Stranded In Bear Canyon
Chapter 9
By 5am Cap was dozing in the chair next to Mike; exhaustion finally taking its toll on Hank's body, but he was not about to leave Mike's side after coming so close to losing him just a few hours earlier. Cap heard something and stirred from his doze. Looking over at Mike he saw blue eyes staring back at him; the look of fear still present in them.
"Hey Mike, good to see you awake, Pal."
Mike began to gag on the tube in his throat.
"Easy, Mike. Let me get Roy and see if we can take that tube out, okay?"
Mike nodded anxiously. As Cap got up to leave, Mike grabbed his shirt.
"Easy Mike, he is right out on the porch. I will be right back." Hank reassured him.
Mike nodded again and released Cap's shirt.
Cap moved outside to the porch. "Roy, Mike just woke up and he is gagging on the airway tube. Can we take it out now?"
"He's awake; that's great! Rampart said once he regained consciousness that we could remove it. Let's go see him."
Cap and Roy moved to Mike's side.
"Mike, good to see you awake. I have permission to remove the tube from Dr. Brackett once you woke up again so we will get on that right away. Mike I am going to lean your head back. I don't want you to try to move okay? We still don't know if your neck or back have been injured. When I tell you to I will need you to cough as hard as you can; this will help bring the tube up faster ok? Are you ready?" Roy asked.
Mike nodded yes and closed his eyes. Roy tilted Mike's head back.
"Cap, can you hold his head straight?"
"Sure." Cap said holding either side of Mike's head.
"Okay Mike, a big cough, ok?" Roy directed the frightened engineer.
Mike dry coughed once but it was not enough to dislodge the tube.
"One more time." Roy encouraged.
Mike coughed harder and Roy was able to pull the tube from Mike's throat. Roy then placed Mike's head straight again and reset the back board straps.
"Cap, can you get him some water? It will help with his sore throat."
"Sure." Cap retrieved a cold bottle of water from the kitchen and put Mike's straw in it. "Here Mike. This will make you feel better."
Mike gratefully took the straw in his lips and slowly drank his fill.
Roy began getting a new set of vitals on the once again conscious engineer. "How are you feeling?"
"Strangely numb." Mike responded in a scratchy whisper.
"That's probably the lidocaine you're on. Its ok. You're gonna be just fine."
Mike closed his eyes for a second and took a mental inventory of his body.
"Mike? Can you move your fingers?" Roy asked continuing to assess his patient.
"Yea." Mike responded with a demonstration.
"Can you move your toes?"
"Yea." Mike again demonstrated his ability.
"That's good. Are you in pain anywhere?" Roy asked.
"My shoulder feels strange; not really pain just like I slept on it wrong and my arm, herefeels funny." He said pointing to the fracture.
"Yea, that's where you hurt your arm."
"Is it bad?" Mike asked in a croaky voice.
"Looks like a fractured humerus and I think your shoulder is dislocated as well. That's why you are in the stabilizer."
"Great." Mike replied sarcastically.
"You rest easy. The chopper will get us out of here this morning and will have you on your feet in no time."
"Okay….. hey Roy?"
"Yea?"
"I kinda remember what happened last night and I just wanted to say thanks."
"You're very welcome." Roy said with a smile. "Glad I was here to help."
Mike closed his eyes and nodded off to sleep. Roy checked on Steve and Johnny and headed out to radio Rampart. Getting in the squad, Roy noticed that the rain had stopped and the winds had slowed down. Good we can get Mike and Johnny out of here. He thought to himself as he drove to the bridge.
E!
"When do you think they are coming to get you?" Dixie asked when Roy called in.
"Cap is gonna check in with county when I get back and find out what the status is on the chopper."
"Keep us informed." Dixie requested of him.
"As soon I know you'll know."
"See ya soon, Roy."
Roy headed back to the cabin.
E!
"Marco and I want to go back down to the slide area and see if we can clear a way out." Cap said to his superior.
"I don't know Chet; that area is a little unstable and I already have two men down."
"But who knows when they are coming to get us and we overheard Johnny and Roy talking. Mike's condition is serious; he should be at Rampart."
"Besides," Marco stepped in. "We still have to get the squad and engine back home! I know I am not going to be the one to tell Mike that we left his girl all alone in the canyon."
"Alright, we'll check it out when Roy comes back." Hank acquiesced.
Roy walked in and Cap told him about Chet's idea.
"You two be careful; I got all the patients I can handle."
"Yes, mother." Chet chided.
The three men headed out in the squad first stopping at the slide spot. Chet hopped out and grabbed two shovels from the squad compartment. Marco grabbed the chain saw.
"Well, you guys got your work cut out for you." Cap said. "I'll be back at 10 am to check on you. If the weather gets bad I will be come get you sooner. Here is an HT but they don't work real well down here." Hank said handing the HT to Marco. "okay, well I am going to call HQ and find out about our chopper."
Cap drove down to the bridge where he keyed up the mic. "LA this is engine 51."
"Go head 51." Came the comforting sound of Sam's voice.
"Any word on a chopper to come out here?"
"Copter 14 will be at your location at 9am but will only be able to pick up two victims. "There is a cardiac critical patient already on board."
"10-4, LA 9am 2 victims." Cap repeated. He headed back to the cabin trying to decide who should go first knowing that one of his men will have to stay behind for now. He walked in and got Roy's attention.
"Roy, can I see you second?"
"Sure, Cap."
Roy and Cap went out on the porch and closed the door behind them.
"The chopper will be here at 9:00am."
"That's great." Roy said with relief in his voice.
"Not exactly."
"What?"
"It seems that when they get here they will already have a patient on board so there will only be room for two on the chopper."
"What are you going to do?" Roy asked not envying his Captain's position.
"Protocal says Steve has to go; he is the civilian and after last night I think I have to send Mike."
"I think you're right. Johnny has been stable aside from the fever and he can really take care of himself."
"And we will be here to help him."
When will they come back for him?" Roy asked.
"I don't know; depends on the weather."
"I will have Dix send out more supplies for Johnny until they can get back for him."
"That will be good. You better hurry; they will be leaving soon."
"I'm on it." Roy said as he left in the squad.
