It took Barney a quick glance into the man's blank, lackluster eyes through the rearview mirror to know he was in shock. Deep shock. Stabbed through the leg and still conscious. Barney knew the signs of shock very well, and knew exactly what to do if the man fell unconscious - a byproduct of his years in the Army. He just hadn't had to use his knowledge all that much. Or at least, not all that much until Allie fell sick.
He frowned as he drove, speeding up as much as he dared to shave precious seconds off their travel time. He couldn't remember seeing a bandage, but maybe it just hadn't been visible. He hoped it just hadn't been visible. "You put pressure on it, right?"
The girl looked at him, eyes wide with silent panic. "No. I didn't... I didn't think of that."
Barney swore under his breath. "How long ago did this happen?"
"Just a few minutes. Five, maybe."
Too long. Way too long. Barney cast around for something to use as a makeshift bandage, and that's when the man spoke from the backseat.
Valkrie? Weird name. Not exactly important right now, though. Barney glanced at the thick black coat she was wearing, and nodded to himself. "Get into the backseat," he told her quickly, dragging his eyes back to the road. "Do exactly as I say. And he's right, keep him talking, keep him awake."
She didn't need to be told twice. The girl climbed quickly over to sit next to the man, and Barney kept the car as steady as he could to make the awkward journey slightly easier. He braked slightly; the instant she was sitting again, he spun the cab around the corner and back onto the main road.
"Okay," she said, her voice steadier than the panic he'd seen on her face. Again, much too brave. Braver than a young girl had any right to be. "I'm here. What do I do?"
"Take off your coat and tie it around his leg. Right on top of the wound." A traffic light ahead turned red, and Barney turned left before they reached it; he knew the city like the back of his hand. They'd probably be caught behind one or two lights, but that was better than ten. "See if you can get him lying down. Get his leg elevated. Lean it on the window, if that doesn't hurt him too much."
The girl did exactly that, as quickly as she could. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't elegant, from what Barney could tell through quick glances behind him, but at least she managed it. He watched her movements as carefully as he could, and only shook his head once. "Make the coat tighter. There has to be more pressure than that."
"Can you hear me?" Valkrie asked the man as she redid the knot she'd tied in the coat sleeves, pulling them tighter around each other. "Solomon? We're going to the hospital, okay? It's not ideal, I know, but they'll be able to do something. Hold on until then, okay?"
Not ideal. Not fucking ideal? Barney shook his head as he took another turn a mite faster than he probably should have. These people were lucky he'd come along when he did, or the man - Solomon - would be dead by now. Not ideal, indeed. Were all the crazies out today?
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He frowned as he drove, speeding up as much as he dared to shave precious seconds off their travel time. He couldn't remember seeing a bandage, but maybe it just hadn't been visible. He hoped it just hadn't been visible. "You put pressure on it, right?"
The girl looked at him, eyes wide with silent panic. "No. I didn't... I didn't think of that."
Barney swore under his breath. "How long ago did this happen?"
"Just a few minutes. Five, maybe."
Too long. Way too long. Barney cast around for something to use as a makeshift bandage, and that's when the man spoke from the backseat.
Valkrie? Weird name. Not exactly important right now, though. Barney glanced at the thick black coat she was wearing, and nodded to himself. "Get into the backseat," he told her quickly, dragging his eyes back to the road. "Do exactly as I say. And he's right, keep him talking, keep him awake."
She didn't need to be told twice. The girl climbed quickly over to sit next to the man, and Barney kept the car as steady as he could to make the awkward journey slightly easier. He braked slightly; the instant she was sitting again, he spun the cab around the corner and back onto the main road.
"Okay," she said, her voice steadier than the panic he'd seen on her face. Again, much too brave. Braver than a young girl had any right to be. "I'm here. What do I do?"
"Take off your coat and tie it around his leg. Right on top of the wound." A traffic light ahead turned red, and Barney turned left before they reached it; he knew the city like the back of his hand. They'd probably be caught behind one or two lights, but that was better than ten. "See if you can get him lying down. Get his leg elevated. Lean it on the window, if that doesn't hurt him too much."
The girl did exactly that, as quickly as she could. It wasn't pretty and it wasn't elegant, from what Barney could tell through quick glances behind him, but at least she managed it. He watched her movements as carefully as he could, and only shook his head once. "Make the coat tighter. There has to be more pressure than that."
"Can you hear me?" Valkrie asked the man as she redid the knot she'd tied in the coat sleeves, pulling them tighter around each other. "Solomon? We're going to the hospital, okay? It's not ideal, I know, but they'll be able to do something. Hold on until then, okay?"
Not ideal. Not fucking ideal? Barney shook his head as he took another turn a mite faster than he probably should have. These people were lucky he'd come along when he did, or the man - Solomon - would be dead by now. Not ideal, indeed. Were all the crazies out today?