"Yeah, at this point I would tentatively agree with what you are saying, Roy. It won't help us much to find the Lieutenant though."

In his semi-conscious state, it took Steve several long moments to identify the voice as that belonging to Roland Dixon, the Windsor Sheriff they met a day or so ago. And yet, no matter how much he tried, his sluggish mind couldn't comprehend what that man was doing by his side, or what exactly had happened since he drifted off to neverland for an unknown amount of time.

But, nonetheless…he was still alive after the frightening encounter with Mahoney.

"Has Keller been able to give any sort of direction?"

Through the cracking of the radio nearby, he could make out Devitt's strained voice, the tension and stress radiating through each of the Lieutenant's carefully chosen words.

In response, a warm hand appeared on his cheek, checking his temperature, before coming to rest on his side.

"He's been out of it since I got here. Lost quite a bit of blood. Captain Milan is here and was able to assist in getting him bandaged up. He could use some stitches, he's cut up pretty good. Deep incisions too. Heartrate and respiration have been stable so I wouldn't consider him critical at this point. If he doesn't come around in the next few minutes I was going to load him onto the All-Terrain Cycle and head back into town. I can send some of my guys up here to assist you in your search as well."

As his senses finally snapped awake again, Steve carefully opened his eyes, realizing for the first time that he was lying on his side, staring at Milan's legs where the Fire Captain was sitting next to him, one hand on his shoulder to keep him in place.

"I trust your judgement when it comes to my detective, Roland. Make sure he remains stable and see to it that he receives medical attention once back in town. The same goes for Captain Milan. I've got three two-man teams out in the field right now looking for Mike. If we don't come up with anything in the next few minutes, I would appreciate any additional manpower you can offer…"

Mike

The sheer mentioning sent his senses into overdrive and Steve began to stir, trying to move his body that had grown tired and stiff during his involuntary timeout, his sluggish mind only slowly coming back online.

"Hold…hold on, Roy, I think he's coming around…hold on a sec…", came Roland's voice, followed by a hand squeezing his elbow, "Inspector? Inspector, can you hear me?"

As his vision adjusted, Steve saw Sarah's face appear in front of his, her blue eyes scanning him worriedly.

"Told you I'd keep you safe…", he croaked, before reaching up to run a hand across his face, brushing off the pine needles stuck to the side of his temple.

"The added drama was a bit much to bear but I guess you were right, Stephen…", Milan countered, glancing over at Dixon for a moment before shifting her attention back to him, "The Sheriff showed up a couple minutes after you lost consciousness. It sounds like your Lieutenant is still missing. Do you have any idea exactly where he went off to? Did you guys have some special plan of attack perhaps?"

Slowly shaking his head, Steve brought his arms back underneath him, sitting up with Milan's help, but doing so very slowly when the world started to spin instantly.

"No…I ehm…I told him I'd go after you and he was holding back to call in support. He never told me which way he went. You said he's still missing?"

"Unfortunately so.", Dixon answered this time, his bright red hair sticky with sweat, the hand holding his radio shaking slightly, "Mahoney and Sawyer split up also, so we're very concerned that he ran into Sawyer. He might be injured."

The frightening news sent a new wave of adrenalin through his body and Steve scrambled back onto his feet, Milan's hand staying on his elbow to offer support when he swayed dangerously for a few moments.

"We gotta go find him. He's gotta be around here someplace.'', he urged, only to see Dixon nod soothingly.

"We know. Your Lieutenant has three teams out looking for him. We were hoping you might be able to offer additional details about his exact location. But even without it, we're going to scan the entire perimeter for him. We will not stop until he is found, I can promise you that."

"What are we waiting for? Let's go ahead and look for him then…"

Brushing past Dixon, Steve took a few steps northwest before he felt a strong hand on his elbow holding him back.

"Well, we were kind of waiting for you to return from blissful oblivion, Inspector. Let us handle the search. You need to see a doctor. Those…those cuts need to be stitched up. You've lost a ton of blood. The fact that you managed to stay on your feet so long is a miracle."

Steve was about to counter, when the radio sprung back to life, disrupting their conversation.

"Roland, what is the latest on Keller? Does he know where Mike might be?"

Holding up a warning index finger as he reached for the radio, Dixon shook his head authoritatively, before pressing the receiver button.

"That's a negative, Roy. He doesn't know either. I was about to drive him back to town but he insists on looking for his partner as well. And here I thought you were the only stubborn one in that department…"

"Give me that thing for a minute, please…", Steve disrupted, grateful when the Sheriff handed over the radio with a resigned shrug, "Roy, Sawyer and Mahoney split up. Mahoney went after us and I shot him but there's a good chance that Mike stumbled across Sawyer. We heard gunshots about…I'd say a couple miles due west of our position. I am sure he's somewhere out there needing our help."

There was a pause, before the radio spring back to life.

"Stephen, I know what's going on in that mind of yours but I have all available units out there looking for Mike. Give him some credit, he knows how to survive. You're injured. Have Dixon drive you and Milan back into town, then we can reconvene once Mike's found…"

"He's my partner, Roy…", Steve reiterated as if to remind everyone around him, "No matter how good his survival skills might be, if he's injured, he needs our help, the sooner the better. If he was ok, you'd heard from him by now, you know that and I do. Consider me another available unit. I am not going to abandon my partner in these woods…"

Handing the radio back to Dixon without awaiting a reply, Steve started out west, passing a handful of trees before realizing that nobody was following him. When he turned around, his fierce determination was met by two stoic pairs of eyes scanning him insecurely.

With an indifferent shrug, he cocked his head at the sheriff, then at Milan.

"Head into town or help me…either way is fine. We did our jobs and got you to safety, Sarah. Now it's time I come to my partner's help."

Turning back around when he received no answer, Steve continued on stubbornly, putting one determined foot in front of the other on his quest to save his partner and best friend.

He'd crossed several hundred yards when the sound of Dixon's All-Terrain Cycle following him finally disrupted the oppressive silence.