The squad returned to the station after its sixth consecutive run that morning. Yet another victim of the heinous flu epidemic that is sweeping its way across the county required emergency services. With a heavy sigh Roy DeSoto turned off the engine and pulled the key from the ignition before climbing out of the squad. He stood up slowly, leaning his back against the vehicle and rubbed at his sore neck with his free hand.
"I know what you mean." Johnny Gage exited the vehicle from the opposite side and watched as his clearly exhausted partner attempted to find a way to ease his mounting tension.
"If we have any more runs like that today-"
"'Today'?" Johnny interrupted Roy. "What about tomorrow? And the day after that? The rate that this flu is taking down the county, no squad will have time to stop by the station; let alone let the paramedics have a break!"
"Yeah. I know." Roy headed toward the kitchen, Johnny followed. "I heard that alot of the squads have already been taken down. Even Brice."
Roy walked over to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee, the rest of the house had been called out leaving behind an untouched pot to drink. Johnny sat on the leather sofa, propping is feet up on one of the kitchen chairs. "Well, if the world's 'perfect-paramedic' caught that damn flu, then maybe we should get out of town before it's too late!"
"JoAnne had the same idea. This morning she took the kids and went to stay with her mother upstate until the worst of it passes."
"Really? Smart woman." Johnny shut his eyes, trying to rest a little and take advantage of their greatly needed lull.
"That's why I married her." Roy sipped at his coffee then sat beside Johnny on the couch.
Johnny grinned. "So why'd she marry you?"
"My good looks and charm."
"No really."
"Watch it partner. Remember which of us is still living in bachelorhood."
Without having to get up to check and look for the returning engine company, the two medic's heard the distinct sound of the engine 'Big Red' pulling back into the garage. From the looks of both the engine and the crew it was a tough fire that had managed to drain what little energy the firefighters had left after enduring such a hectic week, all thanks to the flu epidemic.
"Hey Cap, how was the fire?" Johnny leaned back against the couch cushion as his soot covered Captain walked into the kitchen.
"Terrible." Captain Hank Stanley sat down in the kitchen chair furthest from the couch. He placed his dirty face in the palms of his hands and sighed heavily.
"Aren't they all?" Roy chimed in.
"When you have a fire it's bad enough," Captain Stanley looked at his paramedic duo as he leaned back in his chair wrapped his hands behind his head to stretch his stiffened shoulders. "But add in a bunch of people, specifically crew members, dropping like flies from something as silly as the flu, then it goes from 'bad' to 'terrible'!"
"You feeling alright Cap?" Roy put his coffee mug on the table and walked over to his tired superior.
"I'm fine. For now."
"'For now', huh?" Johnny was leaning forward now, his attention focused on his captain.
"Yeah, 'for now'. Just go ask Marco."
"Marco? Where is he?" Johnny's tone was full of concern.
"He's in the locker room."
Chet Kelley walked into the kitchen, followed by Mike Stoker. Like their captain, both men were covered in soot and looked tired.
"Is he alright?" Johnny stood from the couch and started to head toward the opened kitchen doorway to the bay.
"He'd be great if it wasn't for the flu!" Chet turned toward Johnny who proceeded to walk past him into the garage.
"You're kidding..." Roy crossed his arms and leaned against the kitchen counter, his empty coffee mug next to him.
"I wish he was pally." Hank leaned back in the chair, folding his arms behind his head as he stretched. "But take it from me, Marco caught that damned flu."
"Is it bad?" Roy continued to question his captain.
"Well, all things considered no, he isn't too bad. But I can't risk having the rest of my crew getting infected. Think you guys could drop him off at Rampart the next time you go on a supply run?"
"Well..." Roy wanted to answer his captain in the affirmative but with the entire city in chaos it would be difficult to do. "It seems that Rampart has had its share of flu victims already."
"I can only imagine what the doctor's are going through." Captain Stanley looked over his shoulder, eyeing the pot of coffee.
"And the nurses. And the paramedics..." Roy added on.
Echoing loudly through the station the Klaxons sounded off: 'Squad 51; Child trapped, 133 Weston: 133 Weston. Time-out: 12:44.' Each man went into action.
Roy had already entered the squad before the call was finished. Captain Stanley had taken the liberty of writing the down the address and handing it to Johnny as he exited the locker room to join his waiting partner.
"Station 51: KMG-365." After confirming the call Hank decided to check on Marco himself and walked into the locker room.
The squad pulled out of the station and made its way to the awaiting address. For once the streets weren't overwhelmed with vehicles; the only good effect from such a heavy flu epidemic.
"Another kid trapped, huh?" Johnny was fussing with the map in his hands.
"Yup. I guess it's a nice change from another flu case." Roy answered rather casually.
"Yeah, as long as the kid isn't hurt."
"I know what you mean. When children are the victims I can hardly bear it."
"Same over here partner."
The squad pulled to a stop in front of the modest house. A small group of people had gathered at the scene and were gawking at the child in need of rescue. From inside the squad both Johnny and Roy could see that a small boy had gotten himself caught in a wooden fence. He seemed to be alert but very grumpy, which in this case was a relief to both paramedics.
"I wonder..."
"What?" Roy asked his inquisitive partner.
"How do these kids always manage to find a way to get themselves stuck in any possible situation that could ever come up?"
"I have no idea. If you ever figure it out don't keep the answer to yourself."
With the sirens now quiet the gathered group saw that help had arrived, each onlooker subtly returned to their respective homes. Everyone expect for one woman, obviously the mother of their rescue victim.
The child's mother looked more embarrassed than upset which is always a good sign when it comes to a child in need. When she saw the squad parked on the street she waved to Johnny and Roy, then motioned for the newly arrived paramedics to follow her into the backyard.
"He's back here." The mother's voice was calm with just a vague hint of irritation. Another good sign!
Johnny and Roy followed her into the backyard, they eyed the scene quickly assessing the situation.
In the backyard, laying on his belly under a very large old oak tree was a young boy with a cowboy hat on his head and a frown on his face. His foot was caught under a loosened board from the neighboring fence.
The paramedics glanced at each other relieved, knowing that the boy wasn't in too much trouble.
"Hey there partner. How you doing?" Roy knelt down next the trapped youth.
"I'm stuck!" His voice wasn't laced with fear, only irritation.
"You're stuck, huh? How'd this happen?" Roy spoke to the child as he began to check the child's trapped ankle for any sign of injury.
"I was trying to catch up to the bad guys and I fell and got stuck!"
"What other guys?" Johnny was standing next to the boy's mother was a puzzled look on his face. He glanced toward the mother who subtly pointed her finger upward from beneath her crossed arms.
Both Johnny and Roy looked up into the tree to see six eyes peering down at them from the treehouse perched in the thick branches. The kids were all wearing cowboy hats of their own.
"Oh, I get it now." Johnny grinned at Roy who returned the same amused smile.
The mother chimed in. "I've told my husband, I don't know how many times, to fix the loose boards in the fence."
"It's okay ma'am." Johnny reassured the slightly embarrassed but very concerned mother. "We'd gladly rather be helping your son out of a fence than anything else right now."
Roy finished examining the boys ankle, there was no sign of fracture or even a scrape. Good news for everyone. "So tell me son, how did you get stuck like this in the first place?"
"I was trying to climb up the fence to look out for the bad guys!"
"Yeah..." Roy wanted to hear the rest of the story but the boy looked too embarrassed to continue on. "Then what happened?"
"Well..." The boy's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "When I got to the top of the fence the board got really loose from the bottom and it flipped up!"
"It flipped up, huh?" Roy had finally pulled the boy's ankle free from the fence and was now checking it more thoroughly for injury.
"Yeah and I fell off."
"Then what?" Johnny was now curiously chiming into the story.
"When I fell down the board flipped back down and got stuck on top of my foot!"
"Well, I don't think you'll have to worry about anything else today, son." Roy stood up and brushed bits of grass and dirt from his trouser legs. "You're going to be just fine."
The mother sighed with relief. "That's good to hear. And young man, now do you know why I've asked to stop climbing on the fence?"
The boy nodded silently.
"If you don't need us for anything else..." Roy addressed the mother now.
"Oh no, thank you so much!"
"Just doing our job." Johnny was able sound more sincere than cocky.
"Well, let's get back to the station." Roy gestured with his hand toward the awaiting squad parked on the street.
"Yeah. I think Marco might need our attention next." Johnny agreed in his usual laidback manner.
"That's right, Marco is sick now. Did you get a chance to check him out before we left?" Roy opened the driver's side door and leaned against it with his hand.
Johnny opened the cab's opposite door and spoke to Roy over the top of the squad. "He was running a temperature just under 101. He seemed tired as all hell and a little shaky too."
Roy slipped into the cab. "Yeah, I think we all know exactly how tired he feels."
"I couldn't agree with you more partner." As Johnny climbed into the cab, he called into dispatch to clear the scene.
"Think he can make it the rest of the shift?" Roy's voice carried some doubt.
"Nah, I think it'd be better for everyone if he took the rest of the shift off." Johnny sounded pessimistic with his response.
Roy nodded in silent agreement. "But I wonder if there's anyone left who can cover for him..."
Johnny looked over at Roy. "Good question."
Both men looked out the windshield anxiously. With fewer and fever men who making their shift each passing day, it wouldn't be long until the entire county would be working with a skeleton crew.
"Maybe we'll get a guy from the volunteer department." Johnny tried to sound reassuring.
"Maybe." Roy didn't share his partners enthusiasm.
...to be continued...
