The Winter Clock

CHAPTER 14 – IMPOSSIBLE

“Here is the information you asked about Carter.” Mr. A said and handed Reina a red flash drive. “Every small to significant detail is inside that. Even the places he went with Natalie were all traced.”

Reina nodded and put the flash drive inside her bag. “Thank you.” She said and turned to leave but Mr. A spoke again.

“Brielle.” He said and Reina’s eyes widened. He rarely calls her by her name. “Are you sure you really want to take this mission?” He asked carefully. Reina turned around to face him. “It's not yet too late. I can ask other agents to-“

“Sir.” She said firmly. “I stand my words. Natalie is like a sister to me and I will find that bastard and send him to the place worthy for his crimes.” She said full of determination. Mr. A shook his head and sighed deeply.

“I know that you already know this but Brielle, this mission is dangerous. Your life is at risk.”

Reina’s brows frowned. “Mr. A, that is the reason for our training, right? This is my job.”

“But I promised your father to take care of you before he died.”

Reina stopped and searched for the right words to say. “If you are worried about my well-being, then you never should have trained me, Uncle. You never should have allowed me to reach this level.” Mr. A was taken aback. “Uncle, I am very grateful to you for adopting me and Ryther but now that I am here, I will not turn back.” She retorted firmly. “I’m sorry, but I hope you understand, uncle.” Mr. A slowly nodded and massaged his head.

“I understand. So please, just be careful.”

“I will, Uncle,” Reina said with a smile and left Mr. A’s office.

As soon as she closed the door, a nurse hurriedly ran to her. “Doctor Silverstone!” The nurse exclaimed, panting.

“What happened?” Reina asked calmly. The nurse held her chest and breathed some air before speaking again.

“D-Doctor Hawthorne and Doctor Winston requested your presence. Two vans were involved in an accident, and eight traumatic patients were coming to our hospital.” Reina’s eyes widened. “They’ve been calling you but you’re not responding.” She said, still grasping her breaths. Reina quickly wore her white coat and hurriedly ran through the Emergency Room.

“Doctor Rein, you’re here!” Vander exclaimed and as soon as Reina was about to speak, multiple sirens were heard from the outside. “It started,” Vander added. He clapped his hands and everyone became alert.

“Assist the paramedics” Ryther announced to the nurses and as soon as the paramedics entered, the war started.

“Doctor! We have a critical situation here!”

“Doctor! She is suffering from dyspnea!”

“Doctor, this man’s head was damaged!”

After the three patients were brought in, another batch of ambulance sirens was heard.

“Call Doctor Goden and Doctor Coleg.”

Everyone looked at the man who entered the Emergency Room.

“Mr. A?” Ryther asked but groaned when Reina elbowed his stomach. “D-Doctor Arden. Why are you here?”

“I bet you forgot that I am a Doctor as well, Dr. Hawthorne.” Mr. A smirked and snapped his finger, getting everyone’s attention. “Did you call the two Doctors?” The nurse hurriedly took his phone and called the two Doctors.

“You three” The nurses flinched when Mr. A pointed at them. “Prepare the operating rooms.”

“Yes, Doctor.” They nodded and hurriedly did what they were taught. Mr. A massaged his neck ad shoulders.

“Let’s do this.”

Five more traumatic patients were brought inside the emergency room. Knowing Reina’s ability, Mr. A walked towards her. “Examine the eight patients and identify the most critical one.” Reina nodded and hurriedly ran towards the patients.

She walked towards the most damaged one and examined his condition. A tube was pierced on his shoulder, near his heart.

“Doctor, he is bleeding too much.” One of the nurses said, hiding his panic. “What must we do?”

Reina checked his pulse. It’s weak. She quickly checked the man’s forehead and sighed. “No numbers.” She whispered.

“P-Pardon?” The nurse asked in confusion.

“Stop the bleeding first and call for Doctor Vander. He will not die tonight.” She said, reassuring the nurse and the nurse nodded. Reina then walked swiftly towards the young lady with a twisted knee. Her breathing was weak as she groaned. “Status?” She asked and quickly examined the patient.

“Weak breathing but we managed to stop the bleeding, Doctor.”

Reina nodded and checked the woman’s forehead. Still, no number. Suddenly, she heard it again. The ticking of the clock. “Call for our Orthopedic Surgeon immediately.” Reina ordered, sibilating her last word, and the nurse quickly fished for the telephone.

She walked into the center and observed everyone’s swift moves. Where is the sound coming from? She tilted her head again and checked everyone’s forehead. Suddenly, a woman in her late fifties dashed inside the Emergency Room.

“My son? Where is my son?!” She shouted full of agony as the guard tried to stop her. “Let me go! Where is my son?!” She shouted again and checked the eight patients. Seeing the man with a pierced tube, the woman leaped and shouted. “Save him! Where is the doctor here?!” She exclaimed and her eyes landed on Reina who was looking seriously at her. “You! Why are you just standing?! Same my son!” She shouted and walked swiftly towards Reina. The guards tried to stop her but,

“Don’t!” Reina shouted, making everyone stop. Suddenly, the woman’s eyes widened as her hands crumpled her chest. “Faster, call Doctor Vander!” She shouted and the woman collapsed. The guards and nurses quickly assisted her.

Reina looked at her forehead. 00:15:03. Her eyes then transferred to Mr. A and Ryther who were waiting for her response and shook her head. “Check if she has I.D’s with her and call for her fami-“

“No!” Vander shouted and jumped on top of the woman. “Prepare the defibrillator.” He ordered the nurse and started to do the CPR. “150 joules!”

Reina felt her heart aches as the woman did not respond. The sound of the ticking of the clock grew louder.

“Check everyone else.” Mr. A said in a low voice and Reina bit her lips before nodding her head. She walked towards Ryther’s patient but stopped when she heard the ticking of the clock stopped.

“She’s back!” Vander shouted in relief. Reina, Ryther, and Mr. A’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“I-Impossible.” Reina whispered. She walks slowly towards the woman to confirm it but stopped. Tick! Tick! Reina’s eyes widened and her head tilted towards the direction of the sound. It was weak. She quickly looked at the six patients. “No. Where are you?” She whispered firmly. The nurses exchanged glances when she checked every patient’s forehead.

“No!”

Everyone’s attention transferred to the double door that banged open. “That bastard must die!” The man shouted angrily and wildly shook everyone who hindered him. Mr. A walked towards the man but stopped and threw his hands in the air when the man took a pistol. “Don’t move!” He shouted angrily. “The driver of the white van? Where is he?!”

Ryther and Reina exchanged glances and their eyes transferred to the man with a bleeding head. He was wearing a driver’s uniform so probably, that man was the driver.

“Sir, please calm down.” Mr. A said calmly, trying to soothe the man but the man shot one of the light bulbs, making everyone gasp. Reina grinned her teeth but stopped and froze when her eyes caught Mr. A’s lifted hands. Something was written on his finger.

0:10:08

~ We thought that the physically damaged one will leave first without knowing that sometimes, the well-looking is the most damaged one. ~