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This, Bobby thought, was something he could get used to. The cool, northern California air was crisp in his lungs. Around him, birds sang lazily, trees swayed in the breeze, and bright sunshine glinted off of the tumbling river below. It took him back to a childhood of hiking in the forests of his native Minnesota. He loved his new life in Los Angeles, but the constant heat, teeming crowds, and sandy beaches sometimes made him ache for the Midwest. Closing his eyes, he could almost forget why they were here. Forget about the man desperately clinging to the rocky cliff below, pleading for help. Giving himself a slight shake, Bobby crouched and leaned over the edge.
“California fire and rescue!” Bobby announced. “We’re here to help. Just stay calm and try not to move.” It felt strange not to say ‘LAFD,’ but as they were hours away from the city, he figured a more general label would be better. The 118 had originally made their way upstate as part of a team of firefighters sent to help with search and rescue efforts after a mudslide in the Cascade Mountains. They’d been there for three days and were just heading out when a call came in about a hiker who had fallen while rock climbing and was now stranded. Knowing that the local stations were over-extended, Bobby had volunteered his crew for one last rescue.
“What’s the play, Cap?” Eddie asked, joining him at the edge.
“You and Buck are our most experienced climbers. I want the two of you to rappel down and secure him. Chim, you and I will work the winches to pull them up once he’s set. Hen, I want you ready to start treating him immediately. Dispatch says he’s been down there for at least thirty-six hours.” They each nodded at Bobby’s plan and quickly went to work.
“Who the hell hikes in this kind of weather?” Eddie complained, rubbing his hands together to warm them. Buck laughed as he helped Eddie tighten the straps on his harness.
“You need to get out more, Texas.” He teased. “It’s spring! Back in Pennsylvania, this would be considered downright balmy for April.”
“In Minnesota, we’d be walking around in shorts.” Bobby chimed in with a nostalgic smile. Eddie shook his head.
“Ya’ll are crazy.” He muttered. With all of their gear in place, he and Buck began their descent down the cliff face. As they approached the hiker, it was hard to hide a wince as they took in his appearance. He was covered in bruises, rough scrapes, and jagged cuts and was shivering violently as he clung to minuscule handholds with swollen fingers.
“Hold tight, sir. We’ll have you out of here soon.” Buck promised when they were close enough to be heard over the roar of the river below. “Can you tell us your name?”
“R-ryan.” The man stuttered through chattering teeth.
“Nice to meet you, Ryan. I’m Eddie. The kid here is Buck. Do you have injuries aside from cuts and bruises? Anything feel broken?” Eddie asked calmly even as his eyes scanned his body expertly for damage.
“I d-don’t th-think so. Right ankle m-maybe? It h-hurt earlier…numb now.”
“Alright, Ryan. We’re going to clip your harness to Eddie’s so you can hitch a ride up with him. I’ll be below you two, supporting you from the bottom. Sound good?” Buck explained. Ryan nodded and they made short work of securing him.
“Bring us up!” Eddie called over his radio and a moment later they began to ascend. When they reached the top, the rest of the team was waiting. Hen and Chim immediately hauled Eddie and Ryan up over the edge. Buck, who had been a few feet below them, waited for area to clear before climbing over as well. After a minute, Eddie, now free of his charge, leaned over.
“Need a hand?” He asked, reaching out to help Buck.
“Sure they’re not too cold?” Buck joked, reaching up. “Wouldn’t want you to-“ Suddenly, the line holding him let loose with a deafening snap and before either man had a chance to react, Buck was falling, crashing down the jagged cliffside into the raging river below.
“Buck!” Eddie screamed, his arm still outstretched, the scrape of Buck’s fingernails stinging his palms. On instinct, he felt himself preparing to dive, ready to jump in headfirst after his friend.
“Eddie, no!” Chim heaved him backward.
“Lemme go! He needs help!” Eddie shouted back, struggling against the hold.
“Yeah and if you jump in after him, then we’ll need to rescue you both!”
“I don’t see him.” Bobby said frantically, eyes scanning the choppy water for any sign of Buck. “We need to get down there!”
“T-trail.” Ryan piped up from the backboard a few feet away. “Quarter m-mile that w-way. Leads to the b-bank.” Bobby gave him a quick nod of gratitude before sprinting off, calling over his shoulder for Hen to stay with the hiker and call it in. Eddie and Chim followed close behind. As they ran, Bobby could feel panic seizing his heart. They were fast, but the current was faster. If Buck hadn’t made it shore, it could have carried him over a mile by now. That was assuming he’d even been conscious enough to swim. He’d witnessed the fall and Buck had been thrown hard against the rocks on his way down. There was no telling what kind of injuries he may have sustained. Not to mention the cold. The air may have been pleasantly cool, but the water was still frigid this time of year. How long could someone survive in it? Minutes? An hour? By the time they reached the river’s edge, dozens of worst-case scenarios had run through his head.
“Fan out!” Bobby called. The three of them spread out and began casting around desperately, calling his name, begging for an answer.
“No sign of him, Cap.” Chim said worriedly after about five minutes. “He’s just…gone.”
“Where did all the water go?”
Christopher’s voice drifted through Buck’s mind. It was the same question that had haunted him since the day of the tsunami. He wanted to answer, to tell Chris that the water was here, all around him, dragging him mercilessly along, but when he opened his mouth, the water stole his voice. Sometime later, how much he didn’t know, his head broke the surface. It was only for moment, but it was long enough to expel some of the fluid in his lungs and heave in a few quick breaths before he was pulled under again. Still, with air came clarity. Even as the current bashed him against the rocks, Buck began fighting his way up toward the light. His SEALs training had made him a strong swimmer and, dazed and hurt though he was, he managed to claw his way up. Above the water, could see how well and truly screwed he was. He’d moved so far that he couldn’t even see the cliff anymore. Buck knew that time was running out. If he didn’t get out soon, either the cold or the current would kill him.
By some stroke of luck, Buck caught a glimpse of a fallen tree several meters ahead. A large pine tree had collapsed at some point and now lay half in the river. If he could just grab it…
Pulling on the last of his reserves, Buck made one last push for the tree. If he failed now, he knew it was over. With as powerful of strokes as he could muster, he positioned himself so that he’d catch the branches when he swept past. He nearly missed it when the time came and was only just able to grasp it with stiff, bloody fingers. Buck could feel his grip failing, the current pulling him so hard he thought he’d rip apart. With the last of his strength, he dragged himself to the riverbank, one branch at a time. Chest heaving, he collapsed in the soft mud.
“We are not leaving him to die!” Eddie shouted, pulling away from Chim and continuing down the riverbank.
“No one is suggesting that!” Chim shot back angrily. “I want to find him just as much you, but this isn’t the way to do it. You keep going and you’re gonna get yourself lost, making us divert resources away from finding Buck. Is that what you want?” Eddie shook his head.
“I can’t just sit and do nothing, Chim. Every moment we wait he could be dying!”
“You think I don’t know that?” Chim took a breath, trying to reign in his emotions. “Eddie, you’re way too hyped up. What’s really going on here?” He asked, switching tactics. Eddie scrubbed a hand over his chin and turned to face him.
“I had him. Damnit, I had him, Chim! His hand was in mine and…if I’d just grabbed him, he’d be fine.” Eddie felt tears boil in his eyes. “He’d be alive.” He whispered brokenly.
“This isn’t your fault, man. The gear was old. No one could’ve predicted that it would snap like that. And blaming yourself and going all hot and crazy isn’t going to help us find Buck. What was it you kept telling him after the tsunami? Disasters happen. It’s not about blame, it’s about how you respond. Eddie, right now, it’s our job to respond, okay?”
“Okay.” Eddie said after a moment, heaving in a deep, shaky breath. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have-“
“Forget it. As long as we’re on the same page now, there’s no need to apologize.” Chim replied, giving Eddie’s arm a light squeeze.
“So, what’s the next step? What are we doing to find him?”
“They’ve got a few choppers in the air scanning the area from above and they just deployed boats to search the river.”
“Has…has anyone told Maddie?” Eddie asked hesitantly. Chim closed his eyes and looked sick.
“Yeah. I called her a few minutes ago. Obviously, she’s not taking it well. She and Athena are catching the next plane up here to help with the search.” Both men stood in silence for a minute, staring out at the river.
“Chim, Eddie! We got a lead!” They both turned at Bobby’s shout from behind them. He and Hen were jogging over to meet them, heavy gear bags slung over their shoulders.
“They found him?” Eddie asked, afraid of what that might mean.
“Not exactly. Chopper spotted his helmet and what they think is his harness on the bank about five miles downriver. They didn’t see him, but mud was stirred up around the area. It looks like he managed to pull himself out.” Relayed Bobby, tossing them each backpack. Chim and Eddie felt themselves sag a bit in relief.
“He’s alive…holy shit. I thought…” Eddie mumbled to himself.
“Rescue boats are on their way, but they want us to meet them there to help with the search. We need to move quickly. Hypothermia could still kill him if he doesn’t get help soon.” Bobby said worriedly.
“Not to mention any injuries.” Hen added.
“Lead the way, Cap.”
Buck awoke slowly, roused by a painful throbbing in his head. Forcing open gritty eyes, it took him a minute to remember why he was face down in the silt, teeth chattering hard enough to knock loose a filling. Memories washed over him. Falling, crashing, drowning…
“Wake up kid, no sleeping on the job.” Buck frowned in confusion.
“B-bobby?” He rasped, coughing harshly as he did so. Had he fallen in too? Rolling over, he was surprised to see his captain crouching next to him. “H-how’re…you h-here?” Bobby smiled sadly.
“I’m not, Buck. You’re hypothermic and you took a pretty nasty knock to your head when you fell.”
“O-oh…’lucination.” Buck mumbled, letting his lids drift shut. He was so damn tired…
“Eyes open, Buckley! That’s an order!” Out of reflex, Buck obeyed.
“Y-you’re…n-not real.”
“Doesn’t matter. My house, my rules, remember? Still applies when we’re out in the field. And last I checked, you were still on the clock. That means you answer to me.” Bobby said firmly.
“G-got it, Cap.”
“Good. Now get up.”
“U-up?”
“You heard me. I know you aced your first aid class. You need to move, keep yourself warm, start looking for help.”
“Right…g-gotta m-move.” It took a few minutes for Buck’s body to catch up with his brain. Finally, he struggled to his feet, swaying drunkenly as he struggled for balance.
“That’s it, kiddo. You’re doing great.” Bobby encouraged. “Now start walking. If you head upstream, you have a better chance of meeting up with rescue teams. Try to stay in the trees. They’ll protect you from the wind.” He coached.
“G-getting’ bossier…than…’thena.” Buck coughed as he began trudging through the mud.
“If you’re lucky, she’ll never find out you said that.” Bobby chuckled, falling into step beside him.
Bobby paused for moment, holding up hand to signal the others to wait as he answered the satellite phone the rescue teams had issued him. He listened for a moment to the voice on the other end.
“Got it. We’re about two miles out. We’ll rendezvous with you there.” After he hung up, he met his teams concerned eyes.
“They find him?” Hen asked, trying and failing to keep the desperation out of her voice. Bobby shook his head.
“The boat crews made it to the area where Buck came to shore. He wasn’t there, but they found blood.” He replied grimly. The news seemed to deflate them.
“So…if he’s not there,” Eddie began, “then where the hell is he?”
“There were footprints heading toward the woods. They tried to follow them, but once they got into the trees, they couldn’t make them out anymore. Too many pine needles on the ground obscuring them. They’re searching for blood right now, but they need us to help them canvas the area.”
“Why not stay on the riverbank where we’d see him? He had to know that we’d be looking.” Hen questioned.
“Hypothermia, blood loss, shock, maybe even a head injury…he might not be thinking clearly.” Chim reasoned.
“All the more reason to get over there.” Eddie asserted, taking the lead and setting a grueling pace.
The tree bark scraped his palm as he threw a hand out to steady himself. Leaning against the trunk and heaving in a ragged breath, Buck was dimly aware that this wasn’t good. He could barely walk now. The sharp, piercing pain of the cold was gradually fading to numbness and even his shivering had slowed.
“Don’t s-suppose you h-have a blanket, Cap?” He joked halfheartedly.
“I wish I did, Buckaroo. But I think you know that this is more than just cold.” Bobby said softly, hovering just in front of him.
“O-oh?”
“Blood loss, kid. You got cut up pretty bad on those rocks and now you’re bleeding.”
“I am?” Bobby nodded, warm brown eyes filled with concern.
“You need to find the wound and stop the bleeding, okay? You’re going into shock.”
“Shock…makes sense.” Buck slurred, sinking to the ground. His eyes felt so heavy.
“I know you’re tired, but this is important.” Bobby prompted. “Find the source of the bleeding.”
“C-can’t feel…anything.” Admitted Buck tiredly.
“Then use your hands. Run them over your body. Figure out where it’s coming from.” Urged Bobby. Buck sighed. He wanted nothing more than to give into the exhaustion, to curl and sleep, but Bobby sounded so worried. He hated when Bobby was worried. Slowly, he began dragging stiff, uncooperative hands across himself. When he reached his right side, he was surprised to find his hands coming away slick and red.
“Huh…how b-bout that?” Somehow, he’d ended up with a deep gash that had coated his entire abdomen in blood.
“Okay, you’ve gotta stop the bleeding.”
“How? Don’ exactly h-have a med kit.”
“Improvise. Rip off a section of your shirt and use it to pack the wound.” Bobby instructed.
“S’not sanitary.” Buck muttered as he began tearing off a piece of his undershirt.
“We’ll get you some antibiotics later. Now quit stalling.” Reluctantly, Buck did as he was told. It hurt like a hot poker being jammed into his gut, but he suspected that the pain was also significantly dulled by the cold. When he’d finished, he collapsed back against the tree, fighting to stay conscious. He had no idea how long he laid there, but once again, Bobby’s voice in his ear brought him back.
“C’mon, Buck. You have to get up and keep moving.”
“Can’t…can’t do it, Bobby.”
“Yes you can. You are not giving up, do you hear me? I am not burying any more of my family.” Bobby’s voice was so intense, so broken, that it managed to cut through the fog clouding Buck’s mind. It took time, and way more effort than it should’ve, but he finally managed to convince his body to cooperate. Everything was stiff and heavy, like something that was never meant to move, but Buck ignored it as he forced himself to his feet.
“Won’t give up…promise.”
They’d been moving in silence, punctuated only by the occasional calls for their friend. It had already been hours since Buck had fallen and none of them could shake the feeling of a giant, Big Ben sized clock looming over them, ticking away the seconds of his life. They had all taken the classes, all completed the training, and they knew that the odds of finding him alive were dwindling the longer they searched. Still, they refused to give up. If nothing else, Buck was a survivor.
“Wait, stop.” Hen ordered softly as she held up a hand and stared intently into the forest. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Bobby asked.
“It sounded like footsteps and…voices maybe?” She said uncertainly.
“Could be animals. Or the other teams.” Chim reasoned, hesitant to get his hopes up. “I don’t-“ Chim broke off as a loud cough cut through the quiet.
“That’s no animal!” Eddie called, already sprinting off into the trees toward the noise. “Buck!” The others followed close behind.
“Buck, we’re here!”
“Buck, make a sound if you can hear us!”
They were just rounding a small rock outcrop when a familiar figure staggered into view. Eddie felt his legs grow weak as he raced forward. The man was a mess, covered in mud, bruises…and a frightening amount of blood. Eddie skidded to a halt just in time to catch Buck as his legs crumpled beneath him.
“Hey, hey, hey…easy. I gotcha, Buck. I gotcha. You’re safe now.” He whispered fiercely, pulling his friend close to his chest. “Over here!” He shouted over his shoulder, directing the others to their location.
“Ed…Eddie?” Buck’s voice was so quiet he almost missed it.
“Yeah, buddy. I’m here. We’re all here. We’re gonna get you out, so you just hang on, okay?” Eddie encouraged as the others finally joined. Bobby reached them first and was already shouting into his radio for assistance.
“Oh my God…” Chim breathed, kneeling down and tearing through his bag. “How we doin’, Buck?” He asked, not really expecting an answer. He was already helping Eddie with his exam.
“Temp is ninety degrees. Altered consciousness. Got a head wound up here.” Eddie announced succinctly.
“Alright, Buckaroo. Let’s get you warmed up.” Hen quickly began cutting him out of his sodden uniform and wrapping him in thermal blankets.
“Whoa, deep laceration on his right flank. There’s a lot of blood here.” Said Chim worriedly.
“Looks like he tried to pack the wound with something.” Bobby added, leaning close to inspect the wound. Smiling fondly, he gave Buck’s cold, limp hand a squeeze. “You did good, kid.” Buck stirred weakly at Bobby’s voice. His lids fluttered before finally making it halfway open.
“I kept…movin’. Juss like…you told me to…Cap.” He mumbled, staring at some point just over Bobby’s shoulder.
“What do you mean?” Bobby asked as he gently rolled Buck’s head to face him. “When did I tell you that?”
“At the…river.” Buck slurred, still not meeting his eyes. “Told me to keep walkin’ an’ I did. An’ I…stopped…bleeding…like you said.” Bobby frowned.
“You’re not making sense, kiddo. You were alone. I’ve been with the rest of the team, looking for you.” He explained, sharing a concerned look with the others.
“He’s confused, probably the shock.” Chim murmured quietly as he taped gauze over Buck’s wounds.
“Didn’t…give up. P-promised.” Buck’s voice was barely audible now as his eyes began sliding shut.
“And we are so proud of you,” Bobby played along, “but you’ve gotta stay awake now. Just a little longer.”
“But ‘m so t-tired.” Whispered Buck, his head lolling against Eddie’s chest.
“Hey, stay awake…Buck!” Eddie gave him a firm shake, but Buck simply flopped bonelessly in his arms. “C’mon, Buck, open your eyes.” He urged, rubbing his knuckles along Buck’s sternum. Buck winced faintly, but otherwise made no response.
“We need to get him out of here. Where’s that evac?” Hen demanded.
“ETA three minutes.” Replied Chim tersely.
“Stay with us, kid.” Bobby pleaded. “Stay with me.”
“Boy, you sure got a knack for scaring the crap out of us.” A quiet voice greeted him as he opened his eyes. Buck blinked a few times, slowly, as he got his bearings. Dim lighting, hospital room, and…
“Athena?”
“Yeah, baby. You back with us now?” She asked, smoothing his hair back from his forehead.
“Where’d I go?”
“Well, let’s see. Off a cliffside, down a river, through a forest, and finally in a medevac chopper that took you here. Any of that sound familiar?” Buck thought for a moment, reaching back through his hazy memories.
“I remember falling. And maybe…swimming? It’s all so fuzzy.” Athena tsked softly and squeezed his arm.
“That’s to be expected, hun. You went and got yourself a nasty concussion. Not to mention that by the time they found you, you were severely hypothermic and had lost way too much of that blood of yours. There’s bound to be a few gaps, but it’s nothing to worry about. The important thing is that we found you and that you’re safe now.”
“Is everyone else okay?” Athena chuckled lightly.
“Take a look for yourself, Buckaroo.” She said, directing his attention to the rest of the room. Buck felt warmth spreading through him as he took in the sight. Chim and Maddie were curled up on the small couch near the window, his arms wrapped tightly around her even in sleep. Eddie was passed out on the floor, body leaning back against the wall and head resting on Hen’s shoulder. Her soft snores ruffled the blanket someone had lovingly thrown over them. Finally, his eyes found their way to his other side where Bobby was dead asleep in a chair, his head resting on the bed and hand spread over Buck’s chest.
“They’re all here?” Buck mumbled in disbelief.
“Pshh, like they’d be anywhere else.” Athena scoffed. “Not even all of the doctors and nurses in this place could get them to leave…not that they didn’t try. They all just parked themselves in here and made it clear that nothing short of an act of God would move them.”
“They stayed…”
“Of course, sweetheart. That’s what family does. We all needed to make sure that you’d be okay. Like I said, you scared the crap out of us.”
“Sorry.” Buck muttered shyly.
“Oh, now none of that. No apologizing. We’re just glad you’re okay. We’ve all been so worried. Bobby was practically beside himself.” Said Athena, glancing affectionately at her husband.
“He said he couldn’t bury any more of his family.” Murmured Buck after a moment. Athena frowned.
“When did he say that?”
“In the woods I think? It’s hard to remember. He kept telling me to get up and keep walking. But that’s not right…because he wasn’t…” Buck trailed off, clearly confused. Athena gave him a small, sad smile.
“I think you were hallucinating. They said you weren’t making a lot of sense when they found you. Did you see Bobby out there?”
“He…he saved my life.” Buck admitted, piecing his way through what little memories he could find.
“Call it payback for all the times you saved his. And I don’t just mean on the job.” Athena said seriously.
“That’s what family does.” Buck said simply, tossing her own words back at her with a yawn. He hadn’t been awake more than a few minutes, but already he could feel exhaustion weighing him down.
“Yes, it is. And right now, you are going to let this family look out for you while you get some rest. We’ll all still be here in the morning.” Athena leaned in and planted a kiss on his forehead. Smiling, Buck drifted back to sleep, feeling warmer than he had all day.