Chapter 2
He could hear muffled voices at the edges of the void.
"Buffer! Buffer!"
"What's wrong with him?"
"I can't see any obvious damage. He fell rather hard when he knocked me down though."
"Did he hit his head?"
"I don't think so. He never said anything."
"Buffer! Buffer! Wake up!"
The voices increased in volume and he struggled to answer.
"X? Sorry, X."
"What's wrong Buff? Where are you hurt?"
"Not sure. Maybe they cracked a rib," he mumbled.
"Who cracked a rib?"
"Buffer!" Kate called his name again as he struggled to keep his eyes open.
She exchanged a puzzled look with Bomber.
"Maybe he did hit his head. He doesn't seem very coherent."
"I didn't hit my head," he replied, becoming impatient with their lack of understanding. He wasn't incoherent. What were they talking about?
"I think I cracked a rib. It's hard to breathe."
"Did you hit your head when you fell, Buff?" Bomber asked as she checked his eyes.
"No, and my eyes are fine," he answered as he pushed her hand away. "It's my back. I think I cracked a rib when I was hit."
"When you were hit!" Kate spat out the words. "Why the hell didn't you say you'd been hit? Check him over Bomber."
"They hit the back of my vest. I'll be fine. We have to move."
"Roll over!" X's look brooked no argument and he did as he was ordered.
They gasped as they saw the row of bullet holes across the back of the vest.
"No wonder he hurts," thought Kate, memories flooding back as she recalled the bullet which had knocked her flat the year before.
"Check under his vest, Bomber," she ordered as Spider came back from his position on point.
"X, we have movement below us, coming up fast," he said. "Looks like about a dozen of them."
"X," Buffer started.
"Don't you move!" she ordered. "Hurry up, Bomber."
As Kate took up a position beside her, scanning the area around them, Bomber loosened his straps and ran her hands along the edge and up under the vest. His clothes were sopping wet and she almost missed it. The telltale stain on her hand when she removed it made her gasp.
Kate turned at the sound and was immediately drawn to Bomber's outstretched hand, a pinkish stain, diluted by the falling rain, pointing to the source of the problem.
Bomber lifted the edge of the vest, the bullet hole now evident, and leaching red around the corners of his shirt. It must have angled up under the edge of his vest.
She tore a bandage from its pack and started to pack the wound. "Is this where it hurts, Buff?" she asked, hoping the source of his pain was only the wound and not broken bones or damage caused by it.
"Yes. That whole side actually. It's not so bad now though. I just feel so weak. Stupid, really. Sorry, X. I'm fine really."
"Damn it Buffer. You're not fine. You've been shot!"
"A bullet got through, Buff. You're losing blood. That's why you're weak," Bomber added.
Suddenly Spider cut in. "X, they're gaining."
Kate checked the perimeter. She could see the movement in the distance, partially concealed by the falling rain. Hopefully it was affording them some cover too.
"We have to get to the RHIB," she stated. "And I'd rather get there before they catch up to us. We have to hurry."
Buffer rose slowly, with Bomber's help, and they started down towards the beach. They had covered very little ground and still had well over a click to go.
He was still very light headed. Since he knew the source of his pain he tried to just work through it but he was getting weaker. He could feel Bomber struggling to support him.
Kate saw them fall quickly behind. She called Spider back to help.
As they approached him and Bomber, Buffer made a decision.
"X, you'll never make it trying to drag me along. Leave me here. I'll follow at my own speed. If they gain on me, I'll take cover and if I don't make it you can come back for me in the morning with a team from Hammersley."
"I'm not leaving you, Buffer."
"You know it makes sense. I'm slowing you down and they'll catch us before you make it to the RHIB. We could lose that too. You need to get back to Hammersley and warn them about these rebels. Leave me."
"You've lost blood, Buffer. You won't last on your own," she argued, even as she knew his words made sense. She hadn't been able to raise the boat and they had to get back to the RHIB.
"I'll stay with him, X," Bomber interjected.
"No you won't," they replied in unison.
"I'm a medic, ma'am. You said yourself he won't make it on his own. If they gain on us, we'll hide. You and Spider can run without us, warn the Hammersley and bring back help."
Buffer made to speak but X silenced him with her upheld hand.
"I can do this, X. It's my job. I can do it."
Buffer looked at her determined young face. He did not want her risking her life for him but he could see X wavering.
She passed Bomber her water bottle.
"Spider, let's go," she ordered, and with a quick backwards glance the two of them began running in the direction of the beach.
"Damn it, Bomber. Go with them," Buffer ordered. 'I won't have your life on my conscience."
"But it's ok for me to have yours on mine?" she returned.
Her face screwed up in belligerent mode and Buffer sighed. He didn't have the strength to argue with the scrappy young cook at the moment, and she knew it. The glance he shot back told her he would definitely deal with this later.
