by Jenna Brandt
“Yes, Madison, it’s me. I also have two other officers with me and their K9 partners.”
“You’re right,” she said with a smile. “Titan is a great friend. He’s made me feel a lot better.”
There was a commotion behind them. The medics were coming through the window, and made their way over to take the care of the little girl.
“I have to go look for your mom and sister, Madison. These people are going to take good care of you.” Ted gave Titan the signal to heel. He took his chew toy, gave him a treat for being good while with Madison, and finally commanded him to search.
The teams made their way down the attic stairs to the second floor, splitting off in opposite directions. Several of the windows were broken out and mud flow had filled part of the area; however, if they moved slowly, they were able to make their way through the debris.
Ted and Titan took the south side while Turano took the north, and Stone took the east. Whoever got finished first would finish up with the west side. A few minutes into their search, another two teams arrived and took the final area.
Titan moved through the south side sniffing for the hidden smell that would lead him to the missing victims. They made it halfway through their area, when he heard Mark say over the radio, “Command, this is DCSR K-9 16. I found the second missing child. She was hiding inside a closet. She has a few bumps and scratches, but otherwise is fine.”
“Copy that, DCSR K-9 16, please take the child out of the house and relocate her to the triage area.”
“Will do, Command,” Turano said over the radio.
As Ted reached the staircase leading to the bottom floor, he looked down to see what he could make out. From what he could tell through the darkness, the entire bottom floor looked like it had been filled with muddy debris. If the mother had gotten swept up in that, he wasn’t sure she would have survived. Ted wasn’t willing to give up on her though. He pulled out his flashlight and shined down into the staircase. “Come on, Boy, let’s go see what we can find.”
They tried to make their way to the bottom, but by about the bottom third, it was too thick to go any further. Ted scanned the area with his flashlight, looking for any signs of life. “Hello, anyone down here?” No response. He scanned the area again. “Hello, this is Disaster City Search and Rescue, anyone down here?” he repeated.
Ted was about to turn around to leave, but Titan started barking. He was pawing at the mud to the left of the staircase, and his barking got louder.
“Is…is someone there?” a soft female voice choked out. “I hear a dog.”
Titan started to wag his tail fiercely as his barking got louder.
“Yes, ma’am, I’m a search and rescue officer. My K9 partner and I are here to help you.”
“Something’s wrong. I can’t move.” A sharp cry of pain could be heard before the woman added, “Something is pressing on me.”
Ted suspected she was covered by some of the debris. The good news was her head was above it, which meant she had a fighting chance if she remained calm. “Stay still, ma’am, you might injure yourself further. There’s a digging crew on their way to our location right now. I’m going to stay here with you until we get you free.”
“I’m really tired. I just want to go to sleep.”
“No, don’t do that,” Ted shouted, worried she had a head injury. If she fell asleep, she might not wake back up. “Just keep talking to me.”
“What do you want to talk about?” she asked, her voice sounding strained.
“How about your daughters? I met Madison. She’s a great kid. Officer Turano found Abigail.”
“They’re both okay?”
“Yes, they’re both fine thanks to you. You kept them safe by telling them to get to higher ground.”
“Good, that’s good.” Ted could hear the relief in her voice. “If I don’t make it out of here, you tell them—”
“No, ma’am, you’re not going to say your goodbyes. We’re going to talk about what you’re going to do with your daughters when you get out of here.”
Just then, the dig crew announced over the radio they had arrived. They started to work on getting the mother free. Ted kept his word and stayed the whole time. It took two hours, but they were able to make a path to her and get her free. She had four cracked ribs and a broken leg and arm, but surprisingly, the medics said she didn’t have any other visible injuries.
The other three male victims were also found and rescued in the surrounding areas affected by the mudslide. By the end of the night, all the victims were accounted for.
The Wilmont police chief came forward and spoke to the group of officers and volunteers that aided in the rescue effort. “We want to thank the DCSR team for coming out here and aiding in our search and rescue effort. Without your help, we might not have recovered all the victims alive.”
There were claps and cheers that echoed around the group. It had been a long day, but Ted had never felt prouder than he did working his first call as a K9 handler.
“Great job, trainee,” Bilmont commended him with a smile. “I knew you were going to shine.”
“Thanks,” he said, returning the smile. “It was all your expert training that kicked in.”
“I have to admit, you did good today,” Griffin conceded. “There might be a chance I end up buying the graduation drinks after all.”
Once Ted was back in his room at the dorms, he knew he should get some sleep, but he was still wired from the eventful day. He clicked the icon for Deanna on his phone, wanting to tell her the good news.
She answered on the third ring. “Hello.” Her tone made it clear she was busy, but she didn’t say anything else.
“I was just calling to tell you I had my first call-out as a K9 handler today. It went good, really good as a matter of fact.”
“That’s good, Ted. It sounds like you’re really happy there.” She let out a heavy sigh. “Right now isn’t the best time for me talk. I have a lot of work I need to get done for the captain, and Janet called in sick today.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. She really hasn’t been pulling her weight.”
“She’s not the only one,” Deanna snapped out. “Look, I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.” She didn’t wait for a response, but instead hung up.
Ted wasn’t sure what he expected when he called Deanna, but how she just reacted wasn’t it at all. It took the wind right out of his sails. Even though he had told her he needed space while he was going through the academy, he didn’t mean he wanted complete radio silence. Over the past week and a half though, he’d noticed that she hadn’t been responding to or sending as many texts as she had previously. She also let several of his calls go to voicemail or cut the phone call short when she occasionally did answer.
He hadn’t meant to hurt Deanna, but it seemed that was what happened. He wondered if it was only a matter of time before she broke up with him.
The moment she hung up on Ted, she regretted it. The truth was, she was still hurt from the conversation they had about him needing space. Add in that she had a difficult week covering for Janet along with extra work required by the captain, and Deanna felt like she was drowning in trouble.
The only good thing was tonight she had Bible study. She always felt better when she went and spent time with her friends in the Word of God.
Deanna made it home just in time to change out of her work clothes and into a pair of jeans and a green blouse. She pulled her hair up in a quick ponytail, grabbed the cake she was taking, then climbed back into her car to head over to Lindsay’s house.
A few minutes later, she arrived. She knew she could just head inside, so she entered through the front door.
Brooke was the first to greet her. “Hey there, friend, how you hanging in?”
Deanna shrugged. “Better now that I’m here. I swear Janet is going to be the death of me.”
“I know she’s tough to deal with, but you got this,” Erica encouraged with a friendly smile.
“Am I the last to arrive?” Deanna inquired.
“I’m not sure Hayley is going to make it,” Lindsay said, taking the cake and adding it to the other food on the kitchen counter. “She called earlier today and told me she was having contractions.”
Deanna’s eyes grew wide with worry. Did that mean her best friend was going to have her baby tonight?
Lindsay must have recognized Deanna’s reaction, because she quickly explained to the group, “Don’t worry, she’s doing fine. She just needs to rest. The doctor said she could have a couple of days of contractions before she would need to go to the hospital.”
The women went into the living room and took seats in the chairs and on the couch. They pulled out their Bibles and study plan.
“Before we get started, does anyone have any prayer requests?” Lindsay asked.
The other women listed sick relatives, work problems, and of course, Hayley. Deanna debated whether she should bring up what happened with Ted. Deciding she could use the support and prayer, she opened up.
“I had a fight with Ted today. He called to tell me about something great that happened to him at the academy, but I wasn’t supportive. Actually, it was worse than that. I was mean and condescending about it. He didn’t deserve it, but I was still so hurt from when he told me he needed space. I could really use some prayer for the situation.”
“That’s what we’re here for, to support each other,” Erica said, reaching out and patting her arm. “Relationships can be tough, especially when you’re dating a cop. It’s hard to balance the job and a personal life. You just need to have patience. It’s clear how much Ted cares about you.”
“Thanks, guys, I appreciate it.”
The group spent the next fifteen minutes praying over all the requests. By the end, Deanna felt a peace enter her heart.
“Do you guys mind if I step out and call Ted really quick?”
“No, of course not. We can all grab some snacks while you do that,” Lindsay said.
Deanna made her way out onto the front porch. She clicked the number next to Ted’s picture. It rang several times, but he didn’t answer. She decided to leave him a message. “I’m sorry about earlier, Ted. I could give you a bunch of excuses, but the truth is, you didn’t deserve how I treated you. I’m going to do better. I promise. Call me when you can.”
Even though she didn’t get to talk to him, she felt better about the situation. At least she could rest in the fact she apologized and told him she would keep from doing it in the future.
Deanna entered the house and found the women rushing around in a frenzy.
“What’s going on?”
“Connor just called the house. Hayley’s at the hospital and about to give birth to the baby,” Lindsay explained.
“We all want to go down there and support them,” Brooke added. “You coming?”
Deanna nodded. “Let’s go.”
A half hour later, the group of friends arrived at the hospital and made their way up to the labor and delivery wing. They found their husbands and boyfriend sitting in the waiting room.
“You guys made it just in time,” Aiden said with a grin. “Hayley just had the baby.”
“When can we see them?” Deanna asked, ecstatic to hold her first niece.
“The nurse told us she could have two visitors at a time in an hour,” Zach explained. “She needs to rest for a bit.”
When the time was up, Deanna was one of the first to go in the room. Brooke was with her. Hayley was sitting up in her hospital bed, holding Addie Marie in her arms. She was pink, chubby, and perfect.
“She’s adorable,” Deanna cooed as she approached them. “I can’t believe you’re a mom now.”
“Right? It still doesn’t feel real,” Hayley said with a smile. “I had no idea I could love somebody this much when I just met them.”
“It’s pretty amazing,” Connor agreed from his spot in the chair next to her.
“You want to hold your new niece?” Hayley offered.
“Are you sure?”
Hayley nodded. “You’re family.”
Deanna reached out and took the baby into her arms. She was careful to support her neck and head as she pulled her in close, letting the tiny bundle fill her with awe. “She’s so light,” Deanna mused. “I had no idea she would be as weightless as a feather.”
“She won’t be for long,” the nurse said, coming into the room. “They grow like weeds.”
Connor chuckled. “If she’s anything like me, she sure will. My mom said I nearly ate her out of house and home.”
“You were a boy; girls don’t do that,” Hayley said with disdain.
“Oh, I don’t know about that. I’ve seen plenty of girls that have a healthy appetite,” the nurse said, as she hung the new IV bag.
By the time Deanna was ready to let a couple of the other women come and see the baby, she realized that what she wanted most out of life was a family, and she wanted that family with Ted. Once he was finished with the academy, she was going to tell him that she was willing to move to Texas to be with him. It might mean giving up her life in Clear Mountain, but Ted was worth it.
9
The final week of training was wrapping up, and Ted was at the top of his class. After finding the missing family during the mudslide, Ted continued to excel during the rest of the exercises. He’d already broken two records and was close to breaking a third.
As good as things were going with his career, the same couldn’t be said for his personal life. He couldn’t manage to catch a break with Deanna. They both kept missing each other’s phone calls, texts were sporadic at best, and neither of them seemed to have time for video chatting. He cared about her, but it seemed every time he tried to fix things with her, something got in the way.
There was a knock at the door, causing Ted to walk over and open it. Adam was standing on the other side. “Can I come in?” he asked.
“Sure,” Ted said, stepping back to let him enter. “I know the rules about you hanging out with a trainee. Are you here to give me a head’s up? Did I do something that’s going to get me into trouble?”
Adam shook his head, “No, just the opposite. I’m actually here to congratulate you on how great you are doing. I know training isn’t officially over yet, but I wanted to tell you, the disaster instructors are impressed with you. Dixon said he hasn’t seen as much raw talent in a handler as you in years. Bilmont thinks you might be the best one in a generation. Griffin—well, he’s Griffin and won’t give an inch—but I can tell he’s happy with your performance, too. They told me unofficially, you’re getting the opening in their department.”
“Really?” Ted’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. “I mean, I knew that that was the goal when I came here, but to hear it’s actually happening feels incredible.”
“I wanted to be the one to tell you, but you should still act surprised when you get the official offer.” Adam went over and sat down on the couch, picking up the remote for the TV. “Since you’re going to be on staff here soon, I figured there wasn’t any reason we couldn’t hang out now. Care to watch the game together?”
“I should really study for the last exam, but I guess I can take a break.” Ted joined his friend on the couch and settled down to watch the basketball game. It was nice to have a friend again, but it didn’t keep his mind from drifting back to Deanna every now and then. He really needed to figure out a way to make it work with her. He cared about her, and he didn’t want to lose her.
The next few days flew by, and graduation was approaching. Soon, Ted would be receiving his certificate from the academy, then he would get his very own shining Disaster City Search and Rescue badge. He couldn’t wait until the Commander handed it to him and he could add it to his blue cargo uniform.
Today was the final exercise before graduation. The trainee that achieved the most rescues during the live simulation would be able to finish the academy with the recognition that they were truly the best of the best. Ted wanted th
at honor.
Ted stepped into the rubble filled training grounds. He couldn’t believe how much detail they put into the simulation. There were several wrecked cars, a bus, and an airplane, not to mention building façades that were falling down and chunks of concrete and debris all over the sidewalk and road. Added with the live victims, volunteers, and medical staff that would help make the scenario come to life, it would feel exactly like a real-life urban disaster.
As the teams were released into the area, Ted made his way straight for the plane crash. He had a hunch that there would be several victims in the area. It wouldn’t take much to pick through it, and he and Titan could get several rescues under their belt quickly. Ted’s instincts were correct. Within a few minutes, Titan found their first victim sandwiched between two passenger seats towards the back of the plane. He gave Titan room to work. His K9 partner led him farther up and under another seat mid-way through the plane where he found a second victim. That made two in less than twenty minutes. It was a good start, but he wanted to see if he could get three in thirty.
They finished searching the rest of the plane, and Ted was about to have them leave the area when Titan started to bark and wag his tail near an airplane that was on the ground. Ted followed as Titan got closer. The edge of a tennis shoe could be seen sticking out. Ted bent down and found his third victim just before the thirty-minute mark. That had to be a record.
Not stopping to find out, he left the airplane area and made his way towards one of the building façades. Just like before, Ted let Titan have enough room to do his job.
By the end of the final two-hour exercise, Ted and Titan had found seven victims. The rest of his team and the instructors were congratulating them on setting a new academy record. The praise and accolades felt good. It was a confirmation that Ted was doing what he was always meant to do.
They were wrapping up and got ready to head back to the dorms before dinner when the deputy commander came rushing up to the team. He had a worried look on his face as he pulled their instructors aside.