Pride Falls

Chapter 2

The automatic doors at the Pontchartrain Medical Center Emergency Room burst open with an explosive bang. Paramedics rushed in with a bloodied man on a gurney swathed in tubes and tore down the hall. Just before the doors closed completely, Pride caught them with his hand as he and Sonja Percy entered carrying a hobbling LaSalle between them. The younger man also held his left arm gingerly.

The uninjured agents deposited LaSalle in a nearby wheelchair. "Arm, Arm, foot, foot" he yelped.

The three, along with Special Agent Meredith Brody had responded to a call of a disturbed man dressed in a Naval uniform threatening the staff inside a nearby clinic. They heard shots being fired and the gunman fled, obviously hit. LaSalle pounced on him and the force sent the two rolling down cement steps.

It turned out, the man exchanged fire with someone inside the clinic. NOPD was on the scene and Pride left Brody there to represent NCIS as they got LaSalle to the hospital.

Pride approached the registration desk. "We have an injured federal agent here," he said. "He fell down a stairway."

LaSalle groaned.

Pride continued, "He's in a lot of pain."

"He the one who shot the other guy?" the nurse asked in an even tone.

"He was already shot when I chased him," LaSalle yelled in defense. "Bastard took me down."

Pride gave the nurse an apologetic smile. "He here too?" he asked.

"Went straight to the trauma unit," she said. "I can't give you any more information."

"Can you call security for his room until NOPD gets here?" Pride said.

"Sure, but I don't think he's going anywhere," she said as she picked up the phone.

The registration period was blessedly short, in part because LaSalle had been there many times before. The registrar put a band on his right wrist.

An aide came in and began to wheel LaSalle out. "Take him to 16," the nurse told her.

The ER rooms looked like any other in the hospital, except sliding glass doors made up the fourth wall. Curtains could be drawn across for privacy. After a few minutes, a young blonde nurse came in.

"Cindy!" LaSalle said.

Her demeanor changed instantly.

"Hello Special. Agent. LaSalle," she said curtly. She took out the blood pressure monitor from the wall and wrapped it tightly around his left arm.

"Bad arm, bad arm!" he cried.

"Sorry," she said, not sounding at all sincere. She switched sides and began to pump the bulb vigorously.  She then snapped an 02 device on his finger and rubbed a thermometer over his forehead. She turned to the computer mounted on the side wall and began inputting the data.

"How are my numbers?" he asked.

"You'll live," she said and threw a blue plaid hospital gown on his lap. "You know the drill, open to the back. The PA will be in soon." She snapped the curtain closed.

"Brrr, Elsa there does not like you," Percy said.

"What's with her?" LaSalle said. "She gave me a massage last time." He knocked his elbow against the bed rail, "Son of a bitch!"

Percy looked at Pride, "Yep."

Before LaSalle had a chance to change, a lanky redhead came in wearing a PA badge.

"Hello Agent Pride, Percy," she said.

"Lorraine!" LaSalle said.

The PA ignored his greeting and began to examine his limbs. By this time, his ankle and elbow had both swelled to grapefruits. She began to move his foot.