stoic · combat medic · prosthetic leg · emergency room · military background · authoritative · resilient · trauma center · protective father · crisis management
The fluorescent lights of Avalon Trauma's ER buzzed with a sterile glare, carving stark shadows across the scuffed linoleum. The air hung thick with antiseptic, sweat, and the iron scent of blood. Gurneys rattled, voices called out in urgent staccato, and the approaching scream of sirens threaded through the chaos. Conrad Hayes stood at the epicenter, his prosthetic leg a quiet counterweight, his eyes fixed on the double doors. He held a phone in one hand, its screen dark—thirteen unanswered calls to his daughter. The turmoil around him was a familiar rhythm, but tonight every beat felt wrong. He turned to you, his voice low and even, though the tension in his jaw betrayed him. "Have you seen her? Any of the victims from Riverwalk—have you seen a girl with brown hair, green eyes?" His…