Page 61 of Stolen Salvation

“Andrea, it’s me, Noah.” He opened his arm for her, not daring to let go of his wife. Dragging her gaze from her sister she looked at him and seemed to crumple as she ran to him and buried her face in his chest, sobs erupting from her chest.

Shouts and hurried words surrounded them as Charlie was loaded onto a gurney and Waggs barked urgent orders at people and he prayed to anyone he could think of for his Charlie to live.

“It’ll be okay, Andrea. She’s a fighter.”

Letting go of her, he passed her off to Lotus who wrapped a blanket around his sister-in-law’s shoulders and led her down the stairs.

“Hurry the fuck up, we’re losing her.”

Bile burned his throat as they reached the bottom of the stairs, Charlie still limp and unresponsive, an IV in her arm, electrodes on her chest.

Savannah Decker came rushing through the cleared hallway with a rucksack on her back.

“Head wound, breathing but tachycardic. BP eighty-five over forty.”

“We need to intubate. She isn’t protecting her airway.”

Bishop went to run his hands through his hair and realised he hadn’t even taken his helmet off. Ripping it from his head, he cursed himself for not forcing Charlie to put her’s back on.

Savannah was forcing a tube down her throat to connect an airway as Waggs began CPR.

Falling to his knees, he couldn’t stop the tears that poured unchecked down his face. He was losing her again, only this time it would be permanent. A life without her was unthinkable. She was his everything, his soulmate. He saw Lotus whisper to Savannah who nodded before continuing what she was doing.

“Please don’t let her die. Please, God, don’t take her from me.”

“Bishop?” Duchess laid her arm gently around his shoulders. “They’re Life Flighting her to the nearest trauma hospital. Do you want to go with them?”

“Yes.”

He swiped his fist across his wet eyes and jumped as Waggs shouted they had a pulse. Relief made his belly bottom out and he wasn’t sure his legs would hold him, but Reaper came up behind him and took his weight as he helped him out to the chopper which was on the tarmac drive. Loading her inside he could hardly see her with the tubes and bandages that covered her. Savannah jumped up beside her as Waggs gave the paramedics all the relevant details before stepping back to allow him entry. Hauling himself up, he took a seat and prayed the entire flight that she wouldn’t die, that their story wasn’t over.

As they landed a few short minutes later, Charlie was rushed into the resuscitation area and he was blocked by a nurse with a hand on his chest.

“You can’t go in there.”

“I need to be with her. I’m her husband.”

A sympathetic expression moved over her face. “Let the doctors do their jobs. You can wait in the family room, and someone will come and get some details from you shortly. Dr Decker is the best. You’re incredibly lucky to have her with you. If anyone can save your wife, it’s her.”

As she disappeared into the room, he caught a glimpse of his wife surrounded by doctors and nurses, all of them working to keep her alive.

Moving to the door of the family room he sank down the wall, his legs no longer strong enough to hold him as he replayed the incident over and over again in his head.

“Bishop.”

Lifting his heavy head, he saw Reaper, Snow, Hurricane, Titan, and Duchess walking toward him. They were all decked out in tactical gear, their faces a stony mask as they moved toward him.

“I’m not leaving.” He knew they were exposed, and it could blow everything they’d worked for at Shadow being at the hospital, but he wouldn’t leave her.

“Nobody is asking you to leave. Jack is handling everything.”

“Jack is here?”

Reaper reached down for his arm and pulled him to his feet so they could guide him into the private room that had seemed too far away just seconds ago.

“Eidolon had us flown here, and they’re handling the clean-up at the site.”

“Andrea, is she…?” His hand shook as he scrubbed it down his face and he clenched his fist to try and stop the motion.