WAFF29
"Station 51. Engine 127. Engine 8. Structure fire. 2004 Alameda. Time out 15:27."
Stanley picked up the mic. "Station 51. KMG365."
There was silence in the cab of the squad. John concentrated on driving. He had a feeling why Stanley wanted them, but right now the fire was his main concern.
Pulling up to the building it was fully involved as Hank took control. It was a factory of some sorts, corrugated metal, windows and wood made it a perfect fire. Smoke had drifted filled with whatever toxic chemicals were in the building and danger inside.
"Marco, Chet I want 2 ½ work the front of the building and…"
A man in a suit ran up to them.
"I'm the plant manager," he said breathlessly. He was covered in soot, his hair a mess and his eyes teary eyed.
"Are all your people out?" Hank grabbed the man's arms.
"Um, no there are still two men in there. Upstairs I think, yes upstairs," the distraught man pointed to the second floor.
"Roy, John, full gear search the 2nd floor. Report every five minutes. Go!" Stanley ordered.
Roy and Johnny put on their turnouts, oxygen tanks, masks and helmets. Without a word they headed into the smoke filled building. Like usual Gage took the lead, his sixth sense always seemed to find the victims. Staying low on the stairs they made their way up to the second floor. Fire licked from every door with smoke taking a life of its own.
"You check one end," John pointed one way. "I'll check the other," he pointed the other way. "Yell if you find someone."
Roy nodded and made his way down the hall cautiously. Looking into each room, he found no one in the first three. Off to his right, he found another stairwell and then he saw them. A man and woman prone on the floor curled up in a little ball, unconscious.
"Johnny," Roy yelled and signaled. "JOHNNY!"
Gage turned around, saw his partner waving and headed down to Roy. Once there, DeSoto pointed out where the two victims were. In the stairwell, they each took a victim and headed out of the building. They had both come out and were almost clear when the whole building exploded. DeSoto went down hard with his victim; Johnny narrowly missed the explosion since he was a few feet ahead of his partner.
Both crews ran to each of the fallen men. Not so badly injured, Johnny ran to the still man.
"Roy?" John knelt next to him. "ROY! Can you hear me?"
Roy turned his head and opened his eyes.
"Oh thank God. Roy," the dark haired hands were shaking as Marco, Chet and Mike brought Gage, DeSoto and the two injured victims. Before long another squad arrived along with two ambulances.
Within minutes all four victims were on their way to Rampart. Johnny kept glancing over to his unconscious partner and wondered if he had done anything wrong. Maybe his own anger and hurt had caused the men not to get out in time. Both seasoned firefighters, they were familiar with flashovers. They should have tried harder to leave the fully engulfed building. Closing his eyes, Johnny gave into the fatigue that had been plaguing him for the last few weeks.
When he woke up next he was in a treatment room staring at the very unforgiving face of Kell Brackett. Ever since the party, Brackett had been stone faced and cold, not that it mattered. He had fallen in the great eyes of Brackett, another champion of the paramedic program once he got on board. Maybe it was time to change hospitals too, St. Francis or Harbor General to avoid the great doctor Brackett.
"You were pretty lucky today," Kell used his penlight on Gage's eyes. "But your partner wasn't." He stated coldly.
Johnny sat up, fearing he worst as his head pounded.
"Roy what's wrong with him?" Gage sat up on the examination table.
"Well he'll need a few days stay at the hospital and a week at home. But you can go back to work. A few bruises and contusions, nothing major," Brackett turned to leave.
"Wait a minute, where's Roy?" Johnny pleaded.
"Treatment room three. I'm not allowing visitors," Kell left the silent partner.
"Not allowing mean you mean," the dark haired paramedic got himself dressed and found Roy awake.
"Hey Junior," Roy's slurred a bit. "Some ride huh?"
"Yeah some ride. Looks like you get to stay at Rampart for awhile." Johnny inched closer to his prone partner. He could see cuts, bruises and bandages on his partner, probably the ones he had caused. The sooner he left the better. What was that saying? You always hurt the ones you love.
"No thanks to you of course," Roy sat up. "Junior," a serious face stared at him, "we have to talk." Sitting up was a bad idea; all ready he was fighting for breath, but Johnny needed to hear this.
"Talk Roy?" Johnny could feel his anger rise, "I think we did all the talking we needed to," the paramedic started to turn.
"Now you wait a minute, JUNIOR. I WANT TO TALK DAMNITT AND YOU'RE NOT HELPING!" Roy coughed making the urge for John to move quicker.
"I'm not junior I never was Roy. That was just your way…anyway I've got to go, duty calls," Johnny shut the door behind him, never happier to find the safety of the squad.
