"The canister...it just...exploded," the TV host explained as she led them through the set. "I don't know how it happened. Our on-set medics have been keeping pressure on the wound. He's right here."
"We'll take it from here," Hen announced to the medics as the three 118 paramedics approached the prone chef on the ground. Mariana kneeled down and let out a sympathetic hiss of pain at the sight of the metal canister top sticking out of his chest.
"Maurice, can you hear me?" Hen asked. "His breathing's very shallow and his pulse is dropping in real time."
"Superficial wounds to the head and face. I got blunt force trauma to the chest, possibly a few broken ribs," Chimney reported.
Mariana pulled her trauma shears out and started working on Maurice's top. The farther she cut and the more she exposed, the greater their concern.
"Cap," she called. Bobby crouched down next to them and grimaced.
"How deep is this shrapnel?"
"Can't say," Chimney said. "Difference between life and death this close to the heart is millimeters, not inches."
"Mercy Hospital, this is Captain Nash, 118. We have a patient with a penetrating chest wound. Have surgeons standing by." Bobby looked to his daughter but Mariana was already up and grabbing her bag.
"I can get him there in ten minutes if traffic gets out of my way," she stated.
"Then let's go."
It was a normal drive until Chimney shouted from the back. "You want to cut him open in a moving ambulance?"
"What the hell are you two talking about?!" she yelled back.
"Hen wants to do a thoracotomy!"
"Holy shit, Hen. Don't!"
"I could just widen the cut that's already there."
"That's a job for a surgeon, Hen. It's a job for a surgeon! And even if you're lucky enough to find it, what then? You're gonna cut off the circulation in his lower limbs?"
"Hen, I work in the busiest level one trauma center in LA and even I wouldn't try that!" Mariana barked out.
The back of the ambulance descended into chaos and Mariana grit her teeth, focusing on the road in front of her. Her foot never left the gas and she weaved her way through cars and trucks. They were five minutes out but it sounded like Hen was doing what she planned.
"Can't have one fucking day without someone doing crazy shit on the job," Mariana muttered to herself as she stopped the ambulance in the bay and climbed out to help get the guy out. Hen had her hand literally inside of him and Mariana shot her a murderous glare as they steadily moved the gurney onto the ground.
"As if you haven't done worse," Hen snarked.
"Oh, I have and I got yelled at for it so now it's my turn," Mariana hissed.
They wheeled the gurney into the bay where the nurses were sitting around and charting. Mariana pursed her lips, unamused by their lack of urgency.
"What the hell happened?" a nurse exclaimed as they passed him.
"He started crashing. Too much blood loss," Hen explained. "Did a thoracotomy to stabilize him."
"Are you kidding me? That's a surgeon's job."
"Yeah well it's a job she's done and done well at that," Mariana snapped. "Now are you going to shut up and tell us where he goes?"
"Hold on. Type and cross for six units. Page Dr. Royce," he ordered another nurse as he took over bagging for Chimney. "We got this, medic."
YOU ARE READING
In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)
Fanfiction"Keep your confessions Cause babe I'm no saint We're playing with fire" - In Flames, Digital Daggers Mariana Ramirez doesn't let people into her life. At twenty-six, she has seen her fair share of loss not only in her life but also in her ER. After...
