Pinky
There had not been a fire of any significant size for four days and it was early June. So, when Patch got the call early in the morning, early enough that Blade was still out on patrol, the team snapped into action.
In the Jumper's hanger Dynamite gave Cad little jobs like,"grab that line for 'Lanche." Or,"unstick the door."
Cad ran all over the hanger grabbing the line that had runaway from Avalanche and helping Pinecone finished her suiting up. When Dynamite's chute drop wouldn't drop properly, he half climbed half fell up the apparatus. Once on top he rattled the mechanism the way Dynamite instructed and soon the stubborn chute was freed and on Dynamite. Who drove off bellowing a thank-you.
As the team flew off in Cabbie, Cad noticed he had been left alone with Maru and Patch. Not that being alone with Patch was bad, but because she was not the only vehicle was the problem.
Maru seeing Cad parked in the center of the tarmac gave him a great idea. Hey, when would he have an opportunity like this ever again. Time to give out the dirty work.
Cad saw him coming over and started to panic.
"Hey, Cad! Ready to work?"
"Um... sure."Cad replied quickly attempting to swallow his dred.
Maru cackled. Never a good sign. Maru motioned Cad towards one of the retardant tanks. "All righty Cad," Maru began with a smirk, "time to learn how to clean out a retardant tank!"
Cad gulped and rolled up the ramp. This was the kind of thing he had been dreading. at the top he stared down into the deep tank that was nearly empty. "Maru... um how do you ... um clean it?"
"Oh that's simple," Maru leered,"all ya gotta do is clime in and scrub the scum off the walls and out of the out put pipe. Here's the ladder, it's your best friend. And the scraper! Now don't drop that there scraper, it was thirty bucks!" By now the forklift was driving away leaving Cad with more questions than before.
Feeling that he was not going to get any more help he started carefully scraping the sides. Everything went great until his intake manifolds started to itch. He desperately tried not to sneeze but couldn't hold it back. Wazzzzu. His sneezes noise echoed around the base and Maru laughed in the repair bay. Before Cad knew it he had dropped his scraper in his sneezing fit.
Oh crap he mentally yelled at himself seeing the scraper on the bottom of the tank.
Carefully he lowered the ladder into the blackness of the tank and shakily set his tire on the first rung. He gulped with every movement fearing the ladder would tip. On the last rung he paused and stared at the stagnant fire engine red retardant and feared what it was going to do to his white paint. Bravely he reached his right rear tire down into the sludge. It oozed around his treads and wheels up to his accel but he went on. Down came the second rear wheel and the front two. Cad stood in the muck for a moment then deftly plunged his nose into the ooze and grabbed the scraper in his teeth and raised it triumphantly. When he opened his eyes he expected to see the blue sky through the tanks car-hole but instead he saw the grinning face of Maru. The last pitty he wanted to see right then!
Maru cackled at him, "ya know, pink really is a nice color on you. Oh yeah and I brought you the pick and hose for when you rinse the tank out. Bye."
Cad glared at the spot Maru had occupied. It was just ridiculous how fast he could vanish into thin air when he had the mind to.
Cad climbed the ladder and began again the scraping. Soon the bottom of the tank (and Cad) were covered in the pink slime. When the walls were done Cad tiredly pulled himself up the ladder for what seemed the thousandth time. When he reached the top he was greeted by the bright flash of Maru's Polaroid, and the owner's cackle. Blinking Cad asked, "what was that for?!"
Maru's, "it's for the wall." Didn't help Cad's anger levels any. He growled at Maru and rushed down the ramp to the tanks down spout. He twisted the cap off and waited of the retardant to poor out.
Drip. Drip. Drip. Cad could have sworn. This was a very frustrating job. Why did the dumb pipe have to clog right now! He grabbed the scraper and jammed it in the spout and out poured the retardant slime- right onto Cad. It covered him from bumper to bumper. He gritted his teeth and started to drive toward the power washers. He didn't make it to the washers before Windlifter's deep laugh echoed around the base over the PA.
Cad scrubbed and scrubbed at the red retardant slime. But with little success. He was a hot pink SUV with small white streaks. Oh the flack he was gonna catch! Cad hid in the power washer hanger until Maru bellowed,"Cad get out here. Time ta learn something." He groaned and slowly rolled out to the tarmac.
Maru and Windlifter both smirked when they saw Cad. Windlifter, who was parked by the fuel tanks mused to Maru,"hmmf the smokejumpers should have fun with this. I can just see the pranks."
"You better believe it." Maru laughingly replied. Brandishing a long dip cup he motioned to Cad. "Come up on the ramp with me." He called while rolling up the ramp parted next to Windlifter. Cad nervously rolled up the ramp and stopped next to Windlifter's landing gear. Way to close to Maru for his comfort.
Windlifter sat stock still as Maru explained to Cad the process of checking a helicopter's fuel for impurities. When Maru went to remove his fuel cap Windlifter involuntarily jumped as a radio transmission came over -tree tree whiskey, this is Chief tree zero one. Have you landed and gotten that stick out yet, over.
Maru glared at Windlifter, "You have a stick stuck somewhere? Now how on earth did this happen and why didn't you say something all ready! This could have been the death of you! Why didn't you say anything about this over the radio!"
Maru's rant continued while Windlifter replied to Blade- Chief tree zero one, yes I have landed and Maru has just found out about the um problem. As you can probably hear he is just ecstatic, over.
At Maru's silent order Cad rushed down the ramp, closely followed by a furious Maru. Cad stood well back as the large heli got practically dragged into the repair hanger. At a safe distance he followed the pair into the open hanger. He was glad he had stayed far away too, when a wrench nearly hit his pink hood.
After the wrench, Cad darted out of the hanger but only to be met by a inbound Blade. He jumped back to avoid Blades forward charge and got a large wrench right above his eyes. Blade dodged another flying wrench and smirked at Cad, "Wrenched and named all in one day. What a streak! See you around Pinky."
Cad cringed at the name and slunk off to hide until the Jumpers would discover his embarrassment.
Sorry for the slow updates but I will try to update sooner. Life just keeps getting in the way:'(
