Is It Over?
Note: Emergency! is the property of NBC, Mark VII, and Universal. I borrow the characters for entertainment purposes only.
What may have happened after Johnny and Roy left their Captain's ceremony.
The sun was descending over the horizon when John Gage pulled his Jeep into the parking lot behind the Alamo Bar in Carson. He had a momentary flashback to his hit and run accident and chills raced down his spine. Stretching to his full 6 foot 1 inch height, he overcame his uneasiness and walked indoors.
"Stoney, old man, how you been?" Johnny greeted his friend with an outstretched hand. He smiled when the African-American pulled him into a hug.
"So you made it Captain, congratulations!" Captain Stone slapped his friend on the back as they pulled apart.
The two captains headed for a booth in the small establishment. They ordered a pitcher of beer.
"Do you know where you will be stationed yet John?"
"I will be going to 86's. Johnson is retiring in a few months. I will be floating, doing substitutions until then."
"86's, huh." Stoney sipped his beer.
"I've been there before, nice station. I'm looking for a piece of property in the area. It will be a change though."
"You were at 51's a long time. Before long 86's will be like home to you, especially after a few 48 hour shifts."
"You should know, but then you stayed at 8's when you were promoted. It's like starting over again."
"John, you'll be a great captain. Call anytime."
Johnny left the bar after a few drinks and returned to his empty apartment. The phone rang as he reached the living room. He recognized the voice of his former captain.
"Cap, how are you?"
"It's Hank now John, remember. No titles necessary."
"It's hard to think of you as anything but Cap. I'll try, Hank. So is this a social call or what?"
"We're on duty tomorrow. Want to pull a shift in the squad for old times sake?"
"I'll be there." 'I wonder what happened.'
At seven the next morning, John pulled into the familiar parking lot. C shift was sitting in the rec room. He nodded a greeting to the men, then entered the locker room to change. Out of habit he went to his old locker and pulled the door open. It was empty.
Memories of past days flooded his mind at that moment. He could see the Smokey poster, even though he knew it was no longer there. He thought of the water bombs that had sprung unexpectedly, drenching him with water. With a grin, he quickly dressed in his paramedic blues.
Echoes of the discussions held within the locker room's confines came to mind. His conversations after Drew's death, the confrontation with Ed Marlowe, and numerous other chats with Roy over the years. 'God, I miss my friend.'
He was still reflecting on the past when he heard someone clearing their throat. He looked up and saw Hank Stanley standing at the door.
"Join me in my office, will you John?"
"Sure, Cap."
He followed his former boss into the office. Captain Hookraider excused himself, leaving the two men alone.
"John, have a seat. When the others get here, then I can explain why I called you in today."
"Others? I thought you wanted me to work."
"Be patient, John. Yes, I do want you to work."
"Okay, I trust you. I'll wait."
A few minutes later, the door opened again. John rose to his feet as Chief Houts, Doctor Brackett, and Roy DeSoto entered the room. He met Roy's eyes and could tell that his former partner had no clue what was transpiring either. The men greeted each other, then all sat around the conference table. John took the chair beside Roy.
"Gage, Desoto," the chief began "there has been a grave oversight done to you, as well as other paramedics in the department. You have performed your duties exceptionally for many years. I would first like to apologize on behalf of the department, then I'd like to make you a proposition."
The white-haired commander continued. "We, the department, would like to ask you to reconsider leaving the paramedic program. Doctor Brackett, you have the floor."
"John, Roy, you have been the best activists for the paramedic program. You have proven to be the finest team in the county. When you came to me and announced your intentions to become Captains, both of you expressed regrets about that decision. I hope you both return to service, LA County needs your dedication and experience in the field." Brackett looked both men in the eyes, then passed over folders.
"Inside you will find the paperwork showing the pay rate increases. From this moment forward, the paramedic program will give regular reviews and raises. We cannot continue to lose talented workers such as yourselves to the rank based scale of the fire department. As you can see, there is a bank check reflecting those changes due to each of you based on your years of excellent service." The doctor folded his hands and waited.
Hank Stanley spoke up then. "So, I have two openings here at the station. What do you say?"
John sat stunned for a moment. He looked over at Roy, catching the glint in his eye.
"Yes, Cap. We accept."
The end?