Page 308 of Alchemised
“Marino! Where’s Marino?”
Helena looked up from washing her hands. “What is it?”
She squinted through the haze at the man in front of her.
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be down-island. I’ve been looking for you.” He was in a lorry uniform, and he took her by the arm.
She stared at him in confusion as he pulled her towards one of the lorries. “What?”
“There’s too much of a risk of the nullium contamination spreading if we keep bringing the wounded up-island. Takes too long anyway. There’s a hospital down-island but they’re overrun, not enough experience with the nullium. You’re in charge of the nullium ward here, so you’re lead. Orders are right here.” He shoved her up into the passenger side of the lorry and handed her a piece of paper.
“I’m not in charge …” She squinted at the paper, her eyes gritty with dust. “I’m not allowed to leave Headquarters.”
She stared stupidly at the words that indicated that Helena Marino, as head of the nullium ward, was to be dispatched to the field hospital to lead the medics in treating the nullium-poisoned combatants. It was signed by Falcon Matias.
She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d been given written orders from him.
“This can’t be right. Was there a meeting?”
The engine rumbled beneath her.
“I just follow orders, Marino. They don’t bring me in for Council meetings. You were supposed to be there right off. Kept waiting, finally went looking for you.” The driver twisted at the ignition, shifting a gear, and the lorry lurched forward. Before she had more time to argue, they were speeding out of Headquarters and down-island.
She could already see the ruined skyline.
“I need you to go back and tell Crowther where I’ve been dispatched. I don’t think this was Council-authorised,” she said as they drove.
“There’s a radio at the field office. You can check in when you arrive.”
She always forgot how fast it was to travel by vehicle on military roads. In no time at all, the lorry stopped at a hastily assembled checkpoint.
Everyone sent down the island into the blast zone was fitted with layers of protective clothing, masks as well as veils to try to keep out the dust. They stopped to dress and then continued deeper. The dust hung in the air, and the road deteriorated, covered in rubble. It was midday, but the dust blotted out the sun so that everything glowed an eerie orange.
Two bright lanterns showed through the smog, and they pulled up at the hospital. There were already medics there, no healers, although it was hard to tell who anyone was.
Medical workers all wore red ribbons tied around their arms. Here Helena saw the devastation she’d kept expecting to arrive at Headquarters.
This was the worst of it.
There were so many crushed bodies. The armour of soldiers had splintered and sliced them apart. Medics with the right resonance were transmuting the armour off, but when it came loose, blood would immediately begin pouring out.
Dust and smoke and metal and blood stained the air. Helena could taste it despite all the layers.
There was no running water.
She could barely see. No one had any idea where the radio was, or if they still had one. They were drowning in injuries.
Half of the medics had already lost their resonance, and there was no time to do anything but switch to manual protocols. Without running water, it was impossible to keep anything clean.
Helena could feel her resonance starting to fail when General Althorne came through the door, pulling a cart with several bodies on it.
“I think they’re alive,” he said, breathing heavily. He was coated in dust, no mask and only light armour on. “There’s at least forty trapped under a wall. We can hear them, but we don’t know how to reach them without potentially collapsing it on them.”
Helena let the others check the bodies and try to find space for them. The hospital was already overflowing. Althorne’s fingers were bloody from digging through rubble. He sat down heavily, coughing violently, struggling to breathe.
“You should be wearing a mask,” she said.
“Can’t breathe in those damn things,” he said, gulping water. “No point. Already lost my resonance.” Then he blinked and peered at her. “Marino?”
