Free Anterograde by Kallysten

that? My medical status
is private.”
    Eli
winced.
    “It
should have been. Petters was furious when it got out, but he never figured out
who gossiped and spread the news.”
    Eli
could see a muscle twitching in Ca l den’s cheek as he clenched his jaw.
    “Or he claims to be furious,” he said coldly. “He
never liked me.”
    Unfortunately, that much was true. Calden rubbed a lot
of people the wrong way, Petters included.
    “When I first started at the hospital,” Calden
continued quietly, “he always went out of his way to imply I was only there
because my father was Chief of Surgery. He changed his refrain when I came back
after my overdose, and said it was Lana’s influence that had bought my way back
in. I’m surprised he’s not claiming I’m brain damaged and unable to do my job.”
    “He
did say that ,” Eli admitted. “Called a meeting of all senior staff. Opinions were
pretty divided, but Doctor Samford spoke for you, and Doctor Langton supported
you as well. In the end, everyone had to admit the hospital is grossly
understaffed as it is, and we simply can’t afford to lose someone like you. Now’s
your chance to prove Petters wrong. Show him and everyone else you’re fine.”
    Calden scoffed. “Of course I’m fine. And why would I
care about what he thinks? I never did before; I’m not going to start now.”
    “Of
course not ,” Eli said, focusing on the road. “What was I thinking.”
    They
were both silent for a little while, but as they were approaching their
destination, Ca l den asked, “What’s the longest I’ve gone without
falling asleep?”
    “Twenty
hours.”
    From the corner of
his eye , Eli could see Ca l den grimace.
    “Is
that all?”
    “Well,
considering that when you were released from the hospital you couldn’t go
twelve hours without a nap, twenty isn’t all that bad.”
    Ca l den bristled.
“No need to patronize me.”
    “I’m
not patronizing you,” Eli said calmly. This, too, was beginning to feel like a much-too-familiar
conversation. “You asked a question, I answered. You woke up …” He glanced at his watch. “Twelve and a half hours ago, now. Which means you’ve got
roughly seven and a half hours, maybe a little more, maybe a bit less, to show Langton,
Petters, and everyone at the hospital that you’re as brilliant as ever. It’s
not like you’ve never worked on a deadline before. Now stop being nervous
because you’re making me nervous.”
    “I’m
not nervous,” Ca l den claimed indignantly, but his foot, Eli noticed,
stopped its tapping.
    As
soon as they stepped into the hospital, Eli could recognize the mood that had
settled over everyone like a scratchy blanket, warm yet uncomfortable. Physical
and mental exhaustion from repeated demon attacks and the influx of wounded
soldiers—and deaths—that came with it. Relief that things were finally slowing
down. Determination to save those patients that were still between life and
death so as not to add to the toll. Wariness that this slow down was only
temporary.
    Eli
had been there before, feeling all this right along with his colleagues, both
before his injury when he’d had a direct hand in treating the wounded, and
after when he’d started working behind the scenes to ensure the hospital
functioned smoothly. Today, he was taking on a new role. Most people would see
it as a demotion and wonder why he’d even want to do this, but he wasn’t most
people. Calden was the most gifted surgeon the city could count on. Even the
people who couldn’t stand Calden because of his abrasive personality recognized
that much. If all Eli did was make it possible for Calden to return to the job
he loved so much and was so good at, he’d still help save more lives than he
had as an administrator. That job had been offered to him like a consolation
prize for his injury; this task, he’d chosen himself.
    They received a few odd looks on their way to the changing
room, but it didn’t seem to faze Calden.