Author's notes: Thanks for sticking with me and being understanding. Finished directing two shows and then I was knee deep in several catering jobs, plus we are at the end of the school year with only five class days to go!
Hope this makes up for it...
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It was just after eleven in the morning when Jules motioned to the others that she had something. "I've just picked up a communication from a helicopter that they will be heading into the airport in approximately fifteen minutes. According to the flight director, this is one of the new crews that were flying out of here the last two days."
"Alright team. Let's get ready to welcome them. Remember, we need to have them talking."
Ed and Lew grabbed their gear and headed out to position themselves near the helicopter landing pad. They were now wearing the coveralls of one of the local air companies. By blending in they would be able to hopefully get closer to the group flying into the airport.
Wordy had met up with the local constabulary and they were part of a four car group spread out close to the airport's entrance. The plan wasn't to allow Hierra to get anywhere near the entrance, but they were in position; just in case. Wordy and the local Sergeant were inside a smaller hanger. The open door gave them a perfect view of the spot where the copter would land.
Greg and Jules were in the small tower that normally housed a part time controller. From their elevated vantage point, they could get eyes on the situation first. Once the copter had landed and shut down, Jules was going to set up quickly to provide for some long-range protection.
"We are seeing the copter approaching from the South-East." Greg relayed the information to the team. "Remember, we need someone who can talk."
"The copter might have GPS data on it." Wordy reminded his boss.
"True, but we don't know if the pilot is working for Hierra or is just unfortunate in his decision to hire out. If he is working for Hierra, he might have dumped the GPS already."
A small mark in the distance increased in size as it moved closer to the airport. Jules felt as if she were going to burst waiting for it to reach the airport and set down. Once the aircraft was down and powered down, she slide out the door and readied her rifle.
"I've got people exiting the chopper." Ed's voice filled everyone's ear. "I've got two guys, don't recognize either one. Wait a minute, there are two more." His voice took on a slightly higher pitch, "The one limping is Javier."
"No sign of Spike or Sam?" Greg was hopeful.
"No."
"Alright, let them get by Ed and Lew and I'll talk to them."
Everyone held tight as the men started making their way to a near-by hangar where a car waited. Javier had a definite limp and looked disheveled. Once they had passed the plane Ed and Lew were pretending to work on, both men moved for their tactical rifles.
"Javier, this is Greg Parker from the Toronto Strategic Response Unit. Put down your weapons and put your hands behind you head."
Instantly the four men on the ground pulled out their weapons and started to hurry to the waiting vehicle. Wordy and his local partner drove out of the hanger towards the other vehicle, cutting off the escape path.
The men changed directions, looking to head back to the copter, but Ed and Lew were now behind them.
"Don't even think about it." Ed growled as his gun targeted the lead man.
Hierra had a gun drawn and was rapidly looking around for a possible bolt hole, but the members of the SRU had planned well; there was nowhere to go. He laid the gun on the ground, raised his hand and motioned to the others to follow suit.
Converging on the criminals, Ed instantly recognized the Glocks carried by his men. Securing the men, he pulled Hierra to the side. "Where are my teammates?"
"Lo lamento, pero no habla inglés muy bien." Hierra gave an embarrassed-looking smile as he shrugged.
"Cut the bullshit. I know you can speak English just fine."
"I was in a terrible plane crash and these men have found me. I don't remember anything else."
Ed grabbed Javier's arm and let his grip tighten upon it. "I swear if anything has happened to my men, I will personally help put you behind bars for the rest of your life."
Wordy had hurried to the copter after the men had been restrained. With his gun drawn, he approached the pilot who was watching the events unfolding in front of him. Opening the door to the cockpit, Wordy shouted to the man to put his hands up and climb down from the aircraft. "Where is your GPS?"
"It's a handheld."
"I need your last trip coordinates."
"The gentleman over there already cleared the memory."
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The pain was indescribable and he immediately thought about retreating to another place; one without pain or cold. His face was burning on one side, but yet on the other side it felt strangely numb. He contemplated why this might be, but no answers were forth coming.
It hurt to breath, so he took small inhalations; hoping to quiet the roaring pain. The darkness surrounding him diminished as he tried to open his eyes. Only one would open and the one that did would only open a mere slit.
He thought about trying to lift his head to gain a better view, but the slightest movement caused his entire body to rebel in pain; "head remains on ground". With that decision made, he went to work on trying to remember what the hell was going on.
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"Hierra deleted the GPS coordinates!" Wordy exploded into his radio.
"Easy Wordy." Greg smoothed. "I'll be right down to talk to the pilot. Just keep him away from Hierra."
"Copy Boss."
Jules had secured her weapon and followed Greg across the tarmac to the helicopter. They hadn't come all this way to hit another brick wall. An ambulance had arrived and a handcuffed Javier was being led to the vehicle.
"They should let him wait until we have Sam and Spike." Jules' tone was bitter.
"We're the good guys Jules. Even, when we don't want to be, we need to be above it." Greg reminded her gently.
"He's doing everything he can to keep us from finding them."
"He thinks he is, but it won't be enough. We will bring them home." Greg's tone was hopeful.
Wordy was standing outside the door of the cockpit, watching the pilot. "Boss, it would seem that our pilot here was hired yesterday by one of the gentlemen that were with Hierra."
"Good." Greg held out his hand to the pilot. "I'm Greg Parker with the Toronto SRU. We are trying to find two of our men that were transporting Mr. Hierra. I understand that you only recently came into Mr. Hierra's employment. I know that you've said the GPS was erased, but I'm thinking that a local like you would be able to find your way back to where you landed."
The pilot's face was white and as he spoke, his voice shook. "I can't tell you anything. It was made very clear on the way back that I was to remember nothing." He looked at Greg pleadingly. "I've got a family."
"Sir, I can guarantee you and your family whatever means it takes to keep safe. If you don't help us and my men die, you will be facing life in prison as an accomplice. Who will keep them safe if you are behind bars?"
"What assurances do I have?"
"My word."
"Excuse me if I don't find that to be enough for me to bet the lives of my family on." The pilot shot back.
"What assurances did Hierra give you? Are you ready to bet your family's lives on the word of a thief, murderer and rapist?"
The pilot hung his head, tears streamed from his eyes. "Can you get the police to my family right away? Get my family in custody and I'll fly you back."
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The cold had spread to the rest of him. It was uncomfortable and he knew that if he stayed there much longer he might not be able to move later. As bad as he hurt, he needed to get up from the ground and find someplace warm.
He moved his hands inward, noticing the blood that had congealed on his hands; knuckles split and swollen. His arm and shoulder hurt; tingling sensations gave way to outright pain. Crying out slightly Spike continued his efforts to get himself off of the ground. Moving his arms beneath him, he pushed up and lifted his upper body from the ground. The lightning bolts of pain again shot through his body, he heard himself cry out in pain. His vision narrowed and he felt himself on the verge of passing out. He rocked back onto his knees and wrapped the arm that wasn't on fire around his torso, trying to hold the pain back. From the corner of his good eye, he caught sight of an airplane. Suddenly memories came pouring back and he remembered where he was and what he was doing.
"Sam!" It was meant to be loud enough to bring his friend to his aid. Instead, it came out as a tortured sob. Spike knew he had to get himself to safety and at the same time, he needed to check on his friend's condition.
Keeping his right arm wrapped tightly around his midsection, he put his left arm out to stabilize him as he lurched to his feet. He could feel his limited vision blurring as he slowly made his way towards the plane's fractured cockpit. Once he reached the opening he grabbed onto the plane and gave himself a minute to let his head catch up with his feet.
Spike opened his eye and could see Sam lying reclined in the seat. "Sam."
There was no response from his friend, so Spike moved closer and reached down to check on Sam's breathing. Spike could feel the shallow respirations and when he tried to wake his friend, the other man would not respond.
Tucking the blankets that covered the unconscious man tighter around him, Spike stumbled back to the opening and looked at the fire. Only a few coals still glowed in the make-shift fire bowl. Reaching for the wood that was still stacked inside the plane, Spike knew he would need to coax the flame back to life. As gently as possible he knelt down next to the fire and started to break the sticks into smaller pieces. Layering them around the coals, he gently blew on the coals to ignite the sticks. The movement caused his split lips to begin bleeding again; small drops falling onto the sticks below.
The flame flared weakly and the sticks began to smoke. Soon the sticks caught and a small blaze crackled away. Adding larger sticks to it, Spike was pleased to see that the fire was taking off so well.
The adrenaline that had helped him keep moving despite his injuries had been depleted and he was feeling weak. Moving to sit in the seat across the aisle, Spike lowered himself painfully into it. Vowing to close his eyes for just a moment, he quickly slid into a place between sleep and unconsciousness.
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The local authorities had moved quickly to secure not only the men who were working for Hierra, but also the helicopter pilot's family. While this was taking place, Team One was waiting for a larger helicopter to arrive along with a search and rescue team.
The pilot had told Greg that he could easily return them to the spot where they had landed, but he had no idea about the exact location of the men or their condition.
"The injured man appeared to be in charge and he was in a good mood. They spoke Spanish the entire time and the only think I know in Spanish is cerveza."
The team was anxious, the fact that Javier wouldn't tell them anything, they were unsure whether this would be a rescue or a recovery. Jules had set her face into an unreadable mask and the others assumed she was just feeling the same frustration that they were facing.
It was almost two hours before the search and rescue copter landed. By then, the tension was so thick that it could have been cut with a knife. The leader of the rescue group met with Greg and dropped a bombshell; they could only take two members from the team.
"What!" Ed replied angrily. "So the rest of the team has to stay behind?"
Greg tried to sooth his team leader. "Eddie, the copter can only carry so much weight. We should have thought about that ourselves, but I'm guessing that we've all been so keyed up we didn't think about it."
Wordy broke in, "So how are we deciding who gets to go? Spike is Lew's friend, does that mean Lew goes?"
"Fighting about this isn't going to get our guys back any faster." Greg reminded them. "I know we all want to go, but I'm going to just make the decision. I'm going and Jules is going. She's lighter and she has additional medical training above what the rest of us have. She can lend a hand to the rescue crew if needed."
"You're right boss." Ed's temper had cooled. "Get going and as soon as you know what the guy's status is, radio it in."
Clapping a hand on Ed's shoulder, Greg smiled tightly. "Will do. Jules, let's go."
Greg and Jules hurried to the copter and climbed aboard. Minutes later, it lifted off and made its way towards the south.
"I hope they make it in time." Wordy spoke softly.
"Spike won't give up." Lew nodded seriously. "He's too Italian to give up to easily."
Ed laughed lightly, "That he is. Plus Sam is plenty stubborn as well. Hell, if he didn't give up on that first day when we sent him on a Timmy's run, this won't faze him."
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Spike tried to open his eyes as he heard noises around him. The one that was not swollen completely shut only opened to about half mast. Turning towards the noise he could see Sam flailing in his seat. The jerkiness of the motions told Spike that it was some form of seizure. Sam's body slide part way off the seat, put the seat's arm rest prevented him from hitting the floor.
"Sam!" Again what was intended to be a shout came out as more of a restrained whisper as the pain of moving struck at that moment. Grabbing his ribs, Spike slid off the seat and knelt by his friend.
The seizure seemed to run its course, and Sam's breathing was again very shallow and slightly irregular. Spike repositioned Sam the best he could and made sure that the other man's airway was open. Laying the blanket back over his friend, he decided that by lying down next to Sam, he could monitor his breathing and be alerted to a new seizure. Spike moved carefully to bring himself next to Sam and then pulled the blanket over the two of them. He laid his head down next to Sam's. "I'm here for you buddy."
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The flight didn't take as long as it felt for Jules. With a set of headphones on she could hear the chatter between the pilot and the pilot of the rescue team. With the assurance that his family was safe, the pilot was attempting to be as helpful as possible. He had even mentioned seeing a total of two men when they did a flyover the day before.
Of course there was no way of knowing which constable it had been and now there was the concern over how Hierra had left the two. A quick flyover today did not show anyone out at the crash site and the mood in the aircraft became very somber.
It appeared that they would be hiking in from a mile or so out. Fortunately the men who had rescued Hierra had broken the trail to the crash site. That would help speed their journey.
Jules could feel the descent of the copter and looked out to see the ground coming up to meet them. Once down, the group would move out quickly, following the trail left behind.
"Are you up for this Jules?" Greg asked her as the whine of the motor ceased.
"Yeah Boss." She unstrapped and stood, waiting for the door to open.
The leader of the rescue group had his men grab two of the collapsible rescue litters and they all shouldered their packs and began to follow the trail ahead of them. Jules and Greg brought up the rear and Jules knew each step was one step closer to finding Sam.
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Ed had contacted headquarters back in Toronto and informed them about the recapture of Javier Hierra. He also called to the barn and brought everyone up to date with what was happening.
Donna Sabine, leader of team three, had taken the call and when she had finished speaking to Ed she called the rest of the team over to fill them in.
"I just spoke with Ed. They made it to Fort Hope and were able to locate the crash site. Some of Hierra's men had already been there and rescued him. Team One apprehended them at the airport and now Greg is accompanying the rescue team to bring in Sam and Spike."
"What's the status on them?" One of the men asked.
"Not sure at this time. The rescue team did a flyover and no one was visible." Donna's voice was grim.
"I don't want to say it, but that doesn't sound good." Another team member added. "Hierra wouldn't leave loose ends."
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Spike felt Sam beginning to seize again. Moving as gently as he could, he attempted to keep Sam from striking his head against anything. As quickly as it came, the seizure ended. Spike moved to check Sam's breathing. He couldn't see Sam's chest moving and when he laid his hand upon Sam's mouth, there was no reassuring feel.
"Damn it Sam! Do not do this to me. You will not leave me." Spike moved quickly, new adrenaline flooding through his veins. He covered Sam's mouth with his and exhaled. He waited for four beats and gave another. He checked for a pulse and was pleased that his friend's heart continued to work. "Come on now Sam, breath for me."
Spike continued giving breathes for his partner and when he stopped to check again, he could see that Sam had begun breathing on his own. Spike knew that he would need to keep a close eye on the other man. It would be too easy for him to stop breathing again and without Spike to provide rescue breathing, Sam would die.
Turning his face so that his good eye would be on Sam, Spike tried to find a comfortable position. He reached out and grasped Sam's hand. "You and me buddy. You and me."
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They were getting very close to the crash site, but with each step Jules felt more and more dread. Had Spike or Sam been able to, they would have made themselves visible with the flyover. They hadn't and that didn't bode well for their wellbeing. She told herself to think positive, but tears had started to prickle behind her eyes and she worried that they might soon give way.
The path opened up into a small clearing that had been made larger by the plane crashing into the trees. They could see where a fire had been set, the branches that hadn't burned totally were still smoldering slightly. No one was visible around the plane's fuselage.
"Spike! Sam!" Greg called out loudly, hoping that if the men were taking refuge in the plane that they would not be startled by the appearance of the group. A hoarse cry came from inside the plane and Greg hurried to the gap that had been opened between the cockpit and the rear.
As he squeezed into the plane, he could make out two men. "Spike!" He was alarmed when he saw the swollen and bruised face of his young officer. Moving inward, he was aware of others filling the gap in behind him.
"Boss." Spike's voice was heavy with emotion. "Sam's bad. He's got a head injury and he's been seizing. He stopped breathing a while ago, but I got him back." The words tumbled from his lips, the movement making them bleed again.
"It's alright Spike. We've got medics with us." He looked down at Sam, who appeared to be sleeping, but Spike's information told him otherwise. "Can you walk Spike?"
"If you help me up."
Greg reached out and took the trembling hand that Spike had had reached out. Giving a gently tug, Spike rose unsteadily to his feet with a groan of pain.
"Let's go outside and have them take a look at you. We'll get Sam back as fast as possible."
In the meantime, Jules had slid around the two men and was kneeling next to Sam. Running her hand across his face, she spoke quietly to him. "I'm here Sam. I need you to be strong and hang on for me."
Two of the rescue crew had made their way in and were now working on accessing Sam's injuries. The one spoke gently to Jules. "Ma'am, I'm going to need you to move outside so we can get him into the basket. It's going to be in his best interest to be in a hospital as soon as possible."
"Sam, don't you dare give up. Do you hear me? I love you and I want you with me." She kissed his forehead and moved out of the plane.
Outside she could see Spike slumped back on the ground. A blanket was around his shoulders and the other member of the rescue crew was checking him out. She was shocked by the damage that had been inflicted to Spike's face. Jules moved close to Greg and whispered, "He looks terrible. Was he not wearing a seat-belt?"
"He said Javier did it. He was forced to fight him. Obviously Javier thought that he had done enough damage that by the time anyone found them, nature would have taken its course."
"Bastard!"
"I agree. I'll take great pleasure in knowing that he will never be free again."
A crashing noise caused them to look over at the plane. The men inside had forced the door open and were now exiting it with Sam strapped to a backboard.
"We are going to want to get him aboard asap. If we had more room in this clearing we would use a winch and basket to get him aboard immediately, but as it is, there isn't room. We are going to double time it back with him so that we can load and go. Can your guy keep up?"
"No, radio for a second copter and we'll take it slow and easy out of here." The other medic spoke. "I'm not done checking, but at minimum he's got broken ribs and a slightly separated shoulder. I'm still looking him over."
"Jules, you go with Sam and I'll hang back and give Spike a hand." Greg nodded to Jules.
"Are you sure Boss?"
"Yes, the sooner you get Sam on the copter, the sooner a second one can come for us."
"Alright, I'll see you back in Fort Hope."
The three men watched as the two rescue crew members hoisted the backboard and began the trek back to the copter, Jules following in their wake.
"He's going to be ok isn't he Boss?" Spike was trying to keep the pain at bay as the medic poked and prodded him.
"I sure hope so Spike." Greg reassured the younger man and to himself he thought, "because I don't know what Jules would do without him."
Author's note: Not out of the woods yet (sorry for the pun!) Almost there!