Carts rolled and IV stands clattered down the halls until the entire cubicle hummed with frenzied action to save Rand's life. Frank paced and the Sister prayed as the tense minutes passed on the wall clock in the tiny waiting room. Finally a man appeared under the archway, his face somber. "I'll need to speak with his next of kin." The words severed Frank at the knees. "His mother and sister are in flight as we speak." "Broken jaw, three broken ribs, countless stitches, and a dislocated shoulder. Going to need surgery to wire that jaw shut." "He isn't going to die?" With a rush of air through his lips the man glanced from Sister Francoise to him. "He's stabilized now, but another ten minutes in that abandoned building..." He shook his head. "Would have lost him." Frank clicked the talk button on his cell phone on the first ring. "Emily, thank God. They need your permission to take Rand into surgery." He handed the phone to the doctor. "Rand's mother." The man ran through a series of quick questions for Emily and then passed the phone back to Frank.
