My
eyes widened as I saw exactly who was in the driver’s seat. It had been years
since I had seen her and suddenly she was showing up during the middle of a
skirmish. Quickly looking to Max, I saw her stare for a few moments before
finally nodding.
Over the past while I had been
watching Max and her converse with others. Slowly, but surely I was able to
start to decipher words and understand what was going on, especially now.
“Yeah! I could use all the help I
could get! I need to get him to a medic tent for surgery,” she said, throwing
her bag into the bed of the truck. Picking up the girl, Max helped her up and
then moved back to the man after finding a stretcher in the rear. Easing the
man onto it—with the help of a soldier—they managed to get him in. Climbing up
herself, Max gave the signal that they could move.
“What are you doing all the way out here,
Jade?” Max said, sitting against the bed of the truck against the cab. The
older woman looked into the rear-view window as she drove.
“I work out here, just like you.
Well, sort of. I’m not a medic, but I do drive around and pick up the
stragglers like you,” Jade said, turning around in a small open area of the street.
The truck lurched a bit as we sped in the direction of the outlying cliffs.
Taking one final glance at Jade, Max turned her attention to her patient.
She kept her hand on his
wrist—keeping track of his pulse—as they flew across the sand. The little girl
sat by Max, the two speaking in what appeared to be hushed tones. Seeing
something wrong, Max moved to the man and started to apply pressure to his
chest and arm. I saw Jade’s lips move, trying to read what she was saying
despite the odd angle.
“Max…Sit down your head is
bleeding,” I said, finally deciphering what Jade spoke. My sister must have
finally realized that she was indeed injured, I watched Max lightly feel her
temple. Seeing Max return to her work, I could tell Jade wasn’t at all pleased.
The truck lurched forwards as we sped up—Jade probably wanting to get both Max
and the man to the hospital.
Just as they were coming around the
corner, Max looked at where they were headed. I could tell this was a place she
had yet to go and probably had never heard of. My eyes caught view of what Max
said.
“Where are we going? That’s a good
question. Where are we going, Jade?” I said, hoping to read some answer from
her lips. A smirk appeared as we sped towards the buildings built into the
cliff walls. The truck skidding to a stop, Max jumped out and moved around to
help the man out. A soldier ran towards them, gun in his arms and aimed
directly at them.
“Max! Watch it! He doesn’t recognize
you,” I said, touching her shoulder and knowing that she wouldn’t feel it.
“Tate! Stop! They need medical
assistance! Get help down here, now!” Jade shouted, looking at the man.
“Jade, hold it. These are strangers!
We can’t just let anyone in here!” Tate objected, keeping his gun at Max, the
little girl and the man. Another glare from Jade sent him sprinting for the
medic bay.
“Sit your ass down, Max. You are not
going to bleed to death on me,” Jade said, gesturing to the truck. Shrinking
back a bit, my sister took her seat next to the little girl.
Within a few minutes, the man was
taken in the direction of the medical crew, his daughter being carried behind
by a nurse. Jade turned to Max and walked over. She wasn’t at all amused that
she had not gone after the nurse and medical crew.
“Come on kid, let’s get you upstairs
and get that head sewn up,” Jade said, pulling Max to a stand. I laughed,
seeing Max roll her eyes and the two walk together. It was starting to get
easier to read lips and understand things. But I of course had to be able to
see their lips move. Trailing behind them, I made my way around the base
towards where they had their medic team. Jade forced Max to take a seat as a
man entered wiping off his hands of some black substance. Washing his hands and
grabbing a few instruments the man approached them.
“I’m just sewing up today?” He sat
down across from Max, taking the cleaner and starting to get a better look at
the wound. Jade watched for a few moments and then took a seat on an empty bed.
After several minutes of cleaning, he took out the needle and thread to prepare
for starting to stitch her head.
“What were you wiping off your
hands?” I watched Max’s eyes glance over at the trashcan where the rag was. The
man laughed.
“Just some oil, I work in the garage
as—“
“You’re a mechanic?” Max said,
pulling away from the man. I laughed, seeing her move rather quickly and still
with her injury.
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