Chapter 51: To Err is Human

~ "Could we just leave them here?" asked Jaden.

"What? Alone and all trussed up like so many sides of ham?" Andrew shook his head. "If another group came along they might get hurt." Jaden stared down at Andrew.

"One of them just stabbed you and you're worried about his well being?" Andrew started to shrug, then winced.

"Well misguided as they may have been, I wouldn't want any less if our positions were switched," he said. Jaden took a deep breath. Andrew was definitely a bigger man than he was.

"Ok, whatever you say. Well how about-" Takyle cut him off abruptly with a wave of her hand.

"Shh! Somebody's coming." Something like 30 feet down the hall a door opened. Jaden tensed. If it was another team that would decide to attack them, they didn't stand a chance. A Race Official stepped out of the door and looked up and down the hallway, caught site of the two teams and gestured behind himself to someone else, then started towards them.

"Good day," he called.

"Um, hello?" said Takyle, cautiously. Six other people had followed the first RO out of the door, carefully closing it behind them. The first man approached Takyle, while two of the others immediately knelt and began cutting the ties that held Vin and Cal.

"There's been a bit of a mistake made," said the RO to Takyle. "Long story short, these mazes for each team are all next to each other, and an emergency access door that should have remained closed was left unlocked allowing Team 5 into the section meant only for Team 6."

"They attacked us," Takyle told him.

"Yes, we know."

"And you only decided to intervene now? One of us could have died!" The RO shrugged.

"You signed waivers didn't you? It was a decision that had to be made by committee." Takyle gaped at the man.

"Oh of course. And that justifies it." He shrugged again.

"You signed waivers didn't you?" One of the other ROs in a white coat came towards Andrew followed by a young assistant who seemed to be carrying a thin folding table by its handle in one hand and a large suitcase in the other. Jaden stepped in front of them, blocking the path.

"What are you thinking to do?" he asked. The RO waved at him impatiently, as if trying to shoo away a large fly.

"Medic. Move aside," he barked. Jaden did, but he kept a close eye on them. The assistant quickly set up his table in a clear section of the hall, past where yet another RO was caring for John. Meanwhile the doctor knelt by Andrew and gingerly pulled back the bandage on his stomach. He inspected the wound rapidly, said a few words to Andrew, then waved his assistant and a woman over. The three of them carefully hoisted Andrew up and lay him on the table. Jaden felt a hand on his arm and turned. One of the ROs that had been dealing with Cal and Vin was standing beside him and without invitation began dressing the bleeding cut on his forearm.

When next Jaden checked, the medical team down the hall had re-cleaned Andrew's wound, apparently given him some sort of local anesthetic, and were stitching the gash in his stomach closed. Takyle was still talking with the first RO, and the members of the other team were all getting similar attention.

When the woman bandaging his arm was done advising him to keep it clean and dry, Jaden walked over nearer to Andrew, close enough to observe, but far enough back to stay out of the way. Andrew caught site of him and the corner of his mouth raised a little.

"I'm getting sewn up."

"So I can see."

"You were lucky," the doctor chimed in. "The wound wasn't as deep as it could have been." Andrew nodded.

"I blocked him with my arm. Not enough obviously, but I guess it helped."

"Yes it did. As it was, the blade still nicked your small intestine, but I took care of that."

"I appreciate it." Takyle came over and stood beside Jaden.

"He's going to be ok?" she asked. Jaden nodded. Takyle crossed her arms and leaned against the wall.

"I can't believe this. I didn't plan on getting killed by another team when we entered this race!" The doctor glanced up from his work.

"You signed waivers didn't you?" Takyle sighed noisily.

"Yes, I signed waivers. I suppose that means I can't complain."

"Oh you can complain all you want," the doctor told her. "Just not in a courtroom." ~