Chapter 10 #2
"Kam." Taylor wasn't sure if he could even hear her over all of the noise. The sound of the shot echoed off of the blades, which distorted it. The bullet buzzed past her head. Taylor ducked her head down then turned to see Kam fall forward.
She was on her feet, forgetting about the gunman flying towards them. Blood was soaking his white shirt. How many hits could Kam take before he lost consciousness? She pushed him up and he let out a groan.
Taylor tapped his face. "Kam. Stay with me. I don't know where we are going. I need you."
"Dutch Harbor." His head lolled forward and he leaned into her.
"Kam." She push him upright again. "Where is Dutch Harbor?"
"On the other side of the island."
She maneuvered Kam so that he was leaning against the frame next to the helm then turned back to face the wheel and panel. She should have paid more attention when Davin had taken them out on his boat.
Kam pointed. "Throttle is next to the wheel. Keep it up until you get close to the harbor."
Taylor's hands shook as she gripped the cold metal. “Hold on!” she shouted, voice shredded by the wind. The Zodiac launched off a crest, slammed back down, and sent a spray of icy water over both of them.
If they didn't die from her driving or the bullets, they might die from hypothermia. None of those deaths sounded like a good choice to her. A prayer lifted from her as she stared across the darkening waters. Lord, guide me.
Another shot rang out. The pain didn't come, but that didn't stop the shaking of her body though.
The cold had seeped through her bones as her wet clothes only amplified the chill.
Her hands felt frozen to the wheel, but she couldn't let go; she was the only one who could steer this thing at the moment.
They rounded the end of the island only to be faced with a maze of rock and fog, but somewhere out there lay the harbor.
Finally, in the distance, its lights faint and flickering like stars called her to safety.
If they could just make it past the point…
A flare burst behind them, painting the waves blood-red for an instant.
She didn’t look back. Couldn’t. The engine coughed, caught again, and the Zodiac surged forward, cutting through the dark toward salvation.
Her eyes began to droop as the wheel jerked from her hands. Taylor stumbled towards Kam.
"Kam, wake up." She pressed her fingers against neck. His pulse was weak, but there. "Come on, Kambre. You need to fight." Her words taunted her as her own body fought to stay alert. Her teeth chattered hard enough she wondered if she would break one.
A loud horn blared and echoed off the rock formations. Taylor tried to pull herself up, back behind the wheel.
"This is the United States Coast Guard. Identify yourself,” came a commanding voice on the radio.
Taylor fumbled for the receiver. "Mmmaydday," was all that she got past her chattering teeth.
"The Stratton will be to your location soon. Help is coming. Who am I talking to?" The voice oozed calmness into her. Help was coming.
Taylor peered over the sides of the Zodiac. She couldn't see any lights from the helicopter. "I-I'm FBI agent Ttaylor Ertz. M-my partner has been h-hit."
Her eyes wanted to drift shut. She was so cold that she couldn't really feel anything anymore.
"Taylor, what's your status?" That voice kept pulling her back to the living.
"S-s-so cold. Just n-n-need to close m-m-my eyes."
"Stay with me, Taylor. Keep your eyes open for me. Tell me about what happened."
"Escaped…" The shaking was slowing down and she felt almost warm. She needed to get back to Kam. She couldn't let him leave her again.
Taylor let the radio go and slid back towards Kam. The voice was yelling from the radio, but she couldn't really make out what they were saying. She hefted her heavy limbs over Kam's torso. Lord, don't let him die.
Taylor was vaguely aware of being lifted onto something hard. She reached for Kam or at least she thought she did. "Kam. Stay."
Someone shone a light into her eyes and Taylor tried to push them away. Gentle yet strong hands tucked her in a cocoon which felt nice. Her jaw started to shiver again. Would she ever be warm again?
Someone held her wrist, but she didn't have the strength to wrestle free. "No hospitals," she murmured.
"There are no hospitals here, ma'am. We're going to get you some help."
Taylor looked over to where Kam lay on a litter. Two men were working on him. Her eyes were so heavy, but she needed to fight to keep them open. Kam needed her. He was alive and she had to make sure he stayed that way.
She dug her arm out of the blankets wrapped around her and clamped onto the shirt of the Guardsman helping her. "Nothing happens to him. He has to survive."
"We will do everything we can to save you both." He tucked her arm back inside the cocoon. She was lifted as she watched the two working on Kam ready to carry him too. Two more men joined them as they hoisted Kam's still form from the small boat.
"Where are we going?" Pinpricks were starting in her fingers and toes. The pain was welcomed this time. It was a sign she would make it and she'd get to keep all of her appendages.
"There's a clinic at Dutch Harbor. They are considered a trauma center even though they aren't technically a hospital. You were lucky that you happened to be close."
Taylor knew it wasn't luck that saved them today. God was watching out for them. "What about the helicopter?"
"It turned tail when we blew our horn." Taylor closed her eyes and thanked God for protecting them today.
The Guardsmen clipped Taylor into a winching rig and hauled her aboard the cutter. When she got past the rail of the ship, they lowered her onto the deck and unhooked her.
"I can walk." Taylor tried to sit up, but the strap held her in place.
"You need to stay still, ma'am," another Guardsman, whose jumpsuit said Rodgers on it, said.
"Look, Rodgers, you can either unhook me or I'll call Senator Schulz as soon as I'm free to log a complaint about how I was mistreated by the Coast Guard."
The man mumbled under his breath and shook his head, but loosened the straps holding her.
"Thank you." Taylor slowly pushed to her feet, feeling every one of the bruises, cuts, and injuries she accrued over the last few days. Rodgers steadied her with a hand around her waist.
She attempted to glare at him. "These waters make it hard to walk on a good day. Let me get you to your partner."
Taylor nodded and took a few steps forward swaying with the boat. The winch was lowering Kam's litter into the hands of waiting crew. She saw an orange-and-white helicopter being unhooked and checked over past where they stood.
Rodger nodded towards the bird. "They'll fly you to Dutch Harbor.
It'll be faster." He didn't say it, but she could fill in the blank.
Kam needed every second of this rescue. Tears burned her eyes as they loaded him into the bay and strapped him in.
She stumbled into the hold, trying to make it to Kam's side.
Rodgers pulled her back, guiding her into a seat where he secured her with a harnessed seatbelt.
He pulled the straps taunt. "I'll be praying for you." Just like that, he was gone, replaced by two medics who moved in tandem working on Kam. Taylor closed her eyes. She couldn't see Kam from here so she would do the only thing she could. She'd pray.