Home » The Archives » Chapter 5 » Learning to Live in Paradise
| Re: Learning to Live in Paradise [message #1325 is a reply to message #1324] |
Thu, 26 July 2012 19:52   |
artisticrainey
Messages: 1228
Registered: July 2012
Location: Northern Ireland
Karma:
|
Field Commander
Switzerland |
|
|
Torrents of water gushed at their feet, and even their gripped IR-issue boots had some trouble getting grip. The rain slashed their faces like a million jagged spears, and they battled their way up the roadway, barely able to see through the thick rain curtain. The rope was slick beneath their gloves, and water ran off their helmets and into their faces.
"Some weather, eh?" John said, and narrowed his eyes against the wind.
If not for their helmet intercoms, Dominic wouldn't have been able to hear him over the roar of the wind.
"You're tellin' me! Shall we get the PM first?" Dominic asked.
"Definitely!"
They managed the slope without too much difficulty, and John was eternally grateful for the experience of his companion. The limo, even though it was held in place by the golden lances, was still in a precarious position. Carefully John opened the back passenger door. Inside sat the Prime Minister and her two children. In the front were her husband and the driver.
"International Rescue at your service," he said.
Dominic nodded, and began to ready the second harness he held.
"Ma'am," John said, getting his own harness ready, "We'll take you down first."
"You will not!" She answered. "Take my sons first."
"Ma'am - "
"I refuse to go until you take my sons!"
The Prime Minister's husband leaned into the back seat and frowned at the two IR men, shaking his head.
"She won't budge," he said, "Why do you think she's the Prime Minister?" He added with a grin.
"Gerard! This is not the time for jokes," she said sternly, and then looked back at John. "Take my sons. That's final."
With a sigh, John acquiesced, and held out the harness to the younger looking son.
"Let's go then. What's your name?" He asked.
"Toby," he said.
There was a slight tremble in his body, John noted; he couldn't have been more than fourteen. He strapped the boy in the harness, secured tightly to himself, and patted his shoulder.
"Alright, Toby, let's go. It'll be over soon."
He nodded at Dominic and then began his descent, and Dominic did the same for the older son.
"And your name is, my friend?"
"Alexander, not Alex," he said.
"Well, Alexander-Not-Alex, ready for a free trip?"
The boy rolled his eyes at the quip. Dominic grinned. Someone doesn't want to show his fear! Then, he too headed down the slope.
John landed gently and released the harness enabling Toby to stand free on terra firma. Immediately paramedics rushed across and wrapped a warm blanket around the young boy's shoulders. Dominic landed beside John and after releasing Alexander's harness, the paramedics immediately did the same. Toby and Alexander were put on board a waiting ambulance, which speeded away, sirens blaring, announcing their departure.
John looked at Dominic
"Okay, Dak, now the Prime Minister and her husband."
The two young men carefully climbed up to the trapped limo. They saw that Gerard had clambered into the back. Not the smartest of ideas considering the precariousness of this thing's position, thought John.
"Ma'am," John approached the Prime Minister. "We are ready to take you and your husband to safety."
Just as he spoke these words, the car, now more unstable with two passengers missing, moved, forcing the Prime Minister's husband against the limo door, which threatened to fling open. The PM let out a shriek, and reached out for her husband. Their hands clasped as the door opened, and the man yelled as he was tossed out into the storm. The PM slid forward sharply, and Dominic leapt into the car and grabbed her waist. They slid together, Gerard slipping down towards the churning waves below. Dom jammed his feet in behind the seat as he felt John grab him tightly, yelling something in his ear that he didn't fully hear; all he was conscious of was the PM and the water below. Yells and shrieks were travelling up on the winds.
"Help me, help me!"
Gerard screamed and the PM yelled out to him, telling him it would be alright. I thought that was our job, Dominic thought, although the frivolity was lost in the danger.
"Dak!" John yelled. "I'm going to pull you back out. Try and lever yourself backwards. Hold on tight everyone!"
With incredible effort, the two men managed to drag Gerard back up into the relative safety of the limo. It creaked and moaned, and Dominic quickly began to harness up the Prime Minister, while John reached out for Gerard. He glanced over at the driver, and was about to speak when the man held up a hand.
"Don't worry about me. I'm patient."
John nodded at him, and he tipped his cap. With all the speed they could muster, they began their descent. Dominic held the PM tightly to him as the rain battered them from every side, and the winds whipped around them. The bridge beneath was increasingly slippy as torrents of rain flowed down in a never ending river. He tried his best to keep balance in the wind with the water at his feet, but the burden of the woman with him and the strength of the winds proved too much. Suddenly he heard two voices yelling, a scream in his ear, and found himself twisting around with his eyes shut, arms tightening around the PM. His back struck the concrete below, and he felt the sharp wrench of the safety rope stopping their descent. When his eyes opened he felt a burst of panic flare up inside him. I can't see! My glasses! Where are they?
"Anna! Are you alright?" Gerard called out.
"Dak!" John shouted over the winds.
Dominic fought down the panic and pulled himself and the PM to their feet, pulling heavily on the rope. The world was a swirling mass of grey and black. He could vaguely make out a blur that was the PM's face, and smiled grimly in its direction.
"Sorry about that, ma'am. We're nearly there."
His fingers were like steel around the rope as he began to let it out. His heart beat in his mouth, and he tried to keep his face still and calm. It's okay, it's fine, don't freak out, you're nearly at the bottom. Feeling like a child taking its first steps he edged his way down the rest of the bridge. He let out a breath when he felt level ground once more, and he stopped for a moment to centre himself. He could hear people all around them, and could feel the icy wind and rain whipping around.
His numbing fingers fumbled with the catches on the harnesses, and suddenly he felt another set of hands on them. He squinted his eyes and tried to focus, stilling and clenching his fists.
"It's me, Dak, Quasar."
He allowed the touch and felt the harness disengage, and the PM's presence disappeared.
He could hear paramedics coming over, talking to the PM and her husband. John briefly tapped his shoulder.
"I'm going back up. Don't go anywhere."
"I don't intend to," Dom said.
He was conscious of the slight hitch in his voice. It was more than disconcerting. It was like being a child. He counted down the seconds until John was back at his side, warding off paramedics who tried to wrap him up, too. Before they were taken away the PM and her husband fought their way back to the two men.
"Thank you so much. You're wonderful people, all of you."
They were whisked away again, and John placed a hand firmly on Dominic's shoulder.
"Can you see at all?" He asked.
"Not a bean," Dom answered, squinting again. "Shall we get back to TB7, then?" John nodded. "Lead the way, then."
Post by Tawnyangel22 and ArtisticRainey on 19/04/2005
  
|
|
|
|
Current Time: Tue May 14 20:04:03 EDT 2024
Total time taken to generate the page: 0.01920 seconds
|
International Rescue: The Next Phase
Search
Help
Members
Login
Home
