"We need to check with command."
That was Virgil. Everyone called him just Virgil.
"Then check. And do it fast," Claire said, glancing at her watch.
"At the speed he's losing blood, you've got about a minute."
"I can use hemostatic powder first. I made it myself. It won't stop the bleeding completely, but it'll be better than nothing."
Tandy started to protest, but Abbott cut in, "Use the powder."
Tandy realized Abbott was getting frustrated. All the questions were putting Abbott in
a tough spot, but Tandy couldn't help it. Someone had to push back, right? Even the higher-ups would probably want to make sure.
Meanwhile, everything happening in the cabin was being streamed directly to
command headquarters in Cabinda.
Virgil turned to the camera. "Awaiting instructions."
"Let Claire do it, if she's confident," came the order from command.
"We all knew the guy's chances were slim. Pulling someone back from the brink isn't easy."
"If things don't work out... No one will blame you."
It was a tough decision, but the higher-ups were taking responsibility.
Claire lost no time. She sprinkled the powder over the wound.
Right in front of everyone, the bleeding slowed.
Now Claire looked at Tandy. “You're the lead surgeon. I'll help with acupuncture to control the bleeding."
Tandy hesitated. "I..."
Claire was unbothered. "If you don't trust me, get someone else. But the clock's ticking."
"Tandy, give it a shot. Do what she says," Virgil urged.
Approval from command meant this was their last chance.
Virgil couldn't help noticing how well
Claire's powder worked. The military's own supplies had never done half as well. They'd tried everything on Van and nothing worked, but Claire's powder managed to slow the blood loss. For the first time that day, Virgil felt a flicker of hope.
"All right," Tandy agreed.
His assistant was already in place. He and Claire quickly established their roles- she'd handle the needles, he'd handle the scalpel.
Tandy steeled himself and started the operation. He didn't even look to see if Van was still bleeding; he just focused on the surgery.
Everyone else, though, saw exactly what was happening. Claire's acupuncture was spot-on, and she worked beside Tandy, calm and precise. With her focused on Van, Tandy could do his job withou Worrying. They were perfectly in sync.
The operation took six long hours before they finally got every piece of shrapnel out.
“Operation's a success,” Tandy announced-then immediately collapsed.
He was no young man, and he'd already treated two critical patients that day. This
third, marathon surgery was just too much for him.
Claire didn't miss a beat. She calmly took over for Tandy and began closing Van's wounds. Tandy's
assistant wanted to step in, but net
stopped himself when he saw how steady and skilled Claire's stitches were-better than his own, honestly.
Abbott could hardly contain his excitement.
“Claire, that was amazing. Your sutures are perfect. Did you learn that from Pandora?"
Claire nodded, still busy working. “Yeah.”
Once she finished stitching Van up, she sprinkled another dose of her powder over the wounds.
Tandy's assistant finally gave in to his curiosity. "Claire, where can you even buy that powder? It's incredible."
"I make it myself," Claire said.
The assistant wanted to ask for some to study, but it felt awkward. Before he could
figure out how to phrase it, Claire handed him a whole bottle.
"Reapply every two hours. It helps healing.”
"Thank you!” The assistant was thrilled.
Claire, though, was starting to look a little pale herself.