, he told her, "Let's begin." Watching the nurse push medication into his IV, the driver's eyes became really heavy. Feeling disoriented, he asked the doctor, "Hey, what's that?"

"That's the medication to put you to sleep," Zhen told him. "We need you to count backwards from 100."

"100, 99, 98, 97, ...96, .....95," the driver counted backwards as he drifted off to dreamland.