Page 61 of Mercy Written in Blood

"Maintaining for now."

"Keep him on high-flow oxygen. We intubate if he drops any further."

Renji pressed gloved fingers to the wound beneath Haruki's ribs. Fresh blood welled around the packing. The injury angled upwards — possibly liver, possibly diaphragm, possibly both.

"FAST."

The ultrasound machine appeared beside him. Renji placed the probe against Haruki's abdomen. Free fluid. A great deal of it.

"Positive in the right upper quadrant," he said. "Pelvis clear."

Reina Kurogawa stood beyond the glass doors, held back by two nurses and a hospital security officer. Blood covered the front of her coat — her own, or Haruki's, Renji could not tell. She shouted something. The doors absorbed most of it. Renji ignored her. Not out of cruelty. Because the man on the table required his full attention.

"Chest movement equal," Akiko said. "Saturations holding at ninety-four."

"Prepare CT."

Akiko looked at the blood pressure.

"He may not tolerate it."

"If the first units bring him up, we need the trajectory before theatre."

"And if they don't?"

"We go straight upstairs."

The first unit of blood was connected. Renji moved to Haruki's arm. The knife had passed through the upper biceps without striking the major vessels — painful, bloody, not immediately fatal. The abdominal wound was different. That one had been placed with intent.

His jacket had been cut open by the paramedics but still clung around one shoulder, stiff with blood and damp tunnel dust. Renji reached for the sleeve.

Haruki's hand moved. Weakly. His fingers closed around Renji's wrist.

The room paused for less than a second. Renji looked down. Haruki's eyes opened, dark and unfocused at first, then suddenly sharp — too sharp for a man with his blood pressure.

"Mr Ishida," Renji said.

Haruki's gaze dropped to the badge clipped at Renji's collar, then back up to his face. Recognition passed across it. Not of Renji himself. The name. Takahara. Renji saw it happen.

"What happened in the tunnels?" he asked.

Haruki's lips moved. No sound emerged. Akiko leaned closer.

"Don't try to speak."

Haruki ignored her. His grip remained around Renji's wrist.

"White…" he managed.

Renji waited.

"Lotus."

The words were barely audible. Something cold moved through Renji. It was gone before anyone could notice. He lowered Haruki's hand back to the bed.

"You can explain later."

Haruki's gaze remained fixed on him.