Chapter 11
The marshall lay on the ground. One of the ambulance medics
was working on him while another was struggling with the tape
that the children were covered with, using a lubricating spray.
The medic with the marshall looked up. "You! Boy!" he
snapped, "Grab a pair of those rubber gloves. Get down here
and help me!"
Trivette looked irritated, but with one of the marshall's help
donned the gloves and knelt beside the man. "My partner's
gone up to the roof," the medic snapped, "hold these
clamps. Keep them out of the way. I've got to sew this artery up
enough to slow the bleeding or this man's going to bleed to
death!"
Trivette held the clamps as the man worked. His shirt was open
and Trivette noticed bruises on his throat. He suddenly realized
that this was one of the men they had fought with the night
before. Cordell was helping the medic with the children and
Trivette wondered if he should say something.
"Don't worry about it," the man muttered. "I might
not like you people, but I do my job, same for everybody. And
after what this man did..." he stopped talking and then
continued to work. "There!" he finally sighed.
"You can let go!"
Trivette released the clamps and the medic began to bandage the
wound. "He's going to be kicking for a good long time,"
the medic sighed. "I'm just going to make damned sure he
never kicks me again! Good job ranger!"
Trivette nodded. They got a stretcher and carefully got William
on it. "This man's gotta go!" the medic screamed.
"Are these children ready?"
"Good enough for now," the other medic answered.
"We can do the rest in the hospital. They're still
unconscious, though. I think they've been drugged."
"Probably for the best!" Trivette put in, "Less
bad memories." As William was being loaded Trivette asked
the medic "Why'd you ask me to help?"
"Small hands," the medic answered. "They didn't
get in my way as much."
"Oh!" Trivette managed. The hospital was mass
confusion, seeing to the prisoners, most of whom needed medical
attention. The children and the wounded marshall had everybody
running to and fro, but finally the prisoners were all treated
and carted away. Cordell and Trivette were able to get to the
room where the marshall was resting. "Just as soon as
they're finished putting this blood in me," he remarked,
"they say I can go. I heard old Shakona had an unfortunate
meeting with an exhaust pipe. I guess the Japanese government
won't be bailing him out again, but there's going to be some
screaming! How are the children?"
"Coming around," Cordell answered. "The doctors
say they're going to be just fine. The fact that they had been
drugged may have saved their lives, that and the fact that the
inside of the van was padded lessened their injuries." There
was a sudden commotion. A reporter and a cameraman came in the
door. "Excuse me," she remarked, "Marshall Walker?
The Pattersons are here. They'd like to thank you for saving
their children. Do you mind if we record it?"
"Not at all!" William answered.
The cameraman and the reporter stepped back, and a man and a
woman entered. The woman came over and took the marshall's free
hand. "Thank you!" she managed. "Just doesn't seem
to be enough. We can't imagine how you ever managed to get in
that van, to cut the children loose, and get away. We saw the
picture of that terrible fire! They say the people that ran to
pull you clear could feel the heat even where you were it was
that close! My husband and I will be taking the children home,
together! We're trying a reconciliation. Could I talk to your
wife? Maybe she could..." The woman fell silent.
"The marshalls' wives have an association," William
comforted, "that helps deal with problems like yours. My
wife will be glad to introduce you to the group in this area.
She's always helping them."
The woman's husband came forward. "We've really got to
go," he encouraged. "The children will be waking up. We
want to be there."
His wife nodded and released William's hand. Her husband took it
and held it strongly. He said nothing. The strength of his grip
said it all. He released William's hand and nodded again, and the
couple departed.
"A couple of questions, marshall?" the reporter asked.
The marshall looked to the blood bag which was still a quarter
full. "I think I'm going to be here a while," he
remarked. "Just a couple."
"How DID you manage it?" the reporter asked.
"Sheer determination!"" the marshall answered,
"that's all I can tell you, just sheer determination, and a
lot of luck!"
"Will your wife make this adventure into a t.v. show?"
the reporter asked.
"You'll have to ask my wife that!" the marshall
answered, "though this one will probably have to be a two
segment special! I would like," the marshall continued,
"to take this opportunity to thank The Texas Rangers, whose
efforts in this operation were paramount to its success, and also
the invaluable assistance of the emergency medical services who
did a splendid job in aiding us and the injured prisoners. Dallas
can be extremely proud of those who serve and protect here!"
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