High Heat (Hotshots 2)

No way was he missing the chance to see if they could make this right. His hand landed on the radio. The temptation to say something was almost overwhelming, but he needed so much more than a quick transmission. Trust. Came back to that. He had to trust that it wasn’t too late for them. Had to trust that Garrick would listen. And he had to trust that he could get through this.

His crew slipped and slid over rugged terrain, helping each other, climbing over felled trees and scrambling down big boulders. The smoke was getting thicker, more cloying. They needed to stop, put damp bandannas over their mouths and noses. They didn’t have the full masks like the hotshot crews closer in. Those crews would also have the fireproof shelters to deploy in an emergency if they were unable to outrun the fire. Rain’s crew wasn’t supposed to be this close in, and the fear from some of his crew members was a palpable thing, clear in their wide eyes and jerky movements.

“Come on, come on,” he urged. They just needed to make it to the river. Garrick was counting on him. And so was his crew—he’d worked all summer with these people. He knew Zeb had plans for a spring wedding, and there were so many other stories he’d heard during their long hours together as a crew. He wasn’t leaving anyone behind. Even Bosler moved with haste, far speedier than he looked. Like Rain, he was right there, helping people over rocks, cheering them on as they approached the river.

The sound of rushing water was quite possibly the best thing he’d ever heard, and it spurred them on, pushing through the brush to reach the pebbled banks. As the last crew member stumbled out of the forest, Rain made the mistake of turning around. The fire was ever closer, thick smoke and glowing embers. They had some measure of safety here at the river—a hard line the fire couldn’t cross. However, they were also well and truly trapped now and had to hope the smoke didn’t overwhelm them. Rescue couldn’t come soon enough.

Chapter Twenty

Staying still was the hardest thing Garrick had ever had to do. He’d had to do his job under challenging circumstances before, but nothing compared to the hell that was knowing Rain’s group was in serious danger and all he could do was pray they made it to the river in time. And really, it wasn’t nothing, but all he could do was continue his job—getting the other crews to safety as well, deploying the medical assistance needed, coordinating with the other dispatchers for the hotshot and engine crews.

“Base? This is four-five-one.” Never had Rain’s voice on the radio been so welcome and never had Garrick’s gut churned so hard. If they weren’t to the river yet...

“Copy that, four-five-one. Go ahead.”

“All crew members present and accounted for. We’re at the river. It’s smoky as hell and we can see the fire now, but we made it.”

“Thank God.” He couldn’t even pretend at professional distance right then, resting his head on the desk for a long moment before he regained the ability to speak. “We’re going to get you out of there, okay? It may take some time, but help is on the way.”

“Good. Is there any word on our boss?”

Typical Rain, caring about others even as his own life was in peril.

“Helitack crew was able to get a chopper in the air before the fire turned. She’s at the hospital in Bend. Medics said she was stable. You did the right thing, calling for help.”

“Roger that. We better conserve battery power.”

“You do that. But keep checking in as you’re able. I’ll update with an ETA on extraction.”

“Got it.” Rain sounded like Garrick felt—like he was desperate to add something personal but didn’t dare. There was too much unsaid between them, too much uncertainty for a public channel. He wasn’t going to rest easy, though, until that crew was back, until he could lay eyeballs and hands on Rain.

“Did four-five-one make it to the river?” Ryland asked a few moments later, stopping by Garrick’s station.

“Yep.” Garrick had to swallow hard, merely thinking about how close they’d come to not making it.

“Good. That’s your friend, right? Glad for you both that he made it out. I...uh...not sure what I’d do in your shoes.” Ryland looked away, and not for the first time, Garrick wondered what was up with his personal life. Garrick couldn’t recall ever knowing him to date much, and despite their commuting together all summer, he had shown a deft talent for avoiding any talk about his life outside work. Garrick wouldn’t wish the anxiety of the past few hours on anyone, but he’d also rather have Rain, have that risk of pain, than not at all.