Cora, Book 1, It Begins

Chapter 29, It's A Miracle

The Doctor's, Tony and Chrissy all stood around James's hospital bed. The head surgeon was looking back and forth between James and the charts, "I can't explain it. I have never seen such a fast and complete recovery. I'd like to keep him a few more days just to be sure."

Chrissy was laying on the hospital bed, arms around the fully alert James tears in her eyes, "it's a miracle."

Tony was just convinced that his son was so tough that he beat the odds. Now his thoughts were to find out how this happened and put it right. James just wanted some food.

After all but the monitors were removed from James and the hospital staff had left them alone Tony had one question, "how did this happen?"

James, however, had no memory at all of the last several days. "I'm sorry Dad, I have no idea. I can't remember a thing.

How long have I been out?" James asked.

"A week," Chrissy replied.

James looked around confused, what happened, where did the week go? "Maybe my memory will come back in a few days, Did we get another shipment in?" James asked.

He was clearly remembering the family business.

Tony looked at him, "tried, total loss again. I'm going to head down the hall shortly to see if Guito is awake yet."

James looked at his father confused, "what?"

"He was shot up but is still alive. He was in surgery for a good part of the night. I have to see what he knows."

"Get me a wheelchair," James demanded.

Chrissy pulled back and looked at him, "No, its too early, you should stay in bed."

James turned to her angrily, "Get me a fucking wheelchair, NOW!"

Tony pushed James into Guito's room. Chrissy had left in a huff. Guito was sleeping but woke up as the boss approached his bed. "How are you doing Guito?

Guito looked over and saw James in the wheelchair, "how long have I been out?"

Tony laughed, "only one night, James is just too tough to keep down. So tell me what happened?" 

Guito looked at James for a few seconds then focused back on Tony as he pulled himself up in the bed. "Everything was going well. We just got into the parking area and made contact with the boat.

I heard a crash behind me. I looked around and saw a tree across the entry. The gunfire started, I was hit almost immediately. I got out to take cover beside the truck and got hit again. I tried to get up but passed out I guess. That's all I remember until I woke up here."

Guito paused for a few seconds, "did the load get done?"

Tony looked at him as if trying to absorb and analyze Guito's story. "Total loss."

"What the fuck!" Guito tried to get out of bed but Tony pushed him back.

"What about the other guys, what did they see, are they all OK?" asked Guito.

Tony paused for a minute again searching for an answer. "They were all gone."

"What, how the fuck?" Guito said.

Tony put his hand up to stop Guito so he could finish. Guito sat back and waited. "When Hank got there the only guy he found was you. The two vehicles were there, yours and the five-ton. The only indication of gunfire was that you and your car full of holes. The guys were all gone, the bikes were all gone, the shipment was all gone. The boat was no where in sight. Hank could see where a tree had been knocked down but it looked like it had been pulled partially out of the way."

Guito looked back and forth between Tony and James, "Holy fuck." The three men were silent for a few minutes. Guito finally broke the silence. He sat up and started pulling out his IV and removing the monitor sensors. "Would you mind please passing me my clothes."

"I'll get one of the guys to get you some, the stuff you came in with is toast. You bled quite a bit." Tony advised.

"Where's my car?" Guito asked.

"The shop" answered Tony, "it will be about a week."

"OK, thank you, sir, my house key is on the ring?"

Tony nodded then walked over to the room phone to make the arrangements.

Guito looked at James, "So, you look a shit load better. We thought we were going to lose you."

So I'm told but I feel great. I just can't remember what happened." James responded.

"That will come," Guito said, "sometimes it takes a couple of weeks."

James started laughing "yea, I guess you've had some experience there."

Guito laughed as well, "Yea why can't it be the shit we don't want to remember though."

Tony finished up on the phone and came back over to the bed. "Joe will be here soon, why don't you rest for a little bit. Once you are out come by the office. A couple of family guys have arrived. I sent them over to the clubhouse and see if they could track down the so-called protection team."

Guito nodded as Tony and James left.

Those fucking Mixaha's are amazing he  thought, efficient and thorough. I bet they cleared the bikers' clubhouse too. His thoughts drifted over to Dar and Cathy, he really enjoyed seeing them when he was there. Cathy was hot, no question about it. She turned lots of heads everywhere she went, smart too. Dar though, it was like she touched his soul. There was also a sort of seductiveness to her. The way she looked at him, her smile, the way her hips swayed as she walked down the hall the other night. Who'd have ever thought that he would be obsessing over a fucking alien?