Page 75 of No Going Back

“Cut and scrapes. It’s not me I’m worried about.” Sam glanced down at Mira, who hadn’t stirred. Her eyes still closed.

“Mira?”

“Yeah, she’s hurt.”

“How bad?”

“Not going to lie, it doesn’t look good. I’m not sure how much time she has.”

***

HEARING THOSE WORDS, Tyler stepped closer to the computer, panic almost choking him.

“How bad, Sam?”

“Tyler?”

“Yeah. How bad?” he repeated.

“When I found her, she was trapped under concrete and rubble. I managed to clear most of it and kept her still. She has feeling in her arms and legs, but I’m worried about internal injuries. She’s slipping in and out of consciousness and complaining it hurts to breathe.”

Tyler clenched his fists, desperate to get to her, to help her. He turned to Mackie.

“Can we establish a video call?”

“Maybe, let’s give it a shot.”

Mackie tapped a few things on the laptop. “Sam, I’m going to disconnect and try a video call.”

A few seconds later, Sam’s face came into view.

“Hey guys, good to see you.”

“You, too,” Dex said.

Sam turned the phone, which brought Mira into view. Tyler stilled, staring at the screen. If Sam hadn’t told him she was alive, he would have thought she was dead. Her face was deathly pale. Her gorgeous dark hair was covered in dust and debris. And she wasn’t moving.

“What should I do, Tyler? Talk to me.”

“Ty? Why don’t you let Logan handle this?” Dex said, referring to Nyx’s team medic.

“No! I got it,” he snapped, not even looking at Dex. “How’s her breathing? Shallow, irregular?”

“It’s shallow, raspy. She was complaining every breath hurt.”

“Has it been like that since you found her?”

“She was in pain, but it’s got worse.”

Tyler’s jaw clenched. Keep it together, Ty, you need to help your girl.

“Can you lift up her top, so I can see any bruising.”

Sam did as he asked. Dark bruises were forming all over her body. His stomach dropped at the bruising around her navel.

“Ty, what is it?” Sam asked, frowning.

“The bruising around her navel is a sign of internal bleeding. The shortness of breath, could be blood flowing into the lungs.” Tyler looked up at his team leader, his face tense. “If we don’t get her out of there now, she’s going to die.”

---