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They came barging into his office early into the afternoon, voices loud and actions heated. Markus had left on an errand at lunch with the promise of food left in his absence. They talked of a fight that broke out at the lake. They said that fists were thrown, and weapons were drawn.
One of the men involved had got shot in the thigh. It wasn't the worst place to be shot, but... It would need to be extracted if it hadn't gone all the way through.
"Y'all need to hurry and be quick, Doc!" One of the men had cried, "Follow us! We'll lead the way!"
Ah. About that...
"It would be better if you brought him here. All my stuff is here after all," Russell replied, crossing his arms over his chest and resting his hip against the reception desk. Caleb stayed at his bed, mottled tail thumping against the wooden floor with inquisition.
The hand on the door handle stilled. The room was quiet except for Caleb's tail wagging. Russell could feel the judgement from the two burly men, and he hated it. Hated this part of him, this fear which crawled up his spine at the thought of...
Of going outside?
Of being in public?
Of being away from his safe home?
"Doctor, he's been shot! We can't move 'im, you dick!" The other man towered over him in size, well over six feet and with arms like barge poles. "You're just bein' selfish like those hybrid scum!"
Russell took a quick step back, trying to evade the large hands that grasped the lapels of his waistcoat. His whole form was pulled forward, making him let out a yelp of fright.
His back flared to life, the pain returning with vengeance from the sudden movement.
Caleb's growls and barks filled his ears like static. He could see his trusty companion moving to bite the ankle of the man holding him. His head thrashed side to side, attempts lacking success but never faulting.
Russell's hands grasped the wrists of the man holding him, unable to hear the shouting directed at him. He just wanted him to let go, let go, let-
Then his arm was gone, tossed to the side with little care as it was ripped from his form. Russell heard the wood clatter against the wall and prayed that the prosthetic wasn't damaged beyond repair.
He was shaken like a ragdoll, unable to hear the shouting directly in front of him. He could make a decent assumption about the insults being thrown at him. Russell hoped the man would tire of his unresponsiveness and-
The man suddenly let go of him, watching as the doctor crumpled from his grip. Russell failed to catch himself, collapsing to the floor with wheezing breaths.
"Get the fuck of 'im!!"
That was- that was Fate. What was she doing here? Russell looked up from the floor, ignoring Caleb's attempts to ground him with pressure on his legs. Fate held her fist in her other hand, rubbing at the beginning of some nasty bruises. The two men had long since fled the room; Russell could make out that one was trying to stop the blood pooling from his broken nose.
Russell let out a broken whine, eyes squeezing shut to break his gaze from the open door. Caleb forced himself against his side, head resting in the crook of his remaining arm. Fate seemed to have gotten the message as the door was gently closed and bolted with multiple locks down the side. Russell brought his hand to Caleb's muzzle, checking him over with care.
It- It had blood on it.
"It's not his blood, don't worry. Your little guard dog wouldn't let go of 'im," Fate chuckled, lowering herself to sit beside him. Her back rested against the desk, hands moving to remove her gun holster and place it far from the doctor. "I'm sorry I didn't show up sooner... Or get them out with a little less violence, but-"
"I-It's fine..." Russell croaked, arm pulling Caleb closer against him.
"Can I ask what they wanted you to do?" Fate tilted her head, hands twiddling her fingers in her lap. "Cause if it was blackmail or they wanted money or-"
"T-They needed help with an injury. They- uh- They wanted me to- to go with them... Outside," Russell cringed at his own words. He sounded so childish, so stupid. He should've just swallowed his fears and gone with them.
He was so stupid.
"You didn't want to, though. Did ya?" Russell shook his head at her question, shutting his eyes and burying his face in Caleb's mottled fur. His service dog panted happily, not moving from the side of his owner.
"I'll be honest, I don't fully understand why you don't want to, but I ain't gonna force ya to do it. You don't want to, and that's fine. It's too fuckin' hot out there anyway," Fate rolled her eyes, laughing as she reached for the doctor's discarded arm.
She handled it with such care, checking it over for any major damage before placing it by his curled legs. "Think you could wrap up my fingers instead? I hurt 'em doin' something really brave, ya know?"
Russell laughed weakly, pushing himself up to a sitting position and slowly attaching his arm back onto his limb. He met Fate's gaze with such gratefulness.
"The bravest thing, I'm sure."
Fate helped him to his feet, Russell's left hand finding its way into Caleb's fur subconsciously.
"As long as you don't wrap it as tightly as you did my leg that one time. Thought I was gonna turn black and blue!"
"Don't be such a baby."
"Hey!!"