Six years earlier, however, one mission had changed everything.
Her unit had been ambushed on a mountain ridge.
Several men were wounded, communications were unreliable, and the evacuation route became increasingly dangerous.
Annie worked through her own injuries, helping evacuate six men and treating others until assistance arrived.
But Daniel Reyes did not survive.
He had been young, funny, and endlessly optimistic.
He used to talk about returning home and opening a small garage with his older brother.
He had once shown Annie a photograph of a rusty pickup truck he intended to restore.
“I’ll make it run again,” he had told her.
She had smiled.
“That thing looks like it belongs in a museum.”
“Then I’ll make it the best-looking truck in the museum.”
She could still remember his laugh.
She could still remember the terrible feeling of realizing that, despite everything she had done, she couldn’t save him.
After the mission, Annie continued serving for a time, but the memories followed her.
Sudden noises made her tense.
Storms reminded her of nights when she had worked through darkness and confusion.
Certain smells brought back memories she couldn’t explain to anyone who hadn’t been there.
Eventually, she left military service.
She completed her nursing education and accepted a position at Pine Harbor because it was remote, quiet, and far from the people who knew her previous life.
She wanted to believe that she could start over.
She wanted to become someone who could care for patients without constantly remembering the ones she had lost.
But the past has a way of finding people when they least expect it.
At exactly 3:00 a.m., the trauma desk radio crackled.
Static filled the nurses’ station.
Then a strained male voice came through.
“Medical center, this is incoming military transport. We have a critically wounded serviceman. Penetrating chest injuries. Severe bleeding. Estimated arrival in eight minutes.”
Linda immediately stood.
Danny Ortiz, a young Navy corpsman, moved toward the trauma supply cabinet.
Dr. Teague glanced at the clock.
“Eight minutes? Wonderful. Just what we need in this weather.”
He reached for his coffee.
The radio crackled again.
“Medical center, confirm that trauma personnel are standing by.”
Teague pressed the microphone.
“This is Dr. Warren Teague. We are preparing to receive your patient.”
A burst of static followed.
Then the incoming serviceman asked a question that made Annie’s entire body go still.
“Does anyone there answer to Angel Six?”
The steel tray slipped from Annie’s hands.
It struck the tile with a deafening crash.
Instruments scattered across the floor.
Everyone turned.
Dr. Teague stared at her.
“Mouse! What on earth are you doing?”
Annie didn’t answer.
She was staring at the radio.
Angel Six.
She hadn’t heard that call sign in six years.
She had believed she would never hear it again.
The voice returned.
“Medical center, this is Master Chief Ray Holloway. We need confirmation immediately. Does anyone there answer to Angel Six?”
Annie slowly lifted her head.
For the first time in seven months, she looked Dr. Teague directly in the eyes.
“Yes,” she said.
Her voice was different now.
It was steady, clear, and commanding.
“I answer to Angel Six.”
The laughter stopped.
Linda stared at her.
Danny stood motionless beside the supply cabinet.
Teague lowered his coffee.
“What did you just say?”
Annie was already moving.
“Linda, prepare Trauma Bay One. Danny, I need the rapid infuser, blood products, and emergency equipment ready immediately. Someone contact the receiving surgeon and confirm availability.”
Teague stepped into her path.
“Hold on. You’re a nurse. I’m running this trauma team.”
Annie looked at him.
“Then start acting like it. We have a critically wounded serviceman arriving in eight minutes.”
His expression hardened.
“You do not give me orders.”
Another transmission came through.
“Patient’s blood pressure is dropping. We have penetrating chest trauma and suspected internal bleeding. Repeat, patient is deteriorating.”
Annie turned away from Teague.
“Linda, now!”
Something in her voice finally moved the team into action.
