Chapter 18
Eighteen
Jackson left Mia’s house feeling confused. He’d never forget that hour spent on the porch swing. It had been glorious. Yet, he had to go. He knew he needed to rest up to continue the search for his brother.
And he needed to leave before he gave in and kissed her.
The last thing Jackson wanted to do was go home and sit by himself, dwelling on everything that had happened that day. He was almost home when his pager went off. He listened to the call.
“RAS 1, RAS 2, Southwold police, South Eagle police, medical emergency. Possible overdose. Location: 4527 West Ridge Drive, cross street Oak Hollow Court. Caller reports multiple juveniles at a party, alcohol present, possible drug use. One patient, male, approximately seventeen years old, unresponsive, shallow breathing. Fire and EMS respond priority one. Law enforcement requested for scene safety. Time out 22:14.”
Jackson scratched his jaw. He’d heard that address before but couldn’t recall who lived there.
Someone texted on the RAS 1 loop. He hit the control panel to listen to the robotic voice read the text.
“Nathan from your group text RAS 1 Paramedics said ‘I can’t go on the call. Have the flu. Anyone off duty who can cover me?’”
Wow. If they were asking the off-duty team members, it was either a really bad call or the station had multiple calls tonight. Jackson sent out a voice text to the group. He hadn’t worked with the paramedics on second shift for a long time.
Jackson
I can cover. I’m close to that area. I’ll meet the team there.
He hit Send. He should have cleared it with Trent first since he’d told Jackson to take some time off, but sometimes it was better to just go with your gut.
His phone rang. It was Trent. “Hello, Chief.”
“Jackson, you sure you can do this?”
“I’m sure. I might need time later to search for my brother or to deal with something, but right now, I feel like I need to be active.”
“If you’re sure, we could use the extra pair of hands,” the chief said. “We have one ambulance. The others are on other calls. RAS 2’s alarm also tripped. They should arrive on scene first.”
Jackson relaxed. He could always trust that Trent would look out for the patients first.
“On my way. GPS says I’ll arrive in six minutes.”
“Drive safe. There are close to thirty minors on scene. Besides the medical emergency, there are injuries due to a fight that broke out. These kids are intoxicated or high, or both. Watch your back.”
“Will do.”
He hung up and concentrated on making it to the address in one piece. He should have asked Trent who lived in the house.
When he arrived, cars lined the street, and the driveway was full. There were even cars parked on the front lawn. Long tread marks tore through the green grass, leaving muddy trails.
Bet whoever owned this property would have kittens when they caught sight of this mess. He circled the block twice, eyes scanning for a space. The streetlights were all on, glowing brightly near the curb while casting the area back near the houses in shadow.
He ended up parked a block away from the house. He could have double-parked some of the vehicles, but the cops were already on-site blocking traffic, so he decided to leave the spaces close to the house for the ambulance. One ambulance was already on scene.
According to Trent, they needed one or two more.
He grabbed the emergency medic kit he kept in his car, jogged along the sidewalk until he arrived at the house next door, then slowed. He looked over at Mark, who was standing in the front yard, keeping an eye on things there. Their eyes met.
Mark nodded at him. “RAS 2 team one is inside.”
“Thanks. I’ll head there. Another crew from my station is on the way.”
Kids huddled together on the grass. Some were crying. Others were doing their best to look cool, despite their pallor and the freaked-out edge in their gazes. A couple of kids were sitting alone, staring into space, obviously stoned. The sound of vomiting came from over to the right.
Marching up the front steps, he found the front door wide open. More teenagers lounged around inside the house, and a haze of smoke filled the air. Jackson coughed, then plowed his way through.
“Jackson!”
He jerked his head to the left. Two paramedics, Eve and Trevor, were working on the unresponsive teen. He watched them work, knowing that they were too late.
“There’s a group of students with minor injuries in the next room.”
Jackson nodded and made his way to the other room. Four boys, all around Dylan’s age, sat on a couch that at one time had probably been pristine white but now had dirt and blood splotches in various places.
He started toward them. A girl ran into the room, screaming. “Help! Zack isn’t moving!”
Jackson told the boys on the couch to hold on and ran after the girl. She led him outside to a finished deck. A boy with blond hair and the slightest hint of stubble on his chin lay as if sleeping on the wooden surface. Jackson dropped his bag and knelt beside him.
He watched the boy’s chest. It wasn’t rising.
Felt his neck. No pulse. Jackson opened his bag and took out Narcan.
Made sure nothing was blocking the kid’s nasal passages and airway and administered the drug into each nostril.
While he waited for it to take effect, he grabbed a pair of scissors and a CPR mask.
He settled the mask over the boy’s nose and mouth.
Next, he sliced the shirt open and immediately gave him two rescue breaths, watching the chest rise and fall, then moved over beside the body, knotted his hands together, and started chest compressions.
The sternum and ribs crunched. Better broken bones than dead.
“Go out front. Tell the police officer that as soon as more paramedics arrive, I need them here.”
She hesitated, staring at the boy.
“Go!”
She bolted. Jackson continued with his compressions. He didn’t dare stop now that he’d started. He had no idea how long he’d been at it when Trevor ran out the door and knelt on the other side of the teenager.
Jackson paused, his arms aching.
Trevor felt for a pulse. “I’ve got it!”
Jackson sat back on his heels. The boy’s chest rose by itself. “Let’s get him ready to transport.” Working together, they soon had an oxygen mask in place and had lifted Zack to the stretcher waiting nearby.
Jackson saw the girl waiting anxiously by the door. “We need a name, and we need his information.”
She hurried to them, arms crossed over her middle as if to ward off a chill, and gave his name, age, and address. As they were moving him, Jackson and Trevor passed Eve, who was working on the students who’d been in a fight.
Mark was talking to another group of boys nearby. “Where did you get the drugs?”
“I don’t know, dude.” The boy speaking had a mullet and an attitude. “Wilson Sparrow lives here, not me. His dad had the stuff. He didn’t tell us where he got it.”
Jackson glanced at Mark. He knew that name. Wilson Sparrow was state champion on the wrestling team. Dylan looked up to him. Which meant Jackson had met both the kid and his father at wrestling meets.
“You’re telling me that William Sparrow, the assistant superintendent, has a private stash of Neurosync?” Mark lowered his tablet, his eyes going flat.
“Why are you stopping?” Trevor looked at Jackson.
Jackson hadn’t realized he’d halted. He muttered an apology and kept moving, his mind racing. This was getting crazy.
He and Trevor continued stepping around students milling in the hall like a human obstacle course, then ducked through the door. The air outside had developed a bite. They loaded the teen into the ambulance.
“At least that one will survive.” Trevor sighed.
Jackson knew he was thinking about the boy who’d died. He looked at his friend. “Sorry, Trev.”
Trevor nodded. “It’s always hard when a patient dies. Doesn’t matter if the person is a complete stranger.”
Jackson nodded. “Part of you always feels like you failed and let them down.”
After all the injured had been tended and the police had gotten statements and called parents, Jackson made his way back to his truck. He still didn’t feel like going home. He had so much churning in his brain.
He decided to go for a drive to clear his head and ended up near Swanny’s place. He hit his speed dial and selected Swanny’s name.
“Jackson. What do you know?”
Jackson rolled his eyes. Swanny had picked up that phrase in college. No one else he knew said that in greeting.
“I’m about two minutes from your house. Mind if I stop over?”
“Fine by me. Door’s open.”
When he got there, Swanny was waiting with an ice-cold can of Mountain Dew. “What’s on your mind?”
Jackson told him about the call, the students and the drugs belonging to the assistant superintendent. When he was through telling his friend about the night, Jackson found himself telling Swanny about Mia. Both past and present.
“Can I speak truth to you?” Swanny gazed at him. “Biblical truth?”
This was exactly what he needed. “Do it.”
“You’re right that you need to find your brother. This other stuff with the drugs…it’s frustrating, but it can’t be your focus. The cops are there to find the drugs and to put the criminals away. Focus on Dylan. But…” He paused. “I think you’ve forgotten something really important.”
Jackson leaned forward. “What?”
“You are not alone. Hebrews 13:5. ‘He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”’ And then there’s Isaiah 41:10—”
“‘So do not fear, for I am with you,’” Jackson murmured, hope stirring.
“Yeah. How many times do we read that we shouldn’t fear? Jackson, dude, you are a son of the King. No matter what happens, He’s got you. He has a plan. For you, for Dylan, and for Mia.”
“What if Mia isn’t part of His plan for me?” He wanted her to be, but he admitted that maybe God didn’t plan for them to be a couple. Maybe he was meant to help her get closer to God, then step back.
Could he do it? Lord, You know Your plan. Help me to do the right thing.