It is sunset.
The secluded alley is dark and hot.
And Sara Sidle is bleeding.
There is a large hole in her stomach. She can see it when she tilts her head away from the dirty brick wall she is propped against. She can also see swirls of red sweeping across the pavement beneath her. She surmises that this must be blood, and that it must be coming from the large hole.
But she cannot remember where the large hole came from. She thinks that it must be a knife, because the criminalist in her knows the difference between and knife wound and a gun wound.
She shifts her weight. Her legs have gone numb. But the change in position does nothing to help her legs. Because, she realizes, they have run out of blood. And soon she will too.
But, how soon is soon? Her purse is next to her, but just out of reach in her current position. She brings one arm up and pushes herself off the wall. She hits the pavement sharply but her body doesn't feel the pain. She pulls her purse towards her and takes out her cell phone. She opens it and enters her contact list and calls the first number listed.
"Willows."
"C . . . Cath?"
"Sara, is that you? Are you alright?"
Sara cries. "I don't know. There's a hole in me, Cat. My legs are gone."
Catherine's voice sounds panicked as she asks, "Where are you?"
"In an alley, off the Strip."
"Ok. Hang tight."
There is a click, and Catherine is gone.
And Sara is alone. This was supposed to be a pleasant night off, some drinking, some dancing. But now she is here.
Now she is dying. And she knows it.
Even as she hears sirens, ambulance and squad car, approaching, she knows that they will be too late. She closes her eyes as she hears car doors slam and a voice shout, "She's down here!"
She feels hands turning her onto her back and she forces her eyes open. All she can see is Catherine. She can feel a warm hand holding her cold one.
"You're going to be okay, sweetie," Catherine says. But Sara can hear the lie in her voice. She doesn't have time to call her on it since two strong men have lifted her onto a gurney.
She looks at Catherine right before they put her in the ambulance and says, "When did Vegas get so cold?"
