TOMMY WAS STRIKED BY AN IMMANENT RAGE, in the face of Floyd Kenagan's indifference towards them, they seemed to only think about the President in everything he did. After thinking a thousand hateful things, he also saw his injuries and how he ignored them. He realized how dedicated that serious man was to his mission. His focus was to fulfill it whatever the cost, whatever the situation. He inferred that he could only understand him from this perspective.
— I don't know what I could do, — Tommy said, pointing to the metal in his abdomen. — I'm not in the best of physical condition.
"Let's get this out of there," Gregory Evans said, joining the conversation, "but we have to rescue him first."
With a little effort, Tommy got up and walked towards Floyd and Greg, checking Katherine's condition before he went, and whether he could leave her there.
— Where is he?
— He's surrounded by iron and fire — said Greg, who was in a better condition to speak — we can't remove the barrier in his path. If he stays there for too long, he'll end up dying of asphyxiation...
— Yes, let's go.
The three of them followed to the spot where Kenan was and managed to push a plate that was in the way. The smoke was very strong there and even they felt short of breath in the short time they remained.
Kenan was lying under some twisted pipes, unconscious. Floyd, who was also injured, could not remove all the barriers alone, but with the help of Greg and Tommy, they were able to pull and push what was necessary and save him, dragging him out of that circle of destruction.
After being pulled away from the strongest smoke, Kenan woke up and began coughing heavily, he was tremendously compromised by the smoke.
— By God! What is this situation? — Floyd complained, turning in all directions, indignant at this whole series of events.
—It's not easy for anyone. — Gregory Evans replied.
—I can't believe how we ended up here, it's like a damn thriller! — exclaimed Floyd Kenagan.
— I'll tell you, you're from the government, you're used to this kind of thing, conspiracies, shootings, missions. — Tommy dared to daydream. — I just wanted to get my wife...
Kenan writhed, still lying on the floor, a strong headache leaving him terribly shaken. While coughing, he asked:
— What... was that?
— Mr. President — Floyd said, as he came to his aid — let me help you.
"We have to get out of here soon, Mr. President," Gregory Evans said, pointing to the growing flames.
— Have you seen Agent Robinson? — Floyd asked.
— He... — Tommy threatened to tell the agent's outcome.
— If we die looking for him, his own death will be in vain... — said Floyd Kenagan impatiently, interrupting the young man.
The place was filled with smoke, the metal still creaked and the heat increased due to the growing fire. The four began to walk, even with difficulty, away from that tragedy, they would look for the next station.
TOMMY WALKED OVER TO Katherine and checked her wound. The bleeding was no longer a concern. He picked her up and led her steps, with her leaning on his shoulder. He needed to be strong for his wife.
"Does it hurt a lot?" she asked as she looked at the wound on her stomach.
— A little... — he said, hiding his agony from the pain.
— No need to act strong, Tommy, I already have enough proof of that... — he joked.
Tommy looked ahead as they walked, but Katherine could see his distant, thoughtful gaze. He noticed her watching him and looked at her with a certain sadness.
— I just wanted to take you home, Katy... — he sighed in his discouragement.
— Don't worry about it, we'll get there... alive.
She was still speaking when Tommy was overcome by unbearable pain, unable to remain standing, and fell to his knees, curled up almost in a fetal position. The metal continued to cut into his flesh.
— Help! — Katherine cried. — Help me!
Floyd Kenagan and Gregory Evans, who were helping Kenan Vaine, saw him on the ground and rushed to help him. They knew how important he was in these moments of inexplicable torment.
— Let's get that iron out of there. — said Greg trying to help the young man.
—But what about the bleeding? —Katherine asked, already in tears.
—I don't know, I really don't know, Floyd said thoughtfully, but we have to remove this metal before the laceration gets bigger and he goes into shock from the pain.
—What if we use gunpowder? — Gregory Evans asked — when I served in Vietnam, I managed to save my friend Carl's life that way.
Carl Benedetti...
— Carl Benedetti?
Greg smiled.
— I see you know our man.
— Your man?
— It's a long story...
— Gunpowder? — Floyd asked. — What do you want to do, throw gunpowder in there and burn it? This isn't a movie, Greg!
—Heroes and their own science... — Greg grumbled as he smiled.
Kenan stood at a distance, just watching the situation. In addition to not feeling well, he had serious problems dealing with blood.
— We're going to have to pull this out, — said Floyd Kenagan. — Then, put pressure on the wound to help with the bleeding. I hope it didn't hit any organs...
Tommy tried to prepare himself for the pain, but it was useless. When Floyd pulled on the metal, the sensation was so intense that, after a loud roar, he passed out.
— Tommy! — Katherine shouted.
— Don't worry — Greg replied — it's normal for this to happen. What we have to worry about is this bleeding.
With scraps of his own shirt, Greg pressed on the wound until everything was blood. The darkness of the tunnel did not allow him to see the situation clearly, but at some point he believed he had managed to resolve the emergency.
—I think we got it, — Greg said to Floyd Kenagan.
— Good news. — Kenan added, still coughing heavily.
— Judging by the results — Greg said, remembering his anatomy classes — I believe the injury was only muscular, it didn't affect any organs, nothing vital. He'll be fine to go.
They took a short break to wait for the boy to recover. While they were talking, Tommy came to, groaning a little, but stable. To everyone's surprise, he still maintained his uncomfortable sense of humor:
— A cup of coffee and some morphine would be very nice...
— Cheer up and get up — Floyd replied. — we have to get out of here soon or we'll die of asphyxiation.
With much effort and help from the others, Tommy managed to stand up. Even with great difficulty, the group began their walk towards the next station. As they walked along the tracks, the silence seemed to be a person beside them.
The tiredness they felt after all that was so strong that mere words became heavy on their lips. For the long minutes that they walked immersed in the darkness of the tunnels, even with so many thoughts, they said nothing, expressed nothing, all that could be heard were the sounds of the tunnels, the crawling footsteps and the heavy breathing that forced their chests.
They walked for a long time, long enough to believe they were close to the next station. The tunnel became a little brighter further ahead, which encouraged them. However, the lights began to move, until they realized they were lanterns.
"Quiet!" whispered Floyd Kenagan, although everyone else was already thinking the same thing.
—It looks like they're coming our way... — Gregory replied.
— Yes, yes, they must be police officers. — Floyd added.
The lights grew brighter as they approached, and covered every part of the place, showing that their bearers were investigating the place.
— Mr. President, — Floyd said, — stay back, we don't want to be seen. Kenan backed up a little and looked for some way to hide.
— What shall we do? — asked Tommy.
— I'm not sure, they look like police officers... But even if they are, we can't trust them. — Floyd replied.
— Let's ambush them. — Tommy suggested.
— How?
— There's no way to hide here... — Greg said more calmly.
— I know how to do it...
Greg , Tommy, Floyd and Katherine walked slowly towards the strangers, without weapons in hand. When the light of the flashlights reached them, one of them soon shouted from afar:
— Hands up! We're armed!
— Who are you? — asked another, aiming his flashlight and gun at the three.
— Commander Floyd Kenagan, FBI, Gregory Evans and three other civilian companions. — Floyd Kenagan replied with his hands up, holding his credentials. Greg, Tommy, Kenan and Katherine remained silent.
The men came closer to get a better look at them; there were three security guards. When they saw Floyd Kenagan's credentials, they calmed down and lowered their weapons.
— We detected that there was an accident on the line, probably a derailment, and we came to investigate. — said one of them.
— Judging by your condition, you gentlemen are coming from there, aren't you? — asked another, already unhappy with the realization.
— Yes — replied Floyd Kenagan — we managed to escape with our lives. We came to call for help.
— Did anyone else survive? — asked the first one.
—I'm afraid not...—continued Floyd Kenagan.—I need to use some communication device, can you lend me one?
— Unfortunately not. Nothing is working.
— What there was?
— We don't know, all communication stopped working, we tried to make an emergency call here and we couldn't...