Reincarnated Mercenary on Duty

Zoey exhaled a small sigh of relief. "You saved two lives today."

"I guess I was just in the right place at the right time," Frank said with a faint shrug.

"Yeah, maybe," Zoey said. "Did you notify their families?"

"I called the officer's family," Frank said, pausing before adding, "But the woman's case is...a bit more complicated."

"What do you mean?" Zoey asked, her brows knitting together.

"You'll see when you run a background check on her," Frank replied.

Before Zoey could ask more questions, a nurse approached them. "Both patients are stable now," she said.

"Can we talk to the woman?" Zoey asked quickly. "We need to ask her some questions."

"Not yet," the nurse said, shaking her head. "She's still unconscious. It'll take some time."

Zoey nodded. "Alright, but can we see her? I need to take a picture of her to run a background check."

"Of course," the nurse said, leading them down the hallway.

The room was quiet, except for the steady beeping of machines. The woman lay on the hospital bed, her face pale but peaceful. Zoey took out her phone, snapped a picture, and quickly sent it.

She stepped into the hallway and called someone. "Hey, John. I just sent you a photo. Can you check the database and send me any info you find?"

A few minutes later, her phone buzzed with a reply. Zoey opened the email and scanned the contents. Her face froze.

"This woman… Liza…" Zoey said, her voice barely above a whisper. "She's listed as dead in the system."

"Exactly," Frank said, his tone serious. "She went missing seven years ago. Everyone thought she was dead. And now, out of nowhere, she shows up—and someone's trying to kill her."

Zoey stared at Frank, her mind racing. "Frank, what is going on here?"

"That's what we need to figure out," Frank replied, his jaw tightening. "Before it's too late."

Just then, a nurse approached them, interrupting their conversation.

"Excuse me, officers," the nurse said politely. "The doctor wants to speak with you."

"Is it about the patient?" Frank asked.

"Yes," the nurse replied.

"Please take us to them," Frank said.

The nurse led Frank and Zoey to a doctor's office. Sitting behind the desk was a middle-aged woman in a white coat. She looked up as they entered.

"Officers, thank you for coming," the doctor said, gesturing toward the chairs in front of her desk. "Please, take a seat."

"You wanted to see us, Doctor…?" Frank began.

"Doctor Bryce," she finished for him. "Yes, I called you. It's about the woman you brought in."

"Is something wrong?" Zoey asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Yes," Doctor Bryce said, her expression serious. "While we were treating her, we discovered something unusual. She has a tattoo on the back of her neck."

The doctor picked up her phone and showed them a picture of the tattoo. The image displayed the words "Subject 26" inked in small, neat letters.

"Subject 26," Frank muttered under his breath, frowning.

"That sounds like she was test subject of some experiment," Zoey said, her tone laced with concern.

"Exactly," Doctor Bryce said, nodding. "I suspect she might have been involved in some kind of human experimentation."

"This case just keeps getting worse," Zoey said, running a hand through her hair. "We can't handle this on our own, Frank. We need to get the department involved."

Frank nodded. "You're right. Call the chief and let her know. We need backup. Also, make sure there's an officer stationed outside her room 24/7. I'll go back and keep an eye on her until someone else takes over."

Without waiting for Zoey's reply, Frank stood and strode out of the office, his steps quick and purposeful.

Zoey pulled out her phone and dialed the DPD chief. After a few rings, she picked up. Zoey quickly explained the situation, giving her all the details.

"Got it," the chief said on the other end. "You and Frank stay put. I'll send backup right away."

The call ended, and Zoey slipped her phone back into her pocket. She turned to Doctor Bryce.

"Thank you for letting us know, Doctor," Zoey said.

"Of course," the doctor replied. "Please, let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."

Zoey nodded and walked out.

On the other side of the hospital, Frank was just approaching Liza's room when he noticed a male nurse stepping out. The nurse's face was partially hidden behind a mask, and he was holding a tray of medical supplies.

"Hey!" Frank called out, narrowing his eyes. "What are you doing here? Don't you know there's a female patient inside? A woman nurse should be looking after her."

The nurse froze for a moment, his body stiffening. Then, without a word, he hurled the tray at Frank's face and bolted toward the exit.

"Hey! Stop!" Frank shouted, dodging the flying tray and giving chase. The man sprinted through the hospital and burst out the main doors. Before Frank could catch him, a car screeched to a halt outside, and the masked man jumped in. The car sped off, leaving Frank standing in frustration.

A sinking feeling gripped him as he turned back toward Liza's room. His instincts screamed that something was wrong. He ran back, shoved the door open, and froze.

The oxygen mask lay discarded on the floor, and Liza was gasping for air, her chest heaving weakly. The machines around her were beeping loudly, their alarms shrill and urgent.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Frank yelled down the hallway, his voice panicked. "There's an emergency here!"

In moments, a team of doctors and nurses rushed into the room, forcing Frank to step aside. He stood outside the door, his heart pounding, guilt washing over him.

Zoey came running down the hall, her face filled with concern. "Frank! What happened?"

Frank ran a hand through his hair, his expression tight with regret. "I shouldn't have left her," he said, his voice filled with guilt. "I should've stayed."

"Calm down," Zoey said firmly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault. She'll be okay. Now tell me what happened."

Frank took a deep breath and explained everything—the masked man, the chase, and his return to find Liza in distress.

"So, someone disguised themselves as a nurse to try and kill her?" Zoey asked, her voice tense.

Frank nodded silently, his jaw clenched.

Zoey sighed, sitting beside him. "Let's hope they weren't successful," she said quietly.

They waited outside the room, both on edge, until Doctor Bryce finally emerged. Her face was grave, her shoulders heavy with disappointment.

"Doctor, what happened?" Zoey asked, standing up quickly.

The doctor hesitated, then sighed deeply. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice low. "We couldn't save her. Her brain was deprived of oxygen for too long. She's now brain-dead."

Frank's heart sank. He stared at the doctor, unable to process her words.

"I'm really sorry," Doctor Bryce added softly, her own expression filled with regret.

Frank lowered his head, fists clenching at his sides. The guilt he felt was unbearable, but so was the burning determination rising inside him.

This wasn't over. Whoever wanted her dead would pay for this.