Page 57 of Twilight Tactics

“Absolutely.”

Sully headed to the door. “Let’s go then. You may need someone with a gun who’s licensed to use it.”

“We all have guns and licenses to carry,” Elena said.

“I know, but you don’t have time to fend off attackers and deal with a man who’s hurt. And it’s less red tape if I fire mine as a federal officer.” It sounded good even if it wasn’t necessarily true. There would be so much red tape. “Let’s just avoid shooting anyone and keep things really easy. Ready?”

“Ready.”

11

Elena checked her weapon while Sully made the call to the sheriff about the incident. Her weapon secure but ready, she shoved it back into her bag and gripped the door handle as Sully maneuvered the truck over the uneven terrain, catching up to David and following behind. David still had Van on the line and had added Sully for a three-way conversation.

Maya sat next to her, clutching the medical kit on her lap.

They bounced and rolled until they got close. Just ahead, David slowed and Sully did the same, scanning the area. “See anything?” Elena asked.

“Nothing. Van, you see us?”

“Yeah. When you pass my truck, you’ll need to turn north about twenty degrees and then come straight at us. Be careful. No more shots have been fired, but I don’t think the shooter’s gone.”

They rolled up to the area of the fence that had been cut, past Van’s truck, and turned into the forest. Elena breathed a little easier once they had the cover of the trees around them. “There they are,” she said, pointing, and Sully aimed the vehicle toward the two men. Van had pulled Billy a good twentyfeet into the trees. She had no idea how David had spotted the path he took, but somehow he managed to lead them right up next to Van and Billy, using the vehicles as a shield on one side. They were sitting ducks on the other side, but if they were going to help Billy, they’d have to take their chances.

Billy lay on the rough ground and Van knelt beside him, bloody hands pressed to the man’s right thigh. Maya was out of the truck before it fully stopped and Elena followed right behind her. Van looked up, his features pinched, eyes hard. “We rolled up to the fence and got ambushed.”

Sully and David joined them, but their eyes were on the trees and the open area that left them vulnerable to attack.

“Let me see,” Maya said, dropping next to both of them.

“He’s bad,” Van said. “We got out of the truck and were checking the fence. We were a good ways down the fence when someone opened fire. There was no way I could get him back to the truck.”

Maya was already cutting away Billy’s pants, exposing the wound. Blood pulsed a steady stream from the jagged hole in his right upper thigh.

Elena attached the blood pressure monitor, then looked up at Maya. “Arterial bleed?”

“Yes. We have to get this blood stopped. I need the hemostatic gauze and the pelvic binder.” Maya gloved up and Elena handed over the combat gauze loaded with clotting agents. “I’m going to pack the wound,” Maya explained to Van. “He’s unconscious, but hold him steady anyway.”

Van held on to his friend and Maya pressed her fingers into the wound. She stilled and looked up at Elena. “Found the source of the bleeding and he’s got some bone instability at the hip joint. Vitals?”

“BP is 80 over 40, pulse 130 and thready. He’s going into shock.”

“Starting the packing,” Maya said, feeding the gauze deepinto the wound cavity. “Applying pressure directly on the bleeding vessel.”

Elena nodded. The specialized gauze would help form clots faster than the normal kind. While Maya worked and Sully and David guarded them, Elena prepped two large-bore IVs. She found the veins and inserted them with practiced ease. “Fluid resuscitation started. Administering TXA.” The medication would help prevent the breakdown of the blood clots.

Maya nodded. “Good. Now for the pelvis.” Elena handed Maya the specialized pelvic binder from her trauma kit. “His pelvis is so unstable. If we don’t immobilize it, the bone fragments could shift and tear more vessels.”

“David, I need you over here,” Maya said.

The man hurried over. “How can I help?”

“I need you and Van to help me get this under him.” They worked together, positioning the binder just below his hip bones while Elena maintained pressure on the packed wound.

“Okay,” Maya said once they had Billy positioned face up once more. “On three. One, two, three.”

They pulled the binder tight, securing it with the Velcro straps. The compression would help stabilize the fracture and reduce the pelvic volume.

“Hopefully, that will limit the internal bleeding,” Elena said. “Please, God.” She looked up at Maya. “He’s going to need a blood transfusion.”