Read Online Apache Dawn: Book I of the Wildfire Saga by Marcus Richardson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Marcus Richardson
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throat. Her old battlefield confidence returned as she continued, “I don’t know the day-to-day routines around here, but where I’m from, this would be considered a significant number of people you got here. There’s something going on. Is it just beginning? How long have they been coming in? Is it localized? Can we expect more? I heard on the radio the flu is making a comeback. Is that what we’re dealing with? For that matter, how is the Department set—did some event happen that will dump a lot of traumas on us, too—a big accident or train wreck or something?”
“I like her,” said Nurse Goodson with a smile. “I guess you can stay.”
“Nurse Goodson!” someone called out near the main entrance where a man was thrashing about on the floor. Two nurses struggled to hold him still.
“Duty calls,” she said and shook Brenda’s hand. “Welcome aboard, Dr. Alston. I look forward to working with you.”
“Excellent.” The Chief said as the Charge Nurse worked her way towards the disturbance. He turned to the two doctors behind him. “Dr. Alston is our newest 4 th year resident. A resident , gentlemen. Yet, she thinks like one of us. Why? Because she has real-world experience—battlefield experience. Dr. Alston was with the Army in Iran during The Aftermath.”
“ Hooah , sir,” she said smartly. “Iran for two years, then Active Reserves stateside for five at Walter Reed. Uncle Sam put me through med-school. I’m inactive, as of last week.”
“Very good. I’m sure we’ll all get to know each other soon. Right now, we have sick people that need our help.” He clapped his hands again. “All right, Lewis, I want you to put her suggestions in place. Nancy will be taking the lead on this, find out what she needs and coordinate with the nurses.” Dr. Fletcher nodded and scribbled some notes on his clipboard.
“And Stanley, make sure Henry gets those PAs. Pull ‘em off all non-critical cases.”
Before the pinched-face doctor could protest, he turned to Brenda. “Good thinking, Alston. I’m setting you up at a desk with a phone.” He raised his right hand. “I know, you want to help and jump in there with the rest of us. But you picked a hell of a day to start.” He frowned, as if disappointed with his own speech.
“We need to know what we’re facing here. I want you to find out from the area hospitals if this is localized, spreading or…” He paused and looked back into the room. “Okay?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“Didn’t I say ‘Chief’ was fine?” He flashed a grin that was gone in a heartbeat. “Welcome aboard, Dr. Alston.” Dr. Honeycutt pointed toward the front reception desk. “You’ll find phones and directories over there. Get to it and let me know what you find out. I need to go find some clean scrubs.”
Brenda picked up the phone at the front desk. A clipboard held the phone numbers to all local hospitals. There was a map tapped to the back of a clipboard, displaying their locations. She picked up the phone and dialed the first number on the list.
Maybe this is for knocking him down… she thought miserably.
Brenda felt a tug on her sleeve and turned just in time for an elderly man to vomit on her shoes. After he had finished emptying his stomach, the wrinkled old man looked up at Brenda with rheumy eyes and smiled. Brenda sighed.
First days suck .
C HAPTER 5
Chula Vista, California.
M ASTER C HIEF P ETTY O FFICER , Cooper Braaten, lay by the pool in his teammate’s backyard and felt truly relaxed for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. He could hear Charlie’s wife and young son splashing in the shallow end, playing with an innocence that was more comforting than anything he could imagine. He could feel a delicious stretch in his arms and back that made him instantly
“I like her,” said Nurse Goodson with a smile. “I guess you can stay.”
“Nurse Goodson!” someone called out near the main entrance where a man was thrashing about on the floor. Two nurses struggled to hold him still.
“Duty calls,” she said and shook Brenda’s hand. “Welcome aboard, Dr. Alston. I look forward to working with you.”
“Excellent.” The Chief said as the Charge Nurse worked her way towards the disturbance. He turned to the two doctors behind him. “Dr. Alston is our newest 4 th year resident. A resident , gentlemen. Yet, she thinks like one of us. Why? Because she has real-world experience—battlefield experience. Dr. Alston was with the Army in Iran during The Aftermath.”
“ Hooah , sir,” she said smartly. “Iran for two years, then Active Reserves stateside for five at Walter Reed. Uncle Sam put me through med-school. I’m inactive, as of last week.”
“Very good. I’m sure we’ll all get to know each other soon. Right now, we have sick people that need our help.” He clapped his hands again. “All right, Lewis, I want you to put her suggestions in place. Nancy will be taking the lead on this, find out what she needs and coordinate with the nurses.” Dr. Fletcher nodded and scribbled some notes on his clipboard.
“And Stanley, make sure Henry gets those PAs. Pull ‘em off all non-critical cases.”
Before the pinched-face doctor could protest, he turned to Brenda. “Good thinking, Alston. I’m setting you up at a desk with a phone.” He raised his right hand. “I know, you want to help and jump in there with the rest of us. But you picked a hell of a day to start.” He frowned, as if disappointed with his own speech.
“We need to know what we’re facing here. I want you to find out from the area hospitals if this is localized, spreading or…” He paused and looked back into the room. “Okay?”
“Yes, sir,” she said.
“Didn’t I say ‘Chief’ was fine?” He flashed a grin that was gone in a heartbeat. “Welcome aboard, Dr. Alston.” Dr. Honeycutt pointed toward the front reception desk. “You’ll find phones and directories over there. Get to it and let me know what you find out. I need to go find some clean scrubs.”
Brenda picked up the phone at the front desk. A clipboard held the phone numbers to all local hospitals. There was a map tapped to the back of a clipboard, displaying their locations. She picked up the phone and dialed the first number on the list.
Maybe this is for knocking him down… she thought miserably.
Brenda felt a tug on her sleeve and turned just in time for an elderly man to vomit on her shoes. After he had finished emptying his stomach, the wrinkled old man looked up at Brenda with rheumy eyes and smiled. Brenda sighed.
First days suck .
C HAPTER 5
Chula Vista, California.
M ASTER C HIEF P ETTY O FFICER , Cooper Braaten, lay by the pool in his teammate’s backyard and felt truly relaxed for the first time in what felt like a lifetime. He could hear Charlie’s wife and young son splashing in the shallow end, playing with an innocence that was more comforting than anything he could imagine. He could feel a delicious stretch in his arms and back that made him instantly
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