Page 36 of Searching Blind

Two more sets of boots pounded up the tower’s stairs. “What’s going on in here?” Ethan asked from the doorway.

Chuck growled. “Sawyer’s a fucking menace, that’s what. He sprayed my boy with bear spray.”

Guilt stabbed through him. Maybe it had been a nightmare. It had all seemed so real, but the nightmares he’d experienced right after he was blinded had been vividly real, too. For a long time, he hadn’t been able to tell the difference between dreams and reality. “Joel, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to?—”

“Just fucking stop,” Chuck said. “Stop trying to act like you’re normal. You’re going to get us all killed.”

The words hit like a physical blow.

Sawyer let out a bitter laugh. “Trust me. I know better than anyone that I’m not normal.”

“Okay,” Grant said, drawing the word out. “Let’s all take a breath. Fighting isn’t going to help. Let’s get Joel outside into the fresh air.”

There was movement, Grant and Chuck lifting Joel from his seat. Sawyer watched as their blurry figures limped toward the door, then scrubbed his hands over his face. “Fuck.”

“You’re bleeding,” Ethan pointed out unnecessarily.

He jumped. He’d forgotten the guy was in the room. “Thanks for the newsflash,” he said dryly.

“We need to clean that. It could get infected.”

“I’ll take care of it.” He felt his way back toward the desk and crouched, reaching out for Zelda. She still hadn’t moved.

What was wrong with her?

When he felt her chest expand, he let out the breath caught in his lungs. At least she was still breathing.

He felt Ethan close in behind him, and dread trickled down his spine. He was pretty sure his attacker had been a man. It could’ve been Ethan.

“The dog okay?” Ethan asked.

“I don’t know.” His voice came out strangled, and he cleared his throat. “She won’t wake up.”

Ethan grunted but said nothing for a handful of beats. “You didn’t spray that shit accidentally. I know a good soldier when I see one. Blind or not, you’re a good soldier.”

“Marine.” He stroked his girl’s soft fur and silently willed her to be okay.

Ethan made a sound that might have passed for a laugh. “Jarhead. Should’ve figured.”

“You were military?”

“Army Ranger. Long time ago. Another lifetime.”

“I have a friend who was a Ranger.” He thought of Zak Hendricks and hoped like hell the guy was mobilizing a rescue operation.

If his S.O.S. call got through to Ash.

If there was even a team left to mobilize. What if they were all injured? Or tied up with other rescues?

Too many ifs.

Adrenaline began to ebb, replaced by a dizzying exhaustion that threatened to pull him under. He leaned his back against the desk and dragged his girl onto his lap. He wasn’t moving until she woke up.

chapter

twelve

Lucy was not having better luck.

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