Page 19 of Engulfing Emma

“Yeah, but there are five—uh, six hostages here, one of them clinging to life. We need to end this.”

“But what about Leo?” I ask. “You can’t risk your life like that.”

“Emma, I’m a firefighter. I became one to help people.”

Tears well up in my eyes. “So did my dad.”

He exhales a deep breath. “I’m really sorry you lost him.”

I nod and swallow. “Not a day goes by that I don’t remember Mom getting the phone call telling her my dad was inside the south tower when it collapsed.” I press my lips together and look at the ceiling, trying to keep more tears at bay. “I was home sick that day. We watched it on TV, along with other women who were married to firefighters in my dad’s company. For an eight-year-old like me, it was like watching a movie. I didn’t understand that it was real. Not until Mom dropped the phone, and she and some of the others fell to the floor in hysterics.”

He puts a comforting hand on mine.

“Brett,” I say, my tears having won the battle. “You can’t put Leo through that. He’ll never forgive you.”

His hand comes to my face and a finger wipes away my tears. “You never forgave your father?”

“I … I can’t.” I shake my head sadly. “He knew what he was doing when he ran into that tower. He knew what he was doing when he risked his life then and so many other times. He was willing to leave my mother and me. How can I forgive him for that?”

“Emma, it wasn’t his choice to leave you. You must know that.”

I try to control my breathing, but suddenly everything is sinking in. Carter barely hanging on to life. Us trapped here with God knows what happening on the other side of the door. “I’m s-sorry. I guess this is all getting to me.”

He looks at his watch. “I have to release the tourniquet for a few minutes or he could lose the leg.”

“But won’t he start bleeding again?”

“He will, but hopefully the blood he’s getting will keep him from getting worse. I have to try. I’d want someone to do it for me.”

“What can I do?”

“Keep squeezing the bag. I need blood going in as fast as it’s coming out.”

I watch in terror as blood runs out of Carter’s wound. Brett looks more than a little concerned, and after only a minute, he tightens the belt around Carter’s leg. Then he stands and squeezes the bag of blood harder than I could have.

He scrubs a hand across his face. “Damn. I hope I didn’t make it worse.”

“He’s young,” I tell him. “I’m sure he would want you to try and save his leg.”

He runs his hands through his hair. “His leg won’t mean much if he loses his life.”

When the blood from the first bag is all gone, he hangs a second. “I have to get him out of here. Where’s the phone?”

I point to a shirt on the floor. “It’s under there.”

Before he moves toward it, I put my hand on his arm. “Please be careful.”

He looks into my eyes. I don’t even know this guy. I’m not sure why I’m having this visceral reaction to him. Maybe because he reminds me of my dad.

“I’m getting you out of here, Emma,” he says, touching my hand. “Nobody is dying today, I promise.”

Chapter Seven

Brett

“Ready?” I ask Emma after I barricade her and Carter behind several overturned tables.

“Yes. No.”

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