Dr. Robert Helmer was already late, when he arrived at the ER and he had his hands disinfected on the way to the surgery by a nurse. Monika. His favorite nurse actually, not because she was cute. Everybody thought that, but he did not care about that. He liked her because he could rely on her under such conditions. She did not make mistakes when pressure was rising, no she actually became a perfectionist. A machine that performed the tasks necessary without doubt, second thoughts or hesitation.

„Shot wound. Right lung probably collapsed, blood loss bad, but we got her on ...“ She opened another door and Helmer interrupted her.

„Bullet still in?“ He asked.

„Seems to have fractured inside her body. Massive internal bleeding we suspect.“ She said and Hemer gave her a look.

„The bullet fractured?“ He asked. Most surgeons in Germany never saw a shot wound probably. Not if they did not work in face surgery. They got all the poor bastard who failed at committing suicide. No, firefights were not exactly a common thing in Germany, but in it‘s capital this occurred from time to time. So Helmer had hiss experiences with those kind of wounds. He had even had bullets splinter, but fractured sounded like it had broken apart.

„I do not know what they hit her with, but I think the bullet was not an ordinary one.“ She said.

„Dumm dumm. That’s s what they all that I think. Okay, who is she?“ He had only one door between him and the surgery. She soaked his gloved hands in disinfection fluid.

„Helena Bergmann. She is a police woman. It happened in her flat.“ Monika said and looked up at the Doctor.

„Oh dammit, okay, I go in.“ He pushed the door open with his back. „Prepare and join us, I am gonna need you.“ He said and saw her nod. Then inside he turned and it was unusual silent in there. He looked at his colleague who had requested his assistance, Dr. Famir. He stood in front of the body of the woman, covered in blue sheets. three nurses were there, everything was prepared, but instead of working on the patient, they all held their hands up. Helmer looked confused.

„What is going on here?“ He asked and Dr. Famir nodded to the side. helmers eyes followed the nod and there stood an old man in a worn out trench coat, holding what looked like a rather large gun pointed at them. He pushed Helmer away from the door and to his colleagues. The gun pointed at him and Helmer looked at him. Then he looked at the machine next to the blonde woman lying on the table between the medical personal. Her signs were slow and he could tell he was running out of time. She was dying and their chances were slim enough to save her.

„How long has he been here?“ He asked the nurse next to him. Tina it was he believed.

„Three or four minutes.“ Tina answered.

„Hands up, Doc.“ The old man said with a raspy voice.

„I cannot operate with raised hands and I am afraid I gotta operate her right now“ He said and turned to the patient. „Please give me the 3.5 and prepare for ...“

„Do not test my resolve. I assure you I do not want to shoot you, but I will.“ The old man said, Helmer sighed as the nurse was not moving.

„If you want to kill her, go ahead. I want her to be saved and I am not gonna let her die without trying.“ Helmer said.

„Maybe she needs to die. There’s s something inside of her, Doctor. Something that needs to die,“ The old man said and held up his free hand with a syringe.

„Inject her that.“ He said. „Your colleagues did not wanted to.“ He said and Helmer shook his head.

„What is it?“ He asked.

„Poison. A very special poison, that will kill what’s s inside of her.“ The old man said. Helmer laughed.

„I will now start the procedure, Sir. If you want to keep me from doing so shoot me. If you want to inject my patient poison, shoot me.“ He sighed and took the scalpel he needed himself. „Otherwise let mer do my damned job.“

„He will shoot you.“ A second voice came from the door, as a younger man appeared. Covered in sweat, holding a pistol in his free hand and looking at the old man. He had dragged Monika into the room and shoved her gently towards Helmer and hips colleagues. „Believe me, he will shoot you if he has to.“ He said to Helmer and their ewas he said it made the Doctor hesitate. If he died the woman was dead, too. Yet, the man seemed clearly confused. Something inside of her that needed to die? Was he suggesting an excorcism? Clearly this was not a man of science.

„I still think this is a terrible idea.“ The younger blonde man said to the older man.

„If you got a better idea, I am all ears.“ The older man hissed. The young man sighed.

„Are you alright?“ Helmer asked Monika and she nodded.

„Is this thing on?“ The young man asked and pointed at the cameras above.

„Probably.“ Helmer said and sighed. „Listen, whoever you are. This woman is dying. I assume that is your work.“ The Doctor said.

„Yes, it is.“ The older man said.

„Purely self-defense.“ The younger added. „He shot her to save my life.“

„With illegal ammunition I understand.“ The Doctor said.

„Yes.“ The older man said. „They are hard to stop.“

„Are they?“ Helmer laughed. „And who are they? Aliens? Demons?“ He turned to the younger man. „Listren, you seem to be the more reasonable of you two ...“

„I am sorry Doctor, but you have not seen wheat we have seen. Believe me we cannot let you operate her. It is for your own safety.“ He said. Helmer clenched his fists and his teeth gnarled as he pressed them together.

„I am tracking the risk. It’s s my responsibility.“ He said.

„You have no idea of the consequences.“ The old man said.

„Do you? I mean this is a cop. I guess Someone around here has already informed security so they will be up here in a moment.“ He was actually worried. Security in German hospitals had no guns and these men had, actually.

„I locked the door.“ The younger man said.

„I see. Then they will call the police. Hostages means the SEK will be here.“ The German SWAT would actually be here rather quickly, considering once off their own was involved.

„Yes, we are aware of the situation.“ The older man said. „Soc why do we not wait for them, you let her die and then you will see what we mean.“ He hissed.

„No, I am not gonna let her die. I am gonna save her.“ Helmer answered.

„Then inject her this first, give it a minute to work and I let you operated her.“ The old man said.

„WE DO NOT HAVE A MINUTE!“ Helmer yelled.

„DAMMIT I TRY TO SAFE HER TOO!“ The older man yelled back. Helmer stared at him and realized there was no point arguing with him. He was insane. he believed every word he said and there was probably no way to rip him out of his delusion now.

„Then shoot me. Shoot all of us. What do you think if you do this the Police will do to you, hm? They are gonna kill you too. So we all die, just to keep me from trying to stoop her internal bleeding? Really? Is whatever is in her worth that sacrifice?“ Helmer asked.

It was to bios surprise the young man who answered. „All men have to die, do they? But yes, I am afraid it is. Believe us, please. Gibe her the injection. It will not be fatal for her.“

„In her condition?“ Helmer asked. The young man cursed silently.

„If we die here we will not have any chance to hunt it down. You know that. Maybe ...“ He looked at Brockmann.

„If it spreads we are done, Simon.“ The old man hissed back. Then he looked at the woman. That was the moment, as if his eyes had caused it, when a long beep informed everyone in the room her heart had stopped.

„She zeros!“ Helmer said and all the Doctor‘s woke from their freeze. „Oxygen, get the defibrillator and two ampules of ...“ Helmer was yelling.

„Oh my God what is that!“ A nurse gasped and leaped away from the table. Then the screaming began.

„Out of here!“ The old man shouted and took aim. Helmer looked at him and then he saw it too. He could not help himself but scream.