Sorry for the delay between updates! I hope you enjoy this chapter. -abby
"Do you hear that?" Juliet tilted her head, listening. They'd had to land the chopper outside the heavily wooded preserve and hike in toward the coordinates on foot. After an hour of absolutely nothing and with no real idea of where to concentrate the search, she was just starting to get discouraged when she heard a familiar sound in the distance.
"Gunfire," Rick said grimly. He adjusted his grip on the sniper rifle in his hands. "This way." He took point and the trio moved faster, trying to catch up to their missing friends before it was too late.
After a few moments the gunfire stopped and was replaced by excited shouts. Higgins glanced at Rick and TC and in sync they went from a cautious trot to full out running.
"There," Juliet kept her voice low. There were four armed men yelling to each other as they charged through the undergrowth. They were all exceptionally well dressed for hunters, with expensive clothing and boots that looked almost new. And even from a distance it was easy to see they were laden with top of the line weaponry, though she suspected they probably didn't know how to properly use much of it. After a silent conversation Rick and TC swiftly moved to flanking positions, and Juliet readied herself to pounce from behind.
As Juliet had surmised, the men were well-armed but not particularly well-trained. They were certainly not prepared for a stealth attack from two military combat veterans and a former covert operative, and it was only a matter of seconds before all four were stripped of their weapons and securely bound with the zip-ties Rick had stuffed in his bag.
In retrospect, Juliet would muse that the whole thing was rather anticlimactic. Laughably easy, really. But in the moment she was far too concerned about Thomas and Gordon to give it much thought.
Once the threat was eliminated, Rick dialed his contact at HPD to give an update while Higgins and TC returned to scouring the immediate area in search of their friends. The hunters had clearly been headed towards something, and it probably wasn't wild boar.
"There!" Juliet shouted. She pointed down a small ravine about ten yards away.
On the opposite side of a narrow creek Magnum staggered an unsteady path. He was limping severely and appeared to be struggling to even remain upright. An unconscious Katsumoto, shirtless and bleeding heavily from a head wound, was draped over his shoulders. As Juliet watched she realized that Thomas was also covered in an alarming amount of blood, and her stomach twisted in worry.
"Thomas!" she yelled. Despite the distance Magnum should have easily been able to hear her but he didn't even pause, and Higgins frowned. She opened her mouth to try again but was stilled by a hand on her arm. She glanced up at TC.
"Survival mode. He's functioning entirely on adrenaline and instinct, just trying to keep himself and Katsumoto alive. He's not thinking straight and definitely won't hear you. But as soon as he senses the danger is over, that adrenaline will crash and our boy's gonna go down hard," the pilot predicted somberly. "We just need to be there to catch him." Higgins nodded in understanding, never looking away from her partner even as they rushed to catch up.
Rick was finishing up the call with HPD but once assured that backup and paramedics were en route, he shoved his phone into his pocket and quickly followed them down the embankment. They hurriedly splashed through the shallow stream, calling words of reassurance even though Thomas was clearly far past the ability to comprehend.
TC had been right, and they were almost within arm's reach when Magnum finally faltered. Juliet was simultaneously impressed and horrified by how quickly it happened. There was no warning. Thomas was conscious and moving and then he just...wasn't. Like a marionette whose strings had been cut, his knees buckled all at once and he simply collapsed.
Rick and Juliet made a quick grab and together they barely managed to keep Katsumoto from crashing head-first onto the rocky ground. TC dove for Thomas, but was too far away and it happened too fast. Thomas fell into a boneless heap, and TC immediately dropped to his knees beside the private investigator.
"Hey," the big man said, carefully turning his friend over and gently straightening out the tangle of limbs. When Thomas didn't react, he patted a pale cheek with one hand and pressed his other fingers against Magnum's carotid. "Brother, can you hear me?" He frowned at the racing pulse, and looked up to see if Rick and Juliet were having better luck. "Gordon okay?"
Rick nodded. "Still out cold. Looks like he was shot, but it's just a nasty graze." He dug the med kit out of his pack and ripped open a gauze bandage, then used it to apply gentle pressure to the ugly wound above Katsumoto's right ear.
"His pulse is strong and he's breathing normally," Juliet added. "How's Thomas?"
"Not great." TC shook his head as he turned his attention to the blood-soaked rags knotted around the private investigator's thigh. "I'm pretty sure he's in shock and his leg is...holy shit." As the bandages fell away he gaped at the damage. "What in hell?"
At TC's tone, Juliet stood and crossed the distance between them in two strides. She gasped at the gory sight. "Oh, Thomas."
"What?" Rick asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"
"How was he even standing?" TC wondered aloud, face creasing in sympathy. "Jesus, TM."
"I've never seen a wound like that," Higgins mused with a frown. "A bullet?"
"I don't think so," TC sounded doubtful. "For the entry wound to be this big, it would've been at close range and there's no powder burns or exit wound. Man, he's lost a lot of blood."
"Guys!" Rick's tone had graduated from worried to full-on anxious, and he was straining to see what they were talking about without letting up the pressure on Katsumoto's injury. Finally he dug some medical tape out of his bag and fastened the bandage down, then stood to get a better look. "Oh…god."
"I think it was an arrow," TC said, anger apparent even through his calm words. "Those hunters were carrying crossbows, weren't they? This looks like it could have been caused by a big game arrow."
Higgins covered her mouth with both hands, and Rick looked nauseated.
"He's bleeding like a stuck pig," TC muttered, oblivious to the unfortunately apt phrasing as he tried to staunch the flow. He raised his voice to Rick. "Toss that kit over here, brother."
The blond man obediently scooped up the bag of medical supplies and passed it into Juliet's waiting hands. Rick knelt briefly to check on Katsumoto, then stood and paced while Higgins and TC worked feverishly to get a thick pressure bandage in place.
"Hang in there, TM," Rick urged. "The paramedics need to hurry," he said to no one in particular.
Suddenly Thomas moaned, bucking under his friends' attempts to control the bleeding. His back arched in agony and TC quickly finished taping off the gauze before the bandages were knocked loose. "Sorry, my brother. Take it easy, man. We're all done now," the pilot said reassuringly, putting a hand on Magnum's shoulder as the injured man continued to moan and struggle feebly. "It's okay, brother."
"Shh, shhh," Higgins soothed. She grabbed her partner's hand and squeezed gently. "I know. I know it hurts. You're okay," she said softly, smoothing sweaty hair away from his face.
After a moment Thomas settled. Dark eyes slowly opened and took in the surroundings. "Hig...gy?" His voice was weak, little more than a rasp, but all three of his friends sighed in relief. "What…?"
"We found you. You're safe," she smiled. "Gordon's right here, and he's going to be fine," she said, anticipating his next question. "Just rest for now. The paramedics will be here soon and we'll get you both to hospital."
For a moment Thomas looked confused, as though he didn't quite understand her words. But then he slurred softly, "He's 'kay?"
"Gordon is fine, Thomas. Just a graze," Juliet assured patiently. "Don't worry." She offered him a sip of water as she spoke. He gratefully accepted, allowing her to support his neck and hold him upright. "Okay?" Higgins asked, lowering his head into her lap as he finished drinking. Magnum nodded hesitantly then gasped as the muscles in his injured thigh began to spasm violently. His entire leg twitched painfully as the spasms caused a ripple effect, and he couldn't suppress a grunt of pain.
"I got you, man," TC said warmly. He gently massaged the seizing muscles, careful to avoid the wound. "Better?"
"Yeah...th'nks," Magnum whispered, relaxing slightly under his friend's hands. He was quiet for several minutes, and they nearly missed it when he spoke again. "Get 'em?"
Higgins was confused at first, but Rick knew exactly what Thomas meant. "Oh yeah," the bar owner said, satisfaction obvious. "We got the bastards. No worries, brother."
Instead of replying, Thomas moaned as his stomach suddenly started to rebel. "No...not 'gain," he murmured as he struggled to turn on his side and away from Higgins. She helped him roll and as had already happened so many times before he gagged miserably, unable to keep even the tiny amount of water down.
"Again?" Juliet asked worriedly as she rubbed his back.
"Brother, were you drugged?" TC asked suddenly. He'd just spotted the injection welt on the side of his friend's neck.
"Mmhmm," Thomas managed between heaves.
"Ketamine, I bet," Rick observed with a concerned frown.
TC nodded. "Makes him sick as a dog," he explained to Juliet. "He's probably been puking all day. Hang in there, brother."
Thomas continued to retch, though there was obviously nothing to bring up. Finally, utterly spent, he slumped against the ground with a pathetic whimper. Higgins pulled his head back into her lap to try and make him a bit more comfortable.
"How long until the paramedics get here?" Higgins stroked her fingers through Magnum's hair gently, knowing she could do very little to help him feel better. Her worry had increased exponentially with the realization that he was probably severely dehydrated on top of the massive blood loss.
"Hang in there, brother," TC repeated worriedly as he checked the bandage on his friend's leg, which was already soaking through with blood. For lack of anything better to do, an agitated Rick pulled out his phone and texted his HPD contact for a status update.
There was nothing more they could do but wait.
A few moments later Thomas stopped responding to voices and to touch. Even painful stimuli did nothing to rouse him, but Juliet kept stroking his hair as she murmured reassurances. She refused to consider the possibility that help might not arrive in time, and from the expressions on Rick and TC's faces she knew they were fighting the same dark thoughts.
Eventually they heard the sound of dogs barking in the distance. "That's gotta be HPD. I'll go meet them." Rick immediately stood and started to run in the direction of the frantic noise.
"Thomas, you've gotta hold on, man. Just a little while longer. Can you do that for me, brother?" TC's normally calm voice had a pleading edge, and Juliet could tell he was trying hard to keep it together.
Fortunately it only took a few more minutes for the cops to reach their location with a team of paramedics in tow. HPD set about arresting the four suspects while the medics worked to stabilize Thomas and ready both him and Gordon for transport.
"Who's riding with us? There's just room for one." Juliet, Rick and TC exchanged a glance at the EMT's question.
"You go," Rick nudged Higgins. "We'll give our statements to the cops then I'll ride back to Island Hoppers with TC. We'll meet you at the hospital." TC nodded his agreement.
Juliet knew it wasn't easy for either man to pass up the opportunity to stay with their brother, so with a grateful nod she rushed to Magnum's side. The paramedic had teams split up to carry the two litters and she took up a position by his head, helping to lift him from the ground. As they headed out she spared a quick glance back at her friends, and their matching expressions of worry nearly undid her completely.
"Don't you dare die on them," she leaned down and whispered fiercely into her partner's ear, hoping that somehow he could comprehend even through unconsciousness. "They cannot lose you."
Higgins watched the pale, slack features intently, hoping for some sort of reaction. When there was none, she was forced to admit something to herself as the small group continued to hurry toward the waiting ambulances. Rick and TC can't lose you, and neither can I.