The Docks. Red Zone.
Adam was in charge, running the show for the critical patients.
+0.01!
+0.01!
+0.01!
…
The system alerts kept pinging in his head, like some heavenly tune.
If he kept racking up points at this rate, Adam figured he might as well name this little symphony "One Day, One Year".
Save lives for a day, add a year to your life!
How wild is that? Holy—😳
"Dr. Adam Duncan?"
A middle-aged white guy—bald enough to basically be a cue ball—rushed into the red zone, scanned the chaos, and locked eyes on Adam, shouting loud.
"That's me," Adam said, glancing up. He recognized the guy—hit him like a ton of bricks—but his hands didn't stop working on the patient.
This bald dude? In Adam's memory, he was the DEA agent brother-in-law of that old guy, Walter White.
"Come with me quick—my friend needs you!" the bald guy begged, practically vibrating with panic.
"Who sent you to find me?" Adam asked, still mid-rescue.
Calling him by name like that? Someone had clearly pointed him this way.
"An Asian lady doctor," the guy said, pleading. "She took one look at my friend's injuries and told me to get you.
Rick's a good guy—none of this had anything to do with us. But when he saw the disaster hit, he said we had to help the injured. He ran in, and we followed, pulling out over a dozen trapped people.
Then, while he was still in there saving more, a car pinned him down—crushed him bad. You're the only one who can save him, please! He's got five kids!"
At first, he'd been skeptical when Cristina sent him to beg some young, good-looking doctor for help. But one look at Adam in action, and he got it—Adam's skills went way beyond looks or age.
In a crisis like this, you'd have to be blind not to see who was the real deal. And Adam? He was the standout on the docks—everyone orbiting around him, following his lead.
That realization brought mixed feelings.
Good news: With a doctor this badass on the team, Rick's odds just shot up.
Bad news: Adam was swamped. Even a guy with zero medical know-how could see Adam was stretched thin, juggling way too many rescues at once.
Over here, there were dozens of critical patients—and the number kept climbing. Over there, it was just Rick.
The bald guy was a proud Texan, always had been. But right now, he was terrified Adam might be one too.
Why? Because he was scared Adam would pull a classic Texas move—tell him to "handle it yourself" and wish him luck. 😂
"Easy, man," Adam said, still working but tossing him some calm vibes. "Let's figure this out. You got friends over there? Got a phone?"
"Yeah, yeah—here, got it!"
The bald guy, quick on the uptake, whipped out his phone, dialed his buddy on-site, and put it on speaker at Adam's nod.
"Cristina, what's going on over there?" Adam called out.
"Chest and leg injuries, broken arm, and unclear damage to his spine and pelvis…" Cristina rattled off Rick's condition fast, summing it up: "The big problem—he's pinned under a car. I can't move it, and I don't even know where to start. Hurry up—he's running out of time!"
"I can't get there," Adam said. "I'll get the rescue team over ASAP to pull him out. Until then, you've got to keep him stable."
Mid-sentence, another out-of-town doc yelled for help, and Adam darted over to take over their patient.
The bald guy, holding the phone to keep Adam connected, heard that and saw the scene—his face just crumpled with despair.
Any other day, he'd have dragged Adam over by force. But here, with critical patients dying left and right and Adam jumping in to save them, how could a guy with a conscience like his sacrifice others just for his one friend?
"I can't do this!" Cristina shouted.
She had zero confidence in a situation this messed up—no tools, barely able to see the wounds.
"Yes, you can!" Adam barked back. "You're the best intern at the medical center—cool-headed, killer hands, top-notch skills. I'll guide you over the phone. Tell me everything you see, step by step, and follow my instructions."
If Rick were right next to him, Adam wouldn't hesitate—he'd prioritize the hero in a heartbeat.
But the distance was too far, and the red zone was drowning in innocent critical cases. He couldn't leave.
It sucked, but he had to save the most people first and trust Cristina with the hero. With her talent and his guidance, it wouldn't be as good as him being there, but it was the best shot they had.
"Fine," Cristina said, taking a deep breath. "I'll try."
"Start by treating his wounds—stop the bleeding however you can!"
Using Cristina's observations, Adam pieced together the scene in his head. While saving his patient here, he coached her through saving Rick over the phone.
Super-genius brain in action—he could split his focus, micromanaging like a pro.
Cristina, steady as a rock once she had a lifeline, tapped into her ace surgical skills and got to work.
"Oh God, it hurts," Rick groaned. "Everything hurts."
"Cristina, set his bones first," Adam instructed. "Ease his pain—you remember how to do it, right?"
"Of course," she said. "Hands on both sides of the break, spread, widen, twist!"
"Yep!" Adam chimed in. "But do it all in one smooth go."
"Whew!"
Cristina ran through the steps in her head, took a big breath, and went for it—her first field bone-setting.
She'd rotated through ortho as an intern. Never took it too seriously, but she'd done the basics a few times.
Crunch!
The bone snapped into place, followed by Rick's scream.
"AHHH!!!"
"Done!" Cristina said, voice calm as ever.
"Nice work," Adam praised. "Now keep his condition steady. I'm calling the rescue team right now—they'll move the car, and you'll escort Rick to the hospital."
"Hurry up!" Cristina pressed. "I asked around—the rescue teams are slammed. There's 15 spots like this needing immediate help. I don't know if he'll last that long!"
"I've got it!" Adam nodded. "I'll make it happen. If it gets that bad, I'll run over there and lift the damn car myself—Rick's getting out!
A hero's life matters!
A hero's life matters more!"
"Hold you to that!" Cristina's eyes lit up.
Most people would think Adam was just making a dramatic promise. But Cristina? She knew it was a real option on the table.
---
(Chapter End)