Page 29 of Found

“I’m not seeing anyone,” I say to the men over the radio.

“Same, Boss. All clear in the west wing,” Montgomery says over the radio.

“Clear in the east,” Fly Guy adds.

I move a farther back in the building, Stokes following me. There’s black smoke billowing from a massive flame, feet from a large silver tank. I can’t make out the contents of the tank through the smoke, but those types usually hold flammable material.

“Possible explosives! Fall back. Everyone out,” I order the men.

As I turn, Stokes gets my attention. “Boss.” He points to the side of me. I look at the place he’s indicating and can just make out a pair of boots extending beyond a metal filing cabinet.

“Shit. Let’s hurry,” I tell him, and we jog toward the person.

It’s a man who appears to be in his twenties. He’s lying motionless, but there’s no time to assess his state as the tank could blow at any minute, and if it does—we’re gone.

“Let’s go!” I grab the man’s arms, and Stokes picks up his legs.

Captain calls over the radio. “Boss, report! You and Stokes need to get out of there, now!”

We carry the lifeless body as quickly as we can toward the entrance to the building.

“Boss, report!” Cap says again, but I have no time to stop and radio back.

“Come on, Stokes. We got this! A little faster,” I shout so he can hear me through my mask, looking behind me as I step to avoid burning debris.

The light from the entrance bursts through the darkness, guiding us through the engulfed warehouse. I smile with relief as my boot touches the pavement outside.

Stokes and I continue to carry the man away from the building.

Davis and Lee, our paramedics, charge toward us with the yellow spinal board. They set it down on the ground, and Stokes and I place the unconscious man upon it.

Hattie Davis places her first two fingers against the guy’s neck. “We have a pulse! Let’s get him to the rig.” She shoots us a smile.

I look at Stokes; his large smile matches my own.

The four of us bend to grab the board and as we start to lift it from the ground, a massive explosion sounds. A rush of air and debris fly toward us. On instinct, Stokes and I lunge to cover the girls and their patient as none of them are wearing protective gear.

My ears are ringing, and I shake my head to clear the sound. “Are you okay?” I look toward our paramedics.

“Yeah.” Kora Lee holds her head, her eyes scrunched tight. “Just a little headache.” She forces a quipped laugh.

Davis steadies herself, holding her palm against her stomach. “It’s gonna hurt later,” she says. “Good thing we weren’t any closer. Come on,” she says to Lee. “We have to get him on oxygen.”

The four of us return to our task of carrying the man to the ambulance. We set the board on the stretcher, and Stokes and I step back as Davis and Lee get to work.

Cap comes up behind me. “Everyone good?”

“Yeah, Cap. All good,” I answer.

“He’s alive?” he asks.

“Seems to be. Got him just in time, I think.”

Captain pats me on the back. “I’d say so. Great work, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you.”

“Good eye back there,” I say to Stokes. “You saved that guy’s life.”

---