Page 122 of Distress Signal

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Reaching through the window to gently cup my cheeks, turning my head this way and that, examining me.

“Belle,” he croaked out.

“Hey, soldier.”

“You’re okay?”

“I think so.”

“Can you get out?”

I shook my head. “I’m stuck under the steering column.”

“The boys will get you out,” Crew said from behind Finn, inclining his head. I looked in the side mirror, which was miraculously undamaged, to see the fire truck fast approaching.

“Captain!”

Crew turned to the newcomer. “Tuck?”

Tuck jogged up. “Heard the call go out over the scanner, so I drove out.”

Crew clapped him on the shoulder. “Thanks, man. We can assist these guys.”

Behind the fire truck, several more vehicles pulled to a stop, Lane at their head, trailed by two more guys I vaguely recognized.

“Reporting for duty, Cap,” the smaller of the two said.

“Childers, Burns. What the fuck are you guys doing here?”

They looked between him and Tuck. “Likely the same thing as the rest of you. Heard the call go out, wanted to come help.”

“You’re not getting overtime for this,” Crew said in warning. “And we’ve still gotta show up bright and early tomorrow.”

The guys made no move to leave, so Crew shrugged.

Before he could launch into an explanation of the scene, Lane arrived.

“What’ve we got?” he asked, all business.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that, Sheriff?” a female voice said, one that sounded vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place.

“Be my guest,” Lane grumbled, shifting to the side so Sutton, the paramedic, could examine me.

“Hey, Reagan.”

“Hi.”

“You doing okay?”

Nodding, I said, “Just want to get the fuck out of here.”

“I think we can make that happen,” she winked. “I’m going to do a cursory exam, stabilize you, and then the fire department will get you free.”

Without waiting for a response from me, she proceeded to shine a penlight in my eyes, checking my pupils for proper dilation.

“I can’t do anything about your arm until you’re out, so Ineed you to keep it close to your body and hold it as still as possible when they pull you out, okay?”

“Okay.”

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