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these until I ascertain what I am dealing with,” Harper said.
    “ The doctor will be out in a second.  I have paged him,” the nurse said firmly.
    “ Doesn’t work for me.  Push the damn button or I will personally make sure this administration knows you are impeding an investigation,” Harper growled.
    The nurse pursed her lips and then reached down.  But before she pushed the button, she said, “I hold no responsibility in this, it is all on you.” 
    Harper nodded briskly and walked to the locked doors.  Fuck that , she thought, if she had to fight, she would. 
    Harper heard the buzz, and she pushed into the fast paced ER and walked to the desk and flashed her badge again.  “Joel Lipit.”
    The nurse looked up in surprise.  “Room 6, but before you go in I need to warn you.  He is hallucinating, and fading fast.  He was poisoned, we aren’t sure with what, and if we give him the wrong thing, he is going to die.  So if you can get anything from him, hurry.”
    Harper raised an eyebrow in surprise.  Joel Lipit was not homicidal, he was a victim, one that was probably going to die before she had a chance to find out why.  This sucked, but she had to try.  She walked to the room and stood in the doorway listening to the doctor trying to ask the man question.  He had already obviously developed a trusting relationship to a point, she didn ’t have time to go through that whole thing, so she stood and listened, taking out her notepad so she could take notes.

    "Brian?" Joel whispered and licked his lips.  How long had it been?  Was his brother gone?
    "Joel," he heard Brian say.
    Joel took a deep breath, at least he had not been completely nuts.  He knew that his brother was dead, he got that, but this, being able to talk to him one more time, was priceless.  He figured it was his last wish before dying and he wasn ’t going to waste it. 
    "Hey man, sorry.  Listen, I know what is happening.  I know I am going to die, just a bit freaked out about that.  Tell me, how does it feel?  You know, dying and being dead.  Is it gonna hurt?  Am I going to see the light?"
    "Joel, I am trying to do everything I can to stop that from happening," Brian said. 
    "I know, but we are both realists, you know whatever happened, they want me dead," Joel moaned when he felt the pain in his stomach.
    "Who Joel, who wants you dead?" Brian asked, which caused him to frown.
    "You know, whoever is trying to kill the team ’s families.  Or whoever stole the guns from the military.  Man, I wish I had a chance to talk to Drake, he needs to know," Joel said.
    "Do you know names?  How they were trying to kill you?  Like the poison, where did you get it from?  Where was the last place you drank or ate anything?"   Brain said.
    "Man, really?  I have told you all this already, on the way here.  Okay, listen this time.  I think it was in the diner by Dog's house, find him, he can tell you.  Oh, and I need to give him more money, he helped me out by letting me crash on his sofa.  It was a disgusting place.  Maybe let him have my pad.  Poison?  Makes sense, I feel weird.  The names are in the files at Dog's house, but be careful man, we are dealing with some big hitters.  Hey, I am getting tired again.  I am going to rest.  You are dead, can't you just talk to me in my head.  I mean, this is so hard, ” Joel said.
    He closed his eyes, but he didn ’t fall asleep.  He waited, his brother would come, he always looked out for him. 
    "Joel?" his brother whispered.
    "I knew you would be able to come.  Why haven’t you before?" Joel asked, not aware he was speaking aloud, and also unaware of the fact that a policewomen was writing down everything.
    "We need to talk, man," Brian said.
    “I know that is why you are here.  I was just waiting for you to get to the point.  Bro, you have never been this secretive before.  This has to be serious.”  Joel grinned.  “Did you get someone pregnant before you