Coup D'etat

[Jacques]

The Legion medics were doing their best with the flow of patients. Every time teams arrived at the embassy, there were more patients to be tended to, whether they be Legionnaires wounded in action, or VIPs. Efforts had been made to secure as many living members of the government as could be found, but it was proving a dishearteningly fruitless task. The Temne strike had been well planned, at least regarding the raid on Freetown.

But despite it all, one of the medics took a moment to check on Ekene. With what little information Natalie could provide, the tired man had little choice but to explore the boy's hand via tactile exploration. The medic was a large man, but he was surprisingly gentle when he took Ekene's hand and began the unfortunate process of identifying how bad the break was.

Ekene's reactions to the touches and manipulations told him as much as the actual feeling and movement of the boy's hand, and it didn't take long for him to make a decision. It seemed likely that the boy had fractured a few of the metacarpal bones, and judging from the abrasions and bruising, they had been broken by brunt force trauma. Not a fall; someone had struck the boy's hand intentionally.

Once that was assessed, he was quick to give Ekene something to dull the pain, although it would also see the boy out cold in short order. Next he immobilized the hand and forearm in a splint and sling, but there was little else he could do. The boy would need x-rays, and by the time they could line that up, the bones would likely need to be re-broken and set properly before they could be allowed to heal.

By the time Natalie would return to Ekene, the boy would be asleep and carefully deposited in a corner; they would find a place for him later, but at the moment there were simply too few able bodied men to see to the task. A fresh pair of wounded men were seen into the make-shift infirmary, one unconscious and the other wetly gasping for breath.

A pair of government-loyal Sierra Leonean soldiers that had been picked up after an awkward run-in between the advancing soldiers and the Legionnaires at one of the government offices near the harbor. Their search for elected representatives of the government had seen some success, as a pair of ministers had been secured.

With the newly arrived pair of critical patients, Jay would again be passed over for treatment, as it was simply too time consuming for the one doctor on hand to tend to at the moment.

[Jay Carpenter]

"Come on, little buddy,"
Jay scratched the top of the kitten's head. Unfortunately, the little guy was more interested in being pet than drinking milk. "You got a tongue, just lap up that cold, delicious white stuff."
The kitten snubbed the bowl and looked up at him. "Damn my soothing voice, don't listen to me."
He frowned. Of course that kind of order was a little contradictory. He continued speaking to the fuzzball. "What I mean is, don't pay attention to me. Drink your milk."


It didn't work. Jay sighed and curled a finger behind its ear, scratching gently. Which of course made the kitten plop over and roll around.

When the kitten - he really needed to give the little sunspot a name - jerked its head around, whiskers twitching, Jay knew something was up.

Natalie was suddenly in front of him, holding on to the table like she intended to keep it from floating away. Why hadn't he heard her come up? Man, he was feeling weird.

God she was gorgeous.

"I told him not to trust the men with guns. At the time there didn't seem a need to differentiate. Ekene's afraid he's going to be punished for what he did. I've told him no-one's going to hurt him."

She rubbed the kitten's head. Its hopped to all fours and little twig of a tail stood straight up.

Ekene? Jay blinked. Though of course she couldn't see the confusion cross his eyes. He'd forgotten he was still wearing his LW sunglasses.

He pulled them from his face, dropping them on the table when she asked her final question. "Is there a reason you're lying here unattended? That's hardly a scrape on your leg, and the medkits in those SUVs had no pain relief, because I looked."

Without the sunglasses, his world brightened considerably. Though that may have had something to do with those ice-clear eyes looking concernedly upon him. They took his breath away. then again, he'd been having trouble keeping breaths in his lungs the past hour or so. His leg throbbed.

Just don't move it. He told himself, and refocused on something else. Like the most beautiful thing he'd seen .. actually .. since he watched the sun set over the fields from his parents front porch.

Once he regained the ability to..you know..form words, he cleared his throat, but not to answer right away. First off, he glanced across the room as the medic stood over Ekene. Whom he guessed was the kid's name since Natalie mentioned Ekene being afraid of punishment. The little shit.

Satisfied that he was being tended to, he looked back, and thought frantically for a suitable answer. He felt like he was standing in the middle of a dirty room while his mom asked why he hadn't cleaned it yet.

"Why have I not been seen yet? Uhh-"
His face contorted into a sort of completely innocent, you shouldn't worry about me kind of look. Jay was a terrible liar.

"You know its all good so long as I don't move around too much, and there's guys needing the good stuff more than me."
He hoped she'd buy that. Women had funny reactions to those kinds of stunts.

Of course, his perfect plan was completely underminded by the approaching medic. He had a syringe in one hand and a bottle of morphine in the other.

He nodded at Natalie, "He's patched up as best we can until we get him to x-ray. There's a portable one on its way. Assuming the convoy makes it on time. I gave him something to put him out."
He turned to Jay. "Deal's done. Let's get you something for the pain."
If the guy wasn't holding drugs, Jay would have frowned at him for giving away the game.

He made Jay show him his dog tags to prove who he was, standard medical procedure in any organized army. Jay started to roll up one sleeve when the medic stopped him and right then and there yanked down one side of his pants. Jay felt his eyes go wide. He wasn't particularly modest, but Natalie was standing right there.

A pinch in the buttocks and a second later, he couldn't care less.

He breathed a mountainous sigh of relief.

The medic made sure Natalie was also checked out, since it was clear to his trained eyes that she wasn't looking in the best of health when that ambassador lady returned. What was her name again?

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

He jerked his head up, shaking off the warmth in his brain. When did he close his eyes?

"An eyedropper for the kitten."
She said as Jay took it from her. She had a grim smile on her face. "What's your name?"
She asked him. Jay blinked and carefully sucked up a few mL's of milk and pulled the kitten close.

"Uh...Hollywood, ma'am."
He responded without thinking. "I mean, Jay, ma'am. Carpenter."


She said a few more words, but Jay was focused on getting the dropper into the corner of the kitten's mouth. "I used to do this on the farm all the time. You have to get it in the corner of their mouth and they'll swallow whatever without choking. Works like a charm,"
was he slurring his words? The ambassador was looking at him all confused. Or maybe concerned? Jay's eyes darted from her to Natalie. "Uhh, yeah."


Finally. The little fuzz ball started drinking, pink scratchy tongue lapping up the drops that no longer drooled out of the corner of its mouth. Jay grinned victoriously. "Good stuff, isn't it?"

[Natalie Grey]

Natalie had the distinct impression her words washed right through him, the silence stretched for so long. The pain must be immense, so she forgave the glaze; in fact she almost regretted interrupting the cocoon he'd built to distance himself from his injury, because she understood the need for distraction. She waited patiently for a response, leaning heavily on the support of her hands, and if concern softened the intensity of her scrutiny there was not an ounce of pity in her expression.

When he removed the anonymity of his LW glasses, when she could finally see his face clearly, her gaze roamed with unabashed interest. Of the group that had pulled her and Ekene from the chaos of Freetown's streets, his was the only American accent among them, and curiosity lured. America proclaimed itself the last bastion of freedom from the blight of the CCD, and its people fought tirelessly to prove it - or so she was led to believe anyway. So why had this one ended up a legionnaire, a brother among foreigners? He shifted to glance at where Ekene was being treated, but Natalie's attention lingered before following.

Beyond the makeshift table, still huddled against the wall, the medic was manipulating Ekene's hand; Natalie observed the bleak, scrunched up expression on the child's face, but at least he wasn't fighting the care. "Uh huh."
The hint of a smile softened the accusation as her gaze dropped back down to him, though her look sparked playfully sly when confronted with an expression designed quite literally to melt hearts. She might not buy it, but she at least seemed amused. "You know. You're a terrible liar."
She pushed back off the table with the express purpose of remedying the situation. Distraction worked fine when there was no other choice, but morphine was going to work a damn sight better.

The medic saved her a journey. Probably that was just as well, given the way her legs shivered the moment she let go of the table. Her mood sobered as he approached, and she nodded thanks at the update, somewhat relieved not to be questioned as to how Ekene had come by his injury. Though knowing he'd had enough meds to knock him out, she glanced over at where they had left him curled up anyway, the pinch of a frown between her brows. She would have to keep an eye; she was not so cruel as to allow him to wake up alone. A moment, and the concern buried beneath her smooth exterior. When the medic's words reached her ears though, solemnity was replaced by a smirk.

Deal's done, huh?

The soldier's eyes widened when it became clear just where the needle was going. Natalie looked. Of course she looked. And she wasn't shy about it either, by the mischievous glint in her eye.

The huge outtake of breath alone suggested just how much he'd needed the pain relief.

Then it was her turn. "I'm okay,"
she told the medic patiently, though she didn't argue at being checked over. "None of the blood is even mine.
" She spared a brief, dry glance for the legionnaire, since his had added to the scarlet darkening her skin and soaked into her shirt. "There was an explosion at the hospital. Neither of us were injured; I think the worst I did was bash my head.
" The back of her skull was still tender, and she winced as the medic checked it, though the roam of his fingers was gentle.

He told her he expected her to rest.

She in turn questioned him on how long it was likely to be until the legionnaire would see surgery, but even now fresh patients were spilling through the conference room's doors, and he barely had to offer her a look for her to understand the answer.

He was busy; she let him go reluctantly.

Fatigue washed back into the spaces vacated by adrenaline and purpose. Ekene was safe, and the medic had done all he could to treat his hand. The legionnaire, while not exactly on the way to recovery, was at least floating somewhere pleasant. And presently the kitten was finally taking the milk.

Natalie exchanged brief introductions with the Ambassador while the legionnaire - Jay, she gathered - rambled an accompaniment to his efforts. She wasn't so hard-hearted as to be unaffected by the image, if the only evidence was the fact she watched at all. There was something soothing in those soft purrs, in so fragile a creature sheltered in soldier's hands. And he was grinning like an idiot, though it encouraged the faintest curve to her own lips. It was only the insistent press of lead on her eyelids that pushed up the stubborn rise of her head, because otherwise she seemed quite content to linger without the effort of making conversation.

The stress burrowed into Ambassador Stankic's face; understandably so. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Doubtful, and Natalie hardly looked in a state to be offering assistance, but if she didn't she was going to end up curled in the corner with Ekene. There was no sin in that weakness, but she wanted to know what was going on.


Edited by Natalie Grey, Jun 3 2014, 06:05 PM.

[Jay Carpenter]

"You know. You're a terrible liar."
Natalie's wry humor tickled.

Jay's mouth twitched amusement. "Nonsense. I'm a great liar."
But his grin was soon pulled into the intoxicant lull of sleep. Damn morphine getting in the way of talking to pre--.

-----

He dreamed of the beach. Strange for a cornfed Iowa-boy. But a warm beach and a shallow bay. At night, oddly enough. A full moon was the only light. Gentle waves rocked his body as he stood there in chest-deep water like he was searching the black horizon for something lost.

In the sleep he hadn't realized had overcome the pain and stress of the day, the kitten settled in the circle of his arms, coaxed there by the promise of safety and warmth. Jay instinctively kept the little guy safe until the surgeons came for him.




Continued in The Dust Settles