Team Black Sheep by M. L. Buchman

Author:M. L. Buchman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Buchman Bookworks, Inc.

8

Teri checked Jethro’s vitals one more time. Stable and improving.

Smith? Not in trouble. Blood pressure still low, but safe.

Done.

She collapsed back against the aft cargo net.

Somewhere along the way, the flight’s pair of crew chiefs had bagged the other two bodies.

She was still aboard the helicopter. She always lost track of everything when there was someone to save.

Keying the intercom, she asked the pilots, “Where are we?”

“Just going feet wet. About ten minutes to the ship. What’s the count?”

“Two DOA before we touched them. Two stable. One uninjured.”

“Other flight saved one of four—another alive, but probably won’t make it to the ship. Well done, Medic.”

That’s when she realized that the Air Force crew didn’t even know her name. “Thanks,” she released the intercom and it was back to just her and Doc on the med circuit.

He checked over both patients, then blanketed them up to their necks despite the heat. Not a bad call. He actually blushed as he covered over Smith’s chest, which was pretty funny.

She really looked at Doc for the first time. Her family was all sleek and neat. Elegant. Doc looked like he could play football, though he only had an inch or so on her.

“Why are you the black sheep?” Teri asked in turn.

Doc sighed. “Army instead of med school. Only one in the family.”

“But you are a medic.”

Doc laughed easily. “No, I’m a grunt. I’ve had that tag for about an hour—Smith’s doing. Guess it’s because I know how to unroll gauze without breaking into a nervous sweat.”

His movements finally made sense. Instincts trained by growing up in a medical family but no formal training. Yet he’d helped save one. “Is that why you apologized to Smith before you tapped her for the IV?”

“Yeah, never done that before. But given enough blood to make a fair guess. Your turn.”

“Artist family. I am a medic,” she found it easy to tease him, a little.

“Baaa!” Doc offered in commiseration that made her feel as if she belonged rather than her usually totally not. “Your ‘art’ just saved two lives, works for me. Jethro was a damn good man.”

“Will still be.” He wasn’t dead after all.

“I meant he was a damn good man when I was willing to fight beside him.”

“And now you’re not.”

Doc seemed to shrink. “You ever been in a firefight, Teri?”

“Edges. Night Stalkers medics may fly right into the battle to do a rescue, but we’ve got the best gunners in the business for protection.”

“This one was front and center. Seven of nine down hard. Sounds like five dead.” He actually shuddered. “Never want to watch or be in charge of something like that again.”

“Yet you’re, well, you and Smith were the ones who survived. Were good enough to make it.”

“Her skill, my luck.”

The helo slowed abruptly and settled to the sprawling deck of the Peleliu helicopter carrier ship.

The doors slammed open before they were fully settled onto the deck. Corpsmen with stretchers were waiting and in the swirl of unloading she lost track of Doc Carson.

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