Free The Last Hot Time by John M. Ford Page A

standards, there wasn't much musculature, but Cloudhunter was certainly not weak; Danny touched his shoulder and felt wiry hardness beneath the skin.
    He had Cloudhunter lie flat, got a pressure bandage ready in case of serious bleeding, and unwound the blue silk scarf. With a firm, even pull, it came out of the wound, displaying the flattened slug like a piece of jewelry in a shop window. The bleeding was minor.
    Danny opened a tube of goldenrod salve, looked at it skeptical 1 v. Stagger Lee had made some pretty wild claims for the stuff;

    Danny supposed it was at least an antiseptic. He rubbed some on the broken skin.
    The oozing blood just stopped. The bruising began to fade, and Danny could see the edges of the hole crawl toward closure. He blinked, thinking he must be too tired to see straight, but there it was. With a nervous glance at Mr. Patrise. who was watching silently, halfway smiling. Danny applied a gauze dressing and reslung the Ellyll's arm.
    "Do you think you can rest okay. Cloudhunter? I think that's what you need more than anything."
    "Call me Cloud." the Ellyll said, and nodded. "I will have some . . . camomile tea."
    Danny laughed. "My grandmother used to make camomile tea."
    "Was she wise?"
    "Yeah." Danny lied.
    Mr. Patrise said. "The tea will be in your room. Cloud." He yawned. "It's been a busy week. I think we'll all just relax for the next couple of days. Good night." He went out.
    Danny said. "You'll be all right in your room. Cloud? If this starts to bleed at all. or hurt, call me."
    "I will. Doc. You have my thanks.''
    "Oh. It's my job now. Here, don't forget your scarf." He folded the blue silk, then felt the hard spot within it. "You want the bullet?"
    Cloudhunter stared at him in a way that was deeply unsettling.
    "I. uh—I knew some people who'd keep things like that. Luck. I guesv
    Silently, Cloudhunter accepted the piece of metal, closed his fingers over it.
    Danny tried to think of something else to say. "That's really beautiful silk."
    Cloud said something that sounded like "Nancy." Danny supposed it was a word in the elf language.
    The phone buzzed. "Infirmary"
    Staggd Lee's voice said. "Doc. arc vou still working in there?"
    "No, just finished."

    "Would you stay there, please? There's another job."
    "Sure." Cloud nodded and left the room. "Who's—" But Stagger had hung up. Danny hadn't seen anyone else hurt. He paced a bit, then looked around at the cabinets and refilled his bag, adjusting the load—fewer pills, more wound closures, an extra inflatable splint.
    A few minutes later there was a knock at the door. Stagger Lee came in, followed by two of the gray-coated house staff. They were carrying a zippered black bag. From its size and weight and the way it folded, Danny had no doubt of what was in it. Without a word it was carried into the surgery room, dropped on the table. The bearers left. Stagger Lee had hung up his coat; he went in, unzipped the bag.
    It was the dead elf woman.
    Danny said, "What's this for?" He remembered something McCain had said: If they cant crawl back to Elfland, they die. "She won't—I mean, she isn't going to—come back."
    Stagger Lee looked faintly amused. "She's quite permanently dead. We need the bullets out." He uncovered a tray of surgical tools. "It'll wait till tomorrow, if you're really worn out, but the job won't get any prettier."
    "The bullets."
    "Yes. It doesn't have to be done neatly. Just get them out intact." He exhaled. "I am in serious need of a scotch. Can I get you something?"
    "Just some coffee. Please."
    "Be right back." He stopped at the door. "Wait. You were taught all about body-fluid safety, right?"
    "Yeah, sure." Danny looked at the body. "Don't touch the blood, right?"
    "It won't soak through unbroken skin. But yeah, don't."
    Danny pulled down his suspenders and took off his shirt. There was a waterproof apron hanging against the wall. He reached for a pair of surgical gloves, then found a heavy rubber pair.
    The body was