Disclaimer: I do not own either of the Mission: Impossible series or any of the characters therein. I receive no compensation or any other tangible benefit from this story. I am just a fan who enjoys taking the team out for an adventure every now and then. 🙂
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Nemesis Chapter 16
Dejected, his chest hurting badly, Nicholas trudged back to the thicket where he'd left Shannon. On the way, as he stopped to rest, he spotted a creek a few feet from the charred building. He walked over to it, knelt down in the soft dirt, and looked down. There was water flowing.
Nicholas tentatively stuck his fingers into the current. The water was cool but not too cold. That was good. He whipped his handkerchief out of his pocket, soaked it in the cool water, then wrung it out and continued his journey back to Shannon.
When he reached the thicket, he found her lying in the same place as he'd left her. Part of him was troubled by the fact that she was still unconscious; the other part was relieved that she hadn't woken up alone.
Nicholas knelt beside his friend and touched her face gently with his wet handkerchief. Some of the soot fell away, but the bruises left underneath caused the dark-haired agent to wince in empathy.
After a few moments, Shannon moaned slightly and her eyelids fluttered open. She tried to smile at Nicholas, but was immediately seized by a fit of coughing.
Nicholas quickly slipped his arm around his teammate's shoulders and helped her sit up, cradling her until the violent hacking ceased.
"It's all right, Shannon," he soothed, his voice gentle. "I've got you."
The coughing went on for several long seconds and left Shannon exhausted and gasping for breath. Nicholas gazed at her with worried eyes.
"Finished?" he asked.
Shannon nodded, unable to speak, laying her head on his strong shoulder for a moment, reluctant for him to let go. But he carefully lowered her back to the ground and wiped away the sheen of perspiration that had appeared on her face. As he did so, he noticed that her lips, now without lipstick, held a slight bluish tint. Nicholas' brow furrowed in concern.
She's not getting enough oxygen, he thought, and cursed to himself once again for not being able to help her. I've got to get her out of here somehow.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked her anxiously.
Shannon silently shook her head no. Nothing was injured, as far as she could tell, but she was terrified that If she spoke it would start the frantic coughing again.
It troubled Nicholas not to hear her voice, but in his eyes there was empathy and understanding. Shannon gazed at him and raised her singed eyebrows questioningly, and he knew that she was wordlessly asking if he was all right.
"I'm okay, Shannon," he assured her, while his mind raced frantically to find a solution to his dilemma. They were in the middle of nowhere, with no signs of civilization for miles. He hadn't heard or seen another vehicle drive by since they'd been here. No emergency services had come during the explosion and subsequent fire. They were completely on their own. And it would be dark soon.
I've got to get that car working, Nicholas realized. It's our only hope.
He took Shannon's hand in both of his. He could feel her pulse racing, and it worried him greatly.
"Shannon," he said softly, "our communicator and the car keys are gone. There's nobody around for miles. But I've got to get you to a hospital."
He paused, and Shannon nodded her understanding.
"I have to go see what I can do to get the car going. I hate to leave you here, but I don't have the strength to carry you."
Again, Shannon nodded and squeezed Nicholas' hand in reply.
"So you rest, okay? I'll come back to check on you in a few minutes."
Shannon managed a weak smile and squeezed his hand a second time. Nicholas let go of her hand and touched her cheek briefly before setting off again.
This time, he did not have the strength to run, and he had to stop multiple times to catch his breath. His own lungs were getting worse, he knew, and his chest ached. Plus, he was starting to cough some himself. But he was Shannon's only hope. He could not stop now.
Nicholas reached the car and practically collapsed onto it, his breath coming in heavy gasps. After a moment, he regained some measure of stamina and glanced around the outside of the car. He'd have to find something to break the car window.
Finally, he located a large rock. Shielding his face with his left arm, he hurled the rock at the rear passenger side window with all his might. It did not shatter, but it cracked enough that he could then use his elbow to finish breaking it. He reached his arm inside, unlocked the door, opened it, then reached through to unlock the front passenger side door and climb inside.
Now he just needed to figure out how to make the car work.
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(c) 2016
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