Rogue Wave

'Hold on!' he yelled stupidly. The door banged against him as it fluttered back and forth in the rotor wash.

Teresa came to a stop, her arms wrapped around Kai's ankles.

'Pull me up!'

'I can't!' Brad said, straining from the weight.

Kai saw a belt dangling from the back seat. He gripped it with one hand and pulled himself up until his upper body was on the back seat of the A-Star. Lani tried to pull him in, but with her strength sapped, she wasn't much help. Chuck sat there motionless, his eyes wide with terror.

Kai's legs hung over the side, still tightly held by Teresa.

'You can let go!' Kai yelled to Brad. 'Get Teresa!' Brad did as he asked, and now Kai's grip was the only thing holding him and Teresa on.

Brad leaned out and strained to reach Teresa.

'I can't reach you!' Brad said. 'Give me your hand!'

Kai felt her release his left leg. Then he heard her shriek and release his right leg.

'No!' he yelled.

He pulled himself up, turned around, and saw that Brad was still draped over the side. With trepidation, he looked over the edge.

Teresa dangled by only one hand from Brad's hold. She had inadvertently let go when grabbing for Brad. Kai flattened himself onto the seat.

'Grab my hand,' he said.

Teresa flailed until her palm reached his. He clenched it fiercely.

'Pull!'

With the two of them pulling, Teresa's light frame practically rocketed into the helicopter onto the seat next to Kai. He slammed the door behind her.

Brad continued to lay on the cramped floor, the only place there was room for him. Their feet rested on top of him. Teresa threw herself at Kai and wept with relief. He held her tightly, thankful that they hadn't lost anyone else.

'Are you OK?'

She nodded, panting from the exertion. 'I think I've used up a lifetime's supply of adrenaline.'

'Me too.'

Teresa fished around for the seatbelt. Kai did the same.

'Rachel,' she said.

'Stan,' Kai said as loud as he could.

The pilot pointed at a headset hanging from the ceiling. Kai put the earpieces on and depressed the cord's switch as he spoke into the attached microphone.

'Mr. Tanaka, I presume,' Stan said through the onboard comm system. 'We're headed to the Grand Hawaiian right now.' The helicopter made a steep turn in the direction of Rachel's hotel. 'I've got your wife on the radio.'

'Kai?' Rachel said, the fear in her voice clear from that single word. 'There's a lot of creaking and movement going on. It's like standing on the world's largest piece of Jello.' He admired her for trying to make a joke even in this situation.

'We're on our way, Rachel. We'll be there in less than a minute.'

'I don't think you'll make it.' Even over the noise of the helicopter, Kai could hear the screech of shattering metal. He leaned into the cockpit and saw the Grand Hawaiian dead ahead less than a mile away. They would be there in seconds. But she was right. They were too late. Puffs of dust were erupting from all over the building, the telltale signs of imminent collapse he'd seen in the other buildings that had already gone down. Nevertheless, Kai clung to any shred of hope that they'd make it.

'Don't say that, sweetheart. I can see you.'

'I know. Kai, I love you. I'll miss you.'

'Rachel, no. We're coming.'

'Take good care of Lani for me. I'll miss her so much.' He could hear the ache in her voice.

'Rachel.'

'Honey. My honey.'

Tears streamed down Kai's cheeks, but he kept his eyes riveted on her.

'Oh Rachel, I love you. Don't leave us.'

'I don't want to. I love you. I love you. I…'

Her voice abruptly cut off. It was followed by a colossal rumble.

'Rachel!' Kai screamed. 'Rachel!' But there was no answer.

The Grand Hawaiian tower finally succumbed to the power of the water pounding at its frame. The south side buckled, sending the top pitching over toward the beach. Windows blew apart. Pieces of the hotel flew out in every direction. The pilot swung the helicopter around to avoid getting struck with debris.

With all of the dust billowing up, Kai lost sight of Rachel. But she didn't have a chance. The bulk of the structure splashed into the water with an enormous roar. For a moment, it surged to a stop, halted by the impact with the water. And then, surrounded by white foam, it sank. The entire hotel slid below the surface. It was gone.

All Kai could do was slump in his seat and moan, only vaguely aware of Lani's screams. In shock, he sat there, mute, looking out the front of the cockpit as the chopper raced back in the direction they had come.

And that's when he saw the building they had been rescued from, the one they had been afraid would fall at any moment, still standing.

Chapter 51

12:22 PM

15 minutes to Fourth Wave

My wife is dead, and it's all my fault. That's all Kai's mind could comprehend at the moment. Not gone, not passed away, not any of the other euphemisms that people use to try to protect themselves from reality. She was dead. His job was protect her and everyone else who had died in the last two hours. He had failed not only professionally, but personally.

He was her husband. He had the shoulder she cried on after a tough day at work. He was the one she snuggled up to for comfort. Despite all the dumb chauvinistic stereotypes, he felt like it was his responsibility to keep her safe. And despite all the dumb chauvinistic stereotypes, he knew she felt the same about keeping him safe.

She died for no reason, he thought. Their building didn't collapse. It was right there in front of him, mocking him through the cockpit window like a monument to his poor decisions. He should have known that the Grand Hawaiian, so much closer to the beach, was in much greater danger of collapse than their building was. The helicopter could have easily saved her first, then come to rescue them.

Kai never felt more miserable than in that moment, and he never cried harder. He howled from the pain in his chest, from the unfairness of it all. They had been so close to saving her. So close. Kai didn't know how he could endure the heartache.

But then he felt Lani burrow into the crook of his shoulder, still wailing. He tugged her close to him, and along with the despair, he felt a glimmer of pride. Rachel must have had a good reason for giving up her spot when the helicopter left the Grand Hawaiian. She had saved someone else's family. As for her own family, Rachel knew the risk she was taking sending the A-Star to them first. And deep down, through the pain of knowing that Rachel's last sacrifice had been rendered unnecessary, Kai understood her need to take that risk. If the situation had been reversed, he would have done the same without hesitation.

Kai was holding the living, breathing embodiment of everything Rachel wanted in life. There was nothing more important to either of them. Lani's fragile little body shuddering against his arm reminded Kai that there was still good in the world and that he still had responsibilities. He had to get Lani to safety. With a fourth wave set to