“Meaning the danger doesn’t always announce itself upfront,” he says. “It evolves, it hides, and it waits.”
Images flicker through my mind, calls that felt off, people watching from a little too far away, and that feeling of being observed.
I push it down. “You’re saying I need to stay more aware.”
“I’m saying you need to assume the scene can turn at any second,” he replies. “Because sometimes it does.”
I nod slowly.
“Especially with the kind of cases coming through lately,” he adds.
There it is. “What kind of cases?”
He studies me again, like he’s deciding how much to say. “Patterns,” he finally admits. “We’re seeing patterns.”
“In what?”
“Victims.”
That word tightens my chest.
“Be more specific,” I say, even though I’m sure I already know what he means.
“Similar demographics,” he admits. “Similar injuries. Similar circumstances leading up to the call.”
I feel my jaw set. “You think it’s connected.”
“I think it’s not random. And I think the police think so too.”
That’s worse. “The trafficking ring?” I ask quietly.
His expression doesn’t change, but the silence is enough of an answer.
He silently nods, making my stomach drop.
Faces flash through my memory; I’ve seen plenty of them. From patients who didn’t quite meet my eyes to stories that didn’t quite line up to the bruises that told a different version of events.
I run a hand through my hair, tension spiking again. “And we’re just… what? Treating symptoms?” I ask.
“We’re EMTs,” he says evenly. “We stabilize and transport.”
“That’s not enough.”
“No,” he agrees. “But it’s our role. PD takes care of the rest.”
I hate that he’s right.
“Which is why,” he continues, shifting tone slightly, “you need to think beyond just the medicine.”
I look at him. “You mean safety.”
“Scene safety,” he reaffirms. “Handling yourself isn’t just about reacting. It’s about preparation.”
I tilt my head. “You suggesting something specific?”
“I’m suggesting you stop relying solely on the fact that you’re in uniform.”
I let out a short breath. “That uniform hasn’t exactly stopped people before.”
