Finding Jaime

Chapter 21

Pete's POV

Jaime had now been missing a full 24 hours. More than that, actually, since we were coming up to dinner time again. I was getting frantic. Meagan was trying to keep the kids busy. Brendon and Josh were helping her. Patrick, Joe, Andy and a bunch of neighbors had joined the search in the reservoir. How far could he actually have gone?

The police called in the fire department's search team. They were able to do thermal searches as well. And as we were getting close to the second night, searching woods and brush and rough terrain by foot was too dangerous.

Meagan had managed to make me to eat some during the day. Nothing tasted of anything. But she told me I needed to eat.

"He hasn't had anything since lunch yesterday," I said to Meagan. "And it's not like he went on a planned hike. He doesn't have water with him. And it's hot out. Meagan, I looked it up online. Three days is how long most people can survive without water. Less in the heat. And he's in the heat."

"Pete, let's think positively," she said. "They'll find him."

I looked out the window as the sun was setting.

"He's been gone a whole day and a half now," I said, starting to cry. "With no way to contact us."

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Jaime's POV

My body hurts. I think I have a sunburn. I'm so thirsty. I can't move. My head hurts. It's hard to breathe.

"I'm sorry, Pete. I'm sorry... Dad," I said, as I succumbed to the waiting darkness.

—————————————
Pete POV

The boys and Marvel all camped out in Bronx's room together. They'd been stuck together all day. We'd kept the TV off because none of us wanted to watch the news anymore.

The fire department had sent their thermal drone up into the reservoir. They'd set up a base about halfway up the hill in a clearing off the fire road.

They'd radio back after they'd checked every sector they'd mapped out.

Patrick had gone up there with them. I couldn't face it if they found him and he was... wasn't... if he died.

I sat on the sofa and Brendon and Josh tried to get me into conversation. I wasn't much company.

As it got later, and then darker my heart started to sink. I didn't know if Jaime could survive another night outside. Or another day without food and water.

There was a sort of command center out on our driveway and cops kept coming in and out to either use the bathroom or update us. I was afraid to go outside. I didn't want to be there if bad news came through.

The cops were friendly. Tried to stay upbeat and keep our hopes alive. But I'd read enough to know that depending on where Jaime was, the odds were against him. Especially if he was hurt.

There was a flurry of activity at the front of the house. The few cops who'd come inside for a cup of coffee - Meagan had been keeping them caffeinated, Brendon and Josh were keeping them fed - ran out the front door because of some squawking from their radios.

I didn't want to know.

One of the officers came into the house and right up to me.

"Mr. Wentz," he said. "They found him. They found Jaime"

I didn't know how to react.

"Is he...?" I couldn't finish the sentence.

"He's alive. They found a heat signature in a small canyon. They're going in to get him. They need some special equipment to bring him out, and a helicopter, but they're lowering a paramedic down to him to check on him."

"But, he's, he's okay?"

"He's alive. They haven't seen much movement from him so right now we don't know if he's conscious or not. He didn't respond to anyone calling his name. We'll know more when the paramedic gets down there and can assess him."

"He's alive," I whispered. "Meagan! He's alive!"

I hugged her.

"I heard," she smiled.

"I'm going to tell the kids," I said.

"Pete, wait," Meagan said. "Wait until we know more. Wait until we hear how he is. Just in case."

"Just in case of what?"

"Just in case he's, in case he's not okay," she said. "He's alive, we know that. But what if he's hurt? What if things are bad? Let's find out how he really is before we tell the kids."

She was right. And that's what terrified me the most.

I sat down on the couch and sobbed. Two days without food and water, out in what's essentially a desert, and he'd fallen into a small canyon.

The cop came back into the house and said the paramedic had reached Jaime and was assessing him if we wanted to come listen.

I went with him. I needed to hear. He led me into the command bus on our driveway.

I heard the radio chattering. The paramedic was relaying their location for the helicopter that would come get my son out of the canyon.

"Alright," I heard over the radio. "He's on his back, seems to be unconscious."

I heard them call his name.

"Jaime, Jaime can you hear me? No response to sternal rub or shoulder pinch. Physical exam. Looks like he hit his head on a rock. There's some blood. Pupils are equal and reactive, but sluggish, cervical spine is intact. No bulging. No broken bones in his arms. Chest, hmm. Flail chest. He's got two maybe three broken ribs. Breathing is shallow and laboured. Hips and pelvis are fine. Right leg is fine. A few scrapes. Left femur intact, broken left tib fib. Distal pulse intact in left leg. He's severely dehydrated and sunburnt. Starting an IV now. I'll splint the leg and get a collar on him. Let me know an ETA of the chopper."

There was some more chatter but I stopped listening. He was alive. Injured, unconscious, broken, but alive.

I went back into the house and relayed what I'd heard. Meagan and I hugged. The cops said they'd let us know when they got him out of the canyon and into an ambulance.

About an hour later, the cop came back in and said Jaime was en route to Cedars-Sinai Emergency. Brendon offered to take me.

"You shouldn't drive. You look like, well that would be a bad idea."

I nodded, and followed him out to his car. I wanted to be there when Jaime woke up.