Page 63 of Emma's Element

“Mr. Whitaker, right?”

“It’s Graham.”

“What are you still doing here?” he wondered.

“Well, there was a delay with your people. The hospital was already surrounded by the press when we arrived. Sorry about that.”

Marcus shrugged. “Comes with the job,” he said sadly.

“Can’t be that enjoyable,” remarked Graham.

“It’s not. That’s why I was alone in the woods when the ground gave way. Looking for a little peace and quiet.”

“Sorry it didn’t work out the way you wanted.”

“C’est la vie,” he said, shrugging. “So, what can I do for you, Graham?” he asked, then it dawned on him. “Oh, of course, you are probably looking to be paid.”

“No. We don’t take payment for our rescues.”

Nothing could have stunned Marcus more. “No shit?”

Graham laughed. “No shit.

“But how . . . the amount of equipment . . . the helicopter. How?” For an actor who usually knew just what to say, he sounded like an idiot.

“We rely on donations, fundraisers. That sort of thing.”

“Well, then, you can expect a big fat check.”

“That’s not necessary, Mr. Rayne.”

“Marcus, please,” he requested, hating the formality. “It may not be necessary, but I would be honored to help your Nighthawks.”

“Well, we can always use the money, But, please, I don’t want you to feel obligated. It’s not why we do this job. The search and rescue motto is: So Others May Live. We don’t care about anything else. Saving lives is our sole focus. No matter who, what, or where. The victim’s socioeconomics, race, or gender means nothing to us. We don’t care if the circumstances the victim finds themselves in is because of an accident, force of nature, or their stupidity. We go where we are needed, be it mountain, river, city, or hellhole.”

“How is it I’ve never heard of your organization before?”

“We work hard to protect the people we rescue. We keep their names and circumstances private. We are not looking for notoriety. We save lives, and our job doesn’t end when the victim is safe. My Nighthawks and the men and women we train have learned the importance of confidentiality. And they would never betray the privacy, safety, or security of the victims.

“I understand your circumstances will be different, and we are prepared for that,” Graham went on. “But rest assured, we will never disclose a single nugget of information to anyone no matter how much we are hounded.”

“That’s good to hear,” Marcus said, and he believed every single word. He’d been taken advantage of many times in the past, but for some reason, this man’s words resonated with him. “If you are trying to avoid the press, you may be out of luck as soon as you walk out the door. So, what are you still doing here?”

“Like I was saying, there was a delay with your people’s arrival. Hospital security is overwhelmed by the amount of press and fans that have converged here. The boys and I volunteered to act as additional security until they arrived.”

Again, Marcus was stunned. “No shit?”

Graham laughed again. “Yeah. Already had to kick out several paparazzi who tried to sneak up here.”

“Are you guys for real?” Marcus couldn’t believe that these brave men would give up their time to do something completely selfless for him. Nobody had ever done something so altruistic for him before without expecting something in return.

“I assure you; we are just regular men.”

“Something tells me there is nothing regular about any of you. I’m thinking former military?”

“Some of my guys are.”

“Fascinating.”

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