EPISODE 36

Zander's hospital room --

It had been a few days since the warehouse explosion, Zander's men had their orders to take out Jason, Zander had had enough. Stolen shipments, buildings now just piles of ashes, lives almost taken, his family and his men. He had no other choice then to order the contract on Jason. The war had escalated to this point, it was either kill or be killed.

Zander lay in his hospital bed, still. Doctors say it could be another week till he'd be ready to go home, but his plans couldn't wait that long. Another week could mean another stolen shipment or another week for Jason's men to go after his wife and children. He had to do something now, not next week.

Zander sat up in bed and swung his legs over the side, allowing his barefeet to hit the cold floor of his hospital room. He winced when he felt a twinge, but he was determined. He placed his weight on his unstable legs and tried to stand up. He steadied himself with his hand on the stand next to the bed and took a step and then another. The feeling in his legs was back to normal, normal as can be expected after the injuries he had sustained because of one of Jason's hired guns.

He had gotten a few more steps towards the free standing closet where he had seen a few of belongings were kept, and reached for the handle to pull it open. Inside hung clothes on hangers and he reached for them, leaning on the closet door for support he grabbed the clothes and tucked them under his arm to carry back to the bed. It was painful and he groaned as he got himself dressed. There was no more time to waste, he was becoming more and more vulnerable as the days went by. His legs getting better has he walked to the door and opened it up, he saw his man standing in the hallway standing guard.

"Sir ... you're not .."

"I know I'm not. I'm going upstairs to see my wife." Zander replied as he held his hand on his side to cover his bandages.

The guard followed Zander to the elevator, and then up to Emily's room. She was sleeping peacefully as Zander watched her from the doorway. Elenore sat in the corner chair resting her eyes as well and Zander walked quietly into the room, his guard there to help him as he took the steps towards his wife. He took a seat next to her on the edge of the bed and reached up and caressed her face with his hand. She feeling his touch, leaned into it and her eyes fluttered open to see him sitting there with her.

She sat up and quickly took him into a hug, forgetting about his injuries. Zander winced at the twinges he was feeling, while his wife embraced him.

"I thought you weren't being released till next week?" she asked as she noticed he was dressed and ready to do business as usual.

"Yeah well, I'm signing myself out. I have a business to run."

"You mean Jason can't wait."

"Em .. I am sorry about Jason. But ..."

"Yeah I know, but it doesn't make this any easier for me, Zander."

He reached up once more and caressed her jaw with his hand. She reached with hers and held his against her face. "You be careful, okay."

Zander smiled softly. "I will .... and I'll be back later to see you." He leaned in and kissed her soft lips for perhaps the last time.

As he pulled back she whispered the words he always loved to hear. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, baby."

Before leaving her side he leaned down and laid a soft kiss on her belly. "I love you too, baby." he whispered. Emily watched as he and his guard walked out the door, he giving her a cute wave as he walked passed the plexi-glass window.

"He's in no condition to leave the hospital?" Elenore asked as she stood up from the chair in the corner.

"He has a business to run, being here in a hospital bed is making him vulnerable. He feels he has to get out there and run his business, as usual." Emily said.

Emily understood her husband's position and his intentions, but she couldn't just let him go out into the battle zone without trying to stop him somehow. She knew the time was coming that she had to make a decision, her husband or her brother, but she didn't want to choose one or the other, she couldn't, she loved each of them dearly and didn't want to see either of them hurt by the other.

Elenore stepped one step out into the hallway and watched Zander and his guard disappear out of sight as they turned the corner.

"You're not worried about him going out there?"

"Of course I'm worried, I'm scared to death that he won't be coming back. But I trust him. Look, I learned a long time ago not to get into Zander's business, he doesn't want me to know so I don't ask."

"You trust him enough to have a guard at your door at all times?" Elenore said as she made Emily aware that she was unguarded.

Emily's eyes expressed fear, there was always a body guard outside her door, and now the guard was no longer standing at his post. She feared something was wrong, and so did Zander, he stopped in his tracks and he and his guard made their way back to Emily's room.

"Emily .. what is it?"

"Something's wrong.....there's always a guard out there." Emily replied as she turned back the blankets and got out of bed.

Elenore came to help her and just as she did, a shot rang out and Emily felt the whiz of the bullet fly past her and into the pillow. Emily's screams echoed through the halls as the assailant ran off towards the stairs. Zander heard Emily's cries for help and even in his condition, he raced to her room. He found her and his mother on the floor shaken by what had just happened, she was relieved when she looked up and saw him rushing into the room.

"Oh my God, Zander!" she cried as she got up off the floor and ran into his waiting arms almost knocking him over from her momentum.

"Are you alright?" he asked worried and afraid.

"Yeah I think so." she replied as she latched herself onto him.

"Mom .. are you okay?" Zander asked as his mother came to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. They missed us this time."

Zander held onto his wife, consoling her .... "This was a warning to me and to tell me that they can get at my family any time they want to."