The rotor blades were already spinning when Nurse Anjushka Kamarowa was urged towards the helicopter that was designed for medical purposes. She gazed over her shoulder, looking back at the flames and the smoke. Part of her was glad to get away from this place of destruction but as a nurse her priority was to stay. "Listen, there are lots of wounded who need to be seen to. I need to stay here."

The soldier walking next to her did not even slow down. "Colonel's orders," he told her.

She stared back over her shoulder at the remnants of the military base. To her horror she saw someone running over the airfield; his clothes were burning. His screams tore into her soul, and she started to run back. Strong hands gripped her and held her back.

"Let me go! Don't you see? That man needs help!" she shouted at her nameless escort. His arms only tightened around her. He yanked her around and pushed her towards the copter. "There's nothing you could do." His voice was harsh.

Anjushka looked back only to see the man jump over the cliff, a flaming fireball forced to earth by gravity. His scream echoed in her ears and she let herself be guided away, setting foot before foot while tears blurred her vision. She was trapped in a living nightmare unable to wake up. If she had ever had doubts about God's existence, they were erased now. If there was something like a God, this would not have happened, would it?

"Hurry," the soldier told her, "there's a patient needing your help in the copter."

The words 'patient', 'need' and 'help' penetrated the fog that clouded her mind, and she clung to them like she would to a safety line. She climbed into the aircraft. Once in, she stopped as if struck and stared in disbelief at the single patient on the stretcher. This copter had room to evacuate half a dozen!

When she turned to voice her protest, she found that her superior, Dr. Svenja Olgaslova Ermatoney, had also been ushered towards the landing field and was now arguing with barely controlled fury with Colonel Ourumov, making furious gestures towards the raging hell behind her. Dr. Ermatoney was voicing her protest at a great volume but Anjushka could not hear her words over the distance and the turning of the rotor blades.

Anjushka tore her gaze away from the two. Let the Doctor handle this, after all, she was just a nurse, wasn't she? Her patient had to come first. She approached the wounded man lying on the stretcher and started to assess his condition. A lot of blood covered his face and the right side was burned severely. It looked like third, probably even forth degree burns. Had the heat injured his throat or even worse, his lungs? She bent down to check his airway when movement outside distracted her.

Dr. Ermatoney was just outside the door now, still shouting. "Under protest! I'll mention your behaviour in my report, Colonel. My responsibility -"

Ourumov did not let the Doctor finish her sentence. Two soldiers urged her into the aircraft. Anger flushed Anjushka's cheeks with warmth when Colonel Ourumov took the front seat. He should have been the last to leave the remains of the Archangel'sk nerve gas facility and should have sent his second-in-command ahead. The more she saw of Ourumov, the more she disliked the man. The door of the helicopter slammed shut, and the pilot wasted no time. The helicopter rose into the air as fast as possible.

The next moment the doctor was at her side. "What's his condition?"

"Unconscious, third to forth degree burns, possibility of shock, danger of dehydration."

"Airway?"

Anjushka proceeded with what she had intended precious minutes ago. Luck seemed to have been on his side; his breathing was even and regular.

"Clear."

"Pulse?"

While Svenja Olgaslova looked at the facial burns, Anjushka quickly checked his pulse. "A bit fast, possibly an indication of shock."

The doctor nodded. "That's to be expected. We need to check the rest of his body."

Anjushka took a pair of scissors and handed another pair to the doctor. Both of them started to cut away his clothes. As she cut the rough fabric, she wondered about the way he was dressed. That was not a regular soldier's uniform. His clothes had offered little protection but it had been enough to keep the injuries to second degree burns at the right upper side of his chest and shoulder. The rest of his body seemed to be unburned but had a few minor wounds. Fortunately none of his major blood vessels had been nicked by any debris. Bruises had started to form here and there but they were no cause for concern.

"Prepare a saline drip. We need to keep him hydrated. And add some antibiotics so that he doesn't get an infection," Doctor Ermatoney ordered and went on to check the patient for broken bones or internal injuries.

"Yes, Doctor." While Anjushka was not used to working on a moving helicopter, she performed her duties to the best of her abilities and as professional as humanly possible. She had the drip attached in record speed and adapted the flow rate of the fluid. More often than she liked, she felt Ourumov look into their direction and she did her best to ignore him. His angry stare seemed intend to burn holes into her back, though.

"Good, neither internal injuries nor broken bones. We'll need to see to the burns now."

Anjushka handed her everything she asked for. Minutes turned to hours and she lost track of the length of time they had already been flying. She barely noticed that they landed a few times to refuel.

Finally they had reached their destination and the helicopter landed. In the darkness of the night all she could see were some buildings. Anjushka had no idea where she was but she was too tired to care and stumbled after the man who promised her a meal and a bed.

Askani: Thank you for reading and reviewing :)