Author's Note: Thanks for all the nice reviews. I'm happy that you enjoyed the first chapter and I hope you continue to enjoy the story as it unfolds.

Dalton's POV

When Jaz's eyes rolled back into her head I could barely restrain my panic. I looked at McG and was sure my expression reflected my intense concern. He quickly started to reassure me and provide his assessment.

"The medication put her to sleep. Unfortunately we've got problems because I'm pretty sure her spleen is ruptured. I need to get it removed ASAP or she's going to bleed out."

Well, I wasn't going to let that happen. We needed a safe place to operate and we needed it now. While I held her in my arms I made several calls to some former local contacts. Courtesy of a CIA operative who owed us one, we were directed to a safe place to hide. An underground clinic of sorts for their agents to patch themselves up as needed. Jaz wouldn't be able to patch herself up so I hoped McG was up to doing field surgery on someone we all cared about.

When we arrived to the clinic I could have put her on one of the gurneys in the room but I kept her in my arms. While I didn't want to entertain the possibility, just in case these were her last moments, I wanted to hold her. Too many of my friends had died alone.

This whole mission had gone so far sidewise that it was like something you would read in a novel. Unfortunately for us all this wasn't fiction.

The scent of bleach surrounded me as Preach and Amir hurriedly attempted to wipe down every exposed surface. Their goal was to try and keep the surgical field as sterile as possible. While they worked on that task, McG focused on sterilizing his equipment.

I looked down and was surprised to find that Jaz was awake again. Staring up at me, and our surroundings, in confusion. She didn't look good. Her skin was far too pale and her lips were starting to look suspiciously blue.

"We found a new place to hang out, Jaz. We're going to get you fixed up and then get out of here. McG is going to take good care of you."

"Okay," she whispered.

She started swallowing convulsively and I knew she was going to vomit again. I rolled her to her side and grabbed the basin while Preach pulled her hair back. The retching was practically bending her body in half. By the time she was done emptying her stomach, she was sobbing from the pain. She tried to curl up in my arms but she didn't have the strength. This time the basin contained nothing but blood. She was running out of time and we all knew it.

"I'm ready, Top."

McG's voice was calm and assured. I needed that as much as Jaz. I stood up with her in my arms and laid her on the gurney hanging her bag of fluids on the IV pole. Her face showed how much pain she was in and I wished I could take it all away. But that was beyond my abilities. Preach moved over to hold her hand and provide some much needed emotional support.

"I'll be right back Jaz," I assured her as I walked out of her view to scrub my hands and arms. I had assisted McG in the past and was prepared to do so now.

I could hear Preach and McG both talking to her in reassuring voices. Preach in particular was making a point of controlling any anxiety she might have about the upcoming procedure. God knew I had enough anxiety for all of us. McG had already given me a syringe of Fentanyl which was enough to put her out for the surgery.

After I scrubbed, I stayed out of sight slowly injecting the medication into her IV line while Preach continued to talk to her. We watched as her eyes closed, fluttered open once, and then remained closed. Preach leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before he whispered, "God bless", and stepped out of the way so I could step in. I pulled her shirt up to expose the hard blackened area on her torso and quickly poured disinfectant over it. Seconds later McG made the first incision and we watched as blood poured out of it releasing some of the internal pressure. Once we pulled back the skin and muscle we were both happy to see that her spleen was lacerated rather than ruptured. A nearby rib was broken and we speculated that was the cause. McG moved methodically to close the tear. Slowly but surely blood stopped flowing into her abdominal cavity. He rinsed the area, confirmed his work was complete, and quickly closed the wound.

Once the actual surgical procedure was done, Amir laid down on the gurney next to her to give her the blood she desperately needed. He was the only one of our bunch that was her blood type. He took her hand in his and I watched the life giving fluid flow from one to another. Unfortunately, we all knew Jaz would need more blood than Amir could safely provide. But until we successfully completed our exfil, his blood and the fluids we were pushing into her would have to be enough.