Alexis is a pragmatic high school student who joins the Portland Search and Rescue (SAR) team hoping volunteer hours will improve her college applications. She lives in a low-income apartment and acts as the primary caregiver for her mother, who has bipolar disorder. Alexis is highly observant and fiercely protective of her small family. She tends to keep her peers at a distance to hide her difficult home life and financial struggles.

Nick is a biracial sixteen-year-old high school student who uses SAR activities to help manage his ADHD. He frequently experiences microaggressions in his predominantly white Portland community. Nick intensely grieves the loss of his father in the Iraq War, causing him to constantly seek opportunities to prove his bravery. He views his volunteer work as a stepping stone toward joining the military.

Ruby is a highly intelligent, analytical teenager from a wealthy family of doctors. She possesses an intense interest in science, birds, and true crime, alongside a near-photographic memory. She struggles to read social cues and dislikes physical contact, often feeling like an outsider who must perform roles to fit in. She relies on her SAR team as a rare environment where her strict logic and observational skills are valued.

Detective Harriman is a seasoned Portland police investigator assigned to handle serious incidents found in the local parks. He is a pragmatic, by-the-book officer who prefers standard investigative methods. He frequently finds himself dealing with the overeager teenage SAR volunteers, whose amateur sleuthing and rapid conclusions often test his patience.

Caleb is an older, white-haired man who frequents Forest Park. He presents himself as an avid birdwatcher carrying a preformatted journal and expensive binoculars. He takes a particular interest in the natural world, specifically seeking the northern spotted owl, and occasionally crosses paths with the SAR volunteers during their operations.

Bran is a young volunteer with the Trauma Intervention Program who assists potential victims on the scene. He is highly empathetic, patient, and trained to listen without passing judgment. He takes a gentle approach to helping others process shock and provides a safe space for Alexis to eventually discuss her personal burdens.

Tanya is Alexis's mother, a woman who struggles with severe, unmedicated bipolar disorder. She experiences intense manic episodes characterized by paranoia, grandiosity, and prolonged insomnia. Despite her illness, she deeply loves her daughter, though her erratic behavior forces Alexis to take on a heavy caretaking role to prevent intervention by social services.

Miranda is a teenage girl from the affluent West Hills area who attends a private alternative school. She is part of the local "oogle" subculture, a group of privileged youth who pretend to be unhoused for a gritty lifestyle. Her sudden death initiates a massive police investigation and search protocol in Portland.

Tiffany is a sixteen-year-old runaway and former honors student. She struggles to survive on the streets while managing a substance use disorder. She actively avoids the judgment of those from her past, feeling intense shame after being spotted by her brother's friends while looking for food in a dumpster.

DeShaundra is an eighteen-year-old Black woman who experienced homelessness in Portland. Initially misidentified by police as an older adult, she wore a distinctive black sweatshirt with white angel wings drawn on the back. Her case catches Ruby's attention during late-night internet research.

Raina is a young unhoused teenager who ran away from home after a dispute over sharing a bedroom with her sisters. She survives in the local shelter system and the dangers of the streets, deeply missing the comforts of home but remaining too fearful of rejection to contact her mother. She offers guidance to Alexis regarding the local unhoused community.

Jon is the adult coordinator and primary leader of the Portland Search and Rescue team. He provides strict structure, instruction, and encouragement to the teenage volunteers. He values discipline and focus, ensuring that his young team remains prepared for the serious, often grim realities of their fieldwork.

Kyle is Nick's older brother. He lives at home and provides occasional, steadying support to Nick. Unlike their mother, who worries excessively about the dangers of rescue missions, Kyle encourages his younger brother's involvement in the volunteer program and validates his efforts.

Nick's mother is a white woman raising two sons in Southwest Portland. She lost her husband in the Iraq War and refuses to speak about his death, instead keeping his Bronze Star hidden in her dresser. She is highly protective of Nick and questions the wisdom of allowing teenagers to perform hazardous police work.

Ruby's mother is a successful medical doctor who struggles to understand her daughter's intense, analytical personality. She worries deeply that Ruby's fascination with true crime and death is unhealthy, pushing her to adopt more conventional teenage hobbies like horseback riding.

Ruby's father is a strict medical doctor who takes a firm approach to parenting. Believing it is his job to ensure his daughter grows up to be a "normal human being," he readily confiscates her car keys and phone to restrict her access to the Search and Rescue team.

Bobby is a thirty-four-year-old man on the autism spectrum who becomes lost in Forest Park. He has no physical disabilities and is an exceptionally fast walker who enjoys the woods but avoids strangers, prompting the initial deployment of the teenage SAR team.

George is an out-of-shape hiker who becomes severely disoriented as night falls in the Columbia Gorge. Facing freezing temperatures without proper gear, he resorts to burning his personal belongings to stay warm until a rescue team can locate him.

Jay is a local resident who frequently runs in Forest Park. He carries a blue duffel bag and becomes a person of interest for the SAR teens due to his suspicious presence near the trails and an argument witnessed at a bus stop.