Under the Blue Moon

Chapter 32

Jin has been pacing in his hotel suite for the past hour. Without any other avenue to go down in his attempt to find you, only thing that he can do is pace and try to absorb as much information about what has been happening with the terrorist bombings from the news broadcasts. The reporter for the BBC news did confirm that the rescue efforts are well under way at all three sites and most likely will continue into the night. He looks at his watch and sees that it is 5:20 PM.

Jin has never felt this kind of helplessness in his entire life, and he isn't sure how much more of it he is going to be able to take. He checks his phone obsessively, not wanting to miss any texts or calls. What Jin wants is a stiff drink, but he doesn't allow himself to indulge in one because he wants to stay as sharp as he possibly can, lest he needs to go in to action. Whatever that "action" might be.

Feeling as though he might break apart at the seam, Jin decides to leave the hotel and see if he can walk the streets and burn off some of the anxious and restless energy. He grabs his jacket and walks out of his suite. As he walks down the long corridor of the hotel, he feels his cellphone buzz in the breast pocket of his suit jacket. He grabs the phone out of the pocket and sees that is Ron, the head of security at the film festival calling.

Jin picks up the phone and says, "Hi Ron, do you have any news for me?"

Ron says, "Yes. I was able to find out from a mate that is still with the Metro police that the search and rescue teams at the second and the third blast sites have been bringing people out of the tunnel and that they finally located the missing tube. I remember you saying that your girl might have been in the train that had left the station a minute or two before the second explosion. So, if she was indeed on the train, there is a good chance that she was found and transferred to a local hospital.

"I was able to find out that they were transferring the patients from that site to two local hospitals; I was told that the most likely places would be Royal London or St. Thomas'. Now, if she only sustained minor injuries, then I would think that they would transport her to St. Thomas'. But if her injuries were graver, then they would take her to Royal London. They are a trauma center and are equipped to handle more critical cases."

Jin says, "Ron, thank you so much for all of this. I don't know how to repay you. You didn't have to do any of this. I will forever be grateful."

Ron replies, "I have a girl at home that means everything to me, and I can't imagine how desperate I would be if I was in your shoes. I'm just doing what I hope someone who could help me in that situation would have done. If I come across anything more specific, I will call you again. But if not, I wish you the very best of luck. Now, go find her!"

"Thank you Ron, Thank you." Jin hangs up the phone. Suddenly, he is filled with vigor, now that he has a direction to focus his energy on. He thinks, "St. Thomas' or Royal London. Which one do I go to first?" When Jin finally walks onto the street, he hails a black cab. As he enters the car, he asks the driver, "Can you tell me which hospital is closer, St. Thomas' or Royal London?"

The driver replies, "That would be St. Thomas'"

"Great. Let's go there than, Thank you," says Jin.

Within ten minutes, Jin arrives at St. Thomas' Hospital. As he gets out of the cab, he looks up at a large grey structure. When he jogs to the Emergency Department entrance, there is a large red sign that reads, "Accidents and Emergency." What he sees around the building can only be described as organized chaos. There are multiple ambulances near and around the ambulance bay and medical personnel are practically sprinting from patient to patient in an attempt to triage the injured. Jin suddenly feels overwhelming sense of anxiety and closes his eyes tightly where he stands, willing himself to get his shit together. Once he feels the tendrils of panic slinking away from him, he decides to walk into the hospital to find out how they are organizing the injured that are coming in from the bombing sites, and ultimately, to find out if you have been brought into this hospital to be treated.