Lina finds herself looking like the only person who is sort of able to stand, much less walk apparently. She can't see any of the others, just a mass of bodies strewn all over the scene. Not being able to make out any of the others most likely meant that they were either seriously injured or out cold. Mueller was right. That Orthoskin sure is a lifesaver... But this is not the time to pat herself on the back for the descision to get it. The taser is gone, she must have lost it in the blast. But the Colt is still there. She gags and coughs as a gust of air full with smoke and the stench of explosive residue hits her. She hass been feeling her accelerated heartbeat, but then, she slowly thinks she starts to hear it as the sounds of her surroundings slowly start to creep back towards her. A few drops of blood drip out of her ear.

Funnily, she doesn't really pay atention to the usual sounds at this scene, like whether there are any screams from people still conscious. All that she hears at this point is the van that comes down the street. And the sight of the guy with what looks like a small automatic weapon. They are so fragged, fragged doesn't even begin to describe it ! Lina concentrates on the task at hand. Get to the clinic and get inside or find some cover elsewhere ! She starts to run towards the crater awkwardly and draws her gun. Her finger is still shaky as it checks the bottom end of the clip currently inserted. Two short strips of structrured tape running along the breadth. Of course ! With a curse under her breath, she ejects the gel rounds. THe clip clatters onto the tarmac as she continues on. First clip in the holster ? Long strip running along the full length. Full metal jacket. She pulls out the clip and slams it into the magazine well. A small snarky voice tells her theres still a gel round chambered, but at this point, thats the least of her worries. Her main problem now is not to be an open target on a silver platter when the van arrives. She looks towards the clinic doors.

Will she be able to get inside or will the crater or some pile of debris have to do ?

With the return of a bit of hearing comes the inevitable sounds of the aftermath of a public bombing. You successfully filter out most of it, but there is enough screaming that you know some people are still alive. For now at least. As you stumble towards the clinic you sense more than see a flash behind you and something streaks past your shoulder and slams into the building near the door. The mini rocket explodes on contact, hurling more debris into the street and cutting off several of the screams. The better part of valor seems to be using the crater as cover and you drop in. The van screeches to a halt and the man you had seen leaps off the running board, landing several feet from you, firing his weapon. A row of bullets stitches the ground near you, following you into the hole, but seeming to miss you entirely. The masked man walks forward a couple of feet and prepares to shoot again.

What the frag ? Lina goes to ground in what feels like a new record as a frigging rocket whizzes past her and dismantles a sizable part of the building's front by the sound of it. When did she take the wrong turn that took her straight to the Urban Brawl match ? Well, if she was the one to bring brassknuckles to a gunfight, she'd at least try to give the other guys a run for their money ! Drawing the gun and disengaging the safety had been one and so she just needed to point and shoot. She noticed that her estimation of distance was way off when van-guy appeared over the ledge of the crater and brought his gun into position just as she moved to peer over it to see what was up.. Mask, body armour, automatic gun. Bad news.

So she pointed the gun at him and fired the damn gel round and four live ones at his upper legs and abdomen. While she kept her eyes trained on him, fully prepared to resume fire if the guy still hadn#t enough, she was wondering whether she had just made herself an important enough target to make those guys want to flush her out... All she could do was keep her fingers crossed and hope that they didn#t have grenades or some spare rockets to waste on her. taking a short and quick look, she tried to gauge what she was still up against.

At this range, the gel round still manages to force the man back a step, but the other four rounds make any further thought about him moot. The body armor he is wearing deflects two of the shots, but the other two get through and the attacker drops in a spray of blood, his submachine gun falling to the ground at his feet. Your senses kick in and you notice another man running from around the other side of the vehicle, gun aimed at you and four more drop from the rear of the van, fanning out to take cover. The man approaching you stops as his helmet grows a third eye, sending his head back in an unnatural position before he collapses to the ground, twitching. Two Brotherhood Orks appear from a building three doors down and receive the brunt of the fire from the four remaining attackers, both going down as their torsos are stitched with automatic fire. You can hear someone yelling, "Frag it. Alpha 3 and 4 get those two. Alpha 5 and 6 approach targets and neutralize.

One down, five to go !

Lina checks the clip readout. Ten bullets left and another clip, after that, things will really start to suck if an of those fraggers are still standing at that point... As she looks around, bringing her gun up but fearing she won't be fast enough on this one, she sees that enemy go down as two Brotherhood Orks appear on the scene and are promptly gunned down. While all the attackers she can see are getting engaged with the Brotherhood-gangers, she tries to reach for the submachinegun and then, regardless of success or failure, makes a run for the next cover closer to the clinic, perhaps even the clinic itself. Knowing she's dead meat in the crater, the hole in the building might make for a good chokepoint to stall the attackers until more support arrives.

As you grab the dead shooter's gun and race from the crater, you are followed by a burst of automatic fire from behind you that raises dots of dust from the street and pocks what remains of the clinic's outer wall as you dive for cover. A quick look shows two men breaking from the rear of the van and heading for you while the other pair race off at an angle to the other side of the street. Two measured shots from that side cause one gunman to twist about and fall to the ground while the other dives for the ground. Apparently there is still someone alive helping you. All around you are bodies and parts of bodies, including the two KE officers that had been on this side of the street and a number of people who had been standing in line. A groan off to your left drags your attention to where Greta and Marta are. Marta is laying at an odd angle and blood is soaking through a makeshift tourniquet around the stump of her left leg. Greta is sitting up near her, covered in blood as she tries to keep parts of her internal organs from escaping from a large hole in her side. In the same moment, you see Lily racing from down the street and can hear Hunter yelling at someone not to die from inside the clinic. The two men in front of you are approaching quickly.

"Oh, come on...! Really ?"

Lina curses while legging it to her new place to be. Honest to God, the only thing missing to put this right in place is some Alliance for Allah types rolling down one side of the street and some mercs in a tank coming from the other side. Setting up position, she checks the magazine display and switches the submachinegun to three-round burst fire. Going prone behind some human remains and laying her pistol at the ready, she then starts to fire at the men coming at her, concentrating fire on the one that looks like he poses the most danger to take him down first or at least force them into cover to allow Lily or whoever (hopefully) comes around anytime soon to flank them. "Greta, Marta, are you guys holding up OK ?" She asks without turning around. No time to establish eye contact or something, another burst leaves the barrel. The clip display shows she's almost out...

Your burst does not appear to do any damage, but it certainly causes the two to dive for cover in the crater you have just left. Your second burst does little more than keep their heads down, but at least all they do is fire blindly from over the lip. You can hear one of them screaming for fire support. Movement from the van catches your eye and you see a turret moving, trying to bring its weapon to bear on you. Across the street, you see the lone remaining gunman shooting as he advances, apparently to no real resistance. Standing over someone, he takes aim and.....................................goes flying into the street, crashing against the hood of the van and causing the heavy vehicle to rock from the blow before sliding down to the pavement, leaving a streak of red on the grill. A massive Troll wearing a Brotherhood jacket that might clothe a dozen regular people steps into view from where the man had been standing just a second earlier. He is carrying some sort of cudgel that looks like it is part of a lamp post. Marta and Greta do not respond and the flow of blood from Greta's wound is spreading. A voice from just behind you says, "We need to get the men out there. Can you cover me?" Looking behind you, you see one of the KE operatives that must have been in the back with the victims.

"Aw, tits !"

The moving turret registers as a lot of things, but from Lina's perspective, its not a pretty sight... Nooot a pretty sight at all ! She exhales and scans the perimeter for a new target, especially for some sign of the guys in the crater getting careless or cocky. THey don't though and she's prety sure all she can do with this gun at this range is piss those guys off by ruining the van's paintjob. Not the most noble goal with what she still has left but at least it'd be something. But then a big bad troll does that job and he does it way better and effectively than she could. Not that she particularly minds that. She looks over to greta and Marta and frowns, she doesn't like what she sees. While she is still pondering what to do with the two and most importantly when with the lead still flying, a KE guy adresses her. She shrugs.

"I have three bullets left in this thing and ten in my handgun. I can try to keep the fragheads down for a bit, but it's not a hell of a lot, so you'll need to be fast."

She grinds her teeth in frustration. But with the situation as it is, they need to be able to make sure they're not being shot at anymore first and foremost. She hopes it will be over quickly, for everyone's sake. Her thumb sets the fire selector switch to 'semi-automatic'.

"I'll shoot at anything that rises out of that crater. Go !"

The KE officer nods and smiles grimly saying, "I loved your exclamation. I will ask you about it later over dinner." He jump up and over you, swerving to the side out of your line of fire. He tosses what looks like three grenades into the crater as he runs. One appears to be a flash-bang but the others are something different by the way they explode. The two men are thrown from the crater by the explosion. One seems unconscious or dead, but the other struggles to his feet just in time to be distracted by your burst. Apparently confused by the noise, the explosions, the man running past, and your shots, he turns around as if lost. The next rounds from your pistol seem to have more effect and he throws his arms up and falls back into the crater. The Troll advances on the van with his cudgel and swings a blow that would crush most walls. It apparently works on moderately armored vans, too. You see the van move sideways at least three feet from the blow and the man behind the tinted and armored windshield is tossed around inside the compartment like a rag doll. It seems that whoever is working the turret is also affected because it stops moving.

Lily jumps into the rubble with Greta and Marta, screaming at you to get medkits out here STAT.

Lina and the KE man flush the two men out of their position inside the crater successfully. Nice to see some things work at least ! She is happy to leave handling the van to those up to it, like the Troll who makes it look like he'd like to play baseball with that van. In her opinion, he'd possibly be able to get to first base using a truck as a ball. But she assumes with him and the others taking care of that truck, she can go back to her job now. As she hears Lily calling for whatever medkits she can find, she gets to her feet as fast as she can, perhaps a bit too fast... She feels a bit dizzy and the first steps are wobbly, but as soon as she feels calm enough to run, she does. Once inside the place, she starts looking around. if she cant find anything else, she'll see if she can find her own and get it outside.

After she has assembled her loot, she makes her way back to Lily as fast as possible and passes her the material she collected. She scrutinizes her two colleagues and removes some of the rubble before taking a good look at whats left of Marta's leg and checking her vitals. A short look over the carnage outside follows while she replaces the empty clip in her gun with the last remaining one.

"OK, how does it look, boss ? Do you need me here or should I go outside and see who's still sorta alive and perhaps kicking ?"

---LILY & CO.---
As you manage to stand you see the KE man race to the side of the van and place a device at the driver's side door and another on the side and then step to the
side. The rather immense Troll takes another swipe at the van and it moves again. As you rush into the ruined waiting room you hear a pair of muffled "Whuumps"
from behind you, followed by some shots and someone yelling at the Troll to stop, that everyone is dead inside. There are bodies all over the floor in the room
as you enter, several over near the side wall with a large sheet draped over them. Hunter is working solo on several patients at a time, medkits and bandages in
a stack near her. She nods as you grab a couple of them and return to where Lily is.

A quick look at Marta shows that her leg was pretty cleanly severed just below the knee and that the tourniquet seems to be holding. Lily is trying to treat an
unconscious Greta and has you pull out some gloves for her. You can see some of Greta's organs through the hole and it does not look good for her, considering
how much blood she has lost. Apparently, she took care of Marta before looking to herself. Lily calmly directs you in applying the kit's leads to Greta,
saying, "Seen some with worse come through. We'll give her a chance. When you are done here, check on the people that were waiting in line. There are at least
two over there that are still alive, and probably others as well." The devastation is immense. First the truck bomb and then the rocket have left little of the
front of the clinic or the buildings to either side, as well as nearly equal destruction on the other side of the street from the first bomb. As your hearing
fully returns, you can hear people screaming inside all the buildings near you, all clamoring for help. And help comes. Several Brotherhood members appear on
the scene, some without jackets and one without pants, but who wants to really stare at a nearly naked Ork at this time and no one really seems to care. People
from the buildings outside the blast come into the street to see if they can help and the guy who owns the strip bar three doors down offers his stage as a
temporary morgue. Three Stuffer Shack girls come down with snacks and soycaf to pass out and when Lily asks for bandages someone organizes a groups to cut up
sheets.

You notice several Brotherhood gangers on the roof of the building across the way. They are carrying large weapons and seem to be scanning the street. A
barricade of old, mostly burnt out vehicles is built to keep traffic from getting through. The huge Troll seems fully able to move the cars by himself. The
second KE guy from inside the clinic comes out and is sent back to watch over the witnesses, but the other one seems to have a good grasp of first aid and
helps. At times you notice him working side by side with a Brotherhood grunt to carry someone. Forty-three minutes after the attack ends you hear sirens and
several large KE vehicles pull up near the barricade and a few tense moments later several medics and officers are at your side, helping as they can.

The work goes on for hours and you are called to assist with several emergency surgeries with Lily and Hunter. When you ask about Rachel, all you get is a short
shake of the head from Hunter. Lily welcomes the assistance of two KE medics in the operating room. Suddenly, you are looking at one of the attackers on the
operating room table. He is badly wounded but the bleeding has been stopped by first aid measures.

---LINA---

Lina nods. "Finish here, then check whats left of the line. Got it." Marta looks like she'll be sorta alright and she hopes Greta makes it as well. After she's done
with helping Lily, she goes outside into what amounts to a desert of rubble at first. In the whole chaos it hadn't really been possible to assess and acknowledge
the extent of the attack that did considerable damage to the buildings in the vicinity. The perfect urban warzone... So much to do and as always, the clock is ticking.

So she commandeers some bystanders, two of which have at least some first aid basics. Thus outfitted with two auxiliary orderlies and six people to carry either transportable wounded or human remains she starts her assignment. She designates one of the more rubble-free zones about sixty yards away from her position as the holding area where those who can still walk and need medical attention are to gather. As she has feared those are not many, two or three, but not more. Figures, she expects a lot of amputations. As she starts to quickly assessthose still outside, there are fewer amputations than she thought, but many injuries due to fragments and also quite a lot of blast lungs. The longer she works outside and the more people succumb to their injuries the angrier she gets at those who decided that nuking a line of normal people and some medical staff was a good thing. It's probably a good thing she's currently not able to get her hands on one of the assailants undisturbedly...

After what feels like hours, sirens close in and the scene is reinforced by medics and KE officers. By the time they arrive, Lina has finished the damage assessment outside and a rough sweep of the surrounding houses and is now working in the holding area with her minions. Although they have established a workable routine, the number of casualties is still way too high for her taste and as it becomes obvious that the street is safe, some of the people from the houses come out either on their own or being carried by friends or people nearby. The helpers do an amazing job and Lina is glad they do, she doesn't want to imagine how it would have looked if the people hadn't come forward. It's a good indicator for this neighborhood and the standing the clinic has. When she's called inside, she shortly briefs the KE madics taking over about the general situation from her point of view and the measures that she had taken and hands the holding area over. Grabbing a cup of soycaf on her way inside, she pauses shortly as she sees her reflection on the remains of one of the broken windows she passes. Her face is caked with sweat, dust, explosive residue, grime and dried blood. The whites of her eyes have a stark contrast to the rest and seem to be the only living thing in what she's looking at.

The operating room is already occupied with Lily, Hunter and two guys in KE colours. Lily and Hunter look somewhat okay, but the knowledge that Rachel didn't make it aggravates Lina's emotional situation, even though she didn't really know Rachel. But she was one of theirs and that was all that mattered. After a few operations she recognizes a face on the table. It's one of the guys who attacked them. Lina feels anger well up inside. She looks at the scalpel on the tray within arm's reach. The fragger is badly wounded. A short glance around. No one pays particular attention to her. It would be laughingly easy... Complications, some undicovered injury, she doubts anyone would bat an eyelash or ask too many questions about him. Before she knows what has happened, she has the scalpel hidden in her hand. Just one moment and he would join the number of deceased outside. She listens inside herself and hears the small voice telling her to go ahead and off the piece of drek.

"Not today, you're not getting off easy..."

No, revenge is one thing, but Lina doesn't want revenge. Or better, she doesn't want revenge above all else. She wants answers. And dead men don't talk. She puts the scalpel back. This man will live. And then they will have a nice, long talk. She feels better thinking about it and also finds herself already looking forward to it. But work first !

Wednesday June 6 2075 1803 Lily's Clinic The Barrens

As you put the scalpel back on the tray, you look up to see the KE man from outside watching you through the window. He smiles and nods his head before making motions with his hands for food. You have no idea when this hell is going to end and cannot answer him. Lily calls over to you to get the man out and under the knife if you are going to do it. The KE medic that has been assisting you turns from setting some instruments up and looks at you. "Instructions, Doc?" The wounded attacker is bad off, but in much better condition than many you have seen dead or even most of those so far on your table. The work is straightforward and not difficult and you could kill the man at several steps in the operation, but your dedication and the need for answers takes you past those points. Soon you are calling for the KE orderlies to take the man away, knowing that he will live to face questions. As he is being wheeled out, a fresh supply of blood and plasma arrives from the hospital under KE guard, making this the third time since the bombing. Your eyes blur and you step back to clear them, shaking your head. Lily sees this and calls out . "Hey, Lina. You need a break? Take ten if so. Looks like most of the worst have already been through here. Go smoke or something."

"Business as usual, lets get the guy going and see how he faces the music for this crap."

Lina and the KE medic do what she consider a pretty good job with the merc. However, she feels fatigue set in, which is not surprising after what amounts to twelve hours uninterrupted duty after being bombed and shot at. "Roger boss, I'll be back in around ten !" She leaves the room and grabs a soycaf on the way out. A cigarette would be good too.She feels like nicotine and caffeine are the main things that keep her going by now. Perhaps that guard from earlier is still outside? She walks through the clinic, which has become a maze with all the people fuzzing around. People who have been going through treatment are lining the walls in some parts and a quick glance to the front shows that there were still people trickling in after all this time, although she assumes that that's more the normal customers who have nothing to do with the blast who now occupy the KE guys in the front. She opens the door and the air from outside hits her like a hammer. She leans against one of the walls and takes a minute just enjoying the fresh air, polluted or not. Finally she looks around whether there are others around while taking another sip of soycaf and fishing a cigarette out of her clothes. The pack is mangled and she pulls a squashed and battered cigarette from it nonetheless and lights it.

"Don't you know those things will kill you, Doc?" The voice comes from off to one side and as you turn you see the KE guy that had come to help you at the front and then stayed to help with the wounded. He takes a spot on the wall next to you and watches you smoke. "Tough day. Sorry about your friends. We both lost people we knew today, not to mention the poor civilians that were caught in the middle. My boss is pulling me in for questioning, but I will be done in a while. Can I bring you anything? Fresh cigarettes? I would like to see you again, if that is OK with you. And remember, you are in for a dinner with me sometime. I just have to hear the origin of that phrase; its been nagging at me all day." He goes silent for a moment. "You know, not many people would have blamed you for using that scalpel the way you wanted to. It shows a lot of character that you did not. You are quite the person, Lina. Anyway, see you later, I hope. What brand do you smoke?"

"Sure do, I just don't bother to give a frag." She grins. "Sure, I could take it easy, not drink and not smoke and also not do anything else that is fun and live to 120, but without the fun stuff, why would I want to in the first place ?" She drinks from the cup in her hand and shrugs. "I know my odds for getting old enough to collect some sort of pension well enough to not rely too much on that happening. Those guys today tried to kill me. That happens, they aren't the first, they won't be the last either. I stopped taking that personal a long time ago. But you know, going after defenseless citizens like that and then trying to take down everyone present indiscriminately with special attention on the medical personnel ? That makes me one pretty angry chick, I can tell you."

She drags at her cigarette and nods. "Which is why I was pretty tempted to slice that fraghead like a stuffed turkey. But that wouldn't have changed anything. That guy is just a cat's paw, nobody gives a frag whether he lives or dies. He's not the problem, whoever sent him and his friends is. And that is where the crowbar needs to go to make sure today doesn't become a regular occurrence. I guess that's also something to do with the guys that spent the night as our guests with Paul and his colleagues standing watch..." The more she thinks about it, the more obvious her need for more information becomes. She'll need to talk to some people about things. Lily, Paul, the remaining mercs, perhaps others as well. She thoughtfully looks at the ground and then back to the KE guy as she tips the ash off her cigarette. "No brand preference, as long as they have some punch." She drinks some more soykaf and almost as an afterthought addresses the guy once more. "How about Friday 8 pm right here ? If that works, all I need is your name, stranger..."

---STAN---

The man laughs. “If this is your normal day, I would agree with you on your chances to get that pension.” He knocks against the wall he is leaning against.
“But I was not aware that places like this give pensions.”

He pauses to watch you smoke. “You did good out there today. Oh, and Janette, the officer that survived on the far side of the street, wants to thank you in person
when you have the chance. She watched you take out one of the guys and said that you were cool under fire. She thinks security services, but I think military. She also wants to thank the walking mountain who saved her butt. Anyway, Lily handled the tough stuff and she is now at Seattle General. Probably there for awhile. Let me know if you want to see her and I can get you into the special wing. That bastard you spared will be there, too, when he can be moved.”

He lowers his voice a bit. “I know almost nothing about the who behind this, and cannot say much of the little I do know. But you are pretty close on the why. I
am sorry that these people caused your clinic to be a target. I doubt that the brass had any idea, either. Those three must be more important than I thought. And
speaking of the brass, I am pretty sure that they will want to interview you as well. Janette and I have both spilled the beans on how a civilian doctor was able to
take down two of the attackers. And Friday? Hmm today is Wednesday so that means I have to wait two days. But alright. Friday at 2000. I will be here.” He
holds out a hand. “And, please call me Stan.”

After shaking hands, he smiles and turns to walk away, whistling.

---LINA---

"This place sure doesn't, but I can still win the job lottery and get sucked into one that does someday." She chuckles, not that that prospect is highly likely. "Thanks,
so did you guys. Things would have been a lot worse without the reinforcements and supplies. In any case, I'd be happy to meet Janette when she's able to get visitors." So she had been sorta right. It was instances like these she hated to be right, but well, right now, she could do jack anyway but watch out for any follow ups or things like that. The prospect worries her, especially now where the clinic is short on staff and the Brotherhood had taken a bit of a beating as well. She doesn't know how big the gang is, but she can't assume that they won't feel the losses they had suffered. Perhaps now is the time to ask around some additional security ? She sighs, the thought of more military grade weaponry on the streets doesn't sit well with her, but if things like this continued... Who knows really ?

"When has the brass ever had any idea about anything ?" Another sip of soycaf, its lukewarm by now, but the caffeine still works and thats the most important bit. "I guess I'll hear about the interview and have to make some preparations." After all, the investigation might lead to some complications, or so she figures, thinking of the way she has entered the country and the circumstances she is currently living in. She shrugs. "I'm pretty sure I will be in no condition to do anything other than pass out when today's work ends and with the loss of three of our staff, we will be pretty stuffed the next days too, so I don't expect much before the weekend. But I'm confident you'll be able to survive those two days, right ?" She gives him a mischiveous wink and shakes his hand. When he turns to get back to work, Lina decides to do the same and head back inside.

---LILY/HUNTER---

Another hour of work on the operating tables and some post-op treatments sees the end of the line. Four additional KE medics have replaced the first shift and are relatively fresh, but you, Lily, and Hunter are pretty wiped. Lily disappears into her real office then emerges with a bottle and two glasses, motioning the two of you to the alley office. She tells the officer in charge of the medics that she will be in conference with her team and should only disturbed in an emergency. Once outside she practically collapses to the ground with her back to the wall, with Hunter on one side and you on the other. She pours whiskey in the glasses and gives one to each of you as she takes a long swig from the bottle.
She coughs and wheezes a couple of times, pounding her chest and gasping. “God I needed that. Oh, frag, what are we going to do. Hunter I am so sorry about Rachel.”
Hunter is crying silent tears and nods. “She was my reason for living. I came here for when she asked and we were planning on…….on things. Adopting a kid, a house, now it’s all fragging drek. I needed her, Lily. Why? Just fragging why?”
Lily lights up a cigarette from an uncrumpled pack and offers the pack around. Hunter shakes her head but takes a refill of the whiskey. Lily pats her on the shoulder. You notice that she is crying, too. “Rachel, Marta, and Greta all gone. Greta might pull through, but Marta will need a new leg none of us can afford. So here is the thing. The clinic is damaged, blown to fragging drek. Blood and whatever else all over the walls and floors. No door, but no building front to even need a door. I have been told that the KE support will stay until tomorrow at noon. After all, as I was told, “this is a civilian clinic and KE presence might scare people away or give a wrong idea to the locals”. Fragging bureaucrats. Individually some are great, but as a whole, they suck. Your bedrooms are mostly intact, but the bathroom, pantry, linen closet, and Greta’s room are gone, or nearly so. You can use the hot water in the wash-up room to clean up in. We are running on borrowed meds and I have no idea when the fraggers at the hospital will get off their asses and approve my requisitions.”
She takes a deep drag on her cigarette and another drink from the bottle before offering it to you again. “Bottom line is we don’t have much of an operation here right now. If you two stay, it will be Lina and me on days and Hunter on nights. I will try to get some help, but look how long it took to get Lina here, and all the losers we had to go through first. So I guess I am asking if you want to stay or go. I do not want an answer right now, but think on it. My name is………was on the building and will be again. But I cannot expect the two of you to do everything. Give it a couple of days and see if you are still interested. Unless you want to leave now.” She looks back and forth between you.
Hunter shrugs. “I honestly don’t know, Lily. Someone should take her home and tell her family. She was just about the only one of us who had family that still cared for her.” Hunter looks over at you. “Sorry, Lina, that was not fair. I do not know anything about your family. But the rest of us were like lost animals that Lily took in. Rachel was different. She still had the ideals in her eyes. She was a good person and a good doctor. I will miss her.” She stands and looks down at the ground. “I am sorry, Lily, but I think I will be leaving in the morning. I have arranged to have Rachel cremated and will take her home to her family. Not sure if I can come back here to this. Sorry. So Sorry.”
Lily nods as Hunter walks back into the building. Sighing, she turns to you, “You have a debt with the hospital, but I will see if I can have it vacated for services rendered here today if you want to leave. If you stay, it will be just the two of us for a while, so do you want days or nights?”

---LINA---

Lina takes the glass and knocks back the contents. The burning sensation in her throat and the warmth spreading in her stomach offer some sort of comfort in the
situation. She feels the atmosphere tugging at her waterworks, the reason she usually avoids being around crying adults. Its just not something she's comfortable around. Well, no shit, here they are, discussing the new situation and it doesn't look good. Support's being withdrawn and the building... best not look at that too closely. Lily says a true thing about the issue with funding and getting the requisitions. She pipes in on Hunter's question but keeps her eyes on the glass in her hand.

"They wanted the three guys the KEs brought in and kept at the clinic overnight, as far as I heard. I don't know what those three were about, but finding out looks
like something that shouldn't be too low on the priority list. I'm going to talk to a few people and see what comes from it. Good thing I got a pretty decent idea where to start already..."

She takes one of the cigarettes and takes a deep drag from it, thinking. Circumstances haven't improved. With things as they are now, they are well and truly frakked. Goes doubly so for her if things run somewhat like she imagines them to, which is plausible looking at what she heard about the KE brass. She shrugs as Hunter mentions the family thing and apologizes. "Eh, is Ok, my folks probably think I'm rotting in some ditch next to a road or got my innards ripped out and sold to some ripper-docs. For all they know, I might be dead, so no offense taken. Do what feels right for you and watch your ass, Hunter."

And then there are only the two of them left. Lina blows a cascade of smoke towards the sky and watches as the cloud slowly dissipates. Tugged at by the wind, the outline frays until there is no form left. She does some number crunching and empties another glass of Whiskey. After a while of just sitting there with whats left of the staff if all things go as they seem to, she comes to a descision.

"You could try to see if the authorities have any sub-interns or people who haven't gotten a placement for a clerkship that might want to get some experience. Might not be the best course of action because still students or otherwise peeps who didn't get a good placement, but it should help keep the number of staff up to manage day to day routine. I know these guys aren't supposed to work unsupervised, but I guess it would be a start to buy time needed for rebuilding." She looks at her watch and puffs some more smoke into the air. "It looks like KE might want to interview me. Normally I wouldn't sweat that too much, but as things are, I'm not sure whether that'd involve an ID check that my current ID can handle. If the ID holds up, all's good, if not... Well, doesn't take a genius to figure the consequences of that out, heh." Her chuckle is mirthless and gloomy. "I don't assume you have already completed the transaction with the Koreans. If you still got the money, take it to get Marta that leg and get some medications and repairs." Lina leaned back and closed her eyes, exhaling the smoke through her nose slowly. "My job here goes down, I'll be back at the Koreans' door anyway, whether I still hold that old debt or not. As long as the interest is covered, I might have a chance to get a solution together. You do an important job here and the people appreciate and respect that, today showed that pretty clearly." She shrugs and flicks the cigarette to where she saw that hand grab the discarded coffin-nail just a day ago. "I got a lot of opportunities to get into a nice heap of drek. Unless that's sorted out, the money's better invested with you guys anyway." She snorts some snot back up her nose and spits it out.

"But if all goes right, day shift sounds good."

---LILY/HUNTER---

Lily turns to you and puts a hand on your arm. “Thank you, Lina. This place is needed here.” She shakes her head a bit and continues. “You get some rest. I can manage here with the KE medics helping out and will grab as much sleep as I can. I can chase everyone from the observation room so you can clean up in privacy, then go get something to eat and go to bed.” She pulls herself up and walks into the building with you. “So different from yesterday evening, isn’t it.” She gives a short laugh and moves to move the three witnesses and their KE guards from the observation room so that you can pull the curtain and clean up with the hot water provided for the clinic sink. Your clothes are bloody, torn, and just a regular fragging mess so you go up to change. Hunter is in her room and she comes out to see you. “I am sorry, Lina. But right now I cannot stay here where…….where she died like that. You know, we heard the first explosion and she ran out ahead of me to help. She sent me back for more medkits while she was trying to use one on Bill, the guy from down the block that has a bum leg and comes in every Wednesday for a shot. I was in the back when the second explosion hit and I just knew. I fragging just knew. Like I could feel her die and I was not there to hold her hand. She died doing what she wanted to do, but she had planned on doing it for a lot longer, you know? Anyway, I cannot carry everything with me so am leaving some of her things behind. Please take it if you can wear it or find someone else that can. She would like that. She would……………”
She stops talking, but her mouth keeps opening and closing for a minute or so. Then she tosses you a credstick. “Here, this was her share of our house savings. We would have been at our goal long ago, but she kept finding someone that needed money more than we did. She was always saying that we had lots of time. Lots of time. So I guess you get her last gift. Frak, she probably would have given it to you anyway. She was that sort of girl. Use it well and think of her once in a while, please.” Hunter comes to hug you. “I hope that you stay, Lina. Lily needs you. This place needs you. It needs me, too, but I cannot stay now. I might be back some day, but don’t leave the light on, right? She loved me, you know? She really did. But she loved medicine more. So long, Lina. Stay alive.”
With that, she returns to her room, coming back with two suitcases and wearing her coat. “I will see Lily on the way out.” And she is gone.
When you slot the stick, you find it holds Y 20,321.

---LINA---

"Don't mention it, Lily." She follows lily into the building that has become somewhat quieter, as if those who are still there don't want to stir up the lingering echoes of what has happened earlier this day. It looks as if people are treading just a little bit lighter and being just a little bit quieter than usual. Or perhaps she just likes to think so and imagines that part. In the end and in this moment, it doesn't really matter to her. The thoughts of a somewhat solemn end of the day are comforting in their own way. "Quite different, but it doesn't matter. The building may be damaged, but what this building stands for remains. The people here still have this place to go to. That's all that counts. See you tomorrow, boss." She goes to the observation room as soon as its ready and starts to finally scrub the grime and
dried blood off herself. The red t-shirt is a mess of holes, gashes and dark stains and smudges. Nothing to be done there, she puts it into the trash bin. The jeans also have taken way more than they could sustain, so they follow the shirt after Lina had cleaned out the pockets. She had been lucky. her body was a mess of bruises, minor lacerations and superficial cuts, but there had been little problematic damage, mostly thanks to Greta's quick reaction... With a sigh she starts to treat herself to some band-aids and spray-skin. She shortly ponders whether the cut on her forehead would need some staples, but decides that it doesn't. Stepping out of her boots, she puts the former content of her pockets into her footwear, as none of the clothes she is still wearing has any pockets. Her formerly white
tanktop is tinged with brown, black and grey and sports a number of holes and cuts as well. Lina's image in the mirror looks scarily tired. With a suppressed groan, she bends down, picks up the boots and makes her way upstairs.

Upstairs is a mess, albeit a roughly cleaned one. The table looks as if it has been torn in half with a good chunk missing. Someone had thrown the pieces into a corner together with three of the chairs, which are bent beyong usability. Some glass fragments are still glittering in the light falling in from outside, so Lina moves
carefully. What looks like the corpse of the trid projector rests on the sorry remains of the couch. Traces in the dirt on the floor show someone has attempted to move the couch, but gave up rather quickly, leaving it right where it stood. The wall that cordons off the bathroom is missing and so she can see that the toilet booth is gone as well, but at least the toilet itself looks as if it works, even though it won't win any beauty pageants anymore. Greta's room and the storage room are barely recognizable under the rubble and there is a big hole in the wall where the pantry used to be. Several burnt appliances and crooked pieces of cutlery are lying on the ground, as if someone had lost them. How quaint, she thinks bitterly.

She meets Hunter, who comes out of her room, apparently she has heard her come up. Lina listens and just nods. "That's alright. She knew the one she loved was safe in that moment and that's worth a lot. I hoped I would have more time to get to know her better, but it wasn't meant to be." She exhales and catches the stick. She's too surprised to say anything at that and only gets over it as the other woman hugs her. "I will, don't worry. She was a good woman, I'm sure. She has done a lot of good here and the people will remember her for it. Where I'm from, they say that a person won't die as long as there is one person left remembering them. She'll be here if you come back, and so will we." One way or another, she adds mentally. "Godspeed, Hunter. Stay alive as well !"

She waves solemnly as Hunter passes her and goes downstairs. She goes into her room and opens the little book on her bureau. The first page is almost blank, save for a few names. She gets her pen from her boot and adds Rachel, Hunter, Greta, marta and Lily into it. She thinks about the day that is about to finish and about the conversation she had just had. Staying alive. Today had shown how difficult that could become in the time it took to snap one's fingers. After her evening
prayer, she decides to go and light a candle as soon as she gets the opportunity. She also checks the balance of the stick Hunter has given her. She hasn't expected anything like this and feels slightly overwhelmed. But she also knows that chasing after Hunter is pointless. What is she to do with so much money ? She decides to think about that tomorrow and changes her clothes. Laying onto the bed, fatigue, exhaustion and the effects of the Whiskey wash over her and she falls asleep almost immediately.

You wake to the incessant drone of your alarm. You are hungry, but the whiskey from last night needs an egress in the worst possible way. The room is a bit chillier than you think it out to be and opening the door lets you know why. It is raining and the holes in the wall are letting water and a cool breeze in. Racing to the bathroom, you see that even though the toilet is probably still functional, you risk showing your butt to a neighbor if he is looking. Still, that chance is necessary just now and you quickly drop your pants and scoot onto the toilet. Finished, you find that the hot water to the sink is very minimal and at best is lukewarm. Walking back to your room is a bit lonely. No one sitting on the couch snickering because you went past your water limit. It would be nice to have that back, but it is not happening while you stand around and wish it would. After dressing you head downstairs and step outside. The crater is still there, as is the destroyed food truck and further down the street the barricade is still in place. Nothing for it but to go down to the Stuffer Shack, especially since you missed eating most of yesterday and your stomach is telling you that this is no way to go on a diet. The man behind the counter welcomes you in and the girl that comes to the table tells you that the owner says your meal is on the house. The food is soy, but it is hot and tastes almost like it is supposed to.

At the clinic, the rain is keeping all of those with minor injuries away, which is good, because there are lots of injuries inside. Lily greets you and gives you a rundown of the patients and introduces the KE guys who are on their last shift. She tells you that you are the clinic today and asks if you have any questions.

Lina gets up and glances at her new window. She should get something for it, a tarp or something. Not that the hole will be still there when winter or autumn come around, but she doesn't really think getting pneumonia would help her health a lot. Or so she thinks as she hurries out to get to the loo. Smae thing in green here, though. She wonders if the neighbors will be figuring out the opportunity for some free peep-show before the holes are being covered up. The hot water ration is also not really hot anymore, but it will have to do. She trusts her immune system to get by with these circumstances for a while and returns to her room after washing and cleaning up. She gets dressed, finishes her morning rituals and goes downstairs. The living room is desolate and barren, except for some wind and pools of water from the rain outside. Its a sad and lonely view, but also a harsh reminder that yesterday's happenings were real and that she was now all that was left for the time being. Least of the feast, heh... No, it really wasn't funny. Stepping outside, the rain has almost died down, just some mosquito piss is still left. The crater is still there, as is the barricade and the remains of the food truck. Lost in thought, she proceeds dow to the Stuffer Shack. by the feeling of it, she could manage half an elephant today. And after she is told that today's breakfast is on the house, she is sorely tempted to do so. She doesn't, of course. For one because that could become problematic for the owners, but also because she won't be able to do much today if the Shack's owner and the server have to roll her back to the clinic. So she keeps her intake at a reasonable level, leaves a tip and returns to the clinic with some food in her stomach and a cup of hot soykaf in her hand. The rain has worsened again and so the way back becomes a quick sprint to make sure there are at least some dry fibers on her body upon arrival.

The reaction on her face as Lily tells her that Lina is to be the clinic today is nothing that would indear her intelligence to someone who doesn't know her. However, she assumes that Lily has some visits to make, requisitions to fill out among other things, so she doesn't really question the descision too much, although her face still reads 'Wat ?'. "Eh, I'll manage, what's the worst that can possibly happen ?" She curses herself shortly after mentally. That was a really dumb question, especially after yesterday and it's dangerous for someone in her position, too. So she indicates she doesn't really have any questions unless Lily has any special remarks or tasks.

After Lily is gone, she goes to check the stockpiles and reserves and then has a short morning briefing with the KE guys. Most are put on the normal schedule, but after thinking of the weather outside, she recalls their makeshift ambulance and asks for two volunteers to ready and equip the thing. If there are no or not enough volunteers, she simply picks until she has enough. However, remembering that she hasn't really seen the thing for herself either, she goes to look for the vehicle along with the two more-or-less voluntary KE's.

The garage is accessed by a set of double doors that can open wide enough to get a gurney into the operating room. It is wide enough to hold the old van, which is some variation of a Bulldog. The nose is pointed outward in preparation for a hasty departure. There is a small door at the side of the large bay door and you can go through it to see what appears to be a mostly vacant lot and a dirt track that leads across it to a road. The interior of the ambulance is neat and clean. A rolling gurney is locked to the floor by only three clamps as the fourth one seems to be missing. There are some racks for medical supplies that are mostly empty, probably scavenged to provide supplies for the clinic. While you are poking about inside the vehicle you hear your name called and one of the KE medics pokes his head in. "Hey, Doc. Someone out front asking for you. Some kid."

When you get back to the interior of the clinic, you are motioned to the ruined waiting room. You find a young woman standing amid the ruble and injured. She appears to be late teens or so and is maybe five-three, wearing jeans and a shirt. Her hair is caught up in pigtails, which certainly helps give her a youthful look. She is carrying several books in her left arm and has an attaché case in her right hand. She puts the case down as you enter the waiting room and holds out her hand. "Doctor Lina? My name is Dot. Well, it is really Dorothy, but everyone just calls me dot. I just finished my first year in Meds and my father said that I might be able to find a summer internship here to help with my resume and work experience. I am a hard worker and can start right away if you say yes."

The van is a start. The lack of things that she will have to draw from the storage isn't encouraging, but it should at least do as a sort of transprt when urgent things are afoot outside the place. She scratches her head and lights a cigarette. Normally she doesn't do this when on-duty if she can help it, but the nicotine helps her to think and right now, she has to do some hard thinking. Scratchign her head she instructs her two volunteers to load the cart up with the basic gear and the bare necessities from the pharmaceutical stock in case they need to move out. Deciding she can't spare two medics, she puts the two on call and gives them light duty with the additional requirement to inform her before they move out so she can reassign people as needed. In her head, she already crumples the general plan and drafts up some sort of list about who is where. She needs to put that down somewhere before the moving around happens, thats for sure... "Eh ?" Some kid in front asking for her ? She wonders what that's about and hopes it doesn't mean they have to get this car out like it is right now... "Yah, on my way, thanks !"

She climbs out of the van and makes her way to the front, where she finds a girl with a case and some books. Hm. Lina shakes the hand and listens what the girl has to say. She frown while she ponders what she has just heard, finding that she doesn't really have an idea what people do in the first year of med school over here. What jobs do they give the new ones that even those don't mess up ? she asks herself. She remembers some sort of nursing placement taking place with the first year students, but thats in Europe, she has no idea whether that's a thing here as well... Scratching her neck, she beckons Dot along. "Come with me." She makes sure that the people know where to find her and then leads Dot to the former living room upstairs and offers her the remaining chair to settle diown while she gets another from her room. She puts the chair down with the backrest up front and sits down on it, her arms on the backrest.

"So, lets get the most important out of the way first. You'll find this is not comparable to the teaching hospital in regards of staff or equipment. Working hours suck and pay isn't much to speak of, but if you can work and are willing to do so, we got plenty of that and I'm pretty sure you'll be able to pick up a lot of useful stuff if you can stomach the rest. At this point, I'd only like to know a few things. One, a few more things about yourself. Two, as you might have figured, I'm not from here, so I'm not too familiar with UCAS med school curriculums. So I need to do what you have learned to do and what I can schedule you for until you have picked up some more things. Three, do you have a driver's license ? And last, but not least, four. Why do you want to become a doctor ?"

The girl picks up the case and follows you upstairs, sitting where you tell her to. She looks around at the devastation up here while you are getting your chair. Her face is a bit paler than it was when you first saw her. Perhaps some sort of realization is setting in. After you ask your questions, she sits still for a minute then says, "Alright. One. My name is Dorothy Finley, but I do usually go by Dot, except to my instructors. I just turned 22 and am nominally heterosexual, but I have experimented and could be convinced to try again, I suppose, with the right person. My mother is Rebecca something. My birth father is dead, or so I have been told, but since I got that from my mother I am not certain it is the truth. Mother left me with my step-father three years ago. She ran off with some politician whose name I have blanked from my mind. I live with my step-father, whom I get along with quite well. His name is Stanley Finley and he is a Senior Special Agent for the KE, but I hope that you do not hold that against me, and please call him Stan. He told me that he met you yesterday. He said that you are one damned fine woman and an excellent physician and that I could learn a lot from you. I memorized what he said, just so I could play it back because it sounds like a nice testimonial. Two. I just finished my first year of Med School a couple of weeks ago and am looking for a good summer internship to expand my experience base. My father told me to see you. I do not expect to be paid more than survival rate for the area, but a place to sleep would also be nice as the transit time here is a killer." She opens one of the books she had placed on her lap and hands you a sheet of paper. "This is my transcript for the first year. It gives you my courses of study and my grades. The next four pages cover my pre-med coursework for my BS. The last two pages list the various summer programs I have participated in during my time at the university. I will not be eligible to select a specialty until the beginning of the next term, but I am seriously leaning to trauma medicine and have tried to angle my electives in that direction. Three. I have a driver's license. Four. I want to save lives." After she stops speaking, she looks at you expectantly.

"Hahahahahaha, that cheeky bastard !" Even Lina has to admit that Stan has played his cards well and got her cold with this one. She hasn't seen this one coming at all. "Okay, I guess we can manage some lodgings, don't know what standards you have, but there should be something thats not completely broken." She takes the papers and flips through them. Most of the courses don't have too specific titles, like 'Practice of Medicine I', but the sheet with the grades helps clear things up a bit. "Hrm..." 'Genetics', 'Introduction to Clinical Ethics', Wait, there is an actual class called 'Physician-Patient Communication'. What the hell is wrong with these people ? She flips through the paper a bit further and finds a few things that look like they might be able to put into practice, although she suspects its more theoretical bits and courses that have a second half in the second year. In the end, she takes out her commlink and browses the descriptions of the courses on the official med school database. In theory she likes the answers she gets, especially the fourth, but they'll have to see if Dot is really cut out for whast is before her and how she does. Talk is cheap, after all.

"Okay, nice. We'll see if you can bring in your qualifications, having them here is a plus. Most of what we work here is either stuff that can be treated with stuff people here have no access to or violence-induced injuries. Mostly shootings or the like. Most of the time not a pretty sight." She hands Dot back her papers. "Right. Pay is something you'll have to discuss with Lily once she's back. Unless specified otherwise, working times is 7 am to 6 pm, with one hour off for lunch. You've got a license and some first aid training, so if the ambulance needs to go out, you'll drive it. I'll introduce you to the two KEs that are also with the van today in a bit. If you're able to do stitches, you might be able to do some good in the pit, but I think today we should start things easy. That means as long as the ambulance isn't needed, you'll go where I go and do what I tell you to. You're encouraged to take notes if you think you need them, if something's unclear or you got a question, you ask. If there are no questions, I'll assume you have seen and understood everything and that I can take that knowledge as given in the future."

She points over at Hunter's room. "That room is currently unoccupied, so we'll use it for your stuff and to shelter you, provided you're still interested. Do you have any questions up to now ?"

Dot nods and smiles. "Your shadow. Drive if needed. Got it. Say, I know a janitor at the university. He runs his own business and is contracted there, but he has some people he uses for odd jobs. I can give you his name and code and maybe he would come out to help clean this place up." She goes to Hunter's room and tells you it is as good as the dorms at the U. "I will go home tonight and come back with some clothes and stuff in the morning. That is, if you still want me back after the day. Let me put my books and case here and grab my pad." She looks around at the holes in the wall and the debris scattered about but does not say a word, only nodding to indicate that she is ready to accompany you.

"Well, can't hurt to check it, right ?" She takes the information from Dot and makes a note to pass the details on to Lily to decide whether they should follow up on it or not. She is quickly ready and thats a good thing to start with. She leads the way downstairs and goes to the garage to see how the two KE guys do. They are busy loading stuff into the ambulance. Lina interrupts them shortly to introduce Dot and give them an update of the situation. None of them seems to be too bothered by it, so both her and her new shadow move on. Lina basically checks on how things are proceeding, doubling as a tour through the place so Dot roughly knows what's where. After that, she has another look around to see where another pair of hands is needed the most. "By the way, do you have any training with guns ?"

---DOT---

Dot follows you about, putting notes into her pad as she goes, but apparently paying attention to her surroundings as well. She does go a slight pale at the
amount of blood on the floor and walls of the waiting room. “I initially though it was some odd paint scheme. That cannot be good on several levels. Should I
make cleaning that that up a priority after the tour?” The KE guys nod and say hello, one of them reminding you that they are being called away at noon after the
bus comes to collect the witnesses. They seem a bit less motivated than the crew from yesterday, but not lazy enough to report.

You and Dot complete your rounds and you notice that she is capable of administering meds per the chart on each cot. She has a good bedside manner, instinctively knowing what to say to keep the patients calm. She is particularly effective in getting the elderly man in cot 12 to take his meds. The man had practically refused to cooperate earlier when you went through, but she leans over and whispers in his ear, causing him to laugh out loud and take his pills. He grabs her hand and shakes his head as he croaks out, “At my age that would kill me, dear, but thanks for the incentive to live. Thank you.” At your look, she leans over and whispers, “I promised him a blow job if he would be nice and take his pills. I don’t make that offer to just anyone, mind. Just the special ones.” She
laughs a bit as you go to the next cot.

At your last question, she says, “With my dad being all macho KE special operations guy? Yeah. I was eight when they got married. I think I was on the range
with him right after they got back from the honeymoon. She screws up her face a bit and gives a pretty good impression of Stan’s voice. “Any daughter of mine is
going to know how to shoot any bastard that gets past me to get to her.” Dot laughs and gets back to her own voice. “Really sweet, you know. It was like that
from the start. I mean, him calling me his daughter and everything. He adopted me when I was ten and I couldn’t have asked for a better father. Lots of times
I’ve wished he were my birth parent, but he is everything else a dad could be. Just the three of us now, Dad, me, and Tony. He came along six years ago. Great
kid, for a little brother. She was busy fucking around on him even back then and dad isn’t his birth parent, either. Doesn’t matter. He’s a great dad and that’s
all I need to say on that. Long way to say yes, I know how to shoot a gun. He always says I talk too much. Sorry.” She reaches up under the back of her shirt
and removes a smallish holdout pistol. “Not much to look at, but he made some mods to it and it can pack a good punch.”

She replaces the gun and looks at you expectantly. “I understand that I will need to see Lily. Dad told me a lot about her, too. Not as much as about you,
though. Men are funny, right? Anyway, still time before lunch so should I start cleaning up in here or what else do you want me to do?”


---LINA---

"Thats a good idea, please do so." Lina acknowledges the information about the shift-end at noon. She shrugs and asks the KE guys whether those witnesses include her or not. She doesn't really think the KE brass has forgotten about her, if some brass knows your name, that always means you're fragged after all. Lina notices Dots bedmanner and is somewhat impressed, although she raises an eyebrow as Dot disvulges the content of her special cases speech. "Just make sure the special ones don't spread the word. Once you got a reputation as that kind of girl, it attracts trouble, especially out here." Or when patients or others test their boundaries. Lina had a strict policy on that and was generally able to make people not want to cross that line pretty effectively. Whether Dot also was would have to be determined. Perhaps they'd never have to find out. Time would tell. She looks at the gun before Dot reholsters it. Samll, but should be enough on close range as long as it wasn't some heavily augmented person being a problem. Sher prefers the Taser and the .45 for herself, but she guesses a holdout is a good start.

"Not a problem, really." She grins at the imitation. "He seems a pretty decent guy, after all." Another story that reminds her that she's able to count herself on the more or less lucky end of things. But this was, after all, not the time for a pity party. She thought about how her and Stan had met and it elicited a small chuckle. She wonders just how much Dot knew, but she won't ask. Where's the fun in that ? Dot brings the conversation back to the topic at hand. Men and funny ? "You wouldn't believe how funny they can be under the right circumstances. Woman are also pretty good at that, or so some say... But yeah, cleaning up is a good idea, if you are finished before the KE guys go, have a look at the cots again, I'll be around, most likely operating room or the office. Lunch is on me." With that, she leaves to check how the KE people are doing and resumes her round through the building. If she has a few spare minutes, she sends a message to Kim Park.

'Mr Kim, I would like to repay some of the debt I still owe you and your associates. Do you have time to meet tonight, some point after 1900 ? - G. Karolek'

Dot appears chastened. “Sorry, Lina. I will not do that again. I guess I just did not think about it. I will try other methods. Thanks for the advice.”

During your rounds and after introducing the KE medics to Dot, the ranking one shakes his head. "I have no idea if you will be required to go with them or not, Doctor. That sort of thing is way above my pay grade.”

When you talk about Stan, it is pretty obvious that he is her hero and role model, while her mother is referred to as little as possible in the conversation. She nods when you give the word to get to work and fetches a bucket, mop and other cleaning supplies. Missing some things, she asks if she can go to the Stuffer Shack for some more supplies. She returns after just a short time with two bags of cleaning supplies and nothing but nice words for the people working there. She starts off by removing as much debris as possible by hand, then sweeps up the smaller stuff, dumping everything in the crater outside. Then it is mop and bucket time for the floors and rags for wiping down the walls. Some of the work requires good old fashioned time on her hands and knees with a scrub brush. Somewhere in between she manages to make rounds of the cots and dispense meds.

Your message to the Korean is returned promptly. >>Ms Karolek, I am happy to hear that you are able to repay some of your debt. We can discuss the payment and resulting balance tonight at 1930 at the Greater Seoul Restaurant. You will be expected.<<

Leaving the office just before lunch time, you see an immense improvement in the condition of the waiting room and main care center. Plastic sheeting has been spread across the store front to keep the wind and rain out, with a cut for a door. A new curtain has been hung to separate the waiting room from the cots in the main room. Most of the debris has been moved except for two large chunks that Dot jokingly refers to as the new coffee tables. She shows you where some traces of blood are still in the corners, telling you that she will tackle those after lunch. She looks tired and grimy and wet from scrubbing the floors where the mop would not do the job. Her face is smudged from an unknown number of wipes, leaving her looking very much like some ragamuffin servant girl from a current trid series. Still, she is proud of the work and has certainly not been slacking off. She give praise to the KE guys and a couple of people who came by to see if they could help.


Just as you get ready to offer lunch, the KE team arrives to remove the witnesses and the medics on duty here. You recognize Paul and Stan as they step from the first of two heavily armored vans that pull up to the front of the building. For a moment Dot and her father look at each other then she turns to Paul and says, “Good morning, Senior Agent Carson. Let me show you to the rear. Please mind the floor, if you can, as it is freshly cleaned. She disappears with Paul and several medics and armed officers. Stan stays out front with you while other officers fan out to provide security. He looks at you and smiles. “I hope that it was not too presumptuous to send Dot out? She really is a great kid and should make a terrific doctor some day, with the right kind of role model to follow. But, really, if she is any trouble or you feel awkward about it, just send her packing.” He looks at you and actually blushes a bit before snapping his fingers. “Almost forgot. Some days I would lose my head if it was not attached. Just too many distractions.”

He turns and reaches into the van and brings out a sack and reveals a large box. Turning back to you, he hands you the sack. “Here, I don’t know squat about these things so I got you several different kinds.” Opening the sack you see eight cartons of cigarettes, with three lighters sitting on top. He continues, “And we had a few of these sitting about in the warehouse, so I requested permission to bring one over. It is a powered hot water unit and it is designed to heat water from near freezing to hot in minutes. It is designed for field ops but I convinced someone that the clinic would be a good place to give it a sustained field test; at least until you get someone over to fix your plumbing. It is not too heavy, but it is a bit awkward to move by myself. Will you help me carry it up the stairs?”


On the way up, he says, “This thing can operate on its own by having water dumped in, but it can also be connected to a water source for a more constant flow. I am pretty handy with tools and can do that, but not today. Please say no if you want and I would understand, but I have a day off tomorrow and was hoping to come over and set it up for you and maybe look at some other things that might………whoa. I think that you have lots of things that need fixing up here.” The last is said as you crest the stairs and move into the living room. He looks around some then moves the box to one corner and breaks it down, revealing an odd looking device. He taps the side of it. “You will probably have to do without the hot water for today, but it can be up and running by noon tomorrow. Please say yes.” He blushes fiercely. “Um….um….yes to me coming. Oh God, to me coming over here tomorrow. Boy did that come out wrong. I really. …..well I really ought to just shut up.”

Dot comes up the stairs and says, “Yes, dad, you should definitely quit while you are that far behind or you might cost me my job here. Ooooooh, you brought one of the Z-3000’s. Cool, dad. Hot water coming through. And on demand, too.” She looks at you with a big smile. That means no rationing. All the hot water we can use. Thanks, dad.” She looks about the base. “Wait a minute. Is this some kind of old KE bait and switch? It isn’t hooked up.”

Stan laughs. “No Dot, not yet. Maybe tomorrow.” He looks at you, still blushing a bit.

She sends a short message back. 'Thank you for your time, I'll be there.'

Lina leaves the office and finds the main centre and the waiting room in a much better condition than before. She walks through the corridors and has a close look at everything. She doesn't make any move to hide that she's impressed about the degree and scope of the change that has occurred. She gives Dot a pat on the back and a commendation for a job well done and asks her to spread that to the people who've been of assistance too. Lunchbreak is interrupted by the KE convoy's arrival, though. As Dot brings Paul to the back, Lina stays with Stan and watches the others move to the back. "Eh, she's doing quite good so far. We'll see if she can stomach the gorier stuff, but so far it doesn't look too bad for her." She makes sure not to mention what she had chided Dot for earlier. She's over 18, so no need to drag Stan into it. "Time will tell."

The box takes her by surprise, as she doesn't associate it with their last talk. She recalls it at she opens the box, though ! "Awesome, you are my saviour !" Things get even better when he tells her about the hot water unit. After all, it makes important things and processes a lot easier than they are with the current... situation. For a few moments she looks if she would like to hug Stan, although the big box she is carrying sort of inhibits that anyway. As he asks her to help carry the unit up
the stairs, she agrees and they move up. "Yeah, you could say we are trying to improve air circulation a bit up here." Not the best joke to keep the situation light,
but perhaps it would do. "Well, if you insist, I will of course gladly accept your offer." In a way Stan is sorta cute in the way he reminds her of someone about half
the age she would estimate he has. She pats his shoulder. "Easy there, Stan, I got what you meant the first time, don't worry." Dot's timing and remark make her
laugh. "Well, it looks like your dad would like to help us get this thing up and running around tomorrow. But whats more important, whats going on here that could
cost you your job ?" She looks from one to the other and back with an only half-serious suspicious look.

Dot rolls her eyes at both of you. "You are just as bad as he is. Anyway, I did not bring clothes with me because I was half afraid you would not want me here. I would like to return home after work and come back, if that is alright with you? Either or both of you? In the meantime, I am supposed to tell you that the witnesses are all packed away in the ambulance and that Senior Agent Carson is almost ready to leave. I will not repeat his exact words because the two of you would probably not understand them. I was thinking of heading to the Shack for some lunch. Can I bring anything back for you, Lina?"

They wouldn't probably understand the exact words of Carson ? That just makes her curious what exactly he said. But she doesn't try to get Dot to tell her and just goes for a sceptical look concerning that. She has the feeling she might have more contact with Paul in the future as things are anyway. "Judging from what Ive seen so far, you're hired, so feel free to bring clothes." There were still others up there that would need some sorting at some point, but she wouldn't get to that right away. That was after all still pretty recent. She thinks about the food question, an important question ! "Food from the shack ? Hmmm... surprise me !"

Dot disappears down the stairs and Stan motions for you to precede him after her. Paul is waiting at the bottom and looks at you. "Lina, I was told that the brass would like to see you, but until Monday, if that is convenient. I can send a vehicle out for you. Do you have a time that is better than any other? My guess is that you will need at least a couple of hours there, plus travel time there and back. I know that you are short staffed here right now and you apparently have the day shift. I could ask if they can schedule you for the evening, but I would have to get back to you."

She follows Stan downstairs where Paul is waiting. She greets Paul and rubs her hands absent-mindedly as he passes the info. She'd suggest the weekend, as she is free there (or would be, if not for yesterday), but she's pretty sure that the sort of people who conduct such interviews seldom work those hours. Monday... In her experience Monday will be rather busy, especially in the morning. "I'll happily sacrifice my lunch break if that means I can get it over with faster. The sooner that gets done, the better, right ? How do I have to imagine the procedure ?" She starts to feel a bit uneasy again, withwhats up and on the line there. "A car would be nice, though. By the way, Dot said something about witnesses all being packed and you ready to leave, but pointed out she wouldn't quote you on the matter. Do you know whats up with that ?"

Paul nods about Monday, although he does tell you that it is likely to take longer than just through lunch. He says that he will arrange for a vehicle to come for you at 1130. He looks confused at your last remark, then smiles. "Oh, that. No, I was not talking about the witnesses, but about you two. I told her to go upstairs and interrupt you, but carefully."

Stan colors a deep red and murmurs something about seeing you in the morning and disappears into the van. Paul watches him and turns back to you. "Sorry about that. I did not mean to embarrass anyone. By the way, have you heard anything about how Greta is doing? I, uh, tried to check but there was no information available yet, other than that she had already been into surgery twice and a third was scheduled. If you hear from her, would you let me know?" He looks around at the devastation on the street and says, "I never would have wanted this to happen here. I am so sorry. From what Stan says about you, you were cool under fire and accounted for at least two of the attackers. And then went on to save lives. He is impressed and so are all the people at the unit station." He holds out a hand. "Thank you for doing what you did. See you around." With that he steps into the van and both vehicles turn around and drive off.

"Im clear about that, but lunch break should be when things are loosening up a bit and starting then means I don't lose an additional hour of work." Whcih was possibly the best solution of anyone involved. She laughs loudly as Paul explains his request for Dot and replies in kind to Stan's parting remark. She scratches her head. "No, I haven't heard anything yet. I planned to visit them as soon as the situation allowed for it, but currently, Im waiting for some news first, positive ones preferred." Three surgeries sound like one hell of a lot, but with whatever filth could have gooten through that hole in her body, that's nothing that surprises her much. It's still a reminder of the seriousness of the situation. "Sure, as soon as I hear anything, I'll let you know."

She takes a few steps and turns back. "I know. Who would have thought they would come after those guys that fast ? No use crying over spilt milk, it is what it is." Lina shrugs in a gesture of helplessness. "But thanks, I appreciate it." "She shakes Paul's hand. "I just did what had to be done. I like to think everyone has done their best that day. See you around, Paul !"

She waves and goes back inside to look after things. The emptiness of the building fully reminds her that the KE-people are gone, as are the witnesses. The rooms feel twice as big as they have been before and so Lina starts another round to see who is still there and whats still needing some attention, be it paperwork or some new arrivals. After all, they still haven't invented the work that does itself.

There are indeed still patients to attend to and you are in the middle of that when Dot returns with food from the Stuffer Shack. She places the food in the office and comes back out to help with the rounds. When done, the two of you go get the food and sit down to eat. It is good for soy food, and fills the emptiness inside as you wash it down with soycaf that has managed to stay hot in the insulated cups. Dot looks at you and says, "So back to the grind for the afternoon?"

"That depends on how things develop. With the K-E's gone, we're thinly spread, so I'd say yes for now." Line eats slowly and thinks over how things have gone up to now. Granted, the support has just ended, but so far, things don't look too bad at the moment. She puts another fork of soy into her mouth and washes it down with some soykaf. "However, if we're lucky, there's not too much more happening and we can look forward to a slow afternoon. I actually wouldn't mind that. Well, we'll see. If there are no more people coming in, we'll find something to keep ourselves busy, Im pretty sure there's enough still to be done."

"Ah, that was good, just what I needed !" She finishes her food and sets the plastic bowl aside and stretches thoroughly before looking at her watch. There's still some time left, so she's intent on remaining in her seat just a little longer. "So, what do you do when you're not studying or working on helping people, Dot ?"

Dot seems to enjoy her meal as well. Perhaps it is just the opportunity to sit and relax for a bit, but she seems more at ease. She looks surprised at your question. "Me? What do I do? Hmmm. Not much actually. I like playing trid games to help unwind. No real boyfriend. Or girlfriend." She laughs. "Actually, not even a pretend one. So I guess I do not do much besides studying or working. Pretty dull life, eh?"

"Depends, really. Dull and predictable can be nice in a job like this, where fast-paced action and adrenaline surges are close by and stress levels run high. I dont really need action movies or rollercoaster rides in my free time after work, although those are nice at times. Just some stuff where I can relax in peace. For me, the key always was to make sure I'm comfortable and can somewhat seperate work and free time. I'd say something about not taking your job home, but seeing where I live, I guess I'll just save that little tidbit." She looked a the ceiling about where she knew her room was. "So yeah, you like dull, keep dull because it keeps your mind off stuff from work, thats the thing. If your brain needs to be bombarded with stuff to keep it from cutting back to work, thats a way to go. Argh, I'm preaching again, right ?" She sighs. " Damn, it sure knows how to sneak up on me good, that stuff..., sorry for that. But an S.O. can also be help- or harmful, depending on how the relationship goes and if you are able to carve out enough time for them. Especially in a place like this, someone who doesn't work in the same field will often draw the short straw." And even those that did, Rachel came to mind.

Dot shrugs and smiles. "It is alright to preach a bit. Sometimes I need that. It is good advice to separate from work, but isn't that tough when you live at the office, so to speak? So is it safe to walk these streets at night, or best to stay in with the rather crappy door locked? If we had a door anymore in the first place, that is. Speaking of which, did you see anyone representing the building owner come by to look at the damage and talk about repairing it? Because I sure did not."

"Eh, today's like my third day here, I wouldn't know the building owner unless they wear a shirt saying so. I dont even know who it is, but until I get told otherwise, I assume Lily is covering that. It's her baby after all and she knows way better than I do who to talk to in this part of town to get what done and all that. I'm just here to make sure people who get in here don't need to get out with their feet first. I'm still learning about anything that exceeds that." She shrugs. It's pretty much above her paygrade at this particular moment, and she'd see it as a bit weird if she did know the place in and out after three days. It opens the question who this house does belong to, though. Perhaps she should ask Lily at some point, if an opportunity and a good reason for that ever come up. And if she thinks she really needs and wants to know it. "I guess it is, yeah, but then, I used to live quite a bit away and since I sorta moved here, there have been a lot of new things happening that took a lot of thought off my work up to now. So I cant really tell, Im not really back into my routine yet. As for walking the streets at night... Well, it depends, I guess. I didn't have much of an opportunity for a longer trip outside that went farther than the stuffer shack. I mean, its still gang territory. Me, I think I can deal with that, know the most important precautions and if I feel like going out, I will. Are the streets safe ? No, but they want you to think they are and let your guard down."

It made her wonder what sort of person Dot was... One who'd take some advice at face value or who'd be goaded into the opposite by sheer spite. She didn't really know the young woman or the way Stan handled her long enough to allow for much of an assessment. Which made the right phrasing important to not goad Dot into a reflex reaction. Which was why words like 'squishy' that came to mind here didn't really help her case. "So yeah, I can't say the streets are safe to walk just like that, but I also won't advise you to lock yourself into the room. I can give you a few pointers to weigh the descision anew each time you find yourself asking yourself whether to go out or not, after that, it's your descision to make each time. Don't take anything at face value. Don't confuse the Brotherhood's security with a normal area where all crimes are repressed equally. They're not, there are enough thugs and lowlifes out there who don't mind frakking someone over to survive another day. Stay alert at all times. Don't look like a worthwhile target. Make no assumptions about anything and do what's necessary to stay alive." Hearing herself speak, she noticed how much it sounded like the general advice about warzones...

Dot looks surprised. "Only your third day? You seems so.......I don't know, so all together. I am totally impressed. And I really like talking to you." She looks down at the desk, then sort of gives you a sideways look. "So is there a man or family somewhere in your life? We were talking about the big S.O. and I was just wondering."

"Eh, it's not my first placement in a clinic. Knowing how things work helps to adapt to that quickly." Dot's question about family and SO catch her off guard, she blinks surprisedly and looks at Dot for a moment before thinking of a reply. The she shakes her head. "No, not at the moment. My life's been pretty turbulent lately. I don't think it's a good idea to drag somebody else into that before things have calmed down at least a bit, especially after something like the drek yesterday. At least makes you appreciate life more somewhat." She doesn't want to tzhink about yesterday and the effects of it too much. Not here. Not now. "We should get back to work. I'll do the rounds and see what's coming up, I think you still have some cleaning to do, haven't you ?" She almost makes it sound like a normal question, but its an order. She gets up and heads out, leaving Dot to her work and looking for some work she can do on her own.

Dot nods. "I sure do. Plenty of cleaning to get done. Your time is spent with the current patients you have as well as the half dozen that come to the clinic with the normal things, and the time passes quickly. Soon enough, Lily arrives for her pre-shift briefing at about 1700. She listens to you as you go over the patients and the tentative hiring of Dot. After your in-brief, she walks around with you and compliments Dot on her work. Lily tells you that you are relived and she takes Dot into her office for a more complete interview, leaving you free for your appointment.

Lina makes sure to include the heating unit in the briefing and that they might have someone there to install it as well. She also makes special mention of the stuff she has had stored in the ambulance and that she has designated Dot as driver in case its needed, depending on personnel as the blanket feels mighty short without the KEs. She also warns Lily about her interview with KE on monday and that she might well not be there for a good part of the afternoon. She also tries to find out whether Lily knows any news on how Greta and Marta are doing.

After her dismissal, Lina goes for a shower, although she knows beforehand that the water temperature will not be gentle with her. Still shivering and with an eye on the clock, she gets ready and dresses for the occasion. She decides to stick with normal armoured clothing and the taser. If all goes well, she won't need any and she doesn't want to insult the Korean. Asians are after all pretty weird at times. She shrugs to herself and does some numbers-juggling with the stick. After all, some reserve doesn't hurt, also, she feels she owes Rachel not using the money all for herself. After she has the things figured out, she takes the stick with the money planned for the Koreans and browses the matrix to refresh her memory as for where the place the meet is supposed to be at is in the first place. After she got the location and a servicable route, she gets on the way to make sure she's there on time. A bit earlier perhaps, just to make sure.

Lily nods when you mention the interview and asks if you think Dot can handle the afternoon without you. She also says that she has been on with the hospital about both Greta and Marta, telling you that Marta is on a long list to get a new leg and may be away from the clinic for a long time, also that Greta has not responded well to the meds she has been on and is going in for a third surgery to repair her internal organs. Lily does not sound happy and frowns at the information. So far, she has not been allowed to visit either one due to security concerns but hopes to get in tomorrow or the next day. She promises to keep you informed.

The cold shower certainly encourages you to make the shower fast. And the hole in the bathroom wall likewise encourages you to make sure you have a towel about you. Leaving the bathroom, your eyes scans to the water heater against the wall and you hope that it is installed soon. All of this is, of course, just fluff to keep you from thinking about the Koreans, so you buckle down and do some thinking about them. The restaurant is in the heart of Little Korea, a relatively new addition to the various ethnic identities in Seattle. The Korean population is relatively small but is growing, and that growth means that the presence of their organized crime element is also growing. The restaurant itself is small, catering almost exclusively to Korean interests and it does not offer Western-style food at all. You time your arrival to be a bit early and the transit system gods favor you this evening, depositing you near enough to the sector that you make it to the restaurant with fifteen minutes to spare. The rain gods are also cooperative, but there are warning clouds in the evening sky. There is a restaurant employee outside to keep rif-raf away and you appear to fit that category as you come up, but of course, he would think any non-Korean to be rif-raf.

So Little Korea it was ! Checking she has everything in order, Lina makes her way to the next monorail station. Its quite a bit away, but she's got some stamina, so that's not a problem in her eyes. The monorail ride is a bit more of one, though. Not that she minds being squeezed into some metal tube with people, some decidedly less clean than others. Or the rather low hygienic standards the cars exhibit the later it gets, although she doesn't look forward to the trip back, really. No, it's the people who abuse the people's inability to get away of that annoy her to no end. Mostly they fall into three categories... gropers, paanhandlers and, of course, pickpockets. And that doesn't even include the occasional gang members who try to collect some 'rail tax' at times. But today's trip was mostly uneventful, apart from what was pretty obviously a drunk guy who had managed to master the art of vomiting in his sleep without waking up from it and a couple that was undoubtedly seeing with how much making out they could get away. Perhaps they even felt somewhat sneaky, but they were still somewhat awkward. Lina was more busy with a crossword and keeping an eye on her stuff to pay too much attention to them.

What little she can see of the sky looks like rain, so she makes sure she's near or even better, inside whenever the clouds decide to release their contents. The people on the street are almost exclusively asian, although there are some caucasians around as well, just not many. It's a colourful mixture of metatypes though, but still Lina gets the distinct feeling that in this area, she is the out-group. She doesn't expect to be jumped by some guys interested in what she's doing here (after all, not Little Tokyo, or so she heard), but that's nothing she's willing to bet on. She sees the employee in front of the meeting place and looks at her watch. 15 minutes to go. So she used the time to smoke a cigarette and then approaches the employee. "Excuse me, I have an appointment with Mr Kim Park. Would you know if he's already here ?"

The Asian man removes the cigarette from his mouth and breathes a column of smoke into the air before looking back at you. He checks your ARO and lets you in without saying a word. You are met just inside the entrance by a smiling Asian man in a very nice suit. He has a manual scanning device of some kind in his hand and motions for you to raise your arms so he can use it to check for weapons. He gives a smile and a tsk tsk at your taser and holds out a hand for it.

Lina hands the Taser over after a short greeting without making a fuss about it, after all, she hasn't brought it here to zap people in the first place. "Good looks are a start, but they can't substitute a gun at times." She didn't even know whether these guys understood her, living in a tight knit community where English was basically optional. One never knew, but in her experience it was best to assume the worst case, in this case that these guys understood her fully well, but were happy or ordered to play the part of dumb or ignorant chinks to mislead the round-eyes, who got exactly what they might have been expecting. Perhaps it was even fun for them ? She'd never know and that wasn't bad, really. Their home, their rules. She waited for the suited man to indicate what would happen next.