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((Triple Wednesday -- Page 1 of 3))
Dr. Carlyle was the one to step forward again. “W-well, uh, I’ll just take a look then, shall I?”

“Please.” Hector obliterated the top half of the pod so that the doctor would have plenty of space to work. “And, ah, thank you...”

The whole room was watching now as Dr. Carlyle checked the man’s pulse.

Scarcely ten seconds passed before he turned to his colleague. “Get a cart ready now.” The other man nodded, and he turned to Hector. “Quickly, follow me.” He was already jogging away.

Oh shit.

Hector pursued the doctor down a hallway and corner, bringing the unconscious man along as well, of course. They entered a small room with an elevated bed and all manner of medical supplies on the counters.

“Place him there, if you would,” said Dr. Carlyle as he pulled on a pair of blue rubber gloves.

The doctor hadn’t actually pointed anywhere, but it was apparent enough that he meant the bed, so that was where Hector put him, using iron to lift him up and then ease him down again.

Hector wanted to ask some questions, like if Dr. Carlyle knew what was wrong, but he didn’t want to interrupt. The doctor’s facial expression and body language were both warning of urgency and the need for concentration.

The other doctor arrived with a wheeled cart full of equipment, and Hector made way for him. Then more people began flowing into the room, and a nurse ushered Hector away.

He wasn’t about to argue.

The nurse led him into another room. Not a waiting a room, per se, just an empty one. She told him that someone would be in to talk to him soon.

He waited.

Garovel had stayed with the doctors, however.

‘How’s it going in there?’ Hector asked.

‘Too early to tell,’ the reaper said. ‘Not super great, though.’

Hector supposed it would be a while for he learned anything. He noticed a chair in the corner of the room and sat down.

Soon, someone new did arrive, as promised. It was an older woman. Maybe a doctor, though she only had purple scrubs on. She began asking him questions. How was he related to the patient? What prompted the hospital visit? How was the patient’s condition previously?

Those were somewhat difficult to answer. When he told her that he just found the guy on the street, she seemed a little surprised but kept going. When he told her his name, she actually stopped for a second and stared at him.

Only for a second, though. Professionalism soon won out, and she kept going with her questions.

It was only when he started asking questions of his own that she became visibly uncomfortable.

“Would you mind getting his clothes for me?” said Hector.

“I... ah... that’s not really, um--I’m not really supposed to--”

“I know,” he said, “but this is important. I didn’t have time to examine his belongings before bringing him here. There might be, uh, some sort of clue about what brought this on, so...”