Radclyffe - Word of Honor

“It’s okay, sweetie, it’s okay,” Savard crooned over and over, her lips to Stark’s forehead, her face a mask of abject terror.

“We need a stretcher in here,” Emory shouted to no one in particular as she crouched down. Dana gave her an anxious smile and Emory quickly smiled back before returning her attention to Paula. Her pulse was easily one-fifty and her skin was cold. “She’s in shock.” She raised her voice. “I need resuscitation fluid right now.”

From beside her a man responded, “Here you go, Doc.”

“Cut her jacket and shirt sleeves away,” Emory ordered while she tore the plastic wrapping off IV tubing. Then she inserted plastic catheters in the veins in both of Paula’s arms and connected the tubing to bags of fluid. “Pump these in. Then hang two more.” She looked over her shoulder and saw a collapsible gurney just outside the door. “Do we have MAST trousers?”

“No,” one of Tanner’s team said. “Sorry, Doc.”

Emory shook her head in frustration. “Let’s move her, then.” She inched closer to Dana. “How much is she bleeding?”

“Not much anymore,” Dana said, keeping her voice low. “But she’s bled a hell of a lot.”

“How badly are you hurt?”

“Thump on the head. I’ve had worse.”

“I want you to ride to the hospital and get checked out. I’m going to be busy with her for a while.” Emory feathered her fingers over Dana’s cheek, just below the bruise. “I was so worried about you. Don’t disappear, all right? God, Dana, I need to see you.”

“Just take care of her. I’ll find you.”

“Good. Don’t forget.” Then Emory stood. “Let me put a field dressing on that leg and then let’s get the hell out of here.”

“I’m okay, Dad.” Blair cradled the phone in one hand while stripping out of her jeans and sweater in the bedroom of Diane’s cabin. “Really, I’m fine… What?”

At the sharp astonishment in Blair’s voice, Cam took a step toward her, but Blair waved her away.

“Of course I’m not upset,” Blair said adamantly. “I didn’t expect you to do anything except what you did. God, Dad. You can’t just give in to these fuckers.”

Cam didn’t care if Blair wanted to be held or not. She needed to hold her. When she put her arms around her, Blair sagged into her.

“I’m sorry,” Blair said to her father, her voice shaking. “I’m a little strung out right now. I just want to get a shower. Here’s Cam.”

Blair broke away from Cam and held out the phone. “Tell him… whatever.”

Cam waited until the bathroom door slammed shut and then sat on the edge of the bed. She was exhausted and keyed up at the same time. “Sir, it’s Cameron Roberts.”

“You’re sure she’s not hurt?” the president said.

“She’s shaken up a bit, but uninjured.”

“How bad was it?”

Cam closed her eyes. “Bad. Close call.”

“I want a full report.”

“Yes sir. Of course.”

“You told Lucinda the threat was neutralized?”

Cam hesitated. She’d only told Lucinda in a quick phone call that Blair had been recovered, that they had injuries, and that Matheson was no longer a threat. She hadn’t provided any details. She wasn’t sure how much she wanted to tell the president about what had happened in that cabin.

As if reading her thoughts, Andrew Powell said, “I’m her father, Cam. This is between you and me.”

“Blair killed him, hand to hand.”

The president sighed. “Well. How is she taking it?”

“I don’t know.” Cam glanced toward the bathroom. Not being able to see her, even for a few seconds, was driving her crazy. “If it’s all right with you, sir, I’d like to finish my report later.”

“Take care of her.”

“Yes sir. I will.”

Cam dropped the phone on the bedside table, unstrapped her weapon, and stripped down. She wanted to take the weapon with her into the bathroom, but the last thing Blair needed right now was to feel unsafe. She compromised by placing it on the chair closest to the bathroom door. She knocked, tried the handle, and finding the door unlocked, slipped inside. The shower was running, but Blair stood in front of the vanity, her hands clutching the edge, her head down. Her hair fell forward to cover her face, but it was easy to tell that she was crying. Cam cradled her from behind. “It’s okay, baby.”

Blair turned and wrapped her arms tightly around Cam’s shoulders, pressing her face to Cam’s neck. “It was over so fast. I didn’t think about it. He didn’t care if Paula died. I had to stop him.”

“Are you sorry?”

“No,” Blair said after a few seconds. She raised her head and searched Cam’s face. “Should I be?”

Cam smiled wryly. “No, baby. You shouldn’t be. He murdered one of Tanner’s men, he shot Stark and left her to die. He most certainly would have killed you and Dana once he realized there would be no negotiations. And that was just today.”

Blair smiled weakly. “Have you ever…with your bare hands?”

“No. With a weapon.” Cam sighed. “And I’ve given the order, when I would much preferred to have done it with my own hands.” She stroked Blair’s cheek. “You were amazing. You saved yourself, you saved Dana and Paula. You did exactly what needed to be done.” She kissed her. “I’m proud of you.”

“You’re shaking,” Blair murmured.

Cam squeezed her eyes tightly closed, holding back the tears that rose out of nowhere. “I just need to hold you.”

Blair caressed Cam’s back, smoothed her hand over her hair. “I’m okay. I’m right here.”

“Christ, I was scared.”

“I knew you would come,” Blair whispered. “Don’t cry, darling. I’m never leaving you.”

Cam swiped her face on her arm. “I just want to spend the rest of the day with you in my arms, but we need to get to the hospital.”

“How about taking a shower with me first?”

“I’ll take a shower with you. Hell, I’ll even go shopping with you.” Cam kissed her, hard. “I’m not letting you out of my sight. Ever.” “I won’t complain.” Blair laughed. “How things change.” Cam held open the shower door. “Love will do that to you.”

Dana pressed a cellophane-wrapped sandwich she’d picked up in the hospital cafeteria into Renee’s hand. She set a cup of coffee on the end table next to her and dropped into a surprisingly comfortable chair close by. “I know you don’t want to eat, but you should. It’s been a long day. It’s probably going to be a longer night.”

Renee turned the sandwich around in her hands as if she’d never seen one before. She still wore her black BDUs and T-shirt, and she looked wild and dangerous. “She’s been in there for almost five hours.”

“The trauma resident told Emory a branch of the femoral artery was nicked. They have to repair that. That kind of stuff takes a while.”

“They said the nerve was okay, didn’t they?” Renee asked for the third time. “Her leg…if her leg…if she can’t…”

Dana had never seen anyone faint while sitting down, but she thought Renee was about to. Her normally vibrant golden skin was a lusterless, washed-out beige, and her eyes were unfocused. Dana quickly knelt in front of her and cupped the back of her neck. “Here, put your head down for a second.”

“Sorry,” Renee whispered. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay,” Dana murmured, rubbing her shoulder. “It’s been a really crappy day.”

Renee laughed weakly and slowly raised her head. Her eyes glistened with tears. “Yeah. Really.” She brushed her cheeks. “She loves her fucking job. If she can’t do it anymore, I think it will break her heart.”

Dana smoothed her hands over Renee’s shoulders, then squeezed. “That kind of decision is way down the road. I think this country needs people like her right now, and the government doesn’t let go easy. They’ll probably rehab her until her ass falls off, but they’ll get her back to work.”