Page 19 of Heat Force

“Dan’s gone with Patrick to round up the staff,” he said, startling her. His gaze fell on Erick’s leg and the tightly stitched wound. “Do you need anything?”

“What’s the time?” She blinked, her eyes strained from the intense concentration.

“Ten thirty-five,” he replied, without looking at his watch. He must also be keeping tabs on the time.

“We’ve got to get Erick to the shelter. If the rebels are heading this way, they’ll be here any moment.”

He nodded, watching as she bandaged the wound. As soon as she’d secured it, he asked, “Ready?”

She gave a hesitant nod and stood back. She’d done what she could. Erick still needed a real doctor to treat his wound, but it would last until they could get him to the hospital in Goma. Tony helped Erick off the table. The ranger cringed and sagged against him, his injured leg nearly useless. Tony put an arm around his waist to support him.

“Where’s the shelter?” he asked Lexi.

She grabbed a jar of antibiotics and some more bandages. “Out the back. There’s a hatch in the ground. It leads to a basement under the clinic. We can go through the office.”

Hawk half-carried a heavily limping Erick through the tiny office and into the dusty yard. Lexi darted around him andpulled a rusty wheelbarrow and some pot plants out of the way. “It’s underneath this.”

She raised the trapdoor and gestured for him to lower Erick into it.

“You get in with Erick. I’ll stay outside to put these back,” Hawk said, as he helped the injured ranger into the shelter. “Otherwise, they’ll know we’re inside.”

Her chest constricted with fear. “It’s too dangerous, Hawk. The rebels will find you.”

“They’ll find all of us if we don’t disguise this trapdoor.” He climbed back out and looked around. “What about Patrick and Dan, and the others? What are they going to do?”

“Patrick knows to come back here. Some of the staff will head back to their villages to protect their families, but the majority will stay with the gorillas. They’ll hide in the enclosure.”

“Okay, but you’re getting into the shelter.”

“But, I?—”

“Now, Lexi.”

She glanced up as something caught her eye. Through the thin, dilapidated fence, she spotted Moyo standing in the clearing, looking scared and confused.

“Okay, but first let me get Moyo.” Before he had a chance to restrain her, she darted back through the clinic.

“Fuck!” she heard Hawk mutter as he took off after her. He reached her before she stepped into the clearing. “Get your ass back to the shelter. Now! I’ll get the boy.” Before she could stop him, Hawk sprinted across the clearing.

At that moment, Patrick appeared with one infant gorilla in each arm. At his side were his wife and five terrified children. Dan was clutching the youngest by the hand. They could hear shouts and the sharp, staccato bursts of rifle fire emanating from the edge of the jungle. The rebels were here.

“Get to the shelter,” Lexi urged them. “Dan, go with them.”

“What about you?” he asked.

“I’ll be right there.” He nodded, and followed Patrick, the gorillas, and the children outside. She glanced worriedly across the clearing, where Hawk had scooped the paralyzed child up in his arms.

There was no time. She had to close the hatch to the shelter or else they’d all be at risk. Racing out to the back, she pulled the trapdoor down and tugged the wheelbarrow over it. That would have to do.

Next, she grabbed a tranquilizer gun from the medical cabinet and darted back in time to see Hawk tearing across the clearing with Moyo clinging to his chest. The boy’s wide eyes glistened with fear, his arms wrapped tightly around Hawk’s neck.

Bursting through the clinic door, he thrust the trembling child toward her. “Get him to the shelter.”

“It’s too late. I’ve shut it up already.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “Goddammit, Lexi!”

“I had to, Patrick and his family are down there, along with Dan and the infants. I couldn’t risk their lives.”