Woke Up One Morning... Part 35
The whole world comes to a grinding halt- from the breeze to all sound to my breathing- as I stare in wide-eyed disbelief at the massive cloud of dark smoke blocking the front half of Preventer headquarters and rising to the clear skies.
Finally, I head Tony breathe a few feet away from me, "T-tell me I'm not seeing that." I don't even look over at him... I'm just completely numb from head-to-toe in shock.
Heero.
Oh, Jesus! Heero!
Suddenly able to move again at the thought of my husband being in that building, I frantically search for my cell phone in my jacket pocket. Hands shaking when I find it, I open the flip and hold down the speed dial option for his private line. Instead of a ring, his voice greets, "You've reached Heero. Please leave your name and number-"
"Fuck!" I cry as I slam my phone flip closed again. Running on pure instinct, I'm turning and running down the long, open stretch leading to Heather's parents' home. I can hear Tony's footsteps keeping up not far behind me, but I really don't pay too much mind.
I have to get to headquarters. That's all I'm concerned about.
When I reach my car and throw the driver seat door open, I all but jump inside. Quickly setting the safety back on the pistol in my hand, I toss it into the glove compartment and slam the door closed again behind me.
Fumbling a little with the keys, I jam them into the ignition and rev the car to life. Just as I'm peeling out of the lot and around the house, I catch a glimpse of Heather running outside as a stricken Tony talks with her.
On my way out of the shield of trees, I reach for the red bulb on my dashboard and turn the flashing light on. Reach out of my opened window as I continue to maneuver the wheel with my other hand, I place it on the top of the vehicle and turn on my loud siren to keep from being pulled over. Back on the open road, I make a screeching turn and floor it for the highway leading into town.
Several times in my frantic drive, I try Heero's cell again only to have the connection go directly to his voice mail. Goddamn it! This is not happening!
The highway is easy to maneuver. The traffic is on the other side of the road with many commuters trying like hell to get out of the city and making a gridlock in the process. Going into town, it's a completely different story. What few cars I do come across make way when I near thanks to my siren and flasher. Several drivers on both side of the road have pulled over to shield their eyes and look in the direction of the devastation.
I can't bring myself to look up to see what is going on right now. My nerves are already on edge over not being able to contact my husband and worrying over just what the hell happened.
At long, long last, I finally reach the exit I need and turn onto it while leaving dark tread marks behind me in the effort. Taking the streets I know my heart, I reach the block where headquarters eventually falls. All around, the roads are deserted with the exception of emergency vehicles rolling in with their own sirens blaring.
When I reach a taped off section that block a massive pile of debris in the middle of the street, I bring my car to a halt on the side of the street and somehow remember to turn it off as I rush out. Swallowing roughly, I lose myself in the crowd that is gathering around and cover my eyes to look up at headquarters.
If my heard wasn't already pounding in my chest before, it's threatening to explode now.
Right before me, for as tall as the building rises, it's... it's as if someone sliced it nearly in half. All of the front offices have been completely blown away, left to crumble into the mass of brick, metal and other materials in the street. Papers are flying everywhere, beams and sparking, exposed wires can be seen all around what is still standing.
Shit... how what's left is still standing is amazing.
Then I actually start to hear past the pulsing in my ears. One of the first sounds that I register is the worried talk happening all around me. Next, I can hear the orders being shouted frantically by the police and fire crews on the scene.
...And then I hear cries from help within the remains of the twisted, broken structure. Dozens of cries from all floors. Christ, I have no idea how the hell I never heard all of this deafening noise all around before now.
My stomach clenches when it then hits home that I no longer recognize what's left of the office that Heero and I had shared.
Oh God, no. No, no, no, no.... No!
Instantly pushing my way through the crowds that have gathered around, I make my way to where the police officers are guarding the area behind the yellow tape that are yelling at the masses to get back. Automatically flashing my badge, I shout at the first on duty I run into. "Agent Scythe!" I yell over the cries surrounding us. "I have to get in and help!"
Reluctant at first, the young man appraises me and with a deep frown, backs down with a small nod. Bending down to slip under the tape, I walk about while looking up to really get a better idea of the situation. The damage is back far enough that the elevators would be out of commission. But the southwest and southeast stairwells would still be in tact.
Along with my overwhelming worry over Heero, I'm scared to death for all of my friends and fellow Preventers... Wufei, Sally and their baby, Lady Une, Adam, Danielle, Tyce, Rose, Kathie.... fuck, there are so many of them!
From the other side of the building, stretchers are coming into view bearing bloodied and unconscious agents on them. Obviously, the rescue crews that got here first realized the only way in and out of the building are the stairs. My feet are racing me in that direction before I even recognized that I told them to do so.
Running past the stretchers, I take a look at the bandaged faces and note that they all belong to people that worked on the first few floors. I breath a small sigh of relief when I spot one of the rescued. She's covered in dirt, bloodied and bruised, but very much alert as she is sitting up on her gurney. "Rose!" I shout as I hurry to her side.
"Duo!" she cries as I near. The right side of her face is wrapped with gauze that's spotting with red, but she still gives me that brilliant smile and I almost come undone right there.
Her grin falters and tears fill her visible eye as she groan, "Oh, Duo. It was a car... I saw a car parked with someone in it outside of the front doors. I... I didn't like it when he never moved after a while and was running back to my desk to call for help when there was just this flash and... and..." Subsiding to wracking sobs, she folds in on herself and I hold her as best I can without hurting her.
Ivanov. It's exactly the same fashion of attack used against the Assembly. Olle was right over his concern that his boss knew something was wrong. And a message had been sent.
Lightly kissing the top of her head, I reassure quietly, "It'll be alright, Rose. You did good. Just worry about making a full recovery because we need you, okay?" She nods against my shoulder before pulling back, her face wet with tears that are smearing the dirt and dust in their way.
I look to the two paramedics that were wheeling her out, and tell them sternly, "Take good care of her." They nod firmly and hurry to pull her away for one of the many ambulances lined up where the street is clean.
Moving around the building, I pass more stretchers with dust and blood-covered Preventers but I do not have the time to stop and greet everyone that made it. There are others... Heero and so many others to get to.
Not one of the rescue team members around give me a hard time for my being there. One look at my uniform and the stern determination on my face as I walk with purpose is enough for them to let me be and give them a hand where I can.
Hitting the closest stairwell of the southeast end of the building, I begin the climb up alongside dozens of officers and firemen. Two rows are made; one with those of us new arrivals to head up while agents that made it through basically unscathed climbing down with our own that they pulled from wreckage.
When I make my way up the second flight of steps, my eyes widen with a sharp gasp when one of those agents still standing makes his way down. "Fei!" I call over the commotion to get his attention as soon as he's in sight.
Quickly finding me, Chang hurries down the remaining steps separating us and I pull him in a one-armed hug that he gladly returns. His efforts in helping the survivors is clear in all of the grime and dust that's spotted on him.
Aside from the thin, bleeding gash that was slashed into his right shoulder through his uniform, he has managed to escape completely unharmed. All thanks to his office being on the side of headquarters that's still in tact.
Pulling me into the corridor of the second floor so we are out of the way of the rescuers trying to climb or descend the cramped stairwell. It's a chance for me to get a real good look at what the floors are like.
To my right, the crumpled remains of the offices there lay in complete disarray with debris all around while those rooms on the left have minimal damage from the initial vibrations made by the blasts.
Fresh, cool air blows through the gaping hole feet away from me that overlooks the city scrambling around below. All around, there are agents and officers alike shouting and calling for anyone that may still be alive in the wreckage.
Buzz saws and other heavy pieces equipment are used to tear away the fallen metal and wooden shards strewn about while avoiding the live, sparking wires that are falling from the ceiling and through the crevices. Outside, the constant wail of sirens carries in the air.
It's all too surreal for me to grasp that it's all happening at all. No one had ever been successful in attacking the Preventers headquarters- the very stronghold of peace for the Earth and the Colonies. And it goes far beyond being personal.
This was a second home to all of us that have worked here.
Shaking myself out of the shock of seeing just how bad the scene is, I whisper, "Jesus." My eyes turn back to Wufei and I frown in instant worry, "Sally?" I've been afraid to ask in case he is not sure how she is, but the need to know is too overwhelming.
"Her wing in the medical branch suffered minimal damage and she is fine and is helping the survivors being brought out of the other stairwell," he sighs deeply as he scans the floor, obvious having a time coping with everything that is going on even if he was here when the blast went off. Still, the overwhelming relief over her safety is known.
I release the breath that I had been holding for a brief glimmer of hope that maybe 'Ro is alright as well. Just thinking of my partner, I fight off the tears that are threatening as I inform quietly, "We have to go look for Heero."
Dark eyes widening as his head snaps back to face me, Chang sputters, "I-I thought that he was going wherever you were when you left earlier this morning." Recalling our brief run-in when I headed out to check on Heather, I can see how he would have made that assumption.
Fuck, how I wish Heero was with me this morning!
Shaking my head, I reply, "I went out on my own." With a deep breath, I frown, "'Fei... he's not answering his cell phone."
My friend's eyes widen further as his skin pales a couple shades. That panicked look vanishes in an instant as those same eyes narrow in determination and he turns on his heels with a shouted, "Come on!"
Leading the way back out to the stairway, he keeps the pace of those still climbing up as we move as quickly as we can under the crowded circumstances. Silently grateful for having someone that's able to think a little more clearly than I'm able right now, I keep on Wufei's heels and try to get my own head back on track.
Once in a while, the agents and rescue crew members that are descending past us are carrying pieces of debris that had been blocking the steps. Progress is slow as we get closer to the ninth floor, but at least it's steady. Of that I can at least take some kind of solace... though not very much.
I hold out some hope that Heero is going to be one of the Preventers making their way down, but he never shows. And I know that he won't. If he was alright, he would have found some way to call me by now. That fact has my stomach clenching in tight knots that are threatening to make me sick.
Finally, thank God above, we reach the door for the ninth floor and I all but charge through it. The sights around are much like they had been on he second floor, just as chaotic and serene at the same time with the natural light pouring in through the hole left by the explosion and the nearly untouched other half of the building.
To my surprise and disappointment, there are not nearly as many rescuers on this floor as there were on the second floor. In fact, there is only a small handful of agents and civil servants mixed together shouting for anyone trapped in the damaged parts to make themselves known.
A small whimper escapes me as I spring forward for the middle of the floor, somehow managing to stay upright while making my way around everything that's sprawled around from desks to splintered doors. Reaching the place where the office should be, it's all one massive heap of fallen material.
Delving right in to start throwing things back, I yell at the top of my lungs, "Heero!" Several people working in sorting through the wreckage move in and around to begin digging, now having a better idea to where someone could be trapped. Wufei spreads himself out as close to the hole as he can and gets to work while calling for my husband.
Only a few minutes in, my hands are bleeding from being cut on metal scraps that are jutting out here and there. I don't even feel the pain from the cuts, I'm just too focused on getting to Heero whatever the cost.
Since there is no movement or response, I just have to dig faster... faster! I don't give a shit if my hands have skin left on them by the time I'm done!
The minutes are dragging on like hours as more rescuers move in to clear as much rubble as possible. Saws come to life to carefully cut away any large obstacles and more voices start crying for my partner. It's all taking too long!
What if... what if we're too late... No! I am not about to let myself think that. Heero's survived gunshots and stab wounds. He'll make it through a little thing like part of a building falling on top of him... he has to!
I'm coming undone, I can feel myself on the brink of just breaking down right now. If it wasn't for knowing that my husband needs me right now, I would just curl up into an inconsolable mess. But, I fight my urge to cry... to give up hope and just dig harder, faster.
"Got something!" a fireman shouts over the noise while raising his arm high to draw everyone's attention to him. Standing in the middle of a large hole that he and the agents around him had burrowed, he waves to the police officer bearing the saw. "Get that over here!" he orders in a shrill yell.
The numbness returns as I stumble to my feet. Getting as close to the gap as I can without being in the way, I have a view of a pale, dust-covered hand stretched out with its palm turned upright from under stacks of drywall and ceiling tile.
Oh, God. Move! Come on! Move! A finger twitch... something!
Finding Heero is not enough at this point. I have to know he's alive!
I nearly jump when Wufei rests a hand on my shoulder and urges quietly, "Come on, Maxwell. Let's give them some more room" Lightly tugging me back, he means to take me away from seeing whatever there us to see when the debris is cleared.
Snapping a fierce glare at him, I watch as his eyes widen and he pulls his hand away as if it was burned. "Okay," he relents with a deep frown. "We'll stay and watch." Satisfied with that, I gaze back on the team working quickly to saw through and toss away large scraps of material.
Again, it's all going too damn slow! Why can't they work faster!
Then... as a few of the rescuers shift, I can finally see Heero's upper torso. Lying on his side with his eyes closed, the side of his head that is not planted against the floor has a long gash running from his temple to his chin that has his blood melding with the dirt on his pale skin.
It also hits me that he's not moving. I can't even tell if he's breathing!
Just as I'm about to run in to check for a pulse, one of the medics that moved in at hearing that someone was found beats me to it. Bending at his knees by my partner's head, he rests two fingers on his neck and waits.
The edges of my vision are going dark when I suddenly realize that I have not been breathing since Heero was found. But it's not until I hear the man look up and shout, "I have a pulse!" before I actually take in another gasp of air.
Shaking, I crumble to my knees as a small sound leaves me that I can't make out. Oh, thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Even if we're not out of the woods yet... I knew that Heero wouldn't have lasted this long if he didn't plan on putting up a fight for his life.
TBC...
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