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(Setting): NSFMed at GC, Urgent Care/Walk-in Clinic
| >One of these services, open to the general public, is NSFMed's own Urgent Care/walk-in clinic. Adjacent to the ER, the clinic and the skilled practitioners within it are experienced in handling medical issues that aren't life threatening, but are probably something your typical doctor's office would have trouble managing. We're talking suturing wounds, IV rehydration, administration of biologics, STAT imaging, a plethora of lab tests-- among countless other things.
| >Don't end up seeing what you need on that list (available in full in the lobby and on NSFMed's website; please make sure when searching you select the "Glitch City" branch under the "Our Locations" tab)? Not to worry-- the hospital aims to make transitions in care as seamless as possible for the comfort of its patients. The clinic's direct connection to the main hospital building makes providing higher level care or specialty consults a snap!
| >Don't feel like coming in, or want to save yourself a trip if you can help it? The hospital's Urgent Care clinic has trained professionals available on the phones 24/7 to offer medical advice and peace of mind to patients wherever and whenever they may need it. So, if you're a bit banged up, regretting impulsive decisions you made last night, or are just plain not feeling well...
| >... Take a tissue, spill your issue, and have a seat in the waiting room (but make sure you stop at check-in, first). The clinicians will see you shortly.
| >a girl with black and white hair walks in
>she is...oh dear...she seems to be wearing one of those ahegao hoodies with matching skirt and garterbelt thigh highs
"A blue fairy please!"
>following close after is a boy with blue hair wearing a blue jacket and a interesting headset
>he sighs
"Gem you know this isnt a bar right?"
"Yupyup! I just felt like saying it!"
>in response the girl gives a smile so warm it might actually heal some of the patients
>they find the counter
| [NSFMed UC, Check-In/Waiting Area]
>>590710
>Check-in is a little chaotic as patients crowd the desk, waiting for clipboards on which to write their chief complaints and other relevant clinical info. One of the medical secretaries pokes her head out from behind the monitor in front of her and flashes Gem a rather frazzled grin. Such is the flow of things around lunch time. Everyone wants to squeeze a visit in to their break.
"How can I help you two today?"
| >>590807
>A young man in a blue trenchcoat, appearing slightly hunched over and a little sickly as he approaches the desk.
"Hello, I have an appointment with Dr. Rose?"
| >>590819
>Another one of the secretaries, having just finished with the patient closest to him, turns to the fellow in the trench. He seems a little confused as he reviews the hospital's directory, his gaze shifting back and forth between the new patient and his screen.
"Um... which Dr. Rose are you referring to, sir? The one in Urology?"
>Apparently, the hospital has more than one clinician with this surname.
| >>590807
[Spoiler]"its the gartbelts isnt it...?"[/spoiler]
>the boy speaks up
"Ah good day, i came for the physical examination i scheduled"
>he coughs lightly and then smiles hoping to make the secretary feel a bit more at ease
"Oh and afterwards might i inquire if there is any volunteer work?
I can't promise much but at te very lease we can go around and entertain some of the sicker or bedridden paitent"
>the girls heas pops up from under the counter
"Hallo!^-^"
| >>590834
>The secretary nods, and prepares to enter a few pieces of information into the computer so she can ensure the boy is registered in their system.
"May I have your name and date of birth, please?"
>Her eyebrows jump up in surprise as Gem comes out of the hiding spot she ducked into-- when did she do that? She'd sworn the girl hadn't moved from her spot by the boy's side-- in fact, she'd seemed practically glued to him a second ago.
"Ah! H-hello there."
| >>590843
"Ah, Cassius Robuchon Vanderbilt.
17 of August 20XX"
>he chuckles seeing the girl suprised by gem
"Anything else?"
"Ahehe!"
>nnngghhhh!
>that smile...!
>i-its too powerful!
>*dies of diabeetus*
"I hopw you are having a nice day miss!"
| >>590844
>The secretary taps away at her keyboard for a moment, and leans in to read a notification that's just appeared on the display she's been looking at.
"... Alright, you're all checked in, Mr. Vanderbilt. According to our schedule, you'll be seeing Dr. Sigvaris today."
>The corner of her mouth twitches as she reads further.
"Oh, and... Oliver."
>May lord have mercy on this poor boy's soul. Even Gem's smile can't save her from the second-hand embarrassment she's feeling.
| >>590845
"Doctors Sigvaris eh?
Of Course thank you
Mind pointing me to where?"
>he immediately activates kinda seductive big brother mode!
"Are you quite Alright demoì?
It would be a shame if such a pretty lady were to feel ill"
>he smiles once again and oh dear his words and voice are like the finest melted chocolate dripping in your ears
>gem reaches over and attempts go give a hug!
>hhnnnrrgggg!
>its too cuttte!
>the poor secretary is hit on both sides
| >>590848
>The secretary seems confused by Cassie's sudden tonal shift. She pushes her glasses up on her nose a tad as he very thoughtfully asks how she's feeling. Perhaps her cheeks color just a bit.
"Oh, no, I'm fine..."
>She heaves a deep sigh, then explains herself.
"... Dr. Sigvaris has some post-grads and residents shadowing him in the clinic this week. The one with him today is... Oliver Paul, one of our PA's. A-are you okay with having two clinicians tag-team your exam?"
| >>590849
"Oh no that is perfectly fine.
If anything now im more worried about you.
I know it could be difficult so please dont exert yourself too much yeah?
You seem tired"
>following the chocolate words there is now a rather calming aura around him
>as if all ones problem will fade away
>gem couldn't hug
>buuuut gem being gem she just went behind the counter and gave the secretary girl a hug!
>gah! Assault on two fronts!
>its too much!
| >>590855
>Well, she did what she could-- she gave him the opportunity to say no. Poor kid. There's no helping him now. That exam is going to be a train wreck.
"Ah, thank you, but it's just a very busy time of day right now--"
>The secretary is cut off by her own startled shriek as Gem appears out of nowhere and wraps her arms around the woman's waist. How did she--?!
"Hey, miss, you can't come back here!!"
>One of the other clerks sternly ushers the girl away from the desk.
| >>590856
>gem does not resist, satisfied that she was able to glib hugg
"Alright then thank you"
>and they go to find this doctor after getting informant where
| >>590849
>A girl with crystalline hands and forearms boots the door open to the waiting room. She's in a semi punk get up. A stark few patients in the waiting room seem to recognize them. She makes her way to the receptionist's desk.
"Yo, I'm Doctor Angus, specializing in Lilim repair and Human repair."
>She has a goofy grin on as she drums her fingers on the desktop.
"In actuality, I remember hearing that this place could always use more medical staff. I felt inclined to apply."
| >>590857
>As Cassie and Gem retreat to the waiting area, the secretary who checked them in calls out after them, still quite flustered:
"T-the medical assistant w-will... call your name when the providers are ready to see you!"
>>590858
"Orthopedics... Ah, yes, here she is. Dr. Valerie Rose. Could I have your name and date of birth so I can check you in and let her know you're here?"
>The clerk waits patiently for the young man's two "patient identifiers."
| >>590864
>The third secretary at the desk gives the doctor and her dazzling forearms a friendly wave as she approaches the counter.
"Oh, Dr. Angus! Long time, no see. Looking for work, are you? I must admit, I'm a little surprised. Aren't you kept busy enough?"
>She grins warmly, then opens the employee intranet to scroll through openings for external applicants.
"I >>>do remember being told that we're down a cybernetics specialist..."
| >>590953
>they wait paitently
>gem is singing some cheerful tune or other under her breath as to not bother anybody
>and Cassie's eyes are glowing blue
>Probably played some game of sorts pr texting someone in Augmented Reality
| >>590955
>The clerk mouses over something on his screen and hovers there for a moment before making a short series of double-clicks. He nods to himself, and addresses Dr. Rose's next patient.
"You're all set. Orthopedics is on the second floor, next to General Surgery. The elevator closest to the waiting area can take you there if you're not feeling well enough to climb the stairs."
>He points to the aforementioned lift.
"Do you need someone to escort you, sir?"
| >>590962
"No I'll be fine, thank you."
>He replies, walking his way over to the lift and heads up to orthopedics.
| >>590956
"Well, some days I'm busy, others I'm not. In actuality I get kinda bored of my workshop from time to time and it's kinda fun coming here."
>Angus clasps her hands together upon hearing about the open position.
"Really?! I mean... That's unfortunate. I believe I'd be more than capable of filling the position, if that's alright?"
>She seems particularly excited, but is doing a mediocre job of hiding it.
| >>590990
"Would you be able to balance this with the workshop? They're looking for somebody who's able to do full-time."
>The secretary frowns as she continues to review the job description and requirements. They're really hurting for people in this department, huh?
"You're quite capable, but I work with Patient Relations, not HR, Dr. Angus. That question would be better taken up with them-- if you're set on applying."
| >>590960
>Cass and Gem spend a solid 10 minutes watching other patients in the waiting area half-heartedly peruse last month's magazines, play on their phones, or simply observe the passage of time. Some look anxious, others impatient and irate. Nobody is happy to be here.
"Cassius?"
>A medical assistant pokes their head out of one of the doors that joins the waiting area with the examination rooms.
"Is Cassius here?"
| >>590965
[NSFMed at GC, Orthopedics Department]
>After a short ride upstairs in the elevator, you arrive at the junction linking Surgery to Ortho and step out. As the doors close, you look back and notice that the railing on the back wall of the lift is... very badly dented. Huh. Guess they haven't gotten around to fixing that just yet.
"...--up and disappeared one day--.."
"--n't know what was up with that--..."
>Clinicians chat amongst one another as they roam the halls.
| >>591023
>gem bumps his shoulder suprising him and causing his eyes to stop glowing
,he raises his hand, totally wasn't playing video games on his AR contacts
>t-totally not!
"Ah er uh yes that would be me?"
>he stands up
| >>591027
>The MA steps further forward, and beckons to Cassius as he waits for his next patient to close the gap between the two of them.
"Dr. Sigvaris and... Oliver are ready to see you now."
>Is that pause at the beginning of "Oliver" just a part of the PA's name? Everyone seems to be saying it like that.
"Please, come with me so I can room you and take your vital signs."
>He gestures to the tablet he holds under his arm, which he presumably uses to record this data.
| >>591031
"Is this Oliver guy a student or something?"
>he openly asks while following
"Meh anyways- vitals right?"
>he openly complies with the procedures,albeit slightly curious
>Meanwhile now gems eyes are glowing black and white as she is doing stuff in AR
>gotta wonder what those two see...
| >>591035
>The MA ducks into a little offshoot adjacent to the exam rooms, and points to the scale and meter stick against the wall.
"If you could take your shoes off, I'd like to get your height and weight, please."
>While he zeroes the scale, he figures he may as well give Cass an honest answer.
"... Not quite. His "schooling" is basically over with. It's probably more accurate to describe him as a 'trainee'..."
| >>591045
"Aye just a second.
Hah the feeling never changed sincei was a kid"
>he takes off his shoes and jacket and steps on the scale reminiscing just a bit
>183cm and 63 kilos
>although lean in build,his physique seems healthy enough, fekkers got abs
"Like is he capable enough of battlefield medicine?
Or like, actually a greenhorn?"
>he asks figuring some idle conversion shouldn't hurt
| >>591025
>He steps out of the lift and makes his way to the department deck
"Hello, I have an appointment with Dr. Rose."
| >>591049
>The MA diligently records these values on his tablet, then continues leading the two to Exam Room 11.
"I hear that a lot."
>He holds the door open for both of them, and pats the exam table as he directs Cass to have a seat on the crisp, new paper he's just pulled over it. They still do that? The guy's right, some things never do change...
"Battlefield medicine?"
>The MA seems very confused.
"Um... sir, where do you think we are, exactly?"
| >>591052
>The desk attendant's eyes momentarily flick up from their work to meet those of the young man here for an ortho consult. They scroll through the day's list of appointments on their monitor.
"... Ryan?"
>Their voice comes as a bored, flat monotone-- clearly they'd rather be anywhere else but here.
| >>591092
"Um... yes that's me."
>He grins a little, more as a polite gesture than an expression of genuine happiness."
| >>591020
>Angus perks up.
"Oh I'll have plenty of time. Don't worry. If anything I have too much time. I love spending time with Dahk, but... Too much time is boriiiiing..."
>Angus seems animated with every word.
"I digress."
>She clicks her heels.
"Who do I have to speak to to get hired?"
| >>591098
>The attendant blinks slowly, then points to a short row of chairs against the wall, beside which sits a small fish tank and a magazine rack. Time to wash their hands of this matter--
"Have a seat. Someone'll come get you in a few minutes."
>... Good riddance. Nice kid, though. Good to break up the monotony of crotchety old ladies and gents with their failing hips and knees every once in a while.
| >>591091
"Yeah we are in a hospital.
I may have gotten beat on by a scary 7 foot tall bodybuilder on steroids that are mega steroids.
But im not delusional"
>he says while lying down, laughing a bit due to the doctors confusion and the light nostalgia of this procedure
"Battlefield medicine.
Its the thing people need to learn to become a field medic.
Im basically asking if at the very least he can properly apply things like antivenom or close a bullet wound"
| >>591108
"Sorry, Dr. Angus, but the speaking usually comes >>>after the job application is submitted. NSFMed isn't big on breaking that tradition, frustrating as it may be."
>She gives a good natured shrug, then passes Angus a tablet. The application form has been opened on its screen, and the blank spaces upon it wait to be filled with the doctor's credentials and work experience.
"I'll put in a good word for you, though. They know I'm a good judge of character."
>She winks.
| >>591125
>The medical assistant pulls a face, but continues taking Cassie's vital signs in spite of his unease. Okay, so we're in a hospital, fantastic-- all that really proves is that the guy's eyes work-- what does he think they /do/ here, though?
"I mean... >>>no, but... that's not a part of his job description. Oliver is training to be an internist, and... this is a walk-in clinic. The ER's next door."
>He points his thumb over his shoulder towards the Emergency Department.
| >>591124
>A few medical personnel come and go through the waiting area and disappear through the door next to the check-in desk, making their way into their offices and exam rooms... Like a broken record, the attendant repeats to each of the as they pass by:
"Afternoon, doctor... afternoon, doctor..."
>The low drone of their voice is almost enough to make you sleepy... Very, very sleepy...
"Ryan?"
| >>591128
>as if sensing his unease, his eyes being glowing blue as he rapidly begis coughing, blue clouds of a strange mist escape his mouth every cough
"Gah sorry..."
>after a second he recollects himself
"..so this Oliver guy.
whats wrong with him?
People seem to be afraid or uncomfortable about him."
| >>591131
>The medical assistant briefly wonders if he should put a mask on... or put this guy in a negative pressure room. The chart said this was a follow-up to check healing of trauma to various parts of his body-- was it the wrong one? Is it really that Cass has got some weird new form of TB? He should get his eyes checked...
"...?"
>Speaking of eyes... what's with the girls? She looks like she's got an old CRT stuck in each iris that just can't get a signal. Odd.
| >>591133
"Yep i think the augments are acting up...">he sighs
"Oh sorry i have this thing in my mouth that augments my saliva with various chemicals.
Anesthesia, aphrodisiacs, or just normal smoke."
>he waves the gas off
"That was just smoke"
>if by girl you mean gem, then she pouts, now bored without the ability of AR youtube to keep her entertained
| >>591132
>There's a giggle as Ryan looks up to see the medical assistant who called his name. She rubs the back of her head, a little embarrassed.
"Not quite-- sorry to disappoint. I'm Etta; I'll be assisting Dr. Rose today. Please come with me."
>She holds open the door to the little cluster of exam rooms, and motions for Ryan to join her inside as she looks to see which ones are open for use.
"We'll be stopping to get your height and weight first, if that's alright?"
| >>591136
"Oh that's fine, nice to meet you Etta."
>He follows along, playing the part of the good patient until they can get to a closed room for him to start working.
| >>591137
>Etta leads Ryan to a small inlet in the main hallway behind the check in desk.
"Please take off your shoes."
>She fiddles with the scale for a second before moving out of the way so he can step on. Being of smaller stature, she has to reach a little far to bring the part of the meter stick that marks his height down to meet the top of his head.
"What was it you're here to see Dr. Rose for?"
>She quickly gives his chart a once-over.
| >>591135
>Well... that's... something. The MA isn't sure how to respond. He's seen a lot of different augs, but what Cassius is describing is... really different than what he has experience with. Guy could probably literally give someone the kiss of death. The MA winces.
"Ah... to answer your question about Oliver... no one's scared of him or anything like that. We just prefer not to interact because he's... kind of incompetent."
| >>591243
"Chest pains for a couple weeks mainly."
>He replies as he does as instructed and steps on the scales.
| >>591250
"Oh well that quite the shame, although im certain they will get better in time."
>he whimsies afore looking at the doctor and seeing the look on his face
"Judging by that look your thinking something along the lines of "literally kiss of death " right?
you wouldn't be wrong, i very well could.
But obviously not.
I just use it for magic tricks."
>he blows some of that blue mist again
>i-it takes shape into a fox!?
>the mist fox proceeds to frolic around the doctor
| >>591251
>Etta's face twists with worry as she records these numbers on her tablet.
"C-chest pains? Are you sure you should be up >>>here in>>>Ortho? I-I feel like the ER might be a better place for you..."
>She shifts her weight from foot to foot anxiously, but continues to have him follow her to Exam Room 6.
"P-please have a seat so I can take your vital signs."
>She grabs the thermometer off the wall and sticks the covered probe under his tongue.
| >>591253
>The medical assistant watches the fox run laps around him for a few moments before waving it away, and shoving the BP cuff back into its holder on the wall. This is a lot. He makes note of Cass' blood pressure, pulse, and temperature, and makes a quick comment before scuttling out of the room:
"Well, you'll be meeting him in a sec-- I'm sure you'll be able to tell whether or not he has potential!"
>He leaves, and shuts the door behind him.
| >>591263
>everything is normal, However his pulse and temperature is a bit..low, not enough for any problem, but its quite strange
>his body is warm, However it reads as low temperature
>he waves the doctor goodbye
"Do you think he was impressed...?"
>the mist fox just shakes its head
"Oh wait your not real.
...
I must be crazy"
>the fox waves him goodbye and then dissipates into thin air
"..."
>that Probably would have been akward if someone saw
| >>591258
>Etta's eyebrows furrow as she finishes her rooming routine and documents Ryan's vital signs. She's not really qualified to tell, but... these don't look bad. He seems a little young for something cardiac related, anyway.
"A-alright. Dr. Rose will be in shortly. Please wait here; I'll let her know you're ready."
>Her "expertise"? Does he know she's a resident? A senior resident-- almost a fellow-- but, a resident no less. Etta exits the room, and closes the door.
| >>591267
"*Sigh* I should just get this over with but the last thing this place needs is another excitement..."
>He looks around the room, staying at the cabinets and the general look of the room until Dr. Rose arrives."
| >>591270
>There's a polite sounding knock at the door.
"Ryan, are you in there?"
>It's not Etta's voice, it's someone different.
| >>591266
>A few minutes pass. The clock ticks loudly from its spot on the wall. It's then interrupted by a knock-- well, more of a "bang", actually.
"Cassius?"
>He pronounces Cassie's name "Ka-zoose".
| >>591279
>time to confuse the hecc out of this poor guy
>instead of a Probably handsome Frenchman in a blue coat there is a maid
>Completely in her uniform, her long shoulder length brown hair flowing slightly to the sway of the retaliation
>her eyes are idle until the doctor comes in, darting to him, she nods
"Yes sir that would be me,
Although its cassiopeia.
Like the tree of golden showers"
>she smiles and doe a curtst
>...
>...
>...what the heck?!?
| >>591278
"Yes, that's me!"
>He responds at a lightly higher voice, not sure how well his voice travels through the doorway or not.
| >>591298
>There's a pause before the door opens inward to reveal a tall, thin woman clad in a labcoat that is... almost too short for her. Almost. Her heels (as if she really needed the extra height) tap quietly on the tile as she steps into the exam room, and as she turns to close the door and draw the privacy curtain, her ID badge gives her away. This is Dr. Valerie Rose, Orthopedics' newest resident.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ryan. I'm Dr. Rose."
| >>591315
"N-Nice to meet you. I'm surprised you got here so soon, usually I have to wait like 15 minutes everytime I see a doc."
>He gives off a small chuckle
| >>591316
[EXAMINATION, ORTHO 6-- BEGIN]
>Dr. Rose flashes Ryan a grin over her shoulder as she washes her hands at the room's sink.
"Glad to impress."
>For someone who's got legs for days, she moves very gracefully around the exam room-- you'd expect her to trip herself up in such a small space. That illusion kind of shatters as she tries to sit at the desk in the corner of the room, though: the stool is too short, and her knees are too high. It's quite a sight.
| >>591127
>Angus looks a little surprised. As if this was a new process to her. She slumps her shoulders and takes the tablet. Muttering something about "this being why she's self employed".
>She's filling out multiple different boxes at the same time, like there's another person doing the application with her. The application is filled out with extensive details in a stark few minutes.
>Angus looks back to the same receptionist.
"Done!"
>She exclaims in a cheery tone.
| >>591327
"So uh... where to start? I imagine you know about the chest pains."
>He starts, doing his best to focus on her face and not her legs
| >>591285
>The door opens to admit a young man with a head full of thick, tousled hair and many pieces of clothing in major disarray. Did this guy get dressed in the dark, or something? He stumbles into the room, another person right on his heels-- this one the first man's polar opposite. Older, better put together, and exuding confidence-- his senior, for sure.
>Guess which one is which? I bet you can't guess.
| >>591328
>The receptionist raises an eyebrow, but accepts the tablet from Angus without question.
"Fantastic. It shouldn't take too long for HR to review this, given we're a little starved for applicants."
>She places the tablet back in its dock, then faces the doctor again. She's about to say something else when her gaze suddenly shifts to someone behind Angus. She gives this mystery person a little wave-- how lucky! Someone Angus can rub elbows with.
"Ah, Dr. Edison!"
| >>591341
>It's hard /not/ to focus on Dr. Rose's legs, since... they're kind of up in her face right now. Well, her knees are, anyway. She has to fold herself up tight and stretch her arms past them to be able to use the keyboard at the desk.
"Usually we start with you giving me a more >>>thorough explanation of why you're in my office today. We call that a 'history'."
>With some difficulty, she logs herself into the hospital's intranet. This can't be good for her hands.
| >>591350
"Well I've never really had any bad injuries before in the past, aside from my eye."
>He points at his augmented eye
"No broken bones or anything either. The chest pains started a bit ago, a little after I fell in my apartment complex during the blackout downtown."
| >>591352
>Dr. Rose diligently takes notes as Ryan speaks, pausing in her typing every so often to nod or give him a "mm-hmm". The detective work begins when he mentions the fall-- she starts digging.
"What were the circumstances of the fall, exactly? Tell me how it happened."
>She tries to cross one leg over the other, but fails miserably, almost sending her kneecap into her jaw. Guess this is just how she'll have to spend the visit.
| >>591354
"Well I way heading down the stairs to leave my complex to do some errands when the power went out. Ended up tripping and falling down... at least a whole flight. I was never really sure since the lights were off for awhile. I didnt pass out or anything, just was more concerned about heading outside to see what was happening."
| >>591355
>Dr. Rose's fingertips dance frantically over the keys, keeping time with Ryan's story to spit out a neat little summary on the screen of the room's computer. A whole flight of stairs...
"You were never examined?"
>Maybe he was concussed, too. Nobody in their right mind takes a header down a stairwell and just lives with whatever pain came later for a month... Hopefully, catching whatever went down outside was worth it.
| >>591358
>Dr. Rose clucks her tongue against her hard palate in disapproval of Ryan's actions.
"You've only just decided to get checked out now... Well, let's have a look."
>She rises from her tiny perch in front of the desk, stretching her legs a bit once she's up. /So/ much better...
"I might need you to remove your shirt."
>She says this in a very forced clinical tone, the forced part being... very obvious. She's a little flushed.
| >>591359
"U-Um... I understand."
>He lifts his shirt up, revealing his chest to the doctor.
"So uh... how long have you worked here?"
| >>591361
>Dr. Rose clears her throat, then gestures awkwardly towards the head of the exam table, upon which rests an uncomfortable looking pillow.
"I... need you to lay down, also."
>She turns away to grab and don a pair of gloves, answering Ryan as she does.
"Here? Not all that long, maybe 7 months? 8? It feels like longer..."
>She thinks out loud, trying to remember.
| "R-Right sorry."
>He lays down and looks at her direction to continue the conversation
"Where did you work before then?"
| >>591364
>Dr. Rose reaches over and behind Ryan to flick the switch on what appears to be a surgical light occupying the adjacent corner. The exam table is quickly and completely illuminated in nearly blinding white light, allowing the doctor to better visualize the different contours of the man's chest.
"Where does it hurt most?"
>She laces her fingers together, tightening the fit of the gloves on her hands.
"... NC General. It's not around here; it's overseas."
| >>591390
"Um... just my general upper chest area, no side in particular. And oh so you've recently moved to GC then. Do you still keep in touch with your old colleagues and stuff?"
| >>591392
>Dr. Rose nods, and begins "walking" her fingers up Ryan's sides, in a way that makes her hands look like a couple of nitrile glove-wearing spiders. This is not something you'd want a person to do to you if you were ticklish.
"Let me know if it gets worse at all."
>She presses her thumbs into his ribcage at various intervals, listening for crackling-- "crepitus", a sign of fracture.
"Some of them, I do. I wasn't there for all that long-- a year or two, at most?"
| >>591397
>He exhales a little
"Its just mainly sore right now... and they say healthcare is pretty big in GC right now. Are you the only one that came over looking for work?"
| >>591399
>Dr. Rose leans in and starts moving her hands towards Ryan's upper chest wall, now pushing down with her fingertips-- first up near the clavicles, then lower...
"No, no, I wasn't. There were plenty of people who left to come here. I wasn't >>>leaving though, I was coming>>>back. I was there as part of a research group. When our part of the research was done... I came back here, to GC. NCGen seems to have a lot of opportunities for students willing to travel abroad."
| >>591402
>He squirms a little, being slightly ticklish with her touch, but remains still best he can through the procedure.
"Oh I see. Who else came over to GC then? Other residents?"
| >>591403
>Dr. Rose's fingers stop moving-- thinking she's found something, she starts to trace along the length of Ryan's 3rd rib, on his left side. Her eyes narrow as she concentrates. This guy is awful talkative...
"Well, like I said-- the other post-grads who were with me for that study, and..."
>She presses rather hard on a specific spot.
"Other residents, yes. I think there were a few established clinicians that left, too."
| >>591404
>He stays still, thinking that if he winces she may stop, and attempts to continue the convo
"Oh clinicians too? Anyone well known? I kind of have read some papers and stuff in my spare time."
| >>591405
>Was her intuition off? She had sworn she felt something... She starts to palpate that area again, but interrupts her re-examination to ask Ryan something:
"Could you raise your arms above your head, please?"
>If he's been complaining of pain for this long, he's gotta have some decent fractures... where are they hiding?
"... You read things like >>>that to>>>entertain yourself?"
>I'd rather kick dead whales down the beach...
| >>591406
>He does so as instructed, trying to put his focus on the convo to get some answers
"Well yes, I think staying up to date on this stuff important and fascinating. In particular I enjoy the work of a Dr. Shears."
| >>591407
>Dr. Rose gives Ryan a questioning look, then inspects his chest again. With the skin pulled taught, everything's a lot more visible, now...
"If you >>>really found 'this stuff'>>>fascinating, I would think you'd have also found the time to get your ribs checked out a lot earlier."
>She can't help but quip at this chatty Cathy on the table below her. Is she suddenly the one giving a history, now?
"... I worked with Dr. Shears. He spearheaded the study I assisted in."
| >>591408
"W-Well 15 minutes breaks dont leave time for doctor appointments sadly, and really!? Is he one of the people who moved to GC? Does he work here now?"
| >>591285 >>591348
>The younger, disheveled looking clinician does a frantic double take between his chart and the patient in front of him. This quickly becomes a quadruple take as the older practitioner looks on, unfazed. Neither knew what to expect, but only /one/ routinely expects the unexpected.
"Oliver..."
>Ah, this time the pause came /after/ his name!
"What are you supposed to do when you enter an exam room?"
>The younger man stares at his mentor... then leaves.
| >>591409
>Dr. Rose's eyes scrutinize Ryan's anterior ribs, his sternum... something's up. There's nothing to be found here-- not that she's able to pinpoint, anyway. She turns away from her patient for a moment and pulls out her cellphone, sending someone a quick text before slipping it back into the pocket of her lab coat.
"Sorry, I might need a quick consult..."
>>591349
>Down at the front desk, Dr. Edison's pager beeps.
| >>591411
"Is the consult Dr. Shears...?"
>He muses
"I hope that doesnt mean you found something serious."
| >>591413
>Dr. Rose gawks at Ryan like he'd grown a couple more heads while she was looking at her phone.
"... What?"
>Is this kid the guy's fanboy or something? His stalker? Why is he really in her office? Where is this coming from?
"No, it's the attending. Sometimes, I just need my work checked."
>She returns to pressing her hands into different parts of Ryan's ribcage.
"... He did leave."
| >>591415
"Oh. So hes in the city then? Sorry your tone makes it sound like you dont like talking about him... or that he doesnt work here at least."
| >>591410
"Im sorry...
Did i do something wrong?
...uhh
are you Alright?"
>she snaps her fingers in front of the doctor
>should the doctor blink, the maid isnt there anymore, its Cassius
>the same as when the MD left, coat still on the rack and shoes still tucked to the side
>whats going ooonnnnnnn?!?
>gem Meanwhile is Completely unaware of this and miiiiggghhht be eating a belgian waffle
| >>591436
>Cass holding out his hand and snapping in front of the older clinician's nose succeeds in registering a look of surprise on his face, but nothing much beyond that.
"... No, you didn't. Call it... lack of experience on his part."
>The man folds his arms across his chest, and is about to comfortably plant himself in his spot next to the door when Oliver comes barrel assing back into the room, nearly knocking him over in his rush. Let's try this dance again, shall we?
| >>591558
"Alrighty then, at your behest then!"
>assuming he in fact did not blink yet its still the maid
>she simply sits there, long stocking bare as her boots rest to the side, legs swaying slightly as she is left idle
>...isnt that outfit a bit to sexy??!
>so this is the fabled french maid huh..?
>Meanwhile gem sneezes as this is going on
>but not any sneeze, that was one of those cute pixie sneezes
"...feels like...maids and baguette..!??"
>huh, gem premonition
| >>591558 >>591559
>Oliver holds up a stiff arm in an overly formal greeting... and immediately lets it fall back to his side in shock when he sees that the maid has transformed into someone entirely different. As Oliver's hand limply smacks the side of his thigh, the other man blinks... and after much trickery, they're finally in a room with the same patient.
"Good afternoon, Cassius. I'm Dr. Alan Sigvaris-- this is my assistant, Oliver Paul."
[EXAMINATION, UC/WI 11-- BEGIN]
| >>591560
>soooo we are going with dude!
>he still has his jacket and shoes off in this...form?
"Good afternoon doctors, thank your for taking the time to see me today."
>he gets up and stretches, *crack* *crack*,...hmmm the bubbles in the flesh between bones popping or something?
>then sits back down
"So, where to start?"
| >>591349
>Angus sighs quietly. She hated waiting.
"Well, I guess I'm in no real rush to be hired. The sooner the better however."
>She turns around to size up the newcomer to the conversation. Doctor Edison huh?
"Hello there doctor Edison!"
>Angus has a closed eye smile, and is holding a hand out at an assumed short/her height for a handshake with the doctor.
| >>591565
>Dr. Sigvaris smiles, and Oliver looks to him... before eventually doing the same thing-- his mouth an awkward copy of the MD's.
"Of course. That >>>is why we're here, after all."
>If Cassie's voice is like chocolate, Sigvaris' is like an artfully brewed espresso-- dark, strong, and best enjoyed slowly. He draws out his words slightly as he speaks, not enough to make it sound like he's slurring them, but enough to be noticeable, and... attractive.
| >>591566
[NSFMed UC, Check-In/Waiting Area]
>Dr. Edison pulls his pager from his pocket, squints at it, and frowns-- clearly irritated by whatever he's reading on the little display. He shoves it back into his lab coat, and glares down at Angus. It's lunch time. /Everyone/ knows nothing is supposed to come between Max and his meals; it's just one of the hospital's unspoken rules. He's sure made enough of a fuss about it for it to become one.
"And >>>you are...?"
| >>591568
"Dang man i could go for a coffee after this"
>whoa, seems the doctors voice had a subconscious effect
"Yeah..dark Espresso..weird i usually drink cafe au lait.."
>he shakes his head
"Meh but nevermind that, seriously where do i start?
Usually when i do this, its with an army doctor that already knows exactly where i got shot.
So please Forgive me for being rather clueless..ahehheh.."
| > It had been a few days since Dusty last had to deal with injuries from a weird situation involving a gorilla-man. And all it took to remember them was lifting a box she didn’t think was all too heavy. It definitely felt like there was something stabbing her insides
> a motorcycle ride and mild pain later, she made it to the clinic, holding her ribs. Dusty walks up to the counter, eyeing a small wad of bills in her hand.
“Umm.. I think I need to see a doctor for some injuries.”
| >A tall man enters the reception, slamming the door. He walks slowly and loudly towards the counter, moving his arms and legs in an ape-like fashion. The sound of his steps is marked by the squelching sound of his gumboots.
>He wears an handkerchief on his head, and an old knitted tank top with an old shirt underneath it. Both the sleeves and the legs of his trousers are rolled up.
>He stops a few meters from the counter, and stares towards the secretary with a dumbfounded look.
| >>591577
>Dr. Sigvaris smirks and raises an eyebrow as Cass explains his expectations of this visit. Oliver is puzzled, so Alan speaks in his PA's place.
"... Are you here because you got shot?"
>The medical assistant /had/ said something odd to them both about field medicine and first aid as they'd passed each other in the hall. Was this what he was talking about? Dr. Sigvaris elbows Oliver in the side.
"A-ah!! Y-yes, tell us what you did. I-I mean how you injured yourself--"
| >>591638
>After a few seconds, he shakes himself out of that dazed state, and starts moving again, in the same ape-like way.
>As he reaches for the counter, you can notice he's sporting a short moustache and a pair of thick, round spectacles.
"Doctor! Doctor! DOCTOR!"
>He yells slowly, and pronouncing the words syllable by syllable, with a slightly British accent.
"DOCTOR! DOCTOOOOOR! Where is the DOCTOR?!"
>He clumsily slams his hand on the counter a few times while yelling
| >>591599
>The flustered secretary who'd helped Cass earlier motions to Dusty, beckoning her closer.
"Of course. If you're walking in, you may be in for a bit of a wait..."
>She looks towards the waiting area, which seems to have gained a few more bodies since Cass was roomed. Yup. It's that time of day. Normally, this is when patients' true natures begin to show themselves, too...
>>591638 >>591642
>Speaking of which... holy fucking shit, omae.
| >>591642
>The secretary assisting Dusty nearly falls out of her seat as the visitor begins pounding his fist into the counter, and the other two present at the desk recoil in shock at the sight of this man hollering for medical attention. While this isn't the first time this has happened, it's... been a little while.
"H-h-hold on sir, w-we'll be r--"
>>591573
>Dr. Edison silences the clerk with a wave, and steps past Angus to address the distressed patient (?).
>>>"What?"
| >>591599 >>591645
>The male desk attendant at the counter ushers Dusty towards him-- just because one patient's making a fuss doesn't mean it should interfere with the care of all the others waiting to be seen.
"I-I'm so sorry miss-- it's going to be around a 25 minute wait. If you're able to hang around that long, I can put you in with..."
>He scrolls through the schedule, looking for the soonest opening.
"... Ava Wood, one of our nurse practitioners."
| >>591645
>The man turns to him, silent, and stares at him blankly.
>Then yells again, syllabising slowly.
"ARE YOU... THE BRAIN SPECIALIST?"
>He isn't a very bright one, that's for sure.
| >>591646
> Dusty rubs her ribs a bit and winces. She bites her lip and says nothing, pocketing her money. She looks around and figures that this place might actually do real medicine and nothing shady. She looks back at the nurse
"Uh, yeah. I guess I can wait. I've fone this long with this pain, so it's not like another half hour will be much. I'm guessing you don't accept cash up front?"
| >>591647
>Dr. Edison raises his eyebrows. Well. This sure is interesting. Were Dr. Walker still around, this'd be a patient he'd gladly foist on the sentimental surgeon. Imagine /that/ touchy-feely idiot trying to have a conversation with /this/ basket case... he stifles a snicker.
"No. Are you looking for >>>Neurology?"
>>591648
>The clerk gives her a sympathetic look, then hands Dusty a tablet.
"Fill this out with your reason for visiting-- we can talk about payment later."
| >>591651
>He gives him another dazed look. Then he shouts suddenly:
"My brain hurts!"
>To underline this fact, he thumps himself in the head a few times with his hand, and then falls silent.
| >>591651
> Dusty takes the tablet and nods. quickly fills it out, only filling in only the absolute vitals, simply putting down "Dusty" where her full name is asked, listing her birth place as "Desert" and so on. Who needs all that information on her anyway? It takes her minimal time and she hands it back to the counter clerk.
"I'll uh.. just be sitting over there."
| >>591654
>Ah. This changes everything.
"..."
>No, really. What was thought to be a personality trait... has now become a symptom. Altered mental status-- AMS, for short. Just now, he's added another: pain. No, there's no way to prove that, but the phrase "pain is whatever and wherever the patient says it is" exists for a reason.
"... Room this man. Get him into Urgent Care, put him with Suzanne. I don't care who you have to move around to make it happen; do it."
| >>591655
>The attendant nods, and docks the chart so Dusty's information can be uploaded to Ava's list of patient's to see this afternoon.
"Have a seat. Please feel free to come back up if you need something-- I really am sorry for the wait."
>The slight grin that forms on his face is guilty, apologetic-- conveying the same emotion as a shrug accompanied by the phrase "Well, what can you do?" He shoots a glance at the man jumping the line, then meets eyes with Dusty again.
| >>591675
>The secretary nearest to Dr. Edison sighs heavily, and opens the rooming chart to see where each of urgent care's clinicians are right now. Mattox, Mattox... Ah! There she is-- Exam Room 2. She dials the room's extension, and waits to connect.
>"Dr. Mattox speaking."
"Hi, Dr. Mattox..."
>"... Who're you putting on my schedule? Spit it out."
>The clerk shifts uneasily in her chair, and lowers her voice.
"We have a man out here who's disoriented and has a headache..."
| >>591681
>"Send him to the ER, or put him with someone else."
"Dr. >>>Edison recommended that he see>>>you specifically, Dr. Mattox..."
>There's some audible grumbling on the other end of the phone. Dr. Edison smirks, and says loud enough for Suzanne to hear:
"Sorry, Suzanne, EMTALA laws and all that. I'm >>>sure you understand."
>He jeers at her from across the desk. If he can't have a lunch break, nobody can. A nurse soon appears with a wheelchair to escort the man into UC.
| >>591678
> Dusty feels nervous with the clerk eyeing her. Did she put too little information? Could she be arrested? Wait, did she even commit any crimes since landing in GC?? She really had no idea.
> She tries to square herself up to shoot back a defensive glance but ends up hurting her own ribs instead some more, making her wince. She settles for sulking, wishing there were more that she could do.
| >>591683
>"... Wait, why does /Max/ care about where this guy goes? He's an orthopedist!!"
>Dr. Edison takes the phone from the secretary, and brings it to his ear.
"If I gave you a reason, would that make things any >>>different, Suzanne?"
>"..."
"I didn't think so. He's coming your way. Have Heckyll take over the rest of your session for now."
>"Did you /ask/ h--"
>Click. Dr. Edison hangs up the phone, satisfied with how this all turned out.
>>591654
"Put him in room 4."
| >>591566
>Dr. Edison, now... somehow in a much better mood than he was when he first arrived, turns back to Dr. Angus. The secretary who'd flagged him down pipes up from behind them:
"T-this is... Dr. Angus. She's one of the applicants for our cybernetics specialist opening."
"... Hmm."
>Dr. Edison is quiet for a moment, then extends his hand for Angus to shake, returning her gesture from earlier.
"... Max Edison, Orthopedics. Let's walk and talk, Dr. Angus."
| >>591694
>Angus looks completely gone. A blank stare caused by the gorilla man. As well as Dr. Edison's first remark. First impressions? Well. If people went off first impressions with her it'd be horrible.
"Oh... Okay then. Hi!"
>She seems to have caught up and is smiling again as she shakes Dr. Edison's hand. Angus' hands really do feel like chunks of mineral. But they move just fine.
"You lead the way! I barely know my way around here."
>She explains with slight disappointment.
| >>591698
>Dr. Edison shakes his head and holds up a hand, waving it slightly as if trying to clear Angus' concerns from the air.
"Don't sweat it. Consider this a tour-- we'll take the scenic route. I'm being called for a consult, but... something tells me my resident will answer her question on her own."
>He eyes her arms with interest and intrigue. They glint and gleam under the bright lights of the hospital.
"If you don't mind me asking... How'd you come to have those?"
| [Orthopedics Department, Exam Room 6]
>>591416
>Dr. Rose is in the middle of her last attempt at finding Ryan's mysterious rib fractures when he asks again about her history with Dr. Shears. Continuing the exam seems futile at this point-- kid cares more about getting dirt on this MD than he does his own health. She pulls her hands away, then removes her gloves.
"Put your shirt back on."
>Tossing her gloves in the trash, she takes a seat back at the computer.
| >>591641
"No if i was shot i wouldn't be here.
I got mega tackled by a 7 foot tall gorilla man while trying to help defend someone."
>he stretches a bit more
"I know as much as i am not going to die but.
Well lets just say its better to bd safe yeah?"
| [Urgent Care/Walk-in Clinic, Exam Room 11]
>>591711
>Dr. Sigvaris nods sagely, while Oliver's jaw goes slack in amazement. This guy's a hero! His mind latches onto the "gorilla" part of "gorilla man"... and runs with it. Mental images of Cassius wailing on King Kong fill his head before Sigvaris clears his throat, interrupting Oliver's daydream.
"Ah, y-yes..."
>Dr. Sigvaris makes his way over to the small desk in the room's corner, and sits. All he's missing is a bag of popcorn.
| >>591707
"Um... sure."
>He puts his shirt back on, sitting up slowly on his exam spot. He clears his throat before talking again.
"Alright... I guess I should clear the air a bit here. I'm a private investigator who's looking for Dr. Shears."
| >>591713
"You should have seen it.
The guy was ripped, i swear there was like 4 of us and he waved off the bullets like it was nothing.
Got a picture of him while he was walking away"
>He forms his hands into a rectangle and a holographic image appears
>with the swipe of a finger it goes to the doctor
https://bit.ly/2P7T5HJ
>dang man
| >>591705
>Angus holds her left arm up in front of her. And looks at the crystals where there once was flesh.
"Really long, and probably not easily believable story. Nothing illegal and no one was harmed... Besides me. But I'm still alive so it's all fine and well."
>She punches the palm of her other hand and grips her fist.
"I still feel and move the same way as before. They're good for other bizarre purposes. *Anyway...*"
>She seems eager to get the tour started.
| >>591760
[Bizarre purposes, yeah, that's for sure.]
>>A voice rings from inside your head, the voice of Zero
[Still, Angus, I didn't take you to be the kind to want work at a hospital of all places. Part of me thinks you belong in their mental ward after all.]
>>The voice chuckles after their quip
| >How many more can you take? Another person is added to the body count, someone who is looking awfully nonplussed about the whole crowded and busy thing. There doesn't seem to be anything immediately wrong with him, though that stony expression of his could use a little work.
| >>591715
>Dr. Rose stretches out her legs so she isn't kneeing herself in the jaw, and looks at Ryan expectantly.
"... I'm glad we're no longer wasting each other's time."
>She crosses one over the other, the pointed toes of her high heels aimed at her patient.
"There are other patients who could have used this slot. Why don't you go ahead and get what you came for, so this doesn't feel like a total throwaway."
>This rose has thorns, apparently.
| >>591718
>Okay, that's... more man than gorilla, but Oliver remains awestruck, regardless.
"And you lived to tell the tale..."
>The PA is messing with his tablet, but... he's not taking notes. It looks like he's doodling. Dr. Sigvaris notices that this appointment is somehow turning into art class, and makes a mental note to later have Oliver share the fruits of his labor with the class.
"Where were you hit? How?"
>He asks from the corner. Oliver echoes his words.
| >>591760
>Dr. Edison isn't totally satisfied with Angus' explanation, but decides not to press further in favor of walking the prospective hire through the hospital. He motions to the elevator Ryan took upstairs to his department, and strides over to it-- holding the door open for Angus as he waits for her to board.
"After you."
>Max is not a particularly interesting looking fellow, but what he lacks in appearance he makes up for in confidence. That much is easily apparent.
| >>591949
>The secretary who's just finished her goodbyes to Angus and Dr. Edison turns quickly to the next person in front of her. Perhaps he's just looking for directions to a specific department? Best not to get hopeful... She gives a tired, but genuine smile.
"Good afternoon-- what can I help you with, sir?"
>As she attends to this stoic man, a thin woman finally reaches the head of her line, and speaks to the male clerk adjacent them.
"Excuse me, where is your lab?"
| >>592038
>He sighs, wanting to make a rebuttal, but instead decides on getting down to business.
"I have reason to believe Dr. Shears is in the city and is after my clients life. I need to know where he is, or at least someone who knows."
| >>592043
"... He's >>>what?"
>Dr. Rose grips the underside of the rolling stool with her hands and leans forward, staring at Ryan in disbelief.
| >>592044
"This is why I tried to keep an act up..."
>He pauses, thinking about how to go about this.
"Simply put Dr. Shears has been involved in shady black market deals and other crimes in the past. My client knows about them, and I believe he is trying to kill them to hide said crimes. I need to stop him and fast."
| >>592040
"Football tackled and hooked.
Pretty much entirely in the chest
If it werent for that jacket of mine i can safely say that i would be in the room next door"
>gesturing to his jacket and the ER
"The man was terrible.
Somehow managed to wave off gunshots like nothing.."
| >>592046
>Dr. Rose fidgets, and tries to find something to rest her eyes on in the room that isn't Ryan. This is definitely not turning out to be anything close to your typical office visit. Now she's got some stranger's fate placed partially in her hands, and she's not entirely sure of how to deal with that.
"... I left before he did-- or at least, months before I'd heard he did."
| >>592049
"... What's... the jacket made out of?"
>Oliver takes his eyes off his tablet for a moment to examine the coat that appears to be hanging off one of the hooks on the wall. Outwardly, there doesn't seem to be anything special about it... but, he's starting to learn that Cassie's bursting with surprises. The PA eagerly awaits the next, while Dr. Sigvaris watches yet another examination go off the rails.
| >>592342
"Do you still have any contact info of his left? Or at the very least any idea where he could be at in the city?"
>The man in contrast looks right at her, scrutinizing any attempts at deception
| >>592346
>he looks at the doctor silently for a bit
"Kevlar,normal cloth,some minor titanium thread and the rest is a secret.
Primarily because i have no idea myself.
But it has inbuilt air conditioning as well as a whole load of other things"
>then his eyes start glowing blue and once again he starts coughing out a blue mist
>whats with this guy?!?
| >>592356
>Dr. Rose turns Ryan's question over in her head. Does she really have anything valuable she can offer this guy?
"Dr. Shears was... a very private person. If he wanted to meet with someone to discuss work, he'd almost always do it face to face, or use one of the hospital telephones. I don't have any of his contact info. He's on my resume, but not as a reference."
>She grimaces.
"I don't really even know if he came to GC. I'd heard that was a rumor."
| >>592361
>Oliver blinks slowly, unsure of how to interpret what he just witnessed. He rubs his eyes to see if the faint blue is still there when opens them again. Maybe it's because he's been staring at the tablet? Or, it could be an ocular migraine... physician, heal thyself-- wait, no, that's not who he's supposed to be healing...
"Uh... what's... what's that? Your mouth, uh... what just came out of there?"
>Dr. Sigvaris yawns loudly.
| >>592413
>the coughing worsens horribly, the blue mist slowly but steadily begins turning purple as he tries his best to contain it to no avail
>his mind is alight with confusion and distress while the doctors can visibly see pain and panic in his eyes as he falls off of the paper covered bed unto the floor, gasping in some bare semblance of success to fill his lungs in between the fits of ominous gas flooded coughing
>jesus..
| >>592416
>Oliver shrieks like he's just seen a rat or a cockroach skitter across the exam room floor as Cass goes limp and takes a nosedive. Dr. Sigvaris, however, is immediately on his feet and zipping towards the door. He whips it open and bellows:
"I NEED HELP IN ROOM 11!!"
>He then falls to his knees and immediately puts his fingers to Cass's carotid, feeling for a pulse. Its presence or lack thereof will determine what he's going to say in the upcoming overhead page...
| >>592418
>his pulse is about racing!
>more then alive, thank the stars
>the coughing finally subsides, after a second as the horrid purple cloud blanket the lights by a tiny margin due to the sheer amount exhaled
>he simply lies there, gasping for air, Completely dumbfounded by what just happened to him
"Gahhhh haaahh haaahh...
What the hell just happened to me"
>he says as his eyes begin flickering from blue to their normal brown, staring at the clouded lights in a silent panic
| >>592411
"*Sigh* Do you at least have like... a picture or something of bow he looked? Just in case hes changed appearance since my clients meeting with them in the past."
| >>592420
>Dr. Sigvaris rips the phone off the nearby desk and dials the code to overhead page--
"Rapid Response Team to Urgent Care, room 11; Rapid Response Team to Urgent Care, room 11..."
>It doesn't matter if he's regained consciousness; clearly, something is wrong. Staff flood the hallway outside the room-- one nurse arrives with an oxygen tank, the other with what looks a little like a tackle box and a large case under her arm. They both join Dr. Sigvaris on the floor.
| >>592423
>the doctors rush past a cofused gem
"Gaahhh! Dammit ahhhh!"
>he clenches his chest with an iron grip and bellows in pain, but bellows he does to no avail as there is simply not enough air in his lungs to complete such an act
"Ahhhrrggg!"
>they could literally see his eyes stop shifting, and instead settle at a hypnotic and ominous purple
>even with the terror etched in his face it looks like he has seen a ghost
| >>592425
>he grips the nearest doctor by the arm
"Urrgghhh!...d-dont tttt--t-tell g-gem arrggh!"
>he can barely get out between the intense pain and the lack of air
"I-i d-d-do-dont want her to worry!"
>he says while gritting his teeth so hard they might crack under the strain
>whatever is left is slowly being consumed by whatever is affecting him
| >>592425 >>592427
"--I need an NRB at 100%--"
"-- can I get a pulse ox over here?! I think he's cyanotic--"
"-- Skip it and >>>intubate him, then!!"
"Pads, pads!! Come on, get his shirt off!"
>Clinicians and staff of all sorts surround Cassius, kind of walling him off from Gem as they get to work. Dr. Sigvaris leads the rapid, until one of the ER MDs shows up, calling out orders left and right to keep the team functioning like a well-oiled machine.
| >>592533
>Oliver, not knowing what else to do, puts a shaky arm around Gem and tries to guide her out of the exam room and away from the chaos.
"H-he's, um... h-he's going to be >>>okay... I-I think."
>You think?!
"I-If he's screaming like that, it means h-he's still breathing, anyway..."
>The PA parrots something he's heard a few ER docs say before-- something that's supposed to stay in the break room and not come out of your mouth in front of the patient or their loved ones.
| >>592422
>Dr. Rose thinks to herself for a minute. Doesn't she have a photo somewhere of the research group she was a part of? They'd all taken one together before everyone went their separate ways-- dressed in their best with smiles all over as they'd posed in their lab coats for what would eventually become just a memory to set in a frame on one's desk, or less.
"... I think I do, yes. He wasn't too keen on having it taken, but he eventually gave in and let us do it."
| >>592042
[NSFMed UC, Check-In/Waiting Area]
>The woman next to the strong, silent type at the desk looks up as the rapid response team is summoned to Urgent Care. Her eyes study the steady stream of staff that flow through the windowed area's doors carefully, as if she's looking to pick one of them out from all the rest.
"Miss? Miss!"
>She snaps out of her little trance and shakes her head, turning back to the clerk.
"Ah, I'm sorry, I... got a little distracted."
| >>592538
>The secretary gives a sympathetic grin, and nods at her.
"Happens to me all the time. The lab is that way--"
>He points towards his left, opposite the direction of the ER and Urgent Care.
"Down that hall, and take a right-- that should bring you right to it. Do you want to check in here? It'll spare you the hassle of filling out a requisition slip."
>The woman tucks a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and smiles.
"Yes, that would be great."
| >>592539
"Name and date of birth, please?"
>The woman opens her mouth for a moment as if she's going to start speaking, but seems to think better of what she's going to say, and phrases it differently.
"... A. Lillian MacGill, 1/6/204X."
>The attendant keys this into his computer, and as soon as he hits enter, the printer next to him spits out a few labels, which he then hands to the woman.
"There you are. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
| >>592540
>Another pause. She shifts her gaze towards the crowd of people running the rapid in UC, partially obscured by the frosted glass partitions that surround this part of the hospital. It lingers there momentarily.
"... By any chance... Is there a 'Dr. Walker' at this hospital?"
>She tucks the labels she was handed into her purse as the clerk answers.
"There was, but... he isn't here anymore."
"I see. Thank you for your help."
>She walks off in the direction of the lab.
| >>592534
"P-please and t-thank you"
>he just barely manages to get a smiles in before falling limp Completely, left staring at the now hazy lights as if it was seeing a ghost with eyes glowing a haunting purple
>his breath is still there, and he seems to still be alive
>but everything is wrong, his pulse quickens only to run into a deathlike stillness and his temperature keeps yo-yoing between a heat so fierce that it might actually scorch the doctors hand and a death like cold
| >>591688
>A minute or two after the woman looking to have her labs drawn leaves the desk, an MA emerges from the collection of rooms within the clinic. Just because there's an emergency doesn't mean everyone else suddenly gets put on hold.
"Dusty...?"
>Their tone is unsure-- frowning, they double check the chart to make sure they read correctly.
"Dusty!"
>Your number's up. Let's hope you don't end up like the poor schmuck in room 11.
| >>592534
"Wh-whats going on? Is he ok?"
>gem is left Completely confused as she is shuffled away from the area
>she wasn't expecting this at all, she thought that today would be a good day as she would sing to some sick kids or something while the first friend she ever made in this town played the guitar or something
>and she would get to see a little smile grow on people's faces
>suppose that might not happen now huh?
| >>592544
> Dusty's head perks up and she's bolts up, quickly vaulting over the chair she was sitting in to make it to the nurse that much quicker. She gasps a bit, the sudden shock hurting her ribs some.
"Yeah, yeah. I got it. I'll follow you."
> She heads to room 11, starting to unzip her jacket before even making it in
| >>592548
>the scene is horrific
>is that Cassius? He looks like shit
"Dusty...? Arrrghhhh damn!"
>he barely bellows once more
>strange purple lines begin to form along his veins and you can see everything very well due to the horrible purple gas
| >>592549
> Dusty hears her voice, but her sense isn't all too great from the sharpness cutting into her chest. She tries to turn her head but doesn't see anyone immediately. Maybe she's hearing things? Maybe she got concussed? Wait, no. That's not possible
"What th-"
> She winces some more, and just turns back to the MA assisting her. Less thinking, more help seeking
| >>592543 >>592549
"Get the goddamned monitor on him!!"
>Staff quickly divest Cass of his shirt, applying the defibrillator's attached gel pads to his chest. Dr. Sigvaris listens for lung sounds while deft hands work around him, and examines for symmetrical chest rise. Cass is /profoundly cyanotic/-- lips, fingernails-- everything's turning blue!! The NRB is strapped to Cass's face and the reservoir bag quickly fills with highly concentrated O2.
"We need to move him to the ER!"
| >>592549
"Sir, try to keep still, we're going to take you into the emergency room--"
"Transfer board!! Give me the transfer board!!"
>A gurney is wheeled into the room and lowered down as close to the floor as possible. Staff move to wedge the board underneath Cass, and slide him over and onto the stretcher. We need to move. We need to move /right now/. A shout comes from down the hall:
"Ella says Bay 3 is open!!"
| >>592548 >>592550
>The medical assistant corrals Dusty away from the scene of the rapid, preventing her from seeing Cass tank even further as the seconds tick by.
"If you could just remove your shoes, I'd like to get your height and weight real quick before we put you in the exam room."
>He looks over his shoulder and down the hall-- looks like room 7 is open. That's far enough away from the calamity that it should be alright. Ava will probably be happy about that, too.
| >>592554 >>592556
>he stays dead silent, tears forming in his eyes and slowly flowing down the side of his head
"...ma..k..."
>its horrible, it looks like he is possessed, the purple glowing of his eyes growing in ferocity
"Hel̨l̶o͞ rob͢ư ͝r͏obu"
>the words spill from his mouth, somehow echoing in the minds of those nearby, it dosen't sound like him, it sounds like some girls..
>once again he is taken by a fit of coughing, hacking out a strange purple mist
| >then something strange happens..
>the mist he bellows slowly takes form...into that...of a beautiful girl!??!
>an ephemeral beauty floats above him while the doctors are carting him over to the ER
>her skin is white and smooth like porcelain all the way around her hypnotic form and despite the paradoxical nature of her existence her short pink hair flows lavishly to match the speed of the transportation
>she leans in and...kisses him in the forehead?!?
>then leans away
| >yet her eyes are a dull beyond dead and she looks at him with hateful eyes
>she reaches her hands out as if to embrace him then slowly but steadily applying one finger after another upon his neck
>and begins strangling him
>right in the middle of transfer
>tears are rapidly flowing from his eyes...but not of fear?
>for some reason they *know* this...who do they know this?
>that those tears are of guilt...
| >>592557
> Dusty nods and takes off her boots, setting them on the ground and throwing her jacket on top of them. She steps on the scale, the coldness of the metal sending shivers up her back and shooting goosebumps through her whole body.
> She's even shorter without her boots, her height standing at 4'10.5". Dusty is heavier than it seems though, sitting at 117 lbs from her muscle mass
"J-just don't stare so much please. This pain in my chest makes me feel weird enough."
| >>592042
>For whatever reason, rather than complete the stereotype his body language comes off soft and subdued. He steps up with a small nod and at her smile he can only give the barest of frowns. The man sighs, worry (or is that concern?) hanging onto his every word.
"...Hello."
"Ah..I.."
| "Please be patient with me. What do you do to.."
>He looks down, maybe at his feet, and then holds up what can be assumed to be his dominant hand.
"To get this looked at? Thought I pulled something, but I think it might be something worse. My wrist.."
>He pulls back his sleeve, unable to continue.
| >>592541
>Maybe it's coincidence, but it's right around here that he's broken from his reverie. He looks back up, eyes widened, almost like they're about to dart to and fro somewhere but they never leave.
"If you could.. Put me in the right direction, please."
>It's highly unlikely he means it so literally, of course.
| >>592559 >>592560 >>592561
>The team is nearing Bay 3 at a rapid clip, when one of the CNAs on the unit notices the ghostly apparition tailing the group and points at her frantically, calling out to anyone who'll listen:
"STOP THAT WOMAN!! STOP HER--"
>The RT and one of the nurses can't seem to figure out why she's panicking, until...
"Oh my >>>god-- get>>>off of him!!"
>The staff closest to the head of the gurney begin trying to pry the spirit's fingers from Cassie's neck.
| >>592563
>The medical assistant's face colors as Dusty points out how cold it is with more than just her shivering-- they look away as soon as they get the numbers they want, respecting her privacy as much as one can in a doctor's office.
"... Please take your things, and we'll head down to room 7."
>The MA keeps their eyes averted... and nearly trips over the scale as they walk back out into the hallway.
| >>592679
>she dosent fight it at all and lets go at the slightest tug
"ₒH..? ɹ̢̨̺̯̦̹͎̪̲̲̥̺͈͔͙͔͎͋͗̽͆̑̽͘͢͠ǝͯ̓͂͒ͤ̔ͮ͗ͬ͐ͨͩͬ̅̚͝҉̵̪̜̳̗̜͓̦̪̥̪̹ɥͩ͊ͪ͋ͭ͒̽̎͆̓̋͂ͣ͑́̚҉̡҉̞̺͔̯̣̠̼̘̺̕ʇ̵̨̢̮͈̳̼̙͗͐̈̓̔̄̓̿ͩͣ͒̋ͮ͌ͅo̹͚͈̗̬̲͔̮̻̹ͫ͐̀ͭͭ͂͗̓ͦͣ͆̈́̄̾ͣ̑͞͡q̵͉̜̯̳̦ͭ̌̒́̓̈ͯ̐̎́̒ͯ͑ͥ̏͑ͥ͟͞ͅ ɐ ƃuᴉǝq ᴉ ɯɐ˙˙ʎɹɹoS¿¿"
>she gazes at the doctor then disappears
>whatever was affecting him soon relents...so much so that he seems completly healthy now..
| >>592680
> Dusty quickly throws her jacket back on and zips it up to her neck. She puts her boots on as quickly as she can and kicks the floor with the tips of them, making sure the fit is back to normal. She follows the MA once more, speaking up slightly to make sure something is made clear
“Um, can there be a note there that shows I shouldn’t be near powerful magnets. It’s... a thing that hurts.”
| [Emergency Ward, Trauma Bay 3]
>>592681
>The staff surrounding the gurney look around in confusion and bewilderment-- where did that thing come from? Why was it after Cass? Is it going to come back? Voices murmur as the stretcher is wheeled into the bay.
"--place is haunted--"
"--nk it was the angel of dea--"
"Don't talk like that!! He can hear you, you know!"
>The aide who'd warned them of the wraith's presence plants her hands on her hips, and frowns.
"... Sorry, Marcille."
| >>592683
>The MA holds the door to room 7 open for Dusty, and leans against it to keep it ajar as they pull their chart from under their arm.
"No... MRIs, please..."
>They speak out loud as they type, which seems kind of unnecessary given that it's a very simple sentence. Once Dusty's in the room, the chart is put aside for a moment so they can finish the initial assessment.
"I just need to take your vital signs-- then you'll be all set for Ava to see you!"
| >>592748
> Dusty goes into the office and sits on the little bed... chair... thing and does her best to get comfortable. She is at least warmer, so she takes her jacket off once more, slouching some to sooth her chest a bit.
"Oh, okay. Like, this is what normally happens, right? I'm ready when you are, I guess."
> This is definitely the first time she's ever been to any kind of real medical center. Or at least it really seems that way
| >>592753
>The MA stares at her for a moment... and scratches their head.
"... Yes, yes it is. Does... your primary's office do it differently?"
>They cock their head to the side as they try to figure out what Dusty's "deal" is-- maybe she's not from around here? Or... maybe her family doctor made house calls? Some of the wealthy still do that... They eye her up and down as they remove the blood pressure cuff from the wall and wrap it around her arm.
| >>592651 >>592652 >>592653
>The secretary nods gently. Poor guy must have been a little startled by the sudden influx of staff into the Urgent Care portion of the building. It seems as though the rapid has concluded, however-- individuals in scrubs disperse from the area and return to their assigned wings. Business, as usual.
"I can make you an appointment with one of the providers in the clinic to have it examined. You may have to wait a little, though..."
| >>592759
"Put? Point. Point me, in the right-"
>If that's a correction it only sounds like a whole lot of muttering. It helps a lot when she replies, gives him something to focus on. The man squeezes his eyes shut and forces himself to relax.
"I don't mind the wait. As long as it /can/ happen, that's alright with me."
| >>592756
> Dusty looks around, her eyes shifting rapidly. She /was/ some place where nobody would know about what she did, so she figures it should be safe to be truthful here.
"I uh... haven't seen a real doctor since i was maybe 11? I mostly stuck to back alley sorts of stuff in the border-zones. That's not a problem, right?"
> She gives a sort of nervous smile, trying to find some thing to diffuse the tension and stress she felt
| >He stops appraising his hand and lets gravity do the rest of the work.
"If you don't mind, can I ask you one more little thing while you.."
>He shakes his head, assuming she would have gotten the idea by now.
| >A man wearing a GCPD uniform walks into the clinic, scratching his head as he double checks some kind of notebook and goes up to the counter, his green eyes surrounded by messy brown locks of hair look tired and haggard
"Uh, excuse me-"
>He flags one of the receptionists with a slightly raised hand
| >>592763 >>592765
"Absolutely, sir. Let me look at the schedule and see who has the next opening..."
>What a hot mess. Dr. Mattox is basically AWOL, Colin is covering for all of /her/ patients plus whoever's already scheduled with him, Dr. Sigvaris and Oliver are tied up in the ER, Ava's session is totally full, and Len is off today...
"Ah... yes, what was it you wanted to ask?"
>She toggles different filters on the schedule, hoping to find a space for the man in front of her.
| >>592768
>The desk attendant on the left, who'd helped direct that earlier patient to the lab, waves back politely as he beckons the man in uniform to come a bit closer.
"Good afternoon! Is there something I can do for you, officer?"
| >>592771
>The man approaches the desk and bows a little
"Yeah, uh, we're looking for someone who might have come around here..."
>He sighs
"Can you take their description and make sure your staff hears it as well? they're not a dangerous person but we think they might associate with bad people"
| >>592764
>The MA's eyebrow twitches as Dusty answers their question right in the middle of when the cuff's being deflated. Damnit. Girl's got some quiet Korotkoff sounds... They jack the thing right back up, tightening it more than they probably have to in order to get a reading.
"No... no, it's not a problem--"
>Finally able to get a couple numbers, they turn the air release knob on the pump. Air rushes out from within, accompanied by a loud "hiss".
| >>592772
>The clerk looks mildly concerned, and nods, opening up a sticky on their desktop to take down whatever information the man plans to disclose.
"Please, go ahead."
>Internally, he's wringing his hands and becoming distraught. During the Blackout, they were subjected to a bomb threat, two shootouts, a kidnapped patient, and two vanishing staff... What's next?
| >>592776
>The man flips his notebook and starts reading
"A 6 feet tall man of almost 20 years of age, he has long black hair, Brown eyes, Half-asian. He was last seen wearing a brown t-shirt under a lab coat, carrying a bag of what we assume to be a package containing a home-made explosive; although we doubt he himself knows what he's delivering being a courier and all"
>The officer flicks the notebook closed
"Last witness that saw him said he was injured, so he may come around"
| >>592774
>Dusty does her best to keep relaxed. The sleeve was quite an experience, her arm feeling strange and the hiss catching her by surprise.
"Oh, well, that's cool. Is my arm supposed to feel this numb after the arm thing??"
> She stretches her arm out some, flexing to try and regain the feeling back. It looks like there's steel cable where muscle should be.
| >>592746
>ever since the girl dissapeared he seems to be perfectly healthy?!?
>breathing is normal
>pulse is steady
>temperature is regular
>his eyes stopped glowing and are back to their normal amber and everything
>he just lies there unconscious
>...
>...a solid 30 minutes pass until he wakes up with a yawn and a coughs, stretching his limbs and as if nothing happened
"What the hell ha- *yawn* happened..?"
| >>592777
>The secretary bites his lip, but dutifully types all of this up into the blank document he's opened on the screen in front of him.
"T-thank you. Is there a contact number you'd like to include so we can alert the proper authorities should he come by?"
>Security'll be getting pinged with a notification about this post-haste. No chances are being taken, here.
| >>592786
"Just call this number then, and ask for Jake Park"
>The agent tears a piece of paper from his notebook and scribbles a number unto it before handing it over to the receptionist
"I hope you'll be careful, and remember not to scare off the guy should he come over, wouldn't want them to do anything rash."
>He sighs and tips his cap, before slowly packing his notebook, that is until he suddenly stops in the middle of his action, turning back to the staff.
| >>592793
"Actually I might have something else to do here, a few questions I wanted to ask"
>He gets his notes again, scratching his head along with a 'How could I have forgotten about this'
| >>592778
>The MA presses their fingers into the part of Dusty's other wrist by the base of her thumb, checking for her pulse while they look at their watch.
"It... can make it feel a little funny, yeah. It shouldn't last, though."
>Finally, they slap the oximeter probe on one of Dusty's fingers, waiting for it to capture so they can get an idea of how well she's perfusing. Of course, if there was a /real/ problem with that, she'd likely be next door...
| >>592779
>The first people Cassius sees upon opening his eyes are Marcille-- the aide from earlier-- and Chien, one of the ER's nurses, peering down at him.
"Marcille! Marcille, he's up!!"
>Marcille reaches out and gives Cassie a very gentle shake by one of his shoulders.
"Hey, mister, can you hear us? Can you tell me where you are?"
>Both of them seem tense with worry-- which probably seems odd to Cass, given that he thinks he's just woken up from a nap.
| >>592793 >>592794
>The clerk bites his tongue, but obliges.
"I'll answer as best I can, though if activity continues to pick up at the desk, I might have to direct you to our supervisor-- just so we can continue helping patients while we're helping you, also."
>He quickly surveys the lines around the counter. The other two secretaries should be okay for a little while...
| >>592801
"Ah Hello there.
My name is Cassius, nice to meet you.
I believe this id NSF hospital.
I was here for a checkup and afterwards some volunteer work with my roommate."
>he looks around Completely calm, as he he dosen't remember that he was strangled by a ghost
"Oh dear Forgive me for using a bed.
I must have gotten tired,
Your name is?"
>he smiles
| >>592802
>The agent nods, looking back at the waiting room
"It won't take much time, don't worry about it"
>He gets a pen from his pocket and flips the pages on his notebook
"Truth is i'm actually investigating something that may of happened in this hospital a few weeks ago, at the behest of a superior officer of mine. We heard about some trouble relating to some dangerous individuals coming in and also some staff going missing, we got two rushed call from civvies that night..."
| >>592799
> the whole official workings of the Care Center confuses Dusty. Why would they need a measure of her heart rate anyway? Maybe there’s a reason and she’s just being weird about it all. Just stay relaxed and keep focusing on getting through the pain. Maybe theyll just give her some pain pills and send her on her way.
“So the doc will know what’s wrong, right? I mean, with all these things you’re getting for them?”
| >>592803
>Chien and Marcille exchange an apprehensive glance, then turn back to Cass. The aide extends her hand first.
"Call me Marcille, mister."
>Chien holds out his hand as well.
"Chien. It's nice to meet you."
>Do they... do they tell him what really happened? He has a right to know. Truth is, neither of them are really sure, though. They only know what Dr. Sigvaris told them:
"... You were in bad shape, mister. You collapsed."
| >>592816
>The clerk is stunned for a beat, then taps the side of his earpiece before punching an extension into its base on the desk. He waits while the phone on the other side of the call rings...
"..."
>And then finally, someone picks up.
"Janne?"
>"Paulo, there'd better not be another angry family member down there for me to deal w--"
"There's an investigator here who wants to talk about the Blackout."
>"... I'm coming now. Check his credentials."
| >>592974
>The officer simply nods, and pulls out his badge and an ID, his hearing is quite good if he heard that. Both read Ai L. Kamijou, the photo on both reflects the man's general tiredness quite well. He scratches the back of his neck
"My name is quite feminine so I usually don't really like using it, I would prefer you call me Kamijou if anything, although I guess sir is also okay."
| >>592937
>The MA pockets the pulse ox probe, and keys Dusty's vitals into their tablet. The last thing they do is swipe a thermometer across her forehead-- one of those fancy temporal artery ones you see up on the units.
"She... won't be able to tell what's wrong just from this, but these values should help guide her towards the right diagnosis. We're gathering data, really."
>They give an awkward grin as they try to reassure Dusty.
| >>592978
>The desk attendant reaches out to pull the ID a bit closer so he can see it better. His eyes flick back and forth between the officer's face, and the photo on the card. It's a match.
"Of course, Mr. Kamijou."
>A stern looking woman with her hair pulled back tight approaches them both at a brisk clip, and the secretary breathes a sigh of relief when she makes it up to the counter.
"Janne!"
>She frowns, unamused.
"Is this the officer you were talking about?"
| >>592992
> This at least, puts Dusty at some ease. She gives a small sigh, causing her to wince slightly as her slouch puts extra pressure on her already sore ribs.
"Well, at least I have good pain tolerance so I could really wait all night if I absolutely had to. Is there anyway I could get a drink to at least hold me over?"
> She was asking for booze. in a hospital. At least she wasn't specific so anything was technically fair game
| >>592973
"Hello there mister chien"
>he shakes his hand
"And marcille is it?
Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady yes?
Although i suppose im bit biased given its the name of my hometown">he chuckles
>...is he really sick? ...he seems just fine especially if he was flirting just now..
"Now then..bad shape you say?
Lets see.."
>he gets off if the bed,not by standing up,but via kip up which he does with no flaws, in perfect form?!?
| >then when of he immediately flips into a hand stand, then back upright
>and after that he does a standing backflip?!
>the form is perfect too! What the heck?!?
"Hmmm..i seem to be fine.
well physically at least...
Mmm one more test"
>should there be enough space to do so without bothering anyone, he does a flash kick in perfect execution!?
>h-hard to believe that this is the same person that was dying earlier
"Yup im fine..what exactly happened?"
| >>592999
>The officer turns to the woman
"I'm Lieutenant-Inspector Kamijou affiliated with the second Jinston precinct"
>He goes to offer a handshake but stops halfway, its hard to do through a window after-all
| >>592769
>The man goes to rub the back of his neck, almost like he feels guilty about what he's about to ask next.
"Mmm.. Over there. To the left, that is. Or I guess your right? Down that way. Can you tell me where it goes, what's there?"
>He would point, but the gesture he goes to make is left unfinished and awkward.
"I."
>His voice borders on a crack.
"Don't know, just trying to focus on something else.. Aha."
>He laughs weakly. Maybe whatever he's dealing with is bothering him.
|
| >>593002
>The MA gives a good natured chuckle, and lowers their voice.
"If we wanted you to wait here all night, we'd have put you over there!"
>They points behind them, towards the ER.
"I'll grab you something. Ava should be right in-- she's not one to hold her patients up too much-- since you guys also have lives outside of this office, after all.
>They shrug, collect their equipment, and draw the privacy curtain behind them as they leave the exam room.
"Be right back!"
| >>593003 >>593004
>Speaking of waiting all night in the ER... that seems to be the fate Cass is facing as he tries to Cirque du Soleil his way out of his hospital bed. While staff on other units might have marveled, mouths agape at man's acrobatic prowess, Chien and Marcille eye each other quietly. He's going to be trouble.
"You were blowing smoke out your mouth like a fog machine, and you passed out."
>While Marcille explains, Chien steps out of the bay, mumbling to himself.
| >>593005
>Janne exits the area behind the desk and circles around to the front, where Kamijou stands. She extends the hand he'd meant to shake a few moments ago.
"Let's talk somewhere else."
>She speaks tersely, a stern look on her face. Don't want to get into discussing such things at the main desk; the general public's present and they don't need to overhear.
"Come with me."
>She takes a few steps towards the entrance to one of the side staircases.
| >>593011
"Oh, over that way? That's the Emergency Room, and almost all of our ORs. On my left is Pathology, our outpatient lab, and Imaging."
>She gestures helpfully before returning to her hunt for an appointment... Aha! There!
"... I think I can squeeze you in >>>here... It looks like we had a cancellation."
>Even though Collin's taken over for a bunch of Suzanne's patients... she's had a good deal of no-shows today.
"This should work."
| >>593289
> Dusty gives a genuine smile. At least this person has been nice just to be nice. Such sentiment was always hard for Dusty to find.
"Thanks! I'll try not to get into a motorcycle crash while i wait here."
> She giggles to herself over her dumb joke, pulling out her phone to kill time on the internet
| >>593317
>A quiet 2-3 minutes pass where Dusty plays with her phone within the simple exam room-- then, the monotony is at last interrupted by a very chipper knock on the door. Whoever's outside has tapped out a cheerful little rhythm with their knuckles, which goes on maybe a beat or two too long.
"Dusty?"
>A voice, female, warm. Seemingly in a good mood, despite the obvious surrounding chaos.
"Are you in there~?"
| >>593324
>Janne holds the door for him, gesturing for Kamijou to go on ahead.
"We'll speak of this more in my office. I understand you want to discuss what occurred in this hospital during the Blackout, Lt. Kamijou?"
>She begins to climb the stairs, her voice echoing within the concrete walls of the stairwell. Janne doesn't look at him-- her gaze stays forward.
"I haven't the foggiest as to why this interests you, to be frank."
| >>593326
> Dusty pops up and turns her phone off, slipping it into her jacket sleeve with a fluid motion. She tries her best to stretch out as if she's okay while calling out. Maybe not the best move.
"I'm right h- oww! Gods! That shit hurted! Hi, yes, ow."
> As the doc opens the door, she sees Dusty, holding her side and giving a weak hand wave, totally trying to play off how much pain she's in.
| >>593330
>A woman of relatively short stature waddles through the door, and playfully peeks through the privacy curtain at Dusty before closing the door to the exam room behind her. Rosy-cheeked, she smiles at her patient, and steps further in towards the exam table.
"Hello, there! It's such a pleasure to meet you!"
>She giggles a little, and reaches out to shake Dusty's hand.
"My name is Ava. I'm the NP who'll be working with you today."
[EXAMINATION, UC/WI 7-- BEGIN]
| >>593331
> Dusty smiles back and nods in acknowledgment. She shakes her hand back meekly, a little too much pain for her liking to be enthusiastic.
"Hi Doc Ava. My ribs really hurt. I don't know why. I didn't get shot there but it still feels like I did. You would probably know more than me though, given you have more medical training than me."
> She gives a sheepish smile, still rubbing her ribs as if that will somehow fix the issue
| >>593334
>Ava puts her other hand to the side of her face and lets her mouth fall open in alarm as Dusty reveals the fact that she took a few bullets to the chest.
"O-oh, my! You got shot?!"
>She lets go of Dusty's hand, and unconsciously brings her own to rest on her stomach, which is... quite round.
"H-have you been having trouble breathing? How long ago did this happen?"
>The questions bubble out of her like water from a spring. Motherly concern is etched over her face.
| >>593335
> Dusty realizes that she said too much. She immediately moves to try and ease her doc
"Oh! I have been shot, yeah, but not this time. This was just more like. Umm... A giant dude slammed me into the ground a lot? And it made my chest hurt a lot at the time, but it went away after three days. But now it's back six days after it went away."
> Dusty lifts up her tank top, showing her scared abdomen and her heavily bruised ribs.
"Like, it's not that bad? right?"
| >>593293
>If this information brings him any relief he doesn't show it. Rather, he focuses on the more positive news.
"Great."
>Nothing left but to have her throw him out the line, he supposes. Well, probably.
| >>593291
"Smoke?"
>he sits down back onto the bed
"Hmmm thats pretty normal for me"
>he reaches into his mouth and pulls put some kinda...devices of sorts
>its like an artificial salivary gland, meant to go to the side of the mouth behind the cheeks, it seems
"Anything particular about it?
If its just blue smoke it was just this thing.
Nothing harmful"
>he looks confused
| >>593338
>Ava sits down at the computer in the corner of the exam room, and logs on, making a mental list of orders she plans to queue up that'll help her figure out the extent to which her patient's fucked up her ribcage.
"Dusty... I don't think you're being honest with me. I need you to be, honey."
>Ava's lower lip is stuck out in something close to a pout.
"Anything we discuss stays between you, and I. No one else, alright?"
| >>593352
> Dusty fidgets nervously. She inhaled as best she can and goes into a brief history of her injuries
“Okay um. I’ve been shot at. A lot. And taken some pretty bad hits. Most of my interactions with doctors have been the back alley kind who take hard cash only. I’m only here because my housemate thinks I have serious injuries, given the heat he saw from my right side. A giant gorilla dude did slam me into the ground though. He tanked shots like Pete could at his prime.”
| >>593348
"I'll book this. Could you tell me your name and date of birth, please?"
>She sighs to herself, relieved. Collin'll take him, and he won't squawk too much about it, either. Just the little reprieve she needs in the midst of her hectic day...
"You'll be seeing one of our PAs, Collin Heckyll. He's covering for Dr. Mattox right now, but he'll finish up quick."
| >>593356
>he recites his name and DoB while looking around gor his jacket, to no avail
"Cassius Robuchon Vanderbilt
Seventeenth of August 20XX"
>then turning to her looking a bit concerned
"Is everything ok?
It feels as if you had one hell of a day"
| >>593348
"Um... I >>>think it was purple? That's what Sigvaris said, anyway."
>Marcille rocks back and forth on her heels as she struggles to remember the quick report the two UC clinicians gave her and Chien before they rushed back off to god-knows-where. Speaking of Chien... she looks in the direction the nurse took off in. Where'd he disappear to?
"That's a weird retainer you have there, mister."
| [NSFMed at Glitch City, Emergency Ward]
>As Marcille and Cassius chat about what exactly landed the frenchman in Trauma Bay 3, the doors to the ward swing wide open to admit a new patient-- this one in pretty sorry shape.
"Where is he going--?!"
"Bay 4!! Bay 4!!"
"But, that's a tr--"
>Staff squabble over the victim's placement-- what does he need, and how fast? The fate of the weakened man on the gurney lays in their hands.
"Can you hear me, man?!"
| >>593361
> The patient on the gurney lays dazed, head swiveling ever so slightly to the motion, the sound. Entrenched in a soaking wet GCPD uniform, He has a very slow blink to answer what he could parse as a question. Most blood has been wiped from his face, but faults are recognized only through examination.
| >>593358
"Purple...?
..hmm thats nothing short of str- hnnnnrrrggg!"
>once again he coughs out purple mist, although this time way less intensely
"Gah what the hell!?"
| >>593329
"Well truth be told I don't know why I'm investigating this myself, my boss just asked for a volunteer and I raised my hand. I'd be lying if I said I had zero interest though"
>He shrugs and sighs, sometimes he wished he could go back and stop himself from listening to his boss so much, he'd end up in way less trouble over-all.
| >>593363
"He's still conscious--"
">>>Barely!! Get him in Bay 4, for christ's sake!!"
>The arguing stops long enough for the boy in blue to be wheeled into the room next to Cass's. Once the stretcher is stationary, staff descend upon him in droves.
"Your #20 in his forearm blew, you jackass!!"
>One of the paramedics has discovered, upon flushing the officer's IV, that it's no longer patent. They'll have to put in another line.
"Not my fault he's dry! Jesus, what the fuck--"
| >>593369
> Targetting the veins remains an easy task. However, keeping the patient still is a tad more difficult. The shooting pain force him to squirm, at least as much as the paramedics and the fatigue allow him to.
"Arrhhh.. Hurhhrnnnng..."
> His jaw moves with little effort of forming any words. His skin, although possibly dried, remains cold to the touch.
This thread is permanently archived
| >In the midst of a bustling Downtown lies GC's own branch of Neo San-Fran Medical Center. Home to dozens of medical specialties and offering multiple community health focused services to Glitch's citizens, the hospital staff toil endlessly to ensure their patients--both inside and outside of the facility-- are well cared for.