Chapter Text
Agent Jackie Wolfe wasn’t normally this distracted.
They’d nearly given away their cover thrice now, just from one of the members of staff startling them.
One specific member of staff, in fact.
The hospital’s only Intern, who, for some reason, seems to answer only to ‘Intern’ or ‘Kid’. The Agent can’t seem to find any information on their actual name.
Of course, they can make a guess on why.
While many anomalies have names, there are many more that don’t.
And of course, as should be obvious, the Intern is an anomaly themself.
But Wolfe seems to be the only one who knows, somehow. Even with the Intern’s face clearly being that of an anomaly.
They sigh. It’s not like they’re the most experienced one in the hospital by any means, not when it comes to anomalies. Surely the Doctors should have been able to figure it out by now, right?
And clearly Wolfe wasn’t the only one who was wary around the Intern, either. The Nurse seemed to hate being alone with them, and the security guard refused to stay in the same room as them for very long. By all means, Wolfe should have shot them by now.
But they just didn’t have a reason to take them out yet.
The patients seemed to like the Intern, for some reason that Wolfe can’t fathom.
All of this is the thing occupying Wolfe’s mind as they bring a fainted visitor to room five. The hospital is busy today, but as usual, only four people are working; the Head Nurse; Frances King, the Intern, the Doctor; Robin Hart, and themself.
They lay the visitor out on the bed and call out to the Doctor in room three. He groans loudly. Wolfe shares the sentiment.
As they begin the walk back down the hall to take care of the patient in room seven, they aren’t paying as much attention as they ought to be.
They feel their fur stand on end before they realize what’s happening, a shove against their back just between their shoulder blades sending a shiver down their spine as they hit the floor hard.
They try to scramble away, quickly flipping themself onto their back to find a Hider lunging after them, wrapping a long spidery hand around their throat. They cry out, scrambling to get their gun, but the creature won’t allow it. Wolfe can feel their already scant sanity slipping away, their clawless paws scrambling at the monster’s wrist in a fruitless attempt at escape.
They’re going to die here, they realize, as black spots begin to dance in their vision. All because they were too preoccupied with considering that goddamn Intern.
A blur of golden fur rips the monster off of them, leaving Agent Wolfe to gasp for air, scrambling to draw their weapon, muscle memory from their training taking over, keeping their finger off the trigger until they’re certain they know where to aim.
But they hesitate.
The Doctor has a hand over his mouth, witnessing the moment of carnage as the Intern rips the Hider to shreds, ever-smiling mouth split open to reveal rows upon rows of sharp teeth, loudly growling, their ears pinned back in anger.
Eventually, the Intern stops, and Wolfe realizes they’d long since lowered their gun.
They don’t heave for air. They just sit there over the body of the monster they’d just killed, staring down at it, face refusing to reform its smile.
The hospital isn’t silent. That almost makes it worse.
The breathless quiet in the hall is cut by the beeping of heart monitors and whirring of computers, and the distinct sound of a printer down the hall.
Eventually, the Doctor steps forward, having collected himself far faster than Agent Wolfe could have ever hoped to. Gently, gently, forever gently, he places a hand on the Intern’s head, making their ears perk up a little.
“Good work, kid.” The Doctor mutters. “Go take a break, alright? I got things covered here.”
The Intern’s face seals up into that constant smile as they look up at him, nodding slightly, and they stand up, glancing at Wolfe briefly as they pass.
“You too, Wolfe. Go get yourself a coffee, alright? Frances and I can handle things for now.”
The Agent nods, still staring at the monster.
It takes a long moment to drag themself away. The doctor doesn’t seem to mind.
They don’t go to the office. They don’t bother with coffee. The Intern always grabs it the moment it’s ready anyway. No one seems to care– and it’s a good thing, anyway. Coffee keeps anomalies nonviolent.
Wolfe just tucks themself away in a closet. The dark makes the low sanity feel less bad. It’s better than the bright fluorescent lights, at least.
They rub at their face, messing up their fur– still standing on end. Their tail curls around them tight and their knees fold up to make themself small.
God. They never should’ve taken this assignment.
They flinch as the closet door opens, wincing away from the bright lights of the hall. They blink rapidly to encourage their eyes to adjust.
Then they notice the smell of coffee and the mug being held out to them.
The Intern is standing there, blocking most of the light, offering them the cup.
Cautiously, Wolfe reaches up to accept.
The intern nods and shuts the door behind them.
The mug is full, and the coffee is fresh, with one packet of sugar and no cream. Exactly how they like it.
…Maybe there’s a reason they keep the Intern around.
Hours later, at the end of their shift, it’s just them and the Head Nurse still in the building, waiting for the morning shift to arrive. The Doctor and the Intern have long since left, with Doctor Hart driving the Intern home, as always.
Wolfe is leaning back in a chair, massaging their temple, and Nurse King is leaning over her coffee, refusing to open her eyes until she can leave.
“Robin told me Intern got you out of a tough spot, earlier.” She says, still not opening her eyes.
Wolfe doesn’t give that a response.
“You get why we like em, yet?”
This was a common discussion between the two cats. Wolfe knew King was reasonable, and so found had themself comfortable in telling her about their distrust regarding the rabbit.
They just hum noncommittally.
“The kid’s good at what we do here, can tell an anomaly from a mile off, and cares a lot about everybody. We’re too busy around here to care what they are.”
That catches Wolfe’s attention.
So she does know what they are.
“Plus, you should see ‘em with the taser. Damn good with it, that one.” She laughs a little.
“…They gave me a coffee.” Wolfe admits. “Tracked me down just to give me one.”
That seems to surprise her, as she finally opens her eyes and blinks blearily at them.
“That’s new. Kid loves their coffee– hates sharin’ it.”
“Yeah. That’s why I was surprised.”
“Guess they could tell ya needed it.”
“Guess so.”
They tap their paw pads on the table, wishing they still had their claws for a moment, just so they could hear the clicks.
“Good morning, you two.” The Surgeon, Doctor Gabby Wells, greeted all too cheerily. “You’re officially off the clock.”
“Then I’m officially out of here. Hope it’s not too busy for ya.” King throws back what remains of her coffee. “I’ll wash double later to make up for this.” She says, placing the dirty mug off to the side. Wells laughs.
“Yeah, I got it. You two get home safe.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Wolfe just nods, picking up their bag and throwing it across their shoulder.
They had a lot to avoid thinking about, tonight.