Serendipitous (closed)

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Dr. Erin Romero


ER Department

No one ever dared to say the night was slow. Even though it was... it was still a sin to speak it out loud.

It was something that was taught during your first year in medical school.

Tonight was no different. Although, in retrospect, Monday nights were usually 'quiet'. If one would call a quiet night not more than 4 auto accidents happening. Most of the night was filled with stomach aches (thanks to a new restaurant that opened up and accidentally subjected their new patrons to food poisoning), some complaining about heart attacks (it was really indigestion).

Erin had gotten enough rest to work a double shift, so that meant she had clocked in around 6 PM on Monday and wouldn't be leaving until Tuesday around 4PM. It was OK, she had done this a lot. After all, it wasn't like she had a real life outside the hospital. Not that most in her field did. She would probably just go home, get some dinner and then come back again on Wednesday afternoon. Same ol', same ol'.

She looked at the clock. It was half an hour past midnight. She had taken a few minutes to herself to grab a cup of coffee before going back to the grind of paperwork about tonight's cases.

There was no office. Just a small section at the nurse's station where she had her laptop set up.

Mercy General was just on the outskirts of Tempe, AZ... meaning, although they were still considered to be in Tempe, they didn't see most of the traffic that the middle of the city did. It was a comfortable life.

Wasn't it?

As she took her first sip, Erin heard shouting coming from the ambulance entrance...

 

[Perrito1054]

“Lauren, Lauren you’ve got to slow down and take breath.”

Edward “Eddie” Holland hoped that the calm in his voice would somehow alleviate the stress and panic in Lauren’s.

“Eddie, Eddie, the whole thing went sideways. That fucker…..” More uncontrollable sobbing. “…..that fucker he knew we were coming.”

That fucker was Jason Stahl, a card carrying member of the Aryan Brotherhood. Lauren Quintana was the leader of an eight member team of US Marshalls that was sent to Phoenix to arrest Mr. Stahl, a convicted murderer, who fled from custody in Las Vegas five months ago. Tips from CIs helped locate Stahl, living on a quiet street in suburban Tempe. Eddie Holland was the regional supervisor for the Marshall’s fugitive apprehension task force.

Lauren paused for a moment and seemed to have collected herself as she continued.

“As soon as Tempe SWAT broke down the front door, that motherfucker was standing in the foyer waiting for us. Bob and Chrissy were first ones in and…..”

Lauren broke down again hyperventilating and sobbing.

“Bob’s dead and Chrissy…..and Chrissy took two to the throat. Oh God oh my fucking God”.

Eddie,who was on his way to join his team, pulled over to the side of the road. He could feel his heart pounding through his vest.

“Okay Lauren, listen to me. Where did they take Chrissy?”

“The EMT said Mercy General, the closest level one trauma center..”

Eddie punched it into his GPS. Five minutes away, three with lights and sirens he thought.

“Okay Lauren, find a Tempe cop and ask him to call over there and tell them I’m three minutes out. Get the rest of the team together and don’t move until you hear from me.”

Two minutes later he pulled into the ER parking lot and ran inside. A Tempe cop was waiting for him and pointed him to the nursing station. The nurse on duty looked up from his computer.

“I’m Eddie Holland with the Marshalls Service.”

“Oh yes, Mr. Holland. Ms. Ramos is in surgery right now but Dr. Romero told me to come get her as soon as you got here. Let me go find her.”

The young man disappeared down the hall. A few moment later a young woman, dressed in surgical scrubs and hat, a mask dangling from one ear appeared and walked toward where Eddie was seated. From the look on her face, Eddie knew the news would not be good.