SOMEONE ANSWER THE PHONE

By Peggy Bedingfield

Johnny sat quietly watching the two women across the restaurant signing to each other. Their hands flashed the signs in a smooth, graceful dance, flowing from hands to body to face during the course of the conversation. Johnny flinched as a hand passed in front of eyes, breaking his concentration.

“Hey! Earth to Johnny!” Roy said with a grin.

“Huh, what? What’d you say?” Johnny asked distractedly, swatting at the waving hand.

“I asked if you were ready to go,” Roy said on a sigh. “What are you looking at that is taking all your concentration?” Roy waved at the half-eaten burger still on his partner’s tray.

Johnny looked down at his tray and flashed a crooked grin at Roy.

“Sorry, I was watching the two deaf women talking. I was trying to see how much of their conversation I could follow.”

“Since when do you know Sign Language?” Roy asked, surprised.

“Well,” Johnny began, “you remember that deaf couple whose baby we delivered and the teenager we got out of the burning apartment building?”

Roy nodded his head. “Yeah, it would have been handy to know at least the basics of sign, then we could have talked with them instead of relying on notes. But what’s that got to do with watching these two?”

“I got to thinking. It might not be a bad idea to have at least one person on each shift that could speak sign language. Dwyer on B-shift and Bruce on C-shift both know some sign language. I asked Cap if he thought the department would be willing to go half on some sign classes.”

“And?” prompted Roy.

Johnny smirked at his partner, “They not only agreed to pay half of the classes, but they paid ALL the tuition! Books and all!”

“That’s great!” Roy said. He shook his head, amazed at his partner’s willingness to go out of his way to learn a new language ‘just in case’ he ‘might’ need it.

“I just finished the second semester of the beginner’s sign course. Now I can go to advanced class next semester.” Johnny looked at his partner with a gleam in his eyes. “You know, you might take a course, too.”

Roy shook his head, “I just don’t have the time for that right now, but you can always teach me. Why didn’t you tell me you were taking a sign class? Why all the secrecy?”

Johnny looked in surprise at his partner, “There wasn’t any secret! I thought Cap had told you guys I was taking classes at the local community college.”

“He told us you were taking classes to improve your performance on the job, but not what classes you were actually taking.” Roy started gathering up the trash from their meal, “Come on, we have to get back to the station.”

Johnny glanced over to the two women who were still talking, oblivious to the conversation that had just taken place. Johnny waved at them and smiled as they passed the table. Both women smiled back and returned the wave. One of the women signed to her friend and both broke into a fit of giggles as the two paramedics left the building. Johnny blushed when he realized they were talking about him.

Roy glanced over to his now quiet partner, shaking his head in amazement. “You never seize to amaze me, Junior,” he thought to himself. “You are a diamond in the rough, Pally, and someday you’re really going to shine!”

Roy backed the squad into the bay. Johnny was out the door before the truck came to a complete halt.

“Gotta run!” he called to Roy, “Finals are tonight! See ya later!”

Chet watched as Johnny ran from the building, jumped into his Land Rover then tore from the parking lot. “What’s with him?” he asked Roy.

“He has finals tonight. And you’ll never guess what classes he’s been taking.”

Roy told the gathered men about the sign courses and why Johnny was taking them.

“All that because he had a chance encounter with some deaf people? How often is he gonna use sign language? I’d think it was a waste of time!” Chet said as he sat down at the table in the day room.

Captain Stanley walked into the room just as Chet finished his statement.

“Well, Kelly,” Hank said, “ The department doesn’t think it is a waste of time. Just remember, sometimes a chance encounter will open the door to a whole new world, and maybe even change your perspective on life in general.”

Hank poured himself a glass of juice and returned to his office. The day room remained quiet after his exit; each man lost in thought as they absorbed their Captain’s words.

Johnny pulled into his usual parking spot and turned off the ignition of the Land Rover. He sat in the vehicle, lost in thought. Now that he had completed two semesters of Sign Language, it was time to decide if he wanted to continue with the course, or stop and hope he had learned enough to be of use to the department.

A long, low rumble interrupted his thoughts. Lightening forked across the late afternoon sky, followed by a strong gust of wind and another rumble of thunder.

Johnny sighed. He opened the door and started to exit the Rover when a sudden brightness caught his eyes. A ball of light rolled slowly across the hood of his Land Rover. It bounced around and traveled in a zigzag pattern as he watched. As the ball of light drew closer, Johnny felt a fierce tingle of impending electrical discharge. Suddenly the ball of light jumped towards Johnny, as if drawn by a magnet. He tried to release the door, but his hand was glued to the Rover’s handle and window frame. The tingle changed to a searing pain as the ball of light flashed, then vanished.

Johnny blinked against the sudden spots that danced in his eyes. As his vision cleared he realized he could now release his death grip on his vehicle. He also felt the sudden buzzing and popping that was blocking his hearing. Over all the buzzing he heard a high pitched ringing that sounded like a telephone stuck on one level of sound.

Someone touched his shoulder. Johnny turned and saw the men of A-shift watching him. Their eyes were wide open in surprise.

“Did you see that?” Johnny asked his partner, Roy Desoto. “It was a ball of lightening, and it rolled across the hood of my Rover!”

Roy stepped in front of his partner, “Let me see your hands.”

“What? Why are you mumbling?” Johnny looked at Roy; perturbed because no one else seemed to appreciate the light show he had just witnessed.

Captain Stanley caught the expression that crossed Roy’s face. “Roy?” he asked.

“I ….. don’t know,” he answered. “It could just be the after affect of the electrical shock from the lightening.”

“What electrical shock?” Johnny asked. The buzzing in his ears had finally begun to fade and he caught the last part of Roy's statement.

“Let me see your hands,” Roy said again, ignoring the look his partner was giving him.

Johnny glanced at his hands. His eyes widened in shock when he saw the two angry red streaks that crossed his palms. He flexed his fingers and felt the pull of swollen skin that was beginning to blister.

“What do you think, Roy?” Captain Stanley asked.

“I think we had better get him to the hospital and let one of the doctors take a look at his hands.” Roy glanced up at Johnny when he yanked his hands away. He saw the singed hair along his friend’s neck and arms.

“You know, you could talk directly to me! I’m not deaf, or invisible!” Johnny said, irritated at being treated like a child.

“Sorry, Junior. Let’s get to the hospital and have your hands checked,” Roy soothed his friend’s feelings. “It isn’t every day that someone encounters lightening up close and personal and remains standing.”

Johnny flexed his fingers once again. They were starting to hurt, so he agreed and headed for the squad.

Dr. Early examined Johnny’s hands, turning them over and over again, then having him flex his fingers. He harrumphed a few times then went over to the drug cabinet and pulled a tube of cream from the shelves.

“Those blisters will be somewhat painful by tomorrow. Keep this cream on your hands, and try to keep them dry. You should be fine in a couple of days. You’re lucky all you received was superficial burns.” Dr. Early smiled in his enigmatic way.

“”What happened to my hearing?” Johnny asked, disturbed by the fact he had been unable to hear for a few minutes after the ball had vanished.

“It was an after affect of the electrical charge. You’ll probably have some form of tinnitus for a while, but it should fade in about a week. If not, let me know and I’ll set you up with an audiologist,” Dr. Early told him. He noticed Johnny’s distracted look. “Johnny?”

“Huh? Umm……what?” Johnny noticed those in the room looking at him. He tugged on his ear lobe. The ringing in his ears had started back up, but was rapidly fading. “Ummm……..am I clear to finish out the shift?” he asked.

“I think so. Just be extra careful of your hands,” Early told him. “You really are lucky, Johnny. I don’t know of another person who has had the experience you did, and come out still standing.”

“That’s what I told him,” Roy said.

Once back at the station Charlie Dwyer left and the A-shift settled down for the night.

The next morning Roy and Johnny looked over the Land Rover. A couple of places near the wheel well showed signs of blistering.

“That’s probably where the charge entered the body,” Roy said, pointing out the peeling paint.

“Look at this,” Johnny said. Along the window frame and door handle, paint was also peeling. A faint outline of Johnny’s hand could be seen.

Roy whistled long and low, “You were lucky, Junior!”

“What’s going to be real fun is driving home with these blisters!” Johnny flexed his fingers feeling fluid run across his palms.

“Why don’t I drive you home? You can come back later for the Rover.” Roy offered.

“Nah, I’ll manage,” Johnny grinned at his friend. “My hands don’t really hurt that much, and besides, I’ll cover the blisters with gauze.”

“Well, if you need anything…..” Roy started to say.

“I’ll call you,” Johnny finished.

Two days later Roy entered the locker room of the station and saw his friend sitting in his locker. He was staring into space, occasionally reaching up to tug on his ear.

“Morning, Junior,” Roy said, waving his hand in front of Johnny’s eyes.

“What? Oh, morning. How was your days off?” Johnny jumped up and finished dressing.

“Fine. Joanne had some chores for me to do, then we took the kids to the beach.” Roy turned, surprised, as Johnny left the room as he was talking. “Johnny?” A worried frown crossed his face.

A loud pop from the day room made Roy hurry with his uniform. He walked into the room and saw Chet standing with a broken balloon in his hand. The surprised look on his face was a comic relief.

“What’s with him?” Chet asked the blond haired paramedic. “I popped this thing right behind him and he didn't even flinch.”

“Maybe it’s because I saw your reflection in the glass and knew you were going to do something dumb, like pop the balloon, when I walked into the room,” Johnny smirked. In actuality, the sudden onset of the high pitched ring had muffled the sound of the balloon breaking.

“So,” Johnny said to his partner as he handed him a cup of coffee, “Did you enjoy your day at the beach?”

“Yeah, the kids had a blast, and Joanne and I got some really good pictures of them.”

“That’s great……..” the klaxons interrupted their conversation.

** STATION 51, DUMPSTER FIRE. ALLEY WAY BETWEEN INDUSTRIAL AND CLOVER -TIME OUT- 8:10 **

“How’re your ears today?” Roy asked once the engine had departed.

“Fine, just a little buzzing and popping. Not like yesterday and Wednesday. Man, I thought it was going to drive me nuts!” Johnny laughed. He unconsciously reached up and tugged on his ear.

Roy saw the gesture, but kept his comment to himself. He would ask one of the doctors at the hospital about Johnny’s ear pulling. The klaxons sounded again.

**SQUAD 51 – CODE I AT ENGINE 51’S LOCATION – ALLEY WAY BETWEEN INDUSTRAIL AND CLOVER – TIME OUT – 8:55 **

“Code I?” Johnny asked. “At a trash fire?”

Roy parked the squad as close to the engine as possible. Both men jumped out and grabbed the equipment they thought would be needed. Captain Stanley trotted up and grabbed the oxygen bottle.

“What happened, Cap?” Johnny asked.

“Someone put fire crackers in the dumpster. When Chet opened the top some of them exploded and caught Marco in the face!” Captain Stanley explained, anger evident in his voice.

Roy and Johnny knelt beside their injured shift-mate. Chet was practically sitting on his fallen friend trying to keep him from rolling around and getting hurt on the glass shards that littered the ground.

“I think a bottle exploded in his face,” Chet told the two paramedics. He nearly went flying when Marco tried to sit up and shove Kelley away.

“Marco, lay still!” Roy ordered the young fireman.

Marco let out a stream of Spanish. He had his hands firmly clasped over his face. When Roy tried to pry his hands away, Marco let out with another stream of Spanish.

“Man, I’m glad I don’t understand Spanish right now!” Chet said as he and Roy struggled with Marco.

“Marco, come on man! We’ve got to see your eyes!” Johnny called to his friend.

Marco stopped struggling and slowly took his hands from his face. He had his eyes screwed tightly shut. He muttered some more in Spanish, then lay quietly as Johnny began his examination. When Johnny tried to open his eyes he swatted at the hand holding his head still.

“It hurts!” Marco ground out.

“Just take it easy, Marco. I’ve got to check your eyes. It’ll only take a second,” Johnny soothed.

Roy handed Johnny a bottle of saline solution. He poured the liquid over Marco’s forehead and eyes. Chet gently dabbed the liquid away as the solution dribbled down the side of his friend’s face.

“Keep your eyes closed,” Roy instructed.

“Not a problem,” Marco said. He kept trying to reach up and place his hands over his eyes. Mike Stoker would push them back to the ground.

Marco heard Johnny contacting the hospital. He could not make out what the doctor said. He felt someone place cool pads over his eyes, then wrap them securely in place. A sharp sting in his arm alerted him to the IV that was being started.

“Hang tight, Marco,” Johnny said. “I’m giving you something right now to ease the pain.”

Marco felt the drug take affect and relaxed. Within minutes he was feeling no pain and began to sing in Spanish. The men around him grinned at the now relaxed man. He was quickly loaded into the waiting ambulance and whisked away to Rampart General Hospital.

“How bad do you think it is?” Captain Stanley asked Roy.

“I can’t say, Cap. It depends on a lot of factors. Did the glass get in his eyes, or maybe just some of the powder? How close he was to the flash, but it doesn’t look too bad. His pupils were reactive, so maybe he’ll be fine.” Roy finished gathering up the equipment and jumped into the squad.

“We’ll be waiting for news, pal,” Stanley told him. He slapped the squad for emphasis. Roy nodded and pulled away. The remaining crewmembers cleared the alleyway and returned to the station.

“Man, I wish I could get my hands on the punks who did this!” Chet exclaimed. Although unvoiced, Captain Stanley and Mike Stoker agreed.

Once the engine had left, two teenage boys crawled from their hiding place in the bushes.

\\ Think you that fireman bad hurt?// asked the tallest of the two.

\\ Hope not! // The shorter one answered.

\\ Thought said you hearing people know those things makeloud noise! // signed the tall one.

The shorter boy shrugged \\ What was told I! //

The two deaf boys stood looking at the dumpster.

\\ Go now before cought! //

The two boys ran from the alleyway. One final explosion sounded from the dripping container.

Dr. Brackett entered the treatment room where the injured fireman lay. He had not seen this particular man very many times, but he remembered a laughing face with twinkling eyes. He looked at the chart he held in his hands. Snapping it shut he approached the table and began to unwind the bandages covering the man’s eyes.

“I’m Dr. Brackett,” he introduced himself as he worked. “I’m going to have to check your eyes, so it may hurt a little. You will need to lay very still, and try not to blink any more than usual.”

“Sure thing, doc,” the still woozy man said.

Brackett smiled at his jovial reply. Once the bandages were removed he took his penlight and flashed it into Marco’s eyes. He was glad to see both pupils reacting normally.

Dixie walked in and approached the bed. “How are you doing, Marco?” she asked.

He rolled his head towards the friendly voice and answered, “I’m feeling nooooo pain!” He grinned and chuckled.

Dixie grinned at his happy answer, then looked at Dr. Brackett. He was shaking his head in amusement.

“The shot is still in full affect,” he said.

“Well, he’s usually a happy person, anyway, so I guess he’s just being normal,” Dixie said.

“We’ll keep him overnight for observation.” Dr. Brackett grinned as Marco began singing another song. “If he’s this happy with a pain killer, I’d like to meet him when he’s sober!”

“Too bad all our patients aren’t this happy,” she told him. “Roy and Johnny are waiting outside. They are wanting some news to tell the guys at the station.”

Brackett spoke to the young student nurse who was observing, “Nurse, keep an eye on our happy patient.” He and Dixie left the room, both trying not to laugh at the injured man. They saw the two paramedics standing by the desk. As they approached Johnny stood up and faced the doctor.

“What’s the verdict, doc?” he asked.

“My cursory examination shows no major damage to his eyes. His pupils are equal and reactive. We’ll keep him overnight for observation. I think he’ll be fine in a couple of days.”

“Thanks, Doc,” Roy said. He grabbed up the box of supplies they needed and motioned for Johnny to grab the HT. “Come on, Junior. I know of at least one hose jockey waiting for news.”

Roy backed the squad into the bay. Before either paramedic could leave the truck the other men were waiting, leaning against the wall, for news of their injured shift-mate.

“How is he? Is he gonna be blind?” Chet asked, not waiting for his captain to ask.

“Dr. Brackett said it looks good. Marco will have some sore eyes for a while, but he didn’t see anything that might be permanent.” Roy slid from the truck and pushed past the worried man. Chet and Marco, he knew, were best friends as well as partners.

“He was singing ditties in Spanish when we left,” Johnny said, grinning, “and he’ll have to re-grow his mustache!”

“Did the doctor say how long he’d be out of commission?” Stanley asked.

“Not really,” Roy said, heading for the day room. “He said a few days. He’ll be in the hospital tonight. He should be released tomorrow.”

“That’s good. Well, guess I’d better make sure we have a replacement for him until further notice.” Captain Stanley headed for his office, but a sudden, loud moan caused him to stop short and whirl around. He saw Chet sitting at the table holding his head in his hands. “What’s the problem, pal?” he asked.

“Who’s gonna fix lunch? It was Marco’s turn to cook!” Chet gave his best pathetic look.

“You twit!” Hank said and left the room.

“Don’t worry, Chet. I’ll fix lunch,” Mike Stoker said from where he was sitting on the couch. Henry, the station’s mascot, had his head in Mike’s lap. Mike reached down and scratched the Basset’s ear. Henry decided that was enough invitation to crawl completely into Mike’s lap. A soft “oof!” was heard as Henry collapsed.

The day room was quiet. All eyes were on Chet.

“What?” he asked. “So I’m hungry!”

Johnny snorted, “It’s barely eleven o’clock!” Suddenly a rumbling sound was heard. Johnny’s face reddened as his stomach growled.

“I rest my case, gentlemen,” Chet said, and left the room.

Johnny tugged on his ear. The shrill ringing had wakened him from a sound sleep. He sighed and sat up. Until the sound completely faded away he would be unable to return to sleep. He saw his partner looking at him.

“You okay?” Roy asked.

“Yeah,” Johnny whispered. “Just can’t seem to sleep. I’m going for some milk, want some?”

“No, thanks,” he answered. Roy turned over and pulled the covers up to his shoulders. He lay still, pretending to sleep. Once he heard Johnny walk past, he rolled to his back and stared at the ceiling. He had seen Johnny pulling on his ear again. The day had been busy enough that he had forgotten to speak with one of the doctors about Johnny constantly pulling on his ear. Twice during the day he had had to repeat himself before Johnny responded. Once he had caught his partner staring into space with a harried look on his face. Each time he had seen Johnny tugging on his ear.

Once back at the station he had asked Johnny what was wrong. Johnny had given him a funny look and denied that anything was ‘wrong’ and had walked away.

The next morning, as the men were leaving, Roy stopped at his car and asked, “Hey, Junior, want to come over for breakfast? Joann is making pancakes.”

“Sure!” Johnny agreed, his face lighting up with pleasure. He enjoyed as many home cooked meals as possible, since he was single and did little cooking himself.

“Okay, meet you at the house,” Roy said and pulled out of the parking lot.

Two shifts later Marco strolled into the day room. The two paramedics from C-shift were sitting at the table eating doughnuts and reading the morning paper.

“Hey, Marco, the man! Welcome back!” “Good to see you, friend!” they both said.

“Thanks, guys! It’s good to be back!” He laughed and headed for the locker room to put on his uniform.

Chet was closing his locker when Marco entered the room. “Hey, buddy! Welcome back! Sure missed having you back me up on the hoses!”

“Thanks, Chet. You know, missing one shift isn’t so bad, but two! I thought my sisters were gonna drive me bonko!” Marco opened his locker and pulled out his uniform shirt. He was almost dressed when Roy, Johnny and Mike walked in.

“Hey! Welcome back!” “About time you showed up!” “Hey, Marco, how’re the eyes?”

“Thanks, guys. The eyes are fine, Roy. Doc said no permanent damage was done. Man, was I scared there for a while!” Marco told his shift mates.

“Yeah, well, so were we,” Johnny told him.

Captain Stanley poked his head into the room, “Welcome back, Pal! Roll call in five!”

Marco chuckled, “Awww, it’s good to be back.”

The day started out quietly. The men were able to complete their chores and have lunch with no interruptions. The station was quiet as each man decided to finish, or start, a project that had been waiting.

Johnny had his head stuck in his locker. Roy could hear him muttering to himself. Every few minutes an item would fly over his partner’s shoulder and land on the small pile of miscellaneous articles lying on the floor.

“Hey!” Roy called to his still muttering friend. When he received no reply he gently kicked Johnny’s foot to get his attention. “Hey in there!”

“Yeah?” Johnny answered, his voice muffled by the clothes hanging in the locker.

“How’s that ringing in your ears?” Roy asked.

Johnny rocked back on his heals. “What ringing?” he asked.

Roy rolled his eyes. “The ringing that kept you awake the past two shifts,” he patiently explained.

“Oh, that,” Johnny said as he tossed another sock from his locker, “ I haven’t had any problems in a couple of days.” Johnny paused in his rummaging, “Why?”

“Just thought I’d ask.” Roy looked at the growing pile. “Why don’t you clean your locker more often?”

“Huh!” was the only answer he received.

“Johnny!” Captain Stanley called from the truck bay. “I need you and Roy out here!”

Johnny and Roy exchanged worried looks, then joined their captain at the front door of the station.

“Yeah, Cap?” Johnny asked.

A young boy and girl stood in the doorway. The little girl held tightly to the boy’s hand. They stared at the firemen.

“I think you better try and talk with them. The boy was waving his hand around and pointing. I think they must be deaf,” Captain Stanley said.

Johnny knelt in front of the two children. \\ Deaf you? // he signed. He also spoke out loud for the benefit of his crewmen. The boy nodded and flashed several signs at Johnny.

\\ Not understand// Johnny told him.

The boy freed his hand and signed again. He signed quickly. Johnny was just barely able to follow what he was saying. Understanding popped into his head. “Oh!”

“The mother is in the car outside. She’s having a baby and needs help!” Johnny told the waiting men.

I’ll get the equipment,” Roy said. “You go check on the mother.”

“Right,” Johnny answered. He knelt in front of the children and signed \\ Stay here with these men. We take good care you mother//

The two children stepped over to Captain Stanley’s side. The little girl slid her hand into his and looked up at him. She smiled at the tall man and signed something. Captain Stanley smiled, not at all sure what she had just said.

“Uh, Johnny?” Stanley said uncertainly.

“I told them to stay with you. We’d take good care of their mother.” Johnny trotted out the door and over to the brown station wagon parked by the curb.

Johnny opened the passenger door and crawled into the car. He reached over and patted the panting woman’s arm. \\ Deaf you? // he asked.

“No. I’m hearing,” she panted answer her. She gasped as a pain hit her. “Oh! The pains are getting closer!”

“How far along are you?” Johnny asked. Roy ran up to the car. He gave Johnny the B/P cuff and opened the bio-phone to contact the hospital.

“I’m about a week over due!” she answered and groaned again as another pain washed across her.

“You’re going to be okay. We’re going to help you.” Johnny looked at his partner, “B/P is 130 over 84, respiration’s 30 and rapid. Pulse is 70.”

“The ambulance is on the way. Think there’s enough time to get her to the hospital?” Roy asked.

Suddenly the woman screamed. “The baby’s coming now!”

“Nope, don’t think so,” Johnny answered and helped the laboring woman to lay on the seat.

Okay, Junior. Let’s bring in the new life.”

In the distance the lonely wail of the siren could be heard. Johnny and Roy paid it little heed as the baby made its announcement to the world.

“It’s a girl!” Johnny told the exhausted mother.

“10-4, Rampart. The ambulance has arrived. ETA about three minutes.” Roy grinned at his partner’s shining eyes. “Good job, Junior!” he told him.

They loaded the new mother and her other two children into the ambulance. The boy kept trying to see into the bundle Johnny was holding. Johnny laid the baby in the mother’s arms and signed to the two children

\\ You have new baby sister//

\\ Why so ugly? // the boy asked.

Johnny grinned, \\ She no be ugly long//

The boy nodded and sat quietly on the bench beside his mother. The little girl climbed into Johnny’s lap. She looked at him for a moment then signed \\ You deaf?//

\\ No. I learn you language so could talk you// Johnny explained.

\\ Name me Sally. You?// she asked.

\\ Johnny Gage// he answered her.

She curled up on his lap and laid her head on his shoulder. She stuck her thumb in her mouth and closed her eyes. Her mother smiled at the picture her daughter and the young paramedic made.

“She doesn’t normally take to strangers,” she said.

Johnny looked down at Sally. He gently ruffled her curly hair. “I like kids. Maybe she knows that,” he said.

The ambulance slowed and turned. Minutes later they had stopped and the doors were thrown open. A man was standing to the side as they unloaded the woman and baby. The boy jumped down from the ambulance and ran up to him. He signedquickly, then turned and pointed to Johnny.

The man approached him and signed \\ Thank you for help my wife//

\\ Just do my job// Johnny answered. He grinned and offered the sleeping child to the father.

Sally stirred as she was shifted from one man to the other. She patted her father on his chest, signed something and went back to sleep. He smiled and kissed his daughter on the top of her head.

Johnny waited for his partner at the nurses’ desk. He held a cup of coffee in his hand. He offered Roy another cup as his partner walked up.

“How’s momma and baby?” he asked.

“Doing fine!” Johnny answered, the grin still on his face. “You know, I never thought I’d use the sign language. I thought, maybe I was wasting my time. But, so far today, I think I’m glad I learned!”

“So am I, partner. So am I,” Roy said. He placed his cup on the counter behind the desk. “Ready to go, daddy?”

“Huh, wait, I’m not through with my coffee!” Johnny took a large gulp and winced as the hot beverage burned its way down his throat. He ran to catch up with his partner. He saw the nurse he was currently dating and stopped long enough to say, “I delivered a baby girl!” The nurse smiled and congratulated him.

“Come on, Junior!” Roy called.

Johnny frowned in Roy’s direction. He grinned once more at the nurse then turned to leave the hospital. He ran full tilt into the wall.

“Yow!” he cried as he rubbed his head. He waved off the proffered help and joined Roy in the squad.

“You okay?” Roy asked, trying not to smile.

“Yeah, just dandy!” Johnny groused.

“Are you sure you’re okay? You hit that wall pretty hard!” Roy asked for the third time since leaving Rampart. He had seen Johnny pulling at his ear again. His radar was up and working.

“Yes! How many times do I have to tell you!” Johnny said as he slid from the squad.

“I just worry you may have rattled your brain a little more,” Roy teased.

Chet walked out to the bay area, “Johnny has a brain to rattle?”

“Oh, ha, ha, Chet. Why don’t you go find the little pea brain you lost a long time ago?” Johnny stalked into the day room. The klaxons sounded, cutting short the argument.

**STATION 51—Structure fire—5881 Carson and Vine, 5-8-8-1 Carson and Vine. Time out 12:42**

“Station 51, KMG 365,” Stanley acknowledged.

“That’s the new apartment complex just down the road, isn’t it?” Roy asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Johnny answered.

Once on scene Captain Stanley quickly assessed the situation. “LA Station 51, We have an apartment complex that is fully involved. Send a second alarm!” Captain Stanley began issuing orders to his men. “Marco, Chet, get an inch and a half on the North side! Roy, Johnny take another inch and a half to the East side!”

A man ran up and grabbed Captain Stanley’s arm. He frantically waved towards the building. Strange noises came from his mouth. Captain Stanley stared at him then called, “Johnny!”

Johnny looked towards his captain. He saw a man standing next to him. He alerted Roy to the possibility of victims. He trotted up to the captain, who waved him over to the man. “He’s deaf! Talk to him!”

Johnny was surprised. In all the years he had been working as a fireman/paramedic he had never encountered so many deaf people in one day. He motioned to the man and signed \\ Sir, what problem? //

\\ My wife son inside! Apartment 3G! Help please! //

“Cap! We have two victims inside! They’re on the third floor!” Johnny called to his superior.

“Okay! You and Roy get in and out! Understand?” he answered.

“Roy!” Johnny called as he began pulling equipment from the squad. “We have two people still inside! A woman and a boy! The husband said they’re on the third floor, apartment 3G!”

The man had followed Johnny and began pulling on him. He kept signing frantically. Johnny signed \\ We go find wife and son. You wait here! //

“Chet, Marco! Cover Johnny and Roy!” Stanley called to the two men spraying water on the building. Sirens blared closer as other engine companies began to arrive. Captain Stanley issued orders to the arriving teams, while at the same time watching as his two paramedics entered the burning structure. He felt his guts tighten as they did anytime he sent his men into a dangerous situation.

Roy followed Johnny up the stairs. They almost crawled to the apartment where the two victims were supposed to be. Johnny kicked open the door and motioned his partner to go left as he went to the right.

“Roy!” Johnny called, “I found them! They’re in the bedroom!”

Roy quickly joined his partner and helped the woman to her feet. In her arms was a little boy of about six who was crying and coughing. Roy took the woman by the arm and began leading her from the room. They had just made it into the hallway when a loud crash was heard from behind them.

“Johnny!” Roy called, frantic. The woman coughed. Roy turned to lead her and the child she carried to safety. He did not like leaving his partner behind, but his first priority was the victims.

Brice and Bellingham ran up as Roy and the woman left the building. Roy handed her over to Bellingham then said to Brice, “Johnny’s still in there! I think the ceiling collapsed on him! I’ve got to go back!”

“Roy, no!” Brice said, grabbing him. “Look!” Johnny staggered from the building.

Roy and Brice ran to help the paramedic to the squad where they removed his SCBA gear and coat.

“I’m fine! I’m fine!” Johnny protested as Brice placed an oxygen mask over his face.

“Let us check you out!” Roy said, firmly. “What happened?”

“I saw you and the woman make it to the hall. I heard the ceiling crack and jumped back. I was in the doorway of the bedroom when the whole thing fell in!” Johnny explained. He did not tell Roy that he had been distracted when his ears went to ringing.

“You have a nasty cut on your neck. Sit still and let me look at it,” Brice told him.

“How’s the mother and child?” Johnny asked.

“They’re fine. A little smoke inhalation, no burns.” Roy placed the B/P cuff on Johnny’s arm.

“Roy, I said I’m fine!” Johnny protested, then grimaced as his ear went to ringing again.

Roy saw the look and asked, “What’s wrong? Where do you hurt?”

“My neck! That stuff stings!” he said to Brice, who had dabbed some ointment on the cut.

“LA, Station 51, this fire is under control, cancel other units” Captain Stanley said as he walked up to the seated paramedics. “You okay, pal?” he asked Johnny.

“Yeah, Cap. Just a little cut,” Johnny told his superior.

“Does he need to go in, Roy?” he asked the senior paramedic.

“No!” “Yes,” Roy over-road Johnny’s protest.

“What for? It’s just a little cut!” Johnny complained.

“It’s in a bad spot. It may need stitches.” Roy calmly tucked the drug box and bio-phone under his arm. “You don’t have to ride in the ambulance, if that’ll make you feel any better.”

“But…Cap!….I don’t…” Johnny stuttered.

Captain Stanley looked down at the ground until he could get his facial expression under control. He knew Johnny’s dislike of the hospital, especially if it meant he was on the receiving end. He reached out and thumped Johnny’s booted foot, “No argument. Just go.”

“Yes, sir,” Johnny capitulated.

Dr. Morton checked the ugly red cut on Johnny’s neck. He tut-tutted and harrumphed, mainly because he knew it would bug the paramedic. Finally he backed away and said, “Uh huh. I don’t think you’ll need any stitches. Just try to keep it clean and dry for a few days. I doubt you’ll even have a scar.”

“Great! Let’s go!” Johnny said, hopping down from the table.

“You could at least say thank you!” Morton said.

“Thanks, doc!” he said as he left the room.

Morton rolled his eyes. He looked at Roy and grinned. “You must have the patience of a saint!”

“Not really,” Roy told him. “He just eventually grows on you.”

Morton gave a hearty laugh. He reached out and gave Roy a friendly slap on the back then strolled down the hall to the next room.

Roy joined Johnny and Dixie at the nurse’s desk. He grinned as Johnny waved his hands around, explaining his latest adventure. He looked up as Roy joined them and grinned.

“I was just filling Dixie in on how it feels to have a ceiling collapse on top of you!” Johnny explained.

“Well, this time it missed you. Dix, is Dr. Brackett or Dr. Early free for a minute? I have something I want to ask them.”

“I think Dr. Brackett is…..” the tones sounded over the HT, interrupting the head nurse.

“Squad 51, what is your status?”

“Squad 51, available,” Roy answered. “Later, Dixie!”

Both men headed for the squad as the tones rolled from the HT.

** STATION 51—STATION 36—STATION 110—TRUCK 24—SQUAD 9 IN PLACE OF SQUAD 24—INDUSTRIAL EXPLOSION—BRENT/MYERSON CHEMICAL PLANT. 5500 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD—TIME OUT 19:50**

“Squad 51, 10-4” Johnny acknowledged.

An explosion ripped the air as Squad 51arrived. Gray smoke billowed from the building, filling the air with a foul stench. Bright orange flames danced across pipes that connected one storage tank to another. Another explosion rocked the ground, throwing people to the earth.

The generated heat kept the firemen away from the main complex where they could do the most good.

“One-ten, set up the cannon!” Battalion Chief McConnike ordered. “36, get that ladder up and attack from above! 51, get two inch and a halves and start from the West side!”

The men ran around in the organized confusion that always looked like some strange dance. The roar of the fire made hearing difficult as the men called to one another. Small explosions could be heard coming from the building. Suddenly, the ground began to shake. A long, low rumble cut through the noise. The ground began to buck and sway. Firemen held on to suddenly living hoses as they tried to maintain their footing. More explosions were heard. The ground bucked even more as each explosion jarred the already loosened soil around the building.

Captain Stanley saw the ladder truck swaying dangerously. The men in the partially raised bucket were hanging on for their lives.

“Get that ladder down!” He called out. Hank saw a man fall. The hose he had been holding went wild. He ran over and helped the fireman up. He helped get the hose back under control. Another man joined them, and signaled to the captain he would take his place.

The ground stopped moving. People held their breaths as they waited for the next onslaught. An eirie quiet covered the area. Suddenly, a sound that sent shivers up the spines of all that heard it, signaled another disaster about to happen.

Mike Stoker saw it first. “Johnny, Roy! Look out!” he called the warning.

Johnny looked down. The ground had begun to split. An opening was growing wider and wider. He pushed Roy away, then jumped to join his partner. A woman grabbed his arm, pleading with fright filled eyes for answers to questions Johnny did not know.

An ominous rumble, followed by a loud roar, broke the silence. A massive explosion sent people tumbling to the ground. The building began to collapse in on itself as the ground opened wider and wider. The chemical plant slipped down the sinkhole that had opened underneath it. People scrambled for safety. Several firemen fell over the edge, pulled in by the sudden shifting of the ground. A mushroom cloud billowed from the hole, belched out by an object too big for the small space it occupied.

McConnike again used the bullhorn, this time to begin rescue operations. The fire was now contained in the large hole where the building had disappeared. The safety of those who had fallen into the opening was now uppermost in his mind.

Roy looked around for his partner. Johnny was no where to be seen. In the place where he had been standing was now a large crater. Squad 51 was hanging, held only by its back axle, to crumbling asphalt.

“Cap!” Roy called.

Captain Stanley heard the panic in Roy’s voice. He ran to join the paramedic. His eyes widened when he saw the squad hanging. Quickly he looked towards the engine. The back wheel was barely resting on the asphalt.

“Mike!” Stanley called to the engineer. When the engineer did not respond he scanned the area, thinking he might have gone to help someone without telling. He knew, even as the thought formed, that this was not so. The engineer would not leave his post without being ordered to do so. Hank looked into the hole again, then up at the paramedic.

“No!” he exclaimed.

Hank pulled his HT from his pocket. “HT 51, to Battalion 14.”

“Go ahead, 51,” McConnike’s voice came in reply.

“We have two missing men. I think they may be in the sinkhole at my location. We need a tow truck to move a squad from this location. Also, I am going to move the engine from the scene. This ground is too unstable to hold the weight of the vehicle. ”

“10-4, 51. I’ll have men over to help in five minutes!” McConnike told him.

“10-4!” Stanley acknowledged. He quickly ran around the dangling squad and fired up the engine. If worse came to worse, they could use Big Red to pull the squad from its resting place.

Johnny felt the ground collapsing beneath him. He gave the woman a push, trying to get her to safety. He saw Mike fall as the ground began to shake again, then lost all train of thought as he felt himself falling. He did not know how long he was unconscious, but when he opened his eyes, only darkness greeted him. When he tried to sit up something held him in place. Dirt trickled over his face as the ground settled.

“Mike?” he called. “Mike, can you hear me?” He listened as his voice echoed back at him. From somewhere behind him he heard movement. “Mike?” he called again.

“Yeah. Johnny, is it you, or Roy?” Stoker asked; sounding a little dazed.

“It’s Johnny. Are you hurt?” He waited for a reply. “Mike? Come on, man, answer me!”

“I’m alright, Johnny.” The sound of his friend’s voice was closer. “Keep talking, I’ll be there in a minute.”

“Be careful. This stuff is still pretty loose. I’m trapped under something.” Johnny strained to see his friend through the darkness, then nearly knocked himself out with his hand when he remembered his penlight. Pulling it from his pocket he turned it on. He directed the thin beam in the direction from which he thought Mike would appear. Something else caught his eyes.

Two people were laying under some debris just off to his left. A man and woman, he noted. They began to stir just as Mike appeared in the line of light, causing Johnny to jump in fright.

“Sorry!” Mike apologized to the paramedic.

“There’s two other people down here,” Johnny told him and pointed the thin beam of light to where they were laying. The man sat up and blinked when the light hit his eyes. Johnny lowered the beam.

“Do you think we can get this thing off my leg?” Johnny asked Mike. He flashed the light down to his legs. A large chunk of asphalt was pinning him down.

“I don’t know, Johnny. It’s pretty good size, but I can try. Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“ I may have a couple of cracked ribs,” Johnny said, not wanting to let on how bad he really was hurt. He had seen blood running down the side of his friend’s face and knew that he had some sort of head wound. That would, he knew, explain why Mike had sounded so dazed when he first responded to his call.

Mike stooped to grab part of the asphalt. He grunted as he tried to lift the heavy piece, but had to stop when he became light headed from the effort. A sudden movement made him jump. The man they had seen earlier was now standing beside the two firemen. He tentatively signed to Mike, who shook his head and pointed to Johnny. He turned and signed to Johnny \\ Help you I will //

“He said he’ll help you,” Johnny interpreted.

Mike stood once again and positioned himself next to the deaf man. They heaved on the large piece of asphalt, but it refused to budge. The man signed again. Johnny tried to focus on him, but his vision was becoming blurry and he was trying to fight off the blackness that wanted to claim him.

The man patted Mike’s shoulder frantically and pointed to Johnny. Mike crawled to the paramedic, who lay panting. His breathing was ragged and his eyes were closed.

“Johnny!” Mike called. “Johnny! Open your eyes!” Mike tried to get Johnny to respond. He performed a sternal rub, but received no response. He grabbed up the light from where Johnny had dropped it and gave the unconscious man the once over. A cut, just above Johnny’s left eye, was bleeding heavily. He found the broken ribs that Johnny had said was cracked, and swore under his breath. Further examination revealed that not only was the leg trapped, but it was broken, as well.

Johnny floated towards consciousness. The first thing to register in his mind was the awful ringing that had been plaguing him for days. He moaned in frustration, more than in pain. He tried to sit up, but someone pushed him back down.

“Roy?” he mumbled, “Will you PLEASE answer the phone?”

Mike looked at his friend in puzzlement. He patted Johnny’s cheek, “Johnny? Come on, open your eyes.” Johnny opened his eyes. He saw a dark outline of someone’s face. He looked around, confused. “What? Where are we? Is it night? Mike?”

“Take it easy, Johnny. Don’t you remember?” Mike was worried. He knew how dangerous a head wound could be. He, himself, felt groggy from the head wound he had sustained in the fall.

“We fell down a hole?” Johnny asked, uncertain. “Man, I have a huge headache!” He reached up and rubbed his temple. His hand came away covered with blood. Mike released the breath he did not remember holding.

He looked up at the deaf man and pointed to where the woman still sat, then pointed to their position. The man frowned. He did not understand what Mike was trying to get tell to him. Mike tried again, this time pointing to Johnny and himself, and their injuries.

Johnny saw the two staring at each other, one in concentration, the other in frustration. He jarred Mike’s hand. “Shine the light here, on me,” Johnny instructed. “What are you trying to ask him?”

“I was trying to find out if the woman is hurt,” Mike said.

“I’ll ask for you,” Johnny gasped out. His ribs were starting to hurt, as was his other injuries.

“Is the woman hurt?” Johnny asked.

\\ She has broke leg. But think is all // Johnny interpreted for Mike.

\\ Are you hurt? // Johnny asked.

\\ No, just scratch on head. Not bleed like you// he replied.

“Mike, can you check him out then go check on the woman?” Johnny asked.

Mike quickly did as Johnny asked then crossed over to the woman. She smiled at him and signed. He shook his head, indicating he did not understand.

“I have broken leg,” she said, her words not quite clear, but understandable.

Mike looked up, startled. “You aren’t deaf?” he asked.

She looked at him with a puzzled frown, then smiled as understanding occurred. “I hard of hearing. I have hearing aid, but lose in fall.”

Mike sighed in frustration. Ever since he had been working as a fireman, he had never once come across so may deaf people. Now, in one day, they had come across five. Maybe, he thought, Johnny was on to something with the sign class.

Johnny lay still in the darkness. His head was hurting, and the ringing in his ears had become louder. He concentrated on the sound, hoping it would help keep him awake and alert. Movement from his side alerted him to another presence. He had forgotten about the deaf man still sitting next to him. A hand reached out and grasped his. It took a moment before Johnny realized the man was using the deaf alphabet to spell his name.

\\ Name me Hank Rose. What name you? // he carefully, and slowly spelled.

\\ Johnny Gage name me. Friend name Mike Stoker// he spelled back. \\ What name woman? //

\\ Name she Maggie Thorton // he replied, again spelling slowly.

Mike crawled back to Johnny’s side. He was trying to use the little penlight sparingly, since they had no idea how long they would be trapped.

“Hey, Mike,” Johnny said weakly. “Meet Hank Rose. The woman’s name is Maggie Thorton.”

The irony of the first names was not lost on Stoker. “Hank and Maggie, huh?” he said, making an attempt at humor.

“Yeah, We have the Captain and his wife with us and they aren’t even aware of it!” Johnny gasped out. He began to cough.

Mike reached out to steady his friend until the coughing jag had passed. He was surprised at the amount of heat Johnny was generating. He quickly felt Johnny’s forehead and was shocked by the fever that was there. He also felt his friend shivering. Mike suddenly realized that Johnny was going into shock. He pulled off his turnout coat and draped it over his friend’s supine form. He shivered as the warmth it was giving him, disappeared into the darkness around them. The sound of someone calling brought him out of the stupor he had entered. The woman, Maggie, was calling for someone to help her join them.

Mike clicked on the light and tapped Hank Rose on the arm as he had seen Johnny do with the deaf man at the apartment fire.

Hank looked up. Mike turned the light towards Maggie. He pointed to her, then back to where they were sitting. Hank nodded his understanding. Mike gave him the light and turned back to his friend. A few minutes later Maggie had joined the men at Johnny’s side.

Hank returned the light to Mike, then settled on the ground beside Maggie. He removed his coat and draped it across her shoulders. She shifted closer to Hank, then motioned for Mike to move in closer to her.

Mike shook his head and sat beside Johnny. He pantomimed to them that he was trying to keep his friend warm. They nodded their understanding. Mike flicked off the light and sat in the quiet darkness.

If this is what it is like to be deaf, Mike thought to himself, then I’m glad I can hear. His ears were starting to hurt from all the quiet. Johnny shifted in his delirium. He kept muttering about someone answering the phone and stop the ringing. He would, Mike thought to himself, have to ask Johnny if the phone was ever answered! The silence deepened. Mike’s head drooped to his chest. The other two also fell asleep.

Mike dreamed he was swimming in a high mountain lake. The crystal clear water felt cool and crisp on his hot, sticky skin. He floated along, feeling content until a shiver went up his spine. The water had turned ice cold. He struggled for shore, but felt weighted down. He looked, and saw himself dressed in the heavy turnout gear he wore at work. He struggled as the weight pulled him under, further and further. Mike struck out and was suddenly jerked awake when water splashed on his face. He shivered in confusion until he became more alert. He was sitting in a mud puddle, his legs almost completely submerged.

He flicked on the light. Water surrounded the four people was. It was slowly creeping up to where they were sitting. He looked down at Johnny. The water was getting close to the pone man. Mike tried to raise his friend into a sitting position, but the slab across his legs held him pinned. He tried to wake the two sleeping deaf people by yelling loudly hoping, at least, the woman would hear him. He splashed the water towards them and was rewarded when Hank sat up with a start.

He looked over at Mike and recognized the danger to the injured paramedic. He shook Maggie awake. Quickly he signed to her and they both began to dig under the slab where Johnny’s leg was pinned. Mike propped up the unconscious man as best he could. He joined the two in their digging. Loose dirt rained down on them when the slab started to shift. Hank and Mike quickly searched the are for something to use to prop up the piece of asphalt. They found several smaller pieces of the parking lot and used them to slide into the area they were trying to clear. Soon they had a hole big enough to slide Johnny’s leg free from the slab.

“Why,” he thought, “didn’t we think of that before?” Mike chastised himself over and over at the simple solution. He did not realize that the two deaf people were able to accurately read his emotions and was surprised when Maggie reached over and gently removed his hands from his face.

“You are hurt,” she mouthed. “How could you think clearly?”

Mike gave her a grateful look. He stood up to look around the chamber. His legs wobbled beneath him. His head was throbbing something awful. He saw a small mound of earth. He took the light and pointed with it to the place he thought would be safer. Hank and Maggie nodded their agreement.

Mike Grabbed Johnny in the fireman’s carry. “Sorry, buddy. I hope I don’t do any more damage to you!”

With Hank helping Maggie, the three managed to climb to the higher spot in the chamber. Mike carefully laid Johnny down. Now that he was free of the slab, his injuries were more visible.

Johnny’s leg was twisted at an odd angle. A bone was visible in the light’s beam. Mike wished he had something to splint the leg. His friend’s arm was swollen at the elbow, and a jagged cut ran from the wrist, to just past the joint in his arm.

“Hang on, buddy!” Mike said, not sure if he would even be heard. Mike continued his visual examination.

The large cut over the left eye had started to bleed again when Mike moved his friend to the higher ground.

The turnout coat was heavy with water. Mike did not know if it was better to leave it on his friend, or to remove it. He finally decided Johnny would be better off without it and laid the thick coat aside. Johnny’s coat, having been underneath, was still dry.

“Mike?” Johnny’s voice, thick and hoarse, came from the darkness.

“Yeah, Johnny?” he answered.

“You hungry?”

Mike laughed. “You aren’t hurting too bad if you’re hungry!” Mike felt of Johnny’s forehead. His fever had increased.

“Where are we? My leg doesn’t feel so heavy anymore.”

“We freed you from the slab and moved to a little higher ground. There’s a water leak somewhere and the chamber is flooding.” Mike hated to tell him, but he would need to know eventually.

“Help me sit up,” Johnny said. “I’ll be able to breathe better.” Mike helped the injured paramedic to rise carefully into a sitting position. He helped him scoot close enough to the wall so he could brace himself.

“Thanks, man!” Johnny said. He coughed, a deep wracking cough. His breathing was still ragged, but seemed to ease somewhat now that he was sitting. “How are Hank and Maggie doing?”

“Maggie has a broken leg, but she seems to be doing okay. I think she has a fever started. Hank is fine, but I suspect he is hurt worse than he is letting on.” Mike informed the paramedic

“How long we been down here?” Johnny asked.

Mike flicked the light back on. “About nine hours,” he said.

“No wonder I’m hungry,” Johnny laughed, then coughed. He had a hard time drawing a breath. They were quiet for a while when Johnny started awake. He panicked for a minute, then memory returned. “Mike?”

“Yeah,” came the slow reply.

“How are you holding up? How’s your head?”

“Doing just fine, Johnny,” Mike said. “I have a slight headache, but nothing more.”

The chamber became quiet again. Mike heard the water running. He was worried about how much higher it was going to rise. The place where they were sitting was nearly flooded. He had not seen anywhere else to climb to escape the water’s path.

“Nine hours,” Roy said to no one in particular. He was pacing beside the hole where his friends had fallen. Nine hours and they had not been able to move the giant slab blocking the rescue effort. Captain Stanley and several others were off to the side discussing possibilities, but so far nothing had worked.

Roy looked down the hole for the hundredth time. He stopped when a sparkle caught his eye. He stared at it, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. His tired brain finally registered that he was seeing water rising rapidly.

“Cap! Chief!” he called. When the men joined him he pointed out the newest danger to those trapped underground.

“A waterline must be broken!” Chief McConnike said. He pulled out his HT and called into it, “LA, Battalion 14, we need the Water Company at this location to shut off a waterline!”

“10-4, Battalion 14,” came Sam Lanier’s voice. He had been monitoring the situation from his desk at headquarters. He had refused to leave until the men were found.

“Battalion14, LA”

“Battalion 14, go ahead LA,” McConnike said.

“Water Company says it will be twenty-five minutes before a representative can be on site. Recommends your people shut the line down.”

“10-4,” McConnike said. “Does anyone know where the shut off valve is located?”

A man stepped from the crowd. “Excuse me, sir. I know where all the main valves are located.”

“Please don’t tell me they are down in the crater!”

“No, sir.” He pointed towards the western part of the parking lot. “They’re all over there. Easy to reach.”

“Do you know which one is the water shut-off?”

“Yes, sir.” The man took off running to the emergency valves. He called to several other men as he went. They joined him and shortly the water pipe was closed off.

“The water level is still rising,” Stanley told the Battalion Chief. “Can we use the pumps to drain the water?”

“It’s worth a try,” McConnike agreed.

The pumps were put into place and soon water was pouring from the different spouts. At first the water level remained steady, but after an hour it was obvious that the level was dropping.

A cry went up from the hole. Men ran to the edge to see what was happening. One of the men from 36’s was calling out to another man. Several people scrambled over the debris and joined the fireman from 36’s. They dug frantically for a few minutes, but slowed when they realized it was a woman’s body they had found. She was uncovered and taken to the place where other the casualties were laying. Another shout went up. People scrambled to the new sight. A loud cheer went up. Roy and Hank Stanley ran towards the crowd of people. They pushed their way through and was lowered into the giant hole.

“What have you got?” Captain Stanley asked the men.

“We’ve found an opening that we think will let us all the way inside. My man is exploring now.”

Everyone stood quietly, an air of expectation and hope building. A man crawled from the hole. His face was covered in sweat and dirt, and disappointment.

“There’s a large slab blocking the way. I can see down inside, but can’t find a way past it.”

“Did you see anyone? Did you call out? Was there an answer?” Stanley fired the questions at the man who just shook his head.

“I crawled as far as I could then came back up, as ordered.”

“Cap, let me go! If Johnny or Mike can answer…….” Roy let the sentence trail. Neither wanted to think of the other possibility.

Maggie opened her eyes. The darkness seemed a little less, well, dark, she thought. She reached over and shook Hank awake. She could actually see him now. She signed to him and he looked up.

He gasped at the sight. A small hole above them was letting in sunlight. That they had been trapped all night did not surprise him. He crawled over to the two firemen and shook the less injured of the two. When Mike opened his eyes, Hank pointed up.

Mike followed Hank’s pointing finger. It dawned on him that he could actually see the man now without the flashlight. Mike stood up and cupped his hands around his mouth, “Hullloooooooo!” he called. The light disappeared and dirt rained down. Mike dropped his head and wiped the dirt from his eyes. A wave of dizziness assailed him, making him sit down hard.

A voice called down the hole, “Mike? Johnny? Can you hear me?”

Mike looked up again and mustered his voice one more time, “Roy? We’re here!”

“Hang on, pal! We’re coming as quickly as we can! Is anyone hurt?”

“Yes!” Mike called back. “There’s two other people down here with us. Maggie has a broken leg and Hank has a possible head wound. Johnny is unconscious again. He’s hurt the worst!”

“How about yourself?” Roy called.

“I’m okay. I think I hit my head on the way down, but I’ve slept since then and don’t remember!” Mike did not realize how much that statement revealed to the blond paramedic.

“We’re almost through, so just sit tight!” Roy left the hole and climbed back out to join his captain, and the others in the rescue operation. “They all have some sort of injury. Mike says Johnny is worst off, but I suspect both are in rough shape.”

“How many people are we talking about?” McConnike asked.

“Four. Mike said there is a Maggie and Hank down there with them.” Roy answered.

Captain Stanley looked at the paramedic. He shook his head. Small world, he thought.

The rescue teams gathered to discuss their next step. Roy thought they could get some oxygen down to the trapped people. If Johnny was hurt worse, he probably needed it. An oxygen tank and flashlight was lowered, and orders given to place the oxygen mask on Johnny.

“Set it for six liters!” Roy instructed.

An hour later the rescue teams broke through to the trapped people. Maggie and Hank were evacuated first and sent to Rampart. Roy and Brice were lowered to the last two occupants of the underground chamber.

“Sit over here, Mike,” Roy said. “Brice, I’ll check Johnny. You take care of Mike.”

“Gee, thanks,” Mike hissed through his clenched teeth.

The bio-phone and other equipment was lowered with the stokes. Brice grabbed the equipment and proceeded to contact the hospital.

Roy carefully placed the B/P cuff around his partner’s arm. He saw the jagged cut that wound its way from wrist to elbow, and slightly beyond. Next he checked the broken leg, and realized why his partner was unconscious.

“Rampart Emergency, this is Squad 36, how do you read?” Brice called over the bio-phone.

“We read you loud and clear,” Brackett’s voice came quickly.

“Rampart. We have two victims of a cave in. Victim one is a male, about 30 years old. He has a head laceration and possible broken nose. His left eye is swollen and bruises are showing. B/P is 100/70, pulse is 60, respiration’s 25.” Brice handed the phone to Roy.

“Rampart, the second victim is a male, twenty-eight years old. He has multiple facial injuries. He also has a broken right tibia, compound. His left ulna is broken and a large cut runs from his wrist to just past the elbow. He has a large contusion above his left eye. B/P is 90/60, pulse is 40 and weak. Respiration’s 18 and shallow. I am hearing rolls on the left side. Also, both arm and leg have been splinted!”

“10-4, 36. On the first patient, start an IV D5W TKO, transport as soon as possible. On patient two, start an IV with 500 CC’s of Ringers lactate. Also, start a second IV of D5W TKO. Keep both patients on six liters of O2 and transport!”

“10-4, Rampart!” Roy said after repeating the instructions.

Mike and Johnny were quickly loaded into stokes and raised from the hole. Mike had become lethargic and kept drifting in and out of consciousness. Johnny remained unconscious during the whole process of the rescue.

“Johnny!” Mike called, suddenly realizing he could no longer hear his friend’s breathing. In his semi-conscious state he could not comprehend the activities around him.

“Mike, calm down, he’s safe! We’re taking you both to Rampart!” Bellingham told the distraught fireman. Mike continued to struggle. Bellingham looked around and spotted the captain of Station 51. “Captain Stanley!” he called. Hank ran over to the struggling men. Mike kept calling for Johnny.

“Talk to him!” Bellingham cried as Mike’s fist connected with his jaw.

“Mike, calm down!” Stanley exclaimed as he, too, dodged the flying fists. “Mike, it’s okay! You’re safe!”

The voice of his captain sliced through the delirium of his mind. Mike slowly stilled. His eyes were constantly moving, as if searching for his lost friend.

“I think he’s suffering some vertigo from the head wound,” Bellingham told the captain. “Not uncommon in those type of injuries.”

Now that Mike was calm, Bellingham and the two ambulance attendants were able to load their precious cargo and pull out, heading for the hospital.

Brice and Roy were just rising from the hole when Johnny went into a seizure. He tossed and moaned, causing the stokes to slide from the gurney. Roy immediately went to his friend’s side and held him down. “Put the stick between his teeth!” Roy ordered. Although the seizure lasted less than a minute, by the time it was over Johnny was drenched in sweat. Brice made contact once more with the hospital to update them on the latest occurrence.

“10-4, 36, transport immediately!” Brackett ordered.

Johnny was swiftly loaded into the waiting ambulance. The doors were closed, followed by two sharp slaps, alerting the driver it was safe to pull away.

Roy was taking a new B/P reading when Johnny opened his eyes and looked at his partner. He grinned slightly at Roy, then said, clearly, “Will you please answer the phone?”

Roy grinned, not sure what his friend was complaining about. “Johnny, there’s no phone here.”

“Yeah there is. I can hear it ringing! If you’d just answer it….” Johnny lapsed back into unconsciousness.

Roy shook his head. He had the bio-phone in his hand when Jack, the ambulance driver, shouted back at him and Danny, the ambulance attendant. “Hold on!”

Roy dropped the phone and braced himself over his partner’s body to shield it from whatever was going to happen. A loud squeal of brakes, followed by a deadly crunch, made the ambulance swerve. A hard bump, followed by another loud crunch brought the ambulance to a final resting place. Roy felt the tilt begin and tried his best to brace himself and the gurney holding his patient. The last thing he remembered was a fierce pain in his arm and head, then silence, and darkness.

Brice stomped on the brakes of the squad. He grabbed the microphone and keyed it, calling in, “LA, Squad 36. The ambulance in rout has been involved in an accident at the corner of Commerce and Bermuda! Send another ambulance and respond another squad to this location. Also alert the LA Police.” Brice did not wait for the confirmation. He jumped from the squad and ran to the ambulance. One of the back doors had swung open. Danny was crawling out.

“You okay, Danny?” Brice asked, not remembering the man’s last name.

“Y-yes, I’m fine, but the two inside are in a bad way. The patient is on his side, still on the gurney. The paramedic is unconscious.”

“I’ve called it in and another ambulance should be on the way. Help me get these doors open then you go check on the driver!” Brice told him.

The two men forced the second door open. Brice found a broken tree limb and propped open the door. He climbed in the ambulance and began assessing the situation. First he moved Roy off the now tilted gurney. He pulled the man from the vehicle and laid him on the grass. He climbed back in and freed the straps holding the stokes that Johnny was still fastened in. Carefully he moved the gurney out of the way then began pulling Johnny from the ambulance. A second pair of hands suddenly appeared and Johnny was quickly removed from the vehicle. Brice looked up and saw Charlie Dwyer and Jim Harmon, from Station 24.

Brice quickly filled them in on the scene. Dwyer went around the ambulance to check on the driver while Harmon and he worked on Johnny and Roy.

“He’s not breathing!” Harmon called to Brice. Johnny’s face was a pale gray. Jim began artificial respiration on his patient while Brice set up the oxygen and re-breather. Once the mask was in place and oxygen started they began CPR. Brice contacted the hospital.

“Rampart, this is Squad 24. The ambulance has been in an accident. We have three, possibly five victims. Victim one is the original patient. He was in cardiac arrest. CPR was begun and patient responded he is now breathing on his own. Vitals are, B/P 60/40, respiration’s 10 and shallow, pulse 45. IV was pulled but has been replaced.

“Victim two is a male, approximately 30 years old. He has a wound on the left side of the forehead. His arm appears to be dislocated. He has a possible fracture of the left tibia. The leg has been splinted and the shoulder immobilized. Vitals are, B/P 100/70, pulse 60, respiration’s 25.

“No information on other victims available yet.”

“10-4, 51. On first patient, keep monitoring vitals and transport. On second victim, start IV D5W TKO. Transport as soon as possible,” Dr. Joe Early ordered.

“10-4, Rampart, please stand by!” Brice acknowledged.

“Standing by,” Early answered.

Dwyer ran from the side of the ambulance, a look of disgust on his face. “The ambulance driver is fine, just shook up and bumped around. The attendant says he is okay, too and is refusing treatment.” He paused and looked over his shoulder at the car sitting in the intersection of the road. “The driver of the other vehicle is also fine. Not a scratch on him! He’s drunk.”

Brice and Jim did not reply. They concentrated on their patients. They heard the sound of sirens approaching and quickly readied the two paramedics for transporting to Rampart. Roy was starting to revive and began to struggle.

“Johnny!” he called. “Where’s Johnny?”

“Roy, it’s okay. Johnny is okay!” Harmon told the distraught man. He looked over at the unconscious man and noted how much his color had improved. Suddenly Brice jumped up and began CPR again.

“ He’s quit on me again!” Brice called.

Dwyer pulled the defibrillator open again. He quickly jelled the pads and handed them to Brice. “300, 400, clear!” he called. Brice activated the paddles and Johnny’s body jumped from the charge.

“Again!” Brice called.

“300,400, clear!” Dwyer counted and jumped back.

Brice activated the paddles a second time. “Okay, we’ve got him back! Let’s get them loaded and fly!”

Roy became frantic in his struggles to reach his friend’s side. He flayed his arms and tried to push Jim away. “I’ve got to get to Johnny!”

“Roy, calm down!” Jim Harmon cried as he struggled against the agitated paramedic. “Brice and Bellingham are with him! Roooyyyy!” Harmon went flying as Roy gave a mighty shove. He quickly recovered and stopped Roy from leaving the gurney where he had been placed. Both men were loaded quickly loaded into the new ambulance. The doors were barely closed before it took off to finish the journey to Rampart.

The ambulance backed to the doors of Emergency. Dr. Bracket and Dr. Morton stood waiting. They pulled the doors open and unloaded the victims before the large vehicle stopped.

“Get Roy to two! Johnny in one!” Brackett barked to the orderlies.

Johnny was quickly transferred from the gurney to the treatment bed. In short order he was stripped and covered. Wires connected him to the heart monitor and tubes to the ventilator.

“Get x-ray down here! I want a full chest series, skull series and films on this arm and leg!” Brackett was examining Johnny as he was speaking. “Dix, I want a full blood work-up. CBC, electrolytes, blood gasses. We have his blood type on record so have some standing by.”

Dixie drew blood and sent it to the lab. She called upstairs to x-ray and then called to make sure an operating room was available.

Johnny began to retch. “Roll him!” Brackett ordered.

“B/P has dropped, 60/30,” Dixie informed the doctor.

“Get another IV started. Ringers, 500 CC’s,” Brackett said as he stepped back. “Let’s get him upstairs, now!” In treatment room two, Roy DeSoto was again reviving. He moaned softly when the overhead lights were turned on. He tilted his head sideways, trying to get the painful brightness away from his eyes. The movement triggered a wave of dizziness. He grasped the sides of the bed, not wanting to go flying. A light flickered in his eyes. He heard a voice he vaguely recognized as that of Dr. Morton.

“Doc?” he whispered. His head was pounding, and any noise made the pounding increase.

“Good, you’re awake!” Dr. Morton said. He saw Roy wince and dropped the level of his voice to just above a whisper. “About time you woke up. How’s your head?”

“Johnny, Mike!” Roy said and tried to rise from the treatment bed. “The ambulance was hit! Johnny!”

Dr. Morton held him firmly in place. “They’re being treated right now. You don’t need to worry about them. Concentrate on yourself, and getting better.” Morton looked at the student nurse who was assisting and asked, “Where’s x-ray? I asked for them twenty minutes ago!”

“They’re coming, Doctor,” she told him. The door opened and the x-ray technician pushed the mobile unit into the room.

“I need a full skull series, the shoulder and the left leg. Get the films here as fast as possible!” Morton told the man. Morton motioned the student nurse from the room, then followed her out.

Dr. Early left the treatment room where Mike Stoker was being held. He saw Dixie and Dr. Brackett standing at the Emergency desk talking and went to join them.

“How’s Johnny?” he asked.

“Holding his own right now,” Brackett answered. “I’ve got OR on standby. His leg is going to have to be surgically repaired. He’s lucky his broken ribs didn’t puncture a lung. How’s Stoker?”

“He’ll be alright. He has a broken nose and a concussion. His vitals are good. I though for a while there he had pneumonia started, but his chest is clear,” Dr. Early said.

Dr. Morton walked up to the group. He went for the coffeepot and poured himself a cup. He offered the pot to the others and re-filled their cups as well.

“Well, how are your patients? Mine keeps trying to leave the room,” he told the assembled group.

The doctors laughed at Morton’s quip, then quickly filled him in on the condition of their patients. Morton sighed and rolled his head around trying to loosen the tight knot of muscles in his neck. He finished his coffee and headed back to the treatment room where Roy lay waiting for word on his partner.

“Mr. DeSoto, please! You have to remain laying down!” the student nurse was trying to hold the paramedic on the table, and appeared to be loosing the battle. Dr. Morton quickly crossed the room and pushed the agitated patient back.

“Roy! Stop trying to get up! I just talked to Dr. Brackett! If you’ll lay quietly I’ll tell you what I know!”

Roy stopped struggling and waited for Morton to continue. He watched the doctor’s face for any tell-tail signs of information being withheld.

“Johnny is finally stable. He is being sent up to surgery to have his leg repaired. His arm will also be repaired. He has three broken ribs, none of which pierced his lungs. His lungs are clear, so pneumonia is not a threat right now. His temperature was caused, mostly, from being in a cold damp place for so long with his injuries. I expect he will recover with his usual luck, and charm in tact.” Morton finished his recital of Johnny’s condition.

“What about Mike?” Roy asked.

“He is also fine. He has a broken nose and a black eye. He will be kept overnight for observation, but probably released tomorrow.” Morton crossed his arms across his chest, “Now, will you PLEASE remain on the bed until you are TOLD you can get up and leave?”

Roy gave a weak grin, “Sure, Doc. All you had to do was ask.”

Morton snorted and stomped from the room. A nurse met him in the hall and gave him the x-rays.

Johnny floated on a bed of velvet darkness. He caressed the blackness with his mind and rejoiced in the lack of pain. Suddenly a bright light flashed in his world of darkness. It was repeated three times more before his world was again undisturbed. A ripple started in the darkness. As it expanded, the ripple became a wave. The darkness gave way to grayness, and the grayness became light.

Johnny moaned and opened his eyes. A ceiling, speckled with tiny holes, was above him. He tried to roll his head to the side but an alarm sounded. He saw tubes and wires running from somewhere, to all sorts of odd machines. After a moment he realized the tubes and wires were attached to him. A beep, steady and regular, sounded just above his right shoulder. He tried to shift to where he could see it, but pain stopped him. The beep picked up rhythm. He heard a door open and shush closed. A nurse appeared at his side. She smiled at him. The late afternoon sun coming in the window made a halo effect around her head. “An angel?” Johnny thought, then she spoke.

“Mr. Gage. It’s good you are awake! I will get the doctor.” She left the room. Johnny sighed, not an angel, but close to it, he decided.

Dr. Brackett appeared beside him. He was looking at a chart. He snapped it shut then bent over Johnny. “Well, Johnny, it’s about time you came around. I was beginning to take your uncooperative attitude personally!” Dr. Brackett smiled.

Johnny grinned, unable to talk due to the tube in his throat. He tapped the tube and raised his brows in question.

“I think maybe this afternoon we’ll remove it. You are showing good progress. I know of several firemen who will glad to hear you are awake.”

Johnny made other motions with his hands. Brackett furrowed his brow, then realized Johnny was signing.

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand sign language, Johnny. Just a minute, I think one of the nurses understands it.” Brackett left the room and returned a short time later with a short brown haired nurse. “This is Marcie Prentiss. She’s a nurse on this floor for now,” Brackett explained. “She understands sign language.”

Johnny looked at the short stocky nurse and grinned. She was cute! He signed and she interpreted for him.

\\ How’s Roy and Mike? // he signed. It felt funny having a woman speak for him.

“Mike went home yesterday. Roy is still here. He’ll be here a couple more days, then we’ll let him go home,” Brackett answered.

\\ How bad hurt? // he asked.

“He had a bad concussion from the blow he took when the ambulance you were in was hit by a drunk driver,” Brackett said, watching Johnny’s reaction carefully. “He also suffered a broken leg and dislocated shoulder.”

\\ The two people in the hole with us? How they? // Marcie interpreted, putting in the necessary “be” verbs.

“They went home yesterday, too. Neither was hurt really bad. But they were concerned about you.”

\\ When see Roy? // he asked.

“ I wondered when you’d get around to that. Once we remove the vent tube you’ll be put in the room with him. Then you can put his mind at ease. He’s been asking about you ever since he woke up.”

Johnny’s ear chose that moment to start its ringing fit and he missed the last part of what Dr. Brackett said.

\\ Repeat? // he asked.

Dr. Brackett caught the slight wince Johnny had made when his ear started to ring. “What’s wrong? Are you hurting?”

Johnny sighed and decided to ask about the ringing. \\ No, ear rings at odd times. Has done since lightening strike three weeks gone. Dr. Early say go away soon, but not go yet. Why? //

“Sometimes it just takes longer than others. It’s possible it never will go completely away. But it shouldn’t interfere with your job or life.”

\\ But hurts sometimes. // Johnny frowned.

“I’ll arrange for a hearing test before you are released. Maybe we can find out what’s causing it. Okay?”

\\ Thanks, Doc! //Johnny signed.

“I’ll be back in a little while to remove the tube. You get some rest.” Dr. Brackett turned to the nurse, “Thanks for your help.”

“Any time, doctor,” she said and smiled at him, then at Johnny. “I’m your nurse for the day, so if you need anything just buzz.” She waited for Johnny to finish signing. “Not a problem, I am happy I could help. You will have to tell me why you took sign language once you are feeling better.”

Johnny grinned and nodded his thanks.

Marcie and Dr. Brackett left the room. Johnny lay quietly, thinking about the nurse. She was not the type he usually dated, but he just might ask her out. He closed his eyes and fell sleep.

Later that day Dr. Brackett removed the ventilation tube and ordered Johnny to be removed from ICU and taken to a room.

Roy looked up expectantly when the door to his room opened up and Johnny was wheeled in. He waited impatiently while his friend was transferred to the bed. Johnny sckootched around until he was comfortable. The nurse placed his IV on the pole above the bed. She patted the young man on the arm and left the room. Before Roy could speak another nurse appeared and took Johnny’s vitals. She was quick and efficient and soon left.

“Hey!” Roy called softly. “How are you feeling?”

“Hey, yourself!” Johnny answered tiredly, his voice rough. “I’m feeling better than I was three days ago, that’s for sure. But my leg is itching something fierce!”

“It’s good to see you smile. You had us worried for a while.”

“Yeah? Sorry, but you know how injuries can be!” Johnny said, grinning crookedly. “Hey, how are the guys? Any of them end up in here beside you, me and Mike?”

“Well, Chet and Marco both had minor injuries when they fell in the hole after the building collapsed. They stayed a night. Cap was okay until he headed back to the station.”

“Oh, yeah? What happened?” Johnny asked, interested in spite of being tired.

Roy grinned at the memory of Dwyer telling him Captain Stanley had been embarrassed about the incident.

“Well, seems our good captain was driving the engine back to the station when he found a rather large pot hole in the road. Drove the engine right into it before he could stop!”

“No way! That must have been some pot hole!” Johnny gasped as he tried to stifle a laugh. “Oh, man. Sure wish I could have seen that!”

“According to Dwyer and Brice, it took two semi-wreckers to pull the engine out. Cap got a cut on his head when he hit the windshield. Seems he gave them heck if they told anyone, but the wrecker guys laughed. You know they won’t let a good story go to waste!”

“Uh, oh! I bet he wasn’t happy about that!” Johnny tried to picture his captain threatening the wrecker people.

“Well, it might not have made the rounds, except the Channel 6 news crew caught it all on tape. It made the six o’clock edition,” Roy laughed. “Nope, Cap sure wasn’t a real happy camper!”

A knock sounded on the door and the man they had been discussing walked in. Johnny snorted when he saw his captain, white bandage visible, walk in the door.

“Uh, hey, Cap!” Johnny said. He grinned.

“I see Roy here told you about my little adventure?” Stanley glared at the two men. “Well, it was bound to get around sooner or later,” he sighed. He grinned, “But the engine suffered very little damage!”

“Just how big was that hole, Cap?” Johnny asked.

“Big enough to swallow a small car! But the engine just landed in a nose dive,” Stanley explained. “If the sun hadn’t been right in my eyes I would have seen the hole and avoided it!” Roy and Johnny laughed; their captain joined in. He would hear about the incident for months to come, he knew, but right now it was still a touchy subject.

Another knock sounded on the door. Two people walked into the room. They looked first at Hank, then at Roy. Finally spotting Johnny, they smiled. They walked to Johnny’s bed. The woman, who was using crutches, took a plant from the man and placed it on the nightstand. They signed to him. Johnny signed back. He introduced the tall slender man standing by Roy’s bed. He also verbalized for the other two men in the room.

\\ Hank Rose, meet Hank Stanley // The two men shook hands. \\ Maggie, this is my Captain and boss, Hank Stanley. His wife name Maggie //

Maggie smiled at the captain. When he reached out to shake her hand she pulled him into a strong hug.

Stanley was caught by surprise, but gently returned the hug. She signed to him and Johnny interpreted,

\\ Johnny very special. I so sorry he was hurt. Is good meet you. Wife have good name! //

Johnny then introduced the two to his partner Roy. They exchanged greetings and visited for a short time. Johnny was really starting to feel tired by the time they left. “Man, interpreting is hard work!” He shook his hands.

“Listen up. I thought you too would be interested in knowing what the Fire Marshall found out concerning the collapse of the building.” Both paramedics perked up. Hank had their full attention.

“Seems the Chemical Plant was built on an unstable sinkhole. The owner ignored the geologist’s reports and built on the sight anyway. Somehow he managed to falsify reports and get the go ahead.

“When the building caught fire the ground started to literally melt and collapse around the area. When the explosions started, that just triggered an even bigger problem.

“Seems seismologist thirty miles away registered the explosion as a minor earth quake. Said it came across as a 2.5 on the Richter scale.”

“Wow!” Johnny exclaimed.

Roy whistled through his teeth. “I bet he gets to pay a hefty fine, now. He’ll wish he’d never seen the sight!”

“There’s a salvage operation going on right now. Plus the Ecology people are up in arms about the destruction of endangered species and their habitats.”

“I’d sure hate to be in his shoes right now!” Johnny said emphatically. “What greed won’t do to people.”

“Cap, how many people were lost when the building collapsed?” Roy asked.

“Believe it or not, Roy, only three people lost their lives. The woman we found while searching for Mike and Johnny, and two plant employees who fell in the crater from the collapsed building.”

“Then, we didn’t lose any people. I know it sounds bad, but I’m sure glad we didn’t lose anyone.” Roy, Johnny and Stanley grew quiet.

Captain Stanley popped his hands together and gave them a vigorous rub. “We’ll, I’ll be on my way, now and let you boys get some rest. I hear you’ll be going home tomorrow, Roy?”

“Yeah. I’ll be glad to sleep in my own bed again!” Roy sighed happily.

“When do you get out, Johnny?” Stanley asked.

“I don’t know yet. Hopefully in a couple of days.” Johnny wiggled around trying to get a bit more comfortable.

“Well, I’ll check back in on you tomorrow. Sure is good to see you two almost back to normal.” Captain Stanley gave a brief wave and left the room.

Several months later Johnny walked into the locker room to get a clean shirt. He and Roy had just returned from rescuing a man and woman who had been trapped in a car on the side of a cliff. They had responded with Station 8, in place of Squad 8, who was already out on a call. He reached for the handle of his locker when a strange ringing sound came from behind the closed door. He paused in surprise. His ears had not rang much in several weeks. The audiologist had told him the high pitched ring was most likely temporary and would slowly fade over time.

Carefully he opened the door and peeked inside. A small black telephone was sitting just inside the door. A wire ran from it to the back of the locker and out through a small hole that had been drilled. The phone continued to shrill its one note.

“Will someone please answer that thing?” someone yelled.

Tentatively, he picked up the receiver and held it to his ear. “Hello?”

A voice said clearly, “Are you happy now? The phone has been answered!” The line went dead.

Johnny grinned, then laughed. He put the phone back into the cradle, and grabbing a clean shirt, slammed the door. He laughed all the way back into the day room where his friends were waiting.

“Well, I sure hope it works!” he told himself. He poured himself a cup of coffee, “Anyone for a refill?” He would find out later, he decided, who’s voice it had been.

The End