He walked behind the flight suit–clad medics who carried Corbin in a litter toward a pair of gray MH-60s with rotors turning at the edge of the courtyard. Behind him, two other litters borne by his teammates held the young teen boy who had not yet woken up and Eli, who was awake but still disoriented with head trauma.

Rachel was banged up with multiple lacerations, and Michaela had a broken arm, but both were ambulatory and would make full recoveries.

Not everyone had been so lucky. There had been losses . . . Besides the security team, a teacher and a nurse had died at Victor’s hands, and he worried Johnny had made the ultimate sacrifice in the battle of the berms. He prayed there weren’t others.

His scan complete, and finding no new threats, Jed jogged to Corbin’s litter. She looked up at him, face pale and eyes still wide with fright. With a trembling hand, she reached for him, and he took it.

“That was a very brave and very stupid thing you did back there,” he said, tears rimming his eyes.

“You’re welcome,” she said, a tight smile on her gray lips.

He looked at the medic managing the foot of her litter and asked the question on his mind with his eyes.

“She’ll be fine,” the medic said, his eyes telling the tale of numerous teammates who weren’t fine over many years of service. “She has a pneumothorax, but she’s still moving air. Sats are ninety. Her BP is okay, so blood loss is under control. We’ll put a chest tube in en route.”

He nodded.

“Put a tube in where?” Corbin asked, a glimmer of the kid she’d been, the kid she still should be, in her eyes.

“Not a big deal,” Jed said, squeezing her hand. “I’ve had it done before—twice in fact. A little pinch and then you’ll breathe easier.”

“Okay . . . I’m not afraid,” she said, raising her chin.

“I know you’re not.”

He gave her hand a final squeeze, and they hustled her off toward the closer helo. Eli’s litter drifted past on his left, with Eli swearing at Grayson, who managed the head of his litter with Carl at the foot. The boy Watcher, Josh, came next, blinking his eyes as another pair of medics ushered him to the second helo. Jed grimaced, knowing the emotional scars these kids would endure for many years to come.

“You’re a hero, son,” Jed said to the kid and gave him a thumbs-up. “You guys saved a lot of people.”

“Bet I get a date to the spring dance now,” the boy said with a crooked smile.

“I bet he does,” a voice said beside him.

Jed looked over at Ben, whose face was etched deep with worry.

“Where’s Johnny?” Jed asked, his chest tightening at the words.

“Bex has him aboard the first helo,” Ben said.