Chapter 14-The Presentation

Summary: The presentation for the Paramedic Engine is made to the council.

Special Note: I do not have a background in politics or government, so this is my take on how fast things move. I realize this is probably not an average speed, but for the sake of the guy's sanity, this is how the events of this final chapter played out.

A mixture of natural alarm clocks and the two physical clocks woke the group at 0700. The majority of them were in the same position that they had fallen asleep in. Nobody had gotten up during the night. A smattering of groans and stretching sounds with a few yawns filled the room.

Hank smiled warmly, "Good morning all."

"Morning Cap," the group answered as one with smiles on their faces.

"I'm going to go start the coffee. Please feel free to use the bathrooms to get cleaned up. There is one in the hall and one in the master. Does anybody want to eat?"

The room hesitated for a moment. Pam was the first to answer. "Guys, can I give you the same suggestion that I give Em before she runs?"

"Yes, Pam?" Johnny replied with curiosity.

"I know your minds are on this morning, but you need to have something light. Even if it's a toasted cheese sandwich, it would be enough to make sure you don't get sick. My emotions are as knotted as anybody's here, but I know we need a little something."

Roy spoke up. "She's right, guys. Believe me, something light here is better than gel glucose there."

Chet asked, "Do we have enough bread and cheese for sandwiches?"

Hank replied, "Yes. I even have some chips if anybody wants anything to go with their sandwich."

"Can we have the sandwiches for breakfast?"

"Sounds good to me."

Mike smiled, "I'll help you with breakfast, Cap."

"Thanks, Mike."

The two men headed for the kitchen while the others headed for the bathrooms to get cleaned up. Pam was given the bathroom in the master while the rest used the one in the hall. By the time everybody joined Hank and Mike, they had dress pants and t-shirts on. In Pam's case, it was a black camisole. Their dress shirts would go on after breakfast.

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While Hank started the coffee, Mike gathered the ingredients for the sandwiches. After getting the pot going, Hank looked over and asked, "How are you doing, Mike?"

Mike took a breath and replied. "Much better than yesterday."

"Good."

"I'm sorry that I held that in for so long. I guess I figured if I bury it, I wouldn't have to face it."

Hank walked over and squeezed Mike's shoulder. "Nothing to be sorry about, my friend. As long as you feel better."

"I do."

"That's all that matters."

"How are you feeling about today?"

Hank took a deep breath. "Honestly, I am taking the on-scene approach until it's done. If I let my emotions get involved, I'm not sure I could get through it."

"Honestly, that sounds like a good approach for the day. On scene mixed with an appropriate amount of emotion when needed."

"Exactly."

"I just hope they give us some type of decision today. This whole idea of limbo quite frankly sucks."

"I couldn't agree with you more."

The topic switched to a more relaxed conversation as the rest of the group started trickling in. Smiles and grateful thank yous filled the room as Hank handed out the coffee. Breakfast was filled with bantering and laughs.

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It was 0800 by the time the group finished breakfast. Natural reaction had Marco and Chet doing the dishes while the others went to get dressed. The two engineers made quick work of the plates and mugs before they finished getting their uniforms on.

The phone rang as Hank walked back into the living room to join the others. He reached over and picked up the receiver on the end table by his chair. "Good morning."

Much to Hank's surprise, Emily was on the other end of the line. "Good morning, my name is Emily; I was wondering, is Pam Burke there?"

Hank smiled, "One second, Emily." He put the phone on his shoulder and looked over at Pam. "Pam, your daughter is on the phone."

Pam walked over and took the phone from Hank. "Good morning, Em; how are you?"

"Doing good, mom. Everything is good here. I just wanted to call you real quick and wish you luck this morning. Toby and I are leaving for practice soon."

"I thought that was tonight."

"Coach moved it up because the weather is supposed to rain later."

"That makes sense. I am so glad you called."

"How are you?"

"Doing okay. We just had breakfast and got ready to go."

"Did you and Johnny get things settled down yesterday?"

"Yes, I can honestly say I think these guys are really ready to go now."

"Awesome! Listen, mom, I love you, but can I talk to him for a quick second?"

"Of course. I love you. Have a good practice."

"Thanks, mom."

Pam pulled the phone away from her ear and smiled. "Johnny."

Johnny was at her side in seconds. Pam handed over the phone and walked back to put her shoes on. "Good morning Em."

"Good morning Johnny Bear."

"What can I do for my girl?"

"I just wanted t wish you luck this morning. I know daddy is there with you guys, and I know he's going to make sure you kick butt."

Johnny took a quick breath. "Thank you, sweetheart. I told your mom I owe you a run after all this is done."

"Looking forward to it. I have to get going. I told mom coach changed practice to this morning because of the possibility of rain."

"Makes sense. Run for your dad and me today, will ya?"

"Always do, remember I love you."

"I love you too, sweetheart. We'll call you later and let you know how things turn out."

"Please do. Talk to you soon."

"You bet."

The duo hung up before Johnny turned back to the others.

Hank asked, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, she wanted to wish us luck this morning."

"That was sweet of her." Hank looked at his watch; it was 0845. "Alright, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to make last bathroom stops and load up. Chet…"

"I don't mind at all, Cap."

"Thank you, my friend."

The group made the needed trips before they headed for the van. All of the guys had their hats with them. Pam made sure she had her small purse with her. She also had a framed picture of Drew she had retrieved from her car. It was 0900 when Hank walked over to the van.

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Chet smiled, "Cap, who's driving?"

Hank smiled, "Chet, would you mind if Mike drove for now?"

"Not at all." The curly-haired man tossed the keys to the slightly taller man before he climbed in the back.

Mike was behind the wheel with Hank as the front passenger. Marco and Chet were in the second row. Pam, Johnny, and Roy took up the back seat. There were a few drinks, but not many as the group knew they would be inside for the majority of the day.

Mike backed out of the driveway as soon as everybody was settled. "The county municipal building?"

"Please."

"You got it."

The group made small talk while the radio was on low in the background. Pam was glad to see the group relaxed because she knew it would help keep Roy, Johnny, and Hank calm. It was also helping her stay calm. The morning traffic was as heavy as Mike expected. The experienced driver used a few side roads to make it to their destination by twenty after.

As Mike turned in the parking lot, Johnny and Roy started looking for familiar vehicles. It didn't take long before they found Kel Brackett's car. Kel was standing outside of the car with Dixie and Joe. Chief Moore and several members of the department's brass were also with the group.

Roy called out, "Mike, can you grab a spot near them?"

"You got it," Mike replied without taking his eyes off the road.

Mike pulled in the next open spot. Before the group could climb out, six other vehicles pulled in just behind Mike. Joanne, Lauren, Lucy, Kim, and Jamie were in one with Chris and Jenny. Stoney and his family were in another. The third had Johnny's crew. Number four was Mike's crew. Number five had Roy's guys. The sixth split off and parked a few rows ahead of the group.

As all of the vehicles emptied, the department members put their hats on. Pam had Drew's picture with her. Johnny, Roy, Hank, and Marco greeted their better halves with kisses before the group gathered as one. For a moment, Kel was awe-struck as he saw the focused looks of his friends.

Chief Moore spoke before Kel could. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. First of all, I want to thank you all for coming out this morning."

"You're welcome, Chief," replied the majority of the group.

"Secondly, does anyone have any questions before we head inside?"

Pam spoke up. "I do, Chief."

"Ma'am?"

"Good morning sir, my name is Pam Burke. I was wondering if anyone is opposed to me saying a few things during the meeting. I promise it will come out professionally and will not detract from the presentation. I just want the council to understand who my husband was and why this program is so vitally needed in a county as big as Los Angeles."

"I don't mind, do you, Doctor Brackett?"

"Not at all," Kel replied.

"Thank you." Pam smiled tightly.

"Are there any more questions?" Chief Moore asked.

"No, sir," the group answered as one.

"Let's head inside then."

The group turned and started to walk toward the building. The pure size and amount of uniforms among them caught a few eyes of passers-by. As the group passed them, the occupants of the sixth car that had followed Mike into the lot exited the vehicle. Once the group had a bit of distance from them, they also started toward the building.

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Chris jogged ahead and held the door for the group as they reached the sidewalk. Thank yous filled his ears as the group entered the building. The men made sure they all took their hats off just before they crossed the threshold.

Using a few directional signs, the group made their way toward council chambers. It was 0955 when they arrived at the doors where a uniformed police officer met them. "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Are you here for the meeting?"

"Yes, officer," Kel replied for the group. "We are here to support the last topic for the day, the Paramedic Engine program."

The officer checked his notes and saw the topic on his list. "Okay, please find your seats and listen to the instructions from the council."

"Yes, sir."

The officer held the door open for the group as they walked inside. He closed it once everybody, including the mystery occupants, was in the chambers.

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The members of the council were surprised by the size of the group that had joined them. While they had expected a few people, none of them had expected nearly thirty people.

The council President, and Kel's friend, smiled. "Good morning Kel, I see you brought some friends with you this morning."

Kel smiled, "That I did for whenever you are ready for us."

"Understood. Please be seated. We have a few other items of business to address first."

The group settled into their seats.

The next ninety minutes saw the council cover and vote on several other pieces of business. After they finished, the President called for a fifteen-minute recess before Kel's presentation began. Kel and company left the chambers to get some fresh air.

Johnny looked over at Pam, who was getting anxious. He walked over and hugged his friend. "We've got this, Pam."

Pam took a quick breath. "I know; I'm sorry, just getting anxious."

Johnny started rubbing her back. "You know he's here; just clear your head."

"But…"

"What my friend?"

"I'm just…I don't know."

Johnny looked around and realized Pam could be seen by others who had business in the building. "Boys, circle up!" He called out in his Captain's voice.

The call quickly brought the crews to him as well as Hank and Stoney. Chief Moore and the rest of the higher-ups stood back to give them room. The family members also stepped back.

Johnny looked at Pam. "My friend, take a look around. These guys are here for you. Now take a few minutes to look at your picture; I know it's one of your favorites. We've got you. Nobody can see you."

Pam looked around for a moment before she took Johnny's suggestion. She bowed her head and spoke silently to the shot as she started to regain her composure. As she did, the guys took a few minutes to get themselves together.

Minutes before they had to go back inside, a distant voice called out, "Look at that."

A mix of curiosity and reflex had the firefighters and Pam quickly turning to see the source of amazement. Johnny and Pam smiled at each other and took a long breath as they saw a beautiful golden eagle land in a tree not far from the building.

Pam commented, "He's here."

Johnny smiled, "He certainly is; it's time to get to work."

Roy asked, "How do you know? If you don't mind me asking."

Pam smiled, "Not at all. The golden eagle was Drew's favorite bird."

"Nough said."

Hank saw the calm focus of the group returned and called out, "Time to go to work, gentlemen."

The group nodded as one before they broke up and walked over to the others. The rest of the group rejoined them as they headed back inside. The trip to the chambers was quick and made with purpose.

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The group's focused looks were not lost on the council members the meeting reconvened. It was clear they meant business, and it was time to go to work.

The council President stood. "Doctor Brackett, the floor is yours."

Kel stood and walked to the center of the floor with several booklets in hand. "Thank you, Mr. President." He made sure to make eye contact with every member of the panel as he said, "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, my name is Doctor Kelly Brackett. First of all, I want to thank you for giving us the time to hear about the idea of the Paramedic Engine. I am sure you will find our presentation very informative. Before I bring up our first speaker, I want to give each one of you a booklet. In it, you will find various information and statistics. You will also find call transcripts for a few of the rescues you'll learn about this morning. If you have any questions at all, please ask."

Kel walked over and handed each person a booklet. As he handed the last one out, he said, "Now I'd like to welcome Division Chief Eric Moore to the floor. Chief."

Kel stepped away and took his seat as Chief Moore stepped up. The group listened intently to a variety of information and explanations. After he finished with the scripted part of his presentation, he answered a few questions.

Once he finished, Chief Moore said, "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Captain Doug Stone."

Stoney quickly replaced Moore. After a brief introduction, he began the story of the heart attack victim and how helpless he felt because even though there was a paramedic on the scene, they lost the patient due to the lack of equipment.

As Doug spoke, Johnny took a quiet breath to ward off the return of the frustration he had felt that day. Roy, Adam, and Taylor all laid understanding hands on him. The impact of the story was also clearly felt throughout the members of the council. While Doug described the scene, many of them followed along with the radio transcript. It was clear they all felt the same frustration that Doug and Johnny had felt when Stoney ended the story.

After a few more questions, Doug turned and looked back at the crowd. He nodded to Roy, who stood up. "Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome one of my paramedic mentors. He was one of the first in the county before he turned in his pin to become a Captain Roy Desoto."

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Roy shared a long look with Johnny before replacing Stoney in the middle of the floor.

"Good morning; my name is Roy Desoto." Roy made quick, but sincere eye contact with the entire council. "As Captain Stone said I was part of the first training class of paramedics for Los Angeles county before we were even allowed to practice. I then went back through training after passing the Wadsworth-Townsend Act that allowed paramedicine professionals to take to the streets. In my seven years as a paramedic, my partner and I saw situations I can only hope you'll never find yourselves in."

"It was not an easy decision to walk away from the program to take on my new position. I had to choose between remaining at the lowest ranking pay or rank up and lose my role. I am here this morning to ask you to make sure no one else has to make the decision that my partner, Captain Stone, and several others, along with myself, had to face. From my understanding, the pay structure is an internal discussion in the department, but we need your blessing to let those of us trained to continue what we love in our new roles."

Roy took a breath. "Just over two months ago, my current crew and I faced a very similar situation to the one that was just described for you…."

Meg shocked him before Roy could say anything else when she stood up with an antsy Rich in her arms. "Mister President, may I address this meeting?" She asked in a professional tone.

Roy was stunned as he turned at the sound of her voice. The council President said, "Ma'am, Captain Desoto is speaking."

Roy quickly spoke. "It's okay, Sir. I was just about to describe the call that involved Miss. Meg and the little boy she has in her arms, her son Rich."

"Then you yes, ma'am, you may."

Meg walked from the seats up to Roy. Almost immediately, Rich reached for the stunned Captain, who gladly took him. Rich grinned. "Good morning Mister Roy; I'm feeling all better."

"I can see that, my friend, and I am so glad," the shock was evident in Roy's voice.

Meg addressed the confused looks of the council members. "It was the end of April when Rich and I stopped by a food truck for lunch before we headed to the park. As luck would have it, Roy and his crew and Officer Vince Howard pulled into the same food truck. They were hungry and slightly tired by the looks I saw as they passed Rich and me playing by the truck. Yet, they all stopped to say hi to us before retreating to the bumper of their truck to eat their food."

Meg took a breath, and Roy laid a calming hand on her arm before she continued. "Thankfully, while they ate, they were constantly aware of their surroundings. You see, while Rich and I were playing, we found an angry hill of fire ants. They didn't think twice about attacking my son, who screamed out and then collapsed. When he went down, I screamed at the top of my lungs. The next thing I knew, Roy and his crew were by my side. After asking for emergency permission to treat, he took Rich from me. Officer Howard led me to his car while Roy sprinted back to the truck."

Roy picked up the story. "As soon as we were on board, I had my lineman contact dispatch and let them know we were transporting Rich. The nearest squad was too far away to safely reach us in time as he was quickly going into anaphylactic shock. My training kicked in, and I did what I could for him, but without the proper medications, we nearly lost him. He stopped breathing just as we pulled into the parking lot of Rampart General Hospital."

Roy took a breath. "Thankfully, Doctor Brackett was waiting for us with the needed medications and oxygen therapy. It took quite a while, but they were able to reverse the effects of the bites."

Meg spoke up again as she laid her hands on Rich. "If Roy weren't there, I'd have lost my boy that day. The fight was harder when this skilled man lacked the simple tools that could be stored aboard the truck for these situations. As you consider the passage of this bill, please put yourself in my shoes. What would you want if it was your family member in a medical crisis? To paraphrase what I overheard Roy say that day, how many more people's lives have to be put at risk before we realize how important these cross-trained men are?"

The room went quiet as the group considered Meg's emotional plea. After a few moments, Roy spoke up. "While you consider those two fundamental questions, I want to ask Captain John Gage to come up and address you."

Roy turned and walked with Meg back to the seats. He whispered to Rich, "Go to your mom for a bit, my friend."

The young boy nodded and quickly went back to Meg, who was welcomed into the heart of the group.

As they settled in, Johnny stood and caught Roy's eyes. The duo shared a more extended version of their traditional look before Roy sat down next to Pam. Pam had Roy on her left and Hank on her right, with Chet and Marco in front of her. It was clear she wasn't going anywhere; she didn't want to during the presentation. A quick nod from Pam and the others and Johnny finally walked up to the center of the floor.

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Johnny took a breath and, like Roy, made contact with each person before speaking. "Good afternoon, my name is John Gage. Like Doug and Roy, I was part of the paramedic program before I took my current post. Roy is the one who recruited me into the program before becoming my partner for seven years. I come to you with two very personal stories to support the need for this program."

"You see, folks, I am the living embodiment and poster child for the importance of paramedicine aboard an engine or truck. As a paramedic, I was bitten on the ankle by an angry rattlesnake after rescuing a tractor driver. He had responded to the scene of a small brush fire. Roy was already on the way to the hospital with the driver when I was bit. Thankfully, the squad was still on the scene. With the assistance of my then Captain, now Chief, and the engine crew, I was able to be transported while starting my own IV in an attempt to keep my veins open,"

"During the trip, my mouth became numb as the venom started affecting me, and Captain Stanley had to take over the radio transmissions. Thankfully, I did not react to the serum and responded well to the treatment, but I can promise you if the engine weren't on the scene when I was bit, I wouldn't be standing here right now."

The brutal honesty of the comment made Lauren shudder in Jamie's arms.

One of the council members asked, "Captain Gage, was it the medicine or the engine that saved your life that day?"

"Both, sir."

Several people wrote notes before another person spoke. "You said you had a second incident to share with us."

Johnny took a deep breath as he took a folded piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it before he continued. His voice became solemn as he spoke. "That I do, folks, before I get into what happened. I want you to take a look at the side-by-side comparison page in your booklet."

"Page ten," Kel called out from the seats.

The members flipped to the requested page before Johnny instructed them. "Now read over those comparisons."

"This is just a double of the same report," one member spoke with a slight snark in his voice.

Johnny took a breath and spoke in a very professional, matter-of-fact tone. "No, Sir, they are not. That is the direct comparison between two incidents where the victims suffered the same injuries with different scenes and outcomes."

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Johnny took another long breath before he turned and locked eyes with Roy, Pam, and Lauren. He mouthed, 'I'm sorry, I know this will hurt,' before he addressed the council. "On the left, you'll see information from a September 22, 1973 case. The right-hand side has information from a call that went out at two in the morning on March 6, 1976."

"The information is so similar. It's hard to imagine these are two different cases."

"Trust me, Sir, I understand that you see I was part of both. I was one of the responding paramedics for the first case. It was myself and Roy. We were working the B shift with the rest of our crew from station 51. The second call, I was the victim."

A stunned gasp filled the chamber. The room was quiet for a few minutes while the council looked over the notes. Finally, after a few minutes, one of the council members spoke. "Wait, if you were the victim for the second case, what happened to the first victim?"

Johnny took a deep breath and swallowed hard before he responded. "Officer Drew Burke was hit as he tried to perform his job on the side of the Alameda Freeway. It took Roy and me approximately five minutes to reach him, and he succumbed to his injuries minutes after we got him into the skilled hands of Doctor Kelly Brackett at Rampart. He was twenty-six at the time of his death, leaving behind his young wife and then four-year-old daughter."

Pam stood up and said, "Johnny, may I?"

"Please."

Pam slowly walked toward Johnny, buoyed by the invisible strength of her friends. She made it to Johnny's side and looked over the council. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Pamela Burke. I am Officer Drew Burke's widow. Our daughter Emily would have been here today, but she is preparing to follow her father's footsteps in a cross country meet."

Pam walked over to the council President. "Mister President, this is Drew. I know that Johnny, Roy, and all those involved with his care did everything they could to save his life. My husband lived in and fought for this county every day, please if for no other reason than his memory please…." Pam took a breath and squeezed Johnny's hand. "Please let our paramedics keep their certifications even when they decide to take the next step in their careers. It is no secret that there will never be enough medical professionals in a county as large as this one. Heaven knows they can use all the help they can get. Don't let highly trained men have to make the gut-wrenching choice between saving our citizens and bettering themselves. That's a question they should never have to face."

Pam went quiet as she wiped at her suddenly wet eyes.

President Park swallowed as the emotions of Johnny's speech were catching up to him. He took a second before he spoke. "Captain Gage?"

"Sir?'

"Why do you think you survived your accident and officer Burke did not?"

"The fact that the squad was right there was the only thing that saved me: that and some help from above. When you look at the paperwork, I shouldn't have. The only difference between the two scenes was Roy was at my side as soon as I hit the ground. If it were not for the actions that he took and the emergency surgery performed by Doctor Joe Early to remove my spleen in the emergency room, I would not be here talking to you right now. I would not be a very proud Captain and planning my wedding with my fiancé. I would not be an uncle or able to help those who need it." Johnny's voice was full of honesty and cored emotion as he answered the question.

The room once again went silent except for a gasp from Lauren. The sound made Johnny snap around. The emotional woman quickly waved him off as if to say, 'I'll be okay until you're done.' Johnny nodded and mouthed, 'I love you,' before he turned back around.

"Does anyone else have any further questions for Pam or myself?"

Nobody said anything. Johnny smiled lightly, "In that case, I ask Batallion 14 Chief Hank Stanley to come up and round out our presentation today. Chief."

Johnny and Pam turned around and started back toward their seats. Hank slowly walked up and replaced them after a quick handshake with Johnny.

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As Hank also took a moment to make eye contact with the council, Johnny took Lauren in his arms and softly whispered in her ear until she calmed down.

Hank took a breath and then spoke. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Let me start by thanking our esteemed hosts for letting us make our presentation today. My name is Hank Stanley. I am currently the Chief of Battalion 14 with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. My experience with the paramedic program began the day I started as a Captain at Station 51 when I was introduced to the A shift paramedics Roy Desoto and John Gage. Throughout the seven years, I was their captain, and I saw them save people from situations that just months before the program was introduced would have been fatal."

Hank took a breath. "I saw the importance of the engine and medics working together as we transported several cardiac cases. While the engine was flying through the streets, they were actively working on a patient and saved the majority of those cases. Yes, it was also the engine that transported Johnny after his snake bite."

Hank took another breath. "One other story to paint the need for this program happened at our station. After dinner, the men and I were relaxing when a young woman brought her elderly father to the station because he wasn't feeling well. I don't have a medical background, but I could tell it was a more serious case, and unfortunately, I was right. As the gentlemen walked across the station to go to the bathroom, he collapsed from a heart attack."

"Now, all of our engine crews are given some first aid training and CPR. However, CPR was unsuccessful when it was first started. I doubt the man would have survived if it wasn't for the squad being at the station. They had the medications and equipment to save him where mere CPR would have failed. As you consider our proposal today, I will leave you with an important question to consider. What would you want if it was your family member who had passed out at the station? Would you want a regular engine crew that has minimal training or a paramedic crew that has a fully-trained medic on board with the proper medications and equipment?"

One last breath and Hank finished, "With that, I want to thank you once again for listening to our presentation. We look forward to hearing your decision soon."

Hank answered a few questions before the council members stood and clapped before President Park addressing the room. "First of all, gentlemen, I want to thank each of you for the powerful presentation you have made today. I know there are several parts of it I will never forget. Secondly, I ask that you step out of the chambers for a little while as we discuss this critical issue. I will have the police officer posted outside our doors find you after we have reached a decision. Please feel free to get some air, as I know this was an emotional time for everyone. Thank you again. We will get back to you quickly."

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The group got up and left the chambers. Lauren had calmed down, but Johnny was still on an emotional edge as they stepped out of the chambers. Roy took one look at his best friend's body language and asked, "Lauren, you mind?"

"Not at all, Roy."

Roy walked over and put both of his hands on johnny's shoulders as the shaken man's eyes began to dart. "Junior, what do you need?"

Johnny coughed, "Not sure if it's water or air, my head is spinning right now."

"You didn't look at the paper before this morning, did you?"

Johnny gulped, "N…no Kel gave it to me. I kept it folded and put it in my pocket as soon as I got home."

Hank looked over, "Adam, can you get me a wet paper towel and somebody see if we can find some water."

Kel spoke up. "Hank, I've got water in the car for everybody."

"Okay. If you need the restroom, by all means, when you are done, please join us outside. Understood?"

"Yes, Chief," was the resounding reply from the group.

Those who needed the bathroom split off from the group. The others walked outside. Johnny and Roy led them to the tree where the golden eagle was still perched.

Roy looked over, "Mike."

Mike jogged over. "Whatcha need?"

"Help me sit him down."

The duo worked together to get Johnny on the ground carefully. The others quickly circled up with Victor, Marco, and Bryan close if their Captain needed something.

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Roy looked Johnny in the eye, "Breathe, Junior, you did it. Drew would be proud of you. Hell, we're all proud of you. Breathe and take the time you need to process that paper."

Johnny leaned into Roy and started shaking. "I….I never realized we were mirrors of each other. I damn near lost my breakfast when I looked at them side-by-side."

"Why do you think I begged you to hang on?" Roy's voice was thick. "I knew it the moment I examined you."

Hank knelt with a newly arrived bottle of water and the wet paper towel. "Johnny, to say we are all proud of you is an understatement. Drink this and let your mind settle. We left that level of hell on that street last night. You've made it, and damn, you did an amazing job for all of us today. It's time to realize you are here for a reason; do what you need to relax."

Johnny reached out and hugged Hank tightly before he took the water, nodded, and opened it. He drank it slowly as his mind and stomach settled. The emotions in the group began to lift as the slightly overcast sky turned a brilliant blue.

As he started to relax, Johnny got back to his feet, and the group made small talk among themselves. While nervous, they knew they had put everything they had on the table. Now it was time to wait.

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The council decided not to torture the group for as long as ninety minutes after leaving the chambers; the guard brought them back inside. Rather than sitting down, everyone, including the civilians, stayed on their feet. They were too nervous to sit.

President Park smiled at Kel. "Doctor Kelly Brackett, it is my honor, Sir, to let you know that your program has been approved for the next fiscal year. Starting October 1, the paramedics can begin their training to fulfill your new Paramedic Engine program."

The crowd cheered loudly. President Park waited until the group settled before he finished. "By the way, Doctor Brackett, happy birthday."

Kel smiled and spoke with honesty, "Thank you, President Park. This was the only thing I wanted for my birthday this year."

"You're quite welcome. Our meeting is now adjourned; I hope everyone has a wonderful day."

The crowd cheered again before they left the chambers.

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An informal celebration was held at Joe's house to celebrate the passing of the program. When they returned to Hank's, Johnny called Emily to let her know the excellent news. She, in turn, told him she had broken her personal best in practice that day. This added to the excitement in the air as the group gathered for a meal before saying good night to each other. They wanted to enjoy one more off the day before returning to work to welcome in August.

Special Note: Thank you for reading. Please stay tuned for Part 4, the final part of my Changes Series