Maybe they truly believe you’re dead.
Well, hell.
If only you’d thought to take your phone out of your pocket before jumping in the water...
Right. Next time he was entrapped in a wildfire and took shelter in a freaking lake, he’d remember that.
On and on they walked. They couldn’t be far from Camp Mato Sapa. Then again, the landscape looked so different without the forest that Austin couldn’t be sure precisely where they were. He fought to stay on his feet, fought to keep going. Lexi was probably worried sick. He needed to get back to her, needed to let her know he was okay.
I’m still here, Lexi. I’m still here.
Then he heard it.
Thwop-thwop-thwop-thwop
The sound brought his gaze skyward. It sounded like…
“It’s about time.” Austin waved to the chopper, but it wasn’t as if the pilot could miss seeing them—the only two moving, breathing beings in sight.
Bear stopped in his tracks, went rigid.
Austin sank to the dirt, his strength long gone. “It’s okay, Bear. Don’t be afraid. There are men inside. They’re here to help me and take us to Scarlet. Do you want to fly with me?”
Bear stood beside him, watching the helicopter.
The bird set down fifty yards away, rotor wash sending up a cloud of dust and ash. Two people jumped out and ran toward them carrying first aid kits.
One of them called out to him. “Austin Taylor?”
Austin raised a hand. “That’s me. This is Bear.”
“Hey, Bear. I’m glad we found you, Mr. Taylor.” The paramedic knelt. “You’ve had a lot of people worried.”
“Sorry about that. I sheltered in a lake when the place burned over and became hypothermic. My truck was destroyed. Bear has been helping me. He doesn’t talk much, and I think the chopper scares him.”
“We’re going to take good care of Austin, Bear.” The paramedic reached for his hand mic. “Dispatch, Rescue Ten. We’ve located Austin Taylor and someone named Bear. Both are alive. Taylor is hypothermic but otherwise appears to be uninjured.”
“Thank God for at least one happy ending,” said the other paramedic.
That caught Austin’s attention. “Has something happened?”
“A helicopter carrying the fire chief, another firefighter, and a journalist was hit by a drone and crashed into the fire. No one has heard from them since. Another chopper is on the way to check that out. Some other folks were trapped at a kids’ camp in the box canyon when the fire came through. We were just there, looking for survivors, but saw no one—no survivors, no bodies, nada. You’re the first living people we’ve seen.”
Oh, fuck. No. No. No.
The Ops Roomexploded into cheers.
Lexi stared in shock and amazement toward the radio, her body boneless with relief, her eyes blurring with happy tears.
Austin was alive. He was alive and safe—and Bear, too.
Oh, thank God! Thank you, God!
“Where are they taking him?” Lexi had to see him.
“Boulder Valley Hospital,” Ahearn answered.
Vicki hugged her tight. “I’m so happy for you, Lex. That’s the best news.”