Chapter 13
CHAPTER 13
An hour later, Serena followed two fresh sets of footprints through a field on the far side of the Ranch’s sapphire mine. The tracks had circled and woven around the mine in a manner that told her whoever made them was playing and had no true destination in mind. Two golf carts and a group of riders on horseback followed, but stayed well behind her in order to give her plenty of room to work as she tracked the Littles.
“It looks like they were chasing one another,” she said into her walkie talkie as she moved steadily across the field.
She raised her gaze to look farther ahead, scanning the ground while following the clear line they’d made through the tall grass. The two Littles had obviously been having a good time as they played. Question was, where had they disappeared to?
An itchy feeling at the back of her neck told her something had happened to the women which kept them from returning to the resort. Needing to move faster, she began to jog.
When she reached the top of the next rise, Serena stopped and scanned the valley that laid out in front of her. “Oh, shit,” she whispered to herself.
Turning to look at the group following her, she clicked the walkie talkie. “Stop where you are. We have a problem up here.”
Running back to where Ford and Noah sat in the first golf cart, she waited until the rest of the men approached.
“We’re going to need hard hats with headlamps if you’ve got them, two or three long ropes, and any other climbing gear you have available. Also, some blankets, a medical kit, and you might want to line up an ambulance or life flight,” she focused on Lawson Berringer, who Derek had introduced as the head of Rawhide Ranch security.
“What did you see?” Ford asked as he shifted into first responder mindset. As a captain back home, he would be wanting to take control of the rescue. And while he could take charge, she was the one who would have to rescue the women.
“There’s a sinkhole on the other side of this hill. It looks brand new, which means it’s likely still growing. The Littles’ trail went straight toward the edge,” she explained as succinctly as she could. “I need to get closer to the edge to see how deep the hole is, and whether the women are down in it. If they’re not, I’ll need to walk the perimeter to pick up their trail. But right now, we do not need any more vibration on the other side of this ridge than absolutely necessary.”
“You’re going to do all that?” Lawson asked, looking concerned that she was taking charge.
“Yes, I am,” Serena said, trying not to sound offended by the man’s skepticism. “I am a trained first responder just like these two men. While I’m not as experienced, I am the lightest and will be the easiest to lower into the hole and pull back out again.”
“You’re not getting close to any unstable hole in the ground without being on a line,” Ford stated flatly.
She nodded. She could tell he was itching to take over but would allow her to take point while he and Noah provided backup and whatever assistance she might need.
Lawson tried his walkie-talkie, but there was no response when he called for Derek. Noah and Ford pulled out their cell phones and offered them, but the man was already pulling out his own.
She was surprised there was cell signal this far from the main Ranch building but didn’t question it. Instead, she returned to the ridge just as more of the ground around the hole disappeared and the black hole nearly doubled in size.
Cupping her hands around her mouth, she screamed, “Tori, Caroline, can you hear me?”
“Hello? We’re down here! We can’t get out!” a voice called back from the hole.
“Are either of you hurt?” Serena moved down the hill, only stopping when Noah grabbed her arm and pulled her back several steps.
“I hurt my ankle when the ground gave way,” the girl responded. “Tori hit her head and she won’t wake up. Can you get us out please?”
“We’re working on it, honey. Stay still and we’ll get you out as soon as we can.”
Serena turned to Noah and stepped into his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle. “I’m scared,” she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear her confession.
He brushed a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re doing great,” he assured her. “Stay strong and you’re right, you are best suited for this rescue. Just know that we’re here to back you up. And thank you for not slugging the security chief.”
“I bet if you or Ford had said the same thing he would have just nodded and let you take charge,” Serena said, her tone slightly bitter.
“It’s only because you’re too pretty to be a tough-as-nails fireman,” Noah teased gently, causing her to wiggle out of his arms.
Stepping back, she slammed her hands on her hips. “That’s because I’m not a fireman. I am a highly trained firefighter slash paramedic.”
“You are. And you’re going to put that knowledge and experience to use getting those Littles out of that hole. Let’s get the crew briefed and figure out how we’re going to attack this.” Noah said before brushing a kiss on her cheek.
* * *
It took longer to prepare for the rescue than Noah felt comfortable with. Especially since there was an unconscious woman waiting to be pulled out of the hole, which had grown to now be about twenty feet across.
Finally, he finished securing one end of the long, red silk rope Derek had brought them to the largest golf cart in the field. A few feet away, Ford was tying the other end of the rope around their woman in a harness that went between her legs and over her shoulders. They had moved the golf cart so it was within twenty feet of the hole. There was more than enough rope to allow Serena to descend into the hole and get to the women without taking it off the harness.
Once finished, he waited until Ford stepped back and Serena tested the rope to make sure all the knots remained secure.
“Are you sure you’re going to be able to grip with your right hand?” Ford asked.
“Yes, it feels a lot better now. Besides, I’ve got a job to do and I’m going to do it,” she said, looking from Ford to him.
Noah walked to her and pulled her into a long, strong hug. “We know you will. I love you, sugar. Be careful and come back to us safe.”
Ford moved closer and they opened their hug for him to join them in another of their triangular hugs. “I love you, too, honey. So very much.”
Serena looked up at them and tightened her arms around his waist. “I love you two, too. And I cannot wait until we finally get to play in the Dungeon so you can tie me to a spanking bench and show me how much you love me.”
“Well, shit,” Noah reached down and adjusted his suddenly erect cock.
“Yeah,” Ford said as he did the same thing.
Serena giggled as she released them and stepped back. “Think about that while I’m down there.”
Noah didn’t have a response to her cheekiness, so he picked up the rope and made sure there were no knots or kinks in it. He also checked the clip holding a backpack that contained items Serena might need once she reached the trapped women. Two ranch hands were sitting in the cart, adding weight so it would not move when she descended. He then went to stand beside Ford as they watched Serena stare down into the hole.
“You’ll be fine, sugar,” Noah said, “Just remember your training.”
Serena nodded and began her descent, not looking in their direction, which he totally understood. He’d been in her position and her focus needed to be on the job at hand, not the two men who loved her.
Grabbing Ford’s hand, Noah hoped the touch of his lover and life partner would keep him grounded instead of feeling like he was freefalling into the hole with their woman. At the same time, he kept his gaze glued to the deep-red rope that lay on a brown horse blanket that covered the sharp cut edge of the sinkhole.
Lawson stood beside them with his arms crossed as if he were holding himself together. No doubt he would rather be the one in the hole but was forced to allow the professionals to take lead.
“I should be down there,” Ford whispered, squeezing Noah’s hand. As one, they took three steps forward so they could watch Serena carefully walk toward the women who were in the middle of the sunken ground.
“Why? Because you’re our boss back home? She was right that she is the best one to do this. And she is just as well trained as we are, though she doesn’t have our experience. She’ll also be easiest to pull back up here once the Littles are out.”
“But—”
“No buts. She can do this and we’re letting her. Get over it,” Noah said sharply though he kept his voice low.
He was surprised when Ford squeezed his hand again and nodded. “I know you’re right, but it’s hard to stand and watch her go into danger.”