All Consuming (Brotherhood by Fire #3) -Jaci Burton Page 0,24
the car first, but waited for Kal and Phil to touch down.
As soon as they did, Micah radioed to the team above that they’d reached the vehicle.
Damn, it was difficult to see, hard to maneuver as they detached, wound their ropes around a nearby tree and drove a spike into the carabiners to hold them in place. The wind was howling, making getting around in the thick muck even more difficult. They grabbed their supplies and made their way to the vehicle, a dark four-door sedan that was sitting right side up—thankfully. It was nestled against a group of trees. Likely, the trees were what had halted its continued slide down the embankment. But the top was smashed in, so clearly a rollover.
They cleared the windows of mud as best they could, but it was still tough to see inside. And the doors were smashed and locked. At least they could get to one side of the vehicle. Since no one inside was trying to get out or making any noise, their only recourse was to break the windows.
Micah was the senior of their group, so Phil and Kal looked to him.
“Break ’em,” he said.
Kal was on the passenger side back seat window, Phil on the front seat. He got out his punch and broke the window. He didn’t hear any screams or noises. Phil shook his head. They cleared through the glass and shined lights inside.
No one was inside the back seat, so he went to assist Phil, who was checking vitals on the guy strapped into the passenger side.
“Unconscious. Pulse weak. But alive. Assessing for injuries.”
“I’ll climb in the back window to check on the driver,” Kal said.
“No,” Phil said. “Let me do that.”
“You’ve got a patient already. I’ll get in this way to check on the driver.”
Phil paused, then nodded. “Fine. Do it.”
He forced the back seat door open and scooted over between the two front seats.
The driver was female. Late twenties was Kal’s guess. Her long blond hair was matted and covered in blood. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn’t moving. He pressed his fingers to her neck.
Nothing.
Not about to give up, he kept searching, pressing harder.
Come on. Don’t give up.
Finally, he felt a faint beat.
“I’ve got a pulse,” he said. “Very weak.”
“We’ve got to get these people out of here,” Phil said. “This guy has a leg and arm fracture and possibly spinal. Can’t be certain until he’s fully assessed.”
Micah stuck his head in the window. “I’ve radioed up to let them know we need advance life support and medical and buckets. Help is on the way.”
“They’d better hurry,” Kal said as he constantly monitored the vital signs of the driver. They weren’t improving, but they weren’t getting worse, either, so that was good.
The passenger, on the other hand, had started to regain consciousness and was fighting Phil. Micah had to help restrain him.
“Laura,” the guy said. “My . . . my wife.”
“We’re taking care of her,” Phil said. “But you can’t move.”
“What about Danny?”
Phil’s gaze shot to Micah’s, then back to the patient. “Who is Danny?”
“Our son. He’s in the back seat.”
“How old is Danny?” Micah asked.
“Ten.”
Oh, shit, Kal thought. There was a kid out there somewhere in this mess of mud and rain. And he was all alone. Maybe hurt or scared.
“Okay, sir,” Phil said. “You hang on. It’s important that you not move.”
“I’ll get Wes down here with Winnie,” Micah said to Kal and Phil.
The kid had to have been ejected through one of the windows that were now crushed against the tree. But they didn’t see anyone on the way down. The problem was, he could be anywhere.
The good news was that the rain was starting to lighten up, which would make search and rescue easier. As would getting these people out of the vehicle and up that damn muddy slope.
Wes made his way down with Winnie, along with several of the other firefighters who brought extrication equipment.
Micah filled Wes in on the missing kid, and Wes and Winnie went right to work on search and rescue. Hopefully, it would be a rescue. Kal’s stomach filled with dread. They needed to get that kid back. But Kal had to focus on getting the people out of the vehicle.
Kal prepared the wife for extrication, cutting her seat belt and making sure she was secure at the neck and back.
“Your hands are shaking, kid,” Phil said, casting a glare at him. “You need me to call for help for you?”