Page 4 of Smoke and Shadows
Two EMTs exited the vehicle, one heading straight for Maia while the other went to the back of the ambulance to retrieve a gurney.
“She’s not breathing. There’s no pulse,” Stark’s ragged voice informed the first responder.
The EMT took out a syringe and injected Maia with an unknown substance.
“What the hell is he doing?” Tim asked.
Viktor kept his arms crossed to remain calm, but his mind was echoing Tim’s words.
“Shouldn’t you be giving her fucking CPR?” Stark demanded.
The EMT started a couple of chest compressions and checked for breathing.
“Fuck!” Stark shoved the EMT. “Do you even know what you’re doing?”
A police officer came by and warned Stark in accented English to stand down, or he’d be removed from the scene.
“Damn it,” Viktor muttered, raking his fingers through his hair.
“This is not happening.” Tim stood up, gripping his head with both hands and staring helplessly at the screen. “Viktor, do something.”
The EMT shook his head at Stark. His face paled in disbelief.
“You didn’t do a goddamned thing!” This time it wasEdmunds shouting. A few more police officers surrounded the tense scene.
Stark tried to stop the EMT from covering Maia’s body with a white sheet and was tackled by two police officers in the process. Manning had to intervene, grabbing the younger Guardian back while Edmunds was up in the face of another French officer. Maia’s body was loaded on a gurney, covered by a white sheet with her blood slowly seeping through.
“Shit. Viktor, do something,” Tim choked as he turned his anguished eyes on him.
“What do you want me to do? She’s gone,” Viktor said tonelessly. “Manning, get the team back into gear. You’re in charge now.”
“What the hell, Viktor?” Stark said. “Maia—is—dead. How can you be so cold about this shit?”
“Listen up, Stark. We’re responsible for a man who could end the clusterfuck in Syria,” Viktor said. “Do your fucking job. Because if you fail to bring Nasir back safely to his country, Maia’s death will be in vain. Am I making myself clear?”
“Copy that, Viktor,” Manning replied gruffly. There was no response from the rest of the Guardians, but Viktor watched them make their way back to the remaining SUV.
“Jack’s on hold,” Holly piped in.
Viktor sighed in resignation. A pain inside him was threatening to split his chest wide open. “Tell him that the convoy was attacked and we have no updates. Have him come in. I’ll tell him personally that his wife is dead.”
Tim took in a ragged breath, trying to hold back a sob, but failing to stop his tears from falling.
“Tim, are you going to keep it together?” Viktor asked sharply. “The team needs you on top of this. We have no idea who’s behind the attack. A sniper’s still at large. No way is this over.”
His analyst nodded, not looking at him.
Viktor returned to his office and sank into his chair feeling as if he’d aged fifty years. Everyone thought he was an unfeeling son of a bitch. But there was one person who knew how deeply he felt, and was the same person who could see through all his bullshit.
He punched her number on the Sec-phone.
“We have her,” Marissa said.
He asked the one question that mattered. “Will she live?”
Present day
“Maia’s alive.”