Part 3

Chapter 5

Katie reluctantly turned over in her comfortable sleeping bag having been awaked but a not too subtle swipe across the cheek from a large pink tongue. Cracking an eye, she saw it coming again and skillfully deflected it by grabbing the creature by the scruff and enclosing it in her arms in a bear hug.

"Good morning to you too Hawk! Is that your ladylike way of telling me to stop lazing around and get up?"

Releasing her captive, Katie wriggled the rest of the way out and reached to unzip the tent flap, somewhat hindered by the wildly exuberant maneuverings of 65 pounds of joyful canine.

The command to "settle" was met with a questioning head tilt that seemed to say "Surely you are not speaking to me!" Still, it accomplished a slight ratcheting down to sinuous snakelike wriggling rather than full tilt body boogie.

Giving the zipper a final tug Katie gave another command "Go play. Stay close."

Ladyhawk* managed to maintain her dignity long enough to pass out of arm’s reach before racing around the small grassy area where the tent was pitched. Shaking her head and suppressing a smile, Katie dropped the flap closed again and readied herself to join her companion for a morning walk.

It was hard to believe that such a place existed so close to the city. They were surrounded by tall grass and trees, birdsong and fresh air. This trip was a graduation gift of sorts for both of them. Katie had, at 18, just graduated from high school and was legally of an age that she could be considered an official member of the search and rescue team that she had been training with for several years. Ladyhawk had, at the age of three, just passed the urban/disaster certification test. The rappel line was still somewhat of a challenge for her though and Katie planned to do some further training away from the distractions of the city if a suitable spot could be found. There very possibly could be times when the only way to reach a victim was through rope and harness. Though it was perfectly safe with proper training, the occasionally jerky freefall through space was still very disconcerting. This particular area was supposed to contain some fairly accessible caverns and was part of the reason for choosing it.

Swishing along through the tall grass behind the dog, Katie took the time to really look at her. Ladyhawk’s mother had been a Rottweiler and her father an Australian Shepherd. She had the rust and black coloring and blocky body of a Rottie and the soft flowing hair and affectionate disposition of an Aussie. In the beginning no one had thought she would be able to be trained for this work due to her potentially "vicious" Rottweiler parentage.

"You want a purebred dog, a lab or a golden."

"You want a dog from a breeder who knows what it takes."

"A mixed breed mutt will never work."

Katie ignored those artificial limitations and negativity. She had felt an immediate connection with the pup and knew, in some indefinable way, that they were meant to be together.

Reacting to the subtle language that stretched between them like an invisible shimmering cord, she drew herself from her absent reverie. Ladyhawk had gone from dog-for-a-walk wandering to the slight tensing of interest. Something was not right. Come with me, something, I don’t know, where, over there, somewhere, something, come with me.

Shifting her own body language, Katie tuned in to her partner. Sometimes the most difficult thing for a handler to learn was to really trust the dog. It was far too easy to assume that the human was always the leader and the dog always the follower. Theirs had to be a full partnership. Both sides had to come to the full realization that each had a job to do and the commitment that allowed them to do it. It had taken a lot of work but Katie and Hawk now had that relationship.

"Where? Find it!" was all it took and they were transformed from two friends out enjoying the day to a SAR team on a search.

Chapter 6

Violent shivering, pain and thirst roused Vincent from unconsciousness. He could once again see daylight. Opening his pack, he shook the canteen and was relieved to find it intact and nearly full. He took a few long swallows before capping it again and considering his options. It was unlikely that he would be able to extricate himself and even more unlikely that anyone would be able to find him and pull him free. There was no way for his family even to begin to know where he was! No, rescue would not be coming. If he was going to survive this he would have to free himself…soon. Catherine had redefined the term "impossible". She had proved on many occasions that it just did not apply to them. With grim determination, Vincent vowed it would not apply to them now. His legs felt numb unless he flexed them and then he felt only pain. There was no way to determine the extent of the damage until he came free of his rocky prison. He strove always to protect Catherine, but right now, he needed to feel that special connection. He needed her warmth and her strength to continue to do what he must to return to her. Closing his eyes, he sought her presence within their bond, releasing an involuntary breath of relief when he found it. Catherine…Catherine…I love you…I need you…Catherine…

Vincent basked in that glow for a few precious minutes before closing it off. When he opened his eyes they shone with renewed purpose. Pushing down his fear and ignoring his pain he once more began working toward freeing himself.

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Above his head, Katie and Ladyhawk were working as well. Hawk had been casting for scent, drawing in deeply through her nose and snorting then walking a few feet only to lift her head and do it again. To the untrained eye, it would have looked like she was having an allergic reaction of some kind as she zigzagged and snuffled her way along. It meant something far different to Katie; it was a signal that Hawk was narrowing the search and now had a definite indication of the location of the victim. She would follow that scent until they found someone or until she dropped. It’s here, this way, somewhere, this way, near, no, there, find it, this way, find it…

Hawk had amazing drive and a sheer unwillingness to accept "no" unless ordered to stand down by her partner. That is where trust came in. Katie had to trust Hawk’s instincts and Hawk had to trust Katie to keep her safe, even from herself, so that she could concentrate on reaching whoever needed them. The theory was that adrenalin, fear and injury or something completely indefinable changed a person’s scent signature so that the dog knew that there was something wrong. That change in scent was an undeniable call to a dog trained in SAR. It was proved in part by the uncanny ability of some dogs that had been trained to alert their owners to impending seizures. The human did not always know, but the dog did and acted to ensure the safety of the people they loved.

Suddenly Hawk stopped in mid snort and stood still. Looking back at Katie she gave a few short sharp barks and started ahead at a dead run. Found It! Here! Here! Follow Me! Found It! Here!

This was a signal, if one was needed, that Hawk had alerted and the victim was very nearby and alive. If it had not been a "live find", the dog would still have alerted but the barks would have had a different tone and her pace would have been much more subdued.

Within fifteen feet, Hawk stopped at what appeared to be a dip in the ground. Upon further inspection it proved to be a ragged, gaping hole, a very new one. The stone’s edge was still bright and unweathered and the surrounding dirt and grass showed no evidence of erosion.

The first thing Katie did upon reaching her partner was to praise and pet her exuberantly. It was part of Hawk’s reward for a job well done and helped to give her confidence and keep her drive high.

"Good find! Good work girl! Good find!"

The opening in the earth was fairly narrow, but would not prove to be a barrier to a slender young woman and a dog. The bigger barrier would be the rappel. Peering over, Katie was able to see a shaft of light fading into shadowy gloom. The distance did not appear to be significant, but she knew that the darkness of the cavern could be visually deceptive. Their rappel training thus far had involved the sides of buildings or cliff faces. A little jump, a short heart-stopping free fall, controlled collision and repeat. This would be another thing entirely. There would be no reassuring physical contact on the way down, however far that would be. They would literally have to take leap of faith that there was indeed a bottom to be reached.

Just below them, Vincent had suspended his efforts. There was nothing he could do to prevent discovery but the habit of concealment was deeply ingrained. Without conscious thought, he reached to hide his face within the hood of his cloak.

Wait. What was that flash? Yes! There was a spark of gold moving in the dimness.

Leaning downward, Katie called into the gap. "We’re here to help! Don’t be afraid! We’ll be down soon!"

Taking a deep breath, Katie stepped back a pace and put down the pack she had been carrying on her back. She had been prepared for just this sort of scenario, in fact would have sought it out had this opportunity not presented itself. With a wry internal grin she thought "Be careful what you wish for…"

"Up and over Hawk. We’ve got work to do."

Chapter 7

Vincent was trying not to give in to his fear. He had been trapped for almost twenty four hours and was reaching the limits of his physical endurance. Now he was about to be confronted by a stranger or strangers of unknown intent and he was powerless to do anything about it. Never before had he felt so vulnerable. He would never forget his experiences with the Silks and Hughes and had a terror of it happening again. It was one thing to be faced with vague warnings and theoretical possibilities, quite another to have actually experienced the brutal, degrading reality first hand. Closing his eyes, he tried to prepare himself for what he was about to face.

The rappel line had been secured to a strong post hammered into the ground and Hawk had been strapped in to a special vest designed specifically for a rappel rescue. Katie could feel her unease and moved quickly to reassure her partner.

"Steady. Everything is OK. We can do this!"

Quickly standing up and taking a deep breath, Katie switched on the light on her helmet and lowered both of them into the fresh rent in the earth. The trip down took only a few minutes but it was still a relief to have it over.

Bending over to praise Hawk, Katie soon had her unhooked from the vest and again gave the "find it" command, releasing her partner to go to the victim which Hawk did without pausing. Only after unhooking herself did she turn around and look over to finally see the person they had come to help.

The concealing hood had fallen back when Hawk gently nudged the victim as she had been taught. Even people that were normally afraid of dogs seemed to be comforted by this gesture. Katie felt her eyes go round and her breath caught. Who was this? WHAT was this? She urgently looked for Ladyhawk and found her calmly standing next to the creature and looking at her. She lifted her head as if to say "What are you waiting for? We have work to do!" This was another instance of the important role trust played in their unique partnership. If Hawk trusted this…man, then Katie did too.

She took a deep breath and walked over to join Hawk. Whoever this was, he needed help and it was up to the two of them to give it! Bright blue eyes filled with wary intelligence watched her intently. He neither moved nor attempted to speak.

Approaching slowly and carefully, Katie knelt beside him and spoke in a gentle soothing voice.

"My name is Katie and this is Ladyhawk. We are a search and rescue team and have come to help you. Can you tell me how long you’ve been here?"

Vincent regarded her quietly for a few moments but could sense no malevolent intent. It looked, and felt, like she was exactly what she stated herself to be. This girl had shown a high level of trust in him just by approaching so closely, he needed her help and decided to return that trust.

Watching her reaction closely, he attempted to answer her question only to find his throat too dry to speak. Vincent turned to reach for the pack, which he had been using to pillow his head. Katie judged his intent and held the pack down while removing the canteen.

"Let me help you. Is this what you need?"

He tried to keep the surprise from showing in his expression as he accepted the canteen from her hands. He was surprised again when she leaned over to help prop him up so he could drink more easily. He was unaccustomed to being treated with such immediate acceptance and compassion. Now his throat closed for reasons having nothing to do with thirst.

Having returned the canteen to Katie, Vincent attempted speech once more.

"I believe I have been here for a bit less than twenty four hours. My legs are caught and I am having great difficulty freeing myself." A strong shiver shook his frame and he had to pause and wait for it to pass. "I am near the limits of my strength and need your help if you are willing to give it."

"Of course we are willing to give it! Hawk and I have been training together for three years to be able to do just that."

"I meant no offense. I am just amazed that you knew to look and were able to find me. How do you happen to be here?" The unasked question was whether there were more searchers out there that might not be as understanding of his unique appearance.

If Katie heard what he was really asking, and for some reason Vincent thought she probably had, she gave no indication of it.

"Hawk and I were near here intending to spend a few days camping. We were taking a walk together when she picked up your scent cone and something seemed to call to her letting her know you needed help. We followed it to you. "

Under normal circumstances, Vincent would have found the topic fascinating, but he was exhausted and let his head fall back as another wave of dizziness and shivering overtook him.

Seeing it, Katie got down to business and made contact with his skin for the first time, drawing a hand across his forehead and down his neck to check the pulse there. Being touched so familiarly by someone was difficult for him and Vincent held himself still with great effort.

Feeling his tension and pulling back, Katie spoke briskly "We have got to get you warmed up! When was the last time you ate something? Do you think you may have any broken bones?"

Vincent regarded her for a moment. He was in the habit of dismissing or ignoring discomfort. Only of necessity would he admit to it, and even then only to Father or Catherine. The circumstances he found himself in would definitely qualify as a necessity and Vincent knew she had his well being in mind. Another barrier crossed.

"I don’t feel very cold, and no, I don’t think I have broken anything. I was very fortunate in that regard. I am very sore though. I think I ate something yesterday. I have been occupied with other things since then."

"The fact that you haven’t eaten and you do not feel cold is not a good thing. You feel cold to me."

Katie rummaged in her pack and brought out a thermos and a sandwich.

"Here is some soup that should still be fairly warm. I hope you like ham. Lean up a little and I will arrange our packs to prop you up while you eat."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Vincent was amused at how quickly this small slip of a girl had assumed control of his life. It raised his spirits and he found that he did indeed have an appetite.

He ate quickly and was surprised at how the food seemed to warm him and strengthen his resolve.

As he returned the now empty thermos, Vincent caught and held her eyes.

"Thank you for your trust and your help. Even if you cannot get me free of my entrapment I appreciate all that you’ve done."

Katie gave him a smile. "Like I said, that’s what we do. You are thoroughly welcome. Have to tell you though, Hawk and I do not give up easily. We will get you out of here. And I have a plan for doing just that. Hand me back my pack and I’ll tell you about it"

He did as she asked and gratefully lay back down.

"What I have in mind is to leave Hawk here with you to help warm you up. I have a battery powered winch in my truck back where we were camping that may be able to move that slab enough so that we can pull you free."

At his dubious look, Katie explained her reasoning. "Look, you have to warm up and Hawk is the best resource we have to accomplish that. She can lay down next to you under your cloak and the thermal blanket I have in my pack. It should make you a lot more comfortable."

He could find no fault in that reasoning other than the emotional discomfort of lying next to a dog, highly trained though that dog might be, and reluctantly acquiesced with a slight nod.

"Great! The sooner I leave the sooner I can return. It is very unusual that I would leave her here but it is the best decision under the circumstances."

Ladyhawk had been lying down a short distance away so that she would be close if needed.

"Hawk, I need you to stay here with… You know I never asked you your name."

He answered with only a slight hesitation "Vincent. My name is Vincent."

Katie bent down to hold Ladyhawk in a brief fierce hug. "Hawk, I need you to stay with Vincent." Katie pointed to Vincent’s side. "Here. Down. Stay."

She looked at Katie and then to Vincent and back to Katie again as if making up her mind regarding this strange request. Then with a slight doggy grumble did as she was bid, settling against Vincent’s side with a slight sigh. In a manner of minutes both were warmly cocooned and Katie was pulling herself up the rappel line and out through the crack in the ceiling.

Once through she called down. "I will be back as soon as I can."

Vincent would not have admitted it to anyone, but the warm soft weight of the dog lying at his side was comforting. He had not realized until then just how cold he had been. As he started to warm up a little, Vincent closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep, the first true rest he’d had since awakening in his bedroll, a lifetime before.