Hey hey everyone! This story is almost done! Two chapters (or three, maybe the last chapter will be in two parts) left after this one. I hope you're still enjoying, because for me, it's a real pleasure to write it.
Enjoy!
Chapter 15 : And breathe...
"Forty-two year old firefighter buried under the rubble of the house. Deep second degree burns on the back and he inhaled smoke. Pulse at 96, BP at 11 over 7".
Hearing this, the women of the group had turned their head except Christie, and one of them got up to run to this fireman on this stretcher.
"Tony!"
He turned his head, he saw a woman who was running. His wife.
"Jenny..."
She couldn't help but cry while holding his hand, plunging hereyes into the one who was her life.
"I'm fine, don't worry. We're Ella?"
"With your mom. My God, on TV they say nothing. I thought that... That..."
She couldn't even finish her sentence, she was so shocked. The stretcher went on its way and she followed it, but was stopped by Natalie.
"I'm sorry but you can't enter. I'll come see you when I finish the exams. I promise".
Natalie smiled at her after Jenny nodded. She turned to the waiting room, which was filling of firefighters' women or relatives. She stopped her gaze on Christie, Matt's sister. Dr. Rhodes still had his hands in hers, and Jenny could see that she was holding back tears. She moved closer, to also have news of Casey.
"Your brother is not out of the woods yet but we gained time. A lot of time. Both stents are in place and fulfill their roles as expected".
He paused, raising his gaze on the woman who gave the life of her brother in his hands.
"But?"
Christie knew there was a 'but' somewhere. There was always one with physicians.
"But the blood flow in his right leg isn't restored due to the femoral fracture. I can't reduce it because it would cause more damage than anything else".
"So... My brother... I mean..."
"Your brother is stable again. And he's now a priority because of the aneurysm, so he'll go up to the OR immediately. To do the second part of the surgery".
"S-second?"
Christie strongly wondered what was the second part.
"Don't worry, it will be to repair broken bones. Nothing else. I just have to tell you that his recovery will be long and painful. The two broken bones due to the explosion are the two hardest bone to break".
"But he will continue to be a fireman. Right? H-he may go back to work?"
"After a long period of rest and rehabilitation yes, no problem. But I understand that your brother is quite... Stubborn".
Christie and the rest of the group, who perfectly knew Matt, laughed slightly.
"He's a manual. If he can't do anything, he goes crazy. That's my brother".
"Then I'm sorry to tell you that he will become, and he will run you crazy. With a sacrum fracture, the broken part of the basin, it takes six to eight weeks in bed or lying".
Women frowned, just by visualizing Casey in bed, not moving for nearly two months. Christie understood what Dr. Rhodes wanted. He wanted that despite the state of her little brother, she smiled. He wanted to reassure her, and reassure the group at the same time.
"We will be there to help Christie. Casey is also part of our family", Cindy assured.
And all affirmed.
"It's time to take him to the OR. I know this may be hard for you, but you want to see him?"
"I-I... I can see him?"
"We have to pass the waiting room to take him to the OR, but normally you don't have the right", he began quietly and muttering. "If you do as if I didn't tell you anything and when we leave, you can come closer to the stretcher to see him, and the surgeon will let you see him a few seconds. But do really as if I had told you nothing. Otherwise I will have a strike".
"Thank you... Thank you doctor".
Connor got up and went back into the examination room, while Christie was preparing mentally to see her little brother. They saw a doctor pass, who came to the room, then a few minutes later came out with a bed. It was Matt. Christie did as if Connor didn't tell her anything: she got up, rushed in tears to reach the stretcher. It stopped its race and Christie could take his hand and stroking his forehead.
"I love you little brother. Everything will be alright..."
She continued to reassure him for a few seconds before kissing him on his forehead and let the surgeon take him. Connor stood there too: his job was done.
"Thank you".
Despite the shock, Christie was happy to have been able to see her brother before the operation.
"It's my job ma'am".
"No, I mean... Thank you for breaking the protocol so I could see him. I think that... That I needed it".
He turned his head towards a very emotional Christie. He smiled.
"As I said, it's my job".
"They're a little closer to the four beacons", Vlad confirmed to the mayor and batalion chief.
"How far?"
"A dozen of fts for the group of Paterson, a hundred for chief Boden. But it seems easier for him than for the captain. He could arrive before the other group".
"If they can reach them without drilling the concrete and risking another collapse, this would be a better option. We can contact them?" Kenny asked.
"Maybe the captain, but not the chief. We can try".
Kenny nodded and grabbed his radio.
"Here is Kenny, do you copy?"
Several seconds passed without any noise in the tent, but with the sound of K12 in the background.
"Here is Paterson, we hear you hard, but we hear you".
"Paterson, you are not far from the group. Boden tries to get around you to see if a less dangerous path can be taken".
"Less dangerous?"
"Without concrete drill, potentially collapsing the structure again".
"Including. We continue then. Keep us informed of the situation because we have no contact with Boden anymore, the concrete layer is too thick between us".
"We will keep you informed of any changes".
In the galleries, Boden was still leading his group to make their way in the smoldering rubble. It was becoming increasingly hard to breathe, the smoke became more and more present and opaque. And then suddenly, they heard something ringing. It was almost unearable at first, but as the group progressed, the firefighters heard this signal.
"This is... This is the signal of IDs?"
"Then we must act quickly, if they have activated them and they don't move, then they are unconscious. Hurry!"
The last man of the group, Silven, took a beacon and lit it to the distress signal and then the emergency signal and recrossed the signal in classic mode. He knew that his colleague Vlad had his eyes on his screen and he also knew what this signal meant. Then he joined Hernandez and Boden. They went on their way, approaching ever more the ID signal. The tunnel became less tight, but as a precaution, they went on their way fours. The smoke made them cough now.
"We put our masks on, and act quickly. we have about half an hour of battery life. Therefore less than half an hour to find them".
Hernandez and Silven nodded and followed the chief.
As for Paterson, Cruz and Debra, they continued to drill the concrete slab in front of them. If they succeeded to bring down and stabilized the structure, they would arrive at the group and they would save them. Captain's radio crackled, and he turned it on.
"Captain Paterson, this is Vlad. Boden is not far from the group. He hears them but the group has not arrived at them yet".
"How can you be so sure?"
"We have a code in the extraction team when we alternate the classic tag signal and the emergency signal: alternating means that the team hears someone, two alternations means 'need reinforcements'".
"So according to your code, there was just one alternation?"
"Negative. There have been two classical signals and an emergency one. This means that the group hears something and they need reinforcement. Firefighters dug a bigger hole to come down in the pocket. We'll send you a team of six other firefighters, oxygen tanks and additional equipment for clearing and for rescue".
"Copy that".
For Boden, the situation became more tense. They heard the distress signal but didn't know where it came from. In front of them, there was a huge hole where the concrete continued to fall gradually.
"They should not be far away... DAWSON! BORELLI!"
But no one answered, apart this signal.
"We try to identify the group of Paterson digging through the concrete layer. We know that we are not far from them".
The three men spread, taking different galleries while laying their hands on the concrete walls to find where Paterson was digging. After several minutes with almost no noise, Silven cried.
"I GOT IT!"
Boden and Hernandez ran towards him and stopped just next to him.
"The wall is wizzing. They shouldn't be far away. If we continue in this gallery, we may be find them. It's large enough to kneel".
"Nice work Silven. Light a beacon for Vlad so he can send us reinforcements".
"Already done chief. We have a code in our team, to communicate with the beacons if we can't communicate by radio", Silven explained.
Boden was impressed by the efficiency of the extraction team. He understood now why it was considered the elite excavation team.
"It exists a signal to say that we hear them and maybe found them?"
"Yes. Three alternatives. Vlad will understand what it means and will warn captain Paterson".
"So give the signal".
He nodded, took a beacon and alternated three classic signals and three emergency signals. He knew Vlad would necessarily understand that this meant they were close to the group.
In the tent, the tension was at its height. No one dared to speak, but Will had called Connor for news of the two wounded firefighters already taken to Chicago Med.
"Casey's in surgery. The orthopedic surgeon is trying to reduce and repair his fractures. Ferraris is also in surgery: the burning in his back is very deep and began to infect. The surgeon has to remove the infected parts and do a skin graft to treat and heal the burn. That's all he told me by now".
Vlad cleared his throat, coming between the doctor and the batalion chief.
"Chief Boden found the buried group".
Unable to speak because of the shock, they remained there, motionless, doing nothing.
"It's uh... It's good news!"
Chief Kenny shook hands with Vlad and he tapped on his shoulder while Will was taking some dispositions to ensure that ambulances could treat an injured firefighter. All hastened to prepare their stretcher one after the other near the hole, and also their ambulances with all necessary equipment, and Will called the ER to tell them that the wounded forefighter were coming in about half an hour. And journalists were also agitated: they saw all the scene and were broadcasting live.
In the waiting room, it was a rush. Antonio had just arrived after a difficult investigation and had finally read the message that Cindy had left, and he came right after with his team in complete. Just Benny, the father of Kelly, was missing but he was still on the road and would arrive very soon. All were staring at the television, ready to have even just the slightest news. On TV, the camera showed two firefighters shaking hands, one tapping the shoulder of the other and began to hurry while the doctor ran to the ambulances and they were preparing ASAP.
"It's incredible", the journalist said. "We hadn't seen the firefighters as active as right now since we arrived. There surely is something going on. We will try to have more information while letting them do their job".
The girls held their breath: what was happening... The mayor, against all odds, advanced to the cameras, with a closed face. The journalists didn't speak, slightly frightened to do so because of their last interview.
"I'm not necessarily talking to all residents to keep them informed of the situation. I will talk mainly to the relatives of the buried firefighters who are listening to us in the hospital of Chicago Med".
Surprised, relatives straightened or even rose, looking at the screen as if it was a person who spoke directly to them.
"The rescue group has found your loved ones. We are now sending a second team in the galleries to help them. Within a half hour, they will be sent to you".
The waiting room jumped of joy: firefighters would arrive soon, and it was a good thing.
"Mr. Mayor, are the firefighters still alive?"
There was a silence, whether from journalists with the mayor and in the waiting room. All worried, petrified by this issue. Their relatives, were they still alive? It was a completely valid question.
"Unfortunately we don't know. It is impossible to communicate with the rescue group because of the thickness of the concrete, but thanks to the beacons of the excavation team and their codes, we have their evolution on a screen. We know that the group is close to the buried group, they hear them but we don't know more. Thank you to respect the firefighters' work".
After that, the mayor turned to the tent and joined the two firefighters and the doctor. Cindy was both relieved and worried, like everyone else in the waiting room. Everyone knew that their relatives had been located but didn't know in what shape they were. Suddenly, the door opened, revealing a man, running and breathless, turning his head from right to left. He approached the reception, almost banging his fist on the table.
"I want to know where is my son!"
Maggie turned, startled, looking at the man, then the group behind him. Cindy got up and approached the man.
"I'll take him".
The man turned and faced Cindy. Surprised, he had almost not recognized her.
"Cindy? It's really you?"
"Hello Benny. Come and sit down, we will explain".
He followed her and sat in the middle of the group.
"I was very rough on the phone because I didn't know all the details. But now that I know more, I'll tell you".
For one of the first times, Benny remained more or less calm, but still had his fists clenched.
"The firehouse was caught in the explosion of a house and four of them were buried in the rubble. Casey, Ferraris, my husband and your son. Two firefighters went into the rubble to rescue them from the inside: Dawson, Antonio's sister here, and Borelli, Danny's brother", she said, pointing Danny. "They managed to excavate Casey but soon after, the gallery collapsed and since then, we don't have news of them".
"WHAT? No, it's impossible they are still alive! They continue at least to do the search!"
"Don't worry Benny. You know them: they never give up one of their own. A team came down and found them. But we don't know more. We track changes since our arrival on television".
Benny calmed slowly, worried about his son.
"We don't know more, but the mayor said that within half an hour, the group should be taken outside and here in Chicago Med".
"The mayor? The mayor is there?"
"Yes, he is the one who does the liaison between firefighters and journalists".
He nodded, very slightly loosening his fists.
"So for now, we... We don't know if they are still alive?"
"No, but I remain hopeful. And I pray. I pray that everyone is still alive".
Looking down, Benny was almost in tears. It was the first time he was close to losing his son and that terrified him, made him tremble with fear.
"Look, Mr. Mayor is back!" Danny cried.
All rose again, Benny too. All eyes on the screen, they all looked forward to what was going to tell the mayor.
"The rescue group reached the buried group of firefighters".
A huge sigh of relief took possession of all people in the waiting room and emergency doctors and nurses who had agglomerated near the television.
"We must, however, be very careful. We will send the barks after each other to avoid too much weight in galleries and risk any further collapse. We will go to the most injured to the less one. We know they are alive, and we re-established communications with the group".
Most women in tears, Cindy made them sit down one after the other to prevent them from falling or collapsing.
"I'll allow a camera and a journalist, and just one, to come close to the firefighters to take images of the extraction".
The main camera then followed the mayor, who came under the tent, then walked toward the group of firefighters. They looked oddly to the camera.
"Don't worry, they'll stay out of your feet".
Firefighters went back to work, the mayor, turning and stopping the cameraman and the journalist.
"You aren't going away. It's too dangerous to move further. For you and the firefighters still under there".
Unable to move, the cameraman zoomed in the hole where a bark was engulfed. The tension was at its peak everywhere, at its maximum.
"They bring the first fireman. Take him to the ER right now, okay?"
"Understood, the first ambulance is ready".
The doctor on site brought out the first stretcher and the first two paramedics so they could leave as soon as possible. In the waiting room, all held hands, waiting to see who would come out first.
"Pull the rope", they could hear.
Firefighters pulled, grabbed the rescue bark, and finally, one of the firefighters buried was outside the rubble. They put him on the stretcher, Will quickly doing an exam.
"Put him on oxygen and warn the ER. Tell them to have an OR ready".
The paramedics nodded and ran off with the stretcher and put him in the ambulance. Benny felt both relieved and scared: his son had just come out of the rubble, unconscious and badly injured. He was relieved he got out, scared to know that he was the first, therefore, the worst injured. It also relieved the other women and Danny because it meant that their relatives were less injured. Cindy shook hands with Benny, comforting him.
"Kelly will arrive soon, you will see him when he will be here".
He realized that despite all this anxiety that prevailed, Cindy kept smiling, comforting everyone, holding good waves for everyone. He nodded, focusing again on what was happening in television.
"They send the second firefighter".
Once again, the firefighters pulled the rope, revealing Hermann, immediately auscultated by Will.
"Same as the first fireman. Hurry!"
And the two paramedics took the road of their ambulance to bring Hermann into Chicago Med. Everyone turned to Cindy. She had tears in eyes: she finally allowed herself to blow and collapse. Finally. She sat, supported by Benny. All understood her reaction: for more than an hour, she continued to smile at everyone, to boost the morale of the troops, so it was necessary that at some point she cracked. And she creaked when her husband came out of the rubble. Christie came and sat next to her and hugged her. It was now up to them to take care of Cindy.
"He will be here soon too. He came out of the rubble, he's alive, that's the matter. Everything is fine now".
Christie was right after all. Her husband was alive and would soon arrive. Eyes turned on the screen, Antonio passing his hand over his mouth.
"Oh my God... Gabby".
Firefighters had now risen Gabby. She was unconscious, as Severide and Hermann, but above all, her legs were full of blood.
"Take her to the ER ASAP and warn an OB. She is pregnant!"
And the stretcher left as quickly as it had arrived.
"Just one more firefighter and the rescue team has done its work", the journalist explained, the one who was allowed to film the scene.
Danny was just as worried as relieved. Anxious to not see his brother on the screen, relieved to know that being the last, he was the less injured of them. But after a few minutes, the last stretcher came out, relieving him the more. Firefighters on the site were applauding with all their strentgh by seeing one after the other the firefighters who carried out the rescue. They were praised, cheered, embraced. Their work was done, they just had only to clear the area and understand what had happened. The four firefighters would arrive soon in the ER of Chicago Med. All doctors and nurses resumed their work to receive them. And also their relatives.