They finally made it out into the open. Chaos was in order. The area had been totally demolished in about a four-block-radius, and it seemed they'd only caught the edge of the blast, whatever had caused it. Car alarms blared, people on the street were screaming and crying, many were dead or dying. It was a horror to behold. Already Asher heard sirens. He lifted his gaze and saw the oncoming police cars, firetrucks, and an ambulance. [i]They're gonna need a lot more than one ambulance,[/i] he thought briefly. 

Once they were a safe distance from the building they laid Cassy down on the grass, and Asher bolted into the street to flag down the ambulance, which reached them first. It came to a screeching halt, lights flashing, and about a dozen paramedics jumped out and went in teams of two to help the wounded. Two such men came to Cassy's and Viktoria's aid. Relieved that they could rest at least for a few moments, Asher sank down to the grass, suddenly dizzy. He rested his head on his knees, headache seeming to be overwhelming now. He probably had a concussion. He could very well be in shock too.

He tried to deduce what had happened. A bombing? Terrorist attack? Gas leak? His nose was running and he wiped it on his sleeve, but it came away bloody. He looked up again and saw Ray not far away.

"Ray… your arm…" There was a nasty piece of shrapnel lodged in his forearm, how had he not noticed it earlier?