A/N: Once again, I must apologize for the long delay between updates. Real life threw me another curveball and I spent 11 days in the hospital, 5 of them in ICU during this pandemic. It had nothing to do with COVID19 but instead was a very bizarre infection in my jaw that still has my doctors a bit puzzled. But, I'm back home and feeling much better now. Chapter 24 is in the final stages of editing so it should be posted soon – assuming I can stay out of trouble, that is – LOL. Thank you for continuing to follow me during this long journey. I appreciate you all.
Warning: language
Chapter 23
Marco turned his burgundy sedan onto the familiar side street, glancing over at his wife. He grinned at the way she held the gift for Antonio protectively cradled in her lap. He saw the faraway look in her eyes, and he knew what she was thinking. Would they be able to share in the joys of delighting their own children with toys someday?
"Are you sure you don't want to give him that for Christmas? It's only a couple of more weeks."
Beverly cut her eyes at him, grimacing in a flirtatious manner. "Of course not! He'll love this Mr. Potato Head," she replied, marveling at the humorous faces on the side of the box. "Besides, that's why we bought him that fire engine. He'll get that and a fire helmet for Christmas."
Marco snickered, remembering the child-sized black fireman's helmet and red fire engine peddle car stowed away at their apartment. He just hoped it would be easy to assemble on Christmas morning. He made a mental note to check the tools he would need for the task as he made the final turn onto the street that would take him to his childhood home.
Maria was sweeping the front porch, her back turned to the street. Antonio, who was humming to himself while watching his grandmother from inside the open front door, saw the newlyweds pull into the driveway and immediately shot across the porch, nearly causing Maria to fall down the steps.
"It's Meeko and Aunt Beverly!"
Maria's face lit up when she saw Marco step out of the car and lift his nephew onto his shoulders. She felt the backs of her eyes begin to sting. She didn't want to admit that she and Lexi had quarreled the previous day. She tucked a few graying sprigs of hair into her bun and rested the broom against the rocking chair.
"Welcome home, you two," she said, opening her arms to embrace her newest daughter-in-law. "I hope you enjoyed your honeymoon."
"Is that for me?" Antonio squealed, spying the box in Beverly's hand.
"That depends," Beverly said as Marco gently lowered the little boy to the ground.
"It 'pends on what?"
Beverly rubbed the child's mussed up dark hair. "Have you been a good boy for your Momma and Grandma?"
"Yes!" Antonio squealed, reaching for the present.
He hugged his aunt and uncle, thanking them for the gift before darting back inside the house to play.
Maria looked at her son and daughter-in-law with watery eyes. "He's been great," she said, nodding towards the retreating child. "But I'm afraid his Momma and I haven't."
Marco and Beverly exchanged worried glances.
"Lex and I had a few, um, words, and she spent last night with Bri. I know I should call her, but… oh, I'm a terrible mother," she sighed, running the back of her hand across her forehead. "But, honestly, I've enjoyed having a little peace around here. I know she's safe with Bri over at the Bennett house, so…"
"No need to feel guilty, and you are not a terrible mother." Beverly wrapped an arm around the older woman's shoulders. "We all need a break from each other when emotions run high. She'll be fine."
"Bev's right, Mama. This time, you know she's safe."
E!
"You ladies sure know how to decorate for Christmas," Johnny exclaimed, looking around the Campbell house.
Iris and Lily finished preparing the tray of sandwiches and chips while their guest admired their handiwork.
"Glad you like it, Johnny," Iris said, placing the tray of food on the kitchen table while Lily poured lemonade in the glasses. "You always enjoyed Christmas when you were staying with us."
The paramedic smiled wistfully as the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmases past flooded his memory. "Hey, it was Christmas and I was a kid… and it was always so much more than we had on the reservation."
"Will your parents be visiting for Christmas?"
"You mean… Will your future in-laws be visiting?" Johnny chided, giving his fiancée a cheerful wink.
Lily blushed as Johnny pulled out her chair. "Yes… I'm still getting used to that," she admitted. She gazed at the engagement ring on her left hand and smiled. Her life had changed completely in such a short time. How had she managed to get so lucky?
Johnny seated Iris before joining the ladies by pulling his own chair up to the table. "This looks delicious."
The three prepared their plates while the easy conversation continued.
"I talked to my folks when I got off shift yesterday and they're forgoing a trip for the holidays so they can afford to come to our wedding."
"Still planning on May 22nd?" Iris asked. She already knew the answer to the question, but she was hoping to gain more insight into Johnny's ideas for the wedding. From what Lily had shared with her, it was going to be a very unique ceremony.
"Yes, ma'am," Johnny answered, helping himself to a couple of pickle spears. He looked at his bride-to-be with a smile. "Have you told her our plans?"
"Not all of them," Lily admitted, taking a bite of her sandwich. She felt a bit of mustard cling to the corner of her mouth and giggled when Johnny used his napkin to remove it.
Iris was enjoying their playfulness but was much more interested in the plans for her daughter's wedding. It was an event she once thought might never happen, but now that it was becoming a reality, she could hardly contain her excitement. "Start from the beginning."
"Okay, it'll be May 22nd, at sunset, at this secluded little spot where I love to go camping," Johnny began. "Lily wants a traditional white wedding gown-"
"But I want it to be tea length, so it won't get dirty," Lily added, knowing she had already shared the information with her mother, but feeling the need to include the detail in Johnny's story.
"Right, tea length… and I'll wear my dress uniform. We want a variety of seasonal flowers…did I say that right?" Johnny asked, looking at Lily for confirmation.
"You're right."
Feeling confident with the confirmation, he continued. "Anyway, we're going to incorporate all three of our heritages into the ceremony. I've asked our Fire Chaplin if he'll officiate and he agreed. We'll take the traditional vows and…" He looked back and forth between Iris and Lily, enjoying their attention. He looked at Iris and smiled. "Your father will be walking Lily down the aisle… in a manner of speaking."
Lily covered her mouth with a chuckle. "Yea, not exactly an aisle in the woods, but you get the idea."
Iris smiled, feeling a lump in her throat. She wished her father could've walked her down the aisle at her own wedding, but times had been different back then. Interracial marriages had been illegal in Alabama and many other states, so they had eloped to the first courthouse in the first state that would allow them to marry along their journey to California.
"He's so excited about it, Lily," Iris added, thinking about her recent conversation with her father. "I'm really glad you asked him."
Lily smiled, looking down at her half-eaten sandwich. She reached for another bite as Johnny continued.
"After our vows, I'll take a blanket that my mother is making for us, and I'll wrap it around Lily as a promise to you and the rest of her family that I will love and protect her for the rest of our lives."
Iris swiped at a tear that leaked from the corner of her eye.
Lily jumped in to finish the explanation while Johnny took a bite from his sandwich. She knew he had a penchant for talking with his mouth full and was hoping to prevent that from happening.
"Then Grandma Kizzy is making a sagebrush broom and mailing it for us to decorate. As soon as we've been introduced as Mr. and Mrs. John Roderick Gage, we're gonna jump over the broom and walk back down the aisle."
Iris took a sip of her lemonade trying to force the lump back down her throat. "I really wish your father could be here, Lily. He would be so proud."
"I wish I could've known him," Lily added.
"Me, too," Johnny said softly.
"I'm sure he's looking down on us and beaming with pride," Iris added. "He loved you so much, Lily. And Johnny… he would be so proud to call you his son-in-law."
Lily, feeling the need to lighten the conversation, brought up her paternal grandmother. "I wish he could be here to keep Grandma Kizzy calm."
Iris cackled at the thought. "Oh, my goodness. Can you imagine what she'll be like on her first trip on an airplane?"
Lily, who had become quite accomplished with southern accents after spending time in Selma, broke into a perfect rendition of Kizzy Campbell. "Ooohhhh, LORT! Ohhhhh, Sweet Baby Jesus! Don' ya be lettin' Saint Peter come a callin' fer da pilot, while we up in da sky!"
The trio howled in laughter. They all knew Kizzy Campbell well, and loved her dearly. When Iris finally regained her composure, she dried her eyes, propping an elbow on the table. "I'm so glad my parents agreed to accompany her on the trip. My Dad might need to find some way of sedating her!"
The conversation continued as they ironed out all the details of the upcoming nuptials. Iris' heart was so full of joy. Times were changing, even in Selma, Alabama, and for that, she was overjoyed.
E!
Marco stepped out of the shower, the smell of bacon and eggs wafting through the apartment. He towel-dried his hair, then wrapped the towel around his waist and headed for the kitchen.
Beverly was intent on sending her husband to work on a full belly, even if her cooking skills were limited compared to those of Marco. She dropped slices of bread into the toaster they had received as a wedding gift. She hadn't heard Marco slipping up behind her. Suddenly, she felt his warm lips nibbling on her left ear.
"Mmmm, don't start something we don't have time to finish, sweetheart," she said, spinning around and wrapping her arms around his neck.
Their lips met, briefly at first, then with more enthusiasm. As the kiss deepened, her hands slowly slid down his naked back, feeling the muscles moving as he shifted his hands, running them up through her hair and cupping her face. Just as the kiss ended, he felt a rush of cold air across his backside.
Beverly pulled away from him, taking the towel with her and laughing. She stood a few steps away, admiring his nakedness, and his obvious enjoyment of their morning kiss. She gave him a low whistle.
"You look good enough to eat," she said, licking her lips seductively.
"Baby," he began, sauntering up to her and retrieving the towel. "You're making going back to work extremely difficult."
"You just make sure and come back home safely, okay?"
Marco looked at her, knowing she understood how dangerous his job could be, and kissed her lightly on the nose. "I promised you that I would never take any unnecessary chances, and I meant it."
"I love you, Marco. And I promise to stay safe, too."
The toast popped up, interrupting their moment. Beverly dropped both pieces of toast onto his plate of eggs and bacon. Marco, having returned the towel to his waist, retrieved the orange juice from the refrigerator and poured them both a glass. He stood at the kitchen island to eat while Beverly took a seat to drink her juice.
After a few moments of silence, she looked over at him, noting the look of worry on his face.
"You're thinking about Lexi, aren't you?"
Dark eyes met green ones, neither one speaking. He merely nodded.
"So… I'm not the only one who thinks she isn't staying with Bri, huh?"
Marco swallowed the last bite of his eggs before answering. "I can't help it. I just don't believe anything she says."
"She certainly hasn't been very truthful with us, has she?"
Marco shook his head. "I have a bad feeling, Bev." He dropped his napkin into the trashcan, setting his empty plate in the sink.
"I'll call Bri later this morning. I haven't spoken to her since we got back from our honeymoon. I need to thank her for all her support and help at the wedding."
Marco stepped up to her, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Thank you, sweetheart. I'd really appreciate that."
"I'll call you if something's wrong. Otherwise, just call me when you get a break tonight, okay?"
He answered her with another kiss, then padded down the hallway to get dressed.
E!
Johnny turned the rover into the drive at Station 51. He was a few minutes earlier than usual and a sly smile brightened his chiseled face. He couldn't wait to see what Chet had set up for Marco.
As he wheeled into the parking lot behind the station, his grin turned into a grimace. Marco's car was already in his usual parking space.
"Damn," the peeved paramedic cursed, retrieving his bag from the passenger's seat and heading toward the locker room.
Before he managed to push through the locker room door, he heard Dwyer call out to him.
"Hey, Gage," the C-shift paramedic said in a raised voice. "Come get a donut before you put on your uniform."
Johnny dropped his bag on the apparatus bay floor and scurried towards Dwyer who was holding the kitchen door open for him.
"Who brought 'em?" Johnny asked, his mouth watering in anticipation as his eyes beheld the two pink boxes of pastries on the kitchen table.
"Lopez," Dwyer responded, taking a bite from the chocolate éclair he was holding in his hand.
Johnny reached for what he knew was a raspberry filled powdered donut, shoving half of it into his mouth. A heavy coating of powdered sugar decorated his upper lip, dotted his chin, and dusted the front of his flannel shirt. He heard a couple of the C-shift crew snicker.
"You're gonna need a shower before roll call," Mike commented flatly.
"Yea, prob'bly," Johnny muttered around a mouthful of sweet delight. He swallowed the first bite, using his tongue to retrieve the sugary goodness from his upper lip. "It'll be worth it." He inhaled the rest of his donut, accepting the proffered cup of coffee from the C-shift junior lineman.
"Thanks," he said, taking a sip and fighting the urge to grimace at the taste of the strong liquid. He looked around the kitchen. "Speaking of Marco, where is he?" he asked, licking his fingers, assuming he had missed the prank that Chet had surely already executed on the newlywed lineman.
"He's in Cap's office changing his information on his personnel papers. He can't have his mom as his next of kin now that he has a wife," the C-shift engineer spoke up. "Stoker, since you're in uniform, mind if I head on out?"
"Go," Mike said, waving a hand of dismissal.
As the departing engineer made his way through the kitchen doorway, Chet scurried past him. "Fellas, he's heading to the locker room," the mischievous Irishman said in a stage whisper before disappearing in a flash across the apparatus bay.
Nearly everyone in the kitchen was in on the prank and the group exited en masse.
Inside the locker room, Marco stood in front of his locker, his fingertips shoved into the back pockets of his jeans as he and Chet talked about the lavish furnishings of The Beverly Hotel. The group crowded into the room with everyone offering the newly married lineman a multitude of welcome back remarks.
Johnny eased over to his locker unbuttoning his shirt while keeping a watchful eye on Marco; he didn't want to miss all the excitement that was about to happen. His frustration level grew as each time the lineman reached for his locker, someone else would ask another question, delaying Marco's actions.
"C'mon, let's give 'im a chance to change so C-shift can get out o' here," Johnny said, quickly stripping off his flannel shirt. The semi-naked paramedic faced Marco, who was still standing with his back against his own locker. Johnny pulled open his locker to retrieve a hanger, but instead of a hanger, his hand touched a cold and clammy substance.
"What the hell," he mumbled to himself, cutting his eyes inside his locker. "AArrgh!"
Crammed inside the small space stood a slime covered, three-foot tall Martian blow-up doll staring at him – the same Martian he had used to prank Chet at the DeSoto's Halloween party.
Johnny clenched his teeth together in anger, both at his shiftmate for the prank and himself for falling for it. Now he realized that everyone was in on the joke, including Marco who had deliberately stalled opening his own locker.
He looked around at the laughing faces and felt his own face redden, whether from embarrassment or anger, he wasn't sure. "Chet, you knuckle draggin' motherfuc'-"
"John!"
Johnny shifted his position until he was looking into the stern face of his superior and lowering his head. "Yessir."
"Okay, roll call in 5 minutes for A-shift and Johnny… you were last to arrive, but I believe Chet deserves latrine duty for the next couple of shifts."
Chet's bushy eyebrows rose in disbelief. "But, Cap…"
"I know, Chet… It wasn't you; it was the Phantom," Hank replied, rolling his eyes before offering his junior medic a knowing grin.
Johnny felt his anger waning and returned Hank's gesture with his trademark crooked grin.
"That's right," Chet responded in agreement. "It was the Phantom."
"Fine," Captain Stanley answered, turning to exit the locker room. He looked over his shoulder with one last order. "I'm putting you in charge of making sure the Phantom cleans the latrines for the next two shifts."
E!
After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, starting a load of laundry, and checking in with the ladies at The Wellhouse, Beverly sat staring at their rotary phone, dreading making the call she had promised. One of her life mottos had always been 'never ask a question to which you do not want the answer,' and she was sure she wasn't going to like the answer she was going to get from Bri.
She had completely understood why Maria had not called Bri in search of Lexi. It was peaceful without her heavy presence and it was easy to tell yourself that she was fine because she was with her long-time friend. The only problem was that in her heart of hearts, she knew Lexi was not with Bri. While Ricardo was in jail for the time being, Lexi was safe from him. So why would she leave home and return to the streets? Most women who returned to their former way of life, did so within a few days or weeks of leaving it. Lexi had been gone for months. Why leave now?
Beverly flinched when she felt the sharp pain on her bottom lip; she hadn't realized she had been biting it. Blowing out a cleansing breath, she reached for the telephone, suddenly realizing that she didn't know the Bennett's home phone number. Rolling her eyes, she consulted the telephone directory, running her index finger down the long list of 'B' names until she reached the name Bennett. It only took her a few moments to locate Samford Bennett.
She curled her legs to the side in the oversized chair, grabbing the telephone and propping it on the arm of the chair. Her light brown hair fell across her face as she looked back and forth between the telephone book and the telephone she was dialing. As soon as the last digit was entered, she closed her eyes, feeling her heart slamming around inside her chest.
"Bennett residence," came the soft young voice on the other end of the line.
"Bri? It's Beverly."
"Oh, hi, Bev… How was the honeymoon?"
"Fantastic," she replied, a sheepish grin crossing her face. She spent the next few minutes recounting all the beautiful scenery they had explored. Of course, the more intimate details of the trip were kept secret. Finally, she realized she had stalled long enough. "Bri, there's something I need to ask you and all you have to do is just say yes or no since she might be listening."
"Um… okay."
"Is Lexi there with you?"
Bri's heart sank into her suddenly aching gut. "Uh… No… I haven't seen or talked to her since your wedding… Why?"
Beverly relayed what she knew, feeling the back of her head beginning to pound. She silently cursed under her breath. "Shit."
"What?" Bri questioned, unsure if she had heard the muffled swear correctly.
"She's been planning on leaving for a while. This isn't the result of an argument with her mother." Beverly clenched her fist tightly, then switched the handset to her other hand. "A few weeks ago, when she seemed to be doing so well, Lexi asked Marco and me to be Antonio's legal guardians if something should happen to her. And I bought right into it, thinking she was doing the right thing, you know? I was thinking she was being considerate of Maria aging and…"
"Well, it kind o' sounds like she was, Beverly."
"But I thought she was planning for something that might happen. You know, like a car accident or something, but…"
"But she was planning on leaving the whole time, wasn't she?"
"I'm thinking so, Bri."
"But, why would she leave now? Ricardo is still in jail and won't be released for a while, right?"
"Maybe she wanted to make a clean escape… Start over somewhere new with a different name… She sure knows how to do that."
"All of us do," Bri interjected, her voice lowering. She was happier now than she had ever been in her life. Living with Samford and taking care of Mrs. Bennett had given her a sense of purpose and a place to truly call home. The sudden reminder of her past cast a shadow on her countenance.
There was silence for a few moments as each woman contemplated the issue at hand.
"We can't just leave her out there, Beverly."
"I know… but I don't know how to find her… and I'm not sure what I could do even if I knew where she was."
"Can't we report her as a missing person?"
"She's a grown woman… She has a right to go missing if she wants to. She left on her own, so no crime has been committed… Unfortunately, I've been down this road before with my girls at The Wellhouse."
"I guess you're right… Um, so… What are you going to tell Marco?"
"The only thing I can… the truth."
E!
By 5:00 pm, the Engine 51 crew slid from their positions on the rig, covered in multiple layers of soot, each trudging in different directions. Marco's first order of business was to clean up.
The 3-alarm fire had been for a retirement community. While they had been able to rescue most of the residents, one had passed away. The heaviness of loss of life hung over the crew like a thick cloud. The man had been a smoker, so the belief among the crew was that he had fallen asleep and dropped his cigar. Although, he also suffered from the effects of two previous heart attacks, so it was possible that he was dead before the fire broke out. The autopsy would determine if he had inhaled smoke. The paramedics had made multiple runs to Rampart during the three-hour call. Overhaul had been difficult, and the entire crew was exhausted. As Marco exited the latrine, he saw Roy backing the squad into the apparatus bay. The Junior medic exited, slamming the door harder than necessary before rushing around the back of the engine towards the latrine. One look at Johnny's expressive face let Marco know that their last run to Rampart had not ended well.
"She didn't make it," Marco commented, knowingly.
Johnny pressed his lips tightly together as he gave his friend a slow shake. He pushed through the doorway, heading for the nearest sink to wash his face. Marco followed to support the downtrodden medic.
"She coded on the way in. Brackett thinks she had a heart attack. We jus' couldn't get her back," he said, running a damp paper towel over his face. He coughed, spitting into the paper towel before tossing it into the trash. He looked over at the senior lineman. "I'm fine, a'right?"
Marco crossed his arms over his chest. The entire crew knew that Johnny had a penchant for downplaying his own injuries. He lifted one eyebrow in silent question.
"I swear."
"Ok, Gage… but I'm going to be watching you."
Johnny stepped over to his locker. He always felt cleaner if he brushed his teeth after a particularly smoky call. "Fine."
Marco turned to leave but was stopped by Johnny calling out to him.
"Hey, Lopez?"
Marco turned around with a blank look on his face.
"Thanks, man."
"No problem, Gage. We're family. We take care of our brothers."
Johnny gave a brief nod of affirmation, then shoved his toothbrush into his mouth.
Marco moved to the dorm room, knowing he needed to contact his wife while he had the chance. He needed to find out what she had learned from Bri… even if he didn't want to know the answer.
He sat down at the desk, pulling the phone closer to him. He was more tired than he realized, feeling the blood flowing into his tired feet as he sat. He dialed the number, waiting for her to pick-up. On the third ring, he heard the voice he loved more than any other sound on earth.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Baby."
"You sound tired… bad run?"
Marco exhaled loudly. "Yes… ahem… did you get in touch with Bri?"
The hesitation in her voice gave him the answer he had already assumed he would get. He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his temples. This was the last thing he needed during a shift like this one.
"Yes…. And she hasn't seen Lexi since our wedding."
"Damn it!" His head began to throb, and his stomach lurched. He looked for the small wastebasket in case he needed to vomit before this call ended. "Any ideas on where we ask the cops to start looking?"
"Marco… She's an adult. She has the right to leave if she wants to."
"So… you're giving up, huh? Is that what you're saying? She isn't worth attempting to locate?" His tone was short.
Beverly pulled the handset away from her ear. She knew how he felt, but she also knew the reality of the situation. She had not been kidnapped so there was nothing they could do, legally. "Marco…," she began, being careful to keep her voice calm. "I'm just saying we can't depend on the authorities to help us out here. She isn't a child and she left on her own."
"She's back hooking, isn't she?"
Beverly hated that term, but she knew he was frustrated. "She has to make money somehow."
"She has a job cleaning apartments, Bev. And that's a hell of a lot better than leaning over a car hood in some dingy alleyway while strange men use her!" His impatience was growing.
"I know that, sweetheart, and I agree. I just… I honestly don't understand it, either."
"Well if YOU don't understand it, then no one does," he groused, not realizing how his tone of voice had sounded to Beverly.
"That's right…. 'cause I'm the Queen Whore of LA, right? We'll figure this out when you get home."
Marco heard the click on the other end of the line. He ran his hand through his hair, replaying his words and cringing. He had not meant his comment to be an insult; merely acknowledging that she had worked with many women who had successfully left the life of prostitution. "Marco, you dumbass," he berated himself out loud. He reached for the phone again to call her back, but the tones dropped. "Shit!"
He pushed through the door, rounded the front of the engine, donned his turnout coat, and pulled his tired body into his jumpseat. The engine rumbled to life as he heard the bay doors opening. Truly, this shift worked like a well-oiled machine. Muscle memory sent them moving before their exhausted brains ever engaged. As the squad pulled into the street, lights and sirens blaring, he gripped the bar beside him. He had been so distracted that he hadn't even heard Sam Lanier's instructions. He had no idea where they were headed or the type of emergency that awaited them. 'Get it together, Lopez,' he said, knowing that a distracted fireman could quickly become a dead fireman, and take his brothers with him.
E!
Mike slowed down at the scene just enough for Captain Stanley to exit the vehicle and report in with Incident Command. Hank never looked back, knowing that his men where to stage as they awaited their assignments. Mike and Roy positioned their respective vehicles so as not to interfere with the crews already hard at work to combat the blaze.
The heat from the burning warehouse was intense against Hank's back as he gathered his memtogether. "Alright, no one is reported missing, so it'll be a direct attack, two in/two out. We've got Charlie side," he said, waving towards the rear of the expansive building. "There's a plug on the corner of Bravo and Charlie. Let's move the rigs and get set up."
Roy drove the squad around the corner while Mike dropped Chet off near the hydrant and began laying hose. In short order, the two linemen were manning a charged hose while the medics stood by, ready to relieve or retrieve their brothers.
Chet, who was backing up his partner, felt the tap on his left shoulder and knew that Johnny and Roy were there to relieve them. The heat was so intense that each duo could only fight it for a short time. He relinquished his position to Johnny, watching in silence as Roy tapped Marco's shoulder three times before the senior lineman seemed to notice. The Irishman knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. Marco seemed to be off his game. The linemen retreated outside the metal building, awaiting their turn to relieve the medics.
"You okay?" Chet asked his partner, a concerned expression on his face. He was frustrated by Marco's dismissive wave.
Suddenly the order to evacuate was announced. Chet, knowing the roar of the fire would have made it nearly impossible for Johnny and Roy to have heard the command, made his way inside the open doorway to notify the paramedics. After ensuring the medics had been alerted, he turned to run when a deep rumble caught his attention. As the three men ran out of the building, there was an internal explosion behind them, nearly knocking him off his feet. Chet reached the opening first, grabbing onto the door frame for stability. He turned around and saw Johnny pulling Roy up, his arm supporting the other man, as the two exited the building. Feeling a sense of relief that their crew was safe Chet then turned his attention to his partner. He saw Marco standing a few feet away, wide-eyed.
Chet grabbed the older man by the back of his turnout coat and jerked him towards the rigs. He saw Captain Stanley eyeing them suspiciously and lowered his gaze. He knew he needed to have a talk with Marco about his behavior but not in front of their superior. He silently prayed the observant fire captain had not noticed Marco's hesitation.
Hank made a mental note to talk to his lineman but needed to find out the extent of his senior medic's injuries first. "Roy… you okay?"
"Yea, Cap. I just lost my footing in there and Johnny wanted to look like a hero for the newspaper photographers," he jested, giving his partner an elbow to the ribs.
"What? Me?" Johnny asked, his gloved hand splayed over his chest. "Oh, no… I just didn't want to be chastised by Joanne for letting you get hurt, that's all."
"Check him over, will you, John?"
"Yessir."
"And you two," the fire captain began, waving at his linemen. "Surround and drown."
"On it, Cap," Chet commented, watching as Marco led the way to the place where the line had been left behind during the hasty egress. He quickened his steps until he was walking beside Marco.
"What the hell happened to you, Marco?"
"What do you mean?"
Chet huffed as they checked the line for damage before signaling for Mike to charge it. "You know exactly what I mean, damn it," the Irishman cursed, his frustration apparent. "If you'd gone in to help me get Roy and John out then maybe Roy wouldn't have fallen. That could've been a disaster, ya know?"
"Just drop it, okay." Marco said, resuming his position on the hose.
Chet knew they had a job to do but vowed to continue his inquisition as soon as they returned to the station.
E!
As soon as Mike positioned the engine in the apparatus bay, Marco made a hasty exit, heading for the dorm. He had to call Beverly and apologize for his earlier comment. Just as his hand pushed on the door, his Captain's voice made him cringe.
"Lopez, Kelly… my office… now!"
Hank felt like slamming his chair against the wall but instead he sat down as calmly as he could while he waited on his linemen. The more he had played the events of the previous run over and over in his head, the more disappointed he had become.
"Sit down," he commanded as the two summoned men walked into his office. "Lopez, shut the door."
Once the two linemen were seated, he began. "What happened back there… and don't give me the runaround, either."
