Clay

HE snatched up the Taurus and began wiping her off. Poor Alice was a mess--blood, plaster dust, and who knew what else.

He hugged her to his chest. "Hey, baby. Gonna take you home and get you cleaned up and oiled and good as--"

Then he heard screaming. He'd heard a lot of screaming that day, but this seemed to be coming from outside. And rather than the incoherent, senseless terror he'd gotten used to, this sounded a lot like his name.

He hurried to the nearby window, broken out by Adam's farewell blast directly above, and stared out over the parking lot.

One floor down and maybe a hundred yards away...that looked like Shanna, being dragged away by some soldiers. She continued to cry out to him.

Why was she so panicked? She was safe down there.

Then he grinned. Probably worried sick about him. Or missing him something fierce.

"Don't worry, babe. I'll be right--"

He heard a boom from above and then a blast of heat like a solar flare seared through the hospital, hurling his burning body through the window.