Page 30 of Blazing Hearts

As if sensing her gaze, Kara turned. Their eyes met, locking across the tumult. Mallory felt the pull instantly, the magnetic connection that seemed to exist only between them. Despite the layers of dirt and exhaustion etched into Kara’s face, there was a flicker of something softer in her eyes, something that steadied Mallory’s racing heart.

Kara gave her a brief nod, a silent acknowledgment that they were in this together. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. Mallory felt a spark of reassurance that she hadn’t known she needed.

She nodded back, squaring her shoulders and heading for the makeshift triage area.

The triage zone was a whirlwind of activity. Folding tables and portable floodlights had been set up haphazardly on the street, and medics were darting between patients with an urgency that left no room for error. Mallory jumped in without hesitation, snapping on gloves as she approached a paramedic who was bent over an unconscious woman.

“What do we have?” Mallory asked, crouching beside her.

“Mid-thirties, found pinned under debris. Possible spinal injury and severe contusions on the left side. BP’s dropping.”

Mallory nodded, her hands already moving. She worked quickly, assessing the woman’s injuries and barking instructions to a nearby EMT. The chaos around her faded into the background as she focused entirely on stabilizing her patient.

The triage area was a frenzy of movement. Mallory worked with calm efficiency; her hands steady as she stitched a gash on a teenager’s arm. Around her, medics called out updates, rushing to and from patients laid out on stretchers or makeshift mats on the ground. The air was thick with the mingling scents of smoke, dust, and blood, but Mallory barely noticed.

“Doctor Storm!”

She turned sharply at the sound of her name and spotted a firefighter jogging toward her. Her gear was streaked with soot, and her voice carried an urgency that set Mallory’s pulse racing.

“Captain Harris needs you over by the northeast corner. There’s a victim trapped under debris, and she says we’ll need you the moment they’re freed.”

Mallory didn’t hesitate. She handed off her current patient to a medic, grabbed her kit, and followed the firefighter through the maze of wreckage. The closer they got to the collapse site, the heavier the air became, filled with the grind of machinery and the muffled cries of victims still trapped beneath the rubble.

She spotted Kara immediately as she stood side by side with Captain Cass Harris. Even amidst the chaos, Kara’s presence was commanding. She stood at the edge of a jagged pile of debris, her helmet on, shouting instructions to her team. They worked in synchronized chaos, maneuvering heavy tools to lift a collapsed beam that had pinned someone beneath it.

“Kara!” Mallory called, her voice cutting through the din.

Kara turned, her eyes locking onto Mallory with a mix of relief and focus. “Over here!” she said, motioning her closer. “We’ve got a woman trapped. We’re almost through, but she’s in bad shape—broken leg, maybe worse. We need you ready as soon as we get her out.”

Mallory nodded, her heart thudding. She dropped to her knees beside the rubble, pulling on gloves as she surveyed the scene. The woman was partially visible under the wreckage, her face pale and streaked with dirt, her breaths shallow and rapid.

“Hang tight,” Mallory said softly, leaning in to make eye contact with the woman. “We’re going to get you out.”

The woman’s gaze flickered, filled with fear but also a glimmer of hope.

Kara crouched beside Mallory, close enough that their shoulders brushed. “We’re lifting this beam now. Be ready,” Kara said, her voice low but steady.

“Understood,” Mallory replied, glancing at her. Kara’s face was streaked with soot, her jaw set with determination. She was a pillar of strength, and Mallory felt an unexpected wave of gratitude that she was here.

“On three!” Kara shouted to her team, stepping back to guide the operation.

The firefighters heaved in unison, the beam groaning as it was lifted inch by inch. Dust and debris rained down, making Mallory squint against the cloud that rose around them.

“She’s clear!” Kara called.

Mallory darted forward, sliding on her knees to reach the woman. Her hands moved instinctively, checking for a pulse, assessing injuries. “She’s in shock,” Mallory muttered, grabbing supplies from her bag. “Kara, hold this flashlight steady for me.”

Kara knelt beside her, taking the flashlight without hesitation and angling the beam exactly where Mallory needed it. They worked together seamlessly, as if they’d done this a hundred times before.

The woman groaned as Mallory stabilized her leg with a splint. “You’re doing great,” Mallory said, her voice calm and soothing. She glanced up at Kara, who was holding the light steady, her focus unwavering.

“We need to move her to the triage area,” Mallory said.

Kara nodded, signaling to her team. Within moments, a stretcher was brought over, and together, Mallory and Kara lifted the woman onto it with care. As the firefighters carried the stretcher away, Mallory exhaled, her muscles trembling from the intensity of the moment.

The dust and noise of the site began to settle, if only briefly. Mallory wiped a hand across her forehead, smearing dirt across her skin, and took a moment to catch her breath. Her lungs burned from the smoke, and her hands ached, but there was no time to dwell on her exhaustion.

She turned, scanning the site for Kara. She didn’t have to look far. Kara stood a few feet away, bent over a map spread out on the hood of a fire truck, strategizing with another firefighter. Even from a distance, Mallory could see the tension in her shoulders, the weight of responsibility pressing down on her.

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