Station 19: The Unbreakable Team

Rubble of Skyhigh Collapse - Chapter 12

"This is it." I said as Maya pulled up the Aid car up to the curb of theclosest Tyberia park main road to the origin of the victims call coordinates. Once we got out of the vehicle Maya radioed dispatch while I looked around trying to locate the victim. At request dispatch connected the victims phone call to our handhelds so that we could speak directly to them. Upon hearing his music play through the radio we asked him to turn the music up as loud as it would go so that we could locate the victim by the sound. Following the growing sound of the victim finally found the victims car and then a daunting trail of blood leading to the victim feet below. 

The victim turned his music off, he called out to us before waving, signaling us. Maya gave me a long look before she went to the back of the man's unlocked truck taking out his remaining climbing gear. While she was setting up a harness I started setting up a rope system. She said "I know rock climbing is your self care but, if you want me to head down there while you belay then thats okay. I will say that I need you down there this vic. looks to be impaled, I know your capable. I just don't want you to overdo it today, then come in exha-." I cut her off and said "There you go again being all supportive and making me feel so confident." I rolled my eyes as I slipped on a harness and set up a second rope line. I said "I'm going down with you. I'm going to help you carry this victim and his tree up this steep slope since there is no way you can bring him up alone and I'm not going to let you anyway. So stop worrying about me, I'll be fine." 

As we belayed ourselves, quickly descending down the steep slope I said "By the way I have gone rock climbing since I've been cleared, nothing too intense, plus it's is a good way to get in a workout and get out the frustrations of a given day by pushing oneself. This cliff we're repelling is nothing for an experienced climber such as myself and going down is the easy part." Maya sighed and gave me an apologetic look before walking over to the victim. We intermediately started work Maya did a quick exam and I doing my best to stop the bleeding. Maya stood up after she finished assessing his condition and said "We need signal to E-Vac him out of here, I'll go up and try to find one. Are you good here?" I glanced at the victim who was smiling nervously, our somewhat idle chat hasn't helped with his nerves and said "I can't stop this bleeding, even with the tourniquet, he can't stay here long, we have to get him out of here as soon as possible." 

Maya nodded before running up towards the cliff to hopefully get a better signal, I stayed behind to monitor the victim. When Maya returned held out the winch of the victim's car and said "Let's winch him up the cliff, the car will do all the heavy lifting we mainly have to guide and make sure it doesn't take him up too quickly." I nodded and swiftly started unrolling the portable-skin stretcher, Maya helped maneuver the vic. into the stretcher before securing them in. I hooked up the winch, and then Maya made quick work of climbing back up to activate the winch. Once Maya repelled back down to the base of the cliff face she and I then began to carry the victim up the small cliff. Halfway through the climb up with the victim I felt the rope catch and slip, I knew what came next as my rope slackened. 

I dropped a good few feet as I worked to catch myself, after mere seconds of free falling the rope became taught again, my hand hurt from how tightly I had to grab the rope to keep the it from slacking anymore. I then re-adjusted the hand belay device to prevent myself from free falling further oblivious to Maya who was calling out my name. I stood on the cliff face assessing the situation mentally."The rope slipped, I handled it. I'm okay. I need to ignore the throbbing pain in my side and keep moving. The victim needs an E-Vac. Move Andy!" I glanced up at a worried Maya and a confused victim and said "I'm good, keep going I'll catch up." Maya nodded and continued up while I worked as fast as I could to catch up and help her. As I caught back up, I took the bottom of the stretcher in one hand guiding the rear of the stretcher while she took the top. 

When we reached the top of the cliff face we unclipped the harnesses and pulled the ropes back up, tossing them into the back of the victims car quickly before we picked up the skin stretcher. We moved over the rough terrain back in the direction of the Aid car where Maya radioed for a Air E-vac. The wait for the helicopter once we made sure the path stayed clear in order for the helicopter to land. The minute the helicopter took off Maya had her hands on my shoulders and she shouted "Don't you scare my like that again you hear me. I thought you wer-." I cut her off and said "I'm fine, the rope caught on a rock or a branch, and I had to tighten the rop back up to keep myself from falling anymore. It's not that uncommon especially when you are rush climbing, really I'm fine." 

Maya shook her head walking away, over to the Aid car, I followed confused as she opened the back compartment and grabbed our med-kit before she walked over to me. I was about to say something when she said "No your not you cut yourself you're bleeding. It's doesn't look major, more like an ugly flesh wound, and you scared the hell out of me. I was calling to you and you didn't reply, you messed with the ropes then proceeded like nothing happened. Did you seriously not feel pain, or the blood soaking into your shirt." I glanced down seeing the thin bloody gash on my left side. I closed my eyes and sighed as I said "Maya... It's on my left side, I haven't regained all of the feeling on that side,especially in the area near the scar." 

She solemnly said "Get into the back of the Aid car I'll patch you up, and check on it tomorrow morning, there is a risk of infec-." Maya cut herself off and I stepped up to get into the back of the Aid car. While I was sitting down on the Aid car, Maya closed the large back doors of the vehicle. She set the med-kit next to me and began sifting through it. She said "You know the possible complications, and the signs or symptoms to look for, I don't need to tell you. Although I will tell you that you need to be more careful." I nodded and said "I know I scared you today, and I know that you want to lecture me about how I'm an idiot who talked a big talk and made a fool of myself. So go ahead lecture me, I deserve it, I've put you and the team through hell these past few months with my recovery and stubbornness. I deserve a lecture, yell if you want to... I know that it's well deserved." 

Maya began to clean out the wound and I winced. She glanced up as I leaned my head back against the side of the Aid car. Maya said "As much as I want to, I'm not going to yell at you or give you a lecture, becuase I know that you understand that I'll have Ryan have you put on house arrest if you keep getting injured." I smirked and said "Funny thing is, he would." When Maya finished cleaning the thin gash she then pressed a few gauze pads to the flesh wound and taped them in place, she then pulled out a roll of self-adherent wrap and started wrapping my torso with it. I let out a slight laugh and said "This reminds me of when you used to help me wrap plastic wrap around my bandages so I could take a semi-shower." 

She laughed as she finished wrapping the bandage and said "You mean how would wash your hair in the kitchen sink then go take a sponge bath in the shower. Yea I remember, I've still got some pretty great photos of you washing your hair in the sink. Their pretty funny." I shook my head as I put my torn shirt back on I said "I thought you deleted those, I could of sworn that I made you." She smirked as she put everything back in place as I made my way to the from of the Aid car and got into the passenger side of the vehicle. I put my seatbelt on as she said "You know once your pain meds kicked in you were so much easier to negotiate with." I rolled my eyes and scoffed "Thanks." She smiled and said "You're welcome." As she buckled her seatbelt before driving the Aid car back to the station. "Another life saved, and another setback in recovery, but I'm prepared for all the world has to throw at me, nothing can burn me down." I thought.