Sam got to work on Steve's gunshots first. As he worked, Maria came in, her own gun in hand. She stared at Barnes for a moment while he stared back, but she holstered her sidearm after a moment and came to help Sam, also keeping one eye on Barnes as she did so.
"Well, that's one thing that hasn't changed. Riley had a hell of a time enlisting. Had to do medical, and then pararescue, because they didn't want to put him into potential firefights."
They hadn't been Bonded. They'd been close, but Riley could do his work better as a Guide without Sam there interfering. Maybe someday they could have, but it had been a pipe dream when Riley had been shot down. Part of Sam was glad they hadn't been a Pair then, because he probably wouldn't have survived Riley's death.
Sam leaned forward to look at the wound he was working on more closely, shining a pen light down into it. It just looked like blood, no cloth, no bullet, none of the contents of his intestines. "You're damn lucky, Steve. Let's check the other and hope you're still lucky."
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"Well, that's one thing that hasn't changed. Riley had a hell of a time enlisting. Had to do medical, and then pararescue, because they didn't want to put him into potential firefights."
They hadn't been Bonded. They'd been close, but Riley could do his work better as a Guide without Sam there interfering. Maybe someday they could have, but it had been a pipe dream when Riley had been shot down. Part of Sam was glad they hadn't been a Pair then, because he probably wouldn't have survived Riley's death.
Sam leaned forward to look at the wound he was working on more closely, shining a pen light down into it. It just looked like blood, no cloth, no bullet, none of the contents of his intestines. "You're damn lucky, Steve. Let's check the other and hope you're still lucky."