Drake Sisters 04 - Dangerous Tides

most falls. Most victims of a fall had massive head trauma from landing on their heads.

    Drew had multiple fractures for certain on the left leg, and at least one clean break on the right. He had numerous scrapes and a couple of deep cuts, a possible broken rib where his elbow drove into his side on impact, but most importantly, his head had escaped with no more than a few bumps and bruises. He had signs of shock, his skin was cold and clammy, his pulse rapid.

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    "Copter one hundred and one, this is rescuer one hundred and one."

    "Rescuer one hundred and one, this is copter one hundred and one, go ahead." Brannigan's voice came back very clear.

    "I need second rescuer and stokes."

    "Okay. We're about two minutes out, see you in two."

    Drew grabbed at Ty's arm. "Don't leave me here. I shouldn't have done it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It hurts.
    It hurts so bad."

    "I'm not leaving you, kid. We're taking a ride together." Ty's brain worked at rapid speed, assimilating data, and nothing about this fall was adding up. Drew Madison was a seventeen-year-old boy who had battled leukemia most of his life. He had no business climbing a cliff on any day, let alone one when it was pouring down rain and certainly not alone. Had there been some kind of dare? The boy that called it in, had he been a part of a stupid prank gone wrong?

    Ty worked on Drew's wounds, stabilizing his legs for traveling in the stokes. The kid was in terrible pain, yet he fought back his need to scream and tried to cooperate with Ty. Shock was setting in and the boy shivered continually.

    Ty kept talking to him. "It won't be long. You'll like the helicopter. And the medics are waiting and can give you something for pain right away."

    "You won't leave me?" Drew kept a death grip on his shirt.

    "No, we'll ride up together. Here's the helicopter now. They're sending down the stokes with another rescuer." The boy was shaking so hard Ty feared he might slide off the rock. He kept talking to distract him from the pain. "The stokes is a basket we put you in for the ride and then we'll hook both you and Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
    the basket to the collection ring and up we go. We'll be out of here in no time."

    Doug Higgens was rescuer two and he dropped carefully to the rocks with the stokes in tow.

    The pilot moved the helicopter. "Rescuer one, how long do you think?"

    "About fifteen minutes," Ty answered.

    "Okay, we're going back to the meadow and shutting down."

    Doug and Ty worked quickly to package Drew in the stokes, doing their best to keep from jarring him as they immobilized his legs and double-checked his safety lines. They had done this before and, other than the rock being extremely slippery and the ocean pounding around them, the process was smooth. Ty kept up a running dialogue with the boy, his tone soothing and calm, noticing when he quit speaking the teenager became more agitated.

    "We're ready," he announced to Brannigan.

    "Okay, be there in five," Brannigan answered immediately.

    "What if I fall out of the basket?" Drew asked.

    Ty noted the boy's voice was beginning to get thready. He frowned at Doug over the kid's head. "You're connected to a collection ring separate from the stokes, Drew. Even if the stokes should fall, if something fails, you'd still be connected. Not to worry, I'll be riding with you all the way. It's like taking a ride in the clouds."

    The helicopter was overhead, Brannigan maneuvering beneath the rim of the cliff with his usual precision.
    The rope dropped almost in Ty's lap. He connected his line to the collection ring first, then Drew's line and finally the stokes. He signaled to the crew chief to come up.

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    "Come up ten for slack," Sean instructed Brannigan. "Rope is taut. Stokes is coming off the ground, hold for rescuer adjustment."

    Ty adjusted the prussic knots so that the stokes was in position with his body for the ride. The rescuer always rode with the stokes waist level so he could reassure the victim and keep them calm. He signaled ready.

    Sean's voice in his ear relayed the signal to Brannigan and the helicopter began to continue to climb.
    Drew cried out, closing his eyes tightly.

    "You're fine," Ty said. "You might want to take a look around you…"

    Abruptly Ty's voice faded as