"Gage, DeSoto, I'd like to see you two in my office." Captain Stanley blocked the pair of paramedics' path into the kitchen.
Roy shot Johnny a 'what did you do' look and Gage shrugged his shoulders and puckered his chin as the two followed their captain into his office. Cap lowered himself into the swirly chair and clasped his hand behind his head as he leaned as far back as the chair would allow.
Johnny stayed poised by the door, looking ready to bolt for the hills, and Roy noticed the anxious jiggling of the leg that tapped loudly on the floor.
"John." Cap said sternly.
"Sorry, Cap."
"The reason I called you two in here is because we got a last minute trainee who's gonna ride along with you this week."
"Last minute?" Roy questioned.
"Yup. I guess that they were gonna have him ride along with somebody next week but they decided to switch it to this week at the last second. Trained at St. Francis." Cap read off the paper that had been sitting on his desk that morning. "Should be showing up any minute."
"Alright. Thanks for letting us know, Cap." Roy nodded at his superior and then turned to go, but Johnny was already gone.
"What's his deal? He got ants in his pants?" Cap joked.
Roy shrugged. "Who knows."
As Roy was heading for the kitchen, he heard a yowl come from the locker room, followed by an expletive latched onto the tail end of "Gage!"
Johnny came high-tailing it from behind the engine, a cheeky grin on his face.
"What did you do?" Roy grabbed Johnny by the elbow as he rushed past.
Johnny just giggled and opened his mouth to speak but Chet came around the hind end of the engine,his mouth foaming with the bubbles from toothpaste, and a toothbrush in his right hand.
"I'll tell you what he did! He put shampoo in my toothpaste bottle! I'll get you for this Gage!"
Roy found the brotherly prank-war between the two amusing most times. He was neutral in the whole situation; he absolutely refused to be dragged into the conflict knowing full well what it entailed.
Chet stomped back to the locker room and Johnny paused to tell Roy how and when he had accomplished the most daring feat when a car pulled up out back and parked beside Chet's camper.
"They, that must be our trainee." Johnny tapped Roy's arm as they both stopped to watch who exited the vehicle.
The person who got out was short in comparison to most of the guys at the station, except Kelly. A dress hat adorned the person's head as the trainee walked closer, Roy saw Johnny's eyes bug out.
"Roy," he whispered. "That's a woman!"
"At least we know you can see, Junior." Roy joked.
It was a woman and as she got closer Roy saw that she was attractive and young. Beside him, he felt Johnny's ego inflate a little as the woman trainee neared. The last female trainee they had had worn the nurse's regular uniform, but this one wore a firefighter's attire.
When she approached Johnny and Roy she stopped and glanced shyly up at the two.
Johnny was completely intrigued by the young woman. She was beautiful, but her beauty was not the exotic exquisiteness that was showcased in the latest women's' magazines, or the sultry painted-on faces of the other younger women nowadays; her attractiveness was a simple loveliness that radiated sweetness and innocence. Her hair was long and tightly curled but thick and voluminous, tempting to run one's fingers through it's luscious locks. Her eyes were dark brown, the color of warm coffee fresh from the pot, and her skin possessed a natural tan to it, just a tad darker than Johnny's own brown arms. All of these characteristics and her short stature pointed to a Hispanic background, but when she spoke, her voice rolled with a soft Georgia accent, drawing Johnny in faster than a fisherman reels in a prize catch.
Everything in him screamed to know more about this charming southern belle, and it satisfied him to know what she would sit beside him today in the squad.
"Hi," Roy offered as she stood in front of the two, hands clasped in front of her and chin pointed down at the ground. "Are you going to be riding along with us today?"
"Yeah," She said softly, giving Johnny shivers as her lilting accent came out strong.
"What's your name, Miss?" Johnny inquired.
"Duke." She tipped her head up to look at him from under the brim of the dress hat, making her heart shaped face look like a child's. "Dakota Duke." She stuck out her hand at Johnny.
Johnny gave a crooked grin and shook her hand. "John Gage. But you can call me Johnny." He noticed the bag at her feet. "Oh, you can put that in the locker room." He pointed the trainee in the right direction, gave her a warning about Chet, and sent her on her way. As she disappeared around the hind end of the engine, Chet Kelly passed by, did a quick double-take, and came scurrying over to Johnny and Roy.
"Who's the chic?" He demanded.
"Our trainee." Johnny smiled happily to see Chet make a face. "Dakota Duke."
"You mean she's gonna ride with you all day? That's a bummer. I wouldn't mind getting to know her a little better."