The hospital was quiet that night. Mina walked aimlessly around the halls with nowhere to be, since all the operating rooms were empty. For the first time since she began working at Chastain there were zero patients in need of emergency surgery, of course. Of all the night shifts she had ever worked of course this would be the shift that was relentlessly silent. Normally during a quiet period, she would hunt down the Raptor and engage in meaningless conversation that would eventually slip into personal tales and exposing deep revelations about one another, but tonight she could not. At this point Mina would love to see any of her coworkers; Nic, Conrad, Devon… hell in this stage of boredom she would even take Irving. After walking around for what seemed like hours, Mina eventually found a small comfy looking chair on the second floor above the main entrance to sit for a while. "I am going to meet his parents tonight." Andrea's words rang in Mina's ear. She thought by giving her tickets away to Nic and Conrad and picking up an extra shift would allow her to keep busy and her mind off of what was partaking across town at AJ's parent's house. She sat in deafening silence, closing her eyes to try to quiet her thoughts. Like a gift from above her pager buzzed in her pocket notifying her of a patient in need of surgery. Mina praised the tiny black box and ventured off toward the OR.

Across town AJ sat on his parent's couch surrounded by the constant murmur of old friends chatting and quiet R&B humming from the record player. Andrea was standing in the kitchen with both of his mom's. She seemed comfortable and very open to the company. His biological mom was very impressed with her supplement company and products, but his adoptive mom had a tense look around her eyes. If you were an outsider looking in you would think both moms were incredibly impressed, but AJ could see something was bothering his adoptive mom. After a quick swig of beer AJ stood and went to the kitchen to collect a plate of fruit to snack on, while making small conversation with his moms and date. On the way, back to the family room he glanced back at his adoptive mom with a puzzled look. Seeing this she motioned quietly for AJ to meet her on the back deck.

Mina smirked underneath her surgical mask, thankful for the distraction of this valve replacement. While it did not take her complete focus, as she has flawlessly performed almost one hundred of these procedures, she was focusing like it was her first. Making sure every stitch was perfectly placed and tied, making her incisions as straight as humanly possible. Paying extra attention to the details allowed her mind to drift from her inescapable thoughts of the raptor. She was also thankful for the opportunity to close her patient alone in the OR. Of course, the anesthesiologist and scrub nurses were still there, but the low-level attendee on shift left the OR to supposedly answer an emergent page. Mina was sure he left due to the fact that he felt useless in the OR next to her, because he knew she was the third best surgeon in the hospital; only following slightly behind the Raptor and Cain. Once her patient was perfectly sewn she exited the OR and glanced at her watch... 10:59. This was going to be such a long night. It has felt like hours sitting around and only completing one miniscule valve replacement. In search of some fresh air and much needed scenery change, Mina slipped on her coat and gloves and started out to the outside patio to sit and hopefully freeze away her nagging thoughts.

The night was cool, not to the point of being unbearable, but definitely too cold for AJ's liking. As he stepped on the patio he watched his mom breathe out a breath of air, looking like a puff of smoke in the frigid temperatures. "You look relieved to be in the fresh air" he spoke deeply. His mom just nodded while continuing to stare out to the wilderness behind the house. "Are you alright? Are you feeling unwell?" AJ asked with a sense of worry. "Yes dear, I am perfectly healthy" his mom spoke warmly, finally meeting his eyes in the dark night. "I do feel like I need to confess something to you" she said with an edge on her tongue. AJ looked intensely at his mother waiting for her confession. "I know you are a grown man and can make decisions completely for yourself, and I may be giving my opinion where it is not warranted, but AJ...honey I am not sure if Andrea is right for you." AJ looked blankly at his mother letting out a stifled relieved sigh. When she spoke about a confession AJ imagined the worst, one of his parents being ill or something that may tear his family apart, so he was relieved to hear it was just concern about Andrea. "Now I know I don't know her well and she is a very smart and nice young lady, she just seems a little to... vanilla for you." The sound of the word "vanilla" leaving his mom's mouth made AJ chuckle. He stepped closer to his mom and reached his hands to her shoulders. "This thing between Andrea and I is still very new and I don't know if we are right for each other either. I just really didn't want to come alone and be forced to partake in conversations with dad's old college buddies all night long." With this revelation AJ's mom looked relieved and embraced her son. "Well I am glad you are getting out there, I just want you to be happy" she spoke with a tender smile. They both quickly agreed it was too cold to stay outdoors and made their way back to the party.

Mina welcomed the crisp night air. She couldn't help but think about how annoying the raptor would be if he were sitting on the bench beside her right now. He hates the cold weather and makes his feelings known by complaining nonstop. The thought brings a smile to her face which is quickly washed away by reality. He is her mentor, she cannot think of him like that. Besides he obviously does not think about her like that anymore, considering he is at his parent's anniversary party with another woman. Mina shakes her inappropriate thoughts away and stands to go back inside to see what she can occupy herself with. She decides to travel around the edge of the building to enter through the emergency room in hopes of seeing something interesting. Quietly walking and trying to keep her thoughts in order she is startled by a deep, raspy voice to close behind her and something alarmingly heavy pressed against the back of her head. She freezes trying to process the occurring events. "I can't believe they even let your kind work here, but I guess you will have to do for now, we are in a hurry." Mina slowly turns to see what she feared most, a gun pointing directly at her skull and a violent racist on the other end. Hades is known for his racism, sexism and violent culture all over the country. He makes his hate known to the world through social media and his spider web of followers country wide. "What do you want?" Mina asks confidently, not allowing any fear to come through in her voice. "You are going to go inside this hospital with me, and you are going to find someone to operate on my friend." Mina glanced around confused as to where his injured friend was, but did not question. Mina turned with Hades command and walked reluctantly into the ER with a gun to her head.

AJ sat once again on the sofa in the family room surrounded by people he did not know. He glanced at his watch to see if it was getting close to leaving time... 11:13. "Are you already ready to leave?" With a soft laugh and teasing tone Andrea slumped down next to AJ. "Just curious to see how long we have been here" AJ spoke flatly. Andrea smiled warmly and explained in depth a conversation she had with his birth mother about something irrelevant. AJ watched closely but his attention drifted elsewhere. He began wondering if Mina had found someone else to take to the concert. He wished he were able to accept her invitation earlier that day, but knows it would have been inappropriate for a number of reasons. Andrea's questioning tone snapped AJ back to reality. She had clearly asked a question, to which he toned out, so he was left with the option of admitting his neglect or trying to play along. He must have taken too much time to decide which option would be best because Andrea rolled her eyes and stood up with a huff and walked back into the kitchen. AJ would have normally run after her and apologized, but something just did not feel right and suddenly he could not stop thinking about his surgical partner.

As Mina walked through the ER door everyone began to notice what was taking place and froze where they stood. "Buck is in my truck outside the door, you need to get people to go get him now" Hades voice was eerily calm yet thick with hate and threat. Mina glanced around to all the now frozen ER staff. She instructed a few experienced nurses and a strong PA to help get the injured friend from the truck. Hades stood in the doorway of the ER, gun pointed and threatening anyone, other than the chosen staff, who moved. Mina snagged a gurney and headed to the truck parked directly outside the doors. She could feel Hades gaze scorching through her as she tried to think of a plan, anything to get them out of this. She opened the truck door and gasped at the sight of Buck. If he wasn't dead already he would be soon. Bullet wounds were scattered all throughout his abdomen, from the look of it there were at least 10 gunshot wounds. The collection staff threw the patient quickly on the gurney and rushed into the ER. Once inside the door Hades retook his place behind Mina. "Now what?" Mina questioned. Hades took a moment to ponder her question then answered quietly "he dies, you die." Mina took a breath trying to collect and sort her thoughts. "He needs imaging and tests to be done so I can see how extensive the damage is." Hades huffed disapprovingly while contemplating Mina's unlikely proposal. Suddenly the hospital alarms began to blare over the intercoms announcing a code black, signaling to everyone there was a harmful situation happening. In that moment Hades griped Minas arm with pure rage and commanded her to go directly to the OR. Wheeling the gurney alone to the OR was not simple but Hades insisted they travel alone. While making their way, Mina's mind was flooded with panic. There was no way she would be able to fix this damage, at least not alone. She doesn't even know if he is still breathing, but she was not going to check until forced, hopefully allowing enough time for the police to come.

She slammed through the OR doors and began to prepare her surgical area. She heard the click of the lock on the doors to ensure no one could come in or out without Hades permission. Mina covered her face with a mask and slid on gloves and a gown around her. She gripped her scalpel and starred at the bloodied body in front of her. Her mind was racing with the impossibility of this situation. There was no anesthesia, no monitors, no assistants, no imagining and no raptor. "Do you know what you are doing or not, because if not I'll just put a bullet through your skull and find someone who does!" Hades voice boomed off the walls of the otherwise quiet OR. With that threat Mina began to dissect her patient praying for a miracle.

After four hours of operating Mina had no idea how Buck was still breathing. His abdomen was completely destroyed and despite Mina trying her best to patch him up there were still 3 small bleeders raging in his gut and 1 massive bleeder somewhere near his heart. The hospital went on lock down hours ago and she knew the police and Bell were trying to negotiate her release. Mina was focused though, she released all her anxiety and stress in the first cut and focused on the patient beneath her. Thankfully the OR she went to had not been cleaned out yet from her previous surgery and there was extra blood to hang for Buck. Hades was displeased with her slow progress, spitting threats every few minutes. Mina could feel the tension rising in Hades. With the hospital on lockdown and Buck in terrible shape there was no way he would escape, and Mina knew that meant she probably wouldn't make it out either. But Mina could not digest the reality of that thought right now, she had to focus on patching Buck up enough to get out of this room breathing.

She sponged Buck's gut for what seemed like the millionth time to try get a better view of the last few bleeders. Mina froze as she saw what was causing the majority of the bleeding. A bullet had entered Bucks chest and had somehow managed to wedge itself at the base of the Inferior Vena Cava and the Right Ventricle. The bullet, while damaging the heart and tissue around it, was also lodged perfectly to allow the heart to continue functioning. Mina would like to just leave it there and fix it later when she could actually have a staff, instruments and the Raptor, but the IVC was bleeding too much for it to wait. Mina stared at the chest weighing her options and drowning out Hades threats. After thinking for minute or so Mina spoke. "I need to make a phone call." Hades cynical laugh filled the OR. "There is no way in hell you are going to call someone. I'll shoot you dead before I let that happen." Something overcame Mina in that second, it might have been exhaustion or the overwhelming since of doom, but Mina turned and glared at Hades with a look so powerful, Superman would have bowed. "I need to call another surgeon; your friend is dying and I just found a wound that I cannot fix. I need to ask a better surgeon how to dislodge this bullet and fix the damage before he dies on the table. If you do not allow me that option, then Buck's blood is on your hands, not mine." Mina glared at Hades who was obviously shocked by her sudden boldness. After thinking over his options Hades reached in his pocket and pulled out his phone. "If you even think about pulling any shit, I will kill you on the spot and every person I pass on the way out." His threat rang in Mina's ears because she knew he was not fibbing. She took the phone and opened up the dial pad. She was suddenly very thankful for the night a few months ago when she locked her keys and phone in her car by accident and had to catch a ride home from Irving. That night she memorized Nic and the Raptors phone number so she could call them if ever needed. She dialed slowly trying to think of the words she needed to speak.

The phone buzzed loudly on the night stand next to AJ's head. He was a deep sleeper and the quiet tone was not waking him. Thankfully Andrea was a light sleeper and decided to stay the night at AJ's after drinking a little too much at his parent's gathering. She reached over and picked up the phone. "UNKNOWN" flashed across the screen along with the time. Why in the world in was someone calling him at 3:30 in the morning. Andrea paused to decide if she should wake AJ or let it go to voicemail. Finally, she shook AJ awake after deciding it may be important. AJ woke confused and weary. "It's an unknown number, thought it may be important" Andrea said. The Raptor glanced at his clock and grabbed the phone. Clicking the answer button, he expected a telemarketer or teenage prankster to answer. But then a familiar voice rang through and panic filled his veins.

The phone was ringing too long. AJ is a deep sleeper, he probably does not hear his phone, and even if he did this number would be unregistered in his contact. Mina began searching her brain for anyone else to call, waiting for AJ's voicemail to answer. She could call Nic and see if her or Conrad had any ideas or maybe they could give her Cain or Bell's number. She did not care who helped her at this point, she just knew she needed someone, anyone. A deep, raspy voice jerked Mina from her thoughts. "Oh my god AJ is that you?" she heard a shuffle and he answered "Mina?" Relief flooded over Mina at the sound of AJ's voice. "AJ I need help. I have a patient on the table and he has a bullet lodged at the base of the IVC and right ventricle. I need to remove it but I don't know how to dislodge it and also keep the heart functioning enough to keep him alive." Mina spoke quickly yet efficiently all while feeling the glare of Hades on her. "Who is the attendee working with you?" Mina could hear the concern thick in his voice. "No one... I'm in here alone." The line went silent. Mina knew AJ was confused but she did not have time for questions. "AJ I need your help, I don't know what to do and I don't have a lot of time... please just tell me what to do."

Something was wrong. AJ could hear the collective panic in Mina's voice. Why was there no attendee for such a difficult surgery? Why does she not have time? AJ ignored all his worry and stood and began dressing while gathering more information about the patient's prognosis from Mina. "The only way I can think of to fix this is to dislodge the bullet and work incredibly quickly. You will need a lot of suction and also might need to find some extra hands to help speed the process up." He was met with silence on the other end. He added "You need to start with the IVC and get the bleeding solved there first then move to the heart damage, check the valves make sure they are intact then worry about the other structures after." Mina quietly answered with a simple "okay." Something more was going on here, panic and confusion were racing through his body as he slipped on his shoes. "I am on my way there to help, just keep him alive until I get there." Andrea walked quickly behind AJ to the door questioning where he was running off to. "work" AJ answered in a hushed, worried tone. "NO, do not come here Austin." Mina's voice rang loud and firm through the phone. "You cannot come here." AJ walked to his car ignoring Mina's warning. He was getting ready to speak again when he was cut off by a male voice on the other side of the line "Time's up" he said and the connection was lost.

Mina watched as Hades swiped the phone from her hand and hung up on AJ. She couldn't help but think that that could've been the last time she heard his voice. Mina shook the horrifying thought out of her mind and turned to focus on the task at hand. Dislodge the bullet, IVC repair, valve repair and then everything else. She repeated the steps over and over in her head. Slowly she moved to the sight of the bullet, said her final prayer, and pulled it out. Blood gushed heavier than she could have ever imagined. With no suction, it was impossible to see. Buck's heart had completely stopped functioning and Mina was trying to stitch the IVC blind. She quickly threw as many sponges as she could near the bleeding, but it was too much. She had absolutely no visibility between the blood and the sponges. Panic began to fill Mina's thoughts. She was not going to be able to save him, he had already lost too much blood and has been down for who knows how long without a heartbeat. Mina tried to stitch the IVC through the blood hoping to get lucky, but it was no use. Mina stared at the body of Hades' friend, his blood still warm on her gloves. She was breathing heavily and was beginning to struggle to catch her breath. Hades was watching and knew what had just happened. He walked up next to his friend's head. He just was staring at his pale face and blue lips. Mina realized in that moment she could make a run for the door. She stood still thinking about the probability of her making it out. On one hand the door was locked and the probability of her making it to the door, unlocking it and escaping before he could raise his gun and shoot, were very slim. On the other hand, he told her that if Buck died, she died and he is a racist and sexist to begin with, so her probability of living if she stayed was even less. She watched Hades' facial expression while staring at his lifeless friend. She could see the anger rising through him. His ears were stinging red, his eyebrows began to scorn and there were tears threatening to escape his eyes. Mina waited until Hades turned his back slightly to her to touch his friend's head and then she took off. In just a few long strides Mina had made it to the door and was fumbling with the lock. Her bloodied gloves wouldn't grip the lock as Mina tried to will herself out of the OR. Then she heard the gun cock. She knew it was too late, she had missed her chance and she would die. Realization and defeat flooded through Mina, if she was going to be killed she wouldn't allow it to be while she was running. She would not let herself be murdered like wild game in the woods. She turned to face Hades, taking her gloves and gown off. She felt a calmness rush over her. It was a little comforting to know she would die in the one place she always felt welcome, the OR. After all her protective gear was off she looked deep into Hades eyes wondering how someone could become this evil. Hades looked back with dead eyes and moved his finger to the trigger. Mina closed her eyes and imagined her sisters, her friends and most importantly AJ. Then a gunshot rang boomed throughout the hospital.