An Unexpected Turn

Rescue Called Off

In the darkness, I leaned in and kissed Ian softly on the lips and said, “Ready to head back”? Ian sounded disappointed in his response, “I guess. I was hoping we could find our way out this way. Guess we’ll have to hope they find us instead”. I replied, “Sometimes you have to rely on others to help you out. I guess this is one of those times”. Ian turned on his phone so we could get our bearings. It immediately turned back off, “Shit! Guess we’re using yours now Steve”, Ian cursed. I hit the power button on my phone and got nothing. “What the fuck! I just checked my phone when we stopped, and it was at eighty percent! It doesn’t even turn on now”, I said exasperatedly! “What are we gonna do now Steve”, Ian asked? I could tell by the cracking in his voice that he was near tears, but I had no good answers, “I don’t know Ian. I don’t think we could make it all the way back in the darkness and how would we even know when we got there”?

The state crew worked all day carefully enlarging the hole at the stone slab. They dug under it rather than try to cut through it. It took all day to make it large enough and far enough to make it to the other side. They had also dropped some lights and camera equipment down through the hole that Tony had discovered only to find an empty void. Mark walked over to where the six guys lay finally getting some sleep. He nudged Greg awake. As Greg opened his eyes, Mark said, “We checked out the pocket that was discovered using some lights and cameras and it seems like just an empty void, a dead end”. Greg let what Mark said register for a moment, “Well, that would explain why we got no response then”. Mark replied, “True, but it only means our only hope lies with the underground stream then and it may take days to find them. The water tested safe, but they haven’t eaten for days. They don’t have any food down there. I’d hoped the hole up top would be a faster way in to them”. Greg looked at Mark for a moment and then smiled, “Sounds like you’ve suddenly taken more than just a professional interest in this Mark. Thanks for the news and thanks for everything. I’ll let the guys know when they wake up. It’s good to see them finally getting some rest”.

As Mark made his way back to where they had dug a larger hole, the foreman said, “I don’t know how to proceed here Sir. We can’t send a vehicle with a camera in because of the water and a boat won’t work either because the water gets too shallow in some places, and it would get stuck. I’m afraid that we have only one option here and that’s warm bodies”. “Not exactly the news I’d wanted to hear. Let’s ask for volunteers and get them wet suits, lights, ropes, and cameras. Also, have them take some protein bars with them. If they’re alive, they’re probably starving about now”, Mark said somberly. “We volunteer”, Mark heard behind him. As he turned, he saw Scott, Tony, Mike, Carl, and Chad standing before him. “I’m sorry boys. I meant volunteers from my own men. I can’t risk having any of you hurt in there”, Mark said. Mike spoke up, “You said you need volunteers and we’re thin and pretty flexible, so we can get around in there. Scott, Tony and I go spelunking all the time, so it’s not like we don’t have any experience”. “Kid’s got a point Mark”, Greg suddenly spoke up. Mark sighed, but didn’t say anything at first, but then sighed again and said, “Let’s wait and see who I can get. Most of my guys are too big to be able to get through the entrance, let alone the fact that there may be much tighter places. Maybe one or two of you can go in with two of my men. In the meantime, what are your sizes. We’re trying to get some wet suits delivered so hypothermia doesn’t become an issue”. They each gave their sizes to one of Mark’s men who then headed off. They then went to get some hot coffee from the canteen van which had arrived with food and drinks. Before they got to the van, they heard someone say, “Hi boys. I thought I’d see you here”. They all turned to find Dr. Green standing there. “Dr. Green! What are you doing here”, Mike asked? “What do you think he’s doing here genius”, Tony asked sarcastically while grinning at Mike? Scott elbowed Tony in the side defending Mike. Dr. Green laughed and said, “I want to be here when Steve and Ian emerge to make sure they get the care they’ll need”. Greg then wrinkled his brow and said, “Dr. Green, you are aware that we don’t even know if they’re alive”, then realizing what he said, apologized, “Sorry to be so blunt guys”. Dr. Green didn’t flinch as he replied, “Call me an optimist Greg”, then said, “There’s someone I’d like you guys to meet”, and Dr. Green walked with them to the canteen van. As they arrived at the van, “Guys, I’d like you to meet Melissa. Melissa, this is Carl, Chad, Tony, Scott, and Mike. You already know Greg, the Fire Chief. Guys, this is Melissa who along with her son Ben and her father Benjamin were saved by Steve and Ian when their house caught fire”. “Don’t forget Daisy, Dr. Green. She’s actually full grown now”. Dr. Green grinned and said, “How could I have forgotten Daisy”. “Nice to meet you Melissa”, the guys all greeted. “Who’s Daisy”, Mike asked? Melissa smiled and said, “Daisy was Ben’s little kitten. When Ian found out she was still inside, he ran back in to save her. When Steve came out and found out Ian had gone back inside, he ran back in as well. The house blew up and we thought they had both been killed, but somehow, they made it out just in time. That’s why I’m here today. I want to be here to help everyone who came to help out, and I’m also here because I have faith that they’re still alive. That faith was reinforced by my son Ben who told me he’s sure they’ll be ok. It was hard to tell him he couldn’t come with me. He finally relented when I told him to gather his superheroes to form a rescue squad. He has superhero figurines and two of them are Steve and Ian”. “Oh my god, that’s so lit! What an awesome kid”, Mike said. Tony grinned and said, “So Steve and Ian have their own superhero figurines huh? Where can I get one”? Melissa replied, “My dad helped him create them using some other figurines. They used a Ken Doll figurine to make Steve’s and a GI Joe one for Ian since they could change the clothes on them. My dad, Benjamin actually used the material from the tablecloth Steve used to save them to make their capes”. “Talk about thinking outside the box”, Chad said. “I’d have used a Captain America figurine for Steve”, a voice came from the crowd of people and then another said, “and I’d have used a Hulk figurine for Ian”. They all looked around and standing side by side were Mark Ruffalo and Chris Evans. Everyone stood there in shock until Dr. Green said, “Hey, superheroes stick together”. Chris Evans then said, “Look, we heard about the situation and just want to help. We don’t want to become a distraction. That’s the last thing we’d want”. Melissa gave each of them a cup of coffee and the six of them remained there chatting with her, Chris Evans, and Mark Ruffalo as they waited on word from Mark. Several people came up to Chris and Mark for autographs and instead of giving them, they took their blank paper and wrote Steve and Ian’s names on them and said, “If you can get Steve and Ian’s autographs on here, we’ll add our names as well and please give to your local emergency response teams to support them”. Soon, a barrel was brought over to hold all the cash donations that were being left. A news crew came over and Chris Evans along with Mark Ruffalo repeated what he’d said about donations in front of the cameras

“I thought we came down here to help find Steve and Ian, Ryan. Why did we sneak off, away from the site”, Peter asked? Ryan stopped walking down the path they were taking and turned to Peter, “Look, Peter, I can’t explain why I’m doing this. I just had a strange dream and a weird feeling that I needed to take a walk, and this is where it’s leading me. Maybe I’m wrong, but something is pulling me in this direction. If you want to turn back, I won’t hold it against you. I don’t even know why I feel the need to go this way”. Peter shrugged and said, “It’s not like they were letting us do anything anyway. We were just going crazy waiting. At least this walk is taking us somewhere even if I have no idea where that is. I’ll follow you if nothing more than to see where you’re taking us. How can you even see where we’re going”? This time Ryan shrugged, “I can’t, really, but I don’t feel like I have to”. “Well, you don’t mind if I use my flashlight app on my phone every now and then do you, so I don’t trip and fall on my face”, Peter asked? Ryan turned around to face Peter with a grin on his face, “I’m sorry Peter. I should have explained to you right away that something was in my head when I started this walk”, then the smile went to a serious look, “This feeling is so strong though. I don’t understand it, but I have to follow where it’s leading me”. Peter nodded, “It’s all good Ryan. Lead on”. Ryan’s smile returned and he resumed walking. Peter followed along and said, “You know, when I first heard about Steve and Ian, how they helped save all those people on the highway. Then Steve rescues the kids from that car accident when from what I heard wasn’t even the normal way he’d have driven to get home. I thought, ‘What a coincidence, just dumb luck’, but even then, I was proud of what he did. Both times, he could have been killed and yet he did it anyway. It’s like those police officers and firemen at the twin towers on 9/11. Real heroes, but still just like you and me. On top of that, he and Ian save that family from the house fire and almost get blown up. I thought then that Steve was still just a normal guy, but with a death wish”. Ryan stopped suddenly and turned, “Peter, before you continue, I need to tell you something. In the days before I returned to the campus, I stayed with Steve and Ian as you know. What you don’t know is that both Steve and Ian were having dreams or nightmares more accurately. I heard some of it and the description is pretty much exactly how the woman explained what happened up there. Peter, they saw it coming and still risked their lives and saved those kids. They knew they were going to take that fall. That’s why when I got this urge to take this walk, I didn’t question it”. Peter nodded and said, “I get it Ryan. Like I was saying, I thought maybe Steve had a death wish, but the more I’ve heard, the stranger things got. Now that you told me this, it’s even stranger yet. Right now, the hairs on my arms are standing straight out and a chill ran up my spine. This shit’s plain spooky and I’m with you on this Ryan. I believe what you’re saying. Maybe Steve and Ian are calling out to you or something”. Ryan continued walking, but mumbled, “I hope you’re right”.

“I really wish you’d had let me go Steve”, Ian said in the darkness. I pulled Ian toward me as I sat on a rock sticking out from the wall, “I already told you Ian, I’ll never let go if I have any choice. I thought I’d lost you when we were separated during the fall, but here we are together. I’d have it no other way”. I then pulled Ian down onto my lap and we kissed. As we kissed, Ian began grinding his butt against my crotch. “Really Ian? You horndog”, I grinned. Ian giggled and Steve Jr. rose to the occasion. “Seriously, Ian”, I asked in disbelief? Ian kissed me and then said, “Maybe they’ll find us embraced together like the couple at Pompei, and we’ll be immortalized in history”. I laughed, “You have a really big imagination Ian”. Ian continued rubbing, “Please Steve. If this is our last time here, I’d like to feel you in me one more time. Please”? I smiled, knowing I couldn’t turn down his request. I kissed him deeply as he opened my pants. I pulled them down over my knees along with my boxer briefs and Ian stepped back and kneeled. He took me into his mouth and sucked my shaft, getting it wet for his awesome hole. I breathed deeply and wondered if we’d have enough stamina to finish. We’d not eaten in days, sustaining ourselves on water alone. When Ian pulled his mouth from my cock and repositioned himself with his legs astride mine, I asked, “You’re sure you want to do this? We haven’t eaten in days”. “I want this Steve”, Ian responded. He then lowered himself onto me and began fucking himself on Jr. His breathing was hard from both the fucking as well as exhaustion from hunger, but his will was in this. We were going to finish. I’m not sure if it was the exhaustion or the situation, but I don’t recall a more intense ejaculation. Ian and I began cumming at the same time. His cum shot onto my face and hair as well as my chest. As our orgasms subsided, we again kissed. Ian tasted his cum and tried to lick it clean from my face. We laughed in our love for each other and at our situation. Maybe it was our weakened state and delirium was setting in. We were ready to face whatever was to come.

Ryan and Peter heard the sound of water running and came upon a clearing at a large pond. They could hear water splashing and Peter used his phone app to shine in its direction. They couldn’t make out much, but about fifty feet across the pond, water was pouring out of the side of the hill about four feet above the water, a small waterfall. Ryan sat down in the clearing at the edge of the water and just looked out over the water. Peter shrugged and sat down beside him. Just before dawn, they heard a vehicle approaching. They saw headlights and then the vehicle stopped, the engine shut off and the headlights went out. Peter became a little nervous at the prospect of someone else being near, but Ryan stayed quiet as if he wasn’t bothered by it. Peter heard footsteps getting nearer to them and then suddenly a flashlight was on them. Peter put up his hands to block the light from his eyes, but Ryan remained where he was. “What are you kids doing up here”, asked the voice behind the flashlight. Peter quickly replied, “Nothing. We were just walking and found our way here”. “This is private property. Didn’t you read the signs”, the voice said. Peter lowered his hands so the guy could see his face and said, “Honestly sir, we didn’t see any signs”. “How could you not see the signs? They’re posted every thirty feet along the road”, the voice said in disbelief. Peter replied, “We didn’t come off the road. We came through the woods sir”. “We’re waiting”, Ryan spoke. “What? Waiting for what”, the guy asked in a nervous voice? He was a little taken back by the robotic, iciness of Ryan’s voice and pulled his pistol from its holster. Peter quickly added, “Sir, we were up at the top of the mountain where it collapsed. Our friends are missing and we’re trying to find them. The police, the rescue trucks, everybody’s up there trying to help”. The guy stepped closer and suddenly Peter saw the gun and gave a look of shock saying, “We’re not looking for any trouble sir”. The guy realized Peter was stressed at seeing the gun, and also thought the two young men weren’t a danger to him, so he put the pistol back in the holster, “If they’re all up there looking for your friends, what are you two doing wandering around down here”? Peter stammered out, “It’s a long story, but my friend Ryan has a, um, a hunch? That he needed to follow, and I came along with him”. “We’re waiting”, Ryan again said. It seemed to the guy as more of a statement of fact this time, something he wasn’t supposed to question. “Your friend here”, indicating Ryan to Peter, “Is he ok”? Peter replied, “Yes sir. Like I said, it’s a long story and hard to explain”.

As the night sky was giving way to some slight light in the east, Chad grumbled, “What seems to be the holdup? Everyone’s standing around waiting. Like they said, Steve and Ian have been down there for days without food. How can they just stand around doing nothing”? Greg put his hand up to quiet Chad, “Chad, I know this is hard on you, on every one of you, but they’re waiting for those wet suits. They don’t want to put more people in harms way. They want to provide them all the protection they can. Trust me, Mark’s not dragging his feet”. Carl spoke up, “Chad’s just expressing the frustration we’re all feeling right now. It’s been days and our nerves are frayed to the max”. Everyone nodded.

As Ryan stared across the pond, the gray sky in the east began lighting up the small waterfall. “You see that hole where the water is flowing out from?”, the property owner asked, “The other day it was half that size. I was up here fishing, and all of a sudden, the small waterfall started gushing out. The water started rising very quickly. I watched as it looked like a giant fire hose, almost reaching the shore. I dropped my fishing pole and ran back toward my truck, then I heard a large pop and loud splashing. When I turned back to look, it looked like it does now. The water pressure must have ripped the hole open further, and just that fast, the flow slowly returned to normal. I never did find that fishing rod”.

I held Ian tightly as he remained on my lap, both out of my love for him as well as to use my body heat to help warm him. He was shivering. We were both cold and damp as well as literally starving. My phone had somehow failed us. It had worked fine the last time I had checked it, eighty percent charge. Now it wouldn’t even turn on. “I love you so much Steve, but right now I don’t anticipate us ‘sharing a park bench’ as seventy-year-olds”, Ian said as he rested his head on my shoulder. I smiled at his recollection of a previous conversation we’d had, “I love you too Ian, and it doesn’t matter how much time we have left together to me. The time we’ve already had together is what counts. You being in my life has made it far richer than it ever had been before”. Ian hugged me harder and said, “Me too”, in ragged breathing between sobs. Suddenly I noticed something, “Ian! Get up”! Ian was startled by what I said and asked, “What? Am I getting too heavy for you”? “No. turn around and look”, I said. Ian turned his head and looked toward the water tunnel. There seemed to be a faint glow in the water. Ian slowly climbed from my lap and faced the water. I stood behind him, pressing my body against his shivering form to provide it some warmth. “What’s going on Steve”, he asked? “I’m not sure”, I said as I stepped around him and walked to the edge of the water. The glow seemed to be coming from the direction in which the water was flowing and seemed to be getting brighter. “Ian, check your phone for the time”, I said. Ian grabbed his phone from the extended rock he’d placed it on and turned it on, “It’s five-forty AM Steve, but it shut back off before I could read the date”. I smiled and said, “The date isn’t important right now Ian. We’ll worry about how many days we’ve been in here when we get out”. Ian looked at me and due to the brightening glow, I could actually see his expression of confusion, “Get out”? I smiled at him and then kissed him briefly, “Ian, if I’m assuming correctly, the water and this passage is getting brighter, which means the sun is rising”. Ian suddenly realized what I was saying, “It’s daylight”, he said and hugged me tightly. “I hope so stud. Let’s head toward it and hope the opening is large enough for us to get out”. We climbed back into the chilly water and made our way toward the light. After about fifty feet, we turned right and could see daylight above the water ahead. We were moving at a faster pace than before, apparently having gotten a second wind from adrenaline. We were nearing the end of the tunnel when I felt my phone vibrate. I stopped and pulled it from my pocket and turned it on. The screen lit up and revealed an eighty percent charge. Ian and I looked at each other. Neither of us had an explanation. I turned my phone back off and we made our way to the entrance. We couldn’t see where the water was going since there was only about a foot of room above the water. The hole was about three feet wide, and the water was almost up to our knees, which meant we would fit through the hole. The question was what lay beyond the hole. Would we be going over a cliff? I listened intently, trying to hear the water crashing below, but it was difficult due to the roar as it cascaded over the rocks on its way out of the hole. “Ok stud. I’m going to go first. Wait for me to yell back up to you before following me”, I said. “What if you drop fifty feet and don’t survive”, Ian asked, looking worried? I smiled and said, “That’s why I’m going first”. “Steve! You better not die on me now, after all we’ve been through”, Ian said and embraced me tightly! After a few minutes, we broke the embrace and I said, “I don’t intend to”, and then we kissed.

Peter and Grant, the owner of the property they were on stood silently behind Ryan who had remained seated and stared intently toward the waterfall since they’d arrived. Grant and Peter had talked for a while and had introduced themselves to each other. Peter gave Grant Ryan’s name, but Ryan gave no response to Grant’s, “Nice to meet you Ryan”.  Suddenly, Ryan stood up and stated, “They’re here”. “Who’s here”, Grant asked? Ryan didn’t respond. Instead, he began taking off his shoes and socks. Grant looked to Peter and asked, “What’s he doing”? Peter just shrugged and said, “I think he’s going into the water”, and then began taking his own shoes and socks off. As Ryan stepped out of his pants and peeled out of his shirt, something dropped out from the waterfall and splashed into the water. Ryan immediately went into the water saying, “They’ll need help”. Peter quickly stepped out of his pants and then saw a head surface from the water and yell something up toward the hole in the rocks. Right afterward, another form came sliding down the waterfall and into the pond below. Peter quickly entered the water following Ryan.

I pulled Ian up from under the water and he came up sputtering and disoriented. I immediately embraced him and said, “We made it stud”. The water was about six feet deep where we were and I was struggling to remain afloat myself, let alone hold Ian up. We were both exhausted and things didn’t seem like they were getting any easier. “I got him Steve”, I suddenly heard and then realized Ryan was there helping me pull Ian toward shallower water. Then someone else was helping us as well. We were soon in water shallow enough to walk and made our way toward dry land. My legs felt like rubber and at one point I fell face first into the water. Someone helped me up and when I looked, I had no idea who it was, but was thankful for the help. As we made it ashore, Ian and I could barely walk. “Sit down boys. I’ll bring my truck over”, Grant said as he helped me sit. Ryan and Peter helped Ian sit down and we waited for Grant to drive as closely to us as the terrain would allow. Grant soon drove up to within twenty feet of us and emerged from his truck carrying a blanket, “I only have one blanket, so you’ll have to share it”, he said and as we got up, he wrapped it around us. He, Ryan, and Peter helped us get in the passenger side of the truck and then Ryan and Peter climbed into the bed of the truck while Grant climbed in the driver’s seat. Grant introduced himself as he turned the truck around and headed toward the road.

“They’re finally back”, Mark said as he walked toward us, “We have the wet suits now and I can let two of you come with two of my men if you still want to”. Mike and Scott instantly jumped to their feet and Scott said, “It’s about time. What took so long getting the suits”? Mark apologized, saying, “I’m sorry. It just seemed like everything was going wrong. They got a flat tire right after they left, and another truck was called but had engine failure when it began to head back. It seemed like something was hell bent on holding us up”. Scott and Mike then followed Mark to meet the other two who were going into the underground stream tunnel. They then stripped and began putting on the wet suits. They were each outfitted with a body camera and headlamps as well as regular waterproof flashlights. One of them also had a pack with first aid equipment and food. They then made their way down to the entrance.

A blue pickup truck was approaching the barrier and one of the four state troopers stepped up and held his hand up for them to stop. The truck stopped and the trooper stepped to the driver’s side and said, “Sorry sir. You’ll have to turn around. This road is temporarily closed”. Grant said, “These two boys next to me need some medical treatment”. Mike climbed out of the bed of the pickup and said, “The two guys inside are the one’s you’re looking for. They made it out and need medical help”. The trooper looked confused, and another trooper approached thinking there was a problem, “What’s going on Tom”, he asked? “Sergeant, they’re telling me these two passengers are the guys they’re searching for underground”. The Sergeant said, “How can that be”? Grant said, “I wouldn’t have believed it myself officer if I hadn’t seen them drop out of that waterfall myself”. The sergeant walked around to the passenger side and looked over the two of us huddled together under the blanket. He indicated for us to roll down the window. I complied and the sergeant asked our names. “I’m Steve Andrews and this is Ian O’Connor, officer”, I replied. The sergeant walked over to the other two troopers and then returned saying, “Follow my car”, and then he quickly climbed into his vehicle. Mike quickly climbed back into the bed of the pickup as the trooper’s lights and siren came on. The barricade lifted and the trooper drove through with Grant following.

There was commotion up on the road and people were swarming around the two awaiting ambulances. “What’s going on up there”, Tony asked? They heard a siren, and it was getting closer. “I’m not sure, but I’m going to go check it out”, Greg said. As Greg headed up to the road, Tony joined his friends at the entrance to the underground stream where Scott and Mike, now wet-suited up, were getting ready to head inside. “Be careful you two and bring Steve and Ian back in good health”, Tony said. Scott looked at Tony and considered kissing him before entering but thought it may not be appropriate right now. Instead, he just nodded. “If at all possible, we’ll bring them back safe and sound”, Mike reassured him. “What the hell is going on up there”, Mark shouted to no one in particular, irritated at all the commotion, but also curious. The siren gave a few last blips before silencing, but the red and blue lights continued flashing, making it obvious it was a police vehicle. The first of Mark’s men began squeezing through the entrance. He was to make it to the other side of the stone wall and then signal for Mike to make his way through.

As the trooper’s vehicle and the pickup came to a stop, the Sergeant jumped out and yelled for the ambulance crew. As Grant watched the ambulance crew rolling the gurneys toward them, he recognized two people in the crowd gathered around, “Holy shit! Are you two celebrities or something? That’s Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo over there, Captain America and the Hulk are in the crowd. You two must be very important”. I smiled and shook my head, “I have no idea why they’re here and no, we’re not celebrities, just normal guys going through a lot right now”. The sergeant opened the door to the pickup as Ryan and Peter stood next to him. I slowly tried to step from the truck, but my legs were pretty weak and Ryan and the sergeant grabbed me and held me up as one of the ambulance crews came over. “I don’t know whether to kill you or hug you to death you son-of-a-bitch! I am so glad to see you two are safe”, I heard a familiar voice nearby and looked to find Greg approaching. He grabbed me in a hug that almost crushed me. “Good to see you Greg”, I croaked. “Chief, we need to get him on the gurney”, One of the ambulance crew said to Greg. He broke the hug, saying, “Sorry, he’s a friend of mine”, and then looked back at me and said, “See you at the hospital Steve”. The ambulance crew then helped me get onto the gurney. Greg then reached into the pickup to help Ian get out.

As Mike was beginning to climb into the hole, someone was yelling something. The others turned to see a state trooper approaching the group and then talking to Mark. Suddenly, Mark yelled into the hole and tapped on Mike’s lower leg which had just entered the tunnel, “I’m cancelling the rescue operation immediately”, then he looked to Chad, Carl, Tony, and Scott, who was ready to follow Mike in the Tunnel, “Get up to the road right away. There’s people you need to see. I’ll send Mike up as soon as we get him back out”. The four of them looked back at Mark, confused. He just said, “You need to get up there now”! They jumped at his tone and realizing it must be pretty urgent, they all hurried up to the road. They reached the road and saw all the commotion was near a blue pickup truck. Then Chad said, “It’s Ian”! The four immediately rushed over to find Steve already on a gurney.

“What took you so long”, Ryan said, grinning. Chad glanced at him in disbelief, then turned to Ian, “Thank god you’re safe Ian and you too Steve” Ian said, “I’m ok, but I’m freezing”. Carl grinned and said, “You need to stop running around in your underwear and showing off that butt of yours”. The whole crowd broke out in laughter and then someone said, “And I thought I had a great ass”. It was Chris Evans. More laughter. “Sirs, could you move back so we can get him on the gurney”, came from one of the ambulance crew. They helped Ian onto the Gurney and added a blanket on top of the sheet.

I asked my ambulance crew to hold up a second and yelled to Grant, “We’re in your debt sir. Thank you so much”, and then I turned to our friends and said, “See you at the hospital”. I heard a voice behind me say, “Once again”. I looked around to see Dr. Green standing there. He grabbed my arm to take my pulse before signaling the crew to load me in the ambulance. Scott grinned and said, “You just missed Steve and Ian. You’ll have to wait until we get to the hospital”. Mike’s jaw dropped and all he could get out was, “Wait! What? But how”?

End of Chapter 39