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He shook his head, then helped her to her feet. As the adrenaline faded, Rhiannon became aware of the chaos around them. Gareth was pulling Dottie from beneath a fallen beam while Lori cradled her sobbing sons. The gun lay forgotten on the floor nearby.
“Where’s Alan?” Rhiannon called out, her voice hoarse. “And Will?”
A muffled groan answered her.
Pierce was already moving, shoving aside debris to reveal Alan’s battered form. Will lay beside him, unconscious but breathing. Raszta padded over, whining softly as he nosed at Will’s hand.
“Don’t move,” Rhiannon warned, kneeling beside them. She glanced over as Gareth appeared at her side. He studied the two men with a calm, practiced eye.
“They may have broken bones or internal injuries, but I won’t know until we get them out from under this debris.”
“Were you a medic?”
His jaw tightened. “Once upon a time. Pierce, help me.”
As they worked to free Alan and Will, Rhiannon became acutely aware of the precarious state of the room. More plaster crumbled from what remained of the ceiling, and the walls groaned ominously.
The whole structure was one good aftershock from coming down on their heads.
Michael.
Her heart surged into her throat as she scrambled over fallen beams and shattered plaster toward the spot where she’d left Michael sleeping. The dust was still thick in the air, making itdifficult to see more than a few feet ahead. She coughed, her throat raw, but pushed on. Raszta streaked past her in a blur of black fur, and since he seemed to know exactly where he was going, she followed.
The dog’s nose was to the ground, sniffing intently as he wove through the wreckage. She stumbled over a broken chair, catching herself on a jutting piece of wood that sliced into her palm.
“Michael!” she called out, her voice hoarse from the dust. She knew he couldn’t hear her, but she couldn’t help herself. The silence that answered was deafening.
Suddenly, Raszta let out a sharp bark and began pawing at a pile of rubble. She scrambled toward it, hope surging in her chest. As she drew closer, she saw a small hand poking out from beneath a fallen section of drywall. Raszta wiggled through an opening and disappeared.
“Oh God,” she gasped. “Pierce! Michael’s trapped!”
She grabbed the edge of the drywall, straining to lift it. It was heavier than she expected, and her muscles screamed in protest. Just as she thought she couldn’t hold it any longer, another pair of hands joined hers. She glanced up to see Pierce beside her, his jaw set with determination.
Together, they heaved the debris aside, revealing Michael’s small form curled around Raszta. His eyes were wide with fear, but he seemed otherwise unharmed.
Rhiannon dropped to her knees beside him, her hands moving over him, searching for injuries.“Are you okay?”she signed.“Are you hurt?”
Michael shook his head, then threw himself into her arms, burying his face in her neck. She held him tight, her body shaking with relief.
Pierce knelt beside them and buried his hands in Raszta’s fur, pressing his forward to the dog’s in a silent, heartfelt thank you.
A low rumble reverberated through the building, sending a fresh shower of dust and debris raining down. The walls groaned ominously, and Rhiannon’s heart leaped into her throat.
“We need to get out of here,”Pierce signed. He was already on his feet, scanning the room for the safest path to the back hallway. His eyes narrowed as he assessed the unstable structure around them.“Follow me. Stay close.”
Michael’s grip on her tightened, his small body trembling. She rubbed soothing circles on his back as she straightened and picked her way through the rubble, following closely behind Pierce. Raszta trotted ahead, his corded fur coated in dust as he navigated the treacherous path.
“Gareth,”Pierce signed sharply, catching the other man’s attention.“We need to evacuate. Now.”
Rhiannon translated, and Gareth nodded grimly, already helping Dottie and Hailey toward the hallway. “I’ve got Alan and Will stabilized, but we need to get them out of here fast.”
Lori stumbled forward, her face streaked with tears and grime. “What about us? Are you going to leave us?”
Pierce’s jaw clenched as he glanced between Lori and the others. Without Alan egging them on, they had all lost their zealous bravado. Now, they just looked scared and desperate.
His hands moved in rapid, decisive gestures.
“We were never going to leave anyone behind,” Rhiannon translated. “But we need to move fast. The whole building could come down any minute.”
