Dusk

Chapter Two: Surprises

Saint Mary's was a small hospital that few people other than the EMTs and those that worked there, even knew existed. It was located in an old three-story brick building just south of the Norfolk airport. At first glance it could be mistaken for a school or perhaps an office building for a company that was trying to stave off bankruptcy.

It specialized in providing care for the preternatural community up and down the Atlantic coast. Mostly it was humans whose magic was strong enough to interfere with ordinary medical equipment. But there was always the odd vampire whose natural regeneration was out of whack or the young lycanthrope without a pack or family who needed a safe place to learn how to shift without killing the neighbor's cows. Or the neighbor, for that matter.
Rachel was a frequent visitor. Most of the PRU had spent time within its walls.  Agencies as far away as Boston sent their injured to Saint Mary's. The healing magic of the hospital's doctors and nurses could have a wounded officer back on their feet in no time. The ambulance made a sharp u-turn and backed toward the doors of the emergency room. They swung open and two nurses in navy blue scrubs, a man and a woman with sharp feline eyes, stepped out.  They opened the ambulance doors together.

"What have we got," the woman asked. It was an echo of what Rachel had asked earlier, and the senior paramedic in the back scooted around Allan and Rachel as he replied. 

"Iron sickness. Probable fae but we don't recognize the subspecies. No vitals. Couldn't find a vein to hang an IV," the senior paramedic said as the nurses pulled the ambulance stretcher out. Wheels clattered as the support extended to the ground. 

"Bullet removed at the scene."

"Interesting," the man said. He started checking Alme over, making sure everything the paramedic had said matched the current condition. The man was slender, and dark-skinned. Bright amber eyes marked him as were-something. Rachel couldn't remember if it was rat, or wolf. "This your mark, Rachel?" he glanced up at her.

"Department's. They think she's good for the murder of a cop. I don't, but I'm riding with her until they recanvass," Rachel climbed out of the ambulance.  "Bullet was a standard multipurpose. Didn't have that much iron.. I'm not sure why she's reacting this badly to it."

Allan followed on the other side.  "Her mind is really fractured. I couldn't make heads or tails." He shrugged.  "I did get the sense that she's hella old." Alme was shaking and clammy to the touch.  Her thigh was starting to close over, skin peeling back at the touch of iron taint.  Thankfully,  she didn't seem to have the strength to fight them off her. 

"Careful," Rachel grinned, fixing her eyes on Allan, "Remember what happened when you called me 'hella old'," she teased. They followed the nurses into the bright, sterile smelling emergency room. It was mostly empty, save for a few people sitting in the waiting room looking none the worse for wear. 

"Hey,  it's not my fault I'm just a wee babe compared to you," he teased back.  He paused in the waiting room,  watching the nurses wheel the gurney back further into the building.  

"There's probably more iron in her system. Some of the oldest can't tolerate it at all," said a younger woman. "We'll operate and have her leg closed up. You'll have to stay out here, ma'am," they said to Rachel.  

"Oh no. That one doesn't leave my sight," Rachel pointed at Alme. "Not until she's awake and has answered my questions. I'll sit quietly in a corner while you all work."

They looked like they'd argue before sighing. "Come on,  then." The woman muttered something under her breath. The operating room was sterile,  and ready to go.  A doctor waited for them, gloved hands raised, and face masked.  He was tall and had dark hair that curled out from under his cap.