Page 55 of Trace's Passion
Trace was thrown even further away, his body hitting the ground hard and making him let out a groan, he had some burns on his arms and his neck, but they were nothing compared to what could have happened and he sat up in shock.
He wasn’t injured hardly at all, and when he turned to see who threw him off the bomb, he saw Reid lying on the ground face down, unconscious and his uniform was burning on his back.
Trace scrambled to his side, and put the flames out with his hand, and felt to see if Reid was truly just unconscious or if he was dead.
He was still breathing, and Trace let out a small breath of relief when he saw the gesture. He noticed that Reid was having a hard time breathing in and out, that it was labored, and that his arm was twisted wrong. Like it was out of its socket.
Trace reached for his radio with shaking hands to let Stacy know they needed an ambulance, but before he could he noticed Emery lying in the trees. She must have gotten away from Kian and had been hit with the blast as it exploded outwards.
He surged to his feet and ran to her side. She was also knocked out, and had some burns on her arms, and on her neck, not quite third-degree burns, but she did have a few blisters on her arms. But she was breathing, and she was alive.
Trace put his forehead to hers, so close to losing it all today.
Stacy’s voice came through his radio, “Trace? Are you guys okay?”
Trace took a deep breath and placed Emery gently back on the ground.
Then he touched his radio, “Stacy, we need some fire trucks out here and two ambulances in the woods behind Sienna’s house. There has been an explosion. Reid and Emery were both injured.”
He heard her gasp, and she said, “They are on their way Trace. Just hang tight. Scott is on his way too.”
Trace felt someone touch his back and he turned to see Brek standing there. His best friend's hair was blown back, and he was burned a little on his face, but it was more like a sunburn than a bad burn.
Brek was breathing hard, “Emery got out of Kian’s hold. I tried to stop her, but she got past me too. I’m sorry Trace. About everything.”
Trace stood, and hugged Brek hard. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Thank you for being there for me. I thought it was the end for me.”
Brek hugged him back and then walked to Reid’s side. “He knew that Emery would be broken if he didn’t do something. When he tackled you out of the way, he took a lot of the brunt, but thankfully Lance didn’t know how to make a more powerful bomb and thankfully the one in the back wasn’t one either. We all could have died.”
Trace nodded and stayed with Emery while Brek did his best to keep Reid comfortable.
Sienna and Kian made their way over and Kian dropped to his knees in pain when he saw both of his siblings on the ground.
He was breathing hard and it came out in hard gasps and then he shook his head and then stood.
The sirens were loud in the quiet and Sienna ran out to direct them where to go.
The path was overgrown, but you could still drive to where they were. And the firemen and the EMT’s rushed over to them as quickly as they could through the overgrowth.
Scott was also rushing over to them and Brek showed him where he and Reid had shot Lance.
Lance had been burned by the explosion but was still recognizable. Scott walked back to where Trace was with Emery, his face a mask of shock, “I saw him yesterday. He was in the station asking for directions.”
Trace nodded, “I know. He was Emery’s stalker. And he kidnapped her last night, tied her to a bed, tried to rape her and set a bomb to explode at his convenience. I am damned lucky that Reid threw me out of the way.”
Scott shook his head, “I used to think this was a quiet town. But the last few months have taught me otherwise. I’m glad I came out of retirement.”
Trace gave a slight chuckle, “We are too.”
The EMT’s working on Emery lifted her onto the stretcher and nodded at Trace, who said, “I will meet you at the hospital. That woman is my entire life, my fiancée. Please be careful with her.”
They both nodded and Trace walked with them to the ambulance and kissed her lips softly before they put her in the ambulance and shut the doors.
He watched as they loaded Reid into the next one and Trace walked over. Reid had his eyes open and was not all the way coherent.
Trace grabbed his hand, “Thank you Reid. You saved my life.”
Reid coughed and whispered, “You couldn’t leave Em. Not yet.”
Trace felt his eyes go hot and they shut Reid in the back of the ambulance and sped away.
The firemen had the fire almost under control and were checking for hot spots.
Trace thanked them and Brek shooed him and Kian away, “Go. You need to be there for them both.”
Kian looked at Trace, and they both nodded, then drove to the hospital in silence.
