Chapter 3

"Hey!" I kept the attention of the kid on me. "Your mom is going to be okay," I kept talking to the five-year-old for the fifteen-minute ride to the ER.

Once we arrived at the ER the paramedics directed me to their supervisor's office to get my tourniquet and my field dressings replaced.

"You must be Mark," the slightly overweight man greeted me as he stood up from his desk. "They radioed ahead about you."

"Yessir," I replied with a small smile. "If you'll point me to the paperwork I'll fill out whatever is needed and I'll be out of your way."

"Well, you mind if I talk to you for a moment?" The supervisor asked. "I've got a couple of questions about your training."

"Sure, I'm not in any rush," I said as I took the seat that he pointed out to me.

"Where did you get your training?" He asked as he pointed out where to sign and fill out the forms required to get my replacement gear from the hospital's stores.

"From a bunch of Desert storm vets," I replied. "They certified me in basic stop-the-bleed techniques and helped me get AED/CPR certified as well."

"Well, thanks for the assist," The supervisor said as I finished off the paperwork. "Here's my card, give me a call if you end up looking for a job in the near future."

"Thanks, I just might take you up on that offer," I replied as I signed and accepted a copy of the reimbursement paperwork for my

records. "Care to show me where I can go to get my stuff replaced?"

"Sure, I'm about due for a break anyway."

–

–

"Because you weren't there when the RPD arrived to get a description of the scene, they're going to need you to go by their HQ to file a statement," I was told after I had replaced the gear that I had just used.

"That should be on my map right?" I asked as I pulled it out. "Do I need to go directly to the HQ or should I head to one of the precincts?"

"Just head to the HQ, It'll be easier to file the paperwork from there," I was advised.

"Alright then," I replied. "Guess I better get to walking."

–

–

"Hello," the receptionist of the police station greeted me. "Can I help you with something?"

"Yes actually," I replied. "I was a witness to the car accident that occurred on Fifth Street at around 9:15 this morning and I was told by the people at the hospital to come and give my witness statement when I had the time."

"Oh!" Her eyes lit up in recognition. "They called a couple of hours ago to let me know that you were coming," She blushed in embarrassment. "I had honestly forgotten that you would be coming to do that."

"That's fine," I replied with a soft smile. "I don't have a car or access to the public works facilities yet so I'm stuck with my own two feet as my main method of transportation right now."

"Well, you'll need your driver's license or some other form of ID and a place where we can reach you in case someone tries to bring a lawsuit against someone," the receptionist, Carole Sindermann told me. "Aside from that if you'll just fill out this form then I can have you on your way."

I made my way over to one of the small sofas that Carole pointed out to me and began to fill out the paperwork before a voice called out to me.

"I thought we told you to stay out of trouble," the gravelly voice of Chris Redfield rang in the area.

"I didn't get into any trouble," I replied with a shrug. "I was an innocent bystander until I had to pull a mother and child out of a car.

"I'm just messing with you," Chris grinned. "We seem to be running into you an awful lot recently though."

"Well, once is a coincidence," I replied. "This makes two, so it's still just happenstance."

"Well, if it's a third time do I need to place you in the enemy action column?" Barry chimed in sarcastically.

"I should hope not," I replied before picking up the clipboard and taking it back to Carole. "Thank you, Carole," I told the woman. "I'll be staying at this motel this evening and possibly for the rest of the week if someone needs to contact me."

"No, thank you," Carole smiled at me. "Most people don't take these kinds of things seriously and the paperwork is a bitch and a half to sort out."

"Paperwork is important," I agreed. "But sometimes red tape can get in the way of saving someone's life, and that's when it's unacceptable."

"I'll keep that in mind Mr, Hall." She replied as she read my name off of the paperwork. "Have a pleasant evening."

"Need a ride back to the motel?" Jill asked me as the trio began to leave the police station at the same time as I was.

"Sure," I replied. "I'll comp you the gas money."

"I'm headed in the same direction as you," Jill shook her head at me. "And I know you didn't have all that much cash on you. I lifted your wallet last night, remember?"

"I've got enough to make do for now," I replied defensively. "But I'm still going to pay you for the gas."

"Men," Jill scoffed and glared at me, Chris and Barry.

"Don't lump us in with this guy," Chris raised his hands in surrender. "We know that you'd kick our asses if we tried to pull something like that."

–

–

"Thanks for the ride," I told Jill as she pulled her beat-up junker of a car into the parking lot of the motel we were both staying at. "A twenty should fill up your tank right?"

"Mark, you don't owe me anything," Jill shook her head. "Not when your advice managed to help me get an apartment in this city."

"Fine," I replied. "Need help loading everything into your car though?"

"Now that I will accept," Jill laughed. "As long as you don't mind a mess that is."

"I'll be up at six in the morning ready to help out," I replied. "That should give you plenty of time to clean up whatever mess you might have made."

Climbing out of the late eighties model Toyota I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulders before walking into the main room of the motel for check-in.

"Same room as before?"

"If at all possible," I replied as I handed over the cash for the room. "And the directions for calling out are in the room I assume?"

"Yes sir, they should be in the top drawer."

"Thanks, I'll hopefully find somewhere a bit more permanent to stay tomorrow," I told them before accepting the key and my change.

"Alright, looks like I've got a few phone calls to make," I muttered to myself as I unlocked the room and opened up the phone book. "But first, I need some grub." I opened up the phone book and found the number for a local pizza joint.

"Joe's Pizza, how may I help you?"

"Yeah, how much is a large meat-lovers?" I asked. "And do y'all deliver?"

"Well, our larges normally run around eight dollars, but we're running a special right now so you can get two for a tenner."

"I'll take the meat-lovers and a pepperoni then," I replied. "And you didn't answer my second question."

"Oh, we do deliver, just give me the address and I'll have Mat over in thirty minutes or the pizza is free."

"Thanks, I'll have a tip ready for him when he gets here," I hung up the phone and pulled out the card that the EMT supervisor had handed me earlier and laid it down on the nightstand next to the phone. "I'll give him a call tomorrow," I said as I stripped down and bundled up my dirty clothes together.

Grabbing the lone pair of basketball shorts out of my pack I pulled them up before grabbing a handful of quarters and making my way to the small laundry center of the motel to give my clothes a quick wash.

"Mind if I borrow that?" I asked an older woman who was ironing some clothes. "I've got a pair of slacks and a dress shirt that I need to iron."

"Of course," the woman replied. "Do you need any help with the ironing?"

"No thank you," I shook my head as I loaded up the washer with my clothes. "My mom taught me how to iron things properly and frankly," I leaned in and whispered as if embarrassed. "I'm afraid I might need the practice."

"My son is much the same," the woman laughed. "He's off making money and having so much fun doing research for Umbrella Corporation that he forgets to eat sometimes, and his wife isn't much better."

"Food is important," I agreed as I ironed the creases out of your slacks. "I think I'll be staying in town for a little while so if I run into your son I'll let him know that you're worried about him."

"That's sweet of you," the woman smiled. "But I don't think you run in the same circles that he does."

"Fair enough," I laughed as I used one of the motel's hangers to hang my pants before moving on to ironing my shirt. "Fair enough."

"Well, that's my washing done," the older woman pulled her clothes out of the dryer and began to load them up into a basket. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"Likewise," I smiled before finishing my shirt and taking them both to my room to hang up.

Glancing down at my watch I noted the time before heading for the front lobby to pick up my pizza.

"Matt?" I asked the man holding out two pizzas. "I've got your money here." I handed him a twenty-dollar bill. "Keep the change, I know how hard it is to get good tips sometimes."

"Thanks, man!" The delivery guy cheered before heading back to his car while I took the pizzas up to my hotel room.

"One last check on my laundry, and then I'll eat and tuck in for the night," I said as I went back to the laundry room and pulled my two outfits out of the dryer.