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**Additional Note:** There will be sexual scenes throughout this story, but it won't be predominately sex.  
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            Operation Angel Rescue

by Erastes
Copyright 2019 by Erastes
Chapter 49 – A Bump in the Road.

As I was driving, I was also looking over at the fields to see if I could spot Shawn and the ATV.  I wasn’t certain how much gas was left in the tank, but it couldn’t have been much, and as I was approaching the third field I spotted the glint of metal in the early morning light.  When I slowed down and zeroed in on that location, I saw the ATV was lying in a heap, but I didn’t see Shawn anywhere.  I was curious as to whether he was hurt or had merely run off, so I pulled the SUV over to the shoulder of the road, turned off the engine, and locked the doors before heading over to see what I would find.  I locked the SUV because I was worried that Shawn could be hiding nearby and might try to steal it next. 

When I reached the ATV, I noticed that one of the front tires was flat, the front axel appeared to be broken, and the handlebars were bent.  As I looked around, I finally spotted Shawn lying in the tall grass and he appeared to be unconscious, but I could see his chest rising and falling so I knew he was breathing.  It was fortunate that he’d been wearing a helmet, because it may have saved his life, so I checked him over to see if he was bleeding.  I didn’t find any extreme loss of blood, just some minor cuts and abrasions, but it was obvious that one of his legs was broken.  It was bent abnormally and in a very awkward position, so I grabbed my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed 9-1-1. 

“9-1-1, what’s your emergency,” a female voice answered. 

“I’m with a boy who’s been injured in an accident on a four-wheeler and he appears to be unconscious.  He’s lying in a field and it looks as if he also has a broken leg, so I need you to send some medical assistance.” 

“Can you tell me exactly where you’re currently located?” 

I gave her the directions on how to find us, including that they would see my vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road. 

“Please remain where you are until help arrives.  I’ve dispatched a crew and they’re on the way.” 

That made me feel a little better, so I checked on Shawn again to see if there was anything else I could do for him.  Other than remaining by his side there was nothing more I could do, so I merely waited for help to arrive.  In the interim, I punched in the number for the phone at the house so I could tell the boys what was going on.  I knew Jamie was up, but I figured the other two might be awake as well, and I was certain they were all wondering if I’d located Shawn and what was happening. 

“Jamie, I found Shawn and he’s had an accident.  I called 9-1-1 and help is on the way, so I won’t be coming back soon.  I’m going to follow the ambulance to the hospital to see how Shawn is doing and I just wanted to let you know.  It means you boys will have to take care of yourselves temporarily, and I suggest you have something simple for breakfast, such as cereal and toast.  You might also have to fix your own lunch, but I’ll return home just as soon as I’m able.  You can call my cell phone if you need anything.” 

“Is Shawn gonna be alright?” 

“I’m not sure, but I hope he’ll be ok.  He’s currently unconscious and appears to have a broken leg, and I’m hoping they don’t find anything more serious than that when we get him to the hospital, but I’m just not certain.  The doctors will have to make that determination and I’ll call you again when I know more.” 

“K.” 

Once I ended the conversation, I dialed Paul’s number next.  “Paul, there’s been an accident and Shawn’s hurt.  I’ve called 9-1-1 and I’m waiting for the ambulance to arrive, because he’ll need to go to the hospital to be treated.”

“What happened, and is it serious?” 

“He took one of the four-wheelers and tried to runaway, but he had an accident before he got very far.  He’s currently unconscious and it appears that one of his legs is broken, but I’m not sure if he’s suffered any other injuries.  I’ll need you to come to the hospital and fill out the forms for his care, and then you can make arrangements to pick him up when he’s released.  He’s made it abundantly clear that he doesn’t want to stay with us.” 

“Why?  What happened after I left?” 

“He had a problem with the boys being naked when they went from their bedrooms to take a shower, and then there was another incident after we took him out on the ATVs earlier.  When we get back we always take our clothes off and shake them off, because they’re dusty and covered with crap, and the boys are used to taking off everything when they do it.  Shawn freaked out when they did this and let us know in no uncertain terms that he’s definitely not gay.  His attitude has also made it clear that he’s not going to fit in here, so you’ll have to take him back and make other arrangements.” 

“Damn, I was hoping this was going to work out.” 

“I’m sorry, but it doesn’t look as if that’s going to happen.” 

“Ok, I’ll meet you at the hospital as soon as I can.”

It must have been half an hour before the emergency vehicle pulled up behind my SUV.  I stood up and waved both arms above my head so they would spot me, and before long they were heading in my direction.  One of them was carrying a medical bag filled with their equipment, while the other one was carrying a plastic first aid backboard.  I moved aside so they could attend to Shawn. 

“What happened?” one of them asked while his partner was checking on Shawn. 

“I’m not sure.  He took off on the ATV without permission and apparently hit a rough spot and crashed.  He was like this when I found him.” 

“What’s his name and does he have any medical conditions or allergies that we should know about?”

“I’m not sure, because he was just dropped off at my rehabilitation center on Friday night.  His name is Shawn Roberts and he was apparently trying to run away this morning, so I’ve called the police officer who left him with me.  He’s going to join us at the hospital, but it may take a while before he gets there.” 

“Ok, we’ll make sure the kid is stable so we can transport him and you can follow us if you want.” 

“Yes, I planned on doing that.”

After checking Shawn’s neck to see if it was injured, the first EMT asked the other one to help him as he removed the helmet, and then the second EMT handed it to me.  I looked it over and it wasn’t damaged too badly, although there was a small dent and the paint was scraped up a little.  I was hoping the limited damage to the helmet was a good omen for Shawn’s recovery. 

Once the EMTs had examined Shawn for other injuries, they put an air splint on his leg before moving him onto the backboard.  They strapped him in and immobilized his head, and then they did the same to the rest of his body.  When they got ready to carry him to the ambulance, I spoke up. 

“May I help?” 

“Sure, you can grab ahold of the foot of this device and we’ll get on either side.” 

I did as he suggested and we carried Shawn to the ambulance.  I left the ATV where it was and would call my friend later so I could ask him to pick it up, because it would need to be worked on before it could be driven again, if it was salvageable.  As soon as the EMTs had placed Shawn in the back of the ambulance, one of them stayed with Shawn while the other one got in the driver’s seat and started the engine.  I followed them to the hospital and they traveled at a reasonable speed the entire way.  I took it as a good sign that they didn’t feel Shawn’s injuries required them to rush to the hospital for assistance. 

They must have radioed ahead, because when we arrived at the emergency entrance a couple hospital employees hurried out pushing a gurney to assist them.  They helped the ambulance crew lift the backboard, with Shawn on it, out of the ambulance and placed it on the gurney.  As soon as Shawn was strapped to the gurney, they wheeled him inside, and since I’d just finished parking the SUV in the nearby lot, I hurried over to follow them inside.  They wouldn’t let me go to the treatment area with them and directed me to go speak with one of the intake clerks instead.  They said it was necessary so I could help to fill out the admission papers, so I did as they requested. 

“What’s the patient’s name?” the woman asked. 

“Shawn Roberts.” 

“And what’s your relationship to him.” 

“We’re not related, but I run the rehabilitation center he was brought to on Friday night.  The police officer who dropped him off is on his way here as we speak and he’ll give you any other information you need, because I don’t know very much about the boy.” 

“Do you know his age?” 

“Yes, he’s fourteen.” 

“And why was he brought to your rehabilitation center?  Does he have a drug problem?” 

“No, not that I know of.  He was brought to me because he was a runaway from foster care and was picked up for shoplifting.” 

“I see.  Is there anything else you can tell me about him?” 

“Only that he has a short fuse and tends to react impulsively.  Other than that, you’ll have to ask the police officer when he arrives.” 

“Ok and thank you for the information.” 

“May I go back to see how he’s doing?  I am responsible for him until the officer arrives to take over.”

“Yes, I suppose we can arrange that.” 

She then called for an aide to show me to the treatment room, and the doctor spoke to me as soon as I entered.

“Do you know how long he was unconscious before the ambulance crew arrived? 

“I’d estimate more than 30 minutes, but less than an hour.  How’s he doing?” 

“The EMT said the boy started to come around during the ride here and was alert, but dazed.  The boy obviously suffered a concussion, so I want to keep him overnight for observation, and we’ll also check him for other injuries.” 

“I see, and where is he now?”

“He’s been taken for an MRI, and then they’re going to have his leg x-rayed after that so the orthopedic surgeon will know how badly it’s fractured before he sets it.  It will be a while before they’ve completed those things, so I suggested you go out to the waiting room and I’ll have someone come out to notify you when he’s been brought back here.” 

“Ok and thank you for your help and the information.”

I then went out to the waiting area and tried to get comfortable.  I grabbed an outdated magazine and began thumbing through it, and I’d gone through several magazines before Paul arrived.  He spotted me shortly after coming inside and walked over to speak with me. 

“How is he?” 

“All I know is what the doctor told me so far.  The doc said Shawn came to in the ambulance, but seemed dazed and confused.  He probably suffered a concussion, so they were going to keep him overnight for observation.  The last I heard he was getting an MRI and then his leg was being x-rayed so they could determine how badly it’s fractured.  You’ll need to go up and give the intake clerk the rest of Shawn’s information, because I told her all I could.  Follow me and I’ll show you which one was taking care of this.” 

Paul did as I asked and I led him over to the intake clerk I’d spoken with earlier, but we had to wait for a few minutes until she finished up with another person.  When he finally got up and walked away, we moved up to the counter and I spoke. 

“This is the police officer I was telling you about, and he’ll provide you with the other information you require.” 

“Thank you, and how familiar are you with the boy’s background?” she asked Paul. 

He held up a folder for her to see.  “It’s all in here.  I picked this up before I came here because I knew you’d need this information.” 

“Thank you and that will be very helpful.” 

I let those two discuss Shawn’s medical and family history while I returned to my seat and waited for either Paul to finish up or someone to come out to let me know that Shawn was back.  Paul finished first and came over to join me, and we chatted as we waited to hear how Shawn was doing. 

“I can’t believe he tried to steal one of your four-wheelers, but I’m not surprised that he tried to run off.  After all, he also ran away from his foster home, but not like this.” 

“Hey, it’s not your fault and you’d told me what he’d done.” 

“So tell me a little more about what prompted this.” 

“I told you what Shawn was reacting to and I merely told him he’d either have to adjust or I’d contact you to come get him.  He wanted me to make the other boys change instead, but I told him that wouldn’t be fair to them, seeing it was their home, and then I provided him with some options.  I suggested ways he could avoid what he didn’t like, and I advised him that he could also learn to live with the things the boys did, but he didn’t like those choices.  Since I didn’t have any other ideas, I told him he’d either have to pick one of those solutions or I’d have to call you to pick him up.  I gave him until this morning to let me know his decision.” 

“Running away was certainly a fucked-up way of letting you know his answer.” 

“Yes, and now I’ve got an ATV that needs to be repaired before the boys can ride it again.” 

“I’m sorry about that, but what do you think caused him to crash?  Was it just that he wasn’t experienced on the four-wheeler or was it something else?”

“There are ruts in the fields, especially the one farthest away from the house.  I think some of those ruts may have been caused by the tractor the previous owner was using, and I’d warned the other three about them when we rode there before.  Unfortunately, Shawn wasn’t with us at that time and didn’t know about them.  He must have been going pretty fast in an attempt to get away before I could catch up to him, and then when he hit the rut both he and the ATV must have gone airborne.” 

“Then he’s lucky he didn’t get hurt worse or possibly even killed.” 

“Yes, and I’m glad he was wearing a helmet, because I believe that’s what saved him from more serious injuries.  The helmet was dented and scraped up, but I can only imagine what his head would have been like if he wasn’t wearing it.” 

“I don’t even want to think about that.” 

We were still chatting when the doctor stepped into the waiting room and spotted us.  I was focused on Paul at the time and didn’t notice him, so he walked over to give us some information.

“I just wanted to let you know what we’ve discovered,” he began, and then he stopped.  “Is this the other gentleman you were telling me about?” 

“Yes,” and then I introduced them.  Once that was taken care of, the doctor continued.

“The MRI didn’t show any swelling of the brain and the x-ray indicated he only had a simple fracture of the tibia, so the orthopedic surgeon is putting a cast on his leg as we speak.  As I told you earlier, we want to keep him overnight for observation, and if everything looks ok in the morning we’ll release him.” 

“Thank you for the information,” I responded, “but when will we be able to see him?” 

“As soon as the cast has set he’ll be wheeled to a room, and I’ll have someone let you know when that happens so you can go up and see him.” 

“Thank you again, and now the two of us will discuss whatever arrangements we’ll need to make for when he’s discharged.” 

Once the doctor went back to the treatment area, I turned toward Paul and spoke.  “I was thinking I’d have to enroll him at the high school tomorrow, but it appears that’s not going to happen now.  Would you like to spend the night with us so you’ll be here to pick him up in the morning?” 

“That’s a better idea than me driving back and forth, but I’ll have to call the station and let them know what I’m doing.  I’ll also ask them to contact the juvenile detention facility and let them know they’ll be getting a new inmate.”

“I’m sorry this didn’t work out, but do you think the detention center will be willing to accept him with his leg in a cast?” 

“You know, I’m not sure about that, so I’ll suggest that whoever calls should ask that question as well.” 

While Paul was taking care of that situation, I called the house to inform the boys as to what was going on.  Dakota put the phone on speaker so they could all hear what I was saying as I told them about what the doctor had just said about Shawn’s injuries.  I also advised them that Paul and I were going to visit with Shawn for a while before we left and that Paul would be coming to the house to spend the night.  I asked them to strip the bed Shawn had been using and then remake it for Paul, and I also asked them to pack up Shawn’s belongings so Paul could take them with him, since Shawn wouldn’t be coming back.  They agreed to do both of those things for me and I thanked them for their cooperation.  

It was another half hour before someone came out to tell us that Shawn had been taken to his room, and then they told us the room number and gave us directions on how to get there.  Once we had that information, Paul and I headed up to see how he was doing and we found him lying in bed when we walked through the door.  When he saw us, his face turned red. 

“I know, I fucked up again, and I’m really sorry that I wrecked the four-wheeler.” 

“That can be repaired, and I’m relieved the doctors were able to patch you up as well,” I replied. 

“And now you’ve put me in an awkward position that I was trying to avoid,” Paul continued.  “You’ve forced my hand and left me no other choice but to have you taken to the juvenile detention facility.  Even worse, I’m not sure Eric is going to trust me the next time I call to ask him to help me out with another boy.” 

“It’s just that I didn’t like that the other boys were getting’ naked all the time,” he huffed. 

“It wasn’t all the time,” I clarified.  “It only happened when they were getting ready to shower and after we rode the ATVs so they didn’t track all that dirt and crap into the house.” 

“And I’m not sure how the detention center will be able to deal with you, seeing your leg is in a cast,” Paul added.  As soon as he’d said this, Shawn lifted the sheet and tossed it to one side so we could see the cast on his right leg. 

“It’s too bad you couldn’t adjust to what the boys were doing at the house,” Paul continued, “because I’m afraid you’re going to be dealing with a worse situation where you’re going now.  You’re going to be housed in a large dorm room with ten sets of bunk beds in it, five on each side, which means all of you will be changing in front of each other.  You’ll also be taking group showers, so you’re going to be seeing a lot more naked male flesh there than you did at Eric’s house.” 

The expression on Shawn’s face went blank when he heard this and the blood drained from his complexion as his mouth dropped open.  After quite a few seconds, he finally found his tongue and spoke. 

“You mean I’m not gonna be locked up in a cell by myself?”  

“No!  That’s what happens at the jail, but not where you’re going.” 

“Uh, can’t you keep me there instead?” 

“We were able to keep you in a holding cell temporarily, but the jail isn’t designed to accommodate minors.  As I explained before, there were only two options – either Eric’s house or the juvenile detention facility, and now there’s only one option left, since you blew your chance at staying with Eric.” 

“I’m sorry,” he screamed while shifting his attention to me.  “Will you give me another chance?”

“I’m sorry too, but I laid out the various choices for you before you decided to steal an ATV and run off.  I’m afraid I can’t risk having a thief staying with us, and you’ve already proven that you’re not trustworthy.” 

“I’ll change.  I promise.”

“Maybe if you had tried doing that before this happened then we might have worked something out, but I can’t take the chance now.  I’ll be at school tomorrow when you’re released, so Paul’s going to stick around and check you out of the hospital so he can take you back with him.  I just wish you would have tried to be more cooperative when I was offering you some choices.” 

“So there’s nothing I can do or say to change your mind?” 

“I’m afraid not.  Actions have consequences, and now you’re going to have to deal with that.” 

Paul and I stuck around for a little while longer, and before we left Paul told him that he’d return in the morning to sign him out and take him back with him.  I could tell Paul was feeling badly as we left, and he confirmed that when he spoke.

“I really wanted to help him, especially since he’s so young.” 

“You can only do so much and he had to do the rest.  It’s too bad that he wasn’t willing to be cooperative and take advantage of what you were trying to do for him.” 

“And you too.”

“The ironic thing is that I would have been worried he might try to run away again, but I doubt he’ll be able to do that with his leg in a cast.” 

“Yes, that is ironic.”

Paul followed me back to the house and the boys greeted him when we walked in.  “Hi Uncle Paul,” they all stated in unison.

“How’s Shawn doing?” Glen added.  

“He broke his right let and it’s in a cast, and he also suffered a concussion, but he should be released tomorrow.” 

“Is that why you’re staying with us tonight?” Dakota followed. 

“Yes, I’m going to stay here, rather than making another trip back in the morning to pick him up,” Paul answered. 

“We made the bed in Shawn’s room for you,” Jamie informed him. 

“And we packed up all his stuff, like Dad asked,” Dakota added.

“Thank you and it’s too bad that Shawn was so stubborn and defiant.”  

“It’s almost lunch time, so I’m going to go fix us something to eat.  I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starving since I didn’t have a chance to eat breakfast this morning.” 

“Yeah, that’s right.  You left right after I woke you up and told you that Shawn had taken off on the four-wheeler.” 

“So where’s the four-wheeler now?” Glen followed. 

“It’s pretty banged up, so after we eat I’m going to call my friend to pick it up and see if he can repair it.” 

“How bad is it?” Glen asked. 

“I saw that one tire was flat, the front axel was a broken, and the handlebars were bent.  I’m not sure if there was any more damage that I didn’t notice, but my friend will let me know how much work it will need and if it can be repaired.” 

“Dang that means we won’t be able to go ridin’ again until it gets fixed.” 

“We weren’t going to go out today anyway, and it’s possible my friend will be able to repair it before next weekend.” 

“I hope so,” Jamie added. 

“While I’m fixing lunch, why don’t you boys help Paul carry Shawn’s things down from the bedroom and put them in his vehicle so he won’t have to do that by himself in the morning?” 

“Ok,” they agreed as they raced upstairs to do that for us, with Paul trailing behind.

I then went out to the kitchen so I could prepare lunch for all of us, and after Dakota finished the other task he came out to assist me.  He also set the table, so when everything was ready I called the others out to join us and we sat down to eat. 

“The boys were telling me about their first week of school while they were helping me,” Paul advised me, “and I understand they’ve each impressed at least one of their teachers.” 

“Yes, three of my colleagues approached me at the faculty meeting on Friday and informed me about their various talents.  I wasn’t aware of their abilities previously and this just gets better all the time.” 

“Were you boys told that you had these skills at your old schools?” Paul asked. 

“Not me,” Glen answered first. 

“I’ve always like to sing, but no one made a big deal about it or asked me to be in the chorus until now,” Jamie added. 

“And I’ve always liked to draw, but nobody ever offered to help me get better at it,” Dakota concluded. 

“Then it appears this has worked out pretty well for each of you,” Paul responded. 

“Yeah, we’ve got a great Dad and everything else has been really good too,” Dakota confirmed. 

“Yeah, we love it here,” Jamie followed. 

“That’s why I don’t understand why Shawn had such a major problem being here.  If he had tried to get along then I think he would have liked it here too.” 

“You may be right about that,” I responded, “and I think he knows it now, but he came to that realization far too late.” 

We then went back to eating our lunch as we each thought about what Paul had just said.  We’d offered Shawn an opportunity, but he didn’t take advantage of it, so now he’ll have to pay the piper.

                                                *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

I wish to extend my thanks to Emoe and Donny for editing these chapters for me and offering their suggestions. 

E-mail responses to the stories, story suggestions, or other 'constructive' comments or advice may be sent to:  ErastesTouch@aol.com  - but please put the story title in the subject line, so it doesn't get deleted as junk mail. 

My other stories:

http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/different-points-of-view/

http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/a-throw-away-kid/

http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/the-guardian/

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/chance-of-a-lifetime/

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/all-the-worlds-a-stage/

https://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/adult-youth/watching-noah-grow/

                                                *    *     *     *     *     *     *     *

Although the boys in these stories sometimes have unprotected sex, I strongly urge all of you out there to be smart and protect yourselves from various sexually transmitted diseases by using taking appropriate precautions before engaging in sex.