Wet and Wild Wednesday (Chapter 3)
Back at Rampart, Johnny was not exactly a picture of neatness, but he certainly was cleaner than he had been when he walked into the ER. After looking in a mirror and running his hand through his thick wet hair, he sighed loudly, and headed out the door to find his partner.
As he walked into the hallway, he was met by one of the nurses, who had just gotten on duty.
"Johnny…" She called out, observing his disheveled state.
"Yeah, I know…I'm a mess. You should have seen me about 15 minutes ago. This weather is not exactly making the fire department's job any easier."
"No, I wouldn't think it would. Hey, I was wondering if you were free tomorrow night, how about dinner and a movie?"
"Sounds great, Lauren…as long as I make it through this shift in one piece. I'll call you tomorrow after I get home from my shift."
Smiling, Lauren added. "And hopefully it won't be raining anymore."
"Yeah…you and me both. See ya later."
Continuing on, Johnny walked to the staff lounge to track down his partner, and to warm up with a cup of coffee.
Looking up from the couch that he was watching TV from, Roy let out a small laugh.
"You sure look better than the last time I saw you."
"Yeah." As he poured himself a cup of coffee, Johnny nodded towards the TV. "What's the weather report for the next 24 hours?"
"Not good. The rain is supposed to continue until tomorrow."
Sighing loudly, Johnny shook his head and took his seat on the couch next to Roy.
"That stinks. I got a date with Lauren tomorrow night."
"You do? I thought you two were just friends?"
"We are…but friends DO go out together on occasion. I mean…we DO have to eat. Anyway, what's it to you?"
"Nothing. I was just curious. This rain has everyone all crazy. You…Mike…Morton…"
"Me? I'm fine. Everyone else is acting nuts. And talking about Mike…he was about to tell me what was bothering him, when Chet came into the room…then the alarms went off."
"Really? Did he give you any inkling as to what was bothering him?" Roy asked hopefully.
"I told you…Chet interrupted us before Mike could say anything."
Getting up from the couch and turning off the TV, Roy stood waiting for Johnny to do the same. "Coming?"
"I just got here. Can't a guy finish his coffee? If you recall, I almost got squashed by a house…don't you think I deserve a bit of a break?"
"I think we should make ourselves available, and head back to the station…that's what I think."
"You know what I think, Roy? I think YOU'RE grumpy too."
Taking a few more sips of his coffee, Johnny got up and walked over to the sink to dump the rest out, and rinse out the cup. Shivering a bit, he buckled up his turnout coat and got ready to follow his partner back outside into the rain.
Once inside the squad, Johnny reached for the mike.
"LA, Squad 51 available from Rampart General Hospital…ten-eight to quarters."
"Ten-four, 51."
Replacing the mike back into its holder, Johnny exhaled loudly, and settled back into his seat for the somewhat treacherous return trip back to the station.
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Back at the station, Marco was almost done with making the tacos.
Chet was sitting at the table wiping his eyes, when Hank walked into the room.
"Smells great, Marco."
"Thanks, Cap."
Noticing Chet wiping his eyes with a tissue, Hank became a little concerned.
"Chet…you okay? Despite the way some people are acting…it really is going to be okay."
"Yeah…I know that…I'm not crying because I'm upset…I'm crying because Zorro here, made me cut up the onions. It was one of the most potent onions that I ever had to cut up."
Ignoring Chet's comment, Marco asked about Mike.
"How's Mike doing?"
"I don't know. I tried to talk to him, but he shooed me away…and walked off. You two don't happen to know anything, do you?"
Chet looked down for a moment before answering, an almost apologetic look on his face.
"I know I inadvertently interrupted Mike and Johnny before we left on that last call. I guess Mike was about to spill his guts to Johnny when the alarms sounded."
Hank nodded his head, hopeful that someone just might get to the bottom of what was eating his engineer.
"Well, at least he was going to confide in someone. Maybe he'll talk to Johnny later, and we can get to the bottom of why he is so grumpy today. Chet, while you're taking care of your crocodile tears, mind setting the table, please."
"But Cap…"
"That wasn't a suggestion, Kelly…it was an order."
"But what about Mike? You mean to tell me, just because the guy is in a bad mood, he doesn't have to do any chores? Something doesn't sound right about that."
"Chet…you are beginning to walk on some very treacherous ground here."
Just as Chet got up from the table, the sound of the squad backing in could be heard.
"Roy and John are back…let them set the table."
"Chet…" Hank called out in a 'now is not the time to mess with me' kind of tone.
"Fine, I'll do it…but I'm not washing OR drying later."
In the squad, Johnny quickly wrote down their time of return to the station, on the call slip, and stuck it behind the squad visor.
Opening their doors, the two paramedics simultaneously took in the aroma coming from the squad room.
"Marco's cooking, no doubt."
"No doubt." Johnny agreed with a chuckle.
Taking their turnout coats off, they left them hanging from the outside squad mirrors, then proceeded to follow the aromatic scent.
Seeing everyone but Mike, Johnny asked about his missing friend.
"Cap…where's Mike?"
"In the dorms, I guess. Listen, Chet here mentioned that he thought that Mike was about to tell you something, when the alarms sounded…"
"We were interrupted first." Johnny replied, glaring at Chet.
"At any rate, you think you can try to talk to him now? It would go a long way in making the rest of us feel better."
"What about lunch? I AM kind of hungry."
"Nevermind lunch, John…go talk to Mike."
Looking around the room at the others, Johnny let out a loud sigh.
"Fine…I'll go talk to him, but just so you know…there's a good possibility that the window of opportunity has passed already, and he won't talk to me."
"Whatever…we'll take our chances."
Walking to the dorms, Johnny found Mike sitting up in his bed reading a magazine.
"Mike…" Johnny called out softly, not wanting to startle his friend.
Looking up, Mike was relieved to see Johnny standing there.
"Hey there, Johnny…have a seat. I was kinda hoping you'd make it back so we could talk. I really do need to tell someone about what's on my mind."
"Shoot…I'm all ears."
Sitting down on the bed next to Mike, Johnny waited anxiously to hear his friend's explanation.
Exhaling loudly, Mike prepared to get everything off of his chest.
"Well…it goes back a long time ago. When I was a boot, and had just started my first crew assignment. It was a rainy day…just like today. I was in the engine when we were on our way to a building collapse call. The engineer rounded a curve and lost control of the engine…"
Johnny sat in horror as he listened to the story unfold.
"We skidded off the road and into a pole. Luckily none of us were seriously injured, but it was always something that stayed with me."
"I'm not surprised. But surely you've had to have worked in these conditions on many occasions since then, haven't you?"
Mike nodded his head.
"Yeah, I have. It always makes me a little uneasy, but last night…I had a dream…a bad dream…"
"What was it? Did something happen to you, in your dream?" Johnny asked as he pushed himself a little closer to the edge of the bed.
"No, not to me…"
"If it wasn't you…then who was it?"
"Didn't really see a face…but it was a firefighter, and it happened in the rain…on shift."
"Okay. So what happened?"
"It was awful, Johnny." Mike said, shaking his head.
"Seriously injured?"
"No…killed." Came the engineer's soft reply.
Johnny suddenly realized what had made Mike so uptight…thanks to his dream, he was afraid that one of his friends would get killed on the job.
"When I saw that house start to go…and realized just how close you came to…my dream felt like it almost had come true."
"But it didn't…I'm fine, Mike."
"Yeah…NOW you are…but you almost weren't. I just don't know what I would do if this dream came true, and something really did happen to one of you guys."
Trying to lighten the mood, Johnny smiled. "Well…the good thing is in the years that we've all been together as a crew, we've all gotten hurt on the job at one time or another…except you. Actually, when you think about it…you're almost as perfect as Brice."
Groaning softly, Mike raised an eyebrow at his friend. "I resent that, Johnny."
"Well hey…it's true. Listen, the guys are all really worried about you…I won't say anything about our chat…but will you please come out and join us for lunch? Marco made his tacos."
"I'm not even hungry." Replied Mike with a sigh.
"That's fine…don't eat, but at least come out. I totally understand your worries, and how upsetting they are, but as a wise man once told me, you can't let that fear paralyze you."
"Who told you that?" Mike asked curiously.
"Roy…but he was only repeating what Dr. Brackett had told him once. Well, I guess my job here is done. I know I can't take away all of the worry and anxiety you have right now Mike, but I hope I was able to help you in talking about it. If you wanna talk more later, give me a holler."
"I will…thanks. You're actually smarter than you're given credit for."
"Thanks…I guess that's a compliment." Johnny answered with a smile.
Getting up from the bed, Johnny made his way back to the squad room for lunch, where he was met by several anxious looks.
"How is he?" Hank asked a bit tentatively.
"He's alright…just a little spooked by the rain."
"That's it?" asked an incredulous Chet.
"Well no, there's more to it than that, but it's not my place to tell you about it. If Mike wants to talk about it…he will. Now are we ready to eat, or what?"
Marco nodded his head. "Yeah, lunch is ready."
Just as the men were about to sit down to eat, the alarms sounded.
"Station 51…man trapped…Cedar Creek Campground…"
Groaning as he got up, Johnny followed his partner to the squad, putting his turnout coat on, and getting inside the vehicle.
While Hank responded on the radio, Mike was buckling up his coat, and climbing into the engine.
As they were pulling out of the station, Johnny briefly thought about his conversation with Mike, and hoped that the engineer's dream was not going to come true.
Following behind in the engine, Mike's focus was 100% on the road…he wanted no mishaps.
Arriving at the campground, they were met by a park security guard.
Going around to Hank's side of the engine, the guard explained what was going on.
"There's a car that seems to have been swept away into the creek. Not sure how it happened, but the guy's girlfriend said that she got out of the car to use the restroom, and when she returned to the car…it was in the water."
"Okay. You stay here in case we need more manpower or an ambulance."
"Of course, Captain."
Driving on to where the creek was, the men were able to see the car in the middle of the water…it was actually quite far from land.
Pulling up as close to the water's edge as both vehicles could safely get, the men got out to take a better look at the situation.
Squinting through the rain to get a good look at the car in the distance, Hank knew that there wasn't much time to waste. He didn't want to do it, as he knew that water rescues could go terribly wrong in a heartbeat, but waiting for more manpower or better ideas was not an option…he had to send his two paramedics into the water to save the man.
"Roy…John…get your gear…you're going in. Marco, Chet…you'll get their lines and fasten it to the engine. Mike, back her up a few more yards."
Not wasting any time, the paramedics got their equipment and were preparing to enter the water.
Knowing that their turnout coats would both slow and weigh them down, they had taken them off. Standing in the pouring rain, both men wanted to go in, get their victim, and get out of the water as quickly as they could.
Smiling through the rain, Johnny turned to his partner.
"At least I'll get the rest of the mud off of me now…and…I won't be alone."
"Ready?" Hank asked.
"Yep…let's do it." Roy answered, nodding his head.
Another line was also set up to attach it to the car, in case the car started to move further up or down stream.
Looking at each other for a few quick moments, the paramedics then went into the water. Both were strong swimmers, so there was not a lot of worry…but both knew, like their captain, that water rescues were not always cut and dried.
From the shore the rest of the crew was tensely watching the rescue operation, and also keeping an eye on the time, as they knew the water was cold.
Making their way to the car was slow going, due to their safety equipment and ropes that they had with them.
As Johnny looked out towards the car, it almost seemed to him that it was becoming further and further away, rather than closer…but the reality was that fortunately it was not moving.
On the way Roy got caught in some kind of whirlpool effect and momentarily got sucked underwater…it caught him by surprise. Seeing his partner in trouble, Johnny dove under and was able to pull him out of the swirling water.
"You okay?" Johnny asked with concern.
"Yeah…fine." Roy was able to sputter out. "We better continue on…don't think this guy has a whole lot of time left."
Watching from the shore, the engine crew collectively held their breaths as Roy was pulled under, but exhaled in relief when Johnny brought him back up.
Finally arriving at the car, they looked in to see what condition their victim was in. Much to their surprise the car was empty.
"Roy…no one's inside." Johnny replied as he rubbed the water out of his eyes.
"Maybe he got out. Let's take a quick look around."
Going all around the car, they looked and felt for anything that felt like it could be a person…no such luck.
"Nothing, Roy."
"Let's hook this thing onto the car…it's gonna need to be pulled in, anyway."
Hooking the rope onto the car's front bumper, the paramedics then started to make their way back to shore.
"Cap…what's going on? I don't see the guy with them."
"I don't know, Chet." Hank replied anxiously shaking his head.
Pulling up next to the engine, the park's security guard got out of his car.
"Captain…this is our victim. He wasn't in the car when it rolled into the water…he had gotten out. He's half drunk…had to use the bathroom. He said he stumbled out of the car, and somehow got lost. I found him wandering past my post."
Hank looked at the man sitting in the guard's car, with disgust.
"Miss, you had no idea your friend wasn't in the car?"
The young lady shrugged her shoulders.
"How could I? When I got out of the car, he was still inside…when I came back…the car was in the water."
Hank turned his attention back to his crew, and the matter of getting his two paramedics safely back to shore, and quickly.
Getting on his radio, he used it to call out to the paramedics.
"Gage…DeSoto…we have the alleged victim…he's safe. We're going to pull you guys in…hold on."
Signaling that they heard him, Roy and Johnny held on while they were pulled in. Only a few minutes later, they were both being helped out of the water.
Gasping from the cold and water, they were both handed dry blankets.
"Get in your squad…sit and relax a while."
Not arguing with their captain, the paramedics did just that. As they sat in their squad, shivering and trying to dry off…Roy put the heat on.
"All that…for nothing." Johnny commented irritably between shivers.
"We had to check, Johnny."
"Yeah, I know…but…"
"Look…there must be a logical explanation for why he wasn't in the car."
"I suppose." replied Johnny, a bit dejectedly.
Watching as the car was being pulled out of the water, it hit them just how dangerous the rescue that wasn't, really was.
"Man…we coulda…"
Roy gave his partner a look before he could finish his sentence, causing Johnny to stop talking, at least for the moment.
"Well, we could have."
Once the car was out of the water, the rope was taken off, and the engine crew started to put away the equipment.
Hank approached Roy's window to check in with his two paramedics.
Rolling his window down a bit, Roy waited to hear what his captain had to say.
"How are you two doing?" Hank asked with concern.
"I think we're okay…cold and wet, but okay." Roy replied.
"John, how about you pal?"
"I'm fine…kinda angry, though. What the hell happened?"
"You won't believe it, but he wasn't in the car. When the girl got out of the car, he left the car a short while later. In his drunken state, he got lost. We looked in the car…the gear was in reverse."
Dropping his head in disbelief, Johnny finished his captain's train of thought.
"And in getting out of the car…he accidentally hit the gear, but was too drunk to notice it."
"Probably. Listen, we got everything from here. Your gear is put away. You have two options. The first one is to go to Rampart and get checked out…make sure you're okay. Or…if you really feel fine, you can head back to the station, shower and change into clean dry uniforms. Which is it?"
Not giving Roy a chance to answer, Johnny answered quickly. "Option number two. We'll meet you guys back at the station."
Looking back and forth between his captain and his partner, Roy felt like he was between a rock and a hard place.
"We'll get checked out at Rampart, Cap…never know what was in that water."
"Roy…" Johnny practically whined. "I don't know about you…but I really DO feel fine."
"I do too…but we should err on the side of caution and get checked out. We'll go and meet you guys back at the station…just be sure to save us some lunch."
"Will do. By the way, we should give you your coats back."
Turning around, Hank called Marco to bring over the paramedics' two turnout coats.
Opening his door, Roy took the coats from his captain.
"Thanks. We'll see you guys in a bit."
Starting up the squad, Roy nodded over to his partner, to which Johnny replied with a shrug.
"What?"
"You wanna make us 10-8 to Rampart?"
"Do I wanna make us 10-8 to Rampart?" Johnny repeated. "Truthfully…no."
"Johnny, this isn't a joke. I am being serious."
Sighing loudly, Johnny gave in and did as he was asked to.
Picking up the radio mike, he contacted dispatch.
"LA, Squad 51 ten-eight to Rampart for check-up. Will be out of service until further notice."
"Ten-four, 51."
"Thank you. Now was that so difficult?"
Johnny didn't say anything else he just wrapped the blanket tighter around himself, and turned his head to look out his window.
Backing up the squad, Roy maneuvered the vehicle out of the muddy grounds.
Watching as his two friends pulled away in the squad, Mike felt like he had somehow just dodged a bullet. He started to relax a bit when he considered that maybe this was supposed to be where something bad had happened to one of his crewmates…but it didn't happen. The he shuddered at the thought that MAYBE the event that he had dreamed about, was still to come.
During their trip to Rampart, Johnny sat sulking as he looked out his window at the rain.
"Really Roy…this is just plain old ridiculous."
"I don't think so. Odds are that we're just fine…but in the small chance that we're not…it'll be better for us in the long run."
Finally arriving at Rampart, Roy backed up the squad into a spot outside the ER entrance.
Taking the blanket off, Roy put his turnout coat on, and then looked over at his partner, expecting him to do the same.
"Johnny…"
"Roy…I still say this is ridiculous."
"I don't care what you think. Like I told Brice a few years back…I'M the senior partner here…and it is MY decision. Now let's get going."
Johnny took off the blanket and put on his turnout coat. As he was doing so, he realized just how cold he was feeling.
Groaning, Johnny opened his door and got out…immediately being pelted by the heavy rain.
As the two men entered the ER, they were met by a concerned Dr. Early.
"My goodness…look at you two. What happened?"
"Water rescue. Johnny and I were in a creek at one of the campgrounds. We just want to make sure that we're okay…never quite know what might be in the water, especially with this major rain."
"Definitely." Observing Johnny for a moment, the doctor was a little concerned at how quiet the younger paramedic was. "Johnny, how do you feel?"
Sighing softly, Johnny admittedly was not feeling the greatest at the moment, but he was not going to share that bit of information with either his partner or the doctor.
"I'm alright…mostly just cold…and wet."
"You're sure?" Dr. Early asked a bit skeptically.
"Sure about what? That I feel cold and wet?"
Standing with his arms folded in front of him, the doctor was not amused.
"No, I don't doubt that at all. I was however referring to the part where you said that you were feeling fine. I have my doubts about that. Let's get you two into a treatment room. Roy, go ahead into room one. Johnny, you'll go into room three."
"Why? I mean this is just a quick once over, right? Why do we need to be in separate rooms?"
Smiling, Dr. Early clapped his hands together. "Because we have the time now to do a more thorough exam. Besides, it'll give you more time to dry off and get warm."
As Dr. Brackett approached the group, he wondered what was going on.
"Joe…fellas. What's going on here?"
Joe gave his colleague the short version of the situation.
"I see. Well…I have time too. Johnny, shall we?" Kel motioned towards room three.
Before walking away, Johnny gave Roy a not so amused look.
Calling over two nurses, Joe asked one to go and assist Dr. Brackett, while the other one would stay with him. By coincidence the nurse asked to go to help Dr. Brackett was Johnny's friend Lauren.
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