**Author's Note at the End**
It took a week before Johnny was ready to go home, of course home meant to the Desoto's house, not Johnny's apartment. In the meantime, however, two more firemen had been shot. One was from Station 36, one B-shift with just a graze across the arm. His turnout coat had protected him from further damage. The other was from Station 99, from the A-shift. He had taken a bullet in the chest, the bullet had missed the heart by centimeters. The bullet lodged into the right lung, and he was in critical condition, but was expected to live.
New procedures were put in place to help protect more firemen from the serial killer the media had dubbed the Firemen Sniper. Any call that seemed suspicious would have to wait for police assistance. Since the killer had not had any interest in the drugs the paramedic units carried, they left those in place for the time being. There was no leads for right now, Charlie had been good at concealing himself. The police and fire department personnel could only hope that Charlie would make a huge mistake and give them a lead.
The next shift Roy arrived early. Even though he considered Johnny to be like a brother to him, Johnny could still drive him crazy. But Roy knew the reason why Johnny was driving everyone crazy was because he wanted to go home and be back at work. Roy's daughter, Jennifer, had been playing with Johnny since the moment he had arrived. According to her Uncle Johnny was the only one who played Barbies right.
Roy had gotten Brice as a replacement this shift. The last shift he had gotten Charlie Dwyer, and the shift before that he had gotten Bob Bellingham. Brice was Roy's least favorite person the work with. Brice pointed out every little thing that was not done by the handbook. It drove Roy crazy, with the time wasted alphabetizing the drug box and locking the compartment doors, but Roy also knew that the shift was only 24 hours, then he could go home to his wife.
Cap called roll call, and gave the assigned chores. Brice was given latrine duty, while Roy was given doors. Cap must have knew that Roy would need time to himself because of his temporary partner of the day. But before Roy and Brice could start working, the tones sounded, calling them to a gunshot victim. Pulling up to the scene, Roy could tell that another fire-fighter had been shot. The victim this time was a lineman from Station 43, and Roy could tell it was a bad one. There was already a large puddle of blood surrounding the lineman.
Roy and Brice worked hard to stabilize the lineman. Roy did not know the guy real well, but he knew that the guy's last name was Smith, and that he had a wife and two kids with a third one the way. Doctor Brackett had ordered an IV of D5W-tko and Roy had to keep pressure on the wound, it looked like an artery was nicked. After delivering Smith to Rampart, he made Dixie promise to update him on the man's condition, good or bad. All Roy could do now was pray, pray that Smith would not become the first victim of the Firemen Sniper.
Charlie clipped out another article from the day's newspaper. When he saw the first article, the one covering the shooting of the Indian, Charlie just had to keep it. It was not in his plan at first, but seeing the article just made him want to keep it. Taking his third beer of the day out of the refrigerator, he thought about all he had done for his beloved wife, Anna. She had been taken him from him too soon. Those firemen were paying for all that he lost.
**Sorry there hasn't been more action in the last couple chapters. I promise that there will be more action and more about the guys in the next chapter.**