Niko knew what was coming. While Dave kept fluids going in, he prepped for it.
Body weight, check….
Niko's eyes darted between his instruments and the sergeant's pale, lifeless
form. Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he prepared the injection gun. He
knew that it might be their last chance to save the sergeant's life, but he also knew
that injecting him now could make things worse.
"You think we'll need it?" Dave asked.
"Yeah, he's got a couple of minutes, at most. His heart's struggling."
"Even with the meds?"
"Yes," Niko noted Dave's expression. "It's nothing we did or didn't do. His
injuries are severe. It would have happened a lot sooner if I hadn't stopped that
bleed."
Dave squeezed the fluids in quicker. "He's lost too much blood… this is
ridiculous."
"I'm guessing forty percent now. Yes." Niko tapped his HUD and brought up
the comms with Rise.
"ETA?" he said through to the pilot.
"I'm booking it as much as I can," she replied. "Four minutes."
"He won't get four minutes. Crank that RPM. Now."
"I'm full out," she shouted.
"No, you're not. Do it."
Niko listened as the engine screamed at them all as his pilot did exactly as he'd
asked. Putting the helo and their lives on the line. He knew she'd handle it, all of
it. He knew Canlas's reputation. But she knew how and when to push, and he
trusted her for that, with all their lives.
"Come on," Niko begged… "You can do this."
As the helo rushed towards their destination, Niko felt the weight of
responsibility bearing down on him. He had been in plenty of dangerous situations
before, but this was different. They were racing against the clock to save Chief
Master Sergeant Drust's life, and it seemed like every second counted.
"First Surgeon on standby," a voice came through to him. He knew that voice
too, Doctor Brosk it had to be…. "We're prepped and waiting. How does he look?"
"Going to crash any minute."
"You got a shot ready?"
"Yes, Sir," he replied.
"Hold off that shot if you can, son. We need him under proper anesthetic…"
"I am." Niko said, but his hands trembled as he held the gun over the sergeant's
pale body.
"Two minutes." Canlas shouted.
Niko's heart raced.
"One minute! Bringing us around now."
That one minute…
Chief Master Sergeant Drust's heart stopped, and his blood pressure bottomed.
"We've got everything he needs ready." The first surgeon shouted. "Hold that
injection."
As the helo made a sharp turn, Niko lost his balance and stumbled, his finger
slipped on the trigger of the injection gun. The needle plunged into the sergeant's
arm, and Niko cursed under his breath. Though the sergeant's reaction was good,
he knew he might have just made things much worse.
Dave was shouting at him to inject the sergeant with more even meds, but Niko
couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew that they needed to wait for the proper
anesthesia before they could operate, and he couldn't risk doing any more harm.
"Fuck!"
Niko put the gun down without injecting him, though his mind screamed at
him for doing so.
"What—hit him with it!" Dave shouted at him.
"Thirty seconds," the pilot said.
"Don't you dare hit him with that gun," the first surgeon said.
Niko didn't want to tell him it was already too late.
Chief Master Sergeant Drust's heart stopped again, and Dave's shouting
increased.
"Starting chest compressions now." Niko moved in over the body of the even
paler sergeant, and he started counting with every pump of the man's heart. "I'm
gonna need you to breathe for him…." Niko concentrated, counting in his head…
then said. "Now!"
Dave did as he said and placed the face guard over the sergeant's mouth before
he exhaled into the man's lungs.
It wasn't but a moment later, and the alarms sounded in his head.
Red flashing lights lit the helo as well.
"Ten seconds," the pilot shouted.
"He's gonna die," Dave said. "Oh my God. He's gonna die…"
Niko's heart still raced as he watched the sergeant's vital signs on his HUD.
He knew they were running out of time, and he couldn't bear the thought of losing
another patient.
"Not on my fucking watch," Niko said, as the helicopter bounce off the tarmac.
The doors flew open, and the hospital board was dragged out with him on top, still
doing compressions. Dave was pushed aside as one of the other nurses took over,
another taking the line and IV off his assistant.
Niko continued to count down as they were wheeled inside and into a surgery
room on the lower floor of the hospital.
"We've got this," a hand touched his arm, and Niko looked into the First
Surgeon's eyes. "Stand down, Medic Rise."
Niko slid off the board as someone else took over. They continued to wheel him into the room, leaving Niko panting, sweat dripping off his face