Then the boy’s voice shattered the silence.“Nana!”
Hunter forced himself into motion.“We’ve got it from here,” he said, moving forward fast.Brielle and Ursula shifted aside without hesitation.Lennox dropped beside him, setting up the defibrillator while Hunter started compressions.
“One, two, three, four—come on, sweetheart, breathe for me,” Hunter murmured between counts.His voice was rough, the tone of a man used to coaxing the dying back from the edge.He pushed hard and fast, his shoulders straining as seconds turned into minutes.Sweat dripped from his temple, his chest burning, but he didn’t slow.
“Still no pulse,” Lennox muttered, checking the monitor.“Charging to two hundred.Clear!”
Hunter leaned back, chest heaving.The woman’s body jolted under the shock, but the monitor stayed flat.“Again.Resume compressions,” Lennox ordered.
Hunter locked his arms and started the rhythm again.“One, two, three, four—damn it, don’t quit on me.”
“Charging again,” Lennox said, his voice taut.“Clear!”
Another jolt surged through the woman.This time her chest hitched, a shallow gasp forcing its way out.The monitor flickered, wavering between flat and weak peaks.
Hunter pressed his fingers against her neck.“Faint pulse.Put in the oxygen.”
Lennox already had the mask in hand, fitting it over the woman’s face and turning on the flow.The hiss of oxygen filled the room.Color slowly returned to her lips, the rise and fall of her chest stabilizing under the mask’s rhythm.
“She’s back,” Ursula said, relief spilling out in a rush.“Pulse is steadying.”
Hunter sat back on his heels, panting, sweat slicking his temples.His arms ached, but he didn’t care.Lennox immediately grabbed the radio.“Base, patient revived after two shocks and compressions.Oxygen in place.We will transport her in.”
Brielle stared at them, awe in her wide brown eyes.“That was incredible,” she said softly.“Thank you.Both of you.”
Hunter met her gaze and felt something catch in his chest.“Just doing our job, ma’am.”His voice came out lower than usual, almost gravel.She blinked, her lips parting like she wanted to say more, but Lennox was already moving, his tone even and controlled.
“We’ll get her down safely and to the hospital.You did good calling it in.”Lennox looked over at the young boy who was now kneeling beside his grandmother, patting her hand.“What about the grandson?”
Brielle grimaced.“Charlie only has his grandmother as far as I know.”
Hunter nodded.“Then he comes, too—we’ll make sure they have a space for him in her room.Can you pack whatever he might need for a few days?By then hopefully they will know what’s going on with his nana, or at least have someone there to help him.
Brielle nodded then moved toward Charlie, getting him to help her pull some things together for him and his nana.He and Lennox moved to set up the portable stretcher and carefully lifted the woman onto it, securing her and keeping the oxygen mask in place.
In a few minutes they were all set to go with the boy hovering near Brielle, eyes wet.Hunter gave him a small nod.“She’s strong, kid.She’s gonna be okay.We’re all going to go in the ambulance with your nana, okay?”
They rolled the stretcher toward the door, the metallic clatter echoing through the hall then into the lift.Hunter turned from the inside of the elevator, his gaze locking with Brielle’s one last time.Something thrummed between them—something ancient and undeniable.
He swallowed hard, forcing a faint smile.“We’ll see you again soon.”
Brielle frowned, confusion flickering across her face.“What?”
But the doors slid shut, Lennox leaned his head back, exhaling a long breath.
“You felt it, too,” he muttered.
Hunter’s grip tightened on the rail.“Yeah,” he said quietly.“And tomorrow, we will come back here and find out what the fuck that was.”