STORM RIDERS
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.
We have a secret in our culture, and it's not that birth is painful. It's that women are strong. ~Laura Stavoe Harm
A/N: Thank you so much guys! Love hearing from you. Our night continues for the boys. Let me know what you think.
CHAPTER 37
The chain looped around some of the thicker branches and as Mike backed up the truck, the tree began to move. Marco stood to the side, guiding him down the dark, flooded road as it began to swing around. What he didn't expect was the momentum of the water that lifted it just enough off the ground, that it went right for him.
"MARCO!"
Mike jumped out of the truck and ran over to the man who was floundering in the deeper water, having been knocked down by the tree trunk. Reaching down, he took the extended hand and helped pull him to his feet.
"Are you okay?"
Nick was now at their side also. "What happened?"
"I tried to move, but wasn't fast enough," Marco chuckled. "I'm okay, I think I'm okay." He tried to move his right shoulder around, but the pain didn't allow it.
"Shoulder?"
"Yea, I think it's just bruised, doesn't feel dislocated."
"Enough of this tree, time to get everyone moved to Roy, including you," Nick told them.
Back at the house, Nick loaded up Brian, Suzanne, SJ, and Meghan with him. That left the three smaller children to ride with Marco, and Mike had his pharmacy list from Roy.
"I should go with you," Marco told him.
Mike shook his head. "It's not that far, and I'll be fine.
"I'll be right back," Nick promised MaryAnn.
She just smiled. "You better. But, make sure they're okay over there. Roy really has a lot on him right now."
"I will."
"Young man?"
Mike looked down at Mrs. Rose. "Yes, ma'am."
"What is your name?"
"Mike, ma'am. Mike Stoker."
"And you're a fireman also?"
"Yes, I work with Johnny and Roy."
She nodded, squinting her eyes and studying him closely.
"Are you a good man?"
Mike looked over to MaryAnn and Marco who were quietly chuckling in the kitchen.
"Uh, yes, I think I am."
"Next week. Come and see me please."
Mike was confused but also a little scared. He'd heard plenty of Mrs. Rose tales. "Yes, ma'am."
She patted his arm. "Good. Now, you can go." Turning she sat down at the couch and pulled the small blanket over her legs.
The other finally emerged from the kitchen.
"You were a lot of help," Mike muttered to Marco.
"Zone of safety, man, zone of safety."
He followed the light, literally and almost cried when the Whispering Pines sign flashed in his headlights. Pulling up to the front door his horn was blaring full blast. What surprised him was to see Mike and Marco coming out the front door to see what was going on.
"The baby is coming!" He yelled.
MaryAnn followed the boys down the stairs to the car. She smiled at him. "Babies come every day, take a deep breath papa."
He shook his head as he opened the back door. "No, somethings wrong."
A quick glance and MaryAnn got busy with directions. "You boys get her into my office, gently, be very gentle with her. I'll get the supplies." She rubbed Robin's knee. "Deep breaths momma, no more pushing until I say so, okay? He's coming out backward, but he'll still be here soon."
Mike and Vic helped Robin out of the car as she cried out with the contractions, now unable to push against the overwhelming pressure she was feeling. They scooped her up with a side carry and took her inside, heading straight back to MaryAnn's office which held a soft exam table to work with the children for therapy.
"Easy does it, momma, that's it. Now, lay back for me and let me see what's going on here."
She turned to Mike. "I need Roy or Johnny. Right. Now." Then she turned to Vic. "I need you to get the hospital on the radio right away. It's in the den. I need one of the doctors to talk me through this."
His eyes got wide. "You don't know what to do?"
She smiled softly at him. "Vic, I know how to deliver babies. But this little one isn't coming out normal. So, let's get a helping hand on the radio to talk us through this. Now, please, he's not going to wait on us."
He nodded and disappeared around the corner.
When Robin screamed, Mike turned around. "Marco!"
When he came running around the corner with his arm full of towels, it was a scene from a nightmare. A woman on the exam table, who he didn't know at all, was screaming with another woman who he had just recently met standing between her legs. Both had blood on them. Too much blood.
"Who has birthing experience?" MaryAnn looked at them.
They both shook their heads. But she decided to go with the one that looked the least terrified.
"Well, Marco, we're having a baby. I need one of those towels over there." She pointed just out of reach to a stack of blue surgical towels behind her. "Vic?"
Vic came running around the corner. "The only person I could reach was a nurse. She said she'd have to find a doctor."
"Mike, go call Roy, I need him now. Nick should be there by now and can bring him back."
Marco handed her the towel and looked down at the two tiny legs coming first into the world.
"You can't stop now, Robin. I need you to keep pushing." She waved over to Marco. "Stand beside her, I might need some help with pressure from above."
Marco nodded even though he had no idea what he was doing. "Roy could be here fast."
"I am well aware of that, but we don't have time. This baby has to come out now."
The next group of patients arrived, and Roy met them at the door. Brian looked a little shaky with the travel but denied any chest pain, just appearing exhausted. Thomas took him and Suzanne to the guest bedroom to rest. Dillon was standing there with him and took Sara Jane, giving her a big hug.
"Bring her over here," Roy directed him to a cot near the fireplace.
"Is she okay?"
Roy listened to her lungs, concerned with her fast breathing and coughing. "Her lungs are a little wet." Her color was pale pink, and while she was awake, she was very quiet. He smiled at her. "Are you tired, sweetie?"
She nodded yes and closed her eyes, pressed against her daddy's chest.
Roy patted Dillon's shoulder. "I'd like to give her some IV fluids in just a little bit."
"What about oxygen, do you think she needs that?"
Yes, he thought to himself. "When Johnny gets back with it, we'll start her on some, okay. Keep her by the fire and warm. I'll be back."
He found the preteen girl sitting with Suzanne, reading a book. "Hi, I'm Roy, and you're Meghan, right?"
She nodded.
"Did you bring your insulin with you?"
She passed him the vial. "I took it this morning and at dinnertime, but I didn't eat, and my blood sugar dropped very low. Grace gave me my sugar pack."
"Grace?" Suzanne said with great surprise.
Roy watched the shock cross the young girl's features, she had slipped up. Luckily, Brian was in the restroom and out of earshot.
"Please, don't tell him, please," Meghan started to tear up. "I don't want him to hurt her."
Suzanne's mouth dropped open, she was speechless. "Honey, he wouldn't hurt her."
"He's mean to her, yells at her and pushes her down. I don't want her to get hurt anymore, please, please don't tell."
The grandmother's eyes teared up. "I didn't know." She looked up to Roy. "I didn't know it had gotten that bad." She pulled Meghan close to her. "I won't tell, I promise. It's our secret."
"I'm going to put your insulin in the refrigerator. Ruth knows that you need a snack before you go to sleep. You have to eat," Roy told her.
"Yes, sir, I will."
He smiled. "Okay. I'll check on you later."
Standing up, Roy paused for a moment, feeling shaky and unsteady. Heading straight to the bathroom, he quickly closed the door and threw up.
Nick stood in the kitchen shaking his head at the endless sea of cots that had taken over the residence since he was last there. "Is there anything we can bring you?"
Roy came down the stairs, to join Nick and Hank. "No more patients?" He joked but wasn't joking. He was pleading by now.
Hank looked up, then stepped towards him. "Roy, are you okay?"
He put some water in a glass and took a couple of drinks. "Yea, I'm fine. The new ones are okay, but I'm worried about the toddler, SJ. I need to get her on some IV fluids and oxygen as soon as possible."
Hank just nodded, still worried.
"Do you have the O2 tank?" Roy asked.
"It's in the truck with Marco, he should be right behind me."
Roy nodded. Finally. Now to get some IV orders.
"RUP45W to ECHO11R, do you read?"
There was no response.
"RUP45W to ECHO11R, do you read?"
Roy looked over to Hank who looked just as concerned.
Static came over the radio. This is Skyview ER, who is this?
"This is Roy DeSoto, at the Webber ranch, may I ask who this is?"
Roy, I thought it was you. This is Elise.
The name sounded familiar, he thought she had been one of the nurses who cared for Johnny when he was in the ICU. "Elise, I need to talk to Ferrin right away."
There was another pause.
Isn't he there with you?
"No, why would he be here? The bridge is out."
He left with some supplies and was headed to you.
"When? When did he leave?"
After the last transmission with you. He had the Digoxin and Lasix, and a couple of tanks of oxygen.
Hank was livid. "He did what!?"
"Elise, he never made it here. Is there another doctor I can talk to?"
Not right now. I can get one from upstairs for you.
"Yes, I need a doctor to work with. Call me back when you find one. RUP45W out."
Roy slammed the mic down, then turned around. "Now what?"
Whisper104 to RUP45W, this is an emergency, do you read?
Roy recognized Mike's voice and the not hidden panic behind it.
"RUP45W, the is Roy, what's wrong Mike?"
We have a woman in labor, hard, active labor. She's breech, and the baby is coming. She's bleeding a lot Roy, and MaryAnn can't reach anyone at the hospital. We need you right now. NOW.
He looked up to Hank. "I have to go."
Hank started shaking his head. "No, no, you can't go anywhere." Chet and Johnny were still missing with no word, and the only doctor was unconscious. No. Absolutely not, he was putting his foot down on this one. "You have patients here."
"Patients I can't do anything for anyone without a doctor in the ER. But, I can help MaryAnn deliver this baby." He picked the mic back up. "Whisper104. On the way."
Hurry Roy, it's bad.
His only thought was, this was Grace. She was in trouble, and neither Johnny nor Karl were here. He couldn't abandon her. He and Nick headed to the door. With a last look to a nearly panicked Hank, he nodded.
"I'll be right back. I promise."
Grace put Maji in a stall with some hay and water, knowing he was just as exhausted as she was by now. Having made it to Johnny's, she found Thunder in his stall, happy and content and the fireman's truck gone. Obviously, he wasn't here and figured that most likely he was at the Webbers. It would be nice to know for sure that he was alright, but she'd have to leave that up to Karl to check on him.
She was sitting on a pile of hay, just resting when she heard the sound of a truck pull down the gravel drive. Letting out a sigh, she knew she'd have to get up now that Johnny was home, but her aching back wasn't letting her move very fast. It surprised her when the barn door opened, and Karl walked through.
"Where in the hell have you been?! I have been from one end of this county to the other looking for you," he barked at her. Then his features softened, seeing her looking weary sitting on the ground. "Are you okay?"
She smiled and nodded, then patted the hay beside her. He looked just worn out as she felt.
Taking up the offer, he slid down the wood wall, landing right next to her. She leaned over, resting her head on his shoulder. Slipping his arm around her, he pulled her closer and kissed her hair.
"You had me worried sick."
She didn't answer, just nuzzled closer to him.
"Everywhere I went there was some story about the mystery woman on a horse," he chuckled. "Did you feel the need to save everyone tonight?"
"The important ones, yes."
He laid his head on hers. "You're the most important one to me. Please retire for the night."
This time, she laughed. "You're so bossy."
"Well, someone has to be bossy. You don't listen to anyone."
Her head snapped up. "I'm not a child to do as I'm told."
He cocked his head. "I know that I just want, well, I need you to take care of you and him." Reaching around he rubbed her belly.
"She has helped me all night, been quite the trooper. Do you know where Johnny is?"
He nodded. "He was headed to my place last I heard. The house is full of sick and injured. He and Roy have a mini hospital set up there. It's really pretty amazing."
He was somewhere safe. That was all she needed to know. Lying back, she put her head in his lap, looking up to see him. "What are you doing out this way then?"
Pushing the wet curls from her face, he let his fingers trace her hairline. "Ran into Nick who was taking a tree apart, he figured you'd head this way."
"Let's just stay here."
He looked around. "It's a little cold in here, don't you think?"
She smiled at him. "You can warm me up."
He chuckled. "Yes, because we both have that much energy right now. Come on, I'll drive you to MaryAnn's. A nice warm bath and bedtime for you."
She frowned, but sat up, allowing him to stand. Reaching down, he took her hands and helped her to her feet. Now, she was feeling the day. Pressing her hands into her back, she stretched and moaned.
Reaching around he gently rubbed it. "See what happens when you don't listen."
"See what happens when you get bossy?" She answered then turned and walked over to Maji.
"Oh, no you're not. He's fine here. You're riding with me."
Her head snapped around. "I'm not leaving him here."
Karl nodded. "Yes, you are."
Her jaw clamped down, and while that should have been a strong warning to him, he was well prepared to pick her up and carry her to MaryAnn's if that's what it took. Ignoring him, she opened up the stall door and took Maji's reins.
"Grace Elizabeth, are you even listening to me?"
She smiled, where he couldn't see her, then turned around with a stern look. "Hearing you and listening to you are two different things, Deputy." She pushed past him, or at least she tried.
Karl stood his ground. "No more riding, Grace. Get in the truck."
Now, she was mad. "Get out of my way!" She snapped at him. "I'm so tired of everyone telling me what to do and where to go. Including YOU!"
Her eruption of anger surprised him. How did they go from sass to full-blown anger so quick? "Grace!"
Before she could consider answering him, his radio squawked.
Karl, do you read?
He recognized the dispatcher's voice right away. "I read you."
They have someone down in the River, out by Bowman's Feed. Calling for assistance.
"10-4, on my way."
In that moment of distraction, Grace was already mounted up, not even taking the time to walk Maji out of the barn first.
"Grace," he started to say.
"You have somewhere to be."
"Please go straight to MaryAnn's."
The 'please' made her soften just a bit. "I'm going." She was still mad though, and with a nudge, she headed to the door.
He shook his head. "Hormones," he reminded himself.
"I heard that!" She snapped before disappearing back into the dark rainy night.
Wrapping the blue towel around the little legs, MaryAnn grasped them in her hand firmly. "Come on now Robin, PUSH!"
The woman pushed with all her might and Marco watched the hips, trunk then shoulders emerge.
"One more big push, Robin, and this big boy will be here."
She slipped her fingers along the neck of the baby, feeling for his head position. "PUSH!"
Robin cried and reached out for Vic, who went to her side, now feeling helpless. Her other hand grabbed Marco's hand, and he began encouraging her, "push, mama! empuje!"
"That's it, Robin, take a breath and push again."
Marco watched her keep moving her hand around the head, trying to get it to move past the tight ring and out into the world. One thing he knew, from watching Johnny and Roy, was that breech deliveries were fraught with danger. The head coming out first paved the way with everything that followed smaller, and easy to come out. The head coming out last, well, it was a worst-case scenario. MaryAnn was staying calm, but he could see the sweat on her forehead and the fear in her expression.
The baby wasn't moving.
Robin kept crying.
MaryAnn moved up, closer to her. "Robin, look at me, honey. Look at me."
Robin opened her eyes and looked at her.
"He's not here all the way yet, your work isn't done. We have to get him out, right now. I need you to take a deep breath and push with everything you have."
Robin nodded.
"It's time to push."
Marco looked at the limp baby in her hands, his heart skipped a beat as he quickly looked at Vic. The husband was in a state of panic himself, but was right with her, encouraging her.
"PUSH ROBIN!" MaryAnn said as she slid her finger into the baby's mouth, to guide him out. "PUSH!"
With a final yell, the baby was born, and a horrifying silence filled the air. Marco immediately let go of her hand and stepped down to MaryAnn, watching her cut the cord of the blue limp newborn.
"Why isn't he crying?" Robin said through her tears.
Vic already looked grief-stricken, seeing the lifeless baby.
MaryAnn took a towel and quickly dried him off, wiping out the fluid from his mouth. Leaning down, she gave him several mouth to mouth breaths. Marco knelt beside her and place his fingers on the small chest and began compressions. For the next minute, they worked together doing CPR on the small baby.
"MY BABY!" Robin kept crying, as Vic just wrapped his arms around her and cried with her. "Please!"
Suddenly, the baby started breathing, and MaryAnn almost cried. She reached for a pulse. "It's getting stronger." She continued to stimulate the baby. "Come on, little one, come on."
The baby didn't cry yet, but he did start to breath deeper and more often. She wrapped him up in a blanket and placed him on Robin's chest. "Talk to him momma, talk to him. Marco, grab that oxygen tank and blow it in his face."
Robin sobbed as she stroked her baby boy's thick dark hair. "I love you so much, Dustin." Vic cried with her. With the oxygen flow, his color improved to a nice pink. Then his eye's opened, and he let the world know of his arrival.
"She's a warrior, Vic," she said patting his arm. "A true warrior. Congratulations."
After making her more comfortable, Marco and MaryAnn headed back into the living room to find Roy standing with Mike.
"When did you get here?" Marco asked.
Roy smiled. "Just in time to hear a crying baby."
"Right, after all the hard work was done," he teased his friend. "You've been hanging around Johnny too long."
Roy followed MaryAnn back to her office.
"Thank you for coming, Roy."
He looked up to see the tears in her eyes. "Is everything okay?" He glanced back to the other room.
"It wasn't, but I think it is now. Can you check on them for me?"
He nodded. "Of course. What happened?"
MaryAnn filled him in on the birth. His eyes widened.
"I know," she told him. "I'm still shaking."
He took her hand. "It sounds like you saved that baby's life."
"A lot of people in the mountains are afraid of doctors, and I learned a long time ago that being trained to deliver babies gave them a better chance of not dying in childbirth. Of course, I spend most of my time encouraging them to go to the hospital, but in most of those cases, they are already set in their mind to not leave home. And then I gave them the best care I could. But this, this reminded me why I stopped."
She started to cry again.
Roy nodded and took her hand. Services like hers saved lives. "Let's go check on them."
Roy followed her into meet Robin, and their new addition, baby Dustin. Robin was doing well, and her bleeding had slowed down to normal. Her pressure was a little low, but not surprising with the earlier blood loss and the rough delivery. Vic, the proud father, couldn't stop smiling and thanking everyone for being there for them. The baby was pink and breathing easily.
"What do you think?" MaryAnn asked him nervously.
"I'll get him moved and warmed up, some IV fluids, but he looks good."
She shook her head. "It took us too long, didn't it? To get him back."
"We don't know that. His color is good, he's breathing, and his heart rate is stable. Let's give him some recovery time."
"Roy? If you don't need me, I'm going to head out."
Already, he regretted asking Mike to do this errand. "The roads are bad. If you hit a roadblock, just come back."
Mike nodded. "Johnny and Chet back?"
Roy shook his head. "And no word from them either."
He was surprised. "Where could they be?"
"Johnny?" Vic asked, coming around the corner.
Roy nodded.
"Yea, I saw him on the way here. He was in his truck."
"When?" Roy asked.
"I don't know, about an hour ago. We saw him back towards his place. He was headed to you, had the Webber boy with him, he was hurt."
"With Chet too."
Vic shook his head. "It was just the two of them."
Mike and Roy exchanged looks. "He should have been back a while ago," Roy said. And where was Chet?
Now he was even more hesitant to send Mike back out into the mess. Mike could read his mind.
"I'm fine." He turned and headed out the door.
"Okay, Marco, let's get them moved out."
They were greeted immediately at the door with plenty of hands to move the new patients in and get them comfortable. Roy updated Hank on the newest status of their missing friends.
Hank shook his head. "Suggestions?"
"I vote we stay put. We can put a call into Karl and give him a heads up. He can keep an eye out for him. Right now, I've got to try and find a doctor to update."
"ECHO11R this is RUP45W, do you read?"
This is ECHO11R, who is this?
Another new voice.
"This is Roy DeSoto, I need to speak to Dr. Ferrin."
Mr. DeSoto, this is Dr. Ingle. Dr. Ferrin isn't here.
"He hasn't come back?"
No, why are you on this emergency frequency?
Roy closed his eyes for a moment and calmed his rising anger. "I am a paramedic out at Earl Webbers. I have a house of injured people, and I need to speak with a doctor."
I don't know anything about what you are doing. But I hope you are not practicing medicine out there.
The voice was angry now. Almost as angry as Roy was feeling.
"May I speak with one of the nurses please."
The line went dead.
He wanted to punch a wall, something.
"What now?" Hank asked him.
"I need to get Rampart on the radio, but I can't do it without their help."
"What about going through the fire department?"
Roy nodded. He quickly looked up the call sign, from the list on the desk.
Captain Marks immediately put the call through to Rampart General, getting Brackett on the line. He then connected him to Roy. The medic didn't even know where to start.
"Doc, this is DeSoto. I'm out here in Sierra Grand, near Johnny's place. We're trapped in by flooding, and I have a house full of injured and sick. Dr. Ferrin said that Johnny and I had been given emergency privileges to care for those trapped by the storm and can't access the hospital. The problem is, Ferrin is now missing, and the replacement doctor at the hospital doesn't know us and won't even talk to me. Doc, I need help out here."
Tell me what you have, Roy.
When he hung up, he felt the best about the situation since it started. Brackett, who also had been granted local hospital privileges due to the upcoming training program, would take full responsibility for the medics. He even had the radio sign to reach Rampart directly. He just had to have a doctor willing and able to work with him. There was none better than the doctors at Rampart that knew them so well.
With a list of new orders, he turned around to see Marco and Hank waiting.
"We can do this." Then he looked at Marco and suddenly felt like a horrible human being. "Marco, I'm sorry." He stood up and approached him.
"It's okay, Roy. You've been a little busy."
"Here, sit down and let me check your shoulder."
"What can we do to help you?" Hank asked.
Roy passed him the notes. "If anyone needs me to do something, if you guys could gather the supplies, I'd really appreciate it."
"Of course." Hank took the list and tore it half, handing the other half to Dillon. "Marco, you're out for now. Get some rest."
"Okay, Cap."
"I think you're okay. I don't think it's dislocated, but it feels stiff. So, let's find you a sling and an ice pack." Roy told him.
Roy started moving from patient to patient, starting with his most concerning first. Taking vital signs on Eli, he listened to his lungs and heart sounds.
"Roy?" His voice was weak.
"Hey," he gave him a smile. "Welcome back."
"What happened?" He was having trouble keeping his eyes open. "Did I?"
Roy nodded. "Yea, you had a heart attack, doc. I need you to take it easy okay?"
"Lily, is she here?"
Roy shook his head. "We've not heard from her. Do you know where she might be?"
The man closed his eyes again and drifted back into darkness.
Supplies were waiting at SJ's bedside so he could start an IV on her. It was a trying process as she cried and fought against him, which just made her cough more. Dillon held her and calmed her by singing softly into her ear. By the time the IV was taped down and secure, she was back to sleep. Roy patted her on the back gently.
"She's doing great."
Dillon nodded his thanks and continued to rock her.
David was resting. Roy gave his antibiotics, changed his leg dressing and made sure his foot looked okay. His heart rate was a little high, as was his temperature, along with his blood pressure was struggling to stay up. He knew the risk for infection was high, but for now, there wasn't anything more he could do for him.
His last critical patient was baby Dustin. Robin was sitting up in bed, and he was nursing and looked good. His mother was keeping him warm, but Roy was concerned with his start in life and had an order to give him some IVF also.
"He looks good, Robin. How are you feeling?"
"Really tired, but okay."
She was pale, speaking of the blood loss she had experienced, but her vitals were stable. "I'm going to give you some fluids too, it'll help you feel better by morning."
"Thank you so much, Roy."
She figured no one would be out on the roads, except for her, at least at this hour of the night. So, the numerous voices along the river took her by surprise. Not knowing who it was she had no intention of getting close at all and steered Maji away from the river and towards the mountain road. Taking the back paths would also keep her out of the water for a while.
When the wind whips around your face and ears it's easy to hear sounds that aren't there. However, the cry carried by the wind was clear, and she pulled Maji to an immediate stop as she tried to discern where it was coming from.
"Did you hear that, boy?"
Easing her weary body out of the saddle, she took Maji by the reins and moved closer to the edge of the road. Knowing the edge was being eroded away due to the steady flow of mud and debris moving down from the other side, she only dared to get so close, struggling to see into the blackness for some sign of life.
Was there anything that could make that noise down there?
Absolutely nothing could be seen, and she had to admit she felt a little foolish staring into the dark. The rain was coming down hard now, and her eyes were not adjusting to the darkness very well.
"Maybe you're just hearing things Grace, move along and get your butt out of this weather," she told herself as she rubbed her belly. A hot shower sounded wonderful about now.
Pulling Maji back towards the center of the road, for a secure place to remount, her foot kicked something. Bending down she picked up a hubcap and pondered all the possible reasons for its existence right here, right now. Then she heard it again. Someone was crying out from the dark. She was sure of it now. Dropping the reins from her hand, she rushed back over to the ledge and endeavored to see something until a shadow became clearer in the distance.
The shadow of a truck.
Instantly, she began calculating how far down it was and more importantly what lay between her and it. At least here, the drop off wasn't straight down, it was a strong slope leading to a few feet of flat. From there it was a vertical drop down into the valley. Somehow, the truck was holding onto that small flat section of ground.
Gathering some rope off Maji, she hoped it would be long enough to get her down far enough. Still, she had no idea how to get them back up to the road. And what if they were hurt? The next fierce crack of lightning reminded her there wasn't time to debate this. The rushing stream of mud and water that raced across her boots from the road and down to the truck let her know that the conditions weren't going to improve anytime soon.
On the side of the road, there was a large evergreen. With a quick toss, she looped the rope behind the tree and secured one end to her in a slip knot fashion, allowing her to belay down the slope.
"Okay, baby girl, let's get down there and back up in one piece, okay?"
Sitting down, she scooted over the edge of the road and downwards. It was a struggle to keep her footing, causing her to quickly give up on standing and just scooting herself down on her rear. With some rope length to spare she reached the rear bumper of the truck and secured the other end to the trailer hitch. It was then that she realized she knew exactly who this particular truck belonged too. The only new red truck that lived in the valley.
This was Johnny Gage.
Her heart quickened just at the thought that the man who had helped save so many might be lost tonight. Carefully picking her footing, she hugged the side of the truck and inched to the driver's door. Each metallic groan and creak made her hesitate worried that it could shift at any time. Once closer to the front, she could see that a fairly large tree had fallen just in front of the truck, essentially wedging it at the ledge and keeping it safe, for now. When a branch struck her in the back of her calf, she was promptly reminded of the rushing water coming down the mountainside that was bringing everything in its wake. Every time something hit that fallen tree, the security of the truck was threatened.
Her time was limited.
Opening the door, she found Johnny slumped over the wheel, unconscious. Her fingers searched for a pulse at his neck, like he had taught her, then to his chest to feel him breathing. Both vital signs were there, so he must have been knocked out by the impact of the crash. She knew she didn't have the skills to assess for other injuries. It was reassuring the only thing visible was the blood on his forehead and a large bruise forming.
Gently she pushed him back from the steering wheel and was rewarded with a groan and his eyes opened up. "What…"
"Be still, you're hurt." Her mind was racing.
"Grace?" His voice was dazed and disoriented.
"Yea, City, it's me," she pushed the dark hair from his eyes.
He tried to sit up, and her hand pushed on his chest. "Stop moving around, we can't have extra moving around right now."
Blinking several times his eyes cleared and he looked out the shattered windshield. "Where's the road?"
"Well, it's about a hundred feet up the mountain. Are your legs hurt?"
"What are you going to do?" His hands were reaching over to her.
She took them and put them back in his lap. "I said, don't move, and I mean it. You're hurt, and I have to figure this out."
Johnny's pain was overwhelming. He tried to do a mental check of head to toe without moving. His head was throbbing, and there was the metallic taste of blood in his mouth, blood. He could feel both hands and nothing felt broken there. Breathing hurt. Deep breaths were possible, though his chest felt tight. Legs, legs were there, and he could move his toes. Amazingly nothing was broken, and he knew he was very lucky.
"I think I'm okay, my legs are okay." He looked over to her, his worry not as much for him, as it was for her. "You shouldn't be down here."
She laughed. "Does it matter now? I'm here, so let's get you out of here."
"Patrick."
"What?"
His hand patted towards the passenger side. "Patrick."
She could barely see him. "I'll check on him." She heard a moan. "It's okay, I'm coming over there to check on you. I'm coming."
"My leg," he cried out to her.
"Okay, just stay still, I'm coming." She looked back to Johnny. "You, don't move."
When she finally made her way over to the passenger door, she found him lying in the floorboard, apparently tossed there in the wreck and now unable to pull himself back up to the seat. Patrick's expression at seeing her was mixed. The severe pain and desperate situation attempted to balance how glad he was that some heard his cries for help.
Then anger flared up in him. "No," he barked at her.
She sucked in a deep breath, inwardly praying for patience. "Look, I know you don't want it to be me, of all people on this planet, me. But this truck is sitting on the edge of a cliff. If it moves a half a foot, it's going to the bottom and taking you and Johnny with it. Do you want that to happen to him?"
Patrick let his head fall back as he closed his eyes. After a few seconds, he opened them again and looked over at Johnny's quiet body. "No," he answered softly.
"And I don't want it to happen to you, either. So, let's get you both to solid ground, then you can get back to hating me again, okay?"
He didn't answer. His silence was his consent.
The going was slow as Mike pushed through the water, hoping that the high level wouldn't flood his engine. Nick had drawn him a map, to guide him to his destination without typical landmarks available. When the truck tire dipped into a large pothole, he knew instantly he'd lost a tire in the process. With no one in sight, he just parked in the middle of the road and jumped out to see what the damage was.
"Great," he shook his head. The tire was blown out, and the rim was bent. There was no way a quick change would fix it.
After getting over to the side and into a grassy area, he reached into the back and grabbed his coat before locking it up. With the map tucked inside his shirt, he headed down the soggy path towards town.
They had called out until everyone was almost hoarse. Karl was with them now, arming the men with more powerful flashlights and another two feet to wade through the water. So far, there had been no sign of Lily anywhere. Deep down, they all knew the reality of the situation. The water was violent now, riddled with debris and unforgiving. Anyone that went into that tonight wouldn't make it out alive.
"We need to go let Eli know," Karl told Chet.
He was exhausted, but all he could picture was the look in Johnny's eyes when he lost her. How was he going to tell him they had given up?
Chet shook his head. "I'll keep looking."
Karl wasn't taking no for an answer. "We're going back. It's not safe for us anymore, and I won't be responsible for another life lost tonight."
Letting out a sigh, Chet resigned to the failure of his mission. Johnny would never forgive him.
When Hank wandered into the kitchen, he was immediately greeted with an 'shhh' sound. Marco was sitting at the table drinking some coffee, and across from him, Roy had his head down, asleep. Hank nodded and was almost relieved to see the medic getting some rest.
He looked up at the clock. It was almost ten. It felt like they had been going at this all night, not just six or seven hours. But the full house told of how dramatic those few hours had been. Pouring himself a fresh cup, he leaned into Marco.
"No one wakes him. No one. Come get me first."
"Sure, Cap." Marco's answer was serious, but when his Captain walked away, he smiled, grateful for the men he worked with.
Roy sat up. How in the world was he supposed to sleep when so many depended on him, two of his friends were still missing, and now Mike was on a mission all alone? A mission he sent him on.
"You're supposed to be sleeping."
He shrugged. "Any coffee left?"
"Yea," Marco said and got up to pour him a cup. "You know, when I was about seven, we went to visit some family in Arizona. It was remote like this, but even more isolated from a nearby city. They had the worst flooding in history while we were there." He pushed the cup over to Roy and sat back down. "My grandfather was a fireman too."
Roy cocked his head. He didn't know that.
Marco smiled. "Fireman for thirty years. A car had run off the road in a canyon, into the swollen river, flipped over. "Mi Abuelo, he couldn't just stand there, you know what they say. Once a fireman, always a fireman, right?"
Roy nodded with him.
"He got the family out, but he had a heart attack and didn't make it. He's the reason I decided to do this."
"My father was a pipe worker. He laid piping down for industrial companies, refineries and such. No family legacy of firefighting to pass down to me. But, when I was about seven we had a family tragedy. I remember the sirens, the street full of big red trucks and the men that tried to help. They tried." He grew quiet.
"Your father?" Marco asked.
Roy shook his head and pushed the chair back. "I'm going to make rounds."
Karl pushed his truck through the muddy lake that was now an extension of the riverbank. They didn't have a long way to travel, just past Johnny's, then to the Webbers, but it seemed like a hundred miles at the rate they were traveling. The ride was silent, neither man wanting to discuss the decision that had been made. Wes had tried to stay, but Karl shut him down also, sending him to shelter, declaring the area a natural disaster zone that everyone needed to stay clear of until the waters receded.
When he slammed on the brakes, Chet almost met the front dash face first.
"What the hell?" Karl yelled into the dark.
"What is it?" Chet asked, trying to see the shape in the dark.
Then it came into the headlights, and both men jumped out of the vehicle.
"ROOKIE!"
The weary pup came limping up to them. He was soaked, with blood on his head and his injured front leg. Chet knelt and petted him.
"It's okay, boy, we've got you."
Rookie immediately backed away and barked at them.
"Hey, it's us boy, you're okay," Karl coaxed him.
The dog turned and limped back down the road.
"Follow him," Chet said.
"What?"
"He disappeared the same time Lily did."
Mike found the little strip of shops, including the pharmacy. He had to chuckle at the locked door as he pulled out a key and let himself in. In the big city, this would have already been raided and looted. The water was up to his knees in the store. Items floated past him as he pushed through the water and slid over the pharmacy back counter where the prescription drugs were kept. Roy had told him to search the back room, which held the hospital items for what he needed.
It took a while to look for the right drugs since he wasn't familiar with any of them. Shoving what he found into his coat pockets, he finished up and locked the door behind him. Standing on the front porch, he knew the trick was getting back without a truck. It was miles to walk. He didn't mind the walking, but the time taken would be ridiculous, and Roy needed these meds now.
Across the street from the little shopping area were a row of houses, four to be exact, and all with water up to the porch. None had lights on which meant no one was home or the power was out. One held a little low riding car, already with water high enough to drown the engine. Two driveways were empty, with the last one catching his eye.
Wading through the water, he climbed the steps and knocked on the front door, then knocked harder. Going to the front window, he peered inside.
"FIRE DEPARTMENT, IS ANYONE HOME?!"
There was no sign of life around. "HELLO!?" He kept trying, to no avail.
In the driveway sat an old 1950 green Chevy pickup truck. Mike found the driver's side unlocked and climbed in. No keys. Of course. Reaching under the steering column, he pulled the right wires and jump-started it, hearing the old sturdy motor roar to life. He couldn't help but smile. He pulled out Roy's list of supplies, then a pen and scribbled down a message. After tucking the paper between the screen and front door, he hopped back in and headed to the Webbers.
Rookie was moving slow, but he didn't stop, so the anxious men followed behind him, somewhat impatiently.
"This would be so much easier if we knew where we were going," Karl grumped.
"We could bring him in the truck and let him give us directions," Chet snarked back.
"Where's he going?" Karl pointed to the pup, who was now moving off the road and into a field, away from the river.
The men abandoned the truck and started following him on foot, slushing through the cold water. Every now and then, he would stop and look at them, to make sure they were still there and return to his journey. After about ten minutes, they could see an open shed in the distance, that held large farm equipment. Karl started running with Chet on his heels.
Rookie went straight to her, lying down beside her and putting his head on her head. She was lying on a pile of wet hay, curled up on her side.
"Lily!" They both called to her.
Chet immediately reached for a pulse. "She's freezing." He nodded. "She has a pulse."
Karl watched him move his hands down her arms and legs, checking for broken bones. The belt was still in place on her upper arm.
"I don't think anything's broken."
Karl nodded. "Let's get her out of here." He reached down and patted Rookie. "You're a hero tonight, fella."
Rookie just whimpered.
Chet picked up Lily and Karl picked up the injured Rook then they headed to the truck.
Karl turned the heat on full blast. "We need to get her out of these wet clothes." He reached behind him and pulled out a blanket. "Here, we can use this."
Rookie sat on the floor, his head in her lap as Chet balanced supporting her and getting her coat off. Karl started driving.
When her eyes opened, he smiled. "Hey," Chet said softly. "You're going to be okay, we've got you."
"Rook," she whispered.
He whimpered in response.
"He's right here, he led us right to you."
She nodded, then closed her eyes again.
"Hey, stay awake for me, okay?"
"Tired," she said with a small smile. "Kinda been a long day."
Karl chuckled, grateful that she was well enough to have some humor left.
"We need to get these wet clothes off you, can you help?"
She nodded and sat up some, wavering from weakness. Chet slipped the coat off. Her eyes closed again, and she started to lean towards him.
"Lily, wake up for me, stay awake." He looked over to Karl with concern.
"She's too cold." He made sure the heating vents were pointed right to her.
Chet began pulling the heavy sweater off her, knowing he could leave the shirt on. When he pulled up, he could see her back. He quickly pulled the shirt down and wrapped the blanket around her.
She was leaning on him now. "Don't tell him," she said softly. Her eyes closed again. "He won't want me anymore."
Looking at Patrick, she took in the makeshift leg splint that was now disheveled and bloody. For a moment, she just stood there and stared at the two victims and pondered how she was going to make this happen. How was she going to be able to move two grown men, two injured men back to the road?
Stepping away from the door, she leaned against the truck and released a deep breath. Her inventory included the few tools and supplies in her backpack. They would be of little help. Turning around she leaned over the truck bed and tried to see what was sitting back there. It had all shifted forward in the slide down, slamming into the back of the cab, but she could see various building supplies, random tools spilled out from a toolbox, a couple of oxygen tanks, and sheets of plywood.
Grace smiled. She had a plan.
She knew she had to get them both out of the truck as soon as possible. It could go over the edge at any moment, and she had no intention on them being inside when it did.
"I've got a plan, don't move," she told Patrick who looked at her like, where could he go?
Carefully climbing into the back of the truck she slid out a piece of plywood and propped it on the side of the truck, letting it slide to the ground. Taking the rope around her off, she tied it around the flat piece of wood. She knew she wouldn't be able to lift it, so pushing against it, she let it hit the ground.
Patrick would be the first one out. "We need to slide you out feet first, okay? I'll support your broken leg, and you're going to have to scoot towards me."
This was the first time he sat up enough to actually see her and her pregnancy. He looked from her belly to her as confusion and shock registered in his expression.
"I can't do this without your help, okay?" Suddenly, she was fighting back the tears.
He hesitated, completely unsure in her ability to help him out.
Shaking her head, she put more insistence in her voice. "Look, I'm not saying it's not going to hurt like hell, but we gotta move, Paddy."
He let out a small imperceptible gasp at the use of his childhood name. A name he'd not heard in many years now. She'd not even realized she had said it.
After receiving a quiet nod, she gently lifted the splinted leg which was resting on the seat in front of him. He cried out some but quickly grew quiet as they both felt the shift of the truck underneath them.
"We got this, come on."
Inch by inch he used his good arm to push himself forward as she guided and supported his leg. By the time he reached the instep of the door, he was completely exhausted, pale and out of breath. Using her fingers she gently wiped his face off and smiled at him.
"That was a great job. We have just a little more to go, and you can lay down and rest, okay?"
Pushing his hair from his forehead, she couldn't stop the tears as she remembered how close they had been all those years before. He and Thomas were always the brothers that she never would have otherwise. It was a mild epiphany for her at that moment, realizing how much she still loved them both, no matter how they felt about her or treated her. Maybe that's why all of this torment had been so utterly painful to her. They were and would always be her family.
Patrick stayed quiet and took in the deep heartache in her expression, unsure how to respond. So many years of conditioning had gone into hating her, he'd forgotten those early years of childhood.
"Okay, let's do this," she said bringing up a smile for him. "I've got you."
Wrapping her arm around his waist, he held onto the truck and hop one foot up towards the slope, and to the laid-out plywood. Using all he had left in him, he laid down and lapsed into unconsciousness, not realizing she was covering him with plastic trash bags from the truck.
By the time she got to Johnny, he was starting to come around again.
"Grace?" He mumbled through foggy thoughts and a tongue that seemed too big for his mouth.
"Yea, it's still me," she replied with a cheesy grin for him. "We're in a bad spot here Johnny, and I need you to help in getting out of the truck."
He shook his head. "No, Roy will be here soon." His head swam from the movement, and he instantly regretted doing it.
She looked confused. "Roy knows you're here?"
Then he looked confused back to her. "Where are we?"
She shook her head quickly realizing he wasn't in the game and not reliable yet. "In a bad place, City. A really bad place." The truck groaned loudly, and she was sure it slipped a few inches under them.
"Now, Johnny, we have to move right now."
Of course, he was hurt, and most likely more than she even knew. However, staying here was about to be a death sentence, so they had no other choice. Sliding her arm under his knees, she swung his legs out of the truck and quickly grabbed his right arm to pull him forward. So far, at least he wasn't yelling that something was broken. He was moaning in pain, but that was expected.
"Oh, it's still raining," he muttered as his head reached outside the dryness of the truck and began to drench him.
"Yea, just a little rain, and mud," she grumbled as she pulled him towards her. "Come on, give me some help here, it'll go a lot quicker."
"Yea, sure," he said as he tried to stand up, only to have his knees fold under him.
Grace tightened her grip on him. "Easy there, cowboy."
She put him between her and the truck like she did with Patrick and had him hold on as she grabbed his belt for support. They made better strides with his two healthy legs, but he was weak and very unbalanced.
"Patrick," he said, suddenly more alert and concerned. "His leg."
"Yea, it's still splinted. He's okay."
They were out of the truck now and safe, but she had no idea how she was going to get them up the hill to the road. Johnny sat on the board and laid back, already drained and struggling to stay conscious. Beside him, Patrick was still out. Glancing between the hill and the truck, and back again, she played with an idea. It was possible. It was also dangerous. But her options on getting them up the hill were very limited at this point.
"I've been out in this crazy weather too long, I'm starting to lose my mind."
"What's wrong?" Johnny asked, still groggy.
"Don't worry. I'm gonna get us topside with a little bit of help from mother nature."
Johnny frowned. He didn't like the sound of that, and he wasn't sure if it was the bump on his head or not. "What are you planning?"
She smiled at him. "Just take this tarp and get both of you covered up as much as possible. I'll be right back."
The downward water flow was increasing in volume, and she knew that the truck would soon be gone, as it inched forward more. The groaning of the tires grew louder and she found herself moving faster as she reinforced the knotting where the rope was attached to the bumper.
"What are you doing!" Johnny yelled against the thunderous claps in the dark clouds. His hand went straight to his head as he struggled to stop the internal thunder of his brain.
"Now, put your arm under here to hold on," she guided it under the rope tie at his shoulder. "You hold onto this, and I'll hold onto Patrick."
Johnny's mind was beginning to clear more. "Grace, what are you planning on doing?"
"We're getting a free ride up in a minute," she said as she pulled out her hunting knife.
Johnny's foggy mind was trying to comprehend what she was talking about. He couldn't see all the rope ties and what she had rigged up. Then the truck slid a couple of feet, jerking the board with it.
Grace looked at him, her eyes full of fear and excitement at the same time. "Hold on and don't let go, no matter what. It's gonna be a rough ride up."
When it dawned on him what her plan was his eyes shot wide open.
"GRACE!"
Roy's head jerked up, catching himself falling asleep and fighting off a bad dream. He looked around at the quiet house and stood up to stretch. Moving from room to room, he checked on his charges, made sure everyone was comfortable and finally found Hank sitting on the back porch with Earl and Thomas.
Hank frowned at him. Every time he thought the man was getting some rest, he was up and moving again. "Everything alright?"
Roy nodded. "Quiet. Any word from Mike yet?"
Hank shook his head. The 'or the others' was unspoken. "Take a break, we have a long night ahead of us."
Roy shook his head, standing back up and unable to relax. "No, something's wrong."