Part 2: Don's thought in '5th man'

Disclaimer in chapter one
A/N this is dedicated to PattyB, who suggested an insight into Don's thought during the open scenes of '5th Man'

The only thing helping me keep a clear mind at the moment was the nearly 15 years of training that has been ingrained into my very being. I have been in fire fights before, but usually with a tactical team, not just my three man team. As the gun fire erupted inside the main house my concern became securing the hostage and getting to David and Colby, silently praying they were alright. I knew from experience they could hold there own in a battle, but when it wasn't expected anything can happen.

I quickly looked out the door of the guesthouse, then with Nikki close behind we started out. Our goal was to get to the main house and backup David and Colby, that didn't go as expected at bullets started flying our way, throwing water up from the pool like a fountain. I saw Nikki duck behind a large planter next to the guest house door as I took cover behind the small poolside bar. My nerves were raw as my need to get to the other members of my team fought with my need to stay out of the line of fire

The sound of the van starting caused me to look around the side of the bar; one of the suspects was running toward the back of the open van. I ran toward the driveway and fired into the back, my hand quickly finding the com-link, "David! Colby! Their headed your way!" I yelled as I heard the loud shattering of glass, then the explosion of what I could only hope was one of our vehicles, since it was toward the front of the house. I heard David's voice come over the ear piece radioing in the description of the van, his voice stressed but controlled which told me the two men in the house were rattled but uninjured.

I focused back on Nikki who was kneeling next to one of the homeowners, "How is he?"

"He's alive," she replied, then breathlessly she added, "Uzi's, Kevlar, these guys weren't messing around."

"Yeah," was all my mind could say to her obvious understatement. "I'll call it in" I turned away from Nikki as I grabbed my phone from my belt, hitting the speed dial to call in the situation and for an ambulance. A sound behind me caused me to turn, expecting to find Nikki standing next to me, but shock was the only thing that registered as a figure a couple inches taller than me was right in front of me, 'definitely not Nikki, Where is Nikki?' My mind shouted out as a searing pain ripped through body. I have been shot at, beat up, but never stabbed. I was sure it was in the space just below my vest, but the pain shot through my chest and took my breath. For a moment time stood still as the blinding pain ripped any thoughts from my head and I stared into the cold, hard eyes of the man who was now holding my weight on the blade of a knife. I felt the knife as he withdrew it from my body and allowed my now useless legs to drop me to the ground.

I heard his running footsteps as he escaped, but I was useless to do anything. My breath was coming in short gasps as my mind was desperately trying to take in what had just happened and to get my body to respond to the demand I was making for it to move, to find Nikki, fearing that she was hurt as well. I laid there for what seemed like eternity until I heard the muffled curse of my junior agent, 'okay, she's alive at least' my thoughts told me as I tried to control my breathing, attempting to fight off the black spots that were now dancing at the edge of my vision. It was then that the distant sound of David's voice sounded in my ear, "Don? Nikki? You guys okay?"

'Not exactly', my internal voice shouted as I heard Nikki say my name. My body had all but gone numb, I felt my eyes slipping closed as Nikki came, blurrily into view. I felt her hand on my neck, not understanding her muffled words; it was then that the blackness lurking around me finally claimed me.

A/N: Someone commented that Don could have been stabbed through his vest, I don't know how Kevlar works, so I went with just below the vest. I know in the show he had a collapsed lung and an artery that was nick, the abdominal wound I mentioned in the first chapter was used and I took that the man,(even though we didn't know he was former foreign military) would have thrust the blade upward, so even a wound that seemed abdominal could have been pushed upward into the chest cavity.(of course I don't know medically if this was possible, but that seems to happen in a lot of movies, so I thought why not.)

Patty B, I hope this was what you were looking for and thanks so much for the suggestion.--Montez