Chapter 36

36. What’s wrong?

When we leave the restaurant after our meeting, we have scored a client.

“Woo hoo!” Coraline whoops while pumping a fist in the air, grinning widely, “that’s one in for team COO.”

“Wait, we got a team name?” I ask, amused. We walk down the sidewalk to where our car is parked from the restaurant. There is a spring to Caroline’s step, and she looks downright radiant. It had been a while since I saw her this happy. No, scratch that, I do not think I’ve ever seen her this happy.

And it looks really, really good on her.

“Hell yeah, we got a team name. We make a good team, and good teams need team names,” she replies in a no-nonsense tone, and I can’t help but smile.

“I think I agree with the sentiment,” I shoved my hands into my pockets, letting myself relax, “Gerald is going to be pleased.

Finally, some good news”

“Yep.”

We walked a few yards in silence, enjoying the cool air of the night and the moving vehicles Distantly, music was playing from another restaurant that was fancier than the one we were at People chattered away as they walked, going on with their days I turn to say something to Coraline but notice that she isn’t next to me Startled, I look back to see her standing near a wall, staring at it There is something written on the wall, surely graffiti, with white and light red paint Coraline squints at it.

“What’s wrong?” I ask. She’s only a few paces away from me.

“This sentence,” she mutters, her eyes tracing the letters I look at it closely. With all the curls, it’s hard to read but I can make out the words.

“I will turn her virtue into pitch,” I read, and glance at Coraline, “what does that mean?”

“It is a quote,” she replies, her eyes narrowing. I’ve heard it before Somewhere, I don’t remember...”

Suddenly, the hairs on my neck stand up. Something in the air changes, and all my thoughts leave my mind. All but one.

“Run!”

It all happens so fast.

The screech of tires is loud, making everyone on the sidewalks and the street stare at the speeding vehicle which just turned the corner.

The window rolls down.

Something shiny flashes. It looks metallic.

Loud sounds ring in the air.

People start to scream. I lunge at Caroline.

The car speeds away.

Caroline crumples to the ground.

There is a scream lodged in my throat as i sink to my knees next to her.

Her white shirt is still white.

But there is a pool of blood around her. Growing steadily in radius.

Her frightened eyes hold mine.

And then she falls, her head hitting the hard ground.

This time I ride the ambulance to the Northeastern General Hospital, which is closer to us than Clandestine General, so the paramedics take her there. They do not question me when I tell them that I need to be with them, they see that I am in too much shock to leave me there all by myself. I do not even remember the aftermath of the whole incident. All I remember are people screaming and running for their lives, while some approached Coraline and me to help us. Then the ambulance arrives, and the paramedics administered a tourniquet to Coraline’s leg because she was shot in her thigh.

Her thigh.

She was shot. Just like those previous Zelt Tech employees. Right there on the sidewalk with hundreds of people milling along..

It was only moments ago that we were laughing and walking merrily down the street, celebrating our victory.

And now we are in an ambulance. Her, unconscious with an IV hooked to her wrist while the paramedics did their best to lessen the blood loss. There were already so many bandages soaked with her blood, crimson and bright, the oxidizing smell already permeating the air. Her face is ashen, her mouth twisted in agony, and her skirt is bloodied as well. Her hand in mine is so uncomfortably cold.

I cannot believe it. I cannot believe this is happening right now.

The journey to the hospital is a blur. The paramedics pry me off her when we reach the hospital and transfer her to a stretcher. I hold on to the railing of the trolley as they place the stretcher on it and help. them wheel her to the emergency unit.

The doctors intercept her, and they take her into surgery. A worker from the hospital arrives to ask me to fill out the information about the patient. Through the haze of my mind, I languidly make my way to the reception.

And that’s when the problems begin.

“Sir, there is a problem with the patient’s life insurance.” The nurse tells me, and I can’t help the groan that escapes my mouth.

“Yes, yes, there is an issue. It’s a really complicated thing, okay, and she’s working with the company to solve it.” I reply with a sigh, “you can call her company if you want.”

“We have already called the company, sir. That’s why I’m telling you that we can’t treat the patient any further.”

That brings me right out of the haze.

“What?!” I snap.

The nurse shrugs, “hospital rules. We try to steer clear of cases like the patient. Can’t get entangled in legal disputes.”

“Have I woken up in the twilight zone or are you hospitals going insane? What happened to the Hippocratic oath? You’re supposed to heal people, dammit, not turn them away when they don’t have every stupid thing you want!” I slam my fists on the circular desk thing in front of her, and she shoots me a dirty look. I feel anger rush through me, “i watched my friend get shot and nearly bleed to death, miss. So, I suggest that you find any sort of loophole to treat her. What kind of a barbarian hospital are you to די have these laws?”

The nurse narrows her eyes at me, “I am sorry, sir,” she spits the ‘sir’ as if the word is poisonous, “but I’m afraid it isn’t possible.”