It's Not My Job
These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I am done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home
"Three things cannot be hidden, the sun, the moon and the truth." Confucius.
Johnny pointed, shaking his finger. "Exactly how are we supposed to move that thing?"
"I've called the curator of the exhibit but he didn't answer the phone." The security officer offered, also wondering what in the world they were gonna do for that danged fooled kid.
The child looked to be about 13 years old. He was lying on his side facing away from them without any signs of movement seen. Johnny decided to try and find out if he was just trapped or hurt and trapped. "Hey, if you can hear me I don't want you to move around but move your hand for me." There was no response from the still body.
"She won't hurt her." The voice behind them startled all of them. They turned around to find a police officer holding onto a scrawny looking boy who looked to be about 15.
Roy for a moment ignored the boys statement, "Who's down there?"
"Don't know," he answered smugly.
"Look your already in deep on this so just answer his question." The officer said pulling the back of his shirt a little tighter.
Johnny pointed at the other kid, "Did you say she? Well she's hurt bad enough that she's unconscious. You need to tell us what's going on so we can try to save her life." Johnny had no patience for this boy.
That seemed enough to rattle the kid, "It was all Billy's fault. That's her brother he dared her to go in. Her name is Sam, uh Samantha."
"Did you see her fall?" Roy asked.
He shook his head, "She tried to climb down but fell. I got scared when the elephant grabbed her and dragged her over there. There was a lot of blood."
Johnny and Roy both cringed at the description of blood, it never meant anything good.
"So you just decided to leave her there?" The officer scolded him.
"Billy said he was going for help." The boy started to cry. He was scared now, the big man attitude was gone facing the fact that the youngest of the midnight raiding party might be hurt badly.
Hank stepped up now, "Ok let's just figure out how to get her out of there. " Looking at the guard, "Anyway we can get to her from the building?"
"I don't' have access to that building, besides all the other elephants are in there too."
When Johnny heard the word 'blood' he had already started strapping on his harness. "Cap, we don't know where she's bleeding from. We need to get to her fast." Hank had thought about cutting into the building doors but knew that would take time. He would trust John's judgment call on this one.
The boy spoke up again, "Margo, her name is Margo. She's Sam's favorite animal at the zoo. We came here this summer for camp and Sam got to help take care of her."
Johnny made sure he had the backpack kit and the HT as he turned to Hank. "Cap, I can't take Roy with me, he had just told me before we left that he's hurting from the warehouse this morning. I'll take him to Rampart as soon as I get the girl out." Before waiting for Hank to reply he turned to Roy, "Stay here, set up the biophone and I will radio her vitals and condition to you. Chet come with me." Johnny was making it clear for Roy to not move.
"Be careful Junior," he replied. Then added with a smirk on his face, "Don't let Margo sit on you."
He shot him a crooked smile. "No problem partner. I'll be back in a minute for my second patient."
The other men watched the exchange then looked at each other. Only Chet knew a little more about how bad Roy was hurting. Everyone else had an uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs but couldn't figure out what it was about. He moved to get hooked up onto the safety line preparing to follow Johnny down into the pit.
The young boy knew he was in trouble and since he really didn't want anything to happen to Sam decided to try and help as much as possible. "The zoo keeper always said to approach her slowly. You have to wait for her to give her permission to get near Sam."
Roy set up the biophone on the bench next to the fence and sat down. The rush of adrenaline gave him energy but he knew it wouldn't last. But for the first time he wasn't worried. He knew that Johnny would take care of him in just a few minutes.
"Rampart this is Squad 51, do you read?" Roy called in.
"10-4 51, go ahead." Roy recognized Dixie's voice.
"Rampart, we have a female victim of a fall, 13 years old. She is currently trapped and we do not have access to her. This call is for notification only. We will send vitals as soon as we can reach her."
"10-4 51. Standing by."
Mike and Marco took the other ends of the ropes and held fast as Johnny and Chet moved down to the first ledge. They looked at the barrier that separated them from Margo and Sam. It was an easy 15 foot drop to reach the main ground level of the enclosure. Johnny moved first to repeal down the wall, doing so effortlessly. Chet followed right behind them. Marco then secured the stokes to the rope and lowered it down to them. Johnny tried to keep his eye on the Sam and Margo the whole time.
The lighting was basically by moonlight alone inside the elephant den but Chet could see the smeared dark blood that seems to go from the wall to the elephant. "Johnny." When he turned Chet pointed down.
"Great," was all Johnny said but it was enough for Chet to know that there was too much blood on the ground.
Slowly they approached Margo but Johnny paused when the large animal started shifting her weight back and forth. "Easy does it there Margo." He took a few more steps closer, "we just want to help her."
Everyone watched Johnny approaching then Hank almost jumped when he watched Margo raise her front leg up. Fearing the worst everyone held their breath.
Johnny saw the leg rise and stopped moving. With amazement he saw Margo lower her head as she moved one foot at a time until she had moved away from the little girl. Chet and Johnny moved forward quicker as Margo wandered off, no longer interested in what was happening.
Everyone else took a deep breath and continued to watch the rescue. The two men approached the little girl on the ground noting she was still unconscious. The first thing Johnny noticed was the misshapen right leg with an obvious compound fracture. That was where all the blood was coming from. He moved beside her quickly, took off his backpack and reached for a pulse. Chet took the blood pressure cuff out of the kit and started taking a BP. Taking an assessment of the young patient he called it in to Roy.
"Roy, she's unconscious and unresponsive to painful stimuli. Pupils are unequal, uh, there's fluid in both ears. She has a bad laceration to the back of her head that's bleeding heavily. I've got a pressure dressing to it. Pulse is 70, BP 60/40, respirations are 10. Her breathing is shallow. She has a compound fib fracture that's bad; it must have nicked an artery because it's bleeding heavily. There's already significant loss here. "
Roy reconnected with Rampart and relayed all information. He knew the girl was critical, she was bleeding to death.
"51. Use spinal precautions. Start IV of D5LR. Give oxygen 10 liters and watch for further depression in her breathing. Insert esophageal airway if needed. Transport as soon as possible." Roy relayed the care details to Johnny and they watched as the two got busy stabilizing Sam as much as possible. Marco leaned over the fencing working any needed supplies down to Chet.
The others watched and waited. Hank glanced over to Mike and noticed his intent stare at Roy. "Problem Mike?" Hank asked.
Mike didn't take his eyes off of Roy as he shook his head. "Don't know Cap. Does Roy look ok to you?"
Hank looked over to the paramedic. It was dark out but he could see the pale color, the look of exhaustion in his face. Moving over to the bench Roy looked up, "They should be up soon Cap, is the ambulance here?"
Hank looked to the security guard who shook his head no. Roy also saw the response and didn't need his Cap to answer him. He looked back down towards Johnny. They were loading the little girl into the stokes.
Hank looked back at Mike to see the lines of worry on his face. Looking back at Roy he also felt an anxiety he couldn't push aside. "Roy."
Roy looked up to see Mike and Hank looking at him with the same look Johnny had earlier.
"Yea Cap."
Hank thought about the two men in the bathroom before they left then Johnny taking Chet on the rescue leaving Roy behind. "I want to know what's going on."
Roy knew his Cap was worried and he really didn't have the energy to put up any kind of brave front. "Cap I got sick tonight that's why Johnny was up. The pain in my back has gotten really bad." Roy sighed.
Suddenly Hank was feeling grave concern for Roy. Although he said he 'hurt' his back Hank felt like it was something much more serious. He looked down and saw Chet and Johnny approaching the wall with the stokes.
"Marco, Mike get um up here." Hank directed. Then back at Roy, "You, don't move." He picked up the HT.
"LA Engine 51, can you give an estimate on our ambulance? Also I have a Code I at this location."
Mike and Marco both looked up at the radio call.
"51, ambulance ETA is 2 minutes."
"10-4."
Chet pulled up first then assisted with the stokes, followed by Johnny. They parked the stokes right next to Roy.
"How's she doing Johnny?"
"Not good. Her pressure has stabilized some with fluids but she'd already lost so much blood." He looked up at Roy. "Another 20mins and she would have been a Code F." Roy shook his head.
Johnny stood up and looked at Roy. "Ok partner, no more." He turned to Marco, "Marco I need another stokes right away."
Marco hesitated for just a moment as the implication sunk in then started running.
"Cap, can you give me a hand here." Johnny reached behind Roy to help him up and surprised everyone when he didn't protest his younger partner's bossy attitude. Hank moved forward and reached around Roy's waist to support him also until Roy yelled when Hank's arm touched his back. Momentarily startled Hank stepped back then quickly grabbed his belt buckle to ease him down to the sidewalk.
"Is anyone gonna tell me what's going on here?" Hank barked.
Johnny spoke as the pointed for Chet to get his pressure while he obtained his pulse quickly. "Cap, the fire this morning."
Hank interrupted him, "Yea Roy told me that part. What kind of back injury does he have?"
"I don't know for sure Cap but I think he has internal injuries." Johnny was writing down his vital signs.
He then reached for the biophone. "Rampart this is 51."
"Go ahead 51" Brackett was at the radio now.
"Rampart, the girl's BP is now 90/50, pulse 110. We have her prepared for transport with ambulance pulling up now. I now have a second victim. Fireman injured this morning that now has severe back and abdominal pain with bruising and contusions to his right flank, around to his right side. Pulse is 130. BP is 80/50. He is pale and diaphoretic. He is conscious and oriented."
"10-4 51. On victim 2 start an IV of LR and transport as soon as possible. 51, who is the fireman?"
"Doc, its Roy." Brackett froze. This morning's fire? He quickly ran through his mind Roy's exam. He didn't complain about back pain. What did he miss?
Roy felt an overwhelming wave of nausea and started to roll over but couldn't. Mike was at his side and helped him roll over on his side. The anxiety level increased when they saw him throw up blood.
"Rampart. 51. Victim 2 is now throwing up blood."
"10-4 51."
As Johnny finished the ambulance attendants came up the path with a stretcher. They loaded Sam up first then Mike and Hank picked up Roy and followed the stretcher to the parking lot. Marco and Chet were right behind them with the medic's boxes.
Loading up the two patients Johnny started to climb in but felt Hank's hand on his shoulder, "John, is he going to be ok?"
"I hope so Cap." Was all Johnny could answer but found himself shaking. His dream again came to the surface but at least he could say that Roy was in a lot better condition for this ambulance ride than the one of his dream.
"Marco, take the squad in. We'll meet you there." Hank directed. They all just wanted to get there and make sure Roy was ok. That he was still alive.
Johnny kept checking vital signs on the girl concerned that her breathing was becoming erratic.
"Johnny?" It was Roy, he turned to him.
"Yea Roy?"
"Is she gonna make it?"
"I don't know but she wouldn't have had a chance if we hadn't of come. How did you know?"
Roy closed his eyes. "I didn't, just a gut feeling with kids I guess."
Johnny patted his shoulder, "Hang in there buddy, we're almost there."
Roy gave him a smile then drifted off to sleep not seeing Johnny place an airway and begin breathing for Sam.
Upon arrival to the ER they were greeted by Dixie and Brackett. Dixie was shaken by seeing Roy in the stokes but the look on Johnny's face was more concerning to her. "Treatment 2 for her, take him to 1." Johnny moved forward with the little girl while the orderlies moved Roy to his room. Johnny's first priority was to the child until he released her to Brackett. Moving into the room he gave a report about what had happened.
"An elephant?" Dixie asked. Why did elephants seem familiar to her?
"Just don't ask Roy about it is all. Hey can I go now doc, I wanna check on him." Brackett knew there was no holding him back so he released him to go to his friend's side.
Joe Early came into the girl's room and got a quick report. Skull fracture, significant blood loss but she was here and she was alive. They prepared her for surgery.
Meanwhile in Roy's room Johnny watched as Brackett came in and examined Roy. His vitals were holding stable but Johnny could see the very displeased look on his face when he palpated his abdomen. "Well I hope the reason for avoiding admission was worth it. How long were you planning on waiting this out? Until you collapsed at the station?"
Johnny cringed at the site from his nightmare. "Doc I just found out about it tonight, found him in the locker room about to fall over."
Knowing they had done a rescue, "And how long ago was that?" He was getting mad now.
"About an hour ago, doc. I was ready to bring him in right there from the locker room but we got the call for the little girl."
Roy was weak but interrupted him, "Doc, yes worth it and it was my fault. I knew the nearest next squad was 20 minutes away and was afraid a child wouldn't have that much time."
Brackett shook his head. "Well this time you were right. She would have never made it that long. She's very critical now, on her way to surgery."
The x-ray tech entered with the films and Johnny and Brackett walked over to the view box to look at them. "Lungs look ok, there are 2 cracked ribs down here." He walked back over to Roy's side. "We're going to have to operate Roy. You're bleeding some internally and I'm afraid you're only going to deteriorate if we don't do it now."
Johnny was rattled, "Surgery?" He didn't know if he could take another surgery.
"It's better to do it now Johnny while his vitals are stable and the blood loss doesn't seem to be severe yet."
Roy closed his eyes. "Do what you have to doc." Then looking at him, "I just want to be around to see my kids again."
"You'll be ok Roy." Johnny stood beside him looking at Brackett for reassurance.
Bracket t nodded, "He's gonna be ok. Despite all his protesting you got him here in time. Now go update everyone and I will let you know as soon as he's out of surgery."
Johnny moved into the hallway to find the A-shift family waiting on news. Hank stepped forward first, "How is he?"
"Some cracked ribs, internal bleeding. They are taking him to surgery now." He looked up at Hank, "Did you call Joanne?"
"Yea, but she's got the kids up at her mom's, can't get back till later today. I also have us 10-8 until we hear about Roy."
Hank turned around to all the guys. "Will we wait, I think we all need to sit and talk about some things."
The men settled into the waiting room for the long wait.
A.N.: Final chapter to follow. Thanks for everyone's reviews they have been immensely helpful and fun through the whole process.