She nodded. “I will.”
Lexi gave the knot she’d tied in the rope a tug. If the car went over, the rope might save her. Then again, if it caught on the vehicle as it fell, it could also kill her.
Taking a deep breath, she cautiously climbed onto the slippery trunk of the wet car and over the top until she reached the sunroof. The woman craned her neck to look up at her.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, her voice trembling.
“I’m going to get you out of there, like I promised,” Lexi said, hoping her voice wasn’t shaking as much as the rest of her. “Close your eyes, duck down, and put your hands over your head to protect yourself. I’m going to break the glass in the sunroof.”
Taking the small glass breaking tool she always carried on her belt, she put the tip of it on the sunroof and pushed, shattering it into a million tiny pieces. Hooking the tool on her belt, she slithered through the roof and into the front seat of the car, avoiding the piece of rebar sticking up through the floorboard. The moment she did, the car started to slide forward again.
“Lexi, we have trouble out here,” Trent shouted. “The car’s weight is dragging the rescue truck across the wet pavement. You need to work fast.”
The woman’s eyes went wide, her tears coming faster. “Please don’t let me die in here.”
“I won’t,” Lexi said. “I promise.”
She took the small tool off her belt again. In addition to breaking glass, it also cut through seatbelts. As she worked, she asked the woman her name.
“Debra Wallace.”
Lexi smiled. “Another minute and I’m going to have you out of here, Debra.”
Or she would have if the seatbelt had been the only thing standing between her and getting Debra to safety. Unfortunately, the steering wheel was wedged against Debra’s legs, pinning her to the seat.
“Hang on, okay?”
Debra nodded.
Lexi reached under the seat for the latch to adjust it. Putting one foot against the dash and her shoulder against the driver’s seat, she shoved at the same time she lifted the latch. It moved a few inches, but not quite enough.
Crap.
Releasing the latch, she turned around so that she was sitting on the console facing the front of the car. Then she put both feet on the steering wheel, shoving and kicking with everything she had. It moved, but so did the car.
“Lexi!” Trent shouted. “Hurry the hell up in there. We’re losing the car!”
Lexi didn’t waste time with a reply. She simply slid her arms under Debra’s and dragged her out of the seat. Debra cried out in pain but shoved against the floorboard with her good leg, fighting to get herself out of there.
Since she couldn’t get both Debra and herself out at the same time, Lexi climbed through the sunroof first then reach in to grab the woman’s arms. The car creaked, tipping forward again.
Tightening her hold on Debra, Lexi scampered backward, hauling her through the sunroof. It wasn’t until Lexi reached the back of the car that she saw at least a dozen civilians doing everything they could from dragging on her safety rope to holding onto the bumper of the sedan to shoving against the front of the rescue truck at the same time to keep the car from going over the edge. But even with all of that and Trent putting the rescue truck in reverse, the weight of the car was too much for all of it. The sedan was going over, and there wasn’t anything anyone could do to stop it.
Gritting her teeth, Lexi dragged the woman off the trunk, slamming onto the hard concrete of the road as the vehicle toppled. Lexi had enough time to realize she hadn’t saved anyone yet. The car was taking the rescue truck and group of civilians with it.
Lexi shoved Debra to the side and jumped to her feet, praying the woman wouldn’t get run over by the sliding rescue vehicle, when a loud voice broke through the insanity around her.
“Move!” a deep voice ordered.
A split second later, a huge fire axe came down and sliced through the towing strap in a single sweep of its razor sharp blade.
Lexi jerked her head up to see Dane standing there with axe in hand as the car fell from the overpass to the freeway below. She cringed, expecting to hear the horrific sound of other vehicles smashing into it, but all she heard was her pounding heart and the sound of the rain hitting the pavement. The police must have been able to clear the roadway in time. Thank God.
Only then did she wonder how the hell Dane had gotten up there since the whole overpass was jammed and jellied up with stopped traffic. He must have run all the way from the base of the overpass in full turnout gear.
She opened her mouth to ask him, but the words were drowned out as cheers went up in the crowd of onlookers around them. As the rain pelted her face, Lexi smiled up at Dane, having a crazy urge to drag him down for a kiss.
But that was going to have to wait until later. She still had to treat Debra’s injuries and get her to the hospital.
Besides, Dane seemed little too dazed at the moment for a kiss.
