Simon started to untidily stuff his belongings in his back pack.
he sat on his bunk and whispered a silent prayer that some miracle would get him out of this mess.
The Search leader paced the terrace just outside the door...his walkie talkie crackled to life .....
it annoyed Simon that he never knew what was being said .....he had no idea how things were going...... if there had been any possible sightings...or nothing at all.......just that they hadn't yet found anything ..not even her body.
The Search Leader stopped pacing....Simon could hear the tone of his voice change
"Give me those co-ordinates....can you determine what it is...or are you too high?"
He glanced briefly at Simons anxious face "No ok...can you land ?....is it reachable...
ok fly low as you can see if you can land or go down on a cable...we need to know if it's her and if she is alive"
Simon raced out of the hut "They've found her?"
"They have found something sir ......could just be an animal.....nothing is identifiable from that height when it is covered in mud..."
"What are you gonna do then?
...Simon was begining to piss this man off big time..
The Leader kept his cool and tried to be professional.... "We will try to land or at least get a man down there to give us an ID.."
"How will he know.... if whatever it is ..is covered with mud!?!"
Simons sarcasm was brushed aside.. "We can "usually" tell the difference between a woman and an animal sir!!!....and as she appears to have been wearing very little ...that should make the job even easier wouldn't you say ...Sir!"
His eyes burned through to Simons conscience and he had turn away ..he had to get out of here .....but he had to know if she was dead or alive
*the hotel*
Kevin closed the door slightly on the once again sleeping Nick
"I can't just keep giving him these"....
he threw the bottle of pills on ths sofa
"he's had half the damn bottle!......they don't work ..all that happens is that he sleeps then wakes thinking he's been dreaming..realises he isn't then goes thru it all again ..I won't do it to him.."
Kevin slumped onto the sofa.. "he has to be helped to face it not hide from it"
His' brothers' knew he was right but.....no one spoke
They turned on the TV to see if there was anything on CNN....but it just what they already knew that the weather was slowing up the search
Kevin snapped the TV off
"I mean what the hell did she think she was doing for christs sake"
AJ touched his arm..*Take it easy Kev.."
Kevin shook his arm free and rose to his feet..
"No I won't 'take it easy'...a guy I care about is in there dyin' inside because of some dumb bitch who loves volcanoes more than she loves him"
The guys were shocked ...they had never heard Kevin say anything bad about a womanthey had hardly ever seen Kev get mad! ..a little pissed off ..sure but not spitting mad.
But yet they understood his anger ..Nick was next door...suffering and they couldn't help
Kevin was the one who looked after them all...he felt responsible somehow.
Brian walked over to his cousin and sat him down again.. "Look Kev we know how you feel ..right guys"
Brian waited for Howie and AJ to mumble their agreements...
"but just stay cool ok.....
Nick needs us calm and if you holler much louder he'll wake up again anyway..ok"
Brian patted Kevins shoulder and sat back with him on the sofa
AJ looked from Brian to Kevin "so what now?"
*Cotopaxi*
The Search Leaders knuckles turned white as he held the walkie talkie tighter
Simon paced and became more irritated at the desperately long time this was taking.
Six miles downstream from the hut a single rescue worker was being winched down to a small spread of rocks on the original river bank...there had been nowhere to land .
His feet touched down tentatively.. fearing he may just be landing on more mud and sink himself but he felt rocks beneath his feet....next to his feet.. what appeared to be a small mound of mud.
He crouched down beside the body of what was clearly a woman....his fingers swiftly pressed to her neck feeling for a pulse....
The Walkie Talkie in the Leaders hand came to life again...
He whispered low and soft...."Fucking hell....."
He turned to Simon.... "she's alive....barely alive...but alive"
As he spoke his second in command was already alerting for the paramedic helicopteron standby a mile away.
The Search leader spoke into his radio again and began coordinating the operation to airlift Heather to safety.
Simon wondered about phoning the man he spoke to before ....Kevin?? ..he seemed to think it was
As he began to tap in the phone number...a hand held his arm...
It was the investigator who had arrived with the rescue team
Simon was so sure he had left ....but obviously not. "What are you doing sir?"
For some reason Simon could not meet the mans eye.
"I erm...was just telephoning her boyfriend ...give him the news..the good news"
The cell phone was removed swiftly from his hand
"That is not a good idea until we are sure she survives the airlift...and it is not your responsibility sir"
"But she's alive...he said so "
Simon pointed a shaking finger at the back of the Search leader..
"She is technically alive sir that does not mean she will survive the airlift...if she does and makes it to the helicopter we will call her boyfriend"
"But the company need to know"
"They already know sir ...that has been taken care of"
Simon felt useless... "What do I do now?"
"You sir will come with me...collect your belongings"
Simon followed the Investigator down to a clearing and climbed aboard the waiting helicopter
damn he hated these...
"Where are we going..?"he asked through clenched teeth..his eyes screwed tightly shut...
his stomach rolling as the helicopter lifted off the ground.
He just heard the voice above the whirl of rotor blades
"There's a military hospital in Quito..she'll be taken there... we'll meet them there"
The helicopter swung around and left the 'scene of the crime'
The Search leader watched it leave and answered the voice at the other end of the walkie talkie
"He's gone...how is she?"
He nodded his head a few times ...whilst motioning one of his staff to pack Heathers belongings in her back pack.
"Okay well done...there are waiting at the hospital in Quito...they are on full standbytell the pilot to fly steady we don't wanna lose her on the way.....Over and out"
He snapped off the radio and sighed
Then yelled at his second in command "Get me National Geographic on the line ..NOW!"
*the hotel*
Nick wandered out of the bedroom..and found his brothers all asleep...
Brian and Kevin slumped on the sofa...AJ just crashed out on the floor
Howie curled up in a big easy chair.....
He glanced around the room.... his eyes fell on the TV in the corner of the room...he swiftly looked away
He was lost ..he felt shaky and he had no idea what to do ....should he sit down... stand up
his brain just failed to function.... leaning against the wall he half slid.. half stepped towards the door maybe a walk would clear his head from these dreams he'd been having
His fingers touched the edge of the small telephone table..just stopping him
bumping into it and waking everyone..
He stared at it and it rang....his hand was quick and the receiver was already to his ear
as Kevins eyes shot open and he realised what was happening.
Nick’s voice croaked into the phone "This is Nick speaking........"
Kevin leapt to his feet..
"No Nick I'll get that......"
He was too late......Nick began to slide down the wall...the phone falling from his hand
Brian was awake and across the room in time to catch him
Kevin snatched up the phone..and barked into it
"Who the hell is this?....."
His eyes widened and he stared at Nick’s shaking body....he voice changed to a more gentle sound.. "Thank you….we'll be there ...as soon as possible"
Brian cradled Nick who was still trembling
Kevin whispered.. "They've found her...she's alive..but only just....he said....."
Kevin couldn't say anymore...
he looked at Brian who simply said "Get us on a flight Kevin"