Chapter 9
Sharkey and Terry flew over different sections than they had covered on foot the previous day and didn't find FS-1. They had been searching these areas for about four hours. They went back to the station for refueling. Jamie and Kowalski ran out to meet the helicopter.
"Sharkey anything?" Kowalski asked urgently.
"Not a damn thing," he replied.
"I assume the other teams are having no luck too," Terry asked Tim as he refueled the helicopter.
"No, they've all checked in and haven't found anything. They're still continuing their searches and are worried as they have been missing for too long a time to possibly survive in this weather."
After the helicopter was refueled Terry took off again.
"Let's try a whole new area." Terry told Sharkey as he steered the helicopter further east than they had before.
He was crisscrossing the area for three hours. It was going to be dark in a couple of hours. If they didn't find it soon they would have to try again tomorrow when Sharkey spotted something.
"Terry, go back. I think I saw it."
Terry turned the helicopter around and got a little lower. There was FS-1 sitting in a small clearing about two miles in the forest from an old service road no where near the coordinates they had.
"Mr. Morton did a good job of landing her she looks intact, not smashed at all." Sharkey said relieved as he looked at the side of a mountain.
"HC1 to base," Terry called to the ranger station.
"Go ahead HC1."
"We found them. They're off the old east service road about two miles in off the road in a small clearing. I'm going land near them. I will let you know what I find," Terry said somberly.
Jamie wanted to talk to them.
"Base to HC1," Tim called. "The doc wants to talk to you before you go in."
"Chief, be very careful touching them and don't move them until I get there," Jamie said urgently. "Do you have anything warm in the helicopter you can put on them?"
"There are a couple of blankets in here. They should be warmer than what they have now," Chief replied.
Terry slowly set down the helicopter about one hundred yards from FS-1 and powered it down. Sharkey jumped out of it before the blades had stopped turning. Terry wasn't too far behind.
Sharkey un-dogged the rear hatch and went into FS-1 afraid of what he may find. He found them with Chip's arms wrapped around Janet. They both were barely breathing. Terry ran back to the helicopter and radioed the base while Sharkey covered them with the blankets from the helicopter.
"They're alive. Get out here quick," he yelled.
Kowalski, Jamie and Tim ran to the SUV with the warm blankets and headed for the road. Tim was driving as he knew where to go and would get there faster rather than giving Kowalski the directions. Allen, the other ranger, radioed the hospital and let them know they found the two people and they were alive. They should be there within thirty minutes.
"Crank up the heat and put these blankets by the heater. We're going to get very warm in here," Jamie said.
Allen radioed the rest of the teams and let them know they found the aircraft and could return to the station.
The other teams were very relieved when they got the news and headed back.
((()))
Lee went down to sick bay to get some acetaminophen. Before John would give him the tablets he needed to check out his leg. Jamie left him strict instructions to check Lee out before he could go on duty. He looked at Lee's leg and was surprised at how well it was healing. He took a look at his forehead found that to be healing nicely too. John could tell it must still be sore because Lee was limping. Lee told him he would explain to Jamie who took care of him later. John gave him the tablets and cleared Lee for light duty.
The admiral was waiting for Lee when he came in the control room.
"Any word?" Lee asked rubbing his forehead.
"Not yet."
Lee noticed the backpack on the plotting table
"Damn, I forgot about Johnson. I have to call him. Sparks, please call Admiral Johnson and pipe to the observation nose."
"Aye sir."
Lee and the admiral walked into the observation nose to wait for the call.
"Skipper I have Admiral Johnson on the phone."
"Thanks Sparks,"
"Crane you better be on your way and bringing me that intel. I needed it yesterday," Johnson said tersely.
"Sir, I just got back aboard. The flying sub crashed on its way back from Washington with Janet and Chip on it. Your damn intel is going to have to wait until I find out if my wife and Chip are alive," Lee said harshly.
"Commander I will not tolerate that tone. I'm sorry about your wife and Morton but I have to have that intel as soon as Seaview gets into port. You haven't completed your mission and I could demote you in rank for insubordination."
"Sorry sir. Seaview is two and half days from port and I don't know how I'm going to get it to you. Right now my only concern is my wife and Chip," Lee replied angrily.
Admiral Johnson was in a meeting with Jason Weldon. Johnson told his secretary to put the Lee's call through as soon as he called. Jason heard only Johnson's part of the conversation and knew something was very wrong.
"Admiral, please let me talk to him," Jason asked urgently taking the phone from him.
"Lee its Jason. What's wrong?"
"FS-1 crashed in Colorado with Janet and Chip on it. I don't know if they are dead or alive. All Johnson cares about is his damn intel. That's the last thing I'm worried about."
"Lee, I'm really sorry. I will pick up the intel from you in Colorado. I will meet you there and help search if you need me too."
Knowing Lee as he did, he knew he would not stay on Seaview until she got to port. He would be on his way to Colorado as soon as he could.
"Jason, you don't have to do that."
"Yes, I want to. I know how much you love Janet and I know what Chip means to you too. Please let me help you. I will get a flight out today and meet you there. How soon will you be here?"
"Thanks Jason, I really appreciate it but I don't know when I'm leaving Seaview. We're working on it now."
"Don't worry. Do you have anyone out there now," Jason asked relieved he would be able to help him.
"Sharkey, Kowalski and Dr. Jamieson are out there searching along with the park rangers and other government agencies. You can meet up with them in Grand Junction Colorado."
"I'll find them. See you soon."
Jason handed the phone back to Johnson.
"Admiral, will that work?" Lee said sarcastically.
"Yes," he said and hung up the phone.
((()))
After Lee finished talking to Johnson, he sat down at the table and rested his chin on his fists. The control room could see how much pain their skipper was in and there was nothing they could do to help.
The admiral walked and sat down next to Lee at the table.
"They'll find them," he told Lee as he put his hand on his shoulder.
"But will they be alive," Lee responded despondently
"Admiral I have a call from Admiral White," Sparks yelled to them.
"Please put it here."
"Yes, Peter."
"Harry, the best I can do for you is a mail plane going back to San Diego. You can hitch a ride on it. We're about one hundred miles from you," Admiral White told him giving him he coordinates.
"Peter, we'll be there in thirty minutes. Thanks."
"O'Brien set a heading for these coordinates at flank speed."
"Aye, sir. We're already at flank sir," O'Brien answered after giving the new heading to maneuvering.
The admiral smiled and looked at Lee who gave him a slight grin back.
Seaview rendezvoused with the aircraft carrier in twenty five minutes. Lee told O'Brien to reduce the speed to standard for the rest of the trip to Santa Barbara. Lee knew O'Brien would get Seaview home safely and docked with no problems.
"Sir, please let us know what's happening," O'Brien asked Lee softly. "We're all very worried and concerned."
"Thanks and I will let you know," Lee replied patting him on the shoulder.
The admiral and Lee grabbed their gear and made their way out of the sail hatch unto the raft that was waiting to take them to the aircraft carrier. Lee made sure he had the intel Johnson wanted.
Once aboard the carrier, they watched as Seaview slowly submerge into the blue waters. Admiral White greeted the men and showed them to their ride, a Grumman C-2 Greyhound the Navy used as a COD**. As they boarded the plane Admiral White wished them good luck.
The C-2 took off and headed for San Diego. It would be a fifteen hour flight as they would have to stop at least three times for fuel. It was still faster than taking Seaview.
((()))
Once aboard the C-2 the admiral asked he co-pilot to put a call through to COMSUBPAC and ask to talk to Admiral Jiggs Starke and tell them Admiral Nelson needs to talk to him immediately. The co-pilot motioned Nelson to pick up the head phones.
"Hi Harry what's up?"
"Jiggs I desperately need your help. FS-1 crashed somewhere in western Colorado a few days ago. Chip Morton and Janet Crane were on board. Lee and I are on a C-2 flying to San Diego. Can you help us get to Grand Junction Colorado from San Diego?"
"Boy Harry that's hard to take. Let me see what I can do to get you to Colorado. I will call you back when I have any information. Tell Crane I'm sorry about his wife and Mr. Morton. You okay, Harry? I know Janet's like a daughter to you and how close you are to Morton."
"I'm getting by for now. Just get us to Colorado as soon as you can."
The admiral put down the head phones and signaled the co-pilot the call was over.
((()))
The plane was crowded with freight and mail. The crew had somehow managed to make room for the admiral and Lee. Lee's leg was still bothering him so he was happy to see he had enough room to stretch it out.
"Thank you admiral for arranging to get us to Colorado," Lee said wearily.
"Son, you know I would do anything for you, Janet and Chip. I can see how worried you are. Hell, I'm even worried. They've been out there a long time."
Lee didn't get much sleep the night before so after about an hour on the plane, he fell asleep. The admiral watched him sleep and could see his leg was bothering him as he kept shifting it around trying to get comfortable.
Lee woke up just before they landed on the Island of Guam for refueling. He felt a little better but knew they still had a long journey ahead of them. They took off again for the next fueling stop on Hawaii, then a final stop on an aircraft carrier between Hawaii and San Diego. The admiral fell asleep about thirty minutes into the flight. Lee lasted another ten minutes and fell asleep too. Both men awoke when they felt the aircraft touch down on the deck of the carrier. They would refuel and drop off some of the cargo and take off for San Diego.
After they took off, neither one of them had much to say. They both knew what the other was thinking and didn't want to say it out loud. What if they were dead by the time they got to Colorado?
((()))
Once inside FS-1, Chief went over to the bunk and notice they weren't shivering. He knew they both were in trouble.
"Mr. Morton," Sharkey said laying his hand on his arm. "Mrs. Crane," he put his hand on her arm too.
Neither one responded to his touch.
"Damn," he said out loud. "Terry, how long before Jamie gets here, they don't look too good."
"Give it another ten minutes at the most. I'm sure they left as soon as I called. Tim knows where to go."
While they waited, Sharkey checked out FS-1 and thought he and Kowalski could repair her enough to get it out of there and back to the airport. The only other problem was how to get her out. The clearing was barely long enough for them to try and take off.
Five minutes later they heard the SUV pull up. Jamie darted out of the car leaving Kowalski and Tim to bring the warm blankets and the medical supplies. Jamie went over to the bunk and saw Chip hugging Janet.
"Chip, Chip, you can let her go. It's Jamie. I'll take her."
"No...too cold...she's cold...have to keep warm." Chip said slurring his words.
Jamie wrapped the warm blankets around them. Chip was barely conscious. Jamie managed to unwrapped Chip's arms from around Janet. Sharkey and Terry gently picked him up and brought him to the car and carefully laid him in the back. Kowalski carefully picked up Janet and carried her to the car and gently put her down next to Chip. Tim was waiting in the SUV for them ready to drive Jamie to the hospital as soon as Jamie told him to go. He had the heater running full blast both in the front and back. He was sweating bullets but knew they needed as much heat as they could get.
Jamie did a quick check on them. Janet was unconscious and Chip even though was conscious before was also now unconscious. He was amazed that they were still alive. Barely alive but at least alive.
"Tim, let's get the hell out of here," Jamie said quickly. "You better drive real fast."
"You got it." He stepped on the gas and was on the main road in no time. He called ahead to the sheriff's department and requested an escort to the hospital. When he got to the main road they were waiting there for him. They were at the hospital in twenty minutes.
Sharkey, Kowalski and Terry stayed with FS-1. They brought the extra parts, tools and items they needed to repair her. Terry was very curious about the little sub and wanted to help. He also stayed in the event they couldn't get it running, they would have a way back and it was getting late in the day.
"Chief, it's getting late. We need to get out of here before dark. We can come back tomorrow and try to get her out of here. I know where to find her."
"Okay Terry. I want to see how Mr. Morton and Mrs. Crane are doing anyway."
Kowalski saw Janet's purse and grabbed it. He didn't know if she would need but didn't want to leave it there. He would give it to her at the hospital.
They climbed back in the helicopter and took off for the ranger station. Terry had no problem driving them to the hospital.
Sharkey knew he better call the admiral and let them know they were alive and on their way to the hospital.
((()))
"Sharkey to Seaview," chief called on the radio.
"Seaview, go ahead chief," Sparks replied quickly.
"Get the admiral.
"He and the skipper left quite a few hours ago on their way to you. Let me track them down and get back to you."
O'Brien heard the radio call and ran to the radio shack.
"Sharkey, its O'Brien. Did you find them...are they okay?"
"Yes, we found them and they're just barely alive."
"Thanks Sharkey. I just wanted to let the crew know."
"Aye sir."
The whole control room heard Sharkey's response and were cheering and yelling.
"Alright men back to your stations. We still need to get this boat home."
They all went back to their stations a little less worried.
Sparks had no idea where the admiral and skipper were at this point so he contacted Admiral Starke at COMSUBPAC. He relayed to him what Sharkey reported. He could actually hear him breathe a sigh of relief.
"That's good news. I will get in contact with Nelson. Tell Sharkey to call me here if he needs to get in touch with the admiral again. I will make sure I get any calls he makes."
"Thank you sir," Sparks disconnected the call.
"Seaview to Sharkey," Sparks called.
"Sharkey."
"If you need to call the admiral; call Admiral Starke. He will get the messages to the admiral."
"Thanks Sparks."
** Grumman C-2 Greyhound is a COD (carrier onboard delivery) aircraft the Navy uses to transport high priority cargo, mail and passengers between carriers and shore bases.
