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Jennie rushed over as soon as Zach braked. “I just got here.”
She gestured with a quick nod toward the frantic woman at the boy’s side. “That’s Darlene Yazzie—her son was driving.”
Gia was already moving. “Trauma kit?”
“I’ve got two in my truck.” Jennie sprinted to retrieve them.
Gia handed Caleb one and grabbed the other. “You and Zach triage the others. Jennie and I will assessthe boy.”
She dropped to her knees beside the unconscious teenager and snapped on a pair of gloves. “What’s his name?”
Jennie gently steered the sobbing mother back. “His name is Keough.”
“Keough, can you hear me?” Gia checked his airway and listened to his chest.
A faint, high-pitched whistle. Lips tinged blue. Her fingers found the telltale shift in his trachea.
Collapsed lung.
She lifted the boy’s eyelids to reveal a blown left pupil.
Her lips flattened. Traumatic brain injury. A quick physical assessment revealed a dislocated wrist and cracked ribs.
“Jennie, stabilize his head.” Gia gave the boy’s shoulder a hard pinch.
He responded with a faint moan, but didn’t open his eyes.
She raised her voice. “Zach!”
He jogged over. “How bad?”
“Collapsed lung, possible brain trauma. Can you get a medivac out here?”
“On it.” He stepped away, already radioing for air support.
Darlene choked out a sob and dropped to her knees next to her son. “One of the girls said a silver SUV came out of nowhere—cut Keough off. Made him swerve.”
Gia’s mouth flattened. “Someone will know who it was.” Strangers didn’t wander into this part of the reservation.
Caleb jogged over as she prepped a needle for decompression. “Need help?”
“Oxygen tank. Back of Jennie’s truck.”
Caleb returned with the tank as Gia inserted the needle into Keough’s chest. A sharp whoosh of air escaped, the boy’s breathing evening out slightly. Gia secured the cannula as his color improved.
The sound of rotor blades reached them.
Thank God.
They worked swiftly to stabilize Keough, loading him onto the medevac. His mother took off in her car for the hospital after assuring Zach she was in control and could drive.
As the helicopter lifted off, Gia turned to Caleb. “The others?”
“Two fractures, one concussion. No spinal injuries. They need to go to the clinic, but they’ll be okay.”
Relief loosened the knot in her chest. “You and Zach get the kids loaded in the Tahoe, Jennie and I will clean up.” Empty wrappers and plastic caps littered the ground at both triage sites.
She admired the back of Caleb’s jeans as he wandered over to the group.