Chapter 22:

Her phone rang out in the silence of the school-yard and she couldn't help herself but wince. After the last shot, that hadn't been clearly audible after all, that shot from somewhere above, probably from inside the school building's tower, there had been silence, absolute silence. She didn't even need to have a look at the display to know who was calling her.

"Jack."

She knew what he would tell her, he would skip the part about what they both already know, what had happened up there in the tower. The one important thing right now was, that it meant that the ambulances and medics finally would get the chance to help the victims of the shooting now that the situation was cleared and there was no more risk for them. She had been right – he wouldn't even make the slightest comment about it right now. Their main priority was to get Danny to a hospital right now. Dealing with Miranda Thomas and what had happened to her could wait for the moment.

„It's another five to ten minutes. Just another ten minutes, Sam. The ambulances were kept behind the safety ring – for their own protection. You just gotta hang in there, they are almost there."

Sam was tightly holding her co-worker's limp hand, he was almost unconscious and she could feel him shiver violently from feeling cold, probably as a result of the blood-loss. She squeezed his hand even more tightly, desperately hoping to soothe him by letting him know she was still there – by his side. She whispered an answer to the cell, hoping for Danny not to hear her.

"We don't have another ten minutes, Jack – goddamn it! He's bleeding, he's bleeding to death – the godforsaken bullet ripped an artery apart and I believe it probably hit his spine. He said he didn't feel his legs. Good god, Jack – he's dying."

She didn't hear anything – no answer, not a word – Jack was silent on the other end of the line. She could hear the slight trembling in his raspy voice when he finally managed to put an answer, an assurance together – but it didn't make her feel any better. There was nothing they could do – simply wait, wait for the medics to arrive – they all knew that.

"You just have to hang in there, keep him awake. They are rushing in, they are almost there..."

Jack never got to finish the sentence or Sam rather didn't hear it, because all of a sudden all her attention was drawn to her co-worker, who forcefully had grabbed her hand. She could feel the pain in her fingers caused by his strong grip, but she knew she couldn't let go. Even if she would've wanted, he wouldn't have given that chance to her. She had no idea where that sudden power came from – he had been halfway unconscious and she had doubted to even be able to keep him awake for the next few minutes until the ambulance would arrive. But still she didn't know if this was a good sign, especially as she didn't want him to move around. If the bullet actually had hit his spine, moving around in panic and confusion would only make it worse – she didn't want the injury to get even more severe than it already was.

And panic it was, that she saw written on his face – she wished so desperately to help him in any way, to find the right words to soothe him and assure him, that everything would be alright, but she didn't know what to say to him. Bloody hell! She knew him for years now, but she hadn't even the slightest idea of what to say to make him feel any better – how cold-hearted was that? She remembered that she was still on the phone with Jack, but before she was able to tell him what had just happened, why they had been interrupted, Danny addressed her in a low, shaky voice.

"Sam? Is that you? Are you there?"

She managed to get a soothing tone in her voice and kept the fear out of it. She didn't want him to hear how threatened she was, how much she feared that the ambulance wouldn't be here in time. It was the last thing he needed and definitely nothing that would assure someone lying in a pool of his own blood, desperately waiting for help.

"Yeah – I'm here Danny. Don't worry – they're sending the ambulance in, they are almost here..."

"Sam, I... I can't..."

"I know, Danny – I know. Don't worry about it, the medics are gonna take care of it. It's gonna be alright."

She could see a smile on his face and – in complete confusion – asked herself what he was smiling about. This was a goddamn hostile situation, there was nothing to smile about. But having a closer look right now, he didn't seem that happy about anything after all. He needed some seconds to find the words to explain that smile on his face.

"You're a bad liar, Samantha Spade – always have been."

She really had hoped to sound believable and assuring, but she obviously had failed with that. But she wouldn't blame herself for it right now – her main priority was to keep Danny awake until the medics arrived. And as long as he was talking to her she would go for it – that definitely was the right direction to keep him with her, to keep him awake – to keep him alive.

"I'm sorry – I didn't mean to."

"I know you didn't. But you should stop practicing your skills on a dying man..."

She hardly was able to keep the control of her feelings when he said that. She could hear herself breathe in heavily and exhale with a hiss as a reaction to what he just said. She hadn't wanted this to happen, hadn't wanted to lose control and now finally let him know about her fear. But she hadn't been prepared to such a reaction, such an answer from him. Right now she couldn't hide the trembling as she started talking again.

"Stop talking like that! You're not gonna die! Understand me? You're not gonna die!"

She could hear the sirens of the ambulance somewhere close to their position right then and couldn't help it but breathe a sigh of relief. Less than ten minutes – they were finally there, there to help her co-worker and safe his life. As relieved as she was, she almost didn't get Danny responding to her in a quiet voice.

"We'll see, Sam – we'll see..."

And with that and to her complete horror and disbelief – he lost consciousness.