Chapter Fifteen

Roy heard his radio crackle in his pocket, he pulled it out and raised the antenna. "HT 51, please repeat."

"Snorkel 110 to HT 51, we're ready for another load, we've brought another harness with us, we'll send it if you drop your line."

"HT 51 we copy." Roy replied, instead of putting it back in his pocket, he clipped it to his harness. "Johnny, you hear?" he asked. Roy decided not to tell him about her, letting him find out on his own.

"Yep, that's great." He was taking another count and thinking about how they would unload people now with access to three harnesses. The light on his helmet shined on the people as he looked over them. Suddenly, the moving light froze. It froze on her. Roy noticed and stopped what he was doing, walking over to his partner, putting his hand on his shoulder. Johnny visibly jumped, then turned to face Roy. Roy squinted at the light. "Sorry." John murmured, covering the light.

Roy lowered his voice, "You okay? Can you keep going?" Johnny swallowed then nodded.

"Let's get outta here." he said, his voice steady.

"I'm gonna drop the line for the harnesses, you wanna get the next person out?" Roy suggested. John nodded and they went about their tasks.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Soon, another trio of people were successfully on their way to the ground. The next group included her. When the snorkel returned and the harnesses were ready, Roy walked up to her car. He politely inquired their names, repeating his process.

"My name's Jane, and this is Paul." Jane said, introducing the two.

Roy nodded, "We'll get you out first Paul, since you're closer to me." Now talking to Paul directly he said. "I'm going to undo the bar and then we're going to put you in a harness okay?" Paul shakily nodded as Roy used the key to loosen the bar. He had Paul lean forward and put his arms over Roy's neck as Roy strapped the harness. "You're doing great Paul." Roy said encouragingly, when he felt the man shaking. When the last buckle was done, he said "You're secured and not gonna fall, my partner tied the ropes." he added, hoping the lame joke would cheer the man. It didn't, he kept shaking. Roy felt John behind him, holding another harness for Jane. As Roy coaxed Paul out of the roller coaster car, John took Paul's hands and helped him stand on the steps next to the tracks.

"Stand here for a second," John said. He watched as Paul clutched the railing separating him and the 130-foot drop. "You'll be fine, the harness will keep you from falling."

Johnny looked up at Roy, he was helping Jane into a harness and out of her seat. He started breathing quicker, then told himself to stop and focus. He took a deep breath, thankful his partner was getting Jane out. He wasn't sure if she had recognized them, or if she even would. "I suppose I would be touch preoccupied if I were stuck at the top of a roller coaster." he admitted. He ignored all his emotions and focused on the task at hand. He double checked that Paul's harness was clipped to their work line before turning around to help Roy.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Jane followed the firefighter's instructions, she thought he looked familiar, but couldn't place him. Out of her seat, she was feeling a bit exposed. The wind blew against her face, making her feel as though she would be blown right off. She grasped the hand of the firefighter, the light from his helmet blinding her. She looked down at his shoes, trying to clear her vision. She felt him grab the back of her harness and she felt more secure, "He's not going to let me fall." She thought. He helped her walk her over to Paul and clipped her harness onto a rope line. Paul looked at Jane in fear, thankful a familiar face was nearby. The man with the helmet light double checked her and Paul's harness before turning back away. As he turned away, she recognized his profile as her own. "It's him." she breathed. "I wonder if he knows it's me…" she thought.

"What?" Paul asked.

"It's the guy that showed up when…" she trailed off, holding her hand up. Paul nodded. She hadn't told anyone else of her discovery, wishing to keep it to herself. She wondered if John Gage had recognized her.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

John reached out and grabbed another person from Roy, "That's the last one for this group Roy." he reminded his partner. Roy nodded and followed the rescued and the rescuer. There were now three nervous looking people standing in harnesses and awaiting instructions. Roy and Johnny glanced at each other, making sure they were on the same page. They were. Roy updated the snorkel crew and Johnny switched the one man's line from the secure line, to the lowering line. "Ready Roy?" he asked, as he put the rope through the pulley system for the eighth time that night. Roy raised his hand to John as a yes and John began explaining what was going to happen. Soon the roller coaster rider was over the railing and safely with the snorkel's cage. Johnny moved his attention to Jane. "Okay Jane," he said voice steady, "I'm gonna switch your line from this one," he held the rope in his hand, "To this one. This one's attached to a pulley so Roy an' I can lower you to the snorkel. It's about ten feet below us okay?" She nodded timidly. John noted that if she had recognized him, she didn't let it show. Until.

"Thanks John." John looked up at her and covered the light on his helmet.

"Hello again." he said somewhat awkwardly.

"Hey." she said back looking down.

"Sorry we're meeting like this again." he said as he switched her rope lines, back to work. She began to reply but John cut her off, he was strictly business. "Roy and I are going to lower you down now. Don't thrash around and don't touch any of the ropes except this one." he said rather seriously pointing at the rope she could touch. She nodded and watched as he handled the ropes without any hesitation, he was clearly comfortable in this crazy environment.