The Order: Hit and Run by Emma Cole Page 0,2

around the front of the truck to hop in the driver's seat.

Chapter Two

It’s an hour drive to where Kael is stationed in Everett. I have a small apartment nearby that we’ll be moving my things to tomorrow before he has to report for duty later in the week. It's only temporary until the on-base naval housing processes our marriage forms, but it's better than the low-income housing I've been living in. I’m dozing off when I hear Kael swearing.

“What the hell are they doing? Assholes are going to cause a wreck.”

I open my eyes in a hurry to find two motorcycles weaving in and out of traffic until a little further ahead blue and red lights appear behind the bikes.

“Idiots, that’s what they deserve.” Kael mumbles a few other things about idiot drivers while I try to get my heart rate back down.

Neither of us notice the SUV coming onto the interstate from the on-ramp without their lights on.

***

Kael

The impact hits Cora’s door before shoving us off into oncoming traffic. It was just too fast for most of the other drivers to react at the speeds we were all traveling. The truck bounces off the cement median, and the tail end is hit again, causing us to flip onto the passenger side. The airbags have deployed, but all I can feel is terror for Cora and helplessness to do anything about the situation. Eventually, the pile-up around us stops, and I’m amazed that I seem to be injury free. My neck is sore, and I’m sure I’ll have a nice stripe from the seatbelt, but it could have been much worse.

I panic as I turn to her. “Cora, baby, talk to me!” She’s out cold, the seatbelt holding her suspended above me, long blonde hair and white skirt hanging down. Fuck, the baby. “Cora, please.” I can see the rise and fall of her chest, so at least she’s breathing. I’m releasing myself from my own seatbelt, but I'm not sure if it’s safe to get her down. The pressure can’t be good on her middle though.

Hoping she doesn’t have a neck or back injury, I support her weight as best I can, trying to keep her even and steady as I hit the catch. She drops down, and I ease her onto the driver’s side door of the cab. I can hear sirens coming and other people yelling outside the truck. The back window is already broken, so I kick the rest of it out to get out to find help.

It’s a mess outside, and there are cars everywhere. Some seem to be fine, but others are in the same state as Cora’s truck. There are police officers near an SUV, the one that I’m nearly positive started all this. There's a group of guys standing around outside of it, and the vehicle is pristine except for a smashed in driver’s side door. I turn away as an ambulance makes its way through the wreck, flagging it down.

“My wife, she’s pregnant and unconscious,” I say to the older male driver as soon as he rolls to a stop and opens his door. There are several more emergency vehicles right behind him, and he lets me lead him over to Cora after he inquires about my injuries, and I assure him I’m fine.

He starts asking for details, and I give him as much as I can. I feel like I’m coming in and out of reality and imagine it’s shock setting in. The paramedic climbs in the bed of the truck to check Cora and immediately pulls back, yanking his radio from its holster. He rapidly starts talking about bleeding and placenta abruption and asking me again how far along she is. I absently answer him as panic sets in and lunge back in the window to check her. A red spot is spreading down her white skirt, and she’s still unconscious. I know that can’t be good, and the squeezing in my chest when I put my hand on her belly and it’s still is nearly more than I can bear. When I glance back at the paramedic, he gives me a sympathetic look, and I know my worry that our baby most likely didn’t survive is valid. The man meets the woman running up to him with supplies in her arms, and they nicely, but firmly, shoo me out of the way.

“We need to help her now, son. Stay near, we’ll get you right back with her as