“No!”

I run toward them, and the sight of Whitney’s pale face sends fear like I’ve never known ripping through me.

I drop to my knees beside her. “What happened?”

When Whitney’s brother meets my gaze, the gravity of his expression hits me even harder. “Your brother’s dead. He tried to kill them both.” Asa pauses. “I did what I had to do to save my family, and I won’t apologize for it.”

The thundering beat of a chopper’s rotors almost drowns him out as it lands on the helipad, but I hear him clearly enough. My stomach drops to the ground beneath my feet.

This isn’t how things were supposed to go. Waves of regret wash over me, but I pull myself together. I can grieve later.

“Where?”

“Back hallway on the first floor. Past radiology”

Someone speaks over a bullhorn before I respond. “We need to evacuate the area as quickly as possible. We’re down to one road, and it won’t stay open long. Everyone must go now.”

Whitney stirs in the grass, her lids fluttering open to reveal her beautiful blue eyes. “Jackie? Where’s Jackie?”

“She’s right beside you, Whit,” Asa says, crouching down to try to wake up their aunt.

“Where’s Lincoln?”

“Right here.”

Her blue gaze finds mine. “Harrison . . . he . . . he was going to kill us both. Jackie saved me. I’m so sorry. She had to shoot him.”

I pull her against my body, and her shivers tear through me. “It’s not your fault, Blue. It’s not your fault.”

“But I—”

“Stop. Not right now. Everything can wait. We have to get you somewhere safe.”

“No. Not everything . . .”

Jackie Gable’s voice, rough and ragged, interrupts as she regains consciousness. “I’m . . . I’m sorry. For everything I’ve done. I’m so sorry. I . . . I only wanted to protect my family . . .”

“Jackie, no!” Whitney cries as her aunt’s body goes limp. Blood mats her hair, and her face is swelling from taking a beating. I don’t have to ask to know that my brother did that to her. And now he’s dead.

“No!” Whitney screams. “Someone help her!”

I lock down everything I’m feeling as I wrap Whitney in my arms and hold her as she sobs.

A doctor rushes over to Asa. “What’s happening here?”

“I don’t know, but we need help.”

The doctor feels for a pulse. “She’s still with us. We have one bus left. Bring her with me. Come on.”

Asa lifts an unconscious Jackie into his arms and carries her to the last ambulance while I help Whitney to her feet.

“What about Karma? Where’s Karma?” Whitney asks, coughing on the smoke that fills the air.

“Chopper took her to Rock Hollow. Surgical team went with her. The pilot’s taking two more critical patients right now.”

“Thank God.”

“Asa and I split up to find you and Jackie, but he found you first.”

Whitney’s blue gaze stares up at me. “We have to go get your brother. We can’t leave him here.”