Suddenly, the woods surrounding the camp area exploded with people as, guns drawn, Lt. Crockett's team subdued Westin and his gang.
"Oh my God! Get Kel over here! Quickly! Oh Mike, My God, what did they do to you?" Hank gasped, as he ran over to his second in command and best friend.
There was virtually no area on Mike's body that wasn't badly brutalized, from wrists that were raw and bloody, to heavily abraded feet from being dragged. Especially sickening was his back, with strips of skin literally hanging off of it, plus the already abused genital and rectal areas.
Kel came running up, and after a stream of expletives, called for Roy and Joe Early. Roy was sent to check on his three crewmates, while Kel and Joe cared for Mike, with assist from Squad 51's paramedics Charlie Dwyer and Brian Allen. "Okay, let's get the backboard and sterile sheets under him before we lower him." Kel ordered. He stepped closer to Mike and said, "Mike, it's me, Kel. Hank, Joe Early, and Roy are all here. It's over now. The police are here, too, see Vince? You're safe now, we've got you." He said, as Mike's body was gently lowered to the sheets, and the cuffs removed.
Mike's head lifted slightly, and he whispered, "Kel? Is...it really...you?" "Yes, Mike, it's me. You're safe now." "Kel... please, it...hurts so bad. Why?" Mike whispered again, searching Kel's face as he asked the question again, "Why?"
"Why what, Mike? What do you need to know?" Kel queried. "Why did I get punished? Was I a bad boy?" And with that, Mike's eyes rolled back in his head and he became unconscious.
While Brackett and Early were tending Mike, Roy was over checking on his crewmates. "Roy, we're okay, couple of bruises, nothing serious. Help the docs with Mike. He's the worst off." Marco said.
"Why did he get it so bad, and you guys escaped it?" Roy questioned.
"Mike made a deal with Westin. If we were left alone, then Westin and his guys could all do... whatever they wanted with Mike." Marco explained, voice breaking. "Westin 'punished' Mike every time WE did something wrong. Roy, it's all my fault!" John sobbed.
"No, it's nobody's fault. Westin was a psycho who hated Mike and wanted him to suffer horribly." Cap stated, helping his men to stand up. "You guys able to walk? Need help?"
"Just some water for now, Cap," Chet said, "And we need to see Mike, make sure he's still... alive." He croaked out as tears formed in his eyes. "We need to tell him how sorry we are."
"Come over here, fellas. Mike is passed out right now, but you can see he's breathing, and you can hear the monitor tell you his heart is beating. We're calling in Copter 10 to transport him to Rampart. Kel's going with him, and I'll go with you guys by ambulance to get you checked out, okay?" Joe Early said.
"Okay, let me talk to Kel a minute." John said, as he knelt down by Mike's body, now wrapped in sterile sheets and on a backboard. Two IV's dripped life-giving fluids and blood, and Mike had an O2 mask over his nose and mouth. "Kel, I need to tell you everything they did to him." John said quietly. Kel looked up at John, his expression one of compassion. "Go on." "Kel, they beat him with a leather belt at least twenty-six times, they used him as a personal punching bag, they bit, scratched, and bruised him, pulled his hair until his scalp bled, and raped him all night long last night. Kel, they, they, also raped his throat. HIS THROAT! It's abraded and swollen. They tied a rope around his neck and strangled him! God, Kel, every time we did something Westin didn't like, they took it out on him! Oh, Mikey, please, please don't die, and please forgive us!"
John was sobbing by this time, as were Chet and Marco, when he felt a feather-light touch on his knee. Looking up through tear-filled eyes, he locked gazes with his friend, brother, and fellow firefighter. "Johnnn...don't worry...I'm not going to...die, and...there is nothing...to forgive...And that goes...for you guys too...Chet and Marco...You're my...brothers, and...I love you." With that said, Mike's eyes closed, and his breathing started to become more shallow, before stopping altogether. Horrified eyes turned to the heart monitor, which suddenly went to a straight line.