ANTONIO HAD ONE of the other astronauts by the arm; she’d been hit by some of the debris as the platform continued to collapse. He heard the worry in Izzy’s voice but was glad she was okay. He propelled himself and Meredith toward the surface.
“I’m here. Sorry. Meredith was hit in the last collapse and I am taking her to the surface. I’ll be back in a moment. Bomber, take over command of the red team. And let’s get everyone out of the pool.”
“Yes, sir,” Bomber said. “Bombshell, where is your team?”
“Still with Velocity. Anyone else who was injured?”
There were a series of nos, which made Antonio feel better. He got Meredith to the surface where Doc Tomlin waited. He handed Meredith to her and then used his suit to propel himself back under the surface.
Everyone worked together to disassemble and shift what was left of the dock off Velocity.
“What’s the status on Velocity?” Antonio asked.
“Still wedged. But I think if we shift the long arm piece out of the way we should be able to free him,” Izzy said.
Antonio found himself working next to her and watching the dock as they worked. They’d been careful in assembling the pieces earlier and it was taking precious time to get everything broken apart enough to free the trapped man. Time that Antonio could see they were running out of.
“Playboy, I’m getting a low-oxygen warning,” Hennessey said. “I’m down here with Velocity. Can someone take over?”
Hell. This situation was going from bad to worse.
“I can,” Antonio said. He had a new tank thanks to Izzy. He started his descent and as soon as he was there, Hennessey gave him the thumbs-up sign and ascended. From his new position he could see that Velocity was awake but looked possibly concussed. They needed to get him out of the pool.
Antonio moved toward Velocity’s wedged leg and then had an idea, one that might not be approved and certainly couldn’t be used in space, but they were in the pool and Velosi needed out now.
“Izzy, how’s your oxygen?”
“Good, why?”
“I want to try to cut Velocity free. But once I cut his suit, it’s going to let water in. I need someone to help me pull him free of the structure.
“One minute. Anyone who has enough oxygen, go to the bottom of the pool.”
Four team members, along with Izzy, were able to get to Velocity.
“This is what I’m thinking. His suit is wedged with part of his leg but I think if I cut his suit it might free him. I’m worried about the integrity breach of his suit, though. Water might go in. I need someone who can do rescue breathing with him,” Antonio said.
“I got the rescue breathing,” Hemi said, coming on the communication link.
“Thor?”
“Hell, yes. The emergency folks are on their way, but right now we are the ones who have to get him out. Ace has the crane and is ready to lift most of this when we tell him,” Thor said. “I like your plan, Playboy. How stable is the base?”
“I don’t have a clear view of it,” Antonio said.
“It’s wedged,” Izzy said. “It’s like something drove it down into the bottom of the pool.”
“Okay. So shifting it isn’t going to happen unless Ace can get it with the crane. Is he on the same comms as we are?” Thor asked.
“I’m here. Sorry for the delay,” Ace said. “Is the structure stable enough for me to grab it or is it going to collapse again?”
“It’s hard to tell,” Antonio answered. “Based on how it keeps shifting apart, I’d say no. But if you could grab the top and pull it upward while we lift the bottom we might be able to free him.”
“Anyone have an objection to Playboy’s plan?”
There were a series of negative answers. Antonio felt the pressure to get this right.
“Playboy, you’re in charge,” Ace said.
Thor took over with Velosi, and Antonio moved to the base where it was wedged on Velosi’s leg. He knew his knife would work to free the fabric, but as he got closer he could see that it Velosi’s boot was also trapped.
That mean this foot was probably stuck under the structure, as well. With Izzy and Hennessey next to him, Antonio took the lead.
He handed his knife to Izzy and then turned to Hennessey.
“We might be able to lift this if we plant our feet on the bottom. But we’re going to have to keep the mechanical engine on for resistance against the ground. Can we get an assist from Vicki and Barney?”
“Yes.”
“I see what you mean. I’ll take the left,” Hennessey said.
“Izzy, you cut first to free his suit and then we will lift while you pull.”
“Got it,” Izzy said.
Vicki went to Hennessey, and Barney came over to him. Antonio would have to keep one hand free so that Barney would be able to keep the pressure on the engine to keep him grounded on the bottom. But it should work.
“On my count,” Izzy said. “Three. Two. One. Making the cut now.”
Antonio watched Izzy working and knew that the structure was unstable. He worried it might fall on her and knew he’d sacrifice himself for her if that happened. He’d do whatever he had to in order to make sure she was safe.
“Okay done. Thor, ready?”
“Ready.”
“Three, two, one.”
He and Hennessey both shoved at the structure and it budged and then toppled as Izzy and Thor pulled Velosi free. Barney let go of his hand. Vicki got behind to make sure that Velosi was able to move.
“Start ascending,” Thor ordered. “He’s free.”
They all started the ascent and as they broke the surface, Antonio saw many people on the deck, including emergency services, but he couldn’t find Izzy.
* * *
WHEN VELOCITY WAS FREED, Izzy looked around to make sure that everyone was safely on their way up, and as she did, a part of the structure fell straight toward her. There was another of those ripples that jostled her balance, knocking her hand off her motor and making her lose control over her movement.
She tumbled head over heels in a disorienting roll that left her unsure which way was up. She had a moment where she felt completely alone and lost.
She had been in control up until this moment, but she couldn’t do this alone. She hated that feeling. And she was afraid for a second. Then she heard Antonio’s voice in her ear.
“Izzy? Where are you?”
There was a sense of calm in his tone. “I’m still in the water. I got jostled when the structure moved.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. Just need to figure out which way is up,” she said, turning in a circle. Seeing the lights from the shuttle, she realized which way she needed to head. She started moving again, finding her bearings.
“Figured it out. I’m on my way up,” she said. The difference of being in the pool and being in space was palpable. While the water made her feel like she did when on a space walk, it was thicker and it was harder to move through water than it was through space.
If something like this had happened when they were on a mission, she could have been lost. But she wasn’t.
When she surfaced, she looked around for Antonio and saw that one of the medical technicians was holding his arm to keep him from going back in the water. She couldn’t help smiling at that. If there was one thing she knew, it was that Antonio was never going to leave her behind.
And suddenly she knew she loved him.
Oh. My. God.
It was true.
She loved Antonio.
The man who’d been her biggest competitor.
The man who made her crazy and turned her on.
She loved him.
After a lifetime of keeping men at arm’s length and of always having to do everything for herself, she’d found the person who would stay with her. No matter what. That moment of clarity was easier to take now that the emergency was over. They’d survived what could have been a horrible disaster. One of the EMTs came and pulled her out of the water. She wanted to ask about Velosi, but she couldn’t take her eyes off Antonio.
He’d settled down as soon as he saw her. She gave him the thumbs-up and he nodded at her. She answered the questions the EMT asked her.
“Do you know how Velosi is? He looked concussed,” Izzy said to the EMT.
“They transported him to the hospital. I can’t comment on his health officially, but he looked like he was feeling better when they loaded him on the medevac helicopter.”
“Thanks,” she said. “Was anyone else injured?”
“Nope, the rest of you seem to be checking out okay,” he said. “Once I’m done monitoring your blood-oxygen level you will be cleared to go with your team.”
“Thank you,” she said again. She leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes as he hooked the monitor up to her middle finger.
“You okay, Bombshell?” Ace asked as he sat down next to her.
“Yeah. I think I am. What the hell happened?” she asked. “Was this one of your tests?” she asked. She hoped it hadn’t been, because it was dangerous. They were all trained in the pool, but that collapse had been...more than anyone had expected. It was the kind of accident that could have had a much more disastrous effect.
“Not a test. I was as shocked as you were when it collapsed. Dennis is in a room with Mal and Jose trying to figure out what the hell happened. You were good under pressure,” he said.
“Everyone was,” Izzy said. “If you needed proof that we can all function as a team, I’d say you have it.”
“True. It was hard to be in the shuttle and watch everything unfold. I’m glad we were able to get Velosi out,” Ace said. “I’m going to have a debriefing as soon as everyone is cleared from medical. And I know Doc Tomlin wants to run some tests.”
“Makes sense. Were you recording in the pool while we were in the shuttle?” she asked.
“Affirmative. The cameras are always on when we have people in the simulator,” Ace said.
“That’s good. Maybe we can see if the collapse had something to do with the equipment or if it was because of the way we assembled it.”
“I don’t think it was the assembly,” Antonio said as he sat down next to her. He reached for her free hand and she laced their fingers together. She didn’t hear what Ace said next because she was staring into Antonio’s dark eyes, overwhelmed by the sense of relief she felt now that they were both safe.
“I don’t, either. We ran the new assembly plan through the virtual simulator while you all were working and there were no problems with it,” Ace said. “But we can discuss that at the debriefing. You two were a very effective team. Everyone respects you.”
“Thanks, Ace,” Antonio said. Izzy just had her head back against the wall and watched him. “We have a really great team here.”
“Yes, we do.”
Ace walked away, and a few minutes later the tech removed the monitor from her finger. “You’re clear. Nice job.”
Antonio shifted so he was next to her with his back against the wall and put his arm around her shoulder. She wanted to turn into the curve of his body and hug him to her, but she was very aware that there were others watching them.
She didn’t mind if Antonio saw her when she was weak, but she didn’t want anyone else to. He was the only man she trusted to see her that way.
* * *
ANTONIO HELPED IZZY to her feet. He wanted a private moment with her, but that wasn’t going to happen for a while. He knew they were being observed, and he was pretty sure that whatever decision was made about couples going on the mission, the way they worked together today hadn’t done anything to hurt their chances. The fact was everyone had worked well. No one had freaked out.
“I think today was a good day,” Antonio said as they walked to the locker room. “I for one wouldn’t mind being on a team with any of the candidates. That trial by fire proved our skills in a way nothing else could.”
“You’re right,” Izzy said. “I asked Ace if this was another one of his tests and he said no. But, damn, if something like that happens when we are assembling the station, we definitely know we can handle it.”
Antonio brushed a strand of her hair from her face. “I think I would have freaked out if anything had happened to you.”
She looked around the area. Everyone was in various stages of removing their suits and changing back into their khakis and mission shirts. Izzy took his hand and drew him into a corner, then wrapped her arms around him and went up on tiptoe to kiss him.
He was startled for a second and then hugged her tightly to him. He was never letting go. He angled his head and deepened his kiss. Into the kiss he poured everything that he felt. The love, the fear, the joy that they were both alive. He lifted his head, framing her face with his hands, taking a moment just to stare into her eyes.
“Good God, woman, you scared me when I couldn’t get you on the comms.”
“Same. I hated being separated from you. I kept my focus on the job, but if anything had happened to you... I don’t know what I would have done.”
“Me, neither,” he said. “I need you. We have the meeting, and as soon as we are dismissed for the day, I’m taking you to my room so I can feel you with every inch of my body and reassure my soul that you are safe.”
He knew he was revealing too much. She might not feel the same, but when the woman he loved had come so close to dying he couldn’t pull his punches. He realized that what he felt for Izzy wasn’t at all like his dangerous addiction had been. It took hold of him, but it wasn’t crippling. Nothing could tear them apart.
That made him scared. The only other times he’d felt this confident in anything and anyone had been his parents. He had never trusted anyone the way he was starting to trust Izzy.
“Yo, Bombshell and Playboy, time for that later, we need to get changed so we can debrief,” Hennessey said.
Antonio pulled away as Izzy blushed. She pushed around him and gave Hennessey the finger as she went to her locker. Antonio did the same thing. Izzy had retreated behind her walls again. She wasn’t comfortable yet with anyone else seeing them together.
Perhaps it wasn’t just their schedule keeping them apart. Could it be that his secrets and his past had affected the way she looked at him? Did she see him as someone who could bring her down?
He couldn’t answer those questions, but he did know one thing. Izzy and he were meant to be together, and if he had to keep coming back to her and wooing and winning her time and again, that was exactly what he’d do. He’d learned something when he couldn’t raise her on the radio earlier.
And that was that he couldn’t live without her in his life. He loved her, and that was strong enough to make him feel he could move mountains. Even if one of the mountains was Izzy herself.
He knew she had a good reason to keep her guard up all her life and he wasn’t going to be one of those. He thought he’d already proved it, but it seemed there was still work to be done.
Damn.
He went into one of the private dressing rooms to get changed, and when he came out Izzy had gone. He joined the last of their group walking down the hall to the big meeting room. Hemi was waiting at the back with a checklist.
“That’s it. You guys are the ones,” Hemi said. “Grab a seat so we can get started.”
Antonio took a spot at the back of the room, leaning against the wall noting that Izzy was sitting across the room. The briefing room was set up classroom-style with rows of chairs that faced a podium in the front.
Dennis entered the room, followed by Mal and Jose. Mal nodded at Antonio and he thought that at least he’d impressed his boss.
Maybe it wasn’t the men that had always been leaving her and when she was child she’d had no control over it, but as an adult it seemed to him that she was very good at shoving men—well, him—out of her life. But he was determined to show her that she didn’t have to run from him.