Sitting in a hospital waiting room was never one of his favourite pastimes, but in his line of work it had always seemed like something of an occupational hazard.
At least this one wasn’t a field hospital, in the back of beyond in some godforsaken third world country.
As Hollywood sat on the floor in the children’s corner of the family room, helping Roman build a Lego spaceship, he kept one eye on the door, desperate for news.
Niko had been brought in by ambulance still barely conscious from the knock on the head, and Sophia had warned him that a concussion was the most likely cause. But how serious the concussion was wouldn’t be determined until after she’d had a brain scan.
That was hours ago, and he was still waiting for news.
Ironically, the operation to fix Drago hadn’t lasted nearly so long.
No vital organs had been hit, so in Sophia’s words, he’d just needed a blood transfusion, a little embroidery, and after a restful night’s sleep, he’d be good to go.
“H, is my mama gonna come soon?” Roman tugged on Hollywood’s arm. “I’m tired, and I want mama.”
Hollywood glanced at his watch. Almost two in the morning? No wonder the kid was tired.
“Hey, come up here and sit with me.” Hollywood reached for the child and hauled him onto his lap. He leaned back against the wall so Roman naturally curled up against him.
“Your mama is just getting checked out by the doctors, because she bumped her head.” Hollywood smoothed Roman’s curls back from his face. “They’re taking some pictures, just to make sure there’s nothing that needs to be fixed, and if everything’s Ok, she’ll be back with us in no time.”
“Can I be in the pictures?” Roman sat up and looked at him. “Mama likes to have pictures with the both of us.”
Hollywood smiled.
“I think this one has to be just your mama.” He snuggled the boy up close, almost as though it was bringing him closer to Niko. “But from tomorrow, I promise you, we’ll be taking thousands of photos of you and your mama.”
Roman glanced up at him.
“Will you be in the photos too?” He asked.
Hollywood’s heart swelled, and he wanted to wrap the toddler up and protect him from everything bad in the world.
“Would you like me to be in the photos?” Hollywood held his breath, praying that Roman would be on his side when it came to Hollywood getting close to his mama.
“Yeah, I think that would be good.” Roman yawned, and Hollywood looked over at Kellen who was following their conversation with half a smirk on his face.
“Then I’d like that very much.” Hollywood grinned at Kellen, knowing he was probably sounding like a sappy jerk, but not caring in the least.
“Ken, too.” Roman said sleepily. “Mama likes him.”
Hollywood scowled over the top of Roman’s head, as Kellen rolled on his seat in silent laughter.
“Niko likes me.” Kellen teased, when Roman’s head lolled back, as sleep overcame him.
“Yeah, well, she likes me more!” Hollywood flipped Kellen off. “So, no getting any funny ideas.”
The noise from the doorway had his head swinging around, and Alex and Sophia stood in the opening.
“Good news.” Sophia smiled, coming to sit next to him. “Niko has a mild concussion, but she’s not confused or sleepy any more. They’ve agreed to release her, as long as I keep an eye on her for the next few hours.”
Hollywood nodded, breathing a huge sigh of relief.
“Where is she now?” He asked Sophia, desperate to get a glimpse of Niko.
The last glimpse he’d had of her was when he’d lowered her into the hole under the wall. By the time they’d been able to leave the warehouse and go in search of the women, and in particular Niko and Roman, Niko had already been taken away by ambulance, and Roman was being cared for by Ellen Roberts.
“Niko’s just getting dressed. She’s only a little way down the corridor, so she’ll be here any minute.” Sophia smiled at his impatience.
When the door opened again, Hollywood almost jumped out of his skin.
“Hey, guys. We were just in the area, and thought we’d stop by and congratulate you on a job well done.” Ryan Tucker and Gregor Diminov were the last people Hollywood expected to see.
“How many planes did you have to take to be ‘just in the area’?” He asked, guessing that with Alex and Sophia involved, Tuck and Gregor were never going to be too far away.
“Just the two.” Gregor grinned. “But as it’s our team’s first official mission, can you blame us?”
“I guess not.” Hollywood nodded.
“So, who’s this?” Tuck grinned at him. “A bit young to be recruited into the Guardians, isn’t he?”
“You’re never too young to learn to fight crime.” Kellen shook his head. “Take Spiderman… not even out of high-school, and he was flying around town on his webs, saving old ladies, and taking down the bad guys.”
“So, maybe we’ll recruit him in, what? Ten years?” Gregor chuckled.
Hollywood was just staring down at the child who reminded him so much of his mother, when he heard a commotion in the corridor.
“I just want to see my son.” Hollywood could make out Niko’s anguished voice. “Please?”
Hollywood was furthest from the door and he had Roman in his arms slowing him down, so by the time he got to his feet and ran into the corridor, there were already a dozen people yelling and pushing each other around.
“What the fuck’s going on?” He yelled, causing everyone to stop and turn around.
Roman stirred in his arms but thankfully didn’t wake.
“Roman!” Niko yelled, and Hollywood pushed forward to get mother and son reunited as quickly as possible.
When he was just feet from her, a man brandishing a gun pushed him back.
“What the fuck are you doing with that thing in a place like this?” Hollywood demanded, shielding Roman as though the guy was about to shoot him. “Let me give Niko her son, and then we can sort out whatever is going on.”
The man didn’t step away, although he did point his gun upwards, and that just served to leave Hollywood even more pissed.
“Will you get the fuck out of my way.” He snarled. “I want to see Niko. This is her son.”
A second man stepped in between Hollywood and the asshole waving the gun around.
“Sir, I’m sorry but that’s not going to be possible.” The guy held up his hand to show he was holding a police badge. “I’m afraid Miss Federova needs to come with us for questioning.”
“Why?” Hollywood demanded. “She just helped us bring down a human trafficking asshole! She deserves a medal, not an interrogation.”
“That’s yet to be established.” The officer smiled politely. “And the sooner we can start questioning Miss Federova, the sooner we can get this matter cleared up.”
“Christ, can’t you give her one minute to see her kid?” Hollywood stared at the officer, imploring him to be merciful.
“One minute?”
The man stepped back, pushing his officer out of the way.
Hollywood stepped forward quickly, and Niko almost fell into his arms, one hand on Roman’s sleeping face, the other holding on to Hollywood like he was her life vest on a stormy sea.
“Will you look after him for me until they release me?” She gazed up at him with tears in her eyes.
“Of course, I will. It’ll only be a few hours, I’m sure.” Hollywood smiled. “They’ll figure out you haven’t done anything wrong, and they’ll let you go.”
“I think we both know that’s not true.” She whispered. “But thank you for saying it.”
“I’ll arrange for you to have a lawyer.” Hollywood promised. “Don’t talk to anyone until they arrive. And don’t let them fob you off with one of their free legal assholes. We’ll get you the best, I promise.”
“Ok, that’s time.” The senior officer stepped forward again. “We’ll have someone from child services come and pick up the boy.”
“The fuck you will!” Hollywood took a step back. “He stays with me, at his mother’s request. The lawyers will have papers drawn up within the hour to back it up.”
The man turned to Niko for confirmation.
She nodded, pointing to Hollywood so there could be no doubt who she was talking about.
“This man will be taking care of my son until you let me go.” She nodded. “His name is Landon Hillwood. There’s nobody else I trust more to be Roman’s guardian.”
The officer shrugged and nodded to one of his officers who slipped plastic handcuffs onto Niko’s wrists, securing them behind her back.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” Hollywood smiled at her, his heart breaking at the fear in her eyes. “We’ll have you out of there by tomorrow at the latest.”
As the police marched Niko down the corridor and into the elevator, Hollywood could have howled at the pain ripping through his chest.
He turned to find the man he trusted with his life standing right behind him.
“Tuck, I don’t care if it costs me ten years’ wages.” He begged. “Can you get her a lawyer that will get her out of this mess?”
Tuck put his hand on Hollywood’s shoulder and held on firmly.
“I have a feeling Niko is going to be a part of our family for a long time to come.” He smiled reassuringly. “Have we ever failed to look after one of our own?”