Page 73 of True Valor
With a loud crack, he was through the ice inan instant.On the way down, he saw the horror on Julie’s face, andwished…
He knew the water would be cold, but, dang,it felt like someone had slammed him in the chest.Light didn’tplay down here.Had Julie said there were fish?Dumb thought.Reachfor the light.
Nic willed his muscles to work, willed hisbrain to stay with him.Anticipation of pain is worse than painitself.
Yeah, sure it is.Dang.
Left fist up.Let ‘em know you’re allright.
Let who know?Joey liked to ice fish.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Julie tried to make sense of what she wasseeing.
“Looky, Superman fell through the ice,”Raines hissed.“Ooh, poor Superman.”He pulled the gun away fromJulie and aimed at Nic as he came up for air.
“It’s Batman, you bastard.”
Julie’s heel came down on Raines’ foot.Thenshe shoved back with her whole body as hard as she could.Raines’gun flew from his hand and skittered down the slippery rock.With acurse, he lunged for it.Julie kicked him again, hard enough thathe lost his footing and went over the edge.
Everything was in slow motion.Was he gone?Dead?Still a threat?If she leaned over the edge to see…
Without her hands to balance her, Julieturned and sat down, afraid she too would fall.She looked out tothe pond, to the hole through which Nic had disappeared.There wasno movement.But as she watched, what had just been scenery before,came to life.
Bravo Squad.
And even as she uttered a prayer, there inher chapel, hoping God was listening, the six foot four angelGabriel tied a rope to his waist and made his way toward the hole.Another camo dressed squad member, one she’d never met, took up theother end of the rope.Cruz emerged from the trees and chargedtoward her along the edge of the pond.
“Stay put.Don’t move,” he shouted.
Once at the rocks, he scrambled upeffortlessly and moved to her side.After releasing the cuffs, hesat next to her, pulling her close.
“You okay, Julie?”
Julie couldn’t answer, she could only stareat the silent hole in the ice, at Gabe making his way toward it.Couldn’t he go any faster?Why didn’t Nic come up for air?He was aPJ.They trained for this stuff, didn’t they?
How could one train for his body’s reactionto that kind of cold?
“Hurry, Gabe.”
“Julie, look at me.”Cruz’s voice brokethrough to her but she couldn’t pull her eyes away.
“Julie!”He took her arm, shaking herslightly.“Julie!”
“Shut up, Eric.”Julie pulled her arm awayand stood up.“C’mon, Nic,” she whispered.“Please.”
Cruz stood beside her, his hands again on hershoulders.
It was too much.She had to get down, had toget closer, had to reach out to him.
She started to move toward the edge.
“Julie, no.”He tightened his grip onher.
Quickly she looked at him, afraid to take hereyes from the ice for long.“Let me go, Cruz.”It came out betweenclenched teeth.
“It’s slick.At least, let me help youdown.”
