the army.
A memory flashed through Evan’s mind.
Rising floodwater. Bloated livestock. The military rolling into town.
‘I was ready to go when the sprinklers came on,’ Mike said. ‘I’ve tried to save as much as I could. The foundation’s everything to her.’
‘Her’ was obviously Laila, and she’d never mentioned anything about a foundation to him.
‘Nothing’s as important as your life mate, but you know that.’
Mike kept his eyes on Evan as he grabbed the push rims on the chair and wheeled himself out from behind the desk.
‘Then let’s roll. Can’t have you putting your life in danger for me.’
Evan tossed the jacket and sunglasses onto a waiting-room chair. ‘I’m guessing I owe you one.’
At the top of the stairwell, Mike levered himself out of the chair.
‘I can get down on my arse.’
Christ! He respected the military, he really did. Didn’t mean some of them weren’t arrogant pricks.
‘The smoke’s getting worse.’ Evan descended a few steps then turned and faced the other man. ‘It’ll be quicker this way. Come on.’
He bent low, preparing to take the other man’s weight.
Surprisingly, Mike didn’t argue. Moments later, Evan had him in the correct position, his shoulder pressed into the other man’s chest, arms wrapped around his knees. The stairs made the transition awkward, but Evan had lifted some serious weight in his time, and he knew how to do it properly.
Sucking mouthfuls of air into his lungs, he began pushing with his legs, powering upwards like a weightlifter as he straightened from the squat.
‘Should I be worried?’ Mike’s sarcastic voice rang out in response to Evan’s loud grunt.
‘Only that I might leave you here, smart arse,’ he hissed through gritted teeth. ‘I’ve put bigger bastards than you on my back in the past.’
Mike shut up as Evan turned in the darkened stairwell and began descending the steps. He moved carefully, staying close to the wall in case Mike tipped sideways.
Another wave of heat and smoke greeted them at the third level. Desperate to get to the lower floors, Evan rounded the corner, grabbing for the wall as Mike’s weight began shifting to the right. Daggers of pain shot up his arm as the hot door scorched his palm.
‘Fuck!’ He gasped, than coughed out a lungful of smoke.
‘You right?’ This time, Mike’s voice was devoid of sarcasm.
Chest burning, muscles shaking from the inflow of lactic acid, Evan descended another two steps. ‘We’re past the worst of it.’
On the second-floor landing, the first of the firemen were coming up from the street, oxygen tanks strapped to their backs. Evan could hear them discussing possible backdraft if they opened the door leading into the third floor.
‘Do we have a casualty?’ asked one, catching sight of Evan.
‘Paraplegic. Chair’s on the fifth.’
‘I’ll take him,’ another one said, stepping up.
‘I’ve got him balanced. Go do your job, boys.’ Ignoring his stinging hand, Evan continued his slow descent. He needed to get out. Talking used up breath he didn’t have.
‘Get checked by the medics when you’re outside.’ One of them said to his back.
Coppery light shone into the building through the bottom exit door as Evan descended the final flight of stairs.
‘How you doin’ back there?’ he managed to ask, relieved to be drawing fresher air into his lungs.
‘Better than you I’d say.’
Moments later, heart and lungs fit to bursting, Evan stepped through the doorway and onto the street. In seconds he was surrounded by people, anxious to help. A couple of guys took Mike’s weight and lowered him onto the concrete.
Evan stayed down, staring at the ground as he coughed out smoke and drew fresh air into his lungs. He couldn’t see, but he could hear Mike coughing beside him. Sweat and water from the sprinklers poured down his face, sending rivulets of soot into his eyes.
He heard Laila’s voice, felt her hands on his shoulders, pushing
A memory flashed through Evan’s mind.
Rising floodwater. Bloated livestock. The military rolling into town.
‘I was ready to go when the sprinklers came on,’ Mike said. ‘I’ve tried to save as much as I could. The foundation’s everything to her.’
‘Her’ was obviously Laila, and she’d never mentioned anything about a foundation to him.
‘Nothing’s as important as your life mate, but you know that.’
Mike kept his eyes on Evan as he grabbed the push rims on the chair and wheeled himself out from behind the desk.
‘Then let’s roll. Can’t have you putting your life in danger for me.’
Evan tossed the jacket and sunglasses onto a waiting-room chair. ‘I’m guessing I owe you one.’
At the top of the stairwell, Mike levered himself out of the chair.
‘I can get down on my arse.’
Christ! He respected the military, he really did. Didn’t mean some of them weren’t arrogant pricks.
‘The smoke’s getting worse.’ Evan descended a few steps then turned and faced the other man. ‘It’ll be quicker this way. Come on.’
He bent low, preparing to take the other man’s weight.
Surprisingly, Mike didn’t argue. Moments later, Evan had him in the correct position, his shoulder pressed into the other man’s chest, arms wrapped around his knees. The stairs made the transition awkward, but Evan had lifted some serious weight in his time, and he knew how to do it properly.
Sucking mouthfuls of air into his lungs, he began pushing with his legs, powering upwards like a weightlifter as he straightened from the squat.
‘Should I be worried?’ Mike’s sarcastic voice rang out in response to Evan’s loud grunt.
‘Only that I might leave you here, smart arse,’ he hissed through gritted teeth. ‘I’ve put bigger bastards than you on my back in the past.’
Mike shut up as Evan turned in the darkened stairwell and began descending the steps. He moved carefully, staying close to the wall in case Mike tipped sideways.
Another wave of heat and smoke greeted them at the third level. Desperate to get to the lower floors, Evan rounded the corner, grabbing for the wall as Mike’s weight began shifting to the right. Daggers of pain shot up his arm as the hot door scorched his palm.
‘Fuck!’ He gasped, than coughed out a lungful of smoke.
‘You right?’ This time, Mike’s voice was devoid of sarcasm.
Chest burning, muscles shaking from the inflow of lactic acid, Evan descended another two steps. ‘We’re past the worst of it.’
On the second-floor landing, the first of the firemen were coming up from the street, oxygen tanks strapped to their backs. Evan could hear them discussing possible backdraft if they opened the door leading into the third floor.
‘Do we have a casualty?’ asked one, catching sight of Evan.
‘Paraplegic. Chair’s on the fifth.’
‘I’ll take him,’ another one said, stepping up.
‘I’ve got him balanced. Go do your job, boys.’ Ignoring his stinging hand, Evan continued his slow descent. He needed to get out. Talking used up breath he didn’t have.
‘Get checked by the medics when you’re outside.’ One of them said to his back.
Coppery light shone into the building through the bottom exit door as Evan descended the final flight of stairs.
‘How you doin’ back there?’ he managed to ask, relieved to be drawing fresher air into his lungs.
‘Better than you I’d say.’
Moments later, heart and lungs fit to bursting, Evan stepped through the doorway and onto the street. In seconds he was surrounded by people, anxious to help. A couple of guys took Mike’s weight and lowered him onto the concrete.
Evan stayed down, staring at the ground as he coughed out smoke and drew fresh air into his lungs. He couldn’t see, but he could hear Mike coughing beside him. Sweat and water from the sprinklers poured down his face, sending rivulets of soot into his eyes.
He heard Laila’s voice, felt her hands on his shoulders, pushing
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