“Cliff, I need you to know something before they get here.”
“Sure, man. What’s up?” Cliff tried to sound casual as he asked, but his pulse pounded differently.
“It is Alexis.”
Confused, Cliff replied, “What is?”
“The victim. It is Alexis.”
***
Blinking her eyes open, Alexis took in the ripped cloth of the seat pressed against her, then tried her best to turn her head in the other direction, but failed miserably. She was so weak. The last time she felt like this was when she had a bout of the stomach flu eight years ago, nearly rendering her useless for an entire week.
Agonizing pain rippled through her and moan escaped her lips as the car jostled over a bump in the road.
“Sorry. We’ll be there soon.”
Everything hurt. Alexis mentally took note of her white undershirt stained in red and the tourniquet securely placed on her thigh. She’d lost a lot of blood, too much blood.
“Heath,” she groaned in pain, doing all she could to fight against the darkness. Her time was almost up and it was closing in far too quickly.
“Don’t you fucking dare, Alexis. Hang on just another few minutes, we’re almost there.” Her friend turned his head to look at her in the back, and though she couldn’t see him well, she knew something must register his alarm because the car jerked as he increased his speed, jostling her in the process
Closing her eyes once more, she settled against the cushion, praying for peace to welcome her.
Whispered words sound close to her ear, offering reassurance as her body was lifted from the car. She barely had a chance to fall back asleep before Heath stopped the car with a jolt, the smell of burnt brakes lingered in the air. Opening her eyes took too much energy, instead she settled against the chest pressed at her side, savoring its warmth. With her face free from the musty seat cushion, Alexis took a deep breath. The smell of spring, freshly cut wood, and water assaulted her senses and Alexis immediately stiffened in the man’s arms. Well, as rigid as she could with her blood loss. She recognized that scent, and knew of only one man that wore the Burberry cologne - Cliff.
But what was she doing in Carson? That would mean that Heath drove almost twenty-four hours straight from their post in New Mexico.
“Calm down. You’re safe here,” Cliff whispered and her muscles relaxed. She knew that Carson was one of the safest places she could be, but she didn’t want to endanger the people that she had grown to love, or put Cliff at risk. She could defend herself, but these were simple townspeople.
He carried her through a door at the back of the building. The lights were too bright, causing her to squeeze her eyes tighter, her body flinched in reaction.
“Tell me what we’ve got,” she heard a familiar voice ask. Logan? He was the only doctor in town that she knew, besides Brooks, but the ex-baseball player was a pediatrician.
“Shot through and through to the right shoulder. Bullet hit in the upper portion of her right thigh. It is still lodged in place.”
“Fuck,” the doctor mumbled before he directed someone else in the room. “Dylan, I need you to gather bags of blood from the medical office. O negative. She’s lost a lot and I’m afraid we need it on hand for the surgery. Let’s hope the muscles are destroyed.”
“What about anesthesia?” Heath asked. She recognized his hand as it gripped hers tightly while Cliff settled her body on a cushioned bed.
“We don’t have time. I’ll do local anesthesia, but that’s the best I can do. If we don’t take care of this now, I’m afraid she’s going to have an hour or two tops.”
Low curses expelled from Heath as Dylan requested where to go at the medical office, promising to return quickly.
Cliff’s voice broke through the sounds of metal clanging close to her ear. She assumed it’s supplies for the emergency surgery.
“When she comes through this, I want a complete debriefing. But for now, you rest. I’ll make sure to get you some clothes too,” Cliff voiced in the direction where she heard Heath last.
“Thanks.” She listened to the sounds of her friend’s feet carrying him out of the room, hopefully to catch some much-needed shuteye. The place won’t matter to Heath, she’s watched him make camp on the floor of a dirty hotel room, scratchy rug and all.
Alexis jerked as cold fingers probe her shoulder, bringing her back to the moment. These weren’t the same gentle fingers that lifted her from the car.
“Shh,” a soothing voice whispered in her ear. She wanted so badly to scream, but even that took more energy than she had left.
“I’m going to numb the area on your shoulder, clean it, then stitch it up on both sides.”
Her neck stiffened as scissors slid across her skin, removing her shirt from her body. Cliff’s inhale of air didn’t go unnoticed by Alexis, but she had little time to dwell on his reaction. She imagined that she was covered in purple and black bruises, as well as the dried remains of blood and mud. Logan’s fingers swept across her wound and Alexis’s mind focused on the pain.