“You’re okay, sweetie. This is my friend, Amber. Amb, this is Kelsey.”
“Hi,” Amber said, giving her a quick smile. Kelsey stared down at the injured soldier while Amber finished wrapping.
“You’re a doctor,” Kelsey said. “My mommy was a doctor.”
Amber and I both smiled at her. I rubbed Kelsey’s back, then looked toward the door at Josh. “Have you seen Tater?”
“Yeah, he’s over at the warehouse. Amber got the worm out of him.”
I let out a sigh of relief. “Is he okay?”
“He looked rough, but wanted to fight.” Josh glanced over at the warehouse. “Looks like it’s almost over. Some of our guys pulled out the kids.”
I stood and went to the door. A female soldier was running our way with my girls. I embraced each of them as they came in.
“I’m Carmen,” said the woman.
“Hi. Remy.”
She nodded. “Heard all about you.”
“What’s going on over there?” Josh asked her.
“They won’t stand down, even though they’re surrounded. They’re using humans as shields and guards. But we’ve sniped the majority and only three are left. Top is ready to ambush.”
“Showdown,” Josh said. “How about the rest of the area?”
“Far as I know, clear.”
Devon stood. “I’m going back out.” He left us to help the others, and I shouted at his back.
“Be careful!”
Everything outside was eerily quiet. I stood near the door so I could see to the warehouse at the end of the clearing. I had to squint. After a few minutes, a rush of soldiers burst through the doors and I covered my mouth as rapid firing rang out. We all watched, holding our breath.
Amber finished and came to my side, watching with us. We immediately grabbed hands. After several minutes of firing and shouting, a cheer filled the air.
“Hell, yeah!” Josh said. Everyone in our room cheered too.
Then voices began shouting, “Medic!”
My stomach dropped. Who was hurt? I tried to think of who all would’ve been over there: Top, Devon, Tex, Tater. I grabbed ahold of a bed rail to steady myself against a wave of dread.
Amber rushed over for her bag. She, the other medic, and I ran toward the warehouse. I halted when we reached the entrance. Someone had turned on the light and it was a bloody mess. Bodies everywhere, mostly Baelese, but a handful of humans too. And a bunch of our men were standing in a circle over one body in particular.
Amber pushed her way into the fray and yelled in a trembling voice, “Top!” I saw Devon, Tater, and Tex crouching over him. My tummy fluttered with happy relief to see that they were fine, and then nausea at the sight of Top splayed out, so still. Tater looked up with mournful eyes and shook his head as Amber fell to her knees and took Top’s pulse. Then her head fell and a cry broke through my lips. I’d always respected the First Sergeant, who we first met as “Dog Balls,” but I knew Amber loved him. He’d treated her like a daughter, and kind of reminded me of her real dad.
All around us, soldiers began to file in, surrounding Top in a circle of remorse.“He’s gone,”people whispered.“Top didn’t make it.”And one word reverberated in my mind as I looked around at the reverence on everyone’s faces.
Hero.
