Pain. That was the first sensation I felt. A profound, pulsating pain spreading from my ribs and shoulders, as if molten tal had seeped under my skin. My eyelids were heavy, yet I compelled them to open. The overhead ceiling was a clean white, adorned with recessed lights gently humming above. A subtle antiseptic odor lingered in the atmosphere.
I'm alive.
My heart raced as I attempted to rise. Tubes pulled on my arms. A monitor was beeping quickly to my left. I glanced down and noticed heavy bandages encircling my chest, with dark threads visible through the gauze near my ribs. My right hand was also wrapped, the skin firm where the rope burns had healed.
To my right, on a small steel tray, sat my mask. The Dust Mask. Its surface was cracked along the edge, the filter sared with dried blood. My pulse doubled as panic slamd into .
They've seen my face. My identity...
I reached for the mask, my hand trembling despite the IVs snaking from my wrist. Before I could grab it, a voice interrupted.
"Relax, Rey. You're safe."
I quickly turned my head, disregarding the pain that surged in my neck. In the corner of the room, Camille was seated cross-legged in a tattered armchair. Her dark hair was pulled into a chaotic bun, her eyes dimd by fatigue yet sparkling with humor.
"Camille?" My throat was raw, the word coming out as a croak.
She smiled softly. "The one and only."
"Where...where am I?" I rasped.
"Private room at St. Augustine dical," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "You were bleeding out pretty badly when they found you. Took nearly an hour of surgery and a ton of stitches to patch you back together. Honestly, you should be grateful you didn't lose a kidney."
I sagged against the pillow, the weight of her words crashing down. St. Augustine dical. One of the best trauma centers in the city.
"They...they found with Logan's body?" I asked. My chest tightened at the mory of Cipher's lifeless eyes, his blood pooling beneath him.
Camille nodded. "Yeah. But don't worry—Officer Grant survived and gave his statent. He confird that Logan Pierce was Cipher. You? You're just listed as the detective who dealt with him, Mr. Dust. You've beco rather famous actually."
Relief flooded through . "Grant's alive?"
"Yeah," Camille said, her voice softer. "He's in another ward. Bullet grazed his shoulder, but he'll live."
I let my eyes close for a mont. Grant seed a good man. He looked like he was genuinely focused on catching Cipher to help people. He didn't even argue when I ordered him, he just wanted to help. His survival was a small victory amid the chaos.
"Did...anyone see my face?" I opened my eyes again, glancing toward the mask.
Camille's lips twitched. "Only the nurse on duty. She saw it when they brought you in. But she signed a confidentiality waiver, and as far as anyone else is concerned, you're just Mr. Dust Patient 3157."
I exhaled slowly. "Thank God."
Camille's gaze flicked to the mask and then back to . "Still paranoid, huh?"
"Always." My voice was steadier now. "I'll need a new mask. Can you make a third one?"
Her eyebrows shot up. "Rey, I just made you the second one a couple days ago. You're going through masks faster than I go through coffee."
"Cipher cracked this one," I said, motioning to the broken filter. "Not to ntion, I'll probably get a new job, so I'll need sothing stronger. More durable. Maybe reinforced carbon sh."
Camille gave a low whistle. "You're really pushing , aren't you?" Then her lips curved into a teasing grin. "You better know how lucky you are to have . Most people would charge an arm and a leg for these custom orders."
I smirked. "I'm lucky for a lot of reasons."
Her eyes softened. "Yeah. You are."
A knock at the door cut the mont short. Before Camille could respond, the door burst open, and a familiar figure rushed in.
"Reynard!"
Sienna almost hurled herself onto the bed, disregarding the tubes and wires. Her arms encircled my torso, pressing against my bandaged ribs without much consideration for the pain. Tears flowed down her face, and her shoulders trembled with restrained feelings.
"Easy, baby," I said, voice strained as pain shot through . "Ribs. Broken."
"Ah! Sorry!" She relaxed, but didn't completely release her hold. She looked at with relief in her amber eyes. "You're conscious! Finally, you're awake!"
I blinked. "What do you an finally?"
"You've been out for three days," replied Camille, grinning with her crossed legs while still sitting in the chair. "Almost had us worried."
For three days. The remarks ca as a real shock. I now see why my body felt so rigid.
"Three days?" I said. "That's...impossible."
Sienna sniffed, swiping at her eyes. "It felt like forever."
I hesitated, then rested my hand lightly on her arm. "I'm okay. I promise. We'll talk more at ho."
She nodded and gave a watery smile.
"Let's go," Camille said, standing and gently guiding Sienna toward the door. Before they left, they both leaned down and kissed my cheeks.
"Get better soon, hero," Camille whispered, her breath warm against my ear.
Sienna grinned through her tears. "We need you back, Rey. It's lonely without you."
As the door clicked shut behind them, a soft chuckle ca from the other side of the room.
"You're a lucky guy," said a voice.
I glanced to the side and noticed the nurse coming toward my bed. She sported a friendly smile, cropped platinum-blonde hair that highlighted her features, and piercing blue eyes that evaluated with expert accuracy. Her uniform fitted a slender, athletic figure, and her ID badge displayed: Alexis Harrington, A-Rank Nurse.
Her system profile hovered in my vision when I activated Scan.
Na: Alexis Harrington
Job: Nurse (A-Rank)
Skills:
Advanced Trauma Care (Lv. 7) – Proficient in stabilizing severe injuries, including bullet wounds, fractures, and severe blood loss. Capable of performing ergency procedures with minimal equipnt.
Ergency Diagnostics (Lv. 5) – Rapidly assesses critical conditions through visual cues, patient history, and intuitive analysis. Can detect internal injuries faster than most dical-grade scanners.
Vital Surge (Lv. 4) – Temporarily enhances a patient's recovery speed by stimulating cellular regeneration. Can be used in ergencies but causes fatigue afterward.
Biotric Insight (Lv. 6) – Can read subtle physical signs such as heart rate fluctuations, muscle tension, and breathing patterns to detect lies, emotional states, and hidden injuries.
Tactical dic (Lv. 5) – Specialized training for field dicine under combat conditions. Knows how to move and operate efficiently in dangerous or unstable environnts.
Stamina Reserve (Lv. 6) – Exceptionally high endurance, allowing her to work extended shifts with minimal rest.
"You've been monitoring ?" I wondered.
"Yep," she said with a smooth, professional response as she adjusted the monitors next to the bed. "And you are a living miracle, Mr. Dust. Rope burns, a minor concussion, two shattered ribs, a dislocated shoulder and jaw, and blood loss so bad we had to give you a transfusion." She smiled wryly and shook her head. "Whatever you did to survive, you shouldn't have."
I continued, "I had...help," but my voice trailed off.
Her smile didn't waver, though curiosity flickered in her eyes as she looked at the cracked mask. "Well, you'll likely be discharged in a day or two. Your body is rather sturdy and it's healing rate's higher than normal. Must have had good genetics, skills and/or job."
"Sothing like that," I muttered.
"Try not to get injured again anyti soon," she added, giving a playful wink as she turned to leave.
I watched her go, then reached over and placed the broken mask lightly against my face. It didn't sit right with the crack and missing piece, but the weight was comforting. The thought of soone walking in and seeing unmasked still left on edge.
I exhaled slowly and opened my system interface. Notifications flooded my vision, each one marked with the glowing gold from a completed quest.
[Event Quest Completed: The Hunt for Cipher]
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