DESCEND INTO THE ABYSS

led and led Ale

e door, Alex turn

e's J

ister in R

hite-flight subur

see Gra

k his hea

field. He just knows his

hink he shou

judgment out of her voice

r, but then he drew a deep br

wered his voice and added, "I don't

he should have a cha

," Bill said. "

r eyes and gri

you c

have time

room where Dr. And

wly to the edge

he hospital blanket d

et it

ike her mot

, but tonight she looked seventy. It's her ski

face had gone slack and would never contact again. Grace's eyes

o the new reality, however f

ou all

asked from

es

e you with

Grace's life functions. Heartbeat, oxygen sa

her forearm; Alex's wrist ached at the sight. She

rtant thing was

edy has taught me?" aske

tried to hide he

till in the room, and she hate

ugh she didn't really

g. All the money in the world won

dded di

ell have I been

l a

ed back and spent every s

tion a thousand times, Alex though

s a cold fish. Alex had always

a while?" Alex asked, not tak

ulder-the wounded shoulder-and then Bil

race's clammy hand in hers a

ess. In fact, she had never seen Grace

lives to a standstill hardly

s was di

new it the way she had known when James

t seconds ahead of the go- order for the Hostage

of instantly returning fire at the shooter, he

ng a vest (he'd taken it off upon learning that the HRT was going in), and the sho

he loo

d for the mi

follow me

knew the

from a distance, true, but the emotion was no le

hese past months. She wiped her eyes, then took out her cell phone a

" he asked f

's wr

hould be

I tol

mn it. This is his

s a long

id, "I'll ca

and saw him standing n

t his cell phone to his cheek. Alex leaned down to Grace's ear and tried to think of

ed, simultaneously squ

ased on a middle name-a family

yes remai

from Sally's. Wake up, before Mama ge

re of time. Memories swirled through Al

eyes sta

know you're playing

ough her, but when she saw the frozen eyelids, she de

h," someo

Dr. Andrews, but then Grace clenche

ad around, she saw Grace

race b

heart

ough Grace was only thirty-five, her eyes we

Grace

zah

rubbing a strand of hair out

in a guttural voice, an

ng G

her jaw muscles to

henever she struggled to speak. She sounded exactly like Uncle T.J., who'd

uh thave Jamie,

I misse

race repeated, struggl

be trying to l

Alex said in a c

n his wa

k her head

! Havuh

ng, Sue-Sue,

x's eyes with all the

ie...Gay- Gay. You thuh

amie fr

iw

t be wrong in her translation. W

ked in as

you talki

ting Jamie i

eak

thoon ath

o understand the

Jamie

g about some s

head. "Biw-wiw-k

ugh trying to deciph

mie's...soul?" Grace's h

always known that. But he's been a good father,

and shook her head. Then s

elt a

you said?" A tear of relief sli

hed eyes, then turned and

peaking to Dr. Andrews, b

ied voice, trying in vain to twist in the

-duthen

ow what?" "W

mean? What

ripped Alex's blouse, then pulled he

her veins. She drew back and looked into Grace's blo

led with conviction. "Grace, yo

zed face, Grace managed a sm

ean that. No