Yes I know it has been a long while since I have updated this story and I am truly sorry. It has been a little crazy around here. However, this story is now first on my list to finish, as I still have 7 other stories to update, not including this one. I had a severe case of writer's block, but writing a few one-shots for Hawaii Five-0 and writing for the newest fanfic trial helped me.
Needless to say, Hogan will be coming after me for this story! Please don't hate me!
Please review as it helps my writing even more!
LeBeau kneeled next to the unconscious demolitions expert, his back to the wreck, trying to not only keep his supper down but also to keep from fainting at the same time. The previous rainstorm caused the ground to me extremely soft. LeBeau felt his knees sink into the mud as he bent over Carter.
"Is he okay LeBeau?" Kinch asked as he leaned into the car to check the colonel. He turned sharply when the corporal didn't answer him right away. He noticed LeBeau was keeping his back turned away from them and knew why. It's best if he and Carter don't see the Colonel in his condition anyway. I don't know how Newkirk can stand I; I barely can..
"I think so. He's starting to wake up," LeBeau replied, leaning over Carter. He started to shake the young sergeant's shoulder. "Hey Carter, come on. Open your eyes."
A pair of blue eyes opened slightly and gazed up at who was talking. "What happened?" he asked a hint of confusion in his voice.
"You passed out, mon ami.."
Memories flooded back to his addled mind, coming into focus sharply. He tried to sit up, but was held back by the little Frenchman. "Just stay there for a minute."
"But the Colonel! He's hurt! We gotta help him!" Carter struggled against LeBeau's grasp. The little Frenchman had the upper hand on the young man, so he was able to hold Carter down on the ground by his shoulders.
"Carter! Carter! Kinch and Newkirk are with him. They are taking care of him. You have got to calm down mon ami!"
"Carter, its okay! Listen to LeBeau. We're handling it. You and Louie just sit tight and call the camp. Let them know we found the Gov'nor! Tell them to have Wilson standing by!" Newkirk yelled from beside Kinch. They were trying to get the driver's side door open so they could get Colonel Hogan out of the car. The door finally gave way, giving them access to the interior of the vehicle. The smell of burnt wiring and blood was overpowering in the car, causing the Newkirk and Kinch to move as fast as they could. The two men pulled their superior officer out of the wreckage and away from the shell of the vehicle. Kinch and Newkirk carried Hogan over to as dry of a spot they could find under a tree.
Neither Carter nor LeBeau looked their way which was fine with Kinch and Newkirk. They didn't need Carter passing out again, and knew LeBeau would faint if he saw the Colonel. Kinch started pulling medical supplies out of the satchel he had carried down the hill. Newkirk cleaned the dried blood as best as he could. Kinch began to wrap Hogan's left leg, trying not to jar the broken bone and the piece that was sticking out of the leg.
"Kinch, will we be able to get the Gov'nor back to camp?" Newkirk whispered to his friend. By the amount of blood already on the colonel, he knew they were running out of time. Not to mention how slippery they knew the hill was going to be.
"I don't know. We have to keep our fingers crossed."
As he slowly regained consciousness, he could hear voices in the distance. He tried to speak, wanting to ask if it was the guys.
A small moan escaped his lips instead, causing his rescuers to turn.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yeah! Was that the Colonel?"
"Colonel? Can you hear me?"
That is them. They found me, Hogan felt relief. He opened his eyes to mere slits, trying to find his men. "Ki..Kinch? New..Newkirk? Is…is…that…you?"
"Yes Colonel. It's us. LeBeau and Carter are here too," Kinch replied. His heart had leaped into his throat.
"Wh..wh..what…ha..happened?"
"You were in an accident gov'nor," Newkirk replied. He and Kinch were still trying to bandage their commanding officer. They could tell he was having a little trouble with breathing. Kinch and Newkirk exchanged a look that spoke volumes.
"How…bad?" The pain was beginning to wash over him like a tidal wave, threatening to take him back under. His stomach was hurting so bad, it was worse than his leg. But what scared the man was the fact that he was having trouble taking a deep breath. The normally unflappable colonel was starting to panic.
"I won't lie to your Colonel. It's not good," Kinch said, trying to keep his emotions in check. "But we need you to hold on. For us, for the team, for the camp. We're gonna get you out of here Colonel. Okay?"
"Ok," Hogan replied, closing his eyes.
"Sir, we're going to carry you up to the truck now. It's going to hurt like a son-of-a-bitch, but we have to go. Wilson is standing by back at camp."
Hogan squeezed his eyes shut, gritting his teeth. "Ok, go."
Kinch slung the satchel over his shoulder then said, "Louie, Andrew, head on back to the truck. Newkirk and I are going to carry the Colonel up. Just keep going, don't look back, okay?"
"Oui Kinch, we're going," LeBeau said, helping Carter stand then began the trek up the hill keeping their promise, never looking back.
Kinch waited until they were out of earshot before he turned his attention to Newkirk. "Okay, ready?"
"Right-o, let's do this."
The two carefully picked Hogan up off the ground and started walking slowly. The first few steps were too much for the already battered man. Mercifully, Hogan passed out, his breathing becoming more labored with each step, both men noticing immediately.
"I know, I think the Colonel may have broken some ribs or perhaps punctured a lung. If that's the case, we need to get a move on and get him back to camp." Kinch said worry evident in his voice.
The two fell silent as they finished the climb back to the road picking their way carefully. The hill was slippery, causing them to lose their grip a few times on the colonel. Kinch was thankful that he was unconscious on that climb. Hogan would not have been able to handle all the extra jarring.
Finally, they reached the top of the hill, muddy and exhausted. They saw Carter and LeBeau in the front seats of the truck, ready to go. The two men carefully laid the colonel in the back, trying to make him as comfortable as they could with what they had. Newkirk sat on the floor, holding Hogan's head and shoulders up so he didn't bounce along the way back and get hurt even worse. Kinch propped the colonel's bad leg up as he yelled up front, "Go LeBeau, but take it easy! We can't jostle the colonel much, ok?"
"Oui, I'll be careful," the little Frenchman replied, starting the truck. He and Carter watched the road as they headed back to camp.
All four men prayed silently the whole trip back, all imploring for the same thing; that their beloved commanding officer's life be spared.
The tunnels were bustling with activity when Hogan was brought down. Wilson was standing near the ladder when the entrance opened and LeBeau and Carter climbed down first.
"Where's Hogan?" he asked simply, making a mental note to check the Frenchman and demolitions man at a later time. They looked like death warmed over, both were a muddy mess.
"Kinch and Newkirk are bringing him," Carter said, heading to the nearest bench. He sat down and leaned forward, his head in his hands. LeBeau sat next to him, a hand on his shoulder.
Newkirk came down the ladder next, standing at the bottom, grateful Wilson standing nearby. "Kinch thinks he has a punctured lung. His breathing has been getting worse over the past few minutes."
A noise alerted them that Kinch was ready to pass the colonel down. Wilson and Newkirk carefully took Hogan as Kinch lowered him down then the radioman locked the tunnel entrance and jumped down the ladder.
"He can't breathe!" Newkirk gasped.
That was all it took. Wilson and Newkirk took off, carrying the dying colonel between them to the area in the tunnel that Wilson used for just such emergencies.
They laid Hogan on the cot, Wilson starting to check him out as Kinch pulled the curtain, closing off the room. He turned and watched as Wilson began to work on Hogan. You can't die Colonel! You can't! Keep fighting! A tear slid down his cheek at the thought of his commanding officer dying in such a senseless way.
Wilson already had oxygen on the unconscious man as he began to insert a chest tube.
"What are you doing? Why are you putting that thing in his chest?"
"I need to put it in, it will relieve the pressure in his chest and help to get him breathing again."
Wilson deftly inserted the tube, watching his patient carefully. As Hogan's breathing became more regular, Wilson let out the breath he had been holding in.
He checked the leg that Kinch had wrapped well. He knew that he was going to have to set the bone, but would not be able to cast it until the wound healed. He checked the abdomen, noting rigidity. Oh no, Wilson didn't want to show his panic over his findings.
The medic turned to face the two anxious men standing nearby. "How is he?" Newkirk queried, the adrenaline having already left him, causing him to slump against the wall. Kinch was feeling pretty much the same.
"Its going to be touch and go for a while. Thankfully he's breathing better with the chest tube. It confirms that his lung has been punctured"
"You're not telling us something." Newkirk demanded.
Wilson bowed his head for a moment before gazing at the two men. "We need to get a surgeon here and fast. His spleen is ruptured, which means that he is bleeding internally. It is a little out of my expertise. But we need one here as soon as possible, or Hogan is going to bleed to death."