Thomas was technically a patient now, so Crane didn't keep him long.
After they finished their cigarettes, Thomas returned to his hospital room to rest. Crane still had to check on the other injured team members. Besides, there was no way he was squeezing onto a hospital bed with Thomas for the night.
Once Crane left, the room fell silent. Thomas was alone.
He reached into his pocket and once again pulled out the small glass bottle Crane had found earlier—the "medicine" Suzy had given him.
He had never opened it, yet he had carried it with him ever since she handed it over.
It had been years since anyone had given him a gift. His thumb brushed slowly over the smooth surface of the bottle.
He remembered her words.
If you get hurt, you can use this.
With a soft flick, he opened the cap. A faint herbal fragrance rose immediately—clean, fresh, with a subtle grassy sweetness that cut through the sterile hospital air.
For a brief moment, his mind cleared.
