The kid had fucked up, nearly killing them both.
They’d gone back to Eagle Ridge when the wind had died down to toss a few bombs. Jesse had thrown his on the count of three, as they usually did. He’d started to ski away. “Fire in the hole!”
But Ben had stood there, live charge still in his hands.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
“The fuse went out.”
Jesse had reacted on instinct. He’d grabbed the charge out of Ben’s hands and hurled it as hard as he could, throwing himself on top of Ben, knocking him to the ground, and covering his own ears.
BOOM!
The blast wave had shaken the ground beneath them, the negative air pressure making Jesse’s eardrums pop, hot shrapnel from the canister slicing through his ski pants and parka and striking him in the forehead. For a moment he’d laid there, stunned.
Kevin had radioed for a rescue. Jesse had sat up, blood streaming down his face, and started first aid. From there it had become a circus.
A helicopter. A ride down to the lodge. Every patroller at the resort standing around looking like someone had died. Half a dozen Team members in the parking lot ready to help with a rescue. Ben babbling and bleeding and in shock.
Fuck.
Jesse had insisted he could drive himself and Ben to the ER, but Matt, worried about possible concussion or internal injuries from the blast, had insisted on an ambulance. And here they were.
Hawke leaned in and examined the laceration on his forehead. “Looks like you’ve got some debris stuck in there. You need stitches.”
“Yeah?” Jesse didn’t know how to say it without sounding like an asshole, but he’d seen much, much worse. “I can do this myself, you know.”
“No headache or dizziness?” Hawke asked.
“For the fifth time, no.”
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re grumpy when you’re bleeding?”
They pulled into the ambulance bay and stopped, and Jesse caught a glimpse of a team in green scrubs waiting for them.
Ellie.
The doors opened, and there she was. Her gaze met Jesse’s, emotion in her green eyes. Had she been worried?
Okay, so maybe there was an upside to being fussed over like this.
The other EMT whose name Jesse didn’t know jumped out and pulled Ben’s gurney out of the ambulance. “Shock and lacerations.”
Ellie walked alongside Ben’s gurney, glancing over her shoulder at Jesse as she walked through the automatic doors.
Lucky bastard.
Hawke held Jesse back. “I think they’re bringing a wheelchair.”
“I don’t need a wheelchair, for fuck’s sake.” Jesse grabbed the gauze out of Hawke’s hand and stepped to the ground, still in his ski boots, doing his best to maintain direct pressure.
He tromped inside, passing the person with the wheelchair, Hawke following along beside him.
“Where do you want this one?” Hawke called out. “He’s a pain in the ass.”
“Put him there.” Ellie pointed to the bed next to Ben, her expression serious. “If he gives you any guff, call security.”
“You got it.” Hawke grinned. “Hear that, tough guy? Get in the nice bed, or I’m calling security.”