The realization hits hard enough to nearly knock the air out of me.
Hannah seems to realize it too.
Because suddenly her breathing changes.
Shallower.
Uneven.
Her eyes flick briefly to my mouth before she pulls away quickly.
Professional mask back in place instantly.
“People first,” she says tightly.
Right.
People first.
Always.
I force myself to let go.
Even though every instinct inside me wants to drag her out of this building and never let her out of my sight again.
Russ’s voice crackles through comms.
“Clay, we’ve got multiple hostiles moving toward the north entrance.”
“Copy.”
Lucas appears through the smoke carrying a little girl in his arms while Miles helps two injured civilians toward the side exit.
“Extraction route’s getting ugly!” Lucas shouts. “We need to move!”
“We still have wounded!” Hannah yells back immediately.
Of course she does.
A man groans somewhere near the back wall.
I turn toward the sound automatically.
And freeze.
One of the injured militia men from earlier lies slumped against the concrete near the office doorway, blood soaking heavily through his abdomen.
The same man Hannah treated.
He’s barely conscious.
Hannah moves toward him instantly.
I catch her wrist before she reaches him.
“No.”
Her eyes flash immediately.
