Incommunicado
To Alana
Chapter One
The sound of the ocean was calming. Johnny loved the beach. He loved to surf, snorkel, water ski, all of it. And he loved to lie on the beach, watch the pretty girls, and snooze.
He woke up slowly. A new wave washed up on the shore, and his hiking boots filled with water.
What an odd feeling. Hiking boots? Oh, well. As he started to doze off again, the next wave washed up, and hit his pants. Then it all came back. He WAS on the beach. Accidentally.
Chapter Two
Johnny opened his eyes. He hiked himself up on his elbows and scooted out of the water. He looked out over the horizon. The sun was setting.
No, wait a minute. The sun was rising. That meant he'd been on the beach at night. What the hell?
His body ached. he tried to lie down again when his head struck something. He looked behind him.
The Rover was there, its side and roof crumpled, its tires dug into the sand as though it had been flailing. Behind the Rover, a sheer, boulder covered slope rose up to the road winding around the coastline. The back bumper of the Rover balanced delicately on a boulder. Johnny watched, dumfounded, as the bumper fell from the boulder, rolled across the sand, and landed in the water.
The scenic route. It was slower, but man, it was worth the extra time. That's right. He'd taken the scenic route after that...that...
Someone moaned from the interior of the Rover.
Chapter Three
"Roll Call!" Cap called from the bay.
Roy DeSoto looked at Marco Lopez and Mike Stoker. Marco and Mike shrugged, and pushed through the locker room door into the bay, lining up in front of Cap. Roy followed, looking behind him, as though expecting Johnny and Chet to appear by magic in the locker room.
Cap looked up from his clipboard at the three members of his crew. "Where are Kelly and Gage?"
"Not here, Cap. They never arrived," Marco responded, expecting an angry reaction from his superior. Being on time for a shift was essential. Lives depended on it. And they all knew it.
"Hang on," Cap ordered his men, in clipped tones. He walked into the day room, where the previous shift was enjoying some doughnuts and coffee, after six runs overnight. "I need a paramedic and a firefighter. Any volunteers?"
Silence.
"Come on...who's due for make up hours?"
Heads shook.
"Who needs extra cash?"
Slowly, Dan Lewis, a newly graduated paramedic, raised his hand.
"Okay, and a firefighter?"
The men glanced at each other.
Cap sighed. "Okay, you, Shepard."
Bob Shepard rolled his eyes, but stood, and followed Lewis out for Roll Call.
Dan and Bob took their places in lineup. Roy and
Dan nodded to each other. Roy had worked with Dan before. He was going to be a great paramedic. But he was green. He didn't have Johnny's experience or know how, yet.
"Okay, our replacement crew members had a long night. I'm going to try to reach Kelly and Gage. If they aren't here in a hour, I'll contact the Department for on call crew members, so hang on guys. Morning duties..."
Chapter Four
Johnny hurt all over. But he was able to stand, and climb into the Rover.
"Gage...help me..."
"I will, I will, hang on..."
The interior of the Rover was a mess. Two tackle boxes had popped open, and fish hooks were scattered around the Rover's interior. Johnny winced as he carefully moved them aside, one by one, poking himself several times. "Damn it!"
"Gage, help me."
"I'm coming, Buddy. Gotta get these flies outta the way. Man, I forgot how many we tied."
Johnny finally reached the passenger seat, and suppressed a gasp.
"Gage, get these flies outta me, man..."
Chapter Five
"Station 51, motor vehicle accident with injuries, corner Shelly and Grove, corner Shelly and Grove, time out 8:15."
Cap ran from his office and grabbed the handset. "Station 51, KMG, 365." The men hustled into place, and they were off.
Dan, sitting in the shotgun seat, sighed with fatigue. "Double shift...I can't get used to it."
"You will," Roy reassured him, even as his concern over having such an inexperienced partner grew. His head was filled with questions. Where the hell was Johnny? Had Cap reached him? Was Dan going to be able to keep up? How bad was the accident?
The squad, followed by Big Red, approached the accident site, lights and sirens signaling their approach.
Chapter Six
"Gage, you all right?"
"I think so, just banged up. Let me take look at you." Johnny did a cursory exam. "You got twenty-three flies in you. I gotta get you outta the Rover.
"Why from the driver's side? You gonna drag me? Open the passenger door."
"Hey, the door's crushed, see?" Johnny leaned into the door. It popped off, and landed on the sand.
"Door's crushed, huh..."
"Okay, okay, I'll come round." Johnny carefully backed out the driver's side, banging his head on the crushed roof. "Shit!"
Chapter Seven
The squad pulled up along side the accident scene, followed by the rig. There was a man on the ground, struggling to breathe, a bare chested, curly haired, mustachioed man bent over him, pressing his shirt into a stab wound on the man's bloodied chest. Another man was on the ground, handcuffed, yelling, "He tried to kill me, man!" Roy grabbed the O2, and ran to the bloodied victim, signaling Dan to bring the rest of the equipment.
"I'll take over, thanks," Roy told the bare chested man, as he slipped an O2 mask on the victim.
"Roy, I think he's got a sucking chest wound."
Roy looked up, startled.
"Chet? Is Johnny with you?"
Chapter Eight
"My glasses, where are my glasses?" Brice felt around him in a panic. "Gage, help me find my glasses."
Johnny looked around until Brice leaned over to feel under the passenger seat. He suppressed a guffaw. "Craig, you sat on 'em. They're crushed."
"Damn it!"
"It don't matter. Now, about these flies - "
"Gage, I know how to remove flies outta me. What you have to do is - "
"I know too, Brice. I been stabbed plenty of times," Johnny responded testily, as he pulled wire cutters from inside the Rover. He leaned over Brice, on a blanket Johnny had set up out in the sand. "Problem is, ya got a couple in places you need a doc for."
"I know," Brice whined, between clenched teeth, partially from pain and partially because he knew Johnny was insisting on doing things his way. "Look, just tie fishing line onto the - "
"Nah, this is how I've been doing it since I was a kid." Johnny clipped off the barb on the first hook, and expertly slid the fly out of Brice's ear lobe. He regarded Brice's lobe, then applied antibiotic ointment and gauze. "Ya know, if ya'd gotten a hook through the other lobe..." he chuckled.
"Yeah, what then?" Brice asked blankly.
"Uh, nothing..." Johnny replied, muttering under his breath, "Roy would have gotten it. Chet, Cap, Mike, Marco..."
Chapter Nine
"Rampart Base, this is Rescue 51," Dan spoke into the biophone, fighting back a rising sense of panic as he listened to the victim struggle to breathe. "We have a male, age 35, who was involved in a motor vehicle accident and stabbing. He appears to have a sucking chest wound with a tension pneumothorax. Hold for vitals." He dropped the biophone to assist Roy.
Roy nodded at Dan. "Get the vitals and Ringers."
Dan suddenly felt as though time had stopped. Sound was sucked out of the scene. It was just Roy, him, and this man who was struggling to breathe. This was the feeling he'd been waiting for, had never quite experienced. A strange calm descended upon him, fatigue disappeared, like the mist of a foggy day when the sun comes out.
Dan handed the Ringers to Roy, who, in anticipation of directions from the base station, got the IV started with one hand, the Ringers bag clutched in his teeth, the other hand covering the wound. Dan took the vitals, and relayed the info to Rampart.
The ambulance pulled up, the victim was loaded onto the stretcher.
"Marco, can you drive the squad? We need four hands during transport." Roy called out. "I gotta keep this wound covered and we gotta move fast. He may have a nicked aorta.."
Chapter Ten
"look, I am NOT gonna even try to get that hook outta yer eyebrow," Johnny insisted, as he patched Brice's eye. I might hit yer eye. It requires a doc, and I ain't no doc."
"Look, just lift the brow, attach fishing line and - "
"No way, man. It could still nick your cornea. I ain't takin' that chance. Now calm down and hold still."
Brice glowered at Johnny though his good eye, until Johnny patched it. "Hey!"
"Now, look! This'll help ya keep from moving that hook into your eye. If it does move, the gauze'll stop it."
"But the wire'll go through - "
"Hey, ya want me to tape your brows down?" Johnny responded, his voice rising. "That can be arranged, Pally!"
Chapter Eleven
Roy and Dan walked slowly out of the treatment room. Roy patted Dan on his back as Dan shook his head. The fatigue had returned; he just wanted to go home.
"Roy, we did everything right. Why?"
"He bled out. We got him here fast; he'd just lost too much blood. Come on, I'll buy you a cup of coffee."
"Okay," Dan sighed, as he slowly followed Roy to the cafeteria. Roy bought two cups of coffee and they seated themselves at a table.
Roy took a sip and studied Dan's face. "It's hard, losing a victim."
"Yeah," Dan reflected. "I was just so sure, you know?"
"I know," Roy acknowledged. "It's hard for the docs and nurses, too. It's just something you have to get used to...like fatigue."
"It's just - " Dan went silent.
Roy spoke softly. "It's just you thought it wouldn't happen, working with an experienced partner, right?"
"I guess."
"if it helps, it's normal to feel this way. I'm always telling Johnny - " He paused, his face paled. "Oh, my God. Johnny." I gotta call Cap."
Chapter Twelve
"Now what?" Brice asked impatiently.
"I uh, dunno." Johnny surveyed the scene.
"Well, don't ask me. I can't see," Brice grumbled.
"Yeah..." Johnny walked out until he was knee-deep in the water, then sighed and returned to Brice, plunked miserably in the sand, picking at the tape holding the gauze to his eyes. Johnny pulled Brice's hand away, admonishing, him, "Knock it off. Now." He sat down next to Brice and wrote "HELP" in small letters in the sand.
Brice waited. Finally he barked impatiently, "WELL?"
"What? Oh...bad news. No one can see us from the road. The beach is hidden from view," Johnny said, staring up at the cliff.
"So we walk," Brice shrugged.
"Nah...too far," Johnny responded, checking all directions, and finding no signs of civilization.
"Look...you're not in charge. I DO get to have an opinion," Brice insisted.
"Okay, fine. Go walk," Johnny said.
"Alone?" Brice squealed.
"Yeah."
Chapter Thirteen
Chet was stepping out of the locker room shower when Roy and Dan arrived back at the station. He hurried into his uniform. Bob Shepard left.
Roy walked into the locker room while Chet was dressing.
"He make it?" Chet inquired, as he tucked his shirt in and grabbed his badge.
"Nope," Roy replied.
Chet stared at his badge. "Was it my fault? I saw the accident and fight. I thought I had the first aid right."
"You did. He'd just lost too much blood. So..." Roy hesitated. "You weren't with Johnny?"
"Nope, haven't seen him since last shift. Why?"
Roy dropped onto the bench. "He never showed. Cap called his home. He's not there."
"Geez," Chet responded. "Wonder what happened."
"I dunno. But I'm getting worried."
Chapter Fourteen
"Well?" Brice tugged on Johnny's sleeve. "What do you propose?"
"I think we should climb up the cliff. My climbing gear is in the car." Johnny said, a grin speeding across his face. "You do like rappelling and climbing, dontcha?"
"Not particularly. And we can't. It's illegal," Brice insisted, his head shaking back and forth angrily. "This is State shoreline. You can't even collect shells here, and you want to drill holes in the cliff?"
"Nah, I'm gonna hammer bolts, not drill holes," Johnny replied, as he stood, showering sand on Brice. Brice sighed in resignation. Johnny was in charge. He wasn't used to that. And he sure didn't like it.
Johnny pulled his climbing gear from the crushed Rover, and led Brice to the rocky area near the cliff. Brice tripped; Johnny caught him.
"Gage, this is NOT going to work. Why don't we - "
"Nah, we're fine. Lemme get this rope around your waist."
Chapter Fifteen
"Come on Buddy, lunch is ready. There's no use standing there staring down the street. It's not going to make Johnny show up any faster."
Cap patted Roy on the shoulder. "Come on. Let's eat."
"Okay..." Roy turned unwillingly from the open bay door and walked with Cap into the dayroom. The tension was as thick as Marco's chili. They commenced eating in silence.
The phone rang. Cap jumped up and answered it. "Station 51, Captain Stanley speaking. Yeah? I don't know, hang on..." He covered the phone and turned to his crew. "Anyone know if Craig Brice was with John on his days off?"
Despite themselves, the crew chuckled. "Johnny and Brice?" "That'll be the day." "No way, man. They drive each other crazy." "He's with girl, I bet."
Cap returned to the phone. "The men think that's highly unlikely," he said diplomatically. "Okay, let us know." He hung up and returned to the table. "It seems Brice hasn't reported for work today, either. The Department has notified the Police and Highway Patrol."
"One thing's for sure," Mike offered. "They are NOT together."
Roy got up, placed his chili bowl in the sink, and returned to his spot by the open bay door.
"Junior...come on, at least call..."
Chapter Sixteen
Johnny hauled himself over the top of the cliff onto the dirt next to the road. He stared at the skid marks on both sides of the road, the pushed up dirt where the Rover had gone over the cliff, and the crushed vehicle below. He shuddered, remembering the blood-chilling fall, the Rover turning over several times before coming to a halt in the sand. And he noticed something else.
The tide was coming in towards Brice.
"Okay, Craig," he yelled down the cliff. All the bolts are in. I'll be guiding you. Step to your left and find the first bolt. It's at 2:00. The second bolt is above it, at 11:00."
"Gage!"
"Yeah?"
"The tide's coming in. Fast! I can hear it."
"I know, Buddy, so let's get you up here." Johnny tightened his hold on Brice's safety rope. Step up onto the first bolt. Good, now feel for the next bolt, to your right, and the bolt above it, and take the next step. Good, and..."
Chapter Seventeen
"Squad 51, woman in labor..."
Roy and Dan ran to the squad, Cap wrote down the address, and they were off.
Dan smiled hesitantly. "Roy...mind if I take this one?"
A memory flashed in Roy's mind. Johnny's first delivery. He did a great job, he recognized the Rh factor complication right away, he kept the mother calm. It was a smooth rescue.
Where the hell was Johnny?
"Sure."
"Thanks."
The squad screeched to a halt in front of of a small,stucco home with a neatly cared for yard. Dan knocked at the door. "Fire Department!"
"Come in, it's unlocked," came a female voice from inside. They entered to find a woman sitting on a sofa, holding a newborn in her arms. "He didn't want to wait," she said apologetically.
"That's all right, ma'am, may we check you out anyway?" Dan asked. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Roy nodding approvingly. thus encouraged, Dan clamped off the baby's umbilical cord, opened the OB box, helped the woman to the floor, covered her, and checked her. He drew back, glanced at Roy and smiled at the woman, who was beginning to moan and grip the carpet in pain. Roy opened the biophone. "Rampert Base, this is Rescue 51, how do you read?"
"Read you loud and clear, 51, go ahead, "came Joe Early's voice over the biophone.
"Rampart, we have a woman, age mid-twenties, who delivered her baby when we were en route. Hold for vitals.
"BP 140 over 90, pulse rapid, respirations 70 and labored." Dan recited.
Roy repeated the vitals to Rampart. "And Rampart, she seems to have gone into labor again."
"Fifty-One, is she set up for delivery number two?" Roy glanced at Dan. He seemed to have everything under control. "That's affirmative, Rampart."
Just then, the woman let out a scream.
Chapter Eighteen
"Ouch!" Brice yelled, as he bonked his head on a bolt. "God dammit, Gage!"
"You're okay, almost up," Johnny encouraged him, muttering under his breath, "Quit complaining, ya klutz."
Brice heaved himself up to the next bolt. Johnny reached out and grasped his hand to pull him over the cliff edge, but Brice shook him off. "I don't need your help, Gage. You've done enough already."
"All right, all right, geez..."
Brice hauled himself over the edge of the cliff, and collapsed on his back, out of breath. "this is all your fault, Gage. All of it."
"Now wait just a doggone minute. I'm not the one who - "
"You're the one who was driving, you drove off the road."
"I was broadsided! Don't you remember? And the skid marks right here prove it."
"Well, it's not like I can see them, you idiot."
"Okay, stop. This ain't gettin' us nowhere..."
Chapter Nineteen
"Great job, guys," Dixie greeted Roy and Dan as they emerged from Treatment Three, leaving a happy mother and her twins behind.
"it was all Dan's doing," Roy replied, as he scanned the supply list.
"Really? Your first delivery, too. You certainly started off with a bang."
"Yeah," Dan grinned, his fatigue and depression gone. "Excuse me. I'm gonna say goodbye to the mother." He went into Treatment Three, a glowing smile on his face.
Roy handed the supply list to Dixie. She studied his face. "No word?"
"None. Right now I'd be happy if Johnny showed up here hurt, as long as he showed up," Roy sighed.
Dixie patted his hand. "He'll show up." She laughed. "Probably with some cockeyed story about where he's been."
"Maybe," Roy replied, unconvinced. " You hear that Brice is missing, too?"
"Yeah," Dixie responded. "I'd guess they'd be together, but..."
"Yeah, we were wondering about that. But it's not possible. They can't stand each other." He was silent a moment. "still, I'd rather they showed up together than not show up at all."
Chapter Twenty
After dozens of cars had sped by without stopping, Johnny was starting to think they were going to have to walk to the nearest town...wherever that was. Finally, a beat up VW van, with the words "Peace Out" painted unsteadily around it, came to a stop. The unmistakable odor of grass wafted through the windows. The driver leaned out.
"Hey dudes, you need a ride?"
"Brice's nose wrinkled. "That's an illegal - "
"YES," Johnny interrupted, as he dragged a resisting Brice to the van. "thanks, man,"he said, as he opened all the windows, much to the amusement of the driver. "You have no idea how many people didn't even slow down."
"Yeah, some of these folks are pretty uptight," responded the driver, as he helped haul Brice aboard. He eyed them closely. you dudes been in an accident?"
"Yeah, our car went over the cliff."
"No shit...geez, man, that sucks. So, where can I take you?"
"The nearest hospital," Johnny replied, stifling a guffaw that threatened to escape him as he glanced at Brice, struggling to hold his breath. "How far is it?"
"About 30 miles. Just relax and you'll be there soon. Wanna smoke? I got some."
"Er, no, we're cool, just the ride thanks,"Johnny responded politely, positioning him self straight Into the blast of fresh air coming in through the window.
"okay, man," the driver said, as he pulled away from the side of the road. Sit back and enjoy the view."
Johnny began wondering if accepting a ride from this guy was a good idea, but he seemed to be in full control of the van. Johnny began to relax. So did Brice, once he gave in and positioned himself next to Johnny, who was gulping mouthfuls of fresh air.
Chapter Twenty-One
Johnny left the room where Brice was having the fish hooks extracted, and found a pay phone. He fished around in his pocket.
No change.
"Damn it..." He returned to the exam room. "Hey Brice, ya got some change? I gotta make a phone call."
"I'll make the call - ouch - Gage. You talk to this gentleman."
"John Gage? Is that your vehicle that went over the cliff on Highway One?" asked the plainclothes officer, flashing his badge.
"Y-yes," replied Johnny.
"And your bolts in the rocks?"
"Well yeah, but we had to - and no one could see - and ya know, the tide was comin' in - "
"I see," The officer said, scribbling information on his pad. He took Johnny's arm and led him out of the exam room. "Your friend in there told me how your vehicle ended up on the beach. I'd like to hear your version."
"I - uh - don't really remember. But ya see - "
"Yes?"
"Well, the skid marks show that the other vehicle crossed the line - "
"Mr. Gage, let us do the police work. Just the facts, sir."
"But - "
"Just the facts."
Johnny was beginning to lose patience. "I don't remember the facts! I hit my head, Officer..." The officer flashed his badge again.
"Friday. Joe Friday. "I ask the questions, you give the answers. Let's begin again."
Chapter Twenty-Two
"Squad 51, child trapped in chicken coop..."
Chet chuckled as Roy and Dan jumped up from the lunch table and ran to the squad. Cap threw him a warning glance as he left the dayroom to acknowledge the call and write down the address.
As they drove to the address, Dan turned to Roy. "This might be bad," he said grimly. "I've seen chickens attack kids. It ain't pretty."
"Yeah, me too, mostly in Korea," Roy responded. "Not a laughing matter."
They drew up in front of a house with a vegetable garden in front yard and the sound of screams coming from the back yard. They followed the sound of the child's cries to the back, where they found a three year old huddled in a corner of an enclosure, being pecked at by a flock of unruly chickens. They cut through the mesh surrounding the enclosure and approached the miserable child, now covered with screaming, pecking birds.
One by one, Roy and Dan moved the chickens away from the child. Finally, Roy lifted the child and carried her away from the hen enclosure, while Dan closed up the hole they had cut through the mesh. The chickens quieted down and returned to their nesting house.
"Broody?" he asked the parents. They shrugged, one eye on their child, one on the chickens. The father finally spoke. "Uh...what's broody?"
"kinda motherly...it's when they're laying. they don't like do be disturbed."
"We don't know. We just got them. We're into self sufficiency and - "
"Dan, could you set up the biophone?" Roy interrupted. Dan excused himself.
"Yampart we have a child, age three, who was...henpecked...
Chapter Twenty-Three
"Mr. Gage, can you explain the odor of marijuana coming off of you? And your eyes are dilated."
"Yeah, the guy who gave us a ride here smoked. Ya wanna frisk me?" Johnny asked, resignedly.
Detective Friday took Johnny into an empty exam room, and patted him down. "You're clean. What do you do for a living, Mr. Gage?
"I'm a paramedic."
"A paramedic? I was watching that bill move through the Assembly." A brief smile crossed his face. "Glad to see it passed. Okay, we're through here. I just need your address for the bill and fine."
"The bill? The fine?"
"Yes, for removal of the vehicle and for destroyed State property."
"but it was an emergency."
"Facts, Mr. Gage, I deal with facts. You can argue the finer points with the judge. But I want to warn you...contact with illegal substances is against the law, unless done by law enforcement officers, fire personnel, or paramedics in the line of duty. You have any questions?"
"Uh, could ya lend me some change for the phone?"
"Change? No, sorry. Only have a twenty."
Chapter Twenty-four
Roy and Dan left the exam room, and found the worried parents pacing in the waiting area. The mother rushed over to them and gave Dan a hug. He accepted it uncomfortably.
"How is she?"
"Fine. A bunch of peck marks, but she'll be okay, once she gets a tetanus shot and a bit of rest.
"How can we ever thank you?"
"Well, uh...self-sufficiency is great and all that, but you need to read up on it more, get to know exactly what you're doing before you plunge in, especially with a child around."
"We will," The father promised solemnly.
Roy and Dan left, put their equipment in the squad, and climbed in. Roy turned to Dan with a tired smile. "You did great. How'd you learn so much about animals?"
Dan laughed. "Grew up on a farm. Got pecked by broody hens, kicked by cows, you name it. Learned the hard way."
"Well, you did a great job. I learned a thing or two, myself. You know, Johnny..." His voice trailed off.
"...grew up on a ranch, "Dan filled in.
"Yeah." Roy started the engine. "Don't know how I'm gonna sleep tonight if we don't hear something."
Chapter Twenty-five
Johnny looked around the ER waiting room, then quietly slipped his hand into the change compartment of the pay phone.
Bingo.
Two quarters.
He dialed the Operator, who came on the line and asked for his other quarter. Resignedly, he put the precious last coin into the phone. The number rang. His heart pounded. The phone was answered.
"Lucy's Hair Salon and Beauty supply, Lucy speaking, how can I help you?"
"Uh...I was trying to reach the L.A. County Fire Department."
"The what, honey?" A hand went over the receiver and Johnny heard a muffled voice. "Girls, pipe down! I can't hear the phone." She came back on the line. "Sorry, hon. Where were you tryin' to call?"
"The uh...Los Angeles County Fire Department."
"Ooohhh, the Fire Department! I love firefighters. Why, just the other day I was telling one of my ladies - wait, is this some kind of emergency?"
"Yeah, well, no not really, "replied an increasingly flustered Johnny. "Ya see, I'm a paramedic with the Fire Department. You know what that is?" He cringed as he realized he should have just said he was a firefighter.
"Well no, not really...but do they wear those lovely uniforms and take care of ladies in need?"
"Yeah, I guess, if the lady's life is in DANGER," Johnny responded, making sure to emphasize that last word. "Anyway, I was uh...wondering if you could do me a little favor..."
"Oh, anything, darlin' just ask."
Thus emboldened, Johnny continued. "Could you call the Departmental Headquarters at the number I'll give you, and tell them John Gage and Craig Brice are fine and will be back tonight?"
"Sure can, Darlin'. If, that is, you do something for me," was the overly flirtatious answer.
"Uh...yeah?"
"Ya see Sweetie, I collect firefighting memorabilia, and I'd love to have a firefighter's patch from your county. Could you get one sent to me?"
"A patch? Oh, sure. A patch, no problem, no problem at all, just give me your address..."
Phone number and address amicably exchanged, Johnny hung up, satisfied he'd taken care of the communication issue.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Cap was hanging up the phone when Roy and Dan returned from Rampart. Roy came through the door and found Cap standing there, a quizzical expression on his face.
"Cap? Anything wrong?"
"I don't know. Headquarters just called with the message that "Ronnie" and "Greg" will be back tonight...in exchange for an L.A. County Firefighter patch."
"Ronnie and Greg?"
Roy and Cap stared blankly at each other for a moment, then said, in unison, "Johnny and Craig."
"Johnny and Craig? They called?" Marco asked, as he came through the door into the dayroom.
"No, a woman called Headquarters,. It sounded almost like they were being held hostage in exchange for an L.A. County Firefighter patch."
"Who would do that?"
"Some groupie."
"Who's got a groupie?" Chet inquired, as he sat on the the sofa, playing with Henry's ears.
"Cap scratched his head, puzzled. "I dunno...firefighters in general or John and Craig in particular...she wasn't clear."
"Craig has a groupie? John, maybe, but Craig?" Mike walked into the room. "What's happening?"
"I'm calling the police," Cap answered, picking up the phone. "I don't know what's going on, but we need to keep the police informed. I don't like the sound of this."
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Brice glowered at Johnny with one eye, the other eye firmly patched. "He nicked the cornea."
"Johnny swallowed hard. "Gee, Brice, that's tough. He get the rest of the hooks out?"
"Yeah, no thanks to you."
Johnny chose to ignore that slight. Mainly because he had a better one.
"Fine, I'll see ya back in L.A." He turned as if to go; Brice grabbed his arm.
"Whadaya mean, 'you'll see me in LA?' How you plan to get there?"
Johnny smiled and pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket. "I'm takin' Greyhound."
"Where'd you get that?"
"The nurses." Johnny put an arm around Brice's shoulder; Brice pulled away. "Go on...just ask."
"No...I'm not a groveler."
"Fine, see you in L.A." And Johnny walked out, head held high, relief flooding his being.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
"look Roy, you gotta sleep. Johnny'll be here tonight, probably with some crazy story. You know him," Mike said, as the men drifted toward to dorm at 11pm, and Roy hung around the bay. "Waiting for him isn't gonna make him arrive any sooner."
"Yeah, you're right. I tell ya, Mike, the moment he walks in, I don't know whether I'm gonna..."
"Kiss him or kill him?" Mike asked, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
"Kill him, maybe, kiss him, not on your life," Roy laughed.
Roy and Mike joined the others in the dorm, and soon, the dorm was filled with the sounds of the sleeping crew.
Except for Chet. He couldn't sleep.
"Oh, God. Gage is gonna kill me this time."
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Johnny crept into the dorm at 2:37 am. He crouched by Chet's bed and poked him awake.
"Oh, Chet...I'm back...wake up..."
Chet awoke, gave a sickly grin at Johnny, and whispered, "Glad to have you back, Gage. We missed you."
"Oh, I just bet you did," Johnny grinned back. "Brice is gonna kill ya. I'm not."
"B-Brice? Why? He lost the fly-tying competition?"
"Well, yeah," admitted Johnny. "But it was your setup that he's really mad about. Telling each of us that the other tied better flies."
Chet inched away from Johnny until he was flat against the brick wall behind his bed. "it was a joke, Gage. You weren't supposed to actually go DO it..."
"Uh huh. The Phantom struck again, huh, Chet? Only this time he picked the wrong victim. He's gonna kill you." Johnny stood, stretched and laughed.
"If he ever gets back to L.A., that is..."
THE END