"Incredible technique!"


    "How is she that precise? Does she have X-ray vision or something?"


    "She''s absolutely brilliant!"


    The doctors gathered around, eyes fixed on Calliope as she operated. Every movement made perfect sense, and yet each was so precise it defied expectation. She''d relied only on their verbal briefings and a cursory nce at the scans, yet she navigated the procedure with the muscle memory of someone who had performed it a thousand times.


    Without hesitation, she located the bullet lodged near the heart, removed it cleanly, and dropped it into a metal tray with a faint ng.


    She checked the vital signs once more, then started to close the incision. Her suturing was just as impressive-swift, steady, almost elegant in its efficiency.


    The doctors who had doubted her before couldn''t help but be won over. None of them would question her again-she might have been years younger, but every move she made disyed mastery far beyond their own. The challenges that felt insurmountable to them, she handled with ease.


    Her speed and precision were in a league of their own. She might have been the youngest in the room, but in terms of skill, she could have been their mentor.


    "That was astonishing!"


    "Ms. Jewell, I have to admit-we underestimated you. I was wrong."


    "I was, too."


    "Those sutures are wless!"


    "And she removed the bullet without any disruption-the patient''s vitals barely changed. She''s stable!"


    "Now the bullet''s out, but the


    infection and the poison still need treatment. I wonder how she''s going to handle that," one doctor


    remarked, turning curiously Calliope:


    "We can''t identify the toxin," another said. "It''s not instantly fatal, but it''s persistent and hard to get rid of."


    "That''s what''s so tricky-without knowing exactly what it is, we can''t treat her properly."


    All eyes were on Calliope, waiting to see if she had an answer. Maybe she''d already unraveled the mystery.


    "My guess is it''s venom from a


    certain shake," Calliope said calmly. "I''ll need a live snake of that species. If the tests match, we can extract serum and make the antivenom


    She stepped back and addressed the team. “I need you to finish up here. I''m going to talk to Uriah."


    "Of course!" The doctors nodded, nowpletely convinced. They watched her every move, grateful—they''d learned more in a single surgery than they had in months.


    Once outside, Uriah hurried over. "Well? Did it work? Is she alright?”


    ovels


    "I got the bullet out," Calliope replied, "but the poison and infection are still serious issues. I suspect the poison''s from a snake, I need you t? catch one for me."  fo


    "What kind of snake?" Uriah asked. "Can we even find one close by?"


    "There should be some in the woods," Calliope thought aloud. "I''ll draw it for you— it''ll be easier to find at night."


    She asked for a pen and paper, then quickly sketched the snake''s distinctive markings. Her drawing was remarkably lifelike; anyone could spot the species at a nce.


    Handing the page to Uriah, she emphasized, "As quickly as possible."


    Uriah studied the sketch, nodded firmly, and met her gaze. “I''ll get it. I promise."