SCORNED
Chapter Six â" Complications
Cooper was surprised by Angieâs reaction it was more emotion than she had ever shown the entire time he had known her which meant there was a real problem. He said, âWhat going on Angie?â He wasnât going to be responsible for the death of a Federal Agent. Dr. Berkley assured him that DiNozzo would not die on his watch. She claimed she only wanted to hurt him not kill him but there was something going very wrong with her plan.
Angie said, âHe going to die if we donâtâŚâ as the door opened and the doctorâs return cut her off.
Dr. Berkley calmly walked other with a syringe in hand just as DiNozzo groaned as the sedative they had given him had started to wear off. His eyelids fluttered but before his eyes opened a needle had penetrated his skin successfully putting him back under. Dr. Berkley touched his head with her gloved hand and said, âAngie get the thermo bed ready in Room 4.â âWe need to lower his temperature immediately.â
âCooper, Michaels bring him, we need him moved to a Room 4 now.â as she grabbed the IV stand and lead the way down the long hall.
Angie couldnât believe how calm Dr. Berkley was acting. DiNozzo temperature was spiking at a 105 he was only four degrees away from a death sentence. The human body couldnât withstand temperatures at that level for very long. The drugs were causing all kinds of complicationsâŚand there was no way to anticipate every crisis.
The drug interactions had become unpredictable with the added antibiotics and stimulates they had needed to keep his lungs functioning. She wondered how he kept so fitâŚshe had watched a lot of surveillance videos of him running, weight-lifting, fighting and none of it made sense. He shouldnât have had that much stamina. She continued to prepare the bed and ready the antibiotics as she wondered, âHow far would Dr. Berkley go.?â
Dr. Berkley growled, âDamn you DiNozzo!â as she headed toward the room where she needed to make some quick decisions. She thought to herself, âHow does a person contract the âPlagueâ in the 21st CenturyâŚand survive.â He shouldnât be able to withstand the strenuous physical requirements of his position. Not with the extensive damage to his lungs.
The pain alone when he exerted himself should have been debilitating.
Kelley and Sims were returning when Dr. Berkley, Cooper and Michaels rushed past them with DiNozzo on a gurney. They had to jump against the wall to avoid a collision. Kelley yelled, âHey Boss what happened?â
Cooper said, âDonât know for sure, secure the building and then meet me in the control room.â
Michaels said, âDr. Berkley didnât you say the condition of his lungs made him susceptible to infections?â She said, âYes why?â He looked to Cooper for approval to continue. When Cooper nodded he said, âWell he was driving with the car windows down its pretty cold out tonight and his immune system has to be weaken considering the lack of sleep and...â She stopped him with a wave of her hand and said, âWhy on earth would he do that?â
Cooper sighed as he wondered why so called âsmart peopleâ never seemed to grasp the obvious. He said, âHe was exhausted maybe the cold air made it possible for him to stay awake and make it home alive.â
Dr. Berkley continued toward the room saying, âWell that explains a lotâŚhe did this on purpose.â Cooper shook his head at the ludicrousness of her remark.
Angie was waiting in the room when they arrived. The bed was ready for DiNozzo as ordered. They moved him onto the bed and watched as she finished placing what looked like icepacks along the edges beneath the mattress on a insulated shelve. When she finished she covered him with a thermo blanket that served to trap the cold around his body. The doctor said, âStart the IV and be careful you donât leave any marks.â Cooper said, âDr. Berkley we need to talk.â She glared at him and said, âGive me ten minutes and Iâll meet you in my office.â
Kelley appeared in the door and said, âDr. Berkley thereâs a young lady here to see you I believe sheâs your daughter.â She huffed and angrily said, âWhat is she doing here at this hour?â He said, âI wouldnât know Maâam but she said her name was Jeanne Benoit and insisted on seeing you.â
Dr. Berkley said, âOur talk will have to wait while I deal with my daughter and check my files.â Cooper nodded as she left the room. He said, âMichaels with me.â They steps in the hall out of Angieâs earshot. He turned to Michaels and said, âWhatâs really going on?â He had been his Medic in their unit for years. Michaels said, âIâm not sure Boss theyâre injecting him with so many drugs itâs hard to distinguish what they all are.â Cooper nodded and said, âYou stay here with Angie and make sure she doesnât kill him Iâm going to the control room.â Michaels nodded, re-entered the room and took to a seat in the corner watching where he had an unobstructed view of Angie movements as she started a IV and hooked DiNozzo to a monitor.
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Dr. Berkley walked into her office and seated herself across from her daughter and said, âJeanne what are you doing here?â as she opened her computer, she needed to make sure DiNozzo didnât have any other drug allergies. One of the drugs she was using was effecting his damaged lungs and counteracting the effects of the sedatives. He had almost waken up twice.
Jeanne said, âIâve made a decision MotherâŚIâm going to see Tony tomorrow and tell him.â
Dr. Berkley stopped typing and looked at her daughter with a combination of disappointment and annoyance clearly displayed in her expression as she wondered âwhy her daughter was so weakâ when it came to Anthony DiNozzo. She had raised her to be strong and independent. She had to admit DiNozzo was handsome and physically appealing but what else could he really offer her, he was a Federal Agent by choice. He was constantly putting his live in danger. And why would she even want him after all the deceptions.
DiNozzo remained her too much of Jeanneâs father all flash and no substanceâŚshe had called him a âplayerâ when they first met. Everything from his expensive taste in clothing and shoes to his disarming smile served to confirm her initial assessment of him. Jeanneâs father had acted much like DiNozzo charming his way into her life.
Reneâ Benoit had blindsided her, destroyed her common sense and turned her world upside down and DiNozzo had done the same to her daughter.
Jeanne thought her mother had stopped interfering in her lifeâŚstopped hating Tony for existing but the expression on her face had proved nothing had changed.
Dr. Berkley turned her attention back to her computer and pulled up the hidden file she was seekingâŚthe complete medical records for Anthony DiNozzoâŚreading quickly she found what she needed. She closed the file then closed her computer. She was now focused on her daughter and said, âWhat is wrong with you.â
Jeanne frowned as she said, âThereâs nothing wrong with me Mother,â barely disguising her sarcasm. I know how you feel about Tony but heâŚhe has a right to knowâŚ,â as her mother interrupted and angrily said, âNo he does not after what he did to you, not after what he put you through, he doesnât deserve anything,â as she inward thought, âexcept the hell Iâm about to put him through.â
TBC