Station 19: The Unbreakable Team

Quick Water - Chapter 3

I was listening for Maya to reply when I heard the pounding of footsteps against pavement, I turned to see Hughes running over. She crouched down next to me and said "I contacted Sullivan and Warren. Sullivan said they're using Maya's idea of mapping a path through the pipes to her position. Gibson is already down in there, Pruit and Montgomery are talking him through navigating the pipes. Montgomery also wanted me to tell you that Jack's about halfway to Maya, and not to worry." I nodded as Vic paused a second to stare down at the access point before she said "Warren is still talking to Water Maintenance about diverting water." I nodded again as another choking gasp echoed up through the pipes. My focus instantly locking onto Maya's need to stay above the surface, thoughts started flying through my head trying to find a way we might possibly help her. 

"That's it." I said, Hughes who was still crouched next to me looking worried, she said "What's it?" I turned to her and said get the ring, Maya can use it to hold onto, we can raise it as the water level becomes higher, maybe it'll help her to keep her head above the surface. We have to try something. I can't keep sitting here listening to her struggling to breathe an-." Hughes cut me off by placing her hand on my shoulders she said "Hey, we are all worried, but you can't break on us Andy. Not when Sullivan left you in charge here. You have have station's 23 and 19 plus seattle P.D. at your command right now, take this opportunity to prove what a kick ass firefighter you are..." She trailed off before she said "What's that thing Maya always says?" I smiled slightly as I said "Embrace the pain." Hughes smiled and said "Right! So embrace the pain, keep your cool, you got this, Jack is going to get Maya outta there. Don't think about the 'What if' focus on the present, Maya is down there alive. I'll go set up the ring and be back in a moment." I gave a nod of understanding before turning to stare fearfully back down into the pipe.

~Maya Bishop~

I forced my head above the rising water, trying to get a breath, trying to hold on for dear life, if I let go there's the likely chance that this will not end in a successful recovery. On the other hand If I don't let go I probably won't be able to breathe for much longer. Conditions are continuing to deteriorate, it looked bleak when I vaguely heard Andy screaming my name. Pushing myself to surface was becoming increasingly difficult. Once I broke it I gasped out "Andy, if I don't make out of here-" I trailed off in a cough as water crashed into my mouth. She said "Don't even finish that sentence, I don't want to hear you talking about dying. You're not dying on me you hear that?!" I couldn't reply as my arms buckled tired of holding me up and I was pulled back under the rushing current.

I could hear Andy's voice was but it was indistinguishable, muffled by the quick water. I pulled myself up to the surface for another breath, my arms continued to buckle, strained from having to hold on for so long, my muscles tired of fighting back against the fast flowing current. I broke the surface to take in a gasping breath. I barely managed to gasp out "Andy, Repeat that." Before my arms began to give out and I started to be sucked back under the rushing current. I vaguely heard Andy as she shouted, she said "Maya!! Grab the ring!" As I tired to pull myself back up to the surface to grab the ring, my strength gave out. I could feel as I lost my grip on the smooth round hand hold. I felt the water start pulling me swiftly down current.

Suddenly I felt my harness lurch and become tight. Hands wrapped around me from behind and pulled me to the surface of the swift current. I took several deep breaths trying to get air into my lungs. That was when Jack said "Bishop?" I turned my head to glance at him and started to reply when he cut me off. He said "Do me a favor and respond to Herrera so she stops screaming." I smiled and said "You sure cut it close Jack." He chuckled before replying "You couldn't of just hung on a little longer, I mean I was only a few feet away, when you lost your grip. Sure scared the hell out of everyone for a minute, I almost thought I wasn't going to be able to grab you." I smiled as I said "I'm glad you did, it was looking pretty rough." Andy's voice over Jack's radio said "Alright you two, if you're done chit-chatting Sullivan wants to know if it's clear to pull you both back up." Jack moved one hand to click on the radio, he said "Not yet." Andy radioed back seconds later, she said "Copy that."