Brotherhood of Fire

by N. C. Reed

  Gordon, tired of being told what to do on his own farm, had not responded well to that until a patient Caudell had explained that until the others returned everyone else should stay around in case they were needed. Baffled, Gordon had to ask where 'everyone else' was. A clearly surprised Caudell had explained that the rest had gone to find and retrieve his grand-daughter.

  At which point Gordon had been unable to come up with anything else to say. Before he could search himself, Caudell's radio crackled.

  “Home Plate this is Doc, how copy?”

  “Five by, Doc, say traffic,” Caudell replied.

  “Coming hot, one down with GSW. Wake meds and stand by to treat chest wound. Come back?”

  “Oh shit,” Gordon heard Caudell mutter as he keyed the radio again.

  “Doc, roger that, copy all. One GSW, meds to be prepped to treat chest wound. Working now. Advise ETA.”

  “. . .how long. . .okay . . . ETA seven to eight minutes,” Maseo reported after consulting Gordy. They were at extreme radio range.

  “Roger that. Copy all,” Caudell released his mike and looked at Gordon.

  “Mister Sanders, I need you to go and get Miss Patricia right away. Please tell her there is a chest wound GSW on the way, ETA seven minutes. She 'll know what it means. I have to go and warn my sister. Please hurry. That message means one of the team is down.” Without waiting for a reply Nate took off at a run to the small clinic where Kaitlin was probably checking on Greg Holloway, or maybe feeding him breakfast since he still had a bad wing.

  Gordon hesitated only a handful of seconds before reversing his direction and speeding back to his own side of the fence to inform his daughter-in-law of the news.

  -

  “Come on big man, hang in there,” Maseo muttered to himself as he continued to work and worry over Barnes' prone form.

  “How's he doing, Doc?” Gordy asked over his shoulder, eyes never leaving the road.

  “He's getting weaker,” Maseo admitted. “I need to hang an IV but. . .we're so close it's better to wait.”

  “Two, maybe three minutes, tops,” Gordy promised, his foot as near the floor as he could risk on the narrow back road. Had he not known it so well he couldn't have managed.

  “Hear that Bear? Couple minutes and we 'll be with Kaitlin and the others. Just need you to hang tough that much longer, okay?”

  “Brace yourself for the turn,” Gordy warned. He made himself slow as the entrance to the Troy place came into sight, knowing he couldn't make the turn at that speed. As it was the big vehicle tipped dangerously onto the two driver's side wheels before settling again on the paved surface as Gordy hit the gas again, literally sliding to a halt in front of the building with the farm's small clinic. His mother was running toward them when he stepped out of the Hummer.

  Patricia stalled for a step when she saw the apparition of black and white and gray shadows emerge from Clay's truck, only to have the specter turn to her and wave. As if suddenly realizing something, the being hastily reached up to remove his helmet and then tore a mask from his face to reveal-

  “Gordy!” Patricia all but screamed. “Where the hell have you been?”

  “Not now, Mom!” Gordy shook his head as he wrenched the door open to help remove Barnes from the back of the Hummer. “Abby's safe. She's with Uncle Clay. Right now, though, ungh,” he grunted with effort as he took the unconscious Barnes' shoulders, “Big John is hurt bad and needs your help so get it together, okay?” With that her son began moving toward the clinic. Maseo hopped out behind him with Barnes' legs, following.

  “Right,” Patricia found herself following them in. Kaitlin was already setting things up bless her heart.

  “Gunshot, high right side chest,” Maseo was reporting even as he labored to get Barnes on the table. “Slipped under his armor. Ricochet I think but I'm not sure. Last BP was 100 over 62, pulse is steady at 91, respiration is shallow but steady at eleven. Blood loss is average at this point, though not as bad as the deputy was when he got here. His donating blood the other day isn't helping,” he added.

  “I'll get some donors set up,” Gordy told him as they settled Barnes on the table. “Where's the list?” He grabbed the clipboard that Kaitlin pointed to and exited, leaving the professionals to their work. Maseo had started working at once on hanging a plasma bag while Kaitlin was already at work cutting away Barnes clothing, Maseo having wrestled the armor and gear off him on the way over.

  Patricia quickly washed her hands and gloved up, moving to the table as she put a mask on.

  “Any exit wounds?” she asked Maseo, who shook his head.

  “Nothing I could find, but it was dark and I was in a hurry.” Patricia nodded at his assessment and began one of her own. Finding no exit wound she frowned behind her mask.

  “It's still in there,” she sighed. “We 'll have to go in and get it. What I wouldn't give for an X-ray machine right now.”

  “You have an X-ray machine,” a pair of voices said from the door and she turned to see Leanne and Leon standing there, watching.

  “What?” she asked, then added, “You kids shouldn't be here!”

  “We're almost sixteen!” the two protested at once. “Did you have an X-ray machine at the clinic?” Leanne asked.

  “Yes, a small portable unit,” Patricia replied. “Not helping me here, though.”

  “If you had one at the clinic, you've got one here, somewhere,” Leon told her. “We made a list of everything you had at the clinic and ordered the same thing for here. If it was there, it's here.”

  “What?” all three voices said at once, looking at the twins.

  “We ordered everything you had in the clinic except drugs, which were restricted,” Leon continued. “It was all we knew to do,” he shrugged.

  “Can you find it?” Maseo asked.

  “I need to know what it's called,” Leanne reappeared suddenly with a tablet and a clipboard which she handed to her brother. Patricia quickly rattled off the name and model of the machine and Leon ran a finger down the list until he found it.

  “Building two,” he told his sister. “We have to get some help,” he said to the adults.

  “Nate!” Maseo yelled and seconds later Caudell was there.

  “What do you need?” he asked at once, eager to help.

  “Kids need help digging out an X-ray machine,” Maseo told him, still working. “Wake up everybody, and send someone to the farm for help. Brick especially. Him and Big Jake should be able to move the equipment and set it up, no problem.”

  “We 'll need the generator primed and started so it can be warming up,” Leanne added.

  “Got it,” Gordy said, having heard the tail in the conversation. “Three donors on the way down and we need to send to the farm. I know Dad and I think Uncle Ronny are matches. I got the generator!” he never stopped moving.

  “Well, go!” Maseo told Caudell and the twins, all of whom scattered to get their work done.

  “Hear that Big Bear?” Maseo said as he worked to prep his friend to receive a blood transfusion. “You're gonna owe those kids big time for this.” Kaitlin and Patricia pretended not to notice Maseo talking to his friend, knowing it was as much stress relief as it was anything.

  “Hurry,” Patricia almost whispered. “Meantime, let's get him cleaned up and get the wound irrigated,” she said a bit louder. “We can be ready when they get back.”

  -

  “That's it,” Leon pointed at Nate used the small fork lift to maneuver boxes and crates around.

  “Why didn't you guys tell them about this sooner?” Nate asked as he managed to get the desired crate down.

  “That one too, it should have film,” Leanne pointed to still another crate. “And they didn't ask us,” she shrugged. “They never ask us anything.”

  “Or listen to us,” Leon agreed.

  “I'd think by now they'd always ask you guys first,” Nate chuckled.

  “You'd think that, wouldn't you,” Leon said seriously. “An
d yet usually it's just 'children should be seen and not heard', or-'”

  “-this is a grown-up conversation',” Leanne finished for him. “We're used to it,” she added. “Besides that, we told them before you got here what we did. She's forgotten it I guess.”

  “You needed help?” Brick's voice interrupted.

  “I'm gonna take this one first,” Nate told the twins, picking up the machine again, “and then come back for the film. Brick, we need to get this X-ray set up for the clinic as quick as we can. Maybe you and Big Jake can get it out and into the room they're using? Doubt me and the kids can handle it and I'm supposed to be on watch.”

  “Of course,” the former bouncer nodded. He started for the clinic ahead of the lift.

  “I'd say you kids better go over that list of yours again,” Nate warned. “After this, I imagine the grownups will be paying you more attention. I know I damn sure will.”

  “Miracles never cease,” Leanne muttered to herself as the lift moved.

  -

  Jake and Brick made short work of unloading the machine and Patricia and Kaitlin hastily supervised its set up. Gordy had started the generator to let it warm up and the teens had connected the line-in that would power the clinic's hard-wired outlets for the machine. Corners were cut and several rules broken but sooner than it would have happened in a real hospital they were wheeling the machine over to where Barnes' prone form was now covered with a sheet to prevent anything hitting his wound.

  “Out!” Kaitlin shooed everyone away once things were set up. “Out out out! No one needs to be here when this thing is running except the operator. Thanks for your help!”

  Soon it was just the three medical people and their patient.

  Just about the time the X-ray machine was being rolled inside to take that much needed picture of Barnes' wound, the MRAP wheeled into the yard, stopping in front of the same building.

  “Wow,” Terri Hartwell whistled low. “I didn't notice all this last time I was out.”

  “It's new,” Abigail nodded, careful not to say anything else as yet.

  Clay ignored the women as he, Juarez and Thompson trekked inside to check on their friend.

  “They're X-raying his chest right now,” Gordy reported. “Can't go in.”

  “We have an X-ray?” Clay asked, surprised.

  “Yes,” the duet of Leanne and Leon sang from behind him. “We told you we ordered everything that Aunt Patricia had in the clinic,” Leanne continued.

  “And she had a small X-ray machine,” Leon finished.

  “Good job, guys,” Clay nodded in approval and the twins preened slightly under his praise. Uncle Clay at least knew the value of saying 'well done' when it was deserved.

  “I got donors lined up to give him blood and we got everything hooked up so. . .all we gotta do is wait, now,” Gordy continued.

  “Which is harder than it ought to be,” Juarez nodded. “Meantime, we do have work to do,” he added after a minute. With Barnes down, he became the ranking NCO.

  “Weapons check can wait for Tandi, but not the rest of us,” he continued after a few seconds thought. “We need to police the rides and get them ready for the next deployment, too. Replace expendables and refuel. Sweep for brass and canisters.”

  “Gotta do something with them,” Thompson said quietly and the others looked at him to see him pointing back to the door. Following the point they saw Abigail and the three new additions to their group and Clay cursed under his breath.

  “I 'll deal with that and get them settled,” he told them.

  “I 'll get it,” Gordy said softly, shaking his head. “You guys hang here and see what happens with Big John. Won't take a minute, anyway,” he added. “I 'll just take Terri and the other girl to Gram's and Abby can take Sam with her.”

  “No,” Clay shook his head. “Abby taking Samantha with her is fine but the other two stay here. Set them up in a room upstairs and get the water heater going. They can get cleaned up while we rustle up some clothing for them. Between all of us we should be able to outfit them okay. I know we've got extra boots in several sizes as well as a ton of BDUs.”

  “We do too, and some civilian stuff as well,” Juarez nodded. “I'll get Marti and Ellen down here to help. They will likely know where that stuff is.”

  “Gordy, take care of the room assignment and then show them where the shower is. We should have towels and wash cloths to issue as well as soap and shampoo. We 'll let the others deal with. . .stuff,” he waved the entire compliment of women's needs off with a gesture of discomfort. Gordy nodded and started for the doorway.

  “Gordy?” Clay called after him and his nephew turned.

  “She 'll wanna thank you for hauling her outta there,” Clay said seriously. “Don't let it get out of hand.” It took a second for Gordy to realize what his uncle was saying, but his face reddened as he nodded jerkily.

  “Right,” was all he managed to say.

  “And kid?” Juarez caught him before he could turn away again. “You did good, man,” the soldier offered his fist to the younger man. Gordy hesitated only a second before bumping his fist against the veteran soldier's.

  “Same here,” Thompson agreed, his own clenched fist joining Juarez's.

  “You did okay,” Clay teased before slapping his nephew lightly aside his head.

  “Thanks guys,” Gordy grinned slightly. With that he went about his chores.

  “He will do,” Thompson added, looking at Clay. “We need to start training him. His conditioning is already good. And he listens.” Clay wasn't sure he'd heard that long a sentence from Jody since he'd known him.

  “We 'll take care of it,” Juarez promised. “Start in the next day or so. He's got cajones, for sure,” he added. “Zapped one on the way out, smooth as you please, then just scooped the girl up and kept going. He's good material. We can get a place out on the back of the farm and start putting him through his paces.”

  Clay considered that for a moment. The last thing he wanted was to place any of the kids in danger. While he didn't care much for Abigail at the moment, and was ambivalent toward his siblings, Gordy, Leon and Leanne were all good kids and important to him. All had helped him a great deal and had not given him a hard time. But Gordy was essentially a grown man, and in this new world he would need the skills Clay and his friends could teach him. Finally, he nodded his assent, reluctant though it was.

  There really wasn't much of a choice anymore.

  -

  Abigail tensed as she saw Gordy approaching, expecting him to try and embarrass her, but the look on his face was grim, not jovial. She noticed he was dressed just like Clay and the others and realized that she had been right all along. Her brother was one of them.

  “Abby, take Samantha with you and go home,” he told her simply. “You can see to what she needs. Ladies, if you 'll come with me, I 'll show you to the rooms upstairs and the showers. We have a basic kit for you to get cleaned up and some of the ladies here will hopefully have some clothing and gear delivered by the time you need it. I 'll ask them to bring it up to you there if that's okay.”

  “More than,” Terri Hartwell said and Victoria Tully nodded.

  “Gordy?” Samantha Walters' voice was low but firm. Her face was flushed as she looked at him, trying to make eye contact but apparently unable to do so. “I…I didn't know it was you,” she almost stammered. “You carried me out of there, didn't you?”

  “How's the leg?” Gordy asked her rather than answer, trying to alleviate her discomfort.

  “It's better,” she nodded jerkily. “I…thank you, Gordy. I…I don't think I could have made it if . . . if you hadn't. . .you know. My leg was numb. I don't think I could have walked on it. Thank you for not leaving me.”

  “You're welcome,” Gordy told her easily, trying to match the softness of her voice with his own to make her feel more at ease. “Once they're done working on Big John you can see Mom about your leg or anything else you need. That goes for you two as well
of course,” he told Hartwell and Tully.

  “Come on Sam,” Abigail took her friend's hand, unwilling to allow this bonding with her brother to continue.

  “This way, ladies,” Gordy said behind her, all business. He was leading the two upstairs before Abby and Samantha had made it to the door.

  “He saved me,” Samantha told her best friend. “Your brother saved me, Abby. I thought I was going to die and he saved me.”

  Abigail's face burned a bit realizing that her brother had accomplished what Abigail herself had set out to do.

  “So, he did,” she nodded, her voice neutral. “Come on and let's get you cleaned up. You've got some clothes here already I think, and you can help yourself to anything of mine, plus we can make you new clothing.”

  “Surely, I won't be here that long,” Samantha shook her head. “I 'll be home before then.”

  Abby didn't say anything but she doubted that Samantha would make it home any time soon.

  -

  “The bullet is almost certainly a ricochet,” Patricia reported, her face a mask. “At present, it's lodged against his right lung though it hasn't penetrated it. It has cracked a rib, at least one, and of course did all that damage going in. Problem now is that it has to come out.”

  “Can't you do it?” Clay asked. He didn't like Patricia's hesitant manner. It wasn't like her.

  “I…” she started and then paused. “I've never done anything even remotely like it,” she said finally. “I could kill him trying.”

  “Will he die if you don't?” Juarez asked.

  “I don't know,” admitted. “At the moment, there's very little bleeding and we can control that with a drain, which we are of course. Eventually he will heal around the bullet unless. . .unless-”

  “Unless the bullet moves and penetrates the lung after all,” Tandi Maseo finished for her as he joined them, removing blood covered gloves as he did so. “If we can't get the bullet out, Bear is in trouble. I doubt he would survive long. And you can forget him doing much of anything physical at all, let alone being an operator.”

  “Damn,” Clay muttered. “Can you at least try?” he asked Patricia. “If he's already done for without it, the surgery can't be that great a risk, right?”