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She’s not conscious, and she’s bleeding, but she’s alive.
Scout puts her over his shoulder and carries her down the ladder.
I radio to Captain Marshall that I’m going to check the other evacuated rooms.
I rush into the hall and go methodically, room by room, checking for collapsed roofs and people who might need help to get out. I find one older man passed out in an armchair that must have come through from the floor above. I lift him over my shoulder, and then I hear the tiniest miaow I’ve ever heard.
Goddamn it.
Where did that come from?
Chapter twelve
Scout
I pass the unconscious woman over to Silver Lake paramedics and I look back up at the ladder.
Rueben’s still inside the building. I glance around, knowing if Captain Bishop were in charge, he’d be sending me in now to drag Rueben out. I climb back up the ladder, but I can’t see anything through the window. I’m so ready to climb inside and go looking that I jerk back in surprise when he appears suddenly and passes me an unconscious old man.
“I’ll be right back!” Rueben shouts, before he disappears again.
“Rueben!” I call back, feeling helpless.
I need to get this guy to the paramedics, but Rueben seriously needs to get out of that building.
I hesitate for a fraction of a second before I get moving.
He might be my pack brother, and best friend, but it’s up to the captain in charge to decide if or when to get him out of there. I don’t like it, but it’s part of the job.
And right now, my job is to get this injured man to the bottom of the ladder.
I concentrate on that, getting him down to where the paramedics are waiting with another stretcher at the ready. They help to move him carefully onto it.
He groans lightly as he’s rolled away.
I rush straight back up the ladder, heart pounding loudly in my chest as I wait for Rueben to return.
There must be someone else inside the building. He wouldn’t have gone back inside if there wasn’t.
The waiting feels like it might kill me. My knuckles go white on the ladder.
Then, he appears, alone.
I move back, letting him climb out.
He doesn’t offer any word of explanation.
I climb down the ladder, and he follows close behind.
When he drops down to the ground beside me, I frown at him.
He smiles mysteriously, but he still doesn’t say a word.
“All clear,” Captain Marshall calls out. “All of the residents are accounted for, and the fire’s out. Silver Valley team can go home. Thanks for the assist, Captain Bishop.”
“Any time, Captain Marshall.”
We’re done, apparently.
