The Big Players

Chapter Sixty One

Lawrence entered the room where Andrew lay under the covers. He put on new latex gloves and began to dress the wounds on his face. There was just the primary concern about the one on the right side upper brow. He had bruises already turning purple and his shoulder was swollen up. Likely from when he had been slammed against the back car window. Jackson and James had given him a real unrequited beating. Lawrence was rather surprised as to what James had done. He had been very quiet the entire time these past three weeks that they had been together.

Lawrence mentally scolded himself for having forgotten completely about James and his existence in the group. It was Lawrence's job to keep everyone's needs in check and he had just let James slip into the shadows as if never present. Lawrence turned to get something and rummaged through his things. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that Andrew stirred.

"Your awake, you've been out for quite sometime", said Lawrence turning back around feeling Andrew's cheeks and jaw checking for broken bones. There was just bruising.

Andrew stared at Lawrence trying to sit up, Lawrence shook his head, "No, no, stay down", said Lawrence.

"Don't touch me!", snapped Andrew swatting his hand away.

"If I were you I'd watch your tone, your only here because of DeLacy and me", warned Lawrence not liking Andrew's response.

Andrew fell quiet. His head hurt. "Where am I?", he asked quietly looking around at the room.

"Not even I know entirely", replied Lawrence getting a needle ready and flicked the vile getting the contents to settle and put it in Andrew's arm before he could object.

"It will help with the pain", assured Lawrence.

"Are you a doctor?", asked Andrew.

"I was", replied Lawrence pressing the contents into Andrew and then pulled the needle out swiftly and smoothly.

"Was?", asked Andrew.

Lawrence sighed, and continued feeling Andrew's stomach watching for any flinching and abnormal movements as he did so gently applying pressure. "My medical license was taken away from me....I was getting high on medical marijuana to relieve myself from....my diagnosis of PTSD", said Lawrence.

Andrew swallowed he didn't really like the idea of a former convicted Doctor examining him. Lawrence raised his head standing and took off the latex gloves finished.

"But that's all behind me now......now I'm doing this", he said.

"Doing what?", asked Andrew.

Lawrence looked at him grimly, "My job is to look after DeLacy. And you put her in harms way. Not to mention your partner shot her too", said Lawrence.

Andrew jolted but Lawrence stopped him. Andrew swatted his hand away. "Julia....Julia.....where is she?!", he asked.

"Slow down, slow down, one-", Lawrence averted his gaze hearing a buzzing sound. He looked at Andrew's phone as it vibrated on the nightstand beside the bed. Lawrence took it before Andrew could reach it flicking it open. The common flip phone. But Lawrence didn't judge.

He flicked it open. There was a message. From the anonymous tip association. With a message that was entitled.

-Enjoy-

There was a video as well. Lawrence opened it. It began to play. Andrew heard this entire thing. Lawrence stared as he saw Julia and then another woman, and two more children in a dimly lit area. The camera then averted revealing a man's face as he turned the phone towards himself smiling.