Walker

"But crap, they're a lot harder than adolescent psych or something. Taking all these hours will speed up the process, but it's like I'm going to two schools at once. And I'm working part time at the VA. Just in case my my debit card suddenly reads zero."

"No wonder I never see you. Chemistry? Micro? Not for me. Show me demand curves and budgets." They laughed. "Nursing. I still can't believe you're going to finish your psychology degree and roll right into the nursing program. Sam the nurse.

"Who'd a thunk it? But actually it makes a lot of sense. And I am so proud of you. You always want to fix everyone and now you can do that AND use your psychology on them too. And you seem so happy about it."

"Yup, for better or worse, mostly worse, Walker and you, of course, helped me figure it all out. Yes, I'm a fixer upper person, but it'll be my job, not my life. I would hate managing investments and portfolios with my dad and sibs. Instead of business and making money all day and a little volunteering here and there on the side. As a nurse I can fix folks all day every day like you said. It'll be terrific."

"What'd your folks say?"

"They don't know yet."

"Holy shitbags, Sam. You still haven't told them anything? Nothing at all?" She shook her head. "Sounds like you need some kind of break. You better come home with me and meet this guy..."

"No!" Laughing. "No match making. Not allowed. Hey, Emily? Who are these guys coming at us. I'm worried..." Her world went blank.

Walker drove his car towards Sam's apartment. It'd been six months. He needed to scope things out a little. If there was a new guy, he'd just have to bite the bullet, try and forget her and move on. She'd been right. So right. She haunted him day and night. Never a break.

And his nightmares were back. Almost every night. But now, nightmares of the look on her face when he told her he was leaving were added to his nightmares of that day when everything went wrong, so wrong, in just a moment.

Leaving was the biggest mistake he'd ever made. She was right about that too. His mom would have kicked his ass for leaving a girl like Sam. 'And all she wanted was to be loved in return.' Fuck, what was wrong with him? Maggie's was coming up on the right.

WHAT THE FUCK? He saw some guys just hit that girl in the face and and start dragging her away. That other girl is waving for help and no one is coming. They're all ignoring it. Not their problem. Leave it alone, Walker, he told himself. Leave it alone. It wasn't his problem.

No. It was his problem. He could help. He could do something about it. He knew he'd never be able to live with himself if he drove by. Fuck it. He pulled his car onto the sidewalk and jumped out. "What's going on, Miss? Emily?"

"Walker! They hit her! They hit her and she can barely walk. You have to help. Please! Please! Help her! They took Sam! They took Sam. You have to save her. She loves you! They took her through the trees and into that garage over there. I'm still holding for 911."

"OK. Call 911 again. We're going to need an ambulance as well as the cops. How many?"

"Five, I think. It happened so fast." He grabbed her umbrella and started running down the street. Shit! Shit! Shit! He thought he was done with all this. Entering buildings with bad guys inside? Never a good thing. Always a good way to get killed. Killer mode. No mistakes. Not this time. If he could just get her out before they got him. That's all that mattered.

He listened at the side door. "Whoa, you're a big fucking bitch. And a fighter. I like that. Let me just cut this shirt off. Oh! I'm sorry. Seems I cut you a little. Now the pants. Dammit! Hold her. Shit! We should have taken the other one. Oops. I cut you again. Good. Now I can lube my cock with your blood. Cool! Boys, look at what we have here! This is one hell of a bitch we grabbed. We're gonna have some fun today!"

"Quit yapping and do something. I'm getting tired of holding her."

He slid his pants down and slid his knife against her neck. Blood pooled along the blade. "Better hold still, bitch or the cut'll get deeper. In fact, I think I'll cut a little deeper as I do it. It'll be kind of the fuck of a lifetime. Your life time." He laughed. "Uh, uh! Hold still...."

Enough. He shortened his grip on the umbrella, backed up and slammed his shoulder against the door. It burst open. A gun shot rang out and he felt a sting on his left shoulder. But he was on the move. Another shot. Then another and felt burning on his left cheek.

He needed to get the guy with the knife and the guy on the left arm. Good, they both looked up. His umbrella tip entered the eye of the man on top of Sam. It pushed the globe to the side, slid along the sinus bones and through the thin bone at the back. Burying itself in his brain. He dragged him away as he slammed his fist into the side of the head of the man on her left arm. He aimed for the thin part just above and in front of his ear and felt the skull crumple.

On towards towards the man with the gun. No hesitation. Hesitation got you...or your friends, killed. Damn! A kid. Not again! He heard footsteps behind. Two more shots, missed, passed close. Walker heard a grunt behind him. Thanks, kid. Sounded like he got the guy who'd been by the door. Good the kid's nervous. He cracked the kid's his arm as he grabbed the gun and hit him in the face with it. But pulled his punch a little.

The kid went down as he turned and faced the last one. Click, click! Shit, no more bullets. Number five rushed in with a knife. He was holding it like he knew how to use it. He stabbed at Walker who pushed his arm to the side, but he countered and came back with the knife, slicing Walker's arm. They stalked each other. Slice! Walker stepped back. Slice! He blocked it.

Slice! Enough! Walker pushed his opponent's right arm to the side as he lunged and sliced again. On the backswing Walker knew was coming, Walker pushed his arm, turning him to the left and then slammed the butt of the pistol into his forehead. A dazed look filled his eyes and the guy collapsed to the floor.

He turned towards Sam who was still motionless. Lying in a puddle of blood. "Sam!..."

The kid's knife slid between his ribs even as he turned back. Shit! Another mistake. He knew he should have killed him. Well, before he died, at least he was going to get the guy who killed him. How the hell did the kid know to turn the knife so it would slide between his ribs? Shit! Walker couldn't breathe. He knew his lung had been pierced. Pneumothorax. He only had a few moments if it was bad.

The kid came at him again and Walker grabbed the arm with the knife. Damn, he was only like sixteen or seventeen, but big. They wrestled for the knife as Walker weakened. He pitched forward, tripped the kid and they went down, the kid's hand in his own and the knife sank into the groin of the kid with Walker on top. The boy screamed.

Walker rolled off and looked. Dark blood mixed with bright red blood. Vein and artery and the big ones. The kid was already getting faint. Less than ten minutes to live Walker guessed. He'd seen it before.

He crawled over to Sam who was wide eyed and staring. He took the tape from her mouth. "Sam!...Sam!... Are you alright?" He gasped for air. She nodded. "Here...let me use...your shirt...to cover...your neck. Hold...some pressure...OK?... Help...will be... here...soon.

"I need to see... if I can...keep that...kid alive... I'll be...right...right...over there." He crawled to the kid, gasping for air. Short, ragged breaths. He cut the pants open and ripped his shirt off and crammed it against the wound to stop the blood that boiled out. Dark blood. Bright red blood. Shit! He's a goner, was Walker's only thought.

But he pushed down hard trying and stop the bleeding. Shit! He could hardly breathe. Tiny, shallow breaths were all he could manage. He was weakening.

"YOU! Get away from that man! Face down on the floor. NOW!"

"Sorry...officer," he gasped. "His artery... is cut...and...he'll bleed...to death...if I let go."

"ON YOUR FACE, NOW! Or you'll be bleeding from YOUR artery." He rolled off onto his back and coughed up a pile of blood. Shit! Guess this is it, he thought. Another fuck up and now he was as good as dead. At least it was himself instead of his friends like last time. And at least Sam was OK. Mission accomplished.

"Holy shit! Look at at all the blood pouring out of that kid. Logan! Hold some pressure on it. Doesn't look like that guy's going to be able to do anything. Miss? Miss? Are you alright?"

"Yes. I guess I am. Who?" She crawled over to look at her rescuer. "Walker! OH, NO! NO! NO! NOT Walker!"

"Hey, Ghost!" Breathing smaller and smaller breaths, chest fully expanded. Hyperexpanded. Smiling. One word, one breath. "I...was coming...to..see...you......I....am...so...sorry....I...love...you...Sam....I...fucked...up...again. Can't... breathe.... Need.....pen....quick...."

"A pen?" He nodded.

"Officer, I need a pen. Now. Now!"

"Miss. Uh...you need clothes and that neck...Jesus."

"GIVE ME A FUCKING PEN, NOW!"

She took the pen and handed it to Walker. He pulled it apart. He was getting weak, starting to pass out. "Heart...can't fill....Shove... it... in........the hole.....Sam.....Now!...Please."

"Walker! I don't think I can."

He smiled. "Please....Princess?" And coughed up some more blood. Pain filling her face she shoved the Bic pen into the hole. It hit the rib and stopped. "Now....slide over...the...top...and push!" She did. Air came out like out of a balloon, his chest deflated and he could catch a breath, but started coughing. "Thanks, Sam." Cough. "Thanks for everything." Cough. "You've saved me again, my ghost.

"Tell medic, tension pneumo. Need chest tube. I...I....Don't let it fall out." He passed out, head rolling to the side.

"WALKER! No, no, Walker. Please! Dammit, Walker. Don't you even think about dying. Not now! You have to live. You have to live. Please." She cried and cradled him holding the pen in place.

The medics came in. "Jesus. Four dead guys and two almost dead guys. Ma'am? What are you doing? Why is the pen in there?"

"He said tension pneumo something? Need tube. Does that make sense? God! So much air came out. And then he could breathe, some, but passed out. Save him, please? He saved me from those guys. They were slicing my neck!"

"Will. Let's get a chest tube in. A big one. Lots of blood, I'll bet. Don't want it to clot off. Then start an IV and let it rip. Ma'am. Here's a blanket and let me take a look at that neck. Shit. A little deeper and....well, right now it's just going to need some stitches. Well, a bunch of stitches, I guess. But it'll be fine, Ma'am."

Walker awoke the next day, in the ICU, as they were removing his breathing tube. He coughed. Shit, that hurt. He figured they must have opened his chest. "Why, hello there Mr. Jackson. How are you feeling?"

"Like someone sawed my chest open."

"No saw, but the thoracic guys did go in and take out your lower lobe they said. Someone put a big hole in it. Apparently just missed a big old vessel. But now you should do fine."

"Who are you?"

"Corporal Willis."

"Am I under arrest?"

"Uh, no. Well, at least not yet. Look. I think you're a friggin' hero, everyone I know thinks you're a hero, but you did kill four guys outright and the fifth one died last night. One of those was an 18 year old."

"A teen that shot me ans stuck a knife in me and was participating in a rape/murder. And he killed one of those guys. The gun shot."

"True, but our DA, is, well, the criminals are the victims. And you are kind of a vigilante. So...In any event, we don't arrest you until you are discharged." Whispering. "If we do, then the city has to pay the bills. So we baby sit until discharge and then arrest you"

"Great system. Nice to meet you...."

"Nick. Hey, there's a woman out here who's been here all night. Are you OK for a visitor? She's mighty worried. Sam? Nice girl."

"Yes, please let her in." Nick went through her purse as Sam ran to the bedside. Tears running down her cheeks.

"Walker! Oh, my Walker. Are you OK?" He nodded. "Does it hurt?"

"Only when I laugh."

"Ass! You had me scared to death. I swear I was more scared when I saw you, knew it was you, than with that knife on my neck. All I could think about was that I'd never see you again." She sobbed. "You saved my life, Walker. You saved my life!"

"Aw, shucks. Tweren't nothin', Princess. You know us country boys." He laughed and winced. He took her hand, she kissed him.

"When you get home I will take such good care of you."

"Uh, Sam...looks like I'll be going to jail, not home. Sorry"

"Jail?" She turned on the officer. "Jail? He saved my life. They cut my throat. They said they were going to kill me."

"I know, Miss, but..."

'What are the charges?"

"Not sure, but likely use of excessive force, assault, manslaughter. Who knows. The DA feels that your job as a citizen is to report crime and observe. Not intervene. Heck, that's why all these folks are getting fired for trying to stop shoplifters, or purse snatchers.

"So, you report it, we arrest 'em, and then the DA or prosecutors reduce the crimes to misdemeanors or drop them altogether. And back on the streets. Between you and me, I feel like I'm wasting my time sometimes."

She turned back to Walker. "We'll get you the best lawyers. I'll call my dad. I'll..."

"It's alright, Sam. You're safe."

Five days later he was transferred to the medical unit at the jail. No visitors. She couldn't see Walker. He was denied bail because he was a 'trained killer with severe PTSD.' She called her dad for help, "I read about it. He's a murderer, Sam. Why do you even care? You should just come home and join the family business. You can finish your degree and take some business courses here."

"But, Dad. He saved my life. He almost died doing it."

"I know dear, but normal people don't do that sort of thing. Your mom and I want you to stay away from him, he...well no normal person would have done what he did. Just come home."

Bullshit! She got his information and tracked down his mom. "Hello, Mrs. Jackson, uh, this is Samantha Taylor. Walker and I, well, Walker and I," then she started to cry. She gathered her strength and then went through the whole thing.

His mom had not heard anything about it. She didn't even know he'd been hurt, either time. Mrs. Jackson was heartbroken and both women shared each other's grief. Walker's folks really didn't have the money to help much, but promised they would do whatever they could and pay her back. Sam promised to keep her posted.

Sam opened her trust fund. Her grandfather's gift to her for all the help she'd provided before his wife passed. Sam had nursed her grandmother and taken care of the house as her grandmother slowly faded. She actually lived at their house and every day before high school and after her classes she cared for both of them.

Why hadn't she thought of being a nurse before, she wondered? She'd kept this fund largely in reserve since her dad was paying for college, although she used it to pay for the nursing courses. She now used her grandfather's gift to hire defense attorneys. She thought he'd approve.

The defense attorneys were not hopeful. "The prosecutors want to make an example of him so we don't have vigilantes running all over the place acting like superheroes. Hell, the criminals are running the fun house since Covid. We need some people to stand up to them."

She organized a petition, but most of the students thought he should have let the police handle it and wouldn't sign. Students wouldn't sign a petition? Hell, they usually signed anything. She had one last thought. 'Admiral I'm Samantha Taylor and I want to talk to you about Commander Walker Jackson."

"Really? The cold blooded killer, Walker Jackson?"

"He's not a cold blooded killer, Sir. He saved my life. They were cutting my throat." She raised her scarf to show him. "I'm using every penny I have to help him, but the lawyers say the prosecutors want to use him as an example. His folks can't help. My fancy pantsed father won't help even though he has more money than God.

"We can't just wash our hands of him. He's the fifth generation Navy, Sir. He's a mystery man on line, but I did learn that all that stuff on his uniform means he's done a bunch of really amazing things and the Navy recognized him for that. YOU gave him the Navy Cross! You can't just use him and throw him away. Not now that he's hurt and needs help. Please!"

"Why are you doing this, Miss?"

"Well, for one, he was willing to sacrifice his life for me. Just like he was willing to sacrifice himself for his country. And, I love him. From the first moment I saw him"

"So, you like the bad guys. The edgy guys."

"Absolutely not. I've never dated anyone like that. Ever! Heck, every one says how bad he is, but I've never seen any of that. I didn't even see what he did in the garage. Just the aftermath. He's really an easy going country boy from western North Carolina who kept up a family tradition.

"The Navy made him a killer. But now he's back. They say that everyone's book of life has chapters they don't read out loud. Well, the only chapters he's read out loud to me are about his family and school. I don't know who he is or what he's done.

"But he's calm when he's with me and," looking down, "he sleeps through the night. He seems happy when he's with me. And laughs. Look, you and I both know if he goes to prison it's the end of him. He'll blow up, people will die and he'll be in there forever. Please, Admiral? He was so excited about starting work here. He said he could really help the men over there, wherever that is."

"OK, Miss Taylor. You've convinced me. I will see what our legal team and I can do."

A week later. "Mr. Wilson, I'm Rear Admiral Jacobs. I'd like to talk to you about Walker Jackson."

"You mean the vigilante who executed five men including a 18 year old."

"Five men with guns and knives in the process of raping and killing a young woman, barely older than that 18 year old. An 18 year old who shot him and stabbed him in the back. Five men who have committed dozens of crimes according to the papers. They were so brazen and sure they wouldn't get punished, they kidnapped her in broad daylight in front of lots of witnesses and just took her down the street a little.

"This man has saved more lives than you can imagine. He has rescued hostages, Americans, from places we never thought possible. He has taken out bad guys who were going to slaughter folks here at home.

"How's all that going to look in court? Isn't there something we can do? Do you really need to make HIM the poster boy? If we can't work something out, well, I'm headed to the newspapers from here and will fill them in on just who Commander Jackson is and what a disservice this is to him.

"Hell, man, you won't even let him out on bail or have visitors. I checked. You have released half a dozen murderers and rapists in the last few months. One of whom killed someone else. He has a good support network, hell, he's still active duty Navy and we will see to it that nothing happens."

"Alright. Alright. I will let him out until the Grand Jury meets in a few weeks and we'll see what they say. He will have to post bail, though.

"Fine, Thank you, Mr. Wilson."

Sam made the Rear Admiral cookies and included a thank you card, paid the bail money, and waited. And waited. The longest two days of her life. Emily was a God send and gave her strength.

When he walked out, she couldn't help herself. She hugged him with every thing she had. He winced. "Sam! Uh, you're about to pop my wound open."

"Oh, sorry." She started crying. Some were happy tears, but also tears of sadness. Sadness for Walker and for herself. "I...I...I've just missed you so much, and they wouldn't let me see you or let me know how you were doing. How are you doing?"