âThatâs Ricky in there. Iâm going to get him.â
âWeâll find another way in, Jess.â Joe was still pulling her away. âThis is too dangerousâfor all of us.â
The other members of their team were well ahead now, outside the side entrance to the mall and running for cover.
âNoooooo!â The sound was distraught. Half sob, half scream.
Joe looked back. He looked at the sagging ceiling. He looked at the network of new cracks appearing on the walls. He listened to the alien groans and sighs that warned of a possible new collapse. Maybe this whole section would cave in within seconds.
And maybe it wouldnât.
Maybe there was time for someone strong and fit enough to run back and save the life of a small and terrified child.
And then Joe looked at Jessica.
And there was no other choice to be made.
Life and love are on the lineâ¦
The Team:
Dedicated professionalsâdoctors, nurses, paramedics, police and firefightersâtrained to save lives in urban disasters.
The Dangers:
A crowded building collapses, and in the aftermath of the disaster the team must save innocent livesâat the risk of their ownâ¦.
The Romance:
Passions run high as the dramas unfoldâand life and love are on the line!
The Nurseâs Rescue is the second book of Alison Robertsâs heart-pounding
CITY SEARCH AND RESCUE miniseries.
The drama concludes in Ross and Wendyâs storyâcoming soon in Medical RomanceTM!
âYOU cannot be serious!â
âYou canât stop me. I wonât let you stop me.â Jessica McPhail drew herself up to her full height of five feet six inches. The extra couple of inches provided by the heels on the heavy steel-capped boots she wore and the curve that the safety helmet added meant that she wasnât unduly disadvantaged by her stature. She put all her energy into the assertive glare she was directing at the man confronting her. She had to.
She was fighting for her life here.
âJust watch me, lady.â The man wasnât about to have his authority undermined. The glance he flicked towards Jessicaâs right arm was confident. âYouâre hardly in a position to argue the toss.â
Jessica could feel the band of fingers trapping her upper arm. The physical contact from the man, a member of the police special operations team, was as unacceptable as the uncompromising directive he had issued. She jerked her arm, only to find the pressure of his fingers increasing to the point of pain.
âYouâll go now,â the man ordered, âor Iâll have you arrestedâ¦as quick as that.â The snap of his fingers was silent, thanks to the heavy gloves he wore, but the effect was still dismissive.
âYou wonât do that.â
The deep voice coming unexpectedly from behind Jessicaâs left shoulder created a wash of emotion. Gratitude. Relief. Even hope. Joe Barrington was here and if he was on her side she had a much greater chance of winning this battle.
âIf you arrest Jessica youâll have to arrest me as well. Then youâll have an Urban Search and Rescue team with no medics.â
The man Jessica was facing snorted impatiently. âWeâre wasting time here. Whereâs your squad leader?â
âRight here.â USAR specialist Tony Calder had already been striding towards the obvious confrontation. âWhatâs going on?â
âYour medic here is not going back to the scene. I want her off site.â
Tony cast a surprised glance at Jessica and then at the tall paramedic standing beside her. Joe gave a tiny head shake that indicated he wasnât up to speed yet either. His gaze snapped back to the man who had issued the angry directive. âWhatâs the problem?â
âTurns out her kid is in there. Somewhere.â
There was a short silence. Just long enough for everyone to acknowledge the implications. They were more than twelve hours into dealing with the aftermath of the biggest urban disaster ever to occur in New Zealand. The explosion and collapse of a significant portion of the suburban shopping mall had already claimed at least twenty-six fatalities, including eight children, dozens more injured with four listed as critical and possibly up to thirty victims still missing. Including a five-year-old child.
âIs that true, Jessica?â
Her nod was tight. âI can do this, Tony. I have to do this.â
Tony shook his head. âNo way. I understand how you feel, Jessica, and Iâm terribly sorry youâre going through this but thereâs no way you can go back to the front line. This job is dangerous enough without that kind of personal involvement.â
âBut Iâve already been doing it. Just because youâve found out, it doesnât make any difference.â
âWhat?â Tonyâs jaw sagged. âHave you known about this all along?â
âApparently her mother was the last fatality we pulled out on our first shift.â Joeâs calm voice filled the gap created by Jessicaâs lack of response.