22- bleeding through bandages (tourniquet / reopening wound / oh, that's not good)

It took TK over two hours to remove all the metal splinters from Will's body. In the cupola where he'd placed them, there were over a hundred, but that wasn't what worried the rescuer, it was that the perforated eye was bleeding through the improvised bandage he'd made. TK cut a terry towel again and changed the bandage so the blood wouldn't start to fester.

"You'll have to change it very regularly," he pointed out before fetching himself a glass of water.

He was stressed, because of the treatments he'd just done, the ones he still had to do and the detonations exploding again and again on the door. Drinking was good for him and helped calm the tremors in his hands. When he turned back to the wounded, Will had closed his one good eye and seemed to be resting, Danny at his side. Steve was with Matt, helping him remove his clothes so that the paramedic could intervene. The large piece of metal seemed to go through the head of the humerus, with the point sticking out the other side.

"Ready?" asked the younger man. "Stand against the wall," he ordered once Matt had nodded.

He indicated to Steve and Danny, who had joined them, to lean the injured man's torso against the wall. He wrapped a large towel around the triangle-shaped piece of metal, which he had to hold with both hands because it was so large. He indicated to Steve where to place his hands to prevent him from tearing the flesh as he pulled, then placed his foot on the wall above the injured shoulder. He pulled a sharp blow, going backwards as the blade dislodged.

Matt let out only a grunt of pain and a mocking laugh that annoyed TK, but he said nothing, it wouldn't help.

"Guys, they're bringing the heavy weapons," Jim called out to them.

"Inform our contact on the secure line and then shut it up," replied Steve. "How much time do we have?"

"Five minutes, seven maximum."

"Once the line's closed, you and Danny take Will and get the hell out. We'll follow you."

"Copy that."

"TK, you've got three minutes to bandage him up."

The paramedic wasted no time in responding. He wrapped sponge towels around the wound and bandaged it tightly, having no time to do any better. The first trio had already disappeared through a trapdoor at the back of the fridge.

Steve led TK through first, followed by Matt, and then closed the gap to make sure everything closed behind them. They first had to get down on all fours to get through the trapdoor and move on for about ten meters. TK went as fast as he could, to get away from the terrorists as quickly as possible, but also to avoid feeling Matt's gaze on his buttocks.

This tunnel led to a very narrow corridor, which they had to pass through in profile.

Steve was not yet in the second part of the passage when the sound and vibration of an explosion reached them. Everything moved around them, and TK had the impression of hearing landslides on the other side of the wall against which he was standing.

"Move," whispered the commander.

The three of them set off again. TK could see Danny ahead of him, calming his anxiety at finding himself in this narrow corridor. Matt was right behind him, urging him on by touching his upper thighs as soon as he was within reach. He hated it, but didn't want to risk reacting, fearing the terrorists would hear him through the wall.

They moved forward slowly, alternating passages where they had to pass in profile, on all fours or crawling. TK tried to keep his distance from Matt, but it wasn't easy. Steve didn't seem to be able to see what he was doing, and the young man felt trapped. He couldn't understand how Matt could think such a thing in their situation.

A second, louder explosion stopped them in their tracks.