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“It’s coming from over here.”He was already moving toward the collapsed side wall of the shop when he heard the distinctive hoarse bark.
Raszta.
His boy’s bark always sounded like a pack-a-day smoker.
He picked up his pace, crawling over a downed shelf, ignoring the debris digging into his palms. Rhiannon was right behind him, her breath hitching as they made their way through the mess. This section of the shop hadn’t held up as well as the front, and the scent of fresh dust mixed with the sharp tang of electrical burns lingered heavily in the air. Pierce could hear the creak and groan of the overburdened structure above them. It was only a matter of time before the whole damn thing collapsed on their heads.
The bark echoed again, louder this time. That was Razzy’s alert. He’d found something.
Suddenly, Rhiannon grabbed his arm to halt him. “Pierce,” she breathed. Her eyes were wide as she pointed toward a mangled heap of fallen shelves.
He followed her gaze and saw the hand poking out from beneath a pile of debris. Raszta was there, paws scraping frantically at the rubble. Someone was trapped under there, and if his boy was pawing at it like that, they were alive.
He hastily signed to Rhiannon,“Stay here.”
Without waiting for her reply, he crawled toward his dog. Sharp edges of broken metal and splintered wood cut into his hands as he began to dig.
Of course, Rhiannon didn’t listen. He didn’t know why he was surprised. She was stubborn and brave, not one to shy away from danger when someone else’s life hung in the balance. She dropped to her knees beside him and dug.
Time seemed to stretch out as they worked on clearing the debris. Sweat dripped into his eyes, but he ignored it, focusing on getting to whoever was trapped beneath the rubble.
Suddenly, there was movement— a twitch of the fingers.
The person was conscious.
chapter
five
Pierce swipedhis arm across his forehead to clear the sweat from his eyes and picked up his pace, wrapping his hands around a piece of rebar and pulling it. They were close. Nearby, Rhiannon had paused to pull off her outer jacket, tying it around her waist before continuing.
“Right there.” She pointed through a small gap between the fallen beams and shattered drywall, just large enough to see the dark outline of a person beneath.
Pierce crouched down, trying to peer through the narrow opening. Raszta was still clawing and whining incessantly, his mop-like fur covered in dust. Pierce placed a soothing hand on his partner’s back, giving him a reassuring pat.“Tell them we’re here to help.”
Rhiannon leaned in close to the opening. “Hey, there. You’re not alone anymore. We’re here, and we’re going to get you out, okay? Just hang on.”
An agonized whisper drifted back to them through the small hole. “Please... hurry. Please…”
“Stay with us,” Rhiannon urged. “We’re getting you out.”
The gap slowly widened enough for Pierce to catch a better glimpse of the person trapped beneath. He was a man withmilitary short blond hair and blue eyes, his face pale and streaked with blood, his breathing labored.
Almost there.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Pierce slipped his hands under the guy’s shoulders and carefully pulled him free from the wreckage. The man cried out as his body shifted, but Pierce kept his movements steady and gentle, trying to minimize the pain.
Once the man was clear, Pierce laid him on the relatively stable ground nearby. The man’s face was ashen, and his breathing was shallow, but he was alive.
“Thank you,” he gasped.
“You’re welcome,” Rhiannon said. “Now, don’t talk. Save your strength.”
As she checked the man over for any obvious injuries, Pierce took a moment to really look at him. There was something familiar about the guy’s face, though it was partially obscured by dirt and blood. His clothes were standard civilian fare, but there was a certain air about him, a way he held himself, even in pain, that spoke of military training.
Pierce’s eyes narrowed.“What’s his name?”
Rhiannon relayed the question.
