Wildfire Run (7 page)

“Yes,” Luke said, pushing himself back. “The colonel…he…”

“I know,” Adam said. “Stay put.”

Luke looked at Callie. Blood was pouring out of her nose as she lay against Theo, who was staring straight ahead, his head tipped to the side, a puzzled look on his face.

“My door is blocked,” Grant said. “I'll have to come out your side, Adam.” He slid over and out the door.

Adam was already out, opening Theo's door. Luke heard a creaking sound above them, then a much louder grinding noise.

“Watch—” Adam's voice was cut off as part of the gatehouse roof came crashing down.

Horrified, Luke saw a
beam hit Grant's shoulder. The agent collapsed under the weight, falling down out of Luke's view. Adam had disappeared too.

“Luke, are you okay? Can you climb out?” Somehow Isabelle was already partway in the car next to Theo. “Who is bleeding? There's a lot of blood. Luke, are you okay?”

“Let's get out,” Luke said to Callie. “Isabelle, Adam and Grant need help.”

“Luke, listen to me.
Are you hurt?
”

Isabelle's voice reminded him of something Sal had drilled into him: “In an emergency, listen to the agents.”

“I'm fine,” he said, trying to keep his voice
calm. “Callie's nose is bleeding because I think my foot hit her. We're all fine. Now help Adam and Grant…and the colonel. I saw him go down in front of the car.”

“I will, but I'm going to help you first.” Isabelle took hold of Theo's arm. “Come on out, Theo. Watch where you're stepping. Callie, tip your head back and pinch your nose,” Isabelle ordered. “It will stop the bleeding.”

“I lost my glasses,” Theo said. “I think I hit my head. I lost my glasses.”

“I didn't see what happened to Adam!” Luke said. “Where is he?”

“Luke, listen to me. The faster you all get out of here, the faster I can help Adam.”

“I lost my glasses,” Theo repeated.

“Can you unbuckle your seat belt, Callie?” Isabelle asked. Callie didn't move.

Luke took a deep breath. He knew Isabelle would insist on getting them out first. “I'll do it,” he said. Callie's face was a mix of tears and blood. She kept wiping the tears from one eye, smearing more blood each time. He reached over her to undo the clasp.

The electricity was out and the fallen beams were obscuring most of the remaining windows
of the three sides of the gatehouse still standing. He couldn't see anything but flashes of green trees and hazy sky though them.

“We need to leave the building before anything else falls.” Isabelle took Callie's arm and guided her away from the car, and then reached in for Luke.

“I don't need help,” Luke said. He climbed out, balancing on a pile of rubble, and saw Adam crumpled on the ground a few feet from the car.

“No!” Luke yelled, pushing his way around Isabelle and kneeling beside Adam.

Isabelle knelt down beside him. “He's breathing, Luke. I can see his chest moving. I think he got hit in the head when the beam fell and is just unconscious. Now you have to get out of the building. Someone will be here soon to help him and the others.”

Luke bent toward Grant. The agent lay face-down, pinned by the beam resting on his back.

“Get up, Luke, and get out of here.” Isabelle pulled on his shirt, nearly tipping him backward, and then when he didn't stand, she grabbed him under his arms and hauled him up. Theo was already scrambling over piles of stone toward the gaping hole made by the SUV. He tripped and fell
to his knees, then picked himself up, shaking his head but not saying anything. Callie stood close by, staring at the debris, not moving. A beam resting on top of the rubble shifted, creaking, and then she rushed after Theo, little squeaks coming from her throat.

“If you don't go, I'll have to carry you,” Isabelle said.

Luke felt his feet moving forward, picking his way carefully until he stumbled outside. The sunlight blinded him for a moment, and then he saw Sal on the outside of the electric fence. The gate was closed between them. The Marines stood in a group by their truck. Hector gave a thumbs-up to Luke, and even from where Luke stood he could see Hector's smile.

“Don't touch the gate!” Sal said in a loud voice that verged on a yell.

“Don't worry, Sal; we know it's electrified. Right?” Luke said, turning to Theo and Callie. He was alarmed by the blank expressions on their faces. “Are you guys okay?” Luke watched them closely.

“I think I bumped my head,” Theo said.

Luke pointed at a nearby tree. “Maybe you should sit down until you feel better.”

“Why is the gate closed?” Callie asked. “It was opening right before the crash.”

“I'm not sure,” Luke said, and then the image of the colonel came into his head. “The colonel had his hand on the gate lever when the car hit him. I think either he pushed it when he fell or something fell on it.”

“I think I bumped my head,” Theo said again.

“I think you did too. Callie, here.” Luke pulled off his T-shirt. “Can you wipe your face?”

Luke didn't know whether Callie's head cleared at that moment, or the sight of his scrawny, pale chest shocked her back to life, but she straightened up and grabbed the T-shirt. At least she didn't laugh. When she was finished, she handed it back to him. Luke didn't want to put it back on. It was all smeared with blood, but he felt funny standing around without a shirt on. He pulled it over his head, trying to ignore the damp spots.

“Please, Callie, can you make Theo sit down?” Luke said. “He's acting so strange. I'm going back in to help Isabelle.”

“Okay, Theo, come on.” She took his hand and led him away. He went without a word.

“Don't go in there, Luke!” Sal shouted, reaching his hands up as if he wanted to grab the gate.

“I'm just going to go see what's happening. I'll stay outside.” Luke turned around even as Sal continued to tell him not to move.

At the edge of the building Luke stopped, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the gloom inside. He saw Isabelle balancing on a chunk of stone by Grant's motionless body. She had her finger to the side of his neck.

“Is he…is he dead?” Luke called.

“No, he still has a pulse.” Isabelle spoke into her microphone. “Sal, Colonel Donlin is alive, but he's trapped under the car. Grant is breathing but his pulse is very weak. It looks like at least an arm is broken. Adam is unconscious; I don't see any obvious injuries. I'm going to climb over and get the rubble off the gate control and try to reopen it. It looks twisted, from what I can see.” Isabelle listened for a moment.

“Luke, you are making Sal a crazy man,” Isabelle said. “Get back where he can see you.”

“I should be helping.” Luke fought the urge to go inside. “It was my fault.” If he'd held on to Comet, none of this would have happened.

“I know you want to help, but right now the best thing for you to do is to go back to your friends.”

“I think Comet is still in the car.”

“Leave him for now. Please go outside.”

Luke knew from the tone of her voice not to argue. “I'm just going to call for him while I walk out, okay? Comet! Comet!” When the dog climbed out the car and padded slowly toward him, he felt relieved. Adam moaned then, and anger surged in Luke. If only Comet had stayed still!

Outside, he didn't know what to do. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how. Callie ran over to him, motioning toward Theo, who was leaning against a tree trunk, his eyes closed.

“I think he's really hurt,” she whispered. “He has a big bump on his head and he keeps repeating himself. We've got to get out him of here!”

“Don't worry,” Luke said. “Isabelle is going to get the gate open.”

“I really smell the smoke now. Don't you?”

Luke hadn't noticed before, but now he could smell it big-time, like it was a monster bonfire. “Yes,” he said, fighting to stay calm. “But we'll get out of here soon. They won't leave us in here.”

“It's a good thing you're important,” Callie said.

“It's not just me,” Luke protested.

“Sure,” Callie said, turning away from him.

A park ranger drove up in a Jeep, his tires squealing as he came to a halt next to Sal's SUV. The ranger hopped out almost before the vehicle had come to a complete stop, and rushed toward Sal. Hector moved to intercept him.

“You've got to get out of here right now.” The ranger's voice was loud. “Park Road is already cut off to the east, and the fire is getting out of control. It's moving fast because of the high winds.”

“How many firefighters are on-site?” Sal asked.

“Not enough. Some of the crews were already on their way to help in Missouri.” The ranger wiped his face. It was bright red, as if he had been running, and Luke could see the sweat stains on his uniform. “Why isn't that gate open? How are the firefighters supposed to get inside if they need to?”

Sal still had the same calm expression he always had, but Luke could see a trickle of sweat running down his face. Sal spoke into his phone. “We need the remote-access control to open the gate. We need at least two helicopters, one for Speeder and one for the wounded. Now.”

“
You
are going to be cut off if you don't leave now,” the park ranger told Sal. “You're out of
time. The rest of the park is evacuated, and the way the fire is spreading, the whole place will be on fire in a couple of hours.”

Suddenly a loud popping noise and a flash of light came from the remains of the gatehouse.

“Isabelle! Isabelle, do you
copy?” Sal cried into his microphone. “Isabelle, come in.” The expression on Sal's face changed, and Luke knew he didn't hear anything.

Luke didn't dare turn his head to the gatehouse. He didn't even want to breathe.

Finally, Sal spoke. “Luke, here's what I need you to do. Walk around to where you can see into the gatehouse. Do not go inside or touch anything. See what happened to Isabelle.”

Luke went toward the gatehouse, feeling like he was walking in slow motion, not wanting to see inside. If Isabelle wasn't answering, he knew it would be bad. He came around the back of the
car and peered through the gloom. It was very still. No Isabelle. Sal had said not to go inside, but he couldn't see unless he did. If she was hurt, he had to find her.

He climbed in over the pile of debris. Once inside, he still couldn't see Isabelle. A beam above him shifted, sending a shower of small particles down and dust up. He hesitated, unsure what to do next. A moan came from the front of the car. Luke crept forward, feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't know if he could make himself look in front of the car. He knew Colonel Donlin was trapped there, but he didn't know what to expect.

Bracing himself, he kept moving forward. Colonel Donlin lay propped up against the front wall of the guardhouse, inches from the front bumper. Luke couldn't see his legs. Isabelle lay in a crumpled heap, her body partly on the front bumper and partly against the wall. The moaning came from the colonel.

“Colonel Donlin, it's me, Luke.”

The colonel opened his eyes. “I tried to tell her not to touch the lever, but she didn't hear me.”

“What happened to Isabelle?”

The colonel coughed weakly. “The lever's
damaged. She touched it and got an electric shock. I was watching her; she lost her footing and her arm grazed it. The shock threw her back here.”

“Is she…is she alive?”

“Yes, I can just touch her with my fingers and I think she's still breathing.”

“I can reach her.” Luke climbed over the hood of the SUV and reached down to touch Isabelle's arm. As soon as he did, he felt his fright drain away. He thought he could see her breathing.

“I can get her out,” Luke said, excited.

“Luke, no,” the colonel said. “I saw her head hit the wall when she fell. If she hurt her neck and you try to move her, you might make it much worse. Leave her until help arrives.”

Luke climbed back over the car. “I'm going to tell Sal what happened.”

Callie was at the gate talking to Sal. “What happened, Luke?” She sounded frightened.

“Isabelle got a bad shock when she touched the lever,” Luke said. “She's unconscious, and the colonel doesn't think I should move her. The lever is damaged. We can't open the gate from here.”

“We're working on that,” Sal said. “There's some glitch in the software controlling the remote access, but we also have helicopters
coming, Luke. They should be here soon.”

Luke saw Hector come forward. “Sir,” Hector said to Sal, “why can't we try to send a rope line across the fence? We could attach it to a tree on this side, and try to get it to catch on a tree on the other side. I know Luke can climb up those trees. Everybody knows he climbs like a monkey. He could tie it on the other side. I'll go across and help them back over.”

“Sergeant, it's a good idea, but it won't work,” Sal said. “We thought of climbers as a potential threat when the fence went up. The trees large enough to support a rope line were either cut down or pruned to prevent just that sort of attempt. If you try to use a tree that is too far back, the rope will sag right into the fence. If we had a launcher and a metal cable it might work, but we don't have either.”

“Callie, how's Theo?” Luke tried not to flinch when he looked at her. With all the dried blood on her face, she looked awful.

“I can't tell,” Callie said. “He's being quiet now. I don't know if that's good or bad.”

Luke didn't know either, but he couldn't stand to just wait around for something to happen.

“I'm going in the gatehouse.”

“Luke!” Sal sounded furious. “Wait.” Most of the Marines were climbing back into the truck, and Luke saw Hector looking at him.

“Luke, the fire is getting very close. You'll have to move up the road just a short distance, away from the fence,” Sal said. “Don't go too far. Stay on the road and the helicopter can land there to get you.”

Luke thought he could hear a crackling sound. The air was getting hotter and thicker.

“What about you, Sal? You need to get out of here. The park ranger said you would be cut off.” Luke didn't see the ranger anymore. He must have decided not to wait around.

“I'll go as soon as the helicopters get here,” Sal said, taking out a handkerchief and wiping his forehead, now covered with sweat.

Theo came up to the fence, his watch in hand. He had tears running down his face but he didn't seem to notice. “It's bad. It's really bad.”

“What do you mean, Theo?” Luke asked.

“We don't have much time. I've been thinking about it. We don't know how fast that fire is going to move, but it's not very far away because we can feel the heat and see the smoke. The woods aren't as thick inside the fence as the forest is
outside, so it won't spread quite as fast here, but it won't slow down that much if the wind keeps up. We have to get out. Look!” Theo's last words ended in a choked sob as he pointed to the road behind Sal.

There was fire there, glowing red in the underbrush. The grass next to the road was sparkling with little bits of cinders and some of the trees were aflame. Luke knew Sal wouldn't leave the entrance as long as Luke was trapped inside, even if the fire came right up to the agent and consumed him. Luke was determined not to let that happen. He knew what he had to do.