The day had started like any other at the 118 fire station. The crew had responded to a series of routine calls—traffic collisions, a small kitchen fire, and a public assistance call for a cat stuck in a tree. It was the kind of day that made the job feel more like community service than the high-octane heroics that often defined their work.
As the sun began to set, casting long shadows over the city, the final call came in. A car accident on a busy intersection with multiple injuries. It was all hands on deck. Eddie, as always, was right in the thick of it, providing medical assistance with a calm efficiency that made him indispensable in crises.
The scene was cleared, and the team packed up to head back. Buck, who had been directing traffic, noticed Eddie speaking to a police officer by the side of the road. He didn't think much of it; Eddie often liaised with other emergency services. Buck turned back to guide the last of the onlookers away, then jumped into the engine.
Back at the station, gear was being stowed away, and jokes were being traded as the crew unwound. But a palpable sense of unease crept in as the minutes ticked by. Eddie hadn't returned. Calls to his radio went unanswered, and a sinking feeling began to take hold.
Bobby called everyone to a halt. "Let's not jump to conclusions," he said, though his voice betrayed his concern. "Chim, Buck, check the GPS on the ambulance. Hen, call the hospital and see if he went back with a patient."
The team sprang into action, each task carried out with a precision born of many drills and real emergencies. But as each effort returned more questions than answers, the weight of the situation began to dawn on them.
It was Chimney who found the abandoned ambulance first, tucked away in an alley two blocks from the crash site. The back doors were ajar, medical supplies scattered around, a stark sign of struggle. There was no sign of Eddie.
Back at the station, the atmosphere had shifted palpably from routine post-call fatigue to sharp, anxious energy. Buck felt his heart pounding, his mind racing with possibilities he dared not voice.
"Eddie's been taken," Bobby finally pronounced, his voice grim. "We need to find him. Now."