I thought I would update you guys early since the last chap had a cliffy. I know this story has a lot of them. I'M SO EVIL! MWAHAHAHAHA! Anyway...enjoy this chap.


Chapter Nineteen: Medic!

My blood must have been replaced with adrenalin because I grabbed Heatwave, hauled him over my shoulder (making sure my shoulder was putting pressure on his wound), and sprinted over to my alt without feeling any of my pain or soreness. There was only one thing on my mind. Help Heatwave.

Once I got to my alt, I placed Heatwave gentilly on the ground and ripped my alts back doors open. I grabbed the stretcher and threw it on the ground.

Please don't be gone, please don't be gone…

I rolled him onto it. Since it was usually a two-person chore, I struggled to get the stretcher into the ambulance, but I got him in eventually.

Sterile environment: less likely to get an infection.

I ripped open his shirt, sending what was left of his buttons everywhere. I had to stop myself from gagging from the extent of the wound.

His skin, which was normally tan and smooth, was a blistering black, blue, and red. Blood spread like cosmic rust on his shirt, even after I took it off. The white vanished and all was left was crimson. His chest looked caved in some places and his fingers and hands all showed defensive (or given the situation at the party, offensive) wounds like bruises and cuts. Where he wasn't swelling, he was bruised or burned.

I had no idea what I had to do first…

Prioritize

The burns would need to be treated, but if he bled out before we got to the hospital, the only place he would need to go was the morgue.

I got to work.

Since the stretcher was already elevating him upright, I put on some gloves and grabbed some gauze. I put the gauze onto the two slits and pushed, hard. I expected him to at least groan, but he didn't. He was out for sure. I checked for a pulse and made sure he was breathing. There was almost nothing.

I grabbed my commlink and put a box of tools over it so it would hold down the button that would let me talk.

"Ricochet to anyone who's listening. I found Heatwave! I repeat, I found Heatwave!" I shouted. I knocked the box off and continued to apply pressure. I fumbled around for some more gauze. I calculated he must have lost 2 pints of blood (on the low end). If he lost any more, it could be dangerous.

We need to hurry.

"Ricochet? Where are you?" Chief finally called.

I grabbed my comm said "I'm...I don't know. I'm by the ocean near a very old building. It has a lot of rusted machinery. I think it might have been for mining, but I'm not sure. I need you to clear a room in the hospital for me. Have a team of doctors ready if you can."

"If it isn't too serious he will have to wait. We are packed up here." Dani said with a hint of agitation. Her tone didn't sit well with me.

"Is a stab wound to the abdomen, a second-degree electrical burn covering the torso, at least two pints of blood loss, 3 broken ribs, 3 cracked ribs, and possibly a risk of a large infection serious enough for you, Dani?" I hissed, adding onto the mental list of things I needed to do as I analyzed him.

"Jesus Christ," Kade said.

"I can't take care of him and drive at the same time."

"I'm the closest to you guys, hold on," Kade responded.

I turned to get some dry sterile dressing and started my alt. I turned the heat all the way up. I need to keep him warm and dress his burns. All while applying pressure on his wound. I was really missing my extra hands right about now.

After a minute, bright lights shone through the windshield. Next came the sound of squealing tires.

The front door opened and Kade jumped in. He only had time to close the door before he slammed on the gas, throwing me backward. I crawled my way back to Heatwave.

Pulse...check.

Breathing…

...

Check.

Kade was an obnoxious driver. Hoonking and drifting into turns like we were on a race track, but I was able to keep Heatwave stable while he worked. I struggled to dress the burns, but I still was able to keep him from bleeding out.

We finally lurched to a stop and the doors were immediately pulled open, revealing a team of nurses and doctors.

Guess it was serious enough after all.

I helped them get him on the ground, and they wheeled him off to the emergency room. I followed them into the small, three-story building. So did Kade. I almost didn't recognize his face with all of the concern on it.

We stopped following them when the ER doors with the friendly STAFF ONLY sign closed. Behind the glass doors was a hall that was so barren and bright, it almost felt threatening. I touched the glass, smearing it with blood.

I felt a gentle hand rest on my shoulder.

"We've done everything we can for him," Kade said softly. I knew he was just trying to help, but I couldn't help but feel angry at him. Angry, then sad, then angry again...

"Speak for yourself" I whispered eventually. He started to pull me away from the doors. I let him.

When I met up with my team outside of the hospital, I could tell they had their fair share of "fun" tonight. They were all in their spare clothes they brought to the party and all wore the same worried and tired expression. I couldn't even feel the worriedness anymore. I just felt numb.

A rhythmic pulse throbbed on the back of my head, not painful, but not pleasant either. My eyes watered, but more from the harsh winds stinging them than from the harsh night's events. The world just seemed to be a flame in the wind. Flickering and growing thinner and fading faster as the wind grew harsher.

I felt like I wanted to run, but I was a few tons too heavy. My chest felt like it was constricting.

I don't remember much of what happened after. I remember being told through hushed voices I was in no condition to drive and I looked like I had an accident with a gallon of kool-aid. I remember a doctor with a really large nose came right up to me and examined me. He urged Chief to let me stay and get cleared. I remember feeling warm, delicate hands guiding me to an older looking police car. The one that Chief brought to the party.

"Just in case we need to have another set of wheels," He had joked eons ago. The warm lights and sounds of the party drifted into my thoughts. Chief's voice also floated in and out of my focus.

"Shock...out...blood...no...tired...tomorrow…status...make...night...bye."

Then the world went dark.

* Cody's P.O.V *

Everyone was worried sick before dad came down the lift. Dani, Kade, and Graham had already gone upstairs to go to bed, but everyone else stayed in the hanger. The moment the car door opened, the room erupted into a roar of questions and half-hearted demands.

Dad brought his finger to his lips and pointed to the back seat where Ricochet was. He mouthed sleeping.

That only turned down the volume of everyone's worry.

"Heatwave is stable for now. He also hasn't woken up yet so right now it looks like he is going to need a few weeks to recover. The doctors said they think there isn't going to be anything permanent, but they'll know more after a few more tests. "

Everyone looked relieved and whispered excitedly.

"What about Ricochet? Did the doctors say anything about her?"

"She looks like she's in shock. It's nothing serious, and it will go away as everything calms down. Dr. Blum wanted her to stay the night, but since she doesn't have any really concerning injuries, she couldn't. The entire hospital is full. And although she looks terrible, she's only bruised. Nothing's broken or sprained. When the hospital empties out a little, well get her a check-up."

He opened the back door and picked her up. She didn't look light, but dad carried her to her cot anyway.

"I'll change her," Star said. Siren and Sky followed silently to help.

My dad looked at me and smiled warmly.

"Go to bed, Cody. We should all get some sleep."

I nodded and glanced back at Ricochet. Her voice from the night I showed her the clearing echoed in my mind.

I promise.

I felt a chill trickle down my spine as I turned to leave.

I promise.


Would this qualify as a cliffhanger? IDK.

This is definitely turning out different than the first try at this story huh? I like this way more. A lot less dramatic in my opinion (in some ways).

Hoped you like it! Like I said in many chapters, I will be editing this like CRAZY after I am done with it. Like...if you were to compare this to a car in an auto shop, I would be keeping the frame and replacing everything else. If you have any suggestions on what I should change/improve/add, please let me know. Alright...stay safe! Stay healthy! And for those of you in an online school, stay smart! Peace.