Dangerous Tides by Christine Feehan Read Free Book Online

watched the clouds and water sparkle, the rain looking like diamonds. He inhaled the scent of the coast, of the ocean. Beside him, Sam smelled of spicy aftershave and garlic. Doug needed a new deodorant and Sean was wearing cologne. Ty caught the faint whiff of chloroform and shook his head with a smile to clear his mind of his other life once and for all. He concentrated on the pilot's skill as he entered his flight pattern.
    "Turning downwind. I'm abeam of the target. I'll let you know when I lose sight."
    Ty had a great deal of respect for Brannigan. The man had been flying helicopters for over twenty years and he worked a kind of magic with them. He "felt" them. The closer he got to the cliffs, the more it brought out his skill. The Huey slowed significantly. Ty's gut knotted.
    "Speed is back, you're cleared to the skid."
    Sean unhooked his secondary securing strap as he replied, "Crew chief moving to skid." He stepped out onto the tank and then onto the skid, securing himself with careful precision. "O.K. crew chief is all secured and on the skid."
    The traffic pattern was downwind, leg, base leg and final leg. Brannigan turned into base leg and cleared first rescuer to the skid.
    Ty's heart leapt in his chest. He was hooked up to the rescue rope and the crew chief, with hand signals, told Ty to disconnect the seat belt.
    "Rescuer one is moving to the skid." There would be a significant weight shift as Ty moved to the right side and the pilot had to compensate. Sam, as rescue supervisor, took a position where he could observe and double-check everything. Ty waited as the two men inspected everything a third time, from the ropes to his safety harness.
    "Crew chief is performing a final rigging and safety inspection. Does the rescue supervisor concur?"
    Sam's voice was hoarse. "Rescue supervisor concurs."
    "Does the pilot concur with the mission?"
    "Pilot concurs. Pilot has lost contact."
    "Crew chief has the target, continue to move forward fifty, forty, thirty, twenty. Tail and main rotor are clear, you can come down ten." Move was horizontal and come was vertical. Sean directed the pilot as close to the target as possible while keeping them all safe.
    Ty waited, his heart pounding in his ears nearly as loud as the helicopter. It was moments now. The helicopter went stationary, hovering above the target.
    "Rescuer will now be lowered out the door."
    Sam began to feed the rope through to the breaker bar to lower Ty. Ty swung beneath the skid in a smooth, practiced move, the bottom of his boots snug against it to prevent oscillation.
    "Rescuer one is going inverted," Sean reported to the pilot as Ty went upside down.
    From that point the ball was in Ty's court. He signaled with exaggerated arm movements to the crew chief who relayed instructions to the pilot. Everything would depend on what he found when he reached the victim. Blood rushed through his body and his heart pounded almost as loudly as the violent waves below. Time seemed to slow, to tunnel, as he narrowed his focus to the waiting victim.
    As he descended, he could see the waves breaking over the more jagged rocks farther below where the victim—a teenage boy—appeared to be conscious, but was writhing in pain. As Ty drew near, he could hear the boy screaming.
    "Rescuer is four feet, three, two, one. Rescuer is on the ground. Come down five for slack."
    Ty disconnected the moment he was stable on the huge rock formation.
    "Rescuer is D.C.ing. Rescuer is moving left-front."
    The rope began to retract as Ty made his way to the victim. The rocks were slippery and he had to use extreme caution.
    "Rope is coming back into cabin. Rescue supervisor is into cabin. Crew chief coming into cabin. Crew chief in cabin. You are cleared for forward flight."
    Ty took a deep breath as Brannigan took the helicopter back to the clearing and shut down to give him time to assess the patient without distraction. The boy's face was twisted with pain, but he tracked his rescuer with