Daniel managed normal language and turned his focus to his patient as Andy pressed the gauze to his arm. “Annika’s brother, the kid—some asshole hit him in the chest. Brass knuckles. Kid’s having trouble breathing. Leg’s at a weird angle.” He pressed the gauze to his skin and ignored the sharp sting. “I need to listen.”
Daniel put on the steth and listened to Nilay’s lungs with a calm he hardly felt, while Andy and his partner took vitals and assessed Nilay’s broken leg.
Daniel’s heart sank. Low breath sounds. “Tension pneumo. He looks blue.” Daniel closed his eyes and focused. “I need to relieve that pressure now.” He looked at Andy. “Got an eighteen-gauge in there?”
Andy stared Daniel down. “You don’t know it’s a tension pneumo.”
“Yes, I do. He’s gasping, turning blue—you have one in there or not? There’s no time.”
Andy’s radio squawked. “Let’s just get him in the bus. And to the ER.”
“There’s no time. Give me the needle, and we’ll go.” His fury seethed just below the surface, his words sharper than they needed to be.
“This your girlfriend’s little brother?”
“Yes!”Daniel was nearly screaming now. He needed that needle. Now. “Goddamn it, Andy. I’m right. You know I am.”
Andy hesitated, looking from Daniel to the weakening Nilay. “You better be right.” He shoved his bag at Daniel while he and his partner finished the splint on Nilay’s leg.
Daniel prepped the area, then readied the needle. Nilay’s breath came out in small puffs. “This may hurt a bit, but I have to relieve the pressure, okay?”
He inserted it between Nilay’s first two ribs, and the boy grimaced, trying—and failing—to stifle a groan. Within seconds, Nilay’s breath came easier. Daniel secured the needle and called out to Andy. “We’re good here. Let’s load him up.”
Andy nodded, and Daniel climbed onto the ambulance with Annika at his side. Andy glanced from one to the other. Neither showed signs of moving. He shook his head and banged on the window to the front.
“Let’s go.”
The siren wailed as the ambulance took off, Daniel and Andy watching closely over Nilay on the short trip. Andy grabbed Daniel’s arm and removed the gauze. Daniel met Annika’s eyes. “You might want to call your parents.”
Andy assessed Daniel’s wound. “Relatively superficial laceration. Not too bad, but deep enough for stitches. Should be fine. What happened?” He wrapped it in fresh gauze.
Annika relayed the story as Daniel simmered with anger. He was intimately familiar with a complete stranger harming someone he loved. Andy, too, looked about ready to punch someone.
“Did I get him?” asked Nilay, his voice a weak garble.
“No, Nilay. You did not.” Annika was in his face. “He got you instead. How many times have I told you—fists are not the way. Butno, do you listen...?”
“Couldn’t let him get away with...”
“Yeah? Well, he got away—and he hurt you in the process.” Annika’s voice broke. Daniel put his good arm around her and held her close. She was shaking with fury.
“You gave him hell, kid.”
Annika glared at Daniel, but before she could speak, the ambulance had arrived at the ER. Nilay was taken directly up to pulmonary for surgery. Daniel and Annika followed.
They waited in silence for the elevator, Annika fuming. Once the elevator doors had closed and they were alone, she snapped at him. “Do not encourage this behavior!”
“He was trying to protect you, teach that asshole a lesson. I can’t fault him for that,” he snapped back.
“I was fine. And that asshole was taught nothing. You can’t change people’s minds with violence.” She paused, her nostrils flaring. “If you hadn’t been right there...” Her voice broke again.
“He’s going to be fine. He has to be,” Daniel said, reaching for her and folding her into his arms. The elevator doors opened.
She nodded and led the way to the waiting room, where Annika’s parents were just arriving, as well. Annika filled her parents in on what had happened.
“Who is the surgeon?” asked her father.
“I am.” They all turned to find Sajan standing in the door. “He’ll need a thoracostomy, but there’s a chance of pulmonary contusion, which may not show itself for twenty-four hours or more.” He glanced at them, finally nodding to Daniel. “Excellent work in the field. I’ll let you know when I have something.”
