From beneath the thin scavenger’s mask came a sharp, mocking voice, "Someone doesn’t like you and wants you gone. The money’s already been paid."
The man’s long hands rested on Kotaisky’s shoulders, ready to grab him and shove him into the vehicle. Kotaisky wet himself, letting out screams like a pig being slaughtered, struggling nonstop.
In response to him was a burst of gunfire.
The chaotic intersection was suddenly interrupted by an ambulance, with the passenger seat occupant sticking half her body out of the window. Her fiery red hair fluttered in the wind, as she fired continuously at the scavenger’s vehicle with a rifle in hand.
The thin scavenger’s hand seemed to get hit, and in pain, he released his grip on Kotaisky.
Meanwhile, the NCPD sirens blared loudly, seemingly as if a swarm of cops were rushing here.
The thin scavenger decided to kill Kotaisky right then, perhaps too nervous, he fired several shots but missed the vital parts. However, the ambulance was near, forcing him to retreat, or else he’d be run over.
The woman in the passenger seat shouted at Kotaisky,
"Get in the car, quickly!"
But Kotaisky was still stunned, unmoving, so she continued shooting to suppress the scavenger before getting out, forcefully yanking him, and hauling him back into the ambulance, urging her companion to drive.
The scavenger, who could have easily taken out Kotaisky’s bodyguard, was now weakened, and after a brief attempt at pursuit, drove off to evade the NCPD.
The three, having narrowly escaped the ambush, were inside the vehicle, still shaken.
Breathless, Gloria’s forehead was drenched with sweat; it might be her first time firing a gun, especially in such a situation.
She looked at Kotaisky, who was placed on the stretcher, screaming in pain, as her mind went blank, hands and feet trembling uncontrollably until her driving companion snapped her back to reality.
"Gloria, this guy’s loaded, might even have a Trauma Team membership. Should we find a place to hand him over to them?"
Kotaisky was gravely injured, and the Trauma Team would arrive within minutes. Not handing over the patient could lead to unnecessary trouble.
Martin had no idea if he was lucky or not today; he was dragged around by Gloria to drink and slack off nearby, only to stumble upon this incident.
Even if they ran into this, how did Gloria muster the courage to snatch him from the scavenger, let alone succeed?
"No way!" Gloria’s eyes suddenly became steely. She began to stop Kotaisky’s bleeding; he’d not only fractured limbs but also been shot several times.
She calmed down and said,
"We’re doctors; how can we abandon our patient? We must get him back to the hospital for surgery!"
"??? Do you know what you’re saying?"
Martin was astounded; competing with the Trauma Team for a client, ERO hasn’t done anything for years.
"Hurry up! Follow the route I’m telling you."
Martin realized today’s Gloria seemed like a different person; even her gaze had changed, her voice sharp and fierce, like she was ready to devour someone.
Terrified, he didn’t dare delay; this woman dared to firefight with scavengers.
In no time, the Trauma Team’s orange-white Atlas float car appeared in the sky behind the buildings.
ERO folks today seemed fearless, daring to snatch a patient from us?
They immediately gave chase.
But the city wasn’t flat plains; it was filled with tall buildings, overpasses, and countless alleys.
Having run through this urban area for over twenty years, Gloria knew the roads like the back of her hand, directing Martin to defiantly face the Trauma Team, delivering the patient into ERO’s hospital building.
And with Gloria’s rescue efforts, Kotaisky’s vital signs gradually stabilized, temporarily out of the life-threatening stage.
At this point, even the Trauma Team couldn’t say much, only suffering this defeat.
In the worst-case scenario, they’d orchestrate some assassinations later, killing a few of their mid-level staff, taking out some field agents, and leaking some scandals.
This is Night City’s business warfare!
Officially serialized!
Meanwhile, Gloria had already pushed Kotaisky out of the ambulance with Martin, preparing to send him to the operating room.
However, upon reaching the corridor fork, Martin noticed she pushed the patient to the left and quickly shouted,
"Gloria, the seventh ward’s operating room is on the right."
"They’re operating there; the third ward’s room is empty."
Martin was stunned; how didn’t he know this?
And how did Gloria know the third ward’s operating room was vacant?
"Go and call the emergency department head; I’ll take him for surgery."
Yet when he snapped back to sense, Gloria had already dashed into the third ward’s operating room with Kotaisky.
Wolseck had just finished a surgery for a Valentino punk and was astounded to see Gloria hurriedly wheel in a well-dressed fat man, covered in blood.
"What is going on here!"
Gloria hastily uttered, "Urgent situation, the patient needs immediate surgery," and turned to make room by pushing the Valentino punk out of the ward.
Wolseck glanced at the fat man’s attire, then scanned him with data once.
"Kotaisky Charast..."
The name sounded familiar, though memory failed him; probably an executive of some company.
But certainly a wealthy individual, just without ERO insurance; wonder how Gloria rescued him.
Wolseck roughly understood her intentions.
Extort the patient, lacking the skill to save him, so using him for assistance and sharing the spoils.
This was ERO’s routine, though Wolseck had just arrived but, as a former underground black-market cyber doc, knew the ropes.
Upon confirming Kotaisky wasn’t in grave danger, he grabbed a powerful blood-pumping needle from the surgery table and jabbed him.
This artificial blood mixed with special drugs was akin to a stimulant; Kotaisky’s tightly shut eyes shot open, chest heaving rapidly, though words failed him, leaving him gasping like a fish out of water.
Wolseck donned medical gloves and surgical instruments, picking up a pre-prepared contract from the desk, gesturing in front of Kotaisky.
"Listen, your injuries are severe; without urgent care, you will die. But you haven’t purchased ERO insurance, so the fees for medicine, surgery, diagnosis, hospitalization, and meals... totaling 15,000 Euro bucks, got it?"
"Of course, if it’s inconvenient, you can call and notify your family now, asking them to bring the money...."
Getting a bloodied patient, with limbs broken and bullets in the body, to sign a treatment contract in the operating room, withholding surgery otherwise.
Welcome to Night City.