Brynne arrived promptly at eight o’clock the next evening as her email from Celeste had instructed. She arrived on the penthouse floor of the apartment building wearing black jeans, a navy blue t-shirt with a white emergency medical services star of life on the left breast. The letters ECFD above the star of life and Paramedic below it were screen printed on the shirt. She also wore a light, navy blue windbreaker jacket and sturdy hiking boots. Her long brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail as it had been when James first met her at Rudy’s accident. He approved. She looked ready to work, ready for just about anything.
“Good,” James said as she stepped out of the elevator. “Right on time. I like it when people are punctual. Shall we go?” He blocked the elevator door to remain open as she climbed back in then pressed the button for the parking garage.
“Where are we off to so quickly?” Brynne asked.
“We are headed to the Barrens tonight,” James answered. “It’s going to give you a different look at our society and maybe give you some insights as to why your paramedic team’s services are so dearly needed for the Unusuals here in Elk City.”
“The Barrens? I don’t think I’ve ever heard of an area called that before.”
“It is an area that is almost exclusively inhabited by our kind. Humans are, uh, discouraged from living there.” He noticed that Brynne shot him a concerned glance. “It’s for their own good. There are things that happen there that would be better if the public didn’t see it. I think it would cause a mass panic and rioting if they did.”
At the bottom floor, in the parking garage, James led her to a black SUV parked next to his silver Lexus. The werewolf Rudy was leaning against the side of the black Ford Expedition as they exited the elevator.
“Brynne,” James said. “I think you know Rudy.”
Brynne extended her hand to her former patient. “It’s good to see you under different circumstances, Rudy,” she said, shaking his hand. “I don’t often get to see patients after I drop them off at the hospital. You look fully recovered.”
“I am, for the most part,” the werewolf answered, holding up a scarred left hand. “I wanted to thank you for all you did during my accident. I was going to get you a Jeep or something in return for saving my life, but James told me you don’t like that kind of overt gesture.” He smiled a toothy grin at James.
James laughed as Brynne shot him a glance. “He’s just pulling your leg. He was there when I mistakenly offered you that inappropriate gift. He just likes to get jabs in at me when he can, since he can’t take me in a standup fight.”
“We’ll see about that Boss,” Rudy said. “It’s been a while since the two of us sparred. Perhaps we need to meet up in the gym sometime soon?”
“Enough with the pissing match, gentlemen. We’re not as impressed with it as you think we are.” Celeste came around the far side of the SUV. She was wearing a head-to-toe black leather outfit including pants and a biker-style jacket. “Shall we go?” She said, climbing in the back seat. “Brynne, why don’t you sit back here with me and let our sparring companions sit up front?”
“Sounds good to me,” Brynne said. She hopped up next to the female vampire in the back of the SUV.
James tossed Rudy the keys and climbed into the passenger side while the werewolf went around to the driver’s side. They pulled out of the parking spot and up towards the garage exit, leaving the building and driving out into the night.
“Why the extra muscle, tonight?” Brynne asked. “Are these ‘Barrens’ that dangerous?”
James turned in his seat up front to answer her. “It is not necessarily dangerous, at least not all the time. Just as you have areas of the city where it is not wise to travel alone in the human parts of town, we have similar sections of town that Unusuals of lesser economic prosperity live. Sometimes that means they make decisions about their lives that aren’t wise. Our show of force will deter them from making such foolish choices and making me take action for an attack on my person.”
“Your person?” Brynne asked.
“Brynne,” Celeste offered. “Unusual society is a hierarchy of different cultures within an overarching organization. It is still quite like a feudal society from the middle ages in many ways. Because of the powers that many of the community members have and the dangers they pose to both other Unusuals, and their human neighbors, strong leadership is necessary to maintain control. James represents that leadership here in the Elk City region. If someone were to attack him, he would have to exact dire consequences on the attacker or attackers in order to maintain discipline in the community.”
“But this is America,” Brynne said. “These are citizens. You can’t just take the law into your own hands.”
“This is how we have maintained a somewhat peaceful coexistence alongside humans for many years, now,” James said. “We have no wish to return to the times of the witch hunts in Salem or the mass vampire killings of the Spanish Inquisition. Those events were sparked by an Unusual community that went unchecked in their attacks on humans living nearby. We are a very old society with very old traditions. It’s one of the reasons that many of our kind were, and are, resistant to Doctor Spirelli’s offer of assistance through your paramedic teams.”
“By appearing here tonight with James and a show of force from the Unusual community leadership, we hope to provide your paramedics the deterrent protections you need to do your jobs,” Celeste explained. “That will protect you should you be sent here on an emergency medical services call in your ambulance.”
“So, showing up with a human paramedic in tow is a way of showing your official approval for what we’re doing. You're giving us a cultural foot in the door to get our medical job done?” Brynne asked.
“Exactly,” James said. “You learned about dealing with other cultures in paramedic classes, right?”
Brynne nodded. “Yes, a little bit. It was mostly about being open-minded and being flexible.”
“These are the steps needed to get cultural approval of using your services even though it goes against our traditions,” James said, expanding on the concept. “Not everyone will call 911 automatically just because we show up, but the hope is that more will. And, as more Unusuals use the program’s services, the rest of the community will see the benefits and hopefully call for help when it is needed.”
“Makes sense,” Brynne said. “As long as we’re safe. Scene safety is paramount for our paramedic and EMT ambulance crews.”
Rudy chimed in from the driver’s seat. “You’re completely safe, Brynne. I’ve spread the word far and wide that any threat to you and your team is a threat to my pack and me. You have the protection of the leadership in James and for the more base-natured among us, the protection of my pack behind you.”
“Uh,” Brynne stammered. “That’s good to know. I guess.”
James turned back to face front as Rudy drove to the outskirts of Elk City, pulling off of the highway and onto a series of backcountry roads lined with woods on either side. After a few minutes more, they entered a run-down trailer park community that stretched back into the woods on either side of the road. A dilapidated wooden sign with fading and peeling paint read “Lordly Barrens.”
The light of their headlights revealed a group of about ten people standing at the edge of the parking area near the entrance. Rudy pulled the SUV up to a spot near the group and put the gear lever into park, turning off the vehicle.
“Here we are,” James said over his shoulder as he removed his seatbelt. “Pay attention to the needs of the different folks we see here, Brynne. I want you to give me an honest assessment of what we might be able to provide to them in the way of additional medical attention, aside from what you and your team can offer.” He opened the door and climbed out, his traveling companions joining him as they exited the vehicle. They followed him as he strode up to the group waiting to greet them.
“August, my good man, how are you?” James asked as he walked up to the leading member of the group. He clapped
him on the shoulder. “It’s been too long.”
“Yes, my Lord, it has been too long,” The burly, sandy blond haired man said. He was shorter than James’ six-foot frame at about five foot, ten inches and dressed in a mixed match of dress clothes including plaid slacks and a lavender sports coat. He looked like a used car salesperson from a 1970’s sitcom.
“As my assistant Celeste said on the phone, we wanted to introduce some of your people to a human paramedic with whom we are working on a new project to provide medical services to your community.”
“We are pleased to meet any of your Lordship’s colleagues, my Lord,” August said. “I’m not sure we need the services you are claiming we need. We have always cared for our own, as you know.”
James could sense the doubt bubbling at the surface of his mind. “All I ask is that you maintain an open mind. Should one of your community call her paramedics for assistance, you will treat them as if they were under my direct protections. Is that clear?” He smiled back at Brynne, hoping she didn’t take this man’s resistance as a sign of danger to herself or her colleagues at Station U. He sorely wanted to impress her with his authority here.
There was a sudden disturbance as a young girl dressed in a tattered white dress ran up and whispered in the ear of one of the adults at the back of August’s group. James strained to hear what she was saying, but even his enhanced hearing couldn’t pick it up. August had also turned to see what had distracted his overlord’s attention, clearly annoyed at the interruption.
“August, if you need to attend to something,” James said, “Don’t let us keep you from your duties. We’ll just stop in to visit some members of your community that Celeste has identified as potentially needing assistance from time to time.”
“I’m sorry, my Lord, at the interruption,” August apologized. “Rebekah, what is it that the girl wants?”
The woman to whom the girl had been speaking turned back to the group at the front. “I’m sorry August. Bamber here just notified me that her sister is about to give birth to her baby.”
“Well, fetch the midwife, then,” August ordered. “There’s no reason to interrupt Lord James with something so trivial.”
“The midwife is visiting her sister out of town this week to help deliver her child,” Rebekah explained. “I must go to offer assistance, the girl is young, and the delivery is likely to be a difficult one.”
“I should go, too,” James heard Brynne say from behind him. “There might be something I can do to help.”
“We’ll all go,” he announced to the group. “August, let us see this child in need of medical attention. Perhaps my companion can be of service to your community after all.”
“As you wish, my Lord.” The burly man pushed his way through his group of companions to the back where Rebekah and the young girl were standing. “Make way for Lord James and his companions.” The rest of the assembled community formed an opening, making room for James and his group to follow. Brynne was right behind him with Celeste and Rudy bringing up the rear.
“Rebekah, Lord James would like to see this girl’s sister. Take us to her,” August commanded. Rebekah inclined her head with a nod, took the little girl’s hand and led them all back into the woods surrounding the house trailers of the community. James heard Brynne start talking on her phone. Who could she be calling now of all times?
“… Just bring the maternity kit to the address I gave you, and give it to the person waiting there. Don’t run lights and sirens, it’ll freak people out, just get here quickly.” Brynne paused a moment, listening to the person on the other end before speaking again. “Don’t worry about that. I’ll clear it with Doc Spirelli. It’ll be fine. Just get that kit here. Oh, and bring the extra ALS bag out of the closet. I should have thought to bring it with me anyway.” Another brief pause, then, “Ok, thanks. I’ll talk to you later and fill you in.”
She pushed the call end button and turned her head to look back at Rudy. “Can you wait back at the SUV for the ambulance I just called to drop a package off for me?”
Rudy looked at James, who nodded. “Uh, sure. What is it?”
“It’s a kit with everything you need to deliver a baby and a bag with spare bandages and some other supplies,” Brynne replied as she continued following the others. “It should be here in about five or ten minutes.”
James was again impressed with how Brynne took control of a medical situation, even before she had arrived at the side of her patient.
“Do as she says, Rudy. Bring the supplies back to us as soon as they arrive.” James looked with reinforced admiration at the short paramedic walking purposefully next to him now. Again, she had proven she was more than just a run-of-the-mill human. Were all paramedics like this or was it just Brynne? He wondered about this as he and Celeste now trailed Brynne, who had pushed forward and was talking earnestly with Rebekah at the front of the group.
CHAPTER NINE