Page 88 of Caught By Menace

“Hang on, Menace. I’m coming for you.”

The shock of hearing Terror’s voice in his ear left him momentarily stunned. In another instant, the Shadow Force operative was at his side with a heavy shield. Terror grabbed his arm. “Let’s move.”

He didn’t even ask how Terror had gotten there. He didn’t care. This was his only chance to save Naya. He was grasping it with both hands.

Bullets and plasma bursts ricocheted off the heavy-duty and specially coated shield. They kept low and moved quickly. Pierce shouted commands over the radio, ordering Venom into a sniper position. Whether he would get there in time to help Menace and Terror extricate Naya was anyone’s guess.

Menace dropped to his knees next to Naya. Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He shook his head. “Don’t talk. Conserve your energy.”

“We don’t have much time, Menace. Work quickly,” Terror grunted as he kept the shield in place, shifting it ever so slightly to provide the most coverage for Naya.

Menace grabbed a trauma dressing from the med kit strapped to his thigh and pressed it hard to her belly. She cried out in pain. Blood dribbled from the corner of her mouth. “Just hold on, sweetheart.”

She gripped his wrist. “I’m sorry. I should have told you but—”

“Don’t,” he cut her off before she could finish the apology. “None of that matters now.” He caressed her face. “I love you, Naya. I love you. Just focus on that, sweetheart.”

Her pained, panicked expression softened. “I love you too.”

“Touching as this is, we need to move.” Terror glanced over his shoulder and frowned at them. “Get her up, Menace.”

Even though he worried lifting her would cause even more damage to her internal organs, there was no other choice. If they stayed here, she was going to die. She screamed in pain as he gathered her in his arms. Her hot, slick blood coated his hands and soaked his uniform. The bitter scent of it made his stomach churn.

With Terror at his back, Menace ran toward their team, who provided constant suppressive fire. Up above, Venom picked off the enemy one by one. Finally unpinned, Hazard rushed out to join Terror with another shield, providing enough coverage tofully protect Naya’s wounded body. Bullets whizzed and snapped by them, but the two men ran them out of the factory.

A second ship, this one a so-called dart, often used to evacuate medical casualties, waited near the ship Menace and the team had used. Was that how Terror had gotten to the surface? Even though the dart could make the surface-to-Valianttrip in less than an hour, it was still too much time for Naya.

Hallie came running out of the bigger ship where she’d been waiting with Cipher. Her pale face said it all. Two medics ran out of the dart and hurried to assess Naya’s injuries. Menace carefully placed her on the stretcher. Unconscious now, she was barely breathing.

“Take the dart, Menace,” Terror urged. “Get her to theMercy. She won’t make it to theValiantin this shape. The medical installation is still in lower orbit. It’s fifteen minutes tops.”

Menace nodded and rushed after the two medics who carted her to the safety of the dart. Inside, the pilot was already prepared to take off and was in the process of radioing the installation to let them know a critical patient was incoming. Both medics attached tether cords hooked to harnesses on their jumpsuits to clips dangling from the ceiling to minimize their jostling and the effect of the upcoming gravity loss as they worked. The second her stretcher was secured, the pilot lifted off and began the rough, fast ascent.

One of the medics pushed Menace into a chair to get him out of the way. As he buckled his safety belts, he stared at Naya’s limp body. Blood poured onto the floor. Vents strategically placed under the stretcher clamps drained it away so the medics had a safe working space.

They hooked her up to various monitoring devices, stuck her with multiple IVs and pumped her full of medications. Shewas intubated and placed on a ventilator. Trauma dressings were soaked with synthesized clotting preparations to stem the massive blood loss. Plasma and units of blood were dispensed via the overhead med box. It seemed that as fast as they pushed it into her, it ran out onto the floor.

Needing to feel her, Menace reached out and grabbed her cold hand. Holding it tight, he dropped his head. For the first time since childhood, he prayed.

Chapter Nineteen

Hours later, Menacesat in the waiting room outside the surgical unit on the medical installationMercy. Naya had been much too fragile to move to theValiant. Luckily the trauma surgeons on board were fresh from the front lines and highly skilled. He was glad her life was in their capable hands.

The papery-thin blue scrubs he’d been given by one of the medics felt alien against his skin. On the chair next to him sat his pile of weapons and a bright-orange biohazard bag holding his soiled uniform. They kept the place uncommonly cold. He blamed his trembling limbs on that.

The sound of heavy boots squeaking on the highly polished floor caught his attention. He glanced to his left and spotted Vicious and Hallie walking toward him. He didn’t have the strength to stand. Vicious grabbed the weapons and biohazard bag from the seat and moved them one spot down before sitting. With a heavy sigh, he stretched out his legs and leaned back in his chair.

Hallie took the empty space on his other side. Always so kind and gentle, she grasped his hand in both of hers. She didn’t ask any questions or try to start a conversation. She seemed to understand that he couldn’t talk right now. What he needed was support.

The minutes ticked by as they sat in companionable silence. An hour or so after arriving, Vicious rose from his seat and disappeared down an adjacent corridor. He returned with a bottle of rehydrating sports drink and two energy bars. Viciousthrust them into his hands. “Eat this, Menace. You need your strength.”

He didn’t argue. Unwrapping the energy bar, he noticed the red stains on his cuticles and in his calluses. Naya’s blood had marked his skin. No amount of scrubbing in the hospital bathroom had been able to wash it away.

Hallie must have noticed him staring at them. “I’ll go ask one of the medics for some peroxide wipes.”

She left him alone with Vicious. Menace bit the bar and drank some of the slightly tart drink. He hated the berry-flavored version but didn’t let it stop him from devouring the snack. Vicious had been right to insist he eat something. Naya was going to need him to be strong for her.

“I’m sorry, Menace.” Vicious broke the silence finally. “This shouldn’t have happened. I should have done more to protect you and your wife.”

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