A/n: This is disgustingly short. Apologies all over the place. but I didn't want to move on the next bit as part of this installment. That and I ams till feeling under the weather but did not want to keep everyone in suspence too long.
Chapter 4
Comparing the atmospheres between inside and outside the shaft was a study in contrast. The rescue team worked in shifts continuously. Generators were brought in to supply lighting and portable heaters during the night. The mood was grim, and tempers were short. The three men with loved ones still inside were about to fall over from exhaustion, but all refused to leave even if they were not allowed to assist. They neglected to eat or sleep, subsisting on bad coffee served in styrofoam cups. Fenton divided his time between calling Laura and reporting what little progress he could, and keeping an eagle eye on his elder son, who was showing signs of keeling over from his injuries any second. Frisk was also on the phone constantly, trying to reassure his daughter as well as ensure her safety just in case the kidnapper decided to come back. Frank, of course, ignored the increasing shortness of breath that indicated his broken ribs, which of course he refused to have looked at and insisted they merely be taped up on site, may have nicked his lung. His headache grew worse but refused to even contemplate a trip to the nearby hospital for a thorough check up and x rays. Fenton was beginning to seriously considering asking the EMT to slip Frank a sedative and forcibly drag him off.
On the other hand, inside the shaft the mood was very different. Joe was determined to keep Danny's spirits up, not only to keep the child from freaking out, but to keep himself from panicking as well. They were reasonably comfortable, what with food and water and hygiene facilities as well as the light from the camping lantern and his Mag lite. Once he established they were getting fresh air his concern diminished rapidly and he concentrated instead on keeping Danny occupied until they were rescued. So he told stories about his own misspent youth, especially old cases he and Frank had been on. He made sure to avoid any tales that included kidnapping, or being trapped anywhere. They turned their situation into a bona fide camping trip, Joe lamenting the lack of wood for a fire and thus, toasted marshmallows. They already had chocolate bars and graham crackers. Danny had soon relaxed considerably when he was awake, laughing and smiling at Joe's tall tales. It was only when he was asleep and had nightmares did the panic set in. Since there was only the one blanket( somehow Joe figured the kidnapper wasn't anticipating Danny to have company for an extended period) Joe found himself with a 9 year old boy curled up against his side whenever he slept. As he gazed on the small face, so innocent despite all he had been through lately, Joe was struck by similarities in his own life, when he was the little boy and needed comforting. "Frank, Bro, it's been like 36 hours. You can hurry up with the rescuing any time now."
Frank, unfortunately, was not in charge. Or fortunately, if you considered the fact that he most likely would have gone rushing into the mine shaft and started pulling out debris with no consideration of the consequences of pulling them out in the wrong order. Increasingly, though, Fenton worried more and more about Frank's mental health. He was becoming more and more irrational. His outbursts were more frequent and increasingly violent. In fact it got so bad that Philips threatened to have him forcibly removed from the staging area. When that happened Fenton put his foot down. He had never been a physically violent father, seldom even spanking his boys when they misbehaved. But as he approached Frank, who was gesticulating wildly and getting very close to Phillips' personal space, he took drastic action and dragged his son away and over to the ambulance. He shoved his eldest down to a sitting position at the open back with a growl and told him in no uncertain terms that he would brook .behavior like he had been demonstrating. It was a mark of just how far Frank was gone by this time that not even his father's ultimatum dissuaded him. The EMT had been nearby and came rushing over at the sound of Frank's upraised voice. It took several minutes before Frank would submit to even a cursory look over, but eventually his father's threats to lock him up, taking out his own handcuffs as a physical reminder of his ability and willingness to do exactly that calmed Frank down enough that the EMT could get close enough.
Danny had moved past the frightened stage, even asleep, and moved on to bored as hell stage. Joe empathized, big time, as he too was restless. All this enforced idleness was not good for his own sanity or patience and he found himself growing short tempered. Joe did, however, make a conscious effort to hid his frustrations from Danny as the hours passed. By his reckoning he had been trapped here for just under 48 hours now. Really, what was taking so damn long? For the first time Joe began to seriously doubt whether or not any rescue was forthcoming.
A/n: don't worry, the boys will be rescued shortly. Just needed to set the tone for some upcoming drama. Here's hoping this fever goes away soon...
