Page 38 of ELITE Justice
“No, her apartment is in the back,” Jonathan yelled. “Is there another truck back there?”
The man pointed again. The men on the ladder had stopped spraying. The window opened and smoke rushed through the new opening like a dirty, upside-down waterfall. A third fireman stepped onto the ladder…with a limp body over his shoulder.
Jonathan ran to the ladder truck, determined to be there when her feet hit the ground. He ran past an ambulance and caught up with a man and woman running beside a stretcher.
“You shouldn’t be here, sir,” the woman scolded.
“Gwen is my fiancée.”At least she will be as soon as I can ask her. He pointed to the fireman on his way down the ladder. He could see the debate in the man’s eyes.
“Just don’t get in our way,” the woman sternly warned. She softened her voice and told him, “Let us do our job. We’re damned good at it.”
Jonathan could feel the heat lifting off the firefighter’s suit as he laid Gwen on the gurney. He ripped off his headgear and stared at Jonathan, who couldn’t take his eyes off the small body on the white sheet. He had to touch her, so he lightly laid his fingers on her bare calf. It was then he noticed that she was wearing one of his Marine Corps t-shirts and no bra. He hoped she’d worn panties to bed because he’d have to kill the fireman if he’d seen her—
“You and Gwen?” A gloved hand touched his shoulder, and he turned his head to see the first fireman. Jonathan nodded. He couldn’t speak around the pain in his throat. He could hardly breathe as he watched the medical team work on her.
“Well, hell. I lost that pool.” He hoped the man was trying to lighten the situation and not piss him off thoroughly. “Your name wasn’t even in there as a dating possibility.”
“She’s mine,” Jonathan croaked around the huge lump in his throat.She just doesn’t know it yet.
Gwen started coughing as she came around.
“Keep that over your nose and mouth,” the female EMT said in a calming voice. “You left us for a while, but we’re glad you’re back. Can you tell me if you hurt anywhere?” She continued with the necessary questions as the man started an IV line and talked with the hospital.
Griffin suddenly appeared at Jonathan’s side. “How is she?”
The male EMT answered, “Smoke inhalation, a few second-degree burns, no third-degree.” For the first time, he looked up at Jonathan, then at Griffin. “Where are you hurt?” he demanded.
“Not my blood,” both men said.
“What the fuck?” the first responder asked then inserted a bag of fluid into the line.
“That’s confidential,” Griffin told him and whipped out a Homeland Security badge. He’d have to ask Griffin about that later. “We were never here.”
“We’re ready to transport,” the woman announced.
Realizing they’d never let him go with her with a blood-spattered vest, Jonathan stripped down to his black t-shirt and cleaned up with the wet wipes they always carried. “Griffin, can you take my gear back? I’m going with her.”
“Be glad to. You need to call Alex.” Griffin was right.
Jonathan understood the meaning. He wasn’t going to be at the debrief and their boss needed to know why.
Finally, alone in an ER room, Jonathan took Gwen’s unbandaged hand. He couldn’t wait for a romantic moment. He’d almost lost her. Swiping a soot-and-sweat-stained lock of hair from her forehead, he stared into her eyes. “I love you, Gwen Shaw. And I plan to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much, if you’ll have me.”
She started to answer, but it turned into a coughing fit. Once she’d settled, she stared up at him. “You sure you want to be with me? I might still have a target painted on my back. I pissed off a whole bunch of terrorists, including the big man.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The spray-painted message.” Gwen started coughing so Jonathan handed her a cup with ice chips. She was finally able to continue. “Across the front of the restaurant.”
He hadn’t noticed any writing. He was too busy searching for her. “I’m sorry, babe. I must’ve missed it. Did someone paint graffiti?”
Nodding her head, she swallowed the cold liquid. “In Arabic.Women are to be silent.”
Jonathan pulled his phone from his pocket and hit redial. He’d already spoken with Alex explaining he was heading to the hospital. This was information his boss needed to pass up the chain of command. It only took a minute to relay Gwen’s information.
“Jonathan, don’t leave her side,” Alex instructed. “They still haven’t caught Aqil Faris. This proves that he’s got someone on the inside. Homeland had better start hunting their mole. I’ll send someone over to the hospital to relieve you.”
“No need. When they release her, she’s coming to stay with me.” He held Gwen’s gaze. When he hung up from speaking with Alex, he explained to her, “Sweetheart, the fire marshal won’t let you back into the building until they’ve deemed it safe. To be honest, I’m not sure there’s anything left.” It had been falling down as the ambulance pulled away.
