The Big Breach - Index of

The Big Breach; From Top Secret to Maximum SecurityCompliments of http://www.192.comThere was none. I checked for the Browning. It would be difficult andembarrassing to explain losing that to the office, whatever thecircumstances. It was still there. I sat upright, then struggled to myfeet, trying not to put weight my right leg. My body had now startedshaking and shivering involuntarily. Shock was setting in and I neededfluids. My jerry can was lying on the pavement, split, and leakingslightly. I limped over, picked it up, and squeezed it, drinkingeagerly from the crack. My shakes were uncontrollable and the coldwater spilt down the front of my shirt, sending spasmodic shivers downme. I desperately wanted to lie down somewhere warm and be anywhere butwhere I was.I heard the plaintive wailing for a few seconds before realising fromwhat, or from where, it was coming. It sounded inhuman, high-pitchedand tremulous, like a mortally injured dog that knows it is about todie. I looked up the street to where the swaddled woman had beenscurrying only minutes earlier. Darkness was falling, but at the limitof vision lay the dark silhouette of a prone body. I dropped the jerrycan and semi-hopped, semi-limped towards her.She must have taken virtually the full blast of the explosion. Therewas a fresh detonation scar in the pavement just a few feet in front ofher, and a smell of cordite lingered. The blast had blown away all herclothes except part of the heavy woollen overcoat which still clung toher upper body, exposing all that was left of her below. Her stomachwas split with a vicious gash and her groin and thighs were shredded byshrapnel. Her lower right leg was almost unmarked, but her left leg wasblown off just below the knee. The shattered bone was exposed and bloodpulsed from the torn artery, squirting into the pool on the pavement.At that rate of blood loss, she would not live long. My hands were onautopilot, driven by the first-aid training I had received in the TA.ABC - airways, breathing, circulation. There was no need for the AB -she was wailing piercingly and her chest was moving. The priority was C- to stop blood loss and to keep her circulation going. Kneeling besideher, I scrabbled in my overcoat for the shell dressings. Hastilypulling them out, I dropped the morphine vial into the pool of blood.Hands still shaking, I tore off the brown waterproof outer layer of thedressing, ripped off the sterile inner layer, unfolded the thick pad ofabsorbent lint and rammed it up against the stub of her leg. Jamming itin place with my knee, I fumbled to open the second dressing. Despitebinding the two dressings in place tightly using the attached bandages,it barely stemmed the bleeding.She was still wailing weakly, more in fear than in pain, and presumablyshe was losing consciousness. I scrabbled for the morphine vial andcleaned it off, intending to give her a shot. Grabbing her right arm, Itwisted the palm towards me, exposing her lower inner arm to find avein. She had already lost so much blood that even after squeezing andmassaging none stood out. I was about to jab in the syringe, thinkingthat it was better than nothing, when from my TA training came adistant recollection - check for head wounds before administeringmorphine. I fumbled for the minimaglite torch in my jacket pocket andshifted to see her face. Grabbing a handful of her long, dark hair tohold her head steady, I shone the beam into her eyes. The pupils werepinpricks. As I pushed back her hair to expose her ears, a trickle ofstraw-yellow fluid ran from her left ear. It would be dangerous to giveher morphine. Apart from vainly attempting to stem the blood flow,page- 108 - To purchase the original limited edition hardback version of this bookplease call 08000 192 192 or go to http://www.192.com