Page 36 of Dream Chaser
I step out to breathe. Skinner joins me, passing me a bottle of water.
“Thank you,” I murmur and look up at him. “Are you okay?”
He forces out a laugh … or huff … probably both. “I’ve made peace with going to prison ten times, but I have Grand.”
“Grand?”
He lifts his head. “My other.”
I want to ask if she lives around here, but I can’t. Not the time for small talk.
“Was she at the game? Do you want me to check and make sure she’s wherever she needs to be?”
He shakes his head and doesn’t say anything else. Just stands beside me like he might crumble if he doesn’t stand there pretending to hold the wall up.
A news alert pings on my phone. I open it.
BREAKING NEWS:
Violence breaks out across parts of Philadelphia following a controversial playoff game. Riots forming near stadium and civic center. Police deployed.
“Shit,” I whisper.
Skinner glances at the screen. “We gotta get out of the city.”
I nod as I send a text to CJ and Matthew.
Ten minutes later, the hospital makes a formal recommendation for any non-critical visitors to leave due to expected road blockages and protest activity. The rest of the girls are here now, and my parents are ten minutes out.
Boone’s jaw is set so tight I worry it might break, and Hart’s barely holding back his rage when they meet in the waiting area one last time.
“They’re stable,” Boone says quietly. “And there’s extra security on the floor.”
Lexi looks like she might argue, but I catch her arm. “We need to let them do their jobs.”
I get a text as the charter bus pulls up. Dad gets off with Uncle Lucas. As Dad heads our way, Lucas pushes open the doors and walks into the ER like he owns it.
“He’s gonna get arrested, the damn fool,” Aunt Tessa whisper-hisses as she follows him.
“We all need to get on the bus and head to the airport,” Dad informs us all.
“What about the rental?” I ask.
“Matthew has someone returning it to a local branch. It’s all set.”
It feels like retreating. “We’re just going to leave them?”
“Hell no. Tessa’s going to look over their charts and see if it’s safe to get them back home. An hour and thirty minutes, they could be in Cuse and will be better taken care of.”
“They’ve been really good here,” Lexi whispers. “I heard some of the nurses saying they were going to torch their gear.”
“Drop a match on the whole stadium,” Dad mutters. “That bus has almost as many licensed medical staff as this place. Nurses.” He tugs my ponytail. “Our little EMT.”
“I almost forgot you became an EMT before you even graduated high school,” Lexi says as she heads to our pile of coats and bags.
“She still gets hours in volunteering for BV’s ambulance squad and recertifies.”
“When do you have the freaking time?” Lexi asks.
