Even though he had told her not to worry about her injury, he knew that they couldn't have ignored it for long. The rescue team could have taken much time to arrive, they should have done something now.
"This way", whispered Tony to the girl while passing by a restroom.
Once she was inside, he checked the corridor one more time before closing the door behind him.
In the restroom, he put his gun back and immediately moved close to a first aid cabinet and started looking into it.
"Who are these men? What do they want from the ambassador?", the woman asked.
"We still don't know much about them, but we know that the ambassador is involved in pretty serious stuff", he replied while taking some bandages, disinfectant and a suture kit from the cabinet.
"What kind of stuff? Corruption? Fraud?"
"Way worse."
The woman gave him a confused look.
"Drugs?"
Tony shook his head.
"Murder? Do you want me to go on and list all the crimes I know or you're gonna tell me?"
Tony smiled a little.
"You know, it's not like I can tell you everything…–
"Because it's classified, yeah I've seen it in the movies", she interrupted him.
"Yep."
"But maybe, since I've just been attacked by those people, I've earned the right to know what's going on, uh?"
Tony sighed.
"A'ight. Let's just say that the ambassador may be involved in the planning of a terrorist attack that could take place on our soil."
"Oh God, what kind of terrorist attack?"
Tony turned around to give her a "really?" look.
"Ok, ok, I get it. You can't tell me", she said with a bit of resignation.
Tony finished washing his hands and came in front of her with some paper towel soaked with disinfectant. Looking at her in her light blue eyes for the first time, he couldn't help but to think how beautiful she was.
"What is your name?", he asked her with a soft tone.
"Anna… Anna Miller."
"A'ight Anna, I'm Tony. I'm gonna clean up your wound, ok? I'm not gonna lie to you, this is gonna burn like hell, but I need you not to scream, otherwise some of those men could hear you and find us, ok?"
"Ok…", she whispered, more worried.
"A'ight. You ready?"
She nodded. Then, Tony placed the paper towel on her neck for a second, just as fast as he believed could be enough to disinfect it. Anna tried her best not to scream while the alcohol felt like fire on her skin.
"Done – he murmured while throwing away the paper which was now covered in blood – That was the worst part, ok? Just breath now."
Anna stared at him while still panting in pain. Scanning his dark brown eyes, she thought there was something both mysterious and sad behind them.
Tony went back to the sink to take the needle and the thread.
"So, do you have a surname, Tony aka the consultant?", she asked not willing to give up with the questions.
"Does it really matter?", he said coming back to her.
"I told you mine", she replied smiling.
"I need you to look up and right", he continued, pretending to ignore her question.
"Good, since I may have some problem with blood…"
"Ok, this will just sting a little…you ready?"
Anna exhaled and then nodded again. Tony began to suture her wound. In order to distract her from the pain he decided to make her talk.
"So, what do you do here? You're like a diplomat or something?"
"I'm an interpreter – she responded with a little sufferance in her voice– My father is American and my mother is Russian, so it just came pretty easy for me. I've worked here for two years by now, before that I travelled a lot between the US and Europe. You know, I was tired of not being able to stay in a place for a while and I thought it was time to settle somewhere and do something more relaxed…Until today of course."
Tony smiled.
"Yeah, of course. Anyway, I get what you mean", he said while continuing his suturing work.
"Luka, on the other way, you know, the guy who was in that room with me before – she explained with a cracked voice – He just came here two months ago…he has wanted this job so bad…"
Seeing her eyes filling up with tears, Tony decided to switch topic and grant her some information more.
"Almeida", he said.
She lowered her eyes back at him with a confused look. "What?"
"My surname is Almeida", he repeated.
"Oh – she smiled – So it wasn't so secret after all. I knew you had some latino origin though... Well, at least you haven't spent your childhood going visiting relatives in freezing Russia."
Tony smiled.
"We're done here", he stated while putting a band-aid on her wound. "And, technically, I'm from Chicago. Coldest city in America."
She laughed. Tony went back to the sink to wash his hands.
"Thank you for this – she said, getting serious again – And for saving my life."
Tony looked up in the mirror and glanced at her.
"Yeah, no problem."
Then, he turned to try to see his flank in the mirror. A big sliver of glass from the library was lodged in his back.
Anna noticed that something was wrong and came closer.
"Are you hurt?", she asked with a worried tone.
"Nothing serious. It's just a sliver", he minimized.
"Well, you can't leave it in there."
"Until it's inside, it will stop most of the bleeding. Taking it out, it would make it serious."
Anna glared at him: "So, what, we do nothing? We've got everything to treat it here."
"Yeah, but I can't reach it on my back."
"I can help you."
Tony turned to her to be sure she really meant it:
"Would you?"
"Yes, you did it for me", she replied, founding odd that he would have suspected it after everything he'd done for her.
"What about your blood problem?"
"I…I'll get over it. That's about time."
"A'ight."
While he was starting to prepare everything she might have needed, she continued: "But you'll have to tell me what I have to do, step by step, because I've no idea."
"Now, that's reassuring – he said sarcastically – Don't worry, I'll tell you."
Tony passed her some paper towels soaked in disinfectant like the ones he had used before.
"I need you to remove the sliver and then press with this", he said.
Anna nodded and then hesitated a moment staring at the glass sliver covered in blood.
"You're sure you can do this? Once it's out there's no turning back."
"Yes, I know."
Then, she suddenly found the courage to go on and did what he told her. Tony winced with pain for a second, then he began guiding her again: "Ok, now take this – he passed her the circle needle with the thread already into it – You have to start at about a ¼ inch from the right side and go deep the same if you want it to hold."
"Ok", she answered while trying to make her hand stop shaking. After a couple of failed attempts, she managed to complete her first stich.
"You have to pull the thread more", he advised her.
"Yeah, it's just…I don't wanna hurt you."
"You're not", he tried to reassure her.
She nodded and pulled harder, making Tony regret for a moment his advice. Then, trying to suppress her anxiety she added: "You know what's ironic? My brother is a doctor. "
"Then too bad he's not here", he interrupted with a grin.
"I know, I'm bad at this", she gave him a smirk back. "Anyway, what I meant was, that when he was a freshman in college, he sutured every orange or banana he found in the house. I may also have tried once, but never really learnt something from him, even if he had always told me that some things could come in handy sometime."
"Don't worry, you'll learn them anyway. In the meantime, you can try thinking you're just suturing an orange."
"Yes, same thing", she smiled sarcastically, preparing for the next stitch.
Tony's phone started to vibe, making Anna raised her eyes again.
"Yeah", he answered, gesturing Anna to go on.
"Tony, I found the ambassador", whispered Jack still in the air vent. "He and a security guard managed to lock themselves behind a fire breaking wall while some of the hostiles are trying to destroy it. I can see them from the vent, but I can't come down here, I have to find another way in."
"Ok."
"What's the hostage situation there? Have they tried to reach out and list their demands yet?"
"Well – he began with a little sufferance in his voice, looking up in the mirror – there was an emergency and I had to move away for a while. I'll get back in a few minutes."
Jack got immediately upset.
"What emergency? Tony, if you're screwing with me again, I swear–
"I'm not, Jack. I had to intervene in another hostage situation. I'll explain to you later."
"Fine." Even if he wasn't completely convinced by the explanation, Jack decided to believe him for now.
"What about the FBI? Are they – Tony stopped talking for a second, raising his eyes at the mirror with an aching expression on his face. Behind him, Anna spelled the word "sorry" with her lips. Then he continued: "Are they close to coming in?"
"I haven't got any news on their ETA yet. Tony, is everything ok? You don't sound right."
"Yeah, I'll let you know when I'm back in position."
"Ok", Jack hanged up.
"What's going on? I thought the FBI was already here", asked Anna as soon as he had put the phone away.
"No, for now there's just me and my partner, but they're gonna be here soon."
"Ok", she said not really reassured by the answer. "I've finished here, what do I do?"
"Just make a knot and cut the thread."
She nodded and did it. Tony turned around to take a partial look at his sutured wound in the mirror.
"I'll end up with such a weird scar", he said.
Her face immediately darkened with a worried expression.
"I'm kidding – he smiled – You did a great job, your brother would be proud. Thank you."
She showed a little smirk while putting a band-aid on. Tony, then, moved close to the door and pulled out his gun again.
"We have to go back to the lobby – he said – Follow me."