by Anthology
Like a tightrope walker, she held her free arm out and took a step. Her foot sank into the debris, pitching her forward. Everything happened in a flash. Within seconds, her body slammed into the ground, knocking the breath from her lungs.
She sucked in great gulps of air, stopping only when she began to feel lightheaded. On the verge of hyperventilation, she strained against the weight of the SCBA on her back and reached for the flashlight that had fallen a few feet away. Her only thought was to get on her feet. Time was running out.
Feeling like an astronaut in the heavy, bulky suit, she pulled her knees under her chest to give herself leverage. Pain stabbed in her thigh.
Muffling a cry, she rolled onto her butt and looked down to see a jagged piece of glass sticking out from her leg. With shaking fingers, she reached down and yanked it out. Drops of blood clung to the dirty glass. Nausea filled her throat. Almost desperately, she ripped open the mask’s faceplate. All she needed now was to drown in her own vomit. Again and again, she swallowed and took shallow breaths through her nose.
She stared up into the darkness of what had been her workplace, and tears filled her eyes. Why had she thought she could do this?
She was going to let everyone down.
She was just like her mother.
Chapter 6
Jamie heard his wife’s soft sobs through the radio, each one gouging his heart. Christ, sending Rickie in had been a big fucking mistake. But what choice had he had? She was their only hope for getting the SCBA to Chloe and Dani. And without her, Dani couldn’t free Chloe from the vending machine. This rescue was turning into a major clusterfuck with the strongest members of the team standing around waiting, feeling like dumbasses. His years of experience meant nothing today. All he could do was help Rickie through this.
“Come on, babe. You can do this. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened.”
He heard a gasp, then Rickie’s shocked voice. “J-Jamie?”
“Yeah, it’s me. What’s wrong?”
“I fell and cut my thigh.”
Shit. “Are you bleeding?” If she’d hit an artery, he’d have to blast his way to her. And risk blowing them all up in the process.
“Some.”
Air rushed out of his lungs as relief threatened to overwhelm him. Still, better safe than sorry. “Use one of the straps we used to secure the pant legs around your ankles. Tie it as tightly as possible around your thigh above the cut. Can you do that, honey?”
He heard rustling sounds as she moved around.
“Done. Thank you, Jamie.”
“For what?”
“For being there.”
Always. She just didn’t believe it yet. Unless Dani’s words had sunk in. It’d been hard staying silent while Dani had been talking to Rickie about the divorce papers. But something had told him to stay out of it.
“You ready to keep going?” he asked, his tone unhurried. He didn’t want to frighten her, but they were running out of time. The gas fumes would soon be reaching critical levels and not only was the risk of explosion very high, but Dani and Chloe were inhaling toxic air with every breath.
“I’m good. What do I do now?”
Dani’s voice came on the line, cool and calm. “You’re almost here, Erica. But this last part’s a bit tricky. Ten yards to your left is a cement wall about five feet high. Jamie, did you give Erica the climbing rope?”
“Rickie, look at your belt. Attached on your right side is a rope. On one end is a grappling hook. You’ll need to rotate the latch mechanism at the top a quarter turn. Once the claws pop out, rotate the latch another quarter turn to lock it in place. Then swing the hook over the wall. Can you do that?”
He heard her harsh breaths as she threw the rope, followed by a clunk as the claws hit the cement. “How do I get it to hook onto something?” she asked.
“Gently pull on the rope. As the hook moves up the wall, the claws should sink into a soft spot or a crevice.”
“Oh! I think it worked.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Now give it a sharp yank to make sure it holds.”
“Crap, it came all the way over.”
“Stay calm and try it again. Throw the hook over the wall, then slowly pull it back.”
A few seconds later, he heard her sigh. “I think I’ve got it now.”
“Great. Do you remember that time we went mountain climbing and we had to go up a part that was pretty steep? It’s just like that. Walk up the wall.” That day would be forever etched in his mind as one of the happiest of his life. Rickie had finally agreed to go hiking with him. They’d climbed up the mountain and had a picnic near the top. For dessert, they’d had each other.
His body tightened as he remembered the softness of her skin warmed by the sun, the scent of her hair, the glorious feeling of slipping inside her. Mind on the job, asshole. “You can do this, Rickie.”
“I’m glad you’re so confident, Jamie,” she said, her voice tinted with sarcasm.
“Chloe’s counting on you. We both are.”
“No pressure. Thanks.”
He chuckled at her acerbic tone. “Rickie, you’re the most capable, independent woman I’ve ever known. You can do anything you want.”
She scoffed. “Whatever. Here goes nothing.”
He listened attentively as she climbed the wall, the extra weight of the two oxygen units making her strain and grunt. “That’s it, honey. Slow and easy.”
When all he heard was her rasping breath, he knew she’d reached the top of the wall. “I bet you’re wondering how you get down now.”
“Something like that,” she said between pants.
Dani broke in. “I left my rope in place. Look around. You’ll see it.”
“I see it,” Rickie said even as he heard her move toward it. More shuffling, and then she said, “I’m down.”
“I’m sending Coco to you. Just follow her. You’ll be here in a minute,” Dani said.
Jamie heard Coco’s happy barking as she found Rickie. From her rapid breathing, he knew she was on the move again, following the dog to their daughter. His chest filled with warmth. Maybe they’d all survive this nightmare after all. Thanks to his courageous wife. “You’re wrong, you know,” he said softly, ignoring the fact that Dani and the entire team were listening in.
“About what?” Rickie asked, sounding guarded.
“I don’t want the divorce.” He had to tell her the truth. Make her understand. “I’ve wanted you from the moment I laid eyes on you at that party. I love our daughter and our family.”
“Then why did you back out?”
Her angry words lashed at him. He could understand now how she could have misinterpreted his actions and intentions. “I knew you were afraid. That if I died on the job, you’d be left struggling like your mom.”
“So what? You wanted me to be prepared?”
“I gave you the space I thought you needed.”
“Ha! I didn’t need space, I needed a husband. One who was there.”
“Rickie, be honest with yourself. You pushed me so far away, I live in a different zip code.”
But then she screamed and he heard scraping sounds, followed by a loud crash. Panic consumed him. “Rickie!”
“I-I’m okay. My shoe slipped and I tripped.”
Running shoes were a damn sight better than the high heels she usually wore, but it was a wonder she hadn’t lost her footing before. “Are you hurt?”
Her breathing sped up as she struggled to get back on her feet, the erratic hissing coming through the radio loud and clear. With each ragged inhale, his guilt increased. “Rickie, tell me if you’re hurt,” he said again.
“I’m just so tired of fighting with you, Jamie.” Her voice hitched and he knew then and there that she still cared.
“I want things to be good between us again, babe. I miss you.”
She laughed, the sound bitter. “When were things good, Jamie? When you married me out of an archaic sense of obligation?”
He gritted his teeth. Why couldn’t she believe he’d married her because he loved her? “I wanted you.”
“But did you love me? Did you ever love me, Jamie?”
“You know I did. I do. When Chloe was born, I thought I had it all. That if I died then, I’d die happy.”
“And I’d have been left alone, a single mother with a fatherless child.”
He remained silent for a moment, letting her words sink in. Finally, he cleared his throat. “Isn’t that what you and Chloe are now?”
Coco’s sharp barks and his wife’s soft sob reached his ears.
“I’m not dead, Rickie. You’re afraid of something that might never happen. You can’t live life this way, never being happy, never letting your guard down because you’re protecting yourself from anything that can go wrong.”
“I can’t be like you, Jamie. You never worry about anything.”
“I’m worried about all of us right now.” The lives of his family and his team were all on the line. And their chances of surviving diminished with each passing minute.
“Mommy! Mommy!”
The mix of pain, fear, and elation in her daughter’s cry had Erica’s body rushing with adrenaline. Ripping off her gloves, she knelt beside Chloe and began to gently feel her for injuries. “I’m here, sweetie. We’re going to get you out,” she said, turning to Dani with an expectant look.
Dani had already begun building a crib at the base of the vending machine. Erica estimated she’d already raised it three inches. Beads of perspiration rolled down her cheeks and her breathing was labored. Grabbing the second SCBA, Erica brought it to Dani. “You look like you could use some fresh air,” she said so as not to alarm her daughter, who was looking on with large frightened eyes.
Nodding her thanks, Dani slipped the straps onto her shoulders and placed the mask over her face. For several moments, she did nothing but inhale deeply. Rickie hurried back to Chloe and transferred her own mask to her daughter’s face. “Breathe slow and deep.”
“While I raise this a couple more inches, can you arrange the stretcher so when you pull her out, she slides onto it?” Dani asked.
The void was small and cave-like. The panel of sheetrock above them had probably protected Chloe from some of the smaller, but no less deadly, debris that had fallen from the ceiling. Carefully, Erica cleared some space for the stretcher, placing the foot of it at Chloe’s head. When she was done, she explained to Chloe what they were going to do, then took the mask back for a few fortifying gulps of air. After replacing the mask on Chloe’s face, she gave Dani a thumbs up.
“Ladies, how’s everything going?”
Jamie’s confident voice settled her jumpy stomach. And her daughter’s smile made her heart squeeze. If nothing else, she had to acknowledge that Jamie did love his daughter.
“Daddy! Mommy’s here. She brought me a special mask.”
“A special mask for my special girl,” he said, and she could hear the amusement in his words. “Be sure to share with Mommy. She’s pretty special too.”
Her daughter laughed and for a moment, Erica imagined how happy they might be again if she and Jamie could get past this mountain in their path. But what if they couldn’t? What if the wall between them was too high? The thought brought tears to her eyes.
“Erica?”
Dani touched her arm, and the worry in her eyes brought Erica back to the present. Back to the nightmare they were living. “Sorry. I’m okay.”
“Good.” Dani moved to the far side of the vending machine and grabbed the pole she was using as a lever. “When I say go, start pulling her out, very slowly. Once she’s clear, let me know.”
Erica grabbed Chloe under the arms and waited. Slowly, Dani pushed on the lever and the vending machine rose another inch. “Go,” Dani said.
On her signal, Erica slowly tugged her daughter out from under the machine. Her gaze shot to Chloe’s legs and a jolt stiffened her shoulders. The sharp edge of a bone was visible through the thin blood-soaked material of Chloe’s cotton pants. Her little face scrunched in pain as Erica slid her onto the stretcher until her head rested on the neck support, but she didn’t utter a single sound. Brave, just like her father. “Clear.”
“Okay, now move the stretcher back a foot or two, as much as you have room for.”
Erica maneuvered her daughter to safety and stroked her hair. Earlier Chloe had said she couldn’t feel either of her legs. Hopefully, they’d just gone numb. “How are your legs, sweetie?”
“They hurt,” she said, her voice thin, frightened.
“Both of them?”
Chloe’s lip jutted out and her eyes welled.
“Shh, it’s okay,” Erica murmured, running her finger along Chloe’s cheek. She didn’t like her daughter being in pain, but it meant she wasn’t paralyzed, and for that Erica was very grateful. “We’ll be out of here soon.”
Dani lowered the vending machine back onto the cribbing and released the lever. Her shoulders slumped and she inhaled deeply before speaking into her radio. “She’s clear, Jamie.”
Whoops of joy filled Erica’s ears as everyone on the team congratulated them. “Did you hear that, baby girl?” Jamie said to Chloe.
“Am I going to be alright, Daddy?”
“You bet. Mommy and Dani are superheroes today.”
“Like Wonder Woman?”
“Exactly like that. Okay, ladies. Are you ready for the trip back? The sooner we all get out of here the better.”
Erica looked at Dani, who smiled. “Yep, we’re heading back right now.”
Dani crouched beside the stretcher and strapped Chloe into place. “Okay, kiddo. There might be some bumps, and you might feel like you’re falling sometimes, but trust us, okay? We’ll be out of here in no time.”
Her lips pressed tightly together, Chloe nodded to Dani. Erica gently squeezed her daughter’s hand then took another few gulps of air from the mask before giving it back to Chloe.
“From here on out, you share with me,” Dani said. “I’m going to take the lead. When I get tired, we’ll switch. You watch and help keep things stable.”
“Okay,” Erica said, moving to the foot of the stretcher.
Just as Dani began pulling the stretcher out of the small void, Coco bounded up to Dani, barking and pressing herself against the woman’s side. “What’s wrong, girl?” Dani asked, smoothing her hands over the dog’s back. Coco howled and even from where she stood, Erica could see the dog’s body tremble.
“Oh, shit!” Dani shouted, crouching over Chloe’s face. “Get down, Erica. Cover your head with your arms.”
The floor swayed as a powerful aftershock ripped through the building. Cracking and crashing filled the air as the already damaged building crumbled. Erica edged her way closer to Chloe and touched her leg, determined to be with her daughter in their last moments. She didn’t have the oxygen mask on, but she did have the radio clipped to her turnout jacket. Pressing the button, she shouted, “Be safe, Jamie.” Come on, Erica. This might be your last chance. “I love you.”
As the words left her mouth, something enormous crashed on top of them. She couldn’t hold back her shrieks as what looked like a steel I-beam cut through the sheetrock above her. It crashed onto the vending machine, partially embedded in the machine’s frame. Would it stop there or crush them all? She had no way of knowing.
Lightly squeezing Chloe’s leg, she prayed Jamie had heard her final words.
Chapter 7
Jamie and his team dropped to one knee as a violent aftershock shook the building. Time seemed to slow and Jamie’s attention was drawn to a crack in the ceiling. Christ, no!
They were so close to victory. Let him be wrong.
The groaning of the building as it swayed was so loud, he almost missed his wife’s frantic words over the radio. “Be safe, Jamie.”
“Rickie, are you all right?”
He watched, his limbs paralyzed by horror, as a massive concrete support column from the nort
h side of the building buckled. The I-beam it was holding up toppled with it, crashing down directly over the location of his wife and child.
Her loud scream filled his faceplate, and he knew he’d hear it until the day he died.
The connecting wall and ceiling crumbled and thousands of pounds of construction material pounded down over the area in the beam’s wake. A roar tore through his throat as he imagined their bodies mangled and trapped under the weight. “Rickie! Chloe!”
When she didn’t reply, his heart broke, unable to believe things would end this way. It couldn’t be. This couldn’t happen.
Then he heard it. So soft, so final. “I love you.”
“Rickie!” he screamed again. “Rickie!” Oh God. No. Determined to get to her, to Chloe, he took off at a run, charging through the fallen structures.
Until strong arms dragged him back. “Jamie. It’s too unstable. Remember your training.”
Drew’s calm voice pissed him off. “Fuck my training. My family is there. I’ve got to save them.”
“I know. They’re my family too. But you can’t do it this way.”
Jamie looked down at his younger brother. He was solidly built, but not as tall as Jamie. “Who’s going to stop me?”
A hand clasped his shoulder. “I will.”
His heart sank. If push came to shove, Hollywood could probably take him. Fuck. “Come on, guys. You can’t expect me to just stand here and wait for them to die. We’re the damn technical rescue team. Let’s do our jobs and rescue them.”
Hollywood clapped him on the back. “Now you’re talking. But we aren’t charging in there like jackasses on meth.”
Jamie looked around, considering the scene. Going forward was out. The north end was out. His gaze shifted upward to the gaping hole in the ceiling. He pointed. “That’s it. I’m going in from the next floor. We’ll use a pulley to move the beam.”
Drew grabbed him by the neck and pulled his head down until their foreheads met. “I know how upset you are, Jamie. But we don’t even know if they’re alive.”
