A/N: Thanks to SassyCop for review and giving me the OK to continue. I'm not 100% sure where this is going but we can all find out together. :P
Claudia couldn't believe it. Two days ago she'd been on a plane from Australia. This morning she had been trying to get her bearings in Bethesda. Now she was in a helicopter above one of the most populous cities in the world with a team of medical investigators. Claudia had listened in as much as she could while absorbing the view from the chopper; a novelty the others had evidently gotten used to. Apparently two people had literally turned blue and collapsed in New York City. It would be a hell of a story to write home about, that was for sure.
Claudia pressed her face against the window as they touched down on the helipad on top of St Jerome's Hospital.
Meanwhile, Dr Connor had made it pretty clear who was boss the entire helicopter ride over and didn't let up once they landed.
"Eva!" he hollered, as Claudia scampered out to catch up with the group while trying to stay out of Connor's vision. "Check the other hospitals. If any other blue people show up—"
"They'll be brought here right away," Eva finished.
"And don't forget—"
"No press. I'm on it."
Claudia jogged into step with Eva as Connor's voice carried on behind them.
"Powell! Something has to link these two people. Same families, same apartment, same food, same drug use…"
"Start where they live and move up from there," Claudia heard Powell intone.
"And see if there's been any hazardous spills in the area!"
"Is he always so… brash?" asked Claudia when she was confident they were out of earshot.
Eva grinned. "Sure. But with a job like this, someone has to be." She touched Claudia lightly on the shoulder. "You get used to it. He's a nice guy, really."
"Does he wear contacts or are those really his eyes?"
Eva giggled, before pausing thoughtfully. "I'm not sure, actually. Anyway, come on. We've got some anti-journalism work to take care of."
####
Eva Rossi was a beautiful, attractive woman – and she knew it.
It wasn't a difficult conclusion for Claudia to come to as she watched her cousin lean towards the charmed orderly behind the desk.
"Try having two bosses," Eva was saying. "I've got the director back in D.C. who's very straight-laced. And then on the road I've got this other guy."
Claudia imagined the orderly trying to peak down Eva's top and wasn't sure whether to be impressed or sick.
"Which is why I need your help," Eva continued. "I'll alert the other ERs. If anymore blue people show up, you call me and I'll take them upstairs. The whole thing can be really hush-hush."
The orderly probably wanted to call Eva for reasons other than the arrival some Smurf patients.
"I gotta be able to say where this order is coming from," he said.
Eva flicked open her ID with a bright smile. "NIH, press relations. You can always blame Washington."
Claudia suppressed a laugh as the orderly grinned back, wondering if he really believed he had a shot with Eva.
It was a more experienced looking nurse who next faced Eva's charm.
"I can take the notification of family members off your hands. Just for the blue people," said Eva. "Just, you know, make your life easier." She offered another friendly smile.
"A bureaucrat who cares!" the nurse replied with a hint of dry amusement, as she handed over the relevant folders.
As they walked away, Claudia heard a man announce: "Eric Novak, New York Examiner. I'd like to talk to the doctor in charge."
Claudia widened her eyes at Eva. They turned back to see the back of a man in a brown suit standing in the same spot they had been just seconds earlier.
"What's this about, Mr Novak?" asked the nurse.
"New Yorkers turning blue," Novak replied, and Claudia saw Eva's painted lips purse into a thin line. "Public has a right to know if this is a serious, possibly terrorist crisis you're covering up here."
"We'll see about that," Eva muttered under her breath as she huffed away.
As they headed back to the office that served as their temporary headquarters, Claudia felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out and unlocked the keypad to find a new text message.
It was from her father.
"Hi princess. How is everything?" it read.
Claudia blinked. All things considered, it was a pretty stupid question. Mentally, Claudia flashed through the events that had led her to this point… but when she hit reply, all she typed was "Good".
She hit send, put the phone away and quickened her pace to catch up with Eva.
A/N: I don't know if anyone's still keeping tabs on this fandom but reviews are love. I'm trying to gradually slip in a backstory for Claudia without giving too much away too soon. It might end up being a subplot in itself later, depending on whether or not my half-baked ideas work out or not.