Page 76 of Duty Preserved

“Alyson is alive. She came through the first surgery. She’s stable.”

I pressed my hand flat against my sternum. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my teeth.

“I know you’ve been waiting,” he said. “I’m sorry. She was in surgery for a long time, and there wasn’t anything to tell you until she came through it. I couldn’t get to a phone until an hour ago.”

“I understand. How are you doing?”

“I’m okay.”

“How is the leg?”

“They rebuilt it. Took a while.” He said it the way someone would mention a scheduling conflict.

I looked at Donovan across the counter. His jaw was tight, and his eyes were locked in on the phone.

“Glad you came out the other side,” Donovan said.

“Appreciate it.”

“What did they say about Alyson’s injuries?” I sat down on the stool beside the counter because my legs wouldn’t hold me for the rest of this.

“The lacerations were deep. Some went through the muscle. She needed transfusions, and the surgery was extensive. They’re not finished—there’s more ahead. But none of the wounds punctured a major artery or any vital organs. She’s stable and breathing on her own.”

“Is she conscious?”

“In and out. They’ve got her on heavy pain management. She knew I was there for about thirty seconds this morning. That’s more than yesterday.”

“How permanent is it all going to be?”

He was quiet for a moment. “It’s bad. The scarring is going to be significant. But she’s here. That’s the part that matters right now.”

I dragged my hand down my face. Donovan hadn’t moved. He stood on the other side of the counter with his arms crossed.

“What happens next?” I asked.

“The hospital reached her family. They’re on their way.”

“From the States?”

“Yeah. Once she can travel, she’s being transferred home. Medevac flight, medical escort, the works. She’s not coming back here, Sarah.”

I’d known that. Somewhere underneath the panic and the waiting, I’d already known Aly wasn’t coming back to Ol Pejeta. But hearing Cole say it out loud solidified it.

“How long until she can fly?”

“Probably next week, at least. They’re not moving her until the surgical team clears it.”

I nodded even though he couldn’t see me.

“What about you?” I asked. “And don’t steer past it.”

“The leg’s got more hardware in it than the truck, but it’ll hold. Don’t worry about me.”

“Cole,” Donovan interjected.

“I’m on my back in a hospital bed with my leg bolted together and a morphine drip that’s making everything a lot more interesting than it should be. My rotation’s done. I’m grounded.”

I pulled my hand away from my face. “What about Daniel? Is he with Alyson?”