In the six months since the Sindicate was exposed, Gomph had repeatedly expedited paperwork and shielded IPA from Stable authorities as Annette, Nadia, and David tried to dig up any information on the SAS/Sindicate members who escaped detection, as they searched for other cubs to set free. Protective didn’t begin to describe the judge. Neither did imposing, or driven, or compassionate, though they were a good start. Oz knew that when the judge found out about the SAS/Sindicate link, heads would roll, and not just metaphorical ones. And if Gulo or Mock sang a song that would expose more SAS members, Gomph’s famous benevolence might even extend to them.
He wasn’t sure what Gomph could do for a Stable who shot a Shifter
(two Shifters!)
and had more than a passing interest in finding out. He was torn between hugging Nadia for figuring out what had happened and bringing the cavalry, and throttling her until she squawked for endangering Lila.
“Judge Gomph?” Lila asked, still staring. He was lumbering toward the small group gathered around Turtleneck. “Is he a were-elephant? Are there were-elephants?”
“Yes. And yes. But it’s rude to ask.”
“Oh. Like asking someone how old they are?”
“Yeah. It’s fine if the info is volunteered, but asking a Stable to their face is bad form. I’m telling you this because you’re in our world now, there will be no escape, be resigned, and this is the stuff to figure out.”
She pulled back and frowned. “Resigned, huh?”
“Yes.”
She smiled. “Fair enough. But why is a judge here? Don’t they usually put in an appearance months after the crime? Say, in a courtroom?”
“Other judges do that. You know the movie Monsters, Inc.?”
“Mike Wazowski!”
“Exactly. Remember Roz? Her cover was that she lived to bust balls over improperly filled out timecards, but she was really Agent #001, secretly foiling evil while making sure everyone’s paperwork was filed. That’s Judge Gomph.”
He had a vague idea how Nadia and Gomph had known to show up and planned to get the details later. For now, he was too busy drinking in Lila, who had returned his hug while keeping her weapon close, and was always a bit dangerous, even when she was smuggling chili to cubs and polishing eyeballs.
There was an odd sucking noise behind them, which wiped the smile off Lila’s face. She stepped out of his embrace
(nuts)
opened the back of her nonbulance, then came back lugging a large, blaze-orange duffel bag. “Help me with him, Oz. Move, gang.”
“Why?” But he knelt as Lila examined the worthless shithead. Judging by her expression, she didn’t think much of the whistling noise Turtleneck’s chest insisted on making. Someone must have rolled him on his back, God knew why. Let him bleed out.
She unzipped the bag and Oz saw it had been divided into sections, with Velcro straps holding items in place as she spread the bag open. “Why do you have an EMT’s kit? It’s not an ambulance. You’ve made that super clear.”
Around them, the fights had finished, though Gulo was still flailing. All at once, everyone quieted down, the way a lull sometimes falls over a party, so Annette’s growled “Gulo, stay down. If you shift, I shift” was nice and loud. Oz almost hoped he would. He’d never seen a werebear and a werewolverine face off before.
Magnus squatted beside them. He was agreeably blood-spattered, having taken care of some of the reinforcements Team Turtleneck had been counting on. “C’n I help, lass?”
Lila had put on gloves, then grabbed a pair of utility shears and was cutting through Turtleneck’s turtleneck. “Yeah. Call a real ambulance.”
“Two minutes out,” Gomph rumbled, standing over them.
Lila never glanced up, just slapped her hand over the wound. “Oz, glove up. Then check the left-hand pocket closest to you. That noise you heard? That’s a sucking chest wound.”
“Are you gonna try to stitch it closed?”
“No. See, what’s happening is the bullet popped his lung, so air built up in his pleural cavity, that’s what’s making the sound. Berne, help me get him on his side.” He did, while Gomph got the observers to take a few steps back. “No exit wound, okay. Roll him back, nice and easy…good. Okay, so we have to keep air from going in while letting extra air out. Oz, see the QuikClot in my bag? Red, white, and blue packet? Great, open it, and when I move my hand, you’re gonna slap it directly over the wound. Ready? One…two…three.”
Torn, Oz obeyed. He was pleased to help her, but unhappy about helping Turtleneck. Still, he wasn’t going to argue. And while Gomph could pull strings for him, it wouldn’t do to push it by ignoring Lila (as if that was possible) and letting the guy drown in his own blood.
“Good, now grab the tape. Berne, I’m gonna tape down the dressing, then tape all the way around his chest. He’s sweaty and bloody, tape doesn’t like sticking to either. So too much tape is almost enough. Okay, I want you to roll him on his side…now.”
Lila finished just as more paramedics came through the door.
“They might as well have stayed home,” Oz said, stepping back to give them room to work.
Lila stripped off her gloves while rattling off everything she did to the paramedics now examining Turtleneck. Then she turned to Oz. “Bite your tongue. That was the first time I did that in the field. Nobody was happier to see those guys than me. Y’know, since the patient is unconscious.”
“Jeez, really? Your first chest suck?”
“Never call it that again,” she said, trying not to laugh.
“You sure didn’t show it. You’d make a great teacher.”
“That’s the secret,” she replied, serious now. “You can’t ever show you’re scared. Even if you’re positive you just peed a little.”
“Well done, miss.” Judge Gomph was looking Lila over. “Who are you, please?”
“Your honor, this is Lila Kai.” From Annette, who rushed over to stick her nose in because she was Annette. “My mother’s new neighbor, and our great friend and ally.”
“New neighbor?”
“It’s been a busy week,
