"Godzilla and The Smog Monster"
Chapter Seventeen
Three and a half hours later, at LACFD Headquarters…
Hank Stanley saw Craig Brice standing in front of an open door to a conference room. He stepped up to him and extended a hand. "Thanks for the heads up, Craig. What's this all about?"
Craig took and shook the Captain's hand. "I have no idea, sir. But I felt you should probably be here."
Chief Jenner, and three other Department Chiefs, came strolling down the hall and up to the two firemen.
"Brice," Jenner acknowledged, with a sympathetic smile. "Thank you for coming down."
"What's this all about, sir?" Craig queried. "I thought I had explained everything in my report."
The Fire Chief glanced down at the photocopied report in his hands. "So did I," he admitted. His gaze shifted to the open door. "Apparently, there are some in need of a little 'clearer' explanation. I realize you've been up all night. So we'll try not to keep you too long." He turned to the other fireman. "You're John's Captain, right?"
John's Captain nodded and extended a hand. "Hank Stanley, Chief. Station 51."
Jenner gave Hank's hand a hearty shaking. "Glad you could make it." He motioned for the Captain and the paramedic to precede them into the conference room.
They did.
Eight men were already seated around the room's rather large conference table. They stopped talking and riveted their undivided attention upon the new arrivals.
One of the seated men aimed an icy glare at the Captain. "I don't recall you being invited to attend this meeting…"
"An oversight Fireman Brice, here, has fortunately seen fit to correct, Chief Larson," Jenner cooly stated, and gave the complainer a rather icy glare of his own. "Gentlemen, Fireman Craig Brice…and Fireman Gage's Captain, Hank Stanley," he introduced. "Left to right, Chief Baird, Department Regulations…IFA's Union representative, Mr. Edward Row…Chief Larson, Internal Affairs…Lieutenant Tekely, LAPD's Narcotics' Division…Captain James Mason, Station 16…and Battalion Chiefs Geden…Novachic…and DeWitt." He motioned to his companions. "Chief Brevik, Operations…Chief Dalbert, Public Relations…and Chief Hendrickson, Human Relations."
Brice gave the men a slight nod and then he and the Captain assumed their seats.
The Chief Engineer and his entourage took their seats.
Jenner cleared his throat and continued, "I think it should be pointed out, right from the start, that this is not an 'Official Board of Inquiry', but merely a little fact-finding session, which will—hopefully—clear this 'matter' up, to everyone's satisfaction," he tacked on, and stared directly at Baird, Larson and Tekely. He held up the photocopied report. "Is there anyone here who hasn't had the chance to read Fireman Brice's report, yet?" He saw Stanley raise his hand and motioned for Chief Brevik to present the Captain with a copy of the report.
The Fire Chief then decided to wait until John's Captain was caught up to speed, before continuing with the meeting.
Several silent minutes later…
Station 51's Captain glanced up from the report and gave Jenner an appreciative nod.
"Very well," Jenner began again, "are there any questions?"
Several hands shot up.
"Yes, Chief Larson?"
Larson slowly lowered his arm. "Fireman Brice, why was Fireman Gage out of uniform?"
"Article 4, Section 7, Paragraph 3 of the Los Angeles County Fire Department's Handbook of Rules and Regulations clearly states that a firefighter's turnout gear shall be constituted as his regulation uniform while said firefighter is engaged in Fire Department activities. John was engaged in Fire Department activities. So he was not out of uniform," Craig corrected. "Except for the four occasions mentioned in my report. If you have read it, then you already have my answer to that question." He turned to Jenner. "I have nothing further to add to my report, sir. Could we please go on to the next question?"
Jenner watched as Larson's face filled with indignation. He pursed his lips and forced himself to look away. "Ye-es. Yes, of course. Lt. Tekely, you had a question?"
The Lieutenant nodded. "I have also had the opportunity to read the official police reports on all three of the incidents mentioned in your report." He gave Brice a smug smile. "Perhaps you'd care to explain your partner's reckless, even downright careless, behavior at the second incid—"
"—Lieutenant," Craig interrupted, "I don't know what the official police reports have to say. Unlike you, I was not given the 'opportunity' to read them. I can only comment on what I know for a fact to BE the facts. As I have already stated in my report, my partner's behavior at the second incident was neither reckless nor careless. In fact, I criticized him for being overly cautious. John requested the ETA of a police backup unit—even before we arrived on the scene."
"Then why did my men find him parading around out of uniform and carrying on his own private 'under-cover' investigation into police business?"
"As I have already stated in my report," Craig repeated, doing his level best to remain calm, "Dispatch informed us that there would be no police backup to our incident. We were told the police were too busy to take care of their business."
"That still doesn't explain why he took it upon himself to investigate the situation! He should have called for backup sooner, instead of carrying on his own little 'under-cover' operation!"
Brice was waaaay too tired to be 'understanding'. But he drew a deep breath into his lungs and tried anyway. "It is rather difficult to explain matters of judgment. However, I shall attempt to do so.
Because no two incidents are ever exactly alike, we had no past experience to draw back on.
John was the first to suspect trouble. But he had no positive proof that we were, in fact, being set up. He was relying solely on judgment and instinct.
A-and, since headquarters had just advised us to call for backup only after assessing our situation thoroughly, John felt obligated to prove that we did, in fact, require police assistance." The paramedic paused. "I must confess, my initial reaction to John's unconventional approach to evidence gathering was a negative one. But then I realized that his way would expose us to the least amount of danger." He paused again and sat there, looking rather pleased. "As it turned out, John's unorthodox approach proved to be both safer, a-and highly successful."
The Lieutenant saw the others were forced to nod in agreement. Hell! Even he couldn't argue with that last statement. The officer stared down at his official police reports, and remained silent.
'One down,' Jenner thought.
Two more hands shot up.
"Yes, Chief Baird?"
"Captain Mason, do you intend to take disciplinary action against Fireman Gage?"
"No, I do not."
"But he disobeyed a direct order."
"Yeah. I'm not exactly thrilled about that. However, I can certainly understand why he felt compelled to do so. Besides, Gage wouldn't have been put in position to have to disobey that order in the first place, if I hadn't told him to climb into that Squad. The only thing Gage is guilty of, is helping a fellow paramedic out in a bind."
"But he disrespected your authority."
Mason glared at Baird in disbelief. "You wanna talk about disrespect? How about the way this Department disrespects him—and every other firefighter in the Paramedic Program? These guys give their all—every damn day! And how are they repaid? The Department uses some bullshit regulation about California's State Civil Service Pay Scale laws to force them to choose between the job they love—and providing for their families financially, by taking their promotions.
The most skilled, most qualified, most experienced, most dedicated guys the program's got—are being forced out! It's going to take months, maybe even years, for the new trainees to complete the learning curve they need to go through to get to where these veterans are at!
Squad 16 had to be taken out of service last night, because the paramedics' ranks have been so depleted by this cockamamie Civil Service Pay rule, there just aren't enough guys to fill in when somebody gets sick, or injured—or shot!"
"Jim's right," Hank spoke up. "John's partner, Roy DeSoto, has already passed up his promotion three times, in order to stay with the program. But he can't keep doing that indefinitely. He's got a couple of kids he has to put through college. If something isn't done to change the 'equal pay for equal work' law, a lot more squads are gonna hafta be parked!"
Brice exhaled a weary sigh and turned to his Supreme Commander. "Sir, as I have already stated, I have nothing further to add to my report. And, after spending the past three hours typing a written report, I can see no reason for me to have to make the same report all over again—orally.
Besides, it is becoming more and more apparent to me, that the questions being asked here are directed more at fault finding than fact finding. Captain Mason and I should not have to sit here, defending Gage's actions. If there are those who wish to bring accusations against him, I suggest they wait until he can be here to defend himself.
Not that he has any need to defend himself. John Gage is one of the most competent, totally dedicated firefighters I have ever had the honor to work with!
It was unfortunate enough that some 'sicko' had to put a bullet in his head! I do not intend to sit here, while certain members of this 'session' attempt to knife him in the back!
So, if you will excuse me, sirs…" Brice slowly slid his chair back…rose stiffly to his feet…and left.
Station 51's Captain popped up out of his seat. "What he said," he bitterly remarked and immediately exited the conference room.
His fellow Captain followed quickly on his heels.
"Fireman Brice has summed up my feelings, as well, gentlemen," Jenner announced. "If this 'situation' requires any further 'clearing up', it will just have to wait until Fireman Gage is in a position to do the clearing."
Chet Kelly was awakened from a sound sleep, by an irritatingly loud ringing sound. He snapped bolt upright, swung his legs off of his sofa and started reaching for the bottom half of his turnouts. He suddenly realized where he was and untensed.
The annoying ringing continued.
The off-duty fireman grimaced and glanced at his watch. He noted the early hour and grimaced again. "Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay," he grumbled. "Now that you've ruined my first big chance to 'sleep in' all week!" he further grouched and started crawling across couch cushions, to pick his phone up from the lampstand. "Hello?" he answered, in mid-ring. "Marco, have you lost your mind—calling me this early? Couldn't whatever it is have waited until you pick me up?…What d'yah mean 'you won't be picking me up'? I hope you didn't call just to tell me your car's broke down…" Kelly listened to his friend's really good reason for calling him so early. Then he just knelt there, too numb from shock and disbelief to reply.
Carl Iverson opened his apartment door and stooped down to retrieve his morning paper.
He scooped the paper up and then crossed back into his kitchen.
Iverson shook the thing open, expecting to find some news about a 'missing fireman'.
Instead, he discovered a small article, in the front page's bottom left corner, announcing that a Los Angeles County fireman had been shot and wounded, accompanying story on 12-D.
The criminal could not believe his eyes! He'd put a bullet in the guy's brain—from practically point-blank range! He was certain he didn't miss! He'd seen the fireman's head snap back from the bullet's impact!
Carl read the entire article. Then he crumpled the paper up into a big ball and tossed it toward his wastebasket.
The shooter stood there in his kitchen, kicking himself for not checking to make sure the fireman was, indeed, dead.
It was a mistake he could ill afford to make. It was a mistake he would not make again!
TBC