WHITE OUT

Good decisions come from experience, and experience comes from bad decisions. ~Author Unknown

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.


CHAPTER 7

The next day Johnny awoke to howling wind. Moving against aching muscles he looked out the front windows to see a raging snow storm with zero visibility. It was not what he anticipated for today and he felt mild panic rise in his throat. He wanted them out of this cabin today and headed to his. Could he risk it in this storm?

No. He knew he couldn't take the chance. Getting lost in this type of weather was how people died. The fire had faded to just embers and the cabin had grown cold again. Emily was quiet and he zipped up the sleeping bag around her. She opened her eyes, but didn't protest his actions. He knew he couldn't even go looking for wood until the storm settled down some. Last thing he needed was to get lost only 50 feet from the cabin and not find his way back.

In the bathroom he lifted his shirt and winced at his cut. It was red, inflamed, and warm to the touch. He needed antibiotics. This was a complication he couldn't afford right now. Washing it off and redressing it was all he could do. Next he moved to the bedrooms and looked at the beds. Two rooms had metal frame beds, but the smallest room had a wooden bunk bed set. He began to dismantle it.


The shift began as any other shift. Roy was tying his shoes when Chet came into the locker room.

"Well Roy, how were those days off?"

"Busy. I'm glad to come back to work for the rest." His tone had a light sarcastic tone to it. Chet knew to not take it to heart.

Chet chuckled, "Sorry to hear that Roy. What about Johnny boy, where's he at?" Chet pointed to Johnny's locker.

"I don't know, haven't talked to him since he got back." Roy said as he tucked his shirt in.

"Well, must have been a good time seeing how he's gonna miss roll call. Cap's not gonna be happy." Not that Chet was actually concerned for Johnny's welfare when it came to Cap, and Roy knew it.

"He'll be here." Roy glanced at Johnny's locker and the same fleeting thought passed his mind. Hope being late is worth it pally.

Everyone moved out to the bay for roll call with Captain Stanley. Clipboard in hand he began reading through the names not even bothering to look up at his men.

Chet. "Here Cap."

Marco. "Here."

Michael. "Here Cap."

Roy. "Cap."

Johnny. Quiet.

"Johnny?" He looked up at the lack of response. Then his eyes tracked to Roy. "Well, do you know where he is?"

Roy shook his head. "Sorry Cap. He was supposed to get back in last night and I haven't heard anything from him." He shifted his feet and found himself looking over to the empty spot beside Chet.

Hank groaned under his breath. "Use the phone in my office and wake him up. Vacation is over." With that Hank stomped off while muttering something to his self about kids, vacations, and the paperwork involved. The others moved to the kitchen for coffee while Roy followed Hank to his office.

With his back turned slightly and the phone pressed to his ear Roy was very aware that Hank was watching him closely. "Uh Cap, there's no answer at his apartment. You want me to drive by and check on him."

Even Hank could hear the subtle edge of concern to Roy's voice. Despite John Gage's antics over the years, Roy's instinct was usually spot on. "Yea, I'll put you 10-8 until you get there. Let me know as soon as possible what's going on and if I need to call you in some help."

"Sure thing Cap, thanks." Roy was grateful for the close relationship Hank had with his crew. They had enough experience working together to know that something wasn't quite right.

Pulling out of the station Roy began to play his last conversation with Johnny in his head. They had discussed the days off and each other's plans. Now what had Johnny specifically told him? Going to a friend's cabin. What area? Come on Roy, remember. He was sure that Johnny was coming back home yesterday knowing he worked today. Roy had even kidded him about cutting it close and maybe needing a vacation from his vacation.

Pulling into the apartment complex he circled around to Johnny's building. The Rover wasn't there. Perhaps he had passed him on the way. Just to make sure he decided to go check the apartment. Upstairs he knocked on the door once, twice and a third time with no response. Pulling out his keys he let himself in.

The lights were out and it was very quiet. Looking around Roy grew concerned. The kitchen was clean, no evidence of coffee, bedroom clean and the bed didn't look slept in. But more than anything was the absence of his camping gear.

That spot in his gut began to grow.

Picking up the phone he called the station and let Hank know his concerns. His next call was the hardest of all to make. He had to call Kanda, Johnny's sister. There was no answer so he just let a message to call him when she got in. If he predicted right, she would already be worried about him. She had a connection with him that even confounded Roy at times. On th e drive back to the station he came up with endless reasons why Johnny wasn't back yet. That Rover is always breaking down, he's probably just on the side of the road somewhere worried sick about being late. Numerous reasons why…..right?

Then why did the pit grow? Because, he knew Johnny and something told him it had to be big to keep his friend and partner from getting home and especially not contacting his family.


Johnny focused on keeping the fire going and getting nutrition into Emily. He found himself carrying on conversations that remained one sided, but the silence was becoming unnerving to him. The only sounds were of the wind gusts around him and the groaning of a cold cabin. They both slept most of the day away and fixing some freeze dried noodles over the burning embers represented the last of the rations he had brought. In the last moments before sleep, he thought of his friend, and brother Roy and the sister he loved so much, sending out a silent plea for help in hopes they could hear him.

The dawn broke on another day and Johnny was up with the sun. A quick assessment revealed that the storm had passed and the weather was tolerable for now. With no weather radio there was no way to determine the fate of the next twenty four hours, but they had to leave today.

This place was rapidly becoming a death trap.

Sitting her up, he explained what he was going to do. Her eyes briefly shifted to him, but they remained vacant of all emotion. She would submit without a fight to whatever he decided to do. Honestly, at this point, he was fine with it. It would take less energy to just go, than to have to force her the whole way. He was very grateful she wasn't fighting him over it. He was tired, achy and felt bruised all over. And if that wasn't enough he was sure he was running a fever.

He stuffed some of the few items he found in the cabin along with the items he had gathered from the truck spill and put them into a trash bag. The way things were going he was going to take advantage of anything fate put his way. Once his backpack was ready, he guided her outside and helped her get into the sleeping bag. Securing her, the backpack, and the trash bag onto the stokes he pulled out his map and was ready to go. His goal was heavy travel and reaching his cabin by nightfall. He wasn't convinced they could handle a night in the open.

Pulling away from the cabin he prayed he was making the right decision. The weather was fine for right now, he also knew it could change in a heartbeat. With map in hand and plan in mind, he set off on the most direct path possible to his place.

The problem with a most direct path was that it didn't necessarily mean the easiest path. He knew there were pros and cons to his decision before he started out. Right now he stood and stared at one of the cons. Now as a lone hiker this rocky face wouldn't intimidate him. He would simply climb up, seeing the numerous foot and hand holds along the way. However, he wasn't alone and he knew she wouldn't be able to make it on her own. Pulling out a length of rope he secured it to her wooden sled and the other end to him. Looking at the slack between him and her, he prayed it was enough to let him get to the top.

"Emily?" Her eyes opened. "I have to climb up, and then I will pull you up. I have you good and secure so you won't fall, okay?"

Not expecting a response he moved to the rock face and began to work his way up. Another factor he failed to consider was the increasing pain in his side. Having to force himself to ignore it, he placed one hand over another and advanced up the rock face. Every muscle screamed at the lack of rest, lack of good nutrition, and the general abuse he had put on himself in the last 4 days.

Knowing the top was only about five good steps away he almost lost his grip when the slack between him and Emily ended. The taunt line meant the last steps would mean him pulling her with him, or she would pull him all the way down. In an effort to lighten the weight he pulled her up some and wrapped the slack around a jutting shard of rock. That gave him just enough room to slide over the top and lay down. For a moment he simply laid there, panting, and rested. Breathing hard in this bitter cold only increased the fatigue he felt.

Rolling over and peering over the edge he could see she was quiet and still. Sitting up he found some footholds and began to pull her upwards. This was one time he sure did miss having Chet at his back helping out. Slowly she ascended as he grunted with every pull. When she appeared at the edge he gave one last giant pull and the sled tumbled over onto the top.

Quickly he checked on her and found her eyes open and she looked frightened. He was thankful to finally some emotion from her. "Hey there, we made it, you're okay." He flashed her a John Gage smile, one that faltered when he saw the tear run down her cheek. Was she simply afraid of the journey or afraid that the journey would be successful? He still didn't trust her emotional stability and decision making skills.

Having got a few moments of rest under his best he turned towards his cabin and continued the journey. The sun was already at midday and he knew the daylight wouldn't last much longer. They still had a steady journey ahead of them if they had any chance of getting there before dark. He refused to stop for food and took minimal sips of water along the way for them both.

The path varied from forest, to slopes, to open flat areas. He of course was grateful for the level ground since it made pulling the stokes easier. As he emerged from a wooded area the opening before him revealed the next con to overcome. To his right was a rocky face, to his left a long dropping slope to a gully below. There was plenty of room for him to navigate the both of them around the path. Shortening the slack between him and Emily would make it easier to control the sled. He advanced slowly and slightly untrusting along the unmarked trail, each step testing the ground underneath. When he heard a cracking under his feet he stopped and held his breath to listen closer. Looking down he could see the layer of ice, not firm ground, under his feet.

Another crack. There was nowhere to jump, to run or leap for safety. In the split second that he looked back at Emily with a heartfelt apology in his heart, the earth fell out from under him.


Roy spent the entire shift pacing the floors. The initial comments of Johnny being okay fell on deaf ears so they finally decided to give him his space. Marco said extra prayers in hopes that his friend was safe and they would hear from him soon. Chet let the jibes of what Johnny was up on his skipped day of work rest while Mike quietly told Roy to let him know if he could help with anything. Hank had already notified the Chief of Johnny's absence and their concerns.

Roy understood where they were all coming from and despite the calming messages he just felt that something was wrong. There was an ominous feeling in the air all day. He had located the number Johnny had left him for the cabin, but calling had proved useless because the phones were down due to a storm. Calling the authorities had proved fruitless because Johnny was an adult and couldn't be reported missing for 24 hours.

Begin trapped at work and unable to find anything out left him alone with the dark pit that seemed to be growing by the hour. It screamed that something was very wrong and he couldn't fight the feeling that something had happened to Johnny, something bad. To make matters even worse, Kanda had called and voiced her own fears that Johnny was hurt and needed them.

He was stuck at work; she was stuck in San Diego covering for another physician. For now, there was nothing they could do but worry and hope that all their fears were unfounded.