Kim bounced into the fire hall with a smile on her face, humming.
"Geez, someone's in a good mood! What's gotten into you? I didn't think Doherty was that good!" joked firefighter and friend Billy Walsh, realizing that she hadn't been this happy since before the death of her former partner Bobby Caffey.
"As a matter of fact I am in a great mood, and he is by the way... great as a matter of fact." Kim replied gleefully. Walsh and the rest of the firefighters sat looking at her, their jaws slightly open at Kim's uncharacteristically rude joke.
"Wow, none of us wanted that image, thanks. Seriously, Jimmy's…err… performance can't be the sole cause of this lovely mood." he poked fun at her and Jimmy again. Kim stuck her tongue out at Walsh.
"Well, that is true. I could tell you why I am in such a good mood, or I could just show you this." She said and wagged her ring finger. A chorus of oohs & aahs, congratulations and jokes about Jimmy and his stamina echoed through the fire hall.
"Where's the lucky man anyway?" Walsh asked.
"He should be here soon. He took Joey to school this morning. First morning in a long time that he's been able to do that. I have to find Alex." Kim told them and set off in search of her partner and best friend. She found her sitting quietly on a bunk. Kim ran up to her and showed her the ring.
"Man is that a rock or what?" Alex half-heartedly joked.
"Are you ok?" Kim asked, curious about her partner's lack of enthusiasm.
"Ty and I are…well…I don't know what we are right now." Alex explained. "But I don't want to kill your day, so spill the details; I know you're dying to." Alex forced herself to be in a good mood for Kim's sake, despite her heartache. Kim was still chattering as they walked out to the bus and set out. Lighthearted cracks about women and planning weddings followed them out the door.
"Just take whatever advice my future wife gives you about the wedding Kim, she's an excellent strategist!" Walsh called out, jokingly.
"Is he still calling you that? That football game was like, a year or two ago!" Kim asked Alex as she opened the door and hopped in.
"Yeah, I think it's pretty cute. He was really taken with my strategic ability." Alex replied, laughing. They both smiled as they remembered Alex's first football game with the 55th against a rival fire station.
"Not to mention you kicked ass! Ty doesn't mind that you're already betrothed?" Kim teased as she pulled the bus away from the station.
"He doesn't really know." Alex admitted, and when Kim raised an eyebrow she added "Besides, Walsh isn't serious, he's just playing; it's our little inside joke, you know, between firefighters."
"So, tell me more about Jimmy's proposal!" Alex prompted, momentarily forgetting her romantic woes. They continued chatting about Kim and Jimmy's second nuptials when the radio snapped them back into reality.
"Boy 55-3, male with reported chest pains at 112 Arthur and 6th apartment 7B"
"112 Arthur and 6th. 10-4 central" Alex spoke into her crackling radio as Kim flipped on the lights and sirens and sped toward the call. When they arrived they both grabbed bags and darted for the building. When the got inside, an out of order sign on the elevator greeted their eyes.
"Figures this guy wouldn't live on the first floor!" Alex grumbled as they trudged up the stairs.
"That's always the way. Oh well, its good exercise." Kim replied cheerily, not letting anything quash her high spirits.
"I'll try to keep that in mind." Alex grunted. When they reached the apartment they knocked on the door and when there was no answer they opened it and walked in.
"Hello? Sir?" Kim called. Alex wandered into the next room, still trying for a response. They finally heard a frail voice,
"Help, I'm in here" it called out feebly.
"Where are you sir?" Alex asked the hidden man.
"Here, please help" the voice said again. Kim and Alex followed it through the apartment to a back room with no windows. The walls were plastered with newspaper clippings and it someone had sprayed the words "No Hero" in huge red letters. The two paramedics slowed their steps but continued to look for the obviously eccentric man.
"This place is really creepy." Alex whispered to Kim.
"No kidding, let's get this guy and get out of here." She replied. They finally spied him in a back corner of the room.
"Sir, are you ok?" Kim asked him.
"I am now that you're here." He said with a strange smile on his face.
"Ok, well, good. We're going to get you down to the ambulance and get you to the hospital ok?"
"I think I am happier here, with you." He said as he got up and pointed a gun at the pair of women. Kim had a flashback to when Paulie shot Bobby and held a gun on her. She started to shake. Alex put a steadying hand on her arm.
"Whoa, buddy, just put the gun down." Alex bravely tried to reason with the stranger.
"Not just yet, no." he said, eerily calm. "First of all, let's have those radios." He removed both their radios, threw them on the ground and smashed them with his foot.
"Sit." He commanded. Alex and Kim slowly sank to the floor, Kim's mind drifted to Joey and Jimmy.
'What if I never see them again?' she thought 'Why is this happening?'
"Kim, stay calm ok? Just do what he asks and you'll get back to your boys." Alex reassured Kim, appearing to read her mind.
"Look, buddy. If you want money you can have what we've got, but lemme tell you, city employees are not the best targets, we make peanuts!" Alex tried to reason with their captor, and ever the cynic couldn't help but drop a sarcastic remark.
"I don't want your money" he laughed. He grabbed rope and bound their hands and feet tightly. "Now you just sit tight ladies, I have something to take care of, but I'll be back. Oh, and don't both screaming, no one can hear you from in here, its sound proof." With that he turned, left the room and locked the door behind him.
"Ok Alex" Kim started as she looked around the sealed room. "You're the strategic genius…what do we do now?"