She’d thought she’d have to ask him a million questions out here—out of her comfort zone. But he hadn’t been around and she’d coped fine. Maybe the director at the DPA was right—maybe she was ready for more field missions.
“I’ve got you,” she whispered in reply.
In that second she felt a wave. A connection. An understanding of the overwhelming pain in his eyes. A deep, fathomless hurt that he never revealed or let bubble to the surface. Jack Campbell never asked for help. He never counted on anyone else. He was solitary in his life. For reasons that she couldn’t even begin to imagine. It was the first depth, the first exposure she’d seen from him, and it was the truest thing she had ever felt.
Even though she’d only just got to know him, she got the overwhelming impression that he’d have her back. A warm feeling flowed through her, filling her with the confidence that she sometimes lacked. This strong, fearless army surgeon needed her help and she was happy to give it. Always. And something about it felt good. Special.
He released his hand, pulling it gently out from under her firm grip. For a second the tension left his shoulders, but a few seconds later he put his second hand down with his first on the wound.
“What’s he done?” asked Amber. The sky was dark above and there were no artificial lights. From this position she couldn’t really make out what was wrong.
“He’s been pierced by a bit of the bleachers. From the amount of blood, I think he might have damaged his spleen.”
She licked her lips. “How’s your wound pad doing?”
Jack gave a brief nod of his head. He lifted one hand from the wound site. The glove he was wearing wasn’t smeared in blood this time. It was more or less wiped clean. He put it back down. “I think things are clotting. The blood loss has certainly slowed. Before it just seemed like a steady flow. Nothing I was using was stemming the blood flow.”
She gave an appreciative nod. “That’s another life, Jack. Another life saved.”
She shifted a little. Her position was awkward, her legs spread across an unstable base above the still-wet floor, her back starting to ache already. The space across the floor was vast, with easy access to the door if only there weren’t a chance of water filled with electricity in their way.
“Jack, how are we going to get out of here? We might be able to clamp this gurney around him but there’s no way we can fit it through the spaces we climbed through.” She wrinkled her nose and stared down at the floor. “The gurney is plastic. Could we lower it to the floor and push him across again?”
Jack raised his eyebrows. “You want to take that chance?”
She pulled a face. “Not really.”
“Me either.”
She stared at the rope around his waist, looped around something hanging from part of the ceiling and allowing him to slightly change position as needed. “How on earth did you do that?”
He grinned. “One of the firefighters is some kind of mountaineer. At first they were worried I shouldn’t actually touch the bleachers. They rigged the rope and tied it to me before I set off. Theory was it would keep me off the floor if everything else around me collapsed.”
She stared down at her waist and raised her eyebrows. “Great. Where’s mine?”
He nodded toward her feet. “You got the rubber boots. That’s your insurance policy.” He wiggled one foot at her. “I’m still on the regular army boots. Not quite the same.”
She noticed he was still keeping his hands firmly down at the janitor’s wound. She watched carefully the rise and fall of the janitor’s chest. At least he was maintaining his airway, without any oxygen. That was good. Even if he had suffered some kind of electric shock, he was still breathing. If only she had a spare hand right now to reach for his pulse.
“Any idea about his cardiac situation right now?”
“I’d love to know about his cardiac situation. But I’ve run out of hands. You have too. Let’s just say, due to the amount of blood loss, we know his heart has kept beating. I just wish he’d regain consciousness so I could try and assess him.”
Amber shook her head. “With that wound, I’m not sure you do. How much pain will he be in? I don’t know how still he would stay and we’re not in the most stable of positions.”
Jack gave a reassuring nod. “I know that.” For a second his dark eyes twinkled. “Did you ever imagine when you met the jet-lagged Scotsman in the bar we’d end up working together in the middle of a hurricane?”
She let out a quiet laugh and shook her head. “If you’d asked me to place bets that night, I’m pretty sure this would never even have been on my radar.”
“Still annoyed I didn’t tell you I was a doctor?”
“Till my dying day.” She laughed.
Jack’s face changed. There was the briefest flash of something and Amber’s insides flip-flopped, cringing. She’d said the wrong thing—but she had no idea why.
“Dr. Jack!” came the shout behind her.
She wanted to swivel around but her position made it awkward. Jack replied for them both. “We’re almost ready.”
“What are they doing?” asked Amber as she tried to see out of the corner of her eye.
“It’s the backup plan,” said Jack. “Just think really big planks of wood.”
There were loud noises behind her. Scraping, thudding and the odd splash of water. She could also hear quite a lot of groans and moans behind her as the firefighters positioned the planks of wood.
After what seemed like forever, there was a voice not too far behind her. “Okay, Docs, we think we’re just about ready. The wood is in place. We’re on it. We’re going to come toward you and help you clamp that gurney into place. Then we’ll try and bring you all down together. Whatever you do, as you come down from the bleachers, make sure you step directly onto the wood. We’re still not sure about the state of the electrics and the main floor is still wet. Nobody touches the floor. Are we clear?”
Jack glanced at her. “We’re clear,” he shouted back.
But the firefighter didn’t seem to be happy with that response. “Dr. Berkeley, did you get that? I need to know you understand before anyone moves.”
Amber shouted back. “Okay, I’ve got it. Just let me know when.”
From that point, Jack was her eyes. He told her where everyone was, and how soon it was until they were at her back. And they were a good partnership. She held her hands steady, supporting the janitor’s airway, even though they felt as though they could cramp. It was the longest time until she felt a pair of large hands at her waist. It made her start a little. “Right behind you, Doc,” came the deep voice at her back. “I’m going to come around your side and grab one side of the gurney.”
She felt his large body brush against hers as the firefighter came around her side, squeezing his body next to one side of the gurney. Another guy appeared at the other side and they coordinated with Jack and Amber.
“We’ll take the weight of the gurney. Your job is to keep doing whatever it is you need to do. We’re going to move slow and steady. Let us know if there’s an issue. Dr. Berkeley, we know you’re going to be walking backward. We’re going to have someone else behind you to guide you, and make sure you don’t step off the planks.”
It was the first time she actually felt a bit nervous. Of course. Stepping off the planks could result in a nasty shock. Jack met her gaze again. “Okay?”
“Okay,” she replied, her voice a little shakier than she’d like. She really wanted to move her hands, just for a second, just to stretch them to stop the cramp setting in. Last thing she wanted was her hands to spasm when she was holding this airway.
She took a few breaths and concentrated on the rise and fall of the janitor’s chest. That was what she needed to focus on. She could do this.
The firefighter to her right started talking slowly and steadily. “We’re going to take the weight on three. Ready? One, two, three.”
The gurney lifted just a little under her hands. She f
elt another pair of hands at her waist and heard the voice of a female firefighter. “Dr. Berkeley, I’m Kate. I’m here to guide you. I want you to take one slow step backward.”
It was harder than it should be. She wasn’t on a flat surface. She was still halfway up the twisted bleachers. Her hands were already fixed in position. Now she was stepping downward with no weight to steady herself. But the hands at her waist were strong and firmly reassuring. Not only did they feel as though they could take part of her weight, they also felt as if they could keep her straight and steady. She felt her way with one foot, finding another part of the bleachers to stand on. Then she shifted her weight, ready to move the next foot.
The firefighters watched her constantly, as did Jack, the gurney sliding steadily closer toward her. Jack was finding it easier to move; he could put a little weight on the gurney as he found his footing to move. Amber concentrated on the firm hands at her waist and the steadying voice of Kate. When she finally felt her foot reach a thick plank of wood on the floor, she let out a huge sigh.
Kate gave a laugh. “Don’t be too relieved,” she said. “We’ve still got a bit to go. And, believe me, these guys couldn’t put planks of wood in a straight line if they tried.”
Slowly and steadily they moved. Jack’s eyes were on hers. He didn’t talk. He just kept watching her. In any other set of circumstances she would have been slightly unnerved. But it wasn’t like that. It was reassuring.
Once they reached the entranceway and stepped off the wood and onto the normal flooring in the corridor outside, Jamal was waiting with a bag and mask to take her place. He gave her a gentle nudge. “Let me take over for a bit,” he said as she stumbled back wearily and stretched out her aching hands.
The gurney was lowered to the ground. Jack moved instantly to the side of the gurney and lifted the edge of his wound pad. Amber couldn’t help herself. She had to see too. She knelt on the floor next to him. Lana had appeared too and fixed a BP cuff around the janitor’s arm, checking his blood pressure and taking his pulse with her fingers. “Can’t beat old-fashioned methods.” She winked at Amber.
Amber could see a bead of sweat on Jack’s brow. Just how long had he been in position while she’d been dealing with other patients? “Has it worked?” she asked.
Jack gave a relieved breath. “I hope so. It looks as if a clot has formed.” He looked at the readings that Lana had taken. “His blood pressure is low. His pulse fast and thready. He’s not regained consciousness. He really needs to be back at the hospital.”
Amber nodded. “I agree. I’ve got another patient next door with a broken arm, and a possible head injury. I also patched up a woman with a shoulder injury and another with a whole array of cuts to her face and arms.”
Jack sighed. “Before I got called here, I dealt with an older man with a crush injury to his lower leg. Part of the ceiling caught him when it was ripped off. And a woman who sheltered some kids and ended up with a spinal injury.” Amber’s eyes widened but he shook his head. “She’s not paralyzed but she’s got a loss of sensation in one of her legs. She needs proper assessment. We’ve got two kids who had asthma attacks because they forgot their inhalers. We managed to find some and they’re stable now. Another kid had a minor seizure but that’s stopped and he’s come around.”
Jamal pulled a list from his pocket. “Here. I collated some details while you two were trying to get electrocuted,” he said wickedly. “We radioed in, and they’re sending a few extra ambulances in our direction.” He looked at Jack. “You just need to decide who goes first.”
A list. She’d forgotten. She’d forgotten about her own list.
Jack must have caught the expression on her face, because he raised own eyebrow in silent question. She shook her head and stood up. “You’ve got this. Let me see if there’s anyone else needing to be patched up before the ambulances arrive. I’ll let you know if there’s anything serious.”
She stretched out her back for a few seconds, trying to relieve the ache she was feeling, and made her way back to the main gymnasium. There were a few more staff, helping patch patients up. She found her pack again and emptied its contents on the floor next to her, then made a quick check of Kel and her broken arm, giving her some more pain relief and checking her neuro obs again.
The evacuation center had over two thousand people in it—they were lucky there weren’t more seriously injured. Lots of the people in the center volunteered to help and some had first-aid certificates or previous experience in the health service.
Jack appeared at her side. “Have you finished sorting out who goes first?” she asked him.
“We’ve got fourteen people who need transport to the hospital sometime soon. I found out our janitor is called Hugo. He’s going, along with the lady with the spinal injury, a woman with a head injury and the older gentleman with the broken tib and fib. We only have two ambulances initially, so I’ve had to prioritize.”
Amber leaned in a little and looked at the list in his hand. She could see Kel, the woman with the broken arm and head injury, on the second list. On any other day of the week, she would have wanted to get her assessed sooner. But things were different here. She wasn’t unconscious. The other patients would actually take priority.
Jack must have noticed her expression. “You don’t agree?” He seemed surprised, but held up the list for her to look at. “If you think differently, let me know.”
She swallowed. She hadn’t expected that. He actually wanted to know if she had other ideas—even though this wasn’t her specialist area. Her fingers crumpled around the list in her pocket as she shook her head. “I don’t disagree. I understand why you’ve prioritized them. How much longer until we get ambulances again? I’d like to get Kel checked over in the next round of patients.”
He pulled out the radio from his pocket. “The first should arrive in around ten minutes. It could be an hour before they’re back.”
“Do we stay here?”
Jack gave her a curious stare. “You can’t let it go, can you?”
“What?”
He smiled and shook his head. “Don’t pretend with me. You’re itching to find out about the close contacts of the meningitis, aren’t you?”
He handed her the radio. “Here. Call in. Check on Aaron and Zane and see if anyone has recorded seeing any more of the close contacts.”
Amber took the radio gratefully. She wanted to find out how many people were still out there without any medicines. She talked into the radio as she walked back toward the entrance point where Chrissie was based. It only took a few minutes to find out that Chrissie had managed to find the group of boys who had come from the surf school. They’d thought there were six, but it turned out to be seven. One of the boys who was supposed to go someplace else had been delayed by the weather and ended up here. Amber signaled to Lana, and she came and helped her talk to the teenagers and distribute the antibiotics.
Jack appeared at her side. “Ambulance is here. We’re loading the first patients. How are Zane and Aaron?”
She gave her head the briefest shake. “Good, and not so good. Aaron has picked up. He’s started to respond and come round. Zane is still the same. No change. His BP and temp are in normal limits but he’s just not woken up yet.”
“Has there been disease progression? Septicemia?”
“Thankfully no. But this whole strain worries me. I’d be much happier if I could find the rest of the close contacts.”
Jack seemed to stare ahead for a few seconds. Then the edges of his lips seemed to hint upward. “I was going to ask if you wanted to head back to the hospital with the patients, or if you wanted to stay here and treat any more casualties that come in.”
She could hear the slight edge in his voice. He was teasing her. Just a little. “Or…?”
He drew himself up and pushed his shoulders back. It was that second—that second that she saw the man who had served in the army and done two tours of duty. The man who had saved lives and had to jug
gle priorities in a way she probably never would.
He met her gaze with his dark brown eyes. “Or we could volunteer to stay out here. To help at the bus, or elsewhere, and see if we can drop any more of the antibiotics off.”
Her heart gave a little leap. He got her. He understood her. She smiled and folded her arms across her chest. “I think I’ll take option three.”
CHAPTER FIVE
IT WAS DARK. More than dark—with the power cuts throughout the city it was virtually a blackout. It seemed that only sporadic places had power, so parts of the city glowed like little bulbs on a Christmas tree. Total wrong time of year.
It made Jack catch his breath. Dave, their driver, had helped take people back to the hospital and they’d coordinated with Ron in ER and managed to visit a few of the addresses in the surrounding area where close contacts resided, along with a few other addresses where they’d been asked to check on vulnerable adults.
They decided to go back to the evacuation center and help as best they could. The school kitchens had been opened and manned by a whole host of volunteers. Chrissie pressed some food into their hands and pointed them down a corridor. “We’re short of space. But you’ll find somewhere down there to sit down for the night.”
Amber looked down as her stomach growled loudly. Her hair was pulled back from her face in a haphazard way and there were tired lines around her eyes, but somehow they still had a little sparkle. “Oops. I’d forgotten how hungry I was. It’s been a crazy day.” She leaned her head against his shoulder.
Jack paused in the corridor; he couldn’t help it. “I feel like we should go back to the hospital in case there are other patients to see.”
She lifted her head back up. “Jack. Take a breath. We’ve been working all day, and if we have to pull a night shift, then we will. But let’s just sit down for five minutes.”
He took a deep breath. That angsty feeling that had been in his stomach all day was still there. It was constantly there. He’d just learned to live with it. Learned to live with the fact he was always looking over his shoulder, waiting for the unexpected.
Locked Down with the Army Doc Page 10
