Ok I want to apologize to everyone for the extremely slow update, this cannot even be blamed on RL,or me for that matter... the blame falls totally on my computer...it decided that it needed a vacation...long term :( ...and it decided to take everything on it with it...greedy piece of technology ( I'm choosing polite words now, but not necessarily the ones I used at the time ) So to all those that I never got a chance to thank for their reviews, following and favorites, I'm THANKING YOU now as I appreciate them all very much...anyway hope you enjoy TC
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While Steve and Kono had been busy with Danny, Chin and Joe had gathered more information from George. George, although somewhat shook up from Steve's outburst, went back to the map, showing them where the stream cut through the property. It turned out the guest house sat on a higher bluff, the creek forked and ran both sides of it, joining into one at the North end of the property. There was only one way in and out of the property through the main driveway that ended at the guest house. There was a bridge that crossed the stream halfway to that house. George recalled the bridge getting washed out one year, but his grandfather had rebuilt it on a higher point. There were other roadways but they were only accessible with off road vehicles, if the stream was high there was no way to cross it other than the bridge. George hadn't seen Wo Fat leave, at least none of the vehicles, and he hadn't seen Wo Fat since he came the evening before, with the two men that were now dead in the cellar.
According to George the two men were to dispose of him in the morning. If that was true, Joe and Chin both suspected, Wo Fat would not only be waiting out the storm but also the return of his men. Based on that theory Joe assumed they would have a couple of hours before Wo Fat would return to the main house looking for those two men.
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The ambulance had been escorted in without incident. The perimeter area around the main house was secure and was being monitored despite the storm and torrential rain coming down. Everything to this point seemed to be going smoothly…almost too smoothly crossed Steve's mind as he exited the house to meet the ambulance.
The wind and rain pelted both EMT's as they gathered their gear onto the gurney. Steve and Chin both helped as Steve filled them in on Danny's condition as well as their perilous situation. He wanted Danny loaded up and moved as quickly as possible. Steve's plan was simple, Kono would go with Danny, and the ambulance would be escorted off the property. Once Steve knew Danny was safe, they would continue their search for Wo Fat.
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Both medics worked quickly to get Danny stable and ready to move. They needed to start an IV and access his condition prior to moving him. Danny grew restless with all the poking and prodding, and with his fever and concussion it just added to his agitation. Steve stayed close, just in case he was needed. While Kono sat with Danny, her hand pressed lightly against his shoulder, as she kept him calm.
Danny's eyes remained closed, he was more or less in a semi-conscious state, as Steve watched both paramedics closely.
Wade was local, a veteran EMT, his voice was low and soothing as he expertly accessed Danny's condition. Danny seemed to respond to his calm demeanour as he started an IV and checked Danny's vitals. Sunny was a younger guy, he reminded Steve of a surfer, the way he talked and moved he was a bundle of energy, constantly in motion passing Wade items as he needed them.
Steve was worried, it showed on his face as Kono smiled reassuringly at him. Steve smiled in return and then started to pace the room, anxious to get Danny loaded and on his way to the hospital. Something was eating at him, he couldn't put a finger on it, he glanced out the window as the rain pounded against the glass. He then turned and slipped quietly out of the room, Radar looked up from the computer screens, silently nodding that everything was ok. George, now handcuffed in a chair, briefly caught his eye, as he moved to the front door by Joe and Chin.
Joe sensed Steve's worry "Everything is still clear…..time wise we're doing ok…no signs of anyone".
Steve nodded rubbing his face "I'll feel better when Danny's out of here".
"How is he?" Chin asked.
"He's completely out of it" Steve said the worry evident in his voice.
Joe grasped Steve's shoulder squeezing encouragingly "He'll be ok son….he's tough"
"Yeah" Steve said as he ran his hand back through his hair.
Sunny came jogging out of the room catching everyone's attention.
"What's wrong?" Steve said
"It's ok I just need a couple of things to make him more comfortable…..then we'll need a hand to move him" as he quickly slipped past the small group, out into the storm heading to the ambulance.
Steve moved out into the weather watching over the EMT, Joe and Chin moved alongside. Steve scanned the driveway and along the treeline, that weird feeling was back and for some reason he couldn't shake it. Steve reached for his side arm as he took in his surroundings again.
"Steve?" Joe said watching his movements.
Steve glanced at Joe, then Chin, he shook his head in the negative, something wasn't right. More thunder shook the sky as Steve stepped off the steps onto the gravel driveway. The water flowing across the driveway sprayed up over his boots. Steve looked down just now noticing how much water there really was. There was another roar but this wasn't the same, and by the time Steve put it all together, the EMT couldn't hear him.
A portion of the treeline swelled, lifting and rolling it sucked back into itself taking everything in its path into a churning mass of water, mud and vegetation. Steve ran yelling for Sunny to get out of the ambulance, his calls weren't heard over the roar of the slide. Joe and Chin desperately tried to catch up, if anything they needed to stop Steve.
The slide caught the back of the ambulance lifting the back and twisting the whole truck sideways, giving Steve a clear view of the inside. The sudden impact sent Sunny into the front bulkhead along with a collection of medical equipment. Sunny spun grasping an inner rail to support himself, he stared wide eyed out the back two doors as the ambulance seemed to lift with the flowing debris then suddenly stopped as it came to rest against a grove of trees. The water continued to swirl lifting and banging the truck trying to break it free.
Steve had quickly dashed along a fenced rock retaining wall, the closest and safest point to where the ambulance now precariously sat. He held onto the rod iron fence as he dipped low enough to view the paramedic. In Steve's peripheral vision a rope appeared, he looked catching Joe's form as he past him the rope. Steve gathered it yelling for Sunny to catch it, his voice somewhat lost in the sound of rushing water, but his gesture was clear and Sunny moved towards the back doors. Steve felt his vest tighten as Chin gripped him from the opposite side of the steel rungs, holding him steady as he threw the rope. Joe gathered the loose end tying it off onto the steel fencing.
Sunny caught it, wrapping it around his waist he was ready to go in seconds. Sunny moved back to give himself some running room, he needed the momentum to jump as far as he could. The water churned stronger around the ambulance, the further he was away the better his chances were not to get sucked into it. He readjusted the medical bag he had come for and ran pushing off the end he landed a foot within Steve's grasp. He felt the pull of water then the solid tug of being drawn upward onto the rock wall, he spluttered a bit until he had his bearings then beamed at Steve Chin and Joe.
"What a rush!" came tumbling out of Sunny's mouth.
Chin and Joe laughed at the unexpected reaction.
"Definitely a surfer" Steve said as he watched the paramedic continue, seemingly unfazed, head back into the house.
The sound of breaking timber drew all their attention back to the ambulance, the truck broke free and continued its unfortunate journey with the rest of the debris. Tipping sideways it came to rest a further hundred feet past the house as the water continued to swirl around it.
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Steve, Chin and Joe stood staring at the destruction before them. The stream had more than overflowed, it had taken out a whole section of the tree line and cut a deep, impassable path within the gravel driveway. It continued to flow heavy through its newly reconstructed path. Thankfully the only casualty had been the ambulance, Steve's truck had barely been spared along with the jeep that carried their surveillance gear. The other jeep was on the opposite side of the flood, clearly missed by a mere few feet.
Steve swore under his breath, it was official, they were trapped. The storm had effectively cut them off from everything beyond the estate. The phones were down including their cells and the sat phone was sporadic. He was no further ahead getting Danny the medical help he needed and he had just added to innocent civilians into the mess.