Chapter 14 - THE LAST TOUCH
“Claire!”
Graham dropped beside her.
His knees slammed into the floor.
He didn’t feel them.
Didn’t care.
Claire pressed one hand against her side.
Blood pushed between her fingers.
Cal kicked the guard’s weapon away.
“Shooter down!”
Graham grabbed Claire.
“Look at me.”
Her face was white.
“Dad.”
“I’m here.”
“It hurts.”
“I know.”
Her breath came short.
Claire looked at the wound.
Then at Cal.
“Liver.”
Cal grabbed gauze.
“Pressure.”
Danny stood nearby holding Rose.
He saw the blood.
Then he saw Claire’s face.
“No.”
Graham looked at him.
“Danny.”
The boy backed away.
“I know what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not asking.”
“Yes, you are.”
Graham looked at Rose.
The baby stared back.
Tiny.
Pale.
Alive.
Claire’s blood pooled on the floor.
Sophia began crying.
Marcus crawled closer.
“Let Rose touch her.”
Danny screamed, “No!”
Marcus flinched.
Graham looked at Danny.
“He’s right.”
Danny’s face twisted with betrayal.
“You said no more!”
“I know.”
“You said she’s not a machine!”
“She isn’t.”
“Then don’t use her like one!”
Graham had no answer.
Claire coughed.
Blood touched her lips.
“Don’t.”
Graham looked down.
“What?”
“Don’t hurt the baby.”
His throat closed.
“I just got you back.”
Claire smiled weakly.
“You never lost me.”
“Yes, I did.”
“No.”
Her eyes filled.
“You just made it really hard to come home.”
Graham laughed once and broke apart.
Sirens sounded above them.
Too far.
Too slow.
Claire’s pulse weakened.
Danny looked at Rose.
Rose looked at Claire.
Then the baby reached out.
Danny pulled her closer.
“No, Rosie.”
She reached again.
“Don’t.”
Rose began crying.
Danny’s hands shook.
Maya whispered, “Danny.”
He looked at her.
Maya had tears all over her face.
“She wants to.”
Danny shook his head.
“She doesn’t know.”
“She knows us.”
“She’s a baby!”
Rose screamed.
Then Danny looked at Graham.
“I hate this.”
Graham nodded.
“So do I.”
“If she dies…”
“I know.”
“You don’t get to say you know.”
Graham took it.
Danny stepped forward.
Slowly.
He knelt beside Claire.
Rose reached out.
Her hand touched Claire’s bloody shirt.
Claire gasped.
Rose’s body jerked.
Danny almost pulled her away.
Then the bleeding slowed.
Cal stared.
“What the hell?”
Claire’s breathing deepened.
Color returned to her face.
Rose went limp.
“No.”
Danny lifted her.
“Rose?”
Nothing.
“Rose!”
Claire opened her eyes.
“Danny?”
He wasn’t listening.
Rose’s head fell backward.
Claire forced herself up.
“Give her to me.”
“You’re hurt.”
“Give her to me!”
Danny handed Rose over.
Claire checked the baby’s airway.
Pulse.
Nothing.
“No pulse.”
Danny made a sound Graham would remember until he died.
Not a scream.
Something worse.
The sound of a child losing the last thing he had left.
Claire began CPR.
Two fingers.
Tiny chest.
“One, two, three, four…”
Graham sat frozen.
Marcus whispered, “Epinephrine.”
Claire shouted, “I know!”
Cal found a pediatric crash kit.
Claire worked.
Federal agents flooded the upper levels.
People shouted.
Boots ran through halls.
None of it mattered.
Rose didn’t move.
Danny grabbed Graham’s coat.
“You said you’d protect her.”
Graham looked at him.
Tears ran down the old man’s face.
“I’m sorry.”
“You said!”
“I know.”
“Fix it!”
Graham broke.
“I can’t.”
Danny hit him.
Small fist against his chest.
“Fix it!”
Again.
“Fix it!”
Graham let him.
Then Claire stopped compressions.
The room went silent.
Danny stared.
“No.”
Claire’s eyes filled.
“Danny…”
“No.”
She looked at the clock.
Graham closed his eyes.
Then something touched his finger.
Tiny.
Soft.
He looked down.
Rose’s hand had moved.
Claire froze.
“Wait.”
Rose coughed.
Once.
Then again.
Danny screamed her name.
Claire checked.
“I have a pulse.”
Danny collapsed over the baby, sobbing.
Rose opened her eyes.
Weak.
Confused.
Alive.
Everyone cried.
Even Marcus.
Then the baby looked at Graham.
He was kneeling beside her.
His right leg numb.
His left leg useless again.
The miracle was gone.
Graham tried to stand.
He couldn’t.
He looked down.
Then started laughing.
Claire stared at him.
“Dad?”
He wiped his face.
“It’s okay.”
May you like
He looked at Rose.
“For once in my life, I think I got the better end of the deal.”
