Disclaimer: Still hate writing in first person and it shows.

Operating Theater

Part 02 of Lost Old man. Part 01 Meh chapter 07.

It wasn't ideal, but I ended up having to accompany the wounded man to the hospital in the back of the ambulance as neither of the medics would agree to manually pinch off the damaged artery. It was for the best, the medic in the back's time was likely put to better use giving the injured man, Thomas, I had to remind myself, an IV to raise his blood pressure.

What impressed me was the behavior of the man's wife and son. The woman had taken the boy into the theater, summoned help, and had then taken charge of the situation and arranged things so that the city's best three trauma surgeons would be waiting for us when we arrived. I could forgive her earlier shock for how she reacted later. The boy too impressed me, he was entirely focused on me. I'd asked him why and was floored by the answer I received.

"I need to be ready to take your place if something happens to you," he'd said, barely a waver in his voice. "Your fingers are the only thing keeping my father alive, aren't they?"

"They are," I agreed.

"You can't keep pressure forever," the boy stated. "Tell me when you're at your limit and I'll take over."

"I should be fine until we reach the hospital," I assured the boy. "I have very strong hands. That said, you being here to take over is a load off my mind. Your parents must be proud to have a son like you."

The boy had just nodded, his gaze locked on my blood-covered hand. Aristotle had said give me a child until he is seven and I'll show you the man, I didn't know how old the boy was but I had the feeling he was going to turn into something impressive.

The ambulance screeched to a halt and was met by a mob of doctors, one of which made a move to replace me before being waved off by a woman I assumed was one of the surgeons.

"Can you keep it up till we get to the operating theater?" she'd asked.

I assured her I could

"Tell us if you can't keep up," she ordered. She set a blistering pace through the emergency room and down several corridors. "This is as far as you go, Martha, we'll have him on his feet in no time."

"Thank you, Leslie," the man's wife called back.

"Clamp!" the woman ordered the second the gurney came to a halt. I saw a nurse putting a mask over the woman's face and felt another one going over my own. "Step to the left as far as you can without danger of letting go," she ordered. The woman reached into the wound. "How'd you do this?"

"Cut open the hole made by the bullet to get better access. I figured it was better to do more tissue damage than to risk a bleed out."

"You were right," she said conversationally. "Let go but be ready to pinch if I tell you to." I complied. "Looks good, congratulations, you saved this man's life."

"Happy to hear that."

"If you will excuse us, we'll need some time to see if we can save his leg."

"Of course, good luck, doctor." One of the orderlies led me out the door to a sink where I did my best to make myself presentable before taking me to the waiting room. Unfortunately and unsurprisingly there was a policeman waiting with the man's wife, Martha. I spent a moment to decide my next action, likely best not to run at this point, I decided. A shame I couldn't make a quiet exit before the man had seen me but needs must.

"How is he?" Martha demanded immediately.

"The doctor said they were working to save his leg, Madame," I replied. "I understand that it may be distressing to think that he may lose it, but please remember that the alternative was losing him."

"Of course, thank you." She took a breath.

"Excuse me," the patrolman spoke up. "I had a couple questions I'd like to ask for my report."

"Of course," I agreed.

"Name?"

"James."

"Occupation?"

"Retired."

The patrolman turned to Martha with a quizzical look on his face. "I thought you said he worked for your husband?"

"I do apologize, James," she said without missing a beat. "We're going to have to ask you to stay on a bit longer considering all that's happened tonight."

"Of course, Madame," I agreed.

"Watch Bruce, James," the woman ordered. "I see the commissioner coming and I would prefer not to have to wait to tell him my story in case Thomas should come out of surgery."

"Yes, Madame," I said. My estimation of the woman went up again, I supposed that was one way to make sure everyone had their stories straight. The boy didn't say a word as I sat down next him on one of the horribly uncomfortable hospital seats but his eyes were focused laser sharp on his mother taking in every word she said and watching every gesture she made. The kid was going to be amazing when he grew up.

"Martha," a white haired man in a tailored suit said as he swept into the room. "I'm sorry I couldn't have gotten here sooner. I was on the scene of a kidnapping when I heard and I'm afraid I had to finish that up before I came."

"A kidnapping?" The woman clutched her pearls. "My word, anyone I would know?"

"Do you know the Madisons' daughter Julie? She's about Bruce's age."

Martha nodded. "I trust you were able to get the poor child before anything happened to her?"

"We were." The commissioner's gaze settled on me. "She's in good condition and back with her family."

"Were you able to catch all the kidnappers?"

"We believe so," the commissioner said, his gaze still locked on me. "None of them were in any condition to run when we took them in."

"Thank heavens for the men of the Gotham Police Department," Martha said firmly. "It's completely understandable that you would prioritize getting the poor child back to her family."

"Thank you for your understanding, Martha." The commissioner tore his eyes off me and returned them to the woman. "Do you need more time or are you able to tell me what happened?"

"I believe I can tell you," Martha said, looking as if she were on the verge of collapse but putting up a brave front. Woman was a hell of an actor to hide that much steel. "We had just left the theater when the man accosted us and demanded our things. We were complying with his demands when he attacked me. Thomas jumped in front of me and was shot." She turned and shot me a smile. "That's when James arrived and stopped the brute before he could harm Bruce or myself. You've met James, haven't you, commissioner?"

"I do not believe I have," the commissioner admitted.

"We must correct that oversight," Martha said. "Commissioner Wallace, James. James, Commissioner Wallace."

"You work for the Waynes?"

"I do, sir."

"Doing what?"

"Nothing at the moment," Martha interjected. "James had retired. I've asked him to come back on after what's happened but we have not yet determined what his duties will be."

"I see." The commissioner gave me another once over. "What happened after that?"

"James instructed me to call an ambulance and did his best to keep Thomas alive until it arrived," Martha said, wiping a tear off her cheek. "I'm sure you know the rest."

The commissioner turned back to me. "Anything to add?"

"No, sir. The madame has covered everything."

"Alright. Mind if I ask what you were doing before the incident?"

"Just enjoying the city, sir."

"I'm going to have to insist on ending things here for now," Martha stated. "We're all simply exhausted

and I do not believe any of us are up to answering any more questions."

"Of course, Martha," the commissioner agreed. "Should I send a detective over in a day or so to ask any follow up questions?"

"Have him contact our lawyers to arrange a meeting," Martha ordered. "Thomas would normally deal with this sort of thing." She paused. "Not that this sort of thing has ever happened to us, you understand, but if it did I would leave it to my husband. With him indisposed I think the lawyers would be the best ones to arrange things."

"I completely understand, Martha, I'll make sure he knows to go to them until Thomas is able to deal with things himself."

"Best tell him to go to the lawyers until told otherwise," Martha stated. "There's no telling how long before the doctors clear Thomas to speak with people outside the family."

"I'll see that he knows, Martha."

"Good, I shan't keep you any longer," she said, dismissing the two police officers.

She waited until the two officers were gone before coming over to join her son and myself.

"I trust you understand that any employees of ours are covered by our attorneys?" she asked.

"I do, Madame."

"Wonderful. Is there any reason you did not wish to speak with the patrolman?"

"Madame?"

"Your body language was quite clear."

That was another thing that would never have happened in the old days, I reflected to myself. "I am not aware of any warrants, Madame."

"But?"

"But it is possible that I may match the description of the man who help resolve the kidnapping."

"Do you need a clean identity?" she asked bluntly.

"It would be appreciated, Madame."

"I'll have it arranged. You saved my husband's life, you saved my life, and more importantly you saved my son's life. You will be taken care of."

"Thank you, Madame."

AN: I wasn't impressed by how the first part came out and was even less impressed by how this part came out, but have idea write idea. Think I've gotten this out of my system.

Julie Madison for kidnap victim suggested by The Plot Mechanic. I chose her because she was a socialite in earlier incarnations implying that she came from a wealthy family that would be a target for kidnappers and known to the Waynes.

Luan Mao pointed out several typos, this chapter should have been called comma splice, and provided a couple suggestions.

Typo by joey zoot

Typo and suggestion by Sheylenna

OMAKE: Hatchet Man

"Got something to say, Gordon?" the commissioner asked as they walked out of the hospital.

"No sir."

"Spit it out," the commissioner ordered.

"Their stories weren't matching, sir."

"The Wayne's lawyers will tear us apart if we try to point that out in court. They'll say that Martha Wayne was understandably shaken up by what happened and that's assuming the DA didn't sweep anything under the rug."

"I understand, sir."

"No you don't, Gordon. That man matched the description of the guy who busted the Madison kidnapping. You heard about how he did it?"

"Just what was over the radio, sir."

"Killed the guard outside and took the rest alive."

"Thought half of them went to the morgue, sir?"

"Tied the bastards up, checked on the kid, shot two in the head and machine gunned the rest at knee level. We got there before they all bled out which is the only reason we made any arrests."

"Why aren't we bringing him in, sir?"

"Cause he's connected to the Waynes." The commissioner snorted. "Thomas Wayne could murder the Mayor in front of city hall in broad daylight and get off. Half the town works for him including the DA and the mayor."

"That extends to all his employees?"

"No. But it does extend to his personal hatchet man. You know how many ransom kidnappings we've had to work the last five years?"

"The one today was the first one I remember, sir."

"Now you know why."

AN: Thought about putting in another scene with Thomas Wayne who tells the MC the above misconception and states that while he doesn't have any police officers on his payroll, there are a number of police officers in the city who would very much like retirement jobs with Wayne industry and do their best to show how useful they'd be. It's one of the differences between the ultra wealthy and the criminal class. They bribe police officers, we don't have to.