Authors note: These characters do not belong to me. I don't own them. All storylines are completely made up and my own creations.
Chapter 04: To save the life of a friend
"We need to call the paramedics", ordered Sam as his firefighter instincts kicked in.
"Elvis, I need to secure Venus. See if you can stabilize Jupiter. We need to use the tow line.
Arnold, I need you to help me secure Venus to the tow line on Jupiter. Also, give Nurse Flood a call. Tell her that we need her urgently. Ask Tom to pick her up, then get down here as quickly as they can.
Ellie you're with me"
'Roger that Sam" and with that everybody snapped into attention and ran out to carry on with their assigned tasks.
As they ran towards Venus, Ellie could see the rescue tender edging closer towards the cliffs. A couple of stray pieces of fencing started to fall off the cliff.
Sam and Ellie soon made their way towards the rescue tender sitting precariously at the edge of the cliff. Wooden fencing had been installed over the last year as a preventive measure and right now that was the only thing preventing Venus from going over the edge.
Venus creaked as Sam reached over to check Ben. Ben jumped awake, feeling disorientated.
"Ben?"
"Sam….what's going on?
"I'll explain later Ben, but right now I think we need to get you and Penny out of here" he said, reaching over to undo the seat belt.
"Sam! I can't rouse Penny" said Ellie, trying to carefully shake Penny awake but unable to wake the blonde firefighter.
Penny couldn't remember much of what happened at the time of the crash.
She knew that the position Chief Officer Boyce had offered her at Abershire was playing on her mind - ever since leaving Newtown. But somehow memory failed her at this point.
There had been a squeaking noise; a rustle of leaves, or some kind of foliage as they probably went through the trees.
They? Of course, Ben had been with her in Venus.
There was a smell of burning rubber as she had slammed onto the brakes, hoping that Venus would hold. But she had veered too far and began to spin out of control.
But that was all background fill. The only thing that stood out clearly in her mind was her own petrified scream and the thought of never seeing the team again.
"Ellie, let's try to get them both safely out of Venus" instructed Sam.
"Hold on, Penny", said Ben. Sam stumbled towards the rescue tender, the mud on the cliff now soft in the lashing rain.
"It's no good Sam. I'm trying. The door won't open" Ellie yelled again.
The jolting roused Penny.
"Hey, Penny! You're awake-" Sam looks over at Penny who looked around, much disoriented.
'Concussion' he concluded from the way she was responding to the situation and the fact that she was bleeding down the side of her face.
Ellie wondered how Sam could keep his calm in a situation like this. Internally she was freaking out. Her team, her best friend was injured and all she wanted to do was get them to safety. Suddenly Venus creaked again.
"Great fires of London" Sam mutters. "We need to get them both on stable ground."
Sam and Ellie gently work on lifting Penny out of Venus. "Be careful, Ellie" cautions Sam but the warning came a bit too late as Penny screamed out in pain, ending on a sob. Sam immediately shushes her, comforting her with soothing words. A few tears leak from her eyes but the pain is too much and she loses consciousness once more.
"No Penny! You've got to stay awake. Wallaby 2 is about to land" pleaded Sam.
"Please stay awake, Penny" replied Ellie. But it soon became apparent that Penny was unconscious and needed to get to the hospital quickly.
After a very long time, they finally got her out and strapped onto a stretcher. By then Wallaby2 had landed and Nurse Flood was rushing over with her kit in hand. Sam began to fill her in on Penny's condition.
As Nurse Flood checked on Penny, she noted the additional cuts and bruises that had not been spotted before. Placing an oxygen mask gently over Penny's nose and mouth, she tried to rouse the blond firefighter.
"Penny, can you hear me?"
Not getting any response, they quickly carried her towards the helicopter. Sam guided Ben to another stretcher while Nurse Flood continued to work on Penny, sticking an IV into her. They loaded her into Wallaby 2.
"You too, Ben," said Nurse Flood as Sam helped Ben into the helicopter
"How is she, Helen?" asked Ben as he settled inside the helicopter.
"She's not doing too great. She's unconscious, possibly from the crash and I can't really tell you how serious her injuries are" Helen sighed, "Her best chance right now would be at the hospital "
"Where are you taking her?" asked Sam
"Newtown Academy Hospital. I'll update you when we get there"