Fall of Hades by Richard Paul Evans Page A

chest. “No one messes with family. Any of you try anything, pig-face goes first. Then I shoot the rest of you.”
    I doubt the men even knew what Jack was saying, as they were still too disoriented to even speak. Taylor had really messed with their brains.
    Mrs. Ridley reached us, followed by my mom, Zeus, and Abigail. Mrs. Ridley was crying. “What happened? Is he okay?”
    â€œHe’s lost a lot of blood,” the chairman said. “I think he’s going into shock. Taylor, can you shine your light over here?”
    Mrs. Ridley knelt down next to her husband. “Chuck. Stay with us. Don’t leave us.”
    Abigail knelt down and put her hand on Mr. Ridley’s shoulder. His shaking body suddenly calmed.
    â€œThat’s good,” the chairman said. “It will slow his heart rate. Ian, what do you see?”
    â€œNot good. There’s a lot of blood. It’s filling his stomach.”
    About a hundred feet from us the helicopter began to lower into the corral.
    My mother, the chairman, and Ian moved between the corral and Mr. Ridley to block the dust being kicked up by the helicopter’s rotors. Dr. Benton ran up and knelt down next to Mr. Ridley. “What happened?”
    â€œHe was shot in the stomach.”
    â€œIt’s filling with blood,” Ian said.
    Dr. Benton took Mr. Ridley’s wrist to check his pulse. “We need to stop the bleeding and get him to the hospital.”
    â€œMaybe McKenna could cauterize it,” Mrs. Ridley said.
    â€œMcKenna’s at the other house,” Ian said. “She’s too far away.”
    â€œMichael could do it,” my mother said.
    â€œWhat do I do?” I asked.
    â€œI can guide you,” Ian said. “Stick your finger into the bullet hole and burn it shut.”
    â€œMy fingers are dirty.”
    â€œThe heat of your electricity will kill the germs,” the doctor said. “Infection is the least of our worries right now.”
    Mr. Ridley groaned.
    â€œWe’ve just got to buy him enough time to get him to the hospital in Kanab.”
    â€œThe helicopter is ready,” Gervaso said, running up to us.
    The chairman moved aside, and I knelt down next to Ridley. “Abi?”
    â€œI got him.” She closed her eyes. I could see her begin to tremble from the pain. I looked down at the mass of blood. The bullet wound was about the diameter of a dime and slightly ragged. I grimaced as I shoved my finger into the hole.
    â€œHow far?” I asked Ian.
    â€œMore. Push harder.”
    I pushed in, my knuckles pressing into his abdomen. I could feel the blood, thick and sticky around my finger.
    â€œNow,” Ian said.
    I pulsed. Mr. Ridley’s body tensed, and in spite of Abigail’s help he still groaned out. I could feel his blood boil against my finger. The pungent stink of burning blood filled the air.
    â€œI think it’s working,” Ian said. “I think it stopped.”
    I pulled my finger out and leaned back.
    â€œYeah, it stopped,” Ian said.
    â€œLet’s get him to the helicopter,” Gervaso said.
    Gervaso, Dr. Benton, and Ian lifted Mr. Ridley and carried him to the helicopter.
    â€œCan I go with him?” Mrs. Ridley asked.
    The chairman said, “The chopper can carry two passengers. You and . . .” He looked at Abigail. “Abigail should go.”
    The two women ran toward the helicopter.
    â€œWhat about me?” Taylor asked.
    â€œGervaso will drive,” the chairman said. “It will only take twenty minutes.”
    â€œI’ll go with you,” I said.
    â€œWhat about these clowns?” Jack asked, waving the gun at the hunters.
    The chairman looked at them with disdain. “Blindfold them; then take them down to the lower barn and handcuff them to the wall. We’ll deal with them after we get back from the hospital.” His eyes narrowed. “If they try to escape, shoot