\\\@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@/// January 30th, 2016 From the Founder of Emergency Theater Live.. (Patti Keiper) http://www.voyagerliveaction.com/emergency.html Below lies the Episode Guide for all Emergency! productions being created at Voyagerliveaction.com and the complete archive of our 51 Emergency episode stories, and three episode specials. Six more of movie length are planned at the writing site, the first, second, third of which has been completed and is now part of this text archive. Part of the fourth is still under production and is the last story updated weekly, below. CONTENTS in this file.. ---------------------------------- First, are the short sentence summaries of all ETL stories in one or two sentences in story appearance number order. Second, is the same list of stories, only with longer very complete and detailed summaries of the episodes in story appearance number order. Third, is a main character injury tally by episode list which uses each story's title and appearance order number as references for those readers who like to see scenes of the characters themselves getting sick or hurt. And fourth, the stories themselves in their entirety. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The most current ETL story is still being written... Movie Five- Burning Water ( Episode 58) This story will conclude on Sept. 5th, 2016. Here is the slideshow video trailer about this story from YouTube. https://youtu.be/4sghMY2Ssk0 Youtube Link to Movie Five's video trailer- Closed captioned for the hearing impaired. Included below at the very bottom of this file is this special story at its most recent scene so far. Freeware that is perfect for searching this or any other text archive by key word or exact sentence is the Edit Pad Classic, whose zip you can download right now at ETL's server. This is no longer available on the world wide web at large for free. http://www.voyagerliveaction.com/EditPadClassic.zip EditPad Classic (Text reading, writing, and search utility) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BONUS-- Page where you can download Emergency gifs, cursors and icons. http://www.voyagerliveaction.com/emergencyiconspage.html BONUS-- Page where you can see pictures from the day Engine 51 retired from Yosemite.. ( August 8th, 2008. ) http://www.voyagerliveaction.com/engine51-2.html Contains a new picture of Engine 51 at her final home next to Squad 51 as donated by Joe Wychek, VP of the CLAFMA museum. BONUS-- Document which contains a list of all photos, videos and articles of the once in a lifetime event, 51 In Quarters when Engine 51 was reunited with Squad 51 at Station 51 (127) in Carson, California, on July 9th-10th, 2011. (May require Facebook sign up and group sign up.) https://www.facebook.com/groups/station51club/doc/10150615830151334/ BONUS-- Download all of the music appearing in ETL's readable Emergency stories at the following url by episode in the form of zip files. Zips-- Each contain a text file music index, midis and mp3 music track files. http://www.voyagerliveaction.com/etlmusic.html Emergency Theater Live's Music Library ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MAIN STORY FILE CONTENT STARTS HERE ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ****WARNING**** These are story spoilers and will take away plot surprises if you read them now before viewing any of the screengrab illustrated, music soundtracked originals. Decide now if you want to read what each episode is about before doing so. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Full Moon Blues- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 1, Season1 The gang of 51 loses sleep over a bizarre string of runs. The situation only worsens when the biggest disaster call of a lifetime pays a visit close to home. Chapters: 2 - Words: 48683 Published: April 2003 2. Father And Son- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep2, Season1 Dr. Brackett gets a headache when his father moves into town. The crew of Station 51 get a surprise on their doorstep and face a creepshow batch of rescues. Chapters: 1 - Words: 38059 Published: May 2003 3. Juxtaposition- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep3, Season1 Roy DeSoto fa dodo ces every father's nightmare when his son is trapped in a mudslide. The gang deals with child loss up close. Chapters: 1 - Words: 21406 Published: June 2003 4. Within Sight- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep4, Season1 A late night visitor to Station 51 starts mayhem when an arson gang takes on the town. As a result, one of the best, may be leaving. Chapters: 1 - Words: 28163 Published: July 2003 5. Integrity Game- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep5, Season1 Johnny inherits a four footed friend and Dr. Brackett gets more than he bargains for on vacation. Chapters: 1 - Words: 17125 Published: August 2003 6. The Golden Horn- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep6, Season1 Captain Stanley comes face to face with a real hero and a brush fire threatens the lives and vehicles of Station 51. Chapters: 1 - Words: 31775 Published: October 2003 7. Crazy Days- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep7, Season1 Think you've had a bad day? Just wait until you find out what happened to the gang of Station 51 and Rampart. Chapters: 1 - Words: 24491 Published: November 2003 8. The Promise- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 8, Season1 What matters most is what everybody wants. Johnny Gage learns the power of a promise to Roy when a water tower collapse traps them both underwater. Chapters: 1 - Words: 22871 - Published: December 2003 9. Green Pen Of Johnny's- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 9, Season1 Find out why Johnny carries his green pens with him everywhere he goes. An airborne disaster stuns the city of Torrance. Chapters: 1 - Words: 39288 - Published: Jan-March 2004 10. From Loaves To Fishes- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 10, Season2 One big mountain, one very, very small crew. The gang misses their state of the art fire station and vehicles dearly when a firestorm surrounds them on a boyscout river kayak trip event. Chapters: 1 - Words: 15732 Published: June-July 2004 11. Shadows Of The Past- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 11, Season2 Santa Rosa county teaches the crew of 51's a valuable lesson on life. Then it tries to take it away again in the worst manner possible. Vacation spells relaxation for everyone, er...to a point. Chapters: 1 - Words: 11345 Published: June 2004 12. Crossing The Red Line- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 12, Season2 Mike Stoker feels the heat when crewmates and the engine get into more than just a little hot water. The city of Carson suffers catastrophe. Chapters: 1 - Words: 10567 Published: July 2004 13. The White Engine-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 13, Season2 The gang tries out a prototype engine and they learn how faithful man's best friend really is at a house fire. Chapters: 1 - Words: 14582 Published: August 2004 14. Twisted- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 14, Season2 A mile long moving disaster incites life or death decisions for both Rampart and Station 51. Chapters: 1 - Words: 27423 Published: September 2004 15. 00:51- EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 15, Season2 Dixie's day off incites a riot of rescuing. A high angle recovery tries Roy and Johnny's penultimate paramedic skills. Chapters: 1 - Words: 30004 Published: October 2004 16. Devil's Due-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 16, Season2 Roy and Johnny inadvertantly meet two Bay City detectives named Starsky and Hutch and get themselves entangled in a web of intrigue when a criminal kidnaps the child of one of their patients. Chapters: 1 - Words: 21012 Published: November 2004 17. That Latin Flair-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep17, Season2 A vision leaves Marco circumspect around the holidays and inspires Roy and Johnny to do charity work for his church group. Chapters: 1 - Words: 17654 Published: Dec/January2005 18. A Fish Out Of Water-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep18,Season3 Station 51 gets wet working with the Baywatch lifeguards of Malibu. A myth almost drowns one of the guards but a miracle, saves him. Chris DeSoto learns Baywatch rescue skills. Chapters: 1 - Words: 29590 Published: February 2005 19. Sacred Ground-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep19,Season3 Johnny has a mishap at the station that makes him seek a tribal elder. A heavy storm spreads ill for the whole fire department county wide. Chapters: 1 - Words: 18350 Published: March 2005 20. Recertification-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep20,Season3 Station 51's gang gets buried in rubble during a robbery on a mall and casino. Can Dr. Brackett save them in time? Chapters: 1 - Words: 12401 Published: April 2005 21. Devil Winds-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep21,Season3 Captain Stanley and the staff of Rampart get stressed with the return of the Santa Ana winds in autumn. Wide spread chaos rules the night and far away from the city streets. Station 51 attempts the impossible. Chapters: 1 - Words: 22905 Published: May 2005 22. In Certain Terms-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep22,Season3 McConnike raises hairs in the gang and the crew of Station 51 faces a loss no firefighter should bear. Chapters: 1 - Words: 23510 Published: June 2005 23. The One That Matters-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep23,Season3 The unexpected arrives from a surprise source and Mike Stoker finds that he's the unwilling target of an adolescent fire buff. Chapters: 1 - Words: 21112 Published: July 2005 24. S.n.a.f.u.-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep24,Season3 Nothing runs normal for anyone working during a weeknight at Rampart Hospital and Station 51 and the gang faces h*llfire and water in an attempt to end a string of horribly bad luck. Chapters: 1 - Words: 25071 Published: August 2005 25. The Overhaul Principle-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep25,Season4 A Gage rival comes to roost at the station. Rampart comes under fire and Dixie inherits the position of head of triage. Chapters: 1 - Words: 29034 Published October 2005 26.The Shallow Light-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep26,Season4 Johnny declares war on a fast food stand. Station 51 answers rescues involving the very young and learns a lesson from them. Chapters: 1 - Words: 31955 Published November 2005 27. HeavyDuty-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep27,Season4 Old flames clash when things heat up a little too much at Rampart Hospital. Station 51 struggles through a heavy day of duty. Chapters: 1 - Words: 42394 Published December 2005 28. SmokeScreen-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep28,Season4 Johnny Gage gets a rap from a pair of detectives on Christmas Eve and an old, rich bum comes back to help out the gang. Chapters: 1 - Words: 60231 Published January 2006 29. WhereTheWindBlows-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep29,Season4 Station 51 meets an icon. The wind causes trouble both in the city and out in the countryside. Chapters: 1 - Words 71222 Published February 2006 30. Eligibility-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep30,Season4 A battle rages between Kelly and Gage for an opening captain's spot at Station 51. The very nature of sleep haunts the gang and their patients. Chapters: 1 - Words 82003 Published March 2006 31. All That Glitters-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep31,Season5 Chet's luck isn't as good as he thinks it is the day Johnny goes money grubbing with the best of them. Chapters: 1 - Words 71114 Published April 2006 32. Water Day Saints-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep32,Season5 Water and air are either allies or enemies for Station 51 amid triage chaos at both Rampart and on the street. Chapters: 1 - Words 91338 Published May 2006 33. California Dreamin'-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep33,Season5 Vacation off the mainland proves work never ends for the gang of 51's. Mike Stoker faces the scare of his life. Chapters: 1 - Words 100204 Published June 2006 34. No Sooner Said... -EmergencyTheaterLive Ep34,Season5 A feud between Chet and Johnny takes on new meaning during an excavation fire. A hero proves his worth with action. Chapters: 1 - Words 17455 Published July 2006 35. Captain's Prerogative-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep35,Season5 A disaster stuns Captain Stanley and an action taken leaves Gage unaccountably bitter. Craig Brice proves an unexpected balm. Chapters: 1 - Words 11232 Published August 2006 36. Tower Drill-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep36,Season5 Station 51 becomes instructors for the day at the fire academy. An old nemesis makes a return play on Gage and DeSoto. Chapters: 1 - Words 19325 Published September 2006 37. Primary Complaint-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep37,Season5 Roy DeSoto faces a life changing event during a rescue. Johnny becomes infatuated with an impossibility. Chapters: 1 - Words 21999 Published October 2006 38. A.M.A.-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep38,Season5 The gang lives vicariously at the circus during a paramedic program promotion gig. A young couple learns a hard lesson about going against medical advice. Chapters: 1 - Words 17003 Published November 2006 39. Burnout-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep39,Season5 Station 51 feels the sting of no sleep and the fury of an oil refinery fire. Will Chet ever learn his lesson? Chapters: 1 - Words 14555 Published December 2006 40. Canine Capers-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep40,Season6 Captain Stanley experiences the innocence of a little girl from the Make A Wish Foundation. Station 51 becomes overrun by dogs on the prowl. :) Chapters: 1 - Words 12003 Published January 2007 41. Attrition-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep41,Season6 Roy and Johnny go nuts while giving a schoolhouse demonstration. The 51 gang's world is turned upside down when the unexpected happens. Chapters: 1 - Words 15888 Published February 2007 42. Pilot Light-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep42,Season6 Gage gets creative making senior paramedic runs a little easier. A warehouse fire proves just how good a firefighter's mettle can be. Chapters: 1 - Words 20333 Published March 2007 43. The Quint Connection-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep43,Season6 Chet Kelly's engineer's test becomes a critical skill during a skiing weekend at Lake Tahoe. Dixie learns she hates the cold. Chapters: 1 - Words 31959 Published April 2007 44. Pump Peculiarities-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep44,Season6 One person effects the lives of everyone at Rampart Hospital and Station 51. Stoker is moved to action when the unthinkable happens. Chapters: 1 - Words 45055 Published May 2007 45. Richter Six-by Michael Donovan©-UniversalStudios/MarkVIIProductions© Ep45,Season6. Roy and Johnny relive a flashback about a county wide earthquake they worked while teaching paramedic class. Joe Early struggles to save a little girl and the gang, Chet Kelly. Script Dialogue and premise by Michael Donovan©. Chapters: 1 Words: 19544. Published June 2007 46. The Long Hours-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep46,Season6 The gang rescues friend and victim at the pier. Waiting becomes especially hard when complications develop post rescue for all. Chapters: 1 Words: 12044 Published July 2007 47. I.V. Push-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep47,Season6 A storm unsettles the gang and a lost girl claims ties with Johnny Gage. CHiPs Ponch and Jon aid a cliffside rescue. Chapters: 1 Words: 11008 Published August 2007 48.Hostage--by Susan Keenan©-UniversalStudios/MarkVIIProductions© Ep48, Season6. Moods are down when friends fall and when a foe comes to pay a call on Squad 51. Will Rampart's think tank save the day in time? Chapters: 1 - Words: 18683 Published: October 2007 49.The Helper's High-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep48, Season6 Bullets fly while Stoker struggles to fill some very large shoes in the wake of a personnel shortage in L.A. County. Chapters: 1 - Words: 23444 Published: November/December 2007 50.The Other Side-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep50, Season6 Station 51 squirms under a lull of no calls as Rampart becomes the eye of the action hurricane. The staff of both struggles to help a crisis with Nurse Sharon Walters. Chapters: 1 - Words: 31444 Published: January/February 2008 51.What's A Dedicated Captain Like You Doing..-ETL Ep51,Season6 Captains Roy and Johnny relive the best and the worst of their lives after leaving Station 51 upon their promotion. SEASON FINALE. Chapters: 1 - Words: 56998 Published: March/April 2008 A. The Face In The Mirror- EmergencyTheaterLive Special 2003 Roy DeSoto makes a mistake in the field and faces the possibility of losing his job. The gang responds to a fogbanked multicar pileup and run into trouble. Chapters: 1 - Words: 23657 Published: September 2003 B. Too Close To Home- EmergencyTheaterLive Special 2004 The gang at Station 51 enjoy Roy's discomforture over his superstition about DeSoto family vacations always getting cancelled. The gang gets sucked into another of Chet Kelly's half hazard schemes by getting talked into buying a racehorse. Chapters: 1 - Words: 16211 Published: August 2004 52. Movie Special One- The Fire Within (Episode 52) -ETL MovieOne, Season7 Station 51 trains with airport firefighters and runs into the unexpected on a deer hunting trip in New York State involving medical park rangers who help them rescue a lost boy with a chopper pilot and a pair of luckless kayakers. An icy disaster involving a jumbo jet and the airport terminal leads to conditions that threaten the lives of Station 51's crew. Chapters: 1 - Words: 124956 Published: June-December 2009 53. C. Fire In The Sky-EmergencyTheaterLive Special 2010 Roy and Johnny meet a pair of strangers from the far future. Can they save Chakotay and Tom Paris before the Borg find them in an echo 1976? Chapters: 1 - Words: 26277 Published: April 2010 54. En Route- Movie Two-EmergencyTheaterLive Ep 54, Season8 Roy and Johnny learn the other side of EMS work when they are ordered to train EMTs at their own ambulance company for an entire summer. Dixie suffers career doubts and begins to reinvent herself. Chapters: 1 - Words 47373 Published: Jan 2011 55. Special D. Sierra- The Urban Rangers Roy and Johnny work with Yosemite Park Rangers in their rescue service. They encounter a pesky bear and woman ranger who proves to be their professional equal when Roy suffers a bad head injury in a fall. Chapters: 1- Words 19765 Published: July 2011 56. Movie Special Three- A Day In The Life-ETL MovieThree, Season8 Dixie gains new status as a mentor in the eyes of her elderly neighbor. Carson heats up along with Station 51 in the face of a prison break and city wide riots. A Los Angeles County medical examiner fights to save a newborn baby. Chapters: 1 - Words: 65,535 - Favs: 2 - Follows: 1 - Published: May 11, 2013 57. Movie Special Four- The Long Hot Summer-ETL MovieFour, Season9 The gang struggles through a difficult summer that complicates their careers and private lives. Dr. Morton crashes his navy jet onto a nuclear ship at a pier. La Brea Tar Pits catch on fire. 58. Movie Special Five- Burning Water-ETL MovieFIve, Season 10 The lives of the gang are shaken up when Captain Stanley moves on and Craig Brice assumes captaincy of Station 51. Karen Overstreet is precepted by Dr. Morton as a resident intern at Rampart. James Rockford is asked to find out the whereabouts of a victim Roy and Johnny treats and learns all is not just a natural normal everyday occurrence. Chapters: 1 - Words: 2,130 - Follows: 1 - Published: Sep 19 (STILL IN PRODUCTION) As of September 21, 2015. 59. Special E. The Gale Force Nightmare EmergencyTheaterLive EpSpecial, Season8 Engine 51's crash in high winds spark the worst in Johnny Gage and spells disaster for the whole gang in the form of a crime of the worst kind committed against Mike Stoker. This is a production that was an interactive story between fans of Emergency. Written by multiple authors from January 2008 to June 2010. (Reposted with permission) Credit was left to whom wrote what scenes. *** Original posting order was.. Nita, Laura, Katy, Erin, Patti, Debbie, Mary Ann and Sherry.*** Chapters: 1 - Words 24,499 CoWritten: January 2008 to June 2010. Published: August 11th, 2012. Special F. Juxtaposed, Episode 60. This is a production collaboration between two authors, from July 2013 to Sept 2016. Guest author Sarah Adams. Roy and Johnny run into a traveling Time Lord and his two companions in their TARDIS. Chapters: 1- Words: Published: (STILL IN PRODUCTION) As of September 11th, 2013. From the ETL Hosts: Emergency Theater Live Episodes- Rescue Logs ------------------------------------------------------------------- This is a more detailed version of the ETL Episode Guide and includes a synopsis of each story's plot events and a rundown of what rescues happened in the episodes. Following these, is a tally of injuries in a by-the-episode running total sustained by each of the main and supporting characters to date. Titles and Episode Order ----------------------------------- 1. Full Moon Blues- 2. Father And Son- 3. Juxtaposition- 4. Within Sight- 5. Integrity Game- 6. The Golden Horn- 7. Crazy Days- 8. The Promise- 9. Green Pen Of Johnny's- 10. From Loaves To Fishes- 11. Shadows Of The Past- 12. Crossing The Red Line- 13. The White Engine- 14. Twisted- 15. 00:51- 16. Devil's Due- 17. That Latin Flair- 18. A Fish Out Of Water- 19. Sacred Ground- 20. Recertification- 21. Devil Winds- 22. In Certain Terms- 23. The One That Matters- 24. S.n.a.f.u.- 25. The Overhaul Principle- 26. The Shallow Light- 27. HeavyDuty- 28. SmokeScreen- 29. WhereTheWindBlows- 30. Eligibility- 31. All That Glitters- 32. Water Day Saints- 33. California Dreamin'- 34. No Sooner Said- 35. Captain's Prerogative- 36. Tower Drill- 37. Primary Complaint- 38. A.M.A.- 39. Burnout- 40. Canine Capers- 41. Attrition- 42. Pilot Light- 43. The Quint Connection- 44. Pump Peculiarities- 45. Richter Six (by Michael Donovan©)- 46.The Long Hours- 47. I.V.Push- 48. Hostage-(by Susan Keenan©)- 49. The Helper's High- 50. The Other Side 51. What's A Dedicated Captain Like You Doing.. Special A. The Face In The Mirror- Special B. Too Close To Home- 52.Movie One- The Fire Within 53. Special C. Fire In The Sky- 54.Movie Two- En Route 55.Special D. Sierra-The Urban Rangers 56.Movie Three-A Day In The Life 57.Movie Four-The Long Hot Summer 58. Movie Five- Burning Water (still in production) as of September 7th, 2015. 59. Special E. The Gale Force Nightmare- 60. Special F. Juxtaposed- (still in production) as of September 1st, 2013. ****WARNING**** The information below is story spoiling and will take away plot surprises if you read them now before viewing any of the screengrab illustrated, music soundtracked originals. Decide now if you want to read what each episode is about before doing so. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. Full Moon Blues- SEASON PREMIERE Johnny is stuck with a floor messing Bonnie in the bunkroom. The gang answers a dumpster fire and the squad gets stolen by drug users. Gage and DeSoto fuss over a sore throated Marco. An earthquake hits the station and collapses it. Cap is knocked out by falling debris, Marco's gassed in the kitchen from broken pipes and Johnny's buried under the hose tower and gets hand stabbed in the yard. The station gang gets quarantined in the middle of the disaster operations with Paramedic Craig Brice when Marco's discovered to have an ebola type retrovirus. Brackett and Squad 51 rescues a firefighter hit by a falling radio tower. A cure is found in the milk of flying fox bats by a team of CDC doctors from Atlanta flown in by the airforce.The gang gets a calm period of rest after the station gets rebuilt. 2. Father And Son- Kel Brackett makes a phone call to his estranged father to reestablish ties with him after many years of silence. Cap finds a puppy basket on the doorstep of the station. The gang answers an unknown type rescue at a movie mansion house looking like it's haunted. They find a kindly, cookie baking asthmatic with sepsis. The station handles an overturned anhydrous ammonia truck leaking a toxic cloud. Chet gets exposed and lung burned and a ruptured spleen during a desperate last second escape from the scene using the squad. The gang rescues an entrapped woman driver from under the truck. Kelly undergoes surgery for trauma sustained from his running fall during the truck rescue escape. Chet sneaks the station's wild resident mouse into Rampart. The squad answers a child skate boarder call. The gang returns to a second call to the movie mansion for a man down, but they find a fallen caretaker woman. Johnny gets trapped in the house's maze and falls down a flight of spring loaded stairs after hitting his head. Brice is called out to respond. Johnny awakens in Rampart and remembers seeing a "body" in the basement so the gang responds back to the house. They find a dummy and the male caretaker trapped in an iron maiden. Station 51 gives the lost puppy to the movie mansion caretakers. Kel Brackett makes amends with his parents. 3. Juxtaposition- Roy has feelings of dread during a rainy day. The station responds to a mudslide school bus accident. They rescue several students and the driver only to find a leg entrapped Chris DeSoto there as well. Marco nearly drowns in mud when the bus gets buried by another slide, entrapping Johnny, Roy, Chet and Marco inside of it. They meet a good luck charmed, miraculous fellow firefighter named Detello. DeSoto suffers a crisis when a child he loses down a storm drain's body is found the next day in the L.A. river bed. Chet takes Roy's place during a diabetic rescue on Johnny's orders. The station responds to a school fire and Roy makes a child rescue count with the assistance of the guardian angel like Detello. 4. Within Sight- Chet accidently breaks his knuckles hitting the station punching bag while working out anger over arsons who indirectly caused Mike Stoker to be blinded by steam. A woman social worker works with Stoker to find a juvenile fire bug at a softball game being played by project kids. Squad 51 rescues an asthmatic child at the game. Stoker teaches Chet how to be the station's fire engineer while healing. A popsicle selling ex-fire captain is trapped in a derelict fire station after it becomes the arson's next target. Stoker's favorite project kid is trapped as well, forcing Mike to use Boot as a guide dog to go rescue them both. In a twist, Stoker regains his sight only after the boy loses his permanently due to fire heat. Boot adopts the blind little boy in the ball park. 5. Integrity Game- Kel Brackett goes on vacation with his parents. Station 51 responds to a racetrack and treats several horse collided jockeys. Johnny adopts one of the injured horses in a surprise promise made to one of the victims. Detective Ron Crockett gets involved in an investigation into the accident. The Bracketts' ferry catches on fire near Catalina Island. Station 51 responds to rescue them. The racehorse insurance fraud violator is caught on the burning ship in a sheer stroke of luck. Station 51 buys the rights of Gage's trainer abused race horse from the track in cooperation with him, in order to give the promising colt to a jockey pair they previously treated at the track. 6. The Golden Horn- A delivery man collapses at the station due to heat stroke and is treated as a still alarm. Captain Stanley learns of Chief McConnikee's death from a building collapse and the gang takes the news hard. The gang responds to a car crash in a regional park during a rainless lightning storm. They treat a woman and her daughter for strange injuries. A brush fire's ignited around them and causes Cap to order an immediate emergency evacuation using the station vehicles. The gang escapes, but Engine 51 is badly damaged. Cap's found to be missing soon after safety is reached. Blood is found at the mouth of an old mine hole along with Cap's helmet and far below, Hank hallucinates about McConnikee while bleeding badly as he hangs, trapped over the mouth of an underground whirlpool. Gage and Roy go down after him. Before a belt can be secured, Johnny and Cap fall and are swept away into an underwater quarry. An apparition of McConnikee seems to aid in their rescue. Hank visits McConnikee's wife to pay his respects for missing the chief's funeral and receives the old hat he once burned behind McConnikee's back as a joke. Hanks repairs the hat and leaves it at McConnikee's gravesite in tribute to his hero. 7. Crazy Days- Dixie goes on the warpath looking for fresh coffee to grind for her empty pot at Rampart. Chet Kelly gets the third degree for gloating over Marco's lost bet penalty of hanging hose in the backyard tower. The gang answers an unknown rescue at the zoo, only to find no visitors, and a crazed drug overdosed employee releasing all the animals from their cages. Chet begins acting normally during lunch at the station, driving Gage batty. Brackett offers to get Dixie some coffee and leaves Rampart. Charlie the fire department mechanic finds out that he's got heart disease and is forced to retire from the vehicle shop. The gang answers a strange call at the La Brea Tar Pits, and Brackett assists them. Vince finds java for Dixie and a museum rewards the gang with fossil bones. Roy learns the horror of a roof fire at his own house. Henry, Boot, and Bonnie, all have a pillow feather fight in the bunk room. 8. The Promise- Johnny discovers Roy hiding a chest cold and treats him around Cap at the station. Roy tries to hide his wife's third pregnancy. The gang answers a truck crash hazardous materials call involving freon and a search for a missing van of teenagers. A water tower falls on Roy and Johnny trapping them underwater. An arrested girl Gage finds and abandons on scene for safety reasons turns out to be Dr. Morton's sister. Roy finds the wife and daughter of Johnny's deceased best friend in the heart of the disaster. Gage and Roy make a pact to watch out for each other in a solemn promise. Johnny learns Morton is pursuing a lawsuit for malpractice over his familial loss. Engine 51 responds to a stabbing only to find Roy's wife in jeopardy. Craig Brice responds to assist medically in his station's squad. Gage writes a resignation letter and the gang goes through heroics to rescue it from the post office network when he changes his mind. 9. Green Pen Of Johnny's Station 51 answers an explosives factory fire where Johnny's injured. Roy goes inside after a report of a little girl on a scaffolding inside the burning warehouse. DeSoto takes refuge in an elevator shaft with several other firefighters when a demolitions crew proves to be the only people left who could save them from the fire. Gage spends the night at Rampart with a little girl from the factory fire and her green markers. Craig Brice shows up at the station to be his replacement. An airliner jet suffers a wing hydraulic problem in mid air and crashes in Rampart's parking lot, severely damaging the hospital. Gage and his child roommate fight for their lives, while escaping the fumes using the back halls of Rampart. Station 51 responds to the disaster scene and begins emergency triage. Dixie's found hurt in the hospital from flying glass. Brice's station crew is discovered missing at the jet crash scene. Johnny tries to climb down the side of Rampart using a fire hose to save himself and the little girl. Boot, the dog, discovers them trapped by located a scent on a green marker pen and summons help and rescue. The little girl visits the gang later at the station and receives a medal for saving Gage's life by giving him atropine. 10. From Loaves To Fishes Chet finds Johnny unloading hay in the station's backyard one morning and asks why. The station responds to a fuel truck crash on a mountain side involving a highway tunnel. Gage and Roy are trapped inside with chlorine gas leaking from storage tanks. They escape the underground fire by using an emergency tunnel leading to a forest ranger's station now on a vigil over the new brush fire ignited by the accident. They meet the Sierra rangers rescue unit and get swept up into searching for some lost children at a riverside campsite before the fire gets there. Chet falls in love with the idea of horses. 11. Shadows Of The Past The gang plans a revisit to the same Santa Rosa County resort town that Roy and Johnny fell in love with a few months earlier. By a lakeshore, Mike Stoker's nearly trapped in a satellite outhouse fire. Attracted to the commotion, is a young college aged resort owner who invites them to breakfast up the mountain. Once there, they learn about a feral dog pack problem plaguing the town from their old friend, Sheriff Bittner and from Dr. Frick, the hippy rural doctor from the local clinic. Roy and Johnny rush off to a neighbor's to deliver a baby. At the inn, dogs attack the rest of the gang. Bittner suffers an angina attack. A flash flood reeks havoc on their the way to the hospital with the new mother and child and a mauled boy the doc found. The gang's separated from each other when they're washed away by a rising river. The inn girl struggles to revive the boy's father when he drowns and is herself bitten by a snake. The gang, Sheriff Bittner, and Doc Frick reunite in a thunderstorm and they launch a search for those still missing from their party. They find the inn girl and the boy's father by a sewage plant on the shoreline. In gratitude the townsfolk give the visiting firefighters the best guided fishing tour of their lives. 12. Crossing The Red Line The gang responds to an unknown type rescue at Carson City Hall. There they find a man with drug like symptoms. Johnny stumbles and breaks his leg on a stairwell while patient moving. Roy finishes and leaves with their victim in a Mayfair. Strangely, at the squad, Gage inexplicably collapses and quits breathing. The gang discovers fumes are to blame and launch an immediate evacuation of the city building. Without a paramedic at hand, Stoker's forced to use new training as an intermediate EMT to intubate Johnny. An actively producing meth lab is discovered in the basement. The station's barely clear using the squad and engine as evacuation vehicles when city hall disintegrates into a fireball bringing down the rest of the block around them. The gang finds refuge from the fire in a city morgue. Roy's ambulance is discovered missing and they launch a search in the disaster zone to recover their first victim and crew. Brackett and Dixie respond to the morgue to assist with triaging victims. Johnny awakens and shows his gratitude to Stoker by giving him the finer points on intubating people. Chet decides to become a paramedic. 13. The White Engine Chet Kelly gets neck deep into a new secret invention. Gage discovers a new fire engine in the backyard. But something's amiss. It's a pure white prototype that's being loaned to them to test out without any need for the accompanying squad and with plenty of space for Henry to ride along with them. They respond to a beach cliff house fire and tend to a burned senior with Craig Brice and his partner. Roy transports the old woman. Henry finds three kids stuck up a tree, trapped by smoke. After their rescue, Chet discovers Henry missing and goes searching. He finds Henry unconscious on a hillside from smoke. Cap orders the new engine to transport the kids to Rampart while Gage and Chet try to treat Henry in the cab. Brackett is Dixie-tricked into working with the vet from the county animal shelter, Barney Coolidge, to care for Henry inside a parked Mayfair ambulance. Chet demos his new invention, calling them shriek boxes. At a library fire, Craig Brice burns his hand on a hot doorknob and Chet's new devices save all of their lives when the ceiling comes down on top of them. 14. Twisted Roy and Johnny visits Craig Brice in the hospital and learn of an Amtrak train derailment. Belatedly, they're called out to triage a section of the train. They treat multiple victims and find out that Dixie and Brackett caught a helicopter ride to the scene and are doing triage nearby. Dixie discovers Brice's paramedic partner, Bob Bellingham, on the train with his newborn daughter. Dixie begins CPR on the night chilled infant. Roy and Johnny rescue a trapped boy and Marco finds a walking wounded. Gage is attracted by Brackett's whistle and responds to Dixie's baby rescue. Meanwhile, Dr. Morton suffers a meningitis exposure scare. Together, Kel and Gage treat the infant and evac her out by chopper. Roy discovers two people impaled on the same rod, a lawyer and the boy's mother, but only one of them can be attempted to save and he bulks deciding which one. Brackett relieves him of their care. The lawyer and mother flip a coin to decide who lives and who dies. Afterwards, Roy and Johnny strike a motorcycler with the squad on the way to a food tent and are taken hostage by the angry hispanic neighborhood bent on retaliation. Gage is found and treated by Cap. Vince Howard, the police officer negotiates for Roy's release after the head of the gang's mother suffers a heart attack. Marco translates for all while he and others care for her in Johnny's stead. Gage receives a hospital visit from Chet, Brice and Roy a few days later in an ironic reversal. 15. 00:51 Dixie is enjoying her day off as best as she can while nursing a cold. While sun bathing, she witnesses and responds to a pool diving accident and begins CPR after getting kids to help her rescue the teenaged boy. Roy and Johnny respond to the call and perform an emergency needle crich to establish an airway. Afterwards, Dixie faints and falls into the pool. She is rescued physically from danger but then refuses all emergency care despite her illness's symptoms. A dispute mounts and a police officer has to enforce a legal peace between everyone, citing Dixie's rights as a fully cognizant citizen. Joe Early, Kelly Brackett and the gang all work together to try and come up with a scheme to get Dixie to come in and get checked out by a doctor. Station 51 responds to a roller coaster accident and tangles with a cloud of bees. Later that night, Dixie makes an emergency phone call to the firehouse but collapses before saying anything. Roy and Stoker get a funny feeling and Roy asks for a silent code response to Dixie's house. Morton takes over the call when Dixie's found on the floor, unconscious. Joe and Brackett operate and repair her inflamed intestines following an appendectomy. 16. Devil's Due The gang gets antsy after forty eight hours and no runs. Roy entertains a coffee OD'd Johnny on a supply run to Rampart and they visit with Adam-12. Nearby, Detectives Dave Starsky and Ken Hutchinson chase a gunman down an alley and find an assault victim battered by him. Squad 51 responds. The detectives learn the injured woman's young son is being held hostage by the criminal somewhere in the neighborhood. Zebra Three runs escort to the woman's Mayfair on the way to Rampart, playing chicken with a train to speed up the transport. A clue to the kidnapper's whereabouts materializes from what Roy and Johnny overhear during the mother's treatment. Starsky and Hutch go check out her residence for more leads. Station 51 is assigned to medical standby during the hostage standoff that results. The two Bay City detectives pose as firefighters with the gang and undercover, they infiltrate the gunman beseiged business tower along with the night suave informant, Huggy Bear. They discover the missing boy in the power cut building, and a bomb. Fleeing, by hand lowering an elevator down its descent shaft, everyone braces for its detonation. It comes and the elevator plummets, carrying them down into a fire sprinkler filled sub-basement. On search, a frantic Stanley and fire crews find the trapped bunch. Chet Kelly revives a nearly drown David Starsky. Later, they all visit the recovering assaulted mom and child pair and return heirlooms the kidnapper stole to finance his sniper and kidnapping incident. 17. That Latin Flair Around the holidays, Station 51 responds to a car roll over near the L.A. River bed. They discover a passenger pinned under power wires and a missing ejected driver. While attempting to free the trapped man, Marco Lopez suffers an electrical shock which accelerates his heart dangerously. Roy and Johnny are forced to cardiovert him to prevent heart arrest. Lopez experiences a life after death vision of his dead father during the cardioversion and it changes him emotionally. The gang finds the second man's body in the riverbed. A week later, the gang helps the healing Marco aid a soup kitchen. Teenagers start a fire there and Roy and Johnny mount multiple rescues of the children and volunteers trapped inside the fast spreading grease fire. Chet's hands are burned getting a victim out. Later, Squad 51 responds to a finger hammered fainted man and bail out a dog pinned treed postman. Dixie offers to cook the gang Christmas dinner at the station and pulls a mistletoe joke on Roy and Johnny. At an L.A. Headquarters New Year's Eve party, Marco talks about his life after death experience with a boy who very nearly suffered the same thing during the soup kitchen fire and finds solace. 18. A Fish Out Of Water A little girl in a daycare center suffers a seizure. Squad 51 responds. Across town, a beach cop, Garner Ellerbee, of Baywatch, begins a patrol. Several Baywatch lifeguards get wrapped up in rescues, reports of an escaped naval dolphin and a burglar stealing stolen artifacts from a museum exhibit about the missing continent of Atlantis. One of the lifeguards thinks he sees a mermaid swimming in the surf on the day Station 51 offers to teach the lifeguard scout children CPR and nearly drowns from heatstroke. Roy and Johnny effect his rescue along with the County Baywatch Lifeguards. The head lifeguard lieutenant Mitch Buchanon's son, Hobie, finds the missing trained dolphin and a mysterious paraplegic woman ex-naval animal trainer who seems to know the skillful mammal. Policeman Vince Howard and a lifeguard named Craig Pomeroy catch the beach crook after a vehicle chase that turns into another surf rescue. Hobie and Roy's son Chris, befriend the little seizure girl from the daycare center who's attending junior lifeguards. They get into trouble on a stony pier when an oil leak from an oceanic drainage pipe catches on fire. Both the Station 51 gang and Baywatch operations crews mount a rescue of the children and the paralyzed woman trainer who is discovered to be the little daycare girl's mother, riding the back of the escaped dolphin. Later, at the zoo, Hobie and Chris muse over missing the navy returned dolphin while Roy and Johnny wonder what it would be like to become Baywatch lifeguards. 19. Sacred Ground Johnny Gage suffers a mishap at the station which causes him to seek out a tribal elder for a purification ceremony. Johnny becomes obssessed with atoning for his previously lost spleen which he failed to do a year earlier. Charlie the mechanic's notified of the dent Johnny's falling face made into one of the squad's door. Gage and Roy attend a tribal prayer session at a curioshop. Johnny learns a frightening premonition from a shaman. Station 51 responds to a child jumper call at the request of two CHiPs officers, Frank Poncherello and John Baker. They all rescue a suicidal young cancer patient in heavy rain from a high riseleadge. Charlie the fire department mechanic coerces Boot the dog into inviting the gang into playing a Twister Game. Station 51 responds to a college house prank of the worst kind. Station 51 is asked to respond to L.A. Headquarters itself for a power outtage check when their radio fails. They discover Sam Lanier, the dispatcher, collapsed on his communications board. Johnny suffers doubts and desecrates his personal prayer sack at Rampart. The next morning, Johnny dreams a dream sent by his shaman and regains his faith when he learns about a friend's death. Johnny, grieving, delivers an eloquent eulogy at the memorial service. 20. Recertification Kel Brackett feels the brunt of writing new paramedic protocols for the county and the agony of change filters down to Johnny and Roy. Station 51 responds to a shopping mall aerial walkway collapse. Roy and Johnny crawl into a buried escalator after some victims. Criminals use the disaster to try and knock off a mall run casino and in the process, Captain Stanley's shot. A further collapse buries the gang and the casino's surveillance and security department pulls out all the stops to aid the firefighters. Brackett responds to assist with triaging Hank's emergency surgery through a hole in the escalator. Dixie has some fun during a paramedic hospital meeting in the end. 21. Devil Winds Hank Stanley suffers from anticipating the start of the Santa Ana winds season. Mike Stoker displays a hobby of predicting brush fire versus wind intensity using maps. Station 51 responds to the first wind related rescue call of the season, a cessna hanging from powerlines. Rampart is swamped with minor category idiot ER phone calls, driving Dixie batty. Roy and Johnny lighten her load. Gage frets about his ranch, when Stoker predicts it to be in a red critical zone for fire risk. Station 51 gets called into the foothills on firestorm standby. Squad 51 treats a fireline firefighter for smoke inhalation and rescue Johnny's aunt from his ranch's burning caretaker's house. A tree torched barn puts Dixie in jeopardy, enticing a rescue using a horse. 22. In Certain Terms Dix and Kel share conmiserations about a busy day at Rampart. Station 51 scrambles to thwart yet another surprise inspection by Fire Chief McConnikee. Station 51 responds to a violent drug overdose call. En route to Rampart, their ambulance is halted by a nearby landslide and fire ants end the rescue abruptly. Attention shifts to a slide victim, a young boy in cardiac difficulty. Rampart worries about 51's cut off radio status. Station 51 responds to a man trapped under his slide toppled house and get basement hole buried in the process. Rescued, they mull over an invention Chet created that'll ease ambulance-in-motion CPR. 23. The One That Matters Gage complains about running out of uniforms one morning at the station. Bonnie is discovered guarding Johnny's ball of socks on his bunk. She's soon found to be in late labor and the father's speculated horribly to be Boot, raising concerns for delivery problems. Les Taylor and Dave Gordon from the L.A. County animal pound of the tiger-in-a-meat-shop fame are called in to emergency assist. Cap calls Rampart as backup and gets an off duty Morton and Dixie to come to the station. Station 51 gets a sports injury call at a high school. Stoker gets a voiceless hang up caller that puzzles all. Later, Dixie learns the mystery caller to the station is a young artist woman committing suicide by plant seed pod ingestion who's got a crush on Stoker. A clue in the form of a singing canary over the phone line provides the last bit of information on the girl's location. They save her from pool drowning at the last possible second. Mike Stoker decides to keep in touch with the depressed minor through her future chaperoned counseling sessions to help her heal faster. He promises her one of Bonnie's newborn pups as a token of friendship. 24. S.N.A.F.U. A fever sick Dr. Brackett crashes his sports car into a tree and Station 51 responds to free and treat him. Joe Early and Dixie McCall organize his surgical teams. The gang decides to BBQ at Stoker's house for some weekend R&R. Unexpected lightning strikes Chet and Roy on the patio from the sky above the golf course. Gage struggles to keep DeSoto viable. At Rampart, Kel saves a fellow patient from a broken off I.V. catheter moving through an arm. Dixie and Kel renew romantic ties. The gang visits those injured at Rampart, bringing a cake. Station 51 handles a massive rescue effort during a burst water dam incident. In the process, grisly evidence of a mass murderer are discovered during their swift water rescue. The staff at Rampart discuss the week's snafu effect with their doctor and paramedic patients after the call is over. 25. The Overhaul Principle Johnny goes to nap in the bunkroom and wakes up hours later to find Brice checking his lifesigns at his neck. Gage learns of Paramedic Craig Brice's transfer to his work shift. He and the gang respond to a gravel works accident involving a conveyer belt and a heatstroked child rock buried in a car. Fatigue afterwards causes Gage to fall asleep in the squad. Marco and Cap both feel trepidations about the bad gravel works call and talk about it privately. Brice and Gage set up a mutual joke for the rest of the station gang to suffer and they bring Kel, Joe and Dixie in on it, too. Nurse Carol and Dr. Early are caught in a hostage situation when a disgruntled patient pulls out a gun at Rampart. Police Officers Jim Reed and Pete Malloy of Adam 12 arrive with Station 51 when a fire alarm at the hospital is pulled. Dixie treats a shot orderly and shows a student nurse how to triage when she becomes head of triage during the Code Dr. Black, lethal weapons used emergency. Joe Early is found head injured and being held hostage by the rampant patient's wife in the man's patient room. Johnny and Brice effect a clever rescue. Later, they spring their joke on the others at the station using a parade route and a box of soda cans. 26. The Shallow Light Johnny Gage declares war against a hotdog stand owner. Squad 51 responds to a child trouble breathing call that turns out to be epiglottitis. The boy's cocaine addicted mother is handled by officer Vince Howard and his partner when she interferes with the rescue, endangering her son. Joe Early helps the druggie mother and her kids out at Rampart with advice. Roy shows up to work grumpy about a visiting mother in law and Chet falls for another water can Phantom joke planted by Gage. Station 51 responds to a highway mudslide with entrapment during a heavy rain and start a rapid triage and recovery operation. Johnny pulls a fast one on the hotdog stand owner and takes advantage of a hyperventilation incident on the man to win food favors. Johnny swears off pulling any more pranks on Chet just to see the solemn promise thoroughly freak Kelly out. Station 51 responds to a fake teenager suicide attempt involving heart pills. Roy and Johnny get their just desserts when the hotdog stand owner discovers the truth about the fake life saving assistance the paramedics carried out on him earlier in the week. 27. Heavy Duty Station 51 begins a high angle rescue of two snotty children stuck up a skyscraper and both paramedics get attacked by a pair of peregrines defending a nest. Rampart Hospital suffers an underground laboratory explosion that entraps Dixie McCall under debris. Dixie's current lover, Dr. Fred Hathaway, a surgeon, pulls out all the stops to try and skip triage to go look for her. Roy and Johnny, at the hospital on a supply run, rush to begin a rescue.They locate McCall but another explosion brings part of the parking lot and a truck down on top of all three of them. A burst water pipe complicates matters when the lab basement room begins to flood with rising water.. Gage tries desperately to dig them out after Roy blacks out from a drugged needle stick and nearly drowns. Dixie performs mouth to mouth on DeSoto while Hathaway helps free Roy's pinned ankle. Hathway sacrifices himself to save the others when it becomes a choice of rope lifting Dixie first when the pinning truck breaks free starts to tumble down on top of them. Kel helps Dixie deal with her lover's death and Roy teases her goodnaturedly in the hospital cafeteria days afterwards to try and cheer her up. 28. Smoke Screen Johnny Gage stops to aid an injured woman in an alley after hearing gunshots and gets arrested by Dragnet's Detectives Joe Friday and Bill Gannon for murder when the woman dies. Friday and Gannon get set for the Christmas holiday by exchanging gifts while casing out a church reporting a stolen statue of Jesus from a nativity scene. They talk to the padre of the church and learn that the shot woman was related to Fireman Marco Lopez. They go to Station 51 to break the bad news. On hearing it, Marco faints and gets treated. Fire Chief Houts get involved in the Dragnet investigation and gets Johnny a fire department lawyer. Houts volunteers Boot the dog to help the detectives locate further clues in the alleyway. The detectives befriend Maximillion J. Lorentz in a religious shop, the bum whose money stuffed mattress so intrigued Station 51 a few months ago. The bum tells them about a retarded church boiler room worker and two altar boys who may have been around the night Lopez's cousin was killed. Dixie and Kel try to help Gage unsuccessfully. Roy and Johnny are called to the murder scene to meet up with the detectives and Boot. Johnny notices his old, past apartment in a building nearby. Lorentz, the bum, steps out of the shadows and says he's the one who put up Gage's bail and he tells them about the children's fingerprints found on the gun, professing his real status as a high level, and wealthy P.I. They are distracted when the Christmas tree in Johnny's old apartment catches fire. Marco, with the squad after his hospital discharge, aids them in rescuing the people trapped up there. The church offers refuge for those fleeing the fire and a carbon monoxide leak is discovered in the church basement, the cause of two altar boys' sudden illnesses. Marco calls for paramedics to care for them when they do not awaken. Marco discovers the boiler room man in jeopardy in the basement and effects his rescue. Lorentz, the boiler man's real life brother, mistakenly tries to do the same thing and is overcome by CO fumes. He is rescued, too, by Boot. The altar boys admit to the detectives about playing with the gun they found in the boiler man's cookie jar and about accidently shooting the Lopez girl. Later, that Christmas night, the padre and detectives find the statue thief in the form of a little boy pulling a red wagon who only wanted to give Jesus a ride on it to thank him for getting the gift. The dragnet detectives apologize to Station 51 for frightening Marco by giving them a fully decorated Christmas tree. Brackett and Dixie give a Christmas gift to the paramedics of their own when Kel writes and ratifies a new paramedic protocol that prohibits any medic from entering a potentially dangerous scene until the police have fully secured it for safety, first. 29. Where The Wind Blows The gang complains about the windy morning. They receive a call to attend a radio antennae collapsed onto a residential house. CHiPs officers Poncherello and Baker get a tour of the hospital base station before they leave to go back to the freeway system. Gage and DeSoto make a pact to figure out a way to calm patients down on tense rescue scenes using psych techniques and decide to use their coworkers as guinea pigs. Chief McConnikee helps himself to Gage's guitar. Station 51 responds to a man down from an explosion at the docks and treat a deafened famous country western singer. Dixie gets to hear a new song the singer has yet to publish a capella and is deeply touched. Days later, the paramedics receive an invite from the singer to do some beach horseback riding. They receive word about a downed hiker nearby who jumped off a cliff to get away from his wind fanned up campfire. A pilot/orthopedic hiking surgeon arrives and performs a needle evacuation on his friend's leg to restore circulation to it. The fire worsens and Roy and Johnny and the doctor are forced to use fire shelters to escape the firestorm. The MD suffers an asthma attack and is treated. In a bar, the gang goes to the country singer's concert and is surprised when Gage is invited up on stage and plays side by side with him, singing an absolutely beautiful new, unreleased song called Windsong.( Brice covers him, playing the bongos. :) ) 30. Eligibility The gang burns off a little stress by playing softball in the pouring rain. They tease Hank for not joining in. Marco tells everybody about Cap studying for the chief's exam and that starts a wager between Chet and Gage about who'll be winning his captain's spot upon his promotion. Joe and Dixie at Rampart start making plans for the annual Fireman's Ball. Station 51's called out to rescue an autistic boy caught in a heating vent grill. Brackett responds to a car fire at the ambulance entrance and treats a father for a heart attack and the daughter for head injuries after he learns she crashed the car into the wall by accident worrying over her dad. The gang suffers a tired Hank's bad mood at the lunch table and pranks die aborning when Cap overhears Chet calling him old. He immediately challenges Chet to a CPR contest on the manikins. A ring at the visitor's doorbell pulls everyone away to a walk-in-to-the-station cardiac call. That night, they discover Hank Stanley has acute sleep apnea symptoms and pull out all the stops to get him to some help for the problem. Gage gets a bad feeling and not long after, Station 51 gets a crib death baby call involving Karen Overstreet, the female paramedic trainee who saved Roy's life once on a fire scene with a defibrillator. The staff at Rampart spend time with Karen and her husband through a grieving process and so does Roy and Johnny. Hank is finally convinced to get sleep evaluated at Rampart. Days later, the gang learns Cap got a nose job to fix his apnea and that the captain's spot is unavailable for Gage's and Kelly's little competition for at least another year. The gang happily remembers Dixie's stunning evening gown worn the night before at the Ball and all of them smile but Cap, who sadly reported that he must have missed seeing it for taking a nap. 31. All That Glitters The gang makes fun of Johnny when he's caught practicing how to pan for gold in a bucket out in the station's back yard. Later, at lunch, Chet kids Johnny for forgetting his gloves all the time while working with hot things when he cuts his own finger on a veggie knife and faints. The gang treats him and discover that he donated blood excessively before work. They give him the third degree and a little paramedic hardball for being stupid. The squad responds to a motorcross injury at a busy track. They encounter a second incident there involving two children colliding on bicycles. Gage stays behind to treat them while Roy transports the first rider. Chet plays right into a vampire themed gag on him. Station 51 gets called to a house fire and help a sister station's firefighter when he falls through a roof. Chet's taken out by a water heater ejected piece of wood and gets treated by another station. Johnny learns the art of gold dredging on his weekend off and rescues a diver from drowning. He shares a success story with the gang at work later on, in the form of a huge blue sapphire, and a hefty stipend, displayed with pride. 32. Water Day Saints Hank polices an annual meeting to find a way to help pay for a new invention of Stoker and Kelly's. They create a new holiday, an expansion on their usual fire station tour, called Water Day. Station 51 is called out to a mass casualty incident involving cars and trucks on the freeway and as first on the scene, they become head of triage operations. Gage heads the initial care on multiple victims and Stoker spots a problem with a man caught inside a cement mixer who becomes the priority first victim. Brackett arrives to assist in his difficult extrication. Water Day commences at Station 51 with a flood of children. A boy gets stuck in one of the station's bathroom toilets and has to be rescued. Rampart fields a busy night of patients gamely. During the quiet night at the station, Gage tries unsuccessfully to find out what invention Chet and Stoker are working on. Station 51 responds to an overturned tanker truck full of...maple syrup. :) The new invention arrives at Rampart for its phase two test via a stokes with a CPR manikin. It's an automated CPR machine that uses a contracting chest band and passes with flying colors even on a day old corpse. Gage learns tremendous truths about the ineffectiveness of modern day CPR from Brackett in a poignant demo using Stoker and Kelly's trial device. An exhausted Dixie and Brackett escape the hospital for some takeout and time in a hot tub. Station 51 responds to a ruptured natural gas line from a construction accident. They begin evacuations of the neighborhood downwind. They find Dixie and Brackett in the doctor's house, unconscious from gas asphyxiation and they treat them. A little girl bystander approaches the firefighters and shares some news about their station now being famous in her school because of a news broadcast that was filmed at the station about Water Day, making the whole gang smile. 33. California Dreamin' The gang suffers under a night of no calls. They mull over the energy crisis and the nitpicking starts in earnest between Chet and Johnny. Johnny hits on the idea of going to Catalina Island. Station 51 responds to a man with an altered level of consciousness at the supermarket. They find a druggie and Stoker soon finds his gun pointed at him in an isolated moment. After the crisis is over, Stoker blacks out and is treated for shock. Detective Ron Crockett shows up at the station to get more details about the weapon drawn incident and ruffles a few feathers. Roy meets his son Chris and his own father Ian on the island, who're there to do some cessna flying. Chet pulls a disappearing cliff diving act as a joke on Stoker. Chris gets a lesson on Catalina aviation from his grandfather, Ian DeSoto. Kelly goes gliding. Marco follows, tandem strapped to his guide, Kip, in his own glider. A wind gust flips Marco and Kip and they crash into a tree. Cap grows alarmed at the lack of radio from Marco and Chet mounts an airborne search. Kelly spots the downed glider and radios camp about it, then he goes in for a landing. Gage launches in another glider after dark to Avalon to round up some emergency help. Chet discovers a snake bite on Marco's leg and treats him in a fire warmed cave. Stanley flies at dawn in a Baywatch helicopter with Roy and Johnny and effect their rescue. They all meet the island's sole, but colorful, nurse and doctor pair at the hospital. A storm approaches and the doc offers the gang his house for shelter. Ian and Chris's plane gets lightning struck and makes an emergency landing at the airport with Avalon's FD on standby on the runway. Ian and Marco remain behind when the others go to the beach. They find and rescue two divers in trouble and take them by Baywatch boat to a decompression chamber. Later, they fully relax at the doc's house. 34. No Sooner Said Roy and Johnny worry about a Chet who was saying nothing untoward for once to anyone. Gage suffers a memory of regret concerning Kelly and enters a *flashback* about... Station 51 responds to a man trapped beneath a caterpillar tractor. Gage worries about the paramedic refresher coming up and bugs a mouth zippered Dixie about them. Station 51 responds to an excavation fire at a coal mining company. Chet Kelly is sent down an empty shaft by rope to check out an underground fire and he makes a disturbing discovery, bad air. The gang realizes the trouble and hauls him to safety, only to find Chet apneic. They resuscitate him and then black out one by one as a creeping gas overcomes them all. Chet, protected by an oxygen mask, reawakens and effects a transmission to summon hazmat help for everybody. Kelly awakens at Rampart to find himself and the rest of the gang being carbon monoxide treated and in isolation wards... for chicken pox that they found on Marco. The gang gets on each other's nerves during the days it takes to run the infection's course. Kelly gets positively conceited about his singled handed rescue of them all and Gage retorts right back at him with a cutting remark ....*end flashback* Roy sighs on the current cancelled rescue, telling Johnny that his sharp comment then must be what's making Chet ignore everyone now. Squad 51 responds to a call to a residence that had a service dog in attendance. On the way Gage and Roy debate about the new 911 phone system trials. They find a house fire in progress and that upsets Johnny even more when he realized the 911 operator failed to gather critical information about the call being a blaze in progress. They hastily summon their engine and others and then effect a rescue on their own and save a dwarfened cripple. The help dog is discovered not to have followed them out, so a search is begun by the gang to find him. Dixie is mesmorized by the gang's report of the research they'd recently done concerning the coal fire that almost killed them a week earlier. Roy wins the bet on who called 911 for the handicapped man and service dog fire. 35. Captain's Prerogative Captain Stanley awakens at Rampart, seriously hurt, and struggles to reconstruct his memory. He suffers a flashback of hanging hose in the tower when lightning struck him, two years earlier. Then he worries about the day's current injury on a scene that he had misjudged badly, causing all of his men to become caught in an explosion and building collapse at the pier. Gage speaks with Joanne DeSoto at Rampart about hope in the waiting area. There they learn about Chet and Roy's incoming helicopter flight and rush outside to meet Brice and the team bringing them in. Johnny learns Roy and Chet are serious but stable and that the others of his station are still missing under the debris field. Dr. Brackett shares possibilities of Roy's problems with Joanne and soon, both Roy and Chet are treated by trauma teams aggressively. Gage rushes back to the scene against orders. Cap, in another room regrets the command decision he made at the accident site. Joanne comforts Johnny in the chapel. Morton delivers good news about Chet, Roy and Cap's conditions. Stoker and Lopez awaken to find themselves injured and buried under a fallen building. They begin a crawling, escaping attempt to free themselves. Dixie and Brackett visit Hank post surgical with a well known fire chaplain. Cap has a precognition about the chaplain's future and is disturbed. He learns Marco and Stoker are alive and is comforted following a prayer. Gage tricks a rookie medic into taking his patient and sneaks over to where Brice is digging out his stationmates. Johnny goes into a hole and treats three others along with his two coworkers. Stoker does his best to calm a man trapped with him. Slowly, they learn the true extent of the disaster. Hank Stanley returns off duty to a station vacant during his usual A-shift, intentionally scheduled as abandoned while he and his men heal, and goes to sit in his darkened office while worrying about his up and coming disciplinarian Skelly hearing. He discovers his men, similarly drawn back to the stationhouse, serving out coffee in the kitchen. They forgive him the order that brought them harm and set up Brice as his arbitrator for his hearing. Craig finds a legal loophole that gives the gang a dismissal advantage. They actively ply to invoke it. Stoker begins his testimony the next day, with confidence. 36. Tower Drill Gage gets frustrated and storms off when the gang try to suggest that he needs a little help handling relationships with the opposite sex. Station 51 answers a person treed by an alligator call. Helpful postal workers and Les and Dave of animal control immobilize the gator while the gang sets up a life net in case the panicking woman fell. She does at a bad time and bounces partially out of the net, and onto the ground, injuring herself badly. Roy and Johnny treats her and uses a KED to protect her spine. They call in the Sierra Rescue rangers to fly her out. Station 51 returns from the call to a surprise visit from Fire Chief James O. Page and an old nemesis, ex-paramedic trainee Ed Marlowe. The chief asks Cap to sponsor Ed as an engineer's trainee in a new consideration. The gang has trepidations about the revisiting fireman and an order calling them to train cadets during the next Tower Drill session. Gage addresses his misgivings loudly in the office and Hank soon worries about his decision to accept the chief's request. Roy discusses the final firemen's test with his class and Ed makes sure to voice his opinion on matters clearly. Marlowe drives a course of cones in an engine while Gage runs a smoke exposure without scba drill. Cap is running a group of cadets through the drill tower when one of the young recruits panics and falls out a window when a sprinkler system fails. Marlowe effects a miraculous rescue using a rope and a ladder truck bucket. Chet pulls a joke by leaving a whoopie cushion under the fire chief's chair. Chet effects a tower recon from the ground in full scba and an infrared camera team. Hank coaches his recruits to safety. The chief gets his joking revenge on Chet by using some handy recruits. Ed Marlowe divulges his bungee leap rope knotting secret to Gage before parting on good terms with the entire gang for his new career as an engineer at 110's. 37. Primary Complaint Gage and Dwyer discuss the bet they have with Roy about Brackett's new love interest. Kelly pegs Gage accurately for having a crush on her, too. The gang discusses mixed reactions about the new 911 system. Roy and Johnny talk about good and bad luck on their way to a call in a nursing home. They treat a rapidly onsetting aortic aneurysm. On the way out, Cap runs into an old firefighter friend and shares good memories with him. The next morning, high spirits incites some impromptu singing by a rainy garage bay door. Squad 51 responds to a man trapped at sea. During the rescue, premature reef building explosives go off, injuring Roy. Gage frets until divers find DeSoto. Roy is found to be deafened during evaluation. Later, Brackett's doctor girlfriend examines Roy with an ENT specialist and Dr. Morton, and decide that Roy's eventual surgical recovery will be good. Johnny almost gives away the feelings he has for Kel's steady before he hastily retreats from the room. Gage returns to the station to share what he knows about Roy when Chet's ribbing about his forbidden woman crush irks him into walking away. Paramedic Gil Dwyer pursues him, learning more. Cap asks Gage up front about whether or not he's going to leave Brackett's close date alone. Gage asks if he's trusted to be honorable and in answer, the gang feeds him to help him get his mind off of her. Station 51 responds to a multiple tanker accident involving a front end loader fallen off a viaduct. A trucker is freed while a poisonous gas cloud threatens nearby neighborhoods. Chet and others work to free a woman from a sports car jammed underneath one of the tankers. Officer Vince tries to get the second uninjured trucker to admit what his cargo is but no one learns it before an explosion occurs involving nitric acid. Station 51 rapidly flees the scene with their victims on the engine's hosebed. Battalion soon orders Station 51 to evacuate a school under the path of the acid cloud's threat but they arrived too late to save a small girl. The remaining students and teachers are bustled into a protected gymnasium. There, Dwyer and Gage treat two burned children with help from Brackett and his girlfriend while Cap, Stoker and Marco carry out hose washing decontamination procedures. Afterwards, Roy and Johnny frankly discuss with Dixie, how she feels about Kel seeing another woman and both are surprised by the answer when a bet made between McCall and DeSoto reveals another secret Johnny Gage is hiding in his heart. 38. A.M.A. Roy and Johnny find themselves promoting the paramedic program at a touring circus show. Station 51 responds to Vince Howard's call for help for rescue from a siege by a tiger. Gage suffers stage fright and the attentions of a friendly elephant. A mock human torch rescue is staged ringside that's unexpectedly enhanced by clownery. A circus performer actively goes against medical advice following a diabetic syncopal episode after being revived by Station 51. Roy's family shows up to see a performance along with the rest of the gang. A trapeze artist from their earlier rescue suffers a traumatic fall and Station 51 tries absolutely everything to save him. Chet uses humor to cheer up Chris DeSoto following the incident. 39. Burnout Roy suffers the chore of reorganizing a new drug box for the squad. The gang feels the full effects of stupid calls and the lack of sleep. Boot tries to be the perfect ambassador. From the driveway of the station, Captain Stanley witnesses an explosion at the Arco refinery across the street. The gang treats two blast injured truck drivers escaping the disaster. Dixie and Brackett are horrified to see the event unfolding on TV. The paramedics climb a distillation tower after a lost plant manager spotted by a fire department helicopter. A gas leak explosion traps Johnny, Chet and Roy inside an Arco saferoom with only a drug box and a few scba air bottles. Smoke inhalation takes its toll on Chet and their Arco victim. Brackett devises emergency antidote treatment to cope with their exposure to poison gasses. The aftermath, days later, is viewed on a news broadcast telling of the fire's effect on the community. Dixie McCall is deeply disturbed by the fact that the tower refuge, used by the three firefighters during the height of the explosions, was completely destroyed shortly after they got out of there. Chet takes that fact hard. 40. Canine Capers Roy receives the wrath of a vengeful mother at the station in the form of a basket full of puppies. Squad 51 answers a shooting only to find themselves face to face with the barrel of a gun. Patrol Officer Vince Howard oversees the rescue and follows up on what becomes a murder investigation. A little girl visits the station as a week long guest ride-along through the Make A Wish Foundation with Charlie the mechanic as her chaperone and Dixie McCall as her attending nurse. Felicia, their station guest, endears herself to the gang through tiny acts of selflessness and open curiosity about their jobs. A car crash into an apartment building exposes a psych patient and helicopters are summoned for trauma. Charlie shows Felicia the world of fire department power tools. Roy and Johnny gives her a tour of a paramedic helicopter and answer delicate questions about mortality. Dixie shares the news of Felicia's death and Charlie tells of the eclipse that occurred the moment she died. Bonnie and Gage come away from the experience particularly effected as they learn about love. 41. Attrition Johnny and Roy try to get through a lunch hour, sniping at each other out of boredom for a lack of runs. They encounter a cold shouldered lifeguard and Bay City detectives while babe watching at the beach with Henry the station dog. Squad 51 gets gratefully lost hosting a fire department/ emergency services demo at a local school but have a problem with drifting embers. An emergency develops in the form of a little girl bleeding to death in a playground equipment accident, which turns into a high angle rescue involving a ladder truck. The child is airlifted out safely but not in time enough for Gage to grab a favorite dessert at Rampart's cafeteria. Dixie McCall works a graceful feminine miracle for the sake of Johnny's sweet tooth. Nitpicking causes Squad 51 to crash with another car that Engine 51 responds to. Dixie McCall is found to be the other driver. Dr. Brackett performs and emergency procedure to save her life during extrication. Cap and the crew are hard pressed to keep everyone safe and breathing. They welcome Craig Brice's aid with open arms. Brackett does a litte recruiting of his own calling in a pair of doctors from another city. All the firemen eagerly await surgical recovery news on Dixie and fall prey to the antics of their guest physicians. 42. Pilot Light Johnny Gage spends the morning fussing about the lack of patient history information the Station always seems to suffer on medical calls. He vows to come up with a solution. Dixie escapes her busy ER desk long enough to take a shower after a long CPR, trapping Joe Early at multiple phone lines. Squad 51 responds to a call at the police station only to find an unconscious Officer Vince Howard on the floor, barely breathing. Dr. Brackett pulls out all the stops diagnosing the patrolman's problem with the help of Roy and Johnny and Howard luckily survives a life threatening hypercalcemic crisis. Johnny re-agonizes over his secret invention that will revolutionize the way paramedics handle medical calls with senior citizens. Station 51 answers a warehouse fire with Station 110 and Squad 51 gets trapped inside a breakroom with two victims in heavy smoke with their air running out. Roy treats a hurt paramedic and Gage learns that his private invention has already been submitted by another. Chet does an amazing humanitarian act by coming up with a new protocol idea of his own and creditting Johnny for thinking of it to the chiefs. 43. The Quint Connection Kelly cringes under the attentions of the smoke eater at shift change when the older captain warns the substituting Stone about Chet's shinanigans. The gang, Dixie and Brackett get excited about an upcoming skiing weekend at Lake Tahoe. The gang attends a house fire and rescue two victims from smoke inhalation. The smoke eater corners Chet in an impromptu verbal oral engineer's examination. Dixie vows to camp next to a ski lodge lobby fireplace for the next two days. The gang and Rampart pair rescue a child from choking at a restaurant and meet up with the resort's local ski patrol. The vacationing bunch splits up in the great wild outdoors just in time to feel the effects of an avalanche. Stoker burns himself on camp coffee. They help out at a buried alive snow slide site, a cliff fall, and a car over the embankment rescue. Johnny wins a date with a beautiful EMT snow patroller and Marco celebrates a baby's survival by making a snow angel. 44. Pump Peculiarities The gang gets stressed out by a new Los Angeles River Flashflood Prevention Project and the problematic risks especially effect Mike Stoker. The staff at Rampart drive each other crazy on a slow day. Station 51 responds to a horse stuck in a mudhole. A little boy is rescued from a city controlled flash flood by a last second brain storming swiftwater technique Stoker creates. A fire chopper calls in a teen drag race gone bad in the riverbed. Roy DeSoto is stunned when an ejected fatality is his son. Mike Stoker collapses with paroxysmal tachycardia and is treated. Deeply moved by Roy's grief, Stoker designs an alcohol awareness program and puts it on for the high school whose students were involved in crash killing Chris DeSoto. As a gift of gratitude, the students send the gang a music video showing what they learned and how they felt about the experience. 45. Richter Six©- by Michael Donovan. Gage and DeSoto are teaching paramedic students about the reality of real life rescue. Roy relates a tale of when a large earthquake strikes the whole county in a flashback. The gang is shaken out of bed at the station to response to a total search and recovery operation at an area hospital collapsed in a quake. Dr. Brackett and Mike Morton deliver a premature baby. A man is discovered in a work room in cardiac arrest and Johnny pulls out all the stops to find a doctor to authorize his medications. One blinded in an acid spill volunteers to help. Station 51 and Joe Early rescue an unconscious surgeon and a little girl from an operating ward. DeSoto frets about the lack of word about his family. Gage tunnels into a fire stairwell, only to find two people dead. A spunky Salvation Army volunteer cheers up Roy and Johnny while dolling out food and coffee. Kel Brackett learns his new mother's husband is the blinded M.D. and gets involved trying to help their emotional crisis. Roy learns the status of his home neighborhood.The last of the earthquake victims are found but at a price, Chet Kelly is buried under debris in an aftershock. He is found with a fractured shoulder and is sent to be treated at Rampart by Dr. Brackett. DeSoto's story to his class concludes when the courageous doctor from the tale walks in to lecture. 46. The Long Hours Station 51 fills in for Station 110's fireboat on the ocean. Gage has a hankering to visit the beach. A light plane crashes off the Santa Monica Pier and both the gang and Baywatch lifeguards are called to assist. Dr. Morton is rescued from near drowning with a back injury and fractured arm. A surgeon's strike at Rampart threatens Morton's life when he is forced to be shipped to another hospital. Three generations are rescued from a burning house and treated for smoke inhalation. Kel is angered at a complication overlooked on his colleague and vows to stay at Morton's bedside through the crisis. Roy and Johnny assists at the intern's code blue seizure. The station responds to a bomb threat at the pier. A police officer is gravely wounded when it detonates. Dixie delivers good news about Morton so Chet, Roy and Johnny go visiting his bedside bearing a surprise homemade gift. 47. I.V. Push The gang suffers a sleepless night at the station under the fury of a cold winter storm. Chet discovers a teen runaway nearly dead from hypothermia in the back yard. CHiPs officers Frank Poncherello and Jon Baker assist Station 51 in saving a driver driven off a cliff. Johnny Gage suffers qualms when the face of the girl they saved from the cold becomes familiar in memory at Rampart. Dixie helps learn the teenager's identity and CHiP Bonnie Clark accompanies the teen to a retreat for runaways in the mountains. A second storm brings a tree down onto their cabin, trapping Gage and Joy Yellowbird inside, injured. Gage confesses a shortcoming to his young friend while a rescue is affected around them and finds peace after a years long broken promise. 48. Hostage©- by Susan Keenan© A house fire leads to a career ending health problem being discovered for a friend of Johnny and Roy. A game of basketball was interupted by another rescue call at a glass shop. Chet goes silent thinking he jinxed the guys. A young couple arrived at Rampart thinking they were going to become parents. Only to find out it wasn't quite time. Roy and Johnny are called called to rescue a child whose hand was stuck in playground equipment. Johnny and Roy are taken hostage on the way back from Rampart. They are forced to care for a heroin addict while his buddy holds them at gun point. Roy must get creative to disclose their location without saying it outright. The boys are eventually found and upon their return to the station greeted with Chet's voice returning, a warm dinner and a round of applause. 49. The Helper's High- Resources are stretched thin as LACO helps in a fire storm. Hank suffers lingering trouble from hitting his head during his days off. The boys have an interesting encounter with a drunk at a palm tree. After a fairly quiet night, Marco goes to take the trash out and gets shot in the hand. Mike has to say a heart breaking good bye to a dear friend from his military days. On the way to a call the engine has a run in with a loose log from a logging truck. Hank suffers a severe closed head injury. Mike is temporairly promoted to Captain in Hank's absence. Hank is welcomed back with a party full of friends and family. Mike and Hank share a candid conversation as they raise the flags on Hank's first day back. 50. The Other Side A day of null action spices up when technology is more attractive to a victim than self preservation when the driver hits the squad. Life is anything but normal when Station 51 responds to a traffic accident only to realize the first responder is dispatcher Sam Lanier. Sam sticks around once another car joins the fray. At Rampart, the fight is on to save Sharon Walter's life in the middle of an unusually quiet day. Then the hospital faces its own crisis when a minor earthquake reeks havoc on vital areas. Doctor Morton takes command when Joe and Kel are caught in the middle of the mess. Guess who saves the day? 51. What's A Dedicated Captain Like You Doing... SEASON FINALE Captains DeSoto and Gage reunite unexpectedly four years after their promotion away from Station 51. They begin sharing flashbacks of their lives during those separated years. Dixie confides confidence in the new head nurse of the E.R., Sharon Walters. Flashback, Dixie's appendicitis attack on her day off. Future Roy and Johnny decide to run in a manikin resuscitation exercise to Rampart to extend their visit with each other. Kel Brackett collapses due to high blood pressure in Hospital Administrator Dixie McCall's office and is treated by a responding Roy, Johnny and paramedic cadets. Feeling their own mortality, Roy and Johnny visit Station 51 and go calling on their old captain, Hank Stanley. They wonder about the real reason Hank burned Chief McConnikee's hat and find out why through Cap's flashback memory over lunch. Roy shares a time of his own when he suffers a nervous breakdown over the loss of a child on a mudslide bus rescue gone bad. They reminisce about Henry, the station basset hound's heart attack rescue. Hank shares the real reason why Captain Dick Hammer left the fire department before his own tenure there. Kel Brackett awakens in ICU, recovering from his near stroke from hypertension, and relives the trials and tribulations he suffered trying to relate to his own father. He plans a fishing trip and they make amends upon his discharge from Rampart. Back at the station, the three captains share the outcome of two games faced, but never completed in the eyes of any of them, a poker game with mafia, and the big USC football game where they originally missed the outcome of the game. They flashback to the week when a Make A Wish child, Felicia comes to shadow their careers before she succumbs to a fatal illness. Captain Gage gets to ply his revenge against snakes. Remembering pain, they recall and relive a rescue in which Chet Kelly reveals a secret life, after death. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Special A. The Face In The Mirror Johnny and Roy have fun teaching a CPR class. The next day the gang finds Roy tired from all the overtime over the breakfast table and Cap gives Gage some smelling salts to use on him as a joke. The station responds to a multiple fog bound pileup on the freeway near the ocean. Gage and Roy begin triaging the first casualties. Two trapped girls are found in an overturned Winnebago. Marco and Chet begin to cut them free using a K-12. Cap worms in to help Roy treat the children. DeSoto begins to worry about his own lack of sleep. A live power line falls on the camper and electrocutes Chet and Marco. Gage immediately begins to handle their rescue and treatment. A new kind of defibrillator is found with some nearby beach lifeguards and it's quickly used to revive Chet. Roy is called out of the camper to sedate Marco's convulsions. Shocked by a powerline and fatigued, DeSoto accidentally gives Lopez too much diazepam, sending Marco into a coma before blacking out. Chet reawakens en route to the hospital, and learns about the overdose. Dixie delivers her own brand of therapy to Roy when he begins to despair about Marco. Morton orders McCall to release Roy to Dr. Brackett's office. Gage remains closeby while Joe Early treats Lopez aggressively, ignoring smoke inhalation injuries of his own. The doctor makes him treat himself with oxygen. Gage flees when a chaplain arrives to deliver last rites and protests when Vince handcuffs Roy and takes him to jail. Cap cares for Gage's racing emotions in the nurse's lounge. Johnny resents his superior's orders when Gil Sheppard steps in to replace Roy in the squad. Roy's treated by an old jail doc. Joanne soon takes Roy home after Gage posts his bail. Johnny fights every inch to contain himself when a FEMA investigator shows up to learn about what contributed to Roy's paramedic mistake. Countering, Cap asks Brackett to be his paramedic adjudicator. A mild earth tremor shakes the station and Rampart. Dixie learns of an improvement in Marco from Dr. Morton. Joanne takes pity on her sleeping husband, restless from the quake. She leaves an open HT on soft playback near his head on a nightstand to calm him. Brackett arrives at the station to effect a few changes and shake up the FEMA investigator. Station 51 responds to a report of a gas leak and go with Kel and the director to seal it off. They find evidence of multiple sinkholes near a forested neighborhood. The investigator almost falls into one and is saved by Gage. Another cave-in topples a teenager in a tree house and Johnny rushes to his aid, calling for more help via radio to Gil. Another earthquake knocks Gage out when a tree branch clobbers him. Brackett and the investigator launch a search of the field when Cap worries about Gage's lack of response. Roy wakes up, overhearing a broken outgoing only transmission from Johnny over the HT, professing that he's injured and with another. DeSoto bolts upright and breaks house arrest by using his dog Shania to track Johnny's whereabouts down. Under broken trees, Johnny works to keep his patient alive. At Rampart, Joe Early and Dixie find Marco recovering and celebrate. They leave to go call Johnny via dispatch about the good news. Brackett and DeSoto find Gage down a hole with the teenager with the help of Shania the dog. The investigator finally relents when the teenager codes and needs immediate paramedic and doctor help after he hears that Marco is awake and talking from Dixie through an HT radio patch. Later, at the hospital, everybody celebrates the teenager's saved life and Roy's aquittal. Everybody bristles when the FEMA investigator makes a reappearance, but the man is bent on apology. In a box, he gives Roy a check for Station 51's charity and DeSoto's returned paramedic's badge and license. Dix and Kel leave the room to let them all heal. Special B. Too Close To Home Roy and Johnny cut loose during a really good handball game. Gage teases Roy about making vacation plans again much to DeSoto's chagrin. Chet Kelly shares a brainstorm about Station 51 collectively buying a race horse and running her on the circuit to earn and split all the winnings. Everybody signs the contract, except Roy. Morton's teased by Kel when he shows up in a treatment room, paramedic treated for a trip and fall following a slip on a banana peel. Brackett orchestrates a nurse's revenge for Morton's earlier horrid bedside manner against her. Station 51 responds to a riot at the sports stadium arena. They meet Vince, in the thick of his element, arresting thugs. They treat a thrown cop, and a handcuffed gang leader, who starts to choke, with a flail chest. Dixie discusses her day with Roy and Johnny over coffee and then surprises them on a tour to go see a current favorite patient of hers, Dr. Morton. Joe Early expresses a frank opinion about the racehorse deal, deflating Johnny's enthusiasm. While leaving Rampart, they hear a disturbance in a hospital room and go investigating a loud noise. They find themselves trapped with a partially conscious Morton, post surgical, following an ankle fracture repair. They are spared Mike's usual scathes when sedation proves its worth moments later. Squad 51 responds to a man down at a ranch and soon realize that it's at Chet's sister's address. Their worries prove well founded when Chet is located, bleeding badly on a shattered chicken coup following a horse toss. They're about to treat him when their newly purchased race horse, crazed from fresh bee stings, charges them. All the medical gear, including the biophone, is trampled when Roy and Johnny choose to log roll Chet safely away from her under the fence. Chet is found in deep shock afterwards. He's oxygen support ventilated by the engine crew until an I.V., and a hemostat can be retrieve tricked from under the horse's hooves with a fire extinguisher. Joe Early and Dixie marvel at Chet's amazing recovery. At the station, shift change paramedics trade what-I've-wrecked-on-my-shift stories and bow their helmets to Roy and Gage's racehorse-gone-mad call for the highest damage total. Roy is teased about vacation planning again over lunch just as the tones go off for a shed fire.. at DeSoto's own house address. Cap lets Roy question the crowd and Vince about his kids as the garden shed starts to be hosed out. A neighbor's child, admitting to a sleepover, confesses that one of Roy's kids had played with matches, in the house. An errant spark ignites the house through the water heater. Roy, panicking, learns that his daughter is in the house from Joanne, his wife who faints soon after arriving home by car. He gets by all firefighters and into the house without his scba tank. Gage mounts a fast search for both daughter and his partner with an air bottle but only finds a dead kitten in the kitchen. He is forced to crawl on his hands and knees while looking for Roy due to thickening smoke. Roy's found unconscious from a blow to the head and is fireman carried out of the house by Johnny. Returning, he finds Jesse, Roy's daughter, in a closet and gets her out by sharing his air mask. A shot of epinephrine revives Roy from a nonbreathing state minutes later, and Gage finds his hands full with a confused combative partner for several seconds until he fully wakes up. The gang laughs when Johnny delivers a funny medical report to Rampart about the good positive change after he suffers a fit of high spirits. Movie One, The Fire Within (Episode 52) Part One A traumatized little boy travels to a park ranger station in coastline New York State with his grandmother to escape the memory of his father's death. An RN and Doctor Park Ranger team gets caught in an avalanche on a routine trail safety run. The Station 51 gang travels to the Appalachian Center National Park to participate in an extended season deer hunt before reporting to an airport fire station on the coast for career cross training. Hidden concerns effect the mountain ranger team's friendships throughout. The airport fire station crew suffers a practical joke war with the airport's control tower personnel and decide to get revenge. ARFF crew bond with a morning run along a runway at dawn. A fire chief gets Dr. Brackett's permission to use Roy and Johnny's paramedic skills. A Park Ranger captain paramedic befriends the sad little boy and decides a career shadow day will ease his grief. Station 51's deer hunt begins with a rocky start when Chet reveals his secret strategy for luring bucks. Chet outclasses Johnny archery wise on a deer target shooting contest. Gage gets the last comeback when Kelly chokes when targetting the real thing. The gang cheers up Kelly about his awkward first hunt over venison steaks. A cougar pays a visit to their deer camp and is taken out by a park ranger's mule and a female sheriff paramedic's bullet. Three sheriff paramedics kabbitz good natured banter at the national park's headquarters. The gang suffers the reality of the onset of sudden winter when their campfire needs a sudden snuffing. The sad little boy receives a tour in the park's rescue helicopter by their ranger pilot. Chet, fetching water for the coffee pot, discovers a river hypothermia victim, a kayaker in the shallows, and summons help. The station 51 crew begins treatment of their patient with warming and oxygen after radioing for assistance from the park lodge. They find a clue that their kayaker wasn't alone and begin a search upstream for a second victim. Bluebird Five, the tour chopper, overflies the gang's kayak rescue. Nurse and doctor park rangers worry over the call. 240 Robert sheriff's paramedics and helicopter pilot respond to the gang's incident. Chet and Roy marvel at a new steaming breathing device and intrabone I.V. which saves their first victim from death by cold. The second kayaker is found with a broken back and skull and is rescued from the water by Gage and Stanley. Johnny suffers deep body chilling. Sierra's paramedic park ranger Ted Cassidy treats Gage. Bluebird Five crashes after being caught in a dust devil. 240 Robert and the gang extricates the second kayaker with difficulty by chopper. Both river victims evacuated, the gang begins a new search and rescue operation for the lost boy and pilot from Bluebird Five. Johnny becomes enamoured of Morgan Wainwright, the 240 Robert unit's pilot. A nurse/park ranger recalls how she met the missing boy before she and the boy's grandmother rush off on horseback in a search operation. Gage has a run in with a cantankerous nurse and his doctor at the ranger lodge's hospital. The sheriff's female pilot shows romantic interest in Johnny. The boy and tour pilot come to on the forest floor below the crashed chopper. The pilot, gravely wounded, helps the child cope with parent loss while the boy struggles to care for the man's injuries. The searchers come up with a hypothesis of where the tour helicopter ditched and press harder on searching. Johnny reconciles with his lady doctor to amend their rocky start as patient and caregiver. The boy desperately tries to breathing revive his pilot friend when a femoral artery bursts and severe shock sets in. A smart mule locates the boy's lost navy cap and searchers soon find the lost chopper pair and begin emergency care. Part Two The park pilot, the crashed Bluebird Five chopper, and the boy are all airlifted to sources of repair and help. The child is reassured of his new pilot friend's eventual recovery by the rangers and park doctor. At dinner, the Station 51 gang tease Chet's still tender hunting impressions. The youngest park ranger girl tries a date attempt with her captain. Johnny wins the sheriff pilot's heart and she gives them all a farewell to remember as they start to travel to the coastal airport for their next trip stop at the airport's fire station. The gang is escorted to their training destination by the airport fire chief. Casual banter over the kitchen table bonds the two fire crews instantly. The L.A. gang is given orientation and training to airport firefighting in great detail. Dixie McCall phones them in New York to say howdy. An airport chopper paramedic arrives to the runway fire station with bad news about a distressed business commuter in the air. A passenger on the jet suffers cardiac arrest and collapses. A military jet is scrambled to assess the jet pilot's incommunicado emergency situation. Both Station 51's men and the ARFF crew pair up and respond in trucks with other fire services, to the runway. All the paramedics team up in ambulances or with first in crews. The jet lands on wheels but catches flame from a blown airlock door. The fire crews move in to rescue pilot and businessmen passengers. One by one, the casualties are moved to an emergency clinic by the airport terminal where the park doctor has rejoined them for triage operations. Roy and Johnny treat the cardiac arrested man along with their airport firefighter paramedic coworkers. All victims are evacuated to the airport clinic hastily being set up for them. In the airport tower, an air controller sees an ominous sight of the incoming lights of an international Concorde flight that declares a sudden ice bound air emergency. The situation goes pear shaped when the aircraft crashes, taking out a radio antennae and killing all on board. The flat lined heart victim is left abandoned on the side of the runway in the face of the new emergency. Damaged are the air control tower, the main airport terminal and three grounded passenger airliners still in docking place. A new massive large scale incident is declared and the airport fire chief hastily reassigns them all to specific rescue tasks. An airport fire engineer is assigned the radio room at the fire station with another firefighter. The 51 gang is split up between search and rescue of the control tower and main terminal, after organizing themselves with the triage doctor from the Appalchia park center. Captain Stanley is given command of a second rescue operation along with Mike Stoker. The fire engineer links up with a bus driver who has a ham radio for emergency communication. The fire station dalmatian is released to assist her crewmates outside. Armed with extra gear, air bottles and hoses, all the firecrews move into the heart of an inferno in a two pronged attack, one into the main terminal and the second into the blacked out and still burning air traffic control tower. Roy and Johnny rescue an air traffic controller from a burning control tower. Cap finds and resuscitates an airport worker on a search and rescue mission. A major aviation fuel leak is discovered in a ruptured pipeline underneath buckled flooring in the main terminal. Roy and Johnny rescue an air traffic controller from the burning control tower. People are found trapped inside a burning stairwell and inside a gated airliner. Only half the victims are extricated when the passenger jet explodes. Dr. Brackett goes to New York to help out in triage. A newborn, a lung burned man, and an ill child are treated in evac. The disaster green zone is relocated to a safer location in a city park near the airport as the fuel fire grows. Airport firefighters struggle to find a pipeline shut off valve to end the fire. A boy is rescued from a luggage conveyer belt but suffers cardiac arrest. A lady doctor in triage is effected when an EMT friend is found injured on the airfield. An airport firefighter is trapped inside a valve room with activated clean agent fire suppression gas. A female firefighter is overcome by heat. Station 51 and most of their airport fire host crew rushes in to rescue their man stuck in the clean room. Doctor Brackett treats and gives a pep talk to the female firefighter. Johnny and Roy begin a high angle rescue to enter the terminal around the roof hole created by the fuel fire. The trapped fireman is found buried under debris. DeSoto and Gage begin to shut off the main fuel valve again that had been started by their victim. Cap and Stoker are trapped on top of a collapsing parking ramp garage while rescuing an old man and little girl. They're forced to jump into a life net when cars begin exploding. Stoker is injured by shrapnel. The trapped fireman is freed and the fuel fire valve is shut off, ending all fire. Post incident, Dr. Brackett, the national park lady doctor, sheriff's lady pilot and all the arff and the Station 51 gang suffer emotional effects of the ordeal in conmiseration at the airport fire station over dinner. The lady firefighter and arff recovered from his clean room exposure muse over their future. The 51 gang is sleeping it off in a dark bunk room. All except Johnny, who's entertaining the lady pilot, on pillows. Special C. Fire In The Sky (Episode Fifty Three) Johnny and Roy go camping in Santa Rosa County. Gage burns his ankle on hot coffee. While on a solo meditation hike, Gage runs into two strange men named Chakotay and Tom Paris. He begins to treat the Native American Chakotay who has suffered air crash related injuries. He radios Roy to rendevous and begins to carry his new patient back to camp. They wait out the night before beginning to hike to a ranger tower to summon a rescue party of park rangers. Roy and Johnny don't like Tom Paris's evasive answers about their identities and reasons for being in their predicament. Chakotay subtlely orders Tom Paris to use his combadge technology to boost Roy's HT. A chopper's called in from Sierra Rescue. Tom Paris beams back to the ruined shuttle craft when Chakotay begins to exhibit dire Borg reaction symptoms and activates a new test version of the EMH for a cure of hypospray nannites. Then he destroys the ship after pocketting the EMH's holo emitter into a pocket. He then cures Gage of a Borg infection secretly by using a water bottle. Chakotay is flown to Rampart for emergency surgery. In an operating observation dome, Paris receives a transmission through his combadge and runs for a bathroom to answer it. He encounters a hologram of Reginald Barclay from Project Pathfinder inside the lens of a security camera. He is told to expect a new visitor as well as the only other surviving members of Starship Voyager's bridge crew. Tom runs into Boothby, working with Chakotay's surgical and ortho teams. Paris learns about being inside of an echo version of 1976 that has Halley's comet appearing years ahead of schedule because of the wormhole that Chakotay and he used to escape the Borg of their own time that caused their shuttle crash and Voyager's demise. Boothby shares that he is a Nexus ribbon duplicate El Aurien, a Listener, like Guinan. He states that the 1976 echo they're in has altered physics, one where any fire started by electrical means, begins an exothermic green plasma fire, one that can never be extinguished once started. And that there is an ancestor of one of the away team trapped with them inside of their echo timeline surrounding Los Angeles. He also reports a new twist happening inside of echo 1976, An aged Roy DeSoto appearing in a current newspaper photo.Tuvok and Janeway arrive to aid Tom Paris in reinitializing the shuttle EMH to cure Chakotay of his post surgical injuries at Rampart. Janeway determines that the background in the photo is the L.A. County fire museum. They all coordinate plans to go investigate the new anomaly there that was currently creating an alternate old Roy DeSoto from the echo 1976 one they already knew, after springing Chakotay from the hospital using Boothby's amnesia aura, they confront Old Roy DeSoto inside the time pocket, which is current day 2010. He is confused by seeing restored Squad 51 and newly arrived Ward Engine 51 sitting inside the museum in front of a mock up of his fire station 51. They treat him for untreated electrical injuries. Old DeSoto gets frightened when they tell him he splintered off of his 1976 echo, when he was shocked with a defibrillator by Karen Overstreet, a trainee paramedic. He leaps into the restored 2010 version of Squad 51 and rushes for the outer boundary of his museum time bubble trap and starts an irreversible green plasma fire. The away team rushes outside to meet him in echo 1976 to stop him from meeting his doppleganger self face to face, which would cause mutual annihilation of both the echo and real universes. They lay phaser fire at the emerging squad pushing through the time barrier, but are interrupted at the arrival of fire stations responding to a fire call about smoke appearing at the fire museum. They hide to escape being discovered as having future technology. Old Roy DeSoto makes it into echo 1976, but 2010 squad 51 does not survive the time barrier and returns back from where it came inflicting grave facial and head injuries to the Old Roy DeSoto. Janeway and her away team discover that Old Roy is wearing the modified time buffer combadge Tuvok created to protect against time paradox and stand back as the 1976 echo Squad 51 team of Roy DeSoto and Johnny Gage treats him. Old Roy DeSoto cardiac arrests. Boothby holds back the away team, knowing that use of a defibrillator would cause another plasma fire outside. Meanwhile, Janeway orders her escape pod into the museum to self destruct to put out that plasma fire in 2010. Boothby soothes her choice that will forever strand the away team to 1976 Earth. Johnny Gage acts instinctively and is drawn into the green fire with old and young Roy DeSoto and Chakotay. Gage is the ancestor they've all been seeking and the time line corrects itself at the activation of the defib Roy used on his older self. Echo 1976 disappears when Old Roy is reunited with his own younger self in real 1976 as he is being defibrillated by Karen Overstreet at a house fire. Watching, Boothby confided to Janeway that the whole crash experience, the Borg, the destruction of Voyager, and both time echoes, were all an elaborate test for Janeway to prove to him that she was ready for becoming admiralty. He zips away back to the Nexus ribbon while the Voyager away team takes their reconstructed escape pod back through the Halley's comet wormhole, home. Boot, the station dog whines farewell as they depart. Special Story, The Gale Force Nightmare TEXT ONLY STORY The gang talks about Gage's weird behavior during a cold and windy day at the station. The whole gang rolls out for a motor vehicle accident call on the freeway. Engine 51 crashes due to high winds en route. Roy and Johnny are plunged into a paramedic's nightmare when they are forced to start a rescue of their own. A truck hits Squad 51 and blows up just after Chet pulls out medical gear and the biophone. Mike Stoker and Cap are found in the wreckage. Additional fire help is summoned by radio. Kelly aids Roy and Johnny in treating and locating Marco, Cap and Stoker but then suffers the aftermath of the crash himself. Gage and Roy take him out of the action and utilizes a second alarm crew to free the rest of the gang from Engine 51's wreckage. At Rampart, all but Roy and Johnny are admitted as patients and treated. Stoker is brought into surgery to fix internal injuries. Roy and Johnny visit Mike after his surgery in his ICU room. Gage reiterates the bad feeling he had before their rescue call and begins to blame himself for Engine 51's crash without revealing the reason why. They go visit Cap who threatens to physically get up to see his engineer himself when Dr. Brackett points out the obvious that he had torn his own stitches by moving. Chief McConnikee visits Roy and Johnny in the hospital nurse's lounge to tell them they are reassigned to another station while replacement vehicles for Engine 51 and Squad 51 are found. Dixie uses her gentle presence to calm Roy DeSoto's worries about the whole incident. She is called away to ICU at a disturbance and finds Mike Stoker agitated. She calls Roy and Johnny to come calm him down. Dr. Brackett entered the room to recheck Mike's medical status and finds just complications from coming out of anesthesia on the engineer. Cap shares with Roy and Johnny that Chet had been admitted due to injuries that he had kept hidden. Hank comes to visit Mike and is lectured by Brackett to slow down and return to his room. In the hallway outside of Stoker's ICU room, Roy confronts Gage once again of his unfounded anxiety but Johnny doesn't fess up. Kel orders them home. Mike Stoker's wife arrives and is filled in about her husband's condition. She reassures Johnny about his doubts on the crash as Roy arranges for Joanne to stay with her. Dixie complains about Hank's stubborn determination to try and visit Stoker again. Roy and Johnny tell her they'll talk to Cap in his hospital room. Hank orders his two paramedics home after he promises them that he'll finally rest. DeSoto and Gage sit in the hallway outside of Cap's room and seriously consider crisis debriefing with a counselor. Johnny falls asleep so DeSoto carries him to a bunk in a nearby residents' cubical closet. They awake to pizza and free I.V.s courtesy of Dixie. Refreshed fluid wise after a few intravenous lines and food, and good news about Mike. They fall asleep again on the cots. They awaken to find clean clothes left by Roy's wife. They go visit Marco and Chet to see how they are doing in their patient room. Vince Howard arrives to drop off Roy and Johnny at Station 51 so they could drive themselves home. But, too tired to do that, DeSoto and Gage settle down into the bunkroom at the empty station to rest. Roy confronts Johnny about his feelings over the accident. Not reassured, Johnny goes to sleep. At Rampart, Dr. Brackett is visiting Mike in a checkup when he notices that the engineer has fallen into cardiac arrest. He begins CPR and calls a Code Blue team to the room. They barely recapture a pulse after discovering that a wrong I.V. had been hung on Stoker's intravenous line causing too much potassium. Brackett raises holy Caine at the nurses' station to discover who made the error. He then goes to visit Hank Stanley to break the news about what had happened at his bedside. He shares the legal issues and the course of the next steps the hospital would take. Chet and Marco find out afterwards by phone about Mike's near death due to a mistake when Cap tells them. Roy awakens in the bunk room to a pale Johnny Gage who shares Mike's arrest scare that he learned from Dixie. They shower and take Roy's pickup truck back to Rampart. At McCall's desk, stress overwhelms Johnny and he faints. Brackett treats him. Roy calls Hank at his home following Stanley's discharge from Rampart to break the news about Johnny's collapse and the possible reason why. Hank returns to the hospital to set his paramedic straight. Johnny tells them about what was bothering him. A date that he thought he saw that was months too old on a can of engine oil in the apparatus bay. Hank takes charge and calls Charlie via Dixie, who was in the waiting room with his family, waiting for his turn to see Mike Stoker. Charlie the mechanic soon sets Gages fears to rest when he had Brice confirm that the year on the oil can was future hence. Cap falls asleep in a chair, watching Gage sleep when he finally relaxed in complete relief at the news. Joe Early and Dr. Brackett confer about the Stoker's I.V. error in his office. Roy DeSoto runs into a Spanish male orderly and is disturbed by the animosity he thought he saw in the man's eyes. Roy makes the rounds of the gang's rooms and tells Marco and Chet in their shared room of Gage's situation. Reassured as best as he could salvage, Roy decides to go see Dr. Brackett about the strange orderly he encountered who had looked so angry. Outside of Chet and Marco's room, he runs into Gage, truant from his hospital bed, Dixie, Maximillion the bum, and Lt. Crockett, the police detective. Max shares that he called Crockett for a good reason. He relates that his grand nephew, jealous of Max's rich inheritance, was possibly targetting the firefighters for being recipients of the bum's generosity in the past. Crockett orders police guards for all the gang of station 51 at their hospital rooms and family homes. Gage collapses and is treated for exhaustion by Dr. Brackett and Dixie. Gage wakes up and realizes the intruder fear he had about Stoker was actually a nightmare. He is reassured that all the gang is okay after the engine crash and only then does he begin to relax, that's until the Santa Ana winds start to blow once more outside his hospital window. Movie Two, En Route, Episode 54 Part One Dixie escapes the bustle of a boring work day by hiding in the paramedic base station, suddenly aware of negative emotions that are preying upon her. Joe Early enters the room and offers sage advice by having her seek out a paramedic appraisal of her nursing career thus far for rebalancing. McCall feels the weight of job boredom and is shocked when she suffers a snappy mood with the other nurses. Roy and Johnny get into an argument about another of Gage's crushes, this time on a female EMT on a Mayfair ambulance. At the station, Cap tries to conduct a monthly meeting but is met with empty donut plates, a sulking Henry, and a grumpy fire crew. He throws a surprise mock scenario still alarm that activates the EMS and fire department grid along with Rampart. The guys pull a prank on Marco using an I.V. line. En route to the hospital, a pair of female EMTs read Gage the riot act about cheapening their mock drill by his joking around. He learns a thing or two about their job perspectives and cooperates on livening up the training run for a new EMT. Things go smoothly, for a fake head bump until it came time for a faked seizure. At the hospital, Dixie is stuck with calming the angry EMT afterwards. At lunch the gang discusses recent events about the female EMTs and suffer bouts of food possession. Chet is ecstatic about a summer without Johnny until he learns who is replacing him when he leaves to go work for Mayfair in an exchange program. McCall escapes into the doctor's lounge for a desperate break. There Joe and Kel offer sympathies about her day and offer a new idea to recharge her unhealthy mood and attitude about her career. Dixie leaps at the chance to serve on a Mayfair ambulance along with Roy and Johnny. Station 51 responds to an unknown call at a marina warehouse, once there Station 8's Captain Stone waves them off when he discovers a failed arson attempt on an already burned building with no trapped victims or fire. Squad 51 receives a call about a woman down and leaves the scene. Traveling to the address, the two paramedics are increasingly nervous as the quality of the neighborhood goes down dramatically. The sound of gunfire prompts them to radio for police escort. They are met up with Vince and a CHiP cruiser. Howard orders them into bullet vests and they head off to go find the squad's patient before the resident gangs retaliate. They find out that their patient isn't a patient or unconscious. They referee a cat fight that breaks out involving alcohol. A boy is discovered suffering from self inflicted vitamin poisoning and Squad 51 begins steps to treat him aggressively. Johnny meets up with his EMT crush on the Mayfair ambulance. Complications arise when the gangs set a park on fire in the neighborhood, trapping police, ambulance and Squad 51 right where they are at the triplex. Copter Ten rescues the EMTs and paramedics by leading them to safety by guiding them along the L.A. Riverbed to a pickup point. A young EMT Gage is infatuated with is taught about emotional detachment on the job. Dixie, Roy and Johnny get fired up over the start of their summer as Mayfair Ambulance management staff on their first morning. They make new Mayfair EMTs at ease with pizza and light banter. Officers Poncherello and Baker from the CHiPs division make themselves known as participants for the summer's orientation. Johnny is stunned by the discovery of advanced paramedic gear on the fleet of Mayfair ambulances in the company garage. Joe Early checks up on Sharon Walters who inherits Dixie's head nurse spot while she's away as ambulance manager. The gang gets acquainted with Craig Brice and Bob Bellingham, battlion transferred paramedic firefighters, who will man Squad 51 in place of Johnny and Roy. Station 51 is first on scene to a truck fire and Cap is made the Incident Commander when it becomes apparent that a tunnel fire has caused a brush fire to start on a nearby hill. Mayfair ambulance is put on triage alert. Dixie sends CHiPs Baker and Poncherello to the incident when her office scanner mentions traffic control help is short handed. Together, CHiP Ponch and Brice and Bellingham find a teenager near a fatal fire in the tunnel. Cap and Marco rescue a trucker from a gas leak. Gage is treated for light fumes exposure. At Mayfair, Roy and Johnny crisis debrief all the EMTs about on scene death. Dixie learns about the loss of the iron poisoning boy so she creates a new tradition about celebrating saves in patients to cheer up the whole ambulance company. Chet is coddled into bed when Brice notices his high fatigue level. Gage asks his crush, EMT Rosalie out and she accepts. Ponch finds out Gage has won the future girl of his dreams and gives her up gracefully. Dixie is comforted by Kel after a hard day at the office. Joe is plagued by a chaotic night in the ER involving dogs. At a morning buffet, Dixie finally gets her answer from Roy and Johnny about her current status as friend and colleague in their eyes. A buffet breakfast at Rampart and a newscast awakens Dixie's and an EMT's instincts about something amiss in the larger scheme of things. Dixie's relieved when all Mayfair EMTs report for duty. Station 110 discovers a sudden ugly reality, receding ocean waters. The whole L.A.Co.F.D is mobilized when a tsunami hits their coastline. Mayfair Ambulance's fleet along with Station 51 reports in to a disaster Staging Area near Rampart in Torrance. Doctors Brackett, Morton and Early report to Triage as rioting breaks out from shocked evacuees in the surrounding neighborhoods. Rampart struggles to take in all critically injured, Mayfair arriving patients. Part Two Engine 51 mounts a search and rescue of a beachside hotel for tidal wave victims while fending off looters. Engine 10 and Captain Stone, assists them. A second large tidal wave strikes, effecting Mayfair Ambulance's patient evacuation route. Brice and his two CHiP officer EMTs find themselves on the shattered remains of a toll bridge. Gage's Mayfair ambulance is discovered missing. Battalion One assigns a USAR Taskforce to mount a rescue operation. Brice struggles to save a spinal injury victim. USAR discovers signs of a Mayfair crashing off a bridge. Gage resuscitates an EMT while trapped under rubble. The two get down to the business of survival without trying to kill one another. A USAR team takes in Roy and Bellingham into direct operations at the site of the bridge collapse. Morton triages Brice, the CHiP officers and their patient. Dixie breaks the news about Gage and the death of an EMT to the rest of the Mayfair Company. Brackett remembers the new biophone all Mayfairs now carry and notifies the Navy to set up a communications buoy to regain lost radio capability in the bay. USAR, Roy and Bob begin operations at the bridge. Communications are re-established out at sea for all the rescuers. Gage prepares to move himself and his EMT patient out of the buried ambulance for fear of a rising lunar tide. They crawl through the wreckage of the bridge to start their escape and discover another injured woman, a military technician who claims a family is trapped in a flooding van behind debris. Johnny treats life threatening symptoms on the woman and then goes after the other victims. He is caught underwater by a piece of falling debris. Roy and Bellingham sneak back to the pile using force. Ponch and Jon are sent back to the bridge by Brice and Dr. Early as eyes and ears when signs of the missing ambulance are discovered. Dixie suffers a flashback and is treated by Craig Brice. Brackett finds out about Dixie being triaged and there's H*ll to pay. A third tidal wave rescues Johnny and a victim from a van. USAR is forced to evacuate the bridge collapse as the new tsunami makes landfall. Sharon Walters deals with a riot at Rampart. Gage's Mayfair is found washed onto the beach and empty and the smashed toll bridge disappears beneath the waves. USAR orders a Coast Guard chopper to map out the sunken bridge and hollow caisson tower bases. Rampart is rescued from the mob by three CHiPs officers and Vince. CHiPs Ponch and Jon summon beach lifeguards to aid in the search. Dixie awakens from her rest break and returns herself back on duty as Mayfair's manager. USAR detects five heat signatures beneath a collapsed caisson in the middle of the bay along with a bloody blanket from the Mayfair ambulance's medical gear. Dixie checks up on Sharon Walters at Rampart. Divers find a way into the caisson. Gage has his hands full with a willful EMT patient. Engine 51 lands on the caisson with help from Baywatch lifeguards. Johnny learns about his new disease from a wise old lady, it's true love. USAR finds a hole leading to signs of survivors after a dive. Gage rehydrates his patients with I.V.s. USAR locates a panicking female child in the rubble and sedate her. Other sounds of victims are discovered. Ponch and Jon reconstruct water forces to pinpoint a probable search area for Gage and Rosalie's trapped location. Bellingham flies out the little girl from the rubble while Desoto and Brice discover three more victims. Dixie takes a Battalion Chief enforced breather and visits Sharon Walters at Rampart. Brice and Roy work fast to stabilize three victims they find but lose an unexpected fourth. The gang returns to station 51 in the engine for an overnight recuperation from rescue operations. Joe, Morton and Kel find comfort in each other's knowledge during a food break. Roy DeSoto's overworked state is discovered. CHiPs officers meet Battalion at their HQ and become a triage site. Vince Howard is found critically ill of an infected cut. Johnny and Rosalie set off exploring their surroundings when one of their patients dies. Dixie orders her Mayfair EMTs to body detail at search and rescue sites. Dixie visits Vince in ICU and works her calming magic. Ponch and Jon get a lightbulb idea to use Henry as a search dog. Roy finds out about the plan. Chet alerts USAR when Henry finds a scent. Johnny Gage heads back to the core chamber for medical gear when Rosalie develops cardiac tamponade. Henry discovers Gage's scent coming out of a crack in the collapsed freeway and USAR pulls out all of the stops to unbury the site. Roy, Brice and Bellingham are assigned there on medical standby. Henry is given an I.V. to rehydrate him. Three victims Johnny treated are found by Roy and Brice. An EMT with Johnny is killed, devastating Gage and making him give up the will to live when a cave-in occurs. Henry finds another hole leading to Johnny. Ponch enters and it's a race to free him before the rising tide fills the chamber. Brackett saves the day when Johnny slips into cardiac arrest due to drowning. Roy and Johnny deal with post traumatic effects due to the bridge collapse but are healed somewhat at the rising of a new one. Special D- Sierra-The Urban Rangers- (Episode Fifty Five) Roy and Johnny arrive at Yosemite and meet the head ranger for their new assignment as paramedic observers in the park. They meet a pair of rangers, including one who loves to spin a tall tale. Written by Michael Donovan (1974) Movie Three, A Day In The Life, (Episode 56) Part One Dixie is awakened late at night by a restless elderly neighbor, who remembers her life as being saved by the nurse following cardiac arrest a month before. She drops a bombshell surprise when she expresses an interest in becoming a nurse like Dixie in gratitude at age 94. Kel and Joe begin to recommend ideas on how to handle the neighbor's infatuation at Rampart when a Condition Orange erupts in town consisting of a prison break and accompanying gang riots city wide in Carson. An early evening buzzer bell at the back door surprises the gang when they find an abandoned newborn baby, forcibly torn from its mother womb outside, left as bait by two escaped life time murderer convicts. A hostage situation begins. Boot is shot and Chet injured following a viscious shove during the initial encounter. The traumatized newborn baby is stabilized by Roy and Johnny. The two prison escapees set up house with the gang and use frequent threats to keep order. Chet is emergency treated for a ruptured lung blister which sends him into shock. A Los Angeles County medical examiner is called into Rampart to handle the riots' dead coming into triage. Morton, Early and Brackett struggle to keep up with the triage operation they set up in Rampart's outdoor cafeteria courtyard. Shoulder shot, Boot the dog knocks over Chet's fallen HT radio left abandoned in the bay and inadvertently activates its push to talk button. Sam Lanier discovers the open channel broadcasting from the vehicle bay. One of the convicts develops an obsessive interest in the newborn baby girl's welfare. At a missed fire response reply back from Station 51, Sam dispatches a communications repair truck to Station 51 to fix the problem. One of the radio repairman goes inside to contact the gang and is taken hostage. Headquarters HQ dispatch is alerted to Station 51's hostage situation through the open mic'd HT radio that Boot had bumped and begins to plan a tactical rescue from their end. The county coroner shanghai'd into service by Dr. Brackett discovers the dead mother's missing baby using forensics during her autopsy and goes investigating the murder scene in the alleyway behind Station 51 with his lab assistant. A blood trail leads him to suspect foul play has taken place inside of Station 51. He warns off the radio repairman's partner from making a foolish decision and sends him to go summon help remotely. The M.E. decides to masquerade as a riot victim in order to get inside the station to find the lost baby and learn more about the sieged fire station gang. The coroner's boss and an L.A.P.D. lieutenant set up shop at L.A. County H.Q. to mount a response to Station 51's hostage crisis using information learned through the open HT radio channel still broadcasting from Station 51. The coroner is let into the station after a feigned victim act. The reality of the convicts' actions weigh heavily on them as discussion of the truth is shared by all. One suffers a mental breakdown and the other surrenders physically. The gang organizes further emergency care and transportation for Chet, the newborn baby, and Boot. The coroner's assistant warns about their boss's future fall out. Roy and Johnny treat Chet and the baby en route to Rampart and realized the ordeal has impacted them more profoundly than first thought. Dixie, Sharon Walters and a police detective meet the gang at Rampart to begin to sort out treatment for the injured and start an investigation. Johnny and Sharon reveal that they are dating to Roy. Part Two Dixie gives Chet a little tough love to begin his emotional recovery at Rampart. The gang has trouble handling the aftermath of the hostage situation at Rampart. They internalize different coping tactics. The Rampart staff and the coroner and his staff plan contingencies for Station 51's probable PSTD effects. Chet is stuck with Dixie's neighbor as a candy striper. Roy and Johnny suffer unexpected effects after going home. Relief from stress alters the behavior of Rampart staff in unexpected ways. The county coroner decides to get involved with the gang's recovery from post traumatic stress disorder. Dixie McCall heads over to the vet hospital to pick up Boot for Station 51, when a thunderstorm strands her there. Marco and Stoker stave off a mild diabetes crisis in Lopez's mother at a brunch get together over at Mike's house. The county coroner's girlfriend RN flirts with Chet to make him feel better. Captain Stanley suffers an emotional fallout crisis at home.Craig Brice ends up on Johnny's ranch house doorstep, injured by a mudslide. Dixie fails to report to work and Brackett asks the county coroner and his assistant to check up on her whereabouts to see if she is weathering out the storm at the vet hospital. Emily arrives at Rampart with a PSTD effected Cap to visit the hostage baby. 905 Wild Animal control officers Les Taylor and Dave Gordon fail to reach Veterinarian Dr. Coolidge by radio at the vet hospital. Officer Vince Howard meets them in a lights and sirens squad to inform them of a mudslide that may be effecting the shopping mall where the vet hospital is located. The three men begin to mount a search and possible rescue from their vehicles. Craig Brice recovers from his hypothermia to tell Gage and Sharon Walters about the county fire department all call concerning mudslides from the storm in five cities. They begin to pack up to respond despite Gage's administrative medical leave status. Chet meets up with Cap and his wife in the abandoned baby's hospital room and they talk their emotions out about the hostage aftermath. Gage, Brice and Sharon Walters head out into the storm to gather up all the Station 51 gang to help with ensuing mudslides. Roy talks to his kids about the hostage crisis he lived through at the station. Gage, Brice and Sharon Walters recruit Roy to response to a landslide buried shopping center near Boot's vet hospital. The L.A. coroner and his assistant meet up with Vince Howard and the two shelter animal control officers and the four begin to mount a rescue operation to find Dixie and their coworkers. Gage assembles the last of the 51 gang not at Rampart and together, they, Brice and Sharon Walters hurry in his rover to the shopping center where Boot is hospitalized. Dr. Brackett confronts Chet about the mudslide effecting the shopping mall where Dixie went to get Boot from the animal shelter hospital. Dr. Morton sees progress in Cap's emotional crisis and in the orphaned newborn that Hank had helped rescue. The coroner and his assistant, Vince, and the two animal control officers discover Boot's vet, his secretary, and Dixie lying injured in mud. They affect immediate emergency medical care. Despite fast treatment, McCall slips into cardiac arrest, forcing the coroner, Boot, and the others to act. Quincy and the others barely manage to save Dixie using a dog sized defibrillator and some ingenuity. The Station 51 gang and Sharon arrive to the disaster scene and meet up with their patients and the M.E. folks. Every one injured is recovering when the mountain surrounding the shopping mall sloughs them and an entire city block onto a giant river of mud. The gang summons help. Dixie awakens without the ability to feel her legs. Quincy figures out that Dixie is suffering from a temporary lightning paralysis. Gage and Brice have a heart to heart about PTSD and their likelihood of surviving. Stoker improvises high angle gear from debris scraps. Cap and Chet rally and abandon Rampart to assist the fire department heads overseeing the mall incident. Brackett sneaks Morton and Cap sneaks Chet out of the hospital to try and get to Dixie. Dixie suffers breathing failure due to her lightning strike and is put on life supporting measures. Sharon Walters and Boot break down emotionally. Cap and company sneak around the mall incident command after information about rescue plans and Dixie's current condition, but are found out by the two animal control officers. The victims under the trapped paramedics' care begin to improve but not before the mudslide underneath the building speeds up, bringing down the roof of the vet hospital on top of them. Chet hears Vince calling for help over the radio. Smoke jumpers are sent in, to start mounting a rescue. A moving aerial belay stokes line is rigged between their floating island and a moving ladder truck. The vet falls to his death when a tree snaps the line. The Station 51 gang is reunited all together under Dr. Morton's watchful eye. Dixie is teased in her hospital bed before being taken out to the coroner's favorite restaurant to toast the late vet. Movie Four, The Long Hot Summer, (Episode 57) Part One The gang awakens in the middle of the night because of extreme heat. Roy and Johnny respond to a young girl's attempted suicide. Joe, Dixie and Kel get wind of a possible major incident over the county scanner. A battle ensues in a Mayfair when the suicide patient's overdose is counteracted. Dixie remains on vigil for the suicidal girl while Roy and Johnny handle their emotions about the call. Station 51 receives a responsefor a mid air naval jet collison and crash at a pier. Rampart goes on disaster alert. At a staging area for the disaster, Gage and DeSoto receive news of a possible radiological catastrophe in the making from a local pair of volunteering doctors. Gage and DeSoto find the pilot in the cockpit of the crashed navy jet which damaged a nuclear naval ship, the source of an unknown radiation leak. Their patient is discovered to be Dr. Morton. Roy and Johnny manage to aid non-breathing Morton and are soon rescued and decontaminated by sailors on the effected Navy ship. Cap hears from Gage and DeSoto about Morton and so does Rampart who begins to outline a critical care plan when the phone line goes dead. Dr. Morton is assessed upon waking. Roy and Johnny worry about swelling around his heart. A new fire risk erupts around the La Brea tar pits. A doctor from family practice updates Rampart on the radiation leaking from the navy ship and shares the information with Squad 51's paramedics. Morton worsens cardiac wise and help is summoned by the ship's medic. A coolant pipe explosion rocks the ship causing Captain Stanley to summon Fireboat 110's divers to respond by sea. Morton and a navy medic are trapped in sickbay. Two Navy rescue fire teams are dispatched to extricate them. A rogue wave tips the ship and accelerates the radiation leak. Kel and Dixie begin to feel the strain of multiple disasters looming at Rampart and commiserate at her apartment. Roy and Johnny join the navy firefighters in locating the pipe breaches. Rising seawater levels and flickering power fuel a fire in the armory. A torpedo auto launches itself right through the hull at Fireboat 110. The navy captain self destructs the weapon before it hits. Captain Stanley fails to prevent the ship's captain from flooding the nuclear core at the expense of his own life. Roy and Johnny perform a pericardial centesis on Dr. Morton. The family doctor breaks the news of the sacrifice to the wounded ship's medic at Rampart. Roy and Johnny attend the ship's captain's memorial and say farewell to the ship's sailors. They check up on Dr. Morton's recovery at Rampart and play a joke on him. A few days later, decontaminated of radiation, Station 51 gets an assignment to assess downtown L.A. for hazards when a fire at the La Brea tar pits fails to go out. Dixie enlists Craig Brice to keep tabs on Roy for Joanne DeSoto. The family practice medical team is set up into the museum at the LaBrea Tar Pits to follow up with the fire department working on violations checks downtown. Marco and Stoker have a run in with a Kmart manager. Cap and DeSoto notice an increase of smoke from the ground fire at LaBrea. Dixie handles a medical emergency in the waiting area at Rampart in a little boy exposed to cleaning supplies. In the field, Chet and Gage, Stoker and Marco make rounds inspecting downtown L.A. for hidden ground gas leaks. One is touched off in the basement of a K-mart and catches Stoker and Lopez in a colossal explosion. Mike and Marco get trapped at an intersection surrounded by subterranean fire. Cap and Roy are ordered to oversee operations at the heart of the downtown fire. Gage and Kelly find themselves on search and rescue inside of a Y.M. C.A. Vince Howard rescues Stoker and Lopez from danger. On the route to Triage, Marco's condition worsens. Kel and Dixie prepare to receive Marco as a patient. Cap and Roy remain at their posts as Command Staff, feeling overwhelmed. Gage and Chet effect an evacuation of the YMCA. Roy's wife wakes up inside of the collapsed Kmart store, trapped with a beam lying across her neck. Marco is treated by the family doctors in Triage and is shipped to Rampart by Brice. Chet and Kelly make it back to Incident Command and leave to rendevous with Roy and Cap at Triage. Marco makes it to Rampart. A monarch butterfly finds both Roy and Joanne and visits both. Brice finds out Joanne never made it back home and assumes Triage so Station 51 can go search for her at ground zero. Squad 51 and special search and rescue teams converge at Kmart while Rampart diverts patients. The family practice staff treat a victim of frostbite despite the hot weather. Joanne's trapped location is found inside the Kmart, but a ceiling collapses. Roy has breakfast with his children and reads an article about a new chemical created because of the downtown gas explosion disaster. He imagines he hears Joanne visit him after her death. A monarch with a broken wing disappears into the sunlight in the DeSoto garden. Movie Five, Burning Water.. (Episode 58) Part One Johnny Gage is totally surprised when Craig Brice shows up in the middle of the day as acting captain when Hank Stanley disappears midshift to take a Battalion Chief's exam. Dr. Morton teams up with Karen Overstreet, Brice's current girlfriend, as a fellow resident intern at Rampart Hospital. An oil tanker fire on top of a viaduct is a challenge for acting captain Brice and Station 51. An old man rescued from the truck makes Mike Stoker promise to care for a team of fire horses for him. Overstreet over-reacts to Dr. Brackett's satisfaction of her job performance as an intern. Morton offers advice. Gage sets into motion finding the truck driver's father about his transport to Rampart. Station 51 clears the tanker fire scene. Sharon Walters and Karen Overstreet talk doctors. Brice rubs Marco and Roy the wrong way following an oil fire. A waitress contacts P.I. Jim Rockford about his father's accident. Squad 51 responds to a heart attack call at a beach restaurant in Malibu. A waitress and Vince Howard, aid Roy and Johnny during a resuscitation call. Johnny vows to track down the waitress and get her name in order to thank her for helping them. Jim Rockford arrives at Rampart and tracks down his father, Rocky. Gage hires the P.I. to give him the name of the waitress who helped them both with their sick and injured. (STILL IN PRODUCTION) as of January 30th, 2016. 60. Special E. Juxtaposed- Roy and Johnny mysteriously crash into the 11th Doctor's TARDIS on a freeway when their time streams intersect. Gage collapses due to an absence of time's flow around his body. The Doctor and Amy Pond medically treat him after bringing both Roy and Squad 51 into the TARDIS, who puts Johnny on life support. The Doctor and Amy briefly try to explain themselves to Roy and Johnny but little gets through their comprehension. The cloister bell begins to sound a causality loop warning. Amy Pond suffers sudden memories of 1976 with Station 51's gang even before ever having been there. DeSoto also collapses after getting acquainted with the time travelers. The Doctor brings the two paramedics and their vehicle back to 1976, in Carson, California a block away from Station 51 and lets them go. The Doctor then expresses an interest in experimenting on Amy to explore her false memories surgically. Amy Pond disagrees to the idea and runs away from the Time Lord. She escapes into the Mayfair ambulance Johnny's using to take Roy to Rampart for treatment of his unexplained unconscious condition. Rory and the Doctor try to chase down Amy's ambulance but are intercepted by Marco, Chet and Mike left behind at Station 51. The Timelord changes tactics by accepting directions to Rampart and some tea. (STILL IN PRODUCTION) as of Jnuary 30, 2016. ============================================================= ============================================================= By Character Injury Tally Johnny 1.Full Moon Blues-Buried by an earthquake toppled hose tower and hand stabbed by a rod. 2.Father And Son- Falls down boobytrapped stairs. Concussion. 6.The Golden Horn-Swept away underwater into a quarry, drowning. 8.The Promise-Nearly asphyxiated by freon gas in a collapse. 9.Green Pen Of Johnny's- Buried in explosives factory roof collapse. Smoke exposure from an airliner crash, inhalation shock. 12.Crossing The Red Line-Broken leg and benzene fumes apnea. 14.Twisted-Concussion from a crash while in Squad 51. 19.Sacred Ground-Slips on a mechanic's slide board at the station, knocked out. 22.In Certain Terms-Landslide buried. 24.S.N.A.F.U.-Lightning ozone exposure. 27.Heavy Duty-Trapped by a fallen truck. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out. Special A-The Face In The Mirror-Struck by tree limb, broken arm. 41.Attrition-Victim of a garbage fire and car accident. 47.I.V.Push-Concussion and broken leg in a storm/tree collapse. 52.The Fire Within-MovieOne-Hypothermia. 53.Fire In The Sky-Burns ankle on coffee. Almost becomes a Borg. --.The Gale Force Nightmare-Faints from exhaustion following a stressful fire engine crash. 54.En Route, MovieTwo-Fumes from a fuel fire, scraped by sinking debris, cardiac arrest. 57.The Long Hot Summer-Radiation exposure. 59.The Gale Force Nightmare- Engine crash injuries 60. Juxtaposed- Fainting due to suffocation during a separation from his natural timestream. Roy 3.Juxtaposition-Leg trapped in mud inside a school bus. 8.The Promise-Water tower collapse drowning, and gas exposure. 10.From Loaves To Fishes-Fall off a mountain cliff, chlorine gas. 12.Crossing The Red Line-Concussed in an ambulance explosion. 14.Twisted-Beaten up by a neighborhood gang. 22.In Certain Terms-Landslide buried. 24.S.N.A.F.U.-Lightning strike. 27.Heavy Duty-Trapped by a fallen truck, stuck and injected with a drug syringe, near drowning. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out. 35.Captain's Prerogative-Building collapse trauma. 37.Primary Complaint- Deafened in an explosion at sea. Special A-The Face In The Mirror-Sleep deprivation and electrical shock. Special B. Too Close To Home-Smoke inhalation. 41.Attrition-Receives minor injuries in an MVA. 52.The Fire Within-MovieOne- minor burn in airport fire. 55.Sierra-The Urban Rangers-head injury in a fall. 57.The Long Hot Summer-Radiation exposure. 60. Juxtaposed- Fainting due to suffocation during a separation from his natural timestream. Marco 1.Full Moon Blues-Retrovirus infection and gassed in earthquake 3.Juxtaposition-Buried in mud inside a school bus. 17.That Latin Flair-Electrocuted into unstable tachycardia. 22.In Certain Terms-Landslide buried. 24.S.N.A.F.U.-Lightning ozone exposure. 28.Smoke Screen-Faints due to psychogenic reasons. 33.California Dreamin'-Hang glider crash/snakebite. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out. 35.Captain's Prerogative-Building collapse trauma. Special A-The Face In The Mirror- Electrical shock and drug overdose. 49.The Helper's High-Shot in the hand. 54.En Route- MovieTwo-Victim of I.V. fluid overdose. :) 57.The Long Hot Summer- MovieFour-Sunburn. Winded by a gas explosion and bad air. 59.The Gale Force Nightmare-Injured in a fire engine crash. Cap 1.Full Moon Blues-Knocked out by falling ceiling debris 2.The Golden Horn-Falls into a mine, hemorrhages. 20.Recertification-Gunshot to the chest. 22.In Certain Terms-Landslide buried. 25.The Overhaul Principle-Stress and chest pain. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out. 35.Captain's Prerogative-Building collapse trauma. 36.Tower Drill-Minor injuries from ceiling collapse. 49.The Helper's High-Severe closed head injury. 59.The Gale Force Nightmare-Injured in a fire engine crash. Chet 2.Father And Son- Anhydrous ammonia inhalation and ruptured spleen during an escape using the squad. 4.Within Sight-Breaks knuckles on a punching bag. 7.Crazy Days-Falls into the LaBrea tarpits and nearly suffocates. 11.Shadows of the Past-Faints under a river. 17.That Latin Flair-Burns hands in a soup kitchen grease fire. 22.In Certain Terms-Fire ant stings. 24.S.N.A.F.U.-Lightning strike. 31.All That Glitters-Vagal faint from hypovolemia. Nailed on the back of the neck by a flying board. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out and apnea. 35.Captain's Prerogative-Building collapse trauma. Special A-The Face In The Mirror-Electrical shock cardiac arrest. Special B. Too Close To Home-Leg hemorrhage from a horse toss. 39.Burnout-Smoke inhalation breathing difficulty during an oil refinery fire. 45.RichterSix-Fractures a shoulder in an earthquake. 51.What's A Dedicated Captain Like You Doing..-Dies in a post fire collapse. 54.EnRoute-MovieTwo-Attacked by a head injured man, forehead cut. 56.A Day In The Life-MovieThree-Lung injured after a shove by assailants. 59.The Gale Force Nightmare-Injured in a fire engine crash. Stoker 4.Within Sight-Gets blinded and lung burned by steam. 11.Shadows of the Past-Trapped in an outhouse fire. 22.In Certain Terms-Landslide buried. 34.No Sooner Said-Mine gas black out. 35.Captain's Prerogative-Building collapse trauma. 43.The Quint Connection-Scalded on hot coffee from a camp fire's pot. 44.Pump Peculiarities-Collapses from emotional stress with tachycardia. 52.The Fire Within-MovieOne-Stoker is injured by shrapnel in an airport explosion. 59.The Gale Force Nightmare-Injured in a fire engine crash. Cardiac arrests from an I.V. murder attempt. Dixie 9.Green Pen Of Johnny's-Nailed by flying glass at Rampart. 15.00:51-Faints into a swimming pool. Collapses from appendicitis at home. 27.Heavy Duty-Concussion from an explosion. 32.Water Day Saints-Suffocated in a gas leak. 41.Attrition-Critically injured in an automobile crash. 54.EnRoute-MovieTwo-Experiences a flashback crisis, psych emergency. 56.ADayInTheLife-MovieThree-Mudslide near drowning. Early 25.The Overhaul Principle-Head struck, blunt whipped. 50.The Other Side-Gassed by nitrous oxide during an earthquake. Brackett 2.Father And Son- Punches window in anger. Cut arm and hand. 5.Integrity Game-Smoke inhalation during a ferry fire. 23.S.N.A.F.U.-Car crash, tree branch impalement. 32.Water Day Saints-Suffocated in a gas leak. 50.The Other Side-Gassed by nitrous oxide during an earthquake. 51.What's A Dedicated Captain Like You Doing..-Suffers a hypertensive crisis. Morton Special B. Too Close To Home-Slipped on a banana peel, broken ankle. 46.The Long Hours-Salt water drowning in a plane crash. 57.The Long Hot Summer-Navy jet crash into a pier/radiation exposure. Nurse Carol Evans 25.The Overhaul Principle-Body slammed into a door. Nurse Sharon Walters 50.The Other Side-Rheumatic fever attack. Patrol Officer Vince Howard 42.Pilot Light-Collapses in metabolic electrolyte crisis. 54.EnRoute-MovieTwo-Septicemia from an infected cut. Charlie the mechanic 7.Crazy Days-Learns he has heart disease at Rampart. Sam Lanier, L.A. dispatcher 19.Sacred Ground-Suffers a fatal cerebral hemorrhage at work. Dr. Barney Coolidge, 905 Wild Veterinarian 56. A Day In The Life-MovieThree-Mudslide fatality. Miss Patty Burns, 905 Wild Secretary 56. A Day In The Life-MovieThree-Broken arm. Chief McConnikee- 6.The Golden Horn- Killed by roof collapse onto his battalion chief's car during a fire. Paramedic Craig Brice 13.The White Engine-Burns hand on hot doorknob. 14.Twisted-Smoke inhalation, hospital recovery. 56. A Day In The Life-MovieThree-Mudslide hypothermia. Joanne DeSoto 8.The Promise-Stabbed by a mugger while pregnant. 57. Trapped in an explosion collapsed Kmart. Beam on neck. Killed. Chris DeSoto 3.Juxtaposition-Hurts knee in school bus mudslide. 18.Fish Out Of Water-Smoke inhalation, ocean pier fuel fire. 44.Pump Peculiarities-Dies in an alcohol related drag race. Henry the dog 13.The White Engine-Smoke inhalation and cardiac defect. 54.En Route-Movie Two-Dehydration from search operations. Boot the dog 56.A Day In The Life-Movie Three-Shot by assailants. Bonnie the dog 23.The One That Matters- Delivers a litter of puppies. =========================== The Story Unfolds... Season One, Episode One- Full Moon Blues.. ******************************** From: Jeff Seltun Date: Wed Oct 16, 2002 3:04 am Subject: The Dead of Night... It was 5 : 30 am, the slight scent of smoke lingered still in the station house from the engine and squad only a half hour returned from a fatal fire, and the drone of avenue traffic outside was ceaseless. A single light was flicked on at the writing desk in the bunk room. "Gage! Do you mind!" Hank hollered. Johnnie looked up, mortified, in rumpled t-shirt and run pants, one suspender fallen down over his arm. "*Cough* Sorry, Cap. Uh, just a sec, I gotta...uh. Gotta make a phone call.." "Well hurry it up.." Chet mumbled even more grumpy then Cap was. "Shh!!!" hissed someone who sounded suspiciously like Marco and Mike in tandem. "Arff!!" Bonnie yapped in reply. Roy jumped in his bed from his sound sleep at the noise and nap jerked awake, "HUhhhHH?! Ohmygod..*sniff* ohhhh, it's the d*mned dog. Johnnie would you let her out? I'm too sleepy to...too sleepyyy toooo aaaa" "Yeah, ok. I will, buddy. Right after making a phone call." "Will you starting dialing already?!" Marco snapped, flipping over on his pillow and squinting in the light. He immediately buried his head under his pillow in a vain attempt to block out the idle unwelcome chitchat filling his bedspace. His voice sounded five octaves lower than normal and cracky. "ok, yeah. Just hang on.. I gotta, gotta look up the number here." Johnnie said. "Marco.. You shoulda let me and Roy take a look at ya after that four alarm. You're really losing your voice, man. A little O2 could fix--" "Gage!!" Cap called out from behind another rusty brick partition. "uh, what Cap? I was just helping out." Gage's smile twitched as he balanced the phone onto his ear while he dialed his number in the dim light he was trying to shield in vain.. "I am a paramedic after all. I mean it's my duty to be part of a team. To look out after the guys, 24/7 . Heh." he chuckled. "Well, it's definitely 12/5 for me Gage. Shhh!" Chet groused. "That goes for me, too.." Mike added. "Arff!!" Johnny jilted in his chair when he heard the sound of pissing fill the air. "No! Bonnie no!!" and he dropped the phone on the desk in a dive to reach the Boston Yorky squatting in the middle of the linoleum floor. "Bad girl.. Baddd.." he hissed in a whisper. Chet piped up sleepily, "What? That aimed at your date for refusing you yet again?" Then the scent of a second Bonnie misdeed reached them all. "Ahhggh." "Fah!!" "Gage! Clean it up NOW!" "Johnny,.. you should have hurried.." John was on his hands and knees scrambling for a foot locker under the desktop which held a roll of papertowels. He flipped open the door and hastily snatched for it, all the while stammering apologies and short failed jokes under the guys angry barrage. "Ow.! Ok. All right already.. " he said when a ballistic pillow from Marco nailed him across the butt. "I'm hurrying I'm hurrying. Just let me flush this..." and he hastened to the john with his steaming burden of towels. Bonnie cheerfully followed him the whole way. A brief peace reigned over the bunks except for the desklight and snores punctuated the air. Then Johnny came back into the room, sat down in the wooden wheeling desk chair and picked up the black phone receiver again. "Oh, no you don't.." Chet warned, loudly. "We've already lost the first five minutes of a long four days with no sleep." "Get to BED!!" Cap roared. "Groovy, Cap. Just what I was saying.." Gage knew he'd pushed as far as he could get away with and reluctantly set the phone down again, his whole purpose of non sleeping going unfulfilled. "Gage.. If you aren't under those covers in five seconds, I'm assigning you a month's tower detail!! Five! Four! Three!!" Gage shot out of the chair, slid on the floor in his boots in a dash for his cubicle. "Gage! The light!" Marco rasped. "Two!!" Johnny belly slid across the floor to the light's plug and yanked it. The room was plunged into total darkness. Bonnie began to howl at the rising tension from her human family. "Oh for Pete's sake, Johnny. Give her a snack.." Mike exclaimed. "One!" Cap roared. "Gotonebymybed!" Johnny squeaked as he dove, blind, into the air and landed on his mattress, the bed springs squealed from his impact about two seconds before-- "Zero!" Cap yelled. "Now not another peep outta you for the next hour and a half until dawn." "Sorry C-" "Ahahah..! NOT a single word." Cap seethed. "Ok." came Johnny's soft meek answer. "Gage!" "Allright all right. Sorry. Geez,, I mean all I was trying to do was--" "Hey Cap, should I zap him quiet with the defibrillator?" Roy suggested sleepily.. The gang erupted in giggles. Johnny just snorted as he hushed and petted Bonnie quiet as she pranced on his bed while he stretched out under the sheets, begging him for the treat he held in his hand. Gage felt wet doggy tongue slime his finger and the bite of tiny teeth as she grabbed it from him. "Ow,, hey.hey hey.." he whispered to the darkness. Then a thought occurred to him. "Hey guys? Do you think I just reinforced her little accident by giving her a cookie like this?" "Shut up!!" came five instant replies. Then the klaxon alarm went off and the house lights kicked on automatically. Dispatch issued the call and the gang were on their feet instantly. The call was.... --------------------------- Photo- The station speaker grill Photo- A spectacular night time fire at a warehouse with hoses spraying high. *********************************** From: "Roxy Dee" Date: Wed Oct 16, 2002 4:14 am Subject: Rotten Luck >"Shut up!!" came five instant replies. >Then the klaxon alarm went off and the house >lights kicked on automatically. >Dispatch issued the call and the gang were on >their feet instantly. >The call was.... "Station 51.. Dumpster Fire. 427 Supolveda Ave. Cross/Street Maple. 427 Supolveda Ave. Cross/street Maple. Time out 0540." came LA's run. Chet struggled into his suspenders with a long suffering moan. "Oh, man. Gage. You're gonna pay big time for this.. I could of gotten to REM sleep." "Yeah..?" John said sarcastically. "Well, you should be thanking me. If you hit REM you'd be too groggy to man a hose for our fourth dumpster fire." he said, rushing after the curly haired irishman. Roy and John hit the squad and Cap got the garage door and thumbed the callback mike, "Station 51, KMG 365." "Hey, Cap!" Gage shouted over the loud rumble of the garage opening onto the street and the sounds of Stoker starting up the LaFrance and all the gang slamming their doors as they piled onto the Ward engine. Cap looked over grumpily, flipping up his overcoat collar and tightening his helmet's chin strap. "What? Can't it wait, we're going on a run here..!" "At least this one won't take long! That's only ten minutes away.." Gage said as Roy threw the truck into drive and peeled out of the garage top speed. The lurching almost gave Johnny whiplash. Gage rolled up his passenger window and turned on DeSoto. "Hey, Roy, what are you trying to do? Kill me? I was talking to Cap there.." "You mean my defibrillator comment didn't sink in? I wasn't joking." Roy said, flipping on the sirens and lights. The dark streets filled with the sirens of Station 51 soon after and the boulevard ahead of them emptied of traffic. His face was almost pure iron. Gage set a hand on his chin. "I don't believe you, man. You're really angry, aren't you? I didn't make Bonnie crap all over the station intentionally. I was only trying to-" "I know what you were trying to do, Johnnie.." Roy said, taking his eyes off their speeding route only in brief intervals to stab glares at his dark eyed partner. "It's just that sometimes you just don't think." He gripped the wheel tighter as Johnnie pointed out the next turn. "I don't suppose you get the fact that we've been on runs for four shifts straight. And on none of those nights have we gotten a stretch of sleep longer than an hour. I don't suppose that the term 'sleep deprived' has any meaning for you.." Gage readjusted his helmet on tighter when Roy thunked over railroad tracks a little too fast and it jostled off his head. He fought with it for long seconds until he finally tossed it onto the seat in frustration, going bare headed despite the Code R. Roy just glared at him, not saying much. They arrived, engine and squad onto a seedy city block that was quiet, full of sleeping apartment buildings with black wrought iron fire escapes and one burning dumpster down a dead end alley. Cap dragged himself out of the cab and viewed the sight of such an annoying type of fire with a groan. "Man.. Another one..How many does that make it Lopez? Four tonight?" "Yeah.." Marco croaked in his throat. "One an hour since that four alarm.." he rasped in irritation. Cap sighed "Ok, you and Stoker grab out an inch and a half, we'll have this washed in ten minutes. We gotta make sure that alley of junk hasn't sparked anything beyond that dumpster.." "Right.." Lopez nodded. On his way past Johnny, he couldn't resist a longer than average accusing stare.. Johnny felt ganged up on. "What did I do? All I did was get up to call Lydia. And Marco, I still want to take a look at your throat when we're done here!.." he shouted after the rushing Marco. Chet smiled. "Gage. You're not popular with him this week. Remember he remembers that he lost that bet with B Shift about how many times Bonnie messed on your bed." "Very funny.." John said. "Go make yourself useful and pick those crates up over there and move them out of the way for us.." Roy and Johnny saw Cap stand in the cab and report to LA that the incident was minor and that the station would be wrapping up in about twenty minutes. Mike and Marco approached the blazing dumpster and tried to hook its lid shut with a fire crook to smother it, but the lid had been tied back against the chain link fence. "Oh, man. Had to be hard.." Mike growled. Marco said to Stoker. "Gage put you in a bad mood, too?" he said hoarsely. "What?" Stoker said over the roar of the fanning inch and a half raising noisy steam from the belching dumpster as water began to suppress its flames. Cap took a sniff and asked. "Stoker.. You smelling turpentine?" A huge explosion ripped through the dumpster and it flipped end for end into the air straight up into the night sky and then down again.. "Look out!!" Cap shouted. Marco and Mike abandoned the hose and its high pressure water stream started bucking in the old newspapers and trash in the alley the moment they let go of its nozzle to run. The dumpster narrowly missed pinning their feet from where they threw themselves down onto the ground and its red hot edge landed on the hose, severing it. A hose burst drenched the entire gang in spitting ice cold water. Cap shouted from where he was standing and he barely managed to slam the engine cab door shut before the water got inside. "I don't believe this.. can we have any worse luck?" Stoker got to the pumper and turned off the water so that a new hose could be drawn and filled. A moan filled the silence.. from the ground where the dumpster had been. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute! There's somebody over there..!" Roy shouted. John ran to the squad and flicked on the squad headlights to shine into the piles of junk in the alleyway. As one the whole gang sifted through the garbage until.... ---------------------------------- Photo- Roy and John in turnout in fog. Photo- At night, firefighters battle a stack of burning pallets. ****************************** From: "Clairissa Fox" Date: Wed Oct 16, 2002 12:38 pm Subject: Big Troubles.. >A moan filled the silence.. from the ground where the dumpster had >been. >"Wait a minute. Wait a minute! There's somebody >over there..!" Roy shouted. John ran to the >squad and flicked on the squad headlights >to shine into the piles of junk in the alleyway. >As one the whole gang sifted through the >garbage until.... "Hey I see a foot!" Marco said, thick with laryngitis. "Where?" Mike said, shining his torch where Marco had pointed. He saw Lopez digging in a pile of cardboard, and they all converged on the spot, flinging away water soggy debris when, another moan filled the air, this time, from another direction. Cap was sharp. "Hey gang, fan out." Meanwhile, Marco had located his foot, it was an old boot, rank with stale beer. "Oops, not here.." he said. The fog from the harbor began to spill into the alleyway, mingling with the smoke from the extinguished dumpster. Roy began to call out. "Hey mister! Can you hear me? L.A. County Fire Department. Keep talkin! We're trying to find you...." Another cry, this time legible.. "Over here.. Help me.. I--." Cap gestured to the left this time. "Hang on, I got my men searching for you right now. Keep making noise!" then he confided to Roy, "That's danged odd. How can someone that injured be in three places at the same time?" "Don't know, Cap.." Chet thrashed around with an old board, moving aside boxes, and bottles and half spilled steel trash cans, right down to the pavement when-- "Ahhhh...Stop!" Kelly froze. "Guys, over here. He just reacted to what I was doing! But I can't see anything in this fog!" Johnny, Roy, Mike, Marco, Cap, and Chet all ran to that area of the alley which seemed thick with rot, and refuge under their gloves. The stench was only made worse from the water the broken hose had sprayed all over. The headlights of the squad were uselessly muffled in the mist and Gage moved instinctively near Roy to have a reference point. All their flashlights hit the back wall and the damp brick work there under another fire escape. Gage erupted. "I can't believe we didn't find him!" and he whirled around. Cap said, "All right, everybody. Back the way we came." Just then, came the sound of a very familiar starter, and a motor of a truck roared to life. The ghostly headlights of the squad wavered. Gage noticed it right away. "Hey! Hey!!" Gage yelled, running and leaping over crates and boxes. "Cap!! Someone's making off with the squad!!" "What?!" came Hank's voice. "The squad.. It's just been stolen!!" All heads raised just in time to see the two beams of lights from the squad flip around in a high tailed spin as it made its get away. Cap raised his HT. "L.A. Respond a police unit to our location. A carjacker has just made off with our rescue truck.." ##Ten Four, 51. Advising L.A.P.D to your incident.## "I don't believe this..!" Johnny exclaimed. "Who would do something like that? We're on a victim search here..." Marco suddenly gathered to the others with an old speaker rigged to a battery operated recorder in his hand. "How about a bunch of pranksters?" And his glove hit the play button. Trailing moans, just like the ones they had heard following the dumpster's explosion and the same cry Chet had heard, issued out of it. "Oh, man.. we've been set up by drug addicts. Thought the address seemed familiar.." Gage groaned. "Isn't this the same neighborhood where the San Pedro gang hangs out?" Roy stood leaning against an old hat rack. "Yep.. They must be after the pharmaceutical box." he said with a sigh. "That tears it.." Cap said. "When the police get here, let THEM search for more of these planted recorders. I'm not wasting another minute on this.." he roared. "Why me? Why US!!" he said, marching away back towards the engine. His voice came floating back towards the gang. "John, next time you have the brilliant idea of using the headlamps. Close your door next time huh, pal?" Gage's face fell as he wiped off a trail of water running down his plastered hair left over from the wild hose. "Right.." Chet said, "I wonder if they'll trash the squad.." "Oh, Chet..." John said sarcastically moving over to Stoker to help them put the hoses, the good and the bad one, away. A minute later, Vince and Martins pulled up, reds flashing. The burly officers ran out with their guns drawn into the air until they spied the bedraggled, soaked firefighters all lined up along the running board of the pumper. One glance of the recorder and wires Cap tossed him and the way Gage was rubbing his face in frustration and weariness told him the immediate urgency was over. Vince waved his junior man to holster his weapon and did the same. "Everyone all right?" he asked setting his hands onto his hips. "We're fine. Anyone birdeye the squad yet?" Hank asked. Vince shook his head. "Looks like he or she made a clean getaway. And it'll take a while to locate it too. The seafog's rolled in for the night.." "Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll try to go for a joyride.." Chet said, wringing out his drenched overcoat around the rear hand bars of the pumper. "Not likely.." Gage commented. "Listen, ah, Vince. Can you give us a ride to the station house? It's cold out here.. "Yeah.." "Go on, fellas. " Hank said. "We'll meet you back there. No doubt Vince has a stack of paperwork for us to fill out for the police report.." Roy and Johnny both grabbed blankets out of the engine's stokes cab to use as towels and a way to keep the squad car's seats dry for the trip back. "Looks like a full moon.." Vince said as Roy, Johnny piled in the back of his car. They waited for the engine to back away from the dirty alleyway. It headed off, silent reds turning off, leaving behind two more police cars which had arrived to begin setting up the crime scene. Gage heard over his walkie talkie. "L.A. This is engine 51. Mark Squad 51 out of service until further notice." ##10-4, 51..## Johnny's head banged into the window frame as Vince drove them home, and he said closing his eyes. "Oh, man. If I had known this was going to happen, I'd have never made that phone call earlier, Roy.." "You had no way of knowing.. Just a bad run. That's all." "Chalk up another bad one in about four days of bad. I'm beat.." "We all are.." Roy said scratching his nose. "Just that time of year, I guess." Vince spoke up from where he was driving. "I know what you mean. The PD's been getting odd calls and pranks all week. Must be a conspiracy going on out there or something. But rest assured. The San Pedro gang's got h#ll to pay for this latest stunt of theirs. Grand theft auto is ten to twenty. No bail in this county for any with prior felonies." "It is? Good.." Gage said closing his eyes again, his arms crossed together for warmth. Roy had already taken off his sodden trenchcoat and had laid it on the floor behind the wire partition separating him and Vince. Then he too, nestled back and uncontrollably nodded off. Vince drove a little more gently the rest of the way to the firehouse and Martins turned down their radio's volume a few notches. -------------------------------------------------- Rampart General, was a madhouse. Dixie McCall was in high gear, one trail of hair falling over her face as she delegated a sudden flood of incoming through her ward. "What now?" she said of Station Eight's paramedic team with their burden.. "We've got a drug overdose.. Don't know where he managed to get it, but this guy's got all the ear marks of meperedine toxicity. Brackett's already ordered us to start Narcan. And we couldn't get in an NG tube. He's been convulsing too much." Gil replied. "Oh, great. Treatment two.. Uh, Dr. Morton will be there in a sec right after he deals with another street gang type in with the same problem.." Dixie was about to unwind for a few precious seconds mentally when Station 10 rolled in. They were working a full arrest. "What do you got?" "Police were chasing this guy for stealing an L.A. county rescue squad. He didn't watch where he was running by the harbor, hit his head, and fell into the water. Took us over three minutes to fish him out." "A squad? That explains everything. And from the way he's tattooed, I'll just bet he's related to the other five we've just received in house. Has the whole world gone crazy tonight?" "Must be.." "Treatment Two.. Interrupt Brackett's arm laceration. He's just making a row of stitches neat on another biker type. He can handle your man." Dixie said. She watched her orders being carried out and then got onto the red phone to staffing. "Yeah, This is McCall in Emergency. Could you send down a doctor to finish handling a minor laceration in Two? We've a code in. Thanks.." and she hung up the phone. Dixie looked up and began to wonder when the night would ever end. "I hate full moons." Dr. Early had saundered up to get from Dixie the next patient in from the barrio neighborhood. "Why? I think a full moon is romantic and very beautiful. " he said in his calm soothing way. "Not when it's turning a street gang into a pack of wild maniacs, it's not. A bunch of them just made off with a rescue squad and they had a heyday with the paramedic's drug box." she groused. "I know. I just pronounced one of them.." Early said, rubbing his hand. Both nurse and doctor fell into a somber mood. ------------------------------------------------ Roy and Johnny and the rest of the gang were all nursing steaming cups of old coffee around the kitchen table. Only Martins seemed to have enough energy to play tug of war with Bonnie. "And that should do it boys.." Vince said. "Your accounts here and the fact you finally located a tape recorder should put the last nail in the coffin on this gang's activity. Gage winced. "Let's just hope its not for a real one, Vince. I don't want to find out that anyone died here.. Thanks, buddies.." he said, giving the two officers a small grin as they left the station. Cap leaned back, already showered and in a clean uniform, from his chaise lounge. Bonnie came running over to tug at his shoes in play, but for once, Hank didn't shove her away. "I don't want to even know what Charlie found with the squad when the police called him out to tow it." "Was it spray painted?" Chet asked. "Don't know. Didn't you hear what I just said, Kelly? I don't WANT to know. It's bad enough riding shotgun with another station's squad like we're going to have to do for the rest of the day..." "Sorry, Cap.." Chet said. Marco suddenly set down the phone. "Hey everyone! My mama heard on the news about the squad being jacked and she and Mrs. Bandido have made us some breakfast burritos in sympathy. They're on their way now to drop them off." "Hey hey.." everyone smiled and the kitchen burst into a more happier mood as the sound of a rich meal that was imminent cheered them. Bonnie barked, abandoning Hank's shoestrings and ran around the table until she had her dish in mouth. She sat up, begging. The whole gang laughed. It was fifteen minutes later. The burritos had arrived, were utterly inhaled and the gang was now splayed out on chairs and couchs completely at ease with the world. Then they heard the outer garage doors open and saw Charlie backing the rescue truck into its usual place with his tow truck. Johnny gasped as he saw a peek of it through the kitchen door. The gang left newpapers and chairs to gather round in the pullup garage in a cluster. Roy opened up his mouth in shock and said......... --------------------------------- Photo: Dixie on a red phone. Photo : Cap crashed on a black chair. ***************************** From: "ecrewgroupie" Date: Wed Oct 16, 2002 2:10 pm Subject: "Whew!" >Roy opened up his mouth in shock >and said......... "I can't believe it! Not a ding! Not a dent! Not a mark anywhere!" "Whew!" his equally relieved partner exclaimed, as they finished circling their seemingly unscathed vehicle, "We really lucked out! Man! We gotta be more careful from now on, though. We may not be so lucky next time." "Repeat after me, gentlemen..." Charley coaxed, as he came stomping stiffly up to the reckless pair. "There isn't going to BE a 'next time'!" Squad 51's paramedics cringed and stood there looking like a couple of school boys being taken to task. "I can't hear you..." Charley reminded the men, with a menacing glare. "There isn't going to BE a 'next time'," the pair parroted and continued to avoid any contact with the angry mechanic's narrowed eyes. Seemingly satisfied, the rescue truck's rescuer tossed their Captain the keys and began taking his leave. "Oh" he casually called back over his shoulder, "Before the two of you head off anywhere, you might wanna check out the side compartments..." -------------------------------------------- No attachments. **************************************** From: "Cory Anda" Date: Wed Oct 16, 2002 4:11 pm Subject: Helping Out >Seemingly satisfied, the rescue truck's rescuer tossed their Captain >the keys and began taking his leave. "Oh" he casually called back >over his shoulder, "Before the two of you head off anywhere, you >might wanna check out the side compartments..." Johnny and the others watched Charley depart with a little more fear for his seemingly prophetic comment upon leaving, then they usually had, of him. Cap rubbed his nose, saundered over to a random door of the squad's flanks. And pulled. California kelp oozed out of the rappelling equipment compartment and onto his shoes into a noodled pile. Bonnie started barking at it suspiciously. Cap pursed his lips and said. "Chet, you start on clearing out this litter in here while Roy and John inventory what equipment we still got left.." Hank ordered. "Aww, Cap.." Kelly protested. "Aww, nothing. Tell me you know every single item in the paramedic inventory and I'll let you trade places with Gage and DeSoto. Do you? I'm not hearing anything......" "uh,, not really, Cap.." Chet mumbled. "I rest my case. Now gentlemen. I suggest we get to work. I don't know about you but I'd rather burn some elbow grease getting our squad compartments here back in order than have station 8's here with Brice and company aboard like they're scheduled to be doing starting at 1300 if we can't be absolutely call ready by then. Catch my drift..?" "Boy do we ever.." John said. "Brice might be coming here?" "Yep. So get cracking.." Cap said, clapping his hands together and then he disappeared into his office to change shoes. "I want to squash that possibility before it ever happens. Kapesh..?" his voice floated out to them. "Hey, Cap, uh, I thought we were a team. You know, the all together in this kind of thing.." Gage hollered after him.. "You know. Working through the good and the baddd.." he hinted.. Cap closed his door soundly. Roy peeled off a towel Chet threw into his face into one hand and he regarded Johnny thoughtfully. "You know, Johnny, you'd better ease up venting like that. Cap's a cap. And what he says, goes.." "I know that. I know that.. But why does he always have rank and privilege pull for him whenever he feels like it should? Always seems to happen during the hardest shifts. Especially full moon ones like today's." "Experience has its rewards, Johnny. And bailing out at will just happens to be one of them associated with Captain's rank." Roy said with a small shy smile. "Come on, I'll haul out the gear boxes and O2 to check them and you can get the dressings and splints taken care of, all right..?" Gage nodded and dejectedly followed him to the rear hatches of the trashed squad. Chet ducked when they opened those doors leading to the resuscitative apparatus, as beer cans poured out in a musical tumble onto the floor. Bonnie grabbed one and started growling as she attempted to chew it up. "Hey, give me that.." Gage said. "You'll break your teeth little girl.." and he traded slimy beercan for rawhide bone. "Here, take that.." he said. The toy he gave her was so big, it pulled the tiny dog's head to the floor and she had to tug with all her might to get to her customary spot under the engine to enjoy gnawing on it. Roy dug out all the cans he had discovered, chuckling at Chet's overstrung nerves and got to the O2 equipment and dragged it out. "Well, thank heavens for small mercys. Looks like this apparatus is ok." Johnny flipped open the drug box and found only air. "Not here. Figures.. All the unused syringes are gone too." The I.V. and dressings boxes were untouched, but in the stokes, they found a dummy, stuffed with trash and wearing a sign saying, "Thanks for being the life of the party, fireboys!" Roy heard Marco coughing as he leaned over to scrub saltwater off the hood of the squad and he casually said. "Lopez, check out the resuscitator for me will you? Johnny and I need to get a list together for a reissue of supplies." And he motioned for Gage to follow him into the kitchen with the drug and I.V. boxes. "All right.. " Lopez said, raspily. From around a corner, Roy watched Marco check all the psi readings and visualize the tubing connectors and regulators and then he smiled as Marco did a draw check on the mask over his own face with flowing O2. Lopez smiled as the oxygen soothed his raw throat and he took a few more thinking no one else was watching him. Johnny grinned, poking his partner in the ribs. "You crafty old.. You did that intentionally.." "Course I did.. Did you think that Marco would have let either one of us get any where near that throat after the night we've had.." "No..." Johnny said, shaking his head thoughtfully. "Well there you go.. That 02 will give him relief and take away some of that inflammation of his.." Roy said, as he sat at the kitchen table to check out the conditions of all their I.V. solutions and setups. John was considering Roy's angle of attack on Marco."Hey, Roy, I think I can trick Lopez into drinking my mother's honey birch bark tea to coat that throat of his.." "Not a chance.." Chet said making his way into the kitchen to dump out smeggy water from his bucket into the sink. "He's still sucking away out there and loving it, but ah, about him actually taking real medicine? Uh uh, Gage. Ain't gonna happen. Not in your lifetime." "Oh, really." Gage grinned. "We got him on oxygen therapy without him catching onto us fussing. What makes you think I'll fail with doing more?" Chet finishing filling his steel pail with hot water from the tap."Because Roy here is much better on the sly that you are, Gage. If you try anything else, let HIM do it.." and he walked back towards the garage. "Or, if you two are really concerned about Marco's cough, you can tell Cap about it." Johnny looked at Kelly as if the sky had fallen. "And ruin a great friendship?" "Not to mention the direct tie to a wonderful pair of burrito chefs.." Roy quipped. "That too.." Johnny nodded eagerly. "No way.. Chet. We're not going to resort to that.. Marco's not a baby. We'll just we'll just...uh, " "Fuss over him.." Roy completed for his stammering partner. "Yeah.." "Ok, have it your way.." Kelly said. Then his head peeked around the corner and he added, "I'll let you know how long he uses the demand valve." "You do that.." Johnny said with firm concern. ----------------------------------------- At Rampart, the fiasco with the San Pedro gang, had died down. Dixie, Joe, Mike Morton and Kel Brackett all sat around the nurses' lounge table nursing colorfully etched coffee mugs. None of them were saying much to each other. Until Dixie took her hand away from her chin. "Hey Kel, How did that drowning fare? You know the one who stole the squad from the fire department." "Didn't make it." "Oh," she said, suddenly interested in the cream swirling in her mug. "Sorry.." Joe piped up. "Two of the five aren't going home in body bags at least, Dix. They'll be facing trial for grandtheft auto and impeding official rescue service. Not to mention possession of narcotics." "Ah." McCall said without much vigor. Another long stretch of silence reigned. Until Mike said, "Hey, guys. Did you know that it was 51 whose squad was trashed?" Dix, Kel and Joe all erupted into reaction. "No, I didn't know.." "Oh, my.. Those boys have seen their share of misery this week." "That's too bad. Anything we can do?" Joe added. "I can see if I can swing some funds from the paramedic training program to cover their losses.." Brackett said. Dixie added, "And I and the other nurses can plan a party for the whole gang, to cheer them up a little. How about this weekend? At my place? I've a great little veranda, and a pool." "What a great idea. It'll take their minds off work for a while." Joe agreed. "Then it's settled." Dixie grinned. "As soon as I get off shift, I'll start making plans..maybe even a surprise party angle will work.." "Now wait a minute, Dix." Kel interjected. "How do we know Roy and Johnny's crew haven't already made plans for the weekend?" "Easy to check.." Dix smiled. "We have all the boys emergency phone numbers. We can call their friends, family and spouses to double check. I can do it." "And I'll make the Beef Bourginon." Early piped up. "What are you going to do, Kel?" "Wait a sec, I'm being dragged into this whole thing?" Dixie's look could melt steel. "And why not? You should at least make an appearance as the head of Emergency Services-Rampart ; to show your appreciation for all the hard work your two best paramedics and their stationmates have done for us.. Especially this week. Kel, have you seen their run sheets? They been frought with fatalities..or else, it's those crazy dumpster fires. That's bound to be more than just a little frustrating don't you think?" "Oh, all right. I guess I can bring a bottle of wine or two over for a few hours.." Brackett sighed, giving in to peer pressure. "Well, all right.." Dix said. "Now we have to come up with some entertainment." Mike Morton said, "I can always bring my guitar.." "You sing?" Joe said, almost spitting out his coffee. Brackett tossed him a napkin or two to clean up before the dribble reached his collar and white jacket. "A little.." Morton said defensely crossing his arms. But his smile was mild as he regarded his colleagues. "I do a fair job." "I sing too, doctor. " Dixie grinned. "And I'd be honored if you'd let me sit in on a few songs." "Be my guest.." "Then that's that.." Joe Early said. Everyone took his cue and rose in their seats, eyeing the time running out for their mutual breaks. "I'll let you know what time this Saturday boys.." Dixie said as they dispersed back into the hallway and to their own routines. ------------------------------------------ John looked up when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. "A minute ten. Twenty two breaths, Gage." Chet said, whispering around his newspaper at the table. "What..?" "That's how long and how often Marco connected with the O2 earlier, man. You said you wanted to know.." "Oh, yeah. Right. Thanks, Chet. Seems to have worked. He's speaking more clearly and that cough of his has been less." "One more assist in the bag.." Chet said happily secretive. "His mother will thank us for going through the trouble of fussing like this." "His mother?" "Yeah, she's the one who called Roy asking him to check out Marco yesterday night before we all went to bed." "You actually talked to Rose Marie Lopez?" John said with amusement. "I don't even think I've ever met her.." "Yes, sweet old thing. And we had a nice conversation, too.." Chet said. "Seems Marco's in the market for moving out of the house and into an apartment for the two of them.." "He is?" Roy said, munching on a bagel. "Money problems?" "No, just getting closer to assisted care for his mother. She says she's getting on and would like someone to come in every so often to help her out so Marco can free up more of his time to live his own life.." "She told you that?" Johnny asked, in a whisper. "Yeah, man. Like I said, she's a sweet little old lady who'll talk your ear off just as much as she'll fill your stomach with food you can die for.." Kelly admitted. "Oh. Maybe we should ah, should ..ah, help them out to find ...a place like that, Roy.." John said when Chet retreated back into his funnies section. "What do you think...?" he said uncomfortably rubbing a non existent ache in his neck. "Johnny, don't even go there. You know how private Marco gets with his personal life. If we're having this much trouble getting him cared for following fires, what kind of trouble do you think we'll get into prying into his private affairs?" Roy asked reasonably. "Well, I don't know. I.. I just think we should help him, that's all.." Johnny grinned and frowned with no confidence.. "Uh huh.. Easier said than done buddy boy.." Roy said, and he turned back to his snack, trying not to catch an irresistable snooze that seemed to be creeping up on him in the background. The noon day sun started streaming through the window onto the couch and Bonnie stretched out underneath it luxuriously lengthening her limbs and moaning with a contented whine. Cap quieted her with affectionate scratches on her belly without looking around his incident reports. "Nice job all, on the squad. We're back in business." Marco piped up from the water glass he was sipping gingerly. As yet, Johnny's herbal tea, was untouched. "Anything to keep Brice out of the station.." he quipped. Then he coughed a few times, clearing loosening phlegm from his chest. Johnny and Roy both cocked an ear to hear how those noises had sounded. Then the two paramedics both pursed their lips in grins of success behind their newspaper pages. Things sounded way better for Lopez. The phone rang and Captain Stanley rose to answer it. "L.A. County Fire Department. This is Captain Stanley... uh, huh.. " he said as he listened to his caller. "Uh,.. hang on.." He turned to the other guys and said..... ------------------------------- Photo- The luckless squad with equipment strewn about. Photo- Black and White of the Gang in the Kitchen. **************************** From : Katherine Bird Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Big Brother.. Date : Fri, 18 Oct 2002 21:42:50 +0100 (BST) >The phone rang and Captain Stanley rose to >answer it. "LA County Fire Department. This >is Captain Stanley... uh, huh.. " he said >as he listened to his caller. "Uh,.. hang on.." >He turned to the other guys and said..... "Gage,.. it's a Lydia Montegeaux, calling from San Bernadino, inside our district..." For some reason, Cap was beaming ear to ear. Johnny shot up from his chair quickly to snatch the phone away from Cap to cover the receiver before the entire company erupted into cat calls and hoots and whistles. "WHeeuuueeEEEeeee, way to go, Gage." "Is this that chick you were trying to call last night? Man she must be really hung on you Gage to call back after you didn't." "Another date? Hey fellas, five dollars down he doesn't arrange dinner plans during this phonecall. Put your gatas where your boca is.." Marco rasped. "I'm in.." Mike said, pulling out his wallet and throwing down a crisp five where Marco was pointing on the table top vigorously. Cap just threw up his hands. "You guys are relentless.. Now cut that out.. Give the man some privacy.." They ignored Cap because he was still grinning and even Roy threw down a rumpled bill on top of Chet, Marco and Mike's. John shot acid towards them all , hunching over around the mouthpiece of the phone, turning his back towards the rest of the gang after hissing a few indignant warnings to them all to hush down. Then he completely changed his tone of voice. "Uh, Lydia, Hi sweety. *Smooch* I love you, too. How's your arm today? Yeah? The doctors give you a big cast? Wow, I can just imagine. " he paused and his face beamed into a big smile as he slipped into a bonafide protective mode with his voice. The guys piped down when they realized that Gage was talking to a little girl of all things. All their mouths hung open, then one by one, they all retrieved their betting money back thoughtfully as they more or less politely easedropped. Mike started guessing. "Is this a kid you and Johnny had on a rescue?" Roy shook his head and shrugged. Chet said, "Cap, why didn't you tell us it was a little girl on the phone.." "Because it was none of your business, Kelly, now was it..?" he said from around the sports page. "I tried to warn you all to respect Gage's privacy...." Roy studied his now empty coffee cup and spun it around on its base in deep thought. "Yeah, that you did.." Johnny turned around towards the table again and suddenly finger snapped for a pad of paper and a pen, his green one still on the wordfind he had been working on before the phone call. All the guys hastily shot to their feet, to give the writing pad to him and his trusty pen.. "Give me that..." Johnny said, his voice's bite toned down, when he saw them kowtowing sheepishly to aid him because of their childish behavior a minute ago. He shuffled phone receiver to one shoulder and a chin and said, "OK, I got something to write on, hon. What was that again? 414 Rural route 60, San Bernadino Iduhapi Campground Resort? Yeah, so that was where I was calling into last night . It's that camp you told me about where the counselors take you into the woods and stuff for hikes and then teach Braille. Yes, that's right. You said your grandfather was sending you there this week. Yeah, That's not too far away for me to come visit ya.. I'll be coming.. Don't you worry..After all, I am your "Big Brother".." he grinned, and visibly melted as a very young voice warbled excitedly into his ear. "And I'm sorry about not calling last night like we planned for your cabin's sleepover in the morning in time for sunrise show and tell. I sorta kinda got interrupted..." And he glared at the gang for the treatment he'd received last night trying to contact Lydia. "Huh? No. no.. It's wasn't for a rescue. Just a.. just a tiny garbage fire.. Heh. " and he laughed. "Yeah, there's a lotta garbage in the city, that I'll admit. Yeah, I got it all right here. Your address and everything. You're really close, just a few miles away up in the mountains. I'll write and send ya a care package for you and the other girls all right? Ok. I promise I'll come visit ya on my shift off, yeah, I'll bring my firehat. I promise.. Ok, gotta go. ..Bye bye, Lydia.." And he hung up, smiling to himself hugely as he made his way back over to the kitchen table. The fellas were quiet, absorbing what they had overheard. Then Chet spoke up. "She a niece or something, uh, Gage?" "No..no. I.. I sort of volunteered for the Big Brother Program earlier this spring. Lydia's blind, and I got picked to be her sponsor for the summer. You know.. penpalling, picnics, that sort of thing. You see, Lydia's five and she requested a firefighter for her sponsor. heh. Guess she did that because her own father was one and passed on when she was three in a car accident...And, that's also, how she got blinded..." Johnny said. Then he cleared his throat self consciously. "Well.. now that all your nosy curiosities are satisfied.. I think I'll get back to my puzzles.." he said with a final glare of challenge. He met none, only nods of understanding and warmth. Chet spoke up again. "Wow, Gage, that's that's really something. Being a sponsor and all for her like that. I've heard of the Iduhapi retreat. That's in the heart of the San Bernadino Mountains, isn't it?" "Yep. Halfway between us and Station Ten. Believe it or not, it was Brice who told me about the Big Brother program they had going with the camp. I mean, I couldn't look like a fool and not help out you know what I mean?. He called me about it this spring.." Mike chuckled. "You mean you got suckered into volunteering because Brice was..." Johnny felt pinned when that truth was revealed. He just rolled his eyes and contented himself with tightening his lips. Marco coughed and said, finally sipping Johnny's special tea.. "Amigo, when are the two of you going to stop this one upmanship of yours. I mean. Even your paramedic re-cert scores were the same last month. I can just see it.. Soon, you'll start donating to the same charities in higher and higher amounts just to see who'll top the other.." "Yeah, well I draw the line there.. Brice is Brice is.. not my idea of a fastheld friend but there's station honor to uphold. Our station was the only one who wasn't involved with this Big Brother thing.. Couldn't let that stay that way.." "Appreciate it, Gage.." Cap said. "McConnike called about Station Ten's program and I was very very glad that you were already on the rosters. Only got a grunt of approval from the chief and no inspection dates." he said with relief.. "Glad to have obliged. I wash your back, and you wash m--, oh never mind, Cap. I'm having fun. Lydia's something really special and I'm really glad I can be there for her.." Roy smiled, getting up to fetch the coffee pot. "Want more coffee, Johnny?" he said. "Oh, no thanks." then he noticed Marco drinking his medicinal tea. "Hey, Roy.. He's doing it.." he said, holding up his puzzle page so Marco wouldn't hear him talking about him. "And Kelly here thought I wouldn't be able to get it by Lopez. Hehehe.. shows him a thing or two.." Roy rubbed his forehead. "Yeah, well. As long as Marco's cough goes away I'm happy." "Oh, it will. It will." Johnny said. "Between the two of us, we'll get him squared away." Chet had over heard. "Yeah, that's until the next big fire un-does all that nice preventative work.." "Shhst.." Gage said, knocking on wood. Marco licked his lips, draining the last of his cup and set it down while he read the National Geographic article he was turned to. Gage leaned in to Roy. "Hey, Roy, think I should sneak over there and pour more tea for him?" "Nah, don't over do it.. or he'll catch on.." "You're right." Gage said. "We'll just keep an ear out like we've been doing.." Roy said, "Ummmhmmm." from deep inside his article. Johnny turned back to his puzzle with a good heart, smiling when the next word he found in his paper turned out to be .. 'samaritan.' Bonnie barked when the clock struck one pm and the cuckoo popped out from over the couch, disturbing her nap. All was quiet for the next half hour until.... --------------------------- Photo: Gage smiling like a proud papa. Gif: A District map showing all firehouses in the Emergency show and their locations. Photo: Johnny's fireman's hat. ************************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [emergencytheaterlive] Bonnie's Bad Day Date : Mon, 21 Oct 2002 11:36:53 +0400 >Bonnie barked when the clock struck one >pm and the cuckoo popped out from >over the couch, disturbing her nap. >All was quiet for the next half hour until.... Roy noticed something strange. It made him do a double take from his newspaper. ::What th--?:: he thought. Bonnie had left her couch and was cowering under it, trembling. Roy nudged Johnny, who was deep into writing a pen pal letter to Lydia, the blind girl from his phone call, and he pointed Bonnie out without saying anything. Gage immediately frowned. "Chet, did you go and do something stupid like yell at Bonnie over some infraction or anything?" Kelly stopped working out with his hand held barbells on the exercise mat next to the mop cupboard. "What?Huh?" Then he noticed Bonnie laying low, too. "I haven't moved from this mat, buddy, since your phone call. I'm innocent this time. Maybe she's mad at you. It's your bunk she chooses to use as territory marking post on occasion." "Very funny.." Johnny said. He walked over and noticed Cap watching Bonnie, too, from his black recliner. "Cap, what do you make of it?" "I don't know. Maybe she's sick or something. Her food's hardly touched. Why don't you two go check her out? You and Roy are the stationhouse paramedics here.." he said in a no nonsense tone of voice that was also an order and he arched an eyebrow before turning back to his stocks page. Johnny began a protest, "Cap, I..." Hank briskly folded his paper to another page loud enough to drown out Gage's remark. Then he said, "Do I hear a little bird in here? Sounds like it's tweeting too hard or something.. Marco, why don't you go to the shed and open the main doors so it can get on its merry way.." Chet sniggered and so did Marco and Mike. Roy just rolled his eyes at his long time partner and was the first one to get up out of his chair to amble over to where Bonnie was cowering under the couch beneath Marco's legs. DeSoto knelt on his knees and peered into the darkness under the leather cushions. "Come here Bonnie.. Come on, girl. I just want to take a look at you.." he started baby talking when she picked up her muzzle from the floor and dipped her head at him, rising to her feet. "Yes, let me see you..." The tiny Yorkie whined a bit, and timidly wagged her tail but came finally into his hands. Roy picked her up, scratching her head and sat on the couch with her. Johnny sighed heavily and pushed back with a linoleum wood squeal in his kitchen chair and made a production of joining Roy with Bonnie. The dog was just as shy but affectionate with Gage as she was with Roy and that puzzled both men when nothing seemed amiss with her physically. Johnny said, "Now, Cap. I've been down this doggy exam route before. There's nothing wrong with her that we can tell.." "There must be, Gage. Have you ever known Bonnie to cower and hide before?" Cap countered. Chet piped up, "Not even after she's been using Gage's sheets as a latrine..." The guys laughed. Johnny glared at them. "Ok, all right you guys..So you've had good laugh off me. Now be quiet for a sec.."Then he lifted Bonnie's chin and went nose to nose with her. "Bonnie..Hey, I'm not annoyed at all here.. At least, not with you..." and he shot a look at Chet. "So what's your problem you little wriggling ball of fur?" Bonnie whined again and licked his nose bashfully. Gage caught his breath and pulled away, wiping doggy kiss off. "Yeah,.. love you too.." and he got up again. "Listen, Cap, I don't know what her problem i--hey... I know, maybe she's sick of her food. You know, maybe she wants a change.." "Yeah, a change like staying away from you, Gage.." Kelly said, unrelenting. "Why else would she be singling out your bunk and not anyone else's?" Cap threw an "end of fun" look at Kelly and replied. "Worth a shot there, Gage. Why don't you try some of that bacon from the crisper. There's some left over in there from breakfast." Mike said, "You mean, Marco didn't finish it all?" Lopez vigorously shook his head. "My throat's still rawer than anything. I only wanted a few bites.." "Ok. All right.." Johnny said holding up surrendering hands. "I'll bribe her, just like I do with the cookies at night to keep her from howling.." Bonnie watched Johnny go to the frig, listening to his babytalk tempting, right up until the bacon was held under her trembling nose. Her whine cut off and she sneezed with tension, jumped off the couch and retreated underneath it once more. The whole gang heard her whimpering start up all over again.. Johnny threw up his hands in resignation and shrugged. "I tried.." Then he looked at the bacon in his fingers and decided it looked pretty good so he dropped some of it into his mouth and the rest he slid under the couch with his foot. Cap concluded. "Chalk it up to another Bonnie personality quirk. Michelle did say Bonnie would be very like her mother that way." "Spitting image..." Gage grunted. Roy said, still slumped quietly on the couch. "I don't know.. This Bonnie's got more class. When she has a bone, even Steger on B shift can't get it away from her." "Heh. That's true.." Gage chuckled. Then he put his hands on his hips. "Why don't we just wait and see how she does for the rest of the day. If she's still off by shift change, we can just have them call the V-E-T later.." From under the couch, Bonnie's soft, incessant whines shut up. "Smart dog.." Marco said. "The old Bonnie never caught on to us spelling that word out l-.." Right then the doorbell on the side entrance rang.. "Ah, it's the school kids.." Mike said, "They're here with their teacher to get a tour of the firehouse.." "All right everyone.. Neaten up. Gage, tie your shoe.." Cap ordered. Gage lifted a knee and did so, losing his balance in his haste. Then all stood as Mikelead their guests into the kitchen. "Hello. Glad you could make it.. Everyone..this is Miss Cindy Thorne.. and these, running around us in figure eights, are seven students of hers from the Grover Middleland school.. " Stoker introduced. A short pixie like blond in a scarlet red dress came through the door and took off her sunglasses. "Fireman Stoker. Nice to see you again.. I hope it's not too busy a day today for that tour we prearranged." she said, shaking the hand of the man she had only heard on the phone before. "Not too busy.." Stoker grinned, letting go of her palm. "Glad you made it over. Traffic must have been a bear.." And at the same time.. Gage spoke, too. "No, no.. it's ok. In fact, we've done nothing much in the way of runs today.. except a few alley burns and a bunch of thugs who made off with the sq--" Johnny started up, but Roy nudged him subtly in the ribs in a hint. "Ah,..helped us get a lot of cleaning done today..." Cindy stayed focused on Mike, the one fireman she knew and replied to his comment. "The usual. I had the school van take us over instead of using the bus. I parked it in the back lot, is that ok?" "Sure.. that's fine. That's where we park our own cars.." Marco said. "That's right.." Cap brightened eagerly. "We have uh, milk and cookies for the kids if you'd like after the tour... Fireman Lopez's mother brought some over with lunch just two hours ago..." he said thoroughly gentlemanly. All the gang's faces lit up when the kids excited laughter and chatter about being in a real station house brought back childhood memories of their own and they gathered around the happy throng of seven children. "That's ok, captain. I made sure the kids had eaten before bringing them over. Last thing they need is more sugar. They're rowdy enough as it is.." the pretty teacher said as clusters of girls and boys ran in circles in a good natured tag game around them all. "Ok.. uh, would you like to split up the kids and have my men take one or two each to show them around the firehouse?" Hank asked. "That would be wonderful..Might work out better separating them like that. They can be a handful.." she laughed. " The kids were so excited about coming here for their annual field trip.." "No problem.. They know to rejoin you immediately if the call tones go off for us?" "Yes. We've rehearsed that just before coming here." Chet picked two of the older boys and said, "Right, You and you. We get to play with the sirens first..Race ya!!" and the curly haired firemen with his two shadows headed off in a mad dash for the La France.. "Aww, man.." said one boy not picked, watching them go.. Roy picked him up. "We'll all get a turn. Just be patient there. What Fireman Kelly doesn't know is that MY group gets to wear the helmets first.... Who's coming....?" "Me!! Me!!" came a girl's voice, a blond child dressed in blue and red. "Ok, looks like we go with this young lady here all right..?.." he said, setting down the disappointed boy. Roy and his two children trundled off to the garage shed after Chet's group of two. "Marco, why don't you come with me?" his voice floated back. "We'll get out our two helmets from the squad.." "Sure thing pal.." Lopez said, giving the elementary teacher a jaunty wave of departure. And he, too, disappeared through the kitchen door. Johnny took two more girls, twins, to show them the hoses in the back yard so they could play man the hose by the old engine parked out back. His two children eagerly ran up to the antique and climbed on board it. Cap saw where they were through the kitchen window and grinned when they all heard the brass bell go off as the two girls experimented.. Then he looked down at the final child, a very tiny boy with glasses, still holding his teacher's hand. He knelt by his side. "Hey son, why the long face? I'm the only fireman in this whole station house who's the captain.." "Wow.." he said, eyes getting really big.. "Yeah, so it looks like you and me are the only ones left.. That means we get to do the best thing before any of the others.. Mike's gonna stay back and chat with Miss Thorne here while we get to go do the tour.. Have you ever seen a dispatch radio before?" Cindy, Cap and Mike all grinned, thoroughly captivated by the cute awed expression on the boy's face when he slowly shook his head from side to side in hushed anticipation. Cap went on.."Well, I can let you talk to Sam, the man who calls out all the firemen everywhere to respond on rescues if you'd like.." "Wow.. can I really do that?" Cap winked at Cindy.. "It'll be the afternoon station's check.." he said aside. "Right this way.." Cap said, bending over and taking the herostunned boy's tiny hand into his own big one. They disappeared out to the garage, too, to the radio substation alcove by the big LA County map. Stoker was left with Miss Thorne by the table "Well, have a seat. This may take a while. The gang gets pretty entertaining whenever school tours stop on by...." "I can just imagine..." Cindy said.. as sirens and engine hoots and antique pumper bells filled the air punctuated by animated laughter from both children and firemen alike.. Then she heard a subtle whining that she hadn't noticed before because of her student's happy noises..... "Do you have a station dog around here, Mr. Stoker? I think I'm hearing one." "Oh, yes, That's Bonnie. She's having an off day today. She just started carrying on about two minutes before you and the kids arrived. It's nothing. As far as we can tell there's nothing wrong with her. She's right there under the couch." "Poor thing. She doesn't sound too happy right now at all. One would think that she was upset because of the kids.." "oh, no, Miss Thorne. She's usually running around playing tag with them full throt--" Mike broke off his sentence when Bonnie's crying suddenly ceased abruptly. A subtle low rumble rose from the ground and trembled into a great belching roar that slammed into their ears, shaking Station 51 up to the rafters . Laughter turned to screams from the children as the full teeth of a sudden earthquake threw them to the ground whereever they were from truck or hose like paper dolls. Out in the garage, the tremor burst open the main doors and they squealed in metal shrieks as they rose in their tracks until the fierce shuddering split them apart. --------------- In the fire engine..Chet grabbed his two boys and shoved their heads down onto the floor as he himself ducked as the ceiling came down in the garage, lights, rafter, roof and all, on top of the LaFrance, only narrowly missing Roy's side of the rescue squad. ------------------- Roy had his two students under the squad, and all three were choking on dust from the walls and from the stove's ruptured gas line pouring from the darkened kitchen. He hugged the children's helmeted heads tightly to himself and started to pray.. ------------------- Cap shouted but couldn't be heard over the roar of violated earth moving beneath the foundations. He yanked his terrified student deeper into the comm's alcove and pushed him against the wall to cover him up with his own body as the garage roof caved in behind them over the engine and part of the squad. ------------------- Simultaneously, out in the yard, Johnny managed to grab the two girls with him off the old engine and he brought them to the ground into the only open area away from the yard's brickwalls, before they swayed, disintegrated and collapsed around them. In his worry for the girls, Gage, wasn't fast enough to get himself into the clear. --------------------------- Only twenty feet away, the kitchen was remaining intact, shaking and shuddering. Mike Stoker and Cindy crawled under the swaying, shifting table, with Cindy screaming all the while for the children at the top of her voice. --------------------- Dust and tremendous destructive noise filled the air everywhere, for about a minute more, before silence fell over the place where six firemen, seven children and one teacher had been playing so joyfully a short time before. *** *** Cars on the boulevard outside Station 51, skidded out of control and screeched brakes as their equilibrium was thrown off as the earthquake sputtered and writhed around them. Then an awful quiet fell over stopped traffic as people, one by one, staggered from their halted vehicles. One driver looked up and couldn't believe his eyes. The firehouse he normally drove by everyday, had its garage collapsed down on top of its rescue squad and engine until only its outer walls were standing. "Oh my god..!" he said, "The crew must still in there!" and he and others rushed forward, but the earthquake had sent the water from burst hydrant out front, high into the air and smothering clouds of dirt and dust kept them from getting closer to the partially downed firehouse. From inside.. There was no sound coming at all until the tones for the California EBS system began to issue from the place the dazed auto driver knew was the station's radio alcove. A dispatcher's voice took up a new note of urgency when his board showed one base station horribly dark off his channel monitor. ##Station 51. Topological Survey reports a Richter Scale Class ground tremor in your vicinity. What's your comm and station status? ...Station 51, This is L.A. Respond....## Outside, the disbelieving driver didn't know if there was anyone still left alive in the rubble he was seeing to answer the call... ----------------------------- Photo : A very cute Bonnie wearing a red bow. Photo : The Station with both doors open, getting a tour with kids in the yard. Photo : A pile of red tumbled bricks in close up. Photo : A crushed fire engine. Photo : Station 51's block, levelled by an earthquake. Avenue and power lines in front are intact. Gif : The Emergency! title in red. Gif : An Earthquake alert symbol and icon in red and black. Audio : The disaster all call speaker tones, for four alarm call. ************************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Aftermath Date : Mon, 21 Oct 2002 19:54:57 +0000 >##Station 51. Topological Survey >reports a Richter Scale Class ground >tremor in your vicinity. What's >your comm and station status? >...Station 51, This is LA. Respond....## In the blackness, the boy with glasses looked up. He could see a yellow light flashing on the radio over his head and could hear the dispatcher speaking. He was crying steadily in small sobs from where he sat up against the brick wall, and he looked out into the daylit ruins of the garage. A steady cloud of water misted from the shattered hydrant by the street into the bay and cleared away some of the worst of the dust. ##Station 51. Transmit HT as an alternative. All bands have been cleared for you. This is L.A.. Respond....## The boy looked down. Next to him on the ground was the fireman who said he was captain for the others. He was lying on his stomach and not moving. Remembering what his mother taught him about helping people, he got up, pushing wood chards and debris off of himself, he quickly snatched the microphone off its spigot and held it to his mouth. He knew about CB radios because his dad had one. "Mister... I'm in the fire house! The roof came down and I can't wake the captain fire chief.... Hurry!.." he sniffed, very frightened. Around him, rising warm wind from the outside and sounds of frightened people on the avenue filtered in to him. Gasping, the boy could see another foot underneath the red vehicle in front of him. It was Susie, his friend's, and it was starting to move as if someone were pulling her. There was a long pause as L.A. checked to be sure things were switched to a one to one frequency. Then..Sam's voice came back on the air.##Son. Understood. I've got help coming. It's on the way. ## Robbie could hear multiple call signs going out on the air behind the man's voice. All he could think about was that it was alot of numbers. 8, 10, 127 ,36, Batallion 14... He started to memorize them in his shock but the dispatcher man's voice dragged back his attention.. ##What's your name?## "R-Robbie.. my teacher's name is Miss Thorne.. We were here on a tour of the firehouse. " ##All right Robbie..There's been an earthquake and that's why things are fallen down. Do you think your fireman Captain Stanley, is still alive? ## Sam asked. "Yes.." Robbie replied. "He's making noises." #Good. How many besides your teacher were with you..?## "Seven, sir.." ##Ok. Now, I want you to get out of there if you can. Can you see the daylight from the main doors. Are they open?## "Y-yeah. But its hard to see... The fire hydrant's on and there's a funny smell in here.." Sam was side keying a dispatch to the gas company to shut off service to that block with one hand. He turned back to his microphone to Robbie, still inside the shattered fire station. Already, he was getting citizen's reports about further damage to the building next to Station 51 and minor reports of some more in nearby warehouses. But none were as bad as those coming in about the station house. #Robbie. Drop the microphone and leave. It's not safe for you to stay. Don't worry about your teacher and other classmates. There are more firemen and police on the way who'll take care of them. Now go.## L.A. heard the line disconnect as the child dropped the radio mike. Sobbing.. Robbie, gave one last look at Cap, who was moaning as he started to awaken, and crawled over him and over brick piles and sections of the ceiling rafters. He made his way through the spraying water from the ruptured water line and safely outside the collapsed garage. Sam switched to Station 51's HT frequency and started hailing. ##Station 51. This is L.A. monitoring on handheld frequencies bands. Your situation is noted and assistance is on the way...Gas company has been notified....Station 51, do you copy?## ========================== Once Robbie was outside, the auto driver who had stopped earlier, snatched him up. "Are you all right, son? Where were you?" He cast his eyes on the still dusting, smoking debris of the main garage. He couldn't see where the boy had come from at all. "I was in there..on a field trip..But I talked to the radio dispatcher man and he has other fire engines coming!" But then the situation proved too much and the tiny boy fainted in the man's arms. The group of people from the avenue gave shouts of dismay as the man lowered the boy to the cracked concrete of the boulevard to make sure he was all right. No one had the presence of mind to go into the firehouse, distracted because of their concern for the pale boy. ======================= Roy coughed and looked over his shoulder just in time to see Robbie safely getting out. His arms were full of two weeping little kids, still in their tour helmets. Marco, was nowhere to be seen. ::He was right here next to us...:: Roy thought, peering around in urgency. Overhead, he could hear the actions L.A. was taking to aid them all. He snatched up a handy talkie from inside the squad's shattered driver's window when the squad door didn't open. "L.A., This is Squad 51.. Still here. Stand by. I gotta get some of these children out..Will advise once I know more." Roy could almost hear the sound of audible relief in Sam's voice. ##10-4, 51. ETA of responding units is four minutes..## Already, Roy could hear PD sirens growing in the distance as they wove around scattered stopped vehicles on the boulevard. Roy wiped away blood from his forehead and he shouted, "Cap!!" "Ughhh..h.." came a moan from his left. Roy turned to the boy and girl, gripping their arms. "Now did you see where that little boy just went? He was getting out to safety.. Now I want you to follow him.." "We don't want to leave you..." one of them cried. "It's ok to be scared. But there are people out there who are going to be able help you better than I can in here. You're going to be fine.. I'll show you exactly where to crawl out.." Roy gasped. He lifted them over sections of the roof and winced as cold hydrant water covered them all. ::At least a fire can't start in here.:: He glanced down where he saw Cap struggling to sit but Cap waved him on even as he held his sore head. "Go, DeSoto.. Finish what you're doing.. I'm ok.." Hank said. "I'm not going to go anywhere until you're with me.." "All right.. Here, Cap.." and Roy tossed him the HT he had retrieved. He started shouting even as he picked up each child and watched them go through the tangle of metal garage door sheeting to the street. "Marco! Chet! Answer me!" A blast of an air horn from the engine under the worst of the debris pile cut through the hiss of spouting water and Roy smiled. ::Chester B, am I glad to hear you. You must've gotten your boys into the cab all right..:: Roy saw drivers intercept his tour kids even as they clustered around the first little boy lying in the street who was already waking up from his faint. DeSoto leaned heavily on the garage frame for only a moment before he went back towards the squad. Only half of it was buried. He touched Cap on the arm, who had staggered to his feet to hang onto the squad's mirror. "You better?" he asked as he pulled the passenger side door open for the paramedic helmets there and got out the two turnout coats from the side compartment he could reach. He handed Johnny's to Cap to wear and put on his own. "Yeah, I think so. I think a board hit me in the head when I pushed the boy out of the way..." he gasped, catching his breath.. "I heard Kelly's blast just now. Any sign of Lopez?" Roy shook his head. "Not yet." Then he thought of something else. "Mike!!" And he yelled to the kitchen which was now dark. A part of the roof outside had fallen over the window, blocking out the sunlight. The smell of gas was very strong when they both got there to where the door was partially jammed open. Looking through the cracked glass window in the door, they saw a pair of legs on the floor... Lopez's... "Marco?!!" Roy started to push on the door, trying to break it out of its jammed frame. "No, you need an air bottle in there. Go!" Cap said, pulling him away. Roy ran back to the squad, shoving and kicking away debris to get to the right store compartment. He got on his tank in record time. He was back at the kitchen entryway when Cap finally got the door open with a crowbar. Hank coughed as a wall of gas boiled out over him. "Get him out first. Then go back for Stoker and the woman.." Cap ordered Roy as DeSoto put on his face mask and reset his helmet over it.. A small form shot out from under their feet, from the darkness, yelping.. It was Bonnie.. She disappeared through a crack leading to the backyard as if on a mission.. Roy sighed in relief.. "Bonnie's alive. Gas can't be too bad in there.." he shouted through his face plexiglass. He got to Marco and grabbed him by the shoulders. Even as Roy did so, he shouted. "Mike!! Miss Thorne!!?" He couldn't see anything at first as his retinas still burned with sun dazzle.. But then he saw that the side door had been chopped down with an axe and opened and he caught a brief glimpse of Stoker carrying out Miss Thorne into the only direction he could, into the backyard.. She seemed out cold and he seemed to be hurrying more than just because of the gas danger. ::She must be worse off than Marco if Stoker left him behind.:: Roy thought. Then Cap's HT crackled as Roy finished dragging Marco out near where outside air was pouring through the children's escape hole washing away the gas fumes. Roy listened to a new incoming voice even as he watched Cap get Marco's airway secure for a listening check. It was Chet.. ##I'm ok, and two twin girls and the boys who were with me. We're out in the yard! I don't see Gage. But I think I know where he is.. Bonnie's digging through a brick pile..## came Kelly's voice. ##The woman's respiratory arrested. Stoker's working on her now.## Roy pulled off his mask and tank and snatched up the HT Cap had left on Marco's stomach. ##We hear you Chet. Hang on. Marco's unconscious, too. Let us get a handle on his situation and we'll be right there! We got the rest of the kids out. L.A.'s on the ball and the gas is getting shut off..## He heard the sirens from the approaching police car arrive and shut down. Very soon, Roy heard someone climbing over the debris in the driveway and a face peered into the place in the torn main doors where the children had gotten out. It was Vince. "You boys ok in there?! Everyone's fine out here by the road!" Roy shouted from his place by Cap and Marco, talkie still in hand and to his ear, listening to Chet's continuing report even while he shouted at Vince. "Go to the yard Vince!.. Johnny's trapped and Stoker and Chet's got an arrest victim.. We'll get out there with the gear soon as we can..Marco needs us right now." He ducked when Vince's body weight and movement jarred tilted rafters and made plaster pieces fall onto the three of them as he hastened to go where directed. Roy glanced back down to Marco, removing his overcoat. "Cap, is he still breathing?" -------------------------- Photo: Cap outside in a closeup. *Animated gif* Flames, burning low. Photo : The Gang in the station garage bay around the squad and engine. Photo : Close up of the Squad's gearboxes in their storage racks. Gif: The word "quick" in melted and burning metal, wafting smoke. Photo : Closeup of Roy outside, wearing a stethoscope. ***************************************** Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 23:37:20 -0700 (PDT) From: "Patti Keiper" Subject: Digging by Daylight.. Hank looked up. "Barely. He's gonna need O2 and I think something else is wrong with him. He feels awfully hot to me." "Yeah well, we gotta get him out of here first. Who knows when the gas company will get L.A's stop order. This earthquake might have given them higher priorities.." Roy said. "Last thing we need is 100 % O2 mixing with all the fumes in here." "Hey..Knock it off, t-that's my line." Cap quipped. Roy grinned, which levelled, as he concentrated on a quick assessment of Marco's condition. He got a grip on Lopez's carotid, and paused as he got an initial breathing rate visually. "Marco's doing well enough for an evac, Cap.. Watch him a sec. I'm going to see if I can free up a stokes for him and the resuscitator. Stoker's gonna need it if that school teacher's down too deep." "I remember hearing about her.." Cap shook his head, trying to clear it. "Yeah. That's right..S-Sounds like a plan.." Roy looked up at Cap. "Hey. You all right to be alone for a bit? You still look groggy." "It's nothing. I'm only a little woozy. Go.." he said, meeting Roy's eyes evenly with his own to show the truth in his words. DeSoto studied Cap for a moment but was finally convinced. He ran. He got to where the squad's rear compartment was and started to lift off rafter beams and ceiling pieces until he got down to the rescue truck's heavy equipment locker doors. Miraculously, he got everything he needed free in half a minute. He set the biophone, drug box, defib, O2, and the I.V. box next to the squad stokes on the brick strewn floor in the only narrow space available. Along the wall map's baseboard. On a whim thought, he grabbed shovel. ::There's not much digging Chet and Vince can do getting to Johnny with their bare hands.:: That done he shouted. "Cap.. How're you doing?!" Hank didn't answer right away. "Cap?!' "Huh? I'm fine. I'm fine.. What do you got over there?" Cap said. Roy moved to check out the split garage doors where Bonnie had run through to get to the back yard. He smiled and just about cried when he saw almost a two meter gap. :: Tipped on its side, the stokes could pass through that rear door fissure easily..:: "Found a way out. I'm coming back!" And he ran back through the dusty mist to the front of the garage, almost leaping over the debris piles. "Cap..did you hear me? We're getting outta here.." He screeched to a halt when he rounded the fender of the squad. Cap was crouched, still squatting on his feet, almost on top of Marco, but he was slumped over with his head sagging down. Roy grabbed his shoulder, his stomach flipping. But Cap immediately lifted his head. Recovering from his fright, Roy spelled it out in no uncertain terms. "Hey, are you going to be able to do this, Cap? If you're feeling hurt worse than you think you are, I can go get Ch--" "No. Roy, let's just get him out now. I'll sit down once we're outta danger.." Cap said, looking at his paramedic. He grabbed onto Marco's feet and picked them up, while Roy got his shoulders. "Come on.. Let's move. Look, his resp rate's already dropping off. Marco won't be able to wait much longer for O2 if you detour. Besides, neither Kelly nor Vince will want to leave trying to get Gage outta trouble without a fight. And that will cause a serious delay my friend.. Don't tell me that it won't." He wasn't happy, but Roy didn't protest further. It took several minutes, with Cap stumbling and sweating over boards and bricks for both of them to get Marco safely enscounced into the stokes and strapped in. They piled all the gear on top of him for a one trip carry, until they got to the split in the rear hanger doors Roy had found. Roy gestured for Cap to head on through first to accept gear in hand-offs. Soon the three of them were free from the shattered ruin of station 51's garage, and into clearer air and sunlight. Cap grunted when he saw the level of destruction around them in the yard. The high tan brick walls ringing the station were completely levelled. "My god, the epicenter must have been right here.." He barely got stumbling to where Mike was when he dropped Marco's stokes the last few inches to the ground. Roy said, "Think you're right, Cap. Now just take it easy over there.You've done all you can do.." he said as Cap sat painfully down next to Marco's head to monitor him. DeSoto grabbed the 02 apparatus and handed it over to Stoker, who was listening to a tentative recaptured air exchange on Miss Thorne. "How's she doing?" he asked Mike. "Got her partially back. She's breathing one out of three." he said, snatching for the demand valve. He began to use it full flow, letting her pull air when she could but assisting and taking over when she lapsed. "I got lucky. She never lost a pulse." Then he tossed a head back behind him. "You'd better get over there, buddy. Chet and Vince are having problems digging Gage out." "Is he conscious?" "Don't know.." Mike answered. "Sort of had my hands full here." "I'm going over there. She'll maintain all right. Here's more info on them." Roy dragged Marco's stokes near enough to the O2 so he could string a mask from the other port for Lopez. "Marco's really out. Breathing shallow. And he's febrile for some reason. Keep an eye on Cap, too. Possible head injury.." he said setting a ten liter flow for Marco through a non rebreather. Mike nodded. "Ok. Got it. Roy, I think the woman's problem is just the gas exposure. Nothing fell on either one of us at all.." "Noted. I'll contact Rampart as soon as we know about Johnny, too.." Roy said. He grabbed the shovel he and Cap brought and ran around the antique engine towards where he could hear Bonnie barking. On the way, he met the four tour students they all had gotten out of the station. "It's all right kids. Your teacher's not dead. We're just helping her on some oxygen. Your friends are safe, too, out in front. Just wait here where it's safe in the open. Don't go anywhere, all right?" Four heads nodded. The kids were shivering where they were clinging together seated on the ground, mousy with emotional shock. But Roy didn't see any critical problems on them so he left them alone in Mike's line of sight. He ran faster until he got to where Bonnie was letting the dirt fly high. Chet and Vince were in high gear too, still trying to dig next to a frantic Bonnie. Vince was beginning to get desperate, using his helmet. Roy dropped down onto the brick pile and laid to with his spade fighting down unbidden fears. "Heard anything?" "Not a peep." Chet said just as anxious. "There's NO way we can get to him, man. There must be half a ton of bricks here. This is where the hose tower was.." "Just keep digging. There's gotta be an airpocket or something under there." Vince said. "We hope.." Chet said. Kelly's shortness made Roy try to ease his doubts even as his own grew worse. "Part of the stack was reinforced concrete and wire. That wouldn't collapse flat." Roy said. ::Johnny. Hang in there.:: For several tense moments, there was just the "chuck" of helmet and shovel and bare hands, biting into soil and rubble. Then Kelly said, "Hold it! Hold it! Look!" Bonnie had moved to a different area of the debris pile and was cocking her head at a sound just beneath her. She began to dig madly and the pitch of her barking changed to one of excited discovery. There was a small cave beneath her and in her eagerness, she dashed inside of it. "Bonnie. No!!" Kelly warned. But the tiny Yorkie's tail reemerged unscathed, and soon, came the rest of her. When her head followed out of the hole, Gage's dusty sock and foot were tightly in her mouth. "Johnny!!?" Chet yelled, and he shoved Bonnie aside to bury his head into the hole up to the shoulders with both hands, reaching deep. "He's alive.. I can see him." came his muffled report. "His arms and shoulders are pinned pretty good in here. I think a small chamb--" There was another cave in and a plume of dust hissed out of the fissure and Kelly let out a startled yell. Vince grabbed onto his belt in a tackle to keep Kelly from slipping under the ground even further. His efforts proved just how unstable the regolith in their area was. Another collapse came, this one bigger and heavier. Suddenly, both Johnny and Chet started to thrash in panic as their airspace suddenly filled up in choking dirt and brick. Vince hauled Kelly out by his pants, with every sinew of strength, until inch by inch, the curly haired fireman was pulled free.. Chet gasped and choked on chalky grit that had blown into his nose and mouth. "Get him out of there!! *cough* The whole roof caved in.*cough. cough*" Roy started to dig underneath where Johnny's leg was writhing as quickly as he dared. It was Bonnie who found Gage's other pinned leg, twisted above the first just before his struggles began to weaken. Vince and Roy abandoned helmet and shovel and quickly each hauled on a leg full weight backwards, sliding awkwardly on the slippery brick pieces. "Come on. Let go.." Vince grunted to the earth. "He can't breathe.." Johnny's limp head dragged clear at last and thunked over a few boulders when all three of them fell on their butts. "Johnny. Can you hear me?" Roy shouted. He crawled to Johnny's head, accidently jarring him in his haste to get an answer.. Gage's mouth gaped open. A rock was inside blocking off his throat. Roy hooked it free with a couple of fingers.. "Johnny? Hey.... It's gone.. Come on spit it out." he said, slapping his partner's face, lightly. The sudden sting to the skin on his rock rubbed raw face, drove Johnny to full wakefulness and he flopped over onto his side, coughing wetly. He threw up a lot of dirt and mucous until he gasped in; the first solid breath of air he had taken since he'd been buried. "*Hack* Whaa? Roy?....*gasp* Oh man... I thought.. I wasn't ever ........gonna make it......out of t-there.. " Roy dropped his head in relief.. "So did we... Just keep breathing regular. You're still blue.." Gage added more as his head cleared. "Thanks for trying to shield me, Chet. Almost worked." and he sagged onto the ground in exhaustion, grateful to be seeing daylight and moving air. Then hypoxia nausea rose up and he got sick again. ::Mud this time. Better from my stomach than from a lung or two..:: "Got it all out?" Roy asked, still hanging onto him when he was through. Johnny nodded, without opening his eyes. "Yeah.. I think so." "Believe it or not, you're completely pink now after all that.." "I feel green.." "Just lie still for a sec. Hurt anywhere else besides your hand?" Roy asked. "My hand?" Johnny said, picking his head up and peering down. A bent rod was embedded through the bones in his left palm and was sticking out the back of it. "Aw Roy, why did you tell him about that? Now he's gonna freak out.." Chet said. "Oh, man.." Gage said, ignoring both of them. He curled around himself as his eyes seemed to reconnect his nerves centers into a core of agony through his impaled hand. "Royyyy?... this just isn't my day...ah, h*ll.." he grimaced. Chet was still coming down from Johnny's close call. "Not everyday a full moon earthquake scores a direct bullseye on Johnny Gage..That's for d*mned sure. " And he laughed. He stopped immediately when Gage caught his breath, around another spasm.."Oooo. Come on. It's time to get up Gage. If we let you think about it too long, you're going to have to be carried out of here." he said gently.. "l'll tape that immobile after we get ya over to the biophone." Gage let the three of them sit him up and then with a groan, he let the burly Vince lift him bodily to a very shaky pair of feet. Bonnie nearly leaped somersaults when she saw her favorite fireman finally standing vertical. She barked happily, frisking in the dust, until she saw the huddle of frightened kids by the old engine. She dashed off to be with them in a cloud of dirt.. Very soon, the kids snapped out of their dazed stares to timidly reach out to pet her dirty back. "Would you look at that.. Bonnie works better than smelling salts." Gage grinned, halting them all. "You owe her a ton of bacon, my friend. She's the one who found you, Johnny.." Kelly commented. "Well I'll be.." "Come on Captain Hook, let's get you cleaned up. If we don't hurry, you just might have to stay this way...." Roy quipped, glancing down at Johnny's speared hand. "Oh ha. Aren't you funny.." Gage replied sarcastically. He shifted his weight as Roy moved his good arm over a shoulder. Then he paled, when he saw what was dripping on his shoes. "What makes you think I wanna work after this?" DeSoto went on with his interrupted sentence.. "We've got three injured patients to attend to, not counting you. Don't worry, I'll let you black out if I have to, just as soon as another squad gets here to relieve you.." Roy nodded for Chet to start applying pressure to Johnny's brachial artery when the wound around the rod started to spurt as Gage's blood pressure rallied with his mental clarity. "You're all heart.." Johnny grinned weakly. As soon as they all got over to the others, Johnny promptly forgot his hand. "Chet, let go of me.. Just put a tourniquet on this. If I have to work, I'll do it verbally, You can at least get vitals sets.. Roy, what do we got? Looks like Miss Thorne's the worst of them.." he said, reaching over with his good hand to get the band Chet needed to stop his hemorrhaging. Gage grabbed it out of one of the gear boxes Mike had flicked open for him, between one of his positive pressure valve ventilations he was delivering to the stilled teacher. Roy said, "Natural gas inhalation. On her and Marco both. He's breathing ok, but she's partially unresponsive. Marco's also got an unexplained elevated temp. Cap found it assessing him. Cap's got a slight concussion I think. He was out for a while. I haven't gotten a look at his pupils yet.." "Chet you go handle that while Roy calls us in." Gage snapped. "Stop fussing with me." "Right. Almost got this secure.." Chet said, giving one last yank on the tourniquet around Johnny's upper arm. "There.." he smiled, biting a lip. "Going numb?" "Not fast enough..." Gage peeped in pain. "Good. You're set. " His eyes flickered downward.. "Give me that.." and he pulled out Johnny's penlight from his pocket to look at Cap. "Walk me through the neural, Johnny. I've only seen you guys do this a few times.." he said seriously, then he beamed, full charm, smiling at Cap as he knelt by him. "Hiya Cap. Great to see you winking those peepers at me. Thought you were dead for a sec in there. .." he leaned in with his light.. "This won't hurt a bit.." Johnny began instructing Chet by rote what things to look for. Soon, he had the info needed to share with Roy when he was ready on his end. DeSoto threw an eye on Miss Thorne to count the actual times she tried to breathe around Stoker's vents and he shivered in utter weariness. The initial adrenaline he always got in a crisis, was leaving him, letting him feel every bump and ache the earthquake had imparted to him. ::But.....It sure feels great knowing no one died. It could have been worse...:: He coughed once to clear out the acrid dust in his throat. Then he started writing in his note pad the findings in prep for a medical base station hail. Trussed up and no longer bleeding like a stuck pig, Johnny checked the psi on the regulator of outgoing 02 on the apparatus feeding Marco and the teacher's masks. ::Plenty of oxygen left here.:: he thought with satisfaction. He even nodded with approval when Chet was simply perfect getting an accurate BP off Marco where he lay in the stokes. ::94/60. Not too shocky..:: Gage thought after Chet had told him what it was. A minute later they all heard a chorus of sirens as the first of the responding stations rolled up to their scene. It looked strange seeing firetrucks actually rolling TO a firehouse, with all their reds flashing. Cap got on his walkie talkie as soon as he bird eyed the number on the pumper's door. "Engine 51 to Station Eight. We've got four victims in the yard. B-- -uh,...Bring three s-stokes.." The fast reply from Eight's Captain Stone made it clear that they knew who at least one of those stokes was for. ##Hank? Hang on. We're coming. Looks clear along your south exposure. Man what a mess. Hope you aren't bad yourself..## "I'm fair.." Cap replied. "Watch it in there. Gas leak in the kitchen. And don't tell me any details about the engine or the squad. I simply don't wanna know..We just pulled one of them back from the brink only this morning..!" he wailed. Nearby, Roy grinned and mentally downgraded Cap's medical status a few notches after overhearing his joking remark.. He brought the black phone receiver to his ear and plugged in the red comm box's aerial antennae. ##Rampart this is Squad 51, How do you read?## --------------------------- Photo : Chet Kelly sneering in jest. Gif : A resuscitator in a green case with the PPV connected up. Photo: A screengrab from Snakebite with Johnny on top of the engine, Chet and Marco nearby. ******************************* From: "Cassidy Meyers" Date: Fri Oct 25, 2002 7:58 pm Subject: Hard Run.. Special acknowledgements to Story Consult-- Justafan1701- on LACoFD Telecommunications and earthquake seismology. Mike looked down as Cindy Thorne started actively coughing under the resuscitator. He lifted it free to make sure she wasn't getting ill. "Easy.." he said as she began to struggle as some consciousness returned. He sighed in relief when he saw that she wasn't sick at all. "Miss Thorne. Keep this over your face. It's just an oxygen mask. You took in some gas in there from the stove but you're going to be fine." "Oh,hhh... Robbie? Rachael?....I can't see any of them.!" she said, gasping, knocking Mike's hands away. Cap near them turned from Marco. "Cindy! No.." he shouted and they both grabbed her head and shoulders when she suddenly sat up. Immediate dizziness almost made her pass out again. "Stoker, she's probably just worried about the kids. Hang on there a sec, pal." Cap took her face into his hands, cradling her cheeks, until he made full eye contact. "Cindy? It's all right. They're all out.. You are, too. Now just lie back down and let us make sure that you're ok. Help's already here from another engine company and we'll be outta here just as soon as we can. But first, you gotta take in some more O2. It'll help clear your head. And it will make you feel a h*ll of a lot better. All right?" Cindy coughed, trying to focus on Mike and Cap blearily, but finally, she let them lower her back down to the ground when their calm reasoning finally registered in her brain. Then she noticed Marco, "Oh, is he ok? He's hurt!..." she gasped, blinking in distress. "He's fine. His story's the same as yours." Mike said to her. "He's just decided to nap a bit longer than you.." Cap shot eyes at Stoker and he nodded in agreement for her benefit. "Now, just keeping breathing this in. " Hank said, setting the O2 back over her face.."That's it.. Nice and easy. Stoker's gonna stay with you for a while here until you get your equilibrium back." "But.." she said weakily, muffled through the mask as she tried to get used to it being there. "Don't worry about your students. There's a police officer here who'll watch the children for you.." he looked up.. "Annddd...right now, it looks like most of them are playing tag with our station dog..They're just fine, really." Cap said matter of factly with a huge grin, brushing hair and debris out of her face. Cindy Thorne closed her eyes when her shock suddenly overtook her mental will. "Oh, ..I've got to..reach their..paren--.." "We'll do that soon. Just rest for a bit. I'm sure tha--" Mike broke off his comment when she blacked out. He moved a hand to her carotid as she went limp. Cap eyed him but he waggled his head. "She's all right. Still moving air on her own. There's resistance here." he said, checking with a test vent on the mask into her lungs. "Got a pulse rate about 100. I'll get an actual draw count for DeSoto when he's set.." Cap sat back down onto his rump, letting his weariness show in his face again. He gingerly felt the back of his head and it came away bloodied. "Good. Keep on her, Stoker.. I'll get back to Lopez." Roy was only half aware of the teacher's brief episode of awakening. He was concentrating on listening close to the biophone. "Rampart this is rescue 5-1. Do you copy?" ** Static ** Roy changed channels on the biophone, to the little used all call band, redirecting his comm transmission to HQ LA. "L.A., this is squad 51, is our channel clear to Rampart? We can't seem to raise them." ** Static ** Johnny looked up from watching Chet immobilize the rod running through his hand, trying not to wince. "Think the repeaters are out?" he asked Roy. "Maybe.." DeSoto said. "L.A. must be scrambling to get an all stations check and haven't found out that our district's radio relay is down." "He got through before.. I heard him when the kids and I were still ducking down in the engine cab." Chet said. "That was landline, Chet." John said. "We were in the stationhouse." "I know. Things can change quickly following an earthquake.." Kelly said. "But, you know how good those guys are about reestablishing a comm net once a problem is detected." "Well, Miss Thorne and Marco can't wait." Roy said. He lifted his HT. "L.A., this is Squad 51." ##Go ahead, 51..## "Our radio telemetry seems to be out on our biophone. Is there anyway you can relay to Rampart General Hospital for us? We've four victims that need a doctor's attention right away.." There was a longer than average pause. Even Cap looked up at the delay. ##Squad 51. All channels have been utilized for emergency broadcast communication only. Disaster protocol is in place. Suggest using a landline to Rampart. If the telephone line to the station house has been effected, payphones are showing as still in service in your area. ## "Payphones?" Gage said incredulously. Cap piped up.. "Yeah. Payphones. They've got underground cabling. The same dirt which knocked out the repeaters alignment must have cushioned the payphone network. Makes sense. DeSoto, free up off the biophone. Let the man work. We'll try his suggestion first.." Roy shrugged, uncertain and embarrassed he even bothered L.A., who was now set in a higher priority moding. "10-4, L.A. We copy. We'll 10-8 to a landline." #Squad 51..# the head dispatch acknowledged. "Cap, why didn't you tell me not to biocall?" "Quite frankly, Roy, I'm not up on earthquake scenarios past the basics. I was in the dark just as much as you were. First time I've ever been in one." Hank shrugged. "First time for me, too.." came the voice of Captain Stone, from very near by. He waved his men over with the requested stokes and they clustered around the group in Station 51's shattered backyard. "So, far, we've all been using HT's. But only between units. I found out from McConnike about the landline trick for our rescue squad." "Who's here?" Gage piped up. "Gil and Brice...They're getting the 02 and their gear. We figured you boys wouldn't have had much equipment left after that.." Stone replied throwing a thumb over his shoulder at the rubble between the bunkhouse and kitchen ends of station 51. "Cap. We've been inside. The gas is off and we're already opening holes to ventilate. All the fumes are gone. And believe it or not. Your kitchen phone is working. Gil's already got Rampart on the line for you. Switch to our station's frequency on your handheld to get him. He's set to relay." Roy spoke up, "Thanks, Captain Stone. But I think I should field that call personally. I've got all our patient info up here.." and he pointed to his head. "One to one, that way, with the doctor would be faster." "Fair enough. I'll send Gil out here to assist Brice on treatment." Stone shrugged. They all turned when some of Engine 8's crew dropped down the rest of the rear door from the mangled garage using a short K-12 application, offering easy access back into the shattered heart of Station 51. "Oh, man.." Cap groaned. "I didn't want to see that.." he said as a falling rafter kicked loose from a wind gust, and smashed into the main dome light on top of the Ward's cab, pulverizing it. Vince piped up to Stone's men. "Ok, let's get these kids out of here. They're students from Grover Middleland school. That's their teacher lying over there. Move out. I've got additional squad cars here so we can evac all of them." Firemen moved to escort the frightened children away from the scene. Roy rose to his feet. "Johnny. Hey. I've got to go back inside. Take it easy now. And try to get along with Brice, huh? He's going to be senior assessor here, even over you, all right?" He jogged, gripping his handy talkie, and ran by Brice, who was coming, helmeted, with gear. "I know that. I'll be a professional!" Johnny shouted after his partner. He winced when the effort shot a bolt of pain through his hand. "That's professional patient, Gage. The moment Squad 8 got on scene, they bumped you out of service, man.." Chet said. "Don't rub it in, Chet." Johnny spat. His anger was tempered when Bonnie, suddenly free of her children charges, came running up. She reared up, planting kisses of worry and affection onto his chin. Johnny smiled in spite of himself. Brice rushed by Roy without even looking fully at him.. "The woman?" Roy said, running in the opposite direction. "Still breathing.. Marco's gas inhalation too!" he shouted after him. Roy wheeled, reluctant to leave the yard, until Cap re-enforced his departure to the kitchen phone with an arched eyebrow.. Captain Stone was on DeSoto's heels to make sure that flashlights were delivered to the dark kitchen for Roy's note dictation via landline. He sent more men arriving from the responding units to the surrounding area to cruise for trouble spots beyond Station 51's scene. As an after thought, he got his engineer to pull up 51's squad and the LaFrance out of the garage once the worst of the roofing debris had been pulled off of them. Stone huffed a breath on his sleeve and polished the door handle of the engine when he saw Hank watching him once the two trucks were free of the garage rubble. Cap chuckled when he saw that little move and lifted his HT. "Needs a lot more than a wax job, Ben.. Appreciate it, though." Stone added, ##I'll have my crew check em out. Neither of them are leaking fuel.. I got a fanning hose wash on them just in case.## "Take good care of my boys and my station.." Cap sighed, and he let Stone's men move him to a stokes for a lie down and soon, he was fitted with an O2 cannula and his turnout was removed. Hank's HT, however, stayed fast in his grip by his head, where he could hear everything, even as he let go physically and mentally. He felt a man move closer to monitor him as he closed his eyes. "Night, Cap.." Gage said, lying in his own stokes. "Don't doze too deep with that headcrack of yours." "I won't. Just don't gore Brice with that hand pike of yours." "Deal." Moments later, Brice finished crossing the yard and he knelt by Cindy Thorne first for a new vitals set. He looked up to see Bonnie still bathing Johnny's chin with kisses and Gage being too out of it to push her away. "Getting mouth to mouth from a dog, Gage? Must be protocol I haven't yet heard about." "Very funny. This dog saved my life, I'm not about to tick her off by complaining.." he said, lifting Bonnie into the stokes where she promptly laid down in between his legs, setting a worried muzzle and front paws onto his stomach, still softly whining with stress. Brice curbed his banter. "What have we got here Gage? Roy didn't tell me much.." "Stoker revived the woman. No trauma. Cap's got a blow to the back of his head. Pupils equal and reactive. Marco's out, febrile after LOC. BP, 94/60, Resp 12, shallow. Pulse 92. Me, I, uh.. Almost choked in a cave-in. Puked out a lot of ingested mud. Chest seems clear. And I got this little little..problem--mm ." he said lifting his stabbed hand. The sight of the rod made Brice pause and he sank his glasses lower on his nose to get a closer look at it from where he was listening to Cindy's breath sounds through a stethoscope. Brice asked Chet, "Blood loss.." he said. snapping his fingers, about Gage. "Oh, uh, Gage lost about 600 CC before I got that tourniquet in plac--" "Get him on a cannula, Kelly. 4-6 liters O2. Use our unit. Elevate his legs. Then position your captain with his head raised. I'll be right with you, Gage. Almost through assessing this woman." Brice said. But Johnny didn't answer. Gil arrived from the rubble and took Brice's pointing hint to check Johnny's consciousness level as Chet followed his medical orders to a T. The two Station 8 medics got to work.. --------------- Inside the dark and silent kitchen, Roy's face was illuminated by flashlight and he took the phone from the Station 8 paramedic waiting for him there. "Thanks Gil. I'm trading places with ya.." "Sure thing. It's Brackett on the line." And Gil ran off to the yard. Roy set his HT on the phone top and nodded to the fireman with the flashlight to go about his business, grabbing the torch from his gloves as he set the kitchen phone receiver to his face. Roy shifted the light under one arm so he could see his notepad. "Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?" As he waited for a return, Roy had his first real, thinking look at the devastation that the quake had brought to his station. He watched as a frightened sparrow arrowed through the airspace where the garage roof had been. ::Will we be able to get over all of this?:: came the thought, unbidden. A familiar voice broke Roy out of his fear. ##This is Rampart. Go ahead, 51. You're reading loud and clear..## Roy sighed and almost sobbed when Kel's steady confident baritone met his ear. "Doctor Brackett. We've uh, four victims at our location. The earthquake has pretty much destroyed the stationhouse here. Trauma is apparent. Three of my victims are... are Code I. Victim one. A female approximate age, twenty two. Found apneic from natural gas inhalation. Now breathing on her own on one hundred percent 02. Victim two. Unconscious. Moderate gas inhalation and etiology of unknown fever on ten liters O2. Victim three. Cave-in. Obstructed airway now relieved. Ingested mud. Foreign body impalement of the left hand. Arterial bleeding is under control. Victim four. Possible head injury with history of blackout, awake and oriented. Pupils equal and reactive." ##10-4, 51.## came Kel's voice. Roy could hear the man's concern seeping through his doctor mode even through his short reply back. #Can you give me full vitals for Victim one?# "R-right. doc.. uh. ..s-she's.." and his voice caught; the sudden realization of what had happened finally sinking in. "Well, she's like I said and..and.. I- I'm sorry doc.. I can't--" At the base station, Dixie and Kel's faces fell out of their professional shells at the sound of pain in his voice. Brackett was stunned, hearing his best medic fall apart on the job. He felt Dix tap him sharply on the arm and looked up to see her give him a do something look. ##Hang in there Roy, I'm with you. Gil tells me that you've got a full response already on scene so you've got plenty of help right there. Roy, you're not alone.. Dix is right here, too. We'll get your friends taken care of as fast as we possibly can here by working together. So don't worry. All you have to do is give me one detail at a time. Focus on that and we'll get through this difficult rescue just like we do all the others.## Dr. Brackett heard only badly concealed muffled sobs on the other end of the line. ##Roy, I guarantee it. It's just always harder when things hit close to home like this.## Roy felt unbidden tears begin to run down his face but he didn't say anything and he sniffled wetly, the weight of the phone call, reporting catastrophe, wearing on him. ##Now go ahead on the woman's vitals..## He heard Kel order. Roy cleared his throat and spoke.... -------------------------- Photo: A crushed fire engine. Photo : Dr. Brackett, looking down on us. Photo: Brice, smiling in a firehouse kitchen. Photo : Roy, wearing a stethoscope outside. Photo : An aerial view over Station 51, showing the block as totally levelled. Collapses everywhere. ******************************* From: "Cory Anda" Date: Sat Oct 26, 2002 2:14 am Subject: Big Time Complication "Hang on, we're HT to the outside here. Relaying direct to station 8's paramedics. Please stand by. Vitals to follow." Roy said. ##Standing by..## ---------------------------- Five minutes later, DeSoto had his initial medical orders relayed to the yard to Gil and Brice over his hand held. Dr. Brackett asked Roy one more question. ##What's your ETA on an ambulance ?## "We don't know that yet, doc. Depends on how badly the roads in our area are damaged." Roy said. ##10-4, 51. Get them here any way you can. When you can. ## "Yep.." Roy said, impatient. "Just wish I could." Kel added. ##I'll be frank with you, Roy. Gage, we can turn around, same with your captain and the school teacher. It's Marco I'm worried about. I don't like the fact that his vitals are sinking like this and the fact we can't figure out his LOC or snap him out of it with epinephrine. Or that sudden onset of fever.. And another thing, that odd bloody patching Gil found in his throat's d*mned pec-- Hang on Roy, Joe's telling me something.## There was a pause and Roy could hear the two doctors confirming a new development. Brackett came back online. ##Roy, we've got word there's a battalion triage station setting up near you. Joe's just heard about it from squad 99. They're treating victims there, just down the block from your 10-20. Perhaps you can move out to their location as an alternate to transporting here if the roads prove to be impassable. Wait a minute, on second thought, I want you to utilize them instead of us here at Rampart, understood? I'm getting orders now from FEMA for some of us to be flown in, over the alert scanner..## Dr. Brackett said. More warbles came that Roy couldn't quite make out. Then an exclamation.. ##Beautiful! That solved our problem, Roy. Just got my own orders to report out to your own area within the next fifteen minutes. I'll rendevous with you myself to see your victims. Count on me muscling in to be their attending MD.## "Appreciate it, doc.. listen, off the record. Just how bad is it out there?" ##My guess is extremely localized for the most part. All the runs coming in that are quake related are in the same one mile square area. No major fires, but my casualty reports are still sketchy.## A ruckus outside the kitchen caught Roy's attention; police clashing with media types. Roy's forehead furrowed as he gripped the phone tighter. "Listen doc. I know you're busy.. Could you do me a favor? Could you have Dixie call our families to let them know we're all right. No doubt they're pretty panicked watching us on their television sets, I see a camera crew out there right now, bumping heads with the PD." ##Will do, Roy. Contact base again if there are further developments. See you soon.## "10-4. Squad 51, out." Roy hung up the phone, and walked the few feet to the plaster powdered kitchen table in weariness. He wiped the sweat off his blood caked face with a dusty towel he found there and slowly began recapturing his wits, leaning against it, until a sensation of heat against his back made him jump off its edge. It was a coffee pot, still warm and steaming from where Johnny had left it before the quake. Roy stared at its unreal normalcy, smelled its perfumey steam curls, delicately wafting in his flashlight's beam, until a shout from the yard caused him to hightail it back outside as fast as he could.. "What do you mean it's my fault he's shocky?! I couldn't have started O2 on him any sooner because both lines were on Marco and the girl, who needed the help more at the time, Brice, so back off ! If Gage were awake, I'm sure he'd be agreeing with me wholeheartedly!" Roy got himself between Kelly and Brice. "Hey hey hey.. Hush down! Just what's the matter with you two? We've got nosy press types already in the driveway. This is no time to let personality clashes come to a boil where they might overhear it.." he said. All the while he spoke, Roy was watching Gil, who was keeping well out of it. He didn't miss Gil speeding up an IV of Ringers Lactate on Marco, nor his slipping in an oral airway on him. Roy's practiced eye also saw that Cindy's atropine, to boost her respirations, had already been administered from the sight of the yellow pop caps on the ground. Mike was now absent. ::Stoker must have gone on to damage patrol. Cindy's only on a light nonrebreather. At least, she's doing better.:: He got an OK gesture from Gil about her, pantomimed. Another part of his mind dealt with putting his two coworkers sharply into line. "Keep it down to a quiet roar if you two have to argue. Or better yet, let's all just do our jobs here, as a team.." he lectured. "We'll take a vote on who was right over a poker game once our butts are safe and sound on solid ground next week, all right..?!" Chet and Brice both studied the ground, then both looked sheepishly around to make sure that neither Stone, nor any of his men had overheard their petty bickering. "That's better.." Roy said, glaring at Brice and Chet, as he began crouching by Marco to look at his pupils. "Now here's the scoop. Brackett's on his way here. It's looking more and more that the roads might be out in our vicinity for there's a helicopter triage station area just down the boulevard. It's already up and running. So let's get our victims out of here and where we'll be able to do them the most good all right?" For two minutes, the four of them mobilized and packed up all of their equipment and supplies. Just then, Captain Stone returned to the yard. He was oblivious to the tension just evaporating. "Ok, everybody.We're moving out. There's a triage-" Roy cut in. "Uh, yes sir. Captain. We got word from Brackett about it. We're set.. We're ready to move when you are. Everyone is stabilized and supported on O2." "Fast work.. All right. Let's do it.." he gestured to his men who ran out of the station house following a very hasty cleanup and damage check. The runaway hydrant had long since been emergency capped. "But there's been a further change. We're opening your bunk house to these triage victims of yours and any others who are waiting turns to be flown out of the disaster area. Only the garage bay was unstable boys, the rest of the station checks out. You may be running a triage base station for this block from right here.." "Understood, Cap.." Brice said. "I'll move our gear into there." Stone looked down at Captain Stanley, who was mumbling to himself in his half sleep, giving random orders based on what he was hearing in his ear through the talkie. "Is he ok? Saw him go out a few minutes ago." "He's on just a precautionary I.V., and his vitals are fine, Cap." Roy said. "He won't be running any operations but that doesn't mean he won't be dreaming about us doing it. He's got quite a grip on that hand held. He's hanging on every word. Even in his sleep." he grinned. "His concussion appears to be minor." Stone didn't move from his hands on hips planted position, so Roy volunteered to him a quick a medical rundown on all the others too. "Ok.." Stone said, satisfied. "I'll let the triage head know what you got.." Stone got teams of men to grab the four stokes to haul them into the sleeping quarters of Station 51 and out of the hot California sun. Already, earthquake dust was making the air hard to breathe. ------------------------------ The bunk room was surprisingly intact. Not even dusty. A quick check showed that they had a viable phone line in there too, at the night writing desk. Only the power and gas service was knocked out. And Engine 51, itself, proved capable of supplying water needed for cleanup and first aid. Bonnie, stuck like glue to Johnny's stokes, sinking down underneath his covering blanket, so she wouldn't be discovered lurking there. Chet almost squished her with Johnny's O2 tank before he remembered. "Oh, sorry Bonnie. Keep watching him." he said to the breathing lump, as he transferred the D tank to the floor. The bunk house outer door was opened to daylight and portable lamps were brought in from the triage station for them to use. IV's were taped suspended to the wood working and blankets abounded. Gear from the two squads sat in a row on the floor the length of the room in the aisle. And more O2 apparatuses from multiple companies were brought in with another set of universal HT's and a makeshift command center board. Roy heard a helicopter land nearby, its wash sending eerie prop echoes through the shattered roof in the bay next room over, and he fervently hoped it was Brackett's. Cap and Johnny's stokes were set off the floor between chairs instead of using valuable bedspace, but Marco had been placed on a long board on a bed in prep for a priority move. He was first on the list to go. DeSoto set a defibrillator next to Marco with nervousness. He was the only one in the room so far who was at risk for one's use. Roy got another vitals set on him and frowned. He waved Brice over.. "He's worse. Rales now, in the lungs. And his fever's up. Help me get a temp on him.." "That fast? I don't understand what the problem might be. Gage said all he did was take in a little gas.." Brice said checking the placement of the mask over Marco's oral airway. "We were in a big fire two days ago, and before that, he had a bad cold. We've been busting our butts fussing over him to see a doctor ever since." "Did he go?" "Do pigs fly?" "Oh. I see. White coat anxiety syndrome." "Actually. No. " Roy grinned. "Marco's just a busy man. He has an aging mother he's been caring for and lately it's been taking up a lot of his time. " "To the point of letting himself be sick for days?" "Guess so. Marco's like that. Always doing for others over himself. He tells me that's why he's a fireman. " he smiled. But that smile faded. "He told us over dinner on Sunday that the two of them just got back from Mexico City, after burying a cousin. A boy I think, who had died suddenly. Help me here.." Soon, Brice and Roy got a temp off Marco internally. Roy held it up to the lamplight. "A hundred three? Brice, this has got to be an infection. I don't like it. And that gas inhalation's just getting Marco into hot water.." "It definitely brought out this illness to the foreground.." Brice agreed. Gil had been nearby, checking on Gage and Cap and the teacher. "Well, we'd better get him into some cold water before his central nervous system crashes out. His breathing response is too level and slow as it is.." Gil said. "Want me to patch him?" "Yes, his systolic is seventy eight and weak." Roy opened Marco's shirt and sheared his T shirt in two out of the way. Brice got out the defib paddles, holding them in the air above the bed. "Wait. Here. This is faster.." and he placed them onto Marco's ribcage and manually scoped him. All three medics looked at the tiny defibrillator screen. It was showing tachycardia, deep. "Look at that.." Brice exclaimed. "It's the fever..and partly the gas.." Roy said. "No PVCs though. He's sure holding well. That rate's just about 140. " "That's the epi Brackett ordered." Brice said. "It quickens but it strengthens too." "I'll get a strip off the portable monitor after I get him patched in.." Gil said. "The doc is going to want to see this.." "No doubt." Brice tossed away the paddles, leaving the unit between Marco's knees. "I'm going to go grab some ice from your frig. You do have some in there?" "Yeah.." Roy said. "Two bags." Brice left to get it. Roy and Gil got cloth sheets wet and stuffed them inside the plastic one they had used to bundle him onto the longboard. Cold water from the station's engine was used and liberally pooled, soaking the bedsheets inside the localized cold pack. Brice's ice was added to the bath around Marco's torso. "He's really out.. I'm not even seeing skin bumps from us chilling him like this.." Roy said, taking another BP. "It's up slightly. Getting a diastolic now with the systolic. 84/36." "His color's better too." Gil said, looking at Marco's gums and nail beds. Next to them, Gage stirred. Roy shifted on his knees and got a grip on his stokes. "Hey there." he smiled openly relieved. "Caught up on your beauty sleep, Johnny? Don't start stretching now. You're suspended on top of a couple of chairs. And you've an I.V. in." "W-Where are we?" "The bunks room. It's now a triage station." "Huh.. Had a weird dream. I dreamed that Lopez went into.." then he noticed the defib case open and saw the paddle cables abandoned on the blankets at Marco's feet. "Wait a minute.. Did you guys just work him?" "No, Gage. Just a scope.." Brice said. "Now a water bath.." "Bath?" Johnny asked groggily. "His fever's up?" "It's one hundred three. And he's showing rales in both lungs." "Whoa.. we got to get him outta here." Gage said. He almost tried to sit but then remembered Roy's warning about where his stokes was. Bonnie under his blanket, barked in warning. He only half paid attention to her being there. "What the h*ll is wrong with him? I don't get it." "Relax Johnny.. Brackett's been called out on scene. That helicopter you're hearing might be his. Or maybe even Marco's already. He's gotta get a doc's move order before he goes anywhere." Roy said. "I know that.. I know that.. Geesh.." Johnny waved his good hand, shooing Roy out of the way. "Gil,, hey, could you just ah.. Hey Gil ! Turn that monitor this way.. I wanna take a look at it.." Gil raised both eyebrows from where he was running a strip off Marco and purposely turned the view away from Johnny's line of sight. "Oh, for crying out loud.. I only wanted to-" "Gage.. You're a patient here. So act like one and just lie back and relax.." Gil said., crossing his arms together from where he sat on a stool. Roy and Brice grinned when Johnny's face pinked up with anger away from his original shocky pale shade. "This is my own stationhouse, my own district, H*ll, Marco's my own crewmate for Pete's sake! And I'm the resident paramedic." DeSoto made a wrong answer game show noise sound effect. "I'm the only official resident one ON duty one.." Roy said. "Yep. You're on the injured list, Gage, by every rule in the book.." Brice interjected. John kept up his quiet litany of complaining. "..I'm supposed to fuss.. It's my job.." "Ours now.." Gil piped up. Gage mumbled, out voted. "Ok ok ok, Got your point. Now Gil, if you don't level with me, I'm going to skewer you!" he said, menacing his injured hand. "Hey.." Chet said, grabbing Johnny's arm and pulling it back down again. "You'll loosen my bandaging there buddy.. I worked hard immobilizing that.." Then he checked his watch and saw that it was once again time to release Gage's tourniquet to let in blood flow. He let go the band. Johnny hissed in pain, glaring at Chet. " Agghh! Why didn't you do that when I was still unconscious?" he grimaced, watching a stream of blood well up inside and soak through his bandages. "I did do that. Five times.." Kelly complained. Then he played heavy eyes on the others. "Man, I don't know how you guys can get through your average workday as paramedics. Do you always get patients who mouth off as bad as Gage here? Talk about taking some heat. And I thought just dealing with an actual fire was bad. Johnny, stop being ungrateful. This is saving your hand. Not to mention saving your life.. And guess who's doing THAT.." He pointed proud thumbs at himself. "You're going to owe me big time.." Gage ignored Kelly. "Don't change the subject, Chet. Gil,...How's Cap?..Are you going to tell me at least that?" "Stable.." "The girl?" "Stable." "Me?" "Grumpy.." "Oh, haha.. And what about Marco?" The light moment in the room, fled. Roy spoke up. "We'll all hear about that once Brackett gets here. I see him coming. He's in the tan jumpsuit and he's brought along the big guns.. A huge, orange diagnostic field pack." He said, ducking low and peering through the open outside door to the boulevard. He could just see Kel making haste in their direction. Gage spoke up, as he too, could see the brown haired doctor coming. "Maybe that pack's for me. You know, surgical stuff. This rod's gotta come out of my hand. The artery's been nicked." "Don't count on it.. I'm seeing Atlanta CDC labels all over it.." Roy said. "What??" Johnny gasped. ---------------------------- Photo : Johnny and Roy looked stunned. Photo: A defibrillator that lies open. *animated gif * A running EKG showing elevated ST segments on a V-Tach. Photo: Chet, at night in the bunkhouse. ************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Deeper In.... Date : Sun, 27 Oct 2002 21:12:20 +0000 The shadow got nearer, and Kel came through the door into the bunk room. He paused a bit while his eyes got used to the dim lamps in the space and the first bed he focused on was Marco's. Roy stood from Johnny's stokes, shoving the stethoscope waving around his neck out of the way when it snagged on the edge of Gage's wire bed in his haste to get near Brackett to give him his report, "Doc, glad you're here. He's worse. Much worse. We're trying to cool him down some." "Oh? What was his temp?" "One hundred three, taken R." "Good thing for the ice down.." Dr. Brackett said as he checked what I.V. was strung and the flow of O2 running on his patient. Roy added more, "Marco's BP has become low enough to warrant that EKG, we've had a strip going ever since I got a basement BP, about five minutes ago... Glad you ordered that epinephrine for him earlier. I think that's the only thing keeping him viable here." Brackett was studying the EKG strip Gil had stretched out on a table top and the live one showing on the station's heart monitor. "Ok, I want a twelve lead here from this double one. See that arrythmia in the QRS interval? That's most likely pathological." That hushed up everyone. Until Brice spoke up. "We knew he was sick. That was apparent on initial findings." "Yes, but have you ever seen someone with a cold downgrade so fast?" Kel said. Roy, Gil and Brice all looked at each other in alarm. Roy didn't even have to say anything. Then he eyed the bag Brackett had brought with him. "You know something we don't doctor? I recognize the insignia on that pack of yours.." Brackett made sure there were no civilians in the room near them who would overhear. Then his face fell into serious doctor. "I called the CDC on Marco's symptoms just before I flew out of the heliport. I remembered why Lopez's presentation seemed so familiar to me." "Doc, don't keep us in suspense here." Johnny said from his stokes. He had an elbow propped up behind his dirty head and had Bonnie on top of his stomach, calming her fretting with absent strokes. He had pulled off his nasal cannula so he could get it out of his face. "Did you know that Marco left the country recently?" "Yeah,.." Gil said. "Roy just told us here that he and his mother were attending a funeral for a cousin. A young boy.." "Well that young boy is the center of attention right now in Atlanta. Seems he died of an unknown hemorrhagic syndrome that's already claimed seven in Mexico City.." "Have they identified it?" "No, that's why I'm here. There's every chance that Marco has run into the same bug that's killed the boy.. His etiology so far, is following the same lines as the boy's did before he died." Dr. Brackett said, pulling Roy's stethoscope off and using it around the EKG leads on Marco's chest.. Johnny Gage nearly levitated from where he was lying. Only the straps holding him in the stokes, kept him there. "Are you telling me that Marco's got some kind of fast acting lethal plague?" "That's exactly why I'm here, Gage. To either confirm or rule out just that scenario. Atlanta CDC's already on their way. They should be here by nightfall." Kel said. "But we're in the middle of a disaster zone. We don't have time for a quarantine situation." Johnny protested. "Tell that to the bug, Johnny. It was here days before that earthquake even so much as twitched." Chet blanched. "Wait a minute, wait a minute.. Does that mean the rest of us might get sick from this thing?" Dr. Brackett nodded reluctantly. "It's a possibility, but the course of the disease is still in the guessing stages. Seven cases taking place in another country with a language barrier in the way puts a damper on fast information exchange. We're working on it. Now my job here is to isolate Marco best I can until we GET those answers gentleman. And I'm sorry to say, but this room and station is off limits to anyone on the outside. Anyone who's had direct contact with Lopez, is staying right here." Roy spoke quickly when Kel placed a hand on Marco's chest, pressing down the stethoscope's drum, trying to hear breath sounds over the noise of helicopters landing and taking off just outside the station house. "Shouldn't we just get him out of here to an isolation ward?" "He's not a flight candidate anymore Roy. He's got rales in both lungs and they sound real wet. And the edema I'm hearing is rising, right into his trachea. Get a suctioning device. He's gonna need it. Standing orders you three," Brackett threw an authoritative point towards Gil, Roy and Brice's directions. "If his respiratory rate falls below eight. I want him EOA intubated." "Right doc.." Roy said. And he and Gil hastened to make the changes. "And slow down his drip to TKO. I don't want his circulatory system overloaded. Last thing he needs is to drown in his I.V." At that, Kelly's face screwed up in worry. Chet spoke as Dr. Brackett moved to a steel bucket filled with water, and watched as he reached into his bag and pulled out a pint of powerful disinfectant and poured it over his hands. He used the water to rinse off and a sheet to dry before moving on to examine Cap and Miss Thorne. "Shouldn't we all wear gloves or masks or something?" Chet asked. "Too late.." Gage said. "Remember when I got that virus last year? If this germ's similiar, we've all touched Marco directly or indirectly already. We've all been exposed..." "Yeah, but Brackett hasn't.." Chet said, nervously. "That's his choice.." Brice commented and moved to give Brackett the run down he needed on the others in stokes in the room. Kelly slumped against the bunk wall and leaned over, trying to absorb the bizarre news. "Man, can our day get any worse?" Just then, Bonnie's low moaning turned into an agonized wailing of warning.. Chet leaped to steady Cap and Johnny's stokes on the four chairs when an aftershock seized up out of the ground. It lasted for more than a few seconds before the dead light fixtures overhead started to slow their swaying. The master HT came to life on the desk and it was Stone who was instantly on. ##Everybody all right in there?## Brice picked up the handy talkie and said, "At least, quake wise..." he muttered. ##Squad Eight. Would you 10-9 that?## Brice immediately suppressed his morbid sense of humor, "Uh, 10-4, captain. We're fine. But uh, we're going to have to cancel that copter evac on the sick fireman. The doc says he's too unstable for transport. And .... the rest of us will be staying right here with him for extenuating circumstances...." he said sighing heavily.. "I'm declaring a Condition Bio-Yellow, sir.." ## Excuse me, Did I hear that right? A Biological Hazard alert?## "That's correct, Cap. Atlanta CDC has authorized Brackett in here to declare one if he felt the need. And he has.. At no time do any of you out there enter back inside the station for any reason.." ##Ten four, Squad Eight. Understood, quarantine protocol laying down. I'll mobilize accordingly. Any of my men to report to you?## "That's negative, Cap. Just Gil and myself need to..and we're already here." ##10-4, Let me know details when you can. Station Eight out.## A quiet sobbing from behind them caught their attentions. Dr. Brackett had roused Cindy from her half state with an aromatic capsule and had changed her oxygen mask for a cannula. She was sitting up with her back against the wall in her stokes. Brackett was giving her a glucose injection into her IV, to help her get over some shakes. He had discovered she was a diabetic from her own account. "What about my kids?" she said. "Are they gonna get sick, too?" and her face crinkled in fear. Kel couldn't answer that so he stayed silent. Roy looked up from Marco's pulmonary care and said, "Oh, no. Ma'am. Not at all. You see, we got them all out before we even had contact with Fireman Lopez. They'll be fine.." and he tried to put on a convincing smile. He saw Brackett nodding slowly in agreement as he put away his syringe into the sharps container on the floor. "Feel better?" he asked her. "Much. I haven't eaten since five.. I-It's been a busy day..." Miss Thorne said bravely. Dr. Brackett grinned for show. "That it has. And it looks like it'll be even busier for a while. Try to get some rest. I'll have one of the paramedics stop back in a while to recheck your blood sugar levels." She nodded. "I'm sorry. I just didn't remember to wear my bracelet this morning. It was just ..I was so excited about bringing the kids here That I must have forgotten it...." and her composure broke again despite her best efforts to shore it up. Kel wrapped a wool blanket he had found around her shoulders and snugged her up, brushing hair out of her eyes and away from the cannula. "Why don't you just try to relax.. Get some sleep if you can. If you've family to contact, we'll do that just as soon as the phone lines lighten up a bit.." "A- All right.." she said, gripping his hand. He had to peel off her fingers to leave. "It's all right. "he said, placing a grip of his own over her cool one. "No one is going to be dying. At least, not in here." "Yeah.. " Johnny piped up. "That doctor leaning over ya is the head of Rampart Emergency Services and he's a d*mned good heart surgeon too.. No one dies around Dr. Brackett when he gets ornery, Miss Thorne.. And right now, all of us paramedics are duck and covering, just from the sound of his voice alone.." She laughed despite herself, and slowly her eyes closed as she dozed where she was on the wall. Brackett switched her I.V. to one of blood neutral solution and moved on to Cap's side. "Captain Stanley..?" Dr. Brackett said as he took a chair near his raised stokes. He gave Hank a little shake. "Hmmm? Oh, hi doc.. What are you doing here? Is it bad out there?" he said, suddenly remembering that he was on oxygen. He began fiddling with the cannula when the dryness in his throat from the oxygen just begged him to cough. "Have we backup here yet? The damage out in the yard was bad. There must be tons of people in trouble out there.." "Surprisingly, no.. So I've been sent in here alone to look you guys over." He saw Cap blearily frowning at the ceiling when the familiar surroundings confused him. Dr. Brackett pinned down his deja vu. "You're in your station bunkhouse, captain. And there's a helicopter triage center right outside, for your situation update." "Does that mean we're getting out of here soon?" Dr. Brackett and the others exchanged looks. Stanley didn't miss the exchange. "Hey, fellas, what's the problem here? Why-- why haven't we been moved out?" Johnny turned his head from where he was sitting up next to Cap and sighed. "It's another virus, Cap. And the originator isn't a monkey this time.. It's Marco himself.." "What?!" Cap tried to sit up but Dr. Brackett restrained him. "Hey.. now just lie back. No sudden moves until I check out that head injury in a little more detail." Cap blinked, still trying to gain focus as Kel looked at his eyes.. "Is he all right?" Kel didn't say anything, reluctant to; until someone else did. "He's serious, Cap. Blood pressure's in the basement. And his chest is filling up." Roy said. "But his EKG still looks fair.." he tried to smile for Cap's benefit with that slim good news. Cap swallowed hard lying completely still as harsh reality finally sank home. "How about us? Anyone else sick?" "Not yet. But all are at risk I'm afraid.." Dr. Brackett said. Then he changed the subject. "Hank, are you seeing double or any flashes of light, or anything abnormal? Ringing in the ears, pain or headache? This is a pretty sizable lump I'm feeling on the back of your head." "No, doc. Nothing odd at all. I feel basically fine.." he said. "Listen, doc. Shouldn't you be with Lopez over there? I'm nowhere near the invalid everyone insists I'm to be.. . In fact, I should be getting up to help YOU.." and he tried to rise. Brackett stopped him firmly. "No. Stay. He's been seen, too. You're my second to the last stop. Gage's surgery to repair that carpal artery, is next.." Cap got through the rest of Kel's exam, showing no remarkable deviations, but he had trouble hiding a few sobs of frustration and helplessness as he tried to get through it without making a verbal sound. Dr. Brackett pretended to tune out the emotional weakness playing out on Cap's face. "Think you need the O2 some more?" Kel asked him. "No.. Why don't you save it for somebody else?" he said distractedly. "My head's clear now.." Stanley said very quickly.. Then he lifted his HT. "Station Eight this is Engine 51." "Cap, what are you doing?" Chet said, looking up from his wrapping more dressings around Gage's hand. Cap set his talkie momentarily onto his stomach and he glared at Kelly and said. "Stoker's got a right to know about Lopez and what's happening in here. It would be wrong for us to keep him in the dark about his condition.." Kel raised inquiring eyes to Roy. "Doc, Mike did have close contact with Cindy over there, and I was near him also a lot of the time, while we were treating her. He might be a quarantine candidate.." DeSoto said grimly. Dr. Brackett replied. "Then Hank's right in calling him in here.." "D*mned right I am.. And I'm not liking it that he's part of this whole nastiness either.." Cap snapped. Everyone froze when the HT responded to Captain Stanley's earlier heads up. ##Go ahead, Station 51. You're up, Hank? That's great news! I'll be sure to tell my whole crew all abo-..## "Ben, I know about the quarantine.." Stanley said cutting him off. "So don't try to buffer me with false enthusiasm. Just send my man Stoker in here. He's been pegged as a risk factor.." There was a long pause on Stone's end. Then a click. ##He's on his way in.. He's been on your engine's wash down preventative detail so he's had no direct contact with anyone else except those medical casualties in your group..## "Understood, Stone. Engine, 51. Out." Cap said, and he laid his head back down, clutching the HT as if holding it would somehow get him out of the nightmare he found himself locked inside. Hank sighed as Dr. Brackett finished taking his BP. "Take it easy.. I'll keep you up on the latest developments, captain." "Appreciate it, doc.." Gil was just giving Kel the verbal rundown on Johnny, with Gage adding footnotes, when Mike Stoker appeared in the doorway. His happy face that the earthquake hadn't claimed more than a few buildings was an image no one wanted to shatter. But then someone, finally did........ ----------------------------------- Photo: B & W, Mike Stoker. Gif: A red earthquake alert gif Photo : Station 51 as it was before the earthquake. Photo : Roy prepping a bolus.. ***************************** From: Katherine Bird Date: Mon Oct 28, 2002 2:30 pm Subject: Reaching Out.. "Hey Mike," Chet called out as he carried blood soaked dressings from Gage's hand towards a medical waste bin. "Ever heard of the old adage, 'From out of the frying pan and into the flames?' "Yeah...." "Well, you're gonna wish you had a life net to bail out onto for this one, pal.." and he chucked his sodden bandages into the trash can with an angry overhand. "Kelly!" Cap admonished. "There are a million different ways to break bad news and only you could've picked the worst way possible.." "Cap, what's he talking about?" Stoker said mildly.. "Stone sent me in here, saying that I was to be a triage "go-for.." he said, still clueless. Then he saw Marco's shirt open and the gear for a pulmonary critical lying out on his bed; the suctioning device, the defibrillator, the running EKG monitor and the unopened esophageal airway. "He's going bad? Oh my g*d." And Stoker started over to him, pulling off his fire gloves, thinking he had been called to be a CPR standby for him. "Don't go any nearer to Marco, Stoker. And that's an order.." Dr. Brackett said, stopping him. "I won't allow it." Stoker pushed the doctor's hands away, unthinking, but Kel again held him back. Roy interceded verbally from where he was raising the head of Marco's long board up onto piled blankets to make breathing come easier. The water had long soaked into the sheets and only fast melting ice remained around him. These Roy piled into and under Marco's armpits. "Mike, it's not what you think. Lopez is-- He's not in danger of going out on us here. At least, not yet. What Dr. Brackett means is that if you come nearer, you'll be assuring a better chance of possibly becoming sick. You of all of us, are the least likely to have been exposed so far. You're here because you were in the yard earlier and because you were side by side with me after I got Marco out." Stoker's face fell and his angry look completely blanched into one of shock. "He's ill with something real bad?" he gasped as he tried to digest the horrid news. Dr. Brackett let him go. "I'm afraid so. It seems Marco recently had a small cousin die from a fast acting hemorrhagic fever type infection that's completely unknown to the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta. We're guessing your coworker contracted that same illness after attending the boy's funeral last week in Mexico. We find that he's exhibiting a massive systemic deterioration that is following a similar pattern to the one the boy suffered during the course of the disease." "He's going to die?" Mike said. "Not if we can help it." Stoker's haunted eyes flicked from Roy's to Cap's and back to Kel's and he fell speechless. It was Johnny who addressed Stoker's stunned silence. "Mike, Dr. Brackett's fully loaded with equipment. And the CDC's going to be here any hour to help us sort out all this mess. Marco didn't get sick until almost a week had passed following that funeral. So it'll be a while before any of us comes down with it. We have time on our side." He knew he had missed his mark entirely when Stoker erupted in uncharacteristic reaction. "Yeah?! Tell me another story. Marco may not even HAVE that Johnny!" Stoker said. "Why else would you be set up for an imminent crash?" he said throwing a hand out to Marco's equipment thick bed. "I'm not quiet because I'm thinking about myself here.." he snapped. "So spare me your platitudes..!" "Hey.. Now losing our heads isn't going to solve the prob--!..." Cap said, shouting. He immediately cut off for his yell had made his head shoot pain all the way down to his toes and he winced with a strangling gurgle, that was almost a sob. Captain Stanley covered his face with his hands, in a vain attempt to gain control. That made Dr. Brackett narrow his eyes in new concern and he moved over to Hank's wire stretcher to speak quietly with him for a moment about it. Cap's inadvertant cry had cooled his arguing crew's fire better than any withering "Cap" lecture ever could. All of them were cowed and silently they all got to work preparing and setting up everything they would need to preserve the ordered quarantine. -------------------------------------- Dusk had fallen, and all scene responding helicopters had been called off until first light. There was only one still scheduled to come in, to risk a night landing in a few minutes and that was the chopper bearing the Atlanta disease control experts. Dr. Brackett, and those unwounded, chose to sit on the floor, lined up against a wall all on a side, as they found themselves blinking, and still unresting, while they waited for a tell tale "thwop" of helicopter blades to come out of the starry skies. Their eyes similarly studied the tracing blip of activity on Lopez's monitor, hopelessly caught in its desperate amber dance, and the tiny light from it set their faces apart from the surrounding darkness. The only sound in the sleeping room of Station 51 was the wavering rhythm of Marco's irregular EKG as PVC's started marching more and more frequently across the screen. The EOA, still lay packaged and unused, on his abdomen. Dimly, in the background, they heard the shouts of firecrews and rescue workers outside, still sorting through the earthquake neighborhood for casualties. Bonnie, at last, had fallen into a fitful sleep. And the seismology reports finally coming in from Geological Survey, were showing that the ground was doing the same as well. The tiny aftershocks that came, barely jarred them from their frightening private reveries. Then there was a rustle as Roy excused himself verbally. He got up, stepping over pairs of legs and moved to the desk on the far side of the room. There he sat down in the squeaky desk chair turned on a battery lamp, and reached for the phone. The others slipped back into their irresistible snoozing as he began to dial out. Roy's face was now dust free, and the cut on his forehead had been tended to and bandaged, but the care he had received did nothing to ease the pain he was feeling inside from being away from his family. When the last number tumbled into the dialer, he did his d*mndest to keep all trace of it from his voice. "Hi, hon. It's me again. No, the last tremor didn't shake us too badly. Well, only Johnny complained about that one because his Bier block was starting to wear off. No. no. He's fine. Dr. Brackett did some terrific vascular work on his hand and that metal rod came out without problems. Miss Thorne's coming along. She even had some soup earlier. Cap's better, too. Doc finally authorized some MS for him after he was convinced that crack on his head was all superficial swelling with no underlying problems. Heh. He's even started captaining again. Well, unofficially of course. He's driving the other engine companies nuts asking for reports every half hour from his stokes. Yes, I heard. Only fifteen have died. We were very very lucky.." Roy's eyes filled at his next question. "H-How are the kids taking this whole "daddy's stuck away"thing? You didn't tell them everything did you? Good. No point to doing it, really, until you and I both have our answers. No, they're not here yet. And LAX is not taking any calls about any rescue operation's ETA. They're saving themselves for emergency inflight and relief traffic correspondence, only for situations priority marked in the disaster zone. Yeah. I know. Yeah, I-I'm agreeing with you, Joanne. The station's definitely in that area, but this virus thing is only secondary in their priorities." He held the phone away from his ear and actually almost grinned when his last statement brought a tirade of reaction from Joanne about exactly what she thought of the Los Angeles County Fire Department /FEMA protocols.. When she was through, Roy spoke again, answering her next question. "No, he's about the same. We're keeping him comfortable and we've managed to drain some of that fluid in his lungs. I'll be frank because we've agreed to be thoroughly honest with each other..There's been some problems. Blood's beginning to show in his sputum and his temp's going up despite the ice baths. No, he's still breathing on his own on one hundred percent O2. " He broke off actually grinning.. "You're beginning to sound like a paramedic here, with all these questions, you know that... And what did Chris just say, I didn't quite hear him.. Oh. LOL! 'That's because mommy's married to the best one in the whole world huh?....' Thanks for repeating that hon. That was cute." Roy closed his eyes trying to picture his wife and son in his mind sitting at the dining room table, on the phone with him, but the picture wouldn't come. "T-That was very cute.." and his voice cracked. "You don't have to call Rose Marie Lopez on his update Joanne. Vince is already there with Marco's mom. Yeah. He went there himself before the news broadcast the station as being downed in the quake on the TV. Listen hon, I'll call you the moment we know anything more, all right. I've got to go. Time for vital sets all around. And I see a few saggy IV bags above a few stokes, too, that need changing over. "Yeah. You WILL most likely know sooner than I when the CDC arrives. D*mned press. They almost got in here once. If it weren't for Bonnie, we would have been neck deep in plague panicky reporters once they learned the quarantine orders weren't viscious rumors. "On channel five? All right, I'll try to peek out a head at ten and wave when the live broadcast outside starts up. No we've no power. But I've got a watch. I can do this. Might cheer up the kids.. "Those reporters need a scare or two to get off the driveway anyway. Cap's already crawling out of his skin over the damage done to the station vehicles. It'll do him some good if I can get them all to just to clear off. " He grabbed a water bottle and opened it but he didn't drink, at her next words. "I - I love you too, Joanne. H- Hug the kids for me, will ya? Talk to you in the morning...Yeah, I'll let Marco know you're praying for him. Bye." And he set the phone down with a soft snick into the receiver. Roy got back over to the populated end of the bunk room and returned to the others, reluctantly. He had just sat back down to take a sleeping Miss Thorne's BP, when Marco on the bed, suddenly seized into a convulsion. Chet was there instantly, "Dr. Brackett!!" Brice, Gil and Roy jumped to their feet in moments, right behind Kel. They scrambled, reaching for...... ------------------------------------ *animated gif* An English Paramedic Ambulance. Photo : Johnny popping epinephrine shot caps. Photo : A shot of the squad and turnout coat, with full gear boxes. -------------------------------------------- End Part One... ******************************** From: Sam Iam Date: Tue Oct 29, 2002 6:14 pm Subject: Setback Special Website Acknowledgement for Episode Images being provided from... Guest....KMG365 at Tigger's E Stuff Website http://exit3.i-55.com/~ffaller/emergency/ Also special thanks to site EMS Medical Consult : P. Keiper NREMT Minnesota ----------------------------------------------- Marco's longboard and the O2 mask on his face. Johnny, jarred awake by the shouting, knew immediately what was happening at a glance. "Tip him over, guys, tip him over!" he said from his stokes. Brice and Gil each grabbed an edge of the long board and then turned Lopez onto his side, gracelessly. Roy slid Marco's non rebreather mask out of the way and angled Lopez's head back, laying his cheek on an arm. In between Marco's violent spasms, DeSoto pulled out the short oral airway that had been over Marco's tongue and snatched up the suctioning tube lying idle on the bed, he paused as he checked for signs that Lopez had vomited. "He's clear..." he said, throwing the probe aside and replacing the mask down over Lopez's nose and mouth. "Most likely because he hasn't eaten since this morning..." Roy stayed closely by his head, one eye intently watching the motion fluctuating ECG while the others moved into action around him. He sighed, seeing a bite stick wasn't needed when Marco's jaw released at a touch. Dr. Brackett nodded, agreeing about the lack of aspiration as he listened to the seizing fireman's chest with a stethoscope. "He's clear here, too. There's just that prior edema. All right. Let's get him back supine. Easy.. and tighten those straps. He's working them loose." Everyone watching, held their breaths as Marco's breathing came in hard gasps as his convulsions rattled the metal bedframe underneath him. Chet did his best to stay out of the paramedics way while making sure Marco didn't hurt himself. Mike, took a few steps nearer but stayed back, still uncertain and a little frightened about getting so near to Marco's illness. Craig Brice looked up from where he was pulling a backwash of blood from Marco's original IV with an empty syringe. "Serum glucose doc?" "You bet. If it's below 80 mg/dL, inject 25 g dextrose D50 IVP. These seizures might not be just febrilly induced. His blood sugar may have taken a nose dive or skyrocketted." Brice moved to a glucose monitor and quickly got a baseline off of his red top. "It's 62." "Follow up, Brice. That dex and 100mg Thiamine IV. I don't want him to lose a heart rhythm." Dr. Brackett said. "On it." Kel looked up at Gil. "Sheppard, run in a second IV, Normal Saline wide open. We'll risk the fluid overload. We need it for his sedation med. We'll bump it down after we've gotten these convulsions under control. Ughh." he grunted, helping Roy keep Marco's airway open. It took both of them to do it, when a bad series of shudders bucked him more violently, underneath their hands. Chet, meanwhile had gotten the resuscitator near and had set the demand valve mask available on Lopez's pillow. "Thanks," Kel said to Kelly. "But he's doing fine so far, even breathing broken like this." Roy looked up. "Time for diazepam, doc? "Yes, draw up ten milligrams. We'll titrate into his IV until he responds. If that doesn't work, we'll use Ativan, 2 mg IM. He's too shocky for paracetamol." ---- Miss Thorne was covering her eyes to keep herself from looking, and Cap noticed. "It looks scary for Lopez with those convulsions, Cindy. But he's not feeling any pain with them at all. Marco's muscles are just kicked into overdrive because of the low sugar in his blood and because of that fever. They're going to settle him down in just a sec here so he can breathe normally." ---- Roy prepared the syringe of medication Dr. Brackett had ordered as fast as he could. He heard Cap's reassurances to Cindy, but didn't look up. "Doc, want me to do it?" "Give it here.." Kel said to Roy, reaching out for the medication. "Take over watching his airway, Kelly." "Got him.." Chet said, firmly taking Marco's chin and head so he wouldn't obstruct as Dr. Brackett let go. Kel pushed all the air out of his syringe needle until the diazepam geysered high and then parked the newly strung and running NS IV Brice handed him under his arm to hold it while he injected the muscle relaxant slowly into its drip chamber.. They all watched for signs that Marco's convulsions were ending. About twenty seconds later, they did. The EKG monitor bleeped a changed beat alarm when the V-tach settled into a more solid sinus rhythm. The frenzied PVC's died away from the tracing pattern. Dr. Brackett set a hand on Marco's chest to feel for his respiration status. "There. That's better." he said about the ECG. Then he looked up again with a slight frown. "Kelly, hyperventilate him a few times. The diazepam's suppressing his intake a bit." Roy removed the old nonrebreather mask from Marco's face, as Chet took over with the demand valve. Kelly made sure it was sealed well over Lopez's nose and mouth. Then he thumbed the positive pressure trigger on the demand valve, until he had delivered four vents carefully into Marco's lungs. Dr. Brackett had out his stethoscope again. "Ok, hold off.." and he listened to the bubbling breath sounds. "That's all he needed. A boost. He's back.." Everyone gasped in relief and even Johnny let out the breath he was holding. Dr. Brackett smiled, pleased. "At least that was one problem easily solved. Get Marco's head elevated again while you're there, Kelly would you? And Gil, you can TKO that normal saline now." The dark haired doctor moved to turn on a strip from the monitor to take a closer look at how Lopez's heart had handled the incident. Roy had a question. "Doc.." "Hmm?" Dr. Brackett said, not looking up. "We lost all the ice around Marco. Do you want us to replace it?" Kel shook his head. "The diazepam will shut off that fever parasympathetically on its own. We can always get some more if his temp rises again. Get another one for reference for now, all right?" Roy nodded. Soon, he had a reading. "One hundred one." "Down. Despite the convulsions." Brackett remarked, satisfied. "Let's monitor his respirations to be sure they're stable." Gil, was getting a new, dry blanket for Marco when Stoker came up hesitantly. "Need help with that?" Sheppard grinned warmly, knowing the mental obstacle Mike had had to overcome to just be there. "Sure.. Tuck in that side, but keep his chest uncovered. We have to eye his breathing rate for a while." "Yes. I heard.." Mike said. Then he looked down..frowning.. "Hey doc.." he called out. "Look at this.. He's developing a rash or something. It's breaking out on his chest." Dr. Brackett stopped his ECG reading and bent over the bed. He felt Marco's throat and larynx, but found no swelling at all. "Hmm, no signs of anaphalaxis here yet... And his color's good. This looks more like an urticaria or a secondary maculopapular rash to me... but ah, following up on the first angle,.... Roy, Johnny... does Marco have any known allergies to medications?" "No, doc.. He's NKA on just about everything. Well, everything except for an intolerance for putting up with one of Chet Kelly's jokes." Gage quipped. "Oh very funny, Gage. Would that be like ah, say your own marked intolerance for any strikes aimed at you from the Phantom??" Kel grinned. The banter meant the firehouse gang was starting to relax again. "I heard about that whole one upmanship going on, from Dixie, a while ago. Who finally won?" "I did." "I did." said Johnny and Chet simultaneously. They made sharp stares, glaring at each other and then let they both ..let ...loose. "I had the last word!" Chet insisted. "No I did! Remember my very very slick "Are we going to eat off the table?" delivery line? Man, Chet. You fell for that completely, hook line and sinker. And don't deny it. The whole gang were my witnesses.. Isn't that right Marco..?" and he patted Lopez's shoulder despite the fireman still being unconscious. Mike Stoker piped up. "Chet was the last one to "one up" there Johnny, if I recall." "No, I thought he was er, I was.." Gage cocked his jaw, thinking back. He wasn't quite sure about that fact himself and it showed in his eyes. "Sorry, Gage. But the Phantom match, I do believe, went to Kelly." Cap said, with an amused smirk. "I wasn't directly involved or targetted with water bombs in that particular week of shenanigans, but I did follow all the action VERY closely, back then." "You did?" "You did?" John and Chet said as one. They looked at each other once more but this time, in complete and utter surprise. Then Chet asked. "Hey Cap. How did you know?" "Well, usually, all the water in the station is either in the Engine tanks or the sink when I don't have someone stuck on mop detail." he steepled his hands together over his chest as he thought back "Annnddd I .... noticed the dry, hot Santa Ana air that month suddenly got suspicious humid, only inside the station." Kelly and John both flushed red when they realized they had been outfoxed by Cap the observer, despite their efforts to hide the misadventure. "Didn't take long to find out what you two were up to.... at all.." Cap said, pleased as punch. Johnny complained after he picked up his jaw off his chest. "Well why didn't you stop him from doing all that from the beginning?"he pointed at Chet. He winced when that pointing hand was his post surgical one. "I must have spent thirty dollars in laundering bills and re-polishing streetside shoeshines that week." Chet sniggered but immediately stifled it. "Well, Gage.. Let's just say I had money riding on the outcome.." Hank trickled. Chet and Gage's eyes both widened in surprise at their captain. Stoker couldn't wait to elaborate. "He made out like a bandit, boys, while you two were playing Phantom. Called your every mutual moves play by play." "Oh- oh yeah?" Chet said, gaining back a bit of timid bravado in the face of finding out about his superiorly ranking boss's less than honorable conduct. " Just how much did you win off us, Cap? We do have a right to know.. You know, for the loss of face we suffered, the butt we must have been in every other shifts' table jokes as you gave them gritty details behind our backs.." Kelly huffed low in his throat. "Pah.. I'll just bet C shift must have been the ones who ran that betting pool that Cap cleaned up in." Cap grinned evilly around his O2 cannula as he suddenly shook his head slowly in the negative.. "Kelly,.." he tapped his ample nose, twice at the curly haired fireman. "...about the winnings.." he chuckled. "And...hate to break it to ya fellas, but...." and he took in a big satisfied breath, "I was that all secret kingpin.." Johnny and Chet fell utterly speechless. Even Roy's eyes got larger and he blinked, almost sticking himself with Marco's sedative syringe that he was holding onto, to document usage spent, before he caught on to what he was doing, and reset it carefully back onto the table. Captain Stanley smiled at his audience. "You gotta remember, a captain's ALWAYS on top of any situation.." Hank said with aplomp. "At a fire, or.." he said with mystery,...".. just waiting for one.." With that, he turned over in his stokes and went back to sleep. Dr. Brackett chuckled as he snugged up Marco's blankets to his neck when he was convinced the ill fireman had good control over his breathing and airway on his own. "Glad I work in a hospital.." "Oh? You mean, Morton, Dix and Joe, don't get you with zingers like this one every so often doc?" Gage asked, lacing his fingers behind his head. He grunted when he knocked his injured hand against the wall. He had forgotten about it. "No. Doesn't happen. Everyone's always too busy to do that sort of thing being always up to their eyeballs in emergency cases, Johnny." and he grinned. Dr. Brackett got up from Marco's side to make a note on his runsheet about the new rash spreading on Lopez's body. He made it a point to keep it the first thing to mention to the CDC team, when they arrived. And soon, the long awaited for chartered helicopter.. zoomed over the gaping hole in the roof of the shattered fire station to land on the boulevard. ------------------------------- Photo : Chet looking worried as he provides resuscitation to someone. Photo : Someone preparing an IV up close. Photo : Chet and Marco in a lighter mood. ****************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : [emergencytheaterlive]The Grade Four~~ Date : Sat, 02 Nov 2002 08:41:36 +0000 In a wash of dust and debris, the foot rungs touched earth and five people got out, loaded to the hilt with sophisticated supplies and from the back, a mobile pallet of lab equipment from the chopper's cargo hatch. Police got them all through the clamoring press surrounding the station and allowed them to go into the barricaded off back yard. Once there, two of the five member team suited up in biohazard gear for entering the station, while the others stayed back to set up support tents and a rudimentary decontamination station out of the sight of public eyes. Captain Stone looked up from his place in the center of triage command and his thoughts turned once more to his fellow firemen held hostage not by smoke or fire, but by a germ.::Just how the h*ll are we gonna fight this ?:: Troubled deeply, he turned back to his organizational operations and tried not to feel helpless. He mentally hoped Captain Stanley would keep him updated on any news as it happened. The advance team's leader, a smallish, petite woman, picked her way through the fallen rafters and bricks in the garage to the bunk room. She went without preamble, to Dr. Brackett's side hefting a field autopsy kit, and a heavily sealed liquid nitrogenated container labelled extreme biohazard. This she set safely down in the middle of a tabletop. Kel looked up seeing them. "About time you got here, doctors. Marco's symptomology's advanced beyond your projections." "Sorry. Didn't count on breaking through a military line at the airport. The Guard was called out to maintain order because of your recent developing environmental setback." the woman replied, grinning through her plastic face piece. Kel grinned. "Is that what you microbiologists call an earthquake?" The ginger haired, french braided woman looked up, setting the rest of analysis gear onto an empty bed. "It can be, to us in the CDC, that can also mean the fact that this contagion might have succeeded in jumping an international border." Roy and Gil and Craig had looked up with alacrity from their medical monitoring just a minute before and were still stunned at the sight of the fully suited doctor. ::My god. This is more serious than I realized.:: Roy thought, eyeing up the woman's white bio-tunic, clearly air sealed. She had on a SCBA tank but her mask was not in place beneath her transparent hood. Then, the second member of the CDC's First In team joined her, having come from where he had placed microlab instruments in the lamp lit kitchen. "Jamie, the kitchen area looks intact, I'll have our team give it a wash down and have it covered. I've already told them to place our mobile lab in there.." "Understood, Steven.." she replied, her very blue eyes, glancing up at him. Then Roy overheard something else which made him glad Marco was still comatose. The woman scientist eyed up her study subject with the skill of an analyst, noting the rash, the abnormal EKG and the fluids hung over Marco's head, and what percentage O2 he was on while she spoke. "First thing, we're going to confirm or refute the theory of Mr. Lopez truly being our Patient X in the U.S. as the boy was for his country in Mexico City. We've brought pathological tissue samples from the Lopez child to verify any infection commonality in both him and Marco. So far, you'll be pleased to know, Dr. Brackett, that we've learned the disease most likely isn't transmitted by airborne vectors.." she said looking up. "Three of the victims down with the illness have no signs of insect bites." Kel said, "That's a relief, this summer there are insects a plenty. Glad they aren't a factor we're going to have to worry about here." Then he noticed the others watching quietly from where they were. "Oh. Sorry all. " He gave introductions to the rest of the room,.. "Everyone, this is Doctor Jamie MacPherson, head of the Special Pathogens Branch in Atlanta.." Roy and Johnny nodded. And so did everyone else but their uncertain looks remained on their faces, each looking emotionally worn in the dim battery light of the room. Dr. Brackett turned to Jamie's companion, "And this is her assistant head, Dr. Steven Taylor. These two are the people with whom I spoke this afternoon after we concluded your rescue call Roy..." The others didn't have anything to say, reduced to a slightly fearful silence by the frightening advancing reality of the circumstances surrounding them. "Gentlemen and maam.." Jamie said. "I know it's a little startling, having us appear like this, off a hightech, night flying helicopter, suddenly invading the scene in the midst of an already ongoing disaster. Myself and my associate are both geared like this strictly for precautionary measures. I'm happy to say it's been looking more and more that, whatever the contagion is, it infects only by direct body fluid transmission. So some of you who didn't handle Mr. Lopez may eventually prove to be uninfected. This mode of transmission is collaborated by the fact that the seven other Mexican victims have all have been reliably reported as having physically touched Benardo, as they prepared him for burial." Gil spoke up. "H-how do you explain Marco falling sick then? He arrived there much later according to Roy here.." Jamie cast her eyes down. "The boy's mother said he kissed Bernardo on the cheek before the casket was covered.." "Is she one who's sick?" Johnny asked. "I-- I mean, if Marco wakes up, he's gonna wanna know.." he said softly.. "Yes, Mr. Gage." Steven said. His suit crinkled as he sat on a stool at Marco's bedside, to read the chart Doctor Brackett and the paramedics were keeping on Marco. "She was still alive last report, as of a half hour ago." Miss Thorne timidly wrapped herself tighter in her wool blanket. "Is there anything you've found that may... prevent or slow this disease yet?" "Miss Thorne, we can't treat for anything yet beyond standard life supporting measures until we know exactly what it is we're dealing with here." Jamie said. "The wrong medication or antibiotic could alter immunophysiologic responses and actually allow this unknown disease to run its course even faster instead of buying any time." she answered. Gil asked one more question. "Has anyone infected held up in the face of this disease? Any one recovering?" Dr. MacPherson sighed. "No. That's what made us tentatively classify this outbreak as a possible Grade Four." "Grade Four?" Roy asked, "Forgive me for being ignorant but I'm unfamiliar with that terminology." he said, trying to smile without nervousness. "It must be something my partner and I don't deal with in the field working as paramedics.." "So you two are the ones who directly cared for Mr. Lopez? I need to ask you a few more details once Dr. Taylor and I get set up here. But to answer your question..." Jamie looked up from where she was skillfully drawing a blood sample off Marco, even with her suit's gloves on. "That ranking means a germ with a very high virulence and killing factor, Mr. DeSoto. There are only six known illnesses in this category that we know about, that have rapid fever with bleeding with its onset. Machupo Plague, Lassa Fever, Nipah virus, Hendra virus, Junin Plague, and the last, is one newly discovered, the Ebola virus.." "Ebola...." Chet said with rising fright. "I've heard of that. Oh, man.. it wiped out a whole village in West Africa last year.. Is that what Marco's got?" Jamie raised a gloved hand. "No,.." she insisted. "This body rash doesn't come with Ebola. This strain's new or rare. All we know is that it takes effect very very quickly and that it is a hemorrhagic syndrome type virus. Most likely in the Flavivirus family. Also, there's every chance that this bug may be another mutation of Dengue Fever, in its stronger variant , which is only fatal 30% of the time. Of those, there have been seventeen types of DHF discovered in the last ten years." Cap blinked, "Ok,.. Just ah, what can we do here to help you doctors out? I know for myself I want to do more than just lie around waiting for answers." He had been awake ever since the helicopter's motor blade noise woke him up. Jamie bit her lip, tilting her face inside her biohood. "Well for starters, I want to know as much as each of you can tell me about Marco's illness, when he got sick, what his initial symptoms were. What worked in making him feel better. That sort of thing. Details might give us something more to work on.." Roy spoke up. "Well, he had laryngitis real bad last night. It started a few hours after we all had a bad fire. Marco complained of a sore throat..." "And I noticed bloody patches in his nasopharyngeal area when I put in an oral airway this afternoon, doctor.." Gil replied. "Don't forget how O2 made his cough better." Chet added. "And how my mother's medicinal tea helped out too. Honey and herbs." Johnny said quickly. Steven shook his head and held up a glove, and his pen poised over the chart. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. One at a time. Slow down. Let's start from the beginning ok?" And they did. Soon, no one had anything else to add. Jamie read back what she had to everyone to reiterate. "...and then, Dr. Brackett, you said an instigated Glucose IV push, and diazepam along with some forced O2, ended his febrile seizure?" "That's correct. And his temperature went down two degrees from Roy's initial finding." "Got it.. Now, if you'll excuse me, Steven and I are going to compare this blood sample from Marco with those we have of his deceased cousin to begin a baseline analysis.." Jamie told them. Then she looked at Kel, switching to all doctor. "We're planning on using two virus isolation methods here, Dr. Brackett. First, a polymerase chain reaction analysis followed by an antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay." Kel nodded. "I agree that a PCR and ELISA comparison will reveal any marked pleomorphism under the microscope.." Cindy piped up. "Pleo what?" "What the germs are shaped like, Miss Thorne.." Steven replied. "A vital clue which might tell us what we're dealing with.." "Can I help you with anything?" Kel asked. Steven and Jamie looked around the room at everyone in stokes. "Can you leave your patients?" Roy spoke up. "Doctor. He can. Besides me and my partner, Brice and Gil are paramedics, too. We'll be fine." "Ok. Let's get at it then.." she nodded, satisfied. Kel and Jamie and Steven rose from their chairs, leaving with the path kit and the tissue cryo case holding the dead boy's tissue remains. Marco's vials of whole blood also accompanied them to the kitchen, where the newly erected, makeshift biolab awaited. The firemen, paramedics and teacher were left alone with their thoughts. On his bed, Marco startlingly moved, emitting a low moaning noise... Brice, Roy and Gil hurried to his side, to determine Glasgow status. "Marco?!" Gage called out.. Lopez reacted by.... ---------------------------- Photo: Dr. Brackett looking at your pupils with a penlight. Photo : Photo of Miss Thorne, in closeup. Photo: Of a blood filled IV bag. Photo : An awake Marco with a bandaid on his head. Photo: Station 51 at night. *************************** From : "Clairissa Fox" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Darkest Before Dawn.. Date : Sun, 03 Nov 2002 06:11:08 +0000 ...groaning again, but his encrusted eyes, didn't open. "Hey! Somebody help me down from here. I want to be the first one to talk to him. Now." Captain Stanley ordered. His voice held undeniably firm authority. Craig and Chet lifted Cap's stokes off the two chairs it was lying across and set it onto the floor. Hank grabbed their hands as they each also gripped a shoulder to help him sit up, gingerly. . "Wait, Kelly.." Craig said when Chet tightened the grip in one of his hands to give Cap leverage to get to his feet. Brice glanced at Hank. "Don't lie to me when you answer this. I'll be able to tell by your eyes. I don't care if getting you up was an order or not because you're officially sidelined. Morphine still making you dizz--? " "West is that way Brice!.." Cap pointed towards the open exterior door with his HT's antennae. "Now get me up!.." "Right. You're fine.." Brice said two seconds later. "Chet, make sure he doesn't crash into anything." he replied, his resistance crumbling. Stanley instantly pushed to his feet by himself before anyone could help him further. Kelly hastened to get Cap's oxygen tubing trailing behind him properly and snatched up his D tank to follow along as Cap made his way shakily to Marco's longboard on the bed. "What about me?" Gage complained. "I'm not dizzy." "No, but you were shocky post surgical. Get your BP up to normal and you can join him." Brice dismissed Gage's jibe with efficiency. Johnny cut off his rejoiner when DeSoto's quiet vocal urging began. Roy was examining Marco's eyes with a penlight. "Marco.. It's Roy. Can you understand me? If you do, I want you to open your eyes.." Lopez didn't, but he kept stirring restlessly in his fever. DeSoto took a pen out and dug its cap into one of Marco's nail beds, pressing down hard. The pain made Marco grunt and jerk his hand away and he coughed under his oxygen mask but he didn't form legible words. "Should we go get the docs? If Marco wakes up more, he might be able to tell them about how he's feeling." Stoker asked. Roy said. "No. We're gonna let him know what's going on here first. He might not even know that we were even IN an earthquake. That in itself is going to be one h*ll of a shock." Craig reached into the drug box and pulled out an aromatic capsule, holding it up questioningly. "Yes.." Roy nodded, taking it from Brice. He pulled down Marco's O2 mask so that it was sitting by his mouth on his chest. Then he cracked the aromatic in two, waving the capsule under Lopez's nose, following after his nostrils with it when Marco tried to avoid its fumes. Lopez's eyes finally opened with startled coherence. "Marco.. you with us?" Roy asked again. "Whaa?" Lopez coughed wetly, getting rid of the ammonia stench in his nose and finally, his eyes worked to focus on faces. On a thought, Hank pulled off his own O2 cannula, and he hastily hid it in his shirt collar to spare Marco some worry. Cap set a hand on Lopez's shoulder. "Easy there, pal." "*ugh.* C -Cap? " Marco asked blearily.. "W-was I in a fire?" he said. "Hard to breathe." "It's all right, Marco. We're dealing with that. You've got some lung edema but you've got O2 on. It's right here.." Cap said, placing the mask into Marco's sweaty hand. "Use it when you need it." Roy got a blood pressure as he watched Marco recover clarity. Captain Stanley went on, "Not exactly a fire, Lopez. More like a ..well, an earthquake." "What?" Marco whispered, his voice cracking. "It hit the stationhouse, Marco." Chet said taking a stool by his head. "But everyone's all right. Nothing serious injury wise." Marco felt night wind on his face and noticed the stars showing through the roof where the garage rafters had been. "Ohh.." "There's no roof?! H-How are the buildings on the rest of the block?? W-we gotta go help people.." he exclaimed, and tried to rise, but his board's straps prevented that. "Oh, no. no. no.." Gage warned Marco. "We've plenty of help out there, Marco. About eight engine companies worth. Casualties were light. We don't have to go anywhere so relax.." "W--? Johnny. It's dark?.. Why am I still here if I'm hurt or something? Should've been to Rampart already." he gasped. Cap and the others exchanged looks. Then Stanley looked down at his dirty hands and said. "W-we can't do that, Marco. Not yet. You see, there's another problem we're dealing with right now. But we've the best team around to help us out of this one. They came all the way from the other side of the country to--" "Cap. Just level with me. Don't beat around the bush. Last time someone did that to me it was the day I found out my little cousin Bernardo had died." Lopez said. Cap looked sharply pained and fought his emotion to the point of clenching his jaw to keep anything from getting out too fast. "Marco. It's not good news, just like the news was on Bernardo.." "Is it mama? Is she ok??" Marco said with alarm. Roy and Gil held him down. "She's fine. She's fine. The quake didn't reach the Palisades. Vince's already stopped in to check on her.." Roy said quickly. "Then why do all of you look like someone died?" Lopez said. "That's because, there's a very real chance that all of us just might do that, Marco." Cap said to the point and very very raw. "I don't understand.." Lopez said. His EKG picked up a little in stress and he started to gasp until Roy made him take a few breaths off the O2 mask. Captain Stanley continued. "Your cousin didn't go from some fluke fever, Marco. He was ill with something..." he sighed heavily. "..with something no one's ever seen before.." Lopez paled. "And now I got it? And the rest of you?" Cap just nodded. "It's a very real possibility that we've all been exposed. The docs here from Atlanta are working on the problem, even now, right here in the station.." he said, trying to smile. "Shouldn't be too long before they pull a couch or two out of the house fire." "I'm going to die?" Marco asked. Brice immediately replied. "No. It hasn't been confirmed what illness you have. So far, you've just a fever, and some fluid in your chest and a skin rash. Nothing we can't handle.." Marco blinked. "Craig? But you're working for eight. Your station's here?" "Yes, Captain Stone is right outside, running triage operations, with Cap here." he said. "Couldn't resist the call to dig out a couple of fire engines from their own garage, know what I mean? Had to save Cap here some face somehow.." Captain Stanley hefted his HT to encourage Marco that it was true. Lopez didn't say anything, and he just blinked at the ceiling, the nightmare still not yet accepted. Roy spoke up. "We're doing everything we can here, Marco. We're just under a temporary quarantine until we get some answers. And we've turned it into a regular campout.." he grinned. "Look, soup stove and everything." It faded when Marco's eyes filled and he began to sob softly. Roy went on. "I know things sound bad. And Cap and I know how you feel. It feels like everything all around you has..kinda been turned upside down and it's not a pretty picture to be waking up to. But know that we're in this together, Marco. A firecrew never abandons one of their own." "You got that right.." Cap agreed. "There's two very very good doctors here, a Steven Taylor and a Jamie MacPherson. And Dr. Brackett's been telling us that they are simply the best of the best in their field. I wouldn't be surprised if they...wrapped up things here in just a couple of days.." "But what about my family in Mexico? Are they still safe?" Lopez asked, angrily wiping away tears. "Yes. Bernardo's mother is ill but holding her own. But there are seven down there with the same symptoms as Bernardo's.." Roy replied. Then he looked down, fussing with an IV that didn't need attention. "And.. yours.." "So why didn't you bail out when you could, everyone?" Marco said, his frustration and anger building and he pegged them all with a viscious glare. "Marco. Calm down.." Cap said. But Lopez wouldn't listen. "I tried to! Only I wasn't running for the kids when the bricks started falling down all around me.. I just ran for the door.. Yes, that's what I did.." he sobbed. "Some hero, huh.?" Stanley sharply told him. "Lopez. Stop. Getting into self pity isn't going to solve--" "Don't you see, Cap?.. I ran! I'm sure you guys were real puzzled why I was in the kitchen instead of the garage with them." he cried, his eyes blinded by frightened tears. "And I wish to G*d I could be running away from all this right now..." he whispered. "Oh, Bernardo!... Oh, Mama!... I'm sorry.. I'm so.. sorry...Lo ciento por su dolor y herido.." and he started to cry in heaving choking sobs of grief and shock. Cap hugged him, and held him tightly as Marco finally gave in completely to his terror and fear. "Lopez. It's all right. We're here. And we won't be leaving you, pal. Not by a long shot.." "I want to die.. I want to die.. Oh, Bernardo...." Marco's sobs died away. At his silence, Chet moved forward. "He's out again?" Kelly asked with alarm, swallowing.. He helped Cap lower him slowly back down again onto the longboard. Roy looked at the EKG and took a pulse. "No. Just sleeping. " "What was wrong with him? I mean, I- I've never seen Marco act that way, Roy.." DeSoto met Chet's eyes. "Its nothing. He's a little raw partly because of the fever, and the diazepam, and most likely, from some inner feelings he's been suppressing ever since his cousin's funeral. Not the first time someone's buried family and then not reacted to it until weeks later.. He'll be better emotionally after a good nap." Johnny piped up. "Yeah, Chet. He's a human being, so give him some slack.." "I am. I am.. It was just a little frightening seeing him come unraveled like that." "Well you would, too, after surviving a funeral, the complete destruction of your workplace, an earthquake, and then capping it all off by coming down with a potentially lethal plague..Come on, Cap. Let's get you back to bed.." "I'd rather stay here, if that's ok with you.. Gage.." Cap said. "I can recupe just as well from a chair as a stokes.." "Ok. Just have Chet put your O2 back on.." Johnny said, rolling over to get some rest himself. Roy nodded in agreement and soon, Chet and he left Cap studying Marco's sweaty face as he slept fitfully. Cap was almost dozing from the heady effects of the O2 cannula when he realized that Marco and he were no longer alone, on just a feeling. He opened his eyes. Miss Thorne had gotten up and she had moved to the chair Roy had vacated. "He's almost my age.." she said gently. Cindy reached out to Marco's face to brush away a tangle of wet hair with compassion. Cap grabbed her hand, and shook his head, preventing her from touching him. "It's all right.. You firemen aren't the only ones known for self sacrificing oneself. And there are two million teachers out there all across the country who'll agree with me on just that point." Captain Stanley smiled and let her go. Then he afforded her some feigned privacy as she leaned down to admit a secret to his sleeping crewmate. Cindy wiped away Marco's tears with a gauze pad and bathed his face in a cool cloth as she talked. "You know, Marco. You weren't the only one who wanted nothing else but to run today..." she told his sleeping features.."Stoker here had to tackle me to keep me under that kitchen table until the quake had ended. So I think there's a bit of cowardice in all of us. It's not surprising to me that the ground failing beneath our feet brought some of that out in both you and me. But I'll just bet there hasn't been a single fire that you've ever seen where you didn't just go charging right on into it without hesitation. So you're one up on a whole lot of us teachers in the bravery department, Marco Lopez. Those kids knew that coming here today. And so did I... Just sleep...Things will be brighter in the morning. They always become that way, with the dawn.." In reply, Marco's EKG, slowed into deeper rest. --------------------------------- In the station kitchen improvised lab, Dr. Steven Taylor and Dr. Jamie MacPherson made a startling discovery on their specimen slides. They found....... ----------------------------- Photo: Cap at night calling on his HT. Photo : Chet sitting up in alarm on his bed. Photo : Marco looking very serious. Gif : A peaceful California dawn by the ocean. ***************************** From: finiterider@yahoo.com Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2002 14:56:21 -0800 (PST) Subject: [EmergencyTheaterLive ] The Red Devils-- ...bacteriophage. Simple, unknown; completely undifferentiated bacteriophage. "Steve. Come look at this. I pulled it off the fireman's gram negative stain." Jamie gasped through her contamination hood. Dr. Taylor joined her and bent down into the microscope. "Look at that Shepherd's Crook morphology. Could this be an RNA filovirus?" Jamie shuddered. "We've only hypothesized that evolution of phage in theory as a zoonotic model, no known living specimens are known to exist." Steven was thoughtful. " Zoonosis? Mexico has plenty of mammalian carriers. Mice, birds..." "Yes, but those vectors are everywhere. What is unique in Mexico city and nowhere else?" Jamie said. "It's tropical around Marco's family's neighborhood. Monkeys?" Dr. Taylor theorized. "None that are native.. Bacteriophage are weak transferring to foreign or human bred hosts. It would have had to evolve in one genus for decades to mutate to an infectious state strong enough to cross species barriers. Mexico has no native simians." Steve was finetuning the microscope as he dressed his sample with an enzyme catalyst to break down the virus into its separate constituents. He took the slide off and shook it while the solution broke it down. Then he replaced the slide. "Oh my g*d. Jamie,.. they're reassembling despite the protein dissolver.." "Self assembling? Retrovirus! That's a class neither virus nor bacterial, millions of years old." MacPherson said. "Then our contagion's host will have to be at least that old, too.." "Insectoidal?" Jamie guessed. "We ruled that out. No bites on half the victims, remember?" Steven sighed. MacPherson was undaunted. "The Marco house is deeply inside city limits on the edge of the mountains. No animals crawling in from the forest would go unnoticed there." "Birds?" "Too inefficient a metabolism for a retroviral infection. It would never survive in them." Taylor said, "I've tried on computer models." Jamie frowned.. "Their dogs and cats, and pigs and chickens were sacrificed by investigators. Couldn't have been them, they were all clean.." "Those animals are also young species. None older than a few hundred thousand years. Domesticated genetic lines. They can't be our hosts." Dr. Brackett had finished a toxicology series on Marco's blood samples and looked up when Dr. Taylor and Dr. Macpherson showed up in front of his work station. "Any progress..?" he asked. "Retrovirus.. Zoonotically transmitted. Our unknown is showing marked Shepherd's Crook pleomorphism and resistance to enzymatic lipase breakdown.." Dr. Brackett's eyes squinted and he blinked in reaction. "A retrovirus? I thought those were extinct and found only in the fossil record." "Not for some.." Jamie admitted. "The genus is rare, but can still be found in the wild. Just like the Listeria strain of cyanobacteria is still found in Yellowstone's hotsprings. That is living despite it being continually poisoned by our now oxygen rich atmosphere.." "Let me take a look at it.." Kel said. Taylor and MacPherson held out their hands to him to sit at the stool before the microscope. "Be my guest.." Taylor sighed. Then he pulled off his biocontamination hood. "We don't need these anymore.. This one can't reinfect anyone without an animal host.." Jamie concurred, shedding her biosuit too. "Totally true.." "Then the quarantine is unnecessary?" Dr. Brackett said. "Completely, doctor.." Steven told Kel. "Only body fluid precautions are necessary. Like you would do for any hepatitis or meningitis patient in one of your wards. Anyone healthy would be able to easily fight this off." "Marco wasn't healthy and so he got infected." Kel realized. "Most likely because he was burning his candles at both ends helping out his mother and working fires here. Roy did tell us that no one has gotten a lot of sleep for the last four days.." "Most certainly.." Jamie agreed. "And we hadn't been able to see these spirals and hooks until now, because when we got to the boy, he was already dead too long to present them clearly, except in the one splenic blood sample the forensic doctors managed to obtain. Your fireman's blood slide, has just made our problem crystal clear, doctor.." Brackett caught sight of the deadly, yet ancient retrovirus on the slide. He clearly saw the purple staining of the enzyme lipase chemical that Steven had added earlier, but the tiny contagion stubbornly held together in its spiralled stringed, oddly hooked shape. "Frightening. This germ is technically not alive here. But you're telling me that it can still reproduce?" Jamie nodded, agreeing with the hospital doctor. "Ummhmm. Just by latching onto any cellular RNA and telling it to make more retroviral capsules, with its own RNA, instead of normal stem cells." "Then what causes the symptoms and the fever and the bleeding?" Dr. Brackett wanted to know. Jamie said. "I have always hypothesized to my superiors that retroviruses have a piggyback contagion living in symbosis inside the spore capsule. Each, separated from the other, is harmless, but together in combination..." "Deadly and fast.." Dr. Brackett agreed. Dr. Brackett lifted a handy talkie wrapped in plastic on the table. It was linked to both the triage center outside and to the CDC team working in the firehouse backyard. ##This is Kelly Brackett inside Station 51. I'm lifting the quarantine. There's proof positive on further non transmission.## Dr. MacPherson lifted her own. ##Confirming the order Atlanta base. We're in the clear. Bodily fluid protocols restrictions only..## "How long will it take your people to use these slide images to identify the organism?" Kel said. "Only as long as it takes to take a polaroid slide image here and transmit it over TV satellite to the CDC.. Our specialists will peg this within minutes if we've seen it before.." "Then do it.. " Jamie started laughing.. "What's so funny doctor?" he asked. "I just learned the best way to do that doctor and it's even faster than our finest military.." "Oh?" "Use the reporters." she said. "They'll spread those images like wildfire. And the CDC will get them seconds after they air.." "Are you crazy? What about the panic that would cause doctor?" Steven said. "What..." she said dismissively. "You mean the earthquake hasn't already accomplished that? We can just label these pictures X Case Influenza and they'll be none the wiser.." Steven started to snicker, too. "Heh. Clever girl.." "I'm afraid I don't understand.." Kel Brackett said at their amused expressions. "X Case is CDC code for "identify and confirm this". Doctor Brackett. The word Influenza is bogus. Jamie wants to add that to make any viewers think we have just the flu in here to settle them down." Kel smiled, too. "I'll go along with that.." "I'll get right on it.." Jamie said. Soon, she had a polaroid of the slide showing the retroorganism stains and was jogging out the kitchen to head through the garage and the waiting press milling about outside for the ten o'clock news broadcast about to go on the air. A minute later, she was back. Dr. Brackett turned back to Steven Taylor.."Uh, doctor, in your theory, what's the best way to treat retroviral hemorrhagic fevers?" "Aggressive fluid management. I've tested Idouroxidine, an anti-tumor medication, against bacteriophage of this virulence...and I've had good results.." Steven suggested. Jamie immediately countered. "That's against bacteriophage Taylor, not retroviruses. No one's ever seen an active retroviral epidemic before.." Brackett silenced her with a growl. "Not until now.. I'm willing to try anything.. Marco Lopez's too unstable to wait any longer on a solution.. Even if it's just a temporary one.. He and seven others in Mexico are counting on us to help them now. Even if it's just a shot in the dark!" Jamie sighed, but let her colleague continue advising Dr. Brackett. "I'd try 150 mg IV QID for starters. That might arrest the synergistic bacteria in operation with the retrovirus's cellular division.." Steve said. Kel nodded his head, remembering something. "I have some already here. One of my senior paramedics had an unknown Asian Virus last year and I still had some viable doses available. I included them in that field bag you advised me to pack." "You know these injections will be stop gag at best.." Jamie said. Dr. Brackett washed his hands in the kitchen sink and dried them in a sterile towel. "I know.. But until we learn the animal who's the principle carrier from which to isolate an anti-viral serum, slowing down Marco's deterioration that way's the only hope we've got.." Suddenly, Chet's face peered through the kitchen door. His eyes got real big when he saw that the two microbiologist physicians were out of their containment suits. He shoved aside the door and said. "Hey, Dr. Brackett. You'd better get in here.. Marco was conscious for bit and talking.. Roy says he's still that way and only dozing.." "There's our chance to find out more clues about that carrier. Marco must have seen something down there that was new in his house animal wise.." Kel said, grabbing his HT for a reply from the outside. The news story delivering the image of Marco's germ to the whole state began to air. And Roy kept his promise by freaking out the reporters by leaning and waving from the station bunk house doorway so that his family and kids could see him. "Anyone wanna take bets on how quick the CDC will call on our answer?" Dr. Brackett said, gathering his gear and moving back to Marco's side. "No bets.." Steven said.. Chet was only puzzled when he overheard that little exchange. Then he started laughing when the camera man jumped back two feet when Roy pretended a fake sneeze into his direction. --------------------------------------- Dr. Brackett and Drs. Taylor and MacPherson all crowded around Marco's bed. Gil and Brice both backed out of the way. Craig said. "Ah, progress.. The quarantine's been lifted.." Gil looked at him as if he sprung a third eyeball. Brice merely tugged on his own sleeve to show his unbeliever that Jamie and Steven were now out of their biosuits completely. Gil caught on to that fact readily and accepted it eagerly. He knelt by Kel, telling him how long Marco had been conscious and how coherent he had been during those brief moments. Kel noticed Lopez was indeed, sleeping. He gently shook his shoulders. "Marco. Marco Lopez. It's Dr. Brackett. I need to ask you some questions about your family's home in Mexico.. Marco.. Can you hear me?" Cap jolted awake in his chair but then fell to listening when he realized an important discussion was about to take place. Chet joined him, crouching at his side. Marco's face finally animated and screwed up into an immediate liquidy cough that he barely managed to clear away in between breaths under his oxygen mask. His eyes opened fuzzily. "Brack--? Am I out yet??" "Not yet. Marco. Listen. This is very very critical that you hear me and answer as best at you can.." As he spoke, Marco's head sagged again into a half state. "Marco!! Front and center!!" Cap shouted. "Whaa? Inspection day already? Yessir!!" Lopez blurted out in sudden reaction. He started to give a mock salute but he couldn't lift his arm up all the way.. but his eyes snapped into a brighter wakefulness. Cap grinned and added more. "Just listen carefully, Lopez. This is not an inspection but a Q and A test. Reply to the doctors here as best you can." "A-all right. I'll get 100 %. I- I..don't want.. latrine detail agai---.... ohhh.." "Marco. Concentrate.." Kel urged. " t.......ryingggggg.." he sighed. Jamie leaned in close to Marco's ear. "Mr. Lopez.. When you arrived to your family villa in Mexico. Were there any new pets the kids were playing with?.. Anything strange or new?" "Pets? B- Bernado te gusta jovan gatos y..." "En Inglez,.. Marco.." Cap said. "Oh...hhhh uh, Bernardo likes kittens. Always new ones from the vineyards..." Jamie and Steven shook their heads. "Marco. Marco. How about something from the hills.. Something not domesticated. A mammal of some kind.." "Mama senora,.. ella es loco que se manana con el Diablos Rojos en la cielo noche porque ellos come en su flores..!" Marco wailed in his fever, still not very coherent.. "What?" Taylor exclaimed at the apparent spanish gibberish.. Chet said, straining to understand. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute.. I think I understand a bit.. Marco and I have a bet running that I can learn enough spanish to impress his mama by fall to win a complete, homecooked--" "Chet! Now's not the time..!" Cap roared. "Ok, ok, ok... Uh.. I think he said that the Donya Arana or the head woman in his household was going crazy that morning because of "red devils" from the night sky eating in her garden.." "Red devils from the sky?" Jamie frowned. Then Taylor clinched it.. "Bats.. Can't be anything else.. Specifically, Flying foxes!! They are all over Mexico. There's our sentinel anim---" he leaped up for the phone to reach his superiors in triumph.. Jamie leaned in to Marco as her colleague rapidly got into action with their team in Atlanta and those outside the station house. "Tell me more about the Red Devils.." "Que? No comprendo....." Marco sighed as he fever tossed on his pillow. Jamie threw up her hands in frustration. Chet coughed and in very bad Spanish asked, "Hablas mas pero Diablos Rojos. Nosotros tenemos muchas preguntas. Es muy importante Marco.." Cap even knew what that meant. "I'll say we have many important questions.. Lopez.. Stay with us!" Marco began to shout, delirious. "Todos muerte! No vive no mas en la noche. Bernardo traes uno a mi Tija.. Soy Triste.!!! Bernardo!!" Lopez repeated his moaning words. Over and over.. Chet blinked in stress as he translated shakily.. "He keeps saying they're all dead. That they were no longer alive by nightfall. That the boy gave a bat to his Aunt after it had died to show her? Now, he's blaming himself.." Marco's tirades continued until Dr. Brackett finally sedated him and turned him onto his side to rest. Jamie MacPherson started up on the Idouroxidine injection into his IV after Kel had gone on to examine Gage's status. Roy returned from his tormenting the reporters and said. "Man, I wonder who gave them that germ photo? Doctor... did you--?" "Yes, Mr. DeSoto we did.." Jamie said, gesturing for Brice to take another BP on Marco. "It was an end to a means.." "W-wait a minute. Did you find your answers? You're both out of your biocontamination suits. That's great. Must be if the quarantine is lifted.." Roy said happily, folding his arms. "So why didn't you tell the reporters that too?" Chet snapped. "Because it isn't over yet ! Yes, we learned what it is and where its came from.. But the serum that Marco's going to need comes from bats, Flying Foxes, according to one of the docs here. Now tell me how in the world are we going to find the right ones in Mexico from the middle of a city fringe jungle rainforest in time to save him, eh?" Roy's face fell into lines deeper than the San Andreas Fault. "We can always hope, Chet.." Jamie MacPherson looked up with a large degree of doubt locked onto her face. Then the phone rang. Both the one in the kitchen lab and the one on the bunk house desk. Jamie and Brice both leaped for it. She was faster. "Dr. MacPherson.. in LACoF station 51.." Everyone held their breaths when her face proved it was Atlanta on the line. She listened for a while then... "I understand sir.. I- I 'll get right on it.. Yes, mobilize the Mexico City team to collect the vineyard specimens.. Our victim says the dead boy played with some in the garden in the days before he fell ill. As you heard from Dr. Taylor, they are very probably our sentinel animal species. Oh, and chief.. We need one taken alive and sent here. I need to extract a blood serum from it.." She set the phone down shakily and sank into a chair at the desk by the battery operated lantern. Gil came over and set a hand on her arm. "You ok?" "Yes.. I- I just am a little stunned about the finding. We have a name for the contagion in our files.." Steven Taylor came from the station's yard and from briefing the team outside. He saw the look on Jamie's face and Gil crouched near her offering her coffee and he asked. "Jamie.. What is it?" "Steve, it's Grade Four Marburg.. Boss's just confirmed it." "Ohhhh..no. I'm so sorry..We're too late." Dr. Taylor sighed, leaning against the wall in defeat. Dr. Brackett was less than gentle. "Ok. What's Marburg..?" Jamie,s lips worked mechanically. "Marburg.. Theorized RetroViral Infection. Three known live cases recognized world wide in 1975.. Incubation period of 5-10 days, onset of the disease: sudden. Marked by fever, chills, headache, and myalgia. Fifth day after onset of symptoms, a maculopapular rash, most prominent on the trunk may occur. Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, sore throat, abdominal pain, diarrhea then may appear. Symptoms become increasingly severe and may include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhaging, and multi-organ dysfunction." Her last fact came in a whisper.. "No known cure.. All three reported cases were....100% ....Fatalities...." A stunned silence filled the darkened bunk room. Chet's face twitched in denial.. "No way.. no way, man.. Not Marco. No way in h*ll!!" Cap got to his feet and ripped off his nasal cannula. "Kelly, now getting upset isn't going to help matters any.." Kelly's face was a mask of torture and deep, deep emotional pain. It sullied his fine boned features, making a mockery of them. "I don't care anymore Cap! We ... have taken.....just about all we can here! And so have I. Look at us.. " he said flinging his arms wide. "Just look at us, Cap! Johnny was almost crushed today, so was the engine and squad. Miss Thorne over there was almost gassed to death. You almost bought it, too! And most of us here in one way or another.. Bonnie, too, for Pete's sake." He started pacing and kicked over an empty water jug in his frustration and rage.. "I'm sick of this whole thing! Being stuck here, watching things deteriorate like this. So just take it back, Cap.,, the whole g*dd*mned unlucky deck of cards we've been dealt over the last four days!! Cap, just make it go away. We gotta all return to base, we gotta all get some sleep, we gotta all be ready for a fresh start all together again, by wake up tone time.." Cap started to move forward.. "Chet...." he said softly. ."I would if I could pal.. Y- you know that.." Chet screwed his eyes shut and tears flooded out."Ah, man..... not Marco..pleeaaasseee not him.. It's just not fair.." and he started to cry, sagging down the wall by Marco's head. He reached out and caressed Lopez's hair with a hand, sobbing. His wracking cries panged everyone listening and soon, Cindy rose to speak quietly with Chet where he knelt on the floor. She said..... -------------------------------- Photo : Cap looking very very small. Photo : Marburg Retrovirus slide. Photo: Chet peeking through the kitchen door in fear. ***************************** From: "Cory Anda" Date: Tue Nov 5, 2002 11:31 pm Subject: Panacea... "Mr. Kelly. Listen to me. Things aren't all lost. Not yet. Marco's still alive. And of everyone here, I've seen none who've hovered more often in concern and caring, than you. Things look dark. But if you've hit bottom, then there's no where else to go but up, is there?" Chet didn't pay any attention to her, his face still buried in Marco's hair. Then quiet, calm Mike Stoker said something very profound. "100% fatalities.." he mumbled. "I just can't believe that at all. They're just words..." "What?" Chet said, looking up at his engineer coworker, wiping his red eyes and face with an arm. "They're just words.. All of them. That complete phone call from Atlanta. That Marburg report. Dry. Dispassionate. Just facts. How can we trust its end-all be-all credibility?" Mike said, thoughtfully. Miss Thorne began to smile. "There was never a thesis or report born that ever escaped revision. Mike Stoker, you're beautiful!" And she kissed him full on the cheek. She went rushing off to find Dr. Taylor and Dr. MacPherson. Chet's eyes immediately dried up into another emotion, one of jealousy. "Hey, how come you get all the chicks kissing you? Stoker, did you tell her it was you who revived her in the yard?" Mike said, "Nope. No one ever told her that she had even quit breathing." Then he rubbed some knuckles on his shirt's badge,"Maybe she just likes the quiet rugged type of fireman.. eh?" "Yeah?" Chet said, more like himself. "Well, how about a fireman who's not afraid to show his emotions openly.." Cap piped up with a grin.. "Well, then, everyone in the room here today would be unbeatable Cassanovas now wouldn't they, Kelly, if that were true. No, Chet, I think it was something Stoker said that gave Cindy Thorne an idea on another matter." "What do you think it was?" Kelly said, fussing with Marco's blankets. "Don't know. Does it look like I have an answer to everything..?" Cap muttered. "Absolutely.." "Yes." "Yes.." "Yep.." Roy, Gil, Brice and Chet all said to him. "Very funny. I think I'll quit my day job and become a mountain guru and charge people for my answers.." "Just don't sit on the wrong mountain. You may just get shaken off by another earthquake.." Roy kidded. "Oh, yes.. Now there's one answer even I wish I had. I wonder what's happening out there?" and Captain Stanley lifted his HT to his mouth. "Station Eight, this is Engine 51. Got an update for us? It's almost daybreak. Your station still light on a few hands..?" Gil, Roy and Chet and Brice all waved in protest and frantic denial, anticipating that Cap was actually going to have them reassigned to outside disaster detail because of the lifted quarantine. They all shook their heads rapidly and made all sorts of negative signs to silently block such a captain's action. ##This is Stone. Hank? We heard. The quarantine's over. Good going. Rooting for ya. Yeah, we're light staffed but upstate companies and crews are on their way to relieve us, even the Pasadena FD's on their way.## "Oh,..uh....just checking to see how you were. Captain Stanley out.." ##10-4, Engine 51.## Captain Stanley parked the HT onto one knee and levelled a look of "this better be good." at his men. Chet voiced their excuse perfectly. "Didn't I hear a particular fire house captain among us say that a firecrew doesn't abandon one of their own?" "Yep.." Roy and Mike said at the same time. Cap just harrumphed and got up to turn off his own oxygen tank sitting by his feet. "Man, I'm hungry.. Did they give us some chow here anywhere?" Three arms pointed to a nondescript crate by the water cooler. "Oh, thanks.. Smelled the soup, Stoker made Cindy earlier. Anything else to go with it..?" Cap said, rubbing his stomach. "Does it look like we had time to even think about food? Some of us haven't even slept yet.." Roy said without sting. "Yeah, well. I was walking wounded there DeSoto. And I'm a glowing testament to your paramedic skills if I got my appetite back. right. Now,..who'd like some soup and whatever else I can scrounge up? Hmmm?" Cap asked. Three sets of hands rose instantly.. "Fine.. I'm assigning myself chow detail for the day since I'm not cleared to captain anything yet. Just called me Cook if you want anything sooner.." he joked. And he moved off to get his men, and everyone else able to eat and drink, some hot meals. -------------------------------- Cindy was talking fast with Dr. MacPherson and Dr. Taylor. She was actually getting on their nerves with questions and nagging for details about Marco's bug. ".....so, your people have seen three cases like his..That's interesting. Hhmm. What I mean is..How truly were those cases like our situation? Were they in Mexico, away from professional help and treatments? I find it hard to believe that a bug like the Marburg would be singularly lumped in with Ebola, and Hanta and other virulent strains on a whim just based on a pathology report.." Jamie MacPherson slammed down her file onto the table and she finally faced the teacher standing before her. "Listen,..Miss Thorne. My colleague and I have been trying to work around your prattling for the last five minutes. Now I draw the line on a civilian who's a little nervous when that same civilian accuses me and my organization of not doing a proper job." "No offense meant, doctor.." Miss Thorne said genuinely.. "I'm just trying to plug for answers on behalf of a firehouse full of frightened firefighters who are sitting on the edge of their wits because an earthquake jarred them out of their normal lives like a bull in the china shop! I'm a teacher, and teachers question everything. Makes me very practical and worldly for my students if I'm absolutely certain of where I stand with any one subject. So I'm not questioning anyone's credibility here nor the CDC's tactics.. I'm only digging for a wider view.. Since when has any paper on a contagion written by someone else, ever stopped YOU from pushing the envelope..?" Steven actually smiled as he continued making test slides of Marco's blood to find an effective dose of Idouroxidine to slow the Marburg's meiosis. "She's got you there, Jamie. Let see, you bucked heads with boss, what... seven times already this year on various subject matters??" he poked. "Ohhh..." she huffed. "Stop ganging up on me, Steven Taylor. All right.. " Jamie said, dropping her work and snatching up Johnny's pot of luke warm coffee from the table. She poured out the plaster dust that was floating on its liquidy surface and grabbed a mug from the cupboard. Changing her mind, she grabbed three of them. And started pouring.. "Ok,..You got my full attention Miss Thorne. And Steven's.. I always claim that I have an open mind across professions, so here's putting the money where my mouth is. So, shoot. What questions do you have about our poor sick fireman and his dead little cousin? I'll answer anything that isn't classified material.." Miss Thorne wasted no time. "The Red Devils.. Were they present for your other three Marburg victims? Did you know about them..?" Jamie's face registered respect and a little surprise that Cindy went right to the heart of the same thought that had been nagging in her own mind ever since Marco's astounding account of them. "What??" she gasped. A sudden fax from a battery generator run machine across the room, bleeped and came to life by the microscope. It got all of their attentions when it lit up with a transmission. Steven walked over to it and waited for the sending to complete. "Wow, the main phone lines are up in the neighborhood. That was fast.. Italy's last quake took a week to reestablish full land line telephone service.." "Like our firemen, " Miss Thorne sighed. "Our phone and power companies are the best in the country. They'd have to be, being under the gun of earthquakes all the time in our state.." Steven snatched up the still warm sending from Atlanta.. "This is from Mexico.. Forensic photos of the vineyard.. " "Let me see.." Jamie said, taking one and moving over to the dawn's rising light by the kitchen window. Natural debris settling in the night had freed up some daylight there. "They're all adult bats.. No juveniles.." Steven looked up from another fresh report from the Mexico CDC team. "No fatalities as yet. Those seven are still holding. These vitals sets seem to be matching Marco's so far.." Cindy walked over to Jamie, and handed her the cup of tepid coffee the doctor had left behind on the table.. "Here.. May I see that?" "Huh.. ?" Jamie said, from a long distance away.. "Yeah. Sure.." and she saw the cup Cindy was handing her.." Thanks.." "No problem.." Miss Thorne delicately took the color photo showing the decaying bats in the vineyard lying on the ground in the Lopez garden, and immediately noticed something.. "Doctor...." "Yeah?" Cindy said, looking at aerial photos of the Lopez villa and the surrounding streets leading up into the mountains surrounding the city.. "Tell me something..I'm no bat expert here. But aren't all of these bats here males? I don't see any sienna furred females with them.. One of my students did a report on Flying Foxes last week and I clearly remember there being color shade distinctions between the sexes..." "What?!" MacPherson shouted. She grabbed the vineyard photo back and peered at it with a hastily snatched magnifying glass. Then she gasped and placed a hand on her mouth. "Steven!! Get over here.." "What is it? " Dr. Taylor shouted, running over to them from the other side of the room, he stripped off his latex gloves and tossed them into a disposal bin near the microscope.. "I'm coming. I'm coming.." "Look.. Miss Thorne's noticed something about the bats. They're all males.." Dr. Taylor blanched. "Sex specific etiology on the Marburg host? Ohmy.." and he ran once more for the phone directly linked with Atlanta.. "Miss Thorne.. I love you.." Jamie said, excited. "Steven and I were so busy wallowing in self pity about that standing report on Marburg that we didn't see new alternatives... Thankyou Thankyou Thankyou..." "What did I just set off? " Cindy said, genuinely puzzled.. "Mammals first milk. Full of antibodies that transmit to their babies in the first twenty four hours following birth.. The female Flying Foxes must have the ability to shake off Marburg to the extent of being able to survive long enough to transmit their immunity to their young. That's why the Marburg plagues of the past didn't make the species extinct! They've had millions of years to adapt to each other.." "You mean, you won't have to wait for one of the Marburg victims to fight off the infection on their own to get a serum?" "No.. For that serum's already been made.. In the female bats of that stricken colony!" -------------------------------------------- Steven was on the phone with his boss. "That's right sir. Find a gravid female near parturition. Isolate her mammarian pre-lactate and I'll just bet Marburg antibodies are there. They have to be. There were only dead adult males on the photos you sent us.." Dr. Taylor had three others on the California team listening in on other phones too so they were being appraised same as Boss was. "Yes sir.. No, don't send your samples to me.. Send us the bat herself.. Or better, yet, send several.. This antibody might need a living metabolism to stay viable.. Make sure they're due to birth their young within the next half day.. Yes sir,.. I'll let LAX and the air force jet unit assigned to us, know. Thank you sir.. What was that? It was a civilian who pointed this out to us. She's a teacher who was caught in the earthquake here in the firehouse. Yes, I'll get her name for you. And sir, make a rush on this.. The fireman's nearly critical.." and Taylor hung up the phone.. He was almost dizzy with happiness about the possible Marburg Achilles heel by the time he rushed back into the bunkroom to tell the waiting firemen and paramedics about their serendipitous discovery through Miss Cindy Thorne. ------------------------------------ Dr. Brackett was all grins as he flew through waking Johnny, out of his shocky sleep. "Hey.. Johnny... Rise and shine. The sun's already getting up. So should you." Gage coughed and he felt Dr. Brackett remove his oxygen as he blearily awoke. "What.. did I miss something important? Marco ok?" "Yes, and not yet.. I'll tell you more while we eat.." Johnny was immediately serious and he let Dr. Brackett sit him up and hand him some soup and jelly sandwiches that Cap had made for them both. Soon, Johnny knew about the rare Marburg epidemic and the new potential cure for it so ironically discovered by Miss Thorne. "Teachers are smart. I'll admit that.." he grinned. Then his face fell. "So, will they manage to isolate some mother flying foxes in time before Marco...uh.." "There's every chance.. Dr. Taylor told me they have air force jets scrambling just for us to get some here.." "Those plague bats are coming here?" Johnny said, chipmunk cheeked. He suddenly lost his appetite and set down his once bitten sandwich. "Something the matter with your sandwich? Shouldn't be with a fire department Captain on the chowline." "No.. just not hungry.. I hate bats.." Arfff!! Gage smiled down at Bonnie. "Seems she agrees with me..." he said absently scratching her head as she lay in his stokes. "Here you go, darling.. Have some.." and he fed her his sandwich, piece by piece. The ravenous Yorky nearly ate his fingers. "Ow.." But he was grinning. "You have to eat, Johnny, Or I'll have Brice start up another D5W IV on you." "I'll eat. I'll eat.. Just.. ..gimme that soup bowl. I'll work on that.." Dr. Brackett gave Gage the piping hot tomato soup thermos from the tray. "All of it or it's Brice over here in five minutes." Johnny glowered, but drank every drop. Then he set down his bowl and leaned in confidentially. "Say listen, doc. The other guys have been keeping me in the dark about Marco's true condition. Don't you think I should have the right to be in on that? I am a paramedic after all." "And I am a doctor, surprise surprise. They aren't telling you on my orders, Johnny. It's a clear cut case of doctor /patient confidentiality. Roy, Brice and Gil are the attending medics, you shouldn't have to have that excess burden of worry.." "It's no burden Dr. Brackett. He's my friend. And ..and ..and .. I just wanna know how he is...that's all.." "He's alive.. The tones on his EKG should be telling you that. And that, is all you need to know.." Kel said, finishing his food and rising to attend his next exam of Marco. "That' great doc. Just great..!" Johnny said sarcastically. But inwardly, he knew Kel was right. Captain Stanley made an announcement following their meal. "Listen all, we're not needed in the disaster station outside, but even though the official quarantine is over, all of us have to stick close to base for an innoculation once one is isolated all right? Miss Thorne, I'm sorry but that means even you'll have to spend another day in the station house." "That's ok. I've already talked to my family and they understand. They saw the news broadcast last night.." "Good deal. The water's running so we'll have hot showers for now or later. I suggest we all get some sleep. Gil, Roy, Brice.. Dr. Brackett has asked for me to get a schedule from you three about sitting up with Marco. Who's first?" Johnny raised his hand but Cap pointedly pretended he was invisible to the role call. Roy got the first two hour watch over Marco. "Wake me the first sign of trouble, Roy.." Dr. Brackett said. He stretched out onto one of the beds near the phone opposite Marco. "And Gil, I want to know if the biophones are working yet to Rampart. I'm out of the loop as far as emergency earthquake cases go, but I'll sleep better if I know Dixie isn't drowning in them over there." "Got it doc.. I'll do a check right now.." he replied. Gil dragged over the biophone and began a test rescue call. "Rampart, this is Squad 8 with frequencies check. How do you read?" While Gil waited for a reply, Brice, Miss Thorne, Cap, Jamie and Steven all found sleeping bags or beds to lie down upon. The five of them were asleep in moments. Gil got his communications check from Dixie herself and he, too, nodded off on a portable cot. Roy watched over them all protectively. Even the sounds of the ongoing recovery and rescue operations outside didn't wake them. All through the morning and into the afternoon, the outside attending firecrews made sure no harm befell those sleeping inside the crumbled Station 51 firehouse and it became something of a jealous superstition to go HT silent within sixty yards of their darkened bunkhouse. ------- Craig Brice spelled Roy three hours later. "How is he?" "About the same. I've only had to suction out his airway once. The EOA went in an hour ago. But he's still breathing. Watch that. He's in no need of atropine anytime soon. His pressure's holding so far.. Eighty systolic. But he's nearly unresponsive to the O2 now." "But he's still fighting this fever.." Craig said, trying to be encouraging. Then he noticed the mast trousers Roy had inflated only around Marco's legs. His jaw dropped open in surprise. "You know that the suit's contraindicated with pulmonary edema.." "I know that. But his internal bleeding's begun already from the virus. Only way I could get his BP to even register.. Had no choice." Brice bit his lip thinking, then he finally agreed with Roy's choice. "Shouldn't harm him much then as long as that abdomen compartment is left uninflated." "Glad you agree with me.." Roy said with some anxiety and a slight hint of anger. His protestation was mild at best. Brice actually smiled ....kindly.. "Get some sleep, DeSoto. I've got him now.. And I won't tell Brackett what you did. I'll take the blame if he finds out.." Roy's face registered amazement. "You don't have to do that.." "Yes I do. This is saving Lopez's life so the least I can do is save you from an inquiry. Brackett knows I'm already a stickler for protocol. Breaking that image he has of me on that for the first time will undoubtedly keep him from having it out with me officially until all this is over. Who knows, even then, he may not even remember the mast suit thing." "Thanks, Brice..." "Anytime,..........Roy.." Roy blinked. It was the first time Brice had used his first name ever. And it actually felt genuine. "See you after Gil's watch.." "See you then.." Roy took his time lying down and for a long time, the rising sun and stress kept him from fully relaxing.. But then, it was Bonnie and Johnny's snores that finally gave him surrease into an exhausted slumber. Hours past. Then........... ----------------------------------- Photo : Brice close in squad. Photo : Cap down, surrounded by gear. Photo : A flying fox bat.. Gif: Biohazard warning symbol. Photo: Dr. Jamie MacPherson working in a biosuit with the Marburg virus. Photo : Electron microscope image of the Marburg Virus. Photo : Roy and Johnny sleeping the sleep of the dead, late at night. ******************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Ripples.... Date : Sun, 10 Nov 2002 06:41:44 +0000 There was a creaking. A calculated sound of cotton socked feet hitting tiled floor. Brice heard a hasty shush and a subdued whining from Bonnie behind his back. But he didn't turn around until Johnny Gage had tiptoed almost to the desk to where Marco's chart lay. He imagined the precise moment when Gage's hand connected with the metal of its surface.. Then he snaked out his own hand without looking and let loose. Smack! "Oww... " Johnny hastily whispered, angry. "Whatdidya do that for?" He said rubbing his reddening guilty hand. Craig turned around on his stool and placed his stethoscope around his neck from where he sat next to a feverishly sleeping Marco. "It seems to me that you don't listen very well to your attending physician orders, Gage.." "Whatdiya mean I don't listen?.. I'm one of the best paramedics Brackett's got. And unlike some people I know around here, I've never been written up.." and he pointed two sets of index fingers at the deeply snoring Roy, still lying under the brightening afternoon sun peeking through the holes in the roof. "I was just trying to..you know.. get a better feeling about Marco,.. you know..really put a finger on the pulse so to speak.." He tried to do exactly that and was rewarded with another stinging slap on his good hand for even trying to get near Lopez tactilely. "Hey!!" Johnny sat on the second stool and tucked his hand in between his knees to ease its smarting. "Now cut that out ! Geez.. I'd wonder if your kids aren't deathly afraid of you by now in any discipline situations of yours and your old lady's at your house. You could break some bones doing what you just did to me." He said sucking on his now twice throbbing hand. "We never have discipline problems with our children, Gage.." Brice said, still smiling cooly and very self assured from where he was checking out Marco's breath sounds around the EOA tube. "Unlike you, they respect authority..Everything is precisely orchestrated and everyone knows what is expected of them to do at any given time." "You know, Brice.. Of that I have NO doubts.." Johnny threaded his own IV bag tubing from around his legs and hooked it onto his badge to keep it higher than his cath's entry site. He also loosen his uniform shirt a tad. It still had dirt and blood all over it. He made his way into the darkened locker room and rummaged around until he found a clean one from his own quake opened locker and replaced it, unbuttoning and buttoning it one handed. He was stubborn enough to not ask for help from Craig. Finally, he said. "You know what your problem is, Brice?" "No..but I can count on you enlightening me on the subject.." Brice grinned closed mouth. "You're just too d*mned.......right all the time. I DID have no business sneaking up and reading Marco's status chart. But man, it's been eating me up only knowing part of the story.." he said indignantly throwing a hand at Marco's fluctuating EKG strip. The PVC's were back. "He could be throwing those because of a fluid loss intravascularly. And look, even his I.V. site and blood draw sites are beginning to hemorrhage on their own. He's got to be losing clotting factors by the pound.. " "I noticed that, too, Gage. But Roy's taken steps here with these Military Anti-Shock Trousers." That took Gage back, "He whaa?" "Went around authority again and used them without the attending MD's order.." Brice said, this time without a grin. "And I am going to take responsibility for it when the time comes.." Johnny was thoroughly taken aback. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute.. Roy uses questionable protocol and you're BACKing him UP?" "Of course. The patient was going to perfuse less than optimally without them so I saw no reason to deny him the choice.." Johnny had a hard time believing his ears. "You mean you're going to stick out your neck...for my partner?" "That's what firemen do, Gage.." "But we're not in a fire.." he said, a puzzled look on his face. It was rankling him that Brice was looking more and more altruistic and less and less like a rule tyrant. "That's correct." Brice said. Johnny squinted his eyes in suspicion at Brice and didn't say anything more while he tried to wrap his brain around the concept of Brice actually taking a fall for another. ::It just doesn't compute..:: he thought as he walked over to the food cooler for a sandwich. His appetite had returned, almost as voracious as the pain in his stitched up hand. He grimaced slightly when lowering it below his waist made it throb. Craig didn't miss the symptom. "Dr. Brackett told me to awaken him if there were any problems so I'll.." and he shook Brackett's shoulder before Johnny could stop him. "get him to look at you.." "Brice.. Wait a minute we have to orchestrate the whole mast suit thing fir--- Hi doc, uh,.. Marco's ok. At least I think he is.. You see, Craig here saw me bump my hand and.. uh, It's ...it's nothing really, about me, I mean.." Dr. Brackett was already upright on the cot and he grabbed Johnny's arm and did a capillary refill check on his effected fingers. At the same time, he was studying Johnny's face. "Uh huh..." he said skeptically. "So that's why your pallor's matching the color of your T-shirt eh? You know better than to let shock promoting conditions go untreated. And that hand of yours has got to be putting out some serious pain.." Dr. Brackett said. "Time we medicated you.." "No, doc.." Johnny started up. "That's not necessary.. I'm fine.. I .. I ..I just got up to...." and he hastily stopped himself from saying he got up to visit Marco's medical records. "Because I saw Brice had put him into ma--" Again Gage cut himself off.. "never mind.." he added quickly. Kel didn't look up from the shot he was preparing for Johnny. "See? You're not even able to complete a whole sentence. Johnny, I'd wish you'd show a little bit more good judgement for your own benefit. So far, I've had to protect you from yourself twice. Brice here's cool under fire as usual." Johnny's face fell at the words, "show good judgement" and he almost went apoplectic. "Wait a minute, doc. I've been the perfect angel through this whole earthquake thing. I only get a little devil horned about my patients." "You mean about MY patients.." Kel said crossing his arms no nonsense. "You haven't been on duty since this time yesterday. The second you took a header into that cave-in, you turned from Paramedic to Patient.. and into my demenses with me as your doctor. Now argue the fact and this pain med's gonna be IM instead of IV..." He finished, at a firm grumble. "Ok,.. Ok.. Just.. watch him good huh? Can't sleep a wink worrying about him." Gage said, handing over his D5W bag. "And don't you go slipping a sedative into there or I'm gonna wake up later more ornery than y--" Again Gage bit his tongue. Brackett glared and Gage withered sheepishly. Johnny really tried to be obedient, but then his eyes strayed to the mast suit's dial. "Hey Brice.. It's slipped a few psi in the left leg. Here let me just--" "Ah ah ah!" Dr. Brackett held up an admonishing finger, the meperidine syringe in between his teeth as he cleaned Gage's IV tubing with an alcohol pad. "Not another peep.." Gage moused down, and sat down. Satisfied, Dr. Brackett finished his injection into Johnny's I.V. and then moved on to exam Marco thoroughly. "Brice, I assume the real reason you woke me is this return of the arrythmias." Craig nodded. "That among other things.." he said, shooting a look at Gage as he pushed up his glasses onto his face. Johnny hung his head down in defeat and sighed heavily in annoyance. Already he could feel relief from his hand's stabbing and he fought the med's grogginess rising up. ::If I can't help out, I'm gonna at least watch. I'll sleep next week.:: he decided. His lurid sleepies washed away. Dr. Brackett took a pinch of Marco's skin and noticed the fold he created didn't settle flat again. "He's dehydrated. And I'll just bet his hematocrit's sky high. Brice, D/C the Lactated Ringers for another of Normal Saline. His pulmonary fluid is less marked. I won't have acidosis set in from having an I.V. the wrong chemistry. He's now a circulation poor case.." Dr. Brackett flinched when just touching Marco's eye lids for a pupillary check, brought trails of blood from his tear ducts. He grunted in surprise. "He's bleeding from all the I.V. sites, too. Nothing yet from his GI, and there's been no vomiting indications at all." Craig nodded. "Good. Hang in there, Lopez." Brackett grinned "You're a fighter.." Then Kel asked his next question, glancing over his shoulder. "Gage. What's Marco's blood type? We're gonna need to transfuse him. Dr. MacPherson told me that this illness causes consumptive coagulopathy big time." Johnny blinked.. "It's destroying his blood platelet counts?" "Yes. " "A +. I can get a few units off Roy and Chet. They are his blood type." "Then there's something I'll actually let you do.." Dr. Brackett ordered. "Get on it." Brice was curious. "Why the free flow hemorrhaging here, Dr. Brackett? I've never seen a fever syndrome do this before.." "Dr. Taylor surmises that the Marburg uses blood splattering through its victim's convulsions as a mode of host to host transmission like the common cold uses sneezing.. This surface hemorrhaging is just the first stages." he said. He drew up heparin from his drug box, a loading dose of 2,000 IU. "Craig.. Who thought of using the trousers? Good call." Brice didn't deign to reply and he tactfully let the moment slide. Kel gave the blood stabilizer into the Normal Saline IV. Then started a piggyback IV of more into the bag and secured it with a bright orange heparin label. "I want this heparin loading continued over the next twenty four hours. 10,000 IU's a day. It'll slow the platelet loss until we get the whole blood running into him from the other firemen..And I want him urinary cath'd. I want to know an exact renal output." "Right.." Craig said. Meanwhile.. Johnny was the perfect vampire. He sat quietly by Chet where he was snoring on the bed and pinned down the sleeping man's arm with a long board chin strap to the bed frames. Then he got his vein presenting with a tourniquet and started up a line, running the catheter's flow into a collection bottle. "How much should I draw out, doc?" Chet was so exhausted that he didn't even wake at all at Johnny's ministrations. "To first tolerance point. Say, 750 CC. Kelly's not injured so we'll go high. Get the same from Roy.." Kel suggested. "1500 CC's isn't going to last Marco long." "By then, we'll have our new supply from the triage station outside." he said, looking towards the desk where Craig Brice was quietly ordering some from Captain Stone over his HT so he wouldn't disturb the sleepers in the room. Johnny got his half liter whole blood from Chet and withdrew the catheter. He handed it off to Dr. Brackett who immediately began giving it to Marco. Gage, patted Chet's cheek. "Thanks Kelly.. Sweet dreams.." he sniffed, leaving a bottle of 7up by his head. "You're gonna wake up thirsty but it's for a h*ll of a good cause." Reacting to an evil streak of humor, he scribbled on the bandaid over the cotton wad in Kelly's arm crook. "The Phantom was here.." he whispered and drew a smiley face with fangs with an I.V. marker. Johnny shifted over to his partner and got as far as touching him when DeSoto stirred awake. "Sorry.. I need to get some whole blood from ya for Marco. His platelet count's taking a nosedive. Hold still." he whispered. Roy grunted, still very sleepy. Then he said. "All right." and he held his arm still, blearily watching Johnny raise and stick a vein. "More blood coming on the way?" "Yeah. Chet provided the first bottle. Brice is getting additional supplies from the triage station outside.." Johnny said, taping off the collection tube and mating its business end into the vacuum bottle he had set onto the floor. "You're gonna be a 750." The crimson flow began to fill it up rapidly. "Make it 850. I'm a big boy.." "Our secret.." Gage said without smiling. "Here.. " and he tossed another 7up bottle at Roy and left him to nap while the transfusion bottle filled. Roy was fast asleep before he could set the pop onto the table next to himself. Johnny left him cradling it. ------------------------------ From the stokes Johnny had been using the night before, Bonnie began to moan. "Oh, I don't like the sound of that..." Gage said. He, Brice and Dr. Brackett barely had time to secure Marco and all his I.V.'s when another earthquake aftershock shook the firehouse. Dust cascaded from the ceiling in white powdered trails and everyone was jerked awake by Bonnie's frantic barking as the tremor continued. It wasn't a severe one but it was long lasting and jolting enough to wake absolutely everybody past all hope of a return to napping. Even in the emotionally worn out Chet. All the HTs on the night desk erupted into frantic communications as individual fire companies checked in with damage reports and new developments in the disaster scene outside. The earthquake died away. It was immediately followed with the tones for a four alarm fire emergency through the HT lines. Captain Stanley was on his feet and running for the shattered garage door, hanging onto his I.V. before anyone could intercept him. He pelted outside, but got instantly winded before he even got halfway down the driveway so he skidded to a halt, hanging onto the battered LaFrance's driver mirror and waited as Captain Stone rendevous'ed with him at a dead run. "How bad is it? I heard the alarm tones go off." Hank asked. Then he sucked in his breath when L.A. identified the address of the new alarm call through his radio. "Yep. It's Arco, the refinery across the street. A pipe line has been ruptured. There's no telling when a side fire will set it off. I've got my men and half the assignments here not dealing with casualties, responding." Stone informed him. Cap's eyes shot across the triage tent strewn boulevard and he squinted into the mid afternoon sun. All seemed normal over there. Until he saw a curl of steam rising from a natural gas spire where it shouldn't have been. "Oh, man." he groaned, sitting on the runner board of his battered engine. "If only I had a functional crew, I'd get my men in there.." Stone grinned cockeyed. "Sit back and enjoy the show. And don't even think about leaving the driveway. I told Peters to slap handcuffs on you the moment your feet touch the road." he joked. "Oh really.." Hank said, grinning back. "Well, don't think I'll be going anywhere anytime soon. I've got four mother hens hovering over me constantly. Oh look, there's the worst one coming now.." Brice appeared in the doorway, at a run, making sure that Cap hadn't done anything stupid like dash off with a responding engine company. He stood next to Stone and wiggled gimme fingers at Cap to give him his I.V. arm. "Let me D/C that, Cap.." Hank didn't understand at first what Brice meant until Stone pointed down to the I.V. bag and tubing still in Hank's grip. "oh.. sorry, Brice. Just a little distracted here. There's a hotspot at Arco across the street." "I know. We all heard it on HT frequencies." Craig pulled out Hank's I.V. cath and bandaged the site. "If you're gonna be in public view. Look the part, Cap.." and he tossed Cap his overcoat and helmet. "Leave my sight, and I'll come after you.." he said. "Scout's honor.." Hank said, rubbing the itchy ache where the I.V. had been. "My head's fine for your reference." "Yeah? It may feel fine for the moment. Just wait until your shot wears off." Craig said seriously. Cap's face fell at that prediction and it remained while the two captains watched a worried Brice jog back into the sadly crumpled station 51. "So that's your story.. What about your man Marco?" "It's bad, Ben. It's some kind of bleeding fever called the Marburg Retrovirus. Overheard the CDC docs clutching at straws and ordering their team in Mexico to secure female bats of all things. Seems they might have a natural serum to this thing in their mother's milk." "Air Force in on that?" "I suppose so." Cap said. "I'll keep an eye out for a convoy conveying them here.. Anything else you need?" From seemingly right beside their feet, Brice's voice boomed out. "A + whole blood! Remember, Captain Stone? Step on it..!" Stone and Stanley both looked around in amazement that they were hearing Craig's voice outside when they looked down and saw an HT on the engine's runner behind them, set to two way intercom. Hank grumbled. "That !.." and he stifled his explicative. "...mother hen..." he said between clenched teeth., more softly. "Tenacious isn't he?" Stone grinned. "When he monitors a patient, he doesn't mess around. The guys call him the Tick for a reason. I'll keep you posted Hank.. And Brice.. I've got techs on the way with your blood bags.. They'll be there with you paramedics in five..!" he said, running across the street and to the scene of the Arco Refinery call. Mike Stoker appeared in full gear at the doorway. "Cap.. Can I go?" "D*mn straight you're going..Make yourself useful. And keep me up on a detailed report and I do mean detailed. Get in there.." he ordered, and snatched up Brice's spying HT. "Here.." he said to Mike changing its mode back to normal setting. Stoker grabbed it and took off running after Stone and joined the stream of firefighters and firetrucks, entering the refinery's grounds. Cap was left behind in the bright sunlight, wearing a groove in the driveway in front of his quake dusty engine and squad, as he began to pace with worry. Birds' sweet oblivious songs mingled with the wailing sirens in his ears and both sounded vile to Hank. "Oh, mother of G*d. What next?" -------------------------------------- Photo:: View through station door of the ARCO refinery. *animated gif*: Burning flames.. Photo: Chet lying down on a bed. Photo: A blood I.V. bag. Photo: Captain Stone. Photo: Building collapses and smoke. Photo: Cap at night with HT by laddertruck. Photo: Stoker and Chet in the yard. Photo: Johnny using his HT. ******************************* From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] On a Clear Day.. Date : Mon, 11 Nov 2002 08:52:59 +0400 Offstory- Acknowledgements to the Modena Intergate Emergency! Equipment Manifest Website for the fireman's courier battalion chief car photo. Mike Stoker arrived, and put on his full SCBA gear as he made his way over to the white helmeted batallion chief directing men where he wanted them. He said, "Stoker, Station 51, Engineer." the moment he was in the man's earshot. He was slightly surprised to see the man was Chief McConnike. The chief looked at Mike and saw his company HT. "Take your unit to the west end. Looks like the pipe rupture is underground, luckily not under a storage tank. An earthquake fissure's responsible for the leak indirectly." The chief wasn't wearing an air bottle, but one was set near him so he could suck a breath or two from its mask lying on the hood of his truck when he needed to. Mike Stoker took off his mask when a clearing wind blew the mirage like fumes wafting around them away.. "Sir,.. I'm the only one available from 51. The quake took out our station house." The wizened Batallion chief's eyes narrowed in instant sympathy. "What are you doing here, son? We've got more than enough man power to handle this.." Mike grabbed the chief's arm. "Please, McConnike, don't send me back. Hank Stanley's one of those Code I under triage watch. He sent me here to keep him up on things. It would mean a lot to him and the other guys if I stayed." The chief took in a long breath and sighed. "All right. Let me think. Find a place for you, huh? I know. Station Eight. They're down one man. He's been sent to the airport to collect an animal or something for a bunch of microbiologists in the area working on a bio-yellow alert situation." Mike told him more about that. "That's for us, sir. The animals are bats with a cure for one of my crewmates." "Oh? Hadn't heard much about any situation over on that side of the street..except for someone's HT joke about the fuss that Hank was raising about losing vehicles in the quake. Hookraider's got charge over that side of the block." McConnike said. "Everyone okay over there, son?" Mike's face went even stonier as he hid his fear for Marco. "For the moment.." McConnike missed nothing. He knew the battle waging inside Stoker better than he cared to admit. Finally, he looked up and met Mike's eyes. "All right. I usually don't let lone crew work a scene but if it's for Hank, I'll allow anything. Gotta show him no hard feelings for that hat stunt he did as a probie." "Huh..?" "Never mind, son. Get at it.. Round off Captain Stone's crew and head on in.." "Right.." and Mike put on his SCBA mask again and used his HT to find where Captain Stone's crew was stationed around the leak. "Thank you, Chief.." he waved to the older man. He got a heartfelt sendoff salute in return. Mike got to Stone's side two minutes later, after being pointed in the right direction by crews already on the job assessing the problem. Ben was deep in plans of the refinery with a team of plant engineers. When there was a pause in orders, Mike stepped forward. "Captain. I'm a fill-in. Stoker, engineer, for Station 51." he shouted to him through the breathing mask. "Drop the formalities, Mike. I already know who you are. Everybody on my crew knows each man in your stationhouse intimately. We've been watching over your scene for almost a day now, making sure nothing else went wrong and we were the ones who went over your building to ensure its structural safety." Ben said, shouting loudly to be heard through his own SCBA gear. "Now, I want you to familiarize yourself with what we got.. Two of my men say underneath that natural gas tower spire is where the ground fissure began. It's still settling in areas and that's how a fireman on inspection found it. His truck literally fell into it last tremor.. That is what ruptured the pipeline." Mike Stoker squinted up through his facemask's plexiglass into the sunlight and saw three huge storage tanks full of petroleum ringing them in a triangle and a water cooling facility, networked over their heads, tying the three tanks together into a complicated lattice of ductwork and piping, where the blue sky wasn't showing. Hastily thrown yellow cones had been placed beneath the open area, showing the newly discovered patches of ground instability. From the fissure, rising steam rose into the air and it smelled pungently of natural gas indicator even through his airmask's filter. The earthquake fissure had snaked its way under two large coolant water pipes, just missing the edge of concrete that was the bed for one of the oil storage reservoirs. ::Great, it's surrounded by three giant powder kegs.:: Mike thought gloomily. The place where the trapped battalion firetruck stuck front end down into the ground, was being liberally foamed and washed down to keep all possibility of fire from occurring. Dust was still mingling with the steam from the fissure as earth and debris settled restlessly around the aggressive hose wash playing down into it. Stoker turned to Stone. "Your man got out of that truck, ok? " he shouted over the noise of steam and shouts of firecrews giving and carrying out orders. "Yeah, he leaped out the window the second he smelled gas and luckily managed to fight his way out of the growing sinkhole. He says our problem's a transverse pipe break through the mother line leading from tank two here, clean, but entirely severed through." Stone replied. "It's the pooling gas that I'm primarily concerned about right now. Arco's engineers are already passively diverting all the gas out of this nearest substation in prep for a manual shutdown to this broken pipe. It's gonna take a bit. Even though the master valve at the top of this stack has been shut down, gravity will still cause the rest of the gas from that storage tank to drain out through the break. I'd say it's leaking around 200 gallons a minute into the ground. The capacity of that secondary gas holding tank coming from the larger one, is around 250,000 gallons total. Now the facility designers assure me that none of this gas will leak into the water table because an artificial catch barrier lies underneath this whole refinery complex. It was designed that way for just this kind of scenario." "Is the power off?" Mike said. "Yeah. Been so, since the first quake. All the shutdowns the refinery workers have been doing have been done by hand. Work's taking six times longer than normal to carry out their shutdown procedures.. That detail is the only thing keeping us from getting this scene under control as fast as anticipated." "Where do you want me?" "Take a front inch and a half with Stubbs. Then you'll get a better feel for things for that report to your captain. Keep your air bottle on. The wind's not strong enough to keep down these fumes.." Stone said, readjusting his helmet over his mask. "Yes, sir.." Stoker replied, rechecking the straps on his own bottle to be sure they were securely fastened. He ran over through the fire repellent foam and over to the first hose team playing a covering wash over the downed truck and the downhill side of the fissure. He tapped the trailing man's shoulder and took his place. The departing man gave Mike a thumbs up when he recognized the Station 51 engineer and gave him an affectionate thump on the back of his overcoat. Mike grinned, feeling protected and awed once again at the comaraderie shared between their district stations, drawn closer together, in the face of adversity.::And I don't even know him.:: He and others continued to fan a soup of gas hostile chemicals and water through their fire engine hoses into the fissure. Dimly, through the spray of water, Mike could see refinery workers scrambling like ants all over the piping station over his head, turning off valve after valve, in a desperate attempt to curb the leaking gas below. In between a fire engine chemical trade off to their water line, Mike thumbed his HT and spoke to Cap. "Station 51, This is Engine 51.." Cap was on instantly. ##Go ahead Engine 51.## "Cap. An FD vehicle falling into a ground sink caused the pipe break. It's foamed and being washed. But the danger of at least 250,000 gallons of natural gas getting into the ground still exists because the power outtages are effecting mechanized system shutdowns.. Fumes are moderate and blowing down wind away from the boulevard's triage area and you." he shouted through his faceplate. ##Casualities?## "None so far.. And Cap, on a side note.. A man's been sent to the airport for the bats.." ##That's good news.. Watch your back, Stoker. Thanks for the report.## Mike Stoker got a go ahead gesture from the new engine's engineer to charge the hose once more to continue their task. "Gotta go, Cap. Let me know what happens over there ASAP." ##We will, pal.. Station 51 out.## Cap's eyes were glued to the west and towards the refinery. "Be careful, Stoker. Even fumes are enough for a spark to ignite." he mumbled to himself. ------------------------------------------ Roy and the others in the bunk house were all awake and on their feet. Chet was right there by Marco as usual and he shivered, "Man.." he said, "..am I cold. Anyone got a blanket?" Kel Brackett tossed him one, smiling. Kelly bundled himself up inside of it and crossed his arms together to warm himself when a finger snagged on the cotton wad and bandaid Gage had left secured to his arm. "Hey.. What's this?" He immediately recognized the creator of the sinister smiley face drawn there. "Gage..!" he began. Johnny was showing Miss Thorne where to find shower things and a T shirt and jeans to replace her own dirty dress. "Be right there, Chet.." he shouted back from the locker room. Dr. Brackett added, "Before you go ripping into your crewmate about another Phantom strike. Blame me. I ordered him to take blood from you for Marco." Roy was just smiling where he was draining the last of his 7up bottle dry. "Got me, too, Chet. Didn't even feel it." and he pointed to his own cotton wadded bandaid. Chet's eyes flickered to the wall above Marco's bed and saw the blood bag hanging there. "You mean that's my blood hanging up there going into him?" "Yeah.." Roy said. He wondered if Chet was going to work himself into a faint over it all. He started nearer. But Chet's face widened into an amazing smile and he said, "Far out.. we're blood brothers, man. We're REALLY family now, know what I mean? Real tight like forever." Roy smiled shyly at Kelly's sense of wonder at a simple medical marvel. Johnny stepped into the room, closing the locker room door to give Cindy some privacy to shower and change. "Not forever Chet, only for about two weeks, until Marco's spleen and bone marrow makes more whole blood to replace yours and Roy's." Chet's face soured a bit, but the twinkle didn't go out of his eyes. "I'm not going to let you burst my bubble, pal. What I did, is saving his life, man. That's cool." Johnny was about to say it was he who gathered the blood donation and Brackett who actually completed the transfusion but he hushed down, settling for a secondary Chet tease idea. "Hey Chet, I know you're cold because I drained out all your blood. Bet you're real thirsty too. Here, have a pop.." Chet reached for it, and Johnny jerked it away, holding it over his head, making the shorter curly haired fireman grab for it unsuccessfully. "Come on, Chet. You can do better than that. Can't you?" And he tossed it to Roy without looking for him first, trying to get his partner in on a monkey in the middle game. Roy didn't go along with it and tossed the 7up to Chet anyway. "Johnny. Ease up. Let him bask in the transfusion thing. It IS kinda cool." "Yeah?" Johnny said, helping the teeth chattering Chet open the 7 up bottle. "Well, I don't need to exchange blood with anybody to know who my brothers are. In this station, we are all brothers. Tied just as deep in the blood as we are as a company's crew because of what we do here." He offered Chet half of his jelly sandwich. "Amen to that, Gage.." Chet said. Then he looked up, feeling that someone was missing. "Hey,.. where's Stoker?" Cap entered the bunk room just then with a followup about the Arco call going on across the street. "It's official, a natural gas ground seep. A big one underway. Mike says it was a fire truck inspector's vehicle that landed on the pipeline during the last trembler, which shattered it." "Anyone hurt over there?" Gil asked. "You can send Roy, Brice or me if you'd like. I've slept enough." "No, Stoker says that man got outta there ok.. Sounded like he's been put on a front wash down. He didn't sound overly nervous. Seemed like everything's under control. Oh, and he says the bats are here. A crewman from Eight's has been sent to go get them.." Drs. Taylor and MacPherson both sighed in relief. "That was fast. This is all new territory for us about this female mother bat immunity theory, but even that chance is better than we would have had even with immune plasma transfusions from the victims who've survived Marburg." Miss Thorne came out dressed in the clothes Johnny had provided and her head was wrapped in a towel. "I'm out.. Who's next..?" "Me.." Chet said. "I gotta warm up somehow.." And he shivered, rushing around Cindy in his blanket, clutching his soda in his other hand. On a thought, he ripped off his smiley face bandaid and stuck it onto Johnny's forehead with exaggerated deliberance, with a firm smack. "Here. I believe this fangy guy belongs to you.. I know I don't need him anymore." And he grinned as he disappeared behind the steamed up wooden door. The guys sniggered as Gage was left to pull it off along with a bit of hair. "Oww.." Arff! Johnny knew an amused doggy bark when he heard one. "Quit laughing, Bonnie. No more sandwiches for you girl if you keep that up..." Roy pointed to his arm. "Want mine to?" he said, pointing to his bandaid. "Still needs an artist's signature." "Ha ha.. very funny.." Gage said. Dr. Brackett looked up from Marco's EKG. He had taken a gamble and had pumped up the last chamber on Lopez's mast suit to its top level. The PVC's were gone. He was smiling when he got up to recheck Cap. "Johnny, grab one last vitals set on Captain Stanley here would you? And I don't think you need your I.V. anymore while you're at it, too, Gage. You've finally pinked up." "Thank you doc.." he said, joyfully pulling out his I.V. Roy was right there to put on his bandaid. "Welcome back to duty, Johnny." "You have no idea....." Gage gushed, patting the table for Cap to sit on for a blood pressure check. He exuberantly wrapped it around Cap's arm and pumped it up with style. Cap said. "Hey, am I next to be off medical leave?" "Give it until nightfall, captain.." Dr. Brackett said. "I usually watch black out concussion cases for at least twelve hours after the initial injury." Cap was crestfallen but compliant. He sat still, letting Gage take his BP. "Good enough for me. Maybe that gas leak at Arco will be over by then. One less headache for me to worry about.." and he laughed at his own joke. An HT crackled to life on the desk. ##Station Eight Firewatch to Station 51.."## Cap was still encumbered by a BP cuff, so Brice took up the call. "Go ahead Station Eight FW." ##This is Engineer Manney. I got three squeaking little friends with ASAP shipping orders that I'm to give to you, priority run. I'm almost there. I'm just up the boulevard rounding the refinery. My ETA is one minute.## "That's great to hear. We'll be waiting. The CDC lab docs are eager to get their hands on em." Brice said. "We'll watch for your vehicle." Everyone in the room started cheering at the good news. ------------------------------------- Over by the refinery, Mike Stoker noticed a feeling of something not right. He again glanced up above him and saw nothing amiss. But an unfounded instinct made him look back towards the boulevard in front of his demolished station. Then a movement and a glint caught his eyes through his air mask, near the refinery's entrance next to Station 51. The lighted natural gas chimney antennae tower where the steam had been rising, suddenly groaned in tortured metal and shuddered. Four hundred feet of solid metal and pipes suddenly gave way at the base, like a felled tree, from a hidden structural rend no one had seen. Soon after, the entire antennae spire began to fall towards the boulevard and the triage tents. Mike dropped the hose and went running out of the water's spray and jerked his handy talkie to his mouth. "Everybody heads up!!! Falling antennae tower!!!!" --------------------- Inside the firewatch fire department truck, Engineer Manney was whistling, imitating his bats' animated calls distractedly. Then he began humming the theme to Batman the series in a live ongoing patch to Station 51's desk HTs in an attempt to cheer them further with his imminent arrival. "Not long now, Robin. Just a short trip in the batmobil--" A sudden unexpected shadow over the road ahead of him made him look up. Manney screeched into an evasive turn to avoid the writhing crown of the refinery tower as it crashed down, blocking the entire road immediately in front of him. Massive pipes bounced free from the impact along the tower's crushed flanks and a huge oil cap ten feet in diameter suddenly richochetted off an empty civilian car's hood, rolling in his direction. Manney slammed into reverse, trying to avoid the crushing multi ton disk when the the second spire of the tower landed directly on top of his truck. The fireman had time to scream before more blocks of debris from the collapsing tower finally crushed in his windshield and ripped into his face. ----------------------------- Chet had rejoined his celebrating crewmates, the doctors and Miss Thorne, feeling much better after his hot soaking. He had just cracked his sodden towel at Johnny's butt when Mike's frantic yell reached them. All heads snapped up in the station and everyone's smiles evaporated. "What?!" Cap and everyone ran to the doorway, just in time to feel a great shuddering crunch impact less than a sixth of the way down the block almost immediately to the left of the garage's driveway. They ducked when metal railing shards began to rain down in the garage bay and onto them. Simultaneously.. they heard Manney, the courier firefighter's batman themed whistling break off into a scream. There was another sharp heavy noise over his frequency and the sound of squealing tires.. then nothing but static when the second half of the tower's top hit concrete. Cap snatched up Manney's HT and Mike's. "Stoker! Manney! Sound off!!" His heart was thudding wildly as he ran out into the street with the others into the cloud of dust left behind from the tower's impact onto the road. Cap coughed trying to see signs of any mangled tents or trapped people. There were none of either that he could see. "Roy! Johnny! Gil! Brice! Get in there! Chet, stay with Marco!" Then he started casting about for other signs of danger. Dr. Brackett burst through a cloud of dust and he joined Captain Stanley in searching the area. "Doctor, Stay by my side..No way in h*ll are we safe in this debris field." Cap ordered. "Keep within each other's earshot. Let my men search FOR you..They know what dangers to look out for.." The two rescuers began to be joined by stunned but unharmed triage doctors, nurses and patients answering their shouts. Soon, it became clear that only a few might have been harmed; the two not answering hails. Again Cap lifted his HT. "Stoker! Manney!! Report!!" --------------------------------- Photo : : Johnny takes Cap's BP Photo : The ARCO Refinery showing smoke and damage. Photo: Roy and Johnny wearing mask apparatuses by the engine. Photo: ARCO workers shutting down the gas leak. Photo: A fire engine at the refinery. Photo: A rescue squad spotlighting through dust for survivors. Photo: Manney's borrowed battalion chief's car, lying empty. Photo: A Flying Fox female bat. ***************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Breath of Life... Date : Thu, 14 Nov 2002 20:32:54 +0000 Offstory- Acknowledgements to the Nexxie's E Site http://www.nexxie.owns1.com/index.html For Episode Screengrabs Back In Story-- He was met with nothing but silence over his hand held. Cap let out a cry of frustration and he cast about for Roy and Johnny visually, making sweeps under the choking dust and debris. ::Where's the d*mned Santa Anas when you need them? I can't see a thing!..:: Stubborn morning stillness remained. He directed triage personnel to leave the area with their patients all the while getting information in snatches from them as they ran past. It was confirmed. No civilians were hurt. "Roy! Gage!" Captain Stanley called out loudly. "Yeah Cap?" Johnny shouted, appearing as a ghost out of the dusty gloom,running as he pushed aside metal debris and wiring from the remains of the fallen tower. "So far, no one's in trouble. See if you can birdeye Manney's car. I'll get people on Stoker's end. They're not answering hails." Johnny said, "No wait, Cap. Uh, Stone and his men can do that. I really think he's ok. The way he was describing his scene earlier makes me believe they are on the other side of the refinery grounds, Cap." Just then, Mike came over the channel. ##L.A. Station 8 and Engine 51. Still here.## Cap sighed. "Ok...., Gage. Let's move. Manney said he was about a minute away from the station. If he had been coming from the airport, his vehicle would most likely be to the north." Gage, Roy and Cap all looked north. A huge pile of tower and metal debris lay tangled, fifteen feet high across the boulevard, almost concealing the roadway lanes. The dust began to settle. Then Johnny saw red metal. "There he is!" Cap got on his talkie. "L.A. This is station 51. Advise area units we have a man down in front of the stationhouse trapped in an FD vehicle. Send for immediate assistance.." ##10-4, 51.## Cap only dimly heard L.A. find a company to respond to his incident. Johnny, Cap and Roy went running, jumping over poles and pipes and ducking under sheeting until they wormed their way deep inside the fallen skeleton of the refinery antennae tower. Gage quickly ran to the front of the red fire department battalion car. All of its windows were shattered and spiderwebbed and they couldn't see inside. Gage cracked open the clearest passenger side door window with his helmet as a battering ram. "Manney??" A loud squeaking erupted at his call and something brown burst into his face and clambored out the window in a leap in prep to wing away. "Ahhh!!" Gage yelled in surprise. "It's one of the bats! Get her!!" The angry flying fox didn't fly, for one of her wings lay mangled at her side. She hissed until Roy captured her and bundled her up into his overcoat and he set it onto the ground. He weighed down the coat edges with debris to hold her captive. Johnny grimaced as he crawled around the partially crushed aircrate and he saw one more large dead bat lying across the seat. He shoved her to the floor to get to Manney. "Manney.. Can you you hear me?" He said struggling to get further inside the car to the front seat. All the while the remaining flying fox inside the crate chittered loudly in distress. "Cap! I can't get to him." Johnny handed the crate out to Roy. "Make sure this one doesn't get away, Roy, it's not injured!" "How is he?" Roy said, leaning in. "Don't know yet, this roof's jammed down tight!" He grunted as he struggled to get deeper into the car. Finally, he said. "Check him, Cap..." Gage said, still fighting to get closer around crumbled car roof. "I still can't get to him." Outside, Cap climbed his way to the driver's door and he, too, cleared away the shattered glass. He saw that Manney was out, with his head flopped back over the car seat, his helmet off. Cap felt Manney's neck for a pulse. His heart just about leaped and his eyes almost refused to see the blue tinge to the fireman's skin. "Oh man.. Move him! Move him..! No carotid." Somehow, together, Johnny, Roy and Cap got him free and they stretched him out onto the street, moving their victim as easily as they could to protect his spine. Johnny began mouth to mouth. "Get the gear!" Roy shouted to Dr. Brackett, Brice and Gil running their way down the road. "He's asystole!" Roy shouted as he began chest compressions after tearing Manney's shirt open down to skin. "Got it!!" Kel said."Keep working him.." In between breaths, Johnny noticed an ugly spreading bruise over Manney's heart. "Could be out ........because of this blow .........to the chest. Cap, check his pupils!" he said tossing his penlight to him. Cap checked. "They're reactive..Thank g*d." "All right, brownie points..........for us.." Johnny grunted, as he continued to breathe for Manney. "About time something went right.." Roy paused as he repositioned his hands for better CPR. "Doc, I'm not feeling any broken ribs here.." "Better and better.." the doc replied, as he and Gil got the defibrillator charged and ready. "Move, I'm going Epinephrine, IC.." he told DeSoto. Cap got out the resuscitator and began using it to free up Johnny. Roy gel-ed an EOA and at Brackett's affirming nod, inserted it into place, reconnecting Cap's ventilation valve to it. Brackett drew out the six inch syringe and drove it deep, releasing the stimulant into Manney's left cardiac ventricle. "All right. Roy start up again. Gil, get an I.V. going, D5W Wide open. Follow up with one amp sodium bicarb. Gage, give me the paddles.. Brice, get an Isoproterenol Drip set up. If he's truly cardiac trauma-ed, the beat's gonna be slow. He'll need that drip to maintain once he converts." Gage called out the wattage coming off the defibrillator. "Ok, one....two..three... four hundred watt seconds.." "Clear!" Brackett shouted. Manney's body leaped from the energy jolt delivered. Kel quickly replaced the paddles. A rhythm revealed like something out of a dream on the scope. Sinus tach. "Got him back.. Nice work, all.. Captain Stanley, start hyperventilating him. We gotta make up for lost time." Kel ordered. Cap doubled his venting time rate. "Moving to twenty a minute." As Manney's circulation recovered, Roy noticed something. "Doc, look. Manney's neck veins are distending bilaterally.." Dr. Brackett looked up from where he was listening to Manney's irregular heartbeat and breath sounds. "There's our reason for finding him without a pulse." Brice piped up, "Cardiac tamponade.." "Yeah, but his EKG's looking good. It's solid. I don't think it has advanced that far yet." "Gonna evac?" Roy asked. "No, I'm gonna leave well enough alone. If his perfusion drops off I'll consider a heart centesis, but not now." Kel said. Dr. Brackett nodded when Manney began to breathe on his own under his hands. Johnny's attention turned to the bats. The one was still leaping frantically around the crate mesh and the other one, too, under Roy's coat. "We gotta get Manney and them to the stationhouse.." Cap comm'd out. "This is Station 51. We need a stokes and two additional men to move a victim. Our 10-20's at....." he looked up to see which building front lay in the street.. "Stoffer's Warehouse by the newspaper stand.." ##10-4, 51. This is Stone. Got assigned your call. I've rerouted Stoker and some of my men to your scene. I'll be meeting you there myself!## Cap could hear the worry and concern in his co-captain's voice. ::Man, he sounds like me about Marco..:: Soon, Manney was taped and longboarded, I.V. secured and EKG linked, inside the stokes Johnny had secured from his station squad's rear store. He stopped Kel as they all got back to the station in an entourage of crew. "Doc. Should we even bring him in here with that virus going on?" Kel grinned with amusement. "Sure. Why not? We've got Batman's universal antitode now, don't we?" he said, tossing a hand at the two men carrying in the two screeching bats. Jamie and Steven met them on the run. "Good. Hand them to us.." And Jamie took the coat with the wounded bat, gingerly, while her colleague got the crated one. "D*mn, this one's bleeding. She might not be ok for us t--" Something dropped out from under Roy's coat and onto her boots. A newly ejected bat fetus. "There it is then, this one will do us no good anymore. She's just aborted." Then the microbiologist's head snapped around. "Wait a minute, where's the third one.." "It's dead." Johnny replied. "Crushed.." Jamie MacPherson sucked in her breath in stress. "Let's just hope this last bat's intact or there's absolutely no hope for us.." Steven said. The two CDC scientists disappeared into the kitchen lab with the crated bat to start work collecting her milk antibodies. Bonnie noticed the dead young bat right away. She wandered over to it and sniffed it, crying. She wrapped around it protectively as if to warm it. Gage made a disgusted face. "Bonnie..no.." and he knelt to dispose of it into Jamie's pathology cryo container. Bonnie would not be denied. She went rushing off to the kitchen to be with the other, still expectant female bat. Manney was moved next to Marco. Miss Thorne got to her feet. "Oh, is he all right?" she started up. Chet Kelly pointed to the fireman's EKG monitor. "He is now. That's a good rate going there.." Then he looked sheepish when all the medics glanced at him. Johnny was frank. "He's right. Manney's gonna be fine. He's got some heart bruising from hitting the dashboard but Dr. Brackett thinks the injury is minor. We'll know more when he wakes up.." Miss Thorne moved to sit by Manney's side. Gage noticed and leaned into Roy. "Dedicated little thing, isn't she?" "Know any teachers who aren't?" DeSoto rejoined. He left Johnny pondering that as he moved to check up on Marco. Stoker came rushing in the door. "Things are stable at the refinery.. No fire. How are things in here? Got here as fast as I could.." Cap smiled. "Things are ok. Manney was pulseless for a while but the doc says he wasn't apneic long enough to do serious damage. And we still have one viable bat left out of the three. Cross your fingers.." Mike crossed them, both hands, and the toes in his boots. "Anything I can do?" "Not a thing. But, stick around.." Cap ordered. "You...might like to stay a while.." and he tossed his head at the group of four medics clustered over Marco. Cap knew a dire sign when he saw it. Mike blinked. "Uh,, ok..I think I will.." and he sat in a chair to watch and worry along with Stanley. Dr. Brackett eyed his paramedics. "Marco's quit breathing. Someone bag him." "Got it.." Brice said, getting an ambu with a full flow line running to him. Dr. Brackett looked up. "Now it's a race gentlemen. Can we keep Marco going long enough until that serum's ready? How long can we keep up breathing for him like this manually?" "Forever man. We'll spell each other." Chet said with serious conviction. "When that ambu's O2 runs out, we'll positive pressure vent him on Eight's O2, and when that runs out, we'll still be able to take turns with us on a cannula, going mouth to mouth from what's left of our engine's O2." Kel face was serious but he smiled at Chet's self sacrificing mentality. "That last option is a last resort. I'll have no one directly exposing themselves to this Marburg bug unless we absolutely have to. We can always call the triage station for more O2 and maybe they can fly us in a bird ventilator before that happens." There was a shout outside, "Captain Stanley!" It was Stone. Hank said. "I'll be right back.." He met his colleague outside by 51's engine, and started speaking before Stone could fall apart. "Manney's fine. Revived and resting." "And your Marco?" Cap didn't say anything. But Stone said...... -------------------------- Photo: Johnny checking out an out Manney. Photo: Johnny giving mouth to mouth. Photo: Johnny and Captain Stone working a code. Photo : Roy prepping an EOA airway. Photo : Johnny with defib paddles and Roy with a stethoscope. Photo: Firemen with a gear loaded stokes. Photo: Chet looking hopeful. Photo: Captain Stone with his men on Engine 8. *********************************** From: "Cory Anda" Date: Sat Nov 16, 2002 3:14 am Subject: Full Moon Dues "Don't hide anything from me, Hank. You always clam up when one of your men gets into a tight corner. I'm with you. If there's anything I can do--" Stanley leaned on the engine, suddenly weary beyond what he could bear and he sat down heavily on a hose port. "Ben,..I- I can't fight this. Not any more. The whole past two days have been a h*ll of alot more than I , even as a firehouse captain, can take. I -I.. I.... think I've reached my cracking point." Hank admitted, his face lapsing into a very vulnerable pall. "That bug is worse than they were letting on. I just left my man in there on the receiving end of an ambu bag and there's absolutely not a g*dd*mned thing I can do about it to s--" and his voice choked off. Ben took off his helmet and set it onto the engine's footleadge, and drew Stanley into a tight embrace. "Hank. You haven't been a captain unless you care about your men more than you do yourself. And I've never seen a finer man for the job.." Captain Stone released Hank giving his arms one last squeeze of encouragement. "He'll be just fine. I've worked with the CDC people before, during that Legionaire's crisis of 1970. If Marco's got a pulse, they can save him." Cap tossed his head in disbelief, but Ben went on. "Now hear me out. I watched seventeen people come back to this Jamie MacPherson that one summer, when by all means, they should have been dead. She was right there, at their sides, not sleeping, hardly eating, face glued to the microscope and her spectography gels, until she had it licked. She's like a bulldog with a rag when it comes to these nastier bugs. So have faith in her and her colleagues. I know the methods she uses, works." "Ben, you don't know the half of it. I heard Dr. Taylor mention some lean odds about getting enough serum to turn Lopez around and they weren't in the double digits. Two of the three bats we managed to salvage from Manney's vehicle are dead or nearly so. " Cap caught himself when he caught Ben's calming supportive nod and gaze. "Wait a minute. We should be talking about our jobs here Ben. Not conmiserating in things that we can't change ourselves." Stone smiled. "Exactly right. So why worry?" and his teeth glowed under his dark skin. "Here, put this back on.." and Stone gave Hank's captaining helmet back from where he had recovered it from the driveway. "You left it behind going into that tower collapse, while running to save one of MY men. What were you trying to do? Break our tie of equal numbers of commendation medals? " and he chuckled. "No really, McConnike asked me to reinstate you to active duty. Said something along the lines of it being good medicine for the ranks. All of them." There was a weighed silence as both captains realized just how much the quake had claimed of their energy. And both, just shrugged it off by saying the first thing to come to mind. "I'd better be getting ..." Cap began. "...back to work.." Stone completed. They both laughed, a little more easily after that. Cap raised his HT in salute as Stone made his way across the boulevard back to the triage station and got a returning, "All's clear." gesture back. Stanley took a deep breath and then went back into the station. --------------------------------------- It was quiet in the bunk room for the second night. ::Deja Vu all over again..:: Johnny thought. ::Only this time, Marco's on borrowed time.:: His good hand ached from squeezing Marco's bag valved O2. Everyone's did. But no one complained. Gage looked up at Dr. Brackett only briefly from watching Gil's ventilations on Marco. Johnny was in his usual place of the last few hours, acting as sentry, vigilant for signs of gastric distension. "Doc, any word yet on the chopper with that respirator yet?" Kel shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Johnny. They.....got sidetracked moving out critical patients." he said reluctantly, knowing that his senior medic would react. "Yeah?!" Johnny complained bitterly. "Oh, really? Since when does saving lives come down to a decision based on numbers??" He immediately apologized. "Sorry, Dr. Brackett. I'm always edgy when things get outta hand. Especially when one of those hands, is mine.." "I'm no stranger to red tape either, Johnny. But with that modified airway I've got in place, the problems we've been having with keeping his trachea patent will be much less. If his varices hemorrhaging gets worse, I can always do a tracheotomy around any necrotic swelling." "And what good will that do?" Johnny spat. "Marco's got no way of clotting a surgical incision. He'll just bleed to death afterwards at an even faster rate!!" "Johnny....." Gil admonished. "He can hear you.." he said through clenched lips angrily, casting pointing eyes down on Lopez from where he sat, while still keeping the ambu's rhythm of breaths regular. "I know.." he said shortly. "Sorry." Gage left their sides and headed quickly into the kitchen improvised lab and there he sat into one of the chairs, seething with helplessness. He wanted solitude. But Chet Kelly wasn't about to let his running escape succeed. He gingerly peeked around the skewed door's window and knocked, still outside the lab. Jamie MacPherson and Steve Taylor were oblivious, deep in their work, and neither heard the two men enter in, nor talk. Johnny Gage didn't even look up. "Leave me alone, Kelly. I'm busy.." Chet's face split into an angry frown and he marched right on in, his earlier respectful shyness evaporating. "Busy doing what, Johnny? Feeling sorry for yourself? That rod didn't skewer you anywhere near your head, so stop acting like one has. Man, even you've told me a million times never to talk negative around unconscious victims, so why'd do it in front of Marco?" "Chet, you don't know what you're talking about so why don't you just shut--" Johnny said sarcastically. "Now wait just a doggoned minute here. A lot of people around this station are expecting the core crew to hold it all together man. Haven't you realized what's been going and evolving among us for the past three years? The station can't work without you paramedics being strong in situations, so just what are we supposed to do when you aren't?" Chet didn't wait for Gage to reply. "The answer is, you don't fall into that trap in the first place." Johnny didn't reply to Chet at all. He just continued to play with the toy ball one of the kids had left behind on a dinner plate and tried to ignore Kelly to the best of his abilities. Kelly went on, "Man, don't you know anything?" Gage didn't rise to Kelly's bait. Chet was undaunted. "Ok. All right.. You don't have to say anything but you're gonna listen to me. ..I'm gonna let you in on a little secret Gage, a big one. One that I've never ever told anyone.." Johnny just tilted his head, not liking his lecture at all and he avoided all eye contact with Chester B. "I look up to you paramedics more than you can ever possibly know, Gage." That made Gage glance up in surprise. "It's true..." Chet said insistently. "I've even dreamed of one of these times going into the paramedic program so I can make a difference out there, too, man. Like you and Roy do..." "Come off it, Chet. This is just some dumb speech you're giving me to cheer--" "No, listen. I'm very serious.." Chet said slowly, without blinking, eye to eye with him. Johnny was amazed that Chet's stare didn't waver nor show any hint of untruth, his mouth flopped open. Chet didn't give him time to speak. "I- I've been watching how you guys work for years, and it just sickened me when you folded like a stack of cards just now, with Marco..on professionalism." Chet had been spinning a coffee spoon around aimlessly and it spun off the table top to land on the linoleum with a loud crash.. Bonnie, near a seated place by the two bats' confinement, barked, sounding as if she thought someone was at the side station door. Her mistake made both Johnny and Chet break out of their mutual funks and the ironic humor of Bonnie's innocent reaction, made the two firemen, finally, laugh hard together, each breaking up into paroxyms of uncontrollable mirth. Johnny spoke, when he recovered use of his stomach muscles again. "B-Bet you won't last a week in the paramedic program.." Chet spat on his hand. "Shake on it.. A month's dish detail.." Johnny grinned a cockeyed smile and spat likewise in jest and they sealed their bet. Then Johnny's face turned cat with the canary and he said, "Better count on buying the rubber gloves, Chet. Cause you just lost that bet. Brice is teaching all the principle courses this year, in the signup program and he's known for a heavy work load, hard on study.." "He is??" Chet cried out, complaining. "Aww, man..." "Whaa..." Johnny said, spreading his hands wide. "Afraid of a little obstacle?" "Brice isn't a tiny obstacle Johnny, and you know it.. The whole station does!" "Shhh.." Gage jabbed teasely. "He can hear you..." he said, mocking the very reason Chet came in to dress down Johnny to begin with. Then he sheepishly admitted. "Thanks for yelling at me about Marco. I was outta line talking like that. It's just so,....d*mned frustrating seeing him dying in pieces.." Amazingly, one of the microscope lit backs turned around on a swiveled chair. It was Jamie. "No one's dying around here gentlemen, at least, among the humans anyway..." and her eyes made Chet and Johnny notice the cage holding the wounded bat. Its head was slowing sinking into the clear impossibly limp rictor of lifelessness. And even Bonnie knew it, she whined and scampered away from the cage in fear at the new lack of warm scent rising up. It was then Kelly and Gage noticed that Jamie's face was glinting with wetness in the dim lighting. Both firemen rose to be by her instantly. "What is it?" Johnny asked. "Are you ok, Dr. MacPherson?" Chet asked too. "Don't be upset the bat died. W-We still have the one.. Won't she be enough?" "I'm fine.." Jamie sobbed. "I always cry on occasions like this..." and her tears turned to a small smile of tired triumph and she held up a small pressure syringe of spun lactate proteins. Her grin brightened hopeful, by leaps. "We did it..!! Mr. Gage, Quickly. Go give this to one of the other paramedics for Marco. It'll take two hands to inject the serum into his endotrach tube." Chet and Johnny nearly leaped across the lab table to grab the tiny vile of hope. They both stopped on a dime when their jostling almost upset the grip Jamie had on it. Johnny and Chet both broke into a "no, after you" routine,...until .. Dr. Taylor sighed and flipped a coin into the air.., "Heads for the curly haired fireman, Tails for you.." Heads won. Chet held the tiny syringe cupped in his hands as if it were a fragile egg and he hastened, with care, back out to the others. His body was careful, but his voice was not.. "Hey Marcoo!! Hang in there pal... Guess what we got done cooking here....!!!!" Both firemen's shadows in the gloom, eagerly left the room. Jamie's head sank onto the countertop where she and Steve had been working, and just sobbed. Dr. Steven Taylor smiled and handed her a kleenix from his pocket. "Knew you were going to do that again. D*mnest thing I ever saw. Tears of happiness, heh. Who'd figure..?" ---------------------------------------------- Roy sat over Marco's bed, trembling. In his fingers, lay the precious serum shot. "Don't even breathe..." Kelly said to him. Then he caught himself. "Oh, Marco, I didn't say that about YOU.. so keep trying man.. I wanna see that chest rise on its own half an hour after this cure's in you.." he said close to Lopez's ear. Then he whispered. "Even Johnny's rootin for you. He almost started crying over you in the kitchen... " "Remember to tease him a bit about it when you snap out of it.. Shhhh." he said low enough so no one else heard. Stoker got out of Roy's way by removing the ambu bag after giving Marco an O2 flood's worth of vents. Roy began to titrate the serum's amber liquid into Marco's airway. "Easy.." Dr. Brackett said. "Here," he said. "Follow that I.T. with this saline flush. His lungs will absorb it better osmotically." And he handed DeSoto a 5cc saline syringe. Roy followed up. Mike immediately reconnected the ambu and forced O2 flow deep into Marco's lungs to make sure the serum reached as many spaces as possible inside his pulmonary tree. Then he slowed and lessened, backing off once more into a normal vent rate for a light, but firm ambu maintain. "Now, we wait.." Dr. Brackett said. Somehow, the black night blanketing the shattered firehouse seemed a little less oppressive to everybody surrounding Marco's bed, than it had just minutes before. ----------------------------------------------- Just as the new sun was rising over the refinery, Marco Lopez responded to epinephrine and soon began to gasp actively, fighting his airway. Cap thought. "Anyone's guess whose smile's bigger.. Way to pull it off, Marco..!" he said rubbing his shoulder affectionately. His last sentence was drowned out by everyone's cheers. In the mean time, Dr. Brackett and Brice concentrated on getting Marco extubated. Kel shouted. "Marco!.. on the count of three, I want you to exhale as hard as you can. Don't swallow. I know the tube's uncomfortable, but we had to wait until you were ready to go solo. Ready? One, Two..Three.." Lopez let out a gushing liquidy breath and Brice removed the EOA quickly, by deflating its gastric bulb with a 2 syringe and drawing it out with a fast careful pull to not snag the tender structures in Marco's throat. Roy had a suctioning probe set and soon, he was coughing only sporadically as his weakened muscles decided they could learn how to breathe again. Stoker helped him on the demand valve enough to keep Lopez mostly awake to work out fluid and blood still interfering with good air draw. Marco's hands finally pushed away the resuscitator a few minutes later. His eyes fluttered open, squinting in the bright sunlight through the holes in the station roof. "Hey, gang. Mama here yet? "he whispered. "She'd better have brought breakfast, I think...I think I'm.. getting hungry...Maybe,, maybe even for some b- bacon...Any left?" At his feet, Bonnie barked, and reared up on her haunches with her terra cotta bowl balanced daintily in her mouth. -------------------------- Three hours later, Marco was stable enough to be flown out by air. Johnny leaped out of the helicopter with a dirt eating grin on his face when Marco's mom flooded his face with kisses for saving her son's life, promising a whole year's worth of Monday morning burritos.. "It's the least I can do for the amigos of my Precious Hijo.." Rosa Marie Lopez said. "Hey! I heard that mama.." Marco's voice hollered out before the copter's chopper doors closed him off. "Wait on that regime til I'm back at the stationhouse working..! I don't want the guys to eat them all before I get back there." "Silly boy.." Marco's mom chuckled in a deep warm voice filled with a spanish flavor. "He still thinks Mrs Bandido and I cook on a limited budget. Just wait until I tell him we won de big California lottery, eh? Same day as the quake.." ------------------------------ At Rampart, days later.. Johnny and Roy were telling the rapt Dr. Early and Dixie McCall all about their three day, earthquake survival story. "Yeah.. when I woke up, I had a rod sticking out of my left hand. This long.." he said to Dix, enjoying the willies he was driving out of her. "Johnny. Cut it out.. Don't you know I'm squeamish?" she giggled. "You are?" Roy asked., blinking in surprise. Dr. Early mumbled. "Yep. Why do you think she's at the front desk of Emergency so much? Haven't any of you noticed she only goes into those treatment rooms of people who aren't gushing blood all over the floor?" Dix smacked Joe good on the arm for letting out her very very old secret. "Dixxxxx..." Johnny egged, teasing her. "Shhhh, if Kel ever found out. I'd be mortified.." Dixie said. "Who'd be mortified?" Dr. Brackett said, just leaving an elevator from an upper floor. "uh, nuthin.." Gage said. "She was actually saying.. "Morton confided".. Yeah, that's it. Morton confided that he can only sing in the shower. So that's why he got drunk and sang to us all on the guitar under the sprinkler like he did. He's got a great voice..man." "Soaking wet you mean.." Kel said, ruefully shaking his head. "I almost had to give him some Narcan to sober him up..." he joked. Gage waxed serious.. "Wow, you doctors and nurses really throw a wild party. I even think Cap's wife blushed at a few of those dance moves of yours, Morton. Where'd ya learn em? Maybe I could ..you know.. use a couple of them going out on dates and stuff.. Maybe I can finally snag a nurse who'll take me for who I really am, know what I mean? " Their happy chitchat made the trip up to visit Marco in his hospital room, bright. And Lopez was very very glad to see them all to hear about the huge Rampart to Fire Department wingding he had missed that weekend. ------------------------------ "And so there you have it boys and girls.." Johnny said, "A dozen tons of red steel and chrome with enough hose power to snuff out a whole three story house fire in just under an hour.." he said to his very attentive Groverland Middle school tour children dramatically. He made them jump by hitting the air horn, in its richest full brassy tone."Heheh.." he laughed. And they soon laughed along with him. "Glad to see you all back at the station.. Quite a different place than you last left it a month ago, isn't it?" "Yeahh..." A blond boy with glasses pushed forward. "Can I see the radio mike room again?" Johnny jumped down from top of the engine roof and waved Stoker out of the cab where he had been operating lights and firing off that blast cue for Gage. "Oh, hey Robbie.." Johnny said, kneeling by the child's side. "I've been wanting to see you." "You have?" "Yeah.." Johnny said. "I just wanted to thank you for doing what you did the day of the earthquake. You..probably saved all our lives.." he said, poking the boy in his nose. Robbie giggled. "I know I did. Lydia Montegeaux taught me real good what to do in ah emergency.." he said misquoting an adverb. "So did Sam the dispatch man." That surprised Johnny. "Lydia? I know a Lydia Montegeaux." "She's my best friend.." Robbie said. "She's right outside the station right now. She said her grandpa was here with her." "Is she now?" Chet grinned. "What do you say gang? Should we all go out and meet Johnny's hot date?" Chet and Marco, and Stoker and Cap all nodded eagerly. And Miss Thorne, too, who was a quiet audience. Gage let the others follow him into the yard. There, he knelt before his little blind Big Brother sponsor and grinned. "Lydia.. how come you didn't tell me that Chief McConnike was your grandfather?" "I didn't want to spoil the surprise..." she said timidly on her leg braces. The sun shining down on her face made her blind eyes sparkle the purest azure blue. Cap chuckled, lifting Lydia up onto his lap where he crouched with Bonnie in the crook of his other arm so she could meet and pet her. "That was some surprise girly.. Your grandfather managed to buy us a whole new set of firetrucks." and he winked at McConnike. McConnike laughed loud and deep. "Just wait until you make chief, Hank. Budgeting priority reshuffling's a major chief's rank perk.." Lydia's face was smiling as she hugged Bonnie. "Oh, Bonnie, you're almost as soft as Cinnabon at school." "Who's Cinnabon?" Stoker asked. "I don't remember your classroom having any pets.." "It does now... Jamie from the CDC flew us in a present last week from Atlanta. The kit from the Flying Fox Bat that saved Marco was ready to be weaned and needed a home." "He's here. He's here, Mr. Gage. I know you'll like him. I know you will." Lydia said, tugging Johnny's uniform sleeve. Gage started to fidget just thinking about bats. But he didn't let his reaction translate to Lydia. "Well, I don't know abou-- Say Lydia.. Is he in a cage? I think I could probably.....deal with ...him in a..crate or something..." "Chicken.." Chet hissed teasingly. "No, just particular.." he said firmly. Then he trickled.. "Uh oh......" Robbie came running, happily screeching around the corner with a blanketed moving bundle in his hands. Sticking out of it, was the cutest furry face the firemen had ever seen. Bonnie instantly began to lick the baby bat's face, smothering him in kisses. Johnny's bat phobia instantly evaporated as fast as Bonnie's maternal instinct had risen. "Wow, you know.. I think this little guy'd uh,, this tiny thing'd here, would even look cute under a full moon, don't you think gang?" "Ahhhhh!! Don't say those two words!!" Chet said, dashing off for the safety of the newly rebuilt station garage. "You'll jinx us for sure.." Laughs.. abounded. ------------------------------ That night, at the newly repaired station house, still smelling of new vehicles, the gang prepared themselves for sleep. "Hey, Roy.." "What..." he mumbled, flopped down on the pillow where he had fallen. He didn't even bother to take off his uniform nor his blue over coat. "Think I can sneak over to the phone to call Lydia tonight?" "You can try.. You know Bonnie'll start howling again when you're more than ten feet away from her.." "Oh. I know. I'll carry her over there with me. That way. She won't howl and she won't be able to take a whiz on the floor again.." John waited for Roy to reply but the reply never came. Roy was out like a light. ------------------------------------------- The next morning, Johnny's sheets were tangled up around him and Bonnie both, but Roy hadn't even moved. Gage's feet hit the floor and he wandered over to grab his partner by the wrist. He eyed his watch and then at Bonnie. "Hey Bonnie.. Look..He IS alive.." he said to the wriggling, all attentive Yorky looking eagerly in play invite at him. "He's only acting dead to the world. Gonna sleep a week for sure.." And he dropped Roy's hand onto his own face to judge reaction. Roy didn't move. "Make that two weeks and a day, Bonnie." A huge yawn split his face into two and he thought about it some. "Man,.. Roy's onto something over there. I think I'll just.. do ...a nap. yeah. All the other guys are still out.. Think I'll...just, close my eyes for just a......." Even when the full moon rose later that evening, the fates kept smiling kindly on the crew of Station 51 long after the silver disk sank below the horizon. They got in an unheard of duration of two days on duty with nothing to do but sleep and enjoy yard basketball games.. At long last.. Bonnie, was the only one unhappy about it. She couldn't get to Johnny's bunk unobserved long enough, for one of her famous sheet marking territory sessions... FIN ------------------------------------- Photo: Captains Stone and Stanley by the Engine. Photo: Chet checking in on morose Johnny. Photo: Roy with Marco's cure in his hand, scared. Photo: Dixie getting squeamish. Photo: Johnny and kids by the new vehicles. Photo: Roy with kids on the Engine. Photo: John meeting Lydia Montegeaux. Photo: McConnike by the engines. Photo: The Baby Flying Fox. Photo: Roy and John sleeping the sleep of the dead. **************************************** FIN FULL MOON BLUES Season One, Premiere... FULL MOON BLUES :) This Episode is Dedicated to Debralee Wrycza :) Who is Fighting the Big Fight.. :) @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Story Unfolds... Season One, Episode Two.. FATHER AND SON ******************************** From: doc51@att.net Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 00:17:08 -0000 Subject: Fathers & Sons. Kel was in his office. It had been a crazy week. That day was no exception. It was enough to make him miss a rare dinner date with his dad. He picked up the phone and dialed his dad's number and waited for him to answer. --------------------------------------- No attachments. ****************************** From: "Jean Yasick" Date: Sun Nov 17, 2002 8:56 pm Subject: Possible Start The morning tones woke the sleepy men of station 51. Some days, the tones were a welcome sound. It meant the shift was over and the men had days off to relax and catch up on family things. But some days, like today, it was not welcomed. The engine crew had three runs during the night and the squad had five and it was only the first night of an 'experimental' two day shift the department was looking into to try and save money and maximize man power. Captain Stanley grabbed the mike and acknowledged Sam Lanier. Yawning, he walked towards the kitchen to start some coffee. Hank didn't make it to the kitchen, however. He heard a strange noise coming from the front of the apparatus bay. He quickly turned around to see what the noise was and was surprised to see a small basket laying over by the bay doors. He approached cautiously, knowing it hadn't been there the night before and was very concerned that it was there now. It meant that someone, somehow, had been able to get into the station, even though the doors were locked. As he got closer to the basket, the noise repeated itself, causing Hank to jump back. Once again, he approached the basket and carefully lifted the cover. He jumped when he saw what was inside. "Oh Man! This has to be some kind of joke!..... CHET! Get out here! NOW!" The men of station 51 knew their captain quite well. And they knew he did not use that tone of voice very often, but when he did, you better listen! So the men shoved Chet out the dorm door and followed a pace behind. "Yeah, Cap, what do you......." Chet stopped in his tracks when he saw the basket. "What the......?" "That is what I want to know, Kelly!" "Oh, Chet! You have gone too far now!" said Roy as he backed up a pace or two. "Really! But you have to admit, Chester B... it does bear a family resemblance!" teased Johnny as he pushed past Roy and headed into the kitchen to start the much needed coffee. "Funny, Gage!" Chet said as he pushed past Cap to get a closer look at the puppy that was now wakening from its sleep. Pulling the puppy out of the basket, Chet hollered into the kitchen, "She doesn't look like me at all...as a matter of fact, with a nose like that, she kind of resembles your last date!" With that, the black and brown puppy reached up and licked Chet on the tip of his nose. "Where'd he come from, Cap?" Chet asked as he tried to move his head away from the wet tongue assaulting his nose. "I don't know, but there's a note here. Let's see what it says." As Captain Stanley opened the envelope, the little puppy moved from Chet's nose to his chin and ran his tongue over the scratching stubble. Johnny walked back into the bay munching on a donut as Captain Stanley unfolded the letter. "Hmm... it's written in red crayon..... Dear, Fireman. My name is Chris and I am 7 years old. This cute puppy followed me home from the park, but Mom says he is ugly, and I can't keep him. I have seen that your fire station does not have a dog riding on the big red engine when it buzzes by my house, so I am giving him to you so your engine will not be lonely. Please take good care of him. His name is Chester and he likes to drink out of the toilet." As Cap finished the letter, Johnny could not contain himself anymore. He almost spit his donut out when Cap read the dog's name, but the toilet part just got Johnny's funny bone. "Well, Chester B. I see that Chester picked out the right person to bond with!!! Not only do you share a name, but you share an interest in latrines, too!" "Funny Gage! Very funny!." Chet replied, his face turning slightly red. The rest of the crew laughed for a few seconds, then Roy sobered up a bit as he asked the all important question. "So Cap, what are we going to do with her..uhm him..uh..whatever it is?" Roy asked. The rest of the crew looked at their fearless leader as he took the puppy back from Chet. Stanley cautiously turned the puppy over in order to find out for sure what sex it was. When he found out, he turned the puppy back over and looked at his men. They were all standing there like a bunch of five-year-olds asking their dad if they could keep it. He rolled his eyes and started to answer, only to be interrupted by the tones going off. ----------------------------------------- No attachments. *********************************** From : P. Keiper Date : Sun Nov 17, 2002 10:24 pm Subject: Merger It was a run for their sister station, Eight. All the gang let out their collective breaths in anticipation. Cap finally said. "It's a boy! I'll decide, tonight. Now shoo!" And he banished his men inside, cooing to the little beagle pup to calm him. The pup took to a blue laundry basket in Cap's office, filled with clean, storing, stokes ties and long board straps, like a fish to water and soon, went to sleep. Cap closed his door and said, "Shhh. Do, whatever you're gonna do. He'll be fine in here. Kelly. Get a dish of water and some chow for the little guy on the double. We'll leave it by him to find when he wakes up." ------------------------------ No attachments. ************************** From: rosanne iho Date: Sun Nov 17, 2002 8:12 pm Subject: Only In The Movies It was an absolutely beautiful, balmy, summer evening in Southern California. In the rec' room of Los Angeles County Fire Station 51, six firemen sat huddled in front of a TV set, watching the Dodgers and the Padres battling it out in a late-night double-header. The home team had taken the first game. The men cheered, as Dodger's pitcher, Don Sutton, struck out the Padres--one, two, three. The Dodgers came to bat. First baseman, Steve Garvey, hit a single. Outfielder, Dave Lopes, also singled. Sutton walked. With the bases loaded--and no outs--Dodger slugger, Dusty Baker, stepped up to the plate. "There's the wind up...and the pi--!" the announcer began, only to be drowned out by the Station's alarm. There was a group groan. "Station 51..." the dispatcher began. The television was flicked off. The rec' room reluctantly emptied. "Man down...unknown type rescue...213 East Morrow Drive...Ambulance responding... Two-One-Three East Morrow Drive...Time out...23:02." "Station 51...KMG-365," Captain Hank Stanley acknowledged, as his crews climbed into their respective rescue vehicles, tossing turnout coats and helmets on. He handed Squad 51's driver a copy of the call slip and then hurried over to assume his seat in the Engine. Moments later, the rigs exited the parking bay and pulled out onto the dark, deserted street in front of the Fire Station--lights flashing and sirens wailing. ######################## 213 East Morrow Drive turned out to be an enormous mansion with a tiled roof and gables, surrounded by an ancient cottonwood grove. The hedges lining the circular drive were untrimmed, and the large lawns lacked a manicured look, as well. The trucks pulled right up in front of the place. Their drivers cut the sirens, and their occupants piled out. The paramedics grabbed some equipment from the Squad's side compartments and then joined their fellow firefighters at the front door. Their Captain pressed the doorbell. An eerie 'gong' sound filled the air. The men exchanged amused glances and waited patiently on the moonlit porch for someone to appear. When nobody did, Stanley gasped--impatiently--and hit the 'gong' again...which resulted in several snorts of suppressed laughter. Hank gave up on the 'gong' and began banging a big, brass door-knocker. 'C'mon...c'mon...' Paramedic John Gage silently urged, 'These equipment cases ain't getting any lighter...' He finally set his heavy burdens down and took a step or two back, to stare up at the big, ugly abode. "Yah know...I saw a house just like this on the Late-Late Show the other night." "Yeah...Me, too..." Firefighter Chet Kelly quietly confessed, as his feet shifted uncomfortably beneath him, "It was in one of those horror flics." "Right!" John continued, "The butler kept a beautiful blonde heiress chained up in the dungeon! The place was loaded with secret passages and--" "--And that's the only place you're ever going to find a house like that," his partner, Roy DeSoto suddenly interrupted, "In the movies!" Gage stared sadly at DeSoto for a few seconds and then slowly shook his head. "No imagination!" "Kelly! Lopez! Grab some flashlights and check the back of the house!" their Commander bugled, bored with his banging. "Before we go barging in," he told his Engineer, Mike Stoker, "I'd better call dispatch and make sure we've got the right address..." He slipped a HT from his right coat pocket and thumbed the call button. "L.A., this is County 51..." "Go ahead, 51..." "L.A., request address check on our last call, logged at 23:02..." "Standby, 51...51, the call reads: Man down...unknown type rescue... 213 East Morrow Drive." "Roger that, L.A.," the Captain acknowledged, "51 clear." Stanley stared up at the house number--213--for a few seconds and then turned back to Stoker. "Mike, you sure this is East Morrow Drive?" "Well, if it's not," his Engineer began, "someone's been playing games with the street signs." "Man!" Kelly breathlessly exclaimed upon his return, "It's even creepier out back!" His Captain rolled his eyes and questioned the third member of his engine crew, "No answer?" Marco Lopez shook his helmeted head. "Well, we can't stand out here all night!" their Commander finally determined and turned the door knob. Stanley smiled, as the heavy portal swung open. There would be no need for the forceable-entry tools. "Fire Department!" he shouted as he stepped into the dimly-lit entryway, "Anybody home?!" No answer. The paramedics picked their equipment back up and then they, and the others, followed their fearless leader inside. "This is the Fire Department!" Stanley called out again, "Anybody home?!" Still no answer. In fact, except for the loud ticking of a clock in the entrance hall, the whole house was filled with an eerie silence. The paramedics sighed and set their heavy cases down again. Stanley turned to his men. "All right, Roy... You and Marco check upstairs! Mike and I will cover this floor. Gage, Kelly, you two get the basement! Move out!" "What are we looking for?" Kelly nervously inquired of his search partner. "Beats me!" Gage teased, "It's an unknown type rescue..." "How about the basement door--for starters!" their Captain impatiently prodded. The two foot-dragging firefighters fled the entrance hall. They managed to make their way into the kitchen. John jerked a door open--a broom closet. Chet pulled another portal open--a pantry. Gage latched onto a third door's knob and pulled. It's un-oiled hinges creaked, eerily. He smiled, triumphantly and motioned his search-mate over. Kelly flicked his flashlight on and shone it down a very steep set of basement stairs. "If there's a beautiful blonde heiress down there," Gage began, "I get to rescue her!" "That's not a dungeon!" Kelly reminded him. John stared sadly at Chet, and shook his head, "No imagination..." "Oh-oh no," Kelly corrected his colleague, "I've got an imagination, all right! That's why I'm gonna let you go first. That way, if there's a tall dude down there--with a long, black cloak and a wolf's-head cane..." he paused to tap Gage on the chest, "you get to rescue him!" John swallowed hard and started down the stairs. "Thanks!" he muttered, sarcastically. They got about two steps down and then stopped, hearing their Captain calling them. They gladly retreated and went racing back to the entrance hall. "Yeah, Cap?!" the panting pair simultaneously exclaimed, as they came skidding to a stop in front of Hank Stanley. --------------------------------------------- No attachments. **************************** Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 18:54:30 -0800 (PST) From: "Jeff Seltun" Subject: The Stuff of Dreams >Kel was in his office. It had been >a crazy week. That day was no >exception. It was enough to make >him miss a rare dinner date with >his dad. He picked up the phone >and dialed his dad's number and >waited for him to answer. The phone rang two times and the pauses showing his call going unanswered between them only increased his anxiety. ::Why am I feeling like an errant school boy? I'm forty two years old. Dad is just dad to me, isn't he?:: his thoughts rose. ------- ------- ------- "Because he's you're dad." Dixie's voice spoke from his memory of a conversation he had a week ago with his husky throated head ER nurse on just that same subject. "And you still look up to him. After all, you did follow in his footsteps getting into the medical field." she said. "Emergency medicine's a far cry from psychiatry Dix. I didn't follow anyone to get where I am today. Especially not him." Kel said a little defensively when Dix's comment stuck a little too far into the real truth of matters. "Also, I've branched off into cardiology, too, and that's an even more unrelated area than being some office bound, leather chair to couch side shrink." Dix's frosted eyebrows rose in amazement. "Oh? I'd say in that way, you and your father are in an area a little closer together my fine, fretting friend. You both deal with matters of the heart. Only yours deals with just the physical aspects of things. You fix the body whereas he fixes the mind. Quite a complimentary pair to have in one family, in my book. You should team up together, Kel. Even if just to compare professional notes or something. Might be a way for you two to work out differences." she said gently, handing Dr. Brackett a cup of coffee. "We are. I have dinner with him once a month." "Oh, really." Dix said, throwing disbelieving doe eyes at Kel. "There's twelve months in a year, Kel. And I distinctly remember setting up reservations at Mannie's for you and your father only twice total, since this time last year.." Kel's chin twitched. "I've been busy.." "Yeah, well so have I. " Dix countered. "Although in my case, I haven't been too busy to see family I care about, to drift apart from again, due to carelessness." From anyone else, Dixie's remark would earn a scathing sharp reply. But Kel and Dix were the best of friends, been old flames even, at one time. And what she said and felt, was still very very important to him. "You .....really think so?" he said, studying his hands and rubbing absently at their surgical dryness. Dix shoved a jar of hand cream at him across the lounge table. "I know so. I've seen you two cross by my desk everyday. Brent to his office on the ninth floor and you to yours. I can't believe you two even work in the same hospital. He could be in Greece for all the contact I've seen. I can read the whole state of affairs between you two just by the degree of scowling on your faces. You in particular, have a certain cheek twitch that pops up whenever you think of your father.." "I do not.." Dr. Brackett protested. "You do... Ahaa!" she cried out in triumph. "There it is again! That's seven times today already." She leaned forward, finely filed nails clicking on the formica table top. "And for me, that's a critical sign with only one treatment available in my line of thinking.......Go call him, Kel. Arrange one of those well overdue dinner dates. You both are in severe need for quality father/son family time.....Oh,.. Just one thing though.." Kel's face was sheepish as he used the cream Dixie had given him briskly to ease his chapped aching hands. "And what's that, Dix?" "Promise me you'll both leave your white doctor coats at home.." --------- ---------- --------- ---------- The phone rang a third time in his ear. By then Kel's cheek twitch had traveled up to his hairline. He groaned as the anxiety reached deeply under his skin. ::Come on. Pick up already..:: Finally... "Hello. Brent Brackett speaking.." "Dad?" A pause. ."Is...everything all right down there son? I didn't hear a disaster call go out.." Brent asked. "No. no no.. Everything's fine. Quiet night in fact. So far, only one station is out on a run. Station 51's." and he tried to sound natural as he laughed. "I....just wanted to say I'm sorry for missing our last dinner plans in May. I'd ...like to make it up to you.." There was a longer silence and then Kel heard Brent slip into his professional mode like he always did when analyzing the emotional tone of a situation. "That'd be fine son, free on the 18th? I'll have my receptionist book us. That will give us two days each to think of something to talk about, other than the shop talk like we always end up doing." "Thanks dad. I'll see you at our usual table." "Until then. And son..." "What dad?" "Don't work so hard. I can tell by how long your head nurse glares at me how little you've slept.." That comment embarrassed Kel deeper than words. "I'll see you later, pop." A muted grunt was a reply and the phone line clicked with a snick briskly a second later. "It's still a little mid artic but at least, the cracks in the icebergs are widening.." said Dix. "Here's to progress.." and she raised her mug to Dr. Brackett in salute. Kel didn't know whether to smile at his accomplishment or admonish Dix for easedropping on his phonecall. He chose to move on to other matters. He cleared his throat, taking a chart from Dixie's hand. The red light in the base station was still on, but not yet flashing. "51, call in with their rescue yet?" Dix regarded the tiny glass room and the quiet intercom phone still sitting silent by the recorder. "Nope. I just moved their status magnet to Away two minutes ago when I heard the call come in through L.A. dispatch.." she said, pointing with a pen from her desk to the scanner overhead. "Any indication what it is we got?" "None. It's an unknown type rescue so far. Literally.." "Hmm" Dr. Brackett said, handing 51's blank run sheet slate back to Dix. "Keep me posted. I think I'll check in on a patient or two while I'm waiting. Page me when 51 fires up." "Will do." and then she smiled, hugely as if with a private observation. Kel didn't miss it. "What?" "You're relaxed already. And all it took was a single itty bitty 30 second phone call." she chuckled. Kel's face twitched. "I'll recommend you for a Pullitzer." and he disappeared into treatment two, shaking his head ruefully. -------- ---------- ----------- At 213 East Morrow Drive, things weren't quite as rosy, down right creepy at that. >"Oh-oh no," Kelly corrected his colleague, >"I've got an imagination, all right! That's >why I'm gonna let you go first. That way, >if there's a tall dude down there--with a >long, black cloak and a wolf's-head cane..." >he paused to tap Gage on the chest, "you >get to rescue him!" >John swallowed hard and started down >the stairs. "Thanks!" he muttered, >sarcastically. They got about two steps >down and then stopped, hearing their >Captain calling them. They gladly retreated >and went racing back to the entrance hall. >"Yeah, Cap?!" the panting pair simultaneously >exclaimed, as they came skidding to a stop >in front of Hank Stanley. "Do you smell that?" Cap asked and he started to walk around the room, sniffing, suspicious. Chet and the gang started to copy him. Johnny immediately tensed. " Cap, what is it? You smell smoke or something?" Cap shook his head. "No..no.. not smoke.. smells like... like.." "Cinnamon ginger bread.." Chet said. "OoooOOoooo." Marco toned. "Do you suppose the witch from Hansel and Gretel lives here? Maybe we've all been called out to be someone else's dinner.." The gang cracked up. "Very funny guys. Creepy house or not, that's what I'm smelling. Gingerbread." Kelly noticed the dubious looks on all the guys faces..and he clarified defensively. "You know.. the kind grandma always makes. And it smells like it's coming from over..." The whole crew followed Kelly's nose to another dusty cobwebby door and he pushed it open. A brightly lit yellow kitchen with oversized stoves and ovens met their eyes. The station crew's light faces fell away when they found an old man slumped over a table, a phone's receiver still in his hand. Johnny and Roy ran over to him and Gage felt for a pulse. "He's alive.." The cookies, were just starting to burn. Marco pulled open the oven, and yanked out the scorched tray, and dumped it into the old over sized, old fashioned pump water handled sink. It took him a moment to figure out the pump was the only way to get to water. He finally pumped enough out to gurgle over the over hot pan. Mike turned off the gas in the oven. Roy shouted to his patient. "Hey,.. Mister.. Can you hear me? We're L.A. County Firefighter Paramedics. We answered your call.." The man didn't move as Roy checked his breathing, right where he was. Cap lifted his handy talkie to his mouth. "L.A. This is Station 51. We have a confirmed medical rescue. Respond an ambulance.." ##10-4, 51. Timeout 23:16.## Then Hank knelt by Roy and John as they took off their helmets and got to work. "Want him on the floor?" "Not yet. We don't know what we have. He's breathing ok at any rate. But we will need the O2." Chet Kelly came through the kitchen door with it breathless. "Got it here. That and the defibrillator." He handed them off to John who immediately got them set. Mike, got leads on an EKG ready on the blue monitor and waited to hand them to Gage and DeSoto when they were ready. Roy set the unconscious old man on a light flow through a simple mask, leaving him slumped across the table top face down, while John got a BP. "It's 90 over 64. Pulse 110 and thready." Roy said, "His respiration rate's 22 and shallow. Irregular.." He bent over and checked the man's pupils being careful not to move him much. "Equal and reactive." "Cardiac?" Hank asked. "Most likely." Roy answered him. "If this were a stroke, his eyes would've told us that. The scope will tell us more.. Give me those Stoker. I'm ready for them." Mike helped Roy patch the man up. As they did so, the old man began to moan and awaken and he lifted his head. Chet supported him in his chair as Roy and Hank got him oriented as to what was happening. "Easy there. Take it slow. How are ya doing?" Roy said to him. "Know where you are?" Johnny got on the biophone to Rampart, digging out his green pen from the biobox's lid. "Rampart, this is Rescue 51, how do you read?" The reply was.... --------------------------------------- Photo : Dix in a medium shot. Photo: Hank and Gage in helmets at a scene. Close up. Photo: Johnny treating a cardiac victim with O2 and EKG leads. ******************************* From: "Linda Taggatz" Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 23:27:41 -0600 Subject: Re: The Stuff of Dreams >Johnny got on the biophone to Rampart, digging >out his green pen from the biobox's lid. >"Rampart, this is Rescue 51, how do you read?" >The reply was... ..from Dixie. "Rescue 51, I read you loud and clear." --------------------------------------- No attachments. ******************************************* From: "Cassidy Meyers" Date: Thu Nov 21, 2002 2:37 am Subject: The Ginger Cookie Man and the Other Chester B > From Dixie. "Rescue 51, I read you loud and clear." Johnny looked up and saw that their patient was nearly conscious. He amended his notes on his writing pad. "Rampart, ah. We have a male, approximately 60 to 65 years of age. Found comatose and unresponsive. On eight liters of O2, consciousness is returning. Vitals are: BP 90/64, Pulse 110 and thready. Respirations are 22 and shallow. Rampart we do have a strip available. Lead two." "10-4. Relay your telemetry and I'll page Dr. Brackett. Please stand by.." Dixie answered. ##Standing by.# Johnny answered. Dixie got on the red phone and paged the inhouse operator. "Would you please page Dr. Brackett to the base station, stat. Thanks." and she hung up, writing down the information she had received. Roy in the meantime, put on his best paramedic smile. He watched as the old man looked surprised as full awareness returned as he put questioning hands up to his face to the mask flowing oxygen there. "Hi there. I'm Roy DeSoto and this gentleman on the phone is my partner, John Gage. We're paramedics from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Got your call there." The man gave an intelligible moan and he seemed to be hard of hearing. "Eh? Oh, my dearie. I HAVE caused a ruckus, haven't I?" Then he smelled wet ginger cookies in the kitchen. "Oh, no.. there goes all afternoon's work.." he said. Chet smiled for the man's voice sounded for the world like Mr. Hooper from Seasame Street. Kind and warm. "Yeah, well, rest easy sir. We got the gas turned off for ya." Roy set his hand on the man's stomach to get a new breathing rate. "So, what's your name? Can you tell me that?" "Eh? Oh, oh. It's Fajou.. Reginald Arthur Fajou. Been living in this house since... uh.... I can't remember rightly.. Could have been since the war.. or was that WW One?" he gasped. "I see. Listen, Mr. Fajou.." Gage said. "Do you have a history of any heart problems? Breathing problems? That sort of thing? You seem to be in a little distress here." "Ohh..." Arthur said, thinking.." Martha tells me I got asthma.. and....that's about it...." "Who's Martha?" Roy asked. "Your wife?" "Eh?..Ohnn no.. She's ma landlady. Heh. She's been real nice to me. Letting me bake for the kids working and filming at the movie studio and all." and he started to laugh in memory, weakily, until a wet coughing made him grip Chet's hand tightly. "Oh, my.. Not feeling so good today.. Little weak.." "Well, we'll get ya to the hospital and have a doctor take a look at you, ok?" Roy asked. "All right. If you say I have to go.. I I will. Don't want to get Martha mad at me. She's been so nice to me, don't you see? And,..I had a nice ...*cough* pan of cookies made just for her.. hhmm." "Yes,sir.." Roy said and he began to get a more detailed medical history on Arthur while Johnny got Kel Brackett on line. Gage began to relax as the reading showing on the scope indicated only some elevated ST segments on a sinus rhythm. Nothing dire. He set the phone and its cord over his shoulder while he listened to Arthur's breath sounds. He heard only light bronchial wheezing. "Ohhhh, that's cold sonny.." Arthur said of the metal drum Johnny placed on his skin. "Like ice.." "Sorry.. Easily fixed.." Johnny said with a grin and he warmed it in his palm with a breath before finishing his task. Mentally, he upgraded Arthur's consciousness level to good. Roy bumped down the percentage of O2 on their patient when Johnny gave him a thumbs down gesture. Gage said, "COPD's confirmed." "Ok, then, we'll just keep you sitting, allright Arthur? You can breathe better this way in the chair..?" Roy asked. "Y- Yeah.. That's why I came into the kitchen. Usually I stay by the fire while they bake, you see? But then I *cough* got a little dizzy.. and the room started spinning round and round. I got scared, you know.. So I called for help. Glad you boys are here, because.. I'm not feeling so good today.." Arthur sighed softly. His charm was irresistable to the other firemen hovering nearby and they all broke into grins of amusement. Cap noticed the pictures on the wall. "Say,, Arthur.. I know this movie.. And this looks like your front porch here on the poster.." "Heh.." Arthur grinned around his mask. "It is.. I've been baking cookies for the studios for so long, they.. they come over every once in a while...to make a movie.. know what I mean..?" Chet and Marco both nodded. "Sure do." Kelly piped up eagerly, joining in Cap's enthusiasm."We're great fans of most of them. Attack of the Ghoulies and last year's Grandchild of Frankenstein here. Do you really have an iron maiden in the basement down there? We didn't really quite make it down there before Ca-" Lopez smacked Chet silent before Cap could use the eye on him. "This is Dr. Brackett, go ahead, 51." Johnny continued his report. "Rampart our victim's got a history of chronic occlusive pulmonary disease. He admits to asthma. I've listened to him and he does sound a little wet on the left side. And his breathing's slightly labored. We've amended his liter flow to four a minute." Kel finished reading the report Dix had taken on him and looked up before thumbing the intercom. "Give me his strip 51. Is he coherent enough for you to get a oral temperature on him?" "That's affirmative on both, Rampart. Transmitting EKG." Johnny said, dialing the EKG monitor to send mode. Dr. Brackett eyed the rhythm he received. "51, I'm reading a normal sinus rhythm over here with only slight variations. Is the O2, helping his dyspnea at all?" "That's affirmative. He was slightly cyanotic when we found him on the table top but he's now pinking up albeit a bit clammy and chilled." Roy finished getting a temperature on Arthur. "Hmm.. 97.1" Johnny reported this in. "All right Johnny, start an IV Lactated Ringers, TKO only and transport as soon as possible. Keep him upright and comfortable and continue to maintain O2. That drop in temperature might be the early stages of septicemia or other etiology. I want a new vitals set in five minutes.." "10-4 Rampart. IV LR TKO and O2. New vitals in transit. The ambulance has arrived." Gage said. A few minutes later Arthur was warmly wrapped in wool tan blankets and his IV was in place in Marco's hand. As he was wheeling with the stationhouse crew he said. "You boys are so kind... when I get out ..you come back and I'll bake some nice, hot gingerbread cookies for you.. ok? You boys are so nice.." Gage grinned all the way into the Mayfair. It was he who rode in with Arthur the stage kids' cookie man. -------------------------------------------- The engine was already backed into the garage and abandoned by the time Roy and Johnny had replenished supplies and had made their farewells to the ill Mr. Fajou. The station house was quiet after Johnny and Roy turned off their backing reds, removed their helmets and left the squad. "Hmm. I wonder where the guys are? Are they sleeping?" Roy walked across the bay and peeked into the bunk house, flicking on the light for a sec. "Nope. The bed's are still made up.. All of them.." Johnny flicked a wrist up and checked the time. "Wow, no one's sleeping? It's almost three a.m..." Roy shrugged as they made their way by the large county map and into the kitchen. "Maybe they're watching the rebroadcast of the game...." "At three a.m..? Roy.. no channel airs games at three am in the morning.. Geesh.." he said as his calm demeanored partner preceeded him through the door he held open for Roy. No one was at the table nor at the frig. Johnny and Roy both turned on a dime. Looking towards the black leather couch and the TV chairs. The TV, was dark. And all the gang were on their hands and knees surrounding Henry's old dog house. It was still dusty and weather beaten from sitting in the yard. Chet was hastily scrubbing it clean with a bucket of water and Bon Ami. He looked up. "Heya guys.. About time you showed up. You almost missed the big moment. The little fella's about to go into his new home for the first time.." Johnny's jaw flopped open.. "You mean, uh, you mean Cap said Yes..?" he chortled, trying to keep his voice down. "Yeah, man. Guess the abandoned pup kinda got Cap's thoughts rolling about us losing Henry. It's been two years you know, since Henry's real owners showed up to claim him." he nodded. "Maybe, uh, maybe Cap's a little dogsick." "Maybe we ALL are.." Marco piped up eagerly, still on his hands and knees. The gang was carefully playing with the shy, but active beagle puppy keeping him in a ring before their laps, more than one trying to get the tiny guy to notice the doghouse doorway by tapping it. Roy and Gage joined them all on the floor, abandoning themselves to the moment. "Come on boy. Come on.. Don't you see it? There's a nice big bone in there.." Gage babytalked to the pup. "Eeeoowww" Kelly exclaimed. "Do you think we should really let him have Henry's old bone, Gage. Kinda dirty after two years in an old doghouse out in the yard." "Would you just hush.. I'm trying to bond here." Gage said. The moment Johnny looked up, the pup's attention wandered and he scampered over to the nearest lap he liked. Cap's. The pup stumbled gracelessly into Hank's stomach and then turned circles before settling down with a contented sigh after licking Cap's face once on the chin. "Well whatdiya know.."Roy grinned. "He knows who to thank doesn't he?" "Smart dog.." Hank said, keeping still as the new puppy closed his eyes. "uh oh,, looks like he's going ta sleep on me. Dang.. My leg's are going to, too, if I stay this way.." The gang hastily grabbed Cap by the shoulders and legs and Chet said. "Don't move Cap. You'll wake him. We'll move you to the recliner." "Kelly! Would y--" "ShhhhHHHH!" The rest of the gang said. The beagle whimpered but then started snoring again just as fast. Hank finally tossed his head. "All right. Lift me." he said, feeling ridiculous. Soon, he was settled in the black chair with the pup safely nestled like a sleeping Sphinx in his lap. The gang immediately made for the bunks, abandoning Cap and his puppy in the chair. "Hey, you're not just going to leave me here?" "Aww cap.. Do you really want us to make him cranky? I mean, these early puppy to family bonding days are crucial. You're just gonna haveta spend the night in the arm chair." Kelly reasoned. Cap scowled but stayed quiet. "All right. Just this once. Somebody get me a blanket." he said, adjusting the tiny pup's snoring face until his snores softened into easier sleeping breaths. Marco wasn't past teasing. "You know.. he just might have to sleep every night in your lap, Cap, after this.." "No he won't. Because if he needs to he can spend the night on somebody else's lap instead, like tomorrow night in yours Lopez?" "Aww Cap.. I can't sleep a wink sitting in a chair." "Didn't say it was an order. But.. Lookiethatcuteface. Can you deny him the benefit of a warm body's comfort?" "That's what a hot water bottle in the dog house is supposed to be for.." Marco said. "No dog is ever going to get into Henry's old doghouse." Mike Stoker said. "Chet's logged more hours in there than Henry ever did." The gang laughed. Johnny came back from grabbing a blanket out of a spare closet for Hank . "Here ya go, Cap." and he tossed it up into the air. "Gage, would you be careful?!" he said, barely saving it from burying the tiny dog. "You could've jarred the little guy.." "Sorry..Cap." Kelly was thoughtful. "Say, listen Cap. Now that we're keeping him, we can't just keep calling him Little Guy.. I mean uh, his previous owner says his name is uh,.." and he broke off in embarrassement. "Chester.." Gage said and the gang giggled. Cap said, "No, he's more like a "lapper" " he said patting where the puppy was lying deeply in slumber. "All right. Ok. We can call him Chester." Chet said defensively. "I just don't want to hear anybody and I mean anybody, ever.. call him Chester B.." Gage sniggered, "Why Chet? Does the B stand for something that really gets your blood pumping?" "No.. It's just--" Chet said, hastily avoiding Gage's advance on him in yet another attempt to ring it out of Chet what the answer was to that greatest of all Chet mysteries. Johnny grabbed Chet by the moustache and backed him into the wall. "Ahhh..owww.." Chet said, freezing as Johnny held him hostage with a twist of just one hand. "Hey come on, let go of m--" Johnny wrist lifted higher. "Once more Chet, what does the B stand for?" "NOthing." "What? I can't hear you." "Nothing at all. It's just a nickname....AhhhHH." "I don't beLIEVE you.." Gage singsonged. "It's trueeeEEE! Hey let go.." Cap's voice finally cracked out. "Gage..!" Johnny instantly let go, smoothing out Chet's collar where it had rumpled. "Next time.. You're gonna tell me.." and he walked back over to Cap and knelt by the tiny oblivious pup. "So, what shall we give to stand for little Chester here's second letter of the alphabet's initial eh? And it's just gotta be a "B"..." he smiled lipped fully cocked. And he met everyone's eyes. "Any suggestions?" ------------------------------- Photo : Cap glaring from his recliner. Photo : A very cute brown and white beagle pup looking at you, eager faced. Photo : Chet and Johnny squaring off, Roy looking on shaking his head in disbelief. ******************************** From : "satchie51" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Dinner Reservations Date : Fri, 22 Nov 2002 15:50:32 -0000 Outside Mannie's Restaurant.. Kel reluctantly relinquished his car to the restaurant's valet. He walked toward the entrance with the enthusiasm of a man facing his executioner, not his own father. Summoning his resolve, he approached the maitre d'. "Yes sir. How may I help you?" Taking a deep breath, he replied, "I'm joining Dr. Brent Brackett for dinner." The maitre d' nodded. "Ah, yes. He's been expecting you. Please come this way." Numbly, Kel walked to the familiar table. A distinguished looking gentleman was already seated. He glanced disapproving at his watch. "You're late. I thought perhaps you changed your mind." "I'm sorry. Things got a bit hectic in the ER at the last minute. I didn't think I was going to be able to get away," Kel apologized. The elder Brackett appeared dubious. "I see." "Dad…" "It would have been typical of you not to show up. You've been avoiding me like the plague for ages." Kel guiltily stared at his fingernails. In truth, he had initiated this dinner engagement at Dixie's urging. Over the past two days, however, he must have considered at least a dozen excuses to cancel this evening's plans. Emotional intimacy had never been his forte, especially with his father. He deliberately accepted the responsibility of two additional patients after his shift ended in order to stall for time. That's why he was running twenty minutes behind schedule. Breaking the awkward silence, Kel motioned to the waiter to bring him a drink. Brent raised his eyebrow. "Am I that unpleasant to be around that you need a drink?" "No. No, of course not. It's been a long day, and I'm tired and I'd like a scotch." Noticing the glass clutched in his father's hand, Kel retorted, "I see you're imbibing in your usual poison. Do you need alcohol to feel comfortable around your own son?" "You're being ridiculous." "Then stop interpreting my actions as though there's a hidden psychological meaning behind them. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar." "Point taken," Brent conceded. "So how has work been, besides busy?" "Pretty much the same," Kel shrugged. "The new hospital administrator doesn't appreciate the value of the paramedic program to the community, so I've been having some interesting `discussions' lately." "Do you want to talk about it?" "Not really." The other man thoughtfully steepled his fingers. "Why not?" "Dad, I'm not one of your patients, all right?" Kel was developing an excruciating headache. He began to methodically massage his right temple. "Kel, for crying out loud! I'm a psychiatrist, not a witch doctor. It's an honorable profession. Unfortunately, you've always acted like you were ashamed of what I did for a living. I didn't get my degree out of a cereal box. I went to medical school at Harvard, and completed a residency and fellowship at Johns Hopkins, perfectly respectable institutions. Somehow you never seemed to accept my vocation as a `real' job. Sitting in a plush office and keeping a schedule didn't seem to fit your definition of work." "Don't you think this conversation is a little one-sided? As I recall, you weren't exactly supportive of my educational choices either. I wanted to put myself through school so I wouldn't feel pressured to follow in your footsteps. I waited on tables, parked cars and even worked as an evening janitor at the university in order to put myself through school. Granted, I didn't have the same Ivy League education you had, but I earned my way through my own efforts, and I'm proud of that. And I distinctly remember how horrified you were when I announced I wanted to go into emergency medicine. You called it barbaric, and said I'd wash out in a week." Smiling smugly, Kel added, "Well, I'm still here." Shaking his head, Brent argued, "You still don't understand what this is about, do you?" "I presume you're going to enlighten me." The father sighed in frustration. "You've been so blasted determined to escape from what you perceived to be my shadow, you've been running at full throttle most of your life. You thought my occupation was boring, so you chose the most exciting one you could imagine, emergency medicine." Kel pondered this thought while he took a sip of his scotch. "But don't you see?" Brent asked. "You're still acting like this is some bizarre competition between us. It's not, you know." Mercifully, the waiter appeared to take their order. Kel had little appetite, but knew he was expected to follow the ritual. Without looking at the menu, he mechanically recited the desired items. His anxiety was mounting with each passing moment. Concealed by the linen tablecloth, he was clenching and unclenching his fists. "Dad, I simply wanted to be my own man. That's a normal desire." "That's true, if not taken to extremes. But you never know when to draw the line. Everything is all or nothing, black or white," his father chided. When you decided to become a doctor, you couldn't settle for just any specialty. You had to outdo me and prove you were better than your old man. And what could be more dramatically different than a field that deals with life and death issues every minute?" His father's words cut him with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel. An uncomfortable feeling in his stomach was making its presence known. Kel replied, "You've never accepted the fact that we're totally different people with different interests. Maybe sitting around talking to people all day long is your cup of tea, but it isn't mine. I thrive on the excitement of the emergency room." "What is it precisely that you find so appealing? Is it the power you wield of being the head of the department, or saving people's lives?" Kel's famous temper flared. "Saving people's lives, of course!" "And you don't think I help save people's lives?" Brent shot back. "You may have looked down upon my profession and the scheduled hours I kept, but they allowed me the luxury of being able to raise a family and participate in a healthy social life. On the other hand, you'd rather work like a maniac to the exclusion of all else. You're forty-two years old and you have no life to speak of. You're not able to sustain relationships, and your time is essentially confined to the hospital and your apartment." Color began to drain from the younger man's face. He was furious that his father would dare to presume to lecture him, particularly in a public setting. Undeterred, Brent continued. "Even though we rarely get together, we do work in the same hospital. I know you're working yourself into an early grave. Your long hours and avoidance of vacations are legendary. But it's taking its toll on you. You look exhausted. You're pale, you've lost weight and you look like you're not sleeping well." Incredulous, Kel warned, "This is none of your business." "You're my son. That makes it my business." A war waged within Kel. He was angry with his father for pursuing this line of conversation, and with Dixie for insisting he schedule this stupid meeting. Most of all, he was angry with himself for allowing events to unfold as they had. After all these years, he should have known better than to discuss certain topics with his father. It was a foregone conclusion he would always lose these heated debates. The throbbing in his temple worsened. "Dad, you have no right to make judgments about how I choose to live my life." Brent leaned back in the leather-upholstered chair. "Then answer me this question. Did you succeed?" Kel was thoroughly confused. "Succeed in what?" "Did you prove to yourself you're not me?" "I don't understand." "Obviously you thought I was so terrible that you went through extraordinary measures to avoid being like me. In personality, temperament, interests, profession, you've tried to be my opposite in every way. But you're a grown man now. You've established yourself." Brent's tone softened and he gently placed his hand on Kel's forearm. "Son, if you're still running away from something, do you even know where you're running to?" Suddenly Kel felt the room was closing in on him. Overwhelmed by nausea, he bolted from the table and raced to the men's room. Standing over the toilet, he proceeded to lose what little he had eaten earlier in the day. A few minutes later, he splashed his face with cold water to revive himself. He caught his reflection in the mirror. For the first time, he didn't see the cocky, self-assured head of emergency services at Rampart. He saw an insecure little boy wanting to be anyone but his father. -------------------------------- No attachments. ******************************* From : "satchie51" Subject : Shattered Date : Sat, 23 Nov 2002 20:54:00 -0000 Kel sat in his darkened apartment, contemplating the evening's events. Past experience conditioned him not to expect a cordial relationship with his father. The best he could hope to achieve was a peaceful coexistence, and the best way to accomplish that objective was simple avoidance. Yes, dear old Dad managed to undermine that plan. Kel erroneously assumed when he moved to Los Angeles, there would be adequate physical and emotional distance to discourage contact from his father. He planned to make perfunctory phone calls on special occasions, and perhaps travel home to Boston during the Christmas holidays. But his father ruined that brilliant theory. Inexplicably, six years ago he closed his posh private practice and joined the staff at Rampart. Justifiably, Kel was furious when he heard the news from the hospital administrator. His father didn't even have the decency to notify him personally, which he deemed unforgivable. Through hard work and perseverance, Dr. Kelly Brackett had finally attained the level of professional success he sought. He was held in high esteem as the director of emergency services of Rampart General Hospital, and he was supremely confident in his abilities. Unfortunately, his father's arrival signaled the return of his long and imposing shadow. It seemed there was no escape. Since that time, they both performed an exotic dance around the hospital each day. Kel would arrive early in the emergency room and immerse himself in the department's activities, pretending nothing had changed. Brent Brackett would appear later in the morning and wordlessly take the elevator to his ninth floor office. Occasionally the two men would pass each other in the corridors. They would awkwardly acknowledge each other with a nod of the head or a mumbled hello, and then abruptly break off eye contact. As a token of atonement for missed father/son quality time, Kel would arrange dinner at Mannie's once a month, although he frequently found an excuse to miss the appointments. Simply being in the older man's presence was humbling and painful. It was hard to believe there was ever a brief period in his life when he looked up to his father and desperately sought his approval. But over the years, the senior Dr. Brackett couldn't resist the temptation to mold his son into his own image. He became critical of Kel's brooding, intense nature, and began to psychoanalyze his every act. If there was some behavior or shortcoming his son possessed, there had to be a hidden psychological reason behind it. Therefore, it became his mission to eradicate the offending conduct. Brent did not anticipate Kel's reaction. Instead of meekly complying to accommodate his father's grand scheme, his headstrong son rebelled. He was determined to do the exact opposite of what was demanded of him. The relationship rapidly deteriorated, and they never recaptured the emotional intimacy they once shared. Tonight's disastrous attempt at dinner only reinforced Kel's growing sense of anxiety about the situation. How long could he continue this absurd charade? He walked over to the sliding patio door and placed his palm against the cool glass. It was a moonless night. Somehow it seemed appropriate for his increasingly dark mood. The more he thought about his father's words, the angrier he became. In a blind moment of rage, Kel slammed his hand against the door, shattering the glass onto the balcony. Stunned, he stared at the blood dripping from his arm. Several seconds elapsed before the significance of his action sunk in. He was bleeding. The calm, cool-headedness of his profession eluded him. Kel was emotionally dazed by the destructive act he had just committed. He wrapped his arm in a kitchen towel as he fumbled through his medical bag. After superficially cleaning his wounds, he applied some 4x4s as pressure dressings and wrapped his arm with gauze. In disbelief, he sat on his couch and buried his face in his hands. He lost track of how long he lingered there, when a loud knock interrupted his trance. "Police! Is everything okay?" Kel was totally confused. What were the police doing at his apartment? He slowly roused himself and answered the door. "Yes, how can I help you?" The policeman took in the physician's disheveled appearance. "Your neighbor called in a disturbance. She heard the sound of broken glass and thought you were being robbed." Glancing at the bloodstained bandages, the officer inquired, "Were you injured in the attack?" Confusion was quickly replaced by mortification as Kel realized his careless deed had attracted unwanted attention. "No, there was no robbery. It…it was an accident." The seasoned officer was dubious. Noting the location of the bandages, he wondered if this was a self-inflicted injury or perhaps a suicide attempt. "Why don't I take you to a hospital to have that looked at?" "No, that's okay," Kel assured him. "I'm a doctor. I'll take care of it." The blood continued to splatter on the floor as they spoke. "Sir, with all due respect, you look like you could use a little help with that. I'm sure it would only take a few minutes." Reluctantly nodding his consent, he followed the officer to his patrol car. He dreaded the inevitable barrage of questions he would be subjected to at Rampart. * * * * * Now that the initial shock had worn off, Kel was becoming increasingly anxious. His demeanor did not improve when the police officer insisted on accompanying him into the emergency department. Dr. Morton was the first person to notice his boss' presence. "Dr. Brackett! What happened?" he asked as he guided his mentor into a treatment room. "I had a little accident at home. It's nothing, really." The officer surreptitiously motioned to speak to the intern. Mike said, "Okay. Well, have a seat and I'll grab some blank forms from Carol. I'll be right back." Soon Mike returned, paperwork in hand. He efficiently took Kel's vital signs and frowned at his findings. "Hmm. Your blood pressure is really high. Has it been elevated lately?" "No," Kel wearily replied. "Then there has to be a reason for the sudden increase. Is it reasonable to assume it's related to the injury to your hand?" A pronounced silence was his answer. "How exactly did this happen?" Mike probed. After taking a deep breath, Kel barked, "I cut myself. Isn't it obvious?" "On purpose?" "Of course not! Do I look like an idiot? The glass door shattered!" Mike countered, "By itself?" Kel glared at his subordinate. How dare he presume to press this issue and humiliate him further. He had given his account, and that should end these ridiculous questions. Sensing they were at an impasse, Mike began unwrapping the blood soaked bandages. "These cuts look pretty nasty. There doesn't appear to be any vascular damage, but most of them are deep enough to require stitches." "Yeah, I figured as much." "I'll have Carol get everything set up. I'll be back in a moment." Mike made a hasty retreat and headed for the nurses' station. A nagging feeling tickled his brain. Kel's behavior and his description of the "accident" didn't add up. Perhaps there was a more sinister explanation. "Carol, who's on call for psych?" She consulted the schedule. "Uh, that would be Dr. Brent Brackett." The intern sadly shook his head. In the first place, it would be inappropriate to ask a family member to consult on a case. But it was also common knowledge the son and father had a strained relationship. Mike was certain the senior Dr. Brackett was NOT to be contacted in case of an emergency. He needed help in assessing whether Kel needed to be held for psychiatric observation in light of the deep slashes to his arm. Turning to the nurse, Mike said, "Page Dr. Early. I need him here as soon as possible for a consult, and tell him who the patient is." He waved Maggie over to the desk. "I need your assistance in Treatment Room 3." They entered to find an agitated Kelly Brackett awaiting their return. "What took you so long? Let's get this over with so I can go home." Mike removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I had a call I had to take care of." Kel impatiently offered his injured arm to the intern. "Well, get to work." Knowing it would take about fifteen minutes for Joe to reach Rampart, Mike carefully cleaned the wounds and began suturing the deep gashes. Fearful of antagonizing his boss, he kept conversation to an absolute minimum. He was enormously relieved when he heard Joe's gentle voice break the eerie silence of the room. "Hey, Kel. I heard you had a little mishap. How are you doing?" Mike concentrated on the task at hand, well aware of the menacing gaze that was being directed at him. "I'm fine," Kel growled. "Did they call you?" "Yeah. They're a little worried about you," Joe said reassuringly. "Well, they shouldn't be. I only need a few stitches and I'll be on my way." The white-haired physician sat down and folded his arms. "Kel, think about it from our point of view. A police officer brings you in. You're stressed. You have several deep gashes on your arm, and you're less than forthcoming about how they got there. What would normal procedure be?" A light bulb went off in Kel's head. "Cr*p. A psych consult would probably be ordered." "Do you know why this wasn't done?" "Because I'm the head of the department and Mike didn't want to embarrass me?" Joe informed him, "No. It's because your father was on call tonight." "I don't believe this!" Kel shouted. "I can't get away from that man!" He wildly jumped off the table, unexpectedly pushing Mike away as he was still suturing the wounds. "Kel, settle down!" Joe commanded. "You don't understand. I just spent a miserable evening with him. I've spent most of my entire life trying to break away from his grasp. But no matter what I do or where I go, there is he is!" The picture was coming into focus. Joe needed time alone with his friend. "Mike, I'll take care of this. Thanks for everything." After the door closed, Joe began. "Come back and have a seat and we'll talk while I finish sewing you up." With the enthusiasm of a lamb beinglead to the slaughter, Kel lowered his head and made his way to the exam table. "I'm sorry," he muttered. "About?" "Causing so much trouble for everyone. I try to keep my personal life private. But I guess everyone knows my father and I aren't exactly on the best of terms." "What happened this evening that was so upsetting?" Joe asked. "Oh, the usual." Kel tried to sound nonchalant. "We each have our own unique perspective on things." "That never caused you to put your hand through glass before." The dark-haired man's temper quickly flared, and then dissipated. "Well, I think in his own warped way he was trying to extend an olive branch, except it was thinly disguised as a reiteration of my faults since childhood. Suddenly, it all seemed so infuriating." His task complete, Joe began applying a dressing. "You know, you're a lot alike in one respect. You're both stubborn." A small smile crept across Kel's features. "I come by the trait honestly." "Look, this problem isn't going to solve itself. You're here, he's here, you need to get together and work this out." "You sound like Dixie." Joe grinned, "She's a smart cookie." "Don't encourage her!" Kel laughed. "She already thinks she runs the department!" "She doesn't?" Kel's mood sobered. "I suppose I need to tell her about this before she hears it from someone else." He rose to his feet. "I'll give her a call from my office." "I have a better idea. You can call her from my place," Joe proposed. "That's not necessary." His colleague firmly insisted, "I want you to come home with me tonight. After you call Dix, I'll give you something to help you unwind and get a good night's sleep. Take tomorrow off and collect your thoughts. In a week or so when you feel up to it, call your dad and make another dinner appointment. Maybe if you're the one offering the olive branch, you'll find the peace terms more agreeable." "After all these years, I'm afraid to hope," Kel admitted. "But at least you'll be able to find comfort in knowing you tried." Tossing his coat over his shoulder, Kel followed his friend out the door. --------------------------------- No attachments. *********************************** From: "Linda Taggatz" Date: Sat, 23 Nov 2002 21:31:45 -0600 Subject: Re: Shattered Kel and Joe soon arrived at Joe's apartment. It was cozy. In one corner stood a piano. "Nice place Joe." Kel said as he looked around. "Thanks." Joe told Kel to take the coat off and toss it on the chair. Kel complied, then sat down. Kel put his head in his hands. "I don't know anymore Joe. I don't know what to say to him. Maybe if we start talking about mom things will relax. But then, he never wants to talk about her." Joe got curious. "Why is that?" Kel shook his head and said "I wish I knew." -------------------------------- No attachments. *********************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : Breakfast Banter Buffet Style Date : Mon, 25 Nov 2002 15:21:22 +0000 Breakfast Banter Buffet Style >Cap's voice finally cracked out. "Gage..!" >Johnny instantly let go, smoothing out Chet's >collar where it had rumpled. "Next time.. >You're gonna tell me.." and he walked back >over to Cap and knelt by the tiny oblivious >pup. "So, what shall we give to stand for little >Chester here's second letter of the alphabet's >initial eh? And it's just gotta be a "B"..." he smiled >lipped fully cocked. And he met everyone's eyes. >"Any suggestions?" There was a brief pause, for the briefest moment, as Chet walked through the kitchen doors leading to the garage bay and the quiescent fire vehicles parked there. Kelly almost whispered his suggestion, ".....Bartholomew." and he trudged morosely towards the bunkroom. Gage and the others froze into place in their tight ring around Cap. Even Cap's finger paused, from stroking the little beagle's sleeping forehead. "W-W- What did he say?" "Oh my G*d. I don't believe it.." Marco said. "He said Bartholomew.." "Yeah, but was that a suggestion for Chester or was that in reply to Gage putting on a little elbow grease to Chet's moustache?" Stoker asked them all. Cap's eyes bugged out and all his smile lines smoothed out in rapt frankness. "The world may never know.." The gang chuckled in reply, but not Gage. Yipp! barked the sleeping puppy in his dream. The fellas immediately fell to shushing each other and tiptoed out of the kitchen, leaving Cap the honor of spending the first night with the new station mascot. Johnny's self satisfied smirk at a successful Chet tease fizzled into uncertainty as he pondered Stoker's musing. When they all were well out of the range of young canine ears, Gage asked his partner. "Whatdidya think, Roy? Whaa -- uh, which way do you think we should take Chet's answer..?" "Careful, Johnny. Don't get into it too much. Or you just may have a complex about it." Roy answered as he peeled shirt and pants down to boxers and a T shirt and sailed with an amused clunk onto his bunk. "You know how devious Chester B can get when it comes to getting you back for muscling around with him." Johnny's face alternately smiled and fell as he regarded Chet Kelly slumbering for all the world like King Nebenezzer on his bunk with his fingers laced nonchalantly over his chest. Gage turned his back on the sight, not sure about whether or not Chet was smiling or frowning. ::Can't tell behind that d*mned moustache..:: he groaned mentally, shifting irritably onto a shoulder to try and forget about it. Sleep was a long time in coming. ---------------------------------------- Breakfast was spread out like a posse's standard grub with a partial roasting steer the next day. The guys, feeling guilty about tricking Cap into spending first nightwatch over Chester, fed him right where he was, in the armchair. Stoker had even gone out into the yard and had picked Hank a magnolia for a bud vase with the breakfast tray he hand delivered to him. "Guys, you didn't have to do this.." Cap said, rubbing sleep mussed hair and his face as he shifted his weight in the chair gingerly around the still oblivious Chester Bartholomew lying like a tiny sack of potatoes in his lap. "Oh, yes we do, Cap. I mean, what fireman in any firehouse is more self sacrificial than a Cap? Am I right fellas?" Chet asked, shoving buttered toast into his hungry maw. He chewed, puffed cheeked as he added. "Made an example of all of us, for ditchin him and keepin him all last night away from the comfort of Cap's own bed." he said. He took a gulp of his too hot coffee a little too fast and started choking a bit. Roy gave his back a thump or two as he reached for a green apple from the fruit basket in front of the breakfast rib roast Stoker had smoking on the spit all last night. "Easy there Chet. Don't talk, chew." DeSoto said, taking a half moon bite out of his fruit. "Yeah.." Gage agreed, his own cheeks big with bagel. "I wanna get through chow without a still alarm, Kelly, if you don't mind.." "Very funny Gage. Tell me something there, uh, buddy. What uh, what is YOUR middle name if you don't mind me turning the tables on ya. And I'll just ask it since you don't have any facial hair for me to grab onto.." Marco nearly spit out his fresh squeezed pineapple juice chortling. Stoker rescued him with a toss of a folded towel. When the light laughter bubbled away into sounds of contented eating, Lopez said, "Yeah, Gage. You don't have anything on the back of your turnout coat. Just "Gage". " "My secret.. So shush.." Chet didn't give him any further clues to answering Gage's Chet mystery by responding back. Cap looked up from where he was adjusting a china blue bowl filled with steamed water moistened puppy chow on his breakfast tray under a ravenous Chester's face. The little one was eating so fast, he was snorting and almost tipping nose up into the food. "Whoops, slow down there Chester Bartholomew.. or you'll end up as fat as ol Henry used to be.." Chet looked up suddenly from his paper as if he was the one addressed. Just as quickly, Chet shot eyes back down to his plate. Johnny's eyes narrowed suspiciously when he saw that reaction. But for the life of him, he couldn't tell whether or not Kelly had thought Cap was speaking about him or the new puppy. ::I coulda told that a lot better if Kelly grabbed his stomach or something too, then, at Cap's comment. "Man.. I'll never find out my answer.." he grumbled to Roy. The guys laughed. "Yeah well, this too, shall pass. No doubt you and Chet will live to fight another day.." DeSoto said, regarding which piece of his sliced apple to devour next with his milk. Then he chose two at the same time and followed up with a thick bite of BBQ beef rib. He was the only one eating with a fork. The others were eating off the bone, including Chester Bartholomew. "Not if he keeps eating so fast like that he won't." Gage said cheek muffled with a beefy spear, glaring at Kelly. "I got a fine example of how obstructed airways happen, too, Roy, right in my line of sight.." Chet said, in retort back, making runway guide motions right at his current source of verbal torment sitting across the table from him. "Peace you two.." Cap said, finally extricating himself from the recliner, leaving Chester happily diving into what was left on his tray. Captain Stanley saundered over to the bulletin board and snatched down the weekly rounds chart board. He was the only one still in a blue uniform. The gang was still in T-shirts and pullover pants-and-boots. "The weekly fire violation rounds list. Today, only one on the books." "Aww Cap, can't it wait until after breakfast? Turns my stomach learning about folks who like living in a fire hazard zone instead of following codes." Chet complained. "Shutup and chew.." Cap replied. "You're gonna hear this one. In fact, all of you might have an invested interest in this case." "Oh?" Roy grunted. "Yeah." Cap replied. "We have an excessive brush violation at....213 East Morrow Drive..." All jaws stopped chewing when they remembered that the address belonged to one very very nice old man living in a very very creepy looking old house. Gage's mouth crooked open in regret. "Aww, Cap. We can't go handing out a fine to kindly ol Mr. Fajou.. I really like that guy. Wouldn't be nice of us to leave it tacked onto his front door like that to find once he gets outta the hospital.." he added sarcastically. Stanley snapped back defensively light. "You got any better ideas?" "Yeah..I do." Lopez said. "Come guys, we got nothing better to do this weekend, and I know that for a fact because there's no games in town. Why don't we just skip out on our normal routines and go over there to do a little weed control ourselves. It'd be easy for us. We're licensed to do a controlled burn." Both of Cap's eyebrows climbed up into his hairline. "Hey, that's a wonderful idea. We can all trade shifts mutually with Saturday's crew in trade for Friday and get this done for the old guy. I can have Eight's brush truck sent over for Stoker to use." There came a chorus of eager yes's and O.k.'s all around. Even another yip from Chester where he sat in the recliner near the licked clean dish tray. All heads turned. "Wow." Stoker remarked. "Maybe we found ourselves a new dish washer. Just look at Cap's tray. Clean as a whistle.." "Heh... Don't give him any bright ideas.." Cap said. "That's just a first morning privilege." he grumbled. "Wouldn't want him to pick up any really bad habits from us now would we..?" Chet made a show of licking BBQ off his plate by lapping it like a dog. "Very funny Kelly.." Cap said. "For that, you get latrine duty this morning.." "Awww, Cap.." "Aww, nothing. When you make Cap, you can find ways to delegate the more unpleasant firehouse duties in the least painful ways to your crew, too, just like I did.." he chipped up. "You're all heart.." Kelly mumbled. "What's that, Kelly. Didn't quite hear you? My other inferiorly ranked men are all laughing too hard." "I said, uh, you're so smart." Chet said, stirring his grits morosely. Then his eyes shot up in alarm. 'Uh, I don't mean "smart" as in sarcastic, Cap. At least not in, uh,, not in...that case..." he trailed off sheepishly, and escaped into the newspaper to hide from the moment in hot water. "Let's hope not, Kelly. The hoses in the tower need to be reloaded.." Chet was a mouse behind the funnies section. Stoker and Marco's hands raised up. "Give it to us Cap. Only fair.."Mike said. "We got out of it last time due to a timely dumpster fire call." "Good men.. Kelly, did you see that? Lopez and Stoker actually volunteered to do one of the sweaty jobs." Cap said. "Yeah, well I don't see them lining up for the smelly one.." Chet groused. "Quit eating like a horse and maybe the bathrooms would smell a little better in the morning Chet.." Gage retorted. "Yeah, I had to use a half can of Lysol Disinfectant just to breathe earlier.." Marco quipped, joining Gage's bandwagon. "I can't help it.." Chet said. "I was born with an efficient colon. At least I don't let them loose while giggling at erotic dreams in my sleep like Marco over here." "I do not.." Marco protested vehemently. Gage sniggered. "Uh, is that in reply to part A or part B of Chet's previous sentence Marco. Your crewmates would really really like to know." Marco just glared. "You try working in a firehouse with a mama who stuffs YOU full of beans and enchiladas just before your twenty four hours on shifts, I'd say you'd be tooting them too." "I'll stick with the engine's horn thanks.." Mike said. Gage scored a point in the air for Stoker. "Ok, ok, that explains the gassier aspects of your nightly exploits. Now, tell us about your dreams, Marco Lopez.... Is she cute?" "I'm Catholic!" Marco protested. "I don't have to confess to you.." "You might as well.." Gage warned in jest. "I see a greaaattt moustache gripping handle there under your nose..." and he rose in his chair. "Cap!!" Marco squeaked. Johnny was already in his chair and chewing his last bite of food by the time Cap's eyebrow was fully cocked into the firing position. Hank settled out of his warning glare and continued chewing the piece of apple he had stolen from Roy's plate. "What? I see no problem here. Except for maybe a stack or two of too many dishes. Lopez. Dish detail." "Awww, Cap. I thought you were supposed to safeguard your men." Marco said. "I just did. Do you see Gage pinning you against the wall where he had Kelly squirming last night?" "No." "Good, then hop to it. Stoker was the one who cooked today. Gage, you got floor detail, a full wet mop job. DeSoto, vehicle buffing, chrome only. Looks like rain today." "Well what about you, Cap?" Lopez still singing, stung. "I have a new chore. I get to show Chester here where to go..."he grinned. And he hefted up his little charge and wandered out cooly into the yard. The guys all rose from the breakfast table and fell to. Johnny was grinning at Marco's still red face from Chet revealing out a night secret so boldly, but even he wouldn't poke a man when he was down. ::Well, not a fire fighting coworker at any rate, just a victim on a scene to learn a consciousness level. Heh.:: he thought. Then he said, "Say Roy.. Us going out this weekend to help ol' Mr. Fajou is really gonna be fun. I mean, Vince's got the keys to his place, right? Maybe we can even all go in and clean up his kitchen too for him." Roy angled his head skeptically as he helped Lopez grumpily stack plates as he carried each armload to the sink. "I don't know, Johnny. Most gourmet cooks don't like people messing with their kitchens." "Who's to say Mr. Fajou is a gourmet chef? Well, maybe a pastry baking one.." he admitted. "Still wouldn't hurt to do this good deed thing a notch or two better." he grinned cockeyed. Chet piped up. "Yeah, maybe we can learn what's finally in that basement of his and in all those other creepy rooms, man." Johnny waggled his head. "I don't think Mr. Fajou would appreciate us snooping around his house now would you?" he moaned caustic. "Gage, that place's an historic landmark.." "You mean a haunted one.." Stoker quipped from around the newspaper. Kelly went on as if he hadn't heard Mike interrupt him. "...Mr. Fajou probably gives movie tours to the studio kids he bakes for all the time. I mean uh, what's the difference if it's kids or firemen getting thrilled to death in there..?" "A big one, Chet Kelly. The poor guy deserves a little privacy in his own home.." he insisted. Kelly's eyes hit the table and his fidgetting fingers drumming there."Looks more like the old guy needs a friend or two Johnny.." Chet said. "We can always act scared and nervous when he gets back and gives us a tour for doing his yardwork this weekend." Roy grinned, folding his arms over his shoulders. "There's that, Johnny. Come on, give in to a little curiosity..." "Nice sentiment Roy, aren't you Catholic too?" Gage said. "Doing a nice thing for somebody else isn't a sin.." he replied. Marco agreed firmly. "Look it up.." John shot both of them a disgusted look. Then the alarm went off, for a full station call. ##Station 51, Engine 18, Truck 127. Battalion 14. Truck overturn with a chemical spill on the Pacific Coast Highway at Southbound mile marker 513. Multiple vehicular involvement.Truck overturn on the PCH at Southbound mile marker 513. Cross street Dungeness. PD reports approach with caution. Be advised. An unknown gas cloud has prompted start of evacuation action from the CHP. Timeout, 07:10. ## Cap's shoes came pelting by the kitchen door and he received the call as the men moved out. He handed off Chester B to Roy who left the bewildered young pup safely on the recliner. "Be good pal. See you when we get back." DeSoto told the little dog, rushing out. Cap acknowledged the run. "Station 51, 10-4. KMG 365.." The entire company rolled out....... ---------------------------------------- Photo: A very sleepy Beagle pup. Photo: Roy and John getting set for resting on their firehouse bunks. Photo: Chet Kelly sleeping like King Nebenezzer. Photo : Station 51's rescue call speaker. *animated gif* A massive fireball explosion mushroom cloud. Photo: A gas cloud at an accident scene enveloping two running people. ******************************** From : "SM Fortis" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] The Restaurant Confessional Date : Wed, 27 Nov 2002 09:42:38 -0600 Grateful to be home in his own apartment, Kel stretched out on the couch. Despite Joe's advice he wait awhile before scheduling another reconciliation attempt, Kel promptly contacted his father and made reservations for dinner that evening. Patience never had been his greatest virtue. His colleague was right in one respect. If Kel dictated the terms of the meeting and tried to keep the conversation on message, perhaps he would feel more in control of the situation. He was determined not to feel powerless in the presence of Brent Brackett again. Since his return home, Dixie called twice to make sure he was okay. To combat his growing anxiety, Kel occupied himself by spending most of the afternoon performing errands and browsing at a jazz record store Joe was always raving about. After purchasing a couple of albums, he glanced at his watch and headed back to his apartment. He was pleased to discover the patio door was already replaced. One unpleasant reminder of the previous evening's events was now conveniently eradicated. Unfortunately, the stark white bandages wrapping his right hand and arm were still grim reminders of his angry outburst. Kel cringed at the memory of his senseless act. Placing his package on the table, he headed toward his bedroom and began rummaging through his closet for an appropriate suit. After a quick shower and shave, Kel changed clothes and left ahead of schedule. He thought if he arrived at the restaurant first, he would feel less intimidated by his father. He was resolved not to leave in humiliation again. The maitre d' promptly greeted Kel and ushered him to his table. He briefly closed his eyes and drew a deep breath, trying to prepare himself for the exchange that awaited him. Looking through the windows, Kel saw a spectacular sunset. Somehow the scene comforted and encouraged him. The advice of his friends was at the forefront of his mind right now. The sooner he could establish some common ground with his father, the sooner their fractured relationship could begin to heal. Shortly thereafter, the elder Brackett was escorted to the table. Kel rose not only as a point of etiquette, but also as a token of respect. Brent offered his hand in greeting, and suddenly Kel felt self-conscious about his injury. Pasting an uncomfortable smile on his face, he gingerly shook his father's hand. Brent frowned. "What happened to your arm?" "Oh, I had a little accident at home. I'm fine." Eager to deflect attention from himself, Kel asked, "Did you have any problems finding the restaurant?" "No, not at all. Your directions were quite specific." Appreciatively eyeing the premises, Brent remarked, "This place has a very cozy atmosphere. How did you happen upon this amazing little discovery?" Kel inwardly smiled at the memories of many pleasant evenings he shared with Dixie here. "A friend introduced me to it several years ago. I hoped the change of venue would provide a fresh start for us. There would be no ghosts from the past to haunt us." Signaling the waiter, he ordered a round of drinks for the two of them, preferring club soda for himself. He decided he could not afford to have his thoughts clouded by alcohol, nor his famous temper unleashed by lowered inhibitions. No, tonight Kel needed his complete faculties. His father's brow furrowed. "You're not having your usual?" "I'm taking some medication," Kel lied. "I heard you took a rare day off today. Is everything okay?" That was the problem with a small community like Rampart, news traveled fast. How much did his father know about last night? Kel's answer was evasive. "I had some personal business to attend to." "I have to admit, I was surprised to hear from you this afternoon," Brent said. "I thought our last meeting went rather badly." Taking a sip of his drink, Kel proceeded, "That's why I wanted to see you again so soon. I think we've allowed this situation to go on long enough. Don't you agree?" His father sighed. "So, has the prodigal son experienced some glorious epiphany since we last met?" "Dad, I'm simply tired of this ridiculous state of affairs. We've been at odds since I was a kid. Okay, I'm not a brilliant psychiatrist, so maybe I'm too dense to understand the official psychobabble explanation. But I'm smart enough to know this standoff has come to an end." "You always have been willful." The men were granted a respite when the waiter came to take their order. They sat in silence for several minutes, each studiously avoiding contact. It was painfully obvious neither felt comfortable in the other's presence. Finally, Brent addressed his son. "I understand you were upset with me last night." Kel shot his father a baleful glare. "We're not here to discuss MY problems. We're here to discuss OURS." "Okay, so what's really on your mind?" Attempting to keep his tone of voice devoid of emotion, Kel asked, "Why DID you move to Los Angeles? Of all the places in the country you could have relocated to, why did you have to move here, and why did you choose to practice at Rampart?" Brent stared at the table centerpiece. "Your mother wanted the two of us to make amends. Since it was obvious you weren't going to make the first step, she thought I should swallow my foolish pride and initiate the process." "I don't understand." "When you were a boy, we used to enjoy spending time together, as strange as that seems now. We went almost everywhere together." A small smile escaped Brent's lips. "I used to take you to the hospital with me, and you'd tell anyone who would listen that you were my son, and you were going to be a doctor like me when you grew up." The older man remorsefully shook his head. "But soon your youthful boasts appealed to my vanity. I envisioned you as my own immortality, so I wanted to remold you in my image. Since you were always so willing to please me, I assumed you would be agreeable to this arrangement. I honestly pictured us spending quality time together over the years, and in due time, I foresaw the day when you would take your rightful place as my partner in my clinical practice." "But it didn't quite work out that way," Kel said flatly. "Unfortunately, it didn't. I pushed you away instead. In my arrogance, I refused to recognize you as a unique individual. You always had a sense of your own identity." "I resented you dictating my life," Kel stated. "You never bothered to ask me if I wanted to participate in your grand plans or not. All I knew is one day I was Dad's precious son who could do no wrong, and then the next you found fault with everything I did. No detail was too insignificant to escape your exacting scrutiny. I thought you didn't love me anymore." "But that was the problem," Brent explained. "I loved you too much, but in an unhealthy way. Ironic, isn't it? Here I was, a well-renown psychiatrist, but I wasn't able to see I was sabotaging our relationship. Every time you rebelled and became angrier, I became more critical. Because you failed to conform, I assumed you were stupid and ungrateful. I felt like a failure not only as a father, but also as a psychiatrist. My ego wouldn't allow me to admit I had failed. Until the day you left, I had to keep trying to remake you." Kel rubbed his face. "Why didn't you say anything before? "Saying 'I'm sorry' has never come easily to me. I didn't realize the full implications of what I had done to you until you were gone. By that time, we were barely speaking to each other. Over the years, begging for forgiveness became next to impossible." Conflicting emotions swirled within Kel. He was angry with his father for not mentioning any of this earlier, but he understood how difficult it must have been for him to do so tonight. Kel took after his father in that respect. It was not in his nature to cross emotional barriers without significant effort. If it were not for the encouragement of Dixie and Joe, he would not be here this evening having this conversation. He knew he was hardly in a position to judge his father on this particular point. But he also felt a myriad of other feelings: abandonment, betrayal, resentment, bewilderment and surprisingly, still even love. Kel saw his father with new eyes. Brent didn't look so arrogant and controlling now. Instead, he came across as an aging pathetic figure that once hoped to live forever through his son. For a long period of time, the two men did not speak. They were content to nurse their drinks and stare into oblivion. They were relieved when the waiter served the food. For a few moments they would be spared the necessity of having to engage in conversation. As they began to eat, Brent looked on with genuine concern since Kel seemed to have trouble carving his steak due to his injured hand. "Do you need any help with that?" he offered. "No, that's okay, I have it under control. I'm pretty good with a knife, if I do say so myself," Kel grinned. "I see you haven't lost your sense of modesty over the years." The son shrugged. "It's hard to be humble and great at the same time." "You're a lot like your mother in some ways, very resilient and single-minded. I know you tend to think of it as a sign of weakness, but you're more compassionate like she is." Brent softly said, "After all these years, your mother has never forgiven me for driving you away from us. I'm not sure I've forgiven myself." Kel was confused. He wasn't sure what he expected from this evening's meeting, but his father's uncharacteristic confession certainly wasn't it. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Recent conversations with Dixie and Joe weighed heavily upon his conscience. Years of hurt could not be easily erased with a simple apology. Yet, they needed to begin somewhere. He thought of his mother, and the years of anguish this rift must have caused her. Didn't he at least owe it to her to make an effort? Staring at his nearly full plate, Kel tentatively cleared this throat. "Dad, as you've pointed out before, I've never been good at maintaining relationships. But maybe now is a good time to begin. Don't you think it's time we started behaving like two grown men and put aside our differences, if for no other reason than for Mom's sake?" "I don't even know where to begin," Brent said reluctantly. Cautiously leaning forward, Kel spoke. "Perhaps it's time for you to visit me in my office for a change. You know, see me in my natural habitat? It's possible I subconsciously went into emergency medicine to spite you or to prove something to myself. But somewhere along the way I discovered it was my passion. I really love this field, and I'm good at it. I can't imagine being happier anywhere else but the emergency room of Rampart. What do you say, Dad?" Brent considered his son's proposal. "I don't know. I heard the head of the department can be a real bear and a force to be reckoned with." "No, those are all vicious rumors," Kel chuckled. "He's a real pussycat once you get to know him. At least that's what the head nurse is fond of pointing out." "Speaking of the head nurse, do I have your reassurances she's not going to bite my head off if I set foot in the ER? She must think I give you such grief." "No, Dad. In fact, she's one of the reasons I called you. Dixie has been after me for ages to get me to end this conflict. She's a persistent woman." "Sounds like your mother," Brent joked. The two men laughed. For the first time all evening, they felt genuinely relaxed. "How about meeting me in my office for coffee tomorrow morning?" Kel asked. "I can give you a tour of my department." With a tinge of a little boy's expectation in his voice he added, "Hopefully you'll be proud of what your son has become." ------------------------------------------- Photo: Kel in a gray suit. Photo : A California sunset. Photo: Posh brick rustic restaurant's interior. Photo : Joe Early by the coffee mug shelf. Photo : Dixie looking no nonsense and listening. Photo : Dr. Brackett answering a rescue intercom call. Photo : Kel in the coffee lounge, closeup. ********************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : Mad Dash... Date : Thu, 28 Nov 2002 08:20:24 +0000 Offstory: Acknowledgements Firehouse.com HazMatZone http://www.firehouse.com/training/hazmat/studies/2002/03_ammonia.html For information about anhydrous ammonia spills and detailed hazardous material clean up procedures. Acknowledgements to Tom Stafford MD Firefighter/Captain On Foam Truck Hazmat Procedures via email. Acknowledgements to P. Keiper NREMT, for first aid advice treating such exposures for characters in story and finding anhydrous related image jpegs for me. Back In Story: > ##Station 51, Engine 18, Truck 127. Battalion >14. Truck overturn with a chemical spill on the >Pacific Coast Highway at Southbound mile marker >513. Multiple vehicular involvement.Truck overturn >on the PCH at Southbound mile marker 513. Cross >street Dungeness. PD reports approach with caution. >Be advised. An unknown gas cloud has prompted >start of evacuation action from the CHP. Timeout, >07:10. ## >Cap acknowledged the run. "Station 51, 10-4. >KMG 365.." >The entire company rolled out....... ---------------------------------------- Roy sped the squad down the boulevard as Johnny doubled checked the exact location of access to the scene in his head. "The best exit to use for that ramp is the PCH itself, Roy. That part of the freeway wraps around a bend in a canyon. Let's hope whatever the gas is coming from this spill doesn't float too high. There are about sixty homes in the area on the bluffs." Johnny finally said. "Let's hope for the best." DeSoto replied. The communications channel patched between all responding units was in a flurry of activity. They could hear Highway Patrol chattering urgently as they continued their evacuation of the cars in the area, and one merchant's business. Then, came the reassuring voice of Battalion 14, already on scene. ##Battalion 14 to Station 51. Approach from the Southbound direction, downwind of the wreck, two cars and one semitruck are involved. Wear full SCBA turnout and stay out of the area until Hazmat moves in. The truck involved is a NH3 nurse truck with confirmed top tank valve leakage.## John and Roy heard Cap pick up the mike, "Batallion 14, Station 51. Acknowledged. Southbound entry in full respiratory apparatus, understood." "Oh, great.." John moaned. "Anhydrous ammonia. All our turnout jackets might as well be paper suits for all the protection they'll give us once we're in there." Roy glanced at his partner. "Yeah, well, let's just hope the Santa Anas keep the cloud blowing away from us.. Shouldn't be a problem today..." "I wouldn't bet on it. Look." Johnny said. In the sky, rare, heavy rainclouds were blowing in off the ocean to their left as they sped ahead of the Ward LaFrance. "If that rain gets here. That spill's gonna go. You know how reactive anhydrous is to free water.." Soon, the thickening stalled traffic made Roy slow, and two CHP motorcycles joined up with them to show them the twisting curving route to the accident scene in between the stopped, now emptied cars on the roadway. "Wow, they acted fast. There're no bystander victims on the curbs." Johnny said. "Amazing.. That gas cloud's huge.." Through the windshield of the squad, a tenuous white steam-like misting of gas fumes,were pooling against the cliffs around the truck in a long plume, carrying downwind. Then they saw it. The involved truck, it was upright, almost intact. But beneath it lay a sportscar and one woman, fouled and trapped behind her crumpled steering column. Truck 127's men were already on scene with bottles and masks advancing on her with mist fanning hoses into the air to dissolve away any lingering swirls of ammonia from over her location. Roy screeched to a halt two hundred yards from the truck. "Gotta stop here. If that gas cloud doubles back, it'll corrode the vehicles." "Not to mention us, too." Gage said grimly. "She must be alive. They're spraying a defensive pattern over her.." DeSoto and Gage rushed out of the squad cab and met up with Cap and the gang in a hurried group as they all grabbed SCBA and pulled out high volume water hoses. Roy and John had their air bottles and masks on in less than a minute. "Cap...?" Roy asked, ready for instant instructions. Hank Stanley stood, his helmet off in hand, holding his mask to his face and he motioned them all nearer. "I want you all to take a look at where the liquid puddles are now. Remember where they are when you start laying down water. That is where the ammonia lies. It's subliming into gas and it's -28 F. Watch your step or your clothes and shoes will freeze burn to your skin faster than dry ice! If you get any liquid on you, start stripping off all clothing immediately and get under a firm wash.. and don't stop hosing down. Only way to thaw those kinds of burns. Any fumes will dessicate your eyes and mucous membranes on contact. And the only thing that will help it is water. Tons of it. Oh, and I don't think I have to tell any of you guys to avoid other engine companies hose runoff. Anhydrous is caustic ammonium hydroxide when diluted with water until its through absorbing water to satiation. Don't worry about sparks from extrication equipment. This stuff's not flammable out in the open. The gas cloud will turn transparent as it spreads but you'll be able to smell it long before you reach a dangerous area. Remember, your safety comes first. If I tell you to retreat, do it sooner than yesterday. Ok, move out.." The gang circled the truck widely, avoiding the deadly cold shiny spill stain spreading from under the dripping misting valve of the shattered semi and moved onto a narrow strip of dry concrete that Batallion 14 and the other crews were utilizing near the trapped woman's sportscar. Cap lifted his handy talkie to his mouth. He now had a better idea of what they were dealing with. "Foam Truck 127. Move in. The only leaking areas I see are immediately beneath the semi.. Lay a full covering spread. Confirmed pressurized anhydrous ammonia leak. The tank's got the proper labels all over it." Gage watched Roy sprint over to the other car, crumpled and on the side of the road. "Chief?" Johnny yelled through his mask. "How's she doing?" he said to the older white helmeted man directing the water curtain misting team holding fast between the woman and the semi. He could hear the dark skinned woman moaning from where she sat pinned in her seat. "She was talking a while ago, but she's starting to have some trouble breathing. Just get her out before you treat anything beyond the basics. This wind may shift on us with that thunderstorm approaching." the Battalion chief replied. "Careful in there.. And do not use any O2 at all. The moisture from it will only burn your victim's lungs and her eyes if she takes in any concentrated ammonia gas to her face using it while still being this close to the leak. Wait until you're evacuated." Johnny saw a pair of legs lying under the semi where the truck driver had fallen after escaping his cab and he started forward.. The chief grabbed his arm, shaking his head. "He's dead.. we found his face frozen solid to the ground. Looks like a direct stream hit him when he tried to shut off the valve to protect the woman." Johnny swallowed dryly and he nodded, firmly making himself not looking at the man's upper torso after hearing that. Roy and Johnny gingerly made their way over to her, wincing as hose mist dampened their coats and hissed as minute traces of ammonia gas sizzled on the rubber they contained. Their breathing sounded hollow behind their masks, whistling in their ears. Terror made them begin to sweat immediately. Johnny shouted to the woman putting own his best calming smile and soothing voice.. "Hey, how are ya doing? Just relax, we're gonna get you outta here.." He said, moving a quickly ungloved hand to her carotid for an assessment. "You hurt anywhere besides your legs?" he asked. "Anything in your neck or back?" The dashboard hid most of them from him below her knees, but he saw no visible blood anywhere on her pants legs. "No, I'm fine..agh. Get me out of here.. Can't...can't.. b- breathe." and she gasped and her eyes rolled into her head. "Cap!! Step up that misting! The fumes are doubling back!!" Gage shouted, holding the woman's throat and chin tipped up as far as he could. He could feel her chest heave as she began to choke a bit. Gage lifted her larynx up with his fingers and her stridor eased off. "Hey.. You're fine.. Just keep breathing. Nice and slow and very shallowly. Now we're gonna get you out of here real fast. Just relax... You hear me?" he shouted, muffled through his mask. The woman was beyond talking, but her eyes never left Johnny's and her hands tightly gripped his wrist where he was managing her airway for her. Her struggling eased off as blissful clear air returned around them from the displacing water fan's effect. The fireteam near them added another hose to the water curtain swiftly, and found the best angle to utilize the clearing winds until they pushed the wispy edges of the gas cloud away from the paramedics and their victim. Chet and Marco sprinted up with a K-12 and jaws and Roy was right behind them with news about the other car. "The other driver's ok. Just bumps and bruises. The CHP got him out just fine, he's waiting for us. Just has a simple fracture of the right ulna. What do you got here?" "Dyspnea. Moderate laryngeal spasming. And her legs are pinned. She says they don't hurt at all. I didn't see any bleeding. Her C-Spine's clear. Can you tell anything down there? I haven't checked her out very well yet because of this.." he said angling his head to mean the lifting airway hold he was maintaining on her with both hands over her throat at the angle of her jaw. Roy said, "Hang on." And he moved to the other side of the car, crawling in as well as he could over the woman's lap to check. "Just a panel of the dashboard over her left knee. The jaws should be able to handle that well enough.. Nothing seems to be broken.." he said, moving careful hands over her lower limbs. He straightened up, "Kelly there's a good bar right down there to put the chain. String it up would ya?" he said calmly. "Right.." Chet said. Then his eyes fell on the woman's name tag, still on her shoulder. "Daphne, now we're gonna pull this car off your legs, won't hurt at all but it's gonna be real loud for a while. Just some sounds of twisting, popping metal all right?" "O-Ok.. ugh.." her voice rasped hoarsely. Johnny hastily readjusted her head's placement when her eyes suddenly closed. "Hey hey, now Daphne.. Stay with us.." said Johnny. His forearm never left her diaphragm nor lifted away from the breaths he could feel moving there. "She needs O2. Fast. Daphne, don't...black out. We need you to- ah, h*ll..." and he shifted position, taking the full dead weight of her head into his shoulder as Daphne lapsed into limp unconsciousness. There was a loud thudding of hollow liquid and metal from above and they all hunched down, anticipating trouble.. All the firemen looked up to the nurse tank truck's roof when a man from Hazmat suddenly appeared above the leaking valve in a full chemical suit to deal with the source of the spreading cloud. They heard his satisfied grunt when all it took was a flip of the tank's sealing cap and a twist of its pressurized valve to stop all the bad fumes. Everyone sighed in relief. But the Batallion chief said, "We're not out of the woods yet. That cloud will hang around for hours before it dissipates. Only water will carry it into the soil where it will be absorbed. Stay away from it.. And we'd better hope it doesn't start to rain. That will flatten the cloud like a pancake and we'll all be enveloped before we even have a chance to run. Get her free and move her out to the half mile perimeter at the minimum.." "Yes sir.." Roy replied. The Jaws and K-12 came to life under the assisting Truck 127 firemen's gloves, working to free Daphne. The sportscar was foreign made but soon, brute mechanical strength made the front end uncrumple and fall away. Kelly piped up from the front tire spot. "We got it! We got it. Gage, DeSoto, you can pull her out anytime, but hang on just a sec, and let me get a wooden longboard for her. It won't melt down in the ammonia if it gets wet like a metal stokes would." And the stocky masked and helmeted fireman ran for the station's engine. "Bring a C collar too! And a short oral airway! I wanna get one in before she swells up any more." John shouted after him. Three minutes later, Daphne was breathing secured, and almost free when a new smell reached those on the outskirts of the evacuated area. Rain.. on hot concrete. "Rain!! Everybody out of there! Now!!!" Cap shouted into his HT. "Move it! Move it!! That cloud's gonna bloom big time..." All the firemen around the car dropped their hoses and grabbed Daphne's board gracelessly. And Roy, John and they, ran with her, top speed, away from the semi truck.. leaving behind all else. The cloud of anhydrous NH3 above them writhed ominously, expanding with the gift of water, and then hideously, it began to settle, on the way to smothering those running on the ground beneath it. Station 51's vehicles were nearest to the semi. "Move move!! Everybody on.. We're getting outta here!" Stoker ordered.. The firemen hefted up Daphne's long board onto the back of the engine and clung to the side rails as Stoker hastily fired up the engine and rapidly backed away down the freeway in a race to avoid the spreading cloud of gas. Roy and Johnny barely managed to get the squad, festooned with un-chem suited hazmat men hanging on to whatever they could, out of there when a wall of caustic puffing vapor occupied the place where they had just been.. Roy frantically wove in between cars, driving back wards as fast as he could, until he was convinced he was outdistancing the rain spiked gas plume's widening fringe. In Roy's mind, he was intermittently terrified and amused when Stoker maneuvered the LaFrance with all the lurching grace of a drunk rhino, in reverse, along their same torturous route in between the maze of stopped abandoned autos on the highway. Mike almost didn't see a Harley, and he threw the steering wheel full left to avoid it. Chet, his grip insecure, fell off the side from the landing when momentum flung him wide. He impacted the road violently, and rolled with his heavy tank bottle still on his back, in front of the squad. Roy slammed on his brakes when he saw a canvas backed body lurching in his rear mirrors. "ohmyg*d" Gage said, and both Johnny and Roy's eyes slid back the way they had come to the rolled tanker to see a huge angry semi transluscent wall of ammonia boiling down upon them. Then they both glanced back at the stunned Chet, who was just trying for his feet. Johnny said, "Move Roy, move.. We'll pick him up as we pass him by.." Roy didn't speak, he acted. And the squad began to pick up speed once more in reverse. "Get up ! Get up, Chet! Grab onto me!!" Gage shouted, throwing an arm through his open passenger window for Chet to snag onto. "It's almost on us!" Terror made Kelly get up immediately and he started sprinting for Johnny's hand and the squad's landing board like a hobo trying to catch a caboose. Along the way, Kelly shed his breathing apparatus in pieces, clearly running for his life. The bottle fell away finally and Chet stumbled only once before his running finally gained him the ground he needed, he caught up with Roy's continuing high speed reversing. An errant gust of wind caught Chet full in the face and it came with poisonous teeth and rain. Kelly's hands flew to his eyes and he screamed, just as Johnny grabbed his arms and hauled him partially into the squad, belly down. -------------- Others motorists in the safe area saw the engine and squad escaping the spreading cloud only by slim meters as yet unaware of what was happening in the cab. They began to cheer when the two reversing red vehicles regained their lead on it, and began to pull away. Those cheers turned to shouts of horror when they saw Chet's legs and lower half dangling precariously out the window of the high speed backward traveling rescue squad. ------------------------------------ Photo : A nurse tank semi truck with an anhydrous ammonia topper. Photo: Johnny with a choking woman trapped in a car. Photo : A hazmat team member sealing off a top tank ammonia leak in a full chem suit. Photo : Chet Kelly being supported by Cap and Johnny. ******************************* Date: Thu, 28 Nov 2002 00:49:07 -0800 (PST) From: "Sam Iam" Subject: Across the Finish Line.. Gage's arms were about ready to drop off from Chet's dead weight in the window. "Chet! Chet! Did you get any of that in your eyes?" he said, gasping, straining to hang onto Kelly's belt through his faceplate. "Yeah. *cough* Owww.....hurry. Need a hose.. uuhhhGGGg. ahh sh*t!"Johnny could see Chet's eyes suddenly and involuntarily screw shut. John hauled Chet over onto his back where he was on his lap, ignoring the rest of Kelly still half hanging out the squad's window as Roy continued to steer the squad backwards, and he forced Chet's eyes open between firm trembling fingers. Gage's other hand found the two gallon jug of water always kept under the dash by his feet for brush fires and he sloshed it liberally into Kelly's face, "Let's get this wash in. Come on!.. Come on.. Don't fight me. Open your eyes.. Chet stay still.. ." "I'm gonna fall! I'm slipping! AhHH! My eyes!" "You're not gonna fall out of the squad." Johnny threw a leg over Chet's waist to keep him from sliding back out the window. "I got you.." and he gave a strong heave to get more of Chet into the cab. "Chet, hold still. I gotta wash your face and those eyes out good or you'll burn real bad." Roy's hands were struck from the steering wheel by Chet's pitching head, deep in his pain, but he quickly recovered control. Somehow, the men clinging on the outside of the squad were pure barnacle, and no one fell off. "Chet, it's ok.. We're almost clear.." Roy shouted. "Let Johnny get to your eyes! We gotta get that stuff outta them." "Aghh.. I'm on fire! It's so cold! Ahh..HHh." Already Chet's voice was raspy and deep from exposure to the gas. Johnny grunted, pouring more water even faster into Chet's eyes, forcefully. It seemed like years but finally Roy said. "Ok, we made it. We're there.." his voice cracked. Roy could see the gang from the engine already on the far side of the police accident barricade, watching them intently. DeSoto hit his air horn, letting them know Chet was in trouble beyond just his fall off the engine and how he was riding half out of the squad. Half of them came at a run, while another company stayed behind to carry Daphne from 51's Ward's hose bed, back down to the ground. Gage was still irrigating Chet's eyes in his lap desperately, by the time Cap and Marco got to him and hauled Chet bodily out of the squad's windowframe. "Cap, gas caught him in the face, real bad." he said. "How are you doing Chet?" John said rocketting out of the squad and slamming the door shut. He ran to the gear compartment doors and whipped them open, grabbing the 02 apparatus and a 2 liter burn saline bag. Kelly felt Cap keep him from reaching up to his face with his hands and he opened his eyes. "Better.. *cough*.." "Good now just let Cap keep washing your eyes out.." Johnny said, handing the solution IV pack over to Hank. "Let me and Roy get the rest of the equipment out of the squad..That saline won't sting your eyes so much.." "See to the girl first. I can wait.." Chet gasped, still fighting to see around the painful prickling in his eyes. He felt Stoker wrap one of his arms over his broad shoulders to support him as they moved to the staging area near the waiting ambulances. Gage grinned. "Let us be the judge of that. She didn't get thrown out of a vehicle like you did Chester B." "Really I feel fine, guys.. Just a few lumps and these knives plunging into my eyes.." "Yeah?" Hank said, "Well, you're in for a complete bath." Cap said, continuing to pour saline from a pour spout into Kelly's eyes under his grip. "Mike, Lopez, grab him and let's go. Engine 18's got a decontam area already set up over here.." And Mike and Marco attempted to scoop up Chet into a two man carry, which Kelly resisted. "I can walk.. I can walk.. I'm just squinting cause it hurts. Not because I can't see." Kelly complained, throwing off Stoker and Lopez's help. The two grinned, and contented themselves with walking at Chet's side while Cap continued to wash down Chet's face and eyes thoroughly from the oversized IV bag. Cap jibbed in. "Man what a close call, eh Kelly? Despite what happened to you, this rain's a blessing in disguise. It'll soak all that ammonia into the ground for us, where it'll dissolve into the rocks . A twenty minute shower will be enough to do the trick. We'll be able to tow away the wreckage and open the freeway again by nightfall." he grinned. "Lucky us.. Rain on just the day we need it.." Chet commented, trying to be brave, he even ran fingers through his messy curls as he went with Cap and the others for decontamination. Roy and John were already kneeling by Daphne's longboard reassessing her, when Kelly suddenly sagged in his coworker's grips. "Hey..Hey Chet?!" Cap shouted. Marco and Mike caught him, hastily tightening their grips on Chet's underarms and jacket. "Stoker ease him down.. Careful. Careful." Gage shot to his feet. "I was afraid of this, you guys. He might've taken a good shot of gas in the lungs. You heard the way his voice was going. Keep his head and chest angled up with something! I'll be right there." Stoker made a pillow from his coat for Kelly who was still partially awake. Johnny crouched with a penlight checking his nose and throat for burns. "Chet.. Can you hear me, pal? Still breathing ok?" He was, shallowly. Kelly blinked under Johnny's light. But alarmingly, he was no longer coughing. Gage saw that he seemed dazed, and not really focusing on all the guys bending over him. Johnny kept a hand on Kelly's chest and he looked up. "Cap, we still gotta keep irrigating those eyes and the rest of him despite this. We'll worry about warming him afterwards once he's decontam'd. Right now, he needs to get this ammonia off his skin, and a lot of O2 into his system." "That covers him. But I gotta ask. Get any on yourself helping him, Gage?" Hank asked Johnny. "No.." Roy sighed and said, "I did. My arm's tingling. His head hit me when Johnny dragged him into the squad. He must have had some in his hair for a bit before it evaporated." Cap stood, rapidly motioning for a hose team to string him a brush line for Kelly's wash right where he was. "Washdown, gotcha Gage." he said pointing down at Chet. "DeSoto, you're headed for the decontam tent, right now." Hank ordered. "For yours." "But Cap.." Roy started up. "No complaints.. Gage can handle treating the woman and Chet just fine with Squad 18's medics until you're done." "Roy, just go. Kelly's breathing ok for the moment." Johnny told him. He glared until Roy disappeared into the canvas emergency tent. Then Gage bent down to listen to Chet's pulmonary status with a stethoscope as Lopez began to cut away Kelly's clothes for his hose soaking wash. "Chet.."Johnny called out leaning down over the shocky fireman's pale face. "Still here? We're gonna haveta wash ya down now. And it's gonna be cold. Not too fun. Also, I need to shift you onto your side to irrigate those eyes some more to be sure we got it all out. We'll get you on some dry O2, so it won't burn your chest so much and breathing will come easier. Just relax, I'm gonna check you out closer to make sure your little tumble didn't crack anything else besides your backside, ok?" he said, smiling, trying to raise Chet's spirits. But Kelly remained very quiet, his face slack, where he he lay on the ground. He tried to moan but no sound came out of his swelling throat, and he just wheezed instead in a poor attempt to clear his throat. Johnny looked up as Station Eighteen's paramedics joined them. "Mendelson. Get him on straight 100% O2 by demand valve, non humidified. Force it if he obstructs. Peters, you got his vitals set here? Afterwards continue that eye wash. I'm going to go get a new set on the woman and phone us in.." Johnny knelt by Daphne, relieving the fireman watching her O2 mask intake, and got a BP on her. She was cool to the touch following her hose washing, even under her thick blankets on the long board, and was still out. Johnny was pleased to find her breathing well through her oral airway. Gage looked up a minute later with just the vitals information, for Rampart. Nearby, Cap and Stoker had already begun streaming a hand hose's scrubbing spray over Kelly's shivering bare skin, while Mendelson kept the demand valve in place over Kelly's nose and mouth so the lung burned, stricken, fireman could breathe in its soothing oxygen flow. Peter's was working on his eyes, irrigating them. Gage noticed Chet no longer resisted that. ::He's going out. Might be better for him that way in the long run. A lower BP will mean less pulmonary swelling. I hope.:: "Fifteen minutes, Cap!" Johnny shouted towards them. "Keep it up until then. He's sure to go hypothermic but we'll worry about that once we're sure all the ammonia's off of him." "You got it pal.." Cap replied, deftly spraying Chet's contaminated clothing away from him and the medics working on him. Then he returned to the washdown, getting Chet's hair thoroughly scoured as well. Mendelson and Peters ignored the fact they were getting partially wet, their concentration on Kelly's care unwavering. Gage opened the biocom quickly, and snapped the aerial into place. He brought the phone's receiver to his face. "Rampart, this is Squad 51. How do you read?" --------------------- Joe Early had just been by Dixie's desk, working on a chart when he noticed the red rescue light flashing in the receiving alcove. He tapped her shoulder and the two of them entered the tiny glassed off room. Joe thumbed the intercom. "Unit calling in please repeat.. " and he turned on the tape recorder near the radio speaker. ##Rampart, this is Squad 5-1.# "Go ahead 51. I read you loud and clear.." Joe said. "Rampart, we've two victims of anhydrous ammonia gas, secondarily compounded by possible blunt trauma. Victim One, unconscious, a woman aged approximately 27-28 years of age. Victim of an automobile versus semi trailer truck. No apparent gross injuries other than ammonia inhalation. I haven't yet had time to give her a thorough secondary assessment. Vitals, however on her, are stable. Victim Two, a Code I. Fell from a moving firetruck while we were trying to get away from the gas cloud. Expressed marked walking wounded syndrome, now semi comatose with growing moderate respiratory distress. He is on a hundred percent dry O2. Rampart, her hose irrigation is complete. His nearly so." Joe rubbed his nose while hearing Johnny's report. Then he toggled the reply switch. "51. Give me a vitals set on Victim Two." Johnny caught a sailing notepad, full of information, from Peters. "10-4, Rampart. Victim Two. Pulse 120. BP 92 / 60, Respirations, 24 and wheezy, breathing on his own. Breath sounds show moderate upper tracheal wheezing on the left, clear on the right." Johnny's face fell when he read Peter's other medical finding. "Also,....showing marked guarding of his upper left quadrant abdomen with referring pain up into both shoulders. C-spine and all neuro responses intact." "51, Apply mast trousers and inflate only the compartments over the lower extremities. Any rapid boost in his blood pressure may exacerbate his breathing and compromise his lung function due to those probable pulmonary burns.. Inflate the suit's chambers until his BP is on the low side of normal only. Then start two large bore IV's, 51. Both of D5W, wide open. We'll treat for shock now and treat any resulting pulmonary edema later. Right now, it's more important to keep that internal injury at bay. It may be a ruptured spleen. 51, any indication of head trauma?" "Negative, Rampart." Johnny replied. "Good." Joe said. "If he recovers consciousness fully, pain from his seared lungs, may keep him from being able to breathe on his own. Have 2 mg MS IV Push standing ready should he need it. The more he moves air on his own, the better off he'll be in the long run. If positive pressure is needed, use only enough each vent for half inflation of the lungs. I don't want to collapse them from leakage from those aveolial burns." Gage sighed in concentration and repeated back his orders. "10-4, ah. 2 milligrams MS IV push as needed. Two IV D5Ws wide open and mast trouser application to low normal BP. Light vents on the demand valve on any respiratory arrest." Joe said. "Also, guard against shock and begin rewarming measures once his irrigation is complete." "10-4, Treat for shock and hypothermia following the washdown." Joe said, "Give me Victim number One's vitals." Johnny said. "Victim One. Earlier laryngeal spasming. Independently resolved on its own, following a return to clear air. Oral airway is in place. She's on fifteen liters of 02, dry. BP 130/102, Respirations shallow and deep alternating, at 20. Pulse 100. Pupils equal and reactive. No response to verbal. Slight to pain on the consciousness level." "10-4, 51. On Victim One, Keep monitoring for any deterioration in her respiratory status. Stridor, wheezing, ineffective lung draws, and then treat the symptoms when they arrive with 2 mg 1:10,000 epinephrine into an IV, 51, of normal saline, TKO. On both victims, keep them warm at as near normal a body temperature as possible. Make up a burn chart as needed, showing any areas of ammonia exposure, it usually takes a few hours after exposure for an ammonia freezing to show on the skin. Include suspected pulmonary involvement and any burns of mucosal membranes, such as in the nose, surrounding the eyes, and involving the throat. Do not cover any burns found. Keep them open, 51." "10-4, Rampart. Burn charting percentages, and open air for burn protocol." Gage replied. "Rampart ambulance is on scene." "Ok, 51. Notify me of any negative change in their vitals signs and transport as soon as possible." "10- 4, Rampart." Johnny, Mendelson and Peters had just finished starting the three IV's when Roy rushed back over to Johnny's side, his hair wet, with dry night turnout trousers on and a clean T-shirt someone had gotten for him from the engine. "How are they?" he asked. Gage handed his partner his notes from the biocom call and said. "Chet may have a ruptured spleen on top of his other problems." he said unhappily. "I probably didn't help him hauling him by the belt like I did. Doc's got him marked for light vents if he quits breathing on us." "Don't feel bad, jarring an internal injury was better than us just leaving him behind to be melted to slag by a corrosive cloud, don't you think?" "I guess. We broke quite a few patient extrication rules today. On both of them." "We had to." Roy admitted. They both turned at Cap's shout. "Gage, we're through. So's Peters." he said, tossing a head at Chet. Stoker and Hank began to wash the runoff from Chet off the roadway and onto the grassy margins. Roy and Marco helped Johnny bundle the chilled Chet rapidly into the mast suit and then very warmly inside a crush of wool run blankets from head to toe. Mendelson said. "He's still holding fine. Pulling his air adequately here." he said, of the demand valve he was still using on Kelly. "Haven't needed to trigger even once yet." "Good, if you do, go 50% only, all right." Gage told him. "You got it." Roy leaned down to Chet's ear. "Chet.. Can you hear me? " Chet's eyes stayed closed for they were swelling from all the water that had streamed over them from Peters irrigations but his thick eyebrows rose slightly at the sound of his name. Roy smiled. "We're almost on the way to Rampart where they'll take really good care of that belly pain. Just keep breathing regular on the 02 like you are. If you have trouble, we've been authorized MS if the pain gets too great, just let us know." Chet lifted his eyebrows once more before he gave into his involuntary shivering from being water chilled under the hose. "hhhhhmmphhh." he said incoherently. That worried Johnny. But then a touch of Chet cussedness presented itself a few minutes later. Kelly all but broke Roy's hand, hanging on to it, for reassurance. --------------------- John and Mendelson rode with Chet and Daphne in the ambulance while Roy drove behind the Mayfield. Johnny's hands were full keeping them both on their flowing oxygen, double handed, while Mendelson looked them over inch by inch for burns for the charts. Chet had several. The woman, none. Dr. Early met them at the entrance doors. Dixie was there, too. She pointed and said...... -------------------------------------- Photo : Chet down on the ground, hurt. Close up. Photo: Mike Stoker and Captain Stanley with a hand held hose in glove. Photo: Johnny in an ambulance with two victims. Holding two oxygen masks on both. ****************************** From : "Roxy Dee" Subject : Patch Job~~ Date : Tue, 03 Dec 2002 15:25:14 +0000 ....."Treatment Three for the woman. Let's put your coworker in Two, Johnny. Mendelson, stay with her long enough to give Dr. Morton your report, all right? Joe Early's taking your friend here." Gage nodded gratefully to Dix for bending the rules and allowing him to remain by Chet's side. Roy took full advantage of the favor, too, slipping inside the treatment room doors with his walkie talkie on the heels of orderlies arriving with an xray machine. Another set of them came from nowhere with a standby bird respirator. ::That Dr. Early's on the ball. Let's hope Chet doesn't need it.:: Dixie drew the line on the rest of the gang, still in heavy overcoats smelling faintly of ammonia stench, keeping them lined up along the wall outside the treatment room. Gage said, "Cap, I'm all eyes. You'll know faster than Brackett will about what's going on with Kelly." Johnny said, lifting his HT. "You called the squad and engine out of service for a bit?" Cap's grin and smiles from the rest of them lifted Johnny's own anxiety a whole heap, "H*ll yeah. Using the close call to get ourselves all checked out by the docs. We might be burned without even knowing it, don't you know." he winked. "Tell Kelly his family already knows and is on the way if he wakes up." "I will.." Gage said. The Treatment room doors closed in on Cap's face, making him wish for the dozenth time that its wooden surface had a window to see through. He gave the red "do not enter" sign a light smack in frustration. ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Dr. Early had a full respiratory therapy team there to assess Kelly's current pulmonary status. "Johnny, did Chet need the MS in route?" he said, taking his otoscope and using it to look for burns inside Chet's nose and mouth. He shifted to his penlight to examine the membranes in Chet's eyes. "Yeah. About five minutes ago, just before we pulled up here. Look doc, he's really out now. His pressure's barely holding low normal with that suit on." Gage said, helping the nurses and techs shift Chet from the portable EKG to the hospital one and to trade his D tanked O2, for the wall port source. "I decided not to monkey with an oral airway with that wheezing going on." "Ok, Johnny, we'll take it from here." Joe said. Then Dr. Early noticed the usually talkative Gage growing as quiet as Roy usually was, and then he saw the matching looks of worry blooming suddenly on their faces at the idea of being driven out of the room. He reconsidered, saying. "Roy, why don't you check his feet for pedal pulses so we can rule out descending aorta involvement..And Johnny, tell me exactly, what burns you found on him and where.." Then he turned to Dix, while Carol took a set of vitals on Chet. "Dixie, page Dr. Brackett for me would you? He's with his father. And call for a surgical team. We're going to have to do an exploratory on Kelly's abdomen to see what's going on. Carol, get a warming blanket will you? Seems his core temp's still a little low." ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- Twenty five long minutes later, Johnny and Roy left the treatment room reluctantly, leaving the pre-op team scurrying to prepare Chet for his emergency surgery. Cap and the gang immediately surrounded them. Every one of them had their helmets off and respectfully in their gloves. "How is he?" Hank asked. "Did we get that wash in Kelly's eyes in time?" Johnny said. "His pupillary responses are still reactive, Cap. That's a good sign doc says. That means his eyes aren't burned that badly." Roy added. "Chet's going to be wheeled into surgery any minute now. Dr. Early seems to think his spleen isn't that badly torn. I think his abdominal guarding was going away." "Can we see him?" Marco asked. Right then, Dixie McCall stepped through the doors with a tray full of blood samples for the lab and handed it off to a passing nurse. "Take these to the lab, stat." she said. She sealed the door after herself before the gang could peek through. "Now boys, you know we're doing everything we can for your friend. Just give him and the doctors some space so they can do their work, all right? Chet's vitals are stabilized well enough for his surgery now so relax.." Sighs of relief erupted from all the men towering above her diminutive stature. Then she pegged them all with an appraising stare. "All right, who needs to be seen about ammonia exposure..?" Roy raised his hand. "I do. I took some on the arm." "This way.." Dix said to him. She smiled when the whole station crew followed, crowded behind Roy into treatment four, on the hope of wringing more reassurance out of her about Chet. She patted the bed, "Hop up, Roy. Kel's here and he'll take a look at you while Chet's being readied for surgery." "Dr. Brackett's here?" Roy said, "I thought he had the night off? You know, since...." he broke off, he even paused in pulling off his T- shirt for his coming exam when he realized he might be on confidential ground. "Since Kel acted like a belligerent school kid and drove his fist through a deck door window? Pretty amazing, I know. But what son isn't prone to his father pushing some sensitive buttons, hmm?" she quipped. "Is Dr. Brackett all right?" Johnny asked, concerned for the senior physician. "We were pretty shocked when Mendelson told us what happened on the way in with Chet and the woman." "He's sore, with thirty two stitches, but at least, he's got a reason to smile tonight. Brent Brackett and Kel have decided to mend some fences even after THIS long.. " she said with intense secrecy. "Kel told me the news only an hour ago from the restaurant." she whispered. Then aloud. "Quit cowering, all. You fellas are all family so, of course, I'll tell you everything about this whole silly complex of Kel's. And I'll tell you more too. Just as soon as I understand enough of it to voice into legible words..I'm a woman, remember, and it usually takes me a while to fathom out father/son feuds. Especially when the two involved are good friends of mine." she grunted, partially laughing, while taking a BP on Roy. She finished and wrote it down. "Any dizziness, Roy? Odd things going on with your eyes?" "No. I'm fine. The hosing wash I took in the decontam tent took care of all that." Dix slid over a blood draw tray and tied on a tourniquet to obtain samples from him. "Yeah? Well, Dr. Brackett is still giving you his own once over just to be on the safe side. I'm just the front line of defenses.." "But..." "Don't worry. Kel'll tear right out of here to scrub up the second Chet's fully prepped and anesthetized." They piped down when Kel came through the treatment doors not alone, but accompanied by Brent Brackett, the tyrannical father figure they had heard so much about through Mendelson in the hall. Dix cast significant eyes at Johnny and Roy and the rest of the gang in the room and angled her head to show her statement about their making amends was really quite true. She started heading for the door. Kel called out after her. "Say Dix, did you get Roy's blood samples for the l--?" he broke off when Dix held up the three vials already clasped in her long fingernails without turning around. "oh... ok." Dixie winked at the gang on her way out. Dr. Brackett noticed the unusual presence of Roy's coworkers in the room, trying to blend in with the glass medicine cabinets. "Roy, you've quite an entourage of fans here. Didn't know you were so popular. Thought Gage here was the star in your outfit." "They're worried about Chet, doc." DeSoto said without smiling. "Nothing to worry about." Brent Brackett spoke up instantly. Dr. Brackett stiffened at his father's intrusion into his patient / doctor territory, but the firemen all saw Kel relax a bit when Kel realized Brent was actually bringing his own skills to bear accordingly as was his right as senior attending house psychologist. "We just left him and his chest Xray, young man. Looking good. Both of them." Brent told Roy and the rest of the firemen in the room, hanging on to his white coat's lapels. Johnny's eye rose skeptically, making Kel smirk in mild amusement. "What Dr. Brackett is saying, is true. Chet's chest Xray is showing little edema and a huge reduction in swelling. Looks like the effect of the lungful of ammonia he took in was only temporary, made that way, by your prompt fast action with administering unmoistened O2. And even his abdominal plates look good. I saw only minor shadowing over his spleen. The mast trousers did their job. All bleeding's under control. The surgery I'm doing on him should just be a patch job, gentlemen.." "That's a relief.." Mike Stoker sighed. "It wasn't fun seeing Chet fly off my engine like he did." "Yeah, Chet's no superman.." Gage chuckled. They hushed down when Kel Brackett finished checking Roy out. DeSoto showed him the place where the ammonia had soaked into his arm. Only a little reddening was showing up under the light. "Mild first degree freeze burn. I don't think any had time to get into your blood stream, Roy. Your lab tests will reveal that for sure in a few minutes. Get dressed. We're through. Just be sure to call me on return of symptoms, all right?" "You got it, doc.." he said. Kel hurried out the door to head for surgery. Brent was left in the room with the gang and he handed Roy his T- shirt back. "Is he a good man to work with, Kel Brackett? Afraid to admit, that I've really just started watching him work, only tonight." Roy answered without hesitation, but subconsciously straightening from where he sat on the treatment gurney. "One of the best, sir. He singlehandedly saved the Paramedic Program from being legislated out of operation during its earliest days and he trained not only me, personally, but my partner Johnny here, as well, to function as efficient intermediary caregivers in just about any prehospital setting. To date, in only six years, Dr. Brackett created twenty paramedic teams embedded in just as many firehouses across L. A. County. Entirely due to his own hard work and perserverence." Brent laughed openly and clasped Roy's hand warmly. "My g*d. Do we need an introduction my boy! Seems Dixie's really painted me out to be the worst ogre of a two ogre pair now hasn't she? You're practically foaming at the mouth singing praises about my boy, son. Relax....True, I'm just like Kel in temperment, but I'm mellower by miles.. A trait of all this gray hair, I suppose. Listen..I really appreciate your devotion to my son's work.. Sounds very genuine if I do say so myself. Mr...mr..." "DeSoto.." Roy said, returning the handshake. Johnny's nervous smile fell off into a sideways grin of relief. "DeSoto. A solid French name. And the rest of you?" A round of introductions came after that from Cap right on down to Stoker. ------------------------------------------------- They ended up in the coffee lounge, away from public view, so the firefighting gear wouldn't alarm hospital visitors. Brent Brackett learned a whole lot about his son from Dixie and the Station 51 crew over the next hour while they waited for word about Chet's surgery results. Brent finally couldn't stand their fretting. He rose, abandoning his coffee mug. "All right. I've monopolized your good graces enough folks, digging for dirt or gold concerning my very grown son. Tell you what.. I've got a lot of clout around here as house psych. Think I'll peek in on how Kel's handling your man, captain." he said. Cap looked startled. "You don't have to do that. We know Chet's probably fine, doctor. Just a patch surgery job, Kel said." "Be that as it may. I'll be killing two birds with one stone by making the round. I'll get your answer for you that much sooner and I'll be able to see my son in action at the same time. Fair trade off." "Just stay in the observation room.." Dix chided. "Where would the fun be in that, Miss McCall? I want to see how my son works under pressure.." Dix scowled, but it was tempered with amusement. "Family peer pressure's dirty pool, doctor, and you know it.." "Kel can handle it. After all, he's handled this whole paramedic thing and all these men behind it for six years? How's one more doctor hanging over his shoulder gonna matter?" "Plenty..you'll both be wearing the same fake smile." Dix said without a shred of humility, as Brent made his goodbyes to the stationhouse gang and accepted their profuse thanks for doing what he was about to do. Captain Stanley leaned back, lacing his fingers behind his head and wondered when the sparks were going to ignite into a big fire between the Brackett docs once again. He hope Brent's little appearance in Kel's operating ward wouldn't prove to be a new catalyst for another fiery father son feud. Dixie didn't appear overtly alarmed. She simply reached for the nearly empty coffee pot on the table contentedly and poured herself a cup. That cup went right into Joe Early's hands when the silver haired doctor showed up into the nurses lounge. Gage said, "How's he doing?" Johnny asked Joe immediately before the man had taken even one sip. "Thanks Dix. I need the pick me up. Fine Johnny.. His vitals are still stable. Kel's almost through with the exploratory. We had no problems intubating Chet after he was put under, if that's what you want to know. His air passages were very clear Johnny." Gage nodded, sorry that he was so transparent. "Thanks doc. His earlier wheezing was kinda scary." "That's the funny thing about anhydrous ammonia. It either really really does a number on you, or it let's you off lightly after a really good scare. In Chet's case, he got the all bluff end of the spectrum. There's no retinal damage or even corneal abrasions. No chance of that blinding you guys were all fearing during the rescue.." Mike Stoker said. "Good. Last thing we need is Chet Kelly banging around the station with a sight cane while he cooks fifteen alarm chow for us every night." The whole gang laughed at the image. Joe even chortled. Roy asked about their other victims from the accident. "How about the woman we brought in, Daphne? She doing ok?" "Same story as Chet, minus the internal injuries. She'll stay the night and'll be discharged in the morning if her lungs stay clear. Nice fast action Johnny on ending that laryngeal spasm then." Dr. Early said. "I didn't do anything. The hose team got a good pocket of air around us and she resolved on her own." "Lucky. She could have been that close to triggering a tracheal collapse reflex when her larynx cramped like that." Joe said, holding out miniscule fingers in the air. "I know.. you could have knocked me over with a stick when she started breathing again after I got a good lifting grip on her throat." Gage admitted. "I remembered at the last second that gas inhalation reacted the same way as a liquid water drowning with spasming like that. I almost forgot how effective the technique was." "Who taught you that move?" Cap asked. "That was pretty slick considering there wasn't much else you could do for her, wearing your SCBA mask like that.." "Dr. Brackett." "Dr. Brackett." Roy and John both replied in stereo. Dr. Early grinned. "I take it Brent was in here a while ago." "How'd you know?" Dix said in surprise. "They said their answer too fast, Dix, dead give away." "Oh.." Johnny asked, "Doc, can you tell us about Mr. Fajou?" Joe rubbed his hand, not remembering their patient. "The old man from the creepy mansion who cooked ginger bread cookies for the kids at the studio." Roy added. "Oh, oh, oh, now I know who you're talking about. He did have septicemia, a mild case and we've gotten his asthma outbreak under control. He's resting comfortably on antibiotics and inhalants." "Will he be going home soon? You see, we all wanna help him out some and do some work around the house for him before he gets back." Mike Stoker told him. "Boys... aren't you the sweethearts. What knights in shining armor.." Dix cooed. "Mr. Fajou's gonna love your surprise. I'll be sure to give you a call the moment I find out when he'll get discharged all right?" They all nodded. Roy piped up. "Dix, how's the other car driver? The one I looked at briefly before handling our cases?" "Oh, the driver with the broken arm? Fine. Peters rode in with him in another rig. He didn't take many fumes at all and I heard his arm was easily set and put into a cast. He'll most likely be discharged in a couple of hours, after his cast dries." "That's good." A loud stomach rumble permeated the air. From Marco.. "Lo ciento.. All that running made me hungry." "Time for a pizza run.. My treat.." Joe said. He got on the phone to dietary, shushing them all into silence, before the gang's active protests stopped him. "Consider it part of your followup ammonia gas treatment.." he quipped. "Thanks doc, we owe you one.." Cap grinned. Cap and the others literally inhaled the four pizzas while Dix and Joe merely nibbled. The pizza pans had been tossed onto the dish cart for only about thirty seconds when the wait for news about Chet grew once again intolerable. All eyes started watching the clock and the house phone for word from Dr. Brent Brackett's sticking his nose in where it didn't belong. --------------------------------------------------------- Photo: Chet in a treatment room, unconscious. Photo: Joe checking out Roy in a treatment room. Photo : Dr. Brackett looking at your pupils with a penlight. Photo : Dr. Brent Brackett looking at Chet's chest X-ray. Photo : John, Joe and Dixie in a treatment room. **************************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject :[EmergencyTheaterLive] Of Mice and Men.. Date : Thu, 12 Dec 2002 21:31:07 +0000 Kel Brackett didn't even look up from his surgical field when he felt a presence at his shoulder. He knew right away that it was his father in the blue scrubs near him. "Doctor Brackett." he said simply and as neutrally as he could. Kel could feel his cheek twitching under his mask. But inwardly, he told himself once again in his thoughts.::I did ask dad to see what I do for my living.:: he sighed. ::I just have to get used to him taking advantage of the invite, hook line and sinker.:: Brent Brackett knew how to observe in a sterile ward. His ungloved hands were behind his back and he stayed behind Kel at half an arm's length. "Before you say anything.. I...only stepped in here solely on behalf of the boys who work with this young fellow. They're milking this anhydrous exposure checkup requirement to the max and they're all still here, crowded in the nurse's break lounge. Joe Early had to feed them because they wouldn't even leave the staff paging phone unattended long enough to grab a tray from the cafeteria, fearful they'd miss hearing from you." Dr. Brackett wasn't beneath trying to shock his father. "The resection on the mediastinal aspect of Chet's spleen is a straight forward repair job. See for yourself.." and he intentionally sprayed his running tube of sterile saline wash over the area, not caring that a part of its red tinged spray splashed up, catching his father's mask and his scrub top liberally as it plumed upwards when the older man didn't anticipate stepping back at the sound like all the others around the table did. Brent flinched but then blinked, wondering if the dousing had been a ploy to drive him away, but he was already more than determined to remain. He cleared his throat and said loud enough for all in the room to hear. "Oops. Good thing gore has never bothered me. Please, show me what you've done so far, doctor. I'm all eyes." he said, hiding any trace of negative emotion from his voice. Brent surprised himself when his own temper, didn't flare up at all. Nonetheless, a well informed, Dixie enlightened tech hastily suctioned away the water for Kel from Chet's abdominal cavity almost a little too fast. Kel had to hold Chet's spleen down with his forceps so it wouldn't plug her tube's port as she used it. Kel glanced at her reflexively but the woman's face stayed looking down at what she was doing. For her benefit, Kel said. "Sorry about that, I'll slow down." Dr. Brackett half wondered if there was anyone on the staff who didn't know about the Brackett family friction. And he quickly began feeling like an *ss for what he had done. ::Dixie's thorough on the grapevine, I'll give her that. About as thorough as she is running triage. Everyone around us is walking on egg shells. That's gonna change..:: he vowed. ::Now.:: he said. He was glad for his mask when it hid the rising red of embarrassment in his face. He decided to show the entire room that Dixie's tale about them was now completely baseless. "Dad, look here. This is where Chet's fall impacted against his spleen. See that mark? You can almost make out lettering from the regulator valve he fell on top of. He must have been wearing a SCBA bottle when he fell and that metal piece on the harness was what cut him internally." "Hmm. I see it." Brent mumbled. "Looks sort of like the artifacts that show up on chest x-rays sometimes from drivers impacting their sternums against the steering wheel column?" Brent asked. Then he chuckled. "Saw a Chrysler logo chevron once on one from a patient of mine. That young man now hangs that x-ray on his wall." He sighed accepting a cotton wad from a nurse gratefully so he could mop up his gory face. "He now shows it to all of his dates and tells them it's his secret tattoo that can even be felt, for a kiss." "Yeah? Well Chet won't be left with any such girl magnet. This tissue isn't bone. It will heal cleanly in a few days, leaving no traces. Chet's external skin bruising will stay longer than this laceration." Kel said, snipping off his last internal suture stitch. "There," he said, "Good as new.." Kel dabbed the spleen with gauze until Brent could see his work. "Bowels clear? And the intestines?" Brent asked, peering closer. "Completely. All of Chet's internal bleeding came from this site alone. The spleen's the body's repository for whole blood so it's not surprising this tiny tear hemorrhaged so much. The anti shock trousers did a good job stopping it as you saw on the films." "So I did.." Brent said. "So, what should I tell the fireboys?" "That it was a piece of cake, doctor. Chet's no longer in jeopardy." "Will do." and he nodded and winked to the nervous tech across from them. Then he turned to his surgeon son. "Coffee after you close?" "Wouldn't miss it." Kel said. "Then I'll leave you all to your work.." Brent Brackett leaned down to Chet. He saw the young fireman's eyes had been ointmented and protectively taped shut and he carefully stayed away from where the anesthesiologist was listening to Chet's breathing through the endotrach tube with a stethoscope. He spoke firmly into Kelly's ear. "Looks good son. Almost done. Wake up fast cause your friends are still hanging around to see you. My guess is that it won't be good for them later if your dispatcher has to order them back to the stationhouse. Oh, and Joe Early just told me they've saved some pizza for you." he said, patting Chet's sheet covered shoulder. "So hurry up son, before someone gets hungry again and it disappears." Everyone around the table laughed when Chet's stomach took that moment to start growling. It was very audible as it and the organs around it were still exposed to the air. "That got through my anesthesia?" the man at Chet's head joked. "Usually I have people's plumbing napping soundly during splenectomies." "Yeah well this fireman's appetite is legendary, Dale. Don't feel bad. I hear Johnny complaining about his donut stealing prowess all the time." Kel shook his head ruefully, amused. "Dad, I know of a better way to wake him up if you're interested. Grab Johnny's walkie talkie. I'll have Doctor Riley here on the respirator play him his station's alarm tones after he's extubated." he joked. "Aren't you the creative one.." Brent teased back, just before the surgical bay doors closed between them. "But I think I'll pass on that. Positive reinforcement works so much better than shock tactics.." he replied. Brackett immediately regretted his little stunt with splashing the sterile wash. Internally, Kel accepted Brent's hidden admonishment. ::I deserved that. Now why am I still acting like such a pig? This unspoken feud between us is being addressed. What am I afraid of?:: Inside his head, another voice of conscience spoke up. ::Losing your mother because of it.:: ----------------------------------------------- Brent Brackett was still wet from his shower when he dialed the nurses lounge. The phone rang, making the whole gang jump in their seats as way too much coffee in their systems made them overreact. Then the babble in the room ceased when no one moved to intercept the phone. Marco, Stoker, Johnny and Roy all hushed up in tension, like frightened rabbits when it was the red phone and not the black one that was paging them. Dixie MacCall answered the phone. "Nurse's lounge, Dixie McCall speaking.." Brent greeted her. "Miss McCall? Put Mr. Kelly's captain on. I wanna speak with him directly. And before you ask. All things went well. Both my visit and with Chester's exploratory. His spleen's intact. Didn't need to be removed. So hop to, woman." Dixie hid her smile even from her eyes as she handed over the phone. "Captain Stanley. You're needed here." "Oh, boy. Hope it's not McConnike for playing hooky. He never goes through public HT channels when he's really mad at somebody." Cap said, leaping off the lounge couch and wiping nervous palms on his turnout. Dixie couldn't help herself. She said, "Relax captain. It's not him. Remember, I'm your solid alibi here for all of you staying at Rampart even if the chief does call. I already have my speech planned out." and she broke into a reasoning voice, sugar coated with Dixie no nonsense. "I'll just say, 'Chief, It's a little busy today, and that's why it's taking longer than usual to examine all of your men. ' when the time comes." "Glad somebody's prepared for that call." Hank sighed, and rose, taking the phone from her. "This is Fireman Stanley." with more than just slight apprehension. Brent grinned."Go home, captain. Chet's already being sent to recovery. His spleen was only holed, not grossly ruptured. It was all just minor surgery." Cap excitedly spread the good news to his listeners out of ear shot. Brent heard the cheers and had to take the phone away from his ear for a moment but then he shouted before Hank hung up again. "Captain Stanley, one thing. Hand that to-go box full of pizza to Dixie for her to take to his room or Chet's gonna personally kill ya." "Huh?" "Subliminal suggestion, Captain. Works everytime. I told him it would be waiting." "Gotcha, doc. She heard ya. Thanks Dr. Brackett, for everything. We really appreciate it." "That's why I'm a psychologist, son. Take care." and Brent hung up the phone. ----------------------------------------------------- Marjorie Kelly sat next to Chet's bed as she waited for him to awaken from his latest anesthesia slumber. Chet's eyes were unbandaged and he had already blinked away the antibiotic ointment in them as the scent of his sister's musky perfume woke him the rest of the way to consciousness. A rodent's fuzzy face, and whiskers, met his gaze when focus returned from the middle of his chest. "Ahhh!!!" he shouted in fright and immediately winced when his surgical staples bit back in protest. "OoooooOOOOooo, Marjorie.. Did you have to bring Herbert here? Animals aren't allow in at Rampart.." "Who says? No one saw me. Besides, what better way to make you feel better than to bring you,.. your best bud." Chet watched Herbert crawl further up his chest to land curious paws on his chin as he sniffed his master's morning anesthesia breath. Then he made for an immediate beeline for the open pizza carton lying across Chet's legs. "Oh, no you don't. That's mine." and Chet pinned Herbert's tail long enough to nestle him into a palm to caress the brown mouse's head and kiss his ears. Then he double taked. "Wait a minute. Why did I say that?" Marjorie laughed. "Dixie left this here an hour ago. She said a doctor in surgery told you some would be waiting for you when you awakened. Wah la.." she said, with a flourish at the pizza half. "It's still warm. I just reheated it up again." Chet watched as Herbert pushed out of his hand with a frustrated squeak until he gained his freedom and he beelined once more for the pizza across the sheets. Marjorie intercepted Chet's correcting grab with a grip of her own. "Oh, come off it, Bro. Let him be. You share your cereal with Herbie all the time. I'll just keep an eye out and cut off all the parts he drools on. No problem. I'll defend your half." "Marj we're gonna have problems if they catch you in here with him. And I'm not eating. I can't. I mean whoever heard of someone right out of abdominal surgery being allowed to eat?" "You had a repair, Chester. And that's a whole different ball game. Only difference between getting basic stitches and what you had done, is the fact that yours are on three layers with two rows inside, and those are just on your spleen and along your abdominal lining. Nice stapling job topside. Saw them when Dixie changed your dressing." "That sounds so appetizing Sis. Here, you eat this." he said, plunking pizza carton, Herbie and all on the bed in between them. Herbert went right on gnawing at a pepperoni. Despite his feigned disgust, Chet's stomach growled. Marjorie laughed and handed him a pizza slice with no Herbert pawprints on it and a paper towel. "Uh huh.. tell me another lie big brother and I'll restart our practical joke war despite our vow to never do them whenever one of us is sick or hurt." "Ha ha. Very funny." But Chet began to eat, fussing over his IV. "I wonder why I'm not puking my guts out. I did last time I had surgery. Remember my broken shoulder from that cave in rescue? Needed surgical reduction for that one." "I remember, I was the one who had to listen to you whining for two weeks while ya mended." Marj laughed through her freckles and curly bangs. "You aren't nauseated because Dr. Brackett told you not to be." "Kel Brackett was here?" "No, the other one." "What other one?" Chet said, "Hand me that water pitcher will you. I'm thirsty enough to drink my IV." Marj slid the water jug over and a glass, but not before she poured some into a toothpaste tube cap as a water dish for Herbert the mouse. "Kelly Brackett's dad is a psychologist. The gang wanted to hear how you were faring in surgery so Brent Brackett went in to find out. Then Brent told us all on the phone that he had suggested a few things to you while you were under to make your recovery happen faster. Oh, Chester, did you know you were almost in a coma when they brought you in? You scared the living snot out of Johnny. " "I did?" "Yeah. I'd never seen him so quiet and focused until we got the news your injuries were only appearing to be more than minor. Roy told me Gage wouldn't leave your side at all while you were still having trouble breathing. Even after you were at Rampart with two doctors working on you." "I remember hearing Cap's joke about the rain, and then I remember getting very cold. Dreamed I was drowning." "You weren't drowning Chester. They decontaminated you with a water hose on scene and Mendelson had you firmly on a demand valve so no water got in. Geez Louise, even I know how dangerous liquid ammonia is on the skin. Lucky you didn't get much more than a whiff in your lungs or I'd be leaving my rubber chickens on your coffin instead of in your sh--.. Never mind."she broke off. Chet's eyes narrowed as he played with a now fat, pizza filled, burping Herbert, making jungle gyms out of his fingers for the mouse. He finally spoke with long practice at a conversation he had shared with Marj many many times before in the past. "They gotta be in my shoes, Sis, since I'm not wearing any shorts on account of these lovely staples I've got under my sheets here. Ok, fess up. Which shoes?" Marjorie was pinned, fairly. "Ok, I had the guys take back a set of my top end RC's, you know the ones that spray baby powder out the moment they're moved, to rig into your locker shoes for you to find when you got back, is that such a crime?" "The guys were here?!" Chet said mortified. "Yeah, so? What's the big deal? They were in, they were out. Guess they came so Roy and Johnny could see with their own paramedic eyes that you were truly out of hot water. They even reassured themselves further by taking a vitals set on ya for the nurses chart while you were sleeping." "What's the big deal? What's the big deal?! Sis, tell me they didn't see Herbert here." Marjorie was a mouse. But Herbert squeaked in betrayal. He wasn't a good liar at all. "Marj!!" Chet complained, and Herbert leaped into Marjorie's plaid shirt pocket in fear at Chet's thundering protest. Kelly immediately gripped his sheet covered staples. "Ow...WWWW...www .. G*d D*mn it.. ..Ow.. ..Why me?" "Hush, That's Captain Stanley's line. Or at least, I think it is from what you've told me about him." Marj admonished. "Dix told me if you're gonna cough, shout or sneeze, to hug a pillow before you do so. It'll hurt less." She said, smacking his face with one, before gently setting it on his stomach. "Yeah? It'll hurt more later on when I get better and back to duty and have to face the guys finding out I found Herbert again and kept him as a pet.. I'll never hear the end of it!" "So? We'll just...deflect them with another Phantom Strikes war." "Won't work, they're on to me." Chet complained. "Oh Marj. Why'd ya have ta bring Herbert to see me today of all days?" "He knew something was up." she said defensely as only a younger sister could. "Squeaked something awful in his Habitrail maze about the same time as your accident. That's how I knew to call in and ...when ... I found out that you were really down on the ground out there." and Marjorie sniffled and Chet saw sudden bright full tears fill his sister's amber eyes. "Come here, little Sis.." Chet said, and he hugged Marj with a grin. "Quit it. I must really be fine if I'm not on an EKG and no doctors or nurses are in sight. Does Gramps and my little brother know about all this?" "Yes, Gramps and Brendon send their best, Chester.." she sighed into his hair. "Wouldn't be surprised if a bouquet of flowers wrapped in antique barbed wire gets sent in this afternoon to your room personally." "Why didn't you tell them that they didn't have to go through the trouble?" "Because they're just as stubborn as anyone else in our family Chester when it comes to reaching out. And you and I both know that it's a terribly long distance still keeping us apart. Might as well be light years between California and Wyoming. Just take the flowers when they come with good grace." Chet released her and Marj handed them both tissues from the bed table. Herbert poked his head out of Marj's shirt pocket at the scent of tears and squeaked a question. Chet patted his chest and the mouse happily ran to his chin again to nibble and cuddle in his moustache, like a dog rubbing himself on a couch after a bath. "Thanks Marj. I feel better already. I'm only dreading what the guys will do to me after I get back to work now they know I rescued Herbert from the untamed city wilds. I was chosen to be the station's.." he covered Herbert's ears with two fingers. ".. exterminator." "Oh, poo.. " Marj sighed with a mischievous grin. "Fodder for the fires, my fraternal fellow prankster. It will give us an excuse to come up with more devious jokes to play on your friend Johnny Gage, now wouldn't it?" "Hmmm.." Chet said. He closed his eyes, and started chewing pizza while they planned. It was just a few minutes later.. Outside the room, a nurse was walking by Chet's hospital room. She overheard a single sentence. "And Herbert, if you so much as squeak a word of this prank to anyone, I'll trade Chester Bartholomew the puppy for a cat and move you into the station!" SQuuueeAAakKKKKK! The nurse, thinking she was hearing things, moved on when a woman's laughter covered up the odd animal noise she had thought she heard but finally dismissed as only imagined. ::I gotta cut out on drinking all of that coffee..:: she promised herself. ::Starting tomorrow.:: -------------------------------------- Photo : Chet in a T shirt, sleeping on a bed. Photo : Cap, Johnny and Roy in T- shirts watching Chet sleep. Photo: Chet looking caught. Photo: Herbert the mouse in someone's hands. Photo : Marjorie and Brendon Kelly, Chet's little brother and sister. ***************************** From : "SM Fortis" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Hello? Date : Thu, 12 Dec 2002 23:15:18 -0600 Offstory- Pictures reproduced with permission from: Tigger's Emergency Stuff http://exit3.i-55.com/~ffaller/emergency/ Slide Show Central http://lovegage.topcities.com/slide/ Back In Story- Silently cursing himself as he entered the elevator, Kel punched the button for the ground floor. What was he thinking when he invited his father to spend time with him at work? Did he possess a bizarre need to validate his sense of self- worth? Was he trying to dazzle him with his diagnostic and surgical abilities? After all these years, did Brent Brackett's opinion still matter? Upon reaching his destination, Kel approached his office with grim determination. With greater force than was necessary, he flung the door open. Brent sat in one of the leather-upholstered chairs in front of the imposing desk. Pasting a smile on his face, Kel addressed his father. "Hey, Dad. Are you ready to head to the Doctor's Lounge?" Brent shrugged his shoulders. "In a minute. I thought we could talk first." The younger Brackett nervously laughed. "You sound like a typical shrink. You guys always want to talk." "Spoken like a true surgeon. Always wanting to plunge right into things." "Dad.." "It's okay," Brent said. "Obviously we each have our own talents." An uncomfortable silence ensued. Feeling like a world-class jerk for his behavior earlier, Kel cleared his throat. "Dad, I'm sorry for that little stunt in the OR. It was immature and uncalled for. You just caught me off guard, that's all." "I know. But when you invited me to watch you work, you didn't plan on me ambushing you either." "I did assume it would be under more controlled circumstances," Kel admitted. Leaning back in his chair, Brent said, "I had an opportunity to speak with a couple of your biggest fans this evening." "Oh?" "The paramedics that work with the firefighter you operated on. I believe their names were Roy and Johnny?" Kel smiled broadly. "They were one of the first teams I trained. I wasn't a huge supporter of the program initially. Oh, to be honest, I was vehemently against it. I thought it was dangerous and essentially amounted to practicing medicine without a license. But eventually I came around and became one of the program's staunchest defenders. We cleared some substantial legislative hurdles and funding crises, and now I can't imagine how we managed pre-hospital care without our paramedics." "They were quite effusive in their praise," Brent commented. "You certainly have earned their respect. You're more than a mentor to these men." Suddenly embarrassed, Kel joked, "Well, perhaps they may not feel so charitable when it's time for their annual performance evaluations." "Seriously, Kel. That says a great deal about your character. I would be immensely flattered if someone thought that highly of me." "But Dad, you're well respected in your field." "It's not the same," Brent lamented. "So what if I've published extensively? Other than impressing a handful of snobbish colleagues and adding a few lines to my Curriculum Vitae, I haven't accomplished anything of lasting significance." Kel rubbed his temple. First there was the strange confession in the restaurant, and now there was a melancholy tone to his father's last remark. This was proving to be an interesting evening. Staring at the carefully arranged bookcase, Brent continued. "Based on the hospital grapevine, I expected you to be arrogant and overbearing, and thought your employees would cower in your presence. Instead, I discovered you're merely passionate about your life's calling. In retrospect, I can see your career choice wasn't an act of parental defiance. This is what you were meant to do." "I can't imagine doing anything else, Dad. I feel complete here." "Yes, I can see that now." Resting his elbows on his desk, Kel asked, "Dad? Don't you think we need to forgive ourselves too?" Brent raised a questioning eyebrow. "What?" "Don't get me wrong. Forgiving each other is a significant step in the right direction in putting our relationship back on track, but it isn't going to help if we're consumed with guilt over past offenses." The elder Brackett buried his face in his hands. "That's easier said than done. You don't have a constant reminder of your mistakes." "I don't understand," Kel said. "Your mother isn't the same person anymore. She blames me for tearing her family apart. Scarcely a day goes by that I'm not reminded of my failures as a father. You have no idea what it's like to go home every day, knowing your presence is barely tolerated." "So when you moved to Los Angeles." "I was not only trying to reestablish communi- cation with you, I was trying to save my marriage," Brent finished. "Wow," Kel exclaimed. "I had no idea. Mom always sounds okay when I talk to her." "Of course, she would," Brent snorted. "You're her precious baby, even if you are forty-two years old. She still wants to protect you from all of the unpleasant things in life." "Oh, man. I really messed up, didn't I? I must have broken her heart when I left home." "She was pretty upset with both of us," Brent pointedly added. "You're not entirely at fault." Kel was furious with himself. He was so anxious to escape his domineering father, he never considered the effect his departure would have on this mother. During telephone conversations, she always sounded so cheerful. Now it was apparent because of the power struggle between the two men, his mom had been cruelly deprived of the most cherished relationships in her life. "Do you think she'll ever be able to forgive me?" Kel asked earnestly. "Hah! You're completely blameless as far as she's concerned. I'm the heartless ..well, you get the idea." "That's not fair. It was ultimately my decision. I could have handled the situation better," Kel reasoned. "Hindsight is always crystal clear, son," Brent replied. "At the time, you were so blinded by your contempt for me, I doubt you could have arrived at any other solution. Besides, as much as I hate to admit, I was relieved to see you go. After years of yelling and screaming, I looked forward to having some quiet time with your mother." The younger man attempted a feeble grin. "I assume that was a case of be careful of what you wish for?" "Absolutely. Your mother didn't speak to me for weeks. The situation deteriorated to the point where we separated for a couple of months." "You're kidding!" As Kel looked across his desk, he realized the man sitting opposite him was a stranger. It was difficult to comprehend this was someone he once shared his dreams and aspirations with. Was it his imagination, or did his father age a little bit more each time he shared another humbling personal secret? "So how are you two doing now?" Kel inquired. Running his fingers across his chin, Brent responded, "We're managing. We've settled into a comfortable routine here, and she's made new friends. But hardly a day goes by that she doesn't ask about you. She wants to know if I've seen you, do you look well, how is your career doing that sort of thing. Mainly she wants to know why I haven't marched into your office and thrown myself at your mercy." Mentally evaluating the available floor space, Kel said, "I don't know, Dad. Perhaps there's a spot over here where prostration might be an option." A chuckle was heard from across the room. "I've groveled enough for one evening. We're overdue for a cup of coffee." As Brent rose from his chair, Kel motioned for him to sit down. "Wait a minute, Dad. I want to make a phone call." "Can't it wait until tomorrow? It's late." "That's the problem. I'm hoping it's not too late," Kel explained. Puzzled, Brent sat back down. "Who are you calling?" "I want to call Mom." "At this hour?" Jolted to reality, Kel pushed the phone back to the corner of his desk. "You're right. I don't know what got into me. Besides, I don't even have the number on me." Moved by the haunted expression in his son's eyes, Brent sighed. "Do you have a pen?" "No, she's probably already in bed. I'll call her later." His father seized control of the phone and dialed the familiar number. Thrusting the receiver into Kel's hands, Brent quietly left the room. With each ring, Kel's heart rate accelerated. His mouth felt incredibly dry. Oh, this was ridiculous, he thought. He was a grown man calling his own mother. It wasn't like he was a gawky teenager asking the prom queen out for a date! The ringing stopped and was replaced by a gentle voice. Summoning his courage, Kel tentatively said, "Mom? It's Kel." ------------------------------------------ Photo : Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early in a corridor. Photo : Dr. Brackett being firm about a concern. Photo : Roy telling Dr. Brackett about something over the ER requisitions desk. ********************************* From :rosanne iho Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] It looked like a man.. Date : Sat, 14 Dec 2002 13:39:53 -0800 (PST) It was Chet Kelly's first day back to work. In the rec' room of Los Angeles County Fire Station 51, six firemen sat huddled in front of a TV set, watching the Dodgers and the Padres battling it out in the first game of a double-header. They cheered, as Dodger's pitcher, Don Sutton, struck out the Padres-- one, two, three. The Dodgers came to bat. First baseman, Steve Garvey, hit a single. Outfielder, Dave Lopes, also singled. Sutton walked. With the bases loaded--and no outs --Dodger slugger, Dusty Baker, stepped up to the plate. "There's the wind up...and the pi--!" the announcer began, only to be drowned out by the Station's alarm. There was a group groan. "Squad 51..." the dispatcher declared, and the Station's Engine Crew untensed. Paramedics John Gage and Roy DeSoto groaned again and started heading for the garage. "Child down...Wonder Wheels Park...Three and one half miles east on Dart Lane...Then, two and a quarter miles south on Ridgeway Road...Take the first left on Coolidge...It's the fourth driveway on the right...Caller advises you go in the second gate..." "Got it, L.A...." John acknowledged, when he finished his jotting. "10-4, Squad 51..." a rather relieved relayer came back, "Ambulance responding...Time out...17:03" "Squad 51, KMG-365," the fireman further acknowledged. He replaced the radio, snatched up their copy of the call slip and raced around the rescue squad. "We'll start with east on Dart Lane," he proposed, piling into the passenger's seat and pulling on his helmet. His partner nodded his approval of the plan. ############################## Eight minutes of masterful map-reading later, DeSoto drove through the second gate at Wonder Wheels Park and cut the sirens. "Squad 51...cancel," their radio announced. Squad 51's occupants stared down at the dashboard in disbelief. "We may as well check it out," Roy determined, "After all the trouble we went through to get here." Gage nodded in agreement and grabbed the mic'. "L.A., Squad 51. We are at the scene and intend to follow through with the call." "Roger that, 51..." DeSoto parked the Squad at the edge of an enormous concrete lot. He and his partner exited the cab and started strolling off in the direction of a movie crew, filming skate boarding stunts. They watched--in wide-eyed wonder--as a young skate boarder went flying off the end of a three foot ramp, spun twice around and landed gracefully back onto the lot--still on her skate board! Seeing as how they were being completely ignored, Roy cleared his throat and queried, "Did somebody call the Fire Department?" "I'm okay...Honest!" the girl insisted, as she came rolling up. "It's just a little 'road rash'..." she added, and pointed to her scraped and bleeding knees. "You sure you're not seriously hurt?" Gage grilled her. The little lady rolled her eyes and motioned towards the concrete lot. "Did that look like I was seriously hurt?" "Looks can be deceiving," Roy reminded the girl. "Why don't we check you out real quick...just to be sure." The film's director stepped between the paramedics and his star. "If the kid says she's okay--she's okay! Pam's a Pro!" The thirteen-year-old nodded, defiantly. "You didn't hit your head, did you?" Roy's still-worried partner wondered. Pam gave Gage another roll of her eyes and shook her pretty little head 'no'. John sighed. "Well...since you won't let us examine you...I...uh...guess we'll be getting back to the Station. And, you can get back to..." he glanced down at the skate board, "...that." The girl gave herself a push and went rolling off across the lot. "Shouldn't she be wearing a helmet?" DeSoto, the Dad, wondered aloud. Pamela's Producer completely ignored the pesky paramedic. "All right, Kiddo...How about a backward somersault with a reverse handstand?" The young 'Pro' picked up speed. The two firemen exchanged alarmed looks and then watched, in amazement, as Pam flipped herself back over into a somersault. The little lady landed in a crouched position, threw her feet up into the air and went gliding by--standing on her hands! As she turned her board around and went sailing by for a second time, she flashed the camera a beautiful, upside-down smile. The paramedics released their held breaths and began heading for their rescue squad. "If this is a sample of what people are gonna be doing at Wonder Wheels Park," Gage grumbled, "Something tells me we're gonna be coming here...quite often." "After a week or two," DeSoto glumly concurred, "we'll know the way by heart." They climbed back into their truck's cab. John thumbed the radio mic'. "L.A., Squad 51 available...Returning to quarters." "Roger, 51..." ########################### DeSoto backed the Squad into Station 51's parking bay. The paramedic team piled out and sprinted into the rec' room. "What happened after we left?" Gage asked the guys who were still huddled in front of the television, watching the game. No one answered til a commercial came on. Then, Chet turned and said, "You had to see it to appreciate it, Gage." "See what?" the impatient P.M. demanded. Kelly completely ignored the question and continued, "I mean, it was really amazing! Right, Cap?" "Hu-uh?..." Stanley stammered, not turning his gaze from the TV's screen. "Oh...yeah... it was amazing...absolutely!" Gage gasped in exasperation and turned to Stoker, "What happened, Mike?" "Dusty Baker hit a grand-slam homerun!" the Engineer obligingly answered. "I can't remember who else did what, but the Dodgers got ten runs in the second inning!" "We missed it!" John lamented, "For a lousy cancelled call! We missed it!" The sportscaster came back on and announced the score. "Twelve to nothin'?! How one-sided can you get?!" the peeved paramedic declared and turned to leave. "Where yah goin'?" his partner pondered. "To work on the Log Book," Gage glumly replied, "It'll be more exciting." His crew mates glanced at one another and grinned. ############################ A-shift filed into the dorm of Station 51 six hours and three calls later. "Lights out in five minutes!" an extremely tired Captain Stanley warned his equally exhausted crew. The men stripped down to their t-shirts and boxers and, after setting up their bunker pants and boots, collapsed--gratefully--into their beds. They were asleep the moment their pillows hit their heads. They stayed right where they laid until just after eleven...when the alarm went off. "Station 51..." Stanley and his crew threw their covers off and began climbing out of their bunks and into the bottom half's of their turn-outs. "Man down...unknown type rescue...213 East Morrow Drive...Ambulance responding... Two-One-Three East Morrow Drive...Time out...23:02" On the way to the garage, the firemen exchanged mystified glances. Then they shrugged their suspenders into place and scrambled up into their trucks, still sliding jackets and helmets on. "Station 51...KMG-365," the Captain acknowledged the dispatcher. Stanley shot his paramedics a rather puzzled look, before crossing the bay and climbing up into the Engine. DeSoto took the copy of the call slip he was handed and passed it on to his partner, "I thought you said Mr. Fajou was in Florida..." "He is!" John adamantly stated, "He's visitin' some old friend a' his from the film studio who's retired in Miami. Won't be back for another two weeks..." Roy's look of confusion quadrupled. "Talk about 'deja` vu'..." Mike Stoker solemnly stated, "The FIRST time we went to 213 East Morrow Drive, the Dodgers and Padres were playing a double-header, too..." Stanley shot his astute Engineer an amused glance and clipped his copy of the call slip to the dash. Moments later, both trucks pulled out onto the street in front of the Station, lights flashing and sirens blaring. ########################### And, so it was that the men of L.A. County Fire Station 51 found themselves--once again --up on the ancient-looking mansion's moonlit front porch...waiting impatiently while their leader rang the eerie 'go-ong' and rapped the big, bronze door-knocker. "The yard looks nice..." Hank commented, just for something to say. "Thanks, Cap. Reggie's got--Mr. Fajou has this really cool riding lawn mower," John enthusiastically announced, "24 horse...with a three blade deck and a 52 inch cut!" "And electric hedge-trimmers!" Marco added, sounding equally excited. There followed several seconds of uncomfortable silence. "This is just TOO weird!" Chet Kelly determined, finally putting what everyone was thinking into words. Stanley considered saying something like: 'Well, we can't stand out here all night.' But then quickly reconsidered it. Instead, he just grabbed a hold of the knob and twisted it. Just like the first time, they found the front door to be unlocked. "Fire Department!" the Captain called into the dimly lit entryway, "Anybody home?!" Just like the first time, he received no reply. "All right!" Hank exclaimed, throwing the door open wide and stepping aside, "You all know the drill..." The paramedics set their equipment down in the entry hall. Roy and Marco immediately headed for the upstairs. John and Chet began making their way into the back kitchen and the basement door, while Mike followed his Captain off to explore the first floor. ############################# John jerked the creaky portal open, "After you..." he invited with a wave of his arm. Upon seeing his companion's mustached mouth opening in protest, he quickly added,"I went first the last time..." "All right," Kelly reluctantly conceded, "But I should probably warn you...You'd better be ready to get the hell out a' my way! Because... if I see even so much as a mouse...I'm gonna go screaming into the night! And I'll be plowing through anything--or anybody--that gets in my path!" Chet shot his chuckling chum an annoyed glare. Then he drew in a deep breath and begrudgingly began descending the stairs. The two men made it down about two steps, and then stopped, hearing their Captain calling for them. "This is just TOO weird!" Kelly repeated as the two of them re-retreated. ############################ "Yeah, Cap?" John inquired as he and his associated slid to a stop in front of Stanley. "Upstairs!" their Captain prompted and passed the pair of new arrivals the paramedic equipment, "First room on the right!" Gage grabbed the cases he was handed and took the stairs, two steps at a time. Kelly latched onto the oxygen tank and the remaining case, and quickly followed. They entered the first doorway on the right. The dimly lit room was a library--judging by all the books it contained. There was an elderly lady lying, motionless, on an ornate, oriental rug --which covered about a third of the room's hardwood floor. John's partner was kneeling beside the nonmoving woman, performing his initial patient survey. "Heart?" Gage wondered, dropping his gear and himself down next to DeSoto. Roy replied with a quick shrug of his shoulders. "She's got a goose-egg the size of my fist," he announced and began opening and emptying equipment cases, "Apparently, she fell and hit the back of her head--probably on the edge of that thing..." he added, motioning to the large oak desk resting on the floor in front of one the room's wall-to-wall bookcases. John tossed his helmet up onto the desk and donned his stethoscope. His partner finished his preliminary exam and began reaching for their bio-phone, "Let's get her patched in and we might be able to determine what caused the fall..." Their Captain poked his head into the room. "Ambulance is here," he announced, "You guys got everything you need from the Squad?" Gage gave him a nod and then frowned, as a sternal rub and a dose of smelling salts produced no results in their patient. "Cap? Can you check the medicine chests and nitestands for any prescription meds? Oh, and try to find her purse, too. There may not be any pills in it, but her wallet might contain some helpful medical information." "You bet! Chet, you get the bedrooms!" their Commander relegated, "Marco, you get the bathrooms! Mike and I will handle the purse detail." As the firemen exited, the ambulance attendants entered, towing a gurney. ########################### Kelly was the first man back. He returned empty-handed. Lopez followed, a couple of minutes later, with his helmet full of pill bottles. Gage dumped two thirds of the helmet's contents into an 'urp' sack, and then placed the paper bag on their patient's stretcher. "According to her driver's license," Stanley stated, as he and Stoker re-entered the room, "she's Mrs. Margaret Bentley. No medical info and no 'scrip's," he added, sounding almost apologetic. "Thanks, Cap!" Roy acknowledged, as he accepted the purse that was passed to him. DeSoto snatched up several cases and followed the attendants as they towed the packaged patient from the room. "I wonder where Mister Bentley is?" Marco queried, and stood there, staring glumly down at the two plastic pill bottles still in his helmet: Mr.Norman Bentley's prescription meds. "Yeah," Chet chimed in, "Someone had to call this in..." "Chet's right, Cap," Mike Stoker concurred, "This is just TOO weird! The rescue doesn't even match the call!" "It's the full moo-oon..." John jokingly determined, trying his level best to sound solemn and sinister. But a broad grin betrayed him. He picked up the remainder of their paramedic gear and went snickering out into the hall. Stanley and his Engine crew exchanged amused glances. "C'mon!" Hank urged, "There's a bed back at the Station, with my name on it!" "Maybe the Bentleys are Reggie's--Mr. Fajou's relatives..." Marco mumbled under his breath and set Mr. Bentley's scrip's down on a lamp stand. "O-or, maybe Reggie--Mr. Fajou had hired himself a couple of house sitters? " Lopez exhaled a resigned sigh and followed his fellow firefighters from the library. ########################### John finished stowing the gear. He closed the side compartments on the Squad and stepped up to the driver's door. "Doggone it!" he exclaimed and slammed his open palm into the side of the truck. Hank Stanley, who was half-way into his seat, heard the paramedic's angry explicative, and winced. "What no-ow?!" "Ah, Cap..." Gage regrettably replied, " I forgot my helmet...again." "That's the third time this month, John!" his irritated Captain realized, "Why can't you just leave it fastened to your head?!" "It gets in the way of the phone and my stethosco--" "Never mind!" his Captain quickly cut in, "Just go get it! We'll wait for you. Kelly, go with him!" "Ahhh, Cap...Do I have to?" Chet whined. "Move it, you two! Or do you WANT to find out what the penalty is for making your Captain lose his sleep?!" Hank added, seeing Kelly dragging his feet. Chet picked up his pace. In fact, the two helmet retrievers went running back up to the mansion's front door, and quickly disappeared inside. Stoker turned to Stanley, looking curious. "What is the penalty?" "I don't know," his Captain confessed, "But I assure you, it wouldn't be pleasant! I can get awfully cranky when I'm sleep-deprived!" Mike and Marco grinned. ########################## Kelly halted in the entrance hall. "I'm waitin' right here! And, hurry it up, will yah! This place gives me the creeps!" "I'm hurryin'! I'm hurryin'!" John assured his creeped out companion, and took the stairs two steps at a time. Gage reached the dimly lit library and glanced around. He spotted his helmet, setting on the desk, and smiled. As he crossed over and reached out to pick it up, he happened to glance down. There, on the floor behind the desk, was a strange, curved scratch mark. The mark had been carved into the polished varnished floor boards by something heavy. 'Something heavy...like a bookshelf!' the paramedic mused, 'I'll bet there's a 'secret passage' behind this thing!' He examined the object carefully...pulling and pounding and probing for some sort of 'secret' lever or button or something! 'Nothing!' he silently surmised and his shoulders slumped. He stooped to examine the funny, curved scratch mark again. Something heavy had been sliding over those floor boards, all right! "It's got to move!" he realized aloud. He straightened stiffly back up, and that's when he noticed that several books had been removed from one of the shelves. He reached for one of the remaining books and found that it wouldn't move. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that it wasn't a 'book', at all, but a solid block of wood with a book's title painted on it! "The Mystery On Dobbin's Moor..." he read aloud and gave the block of wood a jerk. The bookcase moved, startling him. John jumped back and stared in wide-eyed wonder as the entire shelf swung slowly out into the room, revealing a passageway in the wall behind it! "Only in the movies, huh..." he stated rather smugly, "I knew it! I knew it!" He stepped up and poked his head into the passageway. Itlead to a descending stairway. Gage stiffened suddenly and blinked his wide eyes in the dim light. There, at the bottom of the stairs, he could barely make out the motionless outline of a man. The explorer immediately kicked back into the paramedic mode. "HEY, CHET! GET UP HERE! HURRY!" he turned and shouted. John snatched his helmet up before stepping into the passageway. The opening mechanism reached the end of its guide rail and the bookcase stopped moving--but only for a moment. Because the 'stopper' on the end of the guide rail was broken, the opening mechanism left the track and a powerful spring slammed the bookcase back against the wall with a terrific force! Gage heard the spring 'snap'. Then, something struck him in the back of the head. There was an explosion of light--then...nothing! Everything went _____. He and his retrieved helmet went tumbling down the hidden staircase. ######################### Kelly heard Gage calling him...and then, a loud 'BA-ANG!' He hurried up the stairs and into the library. John was nowhere in sight! "Hey, Johnny...c'mon, man! Quit the clowning! Cap' just ain't gonna see the humor in this!" he added angrily. "Johnny?..." Kelly nervously repeated, following a thorough search of the room. "I know you're in here...I've been watching the door, and I would've seen you leave..." his words trailed off and a tingle went up his spine. "GAGE! GET OUT HERE! RIGHT NOW!" His only answer was dead silence. Chet shivered, and not from the cold. "...please?" he tacked on rather pitifully. ########################## John came to at the bottom of the hidden stairway. He groaned and rolled onto his stomach. When he opened his eyes, he couldn't see a thing. It was pitch black. He picked his aching, spinning head up off the floor and shook it, in an attempt to clear some of the cobwebs and put a stop to the loud, high-pitched 'ringing' in his ears. The only thing the shaking accomplished however, was to increase his pain--tenfold! Somehow, he managed to make it up onto his hands and knees. He spotted a thin strip of light and crawled over to it. He reached up, groping in the darkness for a door knob. There wasn't one. So, he leaned against the wall and tried to stand. The 'wall' gave way and the paramedic went sprawling out of the concealed room and onto the polished marble tiles of the mansion's entryway. Gage groaned again and slowly picked himself back up off of the floor. He stood there, dazed, disoriented and very dizzy. He shut his squinting eyes and placed his hands over his ears in another attempt to block out the painfully loud, and incredibly annoying 'ringing'. ######################### Kelly backed out of the library and started quickly down the stairs. He stopped halfway and his mouth dropped open. There, in the middle of the entrance hall, stood his no- longer-missing amigo. "How'd you do that?" he wondered curiously and skipped down the remaining steps to stand face to face with finally found friend. "Will yah quit the clowning, already?!" Chet pleaded, as John completely ignored him. Gage staggered back a few feet and then caught his balance. He opened his eyes, saw Kelly standing there and quietly inquired, "...what's that noise?" Kelly listened carefully. All his straining ears could detect was the steady ticking of the hall clock. He stared at Gage's bare head and empty hands for a few miffed moments and then threw his arms up in complete exasperation. "That does it!" he declared and began heading for the front door, "I'm out a' here! I ain't getting the Cap' mad at ME!" Gage turned and watched in confusion as associate angrily stomped off. "What happened?" he wondered in a whisper. A sudden wave of nausea came over him and he slowly dropped to his knees. "Man, if I were you, I'd find my helmet REAL QUICK!" Chet chastised. He grabbed a hold of the knob and glanced back, "Before Cap' comes bargin'--" he saw something glistening on the back of his now kneeling comrade's hanging head and stopped. "Hey, Johnny! You're not clowning!" he quickly realized and went rushing up to his collapsed companion. "That's REAL bloo-ood!" He grabbed Gage by the arms and slowly straightened him up, "What happened?!" John tried blinking his blurred vision into focus. He saw Kelly's lips moving, but couldn't hear a word he was saying... on account of that dang incessant 'ringing'! "Can you stop that noise?" he requested. Another wave of nausea washed over him. He shut his eyes tightly and lowered his throbbing head, "...please...stop that noise," he pleaded rather pitifully. "Man! You must a' really got your bell rung!" Kelly concluded. Gage ignored him and started struggling back up onto his feet. So, Chet draped the dazed paramedic's left arm around his neck, wrapped his own right arm around the whoozey man's waist, and began heading for the exit. ######################## Mike and Marco watched as their very vexed Commander climbed stiffly down from Big Red and began heading for the mansion's front door with long, deliberate strides. The Captain crossed the porch, pushed the not completely closed portal open and shouted, "GAGE! KELLY! OUT HERE! NO-OW!... THAT'S AN ORDER!" "Cap!" an extremely relieved Chet Kelly exclaimed, "Johnny's hurt!" Stanley rushed into the entrance hall to lend Kelly a hand with his burden. "Hurt?! What do yah mean 'hu-urt'?! How does someone get HURT retrieving a helmet?!" "I don't know," came back Kelly's equally perplexed reply. "He hit the back of his head somehow!" "What do yah mean 'somehow'?!" his furious Commander further demanded, "Didn't you SEE what happened?! You were supposed to be WITH him!" They carted their cargo over to the nearest bench and sat him down. Stanley stooped in front of the injured fireman and steadied him. "What happened, John?" No reply. "It's no use, Cap, " Kelly advised, "His ears must still be ringing, or something. I don't think he can hear us." Hank slipped his hand-held from his coat pocket and thumbed it, "HT 51 to Engine 51..." "Engine 51...Go ahead, Cap..." "Mike, Marco, bring me a backboard, a c-collar, the spare O2 and the trauma box!" the Captain requested. "Right away, Cap!" Hank exhaled a weary sigh and handed his HT to Kelly. "Call it in!" he ordered and immediately began making a mental list of everything he had ever learned about treating head injuries. ::Keep movement to a minimum... apply cervical collar...maintain an airway... administer oxygen to minimize brain swelling...monitor circulation...check for cerebrospinal fluid...dress the wound without disturbing the underlying tissue... examine the patient for any other injuries.:: Station 51's Captain exhaled another exasperated sigh. Then he pulled the paramedic's penlite from his assessment pouch and began his initial patient survey. ########################## Roy was standing in the corridor in front of the Nurse's Station at Rampart General's Emergency Receiving, waiting for his partner to pick him up. The door to the Doctor's Lounge flew open and the ambulance attendants he'd just rode in with came hurrying out into the hall. The driver spotted DeSoto and waved him over. "You ain't gonna believe this," he declared as the paramedic came stepping up, "but we just got called back to that creepy house!" "You can't be serious!" Roy exclaimed. The driver nodded, "You wanna ride back with us?" "I'm waiting for my partner," Roy replied, and pointed to his pile of equipment cases. "You'll have a lot shorter wait if you come with us, " the other attendant piped up. "Our patient IS your partner!" DeSoto gulped in disbelief, but then ran over, gathered up his gear and went racing towards the exit. The paramedic beat the attendants to their ambulance. ########################## "Where did you find him?" a flustered Hank Stanley asked, upon finishing administering his first-aid. "He was standing right there," Chet replied and pointed to middle of the entryway. "He must've slipped and fallen down the stairs..." the Captain concluded. "I don't think so, Cap. The last time I saw him, he went into that library...where we found that lady with the big bump on the back of her head...the next time I saw him, he was standing right there...with a big, bloody bump on the back of his head. I heard this real loud 'ba-ang!' " Stanley stared up at the ceiling, "Why?! Why can't two grown men rescue one helmet--without one of them nearly being killed!" No reply followed. He frowned down at the barely conscious fireman on the backboard, "What am I gonna do with you, pal?! If I ever find out that you got hurt goofing off, I-I'll...." he let his threat just hang there in the air. The sound of an approaching siren grew louder and louder and finally stopped. Roy hurried into the entrance hall. Seeing the patient was packaged and ready to transport, the vertical paramedic told the two white-coated men who had accompanied him, "Let's go! I'll call it in on the way!" The attendants nodded. They transferred the horizontal paramedic's backboard from the hall bench to their stretcher, strapped it securely in place and began towing the patient out to their waiting ambulance. Roy watched them wheel his partner away and then turned to his Captain, "What happened?" "That's what I'd like to know!" Stanley smartly replied and passed his questioner his medical notes. "And that's what I intend to find out! Chet take the Squad! Mike, Marco, I want this house turned inside out!" "Aye, aye, Cap!" Kelly acknowledged. He snatched up the trauma box and gladly followed Roy out of the building. "He took a pretty hard blow to the back of the head. He's gonna need some stitches," the Irishman informed the still completely-in-the-dark paramedic. "Says he can't remember what happened. Claims he can't hear anything because there's a loud ringing in his ears..." DeSoto gave his moustached informant a grateful nod and climbed up into the back of the ambulance with the bio- phone and their drug box. Kelly closed the doors, rapped an 'all clear' and then watched the vehicle pull away. He gave the creepy-crawly dwelling a parting glance, before heading for the Squad...with a shudder. He was really relieved to be leaving that 'way weird' 'banging' abode behind him--for good. ::Hopefully... :: ########################### "What are we looking for?" Mike wondered as they began a thorough search of the library. "His helmet," their confused Captain replied as the object of their search was not immediately clearly visible, "It has to be in here somewhere! He didn't have it with him when Chet found him..." Stoker stopped in mid-search and stood there, resting his hands upon his hips, "Cap, everything about this rescue has been really strange." "Yeah, Cap," Lopez agreed, "Maybe we should call the police?" "What? You two think somebody hit him over the back of the head and stole his helmet?" Stanley jokingly inquired. He saw the looks on their faces and realized that was exactly what they thought. "That's ridiculous!" "First, the rescue doesn't match the call..." Marco muttered, "Then, Johnny gets 'mysteriously' hurt..." "I think there's somebody hiding in this house!" Stoker stubbornly insisted. Lopez nodded his support of the Engineer's notion. "C'mon!" their Captain urged, "There's got to be an explanation to all this 'strange' business. When we find the helmet, I'm sure we'll find the explanation-- a reasonable explanation," their still skeptical Commander added, suppressing a smile all the while. ########################### An hour later, the three firemen finished their thorough, and exhausting, search of the house and regrouped in the entrance hall... empty-handed! Stoker sank wearily down onto the bottom step and wondered, "Well, Cap, are you convinced now?" Stanley sighed and tried rubbing some of the stiffness from the muscles in the back of his neck. "I'm convinced we're wasting our time here. C'mon! Let's get back to the Station. I wanna call the hospital." Lopez looked tremendously disappointed, "You're not going to call the police?" "And tell them what?" Hank wondered, "Hello, I'd like to report a missing helmet? I don't think that would go over too big." "Maybe not, " Mike admitted, "But what about attempted murder?" Stanley stared at his Engineer in total disbelief. "And I thought Gage had an overactive imagination! C'mon! Let's go get some sleep! It'll give your imagination a chance to rest, after running wild like that." But Stoker was undeterred. "Aren't you curious?" Their Captain exhaled a sigh of complete exhaustion. "Mike, right now I'm more tired than curious. We can look for answers again in the morning...later this morning," he wearily tacked on, on his way to the exit. ########################## Fifteen minutes later, Station 51's Commander-In-Chief found himself on the phone in the rec' room. "Uh-huh...I see... Uh-huh," he paused to pass DeSoto's report on to his skeleton engine crew, "No fractures. No hemorrhaging. Just a mild concussion, a dozen stitches and a bunch of bruises..." Stoker and Lopez exhaled sighs of relief. "Already did! A replacement should be arriving any minute now. Right! Thanks, Roy!" the Captain concluded his conversation and returned the phone's handset to its cradle. "Thank God!" he exclaimed and began heading for his bunk. "Lights out in two minutes!" he warned. Mike flicked off the lights and then he and Marco followed their leader over to the dorm. ########################### Meanwhile, over in Rampart General's ICU... "Are your ears still ringing?" Dr. Kelly Brackett asked, upon completion of his very thorough examination of the pouting patient in Room 602. The frowning fireman shook his heavily bandaged head 'no'. "Good! You can hear me! How do you feel?" There followed a long silence. Kel' turned to the nurse, standing at his side and said, "Humph! His ears are working...but now he can't talk!" "I was always told if I couldn't say anything nice, I shouldn't say anything at all." Brackett cleared his throat and cracked a smile. "Well, I'm glad to see that little bump on the head hasn't caused you to lose your sense of humor!" "If I only got a 'little bump on the head', then why does my whole body hurt?" Gage complained, sounding every bit as grumpy as he looked. "Your whole body hurts because it's black and blue." "Did somebody beat me up?" "By the location of these bruises, I'd venture to say you fell down some stairs..." Brackett paused, to study his patient's reaction to his little disclosure. At the mentioning of the word 'stairs', a picture of a dark staircase had flashed through Gage's groggy memory banks. Then another fleeting mental image appeared. That of a motionless figure sprawled out on the floor at the foot of those dark steps. "Although Chet swears that's not possible..." the doctor paused again, "What is it Johnny? You remember something?" "I'm not sure. When you said stairs, I suddenly saw--" the paramedic stopped and stiffened. "Doc! Are any of the guys still here?!" "Roy and Chet are right outside. Why?" "I gotta talk to 'em! Hurry! It's important! Life and death important!" "All right. You get one minute," Brackett allowed, and began heading for the door, "But you have to promise to behave yourself!" he called back over his shoulder. John nodded. His doctor disappeared out into the hall. "How is he?" Chet Kelly anxiously inquired. Brackett folded his arms and frowned. "Right now, he's all worked up! Claims he has something important to tell the two of you. Gentlemen, it's essential that he remain as calm and as quiet as possible..." ICU's visitors nodded their understanding. So, Kel' pushed the portal to 602 back open and waved them inside, "One minute!" he allotted and let the door swing shut. Gage spotted his guests and practically shouted, "You guys have got to get back to that house! There's somebody hurt!" "Calm down, Johnny!" his partner pleaded. "Who's hurt?" "I don't know. It was kinda' dark. It looked like a man." DeSoto and Kelly exchanged knowing glances. They decided to humor him. "Okay, Johnny. We'll go back to the house and rescue the man. You just lie still and don't worry...he'll be just fine..." Gage gazed into his friends' faces. He could tell they didn't really believe him. "You don't believe me!" he exclaimed and tried to sit up. "You gotta believe me! He's layin' at the bottom of a SECRET stairs!" The ICU nurse shoved his antsy, all-riled-up partner back down on his bed. "We'd better leave!" DeSoto quickly determined and he and his fellow visitor began beating a hasty retreat. "No! Don't go! I hafta tell yah how to get to the SECRET passage! It's behind the bookcase! Mystery On Dobbin's Moor! Be careful! The bookcase is DEADLY!" John stopped shouting as the door swung shut. He turned to his tough nurse, "Let me go! I've got to make a phone call!" Brackett glanced up from the medical chart he'd been studying and gave Gage's guests an annoyed glare. "That visit went over well!" he sarcastically commented. "What was all the shouting about?" "That bump on the head must've scrambled his brains," Roy replied, "He saw a Late Late show about a month ago, and now he's hallucinating houses with hidden rooms!" The doctor cocked one eyebrow, "What did he tell you?" "Why?" "I don't think he was hallucinating. What exactly did he say?" Gage's guests glanced at each other again. Kelly went first. "Well, he said there was somebody hurt back at that house." "Yeah," DeSoto chimed in, "He said it looked like a 'man'." "Then he said something about a secret stairway and a secret passage," Kelly concluded. "I think you should check it out!" John's doctor advised, speaking in dead earnest. "I examined Johnny just before you went in there. He was completely mentally alert. And," he paused,"he's covered with bruises... like the bruises one would get from falling down a flight of stairs. Now, Chet claims he didn't fall down the stairs he was watching...so...maybe he fell down a hidden stairway?" Roy remained skeptical. But Kelly was beginning to come around. "It would explain a lot of things," he was forced to admit. "What things?" DeSoto wondered. "Well, the call for instance. Remember? It came in MAN down...unknown type rescue. And, Johnny had to get to the first floor somehow...and somebody had to phone the call in...It would also explain why they couldn't find his helmet!" "That call has been bugging me all night!" Roy remarked and started striding off in the direction of a phone. Brackett and Kelly followed along. Roy picked up the receiver and dialed a number from memory. "Los Angeles County Fire Department Central Dispatch," one of the dispatchers answered, "May I help you?" "Yes. This is Squad 51. I need to speak to the person who answered an emergency call at around eleven. The call was to 213 East Morrow Drive." "Standby, 51," the dispatcher acknowledged and placed the call on hold. Two minutes later, a woman came back on the line. "Hello?" "Hi. This is Squad 51. Did you receive the call from 213 East Morrow Drive last night?" "Yes. Why? Did it turn out to be a hoax?" DeSoto stiffened, "Why'd you ask that?" "Some hysterical woman called, screaming something about her husband finding a secret passage in her brother's house. Can you imagine? A secret passage?" Roy slammed the phone down. "Tell Johnny I'm sorry I ever doubted him!" he requested of Brackett, before tearing off down the hospital corridor with Chet hot on his heels. They skidded to a stop in front of the elevators and DeSoto hit the DOWN button. "L.A., Squad 51," he spoke into his HT. "Go ahead, 51..." "L.A., we have a silent alarm at 213 East Morrow Drive. Request an ambulance and Engine 51's assistance." "10-4, Squad 51...213 East Morrow Drive... Two-One-Three East Morrow Drive... Ambulance and Engine 51 responding... Time Out...2:13" Kelly caught the Time Out time and turned to DeSoto, wearing the oddest expression on his moustached face. "2:13? How weird is tha-at?!" The elevator arrived and swallowed them up, before Brackett could catch the paramedic's reply. The physician managed an amused snort and decided to go deliver DeSoto's message. He turned around and ran smack dab into his father. "Don't you ever sleep?" the senior Dr. Brackett queried lightly. "Dad! What on earth are you doing here at this hour?" "Attempted suicide. 604. What about you?" "Concussion. 602. Since when do you get called in for a psyche consult?" "Since I volunteered my services in the--in your E.R.. Since when do you get called in for a concussion at, " Brent paused to glance at his Rolex, " 2 a.m.?" "Since I left standing orders to be notified whenever any of my family members or close, personal friends come through the doors." "Then...you'd be called in...for me?" his father tentatively inquired. "Twice!" Kel assured him, with a wry smile, "You made BOTH lists!" The younger Dr. Brackett's smile broadened into a grin, and he disappeared behind the door to ICU Room 602. Brent Brackett chuckled and then vanished next door, into 604. ---------------------------------------- Photos : No attachments. **************************** From: 'Katherine Bird' Subject : [emergencytheaterlive] For Whom the Tome Tolls. Date : Sunday, December 15th, 2002. 23:22:09 GMT Roy and Chet beat the Engine to 213 Morrow Drive and got out. They shed helmets onto the squad's roof, knowing that they wouldn't be needing them inside. Chet was bouncing with more than just professional urgency. Nervousness was making him babble. "I don't know what you think I can do once we find him in there Roy. I'm not a paramedic." Chet whined, taking drug, IV, and the splint box from the side compartment as they hastened to gather all they would need. Roy afforded him a wry look. "You got two arms and know how to use a resuscitator. That's all you need to know if CPR's needed. I can handle the rest until the Engine gets here. It's been a half hour, no doubt Johnny's replacement has already reported in. He'll be coming with the Ward and the gang, sitting in your spot." "True enough. I wonder who was sent as Johnny's replacement.." DeSoto snatched up the defibrillator, short 02 case, the biophone and two hefty hand held flashlights. He freed one hand long enough to thumb his HT. "L.A., Squad 51. On scene." "10-4, 51." "L.A., what's Engine 51's ETA?" Before L.A. could answer, Cap's sleepy voice piped in over the open frequency, punctuated by background sirens. Roy could hear gears shifting at a rapid rate as the LaFrance wove through the late night traffic. "Squad 51, our ETA is four minutes!"Cap replied immediately. "10-4, Engine 51." Roy said. ::Man, Mike must be breaking all speed records to get here.:: Chet and Roy hurried to the front porch landing with all of their equipment. The full moon had settled over the trees, making the neatly fire station gang weeded stone path, invisible, but Roy and Chet already knew the front garden sidewalk's curves by heart. Kelly asked a question. "Just what did the dispatcher tell you about this potentially injured guy?" he panted, as Roy and he pushed opened the front door with their hips and rushed into the main entrance hall. Chet could still see the wrappers they had left behind from Johnny's nasal cannula tubing Cap had used on him and from Marco's left over bandaging on the oriental rug by the stone bench. Roy immediately got his bearings and started running up the main staircase to the second floor of the vast, dark Victorian mansion. They both returned to the library at the head of the stairs. "Chet, it went like this. Dispatch said Margaret, the lady we found, is Fajou's sister and that it was she who called in last night's run on her husband, Norman. Dispatch thought her nuts when she started yelling about him being lost in a secret passage.." "So that explains the mismatched gender on the call; Man down, when we found a woman. " "Yeah.." Roy said., hurrying even faster. Chet said. "She must've panicked, trying to find him. Don't blame her. These are number one grade A creepy surroundings, man." If she freaked, she could've fallen and hit her head easily." "That's what I'm guessing." Roy said. Fireman and paramedic plunked down all of their gear on the carpetting in the dark library and both immediately went to the rows and rows of ornate bookshelves, seeking out one title that Gage had embedded into their minds so urgently.... Unconsciously, they turned protectively back to back to each other, and turned in place eyeing the wall to wall book shelving all around them with their flashlights. Chet whistled, "Man, where do we start?" "Anywhere.." Roy licked dry lips, but smiled when he heard the sounds of Engine 51 approaching. He lifted his HT. "Squad 51 to Engine 51. We're in the library." "10-4. There in one.." Stoker acknowledged. Roy turned back to a twitchy Kelly. "Johnny said the title of the book that activated the passageway's door read,..The Mystery On Dobbin's Moor.." Chet and Roy fell mute when thousands of books met their sight. And most of them were almost too dusty to read. "And I promised myself I'd never come back here.." Kelly said, "That's what I get for having an overactive curiosity about this house. We'll never find it in time, Roy.. Geez, the guy's been lying alone for hours. He might even be dead already." "Yeah, well. Third time on a run to the same location's always a charm. I prefer to think positively." Roy grunted. "Now, let's start shedding some light here. Literally." DeSoto jogged back to the door they entered and found a long velvet pull cord set into the ceiling. He pulled it and electric lights in Victorian glass lamps brightly illuminated the room. "Let's assume Johnny didn't climb that book ladder to find it, and that he only looked at something at eye level. He was looking for his helmet that he had set down. So it makes sense he wouldn't have been looking anywhere over our heads." he sighed. Then he paused, thinking... "Chet, where exactly did we find Margaret on the floor, I don't remember. I was too focused on making sure she was still breathing to recall." Chet shrugged and paced to the place. "Right about here.." he gestured. "Next to the desk, like this.." and he laid down on the floor to show Roy how she had been positioned. Roy place his feet next to where Chet's shoes lay and turned, looking at the desk. He found hand prints on the mirror and a blood stain where Margaret's head had impacted its edging. "Her lump was on the left occipitally, so she had to be facing this way.." Roy turned to his right, "...when she fell against the desk." Chet got to his feet. "Look!" he shouted, aiming his flashlight's beam. "A larger hand print!" he said pointing it out on a dusty tome immediately next to the mirror. "That's got to be Johnny's. It still looks fresh." Roy "It is..There's the title we've been looking for." Roy's hand was just about to pull it when 51's engine crew and Paramedic Craig Brice rushed into the room loaded with wall cracking equipment. Cap rushed to their sides. "Any luck yet?" "Right here, Cap." Roy said. "We found the triggering mechanism. Johnny said it was disguised as this fake book here." "All right, stand back." Captain Stanley ordered. "If that bookshelf's opening mechanism malfunctioned enough to shove Johnny down a flight of stairs, it'll still be malfunctioning. Be careful. Things like this usually rotate on a counter weight balance." Chet smirked, "Hey Cap, all the sudden you're a haunted house secret passageway expert on top of being a fire department captain?" Stanley shot a look at Kelly. "Not even pretending, Kelly. Just guessing here. I'm remembering the weird hidden revolving stone door we found in that winery basement fire last month. Remember that fire? Well I had a chance to talk with the restaurant designer we rescued about it all while I bandaged up burns he got on his hands trying to save that hundred year old Cabernet Sauvignon wine bottle." "Oh yeah. What a tragedy! A two thousand dollar bottle of bino. Poof. Up in smoke." Marco said. Mike said. "I remember him, a real character. Didn't know whether I was talking to Frank Lloyd Wright or Stephen King." Craig Brice interrupted them. "Ah, gentleman. We can talk about all this fascinating gothic architecture and about the old wine later, hmm? We're here on a rescue call. I suggest we stick to the matters at hand. Our victim is expecting us to save him with all due haste." Chet sniped back, "Yeah? Well Cap flapping his gums, Brice, is to make sure we don't end up dead before we can even get to the guy. Patience. Strange thing with you saying that, Brice, you usually know paramedic protocol better than any of us. Remember rule number one? 'First, secure the scene?' " Craig didn't take offense. "Indeed. Proceed all. I'll get the gear set up." He laid out an EKG monitor onto the rug, quickly followed by the defibrillator case. Cap said, "Ok, Marco, get that crow bar set. Mike get ready to jam your roof axe into the hinge axel that'll expose itself once the bookshelf swings open. That should hold things long enough for us to get Bentley out of there." Roy pulled the pseudobook lever. There was a groan of stone and a loud bang which Chet recognized. "This is the right way.. I remember that sound!" He barely waited for Marco and Stoker to wedge axe and crow bar into the brick wall gears before plunging into the darkness of the stair well. Sure enough, his flashlight beam caught a dim figure at the bottom of the landing. The gang all shoved into the narrow passageway. Roy was quickly down the rock stairway, with all the others close on his heels. "Hey sir..! Can you hear me?" Kelly butted in front of him and reached for the figure's neck. A large spider jumped out from around the man's hairline in a defensive leap, guarding its territory. "Ahhh!!" Chet leaped backwards with a shout, crashing into Roy, Stoker and Cap behind him, and all four fell onto their butts on the stone steps. "Kelly do you mind?" Cap said. "Sorry Cap. I.. guess I'm more than a little jumpy." Roy was already at their victim's side, aiming a flashlight towards his face. "Hey Cap, look at this. It's a wax work figure." All four guys crowded around Roy and looked. "A fake body." Cap sighed. "I should have known. This house IS a working creepshow." Chet had already overcome his fright. "Man, Johnny's gonna be bummed he took a fall over a dummy." and the guys laughed. Then a low moan attracted their attention. Every one of them shot their flashlight beams into the cobwebby room beyond the stair's landing. Shushes abounded as everyone strained to hear more. Cap held up a glove for silence and he shouted. "Norman Bentley! Shout if you can hear us!" They were met with an eerie quiet. "Ok, gang. Spread out. Search pattern. And stay within eyesight at all times. This place is a deathtrap to the uninitiated." "Seems like even the caretakers were under informed." Brice shouted from where he was listening to the gang from where he was waiting in the library with an open comm to Rampart. "Unlucky them." Lopez groaned. At the back of the room, another figure startled them, a huge looming, silver form standing in their light beams. "Well, I'll be d*mned." Kelly whispered. "There IS an iron maiden in the basement." Cap and Roy shot him a dirty look. Another trickling moan met their ears, weaker than the last, followed by an echo which sounded like hollow metal pinging. They all paused in their tracks trying to pin down a place that would cause a moan to sound like that. "Maybe Norman found the Maiden, too." Lopez said fearfully. "It's the only hollow thing down here." Come on!" Kelly agreed. All the firemen hastened to open the heavy wrought iron case. While they shouted for Norman to answer them, the faint, low moaning stopped. It was almost a full two minutes more before the firemen figured out the tricky old device's release latches and freed their victim. Out tumbled an older man bonelessly, comatose and dusky blue. "Mr. Bentley?" Roy said, catching him. They set him on the stone floor and DeSoto quickly grabbed his head and listened carefully over his nose and mouth after tipping his chin back. "Move it guys. He's quit breathing.." Roy said and he firmly began mouth to mouth. Mike Stoker began opening the man's shirt hastily for CPR. Chet rushed to the foot of the stairs and shouted. "Hey Brice! Toss down the resuscitator. On the double!" Craig did so, and Kelly caught the case as deftly as a basketball. He rushed back and together, Mike and Chet got the unit turned on. They both swiftly fitted the tubing and the moulded face piece into place. Roy tilted back Norman's head further on his next breath, until a better airway was secured. Then he set the positive pressure mask Kelly handed him over the suffocated man's face, and sent a set of rapid ventilations of pure O2 deep into Norman's chest with the thumb trigger. Roy's free fingers found a beat just under the man's jawline. He waved Mike off from his hands-on-waiting for-word-to-go CPR position. "Stoker, it's ok. He's still got a pulse.." he told him. "It's weak, but there." All the gang sighed and relaxed just a bit. After only a minute more supported O2, the very lucky Norman roused and began coughing. He weakily shoved the ventilation mask away with a confused mumble. Cap attempted to get the groggy man's attention. "Mr. Bentley? It's ok. We're with the L.A. County Fire Department, we got a call from your wife that you were lost down here. How are you feeling?" Norman's eyes blearily made out Roy and all the gang's faces. "Oh my, never.. shoulda gone exploring..Ohhh.. That d*mned thing trapped me..." he said with a grimace towards the Iron Maiden that had entombed him for a day. "How did you ever get in there?" Cap wanted to know. Kelly helped the man sit against the Maiden to ease his breathing a little more, at Roy's unspoken nod to do so. "Oh, I've got a headache that won't quit.." Norman groaned and gratefully took the mask Roy still held against his nose and mouth. He inhaled in a few more shots of oxygen, then blinked his eyes as clarity came slowly back. It arrived along with a healthy sense of self consciousness the more Norman thought about where he was and what had happened to him. Finally, he sighed, answering the tall fire department captain. "I....wanted to know what it was like being inside one of them. Stupid really. Didn't know there was no handle on the inside." Chet sighed. "No kidding.. Didn't think a torturing device would have one." Marco smacked Chet on the arm to keep him quiet. Cap sighed, rubbing his sleep mussed hair and said, "Well live and learn from this, Norman. Looks like no lasting harm done. But sir, I'm afraid we've got some off news about your wife. She .. well,...panicked a bit when she didn't hear you answer her calling your name and slipped a bit, upstairs." "Is Maggie ok?" Norman gasped. "Is she here? Oh my goodness.." "She's fine, sir. Relax. She's just getting an ice pack for her head at Rampart Emergency, most likely, and a few precautionary X-rays. We'll be bringing you to where she is in a few minutes." Cap said. "Oh, bother.. Glad she's all right. Thank you boys, for looking out for her," he sighed, "and me for that matter.." and took another pull off the mask, saying more. "Margaret doesn't have the same sense of adventure I do about her brother's house. Me, I'm like a kid turned loose in a candy store.." and he started laughing to the point of coughing. "Easy.." Roy said, "Just keep using this oxygen here. I'm afraid you're still as gray as she is...." he quipped, patting the Iron Maiden next to them. That only brought more laughter from Norman and he rapidly improved colorwise soon there after. Chet and Cap had already ruled out the need for a stokes. Roy agreed with them and he finished putting away the positive pressure valve, trading it for a cannula. "Feel well enough to stand, Norman? " Roy asked him. "We've got another paramedic with all of our equipment up the stairs here. If you'd let us, we'd like to check ya out to make sure you didn't come to any permanent harm." Roy asked him. "You're so nice, all of you men. And for coming all the way over here just to get me out of my bind." he said. "Yes. I do believe I can. " and he let himself be raised and supported between Stoker and Marco until he regained shaky feet. "Say fellas, when you were searching for me, did you spot Reggie's wetbar? I'm awful thirsty from being cramped in there all night. A brandy would really hit the spot right about now..." "Amen to that sir." Chet nodded animatedly. Cap glared at Kelly. "Just go get the gear, Kelly. We're going upstairs." Roy quickly diverted Mr. Bentley from the jibbing Captain Stanley to Chet Kelly exchange. "Let's just start with a glass of water from the kitchen, all right? " Roy told him with a grin. "And maybe we'll be asked to get an IV or two going a bit later.." he said thoughtfully. "An IV? What's that? Anything like a V-O?" Mr. Bentley asked with an innocent curiosity. "I know about those, Margaret says Reginald likes to drink them while he bakes things in the kitchen." Roy grinned and then began explaining in detail about what would go on with Norman and his prehospital care and about what the doctor on the other end of the biophone would probably order, as they all slowly made their way up the slate gray stones, step by step. On the way, and last in line, Chet snatched up Gage's helmet after making very sure no new spiders were calling it home. He was still unnerved by the bug he had seen and Norman's close call, but his sense of humor was still completely intact. So was his keen entrepeneurial instinct that always seemed to pop up after a crisis. "Say, Mr. Bentley. Did you know you could probably make a fortune opening up this place to school kids around Halloween time? You three might make even more money then, in one month, than you do right now giving the studios kids THEIR tours, all year. Reggie would still be able to hand out his gingerbread cookies anytime he feels like it. And I'm sure the guys here with me would love to help out this fall in costumes or something, too." Marco and Mike began to shake their heads vehemently out of Norman's eyeshot but stopped immediately when the old man noticed them doing something beyond helping him climb steps. Chet got braver as the gem of his idea, blossomed in the wake of his spider fright. "Yeah, now that I think about it, my Cap would make a GREAT Frankenstein." "Really?" Norman chirped up, fiddling with the cannula that had been set around his face as he let his rescuers sit him into a leather library recliner by a roaring fireplace that had somehow, mysteriously, lit itself. Chet said sotto voce. "Oh yeah, sir. I know because he's a regular holy terror whenever he goes without sleep or when any station wide inspection date rolls around." Kelly never saw the boot Cap connected with his rear, sending him out the library door in an unsubtle hint to tell the ambulance attendants where to rendevous with them all. ----------------------------------------------------- A week later, the gang sat around the kitchen table eating lunch, without much gusto. Even Mike looked quieter than usual. Marco finally piped up, breaking the soft sounds that all their forks were making as they each half heartedly played with their food. "Man, I'm really going to miss the little guy." "Yeah. And we just got the paint to dry on old Henry's dog house too." Mike Stoker agreed. Stoker and Lopez both let out matching sighs. Captain Stanley narrowed his eyes at his men from around his chilidog as he bit into it. He chewed loudly and without apology. "Come off it you two. You saw the way Reggie, Maggie and Norman's eyes lit up when they saw Chester Bartholomew run up to them when they came here to give us all gingerbread cookies to thank us for all we've done. It was like twenty years of loneliness just rolled right off their shoulders. What else could I have done?" Chet groused. "You couldn't've found them another puppy?" "As if I could've right at that moment, Kelly. Hush, and eat your food before it gets cold." Another two minutes of no one chewing, stretched intolerably. Cap cleared his throat and addressed his depressed crew, "Now, Come on gang. We just all have to get used to having a station without a mascot again. Won't be hard. Not at all. I mean we..we..we managed to survive after Henry left. Right?" Everyone grudgingly agreed, until a voice rang out. "Barely. We didn't sleep for a week. Remember?" Chet insisted morosely. "I don't know about you, Cap. But I missed him terribly. All but broke my heart. Sort of like ..." and he lowered his voice.." the way.. I feel...." and he took a bite of biscuit to hide what he was feeling."....right ...now..about Chester." Captain Stanley shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "Yeah, well, Kelly. uh... I know it's tough. It's rough on all of us.. But, consider our giving Chester away a good deed and let's leave it at that." Roy regarded Chet with a calm encouraging grin. "He's right Chet. Just think how happy Chester will be when he can play with all the school kids everyday when they come to visit Mr. Fajou and the Bentleys to get their gingerbread cookies." His grin fell away when Chet's paper didn't stop separating Kelly from the rest of those around the kitchen table. Gage loudly coughed, getting everyone's attention. He wore a very serious face as he said. "I still think you made a horrible mistake Cap. I really think that you must've .." and his face lit up with laughter."...given away the wrong Chester B, You should've given them Kelly here and saved us a whole lotta future grief." Johnny joked. "Very funny Gage." Chet said, finally taking some bait. "I'll remember that the next time you get lost and your buns are roasting in a hot fire and I'm the one sent to look for ya." The gang chuckled, thinking they were finally lifting away the dark cloud hanging over Kelly's head. Even Cap finally got up out of his chair and strode over to Henry's old dog house and he patted its newly restored paint job. "Listen gang...uh, despite what I've decided here, it doesn't mean we can't keep our eye out, you know, from looking for the next stray to come along. Am I right? Heck. We see tons of em every fire. " Gage was still frowning because it had finally sunk in that his attempt at humor had actually failed to get Chet out of his pity pit. "Yeah, Cap. That's... that's a really good idea. We'll uh, just, we'll just go about our business and wait for another dog or something to come to us." "Exactly Gage.. " Cap agreed. "My guess is the next dog to land at Station 51 will do it OUT of a baby basket and without any mysterious note attached around his neck." "Here. here." Johnny piped up in a toast, raising his mug of coffee. "To Chester Bartholomew. Once a puppy lost, now a pup found, and living it up in the coolest house a dog could ever wish for, the Morrow Drive Movie Mansion." The gang all joined in the toast whole heartedly, hooting a few whistles and cheers until Chet finally raised his mug, too. Everyone pretended not to see the water glistening in Chet Kelly's eyes as he looked for the millionth time at a photo of Chester Bartholomew that he had carried in his uniform pocket ever since the first day the tiny beagle pup had arrived on the kitchen doorstep, as they drank in the little dog's honor. As if by magic, a box of tissue suddenly appeared out of nowhere, shoving underneath the funnies Chet was only pretending to read. ------------------------------------------------ Dixie McCall watched the three well dressed diners surrounding her at a Manny's Fine Dining white topped table, and smiled. Her wildest long time wish, had finally come true at last. Kel Brackett sat with his mother and his father, all together, at one table. Dixie grinned even bigger. ::It's been three hours. And the sparks still aren't flying. You know, sometimes I amaze even myself. Maybe I should study to become a doctor AND a psychologist, just to make it official someday:: she considered. Dixie sipped her Amaretto sour and studied her friends' faces as they shared their life stories of the past ten years with other, in full, heartfelt, gritty detail. But Dixie felt she didn't even need to listen. It was enough just to be there. ::Nah..:: she thought about her future career plans once more. ::Why should I even bother? I get to enjoy the rewards of doing that kind of work right now. No muss, ...no fuss. And what I'm witnessing right now is a fine, fine example of the power of human reconciliation at its very best.:: Dixie was absolutely sure that Joe Early next to her was revelling too, in the fact that not once through the entire nine course dinner, had Kel Brackett's anxiety tied face twitch, revealed itself. ::Yeah. Somedays I really love my job.:: Dixie mused once again. :: I couldn't be any happier, I think ever, ...than I am.....right ........now..:: Wordlessly, she clinked her drink with Joe's as they both continued to be inadvertantly ignored by their close companions. Pleased as punch, Dixie McCall and Joe Early both tuned back into the animated dinner conversation going on around them and nurse and doctor both, privately went on celebrating and watching with both eyes as the old Brackett family circle remade itself into something .... finally and truly, everlasting. ----------------------------- Photo : Cap and John wearing helmets looking worried. Photo : Chet in turnout, with an axe. Photo : A creepy house. Photo: Roy with an unconscious man in a dirty setting. Photo : Dixie out of uniform in street clothes. Photo : A tiny beagle pup, running in play. Photo : Station 51, in daylight under blue skies. ************************************ FIN FATHER AND SON :) This Episode is Dedicated to Dee Dee Sullivan :) Who Is Healing from a Lumbar CNS Injury :) @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Story Unfolds... Season One, Episode Three.. Juxtaposition ********************************* From: Fran Catrair Date: Sun Dec 15, 2002 11:57 pm Subject: Rainy Days and Mondays It was a dreary, gray day in Southern California, with a hint of rain in the air. It was the kind of day that made the quiet Roy DeSoto even more reserved than normal, and he sighed in melancholy, not touching his breakfast. His partner looked up at the sound and noticed his partner's troubled expression. The engine crew had left earlier on a call, but Cap had just radioed in, saying they would be back at the stationhouse shortly. For the moment, though, they had the place to themselves. "What's wrong, Roy?" Johnny asked his dour partner. ::Like he's going to tell me.:: Johnny thought grimly. It had been like pulling teeth just to find out when Roy's birthday was. He had even asked Cap to pull a few strings at personnel for the information, but Cap had refused, saying if Johnny wanted to know when Roy's birthday was so badly, he should find out for himself. Roy continued skating his fork around his plate, the sausage attached causing a nice track in the maple syrup left on his plate from his now just eaten pancakes. "Nothing, Johnny. Just thinking." Roy responded absently. ::Why am I NOT surprised?:: Johnny thought to himself in exasperation. He was about to try another tact when the station alarm klaxon sounded. Both men got up from the table quickly, sparing a moment to look at each other in concern. The longer klaxon meant the situation was not good. ##Squad 51...Engine 51...Batallion 8... overturned schoolbus....715 Dorchester Blvd...seven-one-five Dorchester Blvd... Cross street Hamilton...Time out...0827." Johnny quickly jotted the information down on a piece of paper and reached for the station mic. ##Squad 51...KMG365.## he acknowledged. Johnny immediately sprinted to the awaiting squad. As the garage door opened, both men looked out to see the cloudy morning had turned into a downpour. Grimly, Roy turned on the windshield wipers. As the squad left the dry stationhouse, he sighed again and said, "I hate rainy days... and Mondays!" ----------------------------------------------- Photo: The Gang hanging around the apparatus bay by the squad. Photo : The Intercom Speaker announcing a rescue. *animated gif * : A flashing rack of red and white vehicle rescue lights. ********************************* From : "Fran Catrair" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Mudslide Date : Thu, 19 Dec 2002 02:06:39 -0600 Johnny wordlessly looked out the window at the rain coming down around him. He glanced at his partner's grim expression and sighed quietly, looking back out the window. He was trying to think what Roy might be thinking. ::Kids okay...fight with Joanne?:: he wondered. Well, nothing he could do about it until after the call. The squad's sirens continued to wail and Roy's face was almost unreadable. Until Cap's voice came out over the Station frequency. ##L.A., This is Engine 51. Is it known how many casualties might be involved?"## "Roy, what's the matter?" "Hmm?" Roy replied, still listening to the exchange between dispatch and their captain going over their radio. The rain came down harder, making the road flood. Roy was forced to slow down and so did the engine behind them. "What is it, Roy?", Johnny asked, more firmly this time. Roy sighed and voiced his long held thoughts. "I've been having a feeling something bad was going to happen today. Just a feeling. My son was going to the Musuem of Natural History for a field trip today. They were to leave immediately this morning.", Roy finished, his voice shaky and tapering slightly. Johnny was stunned by the news. "Maybe it's not their bus, Roy. I mean, how many schools must be having field trips today?", he said, trying to take his partner's mind off the worst. "It's them," Roy said, quietly. "It's them." Sam's voice came over the radio. #Engine 51...casualties unknown at this time. CHP is on the scene.# Caps' voice came very fast. ##10-4, L.A. Our ETA is..... four minutes..## Roy skidded a little too fast around a turn and the squad shimmied around a corner and almost fishtailed before he regained control. John said. "Want me to drive? We can radio in to the Engine.. Tell em why.." Roy looked firmly at John and shook his head vehemently. His face screwed up in concentration, as he willed the squad to go on. At last, they could see the scene in the distance. The yellow Blue Bird cab was fully on its side and along the margin. The front end was buried deeply in slag from the rain soaked hillside. "Mudslide!!" Johnny said. "Roy.. can you tell. Is it the same bus?" "I don't know. I don't know...." Roy said. Cap's voice filtered firmly into them as they pulled just behind the rear of the bus, pulling up so the squad was acting as a buffering obstacle between the bus and oncoming traffic. ##Squad 51. Stay right where you are. And enter the scene from there. Stoker pull ahead to the car and those power lines. Looks like they're down. L.A. Cut power to the north side of the freeway overpass at mile marker seventy four!## A fierce bolt of lightning shot down from the dim sky and the rain came down in torrents as Johnny and Roy ran out of the squad's cab for their gear and extrication equipment. They ran for the nearest thing they could see, the back of the bus and the emergency exit there. ##10-4, 51.##, dispatch responded. Johnny and Roy could see the bus was rocking slightly. They knew with the rain coming down and the mud, the bus could be buried deeper, and rapidly. They needed to act fast. "Cap, we're gonna need the K-12.. Looks like the rear hatch is jammed in here real good!" Roy said. He desperately tried to wipe away the mud and steam on the windows, but he could see nothing of the interior. Johnny began shouting. "Can anybody hear me?! Fire department!!" Weak high pitched screams met their ears and a bloody palm impacted the window right by Johnny's face.. ::Oh my G*d.:: Right next to him, Roy flinched. Roy was trying to clear away the debris from the hatch to place the K-12 when he saw it. Number 62. He looked at Johnny. "Number 62. It's his bus.", he said. Finally, Chet and Marco arrived with the K-12. They observed the tenseness of both paramedics. "What's going on?" Chet demanded. "Ohmyg*d, Johnny..".. Roy gasped. "I can't do this.." and he nearly fell to his knees. Gage got on his HT. ##Cap! Stoker. On the double! We need man power now. Roy's kid is here!## Chet opened his mouth and closed it, shocked. He and Marco quickly took the K-12 to the rear hatch. Both men had a look of determination on their faces. This rescue had become personal. Captain Stanley ran, slipped and skidded in the mud until he grabbed the side of the bus to steady himself. "Gage, take over primary care triage. Roy, stay out here. And that's an order!" Right then, the roar of water from a storm drain caved in a part of the road underneath the toppled bus and its side split open like a tin can, spilling a tiny body in a girl's skirt, onto the road and into the drain in a rush..... Gage made a leap for the tiny feet but wasn't fast enough. Cap grabbed him first and said, "No!! Get a life line first! Now.. We don't know how deep it is in there!" DeSoto ran for the squad to get one. Roy sprinted to the right compartment, slipping and trying desperately to stay on his feet. Then he slid back to the back of the bus, wordlessly thrusting the lifelines at Cap and Johnny and tying one onto himself. "Oh no! No!" Roy said, when the feet slipped again just as he grabbed for them. The tiny body disappeared in a rage of flooding brown water and was gone. Johnny grabbed Roy's lifeline and secured it, proceeding back to the bus area. "Roy, there's nothing we can do! Get up! She's dead.." --------- Gage approached the bus. Chet and Marco were beginning to check the victims closest to them. They knew they would need to free them first, but they needed to be sure it would be safe to move them. Chet shouted. "Johnny. I got a probable skull fracture here. I got bleeding in the ears on this one.." he said, looking up, with a hand on the small boy's stomach. Marco was speaking quietly with five others, telling them to hurry out to Cap who was gesturing to them. "Go to the tall man over there. He'll take care of you.." ---------------------------------------- Photo : Cap looking tense in helmet closeup. Photo : Johnny in a storm drain with a child. Photo : Roy and Johnny in full turnout by the engine. ******************************* From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : Every Parent's Nightmare... Date : Fri, 27 Dec 2002 21:09:34 +0400 Captain Stanley had one eye on the kids Lopez had directed to him, the other, on Roy. "That's it. Come on out of the bus. Don't worry about fire. It's raining good out here..There's no way things are gonna burn." his voice said gently to them as he took them one by one by the arms and lifted them from the wreckage. When the last walking little girl was taken by a CHP, Cap turned to his HT. ##L.A. This is Engine 51. Respond a full landslide detail to our scene. The freeway's in danger of a mud avalanche.## ##10-4, 51.## and Cap sighed as he heard dispatch call out the run also to Station 10 and 114. He turned his attention to the long board Chet had laid out by his head injury's side and helped Lopez and Kelly secure and free the boy from his place underneath the seats. Gage was already hyper paramedic mode. Only the slightest stress in his tone gave away the fear he felt still having Roy's son, among those not yet found. "Easy, Chet. Keep those sandbags on either side of his head. He's breathing fine. Hold it a sec, Just let me get this peds airway in." Johnny looked up. "Cap!" "Yeah.." Stanley said, peeking through the ripped side of the upside down school bus over the rushing river of muddy water running down the curbside of the road. He didn't look at the sewer grate which had cost the little girl, her life. "This next one's gonna need O2. Have a man hyperventilate him until I can get to him!" Johnny gasped, ducking around metal shards and debris. "You got it pal.." Cap said. He looked up at Roy as two policemen in yellow rain gear took the tiny boy's longboard and got him out of the bus. "Roy.. Take him." he said, shaking the pouring rain off his helmet so he could see where Marco Lopez and Chet Kelly were working better. "Huh?" Roy said, still dazed by his private nightmare. In his head, his own voice was screaming. ::Chris? Where are you??! Ohmyg*d Chris! Be ok. Be ok! Johnny. You find him. Find him fast..:: he thought, but out loud . "Right.." he said. "Have him set over here, I'll take a look at him." DeSoto got out a peds BP cuff and set it around Chet's victim's arm. He got a palpated brachial pulse of sixty. ::Too slow.. D*mn. Brain stem head injury..:: The tiny comatose boy's unequal and fixed and abnormal eyes and his soaring BP confirmed the finding. "Keep tabs on his carotid, Ben." he told the CHP officer who knelt with the resuscitator Cap handed him. "Ventilate him 30 a minute on 100 % O2, ok? Time it to work with his inspirations." "Got it.." the highway patrol officer said, setting the tank's smaller fitted mask over the boy's nose and mouth. He began using the thumb trigger. Roy got on the phone to Rampart. "Rampart, this is squad 51. How do you read?" His heart just about pounded out of his chest when it was Dixie who answered. "Go ahead, 51. I read you loud and clear." ##Rampart. We have a multiple casualty situation. Car versus school bus. Triage is underway. So far, I've six victims. Five minor, one comatose. Victim one, a boy of six or seven. Under supported ventilation on 100 % O2. BP 142/110, pulse 60. Respirations, are in Cheynes Stokes pattern. He is immobilized with sandbags and a long board with an oral airway. There's no apparent trauma beyond a noticable depressed occipital softness at the base of his skull.## Dixie wrote down Roy's vitals set and motioned for Dr. Early to come into the radio room. "Joe, it's 51. Sounds like a real bad one. And something else too, I've never heard Roy so uptight before." "Oh?" Dr. Early toggled the intercom receiver. "51, on victim one, start an IV D5W TKO only. Maintain an airway, elevate his head, and transport as soon as possible." Then he licked his lips and asked, "Roy, just how serious is your situation?" Joe's question took Roy aback when he realized that Dr. Early wasn't only referring to the boy they had stabilized. The doctor was going outside of protocol. ::Because he knows something's up..:: Roy reasoned mentally. Roy replied. "You'll know the moment I do, doc. Wish I could tell you more. All I know is that we don't know a lot of details right now and there's at least one fatality." Roy cringed when Mike Stoker ran up from the car that had caused the accident and the downed power poles. His coat wasn't even unbuttoned as it would have been had he found someone alive and revivable. "DeSoto.." Mike called out. "The victim in the car's a Code F. Looks like because of electrical shock. He's been down too long. Pupils are fixed and dilated and there's already lividity showing in his lower extremities." "Got it, Stoker.." Roy said. Then he turned back to the phone. "Rampart, raise that number to two Code F. Victim one's loading with Squad 10. I estimate their ETA to you around ten minutes. Please stand by for further victims.." ##Standing by.## Joe said. --------------------------------- Roy saw the Mayfair recede into the distance through the noisy rain down the highway and away from the scene of mud and multilated metal. He tried not to imagine the little girl who had drown down the drainage grate. Inside the bus, the going was slow. Johnny felt bloody neck after bloody neck and found no signs of life. He gestured to Kelly. "Get those seats outta there. Forget these six, they're gone." Gage bent down to worm his way along the soaked floor to the next section of broken seats. More bodies and pieces of bodies. Nightmarish.. Then... "Uncle J-Johnny?" Gage's heart skipped a beat. "Chris?! Where are ya? Now don't move around. Just keep talkin to me.. Chet! I found him.. Give me your HT! " Kelly underhand tossed it to Gage like a pro. Gage caught the heavy walkie talkie and thumbed it. "Squad 51 to Engine 51. Got another survivor.. Hey Roy... Listenup..Ok, Chris.. Say something. Daddy's right outside." Gage said, handing the HT to the muddy blond headed boy cradled against his shoulder. "I'm here. I'm ok. Don't worry Daddy. Just get the other kids out. I'm fine. Really.." Outside, DeSoto let out a half sob of relief. "Chris??" Roy said, he ran for the bus. Cap stopped him. "Hey hey hey.. Now listen. It's crowded enough with Kelly, Lopez and Gage in there. You're needed out here for triage. Hang tight, Roy. Things sound good to me.. and now even better in there for them..." Roy stopped fighting Cap's hold and sagged against the bus's shell. Through a foggy window, he could see many many body sheets. "ohmyg*d." "I know.. I know.." Cap said, grasping Roy by the face. "It's bad. That's why I didn't want you in there. Now just stick with your HT and no doubt Johnny will be letting you know how he is, ok? Hang tight and just wait here.." Stanley strode away to intercept 114 coming in, to direct them to deal with the mudslide risky hill that had already claimed part of the school bus. Lopez shouted. "Hey somebody.. I need help. I found the school bus driver!" Roy glanced around and saw Chet's caked shoes deep in the seats and two sets of flashlights but no one else handy. "I gotta do it.." Roy muttered and ducked into the bus. Immediately two from Engine 10 took his place outside the tear in the side of the bus to wait for orders for extrication equipment from those working inside. Roy's breath caught deep in his throat when the smell of blood and things much worse reached his nose from the tiny bodies Chet and Johnny had covered. He began to fervently wish he had obeyed Cap's advice to stay outside. He forced his lips to work. "Marco, whatdiya got?" "He's alive. Eviscerated partially. Looks like a piece of the dash stabbed him and tore out afterwards. Lower right quadrant. Also, this mud's caving in on him. He's having a lot of trouble breathing." Lopez ducked as another gush of mud and branches from the hill slid through the shattered bus windshield and onto the driver's lap. He used his hands to scrape away the stuff from the man's nose and mouth and he bent close down to make sure air still moved effectively there. Roy never got to see the wound Lopez spoke of. It was buried in mud instantly. He shouted over his shoulder and set his HT near his ear on an overturned seat back. "You guys, on the double. Shovels and a scoop stokes. This hill's gonna go!" Roy listened closely to Johnny's heavy gasps and grunts as he and Chet maneuvered nearer to Chris through the tangle of shorn off seats even as his own hands assessed the driver. "We've got to get him out fast..Now. Long board or no long board. Marco..watch his airway!" "I know.. This mud's crushing him.." "Just keep him breathing.. even if he quits.." Roy said, leaning over to try and dig the muck away from the driver's lower half with only his gloved hands. The mud flowed in faster than he could push it away. Marco groaned in frustration and renewed his jaw lift on the unconscious man with one hand and felt his chest with the other. "So far so good. He's still here." Roy continued to free the driver. ------------------------------------------------ Chet Kelly put on his best smile. It didn't fool Chris. Something was filling all of his thoughts beyond getting out to Roy. "Uncle Johnny. I tried.. I tried so hard.. Ahh!" he grimaced, when Gage's questing hands found where his leg was pinned in a knot of seat. "Yeah, Uncle Johnny, right there. My knee I think. But listen to me.. ugh.. I tried so hard, I really tried keeping her awake with stories, but Carrie got quiet on me." "Who's Carrie?" Johnny said, "Easy, lie back down.." "S-She's right over..t.." Chris tried to point but couldn't quite remember where his seatmate was trapped. He started to sob as a frightening memory resurfaced. "I- I couldn't reach her when she stopped breathing, Mr. Kelly.." "Where is she?!" Chet asked urgently. Chris's tear filled eyes were blurred and his panic barely veiled as an odd maturity for a boy his age took over. "Right there.. She stopped making noises just before you got here. She's right under your arm, Mr. Kelly, underneath that cushion.." Kelly heaved a heavy seat cover away from where Chris's shaky hand was pointing. A tiny girl in pink lay twisted underneath it, but her face was blue. Gage startled. "Kelly?" Chet crawled out of Johnny's eyesight to get close to the girl's body. "Got her.." Johnny heard and soon there after, sounds of rescue breathing began. Gage sighed in double sympathy when those sounds were separated with pauses for cardiopulmonary compressions. "Keep working her, Chet.. I'll be right there." Johnny said. "Here.. See if she's reactive..." Johnny said and he rolled his penlight through the narrow space between them. Chet snatched up the light and a few seconds later said. "Good going Chris.. She's got responsive eyes. We might be able to bring ..........her back.." "Heh.. " the DeSoto boy smiled. "Dad taught me a few things about first aid. Like to try and keep a head bumped kid conscious... But why didn't it w-work for..Car- didn't work for..." John noticed Chris's head beginning to sag. "Chris. Where else do you hurt besides that knee.. Chris?.." But Chris went out and went very pale. Gage kept a grip on his partner's son's arm artery. ::Fast heart rate. Now what's causing this blackout?:: Johnny yanked a stubborn seat frame out of the way and found a deep cut in Chris's thigh. He pulled off his pants belt and made a tourniquet out of it, glancing at his watch for the time he began its constricting lack of blood flow. Then he made sure Chris was stable enough to be left alone. He spoke into his walkie talkie. "Cap. We gotta move. We've got a little girl in witnessed cardiac arrest and a leg bleeder." Johnny amended his transmission. "..who's stable.. " he added for Roy's benefit. Then he slid over near Chet to help him try to revive the girl. "You take her head. I got it here.." he said, taking over Kelly's one arm CPR for him. Chet looked up in between delivering breaths. "How is he?" "Fine. Just stressed. His leg's pinned and he's got a deep laceration on the thigh. Venous hemorrhaging only, thank g*d. Whatdidya find on Carrie?" Gage grunted as he worked. "Her pupils constricted right off, both of them. Equally." "Good, a little epi will..." "Here..." came a new voice from over their heads. Roy DeSoto was crawling over the seats with a one CC epinephrine syringe in between his teeth. "Roy! What are ya doing in here? Cap told you t-" "Shut up junior, and let me at one of her arms." Roy said, grinning. "If this doesn't work, Cap's got the defib on eighty watts outside." Gage kept up his CPR wordlessly. Chet didn't stop either with his ventilations. Two seconds after Roy gave Carrie the injection, the girl pinked up and started coughing. Gage flipped her over onto her side, as she spat fluid and blood out of her mouth, murmuring encouragements. Kelly stayed nearby and gratefully snatched the portable O2 another fireman handed him and began holding its mask over the restless girl's face while Gage calmed her down. A herd of elephants couldn't keep Roy away and Johnny grinned when Roy lifted the heavy piece of roofing between him and Chris as if it were so much styrofoam. "He's fine, Roy.. Just shaky. It's just that leg. Constricting band went on two minutes five ago.." Roy watched as Chris's eyes opened at the slightest touch of his fingers on his son's carotid pulse. "Chris?" "Ummm?,....ugh....." then his full awareness returned. "Dad.. How is she?" "How's who? Mom? She doesn't know yet." "No, Carrie." "Oh, the little girl you found. Thanks to your help, we got her back, she's even protesting getting moved a little." Roy said as Carrie made a fuss over being lifted into the scoop stokes for her evac out of the overturned school bus. "How are you doing?" "Fair, I guess. I'm awake, aren't I?" "Yep." Roy said. "You hang tight. " Roy said, covering his son up with a snug blanket. He set a cannula over his face and into place strictly for precautionary measures. "I got this on ya just.." "..Just to prevent shock.. I know.." Chris said. Roy ruffled his hair and kissed his forehead. "Johnny and I will be nearby until we get that seat cut away from your leg. Nothing's broken. Just.." "..cut... I know.. I felt it earlier before I started worrying about Carrie.." "Yeah.." "Dad..." "What..?" "You can leave me now. I'm not bad off. You're suppose to help the ones worse off first." "But.." "Dad.. Go. I'm not a triage priority..." "Better listen to him Roy." Johnny smiled cockeyed as he finished his sweep of the seats around them. "Honorary Paramedic Christopher DeSoto knows what he's talking about.." That cracked a muddy smile onto Chris's face. His father matched it with a smirk of his own. "All right. Chris, hang onto this and HT me if you need anything. I got Uncle Johnny's HT with me.." "Deal.." Chris sighed. He set the heavy firefighter's walkie talkie by his own head and tossed his head at his father to hustle off. "I'll let the other firemen know where ya are." Gage grinned as he helped the other rescue team move Carrie out for further treatment. He had heard every word Roy and Chris said to one another. ::Well, looks like this scary run's got a softer side after all..:: he thought. -------------------------------------------- Outside, the rain resurged and only a minute later the hillside gave up the ghost and fifteen tons of rain slicked slurry bore down on the bus and firemen working frantically to free the children still trapped inside of it. Cap's voice cracked out over Chris's and Roy's HT. "Look out! Mudslide!" -------------------------------------------- Photo : Cap helps Johnny rig an IV. Photo : Johnny getting a stokes out of back of the squad. Photo : .Roy at night, giving an epi shot. Photo : Joe on the run intercom. Photo : A kid trapped in a grill. *********************************** From: Sam Iam Date: Fri Dec 27, 2002 9:23 pm Subject: The Mud Wrestling Angel Johnny and Chet looked up at the dripping windows towards the roaring hill in terror. "Everybody, brace yourselves!" came Cap's shout. The four from Station 51 and the one from station ten flung themselves into the open areas of the bus away from the gaping rend in its side. Chet barely hauled Marco behind a seat when a huge, shuddering force slammed into the bus and shoved it many meters out onto the road as mud and stone cascaded wetly in the rain from the canyon's wall. Cap and those outside the bus were running. "Back! Get back!" He grabbed edges of the two stokes holding Carrie and the bus driver without stopping as police and firemen alike also snatched them up with all the medical gear they could save. Captain Stanley and the two crews of Station Ten and Station One Fourteen gasped as the rest of the hill swallowed up the school bus as if it had never been from where they ducked behind engines and heavy dredging equipment. The mudslide stopped at the freeway divider and quieted and ironically, the rain stopped, leaving pallid warm fog behind. Cap's HT immediately went to his mouth. "Engine 51 to Triage Ten and Squad 51. Do you read me?" There was no reply. He repeated his hail. Still he received only static. "Stoker! Tell Excavation Five to get over here! It'll take at least three bulldozers to get in there. Move!" Cap saw Mike Stoker's helmeted form skid in the muck on the road on his side of the slide towards the construction flatbed semi trucks just pulling up in response to the landslide call which had come in earlier from L.A. headquarters. Cap nodded in satisfaction when he saw those city men hustle faster when Stoker told them a bus with trapped kids and firemen lay beneath the pile of hillside. He again hit his call button. "Engine 51 to Triage Ten and Squad 51. Come in......" --------------------------------------------------- There were sounds of dripping in the blackness. Roy felt a small gush of warmth brush his cheek. ::That's breathing.:: "Chris?!" Roy winced when he found he couldn't move due to mud pinning him up to the waist and his head lay on something hard near Chris's chest. His voice echoed down the hollow, still bus and into pitch inky blackness and total silence. Roy's heard the hiss of the 02 over his son's face and felt his reassuring pulse under his fingers. "Chris.. Can you hear me?" Chris stayed quiet and didn't move. Then Roy remembered where he was, "Johnny? Chet?! Marco? " He heard a movement and a strange fireman's voice came near. "Easy man. I'm looking for your friends. Don't move. You were out for a while and it looks like the whole d*mned hill came down on top of us. I made sure your boy was fine when I realized you were ok." It was so dark, Roy's retinas were flashing unreal afterimages, making him blink. "You're from ten's..?" "Yeah.." came the big man's chuckle. "I'm Detello, seven year engine crew lieutenant. I covered your butt when you went against your captain's orders and climbed in here. I said you were needed to stabilize the driver." "I WAS needed to stabilize him. Marco and I barely got him out of there before the front end was buried." "I know that. Listen, DeSoto. See if that HT is still near your boy's head. They're probably worried sick out there about us." Roy felt as far as he could reach in the dripping ooze while the intense blackness made his eyes bug out uselessly in an attempt to see anything visually. "It's gone.." "Ah, well, I'll just keep crawling around over here where I saw your buddies last..." came the calm quiet voice.. "Say, gimme your penlight from your pocket, Roy.." Roy felt it and handed it out until he felt the other man's glove grope around to intercept it. "Why didn't I think of that?" he said, setting his head down into the mud and back onto the helmet Detello had placed there while he had been out cold. "You're excused, DeSoto, being you're still locked in Dad's nightmare numero uno, first class. If I were in your shoes, I don't think I'd react as well as you are knowing my kid was in here. My hat's off to you.." "I can feel that..Thanks for the pillow." he quipped. Roy winced as he saw a slimy form suddenly appear in a nimbus of light surrounded by shadows which lurched eerily in contrast, against equally slimy walls. Roy saw six inches of mud on the floor and it was slowly rising. He lifted Chris's unconscious head onto his shoulder. "Any sign of em?" "Not yet.." came Detello's calm reply. "We could have been separated from your partner, Lopez and Kelly easily. The cave in has collapsed the "roof" here." Detello rapped a piece of metal on a barrier in front of him. Three taps. Immediately, Roy heard muffled shouts and struggles. "H..u..r..r..y i..t.. u..p,...m....a...n. It's g..e..t..t..i..n..g s..t..u..f..f..y i..n h..e..r..e.." came Gage's voice. "Hang on.. Let me put a shoulder into it.." Detello shouted. Roy saw his penlight go into Detello's mouth and saw it being held switched on with his tongue while the big man muscled the metal to one side. Johnny's muddy face, lacking a helmet, met nose to nose, with Detello. He, too, had a penlight in his mouth that was lit. "Roy? You ok?" Johnny said, glancing over, and gasping. "Yeah. Any sign of Kelly or Lopez?" "Chet's moaning over by my feet. Don't know where Marco is.." Gage said. "Man, it's getting even deeper in here.." he exclaimed, keeping his head and chin out of the rising chilling mud. "I know.." Detello said. "If there's any more kids in here we missed..." He didn't finish his sentence. "Listen, Gage, you trapped too?" "Nah, I'm just wedged in here. I can usually get outta any nook and cranny. Just...uummgghhh..gimme a sec .." and he grunted. "On second thought. Gimme some leverage.." and he let Detello pull him out of the crevice he had taken refuge within. Johnny immediately removed his overcoat in the more open space above Roy and Chris and turned right around and entered head first into the hole he had just left. "Chet! I'm free. Gimme your hands.." "...w....h....a....t..?" came Kelly's muffled reply. "Gimme your hands. I'm getting you outta there! We gotta go find Marco.. And if you see my talkie in there on your way, grab it!" "R...o..y....o.k...? A...n..d.. h...i..s k...i..d..?" "Yeah, they're fine. But they aren't gonna be if we dawdle. We're getting buried in mud out here. Come on.." Johnny said crankily. "These penlight batteries aren't gonna last long." "N..o...p..r.o..b..l..e..m...G..a..g..e. I g..o..t....a... f..l..a..s..h..l..i..g..h..t..." Johnny mumbled to Detello and Roy. "Lucky ain't he? He's got a fl.." and he grunted when Chet grasped his hand and as Detello pulled Johnny by the waist in the opposite direction for Kelly's leverage. Kelly popped out of the slimy hole without his helmet. "Whoo, man.. the air was running out in there." "Yeah well just try and conserve some of it. We're sealed off in here." "Got that covered too. " Kelly said sitting up in a pool of mud, wiping off the flashlight on a dry spot on his pants. He switched it on to search for Marco. And then reached back into the hole and pulled out a second portable O2 he had found in the wreckage. "Thanks for bringing this in with ya, man.." he nodded to Station Ten's man. "It's Detello, Kelly. Glad I could oblige." "Your wreck bud get out ok?" Chet asked. "Johnson? Yeah, he went out with Carrie." Then the big curly haired fireman met Johnny's eyes. "DeSoto's fine Gage. Just blacked out for a while. His kid's still stable. Bleeding's stopped so I loosened that tourniquet completely before I went looking for you." "Smart thinking." Johnny took in a breath of oxygen off the mask from the tank Chet had retrieved. "Now, where does everybody remember Marco being when the hill fell down on top of us?" Kelly's ears strained in the darkness around the dim circle of muddy light the meager flashlight offered from its cracked lens. "Shh.shhh.. I think I hear something.." Wet slurping sounds from the "roof" glopped onto the silent seats around them. The white covered children's bodies could no longer be seen. "Chet, you're hearing things.." "Gage just ..pipe down a minute. You probably still got mud in your ears.. Listen.. What I heard came from behind you, from where the big rip in the side of the bus was.." All four firemen froze, studying the dripping globs of ooze raining down onto them and the hideously sagging ceiling, that was inexorably crushing down onto them by millimeters from the wet tonnage of the hillside on top of it. The deep mud on the floor suddenly moved in a rippling liquid way and a man's foot poked out of it, heel turned up. In horror, Roy realized the flat section he had been staring at was actually a partially submersed fireman's back. "Marco!! He's on his stomach over there. Get to him. Get to him!" he shouted. "Looks like he's pinned under the mud!" Gage and Detello and Chet splashed through the icy mud on their hands and knees and they both felt up Lopez's body to his head. Detello grabbed the mask from the spare O2 Chet had found and pushed it into the muck until he had it around Marco's face and then he pressed it hard around Lopez's struggling nose and mouth. Detello firmly held the back of Marco's head too, to get around the man's unthinking panic while he willed Marco to just blow out the mud in the mask for some much needed breathing room. Gage and Chet found the heavy section of "roof" pinning Marco's head and shoulders under the now foot deep layer of muck in the bus. It was another bus seat. "Did ya get it to him? Is he getting air?" Johnny asked Detello, as he and Chet fought to raise the metal off of Lopez. The thing wouldn't move. "Yeah, I think so.. I can feel him grabbing onto my arm.." Detello grunted. "We gotta hurry. This mask won't hold off the mud for long.. Water from the rain might still get in. And he'll drown." Marco's head was still completely buried in mud and this, Detello tried to claw away, while he shouted. "Easy man. Relax.. I got ya.. Marco. I got ya." Suddenly, Marco stopped kicking underneath their hands and his limbs settled back down into the slime. But Detello still felt his back move with the small breaths the man was buying from the hastily placed O2 mask. He saw Johnny's shocked look when Lopez went limp. "He's ok. He's ok.." Detello said. "He IS breathing. I can still feel him doing it. Just hurry and get that thing off of him." Chet and Gage rushed to get a piece of seat frame to use as a lever bar. In a minute, the heavy debris was off. Gage and Chet grabbed Marco by the hair and hauled his lolling head up into the air. They lifted and supported him into a sitting position against Gage's chest for lack of better room. Kelly wiped away the mud from Marco's nose and mouth. Lopez was barely recognizable. "Hey. Lopez.. You with us man..? Come on.. say something." Lopez stayed silent, limp as a rag doll soaked in chocolate sauce. "Oh man. He's really out.." Kelly groaned. "His mouth clear?" Johnny asked. Detello hastily looked with the flashlight. "Yeah.. He doing anything?" Gage shook his head when he didn't feel Marco's stomach move at all in his bearhug. "D*mn! Wish this mask were a ventilator." Detello said hastily wiping the muck out of the flimsy but cracked oxygen mask in his hands with his shirt tail. "Yeah? Well what ya had probably saved his life Detello. That was fast thinking.." Roy said from where he lay propped on an elbow. He had Chris's head on his arm and a hand on the boy's neck pulse. Kelly started to grasp Marco's nose and chin for a mouth to mouth seal, when Johnny said."Hang on a minute. Hang on a minute, Chet. Just hold off, we still got a minute or two to assess him. He just may be partially obstructed with mud here. He's not even cyanotic yet. Just let me check his airway first. Don't want you to aspirate anything into his lungs in your eagerness to right things." And he firmly gave Marco a couple of abdominal thrusts in a modified heimlich maneuver. Brown muck flooded out of Marco's mouth after the fourth one and the nearly suffocated man began to bubble actively and right afterwards, his arms and legs stirred in new half consciousness. "Tip him over tip him over!" Kelly said, hanging onto Marco's head as he vomited frothy sand and water out his nose and mouth. They placed him prone over an upturned seat to drain out his breathing passages and soon, Detello returned the tattered but flowing oxygen mask to the violently coughing man when he started inhaling in air more than he was spitting up water. He held it in place, until Lopez had the presence of mind to manage holding it himself. "That's it.. Welcome back to the land of the living..Marco." Gage said. "Just keep sucking on that O2 a bit." It was a full two minutes before Lopez sat up on his own. Lopez gasped. "Oh, man. Thought I was drowning. Then I felt someone push an O2 mask over my face. I ate a lot of mud but at least, I found something to breathe. Think my nose is broke though." Marco said, gingerly feeling where his nostrils were bleeding around the muddy trails under them. "Somebody had my face in a vice grip." "Sorry. That was me.." Detello said sheepishly. "The seat wasn't playing fair in your mud wrestling match. That mask was a home play advantage I couldn't resist. Had to do something drastic to even the odds." he said, getting to his feet to search for a crevasse leading to the outside or even for one of their lost walkie talkies. "Yeah? Well keep doing it. Maybe we'll all get out of here in one piece. *cough*." Marco rubbed the grit out of his eyes even as Johnny got a pulse off his other wrist. "I'm fine Gage. Leave me alone. Everyone else ok? *choke* Oh no, I see Chris's out." "I think he's sleeping." Roy said. "Though I'd feel better if he had an IV or two running into him." "Oh, you mean you're looking for this?" Detello said, wandering back to the others with a very familiar mud coated rectangular shape. Through the slime, they could just make out the yellow letters "I V" on the still intact gear box. "Detello.." Roy said plainatively. "You're simply a miracle worker, you know that?" "Yeah.. I know." He said a touch embarrassed. "Had to chew phone books to get my cap to accept me taking my promotion to engineer last year. Had to move on,.. cause the guys on the squad shifts were beginning to call me Angel.. Picture a guy my size with a radio nick like that.." he complained. "I'd get all the missing man details then for sure if word of that spread around and I'd use up all my great karma bailing them all outta their rough spots." "Yeah?, well, you definitely still got that halo in my book." Lopez muttered, rolling his eyes. Gage firmly shoved the shattered O2 mask back onto Lopez's face. "Make it in thought only man. In thought only. If I hear anyone here calling me Angel behind my back, I'm putting your man Lopez here right back into that man versus seat wrestling match, is that clear?" There was no trace of humor in Detello's voice as he glared at Chet, Johnny, and Roy. "As crystal man.." Chet swallowed nervously. "You know, " and he cleared his throat like a pinned frog. "You should seriously consider going for a captain's post next, you sure got that glare down.." "I've been practicing.." Detello muttered noisily slamming seats aside in the areas of the bus not holding dead children and carefully piling others in the areas he remembered being occupied. "I'm going for that test next year I'll have you know." "Captain Angel.. Got a nice ring to it.."Kelly whispered. "Chet.." Marco complained. "Exnay on the Oopitsday.." he said from the corner of his mouth as Johnny checked out his bleeding nose with a penlight. Gage grinned but kept out of the banter. He knew his buddies were acting what every FD man called "nuts in a handbasket", to forget the horror in the scene around them. Gage fully knew how fleeting such a false comfort could be. But he was no one to deny them the attempt. "Ohhhh. Marco.. You worry too much. He can't hear me, He's over there.." Chet grinned toothily confident. Detello said silky smooth from the darkness. "I sure can, Kelly. Better listen to mud wrestler Lopez over there." Both the men from 51 moused down. Detello went on, angling his head. "And I can hear those bulldozers buzzing around outside. Looks like both our caps are shedding bricks over us being incommunicado." And he placed hands like Atlas on the ceiling and gave it a shove. Chet almost swore he saw the ceiling rise a few centimeters. His mouth flopped open. "He's moving mountains man.. " he jabbed Marco's ribs with a slimy elbow. Lopez grimaced when that elbow caught him on a bruise from Gage's earlier heimlich thrusts. Detello pegged Chet with another stare, this time one of brainstorming regard. "Say, you're not hurt, Kelly. Why don't ya haul off that lazy rear of yours and help me birdeye one of the HT's. DeSoto won't be able to start his boy's IVs without permission from Rampart and I know I'm starting to crave my four o'clock cappucino something fierce right about now." "You got it big guy.." "Detello will do.." ----------------------- Photo : A school bus split wide open, shattered, on a road. Photo : A mudsliding hilltop. Photo : Detello from Ten's talking with Brackett in an ambulance. ****************************** From : "Cory Anda" Subject : And Into the Daylight... Date :Sat, 11 Jan 2003 09:58:13 +0000 Chet quieted down and he patted Marco on the shoulder as he crawled by Lopez as the shivering man slowly gained his equilibrium back. Gage half glanced at him in the dimness of the flashlight Kelly had handed him. "Marco... You need to be checked out? That seat hurt you anywhere?" "I'm fine, Johnny. Worry about Chris ok? Not much you can do for me anyway without the gear." and Marco coughed. "Yeah?" Gage replied with a wry weary look. "Well find something to wrap up in, you're getting hypothermic. And keep that O2 mask on while we look for the talkies." Marco nodded, leaning back on a pile of metal supports behind them both and closed his eyes. He didn't even feel Detello cover him with an overcoat. Johnny watched Marco drift with one eye, but the other was on Roy and Chris. "How's he doing?" he asked his partner. "Chris's out. Vitals are good though." Roy coughed, raising out of the mud and leaning on his elbows, being careful not to disturb his son's position on his chest much. "Don't think it's much more than stress taking hold. But I'll feel a lot better when we both get our legs untangled from this debris here." DeSoto felt the cold mud crawling higher alongside his body where he lay and he was glad his own body heat was keeping Chris somewhat warm. Kelly bent immediately to recheck where their legs were trapped. "Doesn't look too bad. Nothing the K-12 can't handle." Detello stood after taking a quick pulse quality check on the sleeping Marco. "That's IF.. we ever get one.." "Pessimism from the "Angel" himself?" Kelly chuckled to raise everyone's spirits. "More like a reality check..." and Detello once again tried his giant strength on the sagging "ceiling" of the buried school bus. This time, the metal above his head actually gave way under his shoulder lift. "I take that back. Those boys with the excavation crew work fast. Most of the hill is already off of us.." Kelly got to his feet and began to shout and pound on the ceiling and yelling. "Hey!! We're in here. Six meters from the back hatch! Hey!!" In Roy's arms, Chris flinched and startled awake with a sharp moan.. "Dad??!" "It's ok, Chris. You're fine. We're just raising a ruckus so the others outside know where to slice into to get us out.. How do you feel?" DeSoto asked. Chris blinked a few times and winced when he tried to test his legs. "My knee feels real big. Tight. And I'm a little sick to my stomach." Kelly rolled his eyes ruefully so the boy could see him in the flashlight. "Aren't we all? Must've eaten a pound of mud crawling around in here." "I ate two pounds.." Marco croaked from where he sat propped up in the darkness. Chris laughed and winced when his father's laugh jostled his jammed knee. Then the sodden boy said. "Hey.. Before the mud slid on top of us, I only remember my left leg being held. Why does my right knee feel heavy?" Kelly aimed the flashlight under the seat beyond Chris muddy jeans and a few seconds later, dragged out the handy talkie. "Will miracles never cease. Detello, you keep right on complaining ,...cause it makes whoever you got looking after ya work that much harder." "I don't like to press my luck." the big man grumbled. "Especially with that.." Gage and Roy both made a grab for the talkie after Chet got most of the mud off of its controls but Detello was faster than both of them. He snatched the HT to his mouth. "Engine 51 this is Triage Ten, over.." The HT came alive in excited voice. ##That you Detello? Hang on, we're calling a cutting crew in right now. Cover your victims against the sparks.## Captain Stanley said. ##We start dismantling in two minutes.## "10-4." Detello grinned. "Standing by. We're all a bit slimy, but ok. Marco took in some mud but he's stable with only minor complications. And get a doctor on the phone. We've just one survivor in need of an IV authorization.." ##Understood. I'll have Stoker raise Rampart. Engine 51, out.## ------------------------------------- Outside the crushed bus, Cap didn't even wait for the bulldozer to leave the area before he waved his men in with the extrication equipment. "Ok, Move it in there.. Easy. That top chassis's bound to be weak from the mudslide, so go slow. Cut three quarters around only, we'll peel it back and get them out through the roof. I'm afraid opening the emergency hatch now will only collapse the rest of the bus on top of them." The men working at Cap's side nodded. Cap shouted. "Ok.. cutting now..!!" he shouted. ------------------------------------------- Inside, all five firemen and Roy's son winced when the bright fountain of tangerine sparks from a roaring K-12 bit through the steel shell of the bus above them. They winced when real sunlight sent shafts of brilliant daylight into their eyes. "Oh, man.. Now I know how miners feel when they've been in a cave in and we dig them out." Kelly complained. Roy covered Chris's face and his own with his own helmet as the firemen outside cut a hole into the bus. "It's a sight better than watching that flashlight die out, don't you think?" Detello flicked the coat over Marco's face and mask and hunched down himself after coating his own shoulders with wet mud to keep his shirt from catching fire. "A whole LOT better." he admonished Kelly. His voice was a little strained from his eagerness to win freedom for his companions. He began fussing with the cutaway section even before the man above was finished excising the flap. He had it accordianed out of the way in seconds. "All right, give me the K-12 on the double. I've a trapped medic and boy down here.." Cap peered into the hole from where he knelt on top of the bus. "They hurt bad?" Roy squinted in the bright swath of sunlight that shafted down onto his face. He peeked around a protective arm as he spoke before Detello did. "Nah, Cap." Roy said from where he lay in the ooze. "We're just leg pinned. Got that authorization from Rampart yet?" Stoker said. "Here.. Morton wants to talk to you.." and he lowered the phone receiver dangling on its cord down to Roy so the biophone antennae would stay in the open air so it wouldn't lose telemetry with the doctor's base station. Morton was succinct and to the point. "DeSoto. Start a large bore normal saline, 500 CC's and run wide open. Give me a vitals set when you can on the child. How's Marco? Stoker couldn't tell me much." Roy glanced over at Marco and Gage, who was hovering over him, and said. "He was submersed underneath the mud for about two minutes. He was out until we got some of the sludge out of his throat and got him on simple masked 02. He's only a little groggy." "And chilled. His shivering's stopped." Gage added. "And mildly hypothermic Rampart.." Roy told Mike. "10-4, 51. Continue both victims on 02 and immobilize the child as a precaution when you get him out of there. That bleeder may indicate fractures we don't know about in that effected leg." Morton told Roy. "Understood. Large bore NS, wide. O2 and treat for shock. Long board immobilization for Chris.." Morton at the base station, frowned. "51, Could you repeat that? Did you say a victim's name at that last part?" Gage took the phone from Roy when DeSoto tried to reach for the IV box. Kelly took the kit quickly out of his hands too. Chet admonished him. "Now Roy, you know Johnny's gotta be the one to directly treat your son. Fire department policy. Just lie back and don't move while Detello makes that last slice by your leg with the saw...." Gage said. "Uh,10-4, Rampart. He did. Chris, the boy, is Roy's son..." ------------------------------------------ Nurse McCall, having just walked into the glass cubicle, gasped at that last admission. "What?!" Dixie exclaimed, She gripped Dr. Morton's shoulder. Morton shushed her with a motion as he listened to what Gage confirmed. He covered the receiver with a palm and sighed. "Oh, boy. How the h*ll did DeSoto get inside that bus anyway. I thought firefighters weren't allowed to treat family members as a standard working policy.." "They're not.." Dixie said. "Maybe their circumstances left them no choice in the matter.." Her curiosity got the better of herself and she asked. "What are his vitals signs? His trauma bad?" Morton answered. "Don't know. They're still extricating both him, Roy and Marco, a fellow engine crew man, who almost drown. It's a school bus in a mudslide.." Dixie winced in sympathy and bit her lip. "Roy must be frantic with worry being with him like that." "Gage won't let him get into any medical hot water and something tells me that their captain won't let him do that either.." Morton said. He lifted his hand off the receiver in a quick motion. "Contact me in route of any consciousness level changes and I want a set of vitals on Marco and Chris the moment they're en route.." "10-4, doc.." Gage said and he waved to Stoker to hand over hand the phone cord back up again out of sight through the hole. "Thanks Stoker.. Hand down the first stokes. We'll get Marco outta here first.." "I don't need a stretcher, Gage, I can--" "...Relax and enjoy the ride, Lopez. And that's an order." Cap interrupted. "You're a victim until Rampart clears you, is that understood?" "Perfectly.." Lopez sighed, then he coughed when some lingering mud from his sinuses tried to trickle back into his throat. He lifted his mask off only long enough to spit the grit aside and out of his mouth. It wasn't long before Gage and Detello had Lopez bundled up in yellow plastic insulating sheets and had him ready to be hoisted out of the bus. Marco's face showed his uneagerness to be stretchered out, but he cooperated. He snuck in a move dettaching his own 02 tubing so Chris wouldn't lose his 02 bottle. Gage did a double take at that, frowning, but he saw Stoker immediately compensate for his respiratory care once they had Marco level with the portable 02 from the engine. Lopez did him one better by strapping the mask to his own face so Mike was freed up to help get Roy and his son out. Cap had the rest of Station Ten carry Marco out of the deep, treacherous mud slide to a wheeled ambulance gurney already waiting for him on the firm highway beyond. He crouched by Marco's side as the Mayfair attendants covered him up snugly in the beige blankets. "'Don't need a lift out', he says." Cap muttered. "You're colder than an ice cube there pal." Marco didn't deign to reply as the head of the stretcher was raised to make him more comfortable. "It's just from the wet, Cap. I'm not injured." "Hmmph.. I'll believe that once Gage gets a look at ya to be sure. Hang tight." And he ruffled Marco's caked hair with a glove. Captain Stanley returned to the bus just as Roy's boy was lifted out, complete with the IV Gage had begun. He could see a red sodden stain through the sheeting on the boy's left thigh and he saw Detello start to take the boy's shoe off to check for a foot pulse. "Ok. I've got a good one here. He's ok to move." Detello said. He watched the boy get lowered onto the next gurney wheeled over to them before he reached down to grab and haul both Kelly and Gage out of the bus with both hands at the same time. Cap's eyebrows lifted in amazement at that. "What a Sampson type." he said softly. Chet hopped down, eyes tearing from the bright sun. "He was Atlas earlier Cap. Kept the roof from caving in on us until you guys manage to shovel the worst of the muck off the bus.." He padded off with his shoes slurping liquidly but he turned, adding. "But really he's a real bonfide Angel.." It was Cap's turn to frown in confusion. Then he shouted after his departing mud covered man. "Were you guys short on air in there or something?" But Chet was already out of earshot as he asked Stoker to hose down his shoes and outer wear "really good". When they were out, Detello subtly shook his head to the other firemen surrounding him, that there were no other children still alive inside. Gage took full advantage of Roy still waiting to be cut free to take a closer look at Chris. He kept expression off his face when he saw the extent of the laceration on the boy's thigh. He knew at least, that it would require plastic surgery to fully mend it after the deep gash was thoroughly cleaned of mud and sand and allowed to drain open for a few days. But he smiled when the boy's BP was only slightly below normal. "There.. That's not too bad." he grinned down at the boy, adjusting the cannula's prongs into the right place inside his nose. "Strong as all get out. You're not even moderately shocky." "Dad made me rest a bit while we were in there. I think I slept once." Chris admitted. "He sure did..." Roy said, jumping down from the bus with the ground crew firemen's help. One of them tossed DeSoto the IV box afterwards. " For about half an hour there." Roy fussed with Chris's blankets until Johnny slapped his hands away. "I got him, I got him, Why don't you go check on Marco in the rig? We'll meet you in there as soon as I relay his vitals to Morton." DeSoto reluctantly retreated. -------------------------------- Cap gave Gage a subtle thumbs up for finding an excuse to separate Roy from Chris. But a further significant glint in Cap's eye made Johnny say, "He's fine Cap. Nothing major's been damaged here." "That's means good news, son.." Cap said, patting Chris on the shoulder. "I know. I could tell because my leg didn't squirt out at all when I first did it, trying to reach Carrie.." At the name, and another exchange of looks from Stoker, Cap learned the little girl hadn't survived the trip to the hospital despite her successful revival, so he had plenty of warning time before Chris's next question. "How's Carrie?"the blond boy asked. Johnny said. "Let's concentrate on getting you squared away first, ok? Does your head hurt at all? No?.... Just that knee.. ok.. now Cap and I are going to immobilize that leg in a splint just to keep it from jostling around.. ok?" Chris nodded. Once that was done, Chris, Johnny, the engine's 02 tank and the gear were all loaded up in the rig waiting with Marco and Roy. Detello, following behind them, glanced up and saw the five children that managed to get out of the wreck unscathed. They looked older than their years. One, almost looked like DeSoto's son from where he stood, numb and confused in a muddy pool by the side of the road. Detello gave him a small smile he hoped would be reassuring and offered the glassy eyed youngster a salute off his crusty helmet's rim. His smile faded when the boy didn't grin back. ::So many have died today. How is this going to effect us?:: he thought. ::I was a medic for three years and I've never seen a run as bad as this. Please.. g*d. Make us forget the details of this one, fast...:: ----------------------------------------------- It took twelve minutes to get to the hospital. Then....... ----------------------------------- Photo : A rumpled bus, cut open. Photo : Roy, mud covered, on the biophone. Photo : A boy, lying in a mud pool, in the sun. Photo : Johnny and others carrying a stokes and gear. *animated gif* : Ambulance with flashing lights at night. Photo : A close up of Cap, looking down, wearing his helmet. ************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject :[EmergencyTheaterLive] The Breaking Point.. Date : Sun, 12 Jan 2003 08:29:28 +0000 Dr. Morton opened the ambulance doors to receive the two gurneys from Roy and Johnny. "We'll take the boy into Treatment One, Gage. DeSoto, how's Lopez?" "Fine, doc. Once we got those wet clothes off he started to warm up. He's fully time and place oriented; never lost it and there's still no signs of pulmonary edema." Roy reported. "Good. Dixie has Treatment Two set up for him with Dr. Early. Stay with him." "But-" " DeSoto. Carry out my orders." he snapped. Then he said more gently. "I won't keep you in the dark about Chris, Roy. Know that as a promise. But you know the regulations.. " Roy grumbled, reciting.."No treatment contact is allowed at all in a hospital setting for anyone who's kin of a victim. I know that doc." he said as they rapidly wheeled their two patients inside Rampart through the emergency doors. Morton angled his dark head."We'll let you see him once we've determined he's truly stable and only after he's been fully treated." "Doc.. I don't want to leave him.." Chet opened the door of the squad he had driven in and jumped out of the seat. The plastic sheet he had used to keep mud off its upholstery had dried to his back and legs and he hastily peeled it off, leaving it on the hood. He hurried past where Morton and Roy where debating. "Roy, just hush and let the man do his job. I'll be your eyes in there FOR you man." Morton looked up from his quick exam of Chris's eyes as they walked inside the hospital. "Why are you planning on following us, Kelly? There's nothing wrong with you..." Morton challenged. "Oh, gee. Didn't Gage tell you? He and I were sandwiched in debris pretty good when the hill came down on us. I might keel over any second, doc." he said factitiously. For once, Johnny backed him up by keeping a straight face to support his fast talking job on Morton. "Is that a fact......" Mike sighed in resignation, knowing he couldn't stop anyone ELSE who wanted in on current news about a coworker's family member's medical status. He surprised himself by not retorting further at Chet as he, Gage, Chris and an ambulance attendant, got the longboarded boy transferred to the large room's exam table. Kelly shouted before the door closed on Roy's face. "I'll be right out and I'll meet you in Marco's room with an update, DeSoto!" "I'l..l.. h..o..l..d.. y..o..u.. t..o.. t..h..a..t, C..h..e..t." came Roy's muffled retort through the door. Kelly gingerly held up defensive hands in appeasement and backed away self consciously from Roy's angry voice to carry out his promise to him. He strode to the foot of Chris's bed and quietly watched his medical care take place. "Chris.. the man who's poking and prodding you is Dr. Morton. He'll take really good care of you.." Johnny introduced quickly. "Hi, Dr. Morton.." "Hello..." Mike answered. "The nurse to my right is Carol Evans." "Hi Ms. Evans." "Hi Chris.." she answered. "Warm enough?" "Uh huh.." Carol Evans smoothly moved Chris's IV to a pole and switched around his O2 supply to a wall port while Gage helped Morton expose Chris's leg laceration. "He still tachycardic?" Morton asked. Gage was about to reply when a voice piped up from tiny form bundled inside the longboard. "Yeah..." Chris said firmly. "I'm 140." Johnny grinned at Morton's surprised look and the dark skinned doctor said. "You won't mind if I confirm your findings on an EKG, son?" "It's what dad would do..." Chris agreed. "Is that so.." Morton said, casting amused eyes at everyone in the room. "Well you're absolutely right young fella. That IS the next thing we'll do." Morton smiled. "You're a very smart young boy.. How'd you come to learn so much?" "Classes. I hang out when dad recertifys or when he's gotta teach the new FD trainees to become paramedics." "You do?" Chet asked surprised. "Uh huh.." Chris told him. "It's fun.. Sometimes they use me to practice their dressings and neck/back immobilizing. Last month, I was a play victim in a fake airjet crash at LAX." Chet Kelly was very thoughtful when he heard what Chris had accomplished and what he had learned. "So, you wanna be a medic when you grow up?" Morton asked, palpating Chris's abdomen for tenderness. "Nah,.. I wanna be an architect like my grandpa. I'll just keep what I learn now handy for when I have my own kids. You know how much trouble we can get into at my age." Chris said wisely. Johnny practically burst with mirth and pride at that little gem coming from his partner's first born. Chris's worldly personality had finally charmed Dr. Morton. "Son, I can't believe you'd EVER get that way." Morton said, leaning close to his head with a confidential smiling whisper. Chris motioned with a crooking finger, and when the young doc had come closer, he whispered into Morton's ear. "I sometimes do. But it's my sister who always starts it." Morton patted Chris on the shoulder. " Yeah? Well she's not here right now to work her mischief, so you can let your guard down. We're going to get some xrays of your leg to confirm non fracture injury to that thigh and knee and if I like your pictures, we'll see about getting you free of those straps and that C-collar." "Fair enough. I'm tired of being strapped up like a mummy. What after that?" Oh,.. let me see.." Morton sighed, tapping a finger on his lips. "Most likely, since you're doing so well, it's up to surgery for a repair job. How does that sound?" "Like I'm not going to enjoy it too much. Don't think I wanna go." "Ice cream after.." Chet promised. "Ok, ok, ok.. I'll go. But make sure the gas man doesn't give me the stuff that makes me sick afterwards." Chris said, watching his Uncle Gage tape EKG patches onto his chest gravely. "I watched my sister puke for an hour after she had her tonsils out.." "I'll work out a deal with him.." Morton said, with a wink and nod. Then he turned on the EKG and studied Chris's rapid heartbeat on the live screen. For a cross reference, he got a paper strip reading, too. "Hmmm. " he said after a minute or so.. "Just simple V tach here, Gage." he mumbled. "That's what we figured, even just listening apically." Johnny admitted. Then more loudly, Morton looked up. "Guess what Chris? Your EKG's telling me .... that you're just ...thirsty..." he concluded to his small patient, setting hands on his hips. "Thirsty?" and a serious puzzlement filled the young boy's face. "I don't think I am.." Chris said with amazement. "I haven't been playing any softball today." "You're forgetting that leg cut of yours. You must have bled some while you were still buried in the mud. Most likely, with all the excitement going on, you weren't even aware of it." "Oh. I WAS scared a lot, doctor. But Detello, Uncle Johnny, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Lopez and dad, found me and then I wasn't afraid any more after that." "Good.." Mike soothed. "You're doing fine here, too. You're very calm." Chris DeSoto's face fell into a serious expression. "So, Dr. Morton...." "Umm hmmmm." Mike replied, looking into the boy's ears for liquids other than mud with an otoscope. "You say I lost some fluid vul...vel...." "Volume.." Morton completed. "A bit.. About as much as three soda cans, I suspect." Mike straightened up on his exam stool and wheeled it around so he could recheck a pedal beat in Chris's effected leg and to test range of motion in the swollen knee. "And that's why my heart's working harder right now?" the child said, carefully thinking. "Yep." Johnny said. "You nailed it, Chris." The tiny boy's muddy face furrowed as he thought about his situation."Then shouldn't those drops be going faster?" Chris said pointing at his IV hanging near his head. Kelly and Gage laughed when Morton sputtered as he told Nurse Evans to increase the flow into the drip chamber. They immediately piped down when Mike glared at them in offense. Chris was oblivious to the innocent commotion he caused, suddenly very interested in the great Xray machine wheeling into his exam room. ---------------------------------------------------- Marco Lopez was raised semi sitting on his gurney beneath a pile of heated blankets. The torn, ripped field oxygen mask had been replaced with an in house cannula on low flow. Doctor Early was carefully listening to Lopez's breath sounds through the front side of his chest. "Take a deep breath. ...... And another one.... Good.." the doctor encouraged. Then he thoughtfully pulled off his stethoscope. "I'm not hearing anything abnormal here, Marco. How do you feel?" "Fine.." the fireman replied. Dr. Early began examining his ribs and abdomen, and Lopez flinched and caught his breath, when Joe found a band of tenderness around his diaphram. "Except there. Just a little sore." "Roy, I thought you said he was uninjured." Joe remarked looking up at DeSoto standing near Lopez's head. "He isn't injured. I think he's just a little tender because Johnny had to clear his throat a bit when we first got him free." Roy said timidly, crossing his arms over his elbows, nervously. "Heimlich?" "Yeah..." Joe felt all over other areas of Marco's abdomen but found nothing else wrong. "Most likely, this is just the typical bruising from that kind of maneuver. Marco, does it hurt when I do this?" Dr. Early asked as he prodded and pressed on his liver and spleen. "Not much.. Hardly at all." "Hmph.." and he put his stethoscope back into his ears. Roy and Chet and Marco all waited in silence. Joe sat back on his seat after listening to Marco's bowel sounds. "Everything sounds normal. So, that's probably what it is. Roy, was his orthostatic BP, when you checked it last, wide spread?" "Not appreciably. It didn't sink into the basement if that's what you're looking for.. Hardly moved ten millibars, systolically or diastolically." Joe's face lost his doctoring look and melted into a casual bent. "Now I'm convinced. " And he sighed in relief.. "You're a lucky man Lopez. Mud inhalation has a tendency to cause a nasty case of pneumonia. And both your lungs are completely clear. But, I'd like to ask you just a few questions to put my own mind at ease." "Ok, doc." Marco nodded. "Do you remember if you blacked out at all?" "I didn't. Not at all. Just got a little tired when I got cold." Roy's agreeing nod confirmed it for Joe. Joe stood up. "Your vital signs are normal. Your temperature is now where it should be, and you have absolutely no indications of internal injury." he took his stethoscope off from around his neck and stuffed it into a copious pocket. "I'm releasing you." "You mean, he's going to be fine?" DeSoto asked. "Healthiest near drowning I've ever seen." Joe chuckled. "But I am prescribing you some antibiotics just as a precaution. There's no telling whether or not that mud you ingested was contaminated with sewage runoff or other substances from the slide." "Oohhwwk." Marco made a face. Joe went on, with a kind smile. "But I wouldn't worry about that. Your body will excrete it naturally and maybe the only thing you'll notice is that you may get slightly constipated later on." "Wonderful.." Lopez said sarcastically. "I can prescribe a laxative if you're worried." Joe added helpfully. "Don't bother. My mother's probably got a recipe somewhere that'll do the trick if things get into a bind." Roy hid a smile. "I think your mother's corn tamales might be just the thing." Marco looked aghast, "Are you saying my mama's cooking..... " Lopez hunted around for delicate terms. "....puts..you off Roy?" "Honestly? At times..it does." Roy admitted, refolding his arms subconsciously. Lopez slumped back onto his pillow. "Oh brother..She's not going like hearing about that.." "Look. Lopez.. I- I- It's no big deal. Really. Listen.. Tell her it's just our intolerance for spicy food." Roy said matter of fact. "That it runs only in my family.." he added drolly. "It does?" "Yeah.." Roy said empathically and he uncrossed his arms to present an image of conviction. "Oh.. Thanks for uh,.. letting me know about that ..uh .. effect. Wouldn't want mom to worry that her food bothered anyone." "Tell her it truly doesn't. " Roy said. " Tell her we DeSotos are atypical gastronomically speaking. And that her reputation as Prima Dona Cocina Senora is unthreatened. Have no fear." Marco studied Roy's face for long moments, weighing his words. Finally, he slowly nodded. His hurt feelings tamed. "That settles it then. Marco's mom cooks Marco some of her famous corn tamales.. and... I give you this.."Joe rose with Marco's chart and ripped out the form from it for Lopez with his written prescription. "A broad spectrum antibiotic." Lopez nodded in tired compliance, grudgingly. Roy turned off Marco's O2 feed, took it off his grumbling co worker, rolled up its tubing, and tossed it into a waste receptacle bin. "Chin up, Marco. You could be me.." Marco glanced up in sudden alarm at Roy's out of character self jab. Right then, the treatment room doors opened and a bustling, cheerfully whistling Chet, entered. He had body showered in the surgical locker room and was wearing a luxuriously clean uniform despite his still heavily mud flecked face. In his arms, he carried two more sets of shoes, shirts and slacks for Marco and Roy. And even two pairs of T-shirts and boxer shorts. Roy recognized those right away. But Marco remarked faster. "Hey, who raided our lockers at the station?" "Detello did. His company was released off scene before Cap and Stoker and he took a few liberties. Conned the Batallion Chief out of his car for an hour to go get us these." "Wow.. what a saint." Joe said, raising his eyebrows. "You have no idea, man. Detello's definitely saint grade material. Or maybe even higher, doc." Chet said, rolling his eyes. "He makes Camelot's Lancelot Du Lacque seem like a two bit wuss." "Really..?" Joe said. "It was uncanny, Dr. Early. Just when we needed equipment or needed a hand getting out of a tight spot, this Detello guy always managed to come up with a miraculous solution. He's the one who kept Marco from drowning with a flimsy 02 mask until we could get him outta trouble." Chet elaborated. "Yeah, only thing is he probably broke my nose.." Marco said. "He broke your nose?" Joe asked. "I thought that red on your face was just mud..." and he drew out his penlight to examine the inside of Marco's nose and he soon put it away to palpate the surrounding face bones carefully. "Canyon mud from Escondido.." Roy blinked. "Yeah, we were near Escondido, off the freeway." ::What a detective..:: he thought. "I'm not feeling any crepitus here. Can you breathe through your nose ok?" Marco nodded. "Yes. It's just a little tender." "Want us to do an x-ray to be sure?" "Would it effect anything? I mean, what will you do if it is broken?" "Nothing. I'm seeing no deformity. "First do no harm." Joe recited. "Better to leave well enough alone since it isn't hurting enough to bother you much." Roy grinned thoughtfully. "A symptom which seems like no symptom IS no symptom." "Exactly what I was thinking. My original prognosis stands Marco. You're free to go." Joe said. "Kel's rubbing off on you Roy. That's Dr. Brackett's mantra." Roy smiled even bigger. "From paramedic training class. I remember.." Then Roy's stress began to poke through and he found himself growing impatient to hold Kelly to his promise. "Chet..." Chet was busy at the sink and cupboard finding a wash bowl and a stand so Marco could rinse off the worst of the mud off himself before he changed into his clothes. "Chet.." Roy repeated. "Hmmm?" Kelly said, after frothing up the antibiotic soap in the bowl with a few fingers. He couldn't resist bending over and rinsing his own face free of mud. "How's Chris?" "Chris..?" Chet said, still preoccupied with the luxury of steaming clear water so near at hand. "My son..? H- How's he doing?" "Your son's here?" Joe asked quickly, looking up from the chart he was recording. "Yeah, he was in the bus with us.." Marco said. "Yeah, Chet. How's he doing?" Chet grimaced and said. "Ahh! Roy couldja hand me a towel? I think I got soap in my eye.." Roy levelled one at his face with force. "Chet!!" "Oww, thanks. Uh," Kelly said using the towel's corner to twist grit out of his ear. "He's one hundred percent Ayee Okay, Roy. Just some surgery to suture him up. No lasting damage.." he said mildly to them all when he looked up. "You're certain..." "Does Morton ever smile?" Chet said deadpan. Roy let down his suspicion about the validity of his news immediately and relaxed. But Lopez was still discontented. "Chet.." Marco prompted. "Huh.." "How am I supposed to wash up with that?" "With what?" Roy and Lopez both pointed down. Kelly's charitable wash bath offering was now dark red with mud and crusty sand. "Oh,, sorry. Here Marco, let me draw you up another one." Joe left the treatment room, chuckling. Roy followed him, admonishing after Marco and Chet as he left, holding the door open with a deep lean. "You guys got fifteen minutes to clean up. We can then all leave in the squad together. If we jam in tight, we can get four in the cab. We've done it before.." "Wait a minute. You're going to leave Chris alone here at Rampart?" Kelly asked. "Yes.. No.. Oh, I don't know.. Never had this happen before, don't know if Cap'll let me remain here." "Of course he will, DeSoto. Are you outta your everloving mind?" Kelly frowned passionately. "Yeah, just a little. The crisis is over and I guess I'm finally reacting.." Roy said numbly. "I'll say." But Roy acted as if he didn't hear Kelly at all as his mind was still racing. "I'll call Joanne, let her know what's happened to Chris, and get cleaned up myself.. Then we can go.." he muttered, already losing recollection of Chet's firm belief Cap would release Roy from active duty because of his son's mishap. "You're gonna do all that in fifteen minutes? Man, Joanne's gonna fall apart for sure. Nothing like the maternal instinct." Kelly commented. "Yeah well that maternal instinct's also been down this route before. Joanne's not some snivelling panicky mother who'll faint at the slightest bad news." "Never said she was going to faint I said she might fall apar--" Chet began. "Kelly..." Roy said irritably. "What..?" "Just go help Marco change." Chet finally saw he was outta line. "Right.." He peeked out further from the Treatment Room. "But then we gotta talk pal.." "About what?" Roy snapped. "About something your son's into, man. Think I might wanna get into it, too, real soon." Chet said mysteriously. "I'm dying with suspense..Can it wait? My life's sorta kinda been turned upside down today if you haven't noticed.." DeSoto said sarcastically. "Yeah, I noticed.. And yeah. It can wait. Better yet, I'll bring up my idea to Johnny. He might be in a better mood to offer an opinion. Man, at least I know GAGE can handle his stress.." "Not this kind.." Roy fired back and he let the door swing shut between them. DeSoto felt like an immediate terd for lashing out at Kelly but a part of him really didn't care at the moment. All he could think about was that phone call to Joanne. All through his shower in the hospital locker room, he rehearsed how he was going to break the news to the family. Then he figured it out. He would let Chris call home himself, before he was prepped for surgery. ::Nothing like hearing news from the source:: DeSoto sighed. ::Maybe I'll have Dixie string in a landline from the wall, to Chris's bed so he can dial out directly from a phone that isn't the red one. Might ease the shock for Joanne and my daughter.:: An overwhelming paternal angst gripped Roy. His separation from his son following his near fatal accident suddenly felt intolerable. Roy couldn't seem to dress fast enough for comfort's sake and all he could see was the memory of Chris's mud covered face blending in with the hillside's guts, pooling in the bus, whenever he closed his eyes. Something very integral inside Roy, ....finally snapped. ----------------------------------- Photo : Morton in scrubs. Photo : Marco smiling at you through the squad's open door window. Photo : Joe Early standing by an IV pole. Photo : Johnny looking sweaty and tense. Photo : Chet making a point in close up. Photo : Roy on a payphone, looking pained. Photo : Roy in a pool of mud, with his unconscious son. ********************************** From: Katherine Bird Date: Wed Jan 15, 2003 12:10 am Subject: The Shell.. ----------------------------------------------- It was morning, and the day after the school bus rescue. A-shift slowly made their way into the kitchen for coffee after changing into their work clothes. Cap was the first one to the steaming coffee pot. In his hands were the run sheet forms for the bus's incident. He placed them fanned out in the middle of the table top and placed the pot in their center so anyone reaching for it would have to see the forms before getting a cup filled. Then he retreated to his recliner and the morning newspaper folded neatly there by C shift. He intentionally didn't read the headlines which covered the bus crash and the journalist sensationalism about how many had died in the slide, moving on instead, to the sports pages. ------------------------------------------- Johnny Gage rubbed feigned sleepy eyes and darted through the kitchen door, jostling with Chet in a vie for the coffee pot. Both firemen grabbed its black handle and Cap said, "When the fur stops flying over there, eyeball the papers you're not going to spill that coffee on.. Take a set and fill them out before lunchtime." Johnny and Chet's amicable mood evaporated when they realized it was the bus run's mortality forms. Gage sighed glumly, "Right Cap, uh, we'll get right on these.. uh, do the investigators want to know complete details?" "As best you can, Gage. And I know recalling back to yesterday isn't going to be pleasant. Just stick to positional details and what ya found." Chet sat on the kitchen table and took a sip of his coffee, still lost in the sobering feel in the room, and poured Johnny's cup full after his own. "What's the point of an investigation, Cap? I mean, the guy who hit the bus was DOA." Cap looked up uncomfortably."Its a suit against the city in an action concerning the mudslide.. Negligience on the part of the highway department for not shoring up that canyon wall to withstand flooding." "That craziness, Cap. Most of those..kids wer-" and Johnny's voice broke as a memory of the little girl who was swept away down the storm drain filtered into his mind. Gage fought the emotion out of his voice and continued.. "...most of those poor kids were gone even before the slide happened." Gage insisted. "Besides, that rainfall was abnormally high. Most inches an hour since the 1920's the Chief said. There's no cause for such a class action." "I know that." Cap said. "But these kids's parents are grieving and you know how that goes. Any outlet's a channel for them." Roy had entered the kitchen quietly, and he refused the third coffee mug Johnny offered him. "No thanks. " he said, sitting on the table next to Johnny. "Are we going to have to testify about those fatalities, Cap?" Hank shrugged diffidently in the negative, "The Chief, this morning, just asked about our run sheets so far. No hearings in sight for any of us yet. I'll,...I'll..let you know as soon as I can about that.." "Thanks.." Roy said softly. Marco piped up. "Hey Roy, how's your boy? Is he ok? I didn't get to hear how he was doing after I left yesterday. Dixie refused to fill me in when she wheeled me out the back door." Roy smiled a half hearted smile. "That's probably because she figured you already had a full plate concerning your own recovery. She most likely, didn't want ya to worry about anything else, Lopez." "Since when does asking about something like that constitute being a burden?" Marco complained. Johnny grinned. "Dix was only looking out for your best interests. Besides, I'll bet she called ya a few hours after you got home with the good news, didn't she?" "Yeah." Marco said. "She did.. But mama said I was sleeping.." "Dix did her job then." he grinned. "She made sure she got the news ya wanted." he concluded. "Not soon enough.." Marco scoffed. Roy thought about that remark thoughtfully and mumbled to himself. "It's never soon enough.." But no one else heard him. Stoker pulled out a chair for Roy. "So,.." he said grandly.. "..don't keep us in suspense. Tell us how he is.." The squeal of the chair's legs on the tile floor broke Roy out of his reverie and he blinked a few times. But his face stayed flat and almost emotionless. "Chris's gonna be fine. He came outta surgery with flying colors. His leg's gonna heal cleanly, and he's handling his best friend Carrie's death as well as can be expected..." he paused when the gang grew reflective for his benefit. "Joanne and I are just glad it's all over with.." Roy said, trying to grin, without confidence. "Chris goes home Friday once the drainage shunts are removed." Cap noticed Roy's lack luster mannerisms. "You ok there, Roy?" he said, setting his paper down. "Yeah, Cap.. I- I'm fine.. Just tired I guess." DeSoto replied. Captain Stanley's gaze bore right into Roy's until Roy thought he was going to start fidgetting under their scrutiny. But finally, Hank sighed. "Ok, you know the support panel's there if you want to go talk to anyone sooner. I've got us all scheduled with the counselors for disaster debriefing this afternoon. The usual routine." The rest of the gang cleared their throats and mumured uncomfortably. They all knew they needed to talk about the run as soon as they could, before its impact could effect any of them even more. "Ok, Cap.." Then Roy noticed the last remaining Code F report form resting on the table. "Oh. I forgot. I'll get right on this.." he promised. "Take your time.. These aren't due at Headquarters until six.." Hank said. The kitchen fell into quiet as each of the gang filled out the grim details of facts and the actions they each had taken during the bus accident. The tension was so thick, Henry started to whine at their concentrated silence. Marco and Chet got up immediately and took their forms and donuts to the couch. Lopez took Henry into his lap and fed him a treat. Stoker faked stretched, without comment, studying his shoes. "Can't hide anything from Henry, can we?" Johnny said to no one in particular. "Nope. He's a hot dog who's a blood hound. What can we hide from a nose that big?" And everyone laughed. Everyone except Roy. "Say, Gage.." Kelly smacked Gage on the shoulder to get his attention from where he was carefully writing on his incident form. "Oww, Kelly now cut that out. Now I'm going to have to start filling this out all over again." Johnny groused. Then he rubbed his arm. "That's a sore spot from yesterday." "Sorry Gage. But listen.. I almost brought this up to DeSoto but he was too busy being a fidgetty father yesterday to pay me any attention." "Gee. I wonder why? Kelly, just get to the point." Johnny said impatiently. "Yeah, Chet. Get to the meat of it already." Marco said from his kitchen seat. Kelly glanced up and suddenly noticed that everyone, including Cap, was paying close attention to him. He immediately got embarrassed. "Now, listen fellas. I just wanted to bring up a conversation with Johnny that was kinda private here, you know what I mean?" Cap's eyebrows rose. "Fraid we don't. In it for an inch, in it for a mile, we figure. Right gang? Anything you need to say about work, we're entitled to know about, because we're just one big, close knit, happy outfit here, Kelly." Gage and the others all agreed with animated nods and gestures. "Speak for yourself, Cap! uh, I mean sir.." Kelly amended. He whined. "Oh, come on guys. For me..?" He sighed when no one looked away. "Ok, ok. I see I have no choice in the matter while I get an answer for myself. I see. Ok,.. all right. I'll just come right out and say it then.. Johnny, do you think I got the right stuff to make the coursework to become a paramedic?" Johnny had been mentally smiling as vultures zoomed in on the summer of Chet's malcontent, but now, Gage nearly spit out the mouthful of coffee he had been swallowing. "What?! " Babble followed instantly. "A medic, Chet?" Stoker parroted. "That's great, Chet.." Lopez said warmly. Cap's face animated in surprise. "Wow, that's news there, Kelly. What made you suddenly decide this?" Roy even perked up a little."Really?" Chet tried to quell them all with shushes and self conscious hand waves. "Gimme a sec, gimme a second here. Let Johnny answer my question first, eh, guys? All right..? Then I'll let you have at it.." Everyone obeyed instantly, all ears and expectant, as they all looked at Johnny. Including Henry. Gage cleared his throat uncomfortably inside the circle of faces surrounding his. "Uh, well.. Chet. You see, uh.. Wow, Gee. I don't know where to begin.." He started over on a different track. "You seem like a pretty good firefighter and I like working with ya and all. But quite frankly, I haven't actually, ever considered this idea before, you know. I think you'd--" The alarm tones went off. ======================== ##Station 51. Possible drowning. L.A. Riverbed. One half mile north of Vadnais Heights Boulevard. One half mile north of Vadnais Heights Boulevard. Time out, 8: 02.## ======================== In the garage, Cap thumbed the response mike and replied. "This is station 51, 10-4. KMG 365." And he threw on his turnout coat and beat a hasty pace to the LaFrance. ------------------------------------------------ On scene, a lone hiker, muddied despite the clear day, met them on the roadside margin. He seemed highly agitated. "Glad you got here so fast. Hurry. I couldn't get down there any closer. Uh, man.." he gasped. "What do you got?"Cap fired at him as he stepped out of the truck's cab. "Well, I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I couldn't believe my eyes at first." he panted. "I just couldn't believe it was really a--" The biker suddenly turned green and Johnny and Roy had to catch him when he stopped speaking and when his knees started to buckle. "Whoa, whoa.. now take it easy. Hey. You feeling all right?" Johnny said. "Here, set him over against the squad." He and Roy and Cap managed to get the man sitting on the wet ground. Stoker went for the O2. Gage said to Cap. "I got him. Looks like it's a syncopal episode. His pulse's normal." "Cap, I'll go looking around. Maybe I can find out something.." Roy said, readjusting his helmet. "You do that. Marco, Chet, go with him." Cap said. He pulled out his walkie talkie. "L.A. This is Engine 51. Send an ambulance to our location. We've a man down." ##10-4, 51. Time out 8:14.## Marco, Chet and Roy headed into the brush rimming the man made channel of the L.A. river. The bed was partially filled with a fast flow, and it was clogged with many many downed trees and debris from the flooding of the day before. Then they spotted an orange hiker's pack and mountain bike and an abandoned CB radio lying on the ground. "This is where he must have made our rescue call..." Roy said. "Let's assume he spotted something straight down from here." And he waved Chet and Marco along with him down the next decline. They skidded over the slope of the final levee to the top of the drop off leading into the concrete river system and crawled on their bellies until they were able to see beyond down into the waterway. Marco gasped. A horribly mangled little girl lay twisted in the bows of a flooded eucalyptus tree with skin so dusky, that there was no doubt that the life signs in her had fled long ago. One arm was broken hideously over her head and the crushed torso was wearing a very familar set of school colors. "Oh, my g*d. It's her.." Kelly heard from Roy. "What?" Chet asked. "This is who, Roy?" he asked through a scrub bush, separating them. But Roy just stood there, dropping his walkie talkie from limp fingers. Chet and Marco didn't see him falter, still being partially hidden in the overgrown field. "Come on, Marco. Let's get closer.." Kelly said, moments later. Through the brush, Chet called out again as Marco and he struggled to get nearer the area where they saw the little girl's remains."Roy.. we need to know what you know." Kelly said over the roar of water. "There are parents somewhere out there looking for this little girl. If you know something we don't, y--" They heard DeSoto sob a heart rending incomprehensible outburst, quickly followed by sudden violent retching. Kelly and Lopez heard the thud of something with weight, fall onto the dry reeds above the river, seconds later. Kelly and Lopez turned from the water, not understanding for a moment. They both were shocked when they jogged back the way they had come to see Roy curled up into a ball on the ground. He was on his side, getting sick and trying to hide the fact that his stomach battle had been lost in what seemed to Chet, a pitiful way. "Roy, pull yourself together man. It's ok. We'll just get her in a few when you're better and we'll just get the h*ll out of here.." Kelly said. Lopez said. "I don't think this is just a grossing out, Chet. I mean, this is ROY. He never lets things like this bother him. Something's really not right here." "You deal with it. I gotta let Cap know what's going on." Chet said defensively. His face was a mixture of worry, disgust and frustration. Kelly went to find some high ground to report to the engine crew. Marco went to Roy's side and pulled him away from the soiling ground. He helped Roy kneel upright and Lopez held him while he continued to empty his stomach. His heaves were so violent, that his chin strap loosened and DeSoto's helmet flopped forward over his eyes. Marco took off Roy's helmet and threw it some distance up the hill in frustration and anger over the second unexpected horror delivered to them yet again in as many days. He waited until Roy was through gagging, then he said. "Come on, Roy. Let's move away. We're too near the edge." Kelly pulled out his HT. "Cap. We've got a Code F. It's a ... it's a ...kid from the bus rescue. Roy recognized her right away." ##Would you 10-9 that, Kelly. A Code F from yesterday?## Cap queried. "That's affirmative, Cap. And she's retrievable." There was a long silence. ##All right. Listen. This is first. Our hiker informant's a diabetic and the stress of his calling us out here has set off a metabolic crisis. Have Roy come up here.## "Ah, Cap. That won't be possible." ##Kelly? What's the hold up?## "Just get down here, Cap. On the double." Kelly said and he flicked the walkie talkie's speaker off, his face fighting powerful emotions. ------------- Marco had gotten Roy's collar loose. He saw that DeSoto was no longer getting ill in the place Marco had guided him to away from the river's wall. But things were far from improving. Roy lay, pale and in denial, on his side, sobbing uncontrollably. Lopez patted his shattered coworker on the shoulder. "It's ok. Just take it easy.We'll take it from here. Your nausea passing?" He got only a moaning half cry for a reply. Lopez moved Roy's head to his knees to keep the sharp grassy brambles from cutting his face. "I know it. Just let it pass. You don't have to do anything right now." Cap and Stoker came skidding through the undergrowth fully loaded with ropes, a metal grappling hook, and a small folded body bag between them. They halted in shock at the sight of Roy, curled fetal, going to pieces. Kelly and Marco didn't have to explain anything to them at all when Hank saw the little girl they had seen. His own face twisted in pain. Cap crouched by Roy and added his own comforting hand to DeSoto's shoulder. "Easy, pal. You don't have to do this at all. We'll handle it. Marco, stay with him for a moment. " And he rose back onto his feet. Cap swallowed. He motioned to Mike. "Stoker, get her down from there." His eyes never left the dead child's place in the partially submerged tree. "We're not losing her again." and he handed off all his gear to the engineer. "Kelly, go back up the hill and help Johnny any way you can. You're taking over for Roy." "R- Right.." and Chet bounded up the hill. "Roy, you get yourself together, ok.. You hear me.." he said as he disappeared. Chet stumbled once but then got to the highway a few seconds later. After a notification to L.A. for a morgue team and the D.A.'s office, Cap shooed Marco off to help Stoker recover the tiny pitiful body. Hank closed his eyes and made sure Roy didn't see their awkward retrieval using the hook either, by screening out DeSoto's sight of it with his captain's helmet. It could have been ten minutes or ten years later to Stanley when it was finally done. The morning sun was a little bit higher in the brilliant sky, a few minutes later. Hank began to speak quietly to his heart wounded friend, sharing a like story of when his own shell had finally cracked under strain in honor of a dead child's memory. It did little to lessen Roy's grief. He still shook, gasping like a fish, no longer able to voice sounds. Cap sighed compassionately and softly, he whispered. "Roy. We're all here for ya. It's ok. Just let it out." and he drew his senior crewman up into a hug. Stanley let him cry for a long time. Privately, Cap let down a shadow of his past grief . He allowed tears of his own to fill his chocolate eyes. Silently, unchecked, they fell onto his jacket, rolled off its hem, and into the L.A. river below. ---------------------------------------------- Gage looked up impatiently as Chet knelt where the hiker now lay. He was irritatedly biting the IV Dex bag covering off on the solution he had been ordered to give the downed hiker. "Here. Get this set up." he said thrusting the IV into Chet's hands. "Where'd you all go to? Took forever getting him to settle down. Fortunately, he's deep into diabetic crisis now and no longer seizing." Kelly was quiet. Johnny didn't even think to guess the reason why. He asked. "Where's Roy? We gotta get this man NPA intubated yesterday."And he began to take another hasty BP on their victim. "He's not coming." Chet said, stringing the IV tubing and stabbing its port valve lance into the bag he had set between his knees. "What do ya mean he's not coming?" Gage snapped. "We've got a major medical here. He oughta know any body we find's last priority." Johnny said, pulling the stethoscope out of his ears. Chet held Johnny's hand that was holding the IV needle still for a moment, to get his full attention. "Johnny, Roy cracked. Cap's down there now deciding whether or not to stretcher him outta there." "What?! Chet, you must be talking crazy..." "Wish I was, Johnny boy. I hope to g*d I was. Anything,.. but the bad scene I just witnessed down there." Gage fought mentally with himself, warring over his care of the hiker and his own desire to whip out his HT to demand of Cap how Roy was doing. He attempted to console himself with trying to peer over the side of the steep grassy embankment. The next words out of his mouth were barely audible.. "Is he awake?" "What, ....this guy?" Chet asked, looking down, beginning to do a pain stimulus check. Gage gripped his hand and stopped him. "No, I'm talking about Roy.." "Oh. Yeah, he is. But he lost his breakfast,.. and maybe last night's dinner, too. Johnny, he's not even standing." "Gonna get shocky." Gage mumbled to himself, suddenly redirected. "Roy?" "No, our victim here. Chet, pay attention." Gage said angrily. "This next step's gonna be tricky. Now lube this NPA down with the K-Jelly. I've already measured this to be the right size airway. And get that positive pressure handy. His lack of glucose is gonna knock out his respirations something fierce." "Gage I don't know about this.." Chet said. "Maybe you'd better call in another sq-" Johnny grabbed Chet by his jacket lapels and snatched him close until he was only inches away from his face. "You wanted to know if I thought you were medic material? Medic trainees follow orders INSTANTLY from their senior trainers and they never EVER second guess a medical order. I ordered you to prepare that NPA tube. Even told you how to do it. So do it! Now!" and he let his overcoat go. "Geez, all right already. I'm just as worried about Roy as you are. No need to beat me up over it. You'll have ta tell me more on what to do here though. Been rocky ever since I've been ordered to take over to help ya in Roy's place." Gage glared at him and arrowed his spent IV needle into free flight, not caring that the bloody thing whistled by only a centimeter from Chet's ear as it clattered home into the drug box's waste needle catch bin. "You've got thirty seconds.. I'm not repeating myself." "Ah,, Ok.. ok.. which side..?" Chet said, positioning the end of the soft nasopharyngeal airway near the hiker's nasal passages. "Try the right side nare first. Don't force it." Chet nimbly got it into place, doing all the right moves and techniques, sending the airway down flat, along the palate as it should have been done. Johnny smiled, handing Chet the positive pressure mask. "See, you HAVE been watching us. You'll still have to keep his head back for a clear airway and be prepared to yank it out if he vomits." "That much I remember Gage. What now?" Chet said. "He's breathing fine." he said, letting the man pull his own oxygen off the mask. "What's his rate?" Gage said, adjusting the D5W flow into the man's veins. "Ten, and slowing." "You know to ventilate him if he slips below eight a minute?" "Yeah." "What's his color?" he said, drawing a blood vial for a glucose check, for Rampart. Chet peeled away the man's oddly sunburned lips until he saw his gums. "Pink. Look Johnny. I could go back down there now and see how Roy's doing for ya you know. You are in charge of me up here.." It was tempting but Johnny knew his responsibilities. "Nice try. But we're gonna have to trust the other guys' judgement on that. Roy's probably just reacting now because he didn't react yesterday. It's most likely no big deal." "You didn't see him, Gage.." Chet said in the tiniest of voices. It was full of fear. Johnny looked up, his attention full and frightened. ------------------------------------------------------ Cap heard a voice call out. It was Stoker's. "Ready to move, Cap." It must have been some minutes later, for when Hank blinked, he saw the black body bag nestled in a scoop stokes that Marco had retrieved from the engine. The bundle was already tied and rope tethered for a hill climb back up to the roadway. Roy, was now some feet away, dry eyed, sitting and hugging his knees to his chest, with his back to the body, staring out at the brightly sunlit flowing river bed below. "Stoker, you and Lopez go on ahead. Have Johnny go on alone in the ambulance with the hiker if you have to and tell Chet to take in the squad. Roy's coming with us." Hank told Mike. "But, you're giving us two, a minute or so alone. Get me only if Johnny needs another rescue squad to finish the transport, and when you're done picking up after yourselves. Tell the detectives whatever they need to know. I'm out of service for a bit. Understood?" "Right, Cap." and the dry crackle of the grass told Stanley that the grisly trip up had begun. Soon, even that soft rustling faded away. The ambulance came, then went, with the squad behind it. Soon, even those sounds fell into the distance too. Not long after, the mortuary wagon and an unmarked detective car pulled up, to take away the child's body and to learn the information necessary for the bus investigation from Marco and Stoker. Hank's talkie came to life. ##Engine 51, to HT 51. All the gear's stowed. Want us to put the Engine available?"## Hank lifted up his talkie and said. "When we're base bound, Engine 51." ##10-4, HT 51.## came Lopez's reply. And the station frequency fell silent. Rubbing his mouth, Cap could see Mike and Marco watching them from where they sat in the idling engine cab, waiting. He flashed them an okay sign without radioing back. He saw them visibly relax. Cap sat by Roy, not directly looking at him, as he took in the same spectacular view of the valley over the concrete river bed that Roy seemed to be looking at. He took in a deep breath of the canyon's sweet, spicy air. "Hear that, Roy? The birds are still singing..." Roy swung red, swollen eyes towards him. "Hear what, Cap? All I hear are the sounds of all those school kids, screaming, as that hill came down on top of them. I just wanna know why it had to happen. That's all. Is that too much for a guy to ask for?" But Roy didn't cry again. His face remained only dusty and flushed. Cap handed DeSoto back his helmet and slowly put on his own. "Come on, let's go." he said, grabbing a hold of Roy's gloved hand to pull him to his feet. "We'll take the engine home." DeSoto clasped Cap's dirty hand numbly, and then used its strong steady leverage until he stood. Cap watched Roy put on his helmet only after he seemed to contemplate the purpose for which it served, for long, unseeing moments. Then he saw Roy sigh a lengthy quavering breath. Roy's face was now a little less pale but his voice was weaker than a baby's. He murmured. "Yeah. Let's get outta here." Cap, threw a stokes blanket around Roy's shoulders and together, they went up the hill to the road. ----------------------------------------------------- Photo : Marco feeding Henry goodies on the couch. Photo : Roy looking sick, in the sun. Photo : Children covered in mud in a pond. ************************************* Date: Wed, 15 Jan 2003 10:34:05 -0800 (PST) From: "Patti or Jeff or Cassidy" Subject: Come Uppance... It was four hours after the L.A. river call. Marco Lopez looked up from where he was dishing out chow for Henry. The longish hound was snuffling excitedly as the Rival can of dog food filled his chrome dish. All the guys were watching him get worked up. And some of them even had their fingers crossed for luck while Marco finished. Stoker, ignoring their "sport", was the first to see Cap enter the kitchen. "How's he doing, Cap?" "Roy? Still resting. I did order him to take a nap. And yes, I explained to Joanne what happened and then called the crisis counselor just a few minutes ago. She's coming for a station visit, and she's towing along Roy's wife. They'll one to one with him first and then we'll get our session over dinner as planned." Hank announced. He knelt and petted Henry as the dog licked his lips in anticipation of supper. "That's good. Maybe ..having Joanne around will help Roy get back his equilibrium." Kelly said thoughtfully, arching his balled up snack napkin into a wide shot for the trash bin. It landed perfectly. "I know it will." Cap said empathetically, rubbing some dust out of his nose. The gang fell to the moment as the salty scent of horsemeat filled the air. "Do it Lopez.." Stoker said with anticipation. "This time it's gotta work." Marco carefully set down the dish gingerly, as if jarring it would cause Henry to lose interest. "There you go, Henry. Dive in." The slowish hound looked up, licked Marco's face, jumped down from the leather couch, almost on top of the food bowl, and then he kept right on truckin forward and straight out the kitchen door. "Hey, where are you going ya crazy mutt?!" Kelly said from where he was sipping coffee at the kitchen table. "What a schmo...Geez, that's two cans of grub now, slated for the trash can.." Hank only chuckled. "You forgot Henry's a true station dog there, Kelly." Cap grinned. "Can't you see he's making a house call? It's more important than food to him." "Yeah, Chet. He does it all the time whenever one of us is feeling out of it." Marco said, retucking his shirt in around his belt. He had just come out of the shower. Johnny neatly rose to his feet, abandoning his coffee mug. "That's my cue.. Excuse me guys. I'm right on Henry's angle.." and Gage, too, exited the kitchen for the bunk dorms. On a second thought, he grabbed a couple of donuts on the way out, one for him and a second one for Roy. Gage noticed that Cap had pulled all the shades down around Roy's bunk and had even set a water pitcher on the desk tabletop with a paper already opened to the horse racing section next to it. Gage smiled when he heard Roy stir in his sheets to play with Henry. Respectfully, he knocked on the wooden doorframe first before he entered the room further. "Roy?" "Yeah, Johnny. I'm awake.." his partner said. "Didn't anybody feed Henry yet? He's acting like he wants his bowl now." Gage walked into the room and grabbed the chair from the desk, inverted it, and straddled it to sit. "Now, Roy, you know Henry won't eat for anyone else but you. And we're dumb enough to keep forgetting that. He turned his finicky nose up again at Marco just a minute ago when he opened a can right under his face. You sure got a way with dogs." Roy's face unexpectedly fell at Johnny's comment. and he stopped petting Henry's broad back. "Yeah, well. I wish I had a way with children right about now. Lately my luck's been running kinda dry." Johnny scoffed gently. "Now what's that supposed to mean? You got two wonderful kids who're incredibly proud to call ya dad. You got a beautiful wife. That's more than what I got. What more can a man want?" "To turn back the clock for starters. How about turning it back about..oh,...forty eight hours or so. Then I'd truly be a happy man, Johnny." Roy said, with a groan. He flopped back onto his back and drew his sheets up to his chest as if chilled suddenly in his T shirt and boxers. "Roy, cut it out. You shouldn't be ashamed of your emotions. What happened out there today, happens to all of us. H*ll, Cap's been there. He just told us when and why over coffee a few minutes ago. And I bet if we took a poll, we'd find that there isn't a single guy on the rosters who hasn't been in the same shoes you wore this morning." Johnny said. "I'm not immune either. I've been there. Remember? I lost it only two weeks into the paramedic program.." Roy regarded Gage quietly for long seconds, "Not everyone, Johnny." A slight smile curled his lips, "What about Craig Brice?" "Oh, yeah.." Johnny chuckled. "Brice. Forgot about him. How can a man without sense of humor find something about our line of work that'll make him lose his lunch? Brice sure can't. He's an Iron Man." Johnny grumbled, answering his own question. "Maybe he should team up with Detello at ten's for a while and learn something about compassion." Johnny took a bite from his donut, then belated remembered that he had already bitten into the first one. Lamely, he offered the pastry to Roy. DeSoto took it, and began offering the pieces wearing Johnny's tooth marks to the snuffling Henry who had sprawled his heavy weight across Roy's legs. "Here, buddy. Yeah, that's a good boy.." and he smacked Henry's hide loudly in affection. The rest, he popped into his mouth. "Nausea finally gone?" Johnny asked. Roy looked up, almost as if he had forgotten his partner was there. "Yeah, that anti-emetic you gave me worked." he said chewing slowly. "Who authorized that?" "Joe Early. He knew what you had been up against yesterday. And understood the need for the hypo today." "Does everybody know about ...what happened to me?" Roy asked quietly, caressing Henry's ear as the dog snoozed in his lap. "Only those who care a whip about ya." Gage quipped. Then he leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. "Listen, Roy, so what if it took six years for you to finally crack on a call. Big deal. You're a human being. It means that you care.." "Yeah, maybe I care a little too much." Roy said softly. Johnny rubbed his mouth in frustration and then he got angry."Oh, boy, here we go again. You didn't make that driver hit the bus. You didn't cause that canyon wall to come caving in on us. And unless you're really Moses, I know you didn't cause that rain storm to flood us out like it did. So knock off the pity pit. A paramedic's GOT to have empathy. H*ll. You're the one who taught me that.." he sat back with exasperation. Roy was silent for a time. Then he said. "I'm thinking about leaving the program Johnny. I really think I can't hack it any more." he pointed to the uniform that Cap had folded neatly on the dresser and said. "I really don't know if I can ever get myself to wear that uniform again. Ever. It now hurts too much.." and his lip quavered. Johnny showed no sympathy. "You're just saying that. Now what would I do in a few months if Kelly kept good on his threat and suddenly became my new partner?" Johnny asked drily. Roy finally smiled and laughed. "You two'd probably, most likely kill each other the first week out." "There ya go.." Johnny said. "So don't leave me in that kind of spot. And quit talkin like that. You're just hurting, that's all. You're not disabled. A little time taken with the family will make it all right again." "Now you're sounding like Cap." Roy said. "Good, cause he's right. And that's what he said worked for him when he cracked over his own child call." Roy sat up. "You know something Gage?" "What..?" Gage said, curling Henry's tail and scratching its white furred tip until Henry picked up his head to see who was messing with it. Henry's tail started wagging when he saw who it was. "You're right. M- Maybe that's all I'll need. A little time off. Just enough ta.. get my clear thinking back again and maybe I'll even find that sense of inner balance that I had before.. " he said, grinning. "That's the ticket.." Johnny beamed, taking another bite out of his donut. "No, wait a minute, I can't go on leave." "Why not? You got enough vacation time coming to ya. As long as I've known ya, you've only been on vacation twice. Once to Santa Rosa with me, and the other time when you took Joanne and the kids to the f--" he broke off. "You can say it, Johnny. Farm. I'm not mad at you over that any more. I mean who can control circumstance?" "And that's it right there, Roy. On your coming days off, hold that thought and you think about it, real hard.." With that, Gage disappeared, leaving the rest of his donut abandoned on the bedspread. Roy blinked, amazed that Johnny could move so fast. And that, in itself, made him think all the more about Roy DeSoto. Johnny's cool advice and Henry's warm tongue on his fingers, made him mull over what was really the most important thing going on in his life apart from his family. Sighing, Roy picked up the donut and began doling out the correct pieces to the proper mouths. Then, feeling thirsty, he reached for the water container. And a bit later, after a long tearful talk with the crisis counselor and Joanne,.... ...Roy DeSoto reached for his uniform.. ---------------------------------------------- It was a week later. And the gang on A shift finally felt like they were a whole crew again. Roy DeSoto was back on the job. But Gage sighed and didn't even turn around when he felt Roy sit on the locker room bench next to him and opened his locker. "Mornin.." Roy said cheerily. He broke off into a jaunty whistling tune. One he knew would irritate Johnny. Gage didn't reply. He just changed in silence. "What's the problem, Johnny? An explosion knock out your ears or something? I'm back." "Good for you Roy. I'm proud ya made the right decision." Johnny said finally. "But frankly, I'm really depressed right now if you have to know." "Why? Got a reason to be?" "Yeah. A good one. Guess who replaced you while you and Joanne and the kids were having it up in Florida." "No, ..don't tell me..." "Yeah.. Craig Brice.." Johnny said putting on his work shoes. He was so worked up, that he broke a shoelace. Roy was kind enough not to laugh and wordlessly, he handed his partner a package of new ones that he knew Johnny hadn't had the foresight to buy from the drugstore. "Thanks." Johnny said and he unlaced the old and did up the replacement deftly. "I'll tell you why else I'm depressed. We had a new trainee." "Chet didn't.." Roy interjected, his eyes getting real big. "No, .." Johnny sighed. "Chet didn't. He got an earful of just what kinds of things we paramedics go through from Detello and company and chickened out on taking any ride alongs. That delayed him enough that he blew his chance to train in the field this quarter with a squad. He's gonna have to wait until next year to enroll if he's still interested since the next batch of classes have already begun." Johnny said. "Then why are you so glum? You didn't have your paramedic partner trainee from h*ll." Roy asked. "I had a new .... " and he sighed. "..GIRL trainee. And you'll never guess who it was." "Who?" "Brice's cousin." "Brice has a cousin?" "Yeah, and she's nearly as bossy and analytical as he is. Why, we weren't even ten feet out the door on our first run, when she suddenly started quoting rules and regs at me. Said my helmet was too big." "It is. Didn't you learn your lesson when it fell off your head after that monkey virus got to you on that scaffolding?" Roy said drolly. Johnny blinked. "Would ya look at that. Hey guys.. Would ya look at that?!" he shouted through the kitchen door. "My best bud, my partner to whom I entrust life and limb, agrees with the comments from that annoying probie!!" Naturally, there was no reply from the gang in the kitchen. "You couldn't have been suffering that badly last week, Johnny.." "Oh, really. Pray tell why..." "Henry's not here.." and Roy closed his locker door calmly and left for breakfast. ------------------------------------------------ They had just about finished the pancakes when a station call came out. ##Station 51, Station 10, Truck 127. Battalion 14. ......School fire at Roosevelt Elementary....## Roy's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no.. Not again." Johnny said as he snatched up his jacket. "Roy, now you're gonna do just fine. It's most likely just a false alarm again. Now, come on, let's go.." ##....13000 Technology Drive. 13000 Technology Drive. Cross street, Maple. Time out, 9:57.## "L.A., 10-4. This is Station 51. KMG 365." Stoker replied in communications acknowledgement. They rolled out.. --------------------------------------------------------- Photo: John sitting in a chair with Henry.. Photo: Roy in closeup, asleep. Photo : Roy driving the squad, looking right at you. ***************************************** From: "Roxy Dee" Date: Wed Jan 15, 2003 5:44 pm Subject: The Call of Angels~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Station 51 pushed the envelope to arrive on on scene. As it was, they were the first. A stumbling, smoke stained janitor ran out of the building and was met by a throng of teachers who were trying to control their classrooms of children calmly and collectively. They caught him as he fell and lowered him to the ground. One moustached balding superintendant grabbed him by the arms."Charlie! Now that was plumb stupid. The building's clear. You didn't have to go back in there. No boiler's valuable enough for that." Charlie, silver haired and Asian, just coughed, gripping his chest. "Yes... I ...did...sir. The water heater and the gas line's the next room over.. If they go.. The northside classrooms are still evacuating Aghh.. My chest!!" and he gasped, then gurgled. The superintendant heard sirens and looked up to see a fire department rescue squad screech to a halt on the street a safe distance away from the school. Gage and DeSoto stepped out to the nearest bunch of teachers. Frightened kids milled about everywhere. "What's the situation here?" Johnny asked one of them. The young substitute teacher said. "There's a fire in the basement. Boiler room according to Charlie. There's a lot of chemicals stored in there." Johnny ran along to the cab and shouted to Cap and the gang who had just pulled up the red pumper, spewing long hose. "Cap! Substructure. And chemicals!" "I want everybody in full SCBA! " Cap waved on Vince and two other police cars to begin crowd control. Then he contacted L.A. through his hand held radio. "L.A. We've got smoke showing from a two story brick building. Assign a third alarm assignment." ##10-4, 51. ## And the fire captain heard the dispatcher assign two other stations to the call. Then a teacher ran up to Cap and hung onto his arm. "Listen. They're still people trying to get out on the north side. And we've a man hurt!" she said. "Where?" "He's in the parking lot.." she coughed. "You ok, maam?" Cap said. "I'm fine. Just a little smoke. I gotta get back to my kids.." she shouted and fled his grip. Cap looked around and saw Gage and DeSoto already air bottled and connecting hose to the yellow hydrants on the block. "Gage! DeSoto! There's a victim over there. Check it out!" He saw his men look up and see where he was pointing. Then he called for four ambulances judging from the number of coughing kids he could see crying and sitting on the curbsides. Johnny and Roy abandoned what they were doing to grab their medical gear. Chet and Marco took over their task of charging the hoses. Johnny grabbed the O2 and the biophone while Roy got the drug and IV boxes. "Cap! We're on it.." They soon found the superintendant with Charlie the janitor, who was now unconscious. Johnny reached for the man's neck. "Thready. Might be his heart." The superintendant nodded. "He did say his chest hurt him. I guess he was in the fire too long.." "I'll patch him in.." Roy said, unbuttoning the man's shirt while Johnny set him on some oxygen. He looked up while he fastened the EKG leads to the janitor's chest. "Listen, sir.. Do you know if everybody made it out?" The superintendant, distracted by the melee of panicking children and teachers just mumbled. "I- I don't know. I.. some of the staff seems to think the classrooms on the north side were still trying to make it out." Roy made a decision.. "Johnny. I can't wait. You got things here?" Gage looked up from the BP he was taking on the man. His face filled with doubt about Roy's plans but then he nodded when his ears picked up the sound of Station Ten pulling up into the smoky school yard. "Bring someone with you.." "Cap, I'm going in to help with the evacuation!" DeSoto called out. "Grab a man from 10!" Cap said, waving him on while he filled Battalion Fourteen in on the situation. Roy ran to the open aired engine just pulled up. He waved the station's medics on, "A heart case, near the basketball court..Johnny's with him now. Go. Move.. We have all the gear you'll need." 10's paramedics ran. Then he tapped the nearest fireman's shoulder from the bunch pulling hose from the fire engine. The big man turned around. It was Detello. "Well, if it isn't DeSoto. What's up?, er, besides the obvious.." he said with a fleeting smile. But already he was all business. "Evac.. on the north side, Come on..!" Roy said. Detello took his cue from the men from 51 running around with air bottles and he took his own, with an axe and door markers. On a thought, he grabbed an asbestos blanket. "What's with that?" Roy asked as they ran towards the smoking building. "Just a hunch, Roy. Can't explain it." DeSoto and Detello put on their face masks and entered the building. They arrived just in time to help one last teacher make it to the sunlight. Detello gave her some air through his mask as they helped her to her kids in the clearer air. They set her on the ground. "Just keep breathing a few on this.." Detello told her. "You'll be fine." The young teacher pulled it away. "I'm missing Cindy. Oh my g*d." A stab ran through Roy's stomach and his world dimmed. He looked up at the building from which flames now rose and a chemical stench. ::Ammonia..:: He heard Detello question the woman and soon, they got hasty directions to that classroom. The big firefighter waved over an arriving fire station to take care of the woman and he and DeSoto put back on their masks and helmets and both ran back to the door they had just gone through getting out. Detello still carried the asbestos blanket, like a football. Roy smacked Detello's arm. "Which way?" "Left! Down the hall. First room on the right by the stairwell. Watch the right. It's a door leading to the sub basement. Bound to be hot!" Roy got on his hand radio and told the Batallion station they were searching for a victim and where. They entered a third grade class room which was barely visible in the smoke. "Hey! can anybody hear me!" Detello shouted. Roy and he searched and upturned desks hastily, crouching low enough to the floor so they could see their boots and any body they might find. The heat, was oppressive and they could hear the sizzle in the air from the leaking ammonia creating thicker gases and smoke near the ceiling. The noise of flames and the alarm bells forced Detello and Roy to use hand signals to communicate while they searched both that classroom and the next. Roy paused at each door and closed it, after marking it with a search slash when they were through. "She couldn't have gone far.. The exit's right there.." Roy said in frustration through his mask. Detello's head snapped around at a sound only he heard and he pushed Roy back into the lockers and brought both of them down to the stone tiles in the hallway. There was a huge explosion that ripped through the sub basement and blew out all the classroom windows of the school. Cap looked up, waving on Stoker and Marco, Chet and a man from ten's. "Take two inch and a halfs! Get where Roy and Detello are searching!" Johnny Gage came running up and Cap seemed surprised. Johnny shrugged. "Squad Ten took him in. I'm no longer needed. Where do you want me?" "Go with them!" Stanley gestured, pointing out the hoses writhing on the wet pavement from his men's hose teams. Johnny fled, fastening on his air mask. He knew what was going on and held his radio near his ear. Soon, he heard the staticky tones of a call button being pressed in a series of three tones. "They're all right." he gasped, slapping Chet's back as he and the others got a powerful covering fan into the building to begin to combat the inferno. "They just ran a three on the radio." Chet gave him a thumbs up and together, the group stormed the building. The smoke was thick and the fire belched out of cracks in the neat brown marble floor. The firemen played water onto these fissures and steam rose, obscuring their view. Slowly, they advanced northwards. Detello hauled Roy to his feet and pulled off the asbestos blanket he had thrown over on top of them. The paint on the lockers around them were melted and dripping. "Let's go, irishman." Detello grinned toothily at him. "We won't be needed this anymore." he said and he tossed down the smoking ruin of the blanket which had saved them from the worst of the explosion. "I'm feeling like that's the worst of it." Roy shook his hand and turned where he stood. They resumed their room by room search. Then Roy halted Detello by tapping him on the back. "It's really hot in here. If it was hot, and I was a child, where would I go in a fire?" Detello and Roy both exclaimed. "The restrooms." They doubled back to the third grade class room and the stairwell, which was now fully involved. They met Chet and Marco and took a welcome spray onto their jackets before pressing on with a "We're ok." hand signal. There was door barely concealed underneath the stairwell. Detello pointed to it. "Hit this! Hit this!" Marco and Chet snuffed out the tendrils of flame beginning to threaten that entryway and it died with a hiss. Roy kicked in the door. It was a faculty bathroom. "Hey.. Anybody in here?" Detello never got into the room when the ceiling came down, separating them. The flaming stairwell soon followed, and it trapped Roy away from Chet and Marco and Detello. The three on the outside frantically began to hose down the surging fire blocking the door. "Roy! You ok in there?!" Roy had flattened himself against the smooth tile wall and he felt hot moisture on his face. "That's not from the hose.." he mumbled. and his gloves sank into a dark section of the room. The showers! One of them was on. He dragged out a flashlight and scrambled on his hands and knees towards the sound of the running water. There he found the little girl, lying motionless beneath its stream. He grabbed her by the shoulders and picked her up into his arms and carried her back into the main part of the bathroom where the daylight from the skylight let him see the child he held. He pulled off his helmet and mask and crouched down against the wall with her, checking. "Come on, honey. Just take a breath.." She didn't. Roy began mouth to mouth. He couldn't tell if she had a pulse because she was twisted up so badly in the sweater soaked from the shower. Roy fumbled until he found one. He laid her down on a sink, onto her back, for a moment while he worked to keep her going. In between another set of breaths, Roy got up and grabbed a steel waste can and used it to smash out the tiny thick, textured bathroom window leading to the outside. Shouts of attention from the firecrews manned there reassured him that someone now knew he was trapped right there, with a victim. He returned to the child, taking her into his arms and stretched her out onto the glass sharded floor. He alternatingly took breaths off his own mask to give to her using his own lungpower to keep the ammonia tainted air out of her system. He pulled out his radio. "Kelly, Lopez. Hurry it up! Now would be a good time!" Images flashed through Roy's mind of the bus crash. The wet and the dark. It felt very much like where he was now. And the tiny living weight of the girl he fought to save was so like the feel of the girl from the storm drain as the water tore her away from his grasp. Roy began to cry, shouting. "Come on.. Cindy. Come back. It's ok.. I got you.." he sobbed. He again, breathed for the tiny girl from his air supply. He kept burning shards from landing on her clothes and he curled about her, using the wet on the floor to put out the small blazes burning around them. Then, there was a gasp, small, choking. Cindy began to cough, then to cry.. Roy held her close. "It's ok. I'm a fireman. We're going to get you out of here. Keep breathing from this mask ok?" he told her. "I'll be right back.." The frightened girl nodded. Roy's relief was palpable. He rose from the floor and went to the doorway where he saw Chet and Marco's hose water extinguishing the fire. Soon, there was nothing but sooty insulation and wood beams between them. Detello kicked these away. "Found her?" he asked, pulling off his mask. "Yeah.. She's ok.." Roy said, staggering against the wall. Detello's eyebrows went up. "Smart idea using the showers to keep the fire off." "It was her idea.." Roy grinned. Detello lifted both the air bottle and the girl from the ground and saw Cindy looking up and coughing at him in confusion and fright. Then he looked at Roy. "I believe you have a rescue to complete." he said, grinning through the ash on his face. Gently, he set the tiny girl into Roy's arms for him to guard. Then he stormed back out through the blackened doorway out to Kelly and Marco. "Chet, Lopez! Give us some cover. We're coming out!!" And soon, they did. Roy felt the sunlight on his face and the world narrowed down to just him and his tiny victim, still warm, alive and full of life in his arms. He started laughing as Detello roared his displeasure at the crowds standing between him and where the squad's equipment was parked. Just like that, Roy's nightmare, was over.. "Come on, Cindy. Let's get you checked out. My name's Roy DeSoto and I'm a paramedic with the L. A. County Fire Department. You're gonna be just fine..." Gage met them with fresh O2 and a live biophone and together, Roy and his partner made sure that one tiny life, stayed saved. Roy thought. ::Maybe this is the feeling Detello keeps banking on. This, certainty,.. that everything that's meant to be, will always turn out for the better. I'm no angel, but right now, I certainly feel like I'm in heaven...:: ----------------------------------------- Photos : None. ***************************** Juxtaposition - FIN @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Story Unfolds... Season One, Episode Four.. WITHIN SIGHT ********************************* From : "desertducks " Subject :[EmergencyTheaterLive] Back Home Date : Sun, 19 Jan 2003 07:45:11 -0000 The engine crew made it back to the station by nine o'clock that night. "Might as well ruin one more person's evening." Captain Stanley mumbled, mostly to himself, as he crossed the threshold to his office. He left his door open - it felt wrong to close himself off from the rest of his crew. He dropped into the chair, but shoved it back from the desk, leaned his head against the cool brick wall, and shut his eyes. It sounded like Chet was finally running out of steam. The banging noises coming from the locker room had diminished to a less jarring level. Marco had gone to the kitchen first to start some fresh coffee. Now they wait. No - he still had to call in for a replacement engineer. "Is Mike Stoker here?" The young voice startled Captain Stanley. He scrubbed his hands over his face before focusing on the boy standing in his doorway. It was late for a kid to be out roaming the neighborhood alone. He said the only thing he could. "He's not here right now. I'm Captain Stanley, is there something I can do for you?" His heart was pounding all the way here just to talk to Mike. What was he going to say to the captain? "I think..." Not another sound would squeak out. ::Great, I'm already shaking, figures my voice would crack too.:: He started again. "I think I know who started that fire." --------------------------------- Photos : None. *********************** From : "Cassidy Meyers" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Witness Date : Tue, 21 Jan 2003 00:29:52 +0400 Captain Stanley saw the color on the boy's face pale and saw how worked up he really was. "Here, son, have a seat before your knees rubber and they drop you flat. Relax, I won't bite." he said, rising. He guided the boy to the wooden chair across from the desk and half heartedly peered into the bay in an attempt to locate whoever it was who let the child into the station in the first place. He suspected it had been Marco. ::Just like Lopez to subtly channel things concerning touchy run subjects my way.:: "What's your name kid? Kinda feel like I'm at a disadvantage since I don't know yours." "I'm.....Jeremy Conners." he said quietly. "Would you care to share just how you know my fire station's engineer?" "Mr. Stoker's my coach in the Second Chance Little Leagues. We've been hanging out Saturdays. Been doing so all summer." ::Oh, :: thought Hank. ::That would explain it. Mike's doing that Big Brother program with the juvies through the city's foster care program. This young fella must be one of his latest personal reclamation projects.:: "He said I could come here if I had anything on my mind that was bothering me. And this is." he fidgetted. His scowling eyes never left Cap's. Cap saw that Jeremy was an unusual child. He wasn't rubbernecking his surroundings like any other boy his age would. It was as if he already knew what a fire station was all about. Hank's eyebrows rose but he put his analytical observations to the background for a while. "Ok, you came here to see my man Stoker for a reason concerning which fire? My men and I have seen three today." He cocked his head and gestured to the milk carton he had set near his incident report earlier to settle his roiling stomach. "This is still cold. Thirsty?" Jeremy shook his head despite his nervous dry mouth. He purposely stopped fidgetting. The red headed boy felt the station captain's eyes bore into his own with an intense scrutiny. "Before you make a move on me, I get out at night all the time from the Home so don't even think about calling the fuzz. I know every door outta here." "Fair enough. Let me let you in on a little known fact about firehouses. In this office I'm not the station's captain anymore. I'm just Hank. Anything you say is confidential and won't leave this office unless it deals with someone's safety, property or life and limb." Stanley said. "So, what's eating you? Must be important if it bugged you enough to walk all the way here for what I suspect was about a mile or so." The boy's face fell open in surprise. "How'd you know that?" "Cause that's how far it is to the nearest residential neighborhood past the Arco refinery surrounding us. And, the logo on your jersey was a dead giveway." Cap spread his arms wide in a 'Well, what is it?' gesture. Jeremy crossed his arms in front of his gray baseball sweatshirt and pursed his lips. He glanced away from Hank for the first time since he arrived. "I gotta think about this first." Cap sighed wearily and grabbed his glass of now warmish 2% and downed it. "Make it fast. I'm expecting my men on the rescue squad back with some answers I need any second now. After that, I'm gonna be too busy for off hours visitors. So make up your mind pronto. Who started what fire?" Jeremy countered. "Why isn't Mike Stoker here? That engine's filthy. He'd be the first one at it with a rag to clean it off.." It was Cap's face that betrayed him this time and he went from tough act to vulnerable in a pico. "He's..well, I gotta break it somehow since you say Mike's your friend, Jeremy. Our last fire injured him when the roof caved in and trapped him apart from his hose team. In trying to get out, a steam pipe he didn't see burst in front of him and burned his eyes through his air mask pretty bad. Caught his throat and lungs too." Jeremy held really still. "That's the fire I'm talking about then if the roof came down. Is..is..Mike going to be blind?" he asked in a very small voice. Cap toyed with his empty glass thoughtfully and hid his emotion. "I don't know yet about that. I'm just glad he's still here. It took us a while to get him going again. That other answer, I'm going to get from my two paramedics the moment they get back to base. " "They were the ones who got him out?" "Yeah. Because another man of mine couldn't do it on his own." ".. That was..Kelly, Max said." Jeremy mumbled, barely audible. Cap's eyes narrowed when he heard that inadvertant tidbit. "You know Chet Kelly?" "He comes to our games with Coach every other weekend to try and sell hotdogs to the folks who come to watch us play. He doesn't know me, but I know him. What a weirdo." Cap threw his jaw to the side in half irritation and no humor. "Ok, so you were at the last fire call or heard about it, if you knew that Chet didn't do so well saving the hour tonight because he freaked out a little. So it should be real easy now to tell me who torched that abandoned building then, wouldn't it?" "Not gonna BE easy." "Why not? You're here. And I won't say who told me who. Witness/FireCaptain confidentiality, remember?" "Cause I may die for it, that's why. Listen high and mighty man, forget I ever came.." and Jeremy Conners shot up from the chair and darted out the office door. "Jeremy! Hey! Wait!!" Hank ran after the boy but the child was faster. Jeremy slammed on the garage door release button and he logrolled on through the narrow space that was opening before Hank could grab his torn pair of blue Adidas sneakers to stop him. Cap was left standing in the driveway surrounded by cricket calls and summer moonlight when the shed doors finally snicked fully open. There was no sign of the boy, only the sight and sounds of traffic on the boulevard winking in and out under the blue streetlights. Cap set his hands on his hips in utter frustration and leaned on the flag pole to hide his emotions as they rose to the surface yet again. ::Mike Stoker you hang in there.:: A rising soft night wind made the flags on the chains over him ring on the steel pole and Cap jumped, looking up. It hit home that Mike might not be there anytime soon to man the flag pole each day as he usually did. Slowly, Cap took down the state and department banners into his arms and tied off the chain. He alarmed himself when he found his hands folding the flags into neat perfect memorial triangles. ::He's not dead yet stupid. And there's no way in h*ll this eye thing is going to make Mike retire if he does by some miracle, recover.:: In defiance, Cap rolled the silky flags into a ball and sank down with them in his lap with the pole at his back. He was quite alone when he started weeping. ------------------------------------------------ Chet Kelly sat down at the kitchen table with the engine's small first aid kit and he cracked it open. Lopez set down a coffee mug in front of Kelly with a thunk. He opened his mouth. "Not another word, Lopez." Chet warned, wincing as he examined the bloody knuckles he had on both hands. Kelly fought with kerlix and tape for long moments until he said. "J*sus Chr*st already. I give up. Just what kind of fireman am I turning into? I can't even bandage my own knuckles here." Lopez pulled up a chair next to Kelly and took over the task. "Let me do that. Oo, Chet, these are going to be sore. Whydidya have to go at the punching bag so hard? No one's blaming you about what happened tonight. It was an accident. Old buildings fall down when they're on fire. It's a fact of life." Chet grimaced. "Ahh!. Go easy on that mecurachrome. It's stinging! Tell me something Marco. Is it a fact of life that I panicked in there? It's not like me to lose my head in a crisis, I just..." and he shuddered. "I just...didn't like the mess that pipe made of Mike's face." "You did all the right things Chet. You kept him breathing until we got him outta there. And Johnny and Roy got the perfect EOA in fast enough. Your hesitating those few moments won't amount to anything.. It was chaos in that room you guys were in. I know, I was up there." "How can you know that for a fact Lopez? We couldn't even look at Mike's eyes to see if they were responsive--" and Kelly's voice cracked. Marco didn't say anything and he put his hand on Chet's shoulder in comfort as he got up to go find Cap. "Here, drink this.. It'll make you feel better." He said shoving his untouched coffee mug in front of Chet. "No thanks.. Not by a long shot. I'll puke." "Cap said the same thing.." Marco mumbled numbly, as he went out the kitchen door. "I'm gonna go see if Gage or DeSoto called Cap yet from Rampart." Chet sat morosely in his chair and slowly cradled his bandaged hands and nodded silently. ------ Marco saw that the boy he had let in was gone already and that Cap's office was vacant. The yawning bay doors were open to the night air and Marco could just barely make out Cap's silhouette in the drive under the station's front spot light by the flag pole. Marco was heading in that direction when the squad appeared, honking its horn in greeting. Roy waved, turning on its reds in order to make the backup maneuver necessary through the busy traffic, to park her. Cap rose to his feet when he saw Roy and Johnny returning and he wiped his face quickly before either they or Marco, noticed. Johnny called out. "Hey Cap, such service." he said gesturing to the open doors, he grinned. "Cut the small talk Gage. How is he?" Johnny and Roy both saw how deeply worried Hank was and how quiet Marco seemed, watching him. The false humor Johnny had tried to simulate fell away instantly.. Roy paused the squad in the drive and leaned an elbow in the window. The wash of the spinning reds in the darkness cast harsh lines on his face as he said... ------------------------ Photo : Chet Marco and Cap looking serious. Photo : The station house at night. Photo : A red head freckled boy with a buzz cut in closeup. Photo : Johnny and Roy in the squad at night. Photo : Mike Stoker on the mike near the engine cab. ********************************** From: Katherine Bird Date: Fri Jan 31, 2003 7:49 pm Subject: The Spare Boots "He's alive. He's still breathing ok. They took him up to ICU for a full evaluation." Roy said slowly. "And his blood gases are still good considering the burns he took into his trachea. Amazingly, his chest is clear, Cap. Maybe the airmask helped a little keeping some of that steam from the pipe, out of his lungs. I kinda figured that when the EOA went in slicker than--" Gage said. "And what about his eyes? Did uh, Brackett mention anything about his eyes?" Cap asked a little too quickly, betraying his worry. Then he added, "I was told that roof coming down was no coincidence.." Gage and DeSoto were taken aback by how vulnerable Hank's voice sounded. And by the expression on Marco's face standing in the garage bay entrance, haunted and worn. "Cap.." Johnny asked. "Wh- what's going on? You know something we don't?" he said, getting out of the squad. He tossed his helmet into the seat and vaulted over the hood in a butt skid to get to his side faster. Roy stayed where he was, hands on the steering wheel, engine idling, in the drive. He switched off the reds when Marco waved the outside spotlights a little higher so everyone could see in the darkness and DeSoto,too, took off his helmet, looking scared. Lopez joined Johnny, Roy and Cap's group around the squad when he over heard Cap's matter of fact comment. The warm night wind lifted the slack chain on the empty flag pole and the soft sound itself cut right through Hank and he looked up at it unconsciously. Cap fidgetted. "Roy, just finish backing it in there. Us gawking out here like this looks bad. I'll wait until ya get back out here. " Hank watched as DeSoto parked the squad. Then he shouted. "Kelly, front and center!" yelled into the open garage. Running footsteps told him he had been heard. Chet jogged out of the kitchen, holding a dish towel over his hands and around the metal coffee pot and mug he had been drying. All five firemen stood in a circle by the empty flag pole, tense and worried while Captain Stanley waited for the auto close shed doors to be fully shut over the vehicles. That rumble faded away, leaving behind cricketsong when Cap finally began to speak. "We had a witness tonight.." "A witness?" Gage said. "Oh, so that's who he was..." Lopez said. "Who was who?" Chet asked. "Cap, how'd you find anybody so fast?" Roy asked. "That's what I'd like to know.." Gage said. Cap held up his hands. "Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Just hold up here.. I'm getting to that. Everybody, just hush.. and that's an order.." The crickets reigned once more. Cap sighed and lowered his head, planting his hands on his hips. "I have it on a good source that our derelict warehouse fire was actually a case of malicious arson.." Hank raised his chin when his men started to talk all at once again so he raised his voice that much louder. "Just wait a sec. If I get any louder, the whole world'll hear." Cap said, eyeing a convertible with curious college kids driving by, rubbernecking at the sight of the usually invisible firemen standing in the drive. Gage noticed the car too, with startlement, and he quieted. He didn't even look up when one of the more attractive students waved a flirting hand at him. "Hey Johnny..." she purred. Her innocent catcall as they passed the station seemed vile to Cap and very soon, they were gone. ::What a time for one of Gage's conquests to make an appearance.:: Cap thought. His office seemed suddenly a more tempting sanctuary. He felt his mouth move. "My information source knows the party who did it and you're not going to like it." "What, Cap? Was the fire gang related?" Johnny asked. "No, a group of minors started it." Chet, Marco and Gage's faces screwed up in discomfort at the news and they all hid it badly. "Just how young, Cap?" Chet asked, wincing when Johnny grabbed the coffee pot and mug out of Kelly's hands looking for a steaming drink. "Nine or ten years old.. from what I was told. Two kids, at least, for sure." Gage said, "Wonderful. Just wait until Mike wakes up and we tell him a bunch of kids KO'd him." He then addressed Chet's earlier irregular reaction. "What's wrong with you...?" he said. "Nothin.." Kelly said. "Uh huh.." Roy grunted and whipped away Chet's towel, revealing Kelly's bandaged hands. Chet, of course tried to hide them behind his back. Cap oggled. "Oh, now Kelly.. don't tell me you just broke your fourth glass. Last thing I wanna do is call up McConnike again for another crew replacement.." Lopez piped up. "Actually, Cap, he--" "Just you hush up, Lopez.." Kelly squeaked. Marco glared at Chet and finished his sentence... "..took his frustrations out on the locker room punching bag. Bare fisted." Hank crooked a finger in irritation. "Kelly.. Go inside.. And you're letting Gage and DeSoto take a look at those hands. Now." Cap said grumpily. For once, Kelly didn't retort back. The gang reconvened in the kitchen to the real pot of full coffee. No one said anything when Roy came into the kitchen with the squad's bandage box. Cap said, "You take a real good look at him. I wanna know if he can work like that.." he said, pointing to Chet's bloody wraps around his knuckles. "Kelly, that was real stupid. Next time, wear the d*mned boxing gloves.. That's what they're there for.." "That's what I told him.." Marco complained. Chet's lips set into a firm line in a glare at Marco, but he kept his peace otherwise. Johnny said. "All right.. Chet. Let's get these off." and he pulled out his hip holster shears and began to cut away Lopez's wrap job. The damp, red dressings fell away. Roy whistled at the hamburgered skin he saw there. "Chet, it looks like you really did a number here.." "No I didn't.." he complained. "It's just surface stuff." Johnny experimented. "I know how hard your upper left cross is.." and he moved three fingers on Chet's right hand up a smidgen. "That hurt?" He immediately stopped when a loud grating from the hand almost made Chet and Johnny leap out of their kitchen chairs. All the gang winced. Then Cap sighed and left for his office to call for another man to replace Kelly for the still out of service engine. Kelly complained, loudly. "Aww, Cap.. You don't have to do that.. I'm fine.." Hank's voice echoed back from the Cap's room. "You aren't going to be able to tell me that when you can't hang onto a 450 psi water hose next fire run tomorrow morning. And Kelly, I'm sure glad I won't be you when you personally tell the chief in the morning that your wounds were self inflicted. Gage, get him seen." said the booming invisible voice. Johnny didn't say anything and he went out to the squad for the biophone. There was no trace of annoyance at all on his face when he set up the antennae and began to hail Rampart. "Oh, geesh, Cap. You've got to be kidding me. I've dislocated knuckles before. They only hurt a few days.. And they usually work themselves back into place on their own with a little use.." Kelly said. Roy had spread out a dressing sheet onto the table and he held out two hand fracture splints. "Not this time. That noise was crepitus Chet. Congratulations! We just found three BROKEN knuckles on that hand. And judging by the swelling and joint dislocations I see now, your left hand may even be worse off. Now don't move either one of them until I'm through." Marco sighed. "I told him they looked bad too." "You did not. You said they looked sore." "Same thing.." Lopez said. "No , it's not.." Kelly snapped. He paled when Roy made a small adjustment to one of his fingers in the splint to get a better pulse into it. "Oh, geesh. They're bad, aren't they..?" "Only without treatment." Roy sighed. Then he saw Kelly's pallor. "Do you need to lie down there Kelly?" "No.. no no.. I'm at least walking outta here on my own two feet if I'm going to the hospital tonight. No way am I going to be stretchered outta here." "Then prevent that by lying down before you faint. Marco, get his arm over you. We're moving him to the couch." "I'm...not...shocky!" Chet protested. "You will be if you don't get flat. Now move it!!" Cap's voice filtered from the garage bay into the kitchen like a wraith's. Kelly let Roy and Marco move him, complaining the whole way. Gage picked up the biophone and followed. "Kelly just.. " ##51, this is Rampart Base. Go ahead.## came Joe Early's voice. Gage's retort moused down into grumbles as he dragged a kitchen chair over to Chet's couch to hold the biophone, near where he was squatting. Roy got out a stethoscope and BP cuff. "Rampart, we've a hand case on a male, aged 28. 155 pounds. Probable knuckle fractures. We've applied immobilizing splints to both hands and all distal metacarpal pulses are intact.." he inferred from Roy's silent nod. "No other injuries. Stand by for vitals." "Gage, this isn't necessary.." Kelly said when Johnny finished his sentence to the doctor on the line. "Bet your BP's in the low 100's right now with all that excruciating pain. Bet you a month's dish detail." "You're on.." Chet took up the challenge. "And it's not excruciating. Only nauseating." Then he realized that Gage got him to admit that he was in pain at the same time as managing to wring out a current patient history account on top of the insult. He glared at Johnny all the harder. Gage winked a "got you" look at Chet and continued when Roy handed him the notepad of vitals. "Rampart, vitals are.. pulse 120. Respirations are normal. BP is.." he held off for effect for Kelly's benefit.. "...100/60." Chet groaned when he realized he lost the bet. Johnny was crafty and held out the phone so Joe could hear Kelly's groan for a moment. "And he's in a fair amount of pain, doc. I suspect that's why we've got the adverse BP. Hemorrhaging is negligible." He waved at Chet to keep moaning. But Kelly refused to aid him. But one overheard groan had been enough and Joe replied. "I concur, 51. Give him 5 mg, MS IM. Continue monitoring vitals and transport as soon as possible. I have an orthopedic M.D. standing by." "10-4, Rampart.. Our ETA is.. twenty minutes.." "10-4, 51." Johnny hung up the phone. "Marco, hand me the drug box.." "A pain shot?! Oh, Gage, you are in sooOOoo much trouble." Chet warned, wincing as Roy finished splinting his hands. "How so? I'm just doing my job, that's all. Preventative care...." he said in an exaggerated voice. "You feel that pain much longer and you'll lose Glasgow points enough to warrant an ambulance trip. How would that go over with the chief then, Chet?" he said sarcastically. Kelly's anger melted away and he regarded his thick bandage encased hands. "I was just mad about Stoker, that's all. Cut me some slack.." "We are man.. That's why were taking ya in using the squad." Gage said, "Now roll over and let me get this MS in. Just don't move the hands." Chet sighed and complied. Johnny pulled up Chet's tucked in shirt and got him in the haunch. "All right. Roll back." And Gage set a pillow on Kelly's chest to hold his now wrapped, and splinted lower arms up high. "Don't fall asleep. We'll get back with ya in a few minutes when the shot's working. We're not leaving until it is." Chet grunted, still pissed. "Listen, Kelly. Johnny could have told the doc that you did these injuries to yourself. He's probably already in hot water for not disclosing mechanism of injury. The doc's gonna know that the minute the dressings come off." Roy insisted. "I appreciate it. I appreciate it! Thanks for not telling them I went crazy." Kelly insisted adamantly. "Now why would we do that, Chet? Every one of us knows that about you already, so notifying the shrink in the ER isn't necessary.." Gage said, "If you'd like, we can call Vince and the Bellview monkeys to haul you off in their rubber cart to Rampart." he teased, ruffling Kelly's hair. Kelly went to swipe his hand away when he remembered he couldn't. His sour scowl faded into a giggle that got out. "Ah ha...." Roy said. "The shot's working." he smiled, taking a BP. "It's up. And guess what? It's normal now, Johnny. 132/94." "That's our ticket outta here. Come on, Chet. Let's go. The faster they set those knuckles the sooner you can cook us breakfast. I'm starving.." Gage burbled. Lopez and Johnny got him sitting and then onto his feet. "Hey, I'm walking wounded here.." Chet giggled. "I'm not gonna go cooking anything.." "Sure you are.. It's your turn to cook. Remember?" "Oh, yeah.. I think.. maybe I can... I can manage to boil water for soup when I get b-- Hey, this shot's dreamy Johnny.." "Now Chet, pay attention. One foot in front of the other. You gotta WALK..." Gage told him. Roy grabbed the biophone, but traded the dressings box for the IV one from the hold to put onto the floor on Johnny's side of the squad cab. "Close your mouth, Kelly. You're drooling on my shoulder.." Marco complained as he and Roy got Chet into the squad and buckled tight and bundled into a third helmet for safety. "Huh??" Kelly mumbled. Roy put his helmet on and got into the driver's seat. "Hey Cap.. This is what we did..." he hollered out. "Johnny and I got orders to--" "I don't wanna know the details. Just go." Cap's voice grumbled from his open office door. "Have the docs fix him up and get him back here, pronto. Chief's got an eye on him for something he's not telling me about and I don't want Kelly's stupid stunt to wreck our chances of finding out just what that is.." "You got it Cap.." Gage said. And then he poked Kelly awake when he started snoring into his ear from where he nestled between Roy and Johnny in the squad. "Kelly, no napping! Remember?" And then he took a pulse check using the artery in Chet's arm, squeezing a little too hard on purpose. "Oww, hey, hey, hey..Your turn soon for the bathroom.. Just a few more minutes okay? Gotta shave my beard off.." Kelly slurred. Gage chuckled. "As if you had a beard. Hey, open those eyes." Kelly did crack his eyes open then, his clowning over.. "I do, too. And it's as red as my moustache.. Here. Feel.." and he caught Gage's hand into his own muffed ones and stroked it over the stubble shadow on his face. Gage whipped his hand away in disgust. "Cut it out.. and don't be moving those hands like that.. Just keep holding them up higher than your heart on the dashboard there." Then he mumbled to himself under his breath. "Huh, don't we all have beards.." "Not you, Gage. You're Native American.." Kelly said. "No hair anywhere except where you'd expect it." "Oh yeah?" Gage said narrowing his eyes, off on another Gage band wagon. "Think of it from my perspective. It's not easy working with hairy gorillas as crewmates. Tell me, Chet. Doesn't all that chest hair make you kinda hot in summer?" Roy, Chet and Cap said "No, it doesn't." simultaneously from where they were. "Oh..." Johnny peeped. "Thanks for telling me that. Always ....wondered.." and he cleared his throat self consciously. Cap came out of the office and saundered out to the alcove mike, thumbing it. "L.A. Station 51. Mark squad 51 out of service to Rampart until 0500. We're dealing with a minor in house medical call." ##10-4, 51. Time out. 03:12.## Roy and Gage were about to leave the garage with silent reds when DeSoto suddenly screeched to a halt. "Would you look at that?" "What?" asked Gage and Kelly at the same time. "That..." Roy said, pointing to the cement floor before their bumper. Boot, the long-time-ago-runaway-mutt, their old station mascot, was sitting there. "Well, I'll be d*mned.." Cap said, setting his hands on his hips. "Come on, boy. Out of the way. The squad's on a rescue call for Kelly here." Boot obediently slid over three feet and let the squad by. Cap saw Roy pick up speed on the boulevard with top red lights on, but no siren, with satisfaction, and then he closed the big bay doors. He and Marco were left face to face with Boot. "Hey, boy. Welcome back.." Lopez said, crouching low to address the mangy medium sized dog. Boot immediately whined and ran to the engine to scratch meaningfully on the door latch until he nosed it open. He leaped up. Curling up on Mike's engine driver's seat, Boot began to whine and glance up at the two mystified firemen staring at him with their mouths flopped open. When he saw the men didn't do anything to explain the situation, he started nosing Stoker's helmet hanging there, crying in worry and distress. "I don't believe what I'm seeing.. How did he find out about Stoker? And where did he come from?" Cap mumbled. "I have no idea, Cap." Marco admitted. ---------------------------- Photo : Cap in a worried closeup in the kitchen. Photo: Roy and Johnny leaving the garage on a run. Cap, handing them the run slip. Photo: Boot standing in the garage. ************************************ From : "Cory Anda" Subject : Motion to Promotion Date :Tue, 04 Feb 2003 14:50:07 +0000 Dixie McCall was on a night shift. She was filling in for Carol Evans, who was on vacation. The automatic doors at the end of the hall around the corner activated and the soft rolling sound made her look up from her patient chart. The last three people she expected through her emergency department's portal was Johnny Gage, Roy DeSoto and Chet Kelly. Her eyebrows rose in a questioning glance but Joe Early stepped out of Kel's office just then and relieved her bubbling curiosity. "Joe? What's up? I must have been on break when their rescue call came in." Joe said, "A code I. Probable broken hands. Enough to warrant a pain med. I got it from here Dix." he said, walking down the hall to meet Gage and Roy who were keeping a very tripped Chet steady on his feet. "Could you tell Rivers that his hand case is here, Dixie? I've already told radiology that he was coming." "Right..." Dix said. "Hi Roy, Johnny." "Hi Dix... Where to?" Gage asked. "Get him into Treatment Two. And this is...." "Chet Kelly." Roy replied. "Chet, this is Dixie. You might remember her from last year when you were blown into those crates from that paint factory explosion." Gage and he shifted Chet's weight between them as they guided him into the exam room. Kelly grinned, feeling the heady effects of the MS. "Nah, don't recall.. How could I forget a beautiful face like that, man? Hi babe." he giggled, lifting his head from the gurney where Gage and Roy had placed him. "Where have you been all my life? I got the distinct feeling that you and I could make really beautiful music together.." "Charmed." Dix replied, recognizing a high when she saw one. She looked up. "Morphine?" Johnny firmly pushed Chet's shoulders back down onto the table, grinning. "How can you tell?" Right then, Dr. Early came into the room and immediately went to examine Chet's eyes. "Did he behave himself on the trip in?" Roy said, "He was fine, doc. We managed to keep him from using those hands too much." "Yeah.." Johnny smiled. "I told him he had to keeping holding the dashboard to keep the squad steering straight." he joked. "Hmmm..." Joe said, leaning in close to get a good check on Kelly's pupils. Chet was now happily groggy and didn't mind at all when Joe and Dix unwrapped his hands onto sterile sheets on his chest for his x-rays through the splints. Kelly started humming absently through the whole exam. Dr. Rivers entered the room. Joe acknowledged him. "Johnny, Roy, Chet, this is Dr. Craig Rivers, head ortho from upstairs. He's going to be handling Kelly's case." "Hi, doc.." Roy, Johnny and Chet echoed. "Hello, everyone. Let's see what we've got.." And Rivers checked out Chet's hands visually, noting the same signs that he had read from the run sheet. "Did he take out some frustrations on a wall or two?" he asked the two paramedics. "These knuckles look like they took that kind of blunt trauma." Roy and Johnny shifted uncomfortably. DeSoto replied. "Close, but no walls per se, it was a punching bag, actually. Chet was a little upset about a coworker of ours getting caught in a roof collapse last night." Johnny dove right in with the opportunity for an update. "Dix, how's Stoker doing?" Dix was helping redirect the exam table light down onto Chet's hands so Rivers could see what he was doing. "About the same. You could go up and visit him if you'd like." "Hey... I wanna come too." Chet said, trying to sit up. Roy, Gage and Dr. Early all held him down onto the gurney. Kelly stared at the ceiling, grinning like an idiot and he added. "Glad my ploy worked and I got here to Rampart so I can see him while still on duty. Thanks, Gage. Thanks, DeSoto, for playing along..." Kelly said, muzzily serious. "Who's playing, Chet? Your hands are really busted.. And Cap took you OFF duty." Roy informed him. "Now keep still."Gage told him firmly. Then he looked up and mouthed to Dix and the docs, "Want us to strap him down?" he said from the corner of his mouth. Joe smiled and shook his head. "He seems cooperative enough. And that MS will be wearing off in a few minutes. I'll change it over to Meperidine so he won't be so tripped out before we get started setting those fractured knuckles." "Think he'll need surgery, doc?" Roy asked Rivers. "No. These breaks I can manually reduce right here. The x-rays will confirm what I'm seeing now when they come through." Craig admitted. "Listen, has Chet ever broken his hands before? That may effect his recovery time; from a few days to perhaps two weeks or so." "Nah, doc. He's been living a charmed life. No fractures, even after eight years with the fire department." Gage told him. Roy concurred. "It's the rest of us who haven't been so lucky." "Really.." Rivers said conversationally polite. He didn't inquire further. Gage looked up at Dix. "And Stoker's number's up for the first time. He's the one Chet was so upset about. Say, Dr. Early. Can we leave to go check up on Stoker? Think you three can handle Chet on your own down here?" "Yeah, sure Johnny. Go right ahead. We'll make sure Kelly behaves himself while we get him squared away and into a pair of hand casts." Joe said. "See you in a bit, Chet.. Now stay put." "Righto, Johnny boy...." Kelly giggled. Dix mumbled to them as they passed. "He's in ICU six, second floor." so Chet wouldn't hear. "Thanks Dix, we'll be back in a few.." Roy said, holding up his walkie talkie. "I've got a fresh coffee pot on by the call station.." Dix added. "Help yourselves." Roy and Johnny left the room. "Hey, bring me some...." Chet piped up. "I'm thirsty!" he shouted belatedly. Dix turned back to the bed. "Sorry, Kelly. You're NPO for a while because of that lovely pain med you took in the rear. " she guessed, seeing no IV hanging by Chet's head. Then she looked up at the docs. "Want a line started for that Meperidine backup?" Joe sighed and nodded. "Looks like we need it if he's feeling dry. Make it a 500 cc Normal Saline Drip, wide open. We'll crank it down when he's better hydrated. He probably lost some fluid volume working that punching bag so hard." "I'll get right on it.." Dixie answered, moving to the Treatment Room drug cabinet to find the proper IV and set up. She took off the stethoscope that she had been using to take a vitals set on him. "BP's steady. 126/68. Pulse 90, Respirations 22." "So he really is thirsty.." Joe concluded from Chet's heart rate. "Looks like it." Rivers said from where he had his head band light down over his eyes while he gently probed how each knuckle displacement situated with each finger on Kelly's hands. Chet started humming tunelessly again, lost in his drugged stupor, while Rivers and Early started to set up the equipment and things they would need to set Chet's hands. X-ray arrived to take pictures after Dix was through starting and stringing Chet's IV on a pole, and everyone vacated the room until the films were finished being exposed. --------------------------------------------- Roy and Johnny felt small went they entered Mike Stoker's critical care room. Despite all their know how and training, the sight of the respirator and all the tubes in place around Mike took them aback. Stoker was still and ghastly white under the dim light of the bed's wall illumination. The soot that had covered him had been washed away and all his face burns were shiny with silvadene. Johnny nodded a silent greeting to the nurse sitting by Mike's bed and stepped forward, being careful not to disturb any of the connections to the machines monitoring him. Gage set a hand on Mike's arm. He was relieved to find Stoker's skin warm and dry, unlike the cold clamminess he remembered from the fire when they had found Kelly's report of Stoker's arrested state to be true. Roy asked the nurse, "Has he tried to fight the airway yet?" She shook her head apologetically and smiled. "Want me to leave you alone for a few minutes?" she asked. Gage didn't say anything but he felt his head nod yes and dimly, he was aware that Roy was nodding, too. Roy and Johnny didn't even notice the intensive care nurse depart, leaving the three of them alone. Johnny felt his eyes lock onto Mike's tightly bandaged ones and he shifted his grip to Mike's hand, squeezing it. Johnny just swallowed, finding himself unable to speak. Roy leaned down close to Mike's ear when he saw Johnny falter, and he asked for him. "Hey Stoker.. It's just us. How are you doing? Looks like the nurses and doctors are taking really good care of you here.." DeSoto smiled. "Your EKG looks good. And it's probably not long before the docs will lift your sedation so you can begin to wake up." Johnny just continued to hang onto Mike's hand, listening to his partner talk, lost in a worried haze as he watched the respirator breathe for his friend in its slow artificial pattern. Gage's uncharacteristic quietness made Roy keep up a running dialogue to quell his own unspoken fears. Roy sighed, and grimaced, patting Mike's blanketed shoulder. "Cap's made some progress on who started that fire. Your instincts were right. That warehouse was a case of arson. Some kids involved so far, and for some reason, Cap's protecting their identities, perhaps to get his witness to give up more information... W- We'll get to the bottom of this." Johnny still didn't say anything. Roy began to fidget in the chair where he sat and he gave Johnny his privacy by not looking at him. "You'll never guess how Johnny and I got to come up here after visiting hours like this. You're not going to believe this. Chet went one on one with the locker room punching bag and lost. Busted six knuckles as far as Johnny and I could tell. We'll get him up here to see you as soon as he's finished getting patched up." DeSoto put on a brave smile, as if the expression would somehow translate into his voice for Mike's benefit. "He was pretty upset he couldn't do more for you after he dug you out. But he did a good job keeping you breathing until Johnny, he and I could get you outta there and to the 02 and all our gear. You left us for a bit then, but we managed to shock you back after only a couple of minutes' work." Roy's eyes were following Mike's EKG and he was heartened that it had picked up a bit while he continued to talk. Johnny didn't miss the responsive signs either and his expression brightened. Finally, Gage found his voice. "Yeah, we were lucky. D*mned lucky. Oh, you might notice when you wake that your eyes are bandaged. That's from that hot water pipe that broke above you when the roof gave way so you just concentrate on getting better and-- and... and thinking positively about that because we really want ya back at the station as soon as possible. Doesn't feel the same without you. " Johnny grinned tightly. "We're not the only ones who feel that way. You'll never guess who showed up just as we were taking Chet to the hospital to get his hands set. I'll give you a hint. He's brown, hairy and has four legs." Roy chuckled. "Yep. It's Boot. Went right to the engine, looking for ya. No doubt he's got plans to keep the seat warm until you get better. So get better, kay?" Mike didn't move. But the EKG didn't slow its reactive rate either. DeSoto and Gage got to their feet and waved the nurse at the ICU desk back into the room, indicating that their visit was over. She left her post and came back into the room. Johnny asked her. "How long has he been listening to people like this?" he asked throwing a hand at the overhead EKG above the bed. The nurse fussed with Stoker's pillows and blankets before settling back into her observation chair at his bed's foot. "Oh, for about an hour now. Looks like his sedation's wearing off early." "That's great. That's great." Johnny said quietly. "Would you give us a call when he's extubated? It would really mean a lot to all of us guys at the station to know he's snapping out of it, know what I mean...? We also want to know about his.. well, whether or not he can.... you know." "See? " the young nurse suggested. "I think I can do that. You two are with 51's right?" "Yeah.." Roy replied. "Dixie's got your number and I can get that easily enough. I'm here until eleven and I will call when it happens." "Thanks. We ah, we really appreciate it.." "No problem.." she said, turning back to watch Stoker's EKG and respirator's venting rate. DeSoto conducted his partner out the door without saying a word, excusing them both from the room. Out in the hall, Johnny asked. "Wow, do you think he was really hearing us in there?" "Johnny, now you know better than to doubt what your eyes are telling you. Of course he heard us. Someone would have to be dead to not hear you." he quipped. "Very funny." Gage frowned, then he smiled. "Hey, Chet's gonna like this news. " then he remembered. "Ooo, but he's probably getting his knuckles set right now. I hate being in the room when fractures are getting reduced. Why don't you and I wait it out in the nurse's lounge?" An amused grin filled Roy's face. "All right. I'll give in to your one squeamish tendency..Know that the coffee's bound to be old in there." Johnny was already halfway to the elevator. "Umm hmm.." he replied. "But it's out of earshot of Chet's treatment room." "Chicken.." "No, just.. selective.. If I was a fan of medieval torturing practices, I'd be there." Gage said, uncomfortably rubbing nervous hands on his shirt's front. "Chet's gonna be given Versed. He'll feel the initial setting of his knuckles the second it happens, but then he'll forget about it right away the moment it's over. That's the beauty of that particular drug." Roy suggested. "I know.. I know.." Johnny twitched with a shiver. "I just have .....never been able to convince myself that it really works that way. Screams are screams." Roy grinned, but he was very merciful for a six year paramedic partner. "Come on junior. Let's go hide out then, until it's over." "Thanks.." Gage said wanly. ----------------------------------------------------- Back at the station house, the gang was all wearing their night pullup trousers and boots despite being out of service for the rest of the early dawn until their called replacements could arrive to fill Chet and Stoker's places on the engine. They were in a circle around the engine's open cab door. "Now that's devotion.." Cap said, not minding Boot's muddy paws resting where the scraggly dog lay, dusty from the many miles he must have travelled to get from ten's to 51's. "Looks like we're going to have to get a prybar to get him outta that driver's seat." Marco plunked Henry's old bowl down full of left over hamburger on the concrete floor and Boot was out of the engine like a cannon shot for the grub. Lopez grinned. "Or a bowl of vittles." Hank closed the engine's door after brushing off the dirt from the seat onto the stone floor with satisfaction. Both men crouched over the dog, caressing his fur affectionately. "Good boy, nice to see you again. Hope you stay a long time." they coo-ed. Then Marco said, "Even Mike's gonna love seeing you ag--" he broke off, fighting a sob. Boot stopped eating immediately and looked up, staring into Marco's face. He whined, setting his paws on Marco's shoulders and he licked his face once before turning back to wolf down his dinner. Lopez laughed and grimaced, wiping dog food and dirt off his cheek. "Gee, can't hide anything from you, Boot." "Guess not." Cap agreed, standing. "Give him a good B-A-T-H when he's through in the locker room tub, all right? I'll get breakfast going.." "You're cooking?" "Yeah.. got a problem with that?" Hank challenged. "No. Just never ever remember you doing that before, Cap." Marco said, sheepishly. "First time for everything. Sort of like Boot here coming back to a firehouse he's already visited.." "I guess.." Lopez said, affectionately patting Boot's sides until he was warned off with a don't-bug-me, I'm-eating growl from Boot. "Ok.. ok. Uncle. Lick that clean when you're done big fella.." he said, standing. Cap made his way into the kitchen and the empty chairs there. Through the window, he could already see the light of dawn peeking through the cracks of the shade pulled down there. Foregoing decorum, Cap pulled up on the shade, letting in the rich rising sun's light into the room until it flooded the kitchen in a tawny glow. Its warmth felt good after a sleepless night and soon, he felt comfortably relaxed despite events. Then Cap turned to the frig to plan out breakfast. It took a force of will to taper down portions on the stove enough for five only instead of the usual six. ::I hope Roy and Johnny make time to run up to Stoker's room to check up on him. I hate not knowing how he's doing.:: Marco and Cap had eaten already and three full plates were sitting in the oven, keeping warm, when they heard the garage doors rumble open with the squad's return. Roy and Johnny wearily entered the kitchen and sat down in the chairs. Boot immediately went for Roy's lap where he sat, sniffing his hands and shirt eagerly. "Yeah, boy, we all saw him. Stoker's doing ok. " he said to both dog and Cap. "He's even listening up when spoken to." "That's good news.." Hank said. "Chow's in the oven.. Where's Kelly?" "Sleeping it off." Gage replied. "I sent him to his bunk. Gonna be another hour before the meds the docs gave him wear off enough for him to feel hungry. Then I'll take him home if there's time, before our replacements arrive." "Who's coming?" Roy asked. Cap said, "Don't rightly know. The Chief didn't say any names. Remind me to have Chet talk to McConnike before he ships outta here. There's that message the Chief wants to give him.." "What message?" Johnny said. " 'Don't forget your gloves again, Kelly' kind of message? I fell for that once from you, remember?" Hank laughed. "No, actually. He wouldn't tell me over the phone. Said it was between him and Kelly." Johnny and Roy's face fell. They suddenly knew what it was. Roy finally said the unthinkable. "The chief's aiming at Kelly taking Stoker's engineering spot, isn't he?" Cap didn't say anything. Then he just nodded. "Most likely, if things don't pan out for the best with Stoker's eyesight." Gage slammed his mug down on the table. "Well, isn't that just lovely. Mike's not even six hours back from near death, and already, McConnike's washing him up..." Cap turned appraising eyes on his fiery paramedic. "Now Gage, you know this is just backup contingency. No one is retiring anybody just yet." "Then why that for Kelly's-ears-only phone call...?" Johnny asked bitterly. To that, Cap had no easy answer. ---------------------------------------- An hour later, Chet arose from his recuperative nap and made his way into the kitchen, "Oh man, I feel like something Boot dragged in. Hiya, Boot." he said. "How are the hands?" Roy asked, pulling up a chair and pouring a mug of coffee out for him. "Thick. But they don't hurt much anymore." "That's the Versed.." Johnny smirked with amusement. "Wait until later when that memory blocker starts to wear off." Roy shot Johnny a disapproving glance. But Johnny got out a pair of hotpads and got out Chet's breakfast from the oven where it still warmed and began cutting it up for Chet industriously with fork and knife. "Need help eating this?" he asked, not unkindly. "I got it. Just cut the steak into smaller pieces." Kelly said, fumbling with his fork in his abundantly wrapped hands. He stubbornly stabbed an egg onto the fork using his chin and both splinted palms. Marco noticed his difficulty and said, "You're not driving home that way.." "Says who?" "Says me.." Cap said with authority. "Gage has already offered to drive you home. Now do you have someone around to help you about the house until you've healed up in a few days?" "I can call my sister. She owes me one. I took care of her when she busted both legs skiing last winter." "Ouch.." Johnny said, swiping some toast over his rapidly emptying plate. "Did she have fun doing it?" "About as much fun as I had busting my knuckles, and thanks for asking." Kelly said. "Hey, how was I to know? Most people ski for enjoyment's sake." Gage complained. "Yeah? Well, my sister skis like I work out when we both get upset about stuff." "And you both get hurt doing it." Roy said quietly. "Not all the time, DeSoto. Just that one time for her, and now this time, for me.." he said, holding up his splinted palms. "Just make sure your brand of therapy follows less aggressive routes next time Kelly, or there will be h*ll to pay." Cap warned. "I had to talk a blue streak to keep the Chief from disciplining you about your little stunt this morning." Kelly was properly abashed. "Thank you." he said very fast. "Call the Chief when breakfast is over. He wants to talk to you." "But, Cap, I thought you said you got me out of hot water...." "This is about something else, Kelly." Cap toned back. "Oh." "Then get back in here and tell us what it was all about. Sounds important." "Right." Soon, Chet had finished manhandling his food into his stomach and made the call to McConnike from Cap's office. Minutes later, he shuffled back into the kitchen, numbly sitting back down into his chair. "Kelly, you ok?" Roy asked. Chet looked up and his face was devoid of humor or pleasure. "Chief says I should start taking a look at the red book from Cap's office pronto like. " "Oh really? Wh-What's the red book?" Gage asked, pretending pretense. Chet didn't say anything. Cap got up and disappeared into the bay. He returned with an unfamiliar fat, red book in his hands. "This book. Chet, The chief probably wants you to know the basics by the time you're back on the duty rosters.. I'm sorry, buddy. I just didn't think the chief would really consider this course of action so soon." Chet read the cover and his face fell with remorse. "Oh, Cap.." he sighed. "I- I can't do this.. It isn't right." Kelly's closed his eyes. "This is the engineer's manual. Seems I've been chosen to be next in line for that position on the engine if Stoker doesn't make it back to the actives list." ------------------------------------------ Photo : Dixie at desk looking surprised. Photo : Johnny with milk carton at night. Photo: Roy in kitchen chair with Boot in his lap. Photo: Chet, looking sad, with Stoker's engineering manual open, in his lap. ********************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject :[EmergencyTheaterLive] The Long Tiny Steps.. Date : Thu, 06 Feb 2003 06:47:31 +0000 Acknowledgements to... Tom Stafford - Firefighter Captain /MD on Chemical Firetruck Training Procedures Acknowledgements to.. Dr. Jeff Seltun for Pulmonary Scalding Lab Test Orders and General Ophthalmology Medicine. Dr. Brackett was paged to Mike Stoker's room around noon. Joe Early was on hand when the call light came on from the observation nurse. Stoker was semi awake and beginning to fight the respirator. Kel leaned over the bed. "Beth, get Dixie in here." Kel ordered. The critical care nurse used the wall phone near Mike's head to summon her. Dr. Brackett leaned close. "Mike. It's ok. You're in the hospital and you've been intubated to counteract the spasming effects of the burns you have in your throat. Try to relax. We'll evaluate you to see if we can let you try to breathe on your own off the respirator." Stoker stopped struggling, but then his hands went to his face. Dixie arrived just in time to help Beth gently restrain him from touching the burned areas on his face around the eye dressings. "He's relaxed about having his eyes covered at least.." she said. Beth piped up, "That's because his station crew mates were up here telling him what to expect when he woke up. Mike, besides Dixie and me, Dr. Brackett and Dr. Early are here." The two nurses quietly spoke to Mike while Kel and Joe consulted after a quick exam of his chest and breath sounds. They stood at the foot of the bed so Mike wouldn't hear them discuss a decision. "What do you think, Kel? Too soon to go off the bird?" Joe asked. "Not necessarily." Dr. Brackett said, rubbing his chin. "The danger of tracheal adhesion is has passed. The initial wheezing we heard when he was admitted has gone away. I think we can go ahead and make him more comfortable. If we run into any problems, we can always bag him until we can re-sedate him for a second intubation." "I agree. Let's go ahead then." "Dix, watch his BP." Joe said and together, the two doctors instructed Mike how to manage himself while the respirator was turned off and the EOA removed. Beth was right there with a hissing suction tube to carry away liquids as the slender airway was taken out. Stoker wanted to cough and he winced from the sting of burns deep inside. He let himself blank out to end the pain. He felt the nurses pull him onto his side to drain out his throat for him and his alarm grew when his diaphram refused to pull any air into his lungs when he felt the suctioning wand leave his mouth. "BP's dropping. 88/46.." Dix reported. Kel reached for the diazepam syringe pack on the crash cart and tossed it onto the bed so it would be nearby. "Mike." Joe called out. "Give it a few seconds. That winded feeling will ease off. Then see if you can try to inhale on your own. Don't worry. If you can't, we'll support you with 02 on an ambu bag until you're ready to do it on your own." Beth held one ready and flowing on standby. Kel stood listening with a stethoscope as Mike's EKG rate rose higher as the firefighter worked through his fright and the natural cramping of his wounded throat in response to the airway's removal. Finally, after half a minute, Stoker's muscles relaxed and he took in a ragged involuntary breath, tentative, but effective. Immediately Dixie slipped a simple clear, non rebreather mask over his face on full flow sending Beth with the ambu bag valve mask away with a nod. "There."she said. "You did it, Mike. Now relax." Everyone in the room sighed in relief. Mike's tracheal blistering hadn't harmed his ability to breathe at all. The EKG settled fitfully into a normal but fast sinus rhythm that slowed increment by increment with each successful breath Mike drew in. After a minute, Dix announced. "His pressure's back up. Settling in at 120/62." she told the doctors. Dr. Brackett put the sedative med back onto the crash cart and hung his head in relief. Beth placed her hands on either side of Stoker's face so he knew she was near. "Having any pain now anywhere else besides your sore throat and face ?" Stoker shook his head and gurgled when he tried to talk. "Don't." Dix told him. "Not yet. Swallow. Again. Now wait a minute or two before you even think about trying to talk." "The rocky part's over Mike. I promise you no more surprises like that." Kel frowned. Dr. Brackett listened to Mike's chest and upper trachea again with a stethoscope while Joe began to unwrap Mike's eyes bit by bit for a cursory ophthalmic exam. He kept them patched until he nodded at Beth to wave the room lights down to complete darkness except for the pinpoint spot from his ophthalmoscope. The saline soaked patches came away. Stoker's raspy voice whispered to them. "I can't see.." Kel's face softened. "That's because we have the room lights turned off to make it easier on you. You also have some swelling of the tissue around your eyes and both of them have swelled shut. Just relax, Mike. We'll know soon enough what's going on after Joe takes a look at you. Does your chest hurt at all?" "No..." he sighed, still whispering. "Good. Your bronchoscopy didn't show any major damage to your pulmonary tissues. Only some localized scalding above your larynx. The collapsed airway you suffered during the fire reopened again nicely once your coworkers got you back outside away from all the heat." "I stopped breathing?" Mike asked. Joe and Kel hesitated. Then Dr. Brackett ventured into a disclosure. "For a while. Enough to lose a viable heart rate. But there was no difficulty in reconverting you. You were down for only a minute or so and Johnny and Roy got you back effectively enough to matter until you got to the hospital and we could stabilize your vital signs. You ran no hypoxia risks at all." "I almost died?" Stoker asked again. "Almost only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, Mike Stoker. And you know it." Dixie said. "Now lie still and let the doctors finish examining your eyes." she said no nonsense. Mike stayed hushed. Joe said. "Mike this may hurt a bit when I shine the scope's light into the back of your eyes. I need to see what's happening to the deeper structures there." Stoker gasped when the light shone down. All was a mass of shadows and shocking white flares which smeared together in sparking chaotic afterimages. His head began to fill with pulsing stabs of agony. Mike's EKG sped up suddenly. Joe immediately quelled the light. "What did you see?" Stoker told him. Kel and Joe glanced at each other. Dr. Brackett said. "There may be some fundus involvement here. Perhaps even with the optic disc itself. But then again, those visual anomalies could just be the transitory results of superficial corneal burns. Try it again Joe." Once more, Joe used his scope to peer around Stoker's red swollen eye lids into the eyes below. This time, Mike's discomfort doubled. His hands shot up and gripped Joe's wrist. "Ahh.. don't...!" His sharp movement made Dr. Early drop his instrument onto the pillow. "All right. I'll stop." Joe said quietly. Kel and he and Dix and Beth all exchanged worried looks. Then Joe gripped Mike's hands in firm comfort and he returned them back under the blankets. "Ok, that's enough from us for now. We'll repatch your eyes with more antibiotic salve and try again in a few days." Mike didn't say anything and his heart rate remained fast and panicked. Kel said. "Don't let this dishearten you at all, Mike. Sometimes it takes days or even weeks for normal retinal responses to return to the eyes following heat exposure like this. But from what we did see here, your eyes are intact. Both your scleras are understandably swollen and red and your pupils are adjusting somewhat irregularly due to the burns there, but globally, at this stage, things are looking about as well as we all expected." Mike let the nurses rebind his head tightly, to keep out any more light before he spoke again. "Doctor Brackett. Just how well is 'As well as expected?' " They didn't say anything. Mike filled the silence. "You know, six years ago, Kip Jenkins from Station 16's took a spark on the eye just standing roof watch. And it cost him his job when it later healed over, leaving him with tunnel vision on that side." He swallowed. "Is that going to happen to me?" Kel kept his hand on Mike's arm. "It's too soon to tell, Mr. Stoker. Only time will show us any final outcome here." "I know.. I know..." Stoker said, folding his hands over his chest, trying to pull shreds of dignity about himself as he would a turnout coat against the blazing heat of a fire. "I just don't like being kept in the dark..." Dixie looked down. "Sorry.." Mike apologized for the black feeling joke. Kel said to him. "Mike, let's see how the rest of you is doing in the meantime. Joe, let's order another set of arterial blood gases to see how well it's working out for Mike being off support like this. Also, I want to get a second chest X-ray to compare it to the one we took last night. Dix, I want the lab to get electrolytes, a urinalysis, a BUN, a creatinine series and I want respiratory therapy to get in here to start some pulmonary function tests on Mike's lung performance." "I'll get right on it.." Dix said, moving to the phone. "I'd just wish I could find out answers a little faster. Not knowing anything's killing me.." Stoker sighed, gasping through the oxygen mask. Brackett chuckled in his throat. "Trying being a doctor and compounding that particular problem in the form of fifteen new patients a day. Now you know why doctors like me grumble so much.." he grinned wryly for the nurses benefit. "One step at a time, Mike. It always comes, one step at a time.. For you, that means that all you have to be is a patient patient and the rest will follow naturally. In your future, there may be the slight chance of corneal transplantation surgery. But your positive contrast vision tells me that even that, might not be necessary in the long run." Mike stayed numbly quiet as he attempted to settle his labored breathing around the burns jabbing in his throat. Kel sighed. "Just leave all the worrying to us. It's what we get paid for. See if you can get some rest, all right?" "I'll try, doctor." ------------------------------------------------------- It was four days later on the exercise grounds at the L.A. County firefighting training facility. Station 51's usual fire inspection duty assignments had been traded away to another sister station so she could report with her crew solely for Chet Kelly's benefit. He had passed the paperwork part of the standby engineer's test and now was entering the practical skills testing. A mockup of a two story apartment tower building with a fuel truck spill at its base was the scenario the chiefs had mapped out for Station 51's chemical truck to handle. And on a signal, the whole facsimile was set ablaze along the tarmack using hidden torches embedded from spigots in the concrete. "Ok, Kelly.." encouraged Charlie Atkins, the replacement engineer assigned to 51 until Mike Stoker's situation fell one way or the other over the fence. "This is an easy one. Think...grease. Now, what mix are ya going to pick for your hoses?" Chet Kelly watched Marco, Cap, Roy and John string lines at the ready, aimed at the fire's heart, and they all looked back towards Chet at the chemical panel on the engine for Chet's signal to let go the charged hoses. To one side, the Batallion Chief was also drilling another company as they broke in a new man on driving a ladder truck around an obstacle course. For the moment, the gray haired supervisor's attention wasn't on 51's exercise. Chet Kelly bit his lip, checking and rechecking the pumper readouts. "Repellent surfactant at ....18% per hundred gallons ppm...with every five hundred hydrant gallons from the ground." "Right. Right.. Gotta do that because fuel's so volatile with our 21% air 02 ratio." Charlie said with a nod around the smoke drifting towards them from the building. "Now what else before you release your mixed reservoir to your crewmates?" Kelly's face fell out of concentration and his initial self assuredness dropped away. "I don't know man. I - I got the right chemicals here.. I know I do.. I've been eating sleeping and dreaming these mathematical formulas for days now." Suddenly a pair of calm hands came between the men and locked off the settings Chet had chosen on the fire retardant soup to the hoses and Mike Stoker's voice said. "You tell your captain to call in the foam truck for a protective covering spread, Chet." His fingers danced over the dials of the engine in a ballet of familiarity. "From what I feel here, you did everything right. Give them the go ahead. This was sort of a trick situation they mapped out for you. It's not in the book. Just remember foam with fuel and fire." Chet's face was a mix of emotions as he lifted his HT to his lips. "Engine 51 to HT 51. Hoses one and two are set and locked. Foam 127. Move in to assist from the...." Chet paused as he rechecked the wind direction with a moistened finger,.."north side of the fire. You are committed.." Charlie, and Mike, who was still eyepatched tightly, both smiled when Kelly said everything according to procedure. Even Cap, on Chet's place at a hose nodded appreciably before he turned back to fight the fire. Mike said, "Turn down your master valve two points. Your left hose sounds kinda hissy.. That one's not getting enough psi because your supply's been split off. Must be because the engine's not quite on level ground. Flows faster on the downhill side always." Kelly squinted into the dials and wiped grime off the dial in question. "Man.. what ears.. You're right. Two points off my percentage setting. I thought we had the lock down legs on the plates planted perfectly man. I thought we were ON a level." "This whole valley's tilted. You had no way of knowing that. I'm just remembering the pitch angle from my head." "Terrif.. Way to burst my bubble, Stoker." Charlie ribbed. "And here we all thought you were a miracle dowser through and through." "Ok, I'm compensating....now.." Kelly said. Chet and Charlie hauled on Mike's arm to get him back against the safety of the truck to prevent him from getting a painful bang on the shins when Johnny's team's firehose bucked at Chet's minor adjustment to it. "Thanks guys.." Mike said, feeling for the cab door. He opened it so he could sit inside to keep the excited Boot company. Atkins had his own advice. "Chet, do this too, whenever you make an adjustment or you'll be black and blue before you know it." Charlie felt around with a foot in the standing runoff water until he had one shoe pinning down the main hose as the men worked to put out the mockup fire in both the semi vehicle and the test building. "Just like this. These hoses are like live animals whenever anyone rounds a corner in there or shuts off a spray or two to move to another hotspot. You won't see any of that. But your legs will sure make a note of it. Directly standing on these puppies will give you plenty of warning about a buck." Mike said, " Yeah, that's a good pointer. Now Kelly, I want you to watch the wind and how all the hoses' fanning water may be getting diverted. I can't tell what it's doing by the sound. If you see the guys' jackets getting dry more than the water's cooling them off, turn up the psi and the chemical mix rate until 90% of the hose charge is getting onto target, that'll buy them more time on their SCBA's since they won't breathe as fast then due to overheating. A trick I learned is to get progress reports from each team, every five minutes about hose patency. Listen to how they're breathing over the HT and that will give you clues too as to how well you're controlling their water supply based on need. They won't tell you if they're in trouble that way since things are steaming in a fire anyway." Kelly's face fell open in surprise as he kept his lightly ace wrapped hands on the master pressure dial valve and watched the effect of the daylight wind over the whole scene before him. "So that's why you keep bugging us when we enter new fire hotspots.." "Yep.." Mike grinned. Charlie even looked abashed. "You know, Stoker. I've been engineer at 110's for five years and that monitoring trick is certainly new to me.." "That one's not in the book either.. I adapted it from watching Johnny and Roy work on people. The higher the breathing rate is on anybody, the more trouble they're in. It's a dead giveaway. Works for working firefighters who aren't in medical trouble too." "You know, Stoker? When you finally get back on the job, I'm trying out your little trick at home on the guys, at the next fire. I've always wondered why our station's SCBA fill rates were so high. Now I know why.. The men were too hot while working!" Charlie groused. Chet and Mike laughed. Mike cocked his wrapped head at the sound of the laying foam finally swallowing up all of the flaming truck mockup. "Ah, ha.. We've turned a curve. The building, next, after that truck, won't be hard to extinguish now that its fuel source is smothered. Hear that, Kelly? The fire's quieting even though the flames probably still look the same. It's dying out now." "I hear it. It was kinda growling and hollow before, now it just sounds like a really big camp fire." "That's the distinction between the growth and death of a fire. Remember those sounds." Stoker told him. Boot seemed to agree and he barked. About ten minutes later, station 51's fuel fire exercise was over and the next scenario was set up for the next station on the rosters to complete. Chet was told to wrap up his hose teams and wash away the foam for the next group to use the test site. Station 51 was released to return to base and their regular duties. -------------------------------------------------- Mike was laughing with the guys in the kitchen when Chet made his way to the engine and his potential new station assignment at the engine chemical panel. Gage had come by to wash his hands before lunch when he noticed Kelly quietly surveying that side of the engine with his hands in his pockets. "Chet, are you actually moping?" he joked, his shoes skidding to a halt from his whistling jog to the locker room sinks. "I don't believe I've ever seen you do that before.. Well," he amended, "maybe only once or twice before." "Oh, hi Gage." Kelly said glumly, sitting on the running bumper of the engine. Boot seemed to notice that Chet was feeling blue because he bolted out of the kitchen, dropping the roll of paper towels he had stolen from Marco, and immediately skittered across the slippery floor to nuzzle a nose under Chet's ace wrap gloved hands. Kelly winced a bit with the move on his still healing hands but he immediately ignored that and petted Boot's long back. "Hi, Boot. Look,... you guys didn't have to come out here. I'll be in for lunch in a sec. I... just got away for a moment to do some ....thinking..." "Oh yeah?" Johnny said, his earlier kidding turning respectful and serious for once. "What about? You're gonna be a richer man come Sunday when you finally pass your finals.. An engineer pays, what? Eighty dollars more a week than a regular hose man? And you know, come to think of it, you're gonna be making fifty dollars more a week than either Roy or I. " Johnny put a shoe on the engine's bumper which Chet promptly pushed off to rub with the white towel that he now carried around with him out of habit. "Hey.. hey... watch the scuffing! I gotta account for the public appearance of Red in spite of how much the rest of you guys like to dirty her up." That surprised John. "Oh really. Now it's you, versus us? Is all this standby engineer promotion stuff going to your head?" Chet looked immediately abashed and suddenly sheepish.. "Well,... " Then he squared his shoulders and only flinched a little under Johnny's angry stare. "...Yes... I guess.." Johnny's face melted from suspiciously malicious to a broad sh*t eating grin. "Well, good. Now you're finally starting to sound like Mike Stoker. I'm proud of ya, Chet.. Come here and stop feeling guilty. After all, this pumper man job thing's only gonna be temporary and we all know it.." And Johnny's arm wrapped around Kelly's shoulder in an affectionate hug which turned into a raiding noogie, and soon the two friends fell into a wrestling match on the floor that Boot happily referee-d and watched over with loud bellowing barks. Of course, the struggle and grunting commotion brought everyone running. Soon, bets of who would pin who first filled the air and even Mike got into it despite his blindfolding bandages. Right then, the station alarm went off ..... ------------------------------------------ Photo : Mike Stoker, looking dashing. Photo : Charlie Atkins from 110's. Photo : Engine 51's chemical dials. Photo : Burning fire in a test building burn. Photo : Boot and Chet, in the same small chair. Photo : Johnny and Chet having a heart to heart talk by the engine. ********************************* From :"Roxy Dee" Subject : Instinct~~ Date : Wed, 19 Feb 2003 01:26:19 +0000 The call came through, ending the wrestling match in short order. ##Squad 51. Child down, at the McGregor baseball field. 9 Greenway Pass. Cross street, Niven Boulevard. 9 Greenway Pass. Cross street, Niven Boulevard. Time out, 13:07## "Cap!" Stoker said, ignoring Boot who was pulling on his leg to get him out of the way of the squad's bumper as Johnny and Roy wrote out their call slip and opened the rescue truck's doors. Mike grabbed onto the edge of the wall map to steady himself from Boot's protective-of-the-one-hurt activity below. Captain Stanley piped up after acknowledging the run on radio frequency. "Yeah, what is it Stoker?" "That's my ball field. Let me go with them." Stanley looked up sharply. "I can't authorize that. Stoker. You're on medical leave. And besides that fact, you're still wrapped up like a m-" "Cap, I know those kids! They're on my Big Brother program. It's gonna bug me not knowing who's in trouble." Boot was still hanging onto Mike's pants leg when Cap finally said. "All right. Get in there. And I'll tell you the real reason why I'm letting you go with them. One of your kids may have been the arsonist who was responsible for your eyes getting burned." "What?!" Mike gasped. His shock and surprise were plain even through the white kerlix concealing most of Mike's face. Cap sighed. "Gage, DeSoto you didn't hear this.. Stoker, the kid you're looking for is Jeremy Conners, he mentioned something about Max, knowing details about the warehouse blaze that injured you. See what you can scrounge up." "Thanks, Cap..I will. " Mike said, turning his bandaged eyes towards the squad, but Boot still stubbornly held him in a firm grip by the ankle. "Boot, let him go.." Cap ordered the hairy mutt "guarding" Stoker. The shaggy dog dropped his hold on Mike's foot immediately and sat next to Cap as the garage doors finished rolling up into their housing. Stoker climbed in fast when Roy stepped out of the squad to make room for him to sit between them. DeSoto guided Mike's head into the cab before he got back behind the wheel. Chet came jogging up and he handed over Stoker's helmet from the engine for him to wear. "You let me know what happens, Mike. They're my kids too.." "I can do you one better Kelly." Roy promised him. "Get on your HT. Listen for our med call on Rampart's base station channel.. It can be done. KMG 365-B, sub two. We'll still be in the ten mile range and open to you. That way, you'll know the minute we do about what's up. Just don't speak up or L.A. will hear you." "Nice tip. I'll do that." Kelly said, and patted the squad roof to let Roy know that all feet, dog and human, were clear of the tires. Roy, John and Mike drove quickly out of the station, turning left onto the street with sirens and lights on full. Chet and Cap in the bay crouched by Boot, and both men absently petted him. "Hey Cap, just how much trouble are we in for letting a blinded fireman go to a rescue scene?" Kelly asked. "Could be plenty. But, I've special leeway when it comes to investigating a fire crime and that's what I'm banking on to bail my butt with the chief. If Stoker stays off the radio, like I know he will, headquarters will never know he's out there with them." Stanley snorted. "Glad you let him go." "Like I had any other choice? I don't think twenty Boots could've stopped Stoker from riding along.." Hank quipped, pointing to their mascot who was playfully tugging on their shoe laces. "Come on, let's put lunch in the oven. We'll eat when they get back. " ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The squad arrived at the park on the north side of the reserve's four fields. Stoker was able to tell them which ball diamond was the McGregor field because of his knowledge of the park's layout. Roy and Johnny screeched to a halt in the parking lot nearest a crowd of kids milling about on top of the rickety graffiti painted, wood tiered bleachers. "Mike, do you know your way around here well enough?" DeSoto asked as he pulled out the biophone, drug box and 02 from the storage compartment of the squad. "Yeah, I'll be fine. I hear Old Ben in the concession stand. I'll let him lead me to the bleachers so I can talk with the kids. Just find out what's wrong. It's killing me not knowing what's happening here." It soon became clear that finding someone to be Mike's eyes to navigate the area wasn't necessary. "Coach! Hey guys, look! It's Coach! He's all right!" said an older boy of twelve in a dingy baseball outfit. Then two baseball teams of kids flooded around Mike Stoker enthusiastically in a cheer and even Old Ben lifted his head to peer myopically from the concession stand. Gage was irritated by the throng, "Hey ...hey ...hey, now we're on a rescue call. Who called the station about a hurt or sick child?" he said lifted his medical boxes high over the children's milling circle around them. One little girl piped up. "Oh, you must mean Susan." she said snidely. "She made us call for help from the park pay phone because she said she was dizzy again." "Does Ben know about this?" Mike asked incredulous. "Nah, he don't know.." said another boy. "You know how deaf he gets sometimes. He told us there's no way he's leaving the popsicle cooler. Guess the older boys have been stealing too much behind his back. Must have thought we were trying to trick him again. Why are your eyes wrapped like that, Coach?" Roy rubbed his nose, looking at the tiny young man. "Look just forget Coach's eyes for a minute. Where's Susan? Least we can do is take a look at her to see if she's really ok." DeSoto turned. "Mike, do you have State authorized consent of guardianship over these kids when you're on the premises? I don't see any adults nearby that look like they belong to any of these kids here. We may have to treat her." "I do... Susan's one in the Big Sister program under my authority. This is All-Clubs week and sounds like all my kids are here today. All I know is that she's a fourth grader at the Home which is only a block away to the north." Stoker said. "There ARE no parents as all these guys are fostered out through the State Home there. Usually Old Ben has his grown daughter psychologist helping to keep an eye on things during Free Day like this. I'm not hearing her voice anywhere. Don't know why she's not here right now. . If she had been, this whole situation might not have happened the way it's happening right now." "Mike, your authorized consent is all we need at the moment. Try to calm down." Johnny said. Then he pointed out a random kid from the noisy bunch. "You! Son! Yeah, you! Take us to where Sue is, pronto like. It might be serious." he said letting his frustration of not finding their patient ooze out of every pore. The strapping flame haired boy protested. "Gee. What a grouch. You sound like my ex-step dad." "Jeremy Conners..!" Stoker admonished recognizing the voice that he had overheard. "S-Sorry, Coach. Bad habit." Gage put on a grin he didn't feel. "I promise we'll be a lot less grumpy after we make sure Susan's not in any kind of medical trouble. So lead the way and we'll be nice as pie through it all." "She's under that gum tree. She crawled over there a few minutes ago. But she's probably faking it again. Like last time." DeSoto did a double take at that news. Then he remembered how tall kids tales could really get and dismissed the remark as exaggerated. Roy and John ran over to the tree with their equipment to the small blond headed tom boy appearing girl lying face down in the shade. They left Stoker and his young fans behind. Gage grabbed for the fourth grade girl's brachial pulse. "She's viable. Around 100." Then he bent down to check the quality of her respirations. "Hey, Susan, can you hear me?" Johnny listened to the back of her chest without moving her. "She's breathing, but I'm hearing substantial wheezing." he reported. "Could be asthma since her upper airway's clear." Gage lifted his head and shook her shoulder. "Susan ! Hey! We're with the L.A. County Fire Department and we're here to help you out. Now, come on and open your eyes." She didn't respond. Gage pinched the loose skin on the child's arm to further fine tune test her awareness. Susan only groaned and didn't try to pull away from the pain or attempt to open her eyes. "She's groggy. About a six on the Glasgow, Roy." and he bent to check her eyes with a penlight. "She's definitely not faking anything here. Slight dialation on both pupils, and she's getting more dyspneic by the moment." Meanwhile, Roy was losing his medical history source. Jeremy Conners was edging away from the scene. "Wait... wait ..wait, where are you going? I need to talk to you.." DeSoto said to him. "The game's going on.. I gotta get back.." the street wise Jeremy said. He started to turn away but Roy grabbed his uniform sleeve as he prepared an oxygen mask for Johnny to give to the downed girl. "Hang on. Just a minute more all right? Tell me about that last time this happened to her. Can you do that?" The red headed boy seemed unnaturally nervous around the paramedics, and he squirmed in Roy's grip. "I don't remember. It was earlier this spring. I.. Uh... She forgot to bring her...onhal.. unhal.." "Her inhaler?" "Yeah, that's it. Now let me go.." The boy said, yanking his arm away and he danced out of range nimbly. He made tracks back to the grandstand across the parking lot and nearly crashed into one of its posts when he made sure Roy and John weren't following him. Johnny Gage had finished his assessment of the girl. "Not a mark on her." Only then did he sit her up against the tree to help ease her increasingly labored breathing. He took the mask from Roy and set the 02's delivery on light before setting it firmly over Susan's nose and mouth. He then began to search her pockets for forms of ID and for the missing inhaler. "We gotta move fast or she'll quit breathing on us." Gage said. Roy's face frowned as he took a BP. "70 systolic. I'm getting on the phone early. A doc can order epinephrine at least." "Here, guys." a voice said and an inhaler plunked down onto the grass between two tree roots at Roy's feet. Johnny and Roy looked up from Susan. Mike Stoker was beinglead over to them by two of the street gang players from his baseball team. "I made the kids check the outfield for anything belonging to her thinking things she had in her pockets could have fallen out during a rough play. They say her name's on it." he informed his coworkers. Gage snatched up the tiny inhaler and read its details. "Albuterol. MDI dosage .15 ml per inhalation." He sniffed its mouthpiece. "Looks like she didn't use this today at all, Roy." "Got it.." and Roy connected a link on the phone with Rampart. "Thanks Mike, but I don't know if having this will do any good. We don't have a positive ID on her yet. She's carrying no identification cards. No med bracelet. No nothing! I wish to G*d that you had your eyesight back right about now so we know for sure that it's her." Gage complained. He started loosening and freeing the girl's clothes from around her waist, chest and neck. He began setting up an EKG. "What's she wearing?" Johnny muttered. "What? Stoker, we don't have time for this.." "Humor me, Gage. I don't need to see to positively identify her. And I'm the only one who can. Most of these kids only know each other by their made up street names." "Well.." Johnny exclaimed in exasperation. He held up the jersey top he had removed from the girl. "It's uh, sort of like a gray and blue baseball uniform. But she's wearing no cap." "What number's on the front?" "Fourteen." "It's her. Guaranteed. These kids are very territorial about letting others wear their team jerseys. Doesn't happen. Susan's got short whitish, blond hair and a star shaped birthmark on her left cheek bone." Mike said. Johnny checked the girl for such a mark. It was there. "Well, I'll be.." he smiled. "Stoker you just earned yourself a day off from dinner detail the instant your butt's back on duty." "I'll take it.... Anything else I can do?" Mike said. Gage watched Roy give his medical report to the hospital and said. "Yeah, kneel down next to me right where you are and help me keep tabs on her resp rate. We may have to switch over to the resuscitator. Here, the apparatus is at your two o'clock. Think you can be a head vent?" "I can do it blind." "I know you can.." Johnny said seriously. "Be right back. I'm going for the defibrillator.." and he rose and ran to the squad full tilt. "Roy! Pulse's 140 and rising.." DeSoto was completing his initial report. "...Vitals signs are showing acute distress. Pulse 140 and bounding. Respirations 26 and shallow. Marked wheezing even in Trendelenberg position. BP is 70 systolic. I can send you a strip on lead two." Dr. Brackett replied and Roy could hear his alarm. ##Do it.## "10-4, Rampart. Transmitting, lead two.." Roy said. ##51, what's her consciousness level? I'd feel better if we had a controlled airway on her. I'm reading a V-tach of 140 with precursor PVCs. Does she have a gag reflex?## Mike lifted up the child's 02 mask and slid a finger into her open mouth and down Susan's tongue, briefly touching the back of it. The little girl's stomach heaved in immediate reflex and he quickly stopped his move so she wouldn't complete the attempt to vomit. "That's affirmative, Rampart." Roy sighed. ::Damn..:: ##Ok, we'll tackle this head on, without one. Prepare to administer one dose of the patient's inhaler. Rig a nebulizer of a second dose to a humidified ambu on standby with 2 ml's diluted respiratory saline. Keep monitoring all vital signs closely. 51, is a defibrillator nearby? Albuterol with shock sometimes brings about acute cardiac dysrhythmias.## Roy saw Johnny hoofing it back with the unit across the parking lot. He had also grabbed a long wooden stretcher board for CPR and transport ease. "10- 4, Rampart. We have it in hand." ##Start an IV first, 51. We'll want an open line if she crashes. Make it of normal saline, a 500 ml bag. And keep it open only. Give me another set of vitals after her initial medication is in. And keep the EKG strip to base running.## "10- 4, ah,..Administer one dose inhaler post IV normal saline, 500, to keep open. Standby nebulizer second dose with 2 cc's respiratory saline in an ambu bag. Preparing for possible counter shock. Vitals to follow post med. Continuing the EKG send. 10-4." DeSoto said. He lowered the phone. "How's she doing Mike?" Roy asked in worry. "Still attempting inhalations. But her rate's up to 36." "Tidal air?" "Building. She's barreling out a bit." "Johnny, let's move. She can't wait." Roy said, taping off the IV. "She's trapping air already." Gage scrambled to Susan's head, dropping the defibrillator paddles he had laid out and he shifted the girl from the tree to Mike's shoulder so she sat against him with her head tipped well back. Together, Roy and Johnny fitted and triggered the inhaler into her mouth so the medicine entered deeply into her lungs. Gage immediately listened to her chest with a stethoscope, holding his breath, while Roy and Mike held her still. Roy replaced the mask back over her face as she began to cough harder and harder. Stoker whispered into her ear, stroking her hair to comfort her. "It's ok, Susan, tastes bad but it'll work good. Give it a second or two to absorb, hon... just wait, then it won't be so hard to breathe. It's all right. Coach's right here." Susan jerked with an involuntary cry, suddenly stiffening, and her gasping stopped. The EKG fluctuated and the two paramedic firemen froze, their eyes glued to the heart monitor, and Mike, as he listened, as it danced irregularly for one second. For two. Gage reached for the ambu bag. But then, Susan sighed quite normally, and all of her respiratory distress ended. Her breathing deepened and eased and soon, the rapid heartbeat on the monitor smoothed out into calmer rhythm. A minute later Susan's eyes cracked open, swollen and red, as she came to fully. Johnny sighed likewise in relief at the positive proof of her now open lungs. "That's my girl. Hi there. It's ok.." he said softly as she began to cry. "The worst is over.. It's ok.. Mike, you can lay her back down again. Mike, you can let go of her. She's fine now." Susan's fright grew as she became more aware of being lowered to the ground and the fact that strange firemen were now hovering over her instead of her playmates. She immediately screwed her eyes shut again. The heart monitor blipped out a faster rate. Gage took her IV free hand into his own. "Susan, Susan. Now listen to me." Johnny soothed as his partner and Stoker wrapped her in a warm blanket. "I know you're scared, and I know that medicine's probably making you sleepy. But you're gonna be all right now. So go ahead and take a nap. I promise, you'll wake up in a nice big, comfortable bed later tonight in a place a whole lot better than this nasty old root knotted lawn here in the ball park, ok?" The siren of the approaching ambulance grew louder, startling his young friend, so Mike added. "A hospital doctor's gonna look at you next, just so we know you're better for good." "Coach?" She sobbed. "I- is that you?" she said, peering up in confusion at Mike's wrapped eyes. "Yeah, you're not dreaming." "But--" "Shh, rest. Don't talk. My answer is, Yeah, I'll watch your mitt for you. Got it right here." and he held it up. "Scout's honor?" "Scout's honor.." "Ok, and watch my jersey, too. *Yawn*" Susan's cheek snuggled up against Stoker's hand where he held her face around the 02 mask and fell asleep instantly. Roy called Rampart, smiling from ear to ear, with a glowing vitals set for Kel Brackett. ##I saw the improvement. Glad the one dose protocol did the trick. Now get her in here ASAP.## he grumbled happily. "10-4, Rampart.." Roy replied, waving a "Come on!" to the attendants hustling it across the parking lot. They arrived and positioned the gurney near the sleeping child. Roy set the empty long board first onto the cot and Gage said, "Ok, let's load and go." he told them. "No need to semi-elevate her. She's a very stable asthmatic recoveree. The board's only an arrest precaution." He said moving the EKG, portable 02, drug box, and the defibrillator to the foot of the cot. "Easy. " Roy said loudly for Stoker's benefit. "This one's special." "Right.." One of the two burly attendants gently gathered Susan up into his arms without waking her, blankets and all. "Is he going in too?" the second attendant asked, gesturing at Mike with his bandaged wrapped head. Stoker was leaning against the tree, reining in his reactions about the nearly soured rescue of the little girl. "Him? No, no no. He's a fireman on medical leave. He's with us. Go ahead. My partner's riding in with you." Roy answered. "Ok, Joe.. Whatever you say.." he shrugged in a New York accent. DeSoto watched the man leave after the girl laden gurney and Gage. Then Roy walked the few yards back to the tree where Mike rested his head. Roy tapped his shoulder. "You coming with, Stoker?" Trembling, Mike lifted his head to face DeSoto. "Oh uhhhh.. " he said thinking hard. "No." Stoker said, still cradling Susan's jersey top and baseball mitt. "I'll take a cab back to the station in a while. I want to hang around to see if I can locate Jeremy and his friends or even Old Ben's daughter. I want to bend their ear a bit about what they've been up to lately since I've been gone." "Suit yourself. If you're not back by dark, we'll send out a search party.." DeSoto quipped. Stoker waved a get outta here gesture at the departing footsteps he heard. "Thanks Roy, for not letting her die." He called out after DeSoto. "I don't know what I could've done if she.." and his voice cracked. "Hey, just relax. She didn't die. Johnny and I make it a point to never lose any kids on any of our runs as that would be a gross violation according to BOTH our personal rule books." "Thanks just the same, Roy." Roy stopped and turned back. "No, thank YOU. Your remote consent to treat, power-of-attorney, over Susan made all the difference in the world today. I'm just glad you decided to ride along with us on your sudden instinct like that." "Yeah.." Stoker said. "So am I." "See ya, later, Mike. I'll keep you posted." Roy said. "See ya." Soon, ambulance and squad left the ball park and their sirens faded into the distance, leaving Mike alone in the parking lot surrounded by wind and seabird calls. Then Mike turned his face into the sun and felt his way back to the grandstand where he sat on the hot planking, pretending to be engrossed in the ongoing game he couldn't see, until..... -------------------------------------------- Photo: Cap squinting in bright sun wearing full gear. Photo : Roy looking down on a victim in a close up. Photo: Johnny Gage reassuring a small crying girl. Photo: Dr. Brackett quickly scanning an EKG strip. Photo: Mike Stoker looking down. ********************************* From : "Cory Anda" Subject : The Tinder Kid Date : Wed, 19 Feb 2003 21:53:18 +0000 "Hey Coach.. What are you doing here?" an adolescent voice said, cutting through the sound of the active baseball game playing on the field. "Last I knew, you were wearing angel wings in a flaming tin can of a factory, squashed flat. Heh." :: Gotcha.. ::Mike thought in triumph. His mind raced. ::So you were at my fire, Max. And you knew about the resulting roof collapse accident. Now how does Jeremy Conners fit into all this? ::But out loud, Stoker said. "Hello, Maximillion." Mike smiled through his bandages. He could just imagine the dark skinned, slightly overweight boy, taking the seats two at a time, to get up to him. "Can't keep a good man down I guess." :: Or a good fire crew.:: his mind amended. "My crew bailed me out, last second, that night. Have a seat and take a load off for a while. I'd love to catch up on what I've been missing around the old dugout." He heard the boy's jaws cluck noisily as he chewed something. Mike fervently hoped it wasn't a tobacco plug again. He couldn't tell for the hot afternoon wind was blowing in the wrong direction. "Not much. Same old same old." Max drawled in heavy L.A. inner city accent. Then his voice changed. "Say..Coach, you feeling ok? You're kinda pale, even more than you honkys usually are." Max said. "Oh, I see. I'm gone for under a week and suddenly I'm demoted to being a honky instead of a hose jockey. Thanks alot." he teased. "What does that make you then, Max, eh?" he said punching his friend's shoulder in jest. "Hmm.. A darkie instead of a delinquent juvie? G*d forbid.." he moaned dramatically. "No, a darkling. Get it right." Max found Stoker's error on city lingo very hilarious and he let out a rich peel of laughter. "Gonna give me a reason why you're looking like a ghost, Coach? Or are ya just gonna be funny and 'burb talk me to death?" Mike's amused grin fell away into seriousness. "Susan just gave us a good scare down there. She's the reason why I came here to the park with Johnny and Roy today before my eyes healed if you're wondering." "Little ol Susan? What's she got to do wid you, man?" "She got a little sick just now because of her asthma. And it almost got dangerously out of hand. Didn't you see me trying to help out? Surprising since your favorite game roost in the scoreboard sign has the best overview of the whole parkland." Max scoffed. "I didn't see nuthin'! That little liar's been trying to wimp outta playing good all summer. Besides, Jeremy told me she was faking it." ::Yeah, so then where were you to miss the sirens and all the excitement of the last hour?:: his conscience fathomed. Again, Mike spoke differently from his mind's track. "Never mind. You had to be there." Stoker sighed. The callousness of the city kids he coached had long ago ceased to surprise him. "Here.. Hold out ya hand.." Max said. "Got somethin' for ya.." Mike lifted a palm, and he felt a slender stick with a weight pressed into it. He smelled a rich, mellow sweetness coming from the frozen treat in his hand. "Ooo, banana! My fav. Thanks for the popsicle." "No problem. Got one for me, too." the boy said proudly and he leaned into Stoker's arm, trying to tip him over in a play wrestle. But as usual, Mike was an unmoving stone on the bench. But that didn't keep Max from testing out his young strength on his favorite program coach. "How'd ya pay for it?" Mike said while Max grunted with a failing effort to budge him off his place on the bench. Max bristled tangibly and Mike felt him stiffen and let go of him."Some gratitude! Here I do for a friend and what do I get? Snoopy questions. What do ya take me for? A criminal?" Mike schooled his lips to stillness so the boy wouldn't catch on. He thought. ::Yeah, the worst kind. One that would burn down old buildings with a total disregard for any possible loss of life. :: But out loud, Mike said. "No. I never pass judgement on anyone without proof. I was just wondering since your uniform doesn't have any pockets to hold loose change and you travel light with nothing but your bike usually, when you come here." Max frowned and rubbed his curly ebony hair where it itched his game sweaty face. "I.....uh,..got coins in my roost, Coach.. Jeremy and I got a whole tuna can full up there from his paper route. " he lied. "Ah, I see." And Stoker let the subject matter drop. It would be easy enough to ask Old Ben later if his popsicle cooler had been raided yet for the day. "So, how's the game going?" he waved a hand absently in front of him. "Going good. Smitty's on first, Tiny's on third and it's Cruz up to bat. I'd say we'll smear da other team next inning up." Max said, slurping noisily on his popsicle as it melted in the hot sun. "We're six to nothin." Mike ate his, too, just as fast. "Go Zephyrs!" he called out. And got an enthusiastic round of cheer whistles from his kids on the field. He grinned despite himself and then parked his licked clean empty popsicle stick in his polo shirt pocket. He held out his hand to Max without saying anything for his, just as the older boy was about to sail it like a spear onto the playing field. "You sure you can't see?" Max said grumbling as he handed it over. "Not yet, but soon they tell me. Close that mouth before you draw flies, Maxie boy. I just know you very well. You should start collecting these from the other kids and save them for me. I collect these sticks for Tiny." "Whatever for?" "He likes to build firetrucks out of them." Stoker said. "I already have one at home from him that looks like the engine from my station. It's on my mantle above the fireplace." Max's voice changed. "Oh, you mean the Ward LaFrance." he said in an admiring tone. "I like dat one, too." Stoker angled in like a blood hound. "So you like Big Red. Didn't know that." "Oh, yeah, Coach." Max sighed. "I's specks there ain't a fire truck around that I don't know the name of...I like the way they look." "Oh, really? So why don't you ever come to the firehouse with me and the other kids for tours?" "Man, stuff like dat's for little kids. And I'm almost twelve." Max declared. "I got other ways of seeing them.." Mike felt a chill. "Oh, yeah. What do you do?" "I go to fires. Lots of em happening in the neighborhood. Then I can get real close. And it's real odd sometimes, cause usually Jeremy's right dere with me even if I hadn't showed him where da burning building was first." Max said. Stoker managed to swallow around his dry throat. "H-how do you know when there's a fire?" "Use your noggin, Coach. Or did that get just as bashed up as your eyes did? From a police scanner, man. There's one in Old Ben's concession stand." That snapped Mike out of his fears. "There is?" "Yeah. He keeps it under the popsicle cooler. And I'm the ONLY kid who knows it's even THERE." He said proudly. "Didn't you know that Old Ben used to be a hose jockey just like you? And just like Jeremy Conner's dad before he got burned up!" Mike shook his head no and didn't say anything for a while for a long stretch of time. Stoker didn't like the new thoughts forming in his head. Feeling disturbed, he tried to focus on the happy sounds of the game entering its final inning. Then he heard Max trickle, "Uh oh.. Gotta go, Coach." "Why? You just got here." "The shrink's comin..Old Ben's daughter." Mike said, "Victoria won't bother you. She doesn't bother me.." "Well dat's just you, Coach. She psycho analyzes us juvies all the time and it's startin to get on my nerves big time. She's not nice like you and I've given her plenty of times to get dat way. Gotta split before she sees me. And if she asks, I wasn't here talking wid ya.." "Deal.." Just like that, Maximillion was gone. A half minute later, Mike heard fresh sneakers climb the bleachers to his level. Out loud, he called, "Hi, Vickie.. Long time no see..." he joked. The woman actually stopped in her tracks in shock. "How did you do that? I could have been anyone from the game.." "I'm clairvoyant. You should know blindness causes the other senses to sharpen." "Not that fast." "Well, guess my case's the exception to the rule." he replied. He waited for Victoria to sit down next to him before he said, "Say, Vic. Where were you about a half an hour ago?" "I went to get Dad some more ice for the popiscle cooler from the supermarket. Why?" That answer got Mike mad. "Don't you know you have to keep an eye on these kids when they're out of the Home? Your father's not physically able to keep tabs on them well enough to matter anymore." "Mike, why are you getting so angry?" "Because just now, I responded to Susan Jordan's rescue call with the squad when she suffered a severe asthma attack." "Susan? What?... Where?!" Mike could almost see the psychologist's face search around for the little girl. "Vic, sit down. Just sit down! Most likely, she's still at Rampart getting treated or at least waiting for the duty counselors to come pick her up to take her back to the Home." Then his anger really went ballistic. "I'm surprised you didn't even notice she was MISSING until I told you she had fallen ill." "Mike Stoker, that's enough!" Victoria flared. "I am a volunteer in this park. Not a paid employee like you and my father are. I only come here to lend an ear, to help these poor kids work out some of their hostile feelings about being abandoned by their families. But only if they come to me. I'm not responsible for them or for what they do outside the Home." "Yeah, well somebody should be! There are problems I could tell you about that crop up out here that you couldn't even dream of.." "Try me, Coach. I'm a licensed expert." Vickie said in a steely voice. Stoker hung his head in shame. "Sorry. I just get a little possessively protective of these kids having none of my own." "I get the same way I'll have you know." she said, a little less defensive. "So, who'd you talk to that got you so up in arms?" "What?" "The popsicle sticks. You've got two in your pocket and I know you only eat one a game so you can stay fit for work." Stoker subconsciously felt where they lay in his shirt pocket with a thumb, and he drew them out, fingering them nervously in a palm. Then he sighed in heavy resignation. From the beginning, Mike Stoker told Victoria all he had learned from the kids and Cap about the fire that had trapped him and about what he newly suspected about his closest and dearest project kid. He only hoped that it would get the ball rolling fast enough to save him. "And just who is this child whom you think is so deeply disturbed about his father's death? We've dozens of pyro potentials in the Home that fit that psychological history profile." "The boy I'm referring to is Jeremy Conners." "Oh my G*d.." and Victoria sucked in her breath. "He's not a pyro risk in my files." "Put two and two together, Vic! That's the only conclusion we can draw here.. oh, man. His night visit to Cap was all a sham. A cry for help. I can see that now. And his finger pointing at Max was just afterthought." Stoker stood, very agitatedly, and Victoria had to grab his arm to help him keep his balance. "Where is he now?" Mike asked urgently. "Do you see him anywhere?" Victoria's heart began to pound when Mike's new found worry began to fill her soul as well. "Uh,.. L-let me look..uhh.. The ballgame's over, Mike." Her voice trembled. "All the kids are going back to the Home from what I can see. Even Dad's closing up shop." "You sure." "Yes, straight back. I'm counting.... ten bikes moving across the field." "We're one short." "I subtracted Susan's bike." "Think, Vickie! The team's got twelve kids on it. Oh, Lord.. And I'll bet when we get to the Home that every bike will be there, but Jeremy's." ---------------------------------------------------------- Photo: Kids surrounding home plate in a Park. Photo: Three inner city kids by a palm tree with a bike. Photo: Mike Stoker looking stern. Photo: Stoker and Victoria the psych, disagreeing. Photo : Kids sitting on a park bench waiting turn at bat. Photo: Jeremy Conners, as catcher, looking up. Photo : Victoria outside, looking worried. **************************************** From : "patti keiper" Subject : The Pecking Order Date : Thu, 20 Feb 2003 06:45:13 +0000 It was shortly after the squad had gone 10-8 to Rampart with their newest patient. "WwwooooHHHOOOOooooooo!" Chet war-whooped in the garage. The resulting echo around the bay brought Cap out of his office on the run. "Kelly just what the heck is going on out here? Why'dya yell like that? Ya scared me half to death!" "She's ok! She's ok!" Chet singsonged, dancing rings around Marco and his captain. He even picked up Boot's front feet and danced a jaunty jig with him. Hank knew immediately what he was talking about. "Oh, the kid call." he said drawly. Then his face picked up. "Glad to hear it turned out all right, pal." and he started back to the mounting paperwork on his desk. He immediately about faced and asked. "Just uh,. one thing... What was wrong with her? I didn't quite get all that paramedic stuff over the HT." "A COPD case, Cap. That little girl had asthma so bad her lungs almost sealed off. Gage and DeSoto managed to locate her inhaler and find out who she was in time to use it on her. And poof! They had an instant cure for a potential killer annnddd,.. It's another kid save in the bag for the magic dream team! That's what? Twenty kid calls in a row, no losses? That run was a thing of beauty!" Chet celebrated. "Huh.. Imagine that." And Cap started walking back once more towards his office. "I'm telling ya, Cap.." Chet called out after him. "You should start taking some of those auxillary courses the chief makes us take for us guys who work with the medics.." He shouted when Cap's back totally disappeared. "You might enjoy learning something!!" he grinned jubilantly. "Uh oh...." Marco trickled to his engine mate. "Now you did it.." Cap suddenly reappeared and glared at Kelly pointing the all mighty, much afeared finger right at his face. Chet cringed, stooped, and instantly picked up Boot as a security shield. "Are you saying that I know nothing about my job, Kelly?" "No, Cap, I.... I..." Kelly stammered. " I...meant about all that medic stuff..heh... I....I.. just thought that you might want to.... educate yourself more on all that medical jargon that goes on over the biophone between the squad and Rampart by taking the same classes that, uh.... we...." he voice tapered off limply. "That's sound advice there, Kelly. But I think you may be just a bit ahead of yourself in the hierarchy. Now, get THIS advice from ME. I know it will behoove you to educate yourSELF on just exactly what the rank of CAPTAIN means." Kelly winced at the word "captain" and thereafter, at every repeating of the word. He shrank smaller and smaller behind Boot's back, whom he held near to his face for dear life. "Especially if that same CAPTAIN holds a vote on whether or not a mere regular time firemen, YOU, will ultimately get Stoker's job on the engine until he returns .." Cap's voice had been rising higher and higher and louder and louder until even the unflappable Boot in Chet's arms started to whine. "Is that clear?!" Cap boomed at the curly haired irishman. "As crystal, Cap..." and Chet tried to chuckle weakily. Hank held Kelly's eye in a scathing glare for almost a full ten seconds. Then he looked away and one hand snaked up from his hips to scratch Boot on the head in apology for scaring him while he dressed down an underling. "And put Boot down pronto." "Yes, sir.. Right away, sir.." Kelly set Boot slowly down on the floor and smoothed out his coat without daring to look away from Cap's disapproving stare. The shaggy dog immediately skittered out of Chet's reach, all four sets of claws scrambling on the cement floor in his haste to get away from the currently Hank hexed fireman. "Next time.. take it like a man, Kelly. Dogless!" "Right, Cap. Thank you, Cap. Anything you say, Cap.." Kelly kept on saying obeisances, withdrawing slowly, until his back impacted the kitchen door. Then he hastily stumbled and bolted through the door for the sheltering illusion of the newspaper and the bodily comfort of the cushy leather couch. Marco had been quietly watching the whole fiasco the entire time. He was nonplussed and relaxed with his arms comfortably folded over each other. "He's right you know." Cap's iron glare shattered into one of weariness and he admitted. "I know that... I just wanted to vent on somebody. And he was the best target. The fire investigation's not going anywhere and it's eating at me, Lopez." "I can tell. You chewed up Chet and spit him out pretty good there." he said, cracking a polishing towel at the engine's side panel loudly to make a point. It was Cap's turn to wince. Hank immediately looked remorseful and bit his lip. "Maybe I should go in there and apologize to him....ya think?" Marco stopped Cap before he got two paces. "Uh,,..I'd... wait a while for the effect to sink in first if I were you." "I'm afraid I don't understand, Marco.." Cap said blankly.. "Well, Cap, it's like this.." Lopez said thinking while he absently polished the same spot on the engine that he had just shined a few moments before. "That was the first time I've ever seen Chet cower sincerely at one of your dressing downs since Johnny became a medic." "Really?" said Hank, straightening with pride. Then he lowered his voice to a confidential whisper, glancing towards the kitchen to make sure Chet didn't overhear. "I've been watching McConnike..Trying to ......imitate him. " he said, gesturing thinking fingers to the air before rubbing his lips thoughtfully. "That, what you just witnessed, was how he used to ream MY rear way back then." "Oh, I see. Displacement of aggression." Lopez quipped as he picked a new spot to polish on the engine chrome. "Turning full circle.. Maybe even... disassociated revenge.. Clever.. Good way to deal with your burning hat/inspection day phobia." Cap narrowed his eyes at Marco. "Lopez, stick to being a fireman. Somehow hearing Freudianisms coming from a man from south of the border just doesn't work for me.." Cap muttered. Then he retreated to the inbox work load that seemed only to have piled higher during the minutes he had procrastinated while blowing up at Kelly. Marco blinked several times, then he self- consciously peered at his reflection in the engine's side view mirror, trying to see what Cap was talking about. He saw Boot regarding him closely. "Hey boy. Do you think my growing a goutee' will help people start to take me more seriously?" he asked the attentive mutt while he pushed out his chin in an experiment. Boot tipped his head to a funny angle and whined a doggy noise of puzzlement. ------------------------------------------- Photo: Cap dressing down Chet Kelly who's cowering behind Boot in his arms. Photo : Cap's chew butt glare in closeup. Photo : Marco, smiling and circumspect through the squad's open window. Photo : Boot, barking into the acknowledging mike. ******************************* Date: Thu, 20 Feb 2003 13:28:08 -0800 (PST) From: "Sam Iam" Subject: Kid Talk --------------------------------------------- "And again......." Mike Morton ordered. Susan Jordan took in an even deeper breath than before as the dark skinned intern listened to her chest with his stethoscope. "How am I doing now, doc?" she said breathlessly afterwards. "Uh..hmph." Morton grunted. "Sounds like they're going to have to be removed right away..." he said. Susan's eyes got as big as saucers in concern where she sat upright on the treatment room gurney, but that change made Roy and Johnny's little blond haired patient seem even cuter than a button. "Doc.."Johnny warned with a grin and with his voice, smacking the young doctor's arm with back of his hand. "Quit teasing her." "hmm? Oh! oh. oh.. I wasn't talking about your lungs, Susan. Sorry... I meant these.." he said tapping her hanging IV and the flowing O2 cannula she still wore in her nose. "Actually, things sound really good now. The bronchospasms seem to have dissipated completely." "Finally..." Susan said as Dixie moved on Morton's nod to free the little girl from her tubes. "I hate it when that happens. I feel like a beached sperm whale the whole time." Morton gave another grunt, then asked. "Do you usually get your asthma attacks when you exert- I mean run around or ride your bike ever?" "No.." Susan said. "Not ever." "Well, what do you think triggered it today?" Roy asked the child from where he leaned near the exam room door still holding his walkie talkie in his hand. "I don't know.." Susan said evasively. "Maybe because I got real mad I guess.." "Mad about what?" Dr. Morton asked gently as he helped her put on her windbreaker that Roy had found in the park before the trip in. Susan zipped her lips shut and dropped her head and watched as Dix secured a bandaid on her hand where the IV had been. Then she shot an uncomfortable glance up at Morton, Johnny and Roy. "It's a secret. A girl's one." she declared with defiance, wrinkling her nose as Dixie took off the cannula from around her face. "Oh, I see." Nurse McCall said, fighting a smile. "Well," she sighed expansively.. "If you gentlemen would excuse us for a moment. Us girls are gonna talk privately together, if you catch my drift.." All three men in the room suddenly caught on and hastened to make themselves scarce. Gage fumbled with gathering up the portable EKG monitor while Roy grabbed the small oxygen tank from the foot of the gurney, handing off Johnny's helmet to him as he struggled through the door with his load. Morton helped the paramedics make their exit by holding the door open for them. The paramedics and doctor all waved at the scowling child as they left. "Take care Susan. Coach Stoker sends his best to ya.. Ahh! Oops. heh." Gage said sheepishly as the door nearly squashed him. Soon, nurse and girl were alone. --------------------------------------------------- Johnny made immediate tracks to the water fountain along the wall, against which he piled the medical gear. Morton followed, looking to learn more from the medics before they had to leave. "Here, hold this.." Gage said to Roy, shoving his helmet into Roy's stomach. Being ticklish, Roy grabbed it without thinking. Then he made a face when he realized that Johnny had outsmarted him in the helmet carrying game. Having no better way to carry the extra item, he parked his own back onto his head with a frown. Gage smirked in triumph and he took a long pull from the icy water stream dancing in front of his nose. "I'm just too fast for ya, Roy. Someday, you'll learn." he chuckled. Mike Morton cleared his throat. "Fun and games over yet?" Roy and Johnny's grins fell away they both slipped into professional mode. "Sure doc." Roy nodded. "Well, uh.. it happened pretty much as Susan said it did. She felt her chest getting tight and she just crawled away from the game and trying to will it away by resting under a shade tree. Only her usual trick didn't work." "Oh? Didn't she have her inhaler with her?" "That's just it, doc." Johnny said wiping his mouth free of water droplets. "We think she doesn't like the notion of needing one. Stoker had to scout around a baseball infield before he located it for us." "Thanks. That'll help me figure out what to tell the case worker when she gets here for post visit instructions. Oh, yeah... How's Engineer Stoker doing? I haven't seen him since the night you fellas brought him in." "Stoker?" Johnny said. "He's doing fine. Though I do wish I knew more details about his eyesight prognosis, doc. He's clamming up about it." "Nice try Gage. But I can't tell ya anything." DeSoto lifted his head. "Please, Doctor Morton. Y- You don't have to give us much. I-it would really mean a lot to Johnny and me and the rest of the guys if we had something substantial to go on." Roy pleaded. "All right, all right!" Morton said holding up his hands in surrender. "I can tell you this much.." he said, beckoning a come closer finger. Roy and Johnny leaned in nearer with side long glances at the people passing in the halls and then confidentially, at each other. Mike Morton whispered. "Nothing he's going to face,.....will be bad news.." And then the young African American doctor was off down the corridor like a shot.. "See ya later, boys!" he called out as he rapidly departed. Gage's mouth flopped open in wide disappointment and he bellowed, "Oh, come on, doc. That's not fair. You could have given us more than that...!!" Morton shrugged hands and shoulders as he rounded the bend, "Can't.." he replied tartly amused and pantomimed a zipper shutting firmly across his lips and made good his escape. Johnny was stuck looking at the place where he had last seen Morton's white tunic-ed back, gaping like a fish. Roy leaned on the wall and crossed his elbows over one another with a mystified grin. "I'd say Morton beat you at your own game, Johnny. He's even faster on the draw than you are." "Would you just shut up.. And carry those two helmets like a man, you look ridiculous wearing one in the hospital like that." And he swiped Roy's headgear off his partner's head, thrusting it at him. Roy suddenly snatched up the gear boxes and rabbit dashed for the supply desk. "Ha! You touched it last.." he teased and got out of range quickly before Gage realized that he'd been had yet again while still holding the "ball." "And that's a tag back. So accept the full consequences.... like a man.." he smiled. "Hey!.. You'd kick a guy when he's down?!" Gage shouted after him. "Sure, why not? You aren't down, you're just a little stung for being so cleverly outsmarted, that's all." Roy said, pouring himself and Johnny some coffee from Dixie's warming pot. It took a full minute for Johnny to figure out how to carry all the equipment, his talkie, AND two helmets. He nearly dropped his run slate. Finally, Gage got a handle on his ungainly load and he let loose a long suffering groan, trudging slowly after him. "Thanks, pal.." he said sarcastically from behind a wall of gear. "No problem, Junior.. And remind me to thank Kelly for the Helmet Game idea when we get back. I think we're really going to have fun with it ." "Speak for yourself.." Johnny grumbled as he set all the gear and hats onto the desk in front of him. "Here.." "What?!" Johnny snapped. He felt a prod and looked down to see a coffee cup nudging his light blue shirt. "You're gonna get thirsty lugging all that." "You're all heart.." Gage said, snatching the cup from Roy gruffly. "It's in my nature." Roy replied, draining his own in two swallows. ---------------------------------------------------- Dixie had finished getting Susan set for discharge from the ER and then she got her into her jeans and shoes to go along with the windbreaker. The blond haired girl had jumped down from the gurney to go wait for her ride in the waiting room, when Dix said. "Hang on a minute there, young lady.. You forgot this.." she said, holding out the Albuterol inhaler Roy and Johnny had said was hers. "Oh, that ol thing.. You can have it. I don't want it.." "Listen, sweety. That "old thing" saved your life this afternoon. Now I think you owe it to your personal counselor to at least be cordial enough to have it on your person for the next time you get into the weeds. Don't you think?" she said, lifting Susan's chin gently by the chin. "I guess.." The girl said glumly, taking it reluctantly from Dixie's hand. "Here. Have a seat back up." Dixie said, patting the gurney and the sheets lying rumpled there. She surprised the unhappy child by hopping up onto the gurney too, taking her into her arms in a mothering hug. Susan relaxed immediately and almost started to cry because it felt so good to be held. Dixie sensed the child's fragile state, but she went on. "Now.. let's have that woman to woman talk before you have to go. I did hold up my part of the bargain by shooing all the men out of the room.." "You did.." she sighed. "Guess I have to tell you then, huh?" "Yep." Dixie said, unwrapping her arms from their hug to straighten a messy curl back to its usual place behind Susan's ear. Susan took a deep breath in, fiddling with the silver inhaler in her lap, before saying, "Jeremy Conners said that he was going to make sure no more buildings, like the one that killed his dad, stayed standing anymore. I got really mad because he said he wasn't sorry for the one that hurt Coach." Dixie blinked a bit at that, frowning. "Just what do you mean by that Susan..?" she whispered, making sure her voice stayed calm even as the rest of her filled with a sudden sick dread. "Don't you get it? Jeremy's proving himself to the Skinheads Gang. He's trying to be picked to be their next firestarter ace. They told him his dad won't rest peacefully until he burns someone else." Dixie gasped in shock, but quickly hid it. Numbly, she felt the next words tumble out. "When, wait..it's Jeremy ...C-- Conners, isn't it?" "Uh huh.." she nodded, fiddling with the rings on Dixie's elegant hands. "When will Jeremy Conners, .....try it again?" "When you can't see the moon anymore." ::Ohmyg*d..:: Dixie quailed mentally. ::That's tonight!:: ----------------------------------------------------- Mike Stoker and Victoria the psychologist were having dinner at the station with the rest of the gang. Cap had insisted she stay to shed some light on the kids in the Home. "Now, Captain. You know I can't discuss details of my case minors with you.." Cap inclined his head. "I'm not asking for their phone numbers, just a little insight or two. Look, it's costing the city thousands of dollars, if not millions, each time a derelict goes up in smoke. Now that translates into budget cuts, and eventually, those hit the fire department, and that effect, gets US where it hurts the most. Right in the pocket book.." "Here, here.." said all the gang with derision. Victoria sent down her fork and knife with a clatter and she looked up from her plate of roast chicken. "Oh, isn't that so noble of you." she said with heat. "Money first, eh? Well, your tactics stink. I'm not the bad guy here." "No one's saying you are, Vic.." Mike Stoker insisted, rubbing an itch around his wrapped eyes. He had been silent through the whole debate but now he found he had to speak up for his crewmates. "Oh, Mike, not you too." she said, surprised. "Not me what? I'm looking out for everybody here. My crewmates, my team kids and you..believe it or not.." "Well you have a strange way of showing it. " Victoria sighed. "...You're abandoning me.." The rest of the firemen around the table hushed and fell silent. By now, no one was eating. Victoria felt the weight of the quiet so she pegged Hank with a hurt stare. "Is this how you work your investigations, Captain Stanley? By first stuffing the witness you want with food and firehouse hospitality?" Confused, Cap was mute. Victoria went on. "I get it.. Then you all start hounding in slyly, hunting for protected information..." Cap snapped out of his shock. "That's preposterous, Miss Vickie. And you know it. My men and--" "Spare me the high and mighty ethics speech. I've heard it hundreds of times before from other firehouse captains." Cap's mouth shut. "Yes,..I've dealt with other pyro cases where a child has visited a favorite fire house in a sudden rush of guilt or daring. So I do know what you and your men are going through. And I do understand, Mike, the stress you must be feeling not knowing who for sure, was responsible for your accident." "Vic.." Victoria rose in her chair and all the other men rose too, in reflex. "If you'll excuse me, gentlemen. I think we'd better conduct this fire investigation separately, Captain. I know we'll work better that way in the long run. And I promise you. I won't withhold any information that may prove a danger to either this crew, or anyone else. Good night. Mike, this was a truly memorable meal.." None of the gang, including Roy and Johnny, knew how to take that remark. Victoria left quickly for the garage bay and the rear door leading out to the back parking lot. "I'm sorry, Cap. I don't know what's gotten into her. Let me at least try to talk some sense-- " he broke off hearing Vic struggle with the complicated deadbolt on the back door. "I'll be right back.." Mike Stoker got up and rushed out after her, using the willing Boot on a lead as a guide dog. "H*ll hath no fury like a woman surrounded." Kelly improvised. That earned him a glare from both Johnny and Roy. No one felt like eating until Victoria was back at ease. Mike's roast chicken and dumplings grew cold, while they waited for sounds of return from the back parking lot. --------------------------------------------------------- Boot found Victoria out in front by the flagpole. He barked, letting Mike know the woman was near. "Victoria, I'm sorry if you got a weird impression from us. It wasn't on purpose. The guys are still upset about me being blinded even though we all know I'm not going to stay this way. Just the fact that it happened irks them. And with firemen, that means turning over every stone until a solution can be found to prevent another accident like mine from ever happening again. Can you forgive me? And us?" he asked. Victoria's face crinkled into a half smile when Mike held out two arms out in front of him like a child looking for reassurance. He was pointed in completely the wrong direction. She spared him embarrassment by sidling into his arms and returning his friendly embrace. "Oh, all right. I just get so frustrated sometimes.." she sighed setting her chin onto his shoulder. "So do I. Frequently." The wind picked up just then, as the sun settled below the horizon, and the flags on their chains cracked suddenly, like a pistol shot. It startled Victoria who ducked out of the hug in reflex. Even Boot scrambled away, pulling on the lead, nearly tipping Mike over in his haste to locate what had startled him. Mike chuckled. "Hey, Boot. Settle down. It's just the flagpole, not an explosion. Come here, you.." Victoria and Mike both crouched while they petted Boot briskly to end his fright. Then Stoker stood, drawing Vic upwards. "Here. This is my job, too, to man the flagpole. Help me untie this chain from around the hooks here and we'll take them down for the night. Then we can head back in. I'll reheat dinner in the oven." he grinned. "You're so cute.." Vic said. "I can see why dad chose your field to run his concession stand in." "What? You didn't chose my field because the kids I work with just happen to be the most troubled kids in the city?" "Well,.. that too." she considered. "What's your reason for coaching them?" "I like to keep all problems where I can see them. That way, I can figure out how to solve or help them eventually." "Sound principle.. I think I like it.." Victoria declared as they fought with the large flags, folding them up in the rising breeze that was rushing in on the heels of the fast approaching dusk. "I, too, like to keep things well managed." Mike grinned and took the folded bundles of silk from her arms. Then he put two fingers in between his lips. "*whistle* Come here, Boot. Come on." The dog stopped his leg lifting "outing" around the red fire hydrant by the boulevard and returned, trailing his lead, to nuzzle Mike's hand. He then sat and dutifully accepted the flags Stoker draped over his back for the short trip he knew was necessary to carry them indoors. Victoria laughed. "What a good helper!" She said, petting him enthusiastically. Boot's tail thumped the flagpole with loud metallic pings in happiness as she scrubbed him behind the ears. "Boot's a real sweetheart. Had him long?" "Nah, Boot's a stray. He was here for a few days two years ago, checking us out. Then.....Marco ...said he came back the night I was hurt, looking for me." Stoker said with some emotion. Victoria took his hand. "Maybe he just likes to keep those down on their luck...... within sight.." "Maybe. Come on." Mike said releasing her hand. " I'm hungry.." Woof! "And so's Boot." Stoker laughed. "Let's go inside. It's getting cold out here. The sooner I have some hot food in me, the better I'll feel." "Maybe by then, Dad'll have found Jeremy.." "Why's Old Ben getting involved? He should be resting." Stoker insisted. "Dad thinks if he spends more time with the kids off duty, that he'll win their trust. He thinks afterwards, that maybe they'll stop stealing his popsicles." "It'll never happen. Not in a million years. Kids are kids." "I know that. And you know that. But Dad's like me, Mike. He's gotta try.." "Let's hope between all of us, that the trying will be worth something." "I'm sure it will be. Dad's almost a good a detective as he was a fireman in his day." Stoker smiled, and let Boot show them the way through the side yard. -------------------------------------------------------- Photo: John and Roy tussling over dinner in a pique. Photo: A close up of a cute blond little girl. Photo : Mike Stoker, manning the flagpole. **************************************** From :"patti keiper" Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] One Dark Night.... Date :Fri, 21 Feb 2003 06:13:32 +0000 **Tandom post by Cassidy Meyers and Patti Keiper via Email Tennis.** Maximillion and Jeremy Conners ran to the gap in the fence surrounding the old firehouse on 223rd street. In his hand, the red headed boy held two Coke bottles full of kerosene stuffed with dull cloth wicks. "Are you sure you wanna go through wid this?" Max said. "I don't care what those gang sentries say. You don't have to do this.. It's craziness, man! What have you got to prove?" Jeremy was bigger than his best friend and he took full advantage of it. He grabbed the dark boy's collar and yanked him close. "My dad's soul for one thing. My honor for another." he whimpered. Max was shocked to see his usually quiet buddy suddenly losing it like a baby. "I want to belong somewhere, Max.. " he sobbed."So bad I can taste it.. I had it once. The perfect family.. you know?" he choked. "Then one night, my dad...fell off the pole." His face twisted in anguish and Max could see rivulets of water streaming down Jeremy's freckled face. "What? I don't understand." "It happened right here, Max. Right here.. In this old worn out firehouse!! The earthquake made him slip and the fire after finished him..!" Jeremy shoved Maximillion away and scrambled through the rend he had made years ago in the fence line. "Dad! Dad!!" he screamed in grief and despair.. "I'm coming..!! Just like I promised. On your seventh anniversary..y..y...yy." "Jer, no! Wait!" Max leaped to tackle the red haired boy, but missed, landing in a pile of dust. He coughed, frightened, as he watched Jeremy's striped shirt disappear into the bowels of the derelict station. Maximillion froze when a rumble of motorcycles at the end of the deserted block drew his eyes away from the nightmarish scene he couldn't believe was happening. It was the Skinhead Gang, officiating Jeremy Conners rite of passage. Max wailed.."Jer! Come on!.. We can still get out of here before they find us!! Jer!" But Jeremy Conners was long gone. The boy ran through the familiar ruins with the ease of long practice to the brass pole still in place among the dusty bricks. He leaned up against it, wiping his tears away, and he called. "Benjamin.. Are you here? It's seven o'clock. " he spoke to the dark room and the stillness amid the rubble. "I'm so glad you called me tonight. Now I have someone to play with.." he shouted, smiling through his tears. Conners reached down and found the old gas lantern he had recovered from his dad's collapsed office and he lit it with a match. "I'm over here. By the sliding pole.." A sound of stumbling echoed around the gutted foundation of the old fire garage and all at once, Old Ben was there, leaning on a half buried stone wall for support. "Jeremy Conners..? Is that you, my boy? Heh. I brought a whole box of popsicles we can share together. Won't they go down good?" "They sure will Ben.." Jeremy said, a slight grin showing on his face. "I got something for the both of us.." He held up the two Coke bottles full of lighter fluid. One in both hands. ::Dad, I'm coming...g..g..:: his mind whimpered. "Sodas, eh? How nice of you to think of them. Just let me catch my breath first. Not easy moving around in here. Let me .....rest up a bit.. Then we can have those drinks.." he gasped, then Old Ben sat down on the rickety stairway littered with heavy timber and dead vegetation. Jeremy was going to shift his bottles to his throwing hand when the other one lifted the lantern up so the old man could see to sit. A sudden, unfamiliar pang gripped him and soon after, the memory of his dad's death retreated and floated away.. "Ah, that's better, such a thoughtful young man. Now.. come sit beside me and we'll talk." Old Ben said, brushing off dust and brush from the step next to him. "Especially, about him.." Jeremy's vacant expression...... changed. To one of profound sadness and grief. The bottles in his hand fell out of his grasp, rolling into a hole in the floor and out of sight. All thoughts of suicide in Jeremy evaporated and he seemed to lose years in age. "B-Ben, Is it true you knew m-my dad? Victoria said that you knew him." "Eh? Come closer, Jeremy, so I can see you better. Come sit with me. Don't be afraid. I know it mustn't be easy for you to come here to the place where your dad met his end." Just like that, Jeremy's strength crumbled and set down the heavy lantern, wilting in grief. "Oh, Ben...I miss him so much.." he sobbed. The old man blinked and took the boy's head into his lap and stroked his hair lovingly. "I know you do, my boy. So do I. He was the best captain an old engineer like me, could ever have..." -- -- -- -- -- -- Jeremy forgot time as he lost himself in the old pain again. Dimly, he was aware of Ben relating story after story about his father, each one more exciting and more captivating than the last, and he was aware of the gentle caring voice of the old man sounding very much like the way his dad's had, until full darkness had fallen. A brass bell began to strike richly in the stillness, jolting Jeremy out of his foggy half sleep. "Ben?" "It's all right, my boy.. Sort..of a surprise. I fixed up the old call bell again and rigged it to sound off the hour. It's ok. Rigged it to the city's board, too, just fer kicks... hehe hehe." Jeremy froze when the bell stopped at eight. "Oh my g*d.." he whispered. "They're coming.." "Who's coming, my boy..? I don't understand." said kind Old Ben. "Them..! They've come to see if I have it done." Jeremy whispered in fear. "Have what done?" "This!...Here! Now!" said an angry voice. Older and very mad. Ben and Jeremy turned and saw him at the head of the collapsed stairs. It was the Gang leader. "Well, well well, looks like our little stooge is gonna chicken out. Too bad. I kinda liked you, Red.. But now there's a price to pay for your miserable failure, isn't there, little boy..?" he sneered. And he held up the two very familiar looking bottles. "Where did you find those?" Conners gasped. "Below.." he shrugged diffidently. "I figured, why waste a good thing?" he said evilly. Jeremy ripped out of Old Ben's grasp and stood on shaky feet, not caring that his shoes filled with mud. "Don't you hurt him. Please.. I've changed my mind. He's not the one, please!" "He'll do.." said the leader. And he leaped back up through the hole in the roof he had come through. And the twisted teen began to sing.. "One dark night, when we were all in bed... Missus O'Leary.. lit a lantern in the shed.. The cow kicked it over... She winked her eye and said... They'll be a hot time, in the old town............. " And then he whispered a final word.. "*Tonight....*" "no... NO ! Don't!!" Jeremy cried and in his terror, knocked over the forgotten lantern at his feet. Its tumble smashed against the fallen bricks of the derelict firehouse landing and into the rich mat of dried sage and grass nestled there. Fountains of flame sprouted up through the vegetation and a rising blaze caught and grew with frightening speed around Jeremy and Old Ben. "Awww, looky that? Little Jeremy's a red cow.. No, make that a yellow one.." chuckled the homicidal gang leader. "What's happening?" cried the old man. "We're being trapped! We've got to get out of here! Come on! I'll show you the best way out!" Jeremy said, pushing Ben before him towards the outside door he knew was in his dad's office. Just like that, an explosion of fuel and fire dropped directly in their path from a hole in the ceiling. One of Jeremy's firebombs had been thrown, narrowly missing them. A manic face peeked through it and the gang leader rolled his eyes with the sick pall of fascinated insanity. "Going somewhere? I do believe we have a false alarm...Please.. stay ..and warm yourselves by the fire.." "Torch!!.. Don't do this!! It isn't right.." Jeremy gasped. "You should have thought of that before you joined my little gang of horrors, Red." Jeremy and Ben stumbled, but somehow, they made it around the new patch of twisting fire. Echoey laughter swelled over the sound of the growing flames building higher in the ruin. Coughing, choking, the old man and boy were slowly driven back by the intense heat of the fire eating the dry old bones of the station. They fell back against something smooth, and cool.. "The pole! Ben, we've got to climb up." "I can't.. I'm too....*cough* ...weak.." "Come on, you've got to try..!" "Wait.. Jeremy,.. the bell.." Ben exclaimed, his cataract cloudy eyes getting wider. "What? You're not making any sense, Ben, just climb.. Pleas-se..." the boy sobbed pulling on Old Ben's arm where he lay against the fire pole. "No, listen to me, boy. I know what I'm talking about..*choke* Get on my shoulders.." "What?!" "Just do it. I'm going to lift you up and you are going to ring the bell.. Just pull the string. L.A. will hear us. Remember, I repaired the network.." Jeremy cried out as the old man shoved him up the pole. Inch by inch, the boy's fingers got closer to the satin rope. Then ...they... reached and Jeremy found that he had just enough strength to pull it down . SMASH!! A ball of fire landed against the wall in the pole space above his head, incinerating the bell's rope instantly. "No, you don't! I like to see my burns through to completion if you don't mind." challenged Torch. Screaming, Jeremy patted out the flames in both his and Ben's hair as they both tumbled back down to the stoney floor. Scrambling, Jeremy knelt by his friend's ear. "It's ok, it's ok, Ben, I put it out.. Get up.. Get up!.. I thought of something else.. You've got to make it to my dad's office. Get to the red door..It leads into the yard.. *gasp* Go, Ben, they'll find you...!" "A fireman never leaves his v----" But Old Ben started coughing violently in the heavy smoke. "Just go! Back the way we came. I'll try to draw him off!" Jeremy scrambled away from Ben and then back up the scalding brass pole. Half way up, he swung over to the flaming, disintegrating stairwell and up into the bunkloft at the top without a second glance back. When Ben got his wind back, he opened his eyes. He found that Jeremy was no longer at his side. "Jeremy!" he called out. "Jeremy!" Seconds later, the flames crawled too close for him to continue to look for the boy and Old Ben was forced to drag himself into the office despite what he wished. Once, there, to his horror, he found that Jeremy's plan for quick escape, would never hold any water. Torch had bolted the outer door with chains and padlocks.....from the inside. Hot, breathless and scorched, the exhausted ex-firefighter began to pound frantically on the door but Old Ben soon blacked out onto the floor and his body rolled limply against the metal of the barricaded door. -------------------------------------------- At L.A. headquarters, Sam Lanier saw a light go on that he hadn't seen in seven years. ::What th? It's old station nine.:: He thought. ::That's an in-house emergency signal coming from the mainpole's bell box..: His mind flashed back to the night of the earthquake when a fire captain by the name of Conners had rung the very same bell ....for the last time. By their own volition, his fingers toggled the tone call of the station nearest that area. --------------------------------------------------- ##Station 51. Truck 127, Batallion 14. Automated Fire Call. 2049 East 223rd Street. Cross street, Wilmington Ave. 2049 East 223rd Street. Cross street, Wilmington Ave. Time out : 18:26.## (Get where this is? :) ) "That's d*mned peculiar.." Cap exclaimed, recognizing the location. "Say Lopez, isn't that the firehouse that came down in the quake of--" "Sure is, Cap.." "Let's go.." Victoria rose in her seat. "Oh, no. Not there." "What's wrong, Vic? This is probably just a milk run. Sometimes the wires beneath the old buildings in that neighborhood, get cross connected and the random power surges do some pretty strange things." Stoker told her. "No, no no. You don't understand. That's where Jeremy Conners' father died. Tonight is the seventh anniversary of his death.." Mike Stoker whirled towards Victoria as the guys rolled out top speed in the engine and squad. ------------------------------------------------ Jeremy remembered leaving behind the fire and the heat. He only had focus enough, to find Torch. Rats ran frantically across the floor of the second story bunkhouse and in many places, the floor was rotting and unsafe. But Jeremy knew where the solid timbers were and he leaped across to them nimbly. He didn't speak, knowing that any noise from him could be lethal. Torch's personality always digressed far beyond sanity while he was attending a burn. Soon, Jeremy reached the place he wanted. Bunk Ten, his father's. The mattress was gone, but the coils were still half woven into the bedframe. The boy quietly paced three floor boards at its foot, avoiding the fourth and leaped the rest of the way to the bed. Determined, Jeremy got up on the rusty bed springs and started jumping up and down, cheering at the top of his lungs. Soon, Torch's voice filtered through the dark. "What are you doing jumping for joy, kid? Don't you know that I'm going to finish y--" "Yayyy! He's dead and I did it.." said Jeremy, fiercely, bouncing closer until he was at the foot of the bed nearest Torch. The whole time, Jeremy never ceased jumping. "What?" Torch blinked, shifting a lit fire bottle into his other hand. Jeremy felt his breath rattle thinly in his chest as he made his dry lips move. "That old man. I burned him. Burned him good..." he hissed, dropping to his hands and knees, to laugh openly. That halted Torch, cold. His face fell from murderous intent to one of confusion... Then Torch's toothless face split into a wide grin that came slowly and he said. "Well, all right. Didn't know you had it in you, Red." and he blew out the fire bomb in his grip. Jeremy watched the rebel walk closer across the squeaking fungus ridden boards, nearer and nearer to bed number ten. "Well, this changes everything, Red. Welcome to the gang. You passed my test. Put it there, man..." Torch said, taking another step forward towards Jeremy on the bedsprings. The boy looked up and saw a leather glove approaching, offering a hand shake to him just inches away from his face. SNAP!! The fourth floor board snapped and gave way, dropping Torch into the heart of the blazing inferno roaring through the main garage below. The flames' fury cut off any possible sound he could have made while falling, instantly. Jeremy's face suddenly twisted and his eyes watered with hot tears, completely blinding him. He felt a moan form in his throat, but the boy who was Jeremy Conners no longer cared about communicating. Somewhere deep inside he was deathly afraid that he no longer had the will to try and make it back down to Old Ben in the Cap's office. Heart and mind in pain, Jeremy collapsed on the wired bedframe, begging his memory to offer up the familiar image of his father, Captain Conners, before it was too late. "Dad, " he sighed.. "..get me out of here....." Jeremy shivered and then his head began to sink lower and lower from the dwindling supply of breathable air. The angry fire that had killed Torch, the gang leader, rose through the hole in the floor, rearing up over the bed frame where Jeremy Conners had suddenly fallen very still. ----------------------------------------------- "Marco, Charlie, Roy, John, string two inch and a halfs and cover the west side. And be careful. Looks like another gang related torch job. There's a Harley in front." Cap shouted. Then he lifted his HT.##L.A. we have a fully involved brick and wood two story structure. Advise the power company to kill the electricity to our one block area.## "Really?" Gage said as he hurried by. Cap grinned. "Yeah, saw a spark on the power pole over there. Looks like some half wit's jury rigged a line into the old firehouse itself. Gage spread the word. I want everyone in full SCBA." "Right, Cap." Hank Stanley saw the mess the blaze had already made of the old gallant fire station. Already the main tower was crumbling to pieces in a rain of ash and sparks. Again his HT met his mouth, ##Truck 127, cover the south side. Protect that direct exposure. Battalion Fourteen. Cover the cross street drive and set up your command post there.## Hank heard the hail of 10-4's reply back to his orders. Then he saw a very quiet Chet standing in front of the pumper panel off Old Red. "Well, pal. Here's your chance to shine.. Think you remember everything?" Chet was watching the fire with a fascinated horror. "I sure do. Mike didn't let me sleep last night at all 'cause he was quizzing me so hard. " "All right, then. Have at it. Look sharp for problem spots. Oh, and for look for the arsonist, too. They usually panic and bail out in the worst possible place for it." Chet nodded numbly. Then he turned back to his chemical dials and water guages. "Man, this is humbling.. " he said to himself. "I literally have the lives of the hose team crew in my hands.." "Yeah, well don't let that get to your head, Chet.." Roy grinned, jogging by with the K-12. The blond haired fireman already had on his air bottle. "Believe me, I'll have a healthier respect for Stoker's position from here on out." Roy chuckled. Then he shouted. "Cap!" "Yeah..." "Johnny and I are going in through that red door right there. Looks like the fire hasn't broken through to that room yet.." Cap eyeballed the door Roy was pointing to. "Sounds like a plan.. Good spot to start gutting the building. Have at it." he nodded. Roy waved at Johnny to follow him up with Marco on a covering hose and he put on his mask. "This looks good.." he mumbled as he set the blade into the door about waist high. He cut around the horizontal bar, creating a football sized hole in under a minute. Then he reached inside and tried to lift the door's latch from the interior. It didn't budge. Grunting, he took off his glove and tried again, feeling around for the reason why his cutting didn't work. He shifted around to use his other hand when he was shocked to find a smear of red on his skin.. ::That's blood..:: He pulled off his mask and peered through the window. "Hey, is anybody in there?!" He looked down and saw Old Ben lying on the ground. He had bloodied his hands trying to claw his way to air. "Marco, Johnny! On the double. We've a victim in here!!" Marco dropped the hose and came pelting with the crowbar.. -------------------------------------------- Victoria took full advantage of Mike's status as a firefighter to get under the fire lines nearest the scene. She pulled up her green Matador on a safe part of the street and quicklylead Stoker to his captain's side. Barking, Boot also jumped out of the car's open window and ran with them. Mike Stoker immediately told Victoria to leave Boot with Hank and to wait by the car for news of Jeremy. "But.." "It's too dangerous. You don't know how to keep safe this close to a fire." "Boot can show me h--" "No he can't. He'll be working, watching the guys in case they run into trouble. He's also on alert for any potential victims shouting from the windows. " "But Jeremy's still in there!" she wailed. "Hey, now. We don't know that for a fact." Mike said firmly. Just then, Boot bounded across the burning boards and hissing water puddles left over from Truck 127's water shield, making a beeline for Roy's hacked open door. "They've found someone!!" Victoria shouted. Mike had the good sense to keep his grip tight on her shoulders because soon after, she fought him. "It's my father, Mike! Oh my G*d!" "Stay put, Vic. They'll be bringing him here." Sure enough, Johnny and Roy ran with Old Ben, arm-draped between them, towards the rescue squad. "They're coming!" Vic said. Mike shouted. "Cap!!.. Roy and Johnny got a man out of there.." Cap left his place by the engine and grabbed the medical gear and 02 tank from the squad's hold. Gage looked up as he carefully lowered Old Ben to the ground. "Thanks, Cap. We can take it from here." "Keep me posted.." And Hank disappeared into the darkness. Vic tore away from Mike and hurried to Ben's side. "How is he? Oh, please.." she sobbed, afraid to touch him. "He's gonna be fine. Looks like all he needs is some 02." Roy said. Old Ben started to moan as the fresh air outside revived him. "Get...Jer--" "What?" Johnny asked Ben. "Now just lie still." he ordered. But Ben wouldn't. He still seemed to be struggling to talk. Gage bent close to make out Ben's words. "Just keeping breathing in this oxygen..It'll help ya focus. Now.. what is it that's so important to tell us?" Ben fought Gage's hands, shoving the mask aside with bloody fingers. "Get him out.. Up....pole.." he gasped. "Ok, ok, ok.. Just lie back down and take it easy... Cap!!" Johnny hollered. "We've got another victim in there.. This man says he's on the second floor." "I'm on it.." And Hank waved two from Truck 127's crew to gear up for an exploratory. Just then the whole front of the firehouse came tumbling down towards the row of water spraying firetrucks and Victoria. A loose stone struck her and she went down. "Victoria??" Roy shouted. Johnny and Roy rushed over to check her out as fast as they could. Chet could only watch hopelessly. "What happened?" Mike demanded. "Wall collapse. Victoria took a brick to the side of her head." Roy said. "She ok?" "We don't know yet.." Then there was no more time for words. Both medics lost themselves in the care of their victims and soon, Mike was tuned out altogether. "Oh, Jeremy..." Mike fretted. Then, on a thought, he whistled. Boot came running, instantly. Pulling a lead from his pants pocket, Mike attached it to his collar and he turned his bandaged eyes towards the burning building. "Boot...." he said, taking a tight grip on the leash.. "Seek. Find him. He's in the fire.." Boot dashed forward, pulling Mike effortlessly with him. Stoker counted on the dust and smoke from the fire and the cover of night to conceal his entry into the building fire. His gamble worked. No one saw him go inside. "Boot!" he coughed. "Find him.. Upstairs.." Loud crackles from the burning timbers and their self destruction's rumble guided Mike on where not to step. He relied on the feel of Boot's leash on his arm to point out the safest way. Mike slowly became aware of an intense almost surrealistic bright orange glow. ::The fire. I can see it!:: Stoker began to claw off his eye wraps as Bootlead him deeper into the open garage and to the stairwell. He whined to his left suddenly and immediately turned away. Mike covered his nose. He knew the smell of a charred body when he encountered one. "oh, please, no.." he sighed. But Boot was still pulling him strongly onwards. ::Maybe that corpse back there, was the arsonist.:: Stoker's spirits raised. "I am in so much trouble.." he mumbled. The last of the bandages fell away and the bright stabbing orange light pierced deep into his retinas, making his barely healed eyes, water. "This light..My G*d. It's bright enough for me to see by!" Soon, he was wiping away the tears as perfectly clear, fire illuminated vision returned."Boot, double time.." he ordered. His shoe hit the first stair. By some miracle, the front wall's collapse hadn't crushed the stairwell and its bulk had snuffed out a great deal of the fire in that area. Mike followed Boot into the blackness at the top, where Stoker froze in his tracks. Bright sparklets of light lanced into his field of vision. ::Deprivation. I still don't have my night vision back. I'm gonna have to go back or risk getting trapped up here.:: But Boot's leash went tell-taley slack and Mike heard Boot begin to bark frantically from just ahead of him. Stoker reached out and his hand struck the hard metal coils of a gutted bunk .. and..a leg.. "Jeremy??!" A small boy's moan greeted him. Mike wasted no time and he gathered up the boy into his arms and then slid him head first over a shoulder. Then Mike said, "Boot. Out. Go outside. Go..go.. go.." Stoker's fear lessened when the bright glow of the main fire granted him sight once more. Near the outer door, Mike was met by an angry team of county firefighters. "Hey.. just what the h*ll do you think you're doing??" one of them shouted through his airmask. "Take him.. Sorry. I'm with 51's. I heard him calling for help." he lied. "I'm Mike Stoker." "Yeah, I know who you are.." said the bigger one. "Is he breathing?" "Yeah.." Mike let the firemen take Jeremy and used the same route he had taken before with Boot to return to the fireline. As he walked away from the fire, Mike was amazed to find that his watery vision didn't entirely disappear. In fact, as the chill air cooled him, it got better. The first clear sight he saw, was Chet, sweating over the chem panel on the engine. And then he saw the night stars. Smiling, Stoker reached down and petted Boot's sooty back in sheer joy. "Good dog.. good dog.... What a way to work.. Good boy.." As Mike suspected, no one else knew what he had done. The two men from 127 who had dropped off Jeremy near the squad, had been, luckily, mutually decided to hustle back to their fire detail instead of reporting Stoker to anyone. Mike released Boot from his lead and whispered. "Go to Cap, boy.. Move it.." He watched the valiant dog rejoin Hank at full tilt. Then he knelt down quietly by Johnny, who was working on Victoria, who was just coming to. "Relax, Vic." Mike soothed. "Your bump doesn't ...look... too bad." That made Gage glance up from the BP he was taking on her. Johnny did a double take when he saw that Mike was bandage-less.. and seeing.. "Mike!" he said happily. "You can see.." Then Gage's face flickered between watchfulness over Vic's changing status and curiosity over Mike's. "Hang- hang on there. I'll be right with you." "No rush.. I feel fine." "You sure?" "Yeah.." "No flashes or..spots ..or anything like that?" "Nope..None." "Ok. Good... All right....." Gage forced himself to stop staring at the relieved tears flowing unabashed down Mike's face. "Listen, Mike.. uh, I'm dying of curiosity to see how the boy's doing. Could you go over there and just .. you know check on him for me? It's bugging me 'cause Roy hasn't said much about him yet." Stoker patted Johnny on the shoulder, "Gladly." As Mike crossed the short distance to where Ben and Roy and Jeremy were, he dried his cheeks on a sleeve. Then he couldn't resist. "Nice guage work, Chet.... Looks .....like your psi pressure's perfect..." Mike ambled nonchalantly on past him. Kelly just about did arabian handsprings at the sight of Mike walking, free of Boot, eagle eyeing everything around him. "WahhhHHhooooo Stoker.. All rightt!!!! Man, this is great.. Your eyes are-- Wait a minute, why am I cheering? I'm gonna get demoted now.." "You can live with it.." "Just as long as you can, pal.." Kelly fired back. "I'm beginning to fall in love with this job, Stoker. I may test out with ya in the fall. May the best man win.... WahhhhHHHhhoooo." he howled again. This time half a dozen firefighters rubber necked in their direction and Mike only shrugged, making crazy signs with a finger circling his ear and then a hooking thumb at Kelly, when Chet wasn't looking. Mercifully, Chet never caught on to why the other men were laughing. Mike Stoker entered the place where the triage lights had been set up above Roy and his victims. He approached his coworker, keen on surprising him with his Lazarus back from the blind routine when something about DeSoto's body english stopped him. He set a hand on Roy's shoulder. "Roy, how's Jeremy doing?" Roy looked up and reacted pretty much as Johnny had about his eyes. But Stoker never saw it. His eyes were locked on Jeremy's face. The boy was pink, breathing well under an 02 mask, and his skin was mercifully whole. But two hideous sockets existed where the boy's eyes had once been. They had completely boiled away from the heat of the burning fire. DeSoto heard Stoker's gasp of horror. "Mike, he's not in any pain. I've given him a pain med. But, I'm afraid he'll never s--" and DeSoto's voice broke. " see.. again.." He studied his hands and the spent MS syringe resting there without being aware of it. "Not ever?" Roy slowly shook his head without meeting his eyes. Stoker's face filled with salty wetness and he bent low over his favorite project kid's drugged form, and cried until the ambulance came. Old Ben, seated on the squad's bumper in a cannula and blanket, set a bandaged hand on Mike's shoulder in wordless understanding. ------------------------------------------------------- It was another perfect sunny summer day at the McGregor ballpark and Mike Stoker and Victoria and Susan Jordan and Maxilliam and Old Ben were at their usual places around the diamond. Jeremy Conners was sitting on Mike Stoker's lap getting a verbal play by play of the game, directly from his favorite coach. "Hey Coach.." Jeremy said, sucking on his popsicle and scratching an itch under his eye wraps. "Yeah, Champ?" "Are you sure the guys aren't missing Boot at all? I mean he makes a swell guide dog and stuff, but Boot's a fireman just like d--" his voice trailed away. "Yeah, he is a pretty good one. " Mike studied Jeremy's hanging head. "It's ok. It's all right to be sad about your father and what happened to that old firehouse. But that's the funny thing about living. Life always changes. And there's nothing in the world we can do about it... ..except..." Jeremy's face cracked a smile and he lifted a hand full of slender sticks. "...except throw popsicles sticks at it.. Yyeeahhhhhhhh!" and the red haired boy crowed at the top of his lungs, hurtling his wooden missiles down on the players below. He started to laugh when Tiny and Cruz, standing near the bleachers, complained verbally about the rain of litter landing on them. But, to themselves, the project kids made it a point not to grumble too much. Mike and Victoria, on either side of the happy little boy, smiled broadly at Jeremy, muttering in conspiracy about what they could throw next. And behind his back, the two adults timidly joined affectionate hands. Not missing a beat, Victoria spoke up. "Don't fret about the guys missing Boot, Jer. Because Boot's a free spirit. He wouldn't've stayed at 51's for long anyway. He always gravitates to those who need him the most Mike tells me. And you certainly fit his bill young man.." Jeremy giggled when she tickled his nose. She went on with a small smile. "Nah, I think Boot the wanderer's finally found a home.." "You know what, guys?" Jeremy asked, angling his head up. "What..?" Both Mike Stoker and Victoria asked together. "I think I'm finally home, too. " FIN :) Season One, Episode Four- Within Sight :) This episode is dedicated to all who work in foster care children's programs. May your kids all find warm, kind and loving families, and a place they can finally call.... home.. :) :) @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ The Story Unfolds... Season One, Episode Five.. Integrity Game ***************************** From: "Linda Taggatz" Date: Fri Feb 14, 2003 4:41 pm Subject: A possible start for Ep 5. Kel was going on vacation. Not just any vacation. For the first time in years he was going on a family vacation with both parents. He and his dad were starting to resolve their differences. They both felt that going to Martha's Vineyard like they did when Kel was a kid would help. Joe had volunteered to take them to the airport. They had reserved a rental car to use during their stay. Of course Kel wanted to explore Boston, he hadn't been there in a long time. His mom & dad agreed to that. They knew that this vacation was important to all of them. Unfortunately a huge snowstorm hit that area hard. The airport in Boston had been closed, no flights in or out. ----------------------------------------------- Photos : None. ******************************* From : "patti keiper" Subject : No Sure Bet.. PG-13. Date : Wed, 05 Mar 2003 12:44:23 +0000 Dr. Brackett sat in the hospital cafeteria patio across from his father, Brent, and his mother Anna Rose at a white whicker table fully under the bright noon day California sun. Both men were in a foul mood as they chewed without tasting, the tuna sandwiches on their lunch plates. They wore matching scowls on their faces. "Anna, you find something amusing about all this? Our vacation plans are ruined and here you are...making a spectacle of yourself." Brent told her firmly. Anne Rose broke out into spontaneous laughter covering her mouth with the hand not holding the plane tickets. "I'm sorry." she gasped. "It's just you two are reacting in exactly the same way right now. It's not the end of the world. Just the end of our current gameplan. We don't have to go to Martha's Vineyard to spend time as a family. No. We can do that right here at home where no snowstorm can possibly interfere." Kel looked up sitting straighter, as he shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth. "Easier said than done. Those tickets cost a fortune, mom. What do you expect us to do about it now?" "This.." her warm brown eyes beamed from the frame of auburn hair around her face. And she promptly tore their three unused flight vouchers in half firmly with a flourish. Brent and Kel both stood up from their chairs in dismay. "Anna Rose, why in G*d's name did you do that?!" "Mom! What the h*ll?!!" They both cried in outburst at the same moment. Both father and son eyed each other up when they both realized that had struck exactly the same pose of ire with hands spread indignant over the table top, leaning in to Anna in anger. That only made Mrs. Brackett laugh all the harder to the point of wheezing soundlessly and her light airy voice died away as she lost her ability to breathe. Kel and Brent frowned, and again, father and son took like actions of grabbing up their glasses of water to hand to Anna to drink to gain a quicker recovery from her mirth. Soon, Anna wiped away her amused streaming tears and accepted one of the waters being offered to her. "Oh, that felt good." she chuckled, dabbing her eyes on a napkin delicately while she sipped the ice water. "Getting rid of those tickets meant getting rid of unpleasant distractions. Now, think of it this way." she said patting their rough hands. "We now have a squeaky clean slate to work with now in regards to our family vacation. And do sit down. People are beginning to stare, doctors..." she grinned. Kel and Brent glanced around and did see a few subtle glances their way. They buttoned their dinner jackets over their ties self consciously. The older Brackett cleared his throat. "Don't make it a habit, pet." Brent said, regaining his chair and he honestly started to half smile. "If you want to throw money away to make a point next time, I'll have a pond built in the back yard and I'll hand you the sack of coins myself." "Amen to that.." Kel said empathetically and downed his water glass in a salute to the suggestion. He then began to gather up the two lunch trays that were empty. Anna Rose's eyes twinkled. "Your father's such a kidder, Kel. Don't listen to him." "Have I ever?" Dr. Brackett quipped. Brent nearly spit out the rest of his sandwich he had started eating again as he pegged an intense stare at his only son. "Yes. You have." he said, covering his mouth with his napkin. "When I called you last week about this family vacation plan of ours... You actually listened to what your mother and I had to say and then you actually said, ...yes..to it. " he grinned. "As if I could have refused. I'd have been disowned.." "There is that.." Brent said. Anna Rose slapped her husband on the arm to behave himself. "So, what do we do now that mom's made sure that any ticket refunding's impossible?" Kel asked. Brent shrugged. "Don't know. Ask your mother." he said, mopping up some mayonnaise with the last crust remaining of his food. Kel raised questioning eyebrows. It was Anna Rose's turn to lean over the table to catch their ears in confidence. "We find a third party to make the decision for us." "And who would that be?" Kel grumbled. Personal privacy was still a big thing with the younger Dr. Brackett. ---------------------------------------------- Dixie McCall backed up against the base station glass door, clutching an armful of patient charts against her chest defensively. "Ohh noo... Anna Rose. This isn't fair.." she hissed in a whisper at Mrs. Brackett. Subconsciously, Dix glanced inside the clear glass base station where Kel had dragged his father in to overhear an incoming rescue call he was handling. "I can't take on an important decision like that. It's taken years for me to get those two to even begin to listen to each other.." "And it shows. " she said empathetically. "Now who better to make the next call than a close co-working friend. H*ll. You and Kel dated once. We all trust you." "That's dirty pool and you know it, Mrs. Brackett." Dix said straight faced but unoffended. "Who else can we turn to? Mike Morton's never even had lunch with us. And Joe, ..." she sighed. "Joe Early's too nice to even try to get involved in the Brackett father/son feud reclamation project." "Nice sentiment there. I think I'll follow Joe's angle, too." And Dixie tried to make her escape. Anna Rose got in her way innocently by taking the charts from the head ER nurse's grasp, "Here, let me file these for you, dear. I know where they go.." And Dixie was forced to stay while Mrs. Brackett slowly set the patient charts in their metal holder on Dix's desk, one by one, alphabetically. McCall plastered a forced polite smile on her face as Anna Rose rambled on. "So, what's a great part of town? Long Beach? Heard Crystal Pier's simply lovely this time of year." "I wouldn't know. I never get out." Dixie mumbled. She again tried to ooze away from the desk. But Anna Rose reached for another chart slyly and she had to freeze in place or drop the rest of her stack. Anna Rose said, "Neither do we. That's the problem." she said frankly. "Ok, this one goes under... S.. for Smith.."she said, myopically eyeing the chart's proper slot. "We're not asking you for stock investing advice, just one teeny tiny vacationing spot idea for us to go to. Just pick anywhere, Dixie. Top of your head. Whatever you say won't be locked in stone by any measure, I assure you. We're just...getting a fresh start here." she said, filing another metal chart into its housing. Dixie sighed and fought like mad not to tap her foot on the tiles in nervousness. ::Oh, boy. Fates, I demand you get me out of this one. If I choose anywhere that doesn't turn out for the Bracketts, I'll have to live with the consequences of my actions for the next ten years working with the two doctors locked into yet another feud.:: she bemoaned mentally. Right then, the red light on the call station over her head began to flash.. Miss McCall's face erupted in an eager glee of reprieve. "Hold that thought, Anna Rose. I have to answer that. It's a second run coming in.." And she shoved the charts right back at Mrs. Brackett who barely caught them as Dix fled into the base station's sound isolation room and slammed the door. Dixie's hand darted onto the talk button on the second intercom, just barely beating out Kel's subtly reaching one. "Unit calling in please repeat.." she stated quickly, taking over the run from him hastily. Kel said. "You didn't have to come in just to answer that." he said, looking up from the EKG strip he was looking at. "I sure did.." Dixie gasped. She felt Brent Brackett come stand by her to hear how a registered nurse answered a rescue call. Dixie's caller came into voice. "Rampart, this is Engine 51. We're on scene at the Santa Anita Racetrack. There's been a multiple race horse pileup on the final turn of a stakes race with injuries. Squad 51's en route on the track right now with the grounds crew leading the way. Please stand by." came Captain Stanley's voice over the murmuring roar of a crowd of other people on the frequency. Their horrified dismay was very apparent in the background. To Dix, it sounded like a bad accident. "Standing by, 51." Dixie said. "Kel, do you need Joe on yours?" she asked. Dr. Brackett looked up from his chart. "Hmm? No, this is just a simple case of syncope. It's a scorcher out there today. We're bound to get a few heat related injuries into the ER this afternoon." Dr. Brackett said. "This cardiac strip's precautionary only." Then he leaned down and finished his call. "Squad Ten. Start an IV Normal Saline and run it in at the rate of 30-40 drops a minute. Continue to monitor her vital signs and transport as soon as possible.. Now that she's awake, you can D/C the O2 at your discretion." ##10-4, Rampart. Squad Ten out. Our ETA is ten minutes.## "10-4, Squad 10." Kel ended the transmission. Brent Brackett motioned Kel over while Dixie began filling out the run sheet for 51. She moved the yellow medical status magnet for their station from base bound to on rescue call. "Looks like this might be a bad one, son.." Brent told Kel. "It's at the race track." Kel sighed and his face twitched in sympathy. "Another jockey tangle up?" Dixie looked up from her writing. "Yes, sounds like it. 51's still getting out to that part of the track." "Stick around Dix, we may have more than we can handle here very quickly. And call Joe in here." "Right." Dix said handing off the run chart to Dr. Brackett. "Excuse me, Brent." and she reached over and grabbed the paging phone over the recording monitor above the intercom. " Operator. Please page Dr. Early to the base station, stat...... Yes, thank you." and she hung up. Silence stretched in the tiny room and Brent felt his palms beginning to sweat in anticipation even as Dix and Kel calmly marked notes on their respective charts. Finally, Brent licked his lips. "Is it always this hard waiting around to hear back on a rescue in progress ?" "Yes.." Dix and Kel said simultaneously. "I'm glad I'm a psychiatrist. No rescue calls to speak of.." he mumbled to himself. Overhearing, Dix and Kel smiled at him. ================================ Squinting into the bright sun to the south, Cap could just make out the dust trail of the squad as it followed the grounds crew truck along the track's outer rail to where the chaos was happening. He could see several horses sprawled awkwardly on the ground, some still moving. But the one smaller human body hanging on the rail and the several more in the dirt, were alarmingly still. He could see at least four other racehorses careening wildly around the track without their riders with parade outrider ponies and their unhurt, tossed jockeys, hard up on recapturing them from their mindless dash away from the accident side of the track. Hank hung the biophone receiver over his shoulder and he slapped Chet Kelly on the arm of his overcoat. "Chet, get a couple of hoses strung onto the apron here. Straight through the hydrant. Maybe we can do something for those poor horses out there. Only one seems to have broken a leg. The others that are down could still be alive and only lightly heat stroked. But don't go out there until those loose racers are caught, all right? It's too risky for us to have our hoses running where the others, in their panic, might trip over them." "Right, Cap." And Kelly jogged down through the tunnel to the utility driveway where Stoker was still idling the big engine to tell him Cap's orders. Hank turned to Marco at his side. "Marco. Roy and John may need help communicating with their victims out there. If any of those jockeys are even half out, their english speaking abilities will go out the window if you know what I mean." "Understood, Cap. I'm on it." And Marco went with another crew pickup truck, riding on the back. They maneuvered slowly down track to avoid upsetting the free runners, moving along the outer rail to the scene of mayhem. By the time Chet and Stoker had returned with the strung hoses and had charged them, the uneffected racers and their jockeys had all heeded the red lit hooter on the tote board and had vacated completely off the track to the backside stables or the test barn. Cap could see the remaining loose thoroughbreds were firmly back in reining hands. ##Ladies and Gentlemen. Please hold all tickets.## said the track announcer. ##Officials are dealing with the situation on the track's far turn. Race Five is delayed until further notice. All pool, trifecta, and daily double betting is now frozen at all teller windows. Please stand by for the results of the steward's inquiry.## Hank frowned. ::How cold is that? There are possibly dead horses and people out there and all the track officials are worried about is keeping the gamblers happy?.. No wonder I hate the track..:: he thought. ::Don't get what Roy sees in playing the horses at all.:: ---------- Chet and Stoker stepped out onto the track when the tote board light stopped flashing its loose horse warning. Together they began dragging out the hoses to where they could see Roy and John and Marco moving from fallen rider to fallen rider. "Coming through..." Chet said angrily, as blue grounds crew backs just concentrating on tractoring the starting gate into position for the next race, got in their way. The track horse ambulance team was already leading away a limping foreleg shattered filly to the attending vet awaiting there with a syringe. Kelly felt sick to his stomach. "They're gonna put her down?" he shouted at Stoker over the noise of the tractors. "Yeah, there's nothing they can do after a horse's leg has been broken." Mike replied. "I've seen this before." he said lugging the heavy hose to the nearest downed horse. Gage looked up from the nearly unconscious jockey he was assessing. "Stoker. Not that one. He's the one who caused this pileup. He burst a lung vessel and was dead even before he hit the ground. See the bright blood flowing out of his nostrils there? Go cool down that colt still twitching over by the rail. Hose down just his head. Be sure to loosen that saddle strap and take his bridle out from between his teeth if you can while you're doing it. He may come around from the heat in time.. All the trainers will be out here in a sec to take over the horse care for ya.. Do whatever they ask of you." Then Johnny bent to work over his patient. "But what about these other jockeys?" Chet asked. Johnny met Chet's eyes heavily. "Roy and Marco and I have everything taken care of on our end. There's only these two victims. The other jockeys were killed along with their horses. We found that most have hangman's fractures from their falls and that guy's been trampled to death." he gestured with his head behind him. Kelly saw a lone tiny male jockey lying face down in the dirt not too far away. The back of his chest bore the unmistakable crushed flat look of a fatality. He almost looked like a shattered marionette to Chet. Stoker looked up, too, in shock when he saw Roy only dealing with the american woman jockey still draped over the inner rail. DeSoto was getting the grounds crew men to carefully hold her neck still while he placed her into a cervical collar while he continued talking quietly with her. "UGghhhHHH." she moaned. "How's Little Bit? H-- How's my filly? She got away from me after Charismatic went down. *cough*." "Shh, try not to move, miss. You may have a serious back injury." Roy told her. "Now we're going to immobilize you and slide you onto this long board here. Then we'll get you on some oxygen so you can breathe a little better, all right?" Behind Roy, the sealed horse ambulance shifted with a thud on its tires as a heavy weight inside of it fell to the floor. The woman didn't say anything more and she started weeping uncontrollably, ignoring the men who were easing her off the railing inch by inch. "They euthanized her didn't they..? They killed my Little Bit..Oh, nooooOOOoo." "I'm sorry, ma'am. From what I could see her leg was fractured too badly to splint." Roy said quietly. "At least she's been released from her agony." "nnnooo." The jockey sobbed once more and let go her hold on consciousness as she was strapped onto the long board and immobilized. The woman rider was placed on the ground and Roy hastily placed an O2 mask over her face and started to take a BP on her good arm after making sure she could breathe well enough on her back without the help of an oral airway. He looked up at the grounds crew men who had helped him. "Stick around. There's no way the Mayfair's gonna be able to come out here like we did. This dirt's too deep.We're gonna have to hand carry these people outta here once we get them treated." he told them. The Santa Anita workers nodded. Then Roy yelled after Johnny. "Hey Johnny! What do you got?" "I got four Code F... This guy's got a ton of broken ribs on the left side. I'm finding signs of marked flail chest. And he's having a lot of trouble breathing. The O2's not helping. Gonna have to stabilize this first before we move him out. Man, don't these guys believe in flack vests and helmets?" "Nah, " Roy said tightly. "They don't want to wear them because of the extra weight." "That's gotta change. Oh, man. Look around us. This is a just a senseless massacre..!" Gage swore. "I don't make the rules." Roy replied. "No, you just support the industry by condoning them with bets on the horses instead." Johnny snapped as he carefully had some track crew help him roll the moaning injured jockey onto his bad side once he had been immobilized. Roy tactfully didn't say anything. The motion drove the wounded man awake and he began to swear a stream of words that weren't in understandable english. Marco calmed him in animated Spanish getting a quick history and verbal account of injury from him. Kelly and Stoker were hard at work with the hose. Stoker was holding the horse's head straight out so the heat overwhelmed colt could breathe while Chet played a powerful stream of icy water over his head to cool down his brain pan as rapidly as he could. Soon the horse began snorting in tight gasps and his legs began to kick out as he started snapping out of his unconsciousness. "Look out!" said a few of the starting gate guys and they jumped down from the tractors with ropes to tie around the colts legs so he wouldn't hurt the firemen trying to help him. A gnarled old trainer huffed and puffed his way up to Chet and he patted him in the shoulder. "Easy. Ok, keep it up boys, just like that. The crew's got his legs pinned. Now, play the water over the rest of him. Get his chest first. Then everywhere but the legs, for that will cause the tendons to bow permanently if they're cooled too fast. Don't want him irreversibly lame." "Sir?" said Stoker, startled at the trainer's sudden appearance. "Can we do anything for the other racers down around us? We have an extra hose." "Nah. They've cooked too much in the sun. Ain't nothing gonna wake em now. It's too late. We can only save this young colt here." "But.." Kelly started up. "Just keep working young man.." the wizened trainer told him. He sighed and got up from his crouch and wandered over to the dead stallion in the dirt with the blood filled nose. He stepped on the horse's flank and pressed down with a foot, cocking his head when he heard the telltale gurgle of lungs drowned in an artery burst. "Oh, Dusty Schraeder. Now you've gone too far." Near him, Gage was writing down the vitals he had obtained on his patient. "Don't tell me. Skipped Lasix treatment to cut budget corners with a little insurance money collection on the side?" The older man in the straw hat looked up at the dark eyed paramedic who had spoken to him. "Fraid so. Oldest track scam in the book 'cept for calcium stunting to cause bone failure." the trainer said. "You know about horses, young man.." "I know a bit.." Johnny said. "I have a ranch full of em. Excuse me.." and he started to relay his medical information to Cap via his walkie talkie.. -------------------------------- Photo : Brent Brackett looking at an x-ray. Photo : Anna Rose Brackett looking soft eyed. Photo : Kel Brackett getting smooched by Dixie. Photo : A racetrack starting gate with an ambulance. Photo : Roy DeSoto in helmet looking down. Photo : Johnny Gage looking down at victim by squad. Photo : Jockey wearing C collar surrounded by help, equipment, and his racehorse. Photo : Another jockey holding down a stricken horses's head. Photo : Cap and Chet stand ready with a water hose. Photo : Crew putting ropes around a struggling blindfolded injured horse. ***************************************** From : Sam Iam Subject : [EmergencyTheaterLive] Sticky Situations Date : Sat, 8 Mar 2003 23:16:01 -0800 (PST) Acknowledgements to P. Keiper for providing an EMT scenario allowing for a believable slide downhill for the downed male jockey enough, so my plot twist idea could work. Acknowledgements to Dr. Jeff Seltun on giving me the doctor speak for all the medical want-to-happens I threw at him. --------------- "Squad 51 to Engine 51. Uh, Cap, advise L.A. that we have multiple fatalities here. Numbered four." Johnny Gage lowered his voice so the kindly trainer nearest him standing over the dead, bled out racer, couldn't overhear. "And... ask for a police response. I have reason to believe this pileup wasn't an accident." Then he spoke louder with a heads up glance at Roy for his history.. "Stand by for vitals on two victims, Engine 51." ##10-4, Squad 51. .............L.A. has been notified. Standing by and awaiting vital signs.## Cap replied. Johnny Gage bent over his agitated victim. "Hey.. senor..Can you hear me? Just try to relax. Strapping ya on this board's just a precaution. Now you've got some broken ribs here that we need to take care of. Just try to keep from moving around okay? Having ya on your side like this is gonna help you breathe better. Marco, keep holding him just like that. If you have to, get some of those guys over here to help you." Marco spoke a few short words in spanish and two members of the grounds crew came and knelt by them to help hold the injured man in position. "Como te llama?" Lopez asked the injured jockey. "Jose' Rivero. Aiiyy.." said the man irritatedly. The jockey continued to swear and cuss in spanish but his anger wasn't directed at Gage or Lopez. It was aimed towards a second trainer who was staying well away from the dead thoroughbreds. The man was dispassionately chewing tobacco as he watched track officials taking photographs of the dead horses and riders. The fallen jockey swept off his oxygen mask and spit in insult as he continued to glare at the dark dressed man. "Jefe Schraeder! Hablas usted con tu' ahora. Por que? Mis amigos son muerto! Por nada!!" cried the wounded racehorse rider and he once more tried to lift his head up. "Y mi caballo is infermo sol malo porque de tu!" Gage held him down firmly by the shoulders. "Hey, hey.. Now settle down. That C collar's there for a reason. Stay still. Now tell me what's wrong? Your breathing's a little off... Listen to me.. Hey..Where else are you hurting besides your chest here?" The jockey ignored Gage until Marco grabbed him by the face firmly, motioning for him to look him in the eyes intently. "Eschuchas!..Nosostros son ayudar. Donde es su dolor?!" The jockey tried to pull away from Marco's grasp, and locked up in agony on the long board, ignoring both firemen as he continued to rant at Dusty Schraeder standing just within range of eyesight. Lopez shook his head in frustration and glanced up at Johnny. "I told him to listen to us and that we're trying to help, but he's not answering me about where else he's hurting." Johnny looked at Marco. "What DID ya get from him? He's off in his own little world here. Man, if I didn't know better, I'd say he's out for vengeance." he said drawing out his clothes shears from his hip holster. Gage began to cut away the stained orange and brown silks from the man's torso for a closer survey. "Set that 02 back onto his face again Marco. He's getting a little cyanotic." Marco nodded his head moving the clear plastic mask back over the man's struggling mouth. "His name is Jose' Rivera. He is begging his boss for a reason why his friends died and he's blaming him for his horse being sun sick like he is." "That guy over there?" Johnny pointed to Dusty Schraeder. "Yeah.." Johnny looked up at the black cowboy hatted Texan and felt an immediate dislike for the man. ::But he's something for Vince to worry about when he gets here.:: His eyes then swept to the colt Mike Stoker and Chet Kelly were trying to save with the assistance of the kindly old trainer. The colt was now resting on his belly, quivering like a newborn as he fought the rest of the way to wakefulness under the flowing stream of the fire hose. His soaked coffee bay coat literally steamed in the sun in twisting curls of sour smelling humidity. A thick foam began to spread over his whithers and flanks. Johnny heard the kindly old trainer murmur that they were succeeding in drawing the young horse out of heatstroke. "That's it. Just kidney sweat now.. That's a good sign." "Is he going to make it, Mr. Farley?" Chet asked. The man he had learned was named Walter, didn't reply and the worried look on Kelly's face returned in force. Gage kept his face neutral as thoughts raced through his head. ::No, that will be up to his owners. Heat stroke recovery usually takes three months to half a year. That colt's got good lines. Hope his share holders make the right choice..:: Johnny thought glancing away from his coworkers. Gage looked down and swept agile fingers around Jose's head and down his body, looking for deformities. He found a small oozing gash on his chest that was alternately retracting in and burping out as the angry man respired. The tiny sucking wound was on the side away from the man's main ribcage injury. "Marco.. grab an occlusive dressing and tape it over this wound here. Seal it off only on three sides. Looks like this laceration's penetrated through into his chest. He must have fallen on something sharp when his horse went down." "Got it.." Lopez said. Johnny felt along the jockey's sweating chest thoroughly but found grating, moving bones only on the flailed side. He snatched for his stethoscope out of the drug box and listened to the holed side carefully, then compared the breath sounds he heard there to the ones under the rib fractures. He grunted, making a mental note and took another set of vitals before finishing the rest of his survey on the jockey. He found no further injuries. Johnny returned to the man's throat and felt the cooling skin in the area carefully and over his chest once again. Then he looked at how the rider's larnyx sat in relation to the rest of his neck by sight as he reassessed the man's consciousness level and checked his pupils. Gage nodded at Roy, who had just completed his secondary survey of the unconscious woman rider. DeSoto had his helpers carry the girl closer to Johnny and the drug box until both their victims were side by side, head to head, nearest all the equipment. Roy crouched over the EKG monitor case and he opened it. "She's stable. The 02's keeping her in good color." he said, handing Johnny his pad of notes. "Add one more thing. She's got a open fracture of her left radius and ulna, with sluggish perfusion. I immobilized her arm in the best position I could find and she's still got neural responses and pulses in her hand and fingers but they're degrading. She may have torn an artery or vein internally. I'll get your victim patched in for ya on Lead Two." "Okay.." Johnny relayed to Captain Stanley on his hand held radio once more. "Engine 51. This is HT 51. We're set for a medical relay to Rampart." ##Go ahead, HT 51.## Cap Stanley watched as Vince and a detective car pulled up. He re-established communications on the biophone that he had perched on a track rail post, with apprehension. "Rampart, this is Engine 51. I'll be relaying from Squad 51 in 2. They are still inaccessible on the horse track and out of effective biophone communications range." ##10-4, 51. Standing by.## said Dixie. Once again, Captain Stanley cursed the whole idea of Santa Anita's turf and dirt race tracks being set into a bowl just so two lakes could grace the racing infield's garden grove of Queen's palm trees. ::Stupid design. Even if having that extra water there is a boon for any future fire call. At least Roy's EKG telemetry will get out.:: Johnny spoke into his HT to Cap. "Engine 51, Victim One. Male, age approximately 19 at 105 pounds. Vitals signs are; Pulse 124, respirations are 20 and shallow, BP is 100/62. Pupils are equal and reactive. He's diaphoretic, conscious, and emotionally agitated. He's on fifteen liters O2. I've found paradoxical breathing symptoms with a large flail segment on his left side. He has a sucking chest wound to his upper right chest, now occluded. I'm hearing rales on the left and diminished breath sounds on the right. Subcutaneous emphysema is present about the neck and upper chest. He has been immobilized and positioned flail side down. His EKG is showing sinus tach. Sending you a strip, lead two." Cap relayed the information and soon Joe Early responded. ##10-4, Engine 51. Tell Squad 51 to start a large bore IV Normal Saline with Lactated Ringers. Run in a 500 cc bolus initially until his BP comes back up again, then leave it TKO. Have them watch for signs of further difficulty. I suspect a pneumothorax. EKG is now showing sinus tach at a rate of 130. Splint the flail segment by taping only the effected side until his breathing improves. Prepare to assist his ventilations if his resp rate increases over 24 times a minute. Treat for shock. Tell them I want a new set of vitals every five minutes.## Cap replied. "10-4, Rampart. Stand by." and he shared the orders with his two paramedics still working a quarter of a mile away down on the final turn. He soon got Roy and Johnny's confirmation on the orders, and he immediately, received information about their second victim over his HT. Cap listened, memorizing details. Then he called in his men's second medical data set to Joe Early on the biophone. "Rampart. Victim number two. A female approximately 24 years of age. Weight 102 pounds. Found prone over a rail. Was conscious, now comatose. Vitals signs are, pulse 90, respirations are 14, BP 100/76. Pupils are equal and reactive, but sluggish. She's been fully immobilized and is on fifteen liters 02. My paramedic notes probable neck and back injuries. There's quivering in the upper extremities and bilateral positive Babinski's finding on both legs. He earlier reported a growing lack of sensation on her from lumbar three on down. There appears to be no palpable spinal deformity. Victim has an open fracture of the lower left arm. Circulation and sensation is partially compromised despite splinting in position of alignment." Cap got his followup on the woman for a precautionary IV and a rapid transport order. Inwardly, he hope the girl would get to surgery in time to save her arm and effect repair to stop the creeping paralysis she seemed to be suffering. He finished correspondence between his men and the hospital. Soon, he waved the Mayfair to the road where he was standing as it arrived in full siren. "We're gonna load up right here. The paramedics are bringing in two victims from out there on longboards.." he told the attendants running to his side. "The dirt's too soft for your rig to handle." The two men nodded and intently watched the group of people, bearing the two jockeys in between them all, walking their way. --------- Cap wasn't surprised to see Detective Crockett flanking Vince Howard when he had put the biophone into the awaiting ambulance. "Vince. Detective Crockett. My man Gage thinks our racing accident wasn't accidental. I trust his judgement since he's a pretty good horseman off duty." "We got any witnesses?" Vince asked. Cap replied. "Two. But one is unconscious and the other is in no shape to talk right now. Both jockeys. And I think Johnny was hinting about learning something from one of those trainers milling about, too. Nothing concrete, just a hunch I got from the tone of his voice." The tall quiet African American detective thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "Ok, we'll take it from here, Captain. Thank you. I'll have a talk with your paramedics once they're through with their run. Call me once the squad's back at the station?" he said, heading off the fire captain's worry that the detective would get in the way of his men. "Sure will." Cap said. He took the card the detective handed him and pocketted it. He started off towards Kelly and Mike as they headed back to the grandstand apron. Smiling craftily as Cap disappeared around a bend, Detective Crockett took one look at the deep track dirt and then one more at his shiny black shoes, before he unhesitantly stepped ankle deep into the sandy loam to rendevous with 51's medics on the far turn. ------- Hank Stanley intercepted Chet and Stoker as they returned to the paddock side road dragging their hoses behind them. "I couldn't see what you were doing. Are they gonna make it?" he asked about the horses. "Only one, Cap. Our helping trainer, Walter Farley, said we got there too late for the others. Apparently, racehorses cook to death internally on hot days like this if they take a fall more than halfway through a race. He said it happens because their metabolisms are kicked in overdrive." Kelly said dully. Cap sighed in sympathy. "Oh, I'm sorry. I got some good news at least. Two of the jockeys are still alive.." "That's great, Cap." Stoker said without enthusiasm. Come on, Chet. Let's get these hoses packed." and Hank watched his two disheartened men plod dejectedly back to the Engine with their load. Cap called out after them. "Stoker, would you snag a ride with a track steward cart to go fetch the squad? You're gonna have to follow the ambulance with it. Gage and DeSoto really have their hands full right now." "Right, Cap." Mike replied and he jogged back the way he had come, leaving Chet to do the heavy work. In sympathy, Cap pocketed his HT and helped Kelly out by climbing onto the hose bed of the engine to be primary hauler. -------------------------------------- "Crockett! I don't have time to talk with you now.." Gage said distractedly as he and the grounds crew and paramedic struggled to carry equipment and victims to the far rail and the firm concrete apron beneath the grandstand. "I just want to ask you a few questions." The detective said, lifting his feet high and stumbling a bit in the loam. "Fine..then help me by taking over.." he said, snatching the detective's hand and forcing him to grab the ambu he was using on Jose'. "Bag him when he breathes in and also when he doesn't. Twelve times a minute." he ordered. "But uh, he's still awake." "Yeah. I know. Assisting him like this is helping splint some rib fractures he's got inside. Marco tells me Jose' says it hurts like h*ll but he's grateful for the help." "Ok. I got it." Crockett began squeezing the ambu bag after quickly picking up how Johnny had been managing. He opened his mouth. "I know Spanish, too. Maybe I can kill three birds with one stone by--" Gage got into Crockett's face. "If you ask Jose' any question other than, 'How are you doing?' I'll deck ya.." Crockett closed his mouth. The tall detective nodded dutifully, outmaneuvered, and just squeezed the bag. Johnny moved Jose's IV bag from under the boy's shoulder to his own teeth to hold as he turned up the dial to wide open when he saw the young teen pale another shade of gray. "Let's move faster." Johnny felt a hand weakily clutching his own. Gage leaned down. "Hold it Crockett. Looks like Jose's trying to say something." It was a rare moment of absolute clarity for the young teen. Jose' met Johnny's eyes meaningfully and he gasped as the ambu was lifted away. "Don't let them kill that horse. Save him, senor. I pay you t-" he said in very very broken english. The effort to speak took his breath away as Jose's pain bit down hard. His lungs cramped up yet again. Gage gestured Crockett to help the teen breathe once more on the bag valved 02. Jose' was so agitated, that Gage caught the kind old trainer, Walter Farley's attention. "Hey, Mr. Farley!" "Yeah?" the old man shouted back from where he was helping the colt stand. "I'm that colt's insurance policy. Do everything you can for him, ok?" Johnny said. Walter smiled. "For the kid?" "Yeah.. for the kid.." Gage replied. Walter Farley gave Johnny Gage a thumbs up in encouragement and a slow nod of grateful appreciation. Johnny saw Jose' start to calm immediately. "Gracias, senor." Jose' sighed softly. ---------- In the ambulance, Crockett took full advantage of playing an active part in Jose's care by letting his curiosity get the best of him. "This is fascinating.." Squeeze. "What's that taped to Jose's chest?" Crockett asked from his place at the jockey's head. "Looks like a metal ingot." he shouted over the wail of the sirens as they sped to the hospital. Johnny didn't look up from where he was setting up yet another IV for the teen rider sitting across from where Roy crouched over his own patient lying on the passenger bench. He ducked his head self consciously. "Walter Farley gave me one of the colt's lead saddle weights to use to splint the unstable section of ribs here." Johnny pointed. "Oo, I'd hate to be the groom who has to return that saddle to the winner circle's weight scale." The detective quipped, mentally filed away the name Gage gave him for future reference. Gage didn't laugh. "Why would someone put a weight on anyone with broken ribs like this?" Crockett asked to lighten the feeling of tension in the ambulance. Gage grimaced with impatience as he reached for a BP cuff. "I'd love to talk about flail chest protocol with you all day but I'm rather busy right now, detective.." and he buried his ears in stethoscope to tune him out. Crockett blinked and jerked a free thumb at Gage in a questioning gesture to Roy, offering a little what's-with-him? shrug. Roy looked up from rechecking his patient's breathing and pulse rate. "Johnny gets a little intense about anyone under his care. Especially if they're critical." Crockett's face fell into an immediate frown. "You mean?" he looked down at the increasingly groggy Jose' beneath the ambu's face mask. "Yeah, collapsed lung. And it's getting worse." Roy said. "Try to cut my partner some slack. He's just staying focused." he said, quickly and sharp. Then he softened, raising his eyebrows. "Good bagging. Keep it up just like you're doing it, Crockett. Any ease we can give Jose' now is a point in our favor.." "How's the girl?" Crockett asked DeSoto. "Fair. She's might be trying to wake up here." he said, readjusting her O2 mask so it stayed out of her eyes. "Did you manage to get her name before she blacked out?" Roy said. "Not directly. Her name's Mary Kenner. I got it from the betting tote board using her mount's number. It always lists trainer and jockey." ::And another piece of the puzzle.:: the detective mused. The rushing Mayfair ambulance turned a corner as it left the Santa Anita Track property. Crockett noticed a change in Jose' about the same time Johnny did. "Hey, Gage, he's not taking in the bag breaths too well. I'm getting a weird resistance and he's not even trying to breathe in anymore." "Just keep ventilating him exactly as you are." Johnny straddled Jose's gurney and listened close to both sides of the man's chest in haste. "D*mn." He felt Jose's neck and he looked at Roy. "I got absent breath sounds unilaterally and he's starting to show trachael deviation. I'm seeing jugular vein distension, too. Gotta be a tension pneumo." Roy reached over and ripped off the occlusive patch Marco had placed earlier over the jockey's chest wound. He waited a beat, then replaced it down firmly over the jagged tear. "Did that help any?" Johnny listened again through his stethoscope. "Nah.. not enough to matter." On the EKG, Jose's heart rate jolted up into the low 140's and an alarm began to sound. Roy took a hasty BP. "It's down. 78/52." Johnny shouted. "Jose'..Keep trying to breathe on your own. We're going to help y--" He broke off belatedly. "Sh*t. I wish I'd taken Marco up on his offer to teach me Spanish. Crockett. You talk to him. Keep him calm." and he snatched the phone to Rampart. "Rampart this is Rescue 51, how do you read?" Joe Early was still on the intercom. ##Go ahead, 51. What's the trouble? I note Victim One's increased tachycardia.## Gage told him Jose's new development. Brackett and Joe Early both met eyes in sudden worry. Kel said to Dix. "Have a chest tube set up in his treatment room. Looks like Johnny's gonna do his first needle chest decompression in the field. Joe, go ahead and give him the order. He can handle it." Dixie left to make the arrangements. Joe got back on the line.##51, pull over. You're going to have to relieve the building pressure with a pleural thoracotomy ASAP. Dr. Brackett concurs with me.## "10-4.." Johnny said and he got off Jose's gurney and slapped the driver peek window twice, loudly. They felt the Mayfair grind to a halt at a curb just as Jose' fell into deep unconsciousness. Seconds later, Mike Stoker opened the outer doors, and looked into the ambulance cab. "What's the problem?" he asked, knowing the rig never stopped unless it was for an invasive treatment. "Chest tap for a tension pneumo. It's pretty far along. Stick around." Roy told Stoker. Wordlessly he thought. ::Let's hope we don't need Stoker for some CPR here.:: Crockett cleared his throat. "Oh, boy.." he said when Johnny drew out a long needle and butterfly valve. "You're gonna stick him with that?" he said. Gage said. "Yeah. If you can't handle it, I'll have Stoker take over f--" "Just do what you have to, Gage." Crockett said continuing to bag Jose' steadily. "You're wasting time." Crockett loosened his tie and wiped some sweat off his upper lip. Johnny's face cracked into a slight smile for a moment before Roy swabbed down the proper area over the right side of Jose's chest. Then his expression melted into one of concentration. "Ok,... Roy. I'm going into the second intercostal space anteriorly.. Don't hold your breath..." Gage said, doing just that. "Crockett. Hold off just a sec. Start ventilating him double time as soon as I have this thing out again." Johnny felt his needle punch through into the abnormally gaping pleural space and a loud rush of air hissed out immediately through it. "Bingo. Tension pneumo diagnosis is confirmed." He chuckled withdrawing the needle slowly. "Ok, Crockett. I'm through." he said, throwing the hollow lance into the sharps disposal bin on the wall. "It's out." Crockett opened his eyes and smiled when he felt an immediate change as he began to work the ambu again. More oxygen seemed to be getting into the teen's lungs. "Hey, I think he's better." Gage listened to his handywork. "Yep. He sure is. Breath sounds are back. Just some new minor rales on the right. Might be pulmonary contusion noise cropping up." he sat back and sighed grabbing up the phone as the EKG settled back into a slower, more effective sinus rhythm. "Rampart. Chest decompression was successful." ## 10-4, 51. Is the boy unconscious? ## "That's affirmative, Rampart.." ##What are his vital signs?## Roy had already anticipated that need. "BP 112/86, Respirations unassisted are 8. Pulse is 110 and regular. He was getting pretty tired before his new complication." ##Go ahead and intubate him for more effective ventilations and support for those rib fractures. Have two mg's Diazepam IV set to use to keep him sedated PRN. Return his drip rate to TKO following any usage.## "Two mg's Diazepam PRN and intubate for controlled ventilations. IV to TKO following any sedation med. 10-4, Rampart. Our ETA is six minutes." Roy tapped Johnny on the shoulder and handed him an unwrapped endotrach tube to which Crockett said. "Y-You're going to stick him with that?" Even Mike Stoker cracked a grin. ================================= Photo: Johnny Gage in a confidential pose with Detective Crockett. Photo: A jockey and horse down on the track. Photo : Johnny taking care of two victims O2 in an ambulance. ******************************* From :"Roxy Dee" Subject : Covering Bases~~ Date :Tue, 11 Mar 2003 22:52:16 +0000 Dixie and Joe walked out to the main ER desk and both sighed heavily as Jose' Rivera's rolling gurney left for surgery. Crockett followed them out of the exam room, trailing after Johnny as he headed straight for the call station coffee pot. He was shaking his hands and massaging them to work out some cramps. "I don't know how you paramedics handle that bagging thing without your fingers falling off. I don't think I'll be able to lift a fork by dinner time." Johnny laughed in sympathy. "A typical week sees us breathing for people that way for hours. Especially on all the bad cardiac runs. Guess I never noticed what a work out ambu ventilating is probably because we lug fire hoses around so much." he admitted. Then he eyed Joe. Gage asked. "Hey, doc." he said pouring himself a cupful and then enough for everyone else. "Do you think that rider'll pull through?" he asked. "I know pulmonary contusions that come afterwards with broken ribs that extensive, can get a little tricky sometimes." "He's young and strong." Dr. Early sniffed, rubbing his nose in careful thought. "You saw how much having that chest tube inserted improved him. I think that a lifetime in the racing saddle will be his ticket to a speedy recovery. Jockeys are top notch athletes and they're usually in terrific shape. I've heard it's hard to make them lose their focus about anything as trivial mere broken bones." he joked. "They stay on their game and never lose sight of what's important to them." "I sure got an earful of that.. I think Jose' talked me into an arrangement I just may regret." Johnny groaned. "Oh?" Dixie commented sipping her coffee carefully. Roy had rejoined them from his treatment room where Mary Kenner was getting her fractured arm and torn radial artery emergency repaired by Dr. Brackett and he grinned, leaning on the wall spinning the walkie talkie slung on one wrist absently. "The thoroughbred Jose' was riding got a little too much sun after his little tumble in the jockey pileup. Mr. Rivera wouldn't relax for us until he knew he had someone lined up to step in to accept the horse's care costs in lieu of any move the owners might make to put him down." Dix's face split into a wide grin, which Joe echoed. "You didn't?" Gage cleared his throat uncomfortably and just sipped his coffee. Crockett chuckled, folding his arms across his elbows in amusement. "Now that might be kinda costly Mr. Gage. You just might have entered into a binding verbal agreement which is well on the way to actually acquiring him." "What?! I did?" Johnny said, nearly spitting out his drink. Crockett moved in for the killing tease. Yeah... I've seen handshake deals out there going on all the time. No one bothers with paper work. It's all on the honor system. Heh. I hear that the average race horse costs, what? Five to ten thousand dollars for those who regularly bring in the purses?" "At least." Joe Early said. Gage's mouth fell slack in a stunned "ouch." His mind was still working on the idea of racehorse assumed ownership. Crockett smoothed down his detective jacket's lapels. "I wouldn't worry about it, Johnny. Who knows? Maybe you can get your other fire crewmates to help you cover all of his shares by splitting costs among all the shift assignments." Johnny's eyes boggled out as he kicked into scheme gear. "Say.. that's true! I mean, we all chip in already and share costs for our food." he insisted. " "Oh no.." Roy said blandly, his smile dropping off his face into one of sheer dread. "Johnny, I wouldn't exactly say a racehorse is the same thing as a package of T-bone steaks." "Knock it off, Roy. What's a few bucks up front gonna matter? It's for a worthy cause at least. It's not like we're going to the stock market to gamble it it all away." "That's just what I'm afraid of." Roy said with a frown. "Everything about owning a race horse IS a gamble, Junior, in case you haven't noticed. I sure did. And I only like to bet on 'em." he voiced in dire insistence. But his partner was oblivious. "Listen, Johnny, you can talk to the guys about this later. All I know is that I'M not letting you talk me into this thing, no matter how hard ya try.." and Roy picked up the drug and IV resupply box Dixie had prepared for them and made tracks for the squad where Mike Stoker was waiting. "See ya later, guys." he said to Crockett, Dix and Joe. "Hey.. Roy.. Wait a minute!!" Johnny said, eagerly setting after his departing partner. Then he remembered. "Oh, heh. Sorry, all. Bye Joe, Dix, Crockett. Thanks for everything. I'll be seeing you.. Excuse me here... I gotta go talk some SENSE into my thick headed partner. He's talking crazy..." he insisted with quickly gesturing fingers. All three nodded and rolled their eyes as Johnny quickly darted around people in the busy hospital corridors in hot pursuit of Roy DeSoto's retreating back. "I think you created a monster.." Dixie mumbled to Crockett as she refilled their cups to the brim once more. "Heh, heh, heh. Actually I think it's more along the lines of the fact that I just created a firehouse full of bonafide saints, Miss McCall... " Crockett said, rocking back on his heels. "Have a wonderful afternoon. Give me a call when Miss Kenner's awake, would ya? I'd like to speak with her about the accident today." "Sure thing." Joe said, looking up from Jose's patient chart where he was dictating notes. Crockett left, heading for the police station to read Vince's crime report that he had ordered the officer to gather from the track incident's trainers and uninjured jockeys. ----------------------------------------------- Racehorse trainer, Dusty Schraeder, entered his barn full of green thoroughbreds. He immediately headed for his one lone groom tending to a wheel barrel full of straw and manure that he had just cleared out from the dead stallion's stall. He was halfway down the aisle leading to the rusty dumpster set outside for just such material. "Hey, Manuel! Paramiso, mi amigo. Uno momentito.." Dusty called out, tossing his black five gallon cowboy hat onto the tack tree hook holding racing bridles as he strode into the dark, fan noise filled barn row. The tiny old jockey Mexican native turned at his jefe's voice, "Senor Schraeder?" he coughed as he pulled on his cigarette and he rubbed his ripped and soiled T shirt absently with tobacco stained gnarled fingers clean to offer out a handshake of congratulations. "He died fast, no? It is really a seemple thing to kill a horse.." Dusty immediately backhanded the little man in the face, sending him over the laden wheel barrel onto the shoddily raked earthen floor. "That was sloppy..." Waste soiled straw spilled onto Manuel as he struggled to his feet in fear. "Senor? Que? No Comprendo ! I do it good enough. Did he not go down on the final turn?" his cigarette smoke raspy, south of the border voice cracked. "You imbecile!" Dusty screamed. "I'm not talking about Charismatic! I'm talking about his STALL!.. I'm not smelling any Lasix in here." he said, walking into the decrepid box stall, sniffing the air. "How are we going to prove ourselves innocent of his sudden death if there's no drugs showing up in his p*ss hole?" He angrily drew out a syringe full of the antibleeder from his jacket and bit the needle cover off. He squirted out half in a careless rain into the urine hole at his feet and the rest he injected into the horse's water bucket. "Now I don't wanna have to tell you twice. Don't TOUCH that bucket." "Si, senor, lo ciento.. " Manuel said, immediately recovering his battered L.A. Angels cap from the muck on the floor as he wiped away the blood from the side of his mouth. " The aqua is no toca, si. A-And I not forget the next time about the shots to the dirt like you do now." he said. "Sorry.." Dusty's anger melted away and he tossed the spent Lasix syringe into Manuel's wheel barrel and helped the shaken man pitchfork its tumbled load back inside of it. Then he drew his crooked groom under one arm. "I didn't mean to hit ya, buddy. I....wasn't thinking. I hate it when we have to kill a perfectly good horse just for appearances. Let me make amends?" he said, pulling out a fat wallet full of cash. He started counting out bills one at a time before the small man's cowering face. Manuel's toothless grin erupted almost as big as his eyes and he greedily held out his dirty hands for the payment. Dusty said, "Here. Two hundred for the job. Just like we agreed. And another fifty just for the h*ll of it. You did good my friend. Even your rival Jose's horse, Swale, got hoof clipped into a good fall. Jose was wrecked up bad. He won't be riding for months. Looks like its clear sailing for you AND me. Now go get some ice for your face. And take the night off. I'll finish up here." Manual scrambled away, mumbling gratitudes and he quickly climbed onto his ramshackle seatless bike and pedalled off for the barn dorms. Dusty Schraeder knew that by sundown, his wayward groom would be in no condition to talk to the police and track officials he knew would be stopping off in the barn for the standard post mortem stall tests. ::With 250 greenbacks in hand, I doubt Manuel will be sober enough then to even know his own name..:: the evil trainer thought. Humming contentedly, Dusty made sure his run down operation looked as finely raked and pristine as any other racing barn's on the row. He set his final touch by grabbing some field clover from the patch of weeds under the barn's leaky hose faucet and shoved the yellow blooms into a dusty vase on top of the nearly empty, barely regulation, first aid kit he had hanging next to his barn office door. As an afterthought, he blew the dust off the cock angled giant sized "Warning, extreme fire risk. No smoking." sign that was in bilingual english and spanish anchored on the wall, and straightened it out on its nail. Smiling, Dusty polished it to a high shine with his black twill jacket's sleeve. He went inside to the silty desk to call Swale's owners with a less than glowing report on the horse's condition. What Dusty did not know, was that Jose' had circumvented any further crooked race deception by his desperate plea for help to a certain, very special, horse loving, firefighter paramedic. -------------------------------------------------------- "Nope.." "Oh come on, Cap!" Johnny insisted. "Just look at Swale's pedigree! Walter Farley shoved a racing form into my back pocket while we were loading Jose' up and now I got all his juicy statistics right here.." he said, drawing out a sandy white booklet of the daily races from where he had shoved it in his belt. "Son to Native Dancer, full brother to Citation himself.. Man, when Swale gets his wind back enough to run ten furlongs again, ..we'll all be RICH !" Hank Stanley ignored his paramedic's tirade and instead took offense at the fine track dirt festooning the floor and table top near him. "Gage, I said no. Now go grab a towel and a broom and go clean this up!" he said shoving back in his kitchen chair and away from all reminders of their morning rescue call. Hank's agitated hands continued to pet Henry the hound dog's back harder and harder absently, until a loud moan of protest floated up from the lazy form sprawled across Cap's lap. "Sorry, Henry. My supposedly polished firefighting men are being bonifide twits again. You know how that irritates the snot outta me... Gage, about Swale; that's IF he gets his wind back, not when. To me, that colt looked pretty much three of four hooves boots up into a grave this morning." "Kelly and Stoker reversed that, Cap, with their wash down. He came outta heatstroke just like that.." and Gage snapped his fingers in the air derisively. "I don't care. Once a horse does down like that, that trainer, what's his name again? Ah, yes, Walter Farley, told me it's five times harder to get him back up onto his feet and into racing condition again!" Hank countered with a slap of his hand on the table. "Count me OUT. Beside, I'm NOT a horse racing fan. Didn't you catch onto any of my attitude towards that this morning, pally?" Johnny sputtered ineffectual arguments. Chet smiled and bit his lip in predatory fashion as Johnny Gage clammed up and did what his captain told him to do. But kernels of Johnny's sales pitch had already sprouted under his irish skin and he said. "Cap.. I really think this is an opportunity of a life time. Even for me. And you know how picky I can get about taking on weird deals." "This is not a weird deal.." Johnny glared at him through pursed lips. "Sure it is.." Marco Lopez piped up. "I mean, just how many firehouses do you know of who get themselves reined into buying a broken down racehorse.." "He's not broken down.." Johnny hissed at Lopez. "He's still got four good legs on him." "Yeah? You're forgetting one tiny detail there, Gage." Cap said levelly firm with a finger pointing right at his man's nose. "Add THIS fact to his excellent boneleg status. Swale's got one very, very sun cooked BRAIN!" Cap said, drawing crazy circles around his ear for emphasis. He rose to his feet, shoving away the track racing form. "This is the end of this particular discussion with me! Come on, Henry.. Let's go hide in the recliner to get away from these kookheads.. " Then he took a breath. "You know.. I should order ya ALL to Rampart for a checkup. Looks like Swale's not the only one who got in a little too much sun today." Cap hefted up the ample Henry into his arms and stood above the recliner where Mike Stoker was reading behind a newspaper. Cap cleared his throat and Stoker looked absently looked up to see who it was. He hastily vacated the coveted spot in a pico when he saw Cap's expression. Hank settled in and snatched the section Stoker had been reading for good measure, too. Cap draped Henry onto his lap for maximum comfort and prompted buried himself into the sports page. Mike Stoker thought about getting his paper back but decided that superior rank ruled. He sighed and took up his usual place at the kitchen table. Despite things, ten minutes later, Gage had everyone's signature on the stay of execution papers for Swale, except Roy's and Cap's. ::I'm just going to haveta work on those two. Until then, Swale can stay at my place. Just as soon as the vet clears him for travel.:: Johnny thought to himself with a pleased thrill. --------------------------------------------------- Brent Brackett and his wife Anna Rose found their son, Kel Brackett, lurking in the nurse's coffee lounge. Dixie McCall was with him, and Doctor Morton. And they were going over Mary Kenner's private medical case. The older Bracketts barged in, infected with a healthy case of co-worker etiquette blindness, which abruptly interrupted their confidential conversation. "Oh, there you are, my dear.." Anna Rose said to Dixie, bending down to leave a kiss on the mortified head nurse's cheek. "I hope you haven't forgotten the important role that Brent and I imparted to you.." Dixie's fake smile locked in stone. "How could I, Anna Rose? I assure you, I've been thinking about it every second.." she answered truthfully. "That's good. I'll give you a call you at home tonight for your idea run downs. Kel gave me your number." Dixie's withering look at Kel made the younger Brackett hold up his hands in defense. Brent spoke on another matter, now that his wife's concerns had been voiced first. " Kel, I found your rescue base station out there in the hall simply astounding! I must learn more about your emergency department. That's, uh. If Dixie allows me. I can't believe I've been working here for six years without knowing how it all works." he said incredulously. Kel cracked a smile. "I'm sure that my best intern, Mike Morton, here would be more than happy to take you on clinical tours, dad, today and all through the next week." Morton choked on his donut he had been eating with gusto. Dixie slapped him on the back to get him over it before things got out of hand. "You all right there, Mike?" Kel said. "Yeah, *cough* I'm fine, just.. fine. Thanks, Dix." Mike Morton took the napkin he had used and crumpled it up onto his paper plate. "Look uh, Kel, are you sure that Joe Early wouldn't make a better tour guide for your parents? I mean he's got far more experience than little ol m--" Kel shook his head slowly. "Speaking of experience, this will just be another aspect of medicine for you to learn about by catering to local dignitaries." he quipped to the delight of his mother. It was Mike's turn to wear an expression that didn't match his current emotional status and Dixie felt immediate sympathy for Morton now that he was joining her in misery. She poured him an extra full coffee cup to fortify him. "I'll cover the nursing angles." then she said under her breath so only Mike could hear. "That way it'll all go that much faster.." she said from the corner of her mouth. Mike nodded his gratefulness to both the coffee and the offer. "Great..we'll get started tomor--" "This afternoon..." Kel countered with a smile.. "...this afternoon, Mr. and Mrs. Brackett." Morton amended smoothly without missing a beat. To Dixie, Mike cracked the biggest toothiest doctor's professional grin that she had ever seen. ::Oh, boy. He's not happy. But, rank has its privileges. :: she said scratching an itch on her head. She cast a dangerous calculating eye on her best friend. :: You know, I think I'll go to medical school after this, just to become a doctor so Kel won't be able to pull one over on me or my staff anymore.:: To Dixie's chagrin, Kel was obvious to her discomforture. Soon, the elder Bracketts left for a late snack to the cafeteria and talk resumed about Mary Kenner, the woman jockey. Mike said. "Her ABG levels in that hand are simply perfect, Kel. She came through that immediate surgery of yours with flying colors." Kel frowned and shifted in his lounge chair, sighing. "Yeah, but that's just one of her problems solved. I'm concerned about her continued paralysis..." Mike blinked. "Why? Her x-rays are showing clear. There's no fractures anywhere along her spine. She doesn't even have disc misalignment. Seems to me that her paraplegic deficit might be temporary just due to swelling from hyperflexing her back when she landed on top of that track railing. You did tell me Roy found her hanging there." Kel answered. "Mike, you know how these things go. I've seen patients who have whole vertebrae completely shattered in two, three places who eventually get up and walk again. And then there are cases like Mary Kenner's..." and he let his comment hang in the air. A feeling of subtle depression filled the room. A few moments later, Mike's irrepressible optimism on things he knew little about gushed out. "The steroidal treatments will work for her. The anesthesiologist said he saw a few foot twitches when he was extubating her. And I believe what he saw." "Let's hope you're right.." Dixie whispered. ---------------------------------------------- Photo : Dix and Kel Brackett talk over lunch. Photo : Dusty Schraeder with $$$. Photo: Guys reading in kitchen. Photo: Cap's lecture look. Photo : John making a point in the kitchen. *********************************** From: "rampartbase" Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 04:12:30 -0000 Subject: [EmergencyTheaterLive] Foiled Again! Dixie finally gave up and suggested Catalina Island. "That sounds like an interesting place." Anna Brackett said. Dix just nodded. "We can leave tomorrow. You're such a dear." Anna hugged Dix. The next day, the trio of Bracketts met at the dock for the 26 mile boat ride. They boarded with the rest of the passengers and the boat left as scheduled. Somewhere out at sea, the boat ran into trouble. One of the engines started smoking. ---------------------------------------- Photo: None. ***************************** From : "JOHN ALLEN" Subject :[EmergencyT