Page 34 of Everybody Needs a Hero

“Are you kidding?” Linda said. “I can’t wait to get out of here and tell everyone I met Tess Landish.”

Lookingup from the unhappy woman with the sprained ankle she was trying to appease, Drew noticed a guy walking unsteadily between a young man and a boy who looked like he might be thirteen at best. Their progress was slow, and Drew hoped they could get to the first aid area before the injured man stumbled. Deciding that case needed attention more urgently than any other victim, she apologized to her patient. “You’ll have to excuse me,” she said. “But I need to help someone else for a few minutes.”

“Isn’t anyone here a doctor?” the woman said with a whine, and Drew shrugged as she turned to leave.

“We have a plastic surgeon.”

The woman lifted her chin with a huff. “That will suffice.”

Looking amazingly unphased, Drew gave her a nod. “I’ll send him over as soon as he’s available,” she said without another look back. As she approached the three people shuffling their way closer, Drew quickly assessed the scene. The three all wore the same kind of shirt—a red woodpecker in a cap holding a bat, and she guessed they were part of a baseball team. The heavy-set guy the other two were helping presented sweaty and pale.

“Only a little bit further, Coach,” the young man said, coaxing the wobbling man to keep going.

He groaned in response. “I can’t catch my breath,” he said. “Might need to sit down for a second.” As if to underline his situation, he stumbled enough to nearly push the kid off balance.

Alarmed, Drew looked for a temporary place to settle him when someone moved past her.

“Here, let me help him,” a man she recognized from her team of volunteers said, moving to slide in to take over the teenager’s spot. Like magic, a second helper came to their aid too.

He relieved the exhausted young man. “Let’s go, buddy,” he said with a glance at Drew. “Where are we going?”

“This way,” she replied, stepping out in front. “Take him to that brick building on the left.” Moving along faster, but with the coach becoming more flushed, Drew looked at the young man who brought the coach in for help. “Tell me what happened.”

“I think he is having a heart attack,” the young man said. “It started after the earthquake. We were on the bus when it hit.”

Drew nodded, taking in the information. “A bus from where?”

“We’re a baseball team coming down from Seattle, and we got caught in the traffic jam. He’s our coach,” the young man said. “I’m really worried about him. Can you help?”

Drew nodded, moving faster. “I’ll try. Where are the other members of your team?”

“Still on the bus,” he answered. “A blonde woman came, told us where to take Coach, and agreed to stay with the boys.”

That must be Ashley, she thought, thankful the woman had been able to help. When they reached the brick building, Drew stopped beside an empty office chair. “Sit him down here,” she instructed. As soon as he was seated, she knelt in front of the coach and held his wrist. “Hi there. I’m Drew. What’s your name?” she asked while looking at her watch.

“He’s Coach,” said the teenage baseball player who walked over with them. Glancing at him, Drew saw fear in the boy’s eyes. “He’s going to be okay, right?”

Drew nodded. “Everything will be okay, and we will take good care of him,” she said with her most reassuring smile before turning her full attention back to helping the coach. She only hoped she was telling the truth.

Making doublysure the flat head of the tire jack was well in place against the concrete slab, Bryce gave the thumbs up. “We’re ready,” she said. “Go slow so we can both lift at the same pace.”

“You got it, Bryce,” Allen said. There was respect in his voice. She guessed it was not only because when he asked if she was military or something, she explained she was a Marine on leave, but also from her skill in coordinating the effort to free the man caught in the concrete. They had assessed a steel beam pressed down by a six by six hunk of solid cement was pinning him. Fortunately, the part that needed to move rested on other pieces of the irregular jigsaw puzzle that were not on the metal. All it needed was to be lifted high enough to pull the man out. Working together and with the help of the crowbar, they were able to place two jacks at the corners.

This better work, Bryce thought, taking a deep breath to steady her nerves.Because we’re probably only going to get one shot at it.“Okay, start twisting the wrench on my count to three,” she said, and Allen nodded, his hand on the jack handle. “One. Two. Three.” At first, the jacks had to find purchase as the weight settled on the load, but slowly, they lifted the slab. “That’s it. Easy does it.”

“It’s working,” Allen said. “Thank God.”

Bryce agreed. The plan did seem to be going as she envisioned. Not taking her eyes off the jack, she called to the man trapped. “Talk to me, Jerry,” she said. “Can you feel any difference in the weight on your chest?”

There was enough of a pause for Bryce to frown, thinking maybe Jerry was unconscious, but then he answered. “Yes,” he said, excitement in his voice. “I’m not so pinched.” Nodding, Bryce turned the wrench again while Allen did the same. Two others waited on their stomachs at the gap, ready to help pull Jerry free as soon as he wanted to try.

On the next crank, Bryce’s corner of the slab suddenly started to crack. It ran down the piece away from her like a snake.Oh shit, was all she could think. There was no way the concrete would stay stable much longer. “Faster, Allen,” she said, guessing at any second the edge would sheer off. “My side is starting to break.” With wide eyes, Allen started cranking harder while she did the same. The slab lifted, but the crack began to widen with it. Bryce guessed they didn’t have much time. “It’s slipping! Pull him out. Now!” She heard the grunts of her team working behind her and prayed the jacks had lifted the concrete high enough.

“Get me out of here,” she heard Jerry yelling, and then there was the sound of the concrete breaking.

“Get away from the jack, Allen,” Bryce said while scrabbling backward out of the way. “It’s going to fall any second.”

“We got him,” one of her team yelled at the exact moment the piece split and collapsed onto itself. A puff of rock bits and dust billowed up. “Jesus, that was close.”

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