Chapter Text
Jack moved swiftly yet quietly down the corridor leading to the water therapy room where the commotion came from.
He stopped right next to the door, gun pulled and ready. He took a deep breath before the trained agent kicked the door open and pointed the gun into the room.
The nurse, Becky sat in a corner on the floor, still bound and with tears in her eyes, screaming through the duct tape while the deranged doctor and his crazy nurse stood around an old rusty metal bathtub filled with water and ice floating serenely on it’s surface. Becky started to scream even more frantic than before. Jack stepped further into the bathroom, gun pointing steadily at the crazies while making his way to Becky.
“What’s going on here?”
He removed the gag never taking his eyes off the two lunatics.
“It’s Mac, you have to get him out of there, hurry!” she shrieked.
Panic washed over his face as he realized the severity of the situation.
In that moment Jack lost eye contact and the crazy doctor and the woman seized that opportunity to escape.
Time stood still as he jumped back up to the bathtub.
Without hesitation Jack tossed his gun aside and plunged both hands into the icy water. The freezing water gripped his skin, sent an awaking shiver down his spine as he fumbled around trying to get a good grip on the body underwater.
Finally he managed to get Mac into a firm grip and pulled him out of the bathtub. The young blonde was only in his boxers- black fabric in contrast to his now pale white skin and an agry red would on his side. His hands and legs were tied with curtain ropes, his wet hair sticking to his scalp. Jack quickly pulled him out and onto the cold floor tiles. He removed the tape from his mouth and noticed Mac’s purple lips.
His heart skipped a beat when he lay the motionless body flat on the hard cold floor.
He checked his pulse and breathing but when he found none, he went into full panic mode.
“Oh come on Mac, don’t do this to me, come on wake up.”
He dug his knuckles deep into his the yound man’s sternum in an attempt to get a reaction, while fumbling in his pockets for something to cut the ropes. He managed to free his hands – Mac’s arms slumped to his sides, cold and … “dead”, Jack thought. He left the legs tied for now and started CPR right away instead.
That very moment team B and the medics arrived together with Doctor Stevens. They captured the two torturers outside when they swarmed the building.
They moved coordinated and effective, capturing patients and freeing staff- like Becky. Once freed from her ties she, too, rushed to Jack’s aide.
“Oh my god, no. He lost consciousness a while ago, he had such a high fever and these maniacs…” she sobbed explaining what had happened to Jack and also the medics that came rushing towards them.
Jack fought against them at first but he had to admit he couldn’t do anything for Mac.
As they initiated the resuscitation process, a symphony of urgent movements pervaded the cold atmosphere.
The thump of hands rhythmically pounding upon Mac’s chest mimicking the unyielding beat of hope resonating withing each paramedic’s heart.
“We have to get him out of his wet clothes. May, prepare the stretcher and some warm compresses. Leo...” Drawing upon their years of experience and knowledge, they adapted to a plethora of challenges: ensuring oxygen flow, managing the core temperature and blood flow.
The leading medic, Hopper- Jack recognized him from a previous mission- gestured and the one called Leo jumped into motion: “On it.” While he cut away all the soaked boxer and remaining ropes, May spread out a blanket on the stretcher they brought in with them. She then placed warming packs on both sides of Mac’s neck, chest and groin and covered his mid section and legs with another warming blanket. Leo started the chest compression, each push surging with an unparalleled vehemence as time unraveled its vicious plan.
Skillfully, Hopper and the fourth medic, Sam pried Mac’s purple lips open to insert a tube allowing them to pump much needed air straight into Mac’s lungs.
“Core temperature at 30 degrees Celsius. Hopper we have to move him, now!” May announced.
Collaboration became their only weapon against hypothermia's silent grip, effectively vying for a miracle against all odds.
Jack knew and trusted them but it killed him that he was so helpless, so useless. He was supposed to shield him, protect him, at times, even from himself, yet every time Mac ended up hurt. He failed him yet again.
While Sam continued to pump air into Mac’s lungs, Leo and May traded places, leaving the skinny woman in charge of the chest compressions.
Hopper and Leo moved to the legs and head, each of them searching for a firm grip of the cold body in front of them.
“On my count. 1, 2,...and,” like in an elaborate flowing ballet of synchronicity and perfection they danced a flawless performance that lasted no longer than a fraction of a minute. May stopped the compressions while Hopper and Leo raised Mac onto the stretcher, wrapped him into more blankets and secured his legs with safety belts. In a swift almost liquid motion May swung onto the stretcher, onto Mac and recommenced chest compressions, all the while Sam maintained a steady airflow. They were ready to wheel out.
A haunting but familiar sound snapped Jack out of his self pity- May broke one of Mac’s ribs. As scary as it seemed to Jack, he knew that a well done compression could have that outcome and hopefully bring the desired outcome. Mac’s back arched and for a brief moment he regained consciousness.
He felt the tightness of another belt securing his arms and chest now. Fear and confusion flooded his system as he tried to fight not only the restrains, but also the tube in his throat.
His eyes darted around the room, searching for a familiar face when he finally found Jack’s. He jumped by his side and took his ice cold hand in his.
“Mac, I am here, it’s alright, you’re gonna be fine, you just have to calm down now, can you do that? Calm down, do it for me, I’m so sorry.”
Mac’s eyes fixated on the familiar face and the warm, but hard and callous hand.
He squeezed it when he felt the prick of a needle in his arm disturbing the serene moment.
Tears welled up in Jacks eyes unseen by his young partner who slowly closed his eyes again, succumbing to the exhaustion of his fight for life and giving way to the effects of the warm liquids and sedatives in his bloodstream. As his grip loosened, Jacks just intensified.
The hard part was won, the triumphant paramedics wrapped up and were ready to leave to get their patient to the much needed care of a well equipped hospital.
They rushed away, out of that dreadful place to the safety of the Phoenix’s pwn hospital.
Jack held on to his partner’s hand as long as he could.