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belamy20
Medical Center
Over at the psych ward, the chaos with the mob finally fizzled out. NYPD swooped in with their heavy hitters, moving slow and steady to lock it down.
Any hint of danger? A dozen guns unloaded hundreds of rounds like a storm of ninja throwing stars. Whatever was on the other side ended up riddled with holes, practically glowing with the light of justice.
Before long, the Medical Center turned into a madhouse.
Injured folks poured in non-stop.
Adam got a call from Carter: "X-rays are done—rookie cop needs surgery."
"Book an OR, get him there. I'll be right over," Adam said, juggling saving lives in the ER while barking orders.
He stabilized the patient in front of him quick, then turned to Lexie trailing behind. "Grey, stick with Dr. Bailey and help out here."
Times like this? Perfect for training interns. Survive it, and your stress game levels up big time.
"Yes, Dr. Duncan," Lexie said, jumping to it.
George was already assigned to a critical case from Golden Light Nursing Home. After Adam got the guy stable, he'd gone into surgery with Dr. Shepherd—still in there now.
Adam scanned the ER. No new critical cases rolling in. He tidied up and bolted for the ORs.
The early arrivals were mostly the worst-off—surgery rooms were packed. The ER didn't need him anymore, and with Kate's connection, Adam wasn't about to pawn off this rookie cop to Bailey.
Just as he neared the ORs, every light in the hospital flickered off, blinked a few times, then kicked back on.
"No way…" Adam muttered, a chill running through him.
Classic power outage—backup generators kicking in. Last time, it was a lightning strike.
But this? Out of nowhere?
He'd bet money it was sabotage.
Ring ring!
His phone buzzed.
It was Carter. Adam picked up fast, hearing Carter's panicked voice: "Dr. Duncan, we're stuck in the elevator! Patient's with us—he's not doing good!"
"Stay calm. What floor?" Adam said, soothing him. "I'm on my way."
He sprinted toward the elevators while dialing the security chief. He'd warned them earlier about a "war god" type showing up to finish off the last surviving orderly. Two guards were posted outside the OR just in case.
This random blackout? Looked like his hunch was dead-on.
He had to warn them to double down—trouble was brewing. If this guy was crazy enough to cut hospital power, red-eyed and reckless, he probably didn't care about collateral damage.
This was a hospital. Surgeries needed juice. One blackout could kill patients left and right.
"Carter! Melendez!" Adam yelled, reaching the floor where the elevator was jammed between levels. He banged on the doors.
"Dr. Duncan, we're here!" Carter's relieved voice echoed out.
"How's the patient?"
Adam gripped the elevator doors, yanking them apart with all his strength. He got a ten-centimeter gap before they jammed tight—no budging.
They'd need pros—firefighters—to crack it open.
"Pulse is barely there, systolic BP's under 50," Melendez said, pulling off his stethoscope with a grim look. "Doctor?"
"He's dying…" Carter's face went white.
"Intubate him. I'll grab chest tools," Adam ordered without hesitation.
Time was ticking—the guy wouldn't last 'til firefighters pried them out and got him to a sterile OR. They'd have to risk an open-chest job right there in the dirty elevator.
"Yes, sir!" Melendez snapped to it.
Adam dashed off, snagging chest surgery gear. A frazzled nurse spotted the chaos and rolled over an emergency cart to help.
"No time—you're doing open-heart surgery now," Adam said, passing sterile drapes and tools through the gap. "Congrats, this is every intern's dream: leading a chest op. Nervous?"
"Uh, yeah," Carter blurted out.
Melendez stayed quiet, but his constant breathing adjustments screamed nerves.
"Don't sweat it—I'll walk you through it," Adam said calmly. "You're the best interns we've got. Shake off the jitters, and you'll nail it."
"Yes, sir!" Carter and Melendez locked eyes, took a deep breath, and shouted in unison.
"Melendez, you're lead," Adam decided, peering through the gap.
Both were shaky, but Melendez had better self-control than Carter.
"Yes, sir!" Carter grabbed the breathing bag from Melendez, keeping the patient's oxygen going.
Melendez peeled back the gunshot wound, cleaning and disinfecting it.
"Scalpel and scissors!" Adam called.
The nurse handed over the sterilized tools. Melendez took them.
"Listen close," Adam said, giving him an encouraging nod. "Cut just forward of the armpit, between the fifth and sixth ribs. Make it big—enough for both hands to fit. Use scissors if you have to, but careful—don't nick the lung or heart."
"Got it…" Melendez muttered, repeating it under his breath. He closed his eyes—Carter, holding the breathing bag, blinked in confusion—then opened them, pressed the patient's chest, and made his first cut.
"Nice! Just a tad more pressure," Adam said, watching the scalpel glide through skin. Melendez was playing it too safe, so he nudged him. "There you go—keep that rhythm."
With Adam's guidance and pep talk, Melendez shook off the nerves fast. His raw talent—textbook smarts and steady hands—shone through. For a first-time chest surgery, it was smooth as butter, no hiccups.
"Dr. Duncan, firefighters are here," the nurse chimed in.
"Tell them to hold off—don't come near," Adam ordered. "Surgery's in progress. No interruptions 'til I say so."
He turned back to the elevator. "Now, check the wound and do a pericardial incision."
"I need gauze pads, forceps, scissors, and clamps," Melendez said, already in the zone.
"You heard the lead," Adam said with a grin, glancing at the nurse.
"Yes, Dr. Melendez," she replied, smiling back and jumping in to assist.
BANG!
A gunshot echoed through the hospital.
If Adam had doubts before, they were gone now. The war god had struck.
The shot came from the ORs. 😳
(End of Chapter)