Page 43 of Deep Waters
I dropped my pack, pulling out my harness and stepping into it after a quick inspection. I couldn’t afford for my gear to fail. My heart picked up tempo, and I focused on my breathing, keeping it calm and even. Practice wasn’t reality. But we tried to emulate real conditions as closely as possible. At least we weren’t trying this rescue in pouring rain. Blue sky and puffy white clouds made for a perfect summer day. Utterly at odds with the adrenaline coursing through my system.
“Dawkins, you’re on edge duty.”
“Got it.”
My job would be to guide our victim’s head over the edge and adjust the main line so the litter carrying our victim smoothly transitioned to safety. Zach and Josie had the hard job. They’d be our primary rescue team, climbing down to maneuver our victims into the basket stretcher and secure them.
I held my breath as our other team members managed Zach and Josie’s lines. They made the beach quickly, detaching and pulling the stretcher to the downed plane.
I watched, my heart in my mouth. One spark and the whole damn thing could go up. It was a miracle the wreckage wasn’t already smoking.
Zach reached the pilot first, checking for a pulse. He frowned, skirting the crumpled nose of the plane to the passenger, repeating the motion while Josie pulled supplies from her pack.
“I’ve got one victim deceased. Second victim is regaining consciousness. No visible fractures. Beginning stabilization for transport.”
Zach’s radio cut out, and he and Josie burst into activity, securing the female passenger.
I guided the lines, careful to manage tension, watchful for any obstacles as we lifted the first victim to our station. Slowly, the litter slid over the edge. I bit out a curse as it knocked a rock down, thankful Zach and Josie wore hard hats.
James Cox started a medical evaluation of our first patient, radioing back to command. In the meantime, Zach and Josie loaded our second victim onto the basket. Their gentle motions, even with no life left to save, clutched at my throat. Death was never pretty. But at least we could treat the deceased with dignity.
Slowly, we maneuvered the pilot to our position. It was an older man. Other than a gash on his forehead, he had no obvious signs of trauma.
James took over, the grizzled boat captain confirming Zach’s assessment. “Male. Deceased.”
“Bill?” the plane’s passenger, a woman in her sixties, called groggily.
“I’m sorry, ma’am. Your pilot didn’t make it. Is that Bill?” I asked gently.
The older woman’s unfocused eyes teared up. “Yes. My husband.”
“I’m so sorry.” I gripped her hand, reassured when she squeezed back with firm pressure.
We trudged toward base with the stretchers carried between us. Each step felt heavy. Not every rescue operation could be a success. But I always wanted a miracle.
The way Virginia, our passenger, cried softly in the basket tore out my heart. I couldn’t imagine loss like that. Pain like that.
I glanced at Zach’s back. He plodded forward steadily, carrying his side of the stretcher with the deceased pilot.
Except Icouldimagine that kind of pain.
Chapter 19 – Rae
Zach got held up at base, so I took off. Too much longer, and Gran might make good on her threat to get the kids a puppy. I could explain the cameras. Jia would be rightfully pissed if I got her kids a pet while she was out of town. There wasn’t room onSailor Swiftfor a dog.
Gran and the kids were holding down the couch when I got inside, the kids’ rapt attention my first warning.
“What are you watching?” I asked.
“Naked and Afraid,” Hana whispered, eyes wide.
I would have preferred the puppy. Hana looked like she was living a nightmare. I could only imagine what bedtime would be like.
“Let’s switch it over to a cartoon now,” I said.
Gran shrugged off my glare. “It kept them entertained. Plus, they learned new skills.”
“I’m not expecting them to survive in the wilderness anytime soon, Gran. Hana’s six.”
