Chapter 3
Dean and Chase studied their maps and sighed. They had covered the majority of their territory, but had yet to find the missing teenagers. "Let's keep trying, they have to be out here somewhere." Dean said in a defeated tone.
"I am sure they will be found, if not by us then by the others." Chase said, trying to remain positive.
Dean clapped his brother on the shoulder and smiled. "that is what I like about you Chase, you are always positive."
The brothers continued down the path and yelled out the names, with no answer.
Heidi & Lachie
"Kevin! Richard!" Heidi shouted. The wind had started to pick up and the clouds had started to darken. Heidi knew that there was storm blowing in and that those boys would be in serious danger if they weren't found soon.
"Over here!"
Heidi turned to face Lachie. "Did you hear that? I think it was coming from over there by the rock face!"
Heidi took off, despite her sore foot, with Lachie running by her side. She stopped just at the edge of the cliff and peered over the edge.
"Kevin! Richard!" Lachie shouted.
A hand appeared from the ledge. "We're here!"
"Are you guys hurt?" Lachie asked.
Heidi began taking out the ropes that they would need to get to the boys. She began putting the anchors into the rock and fed the ropes through it.
"My arm is broken I think, but Richard hasn't woken up. We didn't fall the entire way, we were climbing down." Kevin started to sound almost hysterical.
"Listen mate, my name is Lachie and this is my colleague Heidi. We are going to help you, okay? We are from Rescue. I need you to do something for me, okay? Is Richard breathing? Has he shown signs of movement?"
"He is breathing and he moved his arms and legs a little before stopping."
Heidi breathed a sigh of relief. That meant that he wasn't paralyzed. Heidi harnessed herself and prepped to be lowered down. "Ready to go when you are, Lachie."
"What do you think you're doing, Heidi? I'll head down."
"I couldn't support you on this foot and I am the lighter of the two." Heidi reasoned. She put a pack on her back. "Get ready to lower me down and to lower other equipment if needed."
Lachie prepped himself and waited as Heidi threaded the rope and tossed the rest down. "You ready Heidi?"
Heidi positioned herself and gave Lachie a thumbs up. She scaled the first part of the rock face and then pushed off, lowering herself in a free-slide to the ledge. She undid her ropes, and turned to face the injured boys. She shrugged out of her pack. "Okay, Kevin, I need to examine Richard first, okay?"
Kevin nodded, his face streaked with tears. "Okay."
Heidi checked Richard for injuries. She immediately noticed a break in the right tibia and a head wound. He was dehydrated and slightly hypothermic. She immediately put a collar on him and splinted his leg. Heidi quickly took the rest of his vitals and started fluids. She covered him with a thermal blanket.
"Okay Kevin, it's your turn." As thought, Kevin had broken his arm and like Richard, was dehydrated and hypothermic. "I need you to continue being brave, okay? You've been doing a great job." She put his arm in a sling, started his IV and then wrapped him in a thermal blanket.
"Everything okay down there Heidi?" Lachie asked, as he couldn't see all of her movements. "The storm is moving in rapidly."
"Yeah, Lach. Lower two stretchers so you can pull them up, okay?" Heidi watched him reach for the items. "I'm going to radio Vince."
"Roger."
"Rescue Portable 1, this is Rescue Portable 3. Come in." Heidi waited for Vince's response.
"Go ahead Heidi."
"We have found the missing teenagers, I repeat, we have found them."
"That is perfect news! What is their status?" Vince sounded almost excited.
"Kevin has a broken arm, is hypothermic and dehydrated. Richard has a suspected concussion, and a broken tibia. He has not regained consciousness. They are on the outcropping on a cliff face. We are about to raise them to safety."
"Roger that. Provide coordinates and we will send assistance. Portable 1 out."
Heidi looked up and waved the stretchers down. She loaded Richard in the first one and strapped him in. She hooked it up to their ropes and motioned to Lachie to raise it. She assisted the stretcher as far as it could go. She knew that Lachie was strong enough to take care of it. Sure enough, Richard disappeared over the top and Lachie tossed down the rope and waited for the second stretcher to be loaded.
"Ready Kevin? You need to lay down in this so that we can pull you up, okay? Go as fast as you can, okay? It's starting to rain." Heidi knew that the worse the elements got, the harder it would be to get them up and off the mountain.
Kevin complied, lying down. Being careful not to disturb his arm, Heidi strapped him in and hooked him onto the ropes. "Go Lachie!" Heidi assisted the second stretcher as far as possible and once again, watched it disappear over the top of the rock face.
Heidi gathered her stuff and slung the pack onto her back. She waited for Lachie to lower the ropes one more time so that she could climb up. The rain began to fall in earnest and the wind began to pick up.
Lachie lowered the rope to her and she hooked herself in properly. She took the extra time to double check the ropes, given the weather, it wouldn't be easy. She began to lift herself off the ledge, using her feet to walk up the surface, as she had in the sink hole.
Her foot slipped and Heidi crashed against the rocks. Lachie tried his best to hold her as still as possible, but her shoulder slammed into the rock face a second time. She bit her lip to stop from crying out. She was definitely asking for a holiday when they got back.
"Heidi, are you okay?"
Heidi righted herself and continued the trek up. "Yeah, working my way back up Lach." She managed to get up the rest of the way without incident. She slung her leg over the top and pulled herself to her feet. "Thanks for keeping the line as steady as you did, Lachie. I would have fallen." She walked over to her patients. "We need to stay in shelter until they can come for us. Vince wants our coordinates. Do you want to give them to him and I'll start looking for the right place to set up the tent, okay?"
Lachie nodded. He watched Heidi for a few moments with admiration. He could see the tear in her uniform and knew that she had slammed against the rock face a couple of times, not to mention the spill she took earlier in the day, but she kept going. Strength was something that he admired. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he radioed Vince the coordinates.
Heidi began setting up the tent in the clearing, but far away from the edge of the cliff and just under the shelter of some trees.
Lachie walked over to her, smiling. "Finally, something I can help you with."
Heidi smiled back at him. "Yeah, this you can definitely help with."
It took him no time at all to get the tent up and they first carried Richard and then Kevin into the tent. "Sorry it isn't a fancy hotel guys, but it will keep you dry." Heidi stated. She helped Kevin sit up. "Do you want something to eat a little? A protein bar?"
Kevin nodded his head readily. "Please."
Heidi opened the bar and placed the half open bar in his hand. "Enjoy. I know they taste like chalk, but you get used to it."
Kevin smiled at her and bit into it. "Best thing I have tasted all day."
She checked Richard's vitals, and discovered that everything was normal. She breathed a sigh of relief. She and Lachie sat in between the two boys and waited to be rescued. Lachie looked at her. "Now that they are patched up, mind if I take a look at that arm?"
Heidi looked at him. "What do you mean?"
Lachie picked at the edge of the shoulder seam and pointed out the tear. "I just want to make sure that you aren't bleeding, okay?"
Heidi nodded. She unbuttoned the top shirt of her uniform and slipped it off. The side of her arm was scratched up, but it wasn't as bad as Lachie had originally thought. "How is it?"
"Not too bad. I just want to clean it." Lachie opened his pack and took out the tools he would need.
"Thanks." Heidi hissed as the scratches began to burn a little.
When Lachie saw her intake of breath, he blew on the scratches. "I used to do that for Chasie everytime he fell and hurt himself."
Lucky Chase, Heidi thought to herself. "Thanks, Lachie. I appreciate it." Heidi let it dry and then put her shirt back over it. "I think that is going to bruise. Actually, I think a lot of me is going to bruise."
"Yeah, you might be riding a desk for a few days." Lachie agreed.
Heidi nodded, turning to look at Kevin. "Kevin, lie down and try to rest. We've got your back, okay?"
Kevin nodded, his eyes drooping. "Thank you." Heidi was sure that that Thank you was for more than just letting them sleep.
She turned to Lachie. "That is why we do what we do."
"Never doubt it." He wrapped his arm around her. "The temperature is going to drop. We should put our jackets on and try to stay warm."
Heidi crawled over to their packs .She tossed him his jacket and put her own on. She didn't dare admit that she was warm enough just being next to him.
Lachie shrugged into his jacket and motioned for her to sit next to him again. "Put your head on my shoulder if you want, Heidi. Get some sleep. I'll keep watch."
Heidi smiled. "Thanks, Lach." She put her head down and inhaled his scent. That would be enough to give her sweet dreams. She closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.
Lachie sighed; just having her near him was affecting him. He didn't dare act on it, not after the whole Jordan debacle. He would have to settle for her friendship for now.
