Saturday, December 4:
Station 51
The two days off had evidently not done anything to improve upon the way Paramedic Gage looked. If anything, his appearance had deteriorated. His uniform hung a bit loosely off the now too thin frame. A sooty darkness smudged the skin under his eyes. The cheerful smile had disappeared along with the lively sparkle in his eyes, to be replaced with a grim set to the lips and an almost haunted look. His sense of humor had evaporated like fog once the sun has risen. And while his crewmates may have occasionally wished for a respite from the usual, daily Johnny-logue, his silence was even more unnerving.
By midmorning, Cap was considering calling the paramedic into his office yet again when the tones sounded. "Squad 51. Woman down. 415 E. Del Amo Blvd. 4-1-5 Del Amo. Cross street Central Ave. Time out 10:36."
The squad pulled up in front of a little mom and pop grocery store. Officer Vince Howard was standing outside.
"What's up, Vince?" Roy asked, getting out of the squad.
"There's a woman inside, passed out on the floor. Seems she drank one of those pina coladas in the can while shopping and collapsed."
When Roy came around the squad he was a bit surprised to find that Johnny had half of the equipment out of the squad compartment bays and was just standing there instead of already heading into the store. "Let's go," he said, grabbing the rest of what might be needed.
Roy headed into the store, with Johnny following half a step behind. They found an unconscious woman lying in the aisle next to the refrigerator cases. Both he and Johnny reached for the biophone at the same time. Johnny pulled his hand back and started taking the woman's vitals instead.
As they worked over the women, their hands collided several times. They just couldn't find their normal rhythm. Roy had just finished starting the IV when the ambulance arrived. Assisted by the attendants, they quickly finished preparing the woman for transport.
"I'll ride in. You okay with the squad?"
"Yeah." Johnny began gathering the equipment and the debris without looking up.
Roy shook his head minutely and followed the gurney to the ambulance.
"Is she going to be all right?" Vince stopped Roy as he was climbing into the back of the ambulance.
"Yeah, I think so."
"Is she going to the hospital? I've got to arrest her for shoplifting."
"What?"
"You're supposed to pay before eating, and the owner wants to press charges."
The squad returned to the station just as the rest of the crew was sitting down to eat lunch. The others heard two doors slam and the sound of voices raised in an argument.
"… had them!"
"…right there! Why didn't you …"
Then one door slammed again. Roy stuck his head in the doorway to the kitchen. "Cap? Uh, we've got to go back to Rampart for supplies.
"I thought you just did that."
"We, uh, forgot something."
"Okay," replied Cap. He made a mental note to speak with both Johnny and Roy when they returned. He never got the chance, however. Both the squad and the engine spent the afternoon on alternating runs. The two units were finally together for less than five minutes in the late afternoon when the tones sounded once again.
"Station 36; Station 51. Structure fire. 811 Grace Ave. 8-1-1 Grace Ave. Cross street East 223rd. Time out 17:46."
The engine and the squad pulled up to the two-story building. The bottom floor hosted a dry cleaners while living quarters were above. Gouts of fire spurted out through the now shattered big glass windows on the front and sides of the store and smoke poured from the smaller apartment windows above.
A flash of yellow on the second floor caught Johnny's eye as he shrugged into his turnout gear of rubber boots, canvas pants and coat. A small girl leaned out of the window, waving her arms, her tiny voice drowned out by the noise.
Johnny took off at a run, without his SCBA, and disappeared up the external stairwell.
"Gage!" Cap bellowed, a second too late, as he caught a glimpse of the paramedic dashing into the building. "Lopez! DeSoto! Go after him!"
The two men quickly obeyed, after donning the appropriate gear.
A few long minutes later Johnny and Marco appeared, each carrying a coughing and crying child. Roy carried an unconscious woman draped over his shoulder. The others helped them bring the victims over to the squad.
"Anybody else up there?" Captain Stanley asked, watching the flames begin to engulf the second floor.
Johnny shook his head, but he couldn't answer because he was doubled over, hands on knees, coughing. Marco answered, saying, "No. There was only the one apartment."
By this time the engine and squad of Station 36 had rolled onto the scene. Cap called in a request for an ambulance.
Roy had his hands full trying to get oxygen on the crying children and tending to the woman. "We need more oxygen," he yelled over to the paramedics from 36s. Johnny came over, still coughing, to help with the victims. "Sit down and put this on!" Roy thrust an oxygen mask in Johnny's direction, cumulative frustration with his partner making him snappish.
The firefighters had the blaze under control within minutes, despite the potentially hazardous situation involving the dry cleaning chemicals in the store. With the arrival of the ambulance, the victims were quickly treated and prepared for transport. One of the other paramedics rode in with the three victims. Although Johnny was no longer coughing, Roy drove him over to Rampart to be checked out.
After a quick examination at Rampart, Johnny was cleared to return to work. The ride back to the station was a long and quiet one.
Cap had been in his office waiting for the squad to return, and as soon as he heard it backing in, he went to stand in the doorway. He watched the two paramedics as they headed his way. "Gage, in my office," he ordered as soon as they were near enough for him to speak.
Johnny followed wearily, knowing he was in for a reprimand at best.
"I presume I don't have to tell you what a stupid stunt that was?"
Johnny shook his head. "No, sir."
Cap did not say anything for a moment as he thoughtfully regarded the haggard, smoke-streaked face of the exhausted man standing before him. Finally, he pulled open a desk drawer, reached in, and brought out a small card. "You need to talk to someone who knows more than I do. You have two choices." He handed the card to Johnny. "Make an appointment with Dr. Wilson for tomorrow or Monday. Or, I'll make the appointment for you and it will go in your record."
Surprised that he was not in for another dressing down, Johnny accepted the card. Then his eyes briefly sparked with anger as the implications of his captain ordering him to see a shrink sunk in. "Yes, sir."
Cap noted both reactions. "You think you can make it through the rest of the shift without doing anything like that again?"
"Yes, sir."
"Dismissed, Gage." Cap watched the paramedic leave the office and sighed. Sometimes being the captain was not fun.