0145 Hours
As the SUV pulled up to the entrance of the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, a guard stepped out of the gatehouse and approached the vehicle. Following protocol, the driver’s side window slid down, revealing a face revered by many. With a salute, the guard snapped to attention.
“Good morning, Colonel!”
“Sergeant, I’ve got an emergency,” the colonel’s reply was brisk.
“You may proceed,” the guard quickly waved him through. As the barrier lifted, the colonel drove directly to the emergency building, knuckles tight on the steering wheel.
As he pulled up, a team of medical personnel, led by Nurse Kelly, was already waiting with a stretcher. The colonel jumped out, hurried to the backseat, and lifted the unconscious woman into his arms. Her weight felt alarmingly light, her skin cold to the touch, sending a pang of urgency through him.
“Right here, Colonel!” Nurse Kelly called out, wheeling the stretcher closer.
He laid the woman down gently and walked beside the team as they swiftly pushed the stretcher inside. As he passed a familiar orderly, he barked, “Dennis, park my car!”
“On it, Colonel!”
Marching on, he instructed Nurse Kelly, “Start with vitals, full trauma assessment, and type and crossmatch her blood. Transfuse O-negative first. Run a pregnancy test as well.”
“Got it, Colonel,” Nurse Kelly responded as they maneuvered through the hallways.
“Which OR?”
“OR 3, Colonel.”
He hummed in acknowledgement, then broke away to his office to change into a set of scrubs before heading to the scrub station.
……
0215 Hours
By the time Kasra and Lara arrived at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, James had already been in surgery for about an hour.
The waiting area outside the OR was stark and cold, lit by harsh fluorescent lights that reflected off the linoleum floor. While Kasra got them some coffee from the nearby vending machine, Lara settled into a plastic chair, opened her sketchpad, and began outlining the face of the mysterious man she had encountered at the silo, each stroke deliberate as she captured the sharp angles of his jawline and the cold intensity in his hooded eyelids.
……
0220 Hours, Walter Reed OR 3
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After completing the scrubbing-in protocol, the colonel entered the OR. His patient was already on the operating table while the anesthesiologist and surgical tech were busying about.
Sensing his arrival, Surgical Tech Macy glanced up. “Colonel, vitals are unstable. BP is low. We’ve initiated IV fluids and started transfusing O-negative blood.”
“Keep her on O-negative until we get a match,” he instructed.
“Yes, Colonel.”
“What’s the initial assessment?”
“2 low-velocity gunshot wounds: 1 through-and-through in the right scapula, the other lodged in the left femur. Significant blood loss from the femur wound,” Surgical Tech Macy reported.
At that moment, Nurse Kelly entered the OR and informed, “Colonel, the patient’s blood type is AB-negative, and the pregnancy test is negative.”
The colonel’s breath hitched, his gaze narrowing as he processed the information.
Not only did this girl collapse right in front of me, he thought, but she also shares my blood type. What are the odds? She must’ve been born under a lucky star!
After all, AB-negative is the rarest of the eight main blood types, found in only one percent of the Caucasian population.
Snapping out of his thoughts, he said, “I have 10 units of AB-negative blood stored. Bring 2 units here, stat.”
“Yes, Colonel!”
As Nurse Kelly rushed away, his gaze shifted to the patient’s exposed torso, and a sudden realization hit him—she would be his first-ever female surgical patient!
His hands paused mid-air, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face. Although he had participated in clinical rotations involving female patients during his medical residency, he’d only assisted the chief physicians. And after he joined the military, he’d only operated on male soldiers.
Feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders, he took a deep breath and straightened his posture. “Macy, cover the patient from her chest to just above the thigh wound and put on compression socks for her.”
“Yes, Colonel.”
Turning to the anesthesiologist, the colonel said, “Hey Jase, I’m sorry to call you in on such short notice. I estimate this surgery could be 8 to 9 hours long. Let me know when you’re ready.”
“No problem, Sev. Since the patient’s right shoulder is injured and she needs a transfusion, I’ll administer anesthesia via breathing tube.”
“Alright, let’s go with that.”
While waiting for the anesthesiologist to intubate the patient, he glanced at the unconscious woman, and several fleeting thoughts crossed his mind.
Were we on a mission together before? Why do you look so familiar? Why were you in the middle of the woods? Don’t worry, you’ll be as good as new once I fix you up!
Just then, Captain Jason’s voice brought him out of his reverie. “It’s all yours, Sev.”
Given the go-ahead, he set aside his curiosity, closed his eyes, and channeled his mind into work mode. When he reopened them, his piercing, ocean-blue irises were now sharp with concentration.
“Please turn on the recording.”
A moment later, Surgical Tech Macy confirmed, “OR recording is on.”
“Thank you,” the colonel said before continuing. “October 17th, 2022, 0235 hours. Colonel Sev, performing trauma surgery for 2 GSWs. Anesthesiologist Captain Jason Nash and Surgical Tech Macy Granger assisting. Patient: female Caucasian, age 20–25, weight 100–110 lbs. Patient sustained 2 low-velocity GSWs: a through-and-through on the right scapula and another no-exit wound on the left femur. BP 90/40, HR 130, RR 28/min, O2 sat 83%. We’ve started on 1 unit of O-negative blood; 2 units of AB-negative on standby. I’m making an incision on the femur to determine the surgical sequence. Vascular kit ready?” he asked, stepping up to the operating table.
“Yes, Colonel.”
“Scalpel.”
“Scalpel,” Surgical Tech Macy responded, handing the tool over.
The colonel made a clean incision to expose the femur.
“There’s significant vascular damage,” he observed. “Let’s get the bleeders clamped and prepare for repair.”
As he worked, the anesthesiologist kept an eye on the monitors.
“Vitals are holding for now.”
“Clamps and suction,” the colonel said. The team worked efficiently as he controlled the bleeding and repaired the severed vessels…
