“Doc,” Tuck called.
“Pack and roll.” Hunt turned to Harper. “She’s bleeding. We’re going to the OR.”
The team wheeled Chantal from the room as Harper rocked in her slippers. She leaned into Kyle, who scooped her into his arms. Carrying her to her room, he placed her on her bed. Tim followed them inside, then wrapped a blood pressure cuff around Harper’s arm. At the low reading, he raised her legs.
“That took a lot out of you. Rest.”
“She’s so tiny,” Kyle said.
“She’ll get all the support she needs, and so will Chantal.” Tim headed out the door.
Kyle’s head cocked. Kip told him he wouldn’t activate his earpiece unless there was an emergency. “Harper, I promise I’ll be back.”
Chapter 35
The water lapped against the roof, the wind swirling around him. His body ached from holding his position and his fresh stitches. There was never a better time than hanging on to a roof in hurricane-force winds to think about life.All special operators had, should have, would have, could have these thoughts.
Ian Chase, when he started the company, put a department in place for his staff to work through those things. They’d all seen too many suicides. Kip never told him how close he’d come after spending time in the custody of an El Salvadoran militia. He was tortured and beaten. But that wasn’t what tore him apart. They slaughtered a priest in front of him. The religious man forgave them and reminded him to hold true to his trust in God. Therapy settled the guilt.
Now he had one major regret: Harper Rousselle. He told her he cared for her, but he was an ass. He told her he didn’t play games with women. Bullshit. He was old enough to know better. He loved her.
Kip wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating, or if he heard cries for help. He shined his light. The wind, rain and light made eerie stained-glass pictures. There was the cry again. He swiped at his eyes and saw a car floating toward him with two young women half in and out of the windows. The water wasn’t flowing only along the roadways. That car was going to collide with poles, trees, or a building soon.Go big or go home.
Kip let go of his hold on the roof and careened into the water. Fighting the current, he made it to the car. The rear bumper gave him a hand hold, and he managed to pull himself onto the trunk. He made it to what he found out were two Loyola students.
“Girls, I need you to put these on,” he screamed and pantomimed. Digging into his dive suit, he pulled out two inflatable life vests.
The girls struggled with the vests. “Help us!” one cried loudly and pointed at her vest.
Suddenly he wished he had the cards found in airplanes. He chuckled to himself.You are out of your mind.
As he helped secure the second girl’s vest, the car crashed, the force throwing him off into the rushing waters. His head reverberated in his helmet. Water swamped his face.
He closed his eyes.Harper.
* * *
Kyle joggeddown to the ninth floor, designated as their urgent care area. Thom Wagner was directing personnel. All his page said was,9thfloor forthwith.
He grabbed Josh. “Sit-rep.”
“They went to save triplets,” Josh mumbled, a vacant expression clouding his eyes.
“Who?” Kyle barked, looking for one of the other senior executives. The elevator doors opened. “I thought we shut them down.” He clenched his jaw.
Dressed in a water rescue suit, Julian walked out of the elevator with a small child in his arms. Noah held another. Mark had one more, while Wes held a plastic storage container. Joe held a fourth child. Three other operators wheeled in three soaked, distraught adults.
Kyle’s neck muscles tensed as he scanned from side to side. “Where’s Kip?”
Julian handed off the child and pulled Kyle into a room. “An emergency call came in from the hospital: a family with new triplets. Kip made the decision.” Julian explained what happened. “The last I saw him, he was on that roof. As soon as we put on fresh suits, we’ll go out and look for him.” He sighed.
Bruce and Wes slipped inside. “The winds picked up. No one is going anywhere.” Wes dropped his head.
“Kip’s out there,” Kyle yelled. He wanted to throttle Kip for doing this, but at the same time was aching for his friend.
“And Kip knew what he was doing,” Julian’s voice cracked. “As soon as the wind speed drops, or the sun comes out, we will put together a search party.” His usual shining eyes were dull.
Seth joined the group in the now crowded exam room. “Two pounds, twelve ounces, seventeen inches long,” he announced. “What’s wrong?”
