Captain Stanley clicked on his HT and contacted dispatch. "Dispatch this is 51, what is the E.T.A. of the requested squad?"

'51; E.T.A. is eight minutes.'

"10-4."

Johnny slowly began to stir, his heavy eyes opening and struggling to focus on the thick tree tops and leaves that were suddenly overhead. "Roy?" He tried to sit up but was promptly met by his Captain's hands on his shoulders, forcing him to lay back. He focused on his Captain's face. "Cap? What's going on?"

"Easy pal!" He coaxed his often zealous colleague to relax. "You're out of the squad, so is Roy."

"Roy?" Johnny suddenly remembered the accident. "Where is he?" He tried to sit up again.

"Relax Johnny! Lay down, we're taking care of him. He's right next to you."

Unable to turn his head because of the c-collar Johnny propped himself upright on his good arm and saw his partner laying unconscious on the backboard, blood covering his face and beginning to run from his mouth. "Roy!" His hand instinctively reached out and grabbed Roy's wrist to check for a pulse.

"Johnny, listen to me." Captain Stanley was struggling to get Johnny to calm down. "We're taking care of him and you. You're no longer paramedics, you're now victims of an auto accident. Let the nice firemen do their jobs."

Reluctantly Johnny cooperated with his Captain's request and laid back down. "How bad?" He asked as he began to shiver.

"Pretty bad."

Mike, Chet and Marco returned to their Captain and downed colleagues with the portable oxygen, a few temporary splints and drugbox. When Chet saw that Johnny was conscious he made sure to hide his relief, he didn't want his concern to affect their 'special' form of friendship.

Captain Stanley resumed contact with Rampart. "Rampart, this is 51."

'Go ahead 51.' Dr. Brackett answered the line again.

"Rampart victim one is now conscious. He is alert and coherent, but is now seemingly going into shock."

'10-4, 51. Start victim on oxygen as soon as possible, two liters and get a blood pressure reading for both victims.'

"10-4."

Marco had overheard the orders and taken the liberty of placing the oxygen masks over his colleagues' faces. Chet found the B.P. cuff in the drugbox and wrapped it around Johnny's bicep first.

"Cap." Chet finished taking the reading. "B.P. is 110/70."

"Rampart," Captain Stanley relayed the information. "B.P. on victim one is 110/70."

'51, is there an rigidity in the victim's abdomen?'

"Stand by."

Mike carefully proceeded to check Johnny's abdomen with gentle pressure and palpitations. He shook his head 'no'.

"Negative Rampart."

'Has the arm been splinted?'

"Currently in the process of splinting now."

Marco took the temporary cardboard splint and proceeded to stabilize Johnny's arm. Despite using careful, precise movement the experience was painful. Johnny gritted his teeth and held his breath while his arm was being tended to.

During this assessment Chet checked Roy's B.P. while Mike checked for internal bleeding.

Marco finished the splinting process. "Hey Cap, there's a lot of bruising and swelling in his forearm."

"Rampart the arm has been splinted, there's significant bruising and swelling in the forearm."

'51, is the victim in pain?'

Johnny shook his head 'no', not because he wasn't in pain but because he didn't want his senses dulled. His instincts as a paramedic often overwrote his instinct for self preservation.

"Victim says no."

Dr. Brackett had gotten to know Johnny pretty well over the years and knew that he was going to be too stubborn to admit his pain. '10-4, 51. Do have a B.P. for victim two?'

Chet looked over to his captain. "100/70."

"B.P. on victim two is 100/70."

Mike gave further information on Roy's condition. "Cap, his abdomen is mildly rigid."

Captain Stanley sighed before relaying the latest set of vitals to Rampart. "Rampart, victim two has a B.P. of 100/70 and has mild rigidity in the abdomen."

In the distance the sound of approaching sirens caught everyone's attention.

'51, victim two may be going into hypovolemic shock. Can you use apply anti-shock trousers?'

Captain Stanley looked toward Mike.

"Sorry Cap, they were destroyed in the wreck." He was opening two pouches containing new yellow blankets.

"Negative Rampart."

'Do you have an updated E.T.A. on the squad?'

"Not currently, Rampart."

'10-4 51, use blankets to keep victim two warm until the squad arrives.'

"Cap!" Chet was draping a yellow blanket over Roy when he noticed a change in his condition. "Roy's stopped breathing!"

...to be continued...