Chapter 25
"NO, no, no, no," Nick said under his breath, trying to get a grip on the desk with blood slick fingers. His ears rang so badly that he couldn't hear anything but a long, solid tone, and he still couldn't see through the smoke. His fingers and his face felt numb and he couldn't seem to catch his breath. He was finally able to grab the desk and heaved it off into the corner, off Jen Thorne's shattered body. She didn't move.
Nick knelt down beside her and searched for a pulse. His fingers found her wrist but he could detect no pulse whatsoever. He closed his eyes, took one deep, slow breath, and felt for her pulse again. Nothing.
He looked down as blood slowly began to pool beneath her arm. He was about to start coming to terms with her death when Jen's eyes fluttered and she s
