Nothing left.
Nothing.
I staggered forward. People thronged the end of the alley, having squeezed past trying to find a vantage point. I pushed through them. When they wouldn't move, I shoved, ignoring the gasps of indignation and return shoves.
Then a voice pierced the commotion. It wasn't a loud voice. Soft, actually. But it was one I knew well enough to pick up, in chunks, over the chaos.
"We need to go . . . you know . . . find . . . I'm sorry . . . there's no way . . ."
Two people blocked my way. Guys about my age with a video camera. I sent them flying with a knockback. Didn't even realize I was casting. Just thought Goddamn it, get out of my way! and they did, each stumbling to one side like split bowling pins. I barreled through. And that's when I saw Jeremy.
He was knee-deep in rubble. Around him, emergency workers were too busy searching the debris to realize he wasn't one of them. He could have been, his clothes so streaked with plaster dust that you couldn't tell if he wore a uniform. Even his hair was gray with dust. Blood smeared the side of his face and more trickled from a gash on his chin. He favored one leg as he bent, reaching for something hidden behind a broken bed heaped with rubble.
His lips moved, but I couldn't catch what he said. I stepped forward over the remains of the wall.
"Go then." A ragged voice drifted from somewhere ahead of me. "I'm not leaving until I find her."
"You won't," Jeremy said. "And if you do . . ." His voice caught. He reached down again, grabbed hold, and tugged.
Adam rose. He looked as bad as Jeremy--clothes filthy and ripped, face battered and bloody--and I'd never seen such a beautiful sight in my life.
"I'm not going until I find--" Adam saw me and stopped.
He blinked. His mouth opened. For a second, nothing came out. Then, "Savannah?"
"Hey," I called. "Miss me?"
He pulled from Jeremy's grasp and crossed the rubble in a few steps. His arms went around me and he pulled me close and then . . . he kissed me.
When I imagined this moment, I always saw it coming. He would lean toward me, and I'd see his mouth moving toward mine, a
nd I'd wait for it. But this . . . ? There was no waiting. No warning. He was hugging me, and then he was kissing me and it was . . . perfect. There's no other way to describe it. A perfect moment. A perfect kiss. Everything I ever imagined. Everything I ever wanted.
"Sir? Miss?"
A shadow passed over us, a hand clasped Adam's shoulder, and as I opened my eyes, I saw Jeremy moving forward to stop the officer before he interfered. But it was too late. Adam pulled back, blinking. His cheeks colored and his mouth opened and I knew he was going to apologize, so I threw my arms around his neck and hugged him before he could.
Jeremy said something to the cop.
"I thought you were dead," I whispered in Adam's ear.
"That makes two of us." He paused. "I mean, I thought you were . . . Well, you know."
He pulled back enough to see me and smiled. I hugged him one more time, then stepped away as Jeremy was saying, "We were walking past when it happened. Managed to avoid the blast, but we thought we heard voices. We'll leave the searching to you now."
The officer thanked him, then asked whether Adam and Jeremy had seen anything suspicious, but Jeremy said no, they hadn't noticed anything until the blast sent them flying. By the time they recovered, people were rushing to the scene.
"You should get checked out," the cop said. He finally took a good look at me, sopping wet, and frowned.
"Water main break," I said, waving vaguely. "Fallout from the explosion, I guess."
"Is that the paramedic over there?" Jeremy said.
The officer nodded and Jeremy bustled us off. We veered away as soon as we could without being stopped. Adam still had his arm around me. I carefully picked my way through the debris and leaned on him for more support than I needed.
Jeremy led us into the alley. Everyone made way for the trio covered in blood and filth. We walked in silence. There would be time to explain later. Time to figure out what had happened and what it meant.
For now, we were all alive and safe. I had to call Sean, to find out where to take Bryce--Los Angeles or Miami. Either way, he'd get the best care possible. Then we'd all take a breather and regroup.