xp_logs | The Gates: Going Back Out (Reply)

The Elpis crew realizes they could be doing more good out on the streets of Smichov. Medusa anticipates the decision by a few minutes.

About the eighth time Nathan went to wash his hands, he discovered that the clinic was no longer getting any water. Staring down at the tap and his blood-covered hands, he listened to the sounds of the fighting, audible even through the walls. Every so often the clinic windows rattled in reaction to an explosion. Somehow, the worst of it had passed the clinic by... but it wasn't stopping. And Nathan, his shields stressed by his trick with the soldiers earlier, could feel the situation worsening, not just hear it.

Angelo had followed him, quietly, and stopped in the doorway when he saw the lack of running water, leaning tiredly on the frame and carefully not looking at his own hands. "It's gettin' worse out there. Isn't it."

"It's been six hours." Nathan's voice was gruff with weariness. "This isn't the army running amuck out of fear anymore." However it had started, proper orders would have made their way down the chain of command by now. "The militants came too far out into the open, fighting back like that. It's not a challenge the government can just let lie."

A moment to take that in, then Angelo looked even more tired than he had a moment ago. "So it's not gonna get better until there's no one left fightin'."

"And until this place is in ruins." Another explosion, and Nathan heard cries in the outer clinic as glass shattered. He squared his shoulders, giving a tight, vehement shake of his head. "We're doing a limited amount of good in here," he said, his voice harder suddenly. Focus. Focus and find a better way. "The fighting's not slowing down, but we've stopped getting people walking in here under their own power. I think we might do more good out there."

"Not all of us," Angelo said instantly, not making it a question. "Whatever happens, Rahne an' Medusa an' Juliette stay here, I know you don't mean anythin' else. But you an' me..."

But Nathan was shaking his head. "No," he said, and the way his mouth twisted made it clear that he wasn't particularly happy with the idea either, but he went on. "If they make the decision to come help out in the streets, then they come too."

"But we get to try an' talk them out of it, right? If they do say they want to?"

"Sancho," Nathan said, and absurdly, his lips twitched in a smile, "one of the women in question can turn into a wolf and take down a full-sized deer. Another can kick your ass with her hair. And I wouldn't underestimate Juliette's hidden skills, either."

"I know that," Angelo said, shooting him a look. "But none of them can stop a bullet, an' even telekinesis only goes so far, if you're concentratin' on somethin' else. An' don't you dare turn that round on me," he said pre-emptively. "I saw that look, you don't want them out there either."

"I don't want any of you out there. But you made the decision to come, and at a time like this..." Nathan paused, shrugging tiredly. "There's more help needed than we could give. I don't have the right to tell anyone that they have to stand where it's safe. Not in the middle of this."

"I never said tell," Angelo pointed out, then sighed. "Okay. Time to go tell them we're goin' out there?"

"Yeah." Nathan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Out into the chaos."

--

Medusa stared at the man who had started jabbering to her in Czech. "Sir, please, just one moment," she said glancing around for Juliette or one of the bilingual doctors. He frantically gestured for her to come with him, the panic on his face growing in intensity. Failing to find anyone, she took a moment to gather a few general medical supplies with her hair and prayed that she would be able to handle whatever lay ahead. Gesturing to the door, she was rewarded with a look of a relief on the man's face before he turned to leave. Following him quickly, she was careful to keep track of her surroundings to make sure she wasn't walking into a situation she wouldn't be able to handle. As they came to a halt in front of a building, he pointed up and started talking again.

There were people on the roof, four stories up. Why they were up there was perfectly obviously; there was smoke billowing from the windows of the first floor, and the fire was clearly spreading upwards. It was a woman and three children, one of whom was small enough to be held in her arms - and who was screaming at the top of their little lungs, audible even over the noise of the fire and everything going on around them.

Medusa looked around, trying to see how she could help. If only Nathan were here to fly up... She paused, cocking her head to the right. Up. Hmm. Another thought and red strands of hair shot upwards and wrapped over the edge of the roof, securing themselves. Quickly retracting her hair, she rose through the air, slowing slightly to make it over the side of the roof gracefully.

The woman holding the screaming child gaped at her, then babbled in Czech and pushed the baby and the other two children ahead of her. Her meaning was clear; she wanted Medusa to take the kids first.

"All together," Medusa said, though she knew the woman wouldn't understand her. Several strands of hair reached out to secure themselves around the waists of each of the children, then the baby, followed by the mother. Medusa looked over the edge and slowly began lowering the family. Medusa could feel the heat from the flames heating the ground beneath her feet and hastened the rate at which she was lowering the family. As soon as they were on the ground, she secured her hair around the roof access and lowered herself down to the ground, making it just as the flames starting to singe her hair.

The man who'd come to the clinic was embracing his family, all but sobbing. The youngest child squirmed free from the group hug and came running at Medusa with a squeal. "Ochlupeni!" he - no, she - declared, reaching for Medusa's hair.

Medusa took a hasty step back and extended a piece of hair towards the child, barely keeping her internal wince from flashing across her face as the child wrapped her arms around it. Another strand patted the child's back awkwardly and then pushed the young girl back towards her family. Turning, she headed back towards the clinic before the other children could copy their sister's action.

--

"Medusa." Nathan frowned at her as he crouched down beside where she was picking up a tray of instruments that had been knocked over when one of the nurses had run to try and resuscitate a critical patient. "Where have you been? I've been trying to find you for fifteen minutes."

"There was a man who needed help, so I went to assist him," she replied. Finger-like tendrils of hair began to assist Nathan in righting the tray and replacing the instruments on it. "His family was stuck on the roof of a burning building, but I was able to remedy the situation."

Nathan nearly swallowed his tongue. She'd left the clinic? Alone? Without telling him where she was... okay, so not the time. "I'm glad you got back safely," he said, and if there was an edge to the comment, it was momentary - and gone as he went on. "I've talked to Angelo and Rahne. We're going out to see if there are people who need help in the streets who can't get here on their own. Juliette's going to stay here. How about you?"

She looked at him a bit oddly, before chalking up the unfamiliar note in his voice to the stress of the situation. "I will go to offer what aid I can." Taking a deep breath, her gaze traveled around the clinic. "My hair can be used to help carry people if needed." Because I need to cut off the sticky part anyways.