EPISODE 5.8/5.9 – Antagonist Alliance.
Vince sat in Mark's office, maps strewn over the table, co-ordinates scribbled everywhere.
"So we'll have them go down here, move up the side here. Maybe take this route, Kenzie can run them through some training, both on the way and back." Vince nodded to Mark, and leant forward.
"Don't take that one, it's a sheer drop over the side." Mark crossed out one of the lines, and leant back in his chair.
"Think we're ready for this?" He asked. Vince chuckled.
"Mate, we're ready. It's the teams that are going to struggle with this. Have you sorted out the pairs yet?" Mark pulled open his desk drawer, and took out a slip of paper.
"Yeah. You said Andy and Lara aren't going, didn't you?" Vince nodded.
"We'll organise something else later on. Lara's asked for time off this weekend to spend with her daughter Mikayla, and Michelle's son James, and Andy doesn't need to go, she's completed all her hikes, and she's done a training session with you already." Mark glanced at his list.
"Okay, as team leaders, I've paired Dean and Kenz together, Jordan and De Luca, Heidi and Anna, Lachie and Kieran, Kate and Chris, and Dylan and Liam." Mark looked up at Vince.
"Sound okay to you?" He asked. Vince nodded.
"Sounds fine to me. I'll head home and grab my pack, and I'll meet you at RSO headquarters tomorrow, 0900 hours."
Dean woke up early, Lara snuggled into his chest. She was finally taking some time off work to spend with Mikayla and Jamie, whilst he and the rest of the team took a hike in the Blue Mountains with the RES group, something he secretly didn't want to do. Lara woke up, and looked at him sleepily.
"Hey," she whispered. He pulled her in closer.
"I'm not going to see you for two days – are you sure you'll be okay with both kids?" Lara nodded sleepily.
"Michelle wants James over for a little while, so I'll visit them while you're away." He kissed her forehead, wanting to relish the moment they had together. A cry from the nursery cut the moment short, and Lara sighed as she threw back the covers, and padded into the nursery. She checked Mikayla, and as she picked her up, realised she just wanted attention. Mikayla smiled at Lara, and babbled something silly. Lara walked into the kitchen and placed Mikayla in her high chair, and set a plate and spoon in front of her. Dean came out into the kitchen, and dropped his bag on the floor, grabbing Lara and pulling her close, pressing his lips to hers. She smiled into the kiss, and then heard little footsteps behind them.
"James? How did you get out?" Asked Lara surprised.
"I climbed. Breakfast please?" He asked, climbing onto a kitchen chair, and facing the table, waiting patiently. Lara laughed, and gave Dean a final kiss.
"Go. I'll be fine with James and Mikayla, and you'll be late if you're not careful."
Jordan awoke to an empty bed, and sat up, confused.
"Heidi?" He yawned, getting up. No reply. He walked out into the loungeroom, and found Heidi asleep on the couch. He crouched down next to her, and shook her gently.
"Heidi. Wake up babe," he said quietly. Heidi opened her eyes, coughing. She sat up slowly, feeling the room spin around her. She coughed hard, feeling the phlegm in her chest.
"Hey," she said wheezily. He sat next to her on the couch.
"Are you alright?" He asked, putting his arm around her. She nodded.
"I'll be fine. I think it's just a cold. I'll take some tablets for it, and I'll be fine. I'm not missing this hike," she said, coughing again. Jordan put a hand on her forehead.
"I think you've got a fever. I'll ring Vince and tell him you're not going." Heidi grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
"Don't do it. Vince will think I'm being weak, and Dean will be annoyed. I'll go." Jordan kissed her on the forehead.
"Alright, I won't ring Vince. I'll make you breakfast though, and you pack your bag." Jordan moved into the kitchen, and Heidi stood up shakily. She knew she wasn't well, but desperately wanted to go. She threw extra clothes into her pack, and tightened the straps around the body of the bag, making sure it was secure. Just doing that made her tire easily. She gathered her energy, and shuffled back out into the kitchen, and Jordan shoved a plate of food across the table to her.
"Eat. You'll need to keep your strength up."
The Special Ops team gathered at their headquarters the next morning, and waited in the garage quietly, apprehension in the air as the time ticked by. They heard the crunch of tires in the driveway, and Mark Ramirez entered the garage first, his pack slung lightly over his shoulder. He and Vince shook hands, and the rest of the team trickled in, nervous about meeting everyone.
"RES, meet RSO. You'll be put into teams," said Mark. Instantly, everyone in the room gravitated towards their ideal partner, the one they were usually paired with on rescues. Vince chuckled, and shook his head.
"No, no regular teams today. No, Mark and I have arranged your teams for you, and there is no backing out of them." Dean and Kenzie stared at their leaders.
"What?" Dean stared at Vince.
"No way. We're at our best when we're with our regular teams," he argued. Vince nodded his head.
"I know, that's why we're mixing teams." Mark finished his whispered conversation with Kenzie, and stepped back in line with Vince.
"Exactly. You need to be able to work with other members, from other units. Hence this weekend's exercise. Each Ops member will be paired with a squad member. No changing teams, or complaining about it. Before we go, each of you are to get to know your partner before we leave." Mark looked back at Vince, who grabbed the list from his desk, and read it out.
"Dean Gallagher, you're with Kenzie Worthington. Jordan Zwitkowski, Daniel De Luca. Heidi Zwitkowski, Anna Hunt. Lachie Gallagher, Kieran Jackson. Kate Marchello, Chris Pike. Dylan Green, you're paired with Liam Gordon. Take five, ten minutes to acquaint yourself with your partner, and then we'll head out." Jordan and Daniel shook hands.
"Zwitkowski. You're like a legend in the area, used to be a racer. You still race?" Jordan shook his head.
"Nah, not anymore mate. I'm married now, and I sold my car." Daniel leant in closer to him.
"I've got one. It's been driven up from Melbourne. I'm not anything fancy when it comes to racing. But you, you are a legend! Do you think you could show me some hints, give me some tips?" Jordan brushed him off.
"Thanks, but I'm not sure about that. Anyway, what's your specialty? We know that you all specialise in something, so what's yours?"
"Water," said Daniel. Jordan looked at him.
"What do you mean 'water'?" Asked Jordan. Daniel shrugged.
"Water Rescue's. Scuba diving, snorkelling. I own every water license known to Australian people." Jordan was impressed.
"So how are your hiking skills?"
Kate looked awkwardly at Chris. She wished she'd been paired with Lachie, or even Heidi. Someone she knew. Chris seemed to be sneering at her, and she felt uncomfortable. She chanced a glance over at Lachie, and he caught her eyes. He knew straight away that she didn't like this, and dragged Kieran over. Chris beamed as soon as Lachie came and held out a hand. Lachie shook it.
"You're a Gallagher," he breathed, reverence in his voice. Lachie grinned a little.
"Yeah, last time I checked I was," he said jokingly. Kate moved closer to him, and he wrapped an arm around her. Kate relaxed a little, feeling safe, secure.
"You Gallagher brothers are like stars in Rescue. You're all experts in the job, and we've apparently got a lot to live up to," said Kieran, standing next to Chris.
"Don't worry about it. There's only two of us here now anyway. Chase can't work at Rescue anymore, so you've only got to keep up with Dean and myself." Chris and Kieran stared at Lachie. Mark came over to the them.
"Are you all ready to head out?" He asked. The four of them nodded, and Mark slapped Chris on the back.
"You four are going in Lachie's patrol. You all okay with that?" Lachie nodded, and threw a grateful glance in Vince's direction. Vince could tell that Kate was uncomfortable with being paired with Chris, but needed her to do this. The best he could do to make it easier for her was to put her and Lachie in the same patrol when they were travelling. Lachie opened Kate's door for her, allowing her the front seat. Kieran and Chris were delegated the back seat, and Lachie climbed in the front. He revved the engine, and sped out of the driveway. They had the maps of where they were meeting when they arrived in the Blue Mountains. Now they just had a car trip to get through. Lachie turned onto the highway, and looked into the rear-view mirror.
"So. How do you guys know about me, Chase and Dean?" Kieran and Chris glanced at each other, and were silent.
"Come on guys, I'm not going to bust you, I just want to know. How do you know about us Gallagher's, and what we're like?" Lachie asked, peering back at them. Kieran spoke.
"Daniel found a way into the mainframe system, and found all your files. You guys all have so much information in your files. Did you really serve in the SAS?" Asked Kieran, awe in his voice. Lachie chuckled, changing lanes.
"Yeah, I served the SAS. When I turned up here in Sydney, my training allowed me to transfer into Rescue easily, without having to do any extra training."
"So why did you leave?" Asked Chris.
"It's a bit of a long story. Seeing your mates die in front of you has its effects on you, and Australian media never really reported what was going on. I took video footage of what was really going on, superiors found out, and I was discharged. Found myself back in Australia with no job, decided to catch up with my brothers, and ended up involved in a Rescue. Two on the same day actually. Saved Jordan's life as well." Chris and Kieran were quiet, amazement across their faces. Kieran spoke first.
"Really?" Lachie laughed as he saw the surprise on both of their faces. They pulled into the carpark first, and killed the engine. The got out, pulling out their gear while they waited for the other teams to arrive. Kenzie, Dean, Liam and Dylan pulled up next, and climbed out. Jordan and Heidi had gone in the same car, and when they got out, Heidi was swaying slightly. Jordan supported her gently, whispering in her ear. Kate thought they were cute. Vince and Mark pulled up last, and climbed out together.
"You all ready for this?"
"Dad, do you mind if we take a bathroom break before we go?" Asked Kate. Vince nodded.
"Teams, take a bathroom break before we leave, and then we'll head out," he called. Everyone dropped their bags, and headed to the dingy bathrooms in the parking lot.
"We'll wait out here," said Liam, Dylan and Chris. Kate followed Heidi inside the dank bathrooms.
"Heidi, are you sure you're okay?" Asked Kate. After some coughing Heidi answered.
"Kate, I'm fine. Just don't tell your Dad that I'm not well, he'll send me home, and then he'll get upset." Kate came out and washed her hands.
"Heidi, he just cares about you, and doesn't want anything to happen. Just go home." Heidi came out, shaking her head. She sniffed a little.
"No, I have to do this." Heidi was adamant she was going on this hike.
"Don't worry Kate. I'm her hiking partner, I'll look out for her," said Anna, rinsing her hands. Kenzie came out too. Kate looked at the three girls.
"We ready to do this?" They smiled and followed her outside, hoisting their packs on their shoulders. Heidi was still unsteady with hers, but Anna tightened the straps on her bag, and pushed her forward. Kate returned to Chris, and the teams paired up, following Dean and Kenzie into the bush. Lachie stayed behind Kate and Chris the entire time, Kieran struggling to keep up with his pace.
"So Kate, how long have you and Lachie been dating?" Asked Chris, trying to be nonchalant.
"A little while. About three, four months?" She said, climbing carefully over a log.
"Ever thought about finding someone else?" He asked, holding her hand as she climbed up a steep rock.
"No. I'm happy with Lachie. Why would I think about someone else?" She queried, disgusted in the idea. Her heart was overjoyed at being with Lachie, and she could never dream of being with anyone else. Chris grabbed her and pulled her close.
"Hey, what are you doing?" She asked, trying to pull away.
"Trying to show you what you could be missing," he said, pressing his lips to hers. She tried to struggle against him, but he was stronger than her.
"Oi! Get your hands off my girl!" Lachie ripped Chris away from Kate, the force causing her to fall back roughly, and slip down the rock. Kieran caught her, and righted her. The other teams heard Lachie's cry, and backtracked quickly to them. Lachie let his fist fly, hitting Chris square in the nose. The blood started to trickle down almost immediately.
"Lachie, stop!" Dean appeared behind his brother, and tried to pull him away. He released Chris, and let Dean pull him away. Vince and Mark crashed through the bushes.
"What is going on?" Asked Vince, looking around. Anna pulled out her first aid kit, and passed Chris a gauze pad. He held it up to his already bruising nose.
"This… idiot here thought he could have his way with your daughter Vince. I wasn't about to let him mess around with my girlfriend. I gave him a piece of my mind, one I hope he remembers." Lachie glowered at Chris. Anna felt his nose.
"It's broken. Well done," she said to Lachie, pulling out strapping tape and fixing it onto Chris's nose. She helped him stand, and Dean continued to hold Lachie back.
"Easy Lach. He's not worth it," said Dean calmly. Vince put out his hand for Kate, and hauled her up the rock. She was shaking.
"Are you alright?" He asked quietly. Mark took Chris to the side, and Daniel joined their hushed conversation. The others stood around awkwardly. Kate nodded.
"I'll be fine Dad." She gave herself a quick check over, and found a graze up the length of her leg. It didn't need covering. Anna gave it a quick check over.
"You'll be fine," she said, standing up. Vince gave her a quick hug, and released her. Mark returned, and spoke to Vince.
"We're going to change teams around a little. Kieran will be paired with Kate, and Chris and Lachie will be together." Vince winced a little.
"Are you sure you should put the two of them together? Lachie did just break Chris's face." Mark nodded.
"I know, but if Chris isn't with Kate, Lachie can keep an eye on him. He's come from an all-male station, he'd be better to be paired with Lachie." Vince relented.
"Alright. Kate, go with Kieran. Lachie, you're with Chris, and I want you up the front with Dean and Kenz. At least he can keep an eye on you," muttered Vince. Dean released Lachie, who brushed himself off. He hoisted his pack higher on his shoulder, and followed Dean and Kenzie as the returned to the head of the group. The other's disbanded, and Kate and Kieran headed in their direction.
"Are you okay?" Asked Kieran, trying to break the silence. Kate glanced at him.
"You're not going to try and convince me that I should be with you are you?" Kieran laughed, and shook his head.
"No. I just wanted to know if you're okay," he said, holding back a branch for her.
"Oh. Well, yeah. I'll be alright. It's the first time that's happened though." Kieran nodded.
"You'll have to forgive Chris. The station he used to work at was all male, so he used to just mucking around with the boys. All of sudden, he's been thrust into an environment where he actually has to be considerate of everyone else. It's hard." Kate bobbed her head.
"I know."
After an hour walking the entire team stopped for a quick break, and to grab a bottle of water. Dean opened his pack, and a water gun exploded in his face. He spluttered, and dropped his pack on the ground. It sprayed water for another five minutes, and died down until it just trickled water. Dean looked around at everyone, hair dripping, uniform soaked.
"Who the hell did that?"
Everybody stared at Dean, and he stared back. No-one moved a muscle. Dean wiped his face clean, and pulled the remnants of the water bomb out of his pack.
"Who's was this?" He asked. Nobody said a word. He sighed, and shoved the scraps into his bag, and pulled it over his shoulder.
"Come on," he said huffily. Everyone trailed after him, quiet. They reached a cliff base, a towering wall ahead. Dean glanced back at Vince as Kenzie stepped forward.
"Did you really think this through?" He asked, looking back at the cliff.
"We did Deano. Welcome to joint training. Kenzie, this part's up to you," said Vince, handing over to her. Kenzie stood at the base of the cliff, and faced the group.
"This is where you guys are all going to learn to climb. Properly. None of this 'I can't do it'. You will climb, and I'll show you how to do it right." Dean stood back. He'd never seen anybody rival Chase in climbing before he injured his shoulder, and he was willing to bet money that Kenzie wouldn't be able to. Heidi watched on, interested. She'd never been the greatest at climbing, and if there was a chance that she could improve, she would jump at it. Jordan stood behind Heidi, concerned about her and how she was doing. Kate listened into Kenzie's speech, and then watched as she proceeded to climb the cliff like a monkey. She was good, Kate had to admit. She couldn't wait until it was her turn to climb up the cliff. Kenzie abseiled back down easily, and laughed a little at Dean's face.
"Right… Daniel, Jordan, Dylan, Dean, Chris, Lachie and Liam. You guys up first," said Kenzie. They nodded, and started up the cliff.
"No. You've already failed. Step back down." The boys looked at her, and stepped down, shuffling into a line.
"If you just climb, you're going to find yourself in trouble about halfway up. You'll run out of hand holds, or you'll find them out of reach. Take a moment, look up, work out where you're going to go." The seven males craned their necks, looking skyward as they plotted their paths. After a minute, they glanced back at her.
"Give it a go. See you at the top." The boys started climbing. Kenzie gave them all a head start. Kate watched as the boys climbed. They were anxious to get to the top. Then Kenzie started, and Kate tried to hold back the laughter as she watched Kenzie overtake the boys easily. She waited at the top for the boys, and helped them up as the got to the edge. Heidi sat down quickly, and Anna and Kate dropped down.
"Are you okay?" Asked Anna. Heidi nodded, coughing hard.
"I'm fine, I'm just tired. I don't want to have to climb that." Kate shook her head.
"It's too late to change your mind now. You need to climb, otherwise Dad's going to know something's up." Heidi nodded, and the two girls helped her up. Kenzie stood waiting for them.
"Kate, Heidi, Anna, Kieran, Vince and Mark." She pointed upwards, and they took the hint. Anna had learnt well in the past two weeks with Kenzie, and was improving with every step she took. Kate had been training with Penrith Unit, and was climbing fairly regularly, and was doing well. Vince and Mark climbed at a steady pace, neither showing their age. Heidi was the one that Kenzie was concerned with. She was wheezing as she climbed, and she was looking pale. Kenzie loosened off her rope a little, and hung next to her.
"You okay Heid?" Asked Kenzie. Heidi nodded her head.
"I'll be… I'll be…" She took her hand off the wall to cough, and felt her leg slip. Kenzie let her rope down to grab her, and Heidi swatted her away. She knew she could do this, and didn't need Kenzie's help. She had to prove to Vince she could do this.
"I'm fine," she coughed. Kenzie dropped lower, watching Heidi climb. She was getting slower and slower as she ascended. Kenzie swung gently where she was.
"Come on Heidi. You need to go faster, otherwise we'll lose too much daylight." Heidi nodded, and tried to take another step up. Her lungs were burning, and her head spinning, and her mouth was dry. Kenzie noticed her change in demeanour. Heidi knew she was going to need help, and hated to admit it.
"Heidi?" She called, moving upwards slowly. Heidi shook her head.
"Are you okay?" Heidi clung to the side of the cliff precariously.
"Dylan, pull out the green rope and the red patient harness out of my pack, I'm going to need it to get Heidi up," called Kenzie. Heidi could feel her strength ebbing away.
"Kenzie, I can't hold on much longer," said Heidi. She felt awful, her eyes tearing up. She hoped Kenzie could get to her. She glanced up, hoping she could see Jordan before she fell, but all she saw was Anna's face. Her hands gave way, and she could feel herself falling, Anna's voice the last thing she heard.
"Heidi! No!" Kenzie caught Heidi in her arms.
"Dylan, hurry up with the ropes!" Yelled Kenzie. She looked up, and the harness and rope set were coming down, hitting the side. She grabbed it as it got closer, and wrapped the harness around Heidi. She tugged the rope, and the teams at the top pulled her up. Heidi could feel herself rising to the top of the cliff, and didn't have the energy to help pull herself up. She just relaxed, and felt arms pull her over the edge. Jordan was right near her.
"Heidi. Are you alright?" He asked. Heidi just nodded, barely enough energy to speak.
"So tired…" she said quietly. She coughed, the pain racking her body. She covered her mouth, and then pulled her hand away. It was flecked with blood. She winced as her ribs moved, realising they were probably bruised. The others crowded around her, Anna dropping down next to her.
"Heidi, I though you said this was just a cold," said Anna, concerned. Heidi coughed again, wheezing.
"It is just a cold, isn't it?" Anna shook her head.
"It sounds worse than that Heidi. You shouldn't have come," said Anna, holding an oxygen mask to Heidi's face. Vince looked like he was ready to explode, but didn't.
"Daniel, Jordan. Can you two support her? Help her walk? She really needs to rest, and the sooner we get her to the site, the sooner she can sleep it off." Heidi tried to take off the oxygen mask, and Anna put her hand on the mask, pressing it to Heidi's face.
"Leave it. It'll keep you going for a little while." Heidi nodded, and let her head hang as Daniel and Jordan helped her up. Anna trailed behind them, Heidi's pack dangling off her arm. Chris and Lachie headed off ahead of Daniel and Jordan. Dylan and Liam walked behind the group, Dylan staring at his hands.
"Why didn't I see it?" He asked quietly. Liam glanced at him.
"See what?" He asked, pushing back a branch.
"That the rope was red, not green. Why did I think it was green?" He asked, confused.
"Mate, have you ever had your eyes tested?" Dylan shook his head.
"It wasn't a requirement when I joined Rescue. The eye tests were introduced two years afterwards, and they didn't think I needed it. You know that we don't use colour coded ropes, and I don't fly. Why didn't I see this before?" He punched a tree hard, and held his fist in his other hand, gritting his teeth. He was going to have to leave Rescue. They had it clearly stated in the paperwork that any medical condition had to be declared. He'd have to go back to Sydney and be tested. He hoped his worst fears wouldn't be confirmed, but his heart knew. He'd be asked to leave Rescue. He looked up in time to see Daniel ask Kieran to come over, and Daniel darted off sideways into the bush.
"Wonder what happened?" commented Liam. They continued onwards in silence, and headed to the campsite, and came to a clearing.
"This is where we're camping for the night," announced Mark. The teams set their packs down. The boys would be splitting and sharing tents, and the four girls would share the one. Dean took Dylan aside.
"What happened today?" Asked Dean. Dylan looked down at his feet.
"With what?" Dylan asked, feigning ignorance.
"You know what. The ropes today. Is this the first? Or are you hiding something from us?" Asked Dean.
"I don't know. I've never had this problem before. How does someone go about not noticing if red is red or if green is really green?" Dean shrugged his shoulders.
"I don't know, but you need to get checked out. I know they were lax in Brisbane when the medical clearance rules came in, but you have to get checked out once we get back to base in two days, right?" Dylan nodded his head. Kieran came over.
"You guys mind helping set up the tent? Otherwise we'll be sleeping under the stars, and the mozzies will eat us alive." Dean laughed a little, and helped Chris and Kieran set up their tent. Daniel and Jordan had finished setting up their tent, and left to find firewood for their campsite. Dylan sat inside their tent, and pulled out his ropes, setting them on the sleeping bag in front of him, and stared at the ropes. They looked exactly the same to him. Kieran stepped inside, and threw his pack to the side.
"What are you doing?" He asked. Dylan continued to stare at the ropes.
"What colour are they?" He asked quietly. Kieran looked at him confused.
"Why?" Dylan glanced up at him.
"Just tell me." Kieran pointed to the rope on the left.
"This one's red, the others green." Dylan slapped the sleeping bag in frustration, his bruised knuckles already aching.
"What?" Asked Kieran. He felt left out, like he was missing something.
"I'm colourblind."
Vince's phone rang, and he answered his phone and walked a little ways away from the group, talking quietly. Kenzie sat at the entrance of the girls tent, watching the sun as it set, darkness stealing over their campsite. Vince returned, and spoke quickly to Mark. Mark's face changed from neutral to concerned almost instantly. He glanced over at Kenzie and motioned her to come over to him. Vince did the same towards Dean.
"What?" Asked Kenzie as she neared Mark. Vince spoke.
"We've got a rescue to attend in the morning. A medi chopper went down, and we've got a patient missing, as well as the two attending. Are you two okay to co-ordinate the teams in the morning?" Kenzie and Dean looked at each other, and turned back to Vince and Mark.
"Yes."
Lachie awoke first the next morning, and heard an outraged cry from Chris.
"What the hell?" He asked, confused. Lachie smiled. He'd been in on the boys prank. They'd placed a bowl of warm water near Chris's sleeping bag, and had placed his hand in it. Now he'd woken up to find his sleeping bag saturated and cold. Liam rolled over, laughing.
"Chris, that was payback for my office chair. Now we're even," he said, trying to stifle the laughter. Dylan held back snickers as he looked at Chris's darkened sleeping bag.
"Fair's fair," he said. Chris grabbed the bowl of water, and threw it at Liam, drenching him. Dylan fell back on the ground, holding his sides as he cracked up laughing. Dean ripped open the tent flap.
"What the…? Oh, right, forget it. You ladies better hurry up, or you're going to have to deal with a chopper landing on your heads." The boys quickly packed up, Chris grumbling about his dampened clothes. Lachie threw him a towel.
"Deal with it. If you serve it, you've got to be ready to take it if it comes back." Chris nodded, a frown fixed upon his face. Over in the other tent, Jordan, Daniel and Kieran were packing their bags.
"Hey, Jordan, Kenz wants you to come over and see Heidi. They're taking her out today," said Anna's voice, wafting through.
"Yeah, I'm coming," said Jordan. He took his pack outside with him, and dumped it near Vince and Mark's.
"How's she doing?" Asked Jordan as they crossed to the girls tent.
"She was up all night, and she's pretty much exhausted. We should have pushed for her to stay back." He nodded as they reached the tent.
"Is it alright if I come in?" Asked Jordan.
"Yeah, come on," said Kenzie, pulling back the flap. Kate left them, dragging her pack and Anna's outside the tent. Kenzie stayed inside the tent, packing up Heidi's gear. Jordan put a hand on Heidi's pale face, noting how warm she was.
"Are you okay?" He asked. She shook her head, close to tears.
"Jordan, I feel like crap. I should have listened to you yesterday before we left, and stayed home," Heidi said, upset. He pushed a stray tendril of red hair behind her ear.
"Shh. What's been done now is done. Anna said something about you leaving?" He asked.
"The guy on the ATV is going to take her out, and then Lara will take her over to the hospital," said Kenzie, rolling up Heidi's sleeping bag. They heard the whipping of helicopter blades, and moved outside. Andy climbed out of the helicopter, and the pilot joined them as the blades came to a halt.
"Hey guys," said Andy enthusiastically as she high-fived Chris and Liam, and hugged Kate. The teams smiled, and the pilot moved over to the ATV. Jordan helped Heidi up, and strapped her in.
"Stay safe," he whispered, kissing her forehead. She nodded, and Jonno turned the ATV out onto the track, leaving the group. Dean and Kenzie glanced at each other, and Kenzie stepped forward.
"Okay, teams have been reshuffled for this rescue. You're still in your mixed teams, they've just changed around." Kenzie glanced at her list.
"Okay, Dean and I will still be together, and we're Alpha. Daniel and Jordan, the same goes for you, team Beta, and Lachie and Chris, team Delta, you're all still in the same teams. Dylan, you're now paired with Kieran as team Gamma, because Liam is going up in the chopper, and we can't have you up there. Andy, you can go up in the chopper with Liam to make team Zeta, and Kate, you're now being set with Anna, and you're team Omega." The groups shifted, and Anna high fived Kate. Daniel and Jordan high-fived each other. They were already working well as a team. As Andy and Liam left, the teams separated off into different directions. They had an idea of where the plane had gone down, but no real co-ordinates.
"So how was Heidi this morning?" Asked Daniel, pushing aside a tree branch.
"She didn't look any better this morning. Anna thinks it might be bronchitis, but wasn't entirely sure, so the ATV took her out, and Lara will make sure she gets checked up." Daniel nodded.
"So, how did you and Heidi, you know, like, start to date? What was the turning point for you guys?" Jordan looked at Daniel strangely.
"Mate, who is she?" He asked, smiling. Daniel glanced down at his feet, and mumbled something incoherent. Jordan punched him in the arm.
"Can't hear you De Luca! Who's the girl who's got you all embarrassed?"
Lachie and Chris cut across a small river, and continued on, eyes peeled for the helicopter, or the patient who was supposed to be with the pilot. Chris mumbled something under his breath.
"What was that?" Asked Lachie.
"Nothing. So what's the pilot's name?" Chris asked, changing the subject.
"Nikki Rush, I think. Our patient's name was a John Kellar, suffering from a possible heart attack when they were flying him. We don't know what made the chopper go down though." Lachie's radio crackled.
"Command Centre to Delta Team, report," came Mark's voice over the radio.
"Delta Team to Command Centre, nothing but bushes, trees and a couple of spiders out here Mark. Nothing to report," said Lachie.
"Alright, keep us posted. Command Centre out." Lachie heard the snapping of twigs, and heavy breathing, and threw out an arm to stop Chris. Lachie put a finger to his lips, motioning for silence. Chris stopped in his tracks, breath bated. Anna came crashing through the scrub, tears streaming down her face. Lachie caught her, her chest heaving.
"Anna, what's going on?" He asked. She hiccupped, almost hysterical.
"There are others out here, with guns." Chris unscrewed the cap off his bottle of water and passed it to Anna, who took a drink, trying to calm herself down. Lachie looked around, trying to sight Kate.
"Anna, where's Kate?" He asked slowly.
"One of the men has her. He grabbed her pointing the gun to her head, and I just ran. I'm so sorry." Lachie pulled his radio off his shoulder.
"Delta Team to Command Centre, Vince, we've got a problem. Kate's been taken at gunpoint, and we've got Anna here in almost hysterics. Advice?"
"Command Centre to Delta Team, what? What do you mean someone's got Kate?" Vince asked angrily.
"I'm saying Vince, that Anna's just come out of the bush and Kate's not with her. She's saying something about two men with a gun." Vince slammed the table, frustrated.
"Right Lachie, you need to continue looking for the patient. I'll ring the police and get them out here and we'll find the gunmen." Lachie glanced at Chris.
"So what you're saying Vince is that you do not want me to go looking for Kate?" Asked Lachie.
"Confirmed. I do not want you under any circumstances to go looking for Kate."
"Keep me posted Vince. Over and out." Lachie dropped his radio into his pocket.
"What do you mean? We're not going to go find Kate?" Asked Anna, hiccupping.
"No, we're going to find Kate," said Lachie, helping Anna to her feet.
"But you just said that we're…" Lachie cut her off.
"I said that on airwaves. We don't know if we're being monitored, and if they think we're coming after them now, they'll move quicker, which will make it harder for us to find them. If they don't know we're going to come after the, they'll move slower. They know it will take a while to get police out here to search, and that they've got time. We're going after them." Chris glanced from Lachie to Anna.
"You've got to be kidding, right? Doesn't that seem a little crazy?" Lachie nodded.
"It does, but I've got to find her. Make sure she's okay. If anyone's hurt her, they'll be hearing from me." He set off, Anna and Chris behind him.
"Are you sure you can do this? The guys got a gun!" Said Chris loudly. Lachie turned around to him.
"I've seen more than enough guns in my lifetime when I was a part of the SAS. I can deal with one or two guys with a little hand gun." Chris shrugged his shoulders, and followed Lachie through the undergrowth as they worked their way back to the grid where Kate and Anna had last been. Anna started shaking in fear, adrenaline running through her veins. Her grip on Lachie's arm tightened, and she started hyperventilating. She'd seen a shooting right in front of her when she was working in Darwin, and had tried to block it from her mind. Images from the gunfight flashed in front of her eyes.
"Anna?" Said Lachie quietly, stopping. He felt the pressure of her hand on his arm and knew she wasn't really there. Her face was blank, her arms shaking.
"Anna. Come back Anna," said Lachie, trying to bring her out of it. Tears streamed down her face.
"What's going on?" Asked Chris softly.
"Seems like post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD. Can you take her back to the Command Centre? I don't think she should be here, I don't know what she will do." He pried her fingers off his arm. Chris glanced at him.
"What about you?" Lachie waved him down.
"I can handle this. I need you to take her back though, get her to sit down, let Mark and Vince know what's going on. Can you do that?" Chris nodded, and led Anna away gently. Lachie watched them leave, and continued stalking silently through the bush. He could hear male voices, low and gravelly.
"Where's John?" One demanded angrily. Lachie peeked through the bushes carefully. The man holding the gun to Kate's head looked furious.
"He owes us money girl, a truck-load of it. You better tell us where he is, or you're not going to see the light of day again," threatened the other male. Kate quivered in the tight grip of the first man, tears running down her face.
"I don't know where John is, or who John is." The second man sneered at her.
"Maybe you know Nikki then, his girlfriend? She's the one who owns the helicopter, who tried to get both of them out of here. She can't have gotten too far though; we shot her helicopter down." Kate desperately wished to get out of here. Lachie stepped out quietly.
"Nikki's been found, she's at the Command Centre," he said loudly. The second man whirled around, pulling his gun out. Lachie walked out, arms raised.
"Base has confirmed that Nikki is there. I haven't heard anything about a John." Lachie knew he was going against every rule that had been drilled into him when he was an SAS member, but they had Kate. He couldn't let anything happen to her.
"Who the hell are you?" Asked the second man, his gun pointed at Lachie.
"I'm part of the Rescue Operation. We were sent out here to find Nikki and John. We've got no part in your fight. Let the girl go." The man put his hand to his ear, listening in to the earpiece that was squished in there. He glared at Lachie, and then a sneer crossed his face.
"Seems your story checks out." He glanced back at the other man, Kate still in his clutches.
"But just so you don't go anywhere," he said, smiling. The man holding Kate pushed her forward forcefully, and she stumbled and fell, cracking her head on rock. Lachie moved towards her, and the man stopped him, waving his gun towards Lachie. Lachie knew he had lost control of the situation. He silently cursed himself for thinking he could take on two armed men, and wished he'd waited for the police to get there.
"Wait a second there. We can't have you running back to base, now, can we?" The male squeezed the trigger, and a bullet soared through the air, and sliced through Lachie's left abdomen. Lachie fell to his knees, clutching the wound. He felt no pain, but knew he could bleed out if he wasn't treated. He thanked the heavens that he'd hidden his radio.
"Mick, we've got to get going, before Nikki tells the police some sob story." The men left quickly, traipsing through the bushes. Lachie crawled over carefully to Kate. The bump on her head was bleeding slightly, mingled in with the dirt and tears.
"Kate," he groaned.
"Please wake up."
Chris and Anna were on their way back when they heard the shots. Anna quivered where she was standing, and they heard Vince's voice.
"If the gunmen are there, where are Lachie and Kate?" Asked Anna quietly. Chris whirled around, thinking they would be behind them.
"I thought they would have followed," Answered Chris. Anna felt fear take a grip on her, churning in the pit of her stomach.
"I think something's happened," said Anna. They heard Vince leave with Kenzie.
"We're going to need help," said Chris, grabbing Anna's wrist. They burst out in the clearing, and Mark, Daniel and Jordan turned to face them.
"You're not in your teams," said Mark sternly.
"Lachie told me to bring Anna back, and that she had to stay with you," said Chris breathlessly. Jordan peered around him.
"Where is Lachie? And Kate?" Asked Jordan. Chris turned to him.
"We think something might have happened to them. The same gunmen who had Kate were the ones that shot at you guys." Jordan and Daniel stood up.
"You two go with Chris; find out what's going on. Keep me updated. Anna and I will have a chat," said Mark, pulling her aside. Daniel and Jordan followed Chris into the bush again.
"Where were you guys last?" Asked Jordan. Chris pulled out his map.
"We moved from our grid to Anna and Kate's grid, over here," said Chris, pointing. Jordan and Daniel checked the map, and then surged forward. All was quiet, except the crackle of twigs and the rustle of dry leaves, until Daniel stopped both Jordan and Chris.
"Did you hear that?" He asked. Jordan and Chris stopped.
"Kate, come on. Wake up…" came the voice floating through the trees. Jordan turned and sprinted through the trees, jumping over logs. The three of them burst into the clearing where Lachie lay, clutching his side, Kate's limp body next to him.
"Lachie, what's going on?" Asked Jordan. He shook his head.
"Check Kate first. She's not woken up yet, and she's bleeding. Please, make sure she's okay," whispered Lachie. Daniel and Chris moved over to her, rolling her over carefully.
"She's still breathing, and her head wounds only bleeding a little. That doesn't explain the other blood." Jordan pulled away Lachie's hand from his side, and gasped.
"Lachie, that's not nothing. That's a decent gunshot wound there," said Jordan, concerned. He pulled his radio off his shoulder.
"Jordan to Mark, we've got them. We need you and Anna out here to get Lachie and Kate the medical attention they need. We've got a gunshot wound and a concussion, and could use the extra hands." Jordan relayed his co-ordinates to Mark, and they left immediately.
"Lachie, I need to see it," said Jordan. While he'd been conversing with Mark, Lachie had covered up the wound again. It ached, searing, burning pain coursing through his side, and he moaned, arching his back in pain.
"Don't touch it, please, don't," said Lachie through gritted teeth.
"I'm sorry mate, but I've got to. I have to cover it, try and stem the bleeding." Lachie nodded, and tried to brace himself. Nothing could prepare him to the pain that would stem from Jordan putting a gauze pad over the wound. He practically howled, arching his back, trying to escape the pain. Sweat poured off his face, agony etched on his features.
"I'm so sorry," said Jordan, Lachie's pain echoed on his own face. Anna and Mark cut through the bushes.
"Anna, I could use you over here with me and Lachie. Daniel, can you and Chris take Kate back to the Command Centre. Mark, I'm going to need your help getting Lachie back," said Jordan, organising the team. Daniel and Chris hoisted Kate's body between them, and started the tedious process of getting her back to the Command Centre. Anna dropped down next to Jordan and Mark.
"What's going on?" She asked. Jordan pulled his hand away, covered in Lachie's blood, the gauze pad soaked through. Anna gasped, and pulled her kit down.
"Gunshot wound to the abdo, patient's in obvious pain," she said, business-like and professional. She pulled a vial of morphine out of her kit, and pierced the cap with a syringe.
"Lachie, I'm going to give you a dose of morphine to try and dull the pain for a while. I can't give you too much though," she said, pulling the syringe out of the ampoule. He nodded, and she injected the contents into his thigh. He barely noticed the pinprick of pain. Anna pulled out a vial of Maxolon, an anti-nausea medication, and injected him with that as well. After a few minutes he relaxed visibly. Anna pulled out two thick gauze pad and body tape.
"Take off his shirt," she instructed. Mark and Jordan carefully peeled off his shirt. Some of the blood had congealed, making it a little more difficult, but they succeeded.
"It's a clean shot, through and through," said Anna.
"Even though you've been give morphine, this will still hurt," said Anna, warning. Jordan and Mark braced themselves for Lachie's reaction. Anna pressed the gauze pad down, and tore a strip of tape of the roll with her teeth. She affixed one pad to the front of Lachie's wound, and the other on his back. She stretched the tape across both of the pads, securing them. Lachie's breathing was laboured now, harder. Whilst the morphine dulled the pain, it still echoed through his body. He wished he could let go, let the pain disappear, but he had to make sure Kate was okay first.
"Alright, we're done here," said Anna, packing up the kit. Mark and Jordan lifted Lachie up, slinging his arms over their shoulders. They started walking, Lachie trying to keep up with them, his feet dragging as he sluggishly moved.
"Come on Lachie, put some effort into it. Think about Kate, and what she'll do to you if you don't get back there," said Jordan, trying to get Lachie to move forward more. Lachie kept his thoughts focussed on the girl he loved. He could feel himself falling.
"Come on Lachie, keep going. Think about what Dean would do to you if you stopped." Mark watched as Lachie's every step became more sluggish. Jordan glanced over at him, and then back at Lachie. His hand grew wet as Lachie bled through the gauze pads.
"Come on Lachie, you need to keep going. What are Dean and Chase going to do if you don't come through? How will we keep them separated, stop them from fighting?" Lachie could feel himself growing fuzzy, lightheaded, almost distant. He had no idea how much blood he'd actually lost so far, but guessed it can't have been good. His thoughts crossed to the people he loved. Dean, his older brother, the one who always looked out for him and Chase, no matter what happened. The one who'd been there, when their mother Lucy had cheated on their father, when she'd been killed in the car accident, who'd supported Lachie even when Shane had told him that he would be useless in the SAS, and when he'd returned to Sydney after being discharged. Dean had been the constant support throughout his life, the way he'd always imagined a sibling should be. And then there was Chase, his baby brother. He remembered being five, Dean was ten, and their mother came home with a bundle of blankets. They knew she'd gone away to have a baby, but weren't sure if they were getting a baby brother or sister. Dean and Lachie had always hoped for a little sister, but were still overjoyed when they found out they had a baby brother. Chase had been the source of jokes in his life, the laughter, and Dean and he had always looked out for him, protecting him from the big bad world outside. They'd been like three musketeers. When he moved away to go to the SAS, Dean and Chase joined the same profession, and he felt a little left out. When he returned to Sydney, helped them in a rescue, he felt like his heart was home. He was meant for Rescue, meant to save lives, meant to work with his brothers, even if Chase wasn't working anymore. They were meant to stay together. His father Shane. He was happy that he had found a new love in his life. Lucy had cheated on him, and it nearly killed him, and when she died, Shane had been the one to go off the rails. His family, the people he loved dearly. And then there was Kate. He'd never seen her coming, not in a million years. He thought Andy was the one fate had destined for him, and his mind never crossed to the possibility of Kate. Until they kissed on the beach, and it felt like time slowed to a halt, that the earth had stopped spinning. He was going to get married once, and kissing that girl didn't even compare to kissing Kate. She was amazing. He didn't want to leave this earth this way. He wanted to stay around, watch his niece and nephews as they grew up, see Heidi and Jordan's kids, watch as Chase and Jess finally tied the knot. He gritted his teeth, and took a step forward, willing his body to continue on. Jordan and Mark moved with him.
"That's the way Lachie. Keep moving forward," said Jordan, encouraging him on. The whirring of helicopter blades told them that the medi-vac they needed was here. All they needed to do was get to the clearing.
Kenzie and Anna met the two paramedics who arrived with the chopper.
"Have you guys got a spine board handy?" Asked Anna. They nodded, pulling it out for her.
"What are you doing?" Asked Kenzie.
"I'm willing to be that Lachie's becoming harder to move, and that's why they're not here yet. I know where they're coming from, and we can go meet them. We'll move him quicker," said Anna, taking the board from the first paramedic.
"Do you need us?" Asked the first paramedic.
"No, you guys wait here. We'll be quick, and we need you here ready to take the patient," said Anna. They left the boys in the clearing, and pounded through the bush. Jordan and Mark looked up and saw them, Lachie becoming heavier as they took each step.
"Glad you're here. Let's get him onto the board." Kenzie and Anna lowered the board, and helped Mark and Jordan strap Lachie onto it. His eyes started fluttering, and he started to close his heavy lids.
"Don't close your eyes Lachie, we need you to stay awake," said Anna briskly. He forced his eyes open, and grabbed Anna's arm.
"Where's Kate?" He asked, gripping her tightly.
"She's been taken out Lach, it's alright. Vince is with her, looking after her. Don't worry." He nodded.
"Where's Dean?" He asked, looking around. Anna glanced at Kenzie, who shook her head slightly.
"He left the search with Vince, Dylan and Kieran, and headed out on one of the ATV's. He's okay Lachie, don't worry." He bobbed his head, and relaxed, the pain still there, increasing in intensity.
"Okay, on three, we lift," said Mark. He counted them down, and they lifted Lachie carefully, and trampled through the bush back to the helicopter. The two paramedics met them as they brought him out of the bush, and the six of them loaded Lachie into the helicopter. Kenzie slammed the door shut, and they watched as the helicopter took off, leaving them behind in the clearing.
"Do you think he'll be okay?" Asked Jordan, pulling together his kit. Daniel and Chris packed up the tables and boards. Their patrols had been moved to a different carpark, one closer by, and Daniel and Chris left with half of the gear to load it in. Kenzie pulled the zips closed on her bags.
"I think he'll be okay, he just needs a blood transfusion, and probably some recovery time," she commented. Mark came over and slapped Kenzie on the back.
"Just got off the phone with Cassie, after filling her in on everything that's happening. Let's get back to Sydney, and tie all these loose ends together."
Dean felt a cool hand in his, and opened his eyes, unfamiliar surroundings in his blurred vision. His eyes swam as he struggled to focus, Lara's face coming into view.
"Hey," she said softly, brushing the hair out her face as she looked at him.
"What happened?" He asked.
"Vince won't go into details, he's a little occupied at the moment. You don't have any internal bleeding, just bruising. You've also got a concussion, and several fractured ribs." She smiled at him.
"What did you do with James and Mikayla?" He asked.
"Your Dad has them. Michelle wanted some time with James, and Fiona is always happy to have Mikky, no matter what." She stroked his face, revelling in the fact that he was okay. He smiled back at her.
"Do you remember what happened?" She asked. He nodded.
"Kenzie was working the ropes, getting our patient Nikki off the side of the cliff. A guy came up behind me, clocked me over the head. I fought back as hard as I could, and he just kept going. He knocked me out once, and dragged me away. I don't remember a lot after that, just that Kenzie found me with Vince. Girl tried to actually break my ribs when she was assessing." Lara laughed.
"I'm just glad you're okay," she said. Dean raised his hand and touched Lara's face.
"I love you."
Kate stood outside Lachie's room, stressed. She'd been cleared by doctors, and Vince was supposed to just check on her for the night, wake her up every few hours. She paced the floor outside Lachie's room, glaring at everybody who passed. Vince came up.
"How's he doing?" He asked.
"They won't tell me anything. I'm not family, so I can't be told what's going on." She heard panting as someone raced up the hall. Chase stopped in front of her.
"I came as soon as you called Vince. What's going on?" Vince sat Chase down.
"Lachie was shot today in the bush. Anna patched him up out there, and then he was flown here. I wish I could tell you more Chase, but we're not family, so they won't tell us anything." The doors swung open, and a concerned looking doctor came out, clipboard in hand.
"Gallagher?" Chase stood up.
"You can come in and see Lachie now, and we'll give you an update." Chase glanced back at Vince, who motioned him forward. He followed the doctor inside, and the doors closed automatically behind him. Lachie was unconscious on the bed, blanket covering his body.
"Your brother had a gunshot wound to the left side of his abdomen. It missed all vital organs, a clean shot. It was through and through. Our main concern is the blood loss. We've given him several transfusions of blood, and are keeping him hydrated. We've closed the wound, and it will take some time for the injury to heal internally, but he'll be able to return to work in a few weeks." The doctor checked his clipboard.
"He should be waking up soon; the anaesthetic should wear off shortly." The doctor moved to leave, and Chase grabbed his arm.
"Can you let the girl who was with me in the corridor in? She's his girlfriend, and she's going crazy in the hall." The doctor nodded, and opened the door, allowing Kate inside. Vince stayed outside, waiting for news from Lara about Dean. Kate practically ran inside and Chase held open his arms to her. She saw Lachie's pale face, and fell against Chase's chest. He held her like a brother would, like Sam would if he understood anything that was going on anymore.
"Is he okay?" She asked into his shirt.
"He'll be alright. He needs to rest at the moment." Kate nodded, and looked back at Lachie. She moved closer to him, and rested her lips on his forehead.
"Stay safe," she whispered. She want to move away, and a hand grabbed her arm.
"I'm trying to. You didn't make it easy though," he whispered. She turned around, joyous tears falling down her face.
"Hey. How are you?" He smiled.
"Better now you're here," he said coyly. She laughed a little. Chase crossed the room to the other side of the bed.
"Chasie, mate, what are you doing here?" Asked Lachie.
"It's not every day your brother gets shot, or your other brother ends up bruised and battered. I could have been an only child after today, and I don't know what I would have done if something happened to you both. Besides, if I wasn't here, Kate wouldn't have been allowed in, and you would have woken up alone. Dad and Fiona have got Mikayla and James for Lara, so they wouldn't have come. You're stuck with me." Lachie grinned at his brother.
"No problems." He looked up again at Kate, and smiled at her. He pulled her hand to his lips, and kissed the back of her hand. She blushed, and wiped her eyes.
"I love you. Did you know that?" He asked, smiling. Kate teared up again, and shook her head, smiling through the tears.
"No. But I know now."
Vince's phone rang as he sat outside Lachie's ward. He glanced at the caller ID before he answered.
"Ramirez, what's up?" He asked.
"Dylan's on the way to RPA now. There was a little accident out our way. I think he tried to kill himself. Kieran's pretty shaken up over it." Vince was glad he was sitting down.
"Over what?" Asked Vince.
"Something about how his contract will be terminated because of medical reasons, and he didn't want to go back to Brissy being a laughing stock. He opened the door whilst the car was moving and rolled out onto the road, and was hit by an oncoming car. It's not looking good for him Vince. I'm on my way there." Vince rubbed his head, on the verge of a headache.
"What time did the ambulance leave?"
Jordan let Chris drive the patrol back, the silence in their vehicle punctured only by the radio station playing softly in the background.
"Hey, can you drop me off at my place? I'll head to HQ from there; I just want to check on Heidi." Chris nodded, and Jordan told him the address. They pulled up outside his house, and Jordan climbed out, waving goodbye to Chris as he pulled away from the curb. Jordan fumbled for his keys and unlocked the front door.
"Heidi?" He called. The house echoed in reply, but no response from Heidi. He wondered if she was home, and closed the door quietly behind himself. He wandered down the hall, checking for her, and found her sprawled on the bed in the master bedroom, magazines everywhere, medication on the bed. He sat down carefully. She stirred a little, and Jordan smoothed back her fiery red hair.
"Hey babe, how are you feeling?" He asked.
"Better. Lara took me to the doctor's, and they gave me antibiotics. She's been checking up on me, and Izzy's been over a few times as well." Heidi yawned, still tired.
"I'm glad you're okay," said Jordan. Heidi shifted over on the bed, and he lay next to her. She rolled over onto her side.
"How come you're home early?" She asked.
'We had to do a rescue out there, and Dean and Lachie were pretty injured. We had an accident on the way home as well." Heidi's eyes widened.
"Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.
"I'm fine, Dylan was the one injured. He's going to find his contract terminated, and sent back to Brisbane after his surgery." Heidi closed her eyes again, nodding. Jordan kissed her on the forehead.
"I've got to head to base and help clean up. I'll be back in a little while."
Vince headed downstairs to emergency, and watched as they brought Dylan in. He looked a mess; blood oozing from his head, one of his legs mangled beyond recognition, the other clearly broken. Nurses swarmed him, trying to clean him up, and doctors arrived as quickly as they were paged. A doctor pulled Vince aside.
"Are you Dylan Green's next of kin?" He asked. Vince nodded.
"Whilst he's working here in New South Wales, yes, I am," said Vince.
"We've got to take him down to surgery, and see what we can do to save his leg. It's not looking good though. We may have to amputate it," said the doctor, concerned. Vince ran his hands through his greying hair. Dylan was already off the rails, that's what landed him here in the hospital. Vince had no idea how he would cope with the change, but couldn't do anything to help him. The doctor left as they rushed Dylan to the operating theatre.
"What am I going to do?"
Chase left the hospital after a few hours, and Kate was left with Lachie. He had shifted himself over on the bed, and she was lying next to him, head nestled on his shoulder. He stroked her hair, and leant over carefully, kissing her forehead.
"So what happened? I remember being with the gunmen, but I don't know what happened to you." Lachie hesitated, unsure if he should tell her. She looked up at him.
"Lachie, you risked your life to come back and get me. Please, tell me what happened out there," she said, pleading. He relented.
"After they knocked you out, they started to head back to base, and decided I needed to be out of the picture. The guy who had you hostage shot me, and then they left. I crawled back to you, and tried to wake you up. Jordan found us with the rest of his team, and I tried to get him to focus on you, but he still checked me over. I knew it had to have been bad when he radioed back for Anna and Mark. He got Daniel and Chris to take you back, and when Anna arrived, she was concerned about the blood loss. Anna patched me up, and Jordan and Mark started to help me back. I didn't think I was going to make it, and all I could think about was leaving you behind. I don't want to do that. Ever. I want to be able to be here, through thick and thin, no matter what happens." His voice thickened with emotion. Kate propped herself up, looking at Lachie.
"You put your life on the line for me. No-one has ever done that, ever." She kissed him, savouring the moment, and then pulled away, running her hands through his hair.
"Thanks you."
Andy looked at her apartment. She chucked a few things in a box, and then slumped against a wall, tears running down her face. She had become so involved here, felt like she was finally part of a team, of a family. Her parents had passed away when she was younger, and her foster parents never seemed to be able to fill the gap. She never thought that being involved in Rescue would help her to heal, but her time in Sydney had changed her, made her a different person. Her phone rang; Jess. She didn't want to talk to anyone, and threw the phone against the wall, shattering it into sharp shards. She climbed up off the floor, and walked into her bedroom. She stared at her wardrobe, full of the things she had accumulated from her eight months in Sydney, and then knocked everything onto the floor, angry. If her contract was going to be extended they would have told her sooner. She knew it wasn't going to happen, and didn't want to go back to Melbourne, back to the station there, back to the same old people. Life didn't feel fair anymore. She could feel herself becoming overwhelmed, and left the mess in the wardrobe, and collapsed on her bed, sobbing into her pillow.
"I don't want to go."
Andy woke a few hours later, head pounding, face puffy and red, phone ringing in the kitchen. She stumbled out, looked at the caller ID, and rejected the call. She didn't want to talk to anybody from Rescue. What she wanted to do was go out and get plastered, obliterate the pain over leaving. She grabbed her keys and a jacket, and drove to the nearest bar. It was going to be a long night.
Chase entered his house, closing the door with a soft click. Jess was on the lounge, dozing, Eli on her chest. Izzy was curled up on the other lounge, Riley snoring softly. He smiled as he watched his favourite girl and his two favourite boys. He tip-toed over to Isabelle, and gently lifted Riley up. Izzy stirred in the chair, rubbing her eyes.
"Chase, you're home," said Izzy sleepily.
"I know. Why don't you go to bed?" He suggested softly. She nodded, and stumbled down the hall to her room, still half asleep. Chase carried Riley to the nursery, and placed him carefully in his crib, covering him with a light blanket. Riley stretched and yawned, and continued snoring. Chase smiled at him, and left the room. He crept back into the loungeroom and picked up Eli off Jess. She stirred, but didn't wake. Chase put Eli in the crib opposite to Riley's, and kissed him good night. While he was depressed that he wasn't able to be in Rescue anymore, he valued the time he now had available to spend with his two boys, and Jess most of all. He walked back out into the loungeroom, and scooped Jess up into his arms. She leant against his chest, still fast asleep. He carried her down the hall into their bedroom, and tucked her under the blankets. He kissed her forehead, and walked back to the kitchen for a drink, settling himself down at the table. He missed working with Lachie and Dean, though, judging by what happened during their hike, he was quite glad that he was excluded. He took a sip of the water, and set it down again, contemplating. He missed the old days, before his first shoulder accident. The times before Heidi and Jordan really wanted to admit to the world, much less themselves, that they had strong feelings for each other. He even missed Vince yelling at him, telling him what he was doing wrong, or chastising him for something else. Michelle, always like a mother to him, trying to look out for him. Jordan and him going out for kebabs and checking out hot babes. He shook his head. No more reminiscing. He wasn't going to get his job back by sulking. He had to move on, look into something else. He had to get a new job. He wasn't going back to Rescue.
Dean was released later that evening, with Lara promising to check on him. She led him out into the carpark, and kissed him carefully as they walked to their car.
"I've missed you," she said softly. He hugged her, wincing slightly as she bumped his ribs. He didn't care. He missed her smell, her comforting voice, being with her almost every day.
"I've missed you too Lara. You have no idea," he said, climbing into the car. He buckled himself in as Lara crossed around to the driver side. As she slid into the car, Dean spoke.
"I know it's late, but I really miss James and Mikayla. Do you think we could pick them up before we head home?" Lara smiled.
"Dean, you're such a softie," said Lara, laughing a little. She pulled out of the carpark, and headed towards Shane and Fiona's house. When they arrived Shane came out to meet them.
"Hey, how are you doing?" asked Shane, slapping Dean on the back. Dean grimaced in pain. Lara smiled a little, and lifted Shane's hand of Dean's back.
"He's a little sore at the moment Shane, but he'll mend. Are James and Mikky ready yet?" He nodded, letting them inside. James was asleep next to Michelle on the lounge, content to be back beside his mother again. Lara smiled at him. Fiona brought a sleeping Mikayla out of her bedroom, and passed her to Dean, who cradled her against his body. At almost ten months, she was getting heavier, but Dean still revelled in the fact that she was a part of his family. Fiona grabbed their baby bag, and passed it to Lara.
"You're lucky; he was here on a good day. She doesn't have a lot of those at the moment, not with the chemo. I'm glad she could have this day with her," said Fiona sadly. Lara glanced at her, and smiled down at James and Michelle.
"So am I."
Jordan slipped inside just before midnight, and climbed into bed beside Heidi. She was more awake this time, and she caressed his face.
"I'm not doing that again," she said quietly.
"What? Asked Jordan, confused.
"I'm not going out there if I'm sick again. That was all too much for me. I missed you guys, but I don't want to ever get to that point again," she said softly. Jordan clasped her hand, and kissed it.
"I wasn't going to let you anyway."
Andy slammed her empty glass on the counter as the barman returned to her.
"Ma'am, I need to take your keys. You're not going to drive in this condition," said the burly man. Andy handed over her keys, and demanded another drink. The barman refused, and Andy stormed out of the bar. She was smashed, drunk beyond reason as she staggered along the sidewalk. She didn't care what happened anymore, what her life was. She knew she was going to be flown back to Melbourne, back to her old life. She fell over the broken path, and felt her heavy eyelids start to flutter closed. She hoped she never woke up, never had to face reality…
