Kelley Armstrong - The Calling

For Julia

I DONT KNOW WHO was more anxiousDaniel or Kenjiibut they werent making this emergency helicopter evacuation any easier. I patted Kenjii and she shifted until her full hundred pounds of German shepherd rested squarely on my feet. When I tried to wriggle away, she moved closer and pinned my legs. I sighed and glanced at Daniel. He was staring out the window, fingers drumming.

I twisted to look at the others. Daniel and I were in the first passenger row, behind the pilot and Mayor Tillson, who was in the copilots seat. Behind us were the mayors daughter, Nicole, and his niece, Sam Russo, gazing out their respective windows. Hayley Morris and Corey Carling sat in the last row. Hayley was talking; Corey wasnt listening.

Were going north. Daniel had to yell to Mayor Tillson to be heard over the helicopter noise. Were supposed to be heading to Victoria, arent we?

When the mayor didnt respond, the pilot said, Change of plans, son. Victorias backed up with evacuees. Were taking you to Vancouver.

Okay, so why are we heading north?

We live on Vancouver Island, near Nanaimo, which is almost directly west across the Strait of Georgia from the city of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Wind, the pilot said. Same one thats driving that fire is forcing us to circle north. Dont worry. Ill have you there in an hour.

I looked at Daniel. His face was drawn with worry. I couldnt blame him, under the circumstances. Wed outrun a forest fire and outwitted a mysterious fake rescue team only to be whisked from town before we had time to catch our breath.

I was worried, too, about a lot of things, but right now, mostly about Rafe Martinez, unconscious on the floor behind my seat. How much smoke had he inhaled? What was he going to do when he found out that his sister, Annie, was still missing?

I twisted the bracelet on my wrist. A cats-eye stone on a worn leather band. Rafes. Hed want it back when he found out that Id told them not to wake him up because he wouldnt leave without Annie. That would be the end of anything between us. But I could live with that. Better than I could live with myself if Id let him die in that inferno.

Are the other helicopters going to Vancouver, too? Daniel asked. The ones with our parents?

I believe so, the pilot said. Is that right, sir?

When Mayor Tillson didnt answer, the pilot glanced over. Sir?

He bent to see the mayors face and chuckled. Seems someone doesnt mind the racket this bird makes. Hes sound asleep. Im sure he said the other helicopter was just a few minutes behind us.

I leaned forward. The mayor was slumped in his seat, his face toward the window, at an angle that didnt look comfortable at all. When I undid my seat belt, the pilot glanced back.

Whoa, none of that. This isnt a 747. Belt on at all times. Maya, isnt it?

I scooted to the edge of my seat and touched the mayors arm. Mr. Tillson?

Hey, the pilot said, voice sharp. If you want me to check on your parents, just say so. Your mayor has had one hell of a day with this fire, and you kids running off didnt help. Let the man get some rest.

Sure, the mayor must be exhausted, but with everything that happened, I doubted he could relax enough to fall asleep.

Mr. Tillson? I said, shaking him harder.

Daniel undid his belt. Sam did, too, getting up and walking forward, hunched, as she stepped over Rafe.

Okay, thats enough! the pilot barked. In your seats, belts on. Everyone!

Or what? Sam said. Youll pull over and make us walk the rest of the way? She shook the mayors shoulder. Uncle Phil?

Mayor Tillsons head lolled. Nicole shrieked and fumbled with her belt. I pressed my hand to the mayors neck.

Is he all right? the pilot said, sounding concerned now.

Hes breathing, I said.

Could it be a heart attack? Sam asked.

Before I could answer, the pilot cursed and said, yes, that must be it, with the stress and all, and the mayor was, as he put it, a big guy. Hed get a doctor on the helipad right away.

Wh-what? Nicole said, scrambling over Rafe. Did he say heart attack?

If it is, well get help, I said as Corey pulled her back.

The pilot was on the radio to his dispatcher, filling him in between bouts of yelling at us to sit down.

I moved in front of the mayor to undo his jacket. When Sam tried to wedge up beside his chair, Daniel nudged her toward our seats. Anyone else, shed have told him to go to hell, but she listened to Daniel.

Maya can help, Nicole said when the pilot tried sending me back to my seat. She knows first aid. She runs a hospital.

For animals, Hayley said.

Corey told her to shut up, but she had a point. My dad was the local park ranger, and I had a rehabilitation shed for nursing injured animals back to health. I did know first aid, though, and the basics of dealing with a heart attack victim. Step one: call a doctor. Kind of tough, under the circumstances. Step two: give the victim an aspirin. That wouldnt work while he was unconscious. But why was he unconscious? I remembered fainting as one of the signs, but not sustained lack of consciousness.

We had to get him to a doctor and, until then, I could only presume it was heart failure and perform CPR if he stopped breathing.

I unbuttoned the mayors shirt. When Nicole inched forward, the pilot snapped at her, and Corey told him to go to hell, which really didnt help matters. I glanced at Daniel.

Nicole, Daniel said, I know youre worried, but hes okay. Hes breathing and were looking after him. He turned to the others. Sit down, guys. Everythings under control.

It didnt matter that Daniel barely raised his voice and the pilots shouting and the noise of the helicopter almost drowned him out. Everyone sat. Even Kenjii, whod been anxiously nosing the mayors hand.

We need to get him lying down, I said. If its cardiac arrest, his heart may stop. I cant perform CPR while hes sitting.

Then you arent performing CPR, the pilot said. Theres no room. Well be landing soon.

I laid my palm against the mayors bare chest. I could feel his heart. Beating, but fluttery. Was that a sign of a heart attack? As I moved back, I saw a spot of blood on the shoulder of his shirt, where wed peeled his jacket away. I remembered the mayor putting on his Windbreaker before climbing into the helicopter.

We need to get his jacket off, I said.

As Daniel helped me get the mayor out of it, the pilot yelled, Whoa! Hold on! Back in your seats. Well be landing in a few minutes.

Fortunately, as long as he was flying the helicopter, all the pilot could do was yell. And if there are teenagers who actually respond to adults shouting at them, Ive never met one.

When we got the mayors jacket off, I checked his upper arm. There was a puncture wound. A dot, slightly swollen, crusted in dried blood.

Injection? I mouthed to Daniel.

He frowned and leaned to my ear. Could be an insect No, wait. Before we got on, the pilot clapped Mr. Tillson on the arm. I remember the mayor rubbing the spot, like it hurt. He paused. Like hed been injected.

Daniel slowly turned on the pilot. I could feel the rage pulsing off him. I grabbed his arm and squeezed so tight it had to hurt. Only then did he drop his gaze.

His hearts beating fine, I said to the pilot. Just have someone waiting at the pad.

I refastened the mayors seat belt, then started moving back toward my seat. I dont know exactly what happened next. My gaze was on Nicole, who looked terrified. I think the pilot grabbed for me. Or maybe he just reached out to get my attention.

Daniel yelled No!

Thats all he did. Im sure of it. Daniel shouted and the pilot snapped forward. His head cracked against the instrument panel, and he crumpled in his seat.