Chapter 4

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

"There's no time to eat, Dr. Somner. We're being dispatched for a house call."

Freya was in a hospital's emergency room. When she heard the nurse, Jade Winton, call her, she put a folder over her unfinished instant mac and cheese and left the doctor's lounge.

"Where's Dr. Wood?" she asked while wearing a mask. She hurried to catch up with Jade.

"He's accompanying Lena for a prenatal check. I've called him, and he's on his way." Jade grabbed a first-aid kit and an extra bag of gauze and bandages. She handed them to Freya.

"What's the situation? Why do we need so many bandages and gauze?"

"A luxury jewelry store was robbed. The store's staff called the police, but the robbers discovered them and took ten staff hostage. We're being dispatched to provide medical assistance," Jade said.

She told Freya everything she knew, then added, "Don't be rash later. Leave everything to Dr. Wood."

"Got it. Thanks, Jade."

Freya's mentor, Jason Wood, arrived at the same time as Freya and Jade. He was a tall, skinny man whose hairline was receding. He'd come from a prenatal check with his wife, Lena Johnson, and had already changed into his uniform. It made him look particularly spirited.

"What's the situation?" he asked as he got into the car.

"A jewelry store's been robbed. The robbers are armed," Jade said.

Silence descended upon the car. They didn't know what they were facing but had to go at it regardless. Medicine knew no borders, and all lives were equal in worth. They had to save lives as long as they were at risk.

When Freya and the others arrived, the police had already secured the scene. A crowd consisting of spectators and staff from various media outlets gathered behind the police line, surrounding the place and making it hard for anyone to get through.

Police cars and vehicles belonging to a SWAT team were parked outside the jewelry store. There were also three buses with the windows tinted black.

Freya followed Jason out of the car. A man who looked like an administrator hurried over to them, looking anxious. "The robbers need a doctor in there to save their comrade. Which one of you two will go in?"

Freya looked at the jewelry store. It had three floors and was a corner lot with an expansive view. A mall was behind it, which meant it probably had more than one exit.

"I'll go," Jason said, dragging Freya out of her reverie.

She gave him a disagreeable look. "No way. I'll go, Dr. Wood. You have parents and children to care for, and Lena's pregnant with your second child. You can't go in there."

"You can't, either. You're inexperienced." Jason's attitude was firm. "The situation is complicated. I'm the only one who can head in there."

Freya didn't argue with him. She turned to the administrator and volunteered. "I'll go, sir. I've passed the medical board exam and can practice independently. I don't have any dependents or relatives to care for."

He looked at her. She was young and so nervous that she clenched her fists, but her expression was calm. She was bold, but her courage needed some training.

"You can go, then. We don't know the situation inside, so we can only act when the Falcon Strike Unit arrives. All you need to do when you get in there is to save whoever is injured. Drag things out for as long as possible while ensuring your safety and wait for help."

"Understood, sir." Freya wore her medical cap and gave herself a mental pep talk.

"Freya…" Jason started.

"I have to gain experience since I don't have it, Dr. Wood. You have to give me a chance," she said.

That was what medicine was like. One had to be bold and careful while constantly defeating one's old self. That way, one would only become a better version of oneself.

Jason knew what Freya was like. She'd met various people when treating patients. When some of them criticized or insulted her, she wouldn't take it lying down. Her retorts left much to be desired, though.

For instance, if a patient said she was incapable and that a doctor online had told them this and that, she would say, "I'll leave, then. You can ask your online doctor to treat you."

Once, someone had shouted at her, saying she was useless. She'd clapped back, calling that person the useless one.

"Do you guys have a bulletproof vest or something? Give one to her." Jason knew nothing he said would change Freya's mind.

The administrator gave one of his subordinates a look. A member of the SWAT team brought a bulletproof vest over.

Freya took her doctor's coat off and put the bulletproof vest on over her T-shirt. Then, she put her uniform on.