| |
Renee called it Tyler's toy but in reality, the quadcopter that he had bought from Chinese manufacturers in kit-set form, was a sophisticated drone adapted for agricultural use. The Quadbee 3 had four, thirty-five centimetre rotors encased in what looked like tyre tubes. Overall, it was a little over a metre in diameter with the engine, batteries and camera suspended below the circular framework in a cocoon shaped container behind the camera lens and between two skids that it sat on. A remote guidance system connected to his laptop, gave a live view of the ground below with enhanced zooming if wanted and could take video or still photographs. Tyler had enhanced it from the original specifications to give it a greater range and an ability to fly higher than usual. It could remain in the air for an hour, hover over a site and a homing device would return it to the ground station if it's signal was interrupted. This was useful when it flew beyond a line of sight such as on the other side of a hill.
He had used it several times to fly over the bush to plan the route for his track back from the top tank and was also going to use it to see the extent of the recent slips.
When he carried it out to the back veranda, Renee glowered at him. "What are you going to do, Tyler?" she asked. "You know the police told us to stay indoors."
He grinned. "This is on the opposite side of the house from where Hardy would be, even if he managed to get this close to our place. It'll be hours before the police get here even if they can get through the snow."
"So!"
"I'm going to search for him and that Land Cruiser. If I fly the Quadbee over the area I can see if it's still there and even trace Hardy's movements. It's stopped snowing so everywhere he goes show a trail in the snow."
"But you've only flown it in fine weather. The wind has come up and what if more snow arrives?"
"It shouldn't affect it. It's well sealed and the worst that could happen is that the camera lens gets fogged up."
Renee shrugged. "Okay, but keep behind the house and remember the overhead wires going out to the sheds."
"You can bring your lap top out here on the veranda and link it with my one on the control panel, if you wish. If anything interesting shows on the live stream, you can record it to playback later. We hardly need the live view continuously recording."
"Right," Renee replied. "Aza and Sofia are feeding Alice so we might as well do it now. I'll get my laptop."
After she returned and linked her laptop with his, Tyler walked away from the veranda and pressed a button to start the Quadbee's engine. "Okay, little fellow," he said. "Let's see what you can find out."
*
THE VIEW OF THE SNOW covered hills, road and village was surreal as Tyler sent the Quadbee south before circling across the water tank track and north to where be believed Hardy's vehicle could be.
Yes, there were tyre marks in the snow and a disturbed area where it had parked. He flew the quadcopter lower, hovered for a moment and took a couple of zoomed-in still photographs before continuing to follow the somewhat erratic path where the Land Cruiser had gone.
"What's wrong with him?" Renee who had brought her laptop out and stood beside him in the snow.
"Drove too fast for the conditions and doesn't know how to handle his vehicle."
"It's more than that. Can you get the Quadbee to go in lower and hover above that rock we just went past?"
Tyler did and saw Renee's reason for her request. There was a line of paint and missing snow on the rock.
"He sideswiped it," she said.
Tyler nodded and made the drone rise several metres so he could see the continued track in the snow. The tyre marks showed where the Land Cruiser slid halfway across the junction with the highway before continuing east in their direction. Here, Tyler had to keep Quadbee higher for power poles ran parallel to the road but the tyre marks were still easy to follow.
Suddenly they stopped with just a blanket of virgin snow covering the road. He circled around and saw disturbed snow everywhere with three distinct circles formed followed by a long almost ploughed up section of snow with the black road seal contrasting with the white.
He slowed the drone and after checking that the power lines were across the road, brought it down to only a metre above the surface, made it hover while he took a still photograph and slowly moved forward again.
There it was!
The Land Cruiser was down a slight bank on its side and in a crumbled mess. The radiator was steaming and a trail of brown liquid seeping out must be diesel spillage. There was no sign of smoke or any other movement.
"Looks bad," Renee muttered.
"Yeah!"
Tyler moved the drone slowly around to get a different view of the Land Cruiser. It was tipped on it's right so the driver's seat would be on the damaged underside. He could see that the windscreen had popped out to look like crumpled tinfoil while the engine had been pushed downwards with an airbag hiding the inside view.
"The hand," Renee gasped. "See the hand!"
Tyler zoomed in from the now hovering drone and moved the lens slightly to focus to the left. He could make out the top of the steering wheel and Renee was right. A hand gripped it!
He peered closer and saw three fingers curled around. They were moving! "He's alive. Did you see his hand shaking?"
Renee looked up and nodded. "No matter how evil his intentions were, we need to go and help him, Tyler."
*
TYLER'S New Holland tractor had been well used over the previous year, mainly for contracted out ploughing and harrowing land down on the Canterbury Plains around Springfield where he had sub-contacts through a couple of large companies who appreciated his expertise. Now in mid-winter he still had the roading contract and only that morning had an email to ask if he could check out the highway in his section. This was where the Quadbee came in handy. He could do a morning's work in only half an hour with aerial or close range photographs sent back.
The news that the highway would be closed came as no surprise but was disappointing though, in an emergency the police or other rescue teams still used a road closed to the general public. He reported the Land Cruiser accident and was asked if he could cope for the police helicopter was being used on another mission and the ground party were held up by the snow and their arrival time had been put back several hours.
He headed out in the tractor with the cab crowded by three humans and a dog. Sofia had agreed to stay home to look after the baby because Aza wanted to come, Renee also insisted in being there and, of course Sam was not going to be left behind on such an important mission. To complicate matters, the next band of snow clouds had blown in and it had begun to snow again.
Using the grid references from the Quadbee that Renee had on her iPad, he came to the corner where the accident happened and stopped the tractor.
Outside, heavy snow was falling and all traces of tyre or skid marks had been covered. There was nothing to indicate that a vehicle had run off the road.
"You sure about the grid reference?" he asked Renee.
Renee nodded and pointed to their position showing as a red dot on the iPad map and the reference numbers on the left screen. The right screen now showed a still photograph of the wrecked Land Cruiser and an identical map reference.
"This is the place. It will be across the road there..." She pointed out Tyler's side window. "His car skidded across the road at the corner we're now on, probably spun at least once before disappearing over that bank. Just missed that power pole, I reckon."
"Okay!" Tyler turned the tractor across the road, reached the kerb and edged slightly forward. He peered through his swishing windscreen wipes and rubbed the glass. Yes, he could see where the branches of a small tree had been smashed. "Looks like the spot."
He zipped his jacket up, flipped the hood over his head and headed out. The other two followed and as usual, Sam bounded out to land in a pile of snow that just about buried him. Undeterred, he jumped out and disappeared down a long incline partly hidden by foliage. He skidded out of sight but was replaced by excited yelps.
"Sam's found something," Renee commented and followed the dog.
The Land Cruiser came into view. It was lying on the side with the engine crumpled and roof flattened as if it had rolled before ending up in its present position. Sam had already jumped up on the topside and made his way along to the front. The windscreen had gone but Sam peered in through the gap, looked back and gave a little whimper.
There was a smell of diesel but no sign of any smoke or flames and the vehicle was at the base of a dip so wouldn't fall any further. It appeared safe to approach. Tyler called Sam back and, followed by the other two, walked around the underside and past the wheels. The front was a mess with the engine pushed back between the front wheels. He decided to go around the other way for a bank blocked him but was now behind the two women who had seen his predicament and were already around the other side.
"Oh hell!" Aza muttered
She was bent forward and could see inside where the windscreen had been.
Tyler found a position where he could also see inside the cab. There was blood everywhere and airbags hid most of the view. He could, though see as crumpled steering wheel with fingers from one hand gripping it.
"Look!" Renee said from beside him. "He's still alive. I saw his hand move."
Tyler lifted the driver's airbag enough to see terrified eyes staring at him. "Don't move," he said. "We're here and will get you out."
The man looked at Tyler before he shifted his eyes beyond him. "So you've come here to gloat, Doctor Perry?" he gasped. "I hope you're satisfied."
Tyler turned and saw Aza step back looking hurt but already Renee had placed an arm around her shoulders.
"I came to help him," Aza whispered. "Why does he despise me so much?"
"Ignore him," Renee said. "It's just his reaction at seeing you. You're someone he can blame for what happened."
"Just go away and leave me," Hardy screamed. "That bitch has already ruined my life."
Tyler turned and glowered at the man. "If you really want us to leave, we shall," he said. "It's snowing again, you appear to be hurt quite badly and there is nobody else nearby. Nor can anyone get here for an hour or more. Unless we help, I doubt if you'll be alive by then." He moved the airbag further and gripped the man's shoulders. "Swallow your pride, Man. Do you really think Aza came out here in freezing weather just to gloat at you?"
Hardy shook his head. "Guess not," he muttered.
"Right, so let's see what we can do to help. Where does it hurt the most?"
"My right leg. I think it's broken. Also my chest feels tight and I'm cold." His lips shivered. "So cold." His eyes sort of rolled, he began coughing and blood oozed out his mouth before his whole body jerked and sort of flopped back.
Renee reached in and felt his neck. "He's unconscious but is still alive," she said. "Unless we do something, he won't last long."
Tyler turned to Aza. "Will you call the emergency number and say we need a helicopter here as soon as possible. Use the grid reference on the tractor's dashboard map."
"Right," Aza said and disappeared back up the bank.
"Now what?" Renee asked.
"We need to cut away the door frame and crumpled roof. I brought my metal saw. After that..." He glanced back at Hardy. "That metal across his chest needs to be moved but it'll be too hard to just pull away. I'll use the winch from the tractor.
*
AZA WATCHED AS TYLER drove the New Holland forward to face the edge of the incline. A winch was attached to the front bumper beneath the bucket that was set to its highest position. He played out the wire rope and came back to examine the wreckage.
"I brought the saw to cut the roof away from him," Renee said to Tyler
"And I've got a blanket," Aza added
The professor was still unconscious but she wrapped the blanket around him as best she could and covered his face top protect him from any sparks when Tyler began to cut the metal. As she did so, she glanced down and saw blood oozing out from where his smashed leg disappeared beneath the debris.
'He's still bleeding," she called. "You'll need to be careful. If the metal pressed against his leg is removed it may also release any pressure on his leg and more blood could gush out."
"Perhaps we should wait for a rescue team to arrive," Renee said. "They have more expertise than us."
Tyler crawled down beside them. "I don't think we have time," he said. "That crossbar came in between the airbags and is pressed right across his chest. I don't think he can breathe properly. It needs to be cut away." He stood back and glanced at Aza. "You're right about his legs. If I attempt to pull the metal away it could injure him more. However, do you agree that I should cut away that metal bar across his chest?"
Aza felt Joseph's neck for a pulse. It was still there but appeared erratic. As well, he was making a gurgling sound as if, even in his unconscious state, he was struggling for breath. "Do it," she said and moved aside so Tyler had room.
He started the saw that was a relatively small one with a circular blade to cut metal. Renee held back the side airbag to give him room while Aza held the blanket up to shelter the victim's face while still allowing him to breathe.
The sudden howl of the blade cutting into metal made her jump in fright. She could see sparks flying up in an arch and blue smoke made her cough. Tyler did well. The blade cut though the metal quite quickly but the bar did not move even after it was cut.
"I can't cut the other side," Tyler said. "It's too close to him."
"So use you winch," Renee suggested.
Tyler nodded. He picked up the hook attached to the wire and wrapped it around the bar until it was secure. "Will you get in the cab and start winching it in?"
Renee nodded and called Sam to accompany her before scrambled up to the tractor.
"What say I stand at the top of the bank and hand any messages onto Renee?" Aza said. "I doubt if she'll be able to see what is happening from the cab."
"Good idea." He tested the hook to see that it was secure and shouted to her when she had reached the bank top. "Okay. I'll signal if I want Renee to increase speed or to stop!"
If it wasn't for the snow that was now falling in huge flakes, Aza would be able to see both Renee and Tyler. As it was, all she could see of Renee was her hand on the steering wheel as the wipers swished back and forth.
She ran up to the tractor and opened the door. "Give me a toot if you understand what to do and a long blast if you need to stop for any reason."
"Right! Wave when you want me to start winding the winch in."
Aza returned to her position on the bank where she shouted and waved at Tyler. He waved back and she held her arm up and waved at Renee to begin. The wire tightened slowly with Tyler making circular movements with his forearm that Aza repeated. He held up his hand to stop and again Aza repeated the instruction. She noticed Tyler bend forward to test the now taut wire and also checked the blanket around the professor.
He waved to start and continued the visual instructions. It worked well with Renee operating the winch like an expert. As the wire wound in there was a creaking sound and Aza could see the wire wind up. It took a few more manoeuvres before the metal bar was twisted up about sixty degrees. Tyler waved to stop and shouted out that the metal was off Joseph's chest.
Aza and Renee went back down.
The victim was still stuck with his lower body buried in the debris that Tyler examined.
"I could pull more away," he said.
"No," Renee retorted. "We can do no more. He is breathing better. We need to keep him warm and give him water but that's all."
"You're the boss," Tyler said and winked at Aza.
Hardy's eyes flickered and opened. He appeared disorientated for a moment before finding Aza to focus on. "Still here?" he spluttered after coughing up blood. "You were always stubborn, Aza."
'I would not leave you here to die, Joseph." She was surprised that he used her first name. "Would you like a drink?"
"Please..."
He gulped down water from the flask held to his lips and stared at her again. "It was all yours, you know."
"What was all mine?"
"All that research. It was brilliant. I went off on a tangent and would have never succeeded."
Aza frowned. Never in her years of working with him had he paid her a compliment such as this. It was always, "A reasonable theory, Doctor but...' There was always a 'but' that at first motivated her to try harder but more recently just made her antagonistic for she knew that she would never please him or have him acknowledge her efforts. Now, in a couple of sentences he did just that.
"We were a team," she whispered.
"Ahh yes, a team."
Aza moved the flask away from his lips and watched as he closed his eyes. Anxious, she held her finger beneath his nose and felt him breathing out air. He was still alive but for how long?
*