Page 57 of Relentless
He paused in his fight, breathing heavily. “Tia is out there,” he managed to say.
“I know, but we don’t know what else is. Until we do, you need to stay here,” she said.
“Like hell,” he snarled back.
“Shut up, Cody, and do what you’re told,” she snapped. “Other than our driver, you are theonlyperson here who has no training, no skills to help, and will only get in the way. Let us do our jobs. Then, if it’s safe, I promise we’ll let you see her.”
“I can help,” he insisted.
“Really? Because all I see right now is a man intent on having his own way regardless of what is best for Tia. Mazi and Cass need to clear the scene and I need to get out there and check for injuries. The sooner you get your shit together, the sooner we can all do our jobs.”
“Nothing is holdingyouback,” he said. But his voice was losing its edge.
“You are, Cody. I need you to calm the fuck down. I need you to stay safe so that Mazi and Cass can do their job. So that I can do mine without worrying about you losing your shit. Can you do that?”
He ground his teeth together. The “losing his shit” comment was probably a little over the top. But she’d rather him angry than afraid. At least right now. Anger she could penetrate. Fear was a much more difficult beast to tackle.
“Go,” he bit out.
“You’ll stay here?” she asked.
He hesitated then nodded. “Provided you promise to tell me as soon as it’s safe to leave the bus. And you tell me Tia’s condition,” he added. She inclined her head in agreement.
She cast a glance at Mazi, who slowly released Cody. When Cody didn’t bolt out the door, Mazi switched to “mission mode.”
“There’s a medical kit in the back. I’ll bring it to you,” he said, before sliding past Cody.
Kara reached out and touched Cody’s arm. “I’ll let you know what I know as soon as I can.”
Cody gave a terse nod, then planted his backside in a chair and stared out the window.
Not wanting to waste another second, she spun around and made her way to the door. As she stepped out, the heat from the fire and the sunbaked asphalt wrapped around her, but she paid it no mind. To her left, Tia lay on the ground, Ethan at her side. She was trying to sit up, and he was trying to convince her to stay down.
“What’s the situation?” Kara asked, kneeling beside Tia.
“Louis fell on his elbows and got a little banged up but is otherwise okay. Anne took a piece of burning metal to her arm. She’s hurt, but Tia is the priority,” he replied. “And I thought I told you to stay inside,” he added.
She ignored that last comment and began examining Tia. The woman batted Kara’s hands away and tried to sit up again.
“Stay down or I’ll ask Cody to come hold you down,” Kara snapped, taking the medical bag Mazi held out to her. “Go help with the fire,” she said to Ethan.
“I’m not leaving you here,” he replied.
“You are and you will. I don’t want you kneeling on that injured leg any more than you have to. Mazi can help me. Go help put the fire out, then bring Anne here so I can check her arm. Anddon’tbend that leg any more than you have to,” she said, brokering no argument.
Whatever else he might have said, she ignored as she dug into the bag for equipment. She’d already checked Tia’s pulse, and it was steady and strong, a good sign. Pulling out a penlight and an arm cuff, she asked, “How are you feeling, Tia?”
The woman cocked an eye open and appeared unamused by the question. “I’m fine. Taken worse falls off a bike. Now, if you would let me up so I can do my job, I’d appreciate it.”
“Not until I do my job,” she replied. “I promised Cody that I’d check you out, and you know how he gets if he doesn’t get his way.” In truth, Cody wasn’t demanding at all. But painting him in that picture took both their minds off what had just happened.
“Open your right eye,” she directed. Tia dutifully did as asked. Kara flashed the light over it, pleased with her pupillary response. After conducting the same test on the other eye, she felt reasonably certain Tia hadn’t suffered a concussion, or at least not a significant one.
“What hurts? Other than your head?” she asked.
Tia stared at her, as if debating whether to answer, then sighed. “My neck and shoulder, but only because I landed on them funny. Not because I think they are injured.”
Kara had her go through the motions of wiggling her feet and fingers before moving on to examine her neck. Judging by the resigned look on Tia’s face and her complacency in following orders, the woman had realized that the fastest way to get back to her job was to tell the truth and comply. Trusting in Tia’s honesty, Kara quickly moved through her assessment.
