Page 74 of Doc

So when Jude collapses, both Hollis and I curse. Hollis switches the feeds and pulls up the one showing the office on his main monitor. Things happen quickly. Once Jude hits theground, Roman rushes to him, tearing at his clothes and creating makeshift bandages.

When Tennant scoops his lover up into his arms, I try not to flinch, the implications of how many wounds he’s aggravating rushing through my mind. Shifting on my feet, I’m ready to run back to my office when Hollis asks, “What’s his status?”

I wait on bated breath as Tennant reports back on what he can see. “Multiple gunshot wounds, unsure how many, but from first glance, at least three or four. His mouth has been cut open, and his shirt is torn to shreds, cuts litter his torso.”

“Fucking hell,” Hollis mutters.

If Ten says anything else, I don’t hear it as I tear out of the office, and out of that wing of the house, heading straight for my own. It’s only a hall away, but in life and death circumstances, it always feels like a million miles.

Kail, Soren, and Rose are waiting, the room prepped for our incoming patient. As soon as I enter the office, I ask, “What’s the blood situation?”

Kail answers. “We’re still low on O-Neg. The emergency kit from the hospital helped, but De Luca still used up a good amount. The next drive should even that out though.”

“Okay. Where’s Jude on the chart? He’s our priority, unless?—”

Rose cuts me off. “Unless Roman comes in more critically injured, we know, sir.”

“Yeah, except, if you let his lover die, he’ll kill you,” Kail says, half-teasing, half not. “Jude’s AB-Pos, by the way. Lucky fucker, we’ve got him covered either way.”

“Good. From what Ten says, he has multiple GSWs, and a host of other injuries, so it’s going to be a long night for us all.”

Moving over to the sink, I scrub my hands and then don gloves, readying myself for what’s to come.

“How far out were they?” Soren asks.

“They were leaving the Manasseros’ when I left, so I expect we’re about to be hit at any moment. Have any of you been in contact with the clinic?”

“I have,” Rose says. “They’re prepared. You know how many need medical services?”

“Not a clue. They’ll call it in when they’re on their way. We were prepared though, and I don’t think any of our people are the ones who need help. It really depends on if they left anyone aside from Jude’s family alive for the Boss.”

Before Rose can respond, a call comes through from Leandro, and I rush out the door at the same time I bring the phone to my ear. “They pulling up?”

“Yeah, sixty seconds. Hollis is going to be locked in here with me for a while, so you’re on Roman duty until then.”

I scoff. “You think he scares me? He knows the rules. I’ll keep you updated.”

“You do that.”

He hangs up and I shove the phone into my pocket just as I reach the front doors. The car pulls up and Kail—who followed me out—and I rush down the steps towards it as Tennant throws open the back door. It’s a tight fit, but we manage to get Jude out and transfer him onto the backboard Kail had the foresight to grab. He’s my first assistant for a reason, since the beginning, he’s always been able to read my mind and anticipate my actions.

It takes a little bit of maneuvering, but the two of us manage to get him up the stairs and into the house, with some help from the nearby guards.

Rose and Soren jump into action as soon as we transfer Jude to the table, while Kail and I change out our gloves.

“What are we looking at?” I ask, sidling up to the table.

“Wounds to his hip and shoulder are both bleeding profusely. Don’t think any of the bullets hit anything major, but between everything, he’s lost a lot of blood,” Soren replies.

“Set him up for a transfusion. I want to get some blood in him before we do anything else.”

“I’ve got the blood,” Rose says, rushing off to the storage fridge.

Soren gets the IV set up, and like a well-oiled machine, everyone slides into place, checking Jude’s vitals, pumping blood, other fluids, and meds into him, getting his tattered clothes out of the way.

He hasn’t regained consciousness, which is a good thing, between the blood loss and the pain, being asleep right now is the best thing for him. Kail pushes through a sedative and sets up to keep him under while we work on him, as the last thing we need is for him to wake and panic.

“Okay, are you guys ready?” I ask. “First plan of action is to get the bullet out of his hip. I clocked one in his thigh as well. Soren?”

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