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“What kind?”
“Something big, just tape that’ll hold tight to form a seal.”
Sarah nodded and got up, hurrying off to try and pull yet another rabbit out of a hat. Dianne began removing the bandages from around the wound and placed her hand directly over the hole in Tina’s chest as she spoke. “You’ll have to walk me through this, hon. I need to seal off the wound to keep air from going in, though, right?”
Tina nodded, a slight smile passing across her increasingly pale face. “I think the bullet… went into… collarbone or shoulder. Hurts… like the dickens.” Another breath, though this time with Dianne’s hand forming a seal over the wound, there were no bubbles.
“So, I need to seal this up. Then what?”
“Not much to do. Hope it clots. Pray… it went around the lung.” Each word and breath was accompanied by a pained expression, and it was all Dianne could do to not wrap her arms around Tina and hug her as tight as possible.
“All I could find is this,” Sarah knelt back down, holding out a roll of duct tape with a shrug and an apologetic expression.
“This can’t be sanitary.” Dianne looked at the roll for a moment before nodding. “All right, fine. Get me some bandages, then tear off strips of tape about a foot and a half long. We’ll cover the wound with bandages, then seal it off with tape to keep it airtight.” She looked down at Tina. “Will that work?”
Tina’s eyes were closed but she nodded and licked her lips before replying in a whisper. “Yeah. Should. Once it’s on… wait a while… then you need to use a needle… suck out the air.”
“Needle to the chest to suck out the air.” Dianne gulped hard and closed her eyes. “Oh boy.”
Chapter 3
Washington, D.C.
When Rick tackled Jacob, he had thought in the back of his mind that subduing the technician would be relatively straightforward compared to battling against the pair of Spetsnaz. His assumption that Jacob would be naturally weak and ineffectual in a physical struggle was not borne out by reality, though, as the technician refused to be taken out without a fight.
Jacob rolled his body and pushed Rick off before pushing and pulling himself forward deeper into the darkness between the server racks, feeling with his hand on the ground for the pistol. Rick clambered after him, grabbed hold of Jacob’s pant leg and pulled sharply, sending the technician’s head slamming forward against the ground with a sharp crack and a cry of pain. Jacob, in turn, kicked with both his feet, causing Rick to see stars as the heel of one boot collided with his head. He refused to let go of Jacob’s leg, though, and instead pulled harder, dragging the lighter man back toward him and away from the firearm that Jacob was so desperate to locate.
With a quick heave, Rick pushed himself off the floor and landed back on top of Jacob, though this time he was more prepared. Taking Jacob’s face in both hands he slammed the technician’s head back against the floor, first once, then twice, each time cringing at the sound of cracking bone and the muffled cries of pain beneath his hands. He nearly stopped attacking Jacob both times, but the image of Jane’s body and the knowledge that both Dr. Evans an
d Oles had been shot spurred him on.
“Rick!” The voice was distant and hazy, and Rick didn’t register it until he felt a hand on his shoulder. “Rick!!”
Rick turned, grabbing for the hand to try and fight off his attacker, but found himself staring into the pained eyes of Dr. Evans instead. “Leave him be, Rick! You got him!”
Rick looked back down, realizing that Jacob had stopped fighting back more than a few blows earlier. He released the technician’s head and it dropped to the floor with a sickening thud, then he stood up and slowly backed away from Jacob’s body.
“I—I didn’t mean—”
“Yes you did. And it’s a damned good thing you did it, too.” Dr. Evans groaned as he put his hand on Rick’s shoulder again. “He would have killed us all. Oles! You okay over there?”
“Hurts like hell but he just barely nicked me.”
“Nice acting there.” Dr. Evans snorted approvingly. “You did good on distracting Jacob.”
“I was hoping Rick would take advantage.” Oles smiled as he approached Rick, then his smile turned sour as he looked at his former friend. “I just wish it hadn’t come to all this.”
“I hate to be the odd man out,” Rick said with frustration, “but would you two please explain to me what’s going on?!”
Dr. Evans nodded. “Let’s sit down, though. I don’t need this to start bleeding again.”
“You need medical attention, Dr. Evans.” Oles took him by the arm and helped ease him into a seat.
“Later. Once we’ve finished this.” He cast a glance over at Jacob’s body, then looked up at Rick. “Is Jane truly… gone?”
Rick felt his stomach twist into knots and nodded solemnly. “She is. Gunned down by Ostap as he was running upstairs. She never had a chance.”
Resilient all the way up to and through watching Jacob being killed by Rick’s hand, the usually indefatigably resilient attitude of Dr. Evans broke. His forced smile faded, his shoulders slumped and the light went out of his eyes. His wound, still untended, was forgotten as he felt his soul empty out into the dark room.
