Chapter One
Chet stared up at the only source of natural light, fiercely gripping a flashlight. He wasn't trained as a rescue man, but here he was, standing in the water drainage system under LA. They were searching for a kid who was playing in his front yard. His mother noticed silence after a while, he wasn't in the yard anymore. There was an open manhole in the street and everyone put two and two together. Above, a roll of thunder sounded, reminding Chet why he was down there in the first place. Roy and Johnny wanted to split up to shorten their search, they knew a storm was rolling in. Splitting up, however, meant breaking the number one rule of search and rescue operations. Never split up. This is how Chet and Marco, the two linemen, had ended up in the massive pipes under the streets.
"TIM!" Johnny yelled again, he stopped walking, trying to hear through his own echo. "Nothin'." he said frustrated. "The construction crews should really close the damn manholes when they're finished." he complained, heat evident in his voice. Chet nodded, looking around with his flashlight.
Johnny's radio keyed up, "Engine 51 to Teams 1 and 2, according to the weather service, the storms over the mountains now. You've got twelve minutes before I'm pulling you out." Chet heard Roy's team copy, then Johnny did.
"Not a lotta time Gage." Chet said, stating the obvious. They both became silent, trying to listen through their steps, splashing in the standing water and echoing all around them. "TIMMY!" Chet yelled this time, shining his flashlight to all the smaller connecting tunnels. "Damn it." he whispered when only his own voice answered.
"We've still got eleven whole minutes Chet, that's a lot of time." He flashed his 'Gage smile', trying to calm the unnerved lineman. "I've found people and gotten them out in half that time." he said cheerfully. Chet didn't fall for the ruse.
"Bet you weren't in the bowels of LA." Chet said, yelling the boy's name again. John had no comeback.
"What's that up there?" Johnny said, stopping in his tracks. The light on his helmet following his gaze.
"Looks like a baseball cap." Chet said, rushing forward to grab it. He ran forward, each step splashing. "We're in luck, he's a Dodger's fan." Chet said excitedly. He turned in a full circle, shining his flashlight at the water covered ground. "He's gotta be close." Thunder rumbled again from above, followed by a light pattering sound. Chet's excitement diminished slightly. "Is that what I think it-"
"Yes." Johnny said, cutting him off. "It is." John's answer was terse and he began walking again. "Let's keep moving." They were silent, straining their ears, listening for anything remotely human.
The radio squawked, causing both of them to jump. "Team 1 to Team 2."
Johnny picked up the radio clipped to his coat, "Team 2."
Roy's anxious voice responded, "We've found the boy in tunnel U7. He says he had a friend with him." Chet pulled the tunnel system's map out and both he and Johnny looked at it.
"What's the friend's name?" Johnny asked. If he didn't look tense before, he did now. Chet kicked the ground nervously. When Roy replied, Johnny added, "We've found a baseball hat in tunnel V4, it might be his."
"Engine 51 to Team 2," Stanley said interrupting. "You've got six minutes max. Team 1, come back up." Both teams copied their orders.
"Chet," John said seriously, "We don't have a lotta time." John walked forward with a purpose, yelling the new name. The rain could be heard above them, slowly getting louder. They knew it was only a matter of time before they would all be swept away.
"RYAN!" Chet yelled, trying to keep the note of desperation out of his voice. Chet moved his flashlight around. He noticed a smaller tunnel halfway up the wall, with what seemed like a step leading up to it. He shined the flashlight inside, hoping a small child wouldn't want to hide there. It was empty, Chet sighed, thankful but not thankful. He glanced at his watch, two minutes had passed, the clock was ticking. "Is the water getting higher?" he asked John, hoping he was imagining things.
"Yep." John replied, "Let's keep moving." John led the way. "RYAN!" he called again. Suddenly, Johnny stopped and held his hand up. "Did you hear that?" he whispered. Chet shook his head. "YELL LOUDLY!" Johnny instructed the dar tunnel.
"I'm over here!" A small voice echoed back. Chet beamed. Excited, he fist pumped the air, waiting for Johnny to celebrate.
"Not so fast." John warned, sensing Chet's excitement. "Where's it coming from?" He asked, explaining in a question why he was still nervous. Chet gulped in realization, pulling out the map again. He tried not to think about the water that was now up to his ankles and noticeably rising. After consulting the map. John yelled "KEEP YELLING!" They followed the tiny voice coming from all around them, fighting the echo of the tunnel and the rain overhead. Johnny held his hand up again, Chet figured it meant 'stop', so he did. "Yell again!" John said. A louder voice sounded to their left.
"Not the small tunnel." Chet thought, "It's too small for us." Chet watched with bated breath as John looked to their left, his helmet light bathing the small tunnel with light. Sitting a couple feet back was a boy. The boy was hugging his knees and sniffling. Chet's light joined John's as he smiled broadly. Johnny flashed his 'Gage grin'. "So, we're not outta the fire yet." Observed Chet, guessing from Johnny's fake smile.
"Crawl on out now." Johnny calmly ordered, stepping up to get closer. Chet watched as Johnny coaxed the boy out. "Don't let him in the water." John instructed Chet, his head turned over his shoulder. Chet nodded, he felt the water getting higher and the current getting stronger.
The minute Ryan crawled out, Johnny passed him to Chet. Surprised, Chet took the young boy and held him in his arms. "You lost your hat kid." he said, pulling the sodden cap from a turnout pocket and giving it to him. He heard Johnny in the background talking on the radio. "Let me get something outta my pocket." Chet said, switching Ryan to his other side. Ryan nodded and looked down at the water, now up to Chet's calves. He gulped and clung on for dear life. Chet passed the map to Johnny who took it, nodding his thanks. Chet guessed, correctly, that they weren't going to make it back to their starting point. Not with how quickly the water was rising. Up above, they could hear the rain furiously pattering the streets. Chet glanced at Gage, he trusted the experienced rescue man to get them out, he was holding the map after all.
Chet distracted the kid until Johnny closed up the radio antenna and said, "Ready Chet?" he waited for Chet to answer. When he did, John added, "We're going this way."
Chet huffed, "Of course it's against the current." When Ryan wasn't looking, John pointed up, indicating they were going to another manhole. Chet nodded his understanding and began walking against the fast-moving water. "So, Ryan," he asked the terrified boy. "The Dodger's your favorite team?"
Ye-yeah." came the stuttering response.
"Me too." Chet affirmed, putting a smile on his face. Ryan had a hint of a smile. Chet genuinely grinned at his success. Now only if he could keep it up. "Who's your favorite?"
Johnny smiled at Chet, he was working hard to build a rapport with the terrified kid. He glanced down at the map, "Only fifteen more feet." He started looking for a ladder, hoping they could find one in time. He hoped he was imagining the roar of water far off in the distance. Putting the map away, he started fishing around his pockets. He frowned, there weren't any tools he could use to pry open a manhole cover.