Security at the Hospital.

The few hour nap that Kendal got in the HMMWV was not enough, but he didn't have the option of telling the specialist that he wanted to sleep. So once they arrived at the hospital they started talking to the Marine's and Soldiers from the three other trucks that showed up. It seems that there were actually four HMMWVs with three troops each attached to the hospital. One of the truck teams was commanded by a butter bar that had already went in to talk to the hospital administrators.

Kendal leaned against the hood of the truck and lit a cigarette while waiting for word.

Three cigarettes and an hour later the second Lieutenant came out of the building and called Kendal's Specialist, and the other two senior men from each truck over, and spoke with them briefly.

Once he was done with the senior men he dismissed them, and went back into the hospital.

The Specialist and the other two senior men, one a Corporal the other a Sergeant, both Army soldiers, spoke for a few minutes then each walked back to their trucks.

The Specialist addressed both Kendal and the other Marine with obvious disdain, and said. "We have the day shift. Right now all we are gonna do is stand by two of the entrances, unarmed, and let our presence known. I'll be the Corporal of the Guard. Don't get involved and let the hospital staff handle any disturbances unless I say otherwise."

Audie's head was pounding...she couldn't remember when she'd last had a full meal rather than just scarfing down tidbits here and there on their way to calls. As early as Sunday afternoon, things had started to go nuts, with calls coming in non-stop. Resources were strapped and emergency protocols had been put into place. Even the hospitals had resorted to setting up tents outside so that folks with the flu symptoms could be isolated from the rest of the patients.

Their shift had run three hours late the night before, and she had been called in two hours early, so that fatigue was starting to become an issue as well. And the isolation masks they had to wear only compounded the aching in her head...and there was no end in sight. A third of their crews had called in sick so that they were understaffed, and with the dramatic increase in call volume, the crews that were working were being slammed.

Not only that, but her regular partner was one of the ones on sick call and she was stuck with a partner that wasn't pulling his end of the work, which was vital in circumstances like this. Currently, he was driving like he was in a truck on a dirt track, slamming on the brakes, then punching the gas, all the while grumbling about work loudly enough that Audie could here him back in the patient compartment as she dealt with an elderly man who was vomiting almost non-stop. Fortunately, it didn't bother her and she sat patiently with her hand on the man's back as she held a plastic bag for him.

Once at the hospital, she jumped out, the cool air hitting her face and feeling good around the isolation mask covering her mouth and nose. She couldn't wait to get the thing off! Her partner came around, and together they unloaded the gurney and headed for the ER doors. The military presence was unexpected, and she glanced curiously at the soldier near the back doors before disappearing inside.

OFF:
I'll do more later, but you can stick some in if you'd like.

By Wednesday things had gone bad to worst. Kendal was no medical expert, but he could see the numbers of people being brought in increase drastically, and had heard the cries of the loved ones of those who did not survive.

He also had heard rumors from some of the EMTs how people had started to scare, and didn't want to go to the hospitals as they saw these places, as places of death instead of places of safety. He had also heard stories of some normal civilians that are so scared that a few of them had actually attacked the EMTs that were trying to help them.

|Wednesday

This was a nightmare, and Audie knew it wasn't going to end any time soon. And while she found it hard to complain when she wasn't one of the sick ones, she was dead tired, nearly asleep on her feet. With more sick calls and the ever-increasing volume of patients, the medical system was being stretched to its limit, and Audie knew that the luxury of 'home' was going to be brief stints strictly for cleaning up and sleeping.

Shuffling out of the emergency department, she munched on a piece of very appreciated pizza -- someone had finally figured out that the only way the crews were going to get to eat was if they actually had food available while they were jotting out paperwork.

Breathing in the cool air, she stopped near the doors, nodding to the soldier stationed there. "So, you drew the short straw, huh? Get to make sure the sick people behave?" Not many people wanted to be around hospitals, or any medical facilities at the moment, so he couldn't have volunteered for this.

The Marine looked up at the redhead, and eventhough she looked dead tired, she was still attractive. "Something like that Miss. But I guess if someone has to be here, it might as well be me."

The Marine looked up at the redhead, and even though she looked dead tired, she was still attractive. "Something like that Miss. But I guess if someone has to be here, it might as well be me."

She chuckled. "I suppose so. At least back here you don't come in contact with sick people back here." The ambulance bay was covered and protected from the elements, but more, access was restricted to 'official' vehicles, so any guards here would only have to deal with police, fire and EMS personnel. And certainly, there would be no contact with the patients. "Pretty slick assignment. Not exactly what you signed up for, though, is it?" She smiled as she finished off the last of the pizza.

Kendal chuckled. This wasnt exactly what he signed up for, he came in open contract, but the Corps decided that the former offender would best serve the Corps as an MP. The irony of that always made him laugh.

In response he said. "The Corps made me an MP, Miss. So I suppose its kinda what I signed up for."

The name tape in his cammie blouse would give her his last name, and the single chevron on his collar would tell her he's a PFC but for some reason he wanted her to know his first name so he offered his hand and said. "My name's Kendal."

Taking his hand, Audie smiled. "Audie. Good to meet you. This is really something, huh? I mean, swine flu was supposed to be a big deal...we were supposed to worry because six people died..." She shrugged. "This looks like the real deal, though. Hope it just..."

She was cut short by the squealing of tires, and a car suddenly barreled through the arm of the parking gate, then skidded into the bay. Startled, Audie jumped clear as it slid past them, then rammed sideways into the back of the ambulance. The driver jumped out, holding a handgun that he waved wildly between Audie and Kendall as he leaned against his car.

"You're going to help me!" he shouted, swaying a bit. "My daughter is in the back seat, and she needs help now! No waiting, you hear me?"

"Yeah, sure...just calm down." Keeping her hands in front of her, Audie backed a step so that she was no longer between Kendall and the man, knowing that the Marine was trained to deal with this sort of thing, but hoping he didn't do anything rash.

Kendal was already moving towards the car when it crashed its way into the ambulance bay, and when the man jumped out of the car with a gun the young Marine instinctively reached for his sidearm. But found that, as per the butter bar's orders, he was unarmed. So he slowly stepped towards the man with his hands held out in front of him.

The frantic man shouted at him to stop, and Kendal asked. "So am I supposed to stop, or help your daughter?"

"But you're not a doctor. Send her over here." The man was pointing at Audie.

Kendal shook his head and said in a commanding voice, trying to take control of the situation. "That isn't going to happen Sir. She gets near you, you grab her, and instead of having a bay full of people away from you, you have a hostage."

"I, I could shoot them from here."

Kendal thought quickly, and said. "You could, but then I would have to beat you to death."

The man instantly shouted back. "I could shoot you."

The Marine went quiet for a second as the realization that he might die hit him. But recovered quickly and said. "You could, but you're going to need every bullet you have, and Ill still beat you to death. Neither of those two things helps your daughter."

The man thought it over for a second, and said. "You wouldn't make it."

With steel in his eyes, uncommon for a man his age, he shot back. "Wanna bet? Now let me get your little girl. I know how you feel. I have a baby girl too, but I don't know how she's doing."

The man's face softened a bit and nodded his head.

Kendal slowly walked up to the car and got the girl out of the back seat, then as he was carrying her back to Audie he said. "I'm going to give her to this lady here, and she is going to see that she is taken care of."

The man took a few steps forward, but as soon as he moved Kendal turned, the girl still in his arms and shouted. "You're going to stay right there." The man leveled his gun at Kendal, but instantly realized that the Marine is holding his daughter.

Using his chin Kendal commanded. "Now get back there."

"Ill, Ill."

Kendal's eyes turned angry as he growled. "You'll what? Shoot someone? Guess what happens then? The Marines and Army dogs inside will hear it. They will be here with rifles ready just about the time I get done beating you to death. Then what'll happen to your little girl? Who will help her then?"

With a worried look on his face the man said. "There aren't soldiers in there."

Kendal almost laughed and said. "What the fuck do you think Im doing here in uniform? Ya think I just like hanging out in ambulance bays wearing cammies? I hate these damn things."

The man shuddered and said. "F, fine."

Kendal nodded and closed the distance between him and Audie. As he handed her the girl he whispered. "Lieutenant."

Then turned back to the man.

Audie took the limp child from the Marine, nodding acknowledgment as she turned toward the ER doors. The girl was very ill, unmoving, her lips blue. "I'll just be a minute," she said, hurrying away. "Don't beat the poor man to death if you can help it."

Even as she stepped through the sliding doors, the man collapsed beside his car, his pistol clattering to the ground.

"I need some help here!" Audie called, attracting the attention not only of some nurses and a doctor, but the Marines and security as well. Once she handed off the girl, she looked over the men in combat camos, ignoring the rent-a-cops. "So...is one of you a Lieutenant?" She didn't know one rank from another, and she hoped that Kendall's single word to her had meant for her to send an officer his way.

TAG

The young Army lieutenant looked at the frazzeled young woman and said. "I am."

As soon as the man fell Kendal rushed forward and secured the pistol. then checked the man's pulse and breathing, and called out to the other paramedics and EMTs in the bay. "He's not breathing."

"Um.." she dropped her voice so as not to cause a stir, "I think your guy...Kendall...could use some help. That girl's father was out there waving a gun around." This was just the beginning, she knew, unless things turned around quickly.

Following the Marine(s), Audie stayed a bit behind so she wouldn't be in the way if there was still trouble...

The Lt gave her an odd look then took off for the bay. Once there he saw Kendal standing near the downed man as the other EMTs worked on him, and holding the man's now disassembeled pistol. In a harsh tone the LT hollered. "Williams. What the hell did you do?"

Kendal briefly explained what happened, and what he did. The Lieutenant reamed him up and down for what he said was negotiating with a terrorist.

Kendal's face turned red as he shot back. Well what the hell would you have had me do,,,, SIR?

The butterbar said that Kendal should have shot him on sight. To which Kendal fired back.

"And how the fuck was I supposed to do that SIR? Do you see me armed?"

"Yes PFC I do." was the response he got.

"Yeah Sir I was just thinking I should have turned back time and shot him with his own gun that I wasnt able to recover till AFTER he passed out. Or maybe you would like for me to shoot him now?

The Butter bar's face was now bright red, more so because he realized that no one is armed on his orders than Kendal's attitude.
"Watch your tone kid."

"Kid? You're two years older than me Sir. Matter of fact do you know the difference between you and I?"

Now near yelling the Lt asked. "What?"

"Ive been promoted You havent."

Audie stood quietly as the soldiers squared off, wanting to thank Kendall for his help, and for that matter to tell the Lieutenant that violence wasn't always a good answer, particularly at a hospital, but then her pager went off and she frowned.

"Got to run!" she called to Kendall as her partner ran out of the building toward the ambulance. "We'll probably be back soon enough." As she hopped into the ambulance, she added, "Hey, thanks for the help! Good job!" A moment later they were racing away, sirens blaring.

OFF
Sent you a PM...

Kendal smiled at the Paramedic as she rushed off, and the lieutenant ignored her.

The argument quickly ended when the Lt stopped yelling, and said that he was going to have Kendal shipped back to base and busted down.

A few hours later the Lt heard back from his command that they would deal with PFC Williams after the plague was dealt with. The Lt, being sock himself knew that they couldnt waste and healthy men as most of his small detachment was either already dead, or very sick.