2
Quickly Hank started passing out assignments, "Marco you stay here and take care of that hand, Mike grab a turn out." Hank himself ran for the broom closet to get a broom and he and Mike cautiously reentered the room to rescue the station mascot.
Hearing the hounds cry for help Chet had slipped in through the outside door to rescue the four legged couch duster. While Hank tried to herd the bird with the broom Mike flapped his turn out while Chet moved in to scoop up the dog and head for the door.
The bird just flew up on the broom handle and started a cackling witch laugh, "bubble bubble toil and trouble." The bird cackled as it moved up the broom handle toward the Captain's hand. Thinking fast Captain Stanley turned the broom around and took hold of the handle just above the broom and reached out putting the bird farther away from him.
"Unguard you fiendish foe," the bird called as it turned around and began again to advance on the Captain.
Mike moved in with his coat held out shaking it to try to scare off the bird as Kelly slipped out into the bay with his rescued victim. "Andale, Andale," the bird called, "Toro, Toro." The bird then flew up onto the coat held between Mike's hands, twisting his head to look at Mike nearly upside down he called. "AA what's up doc?"
Mike slowly and carefully carried his coat with the bird balanced on the collar over to the back of a chair and lowered the coat down behind the back of the chair and brushed the back of the chair across the front of the legs of the bird and he stepped onto the back of the chair. Mike then let his coat fall slack in one hand and slowly stepped back toward the door his captain at his side.
Cap opened the door and ushered his engineer out before joining him on the other side of the door and pulling it tight after him as he saw a flash of colored feathers hitting the window as he pulled it tight. Fearing the bird had injured its self Hank quickly stepped close to the window in the door and looked down. When he saw tail feathers and could tell that the bird was moving on the other side of the door looking at the door he let out a sigh of relief then turned to check on his men and pooch.
"Is he alright?" Hank inquired.
"He's got a bunch of puncture wounds on his snout; it looks like that bird got him with its claws. But I think he's going to be alright." Chet reported as he held the beast on his hip with one hand and examined his snout with the other. It was clearly tender because the dog was growling at the fireman as he touched the nose.
"I demand a lawyer I'm innocent I tell you." The men heard from behind the door and even Cap had to chuckle.
"I don't think Gage has a clue what he's gotten himself into this time." Marko commented
"We should take Henry to the vet and Marco to the doctor and send Gage the bill." Chet grumbled.
"It's not Gage's fault that thing is flying loose in there," Cap commented still holding the door knob to keep the door shut, "We're the ones who opened it."
"What kind of a person would ship a bird in a box like that?" Mike inquired, "Shouldn't it have been in a cage?"
"I don't have an answer for you," Cap replied still holding the door shut as the radio let them know squad 51 was rolling on yet another call. "Chances are Gage can answer that question if he's ever allowed to come back to the station."
"DADDY, Daddy, let me out," they heard from the other side of the door. The group just chuckled.
"Knock Knock," they heard and again turned their attention toward the door. "Knock knock," "knock knock,"
"Who's there," three firefighters said in unison.
"Orange,"
"I'll bite," Cap chuckled, "Orange who?"
"Orange ya going to let me out?"
"No way," Cap answered, "You've got the whole room to yourself enjoy it." "I can't believe this, I'm talking to a bird." The guys snickered hoping it was with their captain not at him.
"But Susie has a bigger room with a pony in it," the bird responded, "That's not fair you love her more," the bird then started to cry like a baby once again.
The crying was soon drowned out by the sound of the tones sparking the unbelieving crew to attention.
Engine 51, car fire in the garage at 7218 Sepulveda, 7218 Sepulveda.
Mike took Henry from Chet's arms and hefted him into the cab of the engine, "Looks like your going to get a little excitement in your life there Henry."
"Station 51, KMG365" Hank acknowledged and checked the door to the common room once more before jogging over to climb on the engine to roll out.
The car fire was well under control when they arrived thanks to the fact that the home owner owned a fire extinguisher and knew how to use it. He explained that he was working on the car with some carburetor cleaner when some got on the light bulb hung on the hood of the car and the light bulb shattered sparking the fluid which was clearly very flammable.
The man had some burns on his hands and face so Hank called a squad and then sighed in disappointment when he heard dispatch call out squad 23 instead of his guys.
Forty minutes after the call came in the engine was backing into the bay once again and stomachs were growling among the men. When the tones sounded again everyone turned their attention to the common room door. No one was heading for the engine because the volume was far to low for it to be an actual call.
"Engine 51, car fire in the garage at 7218 Sepulveda, 7218 Sepulveda." The sound was clearly coming from the common room and a quick look inside the door found the colorful bird still on the floor facing it.
"I can't believe this," Hank exclaimed, "He only heard that once and now he's mimicking the tones."
"He's clearly smarter than the average bird," Kelly responded to his captain then perked up with an appearance of excitement, "That thing is going to keep Gage up all night responding to calls."
Stomachs rumbled again and Hank was very aware that no one was going to be cooking in the kitchen until they got that bird taken care of, "Kelly order pizza and make sure you order the salad to go with it, I'll take French dressing on mine."
"Make mine Roquefort," they heard from behind the door. "And a bag of peanuts." The bird then burst into a rendition of 'take me out to the ball game.'
When the food arrived the men sat on the running board of the engine to eat while Hank took his to his desk and worked on his paperwork while he ate. The papers that had been deposited on were redone and the rest just smoothed out as Hank heard his squad get called out yet again. He worried about them, they must be beat, and hungry and that crazy bird was going to run his youngest medic into the ground. "What on earth does Gage want with that bird?" Hank mumbled to himself.
Walking out into the bay from his office Hank heard the tenth round of Knock Knock intermingled with mimicked radio chatter and his concern for his medic's already questionable sanity deepened.
"Does anyone have an idea how to shut that thing up?" he spoke loudly as he pointed to the door.
To everyone's surprise the bay door opened and they could see the squad backing into position. This was the moment the crew had been waiting for, for hours. Hank stood at his office door and watched the truck slowly move into position. When he noticed Gage was driving and Roy had a bandage on his arm the bird was temporarily forgotten.
"What happened?" Hank pointed to Roy's arm.
Roy got out and leaned on the hood of the squad with his arm in the air. I cut it on a nail while I was trying to help a scared kid out of the attic."
"He'd been hearing noises up there for a few days and no one believed him so he went up to investigate and found a litter of Raccoons." Johnny added, "He was so surprised that he stepped between the joists and his leg went through the ceiling."
"We had to wait till Animal control could get there and capture the critters because the kid might have been bit by the mother."
"Oh Ga-age," Kelly piped up now that he was sure his crewmate was alright. "You're package arrived."
"It did," John's face lit up with excitement, "Where is it?"
Four men pointed toward the common room and John quickly turned and raced for the door.
"Wait!" all four men screamed as Johnny pulled the door open and hurried in as a blur of colored feathers flew out behind him and headed straight for the rafters.
"All right who opened it and where's my stuff?" John yelled returning to the bay to find everyone looking up.