Page 73 of Emi's Hero

He struggled with the handgun, slapped the magazine and cursed.

Rage ripped through Emi. “Sara, stay down,” she ordered. Then, she leaped to her feet and dove for the tree limb.

Warren sat up, released the magazine from the grip and pulled back the bolt, ejecting the jammed bullet. He slammed the magazine back into the handle.

Before he could raise the barrel to point it at Emi, she swung the limb at him with all her might, hitting him square in the face.

Warren fell backward, blood pouring from his nose.

Still holding the limb, Emi stood over him, prepared to hit him again.

Kalea rushed over to her. “I think he’s dead.” She bent and felt for a pulse. After a few moments, she nodded. “He’s not going to hurt anyone ever again.”

Emi dropped the branch and hurried toward George.

He lay on his side, blood seeping from a wound to his abdomen.

Her heart in her throat, Emi ripped off the jersey she’d worn to the luau, glad she’d worn a tank top underneath. Shequickly folded the jersey into a pad and laid it across the wound, applying pressure.

“George,” she said. “George.” With her free hand, she touched her fingers to the base of his throat, holding her breath, praying... A faint pulse tapped against her fingertips.

She let go of the breath she’d been holding and looked up. “We need an ambulance. Now.”

Kalea had her cell phone out already, making that call.

Sara raised her head. “Mommy?”

“Oh, sweetie. Come to Mommy. Everything is going to be all right.” Emi knew she and Sara were going to be all right. She wasn’t so sure about George. His face was pale, and he’d lost a lot of blood. How long could he hold out before an ambulance arrived?

Emi leaned close to his ear and whispered. “Hey, big guy. Are you still with me?”

His eyelids twitched and opened.

When he saw her there, his mouth curved into a smile. “Still with the living,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Please stay that way,” Emi said, tears welling in her eyes. “There’s someone I want you to meet.”

Sara came to stand beside Emi and stared down at George.

“George,” Emi said. “This is my daughter, Sara. Sara, honey,” Emi had to swallow hard on the lump in her throat before she could continue. “This is George Ingram. A very good man who saved your Mommy’s life two times. That makes him my hero.”

George held out his hand to Sara. “Nice to meet you, Sara,” he said.

When Sara wrapped her little hand around two of his fingers, he gave it a light shake.

Kalea knelt on the other side of Sara. “Hi, Sara. My name is Kalea. I want to thank you so very much. If you hadn’t bit thatmean man’s hand, he would’ve shot me. You saved my life. That makes youmyhero. May I hug you?”

Though Sara’s eyes were wide, she nodded.

Kalea wrapped her arms around the little girl and hugged her gently. “You’re a very brave girl.”

“Can I get in on the hug fest?” Hawk called out as he approached. He dropped to his haunches and cocked an eyebrow at George. “Lying down on the job?”

George’s lips twitched. “Took one for my team.” His brow furrowed. “There’s a woman named Maria in the tunnel...”

“We found her and moved her to where we’re holding the others. She was up and moving around, but we’ll have the emergency medical technicians check her out when they arrive.”

“Thanks,” George said. “I really need to learn Spanish.”

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