“Grant,” Atlas said when Evie sat down outside the equipment room door. Grant brought Dexter over, and he did the same. Atlas opened the door carefully, and Grant peered inside the quiet room.
Dexter led the way inside and over to the water tank where he sat down, mouth open and tongue out, panting softly. “What are you doing here, boy?” Grant asked as he bent down for a closer look. There was nothing to see.
Grant called for Atlas, and he brought over Evie, who sat down right next to Dexter. The two of them just sat there, which was their indication that they had found something. Still, as far as he could see, there was nothing.
“I’m going to get the principal while you call in for backup. There is something we’re missing, and the more eyes the better,” Atlas told him. Grant called in the request and told Dexter to stay before slowly sweeping the area, shining his light around the walls and floor.
He bent down when something caught the beam. It turned out to be particles of dust, but when he looked more closely at his fingers, some of them sparkled in the light. “What in the hell is this?” he asked himself, rubbing his fingers together. It wasn’t dirt, and in some places it left his fingers red.Rust.
“What can I do to help you?” the principal asked as he hurried into the room. “I don’t get back here very often. But this is the mechanical room. It’s part of the original building.”
“What’s the tank used for?” Grant asked.
“Oh, it used to be for hot water. That was how they heated the building when it was originally built. But that system was replaced maybe ten years ago with something more modern and energy-efficient.” He stepped closer. “Yes. See, the intakes have been removed. The tank itself was just left here. As far as I know, it’s empty, and it was decided to leave it rather than spend a bunch of money to cut it up and remove it. There are plans to rework the building, and the tank will be removed as part of that expansion.”
Grant looked down at his fingers as realization downed. “I don’t think the tank is empty.”
“Oh god,” the principal whispered. “How did someone get him in there?”
Grant had been thinking the same thing for a bit, but they had a bigger issue. The tank was large and would hold air, but how much and for how long? “Dexter, stay,” he told his partner and hurried to a bench with tools hanging on the wall above it. He grabbed a large pipe wrench and returned to where the intake fittings had been capped over.
“Need help?” the principal asked as Atlas returned with Evie.
“We need to get his off.” He set the wrench in place and pulled on it. The cap didn’t budge. But the principal joined him, both of them pulling until the cap turned slightly. “One more time,” Grant said and gave it his all. The pipe cap turned and clanged to the floor. Grant grabbed his light. At least they had a clear hole to the inside.
He sniffed, but nothing inherently bad smelling came from the tank. “Is he there?” Atlas asked.
“Mikey, are you in there? This is Police Officer Grant, and I’m here to help you. Are you there?” He listened. “Can you talk to me? I promise I’m here to help you go home to your mom and dad.” A scrape came from inside. “There’s movement.”
“How do we get him out?” Atlas asked.
“The other side of the tank has an access hatch that’s bolted on.” That dust must have been paint and rust from when it was opened to trap Mikey in it. “Grab a wrench and start getting the bolts off. They have to be loose, because that’s how he was put inside.” They got to work as other officers arrived. Grant filled them in, but removing the bolts was slow going. They were old, and in some places it looked like they might have been stripped.
“Mikey, please talk to me. We’re working to get you out of there.”
“Mommy?” A single word sent Grant’s heart soaring.
“Is that you, Mikey?” Grant asked.
“Yes. I want Mommy,” he said, whimpering softly.
“I’m already calling his parents,” Atlas told him. “And an ambulance is on the way.”
Grant nodded. “I know you do, and we’re here to help you. Your mom and dad are on their way.” He looked at Atlas, who nodded. “So be brave for me, and we’ll get you out as soon as we can.”
Finally they had enough bolts removed that the hatch swung down. Grant was able to shine a light inside. The opening wasn’t big enough for him to climb in. “I’m Officer Grant. Can you come over to me so I can help you out?” he asked. Mikey had been lying on the bottom of the curved tank, and he inched closer. It was hard for him to stand up, but he got to his knees, and Grant was able to reach inside. Finally, he was able to take the little boy’s hand, and he helped him move closer. With his second hand, he was able to steady him until his head appeared in the opening.
The room filled with first responders. “I need a strap,” Grant called. “Now.” One of the firefighters handed him a long, woven, flat line. “Okay, Mikey. What I need you to do is take this end and wind it under your arms for me and then hand me the other end. Okay?” he asked.
“O—kay.” He sounded so small.
“You’re being really brave,” Grant reassured him as Mikey got the strap under him. Grant took the other end. “Now put your arms down at your sides and hold them there. Me and one of the firefighters are going to pull you out. Just make yourself as narrow as possible.”
“I’m ready,” Mikey said, his little voice shaking as it echoed in the tank.
“Okay. Go slow,” he told the huge firefighters who took over for him while Grant helped guide Mikey through the opening.His head appeared, and Grant gently made sure his ears didn’t catch, then his shoulders. It was a tight fit, but Mikey gradually inched his way through, with the firefighters lifting him slowly until his hips were free. Then they pulled him the rest of the way, and Grant caught him in his arms. “You’re out of there and you’re okay,” he told Mikey.
“Mommy?” the boy asked in a whisper, as though it were something he didn’t hope to wish for.
