Chapter 23
Pulling the last detonator out of the bomb on the second floor, Heather ran behind a pile of lumber checking if there was anything back there. Nothing. Hopefully she’d gotten them all.
Sound on the stairs told her Scott was probably on his way down. Good, maybe they’d have something left of this building after all. Once outside though, she didn’t see him. Where the hell had he gotten to? Had he run off to find a phone?
Glancing around, her heart beat loudly in her chest. He hadn’t gone backinside, had he?
“What happened?”
Heather whipped around to see Jian and a few of his men walking down the sidewalk toward her. “What are you doing hereat this time?’
“Got word of something happening here. My men say it sounded like a small explosion. Holland charged me with keeping this place safe.”
“We were locked in the sub-basement by the guy who’s been sabotaging everything. He planted bombs all over, but I think we got most of them. I don’t know where Scott is. I thought he came out.”
Turning back to the building, she said, “I’m going back in to check.”
Jian grabbed her arm but she pulled away. She had to find Scott. If they hadn’t gottenall the bombs…
The windows above them shattered as a loud boom echoed through the early morning sky. Jian pulled her close to the building as shards of glasssprinkled down.
“Call nine-one-one and get them here,” she yelled, jerking out of Jian’s hands. No time to waste. If Scott had still been inside—she didn’t even want to think of what mighthave happened.
The stairs behind her groaned as Jian followed her up.
“You should let one of us check this out first. There could be fire or more explosions. Holland will have my ass ifyou get hurt.”
Not if he was already hurt. “The bombs were all set to go off at the same time. There shouldn’t be anymore.”
Her lungs burned as she raced up flight after flight. Rounding the top of the stairs, she cautiously approached the doorway. Windows and part of the roof had blown out or caved in. A small fire burned near the wall. Debris littered the floor, an arm sticking out from underone large pile.
“Scott.” Her cries bounced around the room as she sprinted over to him. She pushed aside the broken timber and reached for his neck.
“Please be alive. Please.” A deep sigh escaped as blood pulsed through his veins. Weakly, but there.
“Jian, he needs help. Now.” Her voice trembled infear and panic.
The gang leader and a few of his men were kicking aside the burning timbers trying to put them out. “We already called.”
Not daring to move Scott, she simply hovered over him, caressing his face and whispering to him. “You need to be okay. Do you hear me? I promised you all sorts of things and I don’t renege on stuff like that.” She touched the cuts on his face, then kissed his cheek. “And you promised me you’d fight. Don’t you breakthat promise.”
God, how badly was he hurt? Just knocked out like they’d been after her house exploded? Or was it worse? Was she worrying for nothing and he’d wake up in a minute to say something snarky? Please,let it be that.
Sirens in the distance got louder, but she only looked at Jian, who nodded and sent one of his men tobring them up.
“Help is here. You’ll be fine,” she sobbed, anxious that Scott hadn’t woken yet or even stirred. Why hadn’t he woken up?
When the paramedics arrived, they tried to push her aside, asking if she was injured.
“I was outside when it exploded. He’s fine, right?”
“Let us do our job and we’ll know more ina few minutes.”
Jian helped her up then led her toward two officers who tried to herdher downstairs.
“No, I’m not leaving him.” Crossing her arms over her chest, she stood her ground, her eyes never leaving Scott. He stillhadn’t come to.
As the cops asked her questions and she filled them in on Stokinger and his connection to Victor Cabrini, she carefully watched what was happening with the paramedics. They’d started an IV and were strapping Scott onto a backboard.
