NOVEL WEB Chapter 3: Health Scare
The Man:
Raising my foot, I stomp against the infirmary's door, the door flinging open.
"Follow me this way," I say.
"Of course," the Doc says, following right behind me. With Oliver in our arms, we carry him through the door, everyone chasing after us as we go through.
"Put him there," I say, quickly but gently letting go of Oliver. It isn't even a full second after I let him go that Cold is throwing Oliver's arm over himself.
"In the incubator," the Doc shouts. He and Cold turn toward the incubator but I stop them.
"No," I scream. "The incubator can't handle this!"
"What do you mean," Dinah asks.
I open a cabinet and grab everything inside. I throw all the bottles and the dressings to the floor and reach deep inside. Feeling around for a bit, I find the hidden button and slam it.
Part of the wall starts to move. The moving wall grabs everyone's attention. Even Oliver. The door shoots out before splitting apart. It reveals a hidden section, and that same hidden section goes up and disappears. It now reveals an operation table with lights hanging above and clean, shining tools right next to the table.
With the table ready, I walk up to Oliver and examine him. His skin is very pale, and he's having trouble staying awake. I check his pulse but hardly feel anything.
"Oliver," I say, grabbing and shaking his shoulder. "Oliver! Can you hear me?"
Oliver, with his mouth hanging open, nods his head.
"A clear change in breathing," I note, "Along with an irregular heartbeat. Over 100 beats a minute. Tachypnea and tachycardia."
"Tach--what," Iris says. "Wait, what are those?"
"Also, extreme fever," I go on. I look down and see the fading black pulse. "I know what's going on. Oliver's organs are shutting down. One after another."
As if timed, everyone simultaneously yell what before bombarding me with countless questions.
"Oliver is suffering from organ failure," the Professor asks, "How can you be sure?"
"His organs are shutting down," Jaime says. "Why? What happened?"
"Can you help him," Dinah says. She grabs me by the arms and turns me around. "Can you help him? Please, tell me you can."
As I look Dinah in the face, I can see as clear as day the tears she's trying to hold back. Kara must have seen them too. She grabs my arms and turns me toward her.
"Can you," Kara asks. "Can you help Oliver?"
I look back at the black pulse in Oliver's arm. I then look at the operation table.
"I can try," I say, shutting everyone up. "Listen to me. All of you! I'm not going to make a promise I can't keep, but this I can promise. I'm going to do everything I can to help Oliver! I know how that sound, but that's all I can give at the moment."
With that, I look toward the Doc and Cold.
"Carry him in there," I order, pointing at the operation table. "Place him down gently."
The Doc and Cold don't waste a second. They carry the dying Oliver toward the table. Meanwhile, I turn toward Isis.
"Iris. Please get everyone out of here."
"What," Iris asks. "Why?"
"I work better without a crowd. Besides, there are a few things I need to grab and prepare. After you're done, please come back in here."
Though clearly confused, Iris did as I asked. She and even Kara start to push everyone out of the room.
"I'm sure Oliver will be fine," Kara says to Dinah. "The Man knows what he's doing."
"I know what I'm doing," I repeat to myself. I drop to my knee and open a cabinet. I reach deep inside and pull out an old, dust-covered doctor's coat. I inhale deeply before blowing all the dust away. "Yeah, I would know what I'm doing if this was a normal medical case. However, this isn't."
Dr. Crane:
"What in the world," Mr. Snart asks after gently placing Mr. Queen down. He looks at the surgical tools on the table nearby. The tools appear to be wrapped in plastic, hence why they're clean and shining. "Hey, Scarecrow."
"It's Dr. Crane," I correct.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Did you know about this secret operation table?"
"No. No, I did not. Which is funny because, for the past three months, I've been sleeping in the infirmary."
We both turn our heads when we hear footsteps.
"Cold," The Man says, now dressed in what looks like a doctor's coat and mask. "Thanks for the help, but now, get out of here."
"Yeah," Cold says. He quickly leaves the room. I try to follow after him but The Man stops me.
"I said Cold and only Cold. I need you, Doc."
"You can't be serious," I say, stepping back. I look at the very pale Mr. Queen as he lies on the table. "This--This is way too much for me. What's wrong with the incubator?"
"The incubator can't handle this level of trauma," The Man answers. "Oliver needs help. Professional help. Genius-level help."
"Both of which I am not," I shout. "I mean I can handle broken bones and maybe, just maybe, internal bleeding but this. This is too much right here. I can't solve this."
I try to run but The Man grabs me once more and pulls me back.
"Of course, you can't solve this," The Man says. "I know that. You know that. Higgin even knows that and he doesn't even know about this. Maybe one day, you can do something about this, but not now. Now, it's all on my hands."
"So why are you stopping me?"
"Because I need extra arms. I need you to be my assistant."
My throat goes dry. It feels very hot all of a sudden. I feel sweat beads pouring down my face.
"Your assistant," I repeat. "Are you serious?"
"I can't do this without help," The Man says. "I need your help. Well, your and Iris."
"Iris," I repeat.
"Me," Iris repeats. I look past The Man and see Iris standing in the entranceway.
"Yes," The Man answers, turning to face Iris. "I need both of your helps if we're going to save Oliver. We need to move fast. Every second, Oliver's condition is getting worst."
"What do you mean worst," Iris asks.
"Oliver is suffering from total organ failure. His organs are all shutting down, and with each organ that shut down, a chain reaction will start. If Oliver's lungs shut down, then his heart won't be able to pump blood. If Oliver's heart shut down, then it will lead to a build-up of fluid in the liver. That build-up can and will lead to neurological dysfunction. Brain Failure."
"How can we possibly help with any of that," I ask, on the verge of pulling out my hair. "I mean, it's not that I don't want to help, but I don't know what to do!"
The Man grabs my shoulders and pushes me down.
"It's okay not to know what to do," The Man says. "Just listen to me and do exactly as I said. Okay?"
I swallow a lump in my throat. I think I can see Iris doing the same. I take a very deep breath before wiping my sweaty forehead. As I wipe my forehead, I feel metal against my skin. Looking up, I see my robotic hand.
"Just listen to you and do exactly as you said," I repeat, "Right? You know what you're doing."
The Man lets go of my shoulder and dusts his doctor's coat.
"It had been a few years," The Man answers, "But I still remember my training as if it was the first day."
"Okay," I say.
"Count me in as well," Iris says. "So, Doctor, what's our first order?"
"Proper uniform," The Man answers. "I have spare uniforms back in the infirmary. Doc, behind the bottles of peracetic acid, there is a hidden button. Push that button to unlock a closet. The spare uniforms are in there."
"How many hidden components are there in the infirmary," I ask as Iris and I run to the cabinet filled with peracetic acid.
"136," The Man answers. "Not counting the two I have already activated."
I shake my head at the thought of over a hundred hidden components hidden in my room.