p id="docs-internal-guid-39b82601-7fff-9bf8-f2be-bb166cf30175" dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 13pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: underline; text-decoration-skip: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Retreat makes sense, running for your life makes more sense/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric, once more hunching himself over Penny, as if he could save her from the worst of the cave in the stranger had created, was unsure if being crushed to death would be better than being mauled by the squid-like creatures. But his fear, it seemed, was unfounded, as each time he flinched at a rock coming too near it flew away from him, the telekinesis pill finally seemed to have taken effect./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"When the dust began to settle, the cavern-like area they had stood in now sported a makeshift wall with them on one side and apparently the creatures, save for the unmoving one beside them, on the other. Morrow stood directly behind the girl, his arm and hand outstretched, his brow furrowed in concentration, as he used the telekinesis to help things come to rest. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl's staff fell first, clattering onto the ground, obscenely loud, before her body crumpled sideways on top of it. The air smelled of metal, the sort of charged energy one tended to find after a thunderstorm. The same eerie quiet. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Eric, it's time to go!" Morrow commanded, as he darted to Excalibur, wrenched the sword out of the ground and then dropped it inside his white doctor's bag. He then looked between the unconscious girl and the squid-like creature, once more finding himself in the inevitable position of the kid whose mom has just told him he can only have one candy bar. While he had only encountered one obscure reference to a group known as the Hunters, he /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"had/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" come across something, meaning he could research it, however, the shadowy squid-like creature, that was one-hundred-per cent brand new. She hadn't wanted his help…He made his choice./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric bent to the unmoving girl's side, balancing Penny, he managed to push the tips of his fingers to her pulse point, "Doc! Her pulse is weak...I don't think she's breathing." He glanced around expecting to see the man in his bag, getting equipment to help. He didn't expect to see Morrow trying to pick up the unmoving shadowy creature. "What the hell are you doing! Get over here and help me!"Eric yelled. One handedly He tried to carefully turn the girl./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What?" Morrow asked in confusion, genuinely not seeing how his current actions might appear to a normal individual. "You've got Penny and I can only carry one specimen. I have some idea about what she might be, but no clue what this is," he indicated the creature he was struggling to lift. "Besides that was a kamikaze move, I'm surprised she's alive at all. She'll likely not survive the trip out of here."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But she is alive! So help me! She saved us! Now you get your ass over here and help me or I'll put Penny down and do it myself, then I'll take her out and leave the three of you here. Let's see how you pick between your pet and your test subject!" Eric roared. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're bluffing, you wouldn't leave Penny here injured and unconscious." Morrow insisted, feeling somewhat outraged that his employee would have the gall to challenge him like that./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric Gast puffed his chest to its full extent, bluffing was he? Right then. He placed Penny gently onto the floor; with a disgusted look at Morrow and now with two hands free, turned the girl onto her back. He pressed his ear to her chest and checked her pulse again. Her eyes were closed and her lips were drained of colour. He pinched her nose, tilting her mouth open and breathed two deep breaths into her. Then interlocked his fingers over her sternum and began compressing her chest, counting internally. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Seven, eight, nine, ten…./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A look of shock spread across Dr Morrow's tight features, as he watched his employee make good on his threat. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He's really going to abandon Penny and force me to choose… He knows I wouldn't leave Penny down here…that bastard! /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Infuriatedly, he glanced between the squid-like creature, Penny and the figures of Gast and the unknown girl. And once again, like the aforementioned kid in the candy store, he had the childish thought, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"that's not fair! /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and should perhaps have counted himself fortunate that his foot had not stomped. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rolling his eyes, Morrow made to stride over to where Eric was kneeling and finally became aware of the stump of tendril that was still coiled around his ankle and lower calf. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Well, looks like I'll at least get a consolation prize. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Glancing to see if the paramedic was paying him any attention, as though based on his prior actions the man might try to deny him even this small sample, he quickly unwound it and slipped it inside his Tardis-like bag. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl was still unmoving, Eric puffed two more times into her and straightened to compress her chest again. Fifteen compressions. Two deep breaths. "C'mon, kid…C'mon…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl gave an almighty gasp, colour flooding back into her face. Eric visibly relaxed and leaned back but she didn't wake, just took shuddering breaths./span span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Penny beside him chose that moment to give a feeble groan. He froze, eyes darting to her. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Shit… /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he turned his head, his hand to her neck. "Penny? Can you hear me?" He looked up, moving over to the fallen eldritch creature. "Dammit Doc! Help me already?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His prize safely stowed away out of sight, Morrow darted forward and lowered himself to his knees, his hand going to the unknown girl's pulse point. Her heart fluttered. "Well She's alive," he said, moving his hand to roll her eyelids and stare at her pupils. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric had shifted slightly to give Morrow room. "No thanks to you," he said, getting to his feet./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not that it really matters at present, given that our only option is to pick Penny and her up and hope we can get back to the ambulance before the squid-like creatures catch us again... or she bleeds to death. But what do you expect from blood magic practice. Like I said, she will be lucky to survive the trip out." He peeled the shirt back and made a grim face at the wound, it was worse than he thought it would be. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She saved us," Eric growled./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes she did…" Morrow mused. If he couldn't take the squid back then the girl and the tentacle would have to suffice as his prize. Which meant that regardless of his previous thoughts on the matter she was now the focus of his attention. "And I want to know how…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric apparently didn't hear him. "Penny seems to be trying to come around. We need to get them both proper medical attention," he said, those last words implying that he perhaps wasn't including Morrow himself as 'proper' attention./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Agreed," Morrow replied, ignoring the implication. The girl was alive and somehow now he had to keep her that way. He stripped off his lab coat, turned it inside out and pressed the bundle of fabric against the girl's wound, tying it in place with the sleeves. He put his hands under the girl's neck onto her shoulders and under her knees, thus positioned he motioned to scoop her up in his arms. From beneath her, the black wooden staff the girl had used in the frey rolled a foot away from him. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I suppose an action figure is not complete without its accessories, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he mused and withdrew his hands from under her, deftly snatched it up, opened his bag and deposited it inside. This time when he lifted the girl, he rose all the way to his feet. "The tunnel we were unceremoniously hauled through, Eric, that's our only guaranteed way out."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric nodded and they moved off. Behind them, on the other side of the 'wall', a slight scratching began, but they were gone before it got much louder. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The two men and two girls made an interesting sight as they traversed the tunnel network towards the exit. Eric cast a glance every now and then to make sure that /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"a) /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"the girl in Morrow's arms was still breathing and /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"b) /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"that he hadn't put her down in favour of some random amphibian or rat creature he might encounter on their way out. However, each time he did, the girl's head still lolled against the doctor's arm. Her blood now staining the man's already ruined white suit despite the lab coat being used to stem the flow. Needless to say, the Doc's dry cleaning bill would be through the roof again this month. Perhaps he should suggest his employer wore all black… with a leather trench coat and top hat. Knowing the Doc, he'd probably suit the Yharnam look. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Penny's eyes were fluttering open when they got back to the ambulance. Yet despite the considerable weight difference in their loads (Penny always feeling like she weighed far more than the sum of her lithe frame) Eric was faster in reaching it, but only just. "Shhh. You're ok Penny. Just rest." Gently he placed Penny on the back seat and was around the rear, pulling the gurney out for the girl by the time Morrow arrived. He wordlessly waited for the man to put her down and climb in the back before he slammed the door closed and got in the drivers side. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is she still alive?" he asked, turning the car. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes," Morrow replied, though his tone was somewhat grim, as if he wasn't sure how exactly. "She shouldn't be, not if she's just a normal human, which we clearly can deduce she isn't. However, I can't guarantee she will stay that way long enough for us to get back to the clinic. Even if she does, she'll be lucky not to die from the blood loss, or more likely from mass infection." Morrow removed his filthy lab coat from her side and rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, stripping off his torn and dirt covered latex gloves and replacing them with a fresh pair he continued "…and that's before considering any other injuries or what that blood magic might have done to her lifeforce. Preventing the spread of thalmic blood diseases was not the only reason Mystic's banned the practice of it." His forehead furrowed and his mouth set downwards he began cleaning some skin in her arm for an IV line. Conditions were hardly sanitary after their trip into the sewers, but infections he had a chance of curing, death… not so much. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric's expression seemed stoney. "What is she?" he asked. Casting a glance in the rear view mirror. Movement past the Doc and out the window drew his attention and caused his blood to turn to ice. If the Doc answered him he didn't hear. Because he was sure, in the fading darkness of the bumpy road, in the dark passageway they had entered and exited via, something was moving. pin-pricks of red glowed faintly in the shadow then faded away. He put his foot on the accelerator and when they reached the main road, raised a hand to turn on the siren, skirting through traffic like an obstacle course. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Morrow meanwhile moved with well practiced ease as the ambulance sped its way back to Stonebride. He gave no reply to Gast's question, simply hung the bottle of clear liquid on the hook above the gurney and adjusted the flow before peeling away his new patient's clothing from atop the bloody wound. Seeing it fully now He winced at the depth of the laceration, caused by the squid things, he surmised. A few of his own cuts and scrapes stung empathically. Such a wound would have sent a normal human into shock at the very least immediately. Running his fingers along the area his hand froze as the presence of magic made his fingertips tingle. A half attempted magical repair it seemed, one he was unfamiliar with. Crouching so he was eye level with her abdomen he started intently at it and walked his fingers back and forth before pulling a disgusted face: the repair was crude at best and certainly not a permanent solution. However, it was still intact, explaining how she had survived to this point, but it was waning. Straightening he rummaged in his bag and pulled the oculus on to examine the wound internally, he bared his teeth and hissed./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not good?" Eric asked, casting a glance back as he drove. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No." Morrow said, considering his next move. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We are ten minutes out…can you keep her stable that long?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She is hardly stable…" Morrow muttered however, he looked again at the last trickle of the magical patch. Placing the tips of his finger over the part where the sensation of magical residue was the strongest he somewhat cautiously attempted to add some of his own energy into it and was surprised when it soaked up what he had to offer like a sponge. Like a trip switch being turned back on, the flow of blood eased and her heart rate on the battered old monitor slowed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Immediate danger dealt with for now he turned his attention to other needs but found himself glancing at the pallid face and asking the same thing Eric had as he worked, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"what are you indeed?/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; text-align: center; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Searchers after horror haunt strange, far places."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric, once more hunching himself over Penny, as if he could save her from the worst of the cave in the stranger had created, was unsure if being crushed to death would be better than being mauled by the squid-like creatures. But his fear, it seemed, was unfounded, as each time he flinched at a rock coming too near it flew away from him, the telekinesis pill finally seemed to have taken effect./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"When the dust began to settle, the cavern-like area they had stood in now sported a makeshift wall with them on one side and apparently the creatures, save for the unmoving one beside them, on the other. Morrow stood directly behind the girl, his arm and hand outstretched, his brow furrowed in concentration, as he used the telekinesis to help things come to rest. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl's staff fell first, clattering onto the ground, obscenely loud, before her body crumpled sideways on top of it. The air smelled of metal, the sort of charged energy one tended to find after a thunderstorm. The same eerie quiet. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Eric, it's time to go!" Morrow commanded, as he darted to Excalibur, wrenched the sword out of the ground and then dropped it inside his white doctor's bag. He then looked between the unconscious girl and the squid-like creature, once more finding himself in the inevitable position of the kid whose mom has just told him he can only have one candy bar. While he had only encountered one obscure reference to a group known as the Hunters, he /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"had/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" come across something, meaning he could research it, however, the shadowy squid-like creature, that was one-hundred-per cent brand new. She hadn't wanted his help…He made his choice./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric bent to the unmoving girl's side, balancing Penny, he managed to push the tips of his fingers to her pulse point, "Doc! Her pulse is weak...I don't think she's breathing." He glanced around expecting to see the man in his bag, getting equipment to help. He didn't expect to see Morrow trying to pick up the unmoving shadowy creature. "What the hell are you doing! Get over here and help me!"Eric yelled. One handedly He tried to carefully turn the girl./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What?" Morrow asked in confusion, genuinely not seeing how his current actions might appear to a normal individual. "You've got Penny and I can only carry one specimen. I have some idea about what she might be, but no clue what this is," he indicated the creature he was struggling to lift. "Besides that was a kamikaze move, I'm surprised she's alive at all. She'll likely not survive the trip out of here."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But she is alive! So help me! She saved us! Now you get your ass over here and help me or I'll put Penny down and do it myself, then I'll take her out and leave the three of you here. Let's see how you pick between your pet and your test subject!" Eric roared. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You're bluffing, you wouldn't leave Penny here injured and unconscious." Morrow insisted, feeling somewhat outraged that his employee would have the gall to challenge him like that./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric Gast puffed his chest to its full extent, bluffing was he? Right then. He placed Penny gently onto the floor; with a disgusted look at Morrow and now with two hands free, turned the girl onto her back. He pressed his ear to her chest and checked her pulse again. Her eyes were closed and her lips were drained of colour. He pinched her nose, tilting her mouth open and breathed two deep breaths into her. Then interlocked his fingers over her sternum and began compressing her chest, counting internally. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Seven, eight, nine, ten…./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A look of shock spread across Dr Morrow's tight features, as he watched his employee make good on his threat. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He's really going to abandon Penny and force me to choose… He knows I wouldn't leave Penny down here…that bastard! /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Infuriatedly, he glanced between the squid-like creature, Penny and the figures of Gast and the unknown girl. And once again, like the aforementioned kid in the candy store, he had the childish thought, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"that's not fair! /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"and should perhaps have counted himself fortunate that his foot had not stomped. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rolling his eyes, Morrow made to stride over to where Eric was kneeling and finally became aware of the stump of tendril that was still coiled around his ankle and lower calf. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Well, looks like I'll at least get a consolation prize. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Glancing to see if the paramedic was paying him any attention, as though based on his prior actions the man might try to deny him even this small sample, he quickly unwound it and slipped it inside his Tardis-like bag. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl was still unmoving, Eric puffed two more times into her and straightened to compress her chest again. Fifteen compressions. Two deep breaths. "C'mon, kid…C'mon…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The girl gave an almighty gasp, colour flooding back into her face. Eric visibly relaxed and leaned back but she didn't wake, just took shuddering breaths./span span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Penny beside him chose that moment to give a feeble groan. He froze, eyes darting to her. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Shit… /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he turned his head, his hand to her neck. "Penny? Can you hear me?" He looked up, moving over to the fallen eldritch creature. "Dammit Doc! Help me already?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"His prize safely stowed away out of sight, Morrow darted forward and lowered himself to his knees, his hand going to the unknown girl's pulse point. Her heart fluttered. "Well She's alive," he said, moving his hand to roll her eyelids and stare at her pupils. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric had shifted slightly to give Morrow room. "No thanks to you," he said, getting to his feet./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not that it really matters at present, given that our only option is to pick Penny and her up and hope we can get back to the ambulance before the squid-like creatures catch us again... or she bleeds to death. But what do you expect from blood magic practice. Like I said, she will be lucky to survive the trip out." He peeled the shirt back and made a grim face at the wound, it was worse than he thought it would be. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She saved us," Eric growled./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes she did…" Morrow mused. If he couldn't take the squid back then the girl and the tentacle would have to suffice as his prize. Which meant that regardless of his previous thoughts on the matter she was now the focus of his attention. "And I want to know how…"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric apparently didn't hear him. "Penny seems to be trying to come around. We need to get them both proper medical attention," he said, those last words implying that he perhaps wasn't including Morrow himself as 'proper' attention./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Agreed," Morrow replied, ignoring the implication. The girl was alive and somehow now he had to keep her that way. He stripped off his lab coat, turned it inside out and pressed the bundle of fabric against the girl's wound, tying it in place with the sleeves. He put his hands under the girl's neck onto her shoulders and under her knees, thus positioned he motioned to scoop her up in his arms. From beneath her, the black wooden staff the girl had used in the frey rolled a foot away from him. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I suppose an action figure is not complete without its accessories, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"he mused and withdrew his hands from under her, deftly snatched it up, opened his bag and deposited it inside. This time when he lifted the girl, he rose all the way to his feet. "The tunnel we were unceremoniously hauled through, Eric, that's our only guaranteed way out."/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric nodded and they moved off. Behind them, on the other side of the 'wall', a slight scratching began, but they were gone before it got much louder. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The two men and two girls made an interesting sight as they traversed the tunnel network towards the exit. Eric cast a glance every now and then to make sure that /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"a) /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"the girl in Morrow's arms was still breathing and /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"b) /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"that he hadn't put her down in favour of some random amphibian or rat creature he might encounter on their way out. However, each time he did, the girl's head still lolled against the doctor's arm. Her blood now staining the man's already ruined white suit despite the lab coat being used to stem the flow. Needless to say, the Doc's dry cleaning bill would be through the roof again this month. Perhaps he should suggest his employer wore all black… with a leather trench coat and top hat. Knowing the Doc, he'd probably suit the Yharnam look. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Penny's eyes were fluttering open when they got back to the ambulance. Yet despite the considerable weight difference in their loads (Penny always feeling like she weighed far more than the sum of her lithe frame) Eric was faster in reaching it, but only just. "Shhh. You're ok Penny. Just rest." Gently he placed Penny on the back seat and was around the rear, pulling the gurney out for the girl by the time Morrow arrived. He wordlessly waited for the man to put her down and climb in the back before he slammed the door closed and got in the drivers side. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Is she still alive?" he asked, turning the car. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes," Morrow replied, though his tone was somewhat grim, as if he wasn't sure how exactly. "She shouldn't be, not if she's just a normal human, which we clearly can deduce she isn't. However, I can't guarantee she will stay that way long enough for us to get back to the clinic. Even if she does, she'll be lucky not to die from the blood loss, or more likely from mass infection." Morrow removed his filthy lab coat from her side and rolled up his sleeves as he spoke, stripping off his torn and dirt covered latex gloves and replacing them with a fresh pair he continued "…and that's before considering any other injuries or what that blood magic might have done to her lifeforce. Preventing the spread of thalmic blood diseases was not the only reason Mystic's banned the practice of it." His forehead furrowed and his mouth set downwards he began cleaning some skin in her arm for an IV line. Conditions were hardly sanitary after their trip into the sewers, but infections he had a chance of curing, death… not so much. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Eric's expression seemed stoney. "What is she?" he asked. Casting a glance in the rear view mirror. Movement past the Doc and out the window drew his attention and caused his blood to turn to ice. If the Doc answered him he didn't hear. Because he was sure, in the fading darkness of the bumpy road, in the dark passageway they had entered and exited via, something was moving. pin-pricks of red glowed faintly in the shadow then faded away. He put his foot on the accelerator and when they reached the main road, raised a hand to turn on the siren, skirting through traffic like an obstacle course. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Morrow meanwhile moved with well practiced ease as the ambulance sped its way back to Stonebride. He gave no reply to Gast's question, simply hung the bottle of clear liquid on the hook above the gurney and adjusted the flow before peeling away his new patient's clothing from atop the bloody wound. Seeing it fully now He winced at the depth of the laceration, caused by the squid things, he surmised. A few of his own cuts and scrapes stung empathically. Such a wound would have sent a normal human into shock at the very least immediately. Running his fingers along the area his hand froze as the presence of magic made his fingertips tingle. A half attempted magical repair it seemed, one he was unfamiliar with. Crouching so he was eye level with her abdomen he started intently at it and walked his fingers back and forth before pulling a disgusted face: the repair was crude at best and certainly not a permanent solution. However, it was still intact, explaining how she had survived to this point, but it was waning. Straightening he rummaged in his bag and pulled the oculus on to examine the wound internally, he bared his teeth and hissed./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not good?" Eric asked, casting a glance back as he drove. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No." Morrow said, considering his next move. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We are ten minutes out…can you keep her stable that long?"/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She is hardly stable…" Morrow muttered however, he looked again at the last trickle of the magical patch. Placing the tips of his finger over the part where the sensation of magical residue was the strongest he somewhat cautiously attempted to add some of his own energy into it and was surprised when it soaked up what he had to offer like a sponge. Like a trip switch being turned back on, the flow of blood eased and her heart rate on the battered old monitor slowed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.7999999999999998; margin-top: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Immediate danger dealt with for now he turned his attention to other needs but found himself glancing at the pallid face and asking the same thing Eric had as he worked, /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"what are you indeed?/span/p
