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In another few seconds Cisco and Welker were also suited up to roll. Securing the lines—as they’d practiced ad infinitum—they went over the lip and down onto the ledge before another word was spoken.
Cisco immediately leaned down over Hilly on one side, and Alvi crouched on the other while Welker took charge of the descending litter.
“We’ve got you now, Hill.” Cisco wasn’t sure where to touch her, for fear of causing her pain, but she solved his dilemma by slipping her small, cold hand into his.
“I’m glad you’re here,” she strangled out.
“Hey boss,” Alvi teased, taking charge as he lowered the blanket to assess Hilly’s injuries. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a truck hit me,” she grunted, her voice sounded rough and gravely when she answered.
“Okay. You just stay put and try not to talk too much. It looks like Cottins might have done some damage to your larynx.”
“And my ribs,” Hilly gutted out. “I also can’t use my arm. I think it’s dislocated.”
Alvi didn’t hesitate. “Deep breath.” He positioned himself and Hilly, expertly and quickly popping it back in.
Hilly yelped. “Damn.” Tears filled her eyes, then she gave it an experimental roll. “It’s…better now.”
“I know. And sorry for the pain,” Alvi apologized. “It’s how it had to go.”
Alvi’s hands then gently palpated Hilly from head to foot as Cisco held her hand. She winced repeatedly, and he wished he could pummel Cottins all over again.
“Well,” Alvero leaned back, “it looks like you might have some broken ribs, a nice black eye, a split lip, and a bruised face.” He held out a cold-pack he’d activated for her, and laid it carefully on her face. “But it’s your throat I’m most worried about. There’s some damage there, and we need to get you to the hospital ASAP.” He eased a cervical collar around her neck and fastened the Velcro closings.
Cisco knew Alvi was afraid that swelling would block Hilly’s airway, and she needed to be checked out by a doctor as quickly as possible.
“Mase,” he called up, nerves hitting him hard over what could happen if Hilly couldn’t catch a breath. “Can we get a medivac chopper in here?”
There was silence up above for a few seconds.
“On it, Cisco. The EMT’s will load her into their ambulance, then drive to the parking lot at the camp. The hospital’s helo will land there to bring her in.”
Cisco wished there were someplace closer for them to get her, but he knew Hilly would be in good hands with the experienced EMT’s for the duration, so he’d have to be okay with that.
He turned his attention back to Hilly.
“Cottins?” she asked, daring to speak one more time, even though Alvi grunted disapprovingly at her.
“He’s still breathing, thanks only to Mason,” Cisco admitted. “I was ready to pound him into the ground before the chief stepped in. He’s in cuffs now, and he won’t be seeing the light of day for a long time. I promise.”
Hilly’s face smoothed out, but he could see she was readying to speak again.
Cisco placed a feather-like finger over her lips. “Shh. I’ll tell you everything else you want to know as soon as we get you secure and in the ambulance.”
Because, hell, yes. He was going with her.
Hilly nodded.
With Alvi’s approval, Cisco was the one to lift his injured woman carefully onto the litter.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
Two weeks had passed since she’d been rescued by Cisco and his team, then been airlifted to the hospital. The attending doctor had poked, prodded, x-rayed, given her neck a CT angiogram, and finally determined that she was battered and bruised, but not irreparably damaged. Still, the doc had kept her for two nights, citing that additional swelling of her larynx could occur to obstruct her airway.
Cisco had stayed at her side for the duration, sleeping in one of the two uncomfortable chairs in her room.
Her parents had visited. Cisco’s folks—whom Hilly had adored within the first five minutes of meeting them—had brought food and comfort items to the hospital each day, and the entire SWAT team, along with Crash and Adeline, had filed in and out like big, overprotective brothers and sisters during her recovery, while also keeping her camp running smoothly. Lots of thank-you notes were to be written once she was feeling better.