Part 25 (1/2)

I followed closely behind, hopping into the bus and starting it.

Winter pulled up the rear, b.u.t.toning her s.h.i.+rt as she went.

”I really, really could use another three hours of sleep. I'm about to go crazy.”

As we pulled up three blocks away from the bank, a uniformed police officer met us, and explained what was going on.

”We've got some gunmen holding up the First National Bank. We know that one teller has been shot and, as far as we know, has sustained a non-life threatening shot to the leg. We...”

”Rawls!” A man boomed from the edge of the police line.

I followed the sound of the man's voice to find James standing there in full SWAT gear.

”s.h.i.+t, must be really serious if they have the SWAT team here.” Winter observed as Rawls, as James had called him, went running to him.

James didn't even spare them a glance as he spoke to the uniformed officer and then took off. The officer returned moments later bearing instructions.

”He wants us to move back. Says the main guy has a hunting rifle and could easily hit anyone from this distance. We're going to need you to park around that corner right there.” He said, indicating the next side street.

Winter moved the bus and Bowe moved the engine; we waited for what felt like hours.

”Do you think they'll deliver pizza over here?” I asked over the radio to Dillon.

Static.

”Negative. The Chief would kill us.” Bowe replied good naturedly.

”What about going to that Subway over there. I'm dying here.” I continued.

Seriously, there was a Subway not even two stores down from us. We'd been sitting in the parking lot of the Speedy Lube for well over an hour, and I was dying. And I had to pee.

Just as I was about to suggest it when Downy, my brother's best friend and fellow SWAT member, rounded the corner.

He looked pretty darn hot.

I don't mean s.e.xy hot, either. Not that he wasn't easy on the eyes...well, really easy, but he looked like he was sweating his a.s.s off.

He was in long sleeved cargo pants, a long sleeved s.h.i.+rt, a helmet, a protective Kevlar vest, a neck covering, and st.u.r.dy black boots. Then he had multiple weapons strapped on; one to his thigh, one across his back, a knife on his left leg, a utility belt, and, finally, one in a shoulder holster under his left arm.

He looked well and truly p.i.s.sed, too.

Which was unusual for him.

Downy was what you would call the cla.s.s clown.

He was tall, about two inches taller than my brother. He had broad shoulders, a strong firm jaw, and beautiful red hair.

He reminded me of a Scottish Highlander with all those ropey muscles and Scottish heritage attributes. All he needed was a blue face and the mullet, and he could totally pull it off.

He'd been on the police force when my brother had met him, and together they'd broached the subject of a SWAT team with the Chief of Police.

He'd a.s.signed a senior officer to the team, and Downy and Luke had been the first actual members.

They'd become fast friends, and I absolutely adored him.

I'd never seen him mad before, but with one glance at him now, I could definitely cross that particular item off my list.

He'd approached the firefighters first, and when he didn't get what he wanted, he came to us.

”They're allowing a medic to go in there and help the lady that was shot. You don't have to do it, but they said they'd let the other hostages go if we showed good faith by sending one of our own in. I need one of you to tell me what to do, and we'll see if we can help her.” Downy rushed out.

That was just too hard to explain to someone who'd never had any basic medical experience.

I didn't really know how it happened, but one thing led to another, and I found myself strapped into a Kevlar vest and neck guard, heading into a building where there was a gunman.

And my brother was p.i.s.sed.

He'd gotten into a fight with Downy, and instead of waiting, I just went in.

At the time, I wasn't really thinking of the consequences. There was only one thing I thinking of and that was that there was an injured person in there, and I wasn't letting her die if I could help it.

Sebastian ”Where is she?” I growled, once I pulled up on my bike.

I parked the bike as close to the tape as I could without actually running it over with my bike.

The cops probably wouldn't see that in a good light.

Everyone looked around nervously. There was a crowd behind the bright yellow strip of police tape, made up of her friends and fellow workers. They all looked concerned and very reluctant to tell me where she was. The surprising thing was that Luke was the one to point out where she was.

I found her sitting on the floor of the open doors of her own motherf.u.c.king ambulance. She had a dressing pressed against her forehead, and the white t-s.h.i.+rt she normally wore underneath her uniform top was stained bright red with blood.

When no one said anything, I a.s.sumed she'd gone inside and then had the nerve to get hurt in the process.

Not waiting for permission, I stomped forward, in precise steps toward the woman who was about to feel the pain and terror I felt in that hour drive over here. I'd been so G.o.dd.a.m.ned scared that she would get hurt, and low and behold, she was hurt.

When she saw me, her smile widened, but immediately fell when she saw the expression on my face.

She came to her feet warily. ”I know you're upset, I really do. But I was completely...”

”Enough.” I hissed.

Her mouth slapped shut so hard her teeth clicked together.

She looked worried about what I was about to say, and she should be. ”I've never had these feelings before. Never. I went through two tours of deployment. Watched my three best friends burn alive in front of me. I've just spent the last hour of my life worrying about you; whether you were dead or alive. I have never...never...felt this way before. It felt like a piece of my heart was ripped out. What in the holy f.u.c.k were you thinking?”

I was all but yelling by the time I was finished.

She sneered at me. ”I'm a paramedic! We've taken an oath to preserve life! What'd you want me to do, let her die?”