WHITE OUT
You can't stand up to the night until you understand what's hiding in its shadows. ~Charles De Lint
These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.
CHAPTER 25
Emily froze in her tracks.
"Can I help you?" Kanda asked feeling very uneasy about the stranger in front of her.
"The only thing you can do is get out of my way," he said as he grabbed her shoulder and shoved her to the side. Kanda had to struggle to keep her feet by grabbing a chair for support.
Apparently, this was the infamous ex-husband they knew little about and suddenly Roy's words of warning were quickly coming back to haunt her. She looked at Emily who was petrified like a statue then to the front door wondering if she could make it to the phone.
It was too late though; the man now had has grip on Emily's arm and was yelling at her.
"Going somewhere?" His tone was harsh and unforgiving.
Emily was stammering for words as her eyes darted between Kanda and him. "Hospital."
It almost sounded more like a question than a statement and Kanda realized with dreadfulness that he was now pulling Emily down the stairs towards his car.
"She's in labor! I need to get her to the hospital!" She started running towards him prepared to do who knows what, but she knew that there was no way Emily could go with him. Somehow she had to stop this from happening.
Emily was now pulling against him her feet scuffling in the gravel without making a dent in his progress. Her arms were flailing and her cries for him to stop went unheard. Falling once he jerked her back up and continued the advance to the passenger door, cursing under his breath the entire way.
Kanda grabbed her arm, trying to pull it from his grip and when that didn't work she tried to pry his fingers loose while she screamed her own curses and threats at him. Panic surged deep inside the closer they got to the car.
Nothing was making a difference, their efforts like trying to stop a freight train with a toy car. Nothing slowed him. Emily was crying, her eyes blinded with tears but clearly begged for help. Kanda looked around for something; anything that she could use against him. But there was nothing so she kept fighting him, clawing and kicking, screaming at the top of her lungs in the cool night air.
When he reached the door his free hand opened it then he proceeded to shove Emily into the seat. Ignoring Kanda, he reached down and pushed Emily's legs inside and was preparing to close the door. Anger and unmitigated terror shook Kanda and without thinking she shoved the door closed with all her strength, right on his hand.
In the same moment that he screamed with pain and fury he took his free hand and swung for Kanda. Focused on Emily she never saw it coming as he impacted the side of her head sending her catapulting backwards over the stone bench that was nestled amongst the flower bed. Landing with a thud her last vision was Emily screaming out the window then darkness took her.
Johnny hung up his jacket and then buttoned up his shirt as Roy finished tying his shoes.
"Sorry we had to rush off last night," Roy said.
Johnny waved him off. "I didn't stay much longer, it was getting late and she looked real tired."
Marco came up behind them as they headed out the door. "It was a great surprise you guys. Kanda did an incredible job."
"Well, once she decides to have a party there's no holding her back. But, Emily really loved that everyone came." Roy said.
"For a minute there I thought we were gonna have to deliver a baby," Mike said with a raise of his eyebrows.
"You and me both Mike!" Marco chimed in.
Chet sauntered up to the conversation. "Well, I don't know nothing 'bout birthing no babies."
"Chet you don't know much about nothing so that's not a big surprise." Johnny jabbed.
"Hey, I know about a lot more than you Johnny boy so don't start up with me."
Roy looked at Mike and they both rolled their eyes knowing perfectly well how glad Chet was to have Johnny back at work. Hank had them lined up for roll call, but before they could even get past the first item of the day the klaxons sounded.
"Station 51, man down. 164 North Clairmont. 164 North Clairmont. Time out 7:04."
"Station 51, 10-4, KMG 365." Hank answered then passed the address to Roy before jogging to the engine.
Roy had questions for Johnny knowing that he was waiting until everyone was gone to give his present to her. He was anxious to find out how it went. His friend hadn't expressed any specific feelings towards Emily except for being protective, but Roy thought that the last few months' things might have progressed a little bit further. However, anytime he approached the subject Johnny clammed up quickly. However, now wasn't the time to think about it and he pulled out the station focused in one direction, his job.
The house was in an older neighborhood and as they pulled up they could see a crowd had already gathered. Roy and Johnny jumped out of the truck and quickly gathered the boxes. As they ran up the driveway they were waved down by a hysterical woman with arms waving and panic in her eyes.
"You have to help him PLEASEEE!" She wailed.
"Where is he?" Johnny asked while at the same time noticing that everyone was looking up.
Straight up.
As the crew looked above their heads they were shocked to see a man dangling, from a tree limb, and a rope, and apparently a power line. He wasn't moving.
"What in the world was he doing?" Johnny asked, always amazed at what he could see.
The poor woman was sobbing. "He told me he knew how to get us cable TV."
Hank shook his head. "Mike, put in a call to the power company to get this grid turned off then grab the power cutters. Marco, grab the extension ladder and some rope buddy." He turned to the medics.
"How do you want to approach this?"
The man appeared to be tangled up in a rope which originated from the end of a large branch of the massive tree. From there his body seemed to be caught between an assortment of cables that ran from the house to the main pole at the street. Roy and Johnny quickly sized up the situation and came up with a game plan.
"Cap, if I can get up to that branch and out to him I think I can lower him down," Johnny said.
"Okay, sounds good." Hank replied.
Roy was cautious. "I'm not exactly sure what is holding him up at this point," he pointed up. "That rope around him is loose. Be careful."
Johnny nodded in agreement. "I should be able to tell more when I'm up there." He placed the belt around himself with rope belay for below. Donning his helmet, having the HT in his pocket, and lastly slinging an extra rope around his shoulder he began the ascent up the ladder. Marco and Chet held tightly as Johnny neared the top and still had to stretch to reach the bottom limb. Working his way from one limb up to the next one he finally reached the one needed. Straddling the branch he began scooting his way out to the end of it. It was as thick as a telephone pole at the base and felt sturdy as he moved along it. When he neared the end of it the first loop of rope was under his hands, but the man's feet were at least another two arm lengths from his position. He paused to watch Mike check the live wire and cut the one that connected to the house.
"You're clear Gage," Hank hollered up.
Knowing the line was now dead he began to straighten out the tangles though it quickly became apparent that was an impossible task because the line at that point was pulled too taunt.
"Roy," he hollered down. "I've gotta get down closer to him to cut him free of this line."
Roy inwardly cringed. A lot could go wrong very quickly here. "Don't move until we have you secured."
Taking the rope he had, he secured himself through the clip, then to the branch dropping the remainder rope down below. Dropping just below the branch he allowed the natural swing of his body to slow down then he pulled himself closer to the limp body and the wires, which also meant closer to the end of the branch. He knew they were no longer live, but that didn't stop the hesitation he had before making first contact. The first body part he could reach was the dangling man's feet. As he lowered a bit at a time he finally reached the man's truck which was not only entwined in the rope but also draped across the wires. Quickly taking off his glove he reached for a pulse and was not surprised to feel nothing.
"No pulse Roy," he called out.
Placing a belt around the man's waist he attached the rope to secure his descent. Now, knowing they were secured from above and below Johnny began working at cutting the rope from around his chest first. When that was finished he worked on the place where the man was linked to the tree, at his feet. When the last one was cut he felt the sudden weight comes towards him. Prepared for it he took the force and held onto the rope. What he didn't expect was the crack in the tree limb that held both their lives.
"Roy, this branch isn't gonna hold us. Get us down fast."
All men backed up the belay rope and worked at getting the pair down quickly. The groaning of the branch now seemed like a megaphone yelling at them to work faster or it would win the race. Johnny held the man close to him as they lowered down, but when they were about ten feet from the ground the final creak resounded through the air and Johnny heard Roy yelling his name as they plummeted to the ground.
Roy ran over as Johnny pushed the man off him and onto the grass. "You okay?"
Johnny sat up, "Yea, I think so."
Mike quickly began CPR as Chet used the resuscitator to provide the man lifesaving breaths. Roy hooked up the monitor while Johnny opened the link to Rampart.
"Squad 51 to Rampart."
Rampart, go ahead 51.
"Rampart we have a male, approximately 45 years old, victim of electrocution. He is in full arrest Rampart. CRP is in progress. Sending you a strip, lead two."
10-4 51. We read v-tach. Shock immediately.
Roy already had the paddles out and charged. The first jolt through the man's body did nothing and again Roy shocked him.
Sinus rhythm 51. Begin an IV of lactated ringers and transport immediately.
"10-4 Rampart. Lactated ringers and transport. Ambulance is on the scene."
Roy got the IV started while Johnny reassessed vital signs. He watched Johnny get up off the ground and noted the catch in his leg. "You okay?"
"Yea, I made sure to not land on it." He knew exactly what his partner was thinking and was secretly grateful the man kept a nice plush lawn to cushion the fall. They loaded up the patient and quickly headed to Rampart.
Johnny came out of the exam room to find Roy leaning against the desk talking to Dixie.
"Well?" Dixie asked.
Johnny patted his chest. "Fit as a fiddle."
"Sounds like a pretty nasty fall you took," she said as she eyed him closely.
"Trust me Dix, after all I went through, I protected the leg." Of course he left out the part where he put his body between the patient and the ground.
"You better. You used up your allotted time last visit."
"That's fine with me cause this body doesn't expect to go through that ever again."
"Roy?"
They all looked up to see Kaila come down the hall.
"Hey Kaila," Johnny said with a big smile. Emily liked her so that made her okay in Johnny's book. "Busy today?"
"Well, I thought I might be."
"Why's that?" Roy asked as he sipped on some coffee.
"Kanda called me a couple of hours ago saying she was leaving the house to come to the hospital because Emily was contracting, but they never showed up."
Roy put his coffee down. "What do you mean they never showed up?"
Kaila shrugged. "I just figured the contractions stopped and they changed their mind."
Roy and Johnny's eyes met and Johnny picked up the phone at the desk.
"No answer." He dialed the number into the barn office next. "Manny? Hey it's Johnny. Can you tell me if Kanda and Emily are home? Okay, thanks." He cupped his hand over the receiver, "he's checking, said the Rover's still there."
Roy relaxed a bit hearing the truck was still there. He suspected they changed their minds and went back to bed forgetting to call back.
"Yea. WHAT?" Johnny stood up straight and got real intense in his tone. Suddenly he looked at Roy while he talked.
"Listen to me Manny, don't move her, call the police and an ambulance and we're on the way."
He slammed the phone down to see the shocked eyes staring at him. "He found Kanda outside, she's unconscious and bleeding." He struggled to keep his voice under control. "And Emily's missing."
Roy called into dispatch as they ran down the hall towards the squad. "51 responding to a still alarm, 4590 Ranch Creek Road, woman down, ambulance and police responding. Dispatch engine 51."
Behind they left an anxious ER staff who knew they would soon receive a call about someone they all knew and cared for. As they jumped into the squad and headed out to the ranch the friends looked at each other with dread and fear at what they would find when they arrived.
"If he touched them," Roy whispered.
"We don't know what's happened yet Roy." He understood the worry, tension and even anger.
"She called Kaila over two hours ago."
"I know Roy, I know."
He raced down the roads that he knew like the back of his hand as his heart seemed to pound out of his chest. When they turned down the drive they heard the distant sirens of the engine as it got closer to them. Manuel was waving at them and Roy had to remember to put the truck in park before jumping out. They forced themselves to get the equipment out before rushing to her side. She was fairly hidden from view, behind a stone bench and surrounded by flowers.
Roy reached her first.
His heart sank. She lay crumpled on her side, still unconscious and her face was covered in blood. He reached for a pulse and thanked God when there was one there. Johnny set up the bio phone then put the blood pressure cuff on her arm. They didn't even see Hank and the crew run up.
"Chet, get um a C-collar and backboard. Mike, make sure the police are on the way." Hank worried about the two medics as they worked on someone so precious and dear to them both, actually to them all.
He knelt down beside Roy. "How is she?"
Roy shook his head sadly. "Looks bad Cap, but can't tell until we clean her up some."
"Emily?" Hank asked.
Again Roy shook a negative. "Manuel said he couldn't find her."
"Rampart this is squad 51, how do you read?"
Go ahead 51. The voice was Joe Early's, but they suspected the other end held more than one concerned friend.
"Rampart we have a female victim, aged 28. She has been assaulted with the only apparent injury being a blow to the head with a large laceration at the right temple. There has been moderate blood loss Rampart. She is unresponsive to stimulation. Blood pressure is 90/50, pulse 130, respirations 20 and shallow."
"Kanda?" Roy gently called to her. "Can you wake up for me?" He gently stroked her hair as he spoke softly to her.
Johnny watched Roy struggle to keep his emotions in check as he stabilized her neck and started the IV. His own emotions were becoming angrier at who had done this and God only knew what had happened to Emily.
Chet placed the oxygen on her as he gently brushed the bloody hair from her face. "Come on Kanda, you're gonna be okay. We got ya now," he whispered.
"How's is she Roy?"
Roy looked up to see an officer leaning over them. "Hard to say right now." That was about all he could get out. His next query sent as much pain through him as looking at the one he loved. "Emily?"
The officer shook his head. "There was no forcible entry into the house and we found a suitcase still sitting on the front porch." He saw the anguish in the medic's red watery eyes. "We'll find her Roy."
"I hope so."
The ambulance pulled up and as they loaded her up Hank came up behind them. "You both ride in. We'll be right behind you."
Words couldn't express their thanks because neither wanted to leave her side. Johnny sat beside her while Roy sat at the head of her bed. Soft words were exchanged along with heavy worry as she remained unresponsive to what they did for her.
Unloading into the ER bay was even sadder as the faces of Brackett, Early, and Dixie greeted them at the doors ready to work.
"Vitals Dix," Kel ordered even though she was already on it.
"BP 100/60, pulse 120, respirations 22."
Joe worked on his neuro exam with pupil and reflexes checked. "Pupils are equal and sluggish."
They stood together at the x-ray board as they reviewed the films. Johnny and Roy had remained silent in the wings as the trauma team worked to stabilize her. When Kel gestured to them they joined the doctors to find out what the verdict was.
"There's no fracture, which is amazing considering the apparent impact she took. I've got the laceration sewn up and we're giving her some blood to replace what she lost. That should stabilize her blood pressure." He returned to her side.
Roy stood at the head of her bed, his fingers running through her hair. "Doc, why won't she wake up?"
"All the studies look good Roy. Let's give her some time."
As they settled her into a room everyone moved into the doctor's lounge to find two police officers with Hank and the crew.
"Vince?" Johnny asked with a voice so tired and weary as he felt the battle between tears and pure rage.
"We followed up on the lead you gave us Roy and you were right. He's missing too, his place has been cleared out and no one has heard from him."
Roy sat down with his head in his hands. "We have to find her."
"We put out an APB on him and the car and they are tracking down his relatives to try and figure out where he would have taken her. Everyone is on this Roy, we'll find them."
"In time?" Johnny asked.
Vince looked determined. "We're doing everything in our power Johnny. Don't give up."
Johnny shook his head. "Never." For him, this was just the beginning.