by Stone, Piper
“Shannon. Stop. You have to stop this .”
The door smacked open, a man and a woman racing inside. “Ms. Miller. You have to stop fighting. You can’t do this,” the female said as she pressed her hand on Shannon’s upper chest .
“Her vitals are all over the place,” the male stated as he looked at the monitors .
“She’s upset. The jumpers are fighting the fires.” Jessica took several steps away from the bed .
“Turn on the television,” Shannon insisted .
“Miss Miller, you don’t need any extra stress,” the woman said as she shook her head .
“Now!”
Jessica reacted, grabbing the remote. “I don’t think there are any updates .”
“Please.” Tears slipped past Shannon’s lashes and she gulped for air. She could tell her heart was racing, but she no longer cared. Landen. He had to be alive. They’d just started a life. This couldn’t happen .
The television flipped on, showing a cartoon. Jessica turned her head then moved through the various channels until she found a newscast .
“In the evening’s top news, fire crews both from the local smokejumping teams as well as several engine companies responded to two explosions coming from Barefoot Mountain. Given the storm, there is no way our reporters can get close, but here’s what we know. The firefighters are working to contain as well as turn the fire. Several firestorms have kicked up in the area, torching dozens of homes .”
Shannon heard the words, could see the devastating damage, houses burned to the ground, cars left as a twisted mass of metal. Miles and miles of carnage .
“At least four lives have been lost, but from what we understand, there are many homeowners and vacationers considered missing. We have reports of teams coming in from Idaho and Oregon,” the reporter continued .
Jessica dropped the remote, the clanging noise echoing in the space .
“Ms. Miller needs her rest,” the female nurse insisted .
Shannon held out her shaking hand until her fingers could touch the nurse’s arm. “Please. I have to know .”
The nurse locked eyes and after a few seconds, nodded .
Landen. Please be okay. Please survive this. Shannon shifted, trying desperately to see the fine details .
“Now, we’re going to turn our attention to Mike Reynolds. He’s on the scene just a few miles from the fire. Mike, what can you tell us ?”
“Nancy, this is an incredible scene. While Missoula has experienced several fires before, there’s no way to describe what is occurring behind me. What we know is that hundreds of acres have gone up in flames, some as high as sixty feet into the air, fueled by forty miles per hour winds. The only reason this fire hasn’t done more damage is the snowstorm, but as you can imagine, the storm has added another layer of treachery. Take a look behind me. We can already see smoldering areas where the fires have been stopped or turned, but the embers are what’s creating problems for the fire teams. There have been several planes and helicopters spotted, but I can tell you that at this point, the smoke has become debilitating .”
“Mike, the mayor of Missoula called out to the governor and we’re learning that Governor Powell has declared a state of emergency in Montana. This fire has moved into several counties and has crossed the border into Idaho .”
“Yes, I’ve heard some reports about extensive damage already occurring in Idaho, Nancy. Just a horrific scene .”
Jessica moaned and fisted her mouth .
“The teams are working diligently but given the dry weather conditions over the summer, even several inches of snow haven’t managed to slow down the firestorm. This isn’t confirmed, but we’ve been told from two sources that several teams appear to be trapped given the intense blaze. Although the planes are still flying, carrying retardant chemicals to the location, there is word that they will have to stop flying soon .”
Shannon blinked away the tears and tried to concentrate on what she was hearing .
Nancy glanced over at the second newscaster in the newsroom, nodding as if hearing some additional information. “Mike, I’ve just learned that we have a confirmed report that there is a team down. There has been no word from them in at least two hours. We’re trying to find out any additional information.” She hesitated, her hand floating to her earpiece. When she looked straight into the camera, her lower lip quivered. “Yes, they have been identified as a smokejumping team, the auxiliary unit. Details are sketchy at this point …”
The information sweltered in her mind. She knew what was being said. She heard the words, understanding the meaning. As she jerked up from bed, ripping out the various attachments, she tipped her head back and screamed .
* * *
“H elp me!”
The screeching sounds reverberated in Landen’s ears. He slapped his hands against the sides of his head, moaning as he struggled to comprehend what was happening .
“Don’t let me die !”
They were suffocating, trapped in a sea of debris. The building had collapsed all around them. There was no way he could save anyone .
“Man down. Man down!” Antonio screamed into the microphone .
“Jesus Christ. Landen. Riker .”
This time, Landen recognized the voice. Stoker. He blinked and was instantly blinded by flying snow. A rush of memory occurred and in the next seconds, he pushed up and out, crawling to his knees .
“Stay there!” Boone called out .
He couldn’t wait. There was no way he was going to wait. Hoisting himself up, he could see a massive tree, crushing Riker into the snow. Taking two giant strides, he bent his knees and pushed. “Aaahh !”
“Help him! Move that damn tree!” Antonio jumped through the snow .
Every smokejumper moved to the position, crouching down, their hands underneath the tree .
“Lift!”
The call was made. The jumpers responded .
But the tree refused to budge .
“Fuck!” Garcia screamed .
“Go again!” Antonio directed. “One. Two. Three. Push !”
Landen gritted his teeth as he pushed, every muscle strained to the breaking point. Pain tore through his injured shoulder, making him weaker. Damn it! He heard a creak then a whoosh as a suction of snow let go. Minutes later, the tree was toppled over, releasing Riker. “Goddamn it !”
“Careful. Be very careful as you turn him over,” Sawyer stated .
“Go. Puevos, Lincoln, go toward the ridge. See what we’re dealing with.” Antonio’s voice was shaking .
“Yes, sir!” Garcia clipped as the two men headed in the direction of a sea of swirling smoke .
Very gently, Landen rolled Riker onto his back. Adrenaline had jazzed every cell until breathing became difficult .
Antonio crouched down, hovering over Riker. “Come on, buddy. Breathe .”
Stoker jerked off Riker’s helmet and leaned over, his ear to Riker’s mouth. “He’s alive but his breathing is shallow .”
“We have to get him off this mountain,” Boone added as he surveyed the area .
“There are no helicopters coming in yet and the planes can’t land,” Antonio said then jerked to his feet, turning in a full circle .
“He is not dying here today!” Landen snapped. Tearing off his helmet and mask, he tossed the equipment then dropped to his knees. “Come on. You can make it. Breathe .”
Sawyer and Garcia appeared from a wall of smoke, their gait hampered by the falling snow. “We’ve got some slop-over from the control lines,” Garcia huffed .
“How bad?” Antonio demanded .
“The fire crossed over at least a half a mile of the trenches,” Sawyer added as he removed his helmet and wiped his face .
“Shit,” Stoker grumbled. “All that damn work .”
“We have some reports of spot fires given the embers,” Boone added. “We’re stuck in a bad position .”
“There are two fire engine companies coming this way. They made a line.” Antonio stoo
d. “I’m calling the captain. We have to arrange to get Riker out of here .”
Landen looked over at Stoker and could tell the odds of getting off this mountain were decreasing, given the rapidly spreading fire .
“Captain Phillips. Can you hear me?” Antonio walked away from the group .
Stoker shook his head as he touched Riker’s arms, then his legs. “Doesn’t appear anything is broken .”
“Could be a concussion as well as internal bleeding. The hit was hard,” Sawyer said .
The tree had clipped Landen, falling on Riker’s back. Landen gripped Riker’s shoulder. “We’re not leaving you.” The snow had at least softened the blow .
“No, he’s stabilized at this point, but we need to get him medevacked out of here.” Antonio walked closer to the tree line .
“They can’t come in right now. The smoke is far too thick.” Stoker’s voice was hollow .
“Then we protect and carry him out of here if we have to. Are we clear?” Landen wasn’t taking no for an answer .
“Yeah. I got it. We’ll manage.” Antonio dropped his head then turned to face the men. “We have to get down the mountain almost a mile. There’s a landing area. They can pick up Riker from there. I need two volunteers to take him .”
“We’re all going!” Boone huffed .
“We can’t. We have to stay here and contain this fire.” Antonio swallowed hard .
Landen stormed toward him. “You can’t break up the team .”
“We have to. Orders. If you want to see Riker alive, then we need to do this !”
He could tell Antonio was just following orders, but anger unlike anything he’d ever known burrowed into his system. “Then I’ll go .”
“I’ll go with him,” Stoker hissed as he stepped up .
“Okay. Good. We can do this. We’re going to reset the control lines, then we’ll follow. Are we clear?” Antonio turned in a full circle, connecting with every jumper .
Exhausted and disillusioned, every man nodded .
“We’re a team. We will not be defeated!” Holding his fist in the air, Antonio stared defiantly at the fire .
“Team!”
Antonio motioned for Landen and Stoker. “You need your GPS tracking on. Let’s go over the route .”
As the wind continued to howl, creating a mixture of orange and white rain as snow mixed with burning embers, Landen listened, but a sickening feeling remained in the pit of his stomach .
The information gathered, Landen hoisted Riker over his shoulder. He was the only man who could carry the hulking teammate .
“One mile. We can do this.” Stoker forged ahead, his ax slapping and cutting through dense foliage .
Landen glanced up at the trees, the area already scorched from the invasive fire. He could see the sky, daylight waning as another frigid night set in. They had to reach the landing spot before dark .
Step by step they plodded on, fighting the swirling wind, the falling limbs .
“Only a half mile to go.” Stoker stopped and jerked off his helmet, wiping sweat from his eyes. “Goddamn this storm is for shit. Put him down. Rest. You have to save your strength. I’ll radio our location .”
After easing Riker down onto the ground, he checked the man’s vitals. His pulse was strong. Stoker studied the GPS, thankful they were still going in the right direction. Stoker was a damn good tracker. He sat down on the snow, folding his arms over his knees. “I didn’t get into this to lose ya, buddy. Stay strong. Only a short stint, then we’ll get you home .”
“Okay. We can go whenever you’re ready,” Stoker said as he closed the distance .
“All right,” he huffed, fighting the exhaustion .
Stoker held out his arm, helping Landen to his feet. “For what it’s worth, you’re a damn good smokejumper. Couldn’t ask for a better team mate .”
Landen fiddled with his helmet and nodded .
Back on track, they slipped several times as they headed down to the correct location, one that was safe enough for a helicopter to land. The snow had all but stopped, yet the terrain remained icy .
“Just stay here. Let me double check we have a clear path,” Stoker insisted .
Landen groaned then nodded. He could use the rest .
Everything was becoming a blur in the graying darkness .
Landen heard Riker moan at least twice but resisted setting him down again. There would be no way he could pick the man up even one more time. Lightheaded, he licked his cracked lips, trying his best to keep his head as images from 9/11 continued to pop in. He rubbed his temple. Fuck it. He had to concentrate .
Crack!
The sound seemed to echo in the forest. Panting, Landen twisted as far as he could, yet was unable to see anything. Just the limbs continuing to fall .
Another two steps and he was out of breath. Leaning his hand against a tree, he could feel the weight of Riker’s body slipping. He tripped, falling face first into the snow, Riker tumbling off his shoulder .
Landen groaned and scrambled to his feet. “Shit.” He snapped the button on the radio. Nothing. There were no clicks or other sounds. “What the hell?” Either the smoke had interfered with the lines of communication or his radio was shot. Either way, he had to keep moving. “Come on, Riker. We… have to …”
Crack!
His ears perked up and given the eerie silence created by the blanket of snow, he heard the sound of footsteps coming from the opposite direction. Craning his neck, he turned in a full circle but saw nothing, including the sign of creatures remaining in the forest. Red flags were flying high and he bent down, making certain Riker was still breathing before moving away from the tree. When he was fifty yards out, he stopped and listened, tipping his head .
Almost a minute later, he heard the footsteps again. He slid his ax from the holster on his leg, waiting. There is no way a teammate would follow .
A full minute passed by without any additional sounds. Hearing a whistle from the opposite direction, he breathed a sigh of relief and jerked off his helmet. “Over here!” Now, he was getting paranoid .
Snap. Snap .
He heard the sound again. This time the footsteps were much closer, almost right behind him .
Wham!
The hard blow knocked him to the ground. Breathless, Landen struggled to roll over, blinking and seeing a person swinging down. He rolled, scrambling to get to his feet and back to his fallen implement .
Bam!
Knocked down again, Landen managed to catch a glimpse of the attacker. A firefighter. What the fuck? “No!” Lunging forward, he slammed against the firefighter’s legs, knocking them down. They rolled and pitched until the attacker managed to get away .
Landen backed away as the firefighter inched closer. Unable to see the face, he backed away, looking from right to left in order to locate the ax .
“Landen!” Stoker raced through a patch of trees .
Landen looked over, just as he noticed the barrel of a gun. “No !”
Pop! Pop !
Chapter 14
T he helicopter hovered over the area until cleared to land, the trip taking them over dozens of acres of scorched land. While the fire continued to rage in certain sections, the town of Missoula was off the radar, safe .
Landen sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. He had one hell of a headache .
“We’re almost there. You’re going to be okay .”
The voice was calm, comforting .
Opening one eye, Landen exhaled as he attempted to sit up straight. Every muscle and every bone ached like a son of a bitch. “Yeah, not me I’m worried about.” The EMT was efficient but in his mind, hovering. Still, the medical help was needed for Riker .
Stoker leaned over, wringing his hands. “You look like shit .”
“Same to you.” Landen grinned and held out his hand. They clasped arms and nodded, both men understanding that the moment on the mountain could have gone much differently. What little he knew about the
attack was basic. The shooter was a woman. The second firefighter and the one who stopping the killing was male. They were from Engine Company 16 and two people he recognized. However, the rest? Clueless .
“Shit!”
Landen yanked off his seatbelt and fell to the floor, moving toward Riker. “You’re alive. About time .”
Riker hissed and lifted his head, instantly wincing. “Goddamn,” he whispered. “What in the hell happened ?”
Stoker laughed. “The big bear was bested by the mountain .”
Lifting his arm, Riker gave him a finger. “I can still beat your ass .”
Landen chuckled and gave Riker a smile. “We thought we lost you up there .”
“Not a chance .”
“Rest. We’re going home.” As Landen sat back in his seat, he thought about Shannon. She was with Frederick, no doubt safe at the Sheriff’s office. His nerves suddenly kicked in. Had the attack been because of what the investigator knew or what he told the sheriff? There was no way of knowing. He absolutely couldn’t wait to see her again. This time, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight. He glanced out of the window, holding his breath. The rest of the team was still on the damn mountain .
“Stop worrying. They’re okay,” Stoker stated, following his gaze .
“What the fuck went on up there ?”
The pilot glanced back. “The sheriff and members of his force are set to meet you at the hanger. An ambulance is also waiting. Hold on. We’re going in and it’ll be a bumpy ride .”
Landen had the distinct impression the attack was all about Jeffries, but until confirmed, his stomach would remain in knots. The helicopter dipped, shifting back and forth due to the waning storm .
Bap!
Landen rocked as his stomach lurched until they touched the ground .
The EMT went into action, immediately exiting the helicopter, directing the ambulance drivers. “Let’s get going fellas. We have an injured smokejumper here.” He turned back to face them. “You both need medical attention as well .”
“We’re fine. Trust me,” Landen managed .
When Riker was safely off and ready to be transported, Stoker and Landen exited, coming face to face with their captain and Tyler as well as the sheriff and two deputies .