Legend's Apprentice

Bats

I pushed Damian into a large room. There was a metal table to the right and some sort of U-shaped table to the left. "Help me on the table," Damian gasped. "Hit the red button." And then he passed out. Have you ever tried to move an unconscious person? They're limp and floppy and a lot heavier than they ought to be. Plus I didn't want to dump him on the knife still sticking out of his middle.

"I can do this," I gasped as I wrestled him. "I'm four times stronger than a normal girl. I can kick ass. Four times stronger. Four. Times. Four. Four. Four. Four." With the last repetition of the number, I had Damian on his back (not neatly) and looked around for the red button. It was over on the wall. I lunged for it, then returned, putting his arms and legs on the table in a more organized manner.

There was a flash of light, then several bands of different colored lights that rapidly scanned Damian, then me. "Good evening, Miss. Alixzandrya. Barnes." A disembodied voice, vaguely familiar, said calmly. "Please release the large. Silver. Lever. on the end of the table to your right. Hand. Side. And roll the table over to the docking station. to your left. Hand. Side." I flipped up the lever and heard brakes release on the bottom of the table. I took a quick look and realized that Damian was on a gurney. I sped it over to the U-shaped thing and there was a clunk as the table docked.

"Please go to cabinet A, Miss. Barnes. And remove the scissors, the brown bottle, the box of cotton gauze pads before returning to the table," a new voice spoke. Each of the cabinets on the back wall had a letter on it, so I opened one and seized the requested items. "Place the mask located at the head of the gurney over Damian. Wayne's. Nose and mouth, and press the blue button. Cut his shirt/sweater from top to bottom and down the front of his trousers. Pour the iodine solution on the pads and swab the indicated area until I tell you to stop." A red line rectangle was placed on Damian's abdomen after I cut through his sweater and pants and peeled them back. It was a little embarrassing to be ripping the guy's clothes off. Then I reeled back a step at the discovery that Damian was going commando. TMI! The solution ran everywhere as I scrubbed his skin, resolutely averting my eyes as much as possible. There was extensive bruising, abrasions, and cuts, and an unpleasant bulge forming down lower on his abdomen. "You may stop now. Put the bottle on the counter and move to Cabinet B, removing the supply of sterile mops. They are absorbent pads." I grabbed the bunch, turning back to the table, then grabbing the iodine and slopping some on my hands before turning back to the table in time to see another scan done on Damian.

"Remove two sterile mops from their packaging. Grasp the knife. Handle. firmly and withdraw it quickly." Don't think. Don't think--I pulled the knife out as quickly and carefully as I could. Blood shot up into my face. I flinched. "Please wipe the area with the mops. Move your hands away." I did and a bright light--a laser? made an incision, making the knife wound a little larger. "Do not worry about the blood, Miss. Barnes. Mr. Damian. Wayne. has no known blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis. Or. HIV," the voice said, apparently in an attempt to reassure me. Didn't work. Between the blood and the smell of burning Damian from the use of the laser, I bolted for the sink and threw up. Then I washed my hands quickly, splashed some more iodine on them, and opened a new mop, blotting as directed. A hand touched my shoulder and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Well done, Miss Alex," the butler? said. Albert? Alfred. With him there, the device went faster and opened another incision. I got my first look at internal organs in a reality-based context and lurched for the sink again. "Gloves are in Drawer D," Alfred said and had me get him a pair before a pair for myself. I opened new mops and handed them to Alfred as the gizmo started repairing damage.

"Go to the refrigerator Behind. You. Miss. Barnes. And remove a bag of O. Negative. Blood. Bring the bag and the packet with needles and tubing on the top of the refrigerator to the table." Alfred was moving smoothly and swiftly and took the bag, deftly hitting a yellow button and hanging the bag on a hangar that shot up. The needle was swiftly inserted and taped down, and more work was done on Damian's abdomen, including that worrisome bulge, which turned out to be a hernia caused by the severe beating he'd taken.