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6 months later
The time is now 10:00 AM on the morning of May 25th! This is November Public Broadcasting's satellite news, where we bring you the latest from all regions. The July government has announced an increase in ransom for the most wanted fugitive in No Man's Land: the Humanoid Typhoon. In return for capturing Vash the Stampede alive, you'll receive a whopping six million! But be warned - he is considered a person of interest in a series of mass murders. Any cities with information are asked to reach out.
Huffing, you tucked the box under your arm, the bottles within clinking softly against each other as you switched off the radio. Somewhere outside the one-by-five foot space that was the storage room, the rusty bell above the door to the clinic chimed twice.
"Hell–o! You in there, doc?" Renee shouted. "That stuff you ordered finally came in. Bandages, a new blood pressure cuff, needles,"
"Careful with those! Just leave them on the front desk." you called, emerging from the door in the back of the room.
The clinic itself was modest. Nestled in one of the upper levels of the rocky outcropping that made up the town, the building itself wasn't anything to marvel at. Sporting a simple sign (that no amount of paint could prevent the harsh winds from chipping off), inside there were five separate examination rooms, and a small pharmacy posted at the front. The pharmacy did well, but in the short time you had spent fixing the place up, you had never seen a full house. Normally it would be reassuring, but there was no shortage of accidents or illnesses here.
It was left in dire sorts by its previous owners, and it came to no surprise that not many townsfolk were keen on trusting you, no matter how well-intentioned. You wouldn't have even tried to give it a chance if it weren't for Neil spreading the word around, which (quicker than you would have hoped) attracted the attention of your new trainee. As precocious as Renee was, you couldn't have gotten this place back on its feet without her.
Renee was a young, fluttering thing that was the first to volunteer when you proposed getting the town clinic back in order. She was a lot like you when you left university: lousy with hope and excited to help whoever needed it. It filled you with an odd mixture of jealousy and relief. Jealousy that despite everything, someone on this planet still hadn't let their aspirations be squashed like a sandworm. But beneath that, comfort that perhaps for once you wouldn't have to worry about the fate of the townsfolk after you leave them.
It was tempting to stay, it always was when you lingered. But this time, at least you had a reason to. Though you had yet to see him yourself, you often heard chatter from the locals about their 'hero'. If you stayed here long enough, you could finally get your chance..but what then.
You'd figure it out when it happens, you suppose.
"It's alright, I got it - I swear." Renee replied, gently stacking the boxes on the pharmacy counter. "At least let me help out."
