His window had shattered on impact, and the sight before me was sickening. Bright red human blood covered his face, which was already starting to swell in places. His suit shirt, once crisp and white, was now soaked in his blood, and from the smell of it, some of the automotive fluids as well. Something in the car had leaked.
“M-my face hurts,” he moaned. “And my arm. I-I don’t know if I can feel my legs.”
Timber nodded. Her breath came in quick pants, and I could hear her heart thundering in her chest, but she spoke evenly, calmly, in contrast to her body’s signs of panic. “Okay. We’ll get you out, and we’ll check your legs then. Can you help N’kal? I’m going to talk him through pulling you out as safely as possible, but you’ll have to cooperate. Can you do that?”
Agent Weinstein grunted in affirmation. With Timber’s instruction, I crawled through the window on my back, bracing the agent against my chest as I released his safety device and eased him out of the vehicle. I took care to mind the position of his neck, as Timber had murmured something about potential spinal injury to me before we began. Within seconds I had him free, and I laid him carefully on the ground a few feet away from the wreckage before returning for Agent Hall.
Agent Hall had not fared as well as Agent Weinstein. The man was barely alive.
Once again, Timber started to talk me through removing him. However, his seat in the cabin had more equipment around it, and the resulting chaotic mess of metal and plastic ended up pinning his leg. I couldn’t get him all the way out without tearing his fragile human skin.
By this time, other cars had stopped on the side of the road, and some of the other humans had gotten out to offer assistance. With their help, we used strips of fabric to tie off some of Agent Hall’s limbs, slowing the flow of blood while we worked out a solution to his trapped leg. Finally, Timber saw the piece of metal that had him pinned, and I carefully wrenched it loose. I pulled him away from the vehicle and placed him next to his partner.
Alarms sounded in the distance. I froze in panic, but Timber’s shoulders relaxed, and she gave a sigh of relief.
“Finally! Sounds like someone called for help. That’s either a cop or an ambulance.”
One of our erstwhile rescuers, an elderly male, nodded. “Yes, I called an ambulance. Hopefully they can get your friends out of here.” He looked back up the hill we had rolled down. “It’s not going to be easy getting a stretcher to them.”
“I will help,” I declared. “I can carry them if need be.”
Timber put her hand on my arm and shook her head. “Only if the EMTs say to. We had to move them to get them away from the car in case it exploded—I can smell the gas leaking somewhere—but we don’t want to move them anymore unless we’re instructed to.”
“Would it not be faster for me to carry them?” I asked. “I am not injured. I can do it.”
“I’m not doubting that, N’kal. It’s a safety issue. The emergency responders will know the proper way to move them. I know enough to get someone loose, enough for immediate action, but now we have to let the trained paramedics take over. Understand?”
I frowned, but I nodded agreement. On Xalan, we did not have accidents such as this very often. Our land vehicles were safer, and we operated them more carefully than Agent Hall was operating this vehicle. I was not accustomed to these kinds of injuries or their treatment, but it seemed commonplace enough on Earth that Timber knew at least the rudimentary actions necessary. I would have to defer to her and these paramedics that scrambled down the hill with their equipment and the devices known as stretchers.
To my shock, the paramedics did not give my appearance a second glance. They moved immediately to the injured agents, asking them questions and applying first aid while they talked. Their movements were swift, efficient. I did not know what they were doing, but I could appreciate their knowledge and professionalism in a time of crisis. I offered my help, but theyrefused, telling me to stay back for my own safety. They then checked me over for potential injuries when they were done.
I liked that they took time to check Timber for injuries as well once the immobile men had been stabilized. She refused their care at first, but I insisted. Her scalp still oozed fresh blood, and I worried. Were human skulls sufficient to protect their brains in such an impact? I didn’t know for sure. I watched intently as they placed a white bandage on her cut forehead.
After a thorough check, the paramedics declared Timber healthy enough to remain on the scene, provided she promised to visit a hospital once she had given a report to the local authorities, who had arrived while the AARO agents were being cared for.
I expected to be detained once it was known that I was not on Earth legally, especially now that we were in a different country. We Xalanites had built some rapport with the United States authorities on Earth, but we had not ventured into other countries yet. I did not know if the Canadian authorities had protocols in place for a Xalanite visitor, especially one here unlawfully as was I.
What I did not expect was praise.
“So, sir, I understand you helped save the lives of those US agents,” one of the Canadian authorities said to me after speaking with Timber and the other witnesses to the accident. “Good job.”
My eyebrows rose in surprise. “Thank you,” I said, uncertain of how else to respond.
Timber walked up to us, and I noticed a new limp that she hadn’t had before. “Yes, officer. N’kal here did pretty well staying calm and helping out. I don’t think I could’ve gotten either of them out of the car by myself.”
The Canadian woman grinned and clapped me on the shoulder. “Good to see that we can count on Xalanites to help in times of crisis.”
I did not understand. I was not being arrested?
After the exchange of some more pleasantries, Timber pulled me to the side. “I spoke with Steve while you were talking to the EMTs. There are two more agents on the way to escort us to the intake center, but it looks like we’re stuck until they get here. The Mounty over there says she can take us to the nearest hospital to get patched up.”
“Did they not already patch you?” I asked, pointing to the bandage.
Timber laughed. “I probably need stitches, honestly. This is staunching the bleeding for now, but I should really go get seen. You, too. I want to make sure you’re not fibbing about being okay or hiding another injury.”
“I suppose I have earned such suspicion.” I rolled my injured shoulder, but there was no pain. “I do not think I have reinjured myself, but there may be something I am not aware of.”
Within minutes, we were in the Mounty’s car and on our way to a hospital. Much as in Indiana, the check-in process was … complicated by my lack of proper paperwork or adequate medical history. Timber helped where she could, explaining things she had learned about Xalanites since we met and translating when my nanites faltered at the rapid influx of medical terminology.
