Derek spun around and went to her. Dropping to his knees, his soul shattered when he took in her condition.
Her swollen face was a mixture of blues and purples. Her bottom lip was busted open, and blood had trickled down over her chin. Then, there was her neck.
Angry, red marks were already beginning to darken where the sonofabitch had nearly choked her to death.
“Oh, God, baby.” He didn’t even try to hold back his tears. “What did he do to you?”
Still working to control her breathing, Charlie’s eyes fluttered open to meet his. “Derek?” she croaked, her voice scratchy from the trauma to her throat. “You're really here?”
“I'm here, darlin’. I'm here.” Derek drew in a stuttering breath, trying his damnedest not to break down. “God, Charlie. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.” For a moment, it seemed to be the only thing he could say.
“I’ll call it in,” Jake told him as he stood and moved a few feet away.
“Jesus Christ.”
At the sound of his brother’s voice, Derek looked up to see Eric and Trevor making their way over to them.
“What's her condition?” Trevor asked as he approached.
Derek shook his head. “I don't know.” He looked back down at Charlie, his entire being filled with agony. “Do you think you can walk?”
Charlie's lip quivered as fresh tears began streaming down her temples. Face crumbling, she shook her head. “I'm sorry.”
“Hey,” Derek crooned softly as he ran his hand over the top of her head. “Nothin’ to be sorry for, darlin’.”
“Charlie,” Trevor spoke to her. “Can you tell me where you hurt the most?”
“Right...Sh-shoulder.”
The three men glanced down toward her right arm, which was obviously out of place.
“Where else?”
“L-left l-leg. I think he...b-broke...it.”
Derek drew his lips inward to keep from howling while Trevor began to perform a field triage on her.
Later. You can lose it, later.
“Ah, shit,” Coop exclaimed as he, Mac, and York approached from the east.
Remorse mixed with compassion when York saw Charlie’s condition. Her dark eyes slid to Caleb’s dead body. “Who killed him?”
“I did,” Derek answered immediately, his intense stare daring her to argue the justified shooting.
The corner of York’s bow-shaped mouth rose slightly. “Nice shot.” She looked back down at Charlie. “How is she?”
Derek shook his head. “I don’t know, yet.”
“I’ll call it in.”
“Already did.” Jake walked back toward them. Shoving his phone in his pocket, he said, “Ryker’s sending a chopper and will run interference for us with the county sheriff.”
“Ryker’s our Homeland Security handler,” Mac explained to York. Tipping her chin toward Caleb’s lifeless form, she added, “He’ll make sure this gets taken care of.”
Derek was relieved to know Charlie would be taken to Homeland’s private hospital versus a local one. The doctors and nurses there—including Jake’s wife, Olivia—were the best in the country.
Continuing with his exam, Trevor ran his hands along Charlie’s sides to check for any broken ribs. When he got to the area just below her ribcage, Charlie flinched and let out a loud groan.
