It was dark and Johnny could feel himself falling. He needed to grab hold of the rope to stop his descent. His hand slipped along the rough coils of the rope and as he tightened his grip, finally stopped. He held it tightly as he looked down and saw nothing but a void of black. It was uninviting and made his heart skip beats as he realised the rope and his precarious grip on that rope was all that was keeping him from falling.

Squad 43 and engine 110 approached the intersection; their mouths fell open as they took in the sight of squad 51. Never before had they been called to one of their own in an MVA. Both paramedics felt unnerved and knew that whoever was in the squad would be badly injured. Although the truck had not reached its intended speed before impact, it was enough combined with the speed of the squad to cause a lot of damage.

Paramedic Stone, Stoney to his friends, went to the squad to check on its occupants. Newly trained Paramedic Billy Hanks went to check on the truck driver. Stoney took in a breath as he peered into the cab of the squad. Lying unconscious on the seat was his good friend Johnny Gage and his mind went blank for a few seconds as the shock of seeing a friend injured burned its place in his memories.

Engineer Tony Freeman also gasped when he realised it was Johnny who was in the squad. He had not seen Johnny since he left station 10 to train to become a paramedic but still considered him a good friend since they did work for eighteen months together as rescue men. Johnny remained unaware of his friends' working urgently and closely to free their friend.

Stoney tried to get a glimpse of Johnny's chest rising but the angle he was laying made it impossible to perceive breaths of life. As an opening was gradually made, Stoney reached in to get a carotid but needed more space. He pulled his arm back and waited anxiously as the opening was worked on. Each time the opening grew he was tempted to push away the crew and reach in, it took all his willpower to remain still and wait.

While Stoney waited to get to Johnny, Hanks had removed the driver of the truck. He had a laceration to his forehead and was a little dazed from hitting his head on the steering wheel. Hanks suspected he also had a broken wrist but apart from that was ok. He continuously looked over at the scene of the impact trying to get a glimpse of their progress.

The driver noticed and said "I didn't know there was another emergency vehicle following the ambulance. I just wanted to beat the other cars and get through the intersection before they moved. I'm running late" he sighed.

It took all of Billy's self control to not throw angry words at this unapologetic man. He pulled his lips together refraining from speaking and hoping his silence told the man he was unimpressed.

Dixie waited at the emergency doors for the ambulance with Squad 51s victims to arrive. She had a message from Dr Brackett for Johnny. When only Wheeler emerged from the back of the ambulance she was surprised. "Isn't Johnny with you?" she asked.

"No he was following in the squad that got hit" said Wheeler as he ran along with his victim into the treatment room. It took a couple of seconds for Dixie to realise what Wheeler had just said.

When he emerged from the treatment room she was waiting for him "What do you mean hit?" she asked sternly.

"I didn't see it but Hal said he saw the squad get hit by a truck at one of the intersec..." Dixie had left Wheeler standing there before he had finished what he was saying.

Dixie's heart was in her throat as she called despatch to find out what was happening with squad 51. They told her that squad 43 had just arrived at the scene and had no details other than a truck had hit the squad as it drove through an intersection. She hung up and waited at the base station for squad 43 to call in. She was very tempted to call them but knew she would be diverting them from their jobs.

Wheeler chose that moment to approach Dixie "My shift is over so I'm going to catch a cab back to the station" he waved and picked up squad 51's equipment and left. Dixie stared blankly at his retreating back.

Roy sat up in bed waiting for Johnny. The swelling of his eye had gone down and he was able to open it slightly but no sooner had he opened it, the nurse put some more drops in it and covered his eye. He sighed but was relieved it wasn't both eyes. He looked at his watch and wondered where Johnny was.

Johnny wondered why his arm and shoulder weren't straining and hurting. The fact was that he was feeling nothing; his body was devoid of any feeling but for his hand touching the rope.

"Keep hold John you still have much to do" the deep commanding voice of his chief, Jay Blackcrow, filled the void. Johnny felt his body relax as his mentor's spirit brought peace to his soul.

"I miss you...our talks and your friendship" Johnny said into the void.

"I know John but you have many friends who will miss you if you do not hold on. It is not your time to let go...be strong...the cry of the coyote is many moons away. Be strong John" Jay's voice faded away into the pits of the void.

"Rampart this is squad 43, how do you read?"

"Read you loud and clear squad 43" replied Dixie's anxious voice.

"Rampart we have a male approximately 36. He has a laceration to his forehead and a possible concussion. His left wrist has a possible fracture. Vitals are pulse 110, respiration 25 and BP 120 over 70. Rampart we have a second victim that is yet to be extricated, a code I" said Hanks. He looked up when he heard the crew of 110 yell yes and start feverishly working on the squad. Johnny's alive he thought to himself and closed his eyes for a second in relief.

"He has a carotid, but it's very weak" yelled Stoney. Everyone picked up their pace knowing every second counted. Johnny was free of the squad in minutes. He was carefully carried over to where Hanks was working, by Stoney and Tony Freeman.

"How is he?" asked Hanks.

"Not good...his left side is pretty bad...and he's not responding to any stimuli." Stoney started getting Johnny's vitals while Hanks informed Rampart of Johnny's injuries.

"He has swelling on the left side of his head, bruising on his shoulder, fractures to his left forearm, bruising on the left side of his hip, no pelvic movement, and fracture above his left knee. There are some minor cuts on his left arm and shoulder. No response to any stimuli. Vitals are pulse 140, respiration 26, BP 90 over 60." Hanks could see bruising already starting to appear over Johnny's left side.

"Squad 43 get a pupil response, start an IV D5W TKO wide open and splint the left arm and leg and immobilise his left shoulder" came back Dr Brackett's calm and firm voice. Stoney was already splinting Johnny and quickly checked Johnny's pupils. Hanks started the IV and cleaned some of the wounds.

"Pupils are unequal, left is dilated and unresponsive, right is responsive" Hanks informed Dr Brackett. Dixie's hand shook as she wrote everything down in Johnny's chart. "Sit down Dix...I've got this" said a concerned Dr Brackett.

"I'm ok Kel, I need to be here and keep busy" she informed him. Her heart was pounding in her chest. She knew this day would come but no preparation could stop the overpowering anxiety that ran through her body.

"43 are there any other victims?"

"That's a negative Rampart."

"43 as soon as you have finished splinting and immobilising, transport as soon as possible, vitals every five minutes on victim 2 43" instructed Dr Brackett.

"10-4 Rampart" Hanks closed the biophone and called over the attendants.

Both victims were put in the ambulance and both paramedics travelled in the ambulance.