Getting Home

Part 24

"Don't know yet, Mather—you'll be the first to know, I promise."

Officer Reed quickly scribbled two checkmarks on his clipboard before rushing off, leaving Sean and Sophia in the back of the ambulance.

The EMT finished wrapping the side of Sean's head. "Nothing else I can really do, besides disinfect it—skin isn't even lacerated. You can go, but you'll need to get to a hospital to get that glass out. Any bleeding, pain, change in vision, start feeling ill—anything—get to the E.R, got it?"

"Got it," Sean said, lightly touching the bandages. At least his eye had been left unobstructed by the medical bandages. "Thanks."

"No problem." The EMT started putting things away. "Sure you're okay, ma'am?"

"Yes, thank you," Sophia said. "I'm sure there's more injured people you can help."

The EMT grimaced. "Still waiting."

Sean hopped out of the ambulance, stopping to take Sophia's hand and help her step down. Police cars and government vehicles continued flooding into the makeshift triage area and beyond, filling the surrounding streets for entire blocks, their red and blue lights circling and flashing like glowing haloes in the foggy night. All of the remaining evening traffic had been crowded out, essentially creating a fortress of emergency vehicles that encircled the scene for an entire half-mile.

"Thank you," Sophia said. "For saving my life."

"It's okay. Thank Fury."

"Who?"

"The dog."

Sean immediately started towards the giant rubble pile on the far side of the lot.

"Officer Mather, wait!" Sophia said, trailing after him. "Where are you going?"

"Ava," Sean said. "She's still in there. Trapped."

"Officer Mather—Sean—please, stop. They'll find her, you know that... if she's even..."

Sean had to stop as four massive APC Bearcats rumbled by in front of them, black paint gleaming and reflecting the bright, twinkling stars above and the dark, wet pavement below. Fully geared SWAT officers stood on running boards, ringed around all sides of the giant armored vehicles. They held on to the roof-railing with one hand while their other cradled black assault rifles.

They gave Sean and Sophia a nod as the vehicles trundled by.

Sean hurried on as soon as they passed, yanking the bandages off his head and shoving them in his pocket. His boots made small splashes on the wet pavement.

"Officer Mather," Sophia tried again. "You have to face the fact that... the fact that... she might—"

He didn't slow down. "Can't think about that right now. Have to find her."

"They're already searching, Sean."

"There's no—"

"You're just going to get in the way!" she suddenly shouted.

He stopped.

Both of the department's Bell 206 helicopters continued circling above, the night now clear and starry, their rotors whirring as their spotlights flitted over all of the construction vehicles—front-loaders, excavators, and bulldozers that were already picking through the rubble, all working in unison under the criss-crossing arch of streaming water that came from the firefighter hoses.

Sean roughly wiped down his face with one hand, flicking the tear angrily off as he kept his back to Sophia.

"What am I supposed to do then, huh? Nothing? Be helpless?"