Page 36 of Blazing Hearts

Forcing herself to focus, Kara reached for her radio. Her hand trembled as she fumbled with it, the device slick with sweat and grime. She pressed the button. “This is Captain Brandon. I’m pinned by the building collapse—east side, first floor. Beam on my leg. Request immediate assistance.”

The radio crackled, but the reply was unintelligible, drowned out by static and the relentless roar of the fire. Kara cursed under her breath, her pulse pounding in her ears.

She leaned her head back against the concrete, closing her eyes for a moment. The smoke was getting thicker, the air hotter. Her breaths came faster despite her efforts to stay calm. In the growing haze, her thoughts began to spiral, and for the first time in years, fear took hold.

Was this it?

The question was unbidden, and it cut through her like the beam crushing her leg. Kara had always accepted the risks of the job, but in the back of her mind, she’d believed she was invincible—or at least untouchable. Now, staring down the very real possibility that she might not make it out, the thought was unbearable.

Her team. Her friends. Mallory.

The last name hit her like a punch to the chest, and she let out a shuddering breath. Mallory’s face filled her mind, unbidden but vivid. The way her lips quirked in that rare, genuine smile. The fire in her eyes when she argued a point. The softness in her voice when she let her guard down, even for a moment.

Kara’s chest tightened, and it wasn’t just from the smoke.

She thought of the night at Mallory’s apartment, the way she’d opened up, baring her fears and insecurities like raw wounds. Kara had been so careful, so patient, holding back her own emotions for fear of overwhelming Mallory. She’d wanted to give her the time and space she needed.

But now, with flames closing in and the weight of the beam pressing her into the ground, all Kara could think about was how much she regretted not saying the words she’d held back.

Mallory, I love you.

The admission reverberated in her mind, raw and unspoken. Kara clenched her fists, frustration and sorrow bubbling up inside her. She had spent her whole life being strong, being the one others relied on. But now, with death staring her in the face, she realized how much she had left undone, unsaid.

“I’m not ready,” she whispered, her voice cracking. Tears blurred her vision, mixing with the sweat and grime on her face. “I’m not ready to leave.”

Her fingers tightened around the radio again, and she tried once more. “Kara to anyone—please respond. I’m pinned. East side, first floor.”

Silence.

Kara’s heart sank. She could hear her team somewhere in the distance, shouting orders and moving debris, but it felt impossibly far away. She pulled her emergency assistance alarm and heard the wailing sound it emitted to let the others know where she was. The fire was growing, the heat becoming unbearable. Her breaths were shallow now, each one a struggle.

She thought of Mallory again, the memory of her smile cutting through the suffocating haze. Kara swore to herself then and there that if she made it out, she wouldn’t hold back anymore. No more waiting, no more second-guessing. Mallory deserved to know how much she meant to her.

Another creak from above snapped her back to the present. The building was groaning like a wounded animal, its structure on the verge of collapse. Kara gritted her teeth and shoved at the beam again, screaming in frustration and pain. It shifted slightly but remained firmly in place.

The effort left her dizzy, and she slumped back, gasping for air. Her vision was starting to blur at the edges, black creeping in like ink on paper.

No. Not like this.

Kara’s thoughts were a jumble now, a chaotic mix of fear, regret, and desperate determination. She thought of her crew, her family in every way that mattered. She thought of Mallory, her strength and vulnerability, her stubbornness and courage.

If this was the end, Kara wanted them to know she fought.

* * *

The sound of footsteps broke through the haze, faint but growing louder. Kara blinked, trying to focus. A shadow moved through the smoke, and then another. Voices called out, clearer now.

“Kara!”

Relief and disbelief washed over her. She tried to shout back, but her voice was barely a whisper. The footsteps grew closer until a face appeared above her—a familiar one, streaked with soot and framed by a helmet.

“We’ve got her!” Cass’s voice was sharp, cutting through the noise like a lifeline.

Within seconds, hands were working to lift the beam. Kara bit down on her lip, the pain nearly unbearable as the weight shifted. She felt the pressure release, and then strong arms were pulling her free.

Her leg screamed in protest, but she didn’t care. The cool rush of air as they carried her outside was like salvation as they ripped off her helmet and her mask. Kara gasped, her lungs filling with fresh air. Delicious, beautiful fresh air.

As they laid her on a stretcher, Kara’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze searching the chaos for something—or someone.

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