Page 7 of Dr. Roz Harrington
Roz forced herself to step back, breaking the moment with a practiced smile. “Well, Captain, it seems we’ll have to agree to disagree.”
Sam inclined her head slightly, a small smile playing at her lips. “Seems that way.”
As Sam turned to rejoin her colleagues, Roz watched her go, an unfamiliar warmth settling in her chest. She took a slow, deliberate sip of her drink, her mind already racing. Sam Quinn was nothing like anyone she’d ever encountered before, and for the first time in a long time, Roz wasn’t sure how to handle it.
3
SAM
The call came in as Sam was halfway through a coffee that had already gone cold.
“Building explosion. Multiple casualties. Possible entrapment. Respond immediately.”
Her heart tightened as the dispatcher’s voice crackled through the station’s PA system, sending the firehouse into immediate action. Mugs clattered onto tables, chairs scraped across the floor, and boots thundered toward the trucks. Sam was on her feet in seconds, barking out orders as her team scrambled into their gear.
“Let’s move, people! We’re rolling in thirty!” Her voice was steady, cutting through the noise with the authority her crew depended on.
Within minutes, the fire engine roared out of the station, its siren piercing the air as they sped toward the scene. Sam rode in the front seat, her sharp blue eyes scanning the skyline as they approached the chaos. Black smoke billowed against the evening sky, a menacing pillar that marked their destination.
By the time they arrived, the street was a scene of utter devastation. Shattered glass littered the ground, flames licked atthe edges of the collapsed building, and terrified onlookers were held back by police barricades. The acrid stench of smoke and gas filled the air, and Sam’s chest tightened as she surveyed the scene. This wasn’t just a fire; it was a disaster.
“Quinn!” Jack’s voice broke through her focus, pulling her attention to the haphazard pile of rubble that had once been the building’s facade. “We’ve got people inside. Structure’s unstable, but there’s a void space near the southeast corner. If anyone’s alive, they’re there.”
Sam nodded, her jaw tightening. “You and Team Two handle containment on the west side. Ben, you’re with me. We’re going in.”
Ben, ever eager, gave her a quick nod, adjusting the straps on his helmet. His youthful energy had always been a source of both amusement and pride for Sam, but tonight, it added an edge to her worry.
The two moved swiftly, navigating the treacherous terrain of broken beams and shattered concrete. The heat from the flames pressed against Sam’s back, and every step sent a shiver of unease through her. This was bad. The kind of bad that made her stomach churn, no matter how many times she’d faced it before.
“Over here!” Ben’s voice rang out, full of urgency. He pointed to a small opening beneath a collapsed section of the building where faint cries for help could be heard.
Sam knelt, her gloved hands working quickly to clear debris as the cries grew louder. “Stay with us,” she called, her tone steady despite the chaos. “We’re coming for you.”
The void space was small, barely enough for them to crawl through. Sam motioned for Ben to follow as they squeezed inside, their flashlights cutting through the suffocating darkness. They found two victims, a man clutching his unconscious wife, and Sam’s stomach sank. The woman’s pulse was faint, her breathing shallow.
“Ben, start stabilizing her,” she ordered, moving to check on the man.
Ben nodded, his movements quick and precise, but as he shifted closer to the woman, a low groan rumbled through the structure. Sam’s head snapped up just as the ceiling above them began to sag.
“Ben, move!” she shouted, grabbing his arm and pulling him back just as the beam came crashing down. It struck him on the shoulder, sending him sprawling.
“Ben!” Sam’s voice was sharp with panic as she crouched beside him, her hands already checking for injuries. His face was pale, his breaths shallow, and blood was seeping through his turnout coat.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled, though the pain in his voice betrayed him.
“Like hell you are,” Sam snapped. “Stay still.” Her hands moved instinctively, assessing the damage. The beam had hit hard, but it hadn’t crushed him. Still, the blood loss was alarming, and she could feel the tremor of instability in the ground beneath them.
Her mind raced, weighing their options. The victims were still trapped, and now Ben needed immediate medical attention. Every decision felt like a gamble, the stakes impossibly high.
“Team Two, we need extraction at Point Alpha,” she barked into her radio. “Two victims and one injured responder. We’re losing time.”
The response crackled back instantly, but it felt like an eternity before they reached her. Every second stretched painfully long as she pressed her hands against Ben’s shoulder, willing the bleeding to stop. “You’re not going anywhere,” she muttered, more to herself than him. “You hear me? You’re sticking around.”
Ben tried to smile, his usual bravado dimmed by pain. “You’re too bossy to let me go anyway.”
“Damn right,” she said, her voice rough. But the fear in her chest wouldn’t ease.
When the extraction team finally arrived, they worked quickly to free the victims and load Ben onto a stretcher. Sam stayed close, her hand resting on his good shoulder as they moved him toward the ambulance.
