Gillian Kearney Fan, that's the problem with killing characters - it's really sad! Thank you for your review - I'm glad you enjoyed the less sad parts of the chapter.
ETWentHome, I didn't want anything to happen to Cal, but I'm under such pressure to kill people off... which I take as a big compliment as it shows people care what happens. Thank you for your review!
CBloom2, I could have made you wait till tomorrow to find out about Ethan, but I'm in a generous mood (and I really wanted to write about Ethan). So there are two Ethan sections in this chapter - I really hope you enjoy them. Thank you for your review.
Tanith Panic, it's quite difficult having so many characters, but I'm trying not to forget about anyone! Thank you for saying you like that aspect of the story. I have to agree about Honey, but foolish characters can be useful. Thank you for your review.
Tato Potato, I'm afraid something has happened to Cal, but you might get your wish concerning Ethan... I definitely think he and Cal ought to be together now. Thank you for your review!
Guest, thank you for your review - I'm so happy you're enjoying the cliffhangers and not finding them annoying. You'll find out some of what I'm going to do to Cal in this chapter...
Georgy-Girl, you don't have to wait any longer... the next chapter is right here. Thank you for your review - I hope you keep enjoying the story.
Louise watched as the colour drained from Ethan's face. She took a step closer to him, ready to break his fall if he fainted, but then he seemed to steady himself.
"I think Dr Keogh's over…" he began as he looked over to where they'd last seen Dylan. Only Honey and Robyn were there. Ethan looked in the other direction, back towards the crowds, then he spoke, his words soft but deliberate. "There's Dr Chiltern over there with the trolley. You could ask him."
The policeman nodded his thanks and walked off.
Louise frowned slightly. She didn't think she knew Dr Chiltern and as a receptionist, she'd prided herself on knowing everybody. Perhaps a new doctor had come in without her realising, but the name Chiltern did sound familiar…
By the time she'd realised Ethan was actually talking about Lofty, the policeman was some distance away and Ethan was running into the ED.
"Ethan!" Louise ran after him, but even in her nurse's shoes, she couldn't catch him. She stopped just outside the ED. Louise liked to think she could handle anything and when it came to unruly patients, she probably could. Entering a building with a bomb threat was a different matter and she hesitated on the threshold.
"Louise?" She turned to see Honey.
"Honey, I'm sorry," said Louise. "I couldn't stop him. But I'm sure there's no danger now. They were asking for a doctor. They just didn't want it to be…" She gave Honey another apologetic look. "…Cal's brother."
Honey didn't look upset. She was clapping her hands in delight. "That's my Superdoctor! But he needs his Honeygirl!"
"Honey, don't be stupid!" said Louise in alarm, as the barista ran into the ED.
Lily watched in relief as the ambulance drew carefully into the ED. "Right: let's get Rita onboard."
There was a look of horror on Connie's face. "This is Charlie's ambulance! He's been waiting longer. He should be seen first."
"Mrs Beauchamp, it is not first-come, first-served," said Lily, rather surprised that this needed explaining to the clinical lead, but perhaps it was some sort of test. "The reasonably-young woman should be saved before the elderly man."
Connie's eyes were shiny. "But we can't. We can't lose Charlie."
"We might not have to," said Lily, as two paramedics got out of the ambulance. "We just have to do what makes medical sense."
She saw Jacob put his hand on Connie's shoulder and waited for the inevitable moment when Connie would order Jacob to remove his hand. Connie didn't. This might have been because she was focused on Charlie, but Lily thought she looked just slightly comforted by Jacob's action.
"She's right, you know, Connie." Jacob's voice was very gentle.
Connie didn't answer in words, but she nodded, her eyes fixed on Charlie.
Jacob squeezed her shoulder. "I'll help get Rita into the van."
Connie nodded again.
The paramedics had opened the back doors of the ambulance and put the ramp in place. Lily took one corner of Rita's trolley and helped Jacob, Iain and the paramedics to guide it as gently as possible into the ambulance. Connie remained where she was, still giving compressions, while Dixie sat beside the AED, ready to deliver the next shock. Iain and one of the paramedics each grabbed one of the ambulance doors, preparing to slam them closed.
"No, not yet!" called Connie, as her hands continued to work rhythmically. "You can take Charlie too. There's room for both of them."
The paramedics looked doubtful. "In an emergency, we might, love," one of them said. "But-"
"It is an emergency!" snapped Connie. "Charlie is the best nurse we've got and the ED couldn't function without him. Just do as you're told and put him in the ambulance."
"Who's in charge here?" asked one of the paramedics, his eyes going to Jacob.
Lily gritted her teeth. Trust them to assume the man was in charge! "Mrs Beauchamp is our clinical lead. I am a doctor. Jacob is just a nurse."
It annoyed her even more when Jacob laughed. "The 'just' is a matter of opinion, but Mrs Beauchamp's authority is not. And Dr Chao does all right too for such a young doctor. If you want my advice, you should do as these fine young ladies say."
Lily resolved to have stern words with Jacob later, but for now, she ignored him and spoke to the paramedics. "Please take Nurse Fairhead too if you can do so without endangering Sister Freeman's life. If you cannot do this, we will wait for another ambulance."
"She's right," said Connie, her words a sigh. "Dr Chao is right."
"Dr Chiltern?" said the policeman.
Lofty's thoughts were elsewhere. Specifically on the man he'd just seen hurrying away from the ED. "Um, yes?"
"Dr Chiltern, we require your assistance," said the policeman.
"Oh. Okay. I'll come and… wait, did you just call me 'doctor'?" said Lofty. "I'm not a doctor. I'm a nurse." He watched as Dylan disappeared from view. "And I really need to be somewhere…"
The policeman looked confused. "But Dr Hardy said…" He glanced back towards the ED. "Where's he..." The policeman swore colourfully and got out his radio, giving quick instructions to apprehend Dr Hardy. "What do you mean you took him to the casualties? Find him and bring him back. I'm trying to get hold of another doctor." He turned to Lofty. "Where can I find another doctor?"
"Mrs Beauchamp and Dr Chao are round by the ambulance station," said Lofty. Instinct told him Dylan wasn't an option.
"I'll show you if you like," said Big Mac. "You go on, Lofty, and do what you need to do."
Lofty thought he'd better wait for permission from the policeman – he didn't want to get arrested – but this was readily granted. Lofty ran in the direction Dylan had taken and looked around. There seemed to be no sign of him, but something made him look upwards.
There was a multi-storey car park near the ED. Alongside it were steps, leading up to the different levels. Dylan was running up the steps.
Lofty couldn't move.
The ED staff parked their cars in the ED staff car park. He could think of no reason why Dylan might go up there.
No reason except one.
Ethan found the first part easy. He ran into the ED and found a policeman standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Excuse me. I'm Dr Keogh. I've been sent to treat Dr Knight." He didn't know whether everyone was aware that Dr Hardy was Dr Knight's brother, but he wasn't taking any chances.
"I'll take you part of the way, sir," was the reply, and Ethan found himself escorted up the stairs.
He had a million questions bubbling around inside his head, but he forced himself to keep silent. He had to appear professional. He didn't want anyone else saying he couldn't see his own brother.
Even though just thinking about Cal and what might have happened to him filled him with terror.
The policeman's radio crackled. "Sorry, Dr Keogh. Someone's trying to contact me." He held it to his ear.
Ethan could guess who it was. He'd known his 'Dr Chiltern' ruse wouldn't last long. Even if Lofty guessed what Ethan was up to, he would never pretend to be a doctor – and he'd be right not to. Ethan moved quickly, throwing himself through the doors leading to the main part of the hospital. He kept running until he saw more policeman up ahead of him and skidded to a halt. "I understand you requested the services of a doctor. I'm Dr Keogh."
"Thank you for coming so quickly, Dr Keogh. The most serious injury was sustained by the bomber; one of the staff members with him, a Nurse Fletcher, has what we think is a superficial wound – though you would be able to say better than us, sir; the other member of staff, a Guy Self, is suffering from shock but appears uninjured; and there's another member of staff, we believe a Dr Knight, who's been hit on the head by falling masonry and seems to be unconscious."
Ethan took a shaky breath. He was concerned and upset to hear that Fletch had been involved and the fact Guy Self was suffering from shock was worrying, even though his apparent lack of injury suggested the policeman wasn't using the term 'shock' in the medical sense. But only one person mattered. "The man with the head injury: what was he wearing? What colour scrubs?"
The policeman looked surprised. "I'm not sure to be honest, sir. The ceiling collapsed so he's been showered with debris and there's quite a lot of blood, but it looks like he's wearing a grey top and black trousers."
Ethan thought for a moment that he might faint. There was a rushing sound in his ears and he could no longer see anything but darkness. But when he spoke, his voice was firm. "Take me to him, please."
"Dr Keogh, I'm no expert, but I think the bomber's condition is far more serious. He looks like he needs surgery."
"I'm not a surgeon," said Ethan. "Please do as I say and take me to Dr Knight."