“There’s no pulse!” someone shouted, “He’s unconscious, we need a doctor!”

I wished that this was something that I didn’t hear often but I realised after many years of helping out at the hospital and a year as an intern that nine out of ten patients were brought in this way. I hurried over and checked the vital signs that had just been scanned, the machine’s diagnosis was Torsades de Point. I looked at the patient again, he appeared healthy and I couldn’t see any cause for the low magnesium level that accompanies the diagnosis.

“Immediate cardioversion is advised,” the automated voice suggested. Seeing no other choice, I shouted, “Clear!” Checking that nobody was touching the patient, I pressed the button. Seconds later, “Sinus rhythm detected,” the automated voice said.

“Let’s get a check up on the electrolyte levels and drugs that are circulating in the blood,” I said instructing the machine. “Full check-up initiated, results will be ready in 3 hours,” the machine replied.

I started to strip the patient to change him into the usual hospital attire. First, I took off his shoes and socks, then his long jeans. As I took off his jacket, I noticed his bracelet. The bracelet that declared him an enemy. I heard footsteps getting louder, in a split second I took off his bracelet, deactivated it and slipped it into my pocket, just before the door opened revealing Professor Ji Jin-hee.

“Professor Ji,” I said, surprising myself with the steadiness in my voice.

“How is the patient?” he inquired, “Any clues as to his identity?”

“No,” I replied, “His clothes are fairly normal too, nothing that suggests where he’s from or who he is.”

He looked down and sighed, “The number of patients that come in with no identification is worrying. If this fight continues, we’ll all be left nameless.”

I nodded while focussing my attention on the vital signs that showed that everything was normal.

“I’ll be off then and remember not to focus all your attention on this patient you have many more,” Professor Ji said jokingly.

I smiled at him and prepared to leave the room. As I got to the door, I looked at the man once more wondering how and why he came to this side of the border.