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Chapter 21

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"They're on the way, Sir," Bell knelt beside Lewis. He pet the stray dog massaging her ears. She still laid down at the bottom of the crumpled wall. "How's he doing?" Bell asked.

"I can see his hand, but not much else," Lewis fumed. "What's taking them so bloody long?" He knew not much time lapsed since they arrived at the old airfield, but he felt the need to vent.

Lewis could hear sirens and throbbing sound of an approaching helicopter. "They're arriving now. I'll be right back," Bell slipped through the small opening with ease.

"They're here, James," Lewis called to his friend. He smiled at the dog, she perked her ears and tilted her head. Lewis heard too. "JAMES, I'm right here," he heard James calling his name.

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James could hear voices, he thought he heard Lewis calling his name, but he was not sure if he was dreaming. If he was dreaming, the dream was very painful. He tried to call to them, but the words would not leave his body. His throat was too dry and each time he took a shallow breath to call out a cough would come.

The pain was starting to come back with vengeance. He hurt everywhere, especially his legs. At least he had pain, the pain told James he was alive. He tried again to call, this time he heard a weak voice speaking, his own voice.

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"In here, Sir," PC Bell directed a member of the local fire brigade into the area Lewis was waiting. Bell entered through the opening with experienced ease. "Sir, the brigade is here and a rescue team from London has also arrived. The team was training in Faringdon." The news was encouraging to Lewis.

The brigade captain poked his head through the hole and surveyed the surroundings. He quickly left and a small man with a large duffel style bag entered.

"DI Lewis, I'm Dr. Kevin Small," he introduced himself. He noticed the scruffy dog laying near the debris."Hey girl, did she find him?" He petted the dog affectionately.

"She led me to James," Lewis replied. "He's under that pile. We could hear him talk just a second ago. I know James is still alive."

"Good girl. Man's best friend," Small rubbed the dog and reached into his pocket and offered a piece of beef jerky to the dog. She eagerly took the beef but did not eat. She held the treat in her mouth waiting. "Go ahead girl you did your job now eat your reward." The dog quickly ate her beef reward and licked Small's hand, then she laid back down and whimpered.

"We'll get James out, Mr. Lewis. That is what we're trained to do," Small said as he inspected what was left of the crumbled wall. He crawled around the bottom of the pile burying James. All the time reporting through a headset his findings to someone outside.

Another person entered through the small opening, he looked around and made his way to Lewis. "DI Lewis, I'm Randell Bell, Rowan's brother," the newcomer appraised Lewis on what the team was doing to help James. "We need to get you and the puppy out of here to make more room for the other team members."

Lewis started to protest but Randell continued, "Small has a head cam. What he sees we see on monitors in our truck. He will place a speaker so your friend, James can hear your voice. Hearing a familiar voice keeps the victims spirits up and helps them to relax until we can get them out." The information was starting to become overwhelming to Lewis.

"Come on, Sir," PC Bell motioned for Lewis to follow. "They've enlarged the opening so you'll be able to slip through with no trouble, Sir."

"We'll follow you out, Sir," Randell held onto the dog waiting for Lewis to crawl easily through the opening. "Your turn, Girl." He gently pushed the dog through the opening into Lewis' arms.

Once outside Lewis was surprised to see how late the day had became. The old airfield was alive with fire trucks, ambulances, search and rescue vehicles, police cars and a helicopter waited on the old runway. And of course the ever persistent press was nosing around behind the police barricade. He could not see any sign of Innocent nor MacGim.

Lewis looked around at all the people that had arrived while he was inside the abandoned hut. Some people were inspecting the old Quonset hut others were waiting for orders. Many were setting up emergency equipment and generators. The generators would soon be needed to illuminate the area after dark.

Someone handed him a leash that had been place around the dog. Lewis looked at the scruffy puppy and realized the dog looked as sad and lonely as he felt. "He'll be okay, Girl. They'll get James out," he talked to the dog but he also needed to hear those words.

Randell placed his hand gently onto Lewis' elbow and steered him toward a large motorhome. The back end of the motorhome was opened, forming a ramp into the mobile command post. The large home on wheels was larger this his place. Several people were inside working: flipping switches, turning dials, writing, looking at blueprints, adjusting monitors and more. Lewis felt dizzy looking at all the commotion.

"We can sit in here," Randell escorted Lewis and the dog to a booth and table at one end of the motorhome. He handed Lewis a bottle of water from an icebox and package of crackers. He then reached for a bowl to give some water to the dog that settled at Lewis' feet. "Here you go Girl." The dog lapped the water up quenching her thirst.

Randell placed a laptop computer in front of Lewis and a headset. "You can see and hear what Dr. Small is doing. Press this button and James can hear your voice," Randell explained. "However, be very careful what you say. He might misunderstand and take something you say the wrong way causing more harm than good. If we feel James is getting upset from your conversation, then they can cut the mic." Randell pointed to a man sitting at another computer monitor.

Lewis was emotionally and physically exhausted. He sat quietly watching the computer monitor hoping for any glimpse of Hathaway. He was concentrating on Dr. Smith's cam feed that he failed to notice when Innocent, Hobson and MacGim arrived.

"Robbie, we need to talk," Innocent always sounded serious when she needed to talk.

"Not now," was all he said. He could hear Dr. Smith talking to James. Lewis listened hoping to hear James' voice again.

"This is serious, Lewis," she sternly told him. "We need to talk now."

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