Swiftly, the paramedics secured Fallon onto a gurney, and before I knew it, we were racing through the corridors of the manor and into the waiting ambulance.
“I’m going with them. Wait for the local PD and the FBI then meet me at the hospital. Tanner will want you both there,” I told Bernard and Vance.
They both nodded as the ambulance doors slammed shut. The paramedic inside moved with practiced precision, wasting no time as he plunged needles into Fallon’s veins, establishing vital IV lines, and hooked him up to a cardiac monitor.
Fallon lay there, pale and still, his life hanging by the thinnest of threads. The ambulance sped through the snow-covered streets, bouncing over potholes and sharp turns.
Come on, Fallon. Hang in there.
As minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity, I couldn’t help but replay the event in my mind. The guy was dressed like the catering staff. Could we have prevented Fallon from getting shot? My thoughts were a whirl of questions.
My phone in my jacket pocket rang, but I didn’t answer it. I knew who was calling, and I wasn’t ready to tellhimanything until I knew Fallon’s fate.
Then it happened ...
The beeping on the monitor became erratic, a piercing alarm that penetrated my ears. I locked eyes with the paramedic.
Fallon was coding.
The paramedic grabbed the defibrillator pads and yelled, “Clear!”
He shocked Fallon, and his body twitched in response.
No immediate sign of life returned to him.
“Again!” the paramedic barked, and he shocked Fallon once more.
Each excruciating second felt like forever as he desperately fought to bring Fallon back.
23
RHETT
Poppy was snuggledinto my side as she slept peacefully. It was a perfect way to end her birthday celebration, which included pizza, cake, ice cream, and her favorite movie. My time with her was exactly the sort of life I wanted, but the only thing missing was Fallon.
Trying not to wake Poppy, I slowly scooted off the couch and then scooped her into my arms and carried her to her room. After laying her in her bed, I tucked her in, placed a kiss on her head, and then made sure she had her purple stuffed unicorn before tiptoeing out of the room and closing the door behind me.
With her asleep and the apartment cleaned up, nothing was left for me to do except think about the text Fallon sent me earlier. The one where he asked if I wanted to get married someday. The question had thrown me for a loop because I hadn’t expected him to admit that watching his friends get married had any sort of effect on him.
When he pushed for me to answer, I had to tell him the truth. I absolutely wanted to get married one day, and my mind filled with all the possibilities of a life spent with him. Maybe we could move in together one day. We would stay up late talking about our hopes and dreams. We could have family movie nights with my daughter, who he’d already formed a bond with. Go on family vacations and eventually stand in the driveway together as we watched Poppy drive off to college.
My chest filled with happiness as I realized, despite the obstacles in our way, Fallon was the one I wanted to build a future with because I was hopelessly in love with him.
I knew what I needed to do next, and that was to tell him how I felt. I expected him to call me once he got home, but as I looked at the time, I knew it was likely I wouldn’t hear from him for a couple more hours.
I flipped through the channels on the TV, searching for something to distract me while I waited. I settled on a Marvel movie and lay across the couch. The colors on the screen blended together as I relaxed into the cushions, and my eyes became heavy. Despite my best efforts to stay awake, I felt myself start to drift off.
I had no idea how long I’d been asleep when a text notification on the prepaid phone startled me awake. Rubbing my eyes, I read the message:
Wedding is coming to an end. I should be home in about an hour. You better be naked and hard when I call
I grabbed both my phones and hauled myself off the couch to head toward the bathroom for a quick shower. I would definitely be ready when he called.
While I stood under the hot water a few minutes later, I heard another message come through on my primary phone. I stepped out of the shower and dried off.
When I picked up my regular cell, my heart sank. The message from our command center was one no agent ever wanted to read:
Critical situation. Report to the command post immediately.
