Who's Shadowing Who?

Part 2

 

 

Once the other engine and snorkel truck were at the site, the water and electric supplies to the building shut off, the rescue effort was promptly set in motion. The men searching inside verified what everyone had feared. There was no sign of the missing men anywhere, which meant, they had to be under the ribble.

 

Squad 36’s paramedics took over on caring for the other construction workers with minor injuries, thus freeing Roy to help directly in the rescue efforts, something Captain Stanley knew his senior paramedic needed.

 

Looking at the damage from the basket of the snorkel truck over the warehouse, the firemen from Engine 18 could see that the explosion had been more of an implosion, bringing everything directly down. And though the roof had broken apart in places, there were some large sections that created a blanket effect over portions of what used to be the second floor. That aspect was going to make it more difficult to get into those areas if need be.

 

Captain Stanley, Roy and a few others were in place directly on the rubble by use of the snorkel truck’s basket and were going to be handing the manageable pieces of debris to the firemen still in it; some would be getting the larger pieces set for the crane to lift them off one by one. Everyone directly on the warehouse had to move efficiently but carefully so as not to upset the precariously placed rubble.

 

Standing just inside the front west end of the building, the men working in partnership with the crane began their momentous task while Roy and Hank started within an inner ‘grid’ several yards behind them.

 

“If we find a void, we’re gonna have to shore it up before anyone goes in to search if it’s big enough,” Hank stated as he helped Roy lift a large concrete chunk straight up to slide it into the waiting snorkel basket.

 

The paramedic nodded, knowing full-well that the captain was reminding him that they couldn’t get over anxious if they found any openings.

 

After placing a few large pieces in the basket, there was a stop to the work as they waited for the removed rubble to be taken away and the emptied basket to return.

 

“Cap, this is gonna take forever. Even they haven’t made much progress,” he stated with a motion toward the men working with the crane. “If any of the ones trapped are severely injured. . .”

 

Hank wore a grim expression. “I know. But we don’t have much of a choice how we handle this. There’s nothing I’d like more than to just clear this all away and have the four of them out, but you know we can’t rush things.”

 

Roy had to admit as much as he hated it, he did know that fact. With a sigh, he rubbed at the sweat near his hairline with the back of his gloved hand, then got ready to help lift another piece as the snorkel basket returned. 

 

No one wanted to think about the idea there could be another explosion that could make them all victims and alter the whole operation they’d set up. But in the back of their minds, each knew it.

 

~*~*~

 

Still on the ground outside the warehouse, the remainder of the rescue crew waited until they’d be needed to help.  

 

With the delay in being able to assist, the police were able to discuss more with witnesses, including the foreman on the job.

 

“Is there anyone you can think of who’d purposely want to bring this project down?” one officer asked.

 

“No, Sir.”

 

The officer looked over the paper he’d put information on, then glanced up when the foreman spoke again.

 

“It’s a good thing this didn’t happen tomorrow. The paint crew was going to be here to start on the interior. If their supplies were inside, we’d probably be dealing with a fire right now too.”

 

Being almost certain the explosions were caused by sabotage of some kind, the officer gave it thought, wondering if someone didn’t know that as well when they apparently decided to make their move.

 

Then again, maybe they didn’t know or they *would’ve* waited until tomorrow. . .

 

He realized he was back at square one. He and the other officer looked at the building, each wondering if this was going to turn into a murder investigation, all the while hoping not.

 

~*~*~

 

Heading home after leaving Shadow in care of the vet, Ruth thought more about the issue of ticks. Her grandsons weren’t the only ones to have contact with the pup in the past few days. John had as well.

 

But the odds of a tick leaving a host for another *is* slim. Unlikely; unless he had one or more crawling on him that just happened to get on someone else.

 

She already planned on calling her son as she’d mentioned to the vet, but decided a suggestion to her nephew wouldn’t do any harm. She was still very relieved he hadn’t shown signs of being ill.

 

At least it means he didn’t miss any ticks he might’ve gotten on him around the same day.

 

Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a news alert on the radio.

 

“We’ve just had a report of a building collapse on the far east side of Carson. At this time we only know that three firemen and a construction worker are missing. A news crew is on the way now and we’ll have updates as information is made available. This has been a special report. Now back to our regular programming.”

 

Ruth looked on at the traffic ahead of her as music resumed on the station. However, her mind wasn’t on the cars or the road, but rather the disturbing information she’d just heard. Her stomach knotted up as it usually did when her nephew was on duty and an accident involving the fire department became news.

 

Please don’t let one of those missing men be John. . .

 

But his knack for being in danger before only increased her worry.

 

“But they didn’t say one was a paramedic,” she tried to reassure herself. Then reasoning the situation, she came back with her own reply. “The information was sketchy at best. They wouldn’t know a fireman from paramedic yet.”

 

Ruth tried to shove the negative thoughts from her mind and concentrate on getting home safely. She’d call Station 51 as soon as she got there.

 

I sure hope there’s an answer this time. . .please let John and the others be okay

 

~*~*~

 

Once she arrived home, John’s aunt hurried to her kitchen, immediately lifting the receiver from the cradle of the telephone and dialing Station 51’s number. After several rings and no answer, she gave in and hung up.

 

Though she still needed to call her son in regards to the boys, Ruth first wanted to get more information on the firemen involved at the explosion. Her son wouldn’t be able to check over his children until they were home later in the day anyway.

 

She went into her livingroom and turned on the television, hoping there would be a news break before very long.

 

~*~*~

 

Marco listened intently to the faint noise of machinery. The sound was music to his ears for two reasons. One, he could finally hear again; two, it had to mean a rescue attempt was already underway.

 

He looked upwards, seeing there was still no sign of any cracks of daylight filtering in anywhere.

 

But they’ve got to be working close.

 

Suddenly dust filtered in from above, causing him to quickly put his face downward in reaction, spitting out what little amount got in his mouth and wiping at his eyes as well.

 

I hope that means they’re getting me out of here soon.

 

But as good as that sounded, the thought brought on a new concern. Could they do it without bringing debris down on him?

 

~*~*~

 

Having reached a larger piece of concrete underneath some of the other debris they’d removed, Roy and Hank were forced to stop work on the area they were in until the crane wasn’t needed in the other. For now they’d help there in what ever way they could.

 

Breathing heavier from the exertion of the work they’d been doing, Roy helped to clear away smaller pieces of debris that had been uncovered in the other area as the crane was once again set to lift off another larger piece of what used to be the roof.

 

He sighed and watched the crane at work as the bucket from the snorkel truck carried down what he and Hank had placed in it. When the large machinery’s load was clear of the building, one of the other men and Captain Stanley studied the newly exposed surface to see what the next move should be, making sure as best they could that it wouldn’t cause any sort of a cave-in. In the process, they discovered something unexpected.  

 

Hank pulled the HT out of his turnout coat pocket and radioed to one of the other captains below, “HT 18, HT 51.”

 

“Go ahead, HT 51.”

 

“I think we may have found something.”

 

Overhearing the transmission as he approached his captain, Roy continued the rest of the way over to see what they’d come across, his heart pounding in anticipation.

 

~*~*~

 

Johnny was relieved to have made it through a couple of bouts of nausea without vomiting. Knowing nausea often was a result from a concussion, he hoped Chet would be able to do the same.

 

We’re in a bad enough situation without adding *that* to the mix. . .

 

But the illness that had hit him so suddenly was only getting worse. He now was experiencing chills along with everything else, and feeling like his strength was draining out of him; the paramedic just wished he could crawl into a bed . . .

 

Even if it has to be one at Rampart.

 

Huddled up close to one of the ‘walls’ created by the debris in an effort to deal with his chills, he closed his eyes.

 

Man, I wish this damn headache would go away. . .

 

“Gage, where’d you say. . . the drug box was?”

 

The sound of Chet’s voice, though still sounding distant, brought him out of his thoughts. Each of their hearing was coming back gradually. He figured they may have suffered some permanent damage from the blast, but only time would tell. Tests would have to be done at Rampart even if the two of them felt like it returned to normal.

 

Another shiver ran through Johnny’s body as he eyed his friend, who was looking up at what was their ceiling.

 

 “In the wrong place,” Gage replied dryly. He then paused in an effort to keep his thoughts in focus despite the throbbing pain in his head.  After a couple of rapid breaths, he continued. “I told ya . . . I set ‘em down. . .they’re buried somewhere.”

 

“Hey, I thought you said. . . you were okay. . .” Kelly stated as he turned his head toward Gage.

 

Johnny thought about hiding his condition awhile longer. But truth was, he could very well end up being in worse shape than Chet. He had to at least let him know part of what was going on. Later, he'd fill him in on his left arm, hip and side if necessary. 

 

No sense giving him all the bad news at once.

 

Shaking his head slightly as he felt another chill, he stated, “No.” He rubbed at his forehead. “You aren’t gonna. . . believe this, but I think. . . I’m sick; with the flu or somethin’.”

 

After a few seconds of silence came a response he hadn’t expected. “Oh I believe it.”

 

Johnny glanced down at him in surprise at the answer. “Whataya mean?”

 

“Well, first your dog takes after you, . . .it’s only fitting you should start taking after him.”

 

Johnny opened his mouth to protest, but quickly closed it. I guess I better cut him some slack. . . it’s gotta be the head injury talking .

 

“Your timing couldn’t be worse, though,” Chet added, then winced at the pain his own headache was causing.

 

“Tell me. . .about it.” Johnny sighed as he shifted to his knees and slowly moved beside the fireman, putting most of the weight on his right leg. Leaning over him, he proceeded to check his pulse and respirations again; also the wound on the back of his head. Relief washed over the paramedic when he discovered the bleeding had stopped entirely.

 

But the relief was short lived. He knew if they weren’t found soon, it was going to be a toss up as to who would be taking care of who in their closed off world; and whether either would be up to it in the first place.  

 

~*~*~

 

Captain Stanley finished reporting the finding, then was immediately on his hands and knees with a flashlight as he peered into a crevice two feet wide and eight inches high; They’d found the first void in the rubble.

 

Calling out the names of the four missing men, he waited with the others for a response. When none came, he looked at the men gathered around.

 

“It’s hard to tell exactly how large it is, but I don’t think it goes very far. Let’s get this cleared more so we can get a better look.” As the men around him started to remove more pieces, thus making the opening larger, Hank voiced. “We’re gonna need the K-12 to cut through some of the beams we’re getting to so we can remove them a piece at a time.”

 

Though the newly discovered void was apparently empty and they hadn’t gotten far enough for his liking, talk of cutting beams that hadn’t previously been visible to them was a reminder to Roy that they had made progress. Though the ‘golden hour’ everyone was aware of had run out quite awhile ago, he still had to hold on to hope that it wasn’t going to matter in the end.

 

~*~*~

 

Chet kept his eyes on Johnny as the paramedic once again scooted back over to the edge of their clear space to lean against a ‘wall’ for support. Something about the way Gage was moving wasn’t right.

 

He was about to ask if Johnny was physically injured, but before he could, the dark-haired paramedic spoke.

 

“I wonder how. . .Shadow’s doing. . .” Gage panted, obviously in a lot of discomfort.

 

“Look, man. . .I didn’t mean to tease ya about him. I know he’s really . . .got ya worried,” Chet commented keeping a concerned gaze on his friend.

 

Johnny forced a grin. “It’s okay. After what I did. . .to get you . . .you owe me one.”

 

“Maybe. . .” After a few seconds of thought he stated, “Yeah, I do. . .but not with the mutt. It’s not the right situation.”

 

“It’s okay, Chet. Besides. . .you’re right. He is like. . .me. . . kinda.” Johnny shifted his position slightly, taking a quick heavy breath and grimacing. “I really need. . .to find a place so. . .I can keep . . .him with me. At least. . .on my days. . .off.”

 

Chet looked up at the close ‘ceiling’, then the walls created by the rubble. “Should we try yelling for help?”

 

“I don’t know. . .if it’d do any good.”

 

The fireman decided to give it a try as Johnny closed his eyes and rested his head back. I’ll try it in a minute. . .

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth didn’t need to wait for a report on television for news about her nephew. Once the names of the trapped men were given to headquarters, representatives called the relatives that were listed as emergency contacts for each victim.

 

Now a few hours later she sat at the kitchen table, an untouched cup of coffee in front of her. She’d wanted to go down to the site of the disaster and wait. But John had told her a long time ago that having friends and relatives of victims show up at a rescue often hampered the situation, as the men involved in the work then had to watch out for them as well. It was better to stay away and let the fire department do their job.

 

John and Shadow are going to make me an old woman before my time. . . she thought with a sigh.

 

Ruth eyed the phone on the wall, hoping it would ring and some good news would come her way.  At least she’d gotten a hold of her son earlier and let him know to check over his boys after school.  

 

~*~*~

 

“Hey, we’re down here!” Chet had called out several times before finally giving up. Each time he’d waited as he listened for any sound from outside their small space. Unfortunately, there was none. Even with his hearing still slightly affected by the loud blast of the explosion, he’d hoped to be able to at least hear a hint of a response.

 

His voice occasionally sounding raspy from an ever increasingly dry throat, Chet mustered up as much saliva as he could to wet his mouth and cleared his throat before speaking again.  

 

“You’re right. It’s not gonna help,” he said to Johnny as he glanced in his direction though he couldn’t see him in the darkened confines. When he didn’t get a verbal response, the fireman grabbed the flashlight beside him and flicked it on.

 

Johnny winced at the sudden unexpected beam of light on him and let out a slight grumble as he put up his right hand to shade his eyes. The two had decided they’d need to reserve the batteries in their flashlights, thus agreeing to use them only to check on each other’s wellbeing.

 

“Hey,” Chet brought his own head up off the turnout coat underneath it, then ignoring the dizziness the motion brought on, he slowly got onto his side and pushed himself up on his left elbow. “You okay?” To him, Gage looked and sounded anything but okay.

 

Still squinting in the light, Johnny looked at his friend. “Chet. . .would ya turn. . .that thing . . .off?” His voice was weak and rough.

 

“Not until you answer my question.”

 

“You. . . .shouldn’t even  be. . .up.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“I’m restin’.”  Johnny then closed his eyes and tilted his head back, trying to will at least some of his misery away. He knew he needed to keep tabs on Chet’s condition too, but another closer check on him was going to have to wait till the latest bout of nausea passed and the stale air in their surroundings wasn’t helping. However, the fact the curly-haired fireman became more alert as time passed was a very good sign and certainly eased Gage’s concern; at least until they both would have the added complication of dehydration to their other problems.

 

Man, why’d I have to set the boxes down?

 

Chet cast another worried glance in the paramedic’s direction as he lay back down. He wasn’t trained in the medical profession, but it seemed to be more than a simple flu bug ailing his friend.

 

With a sigh, he turned off the flashlight.

 

~*~*~

 

The area of warehouse searched was expanded as late afternoon passed and evening approached. More of the men were directed to aid in the daunting task of looking for the victims since clearing the rubble seemed to be less risky in causing a further collapse than originally feared. Though it was only an added few, it was enough to make a significant difference in the progress.

 

With the first couple of voids they’d found being empty, hope had been that they’d soon find another with the missing men inside.

 

By late evening, the men were able to gain access to the lower floor level in a location where they’d been working most of the day. One of the firemen from Station 18 shone a flashlight into a newly found gap that led to yet another open space below. Holding the light at various angles until he could see the interior better, he finally yelled out, “There’s someone down there!”

 

Captain Stanley and Roy were both over to the opening as quick as they could safely get there. A second assurance that there was at least one of the men from Station 51 inside brought brief relief to everyone.

 

~*~*~

 

Marco lifted his head and looked at the beam of light shining into his dark confines. He briefly turned his head and squinted at the brightness in his eyes. He’d finally been found.

 

“Down here,” he choked out as more dust filtered into the air.

 

With a new surge of energy, he pushed himself to his hands and knees. He already knew the first thing he was going to ask. Were John, Chet and Mr. Hanson out and okay? The second would be for water.

 

He watched gratefully as the opening to his temporary prison widened.

 

~*~*~

 

Word of one of the victims being found alive brought a sigh of relief to Doctor Brackett at Rampart. Joe Early was just returning to the base station after treating a patient when a paramedic from Squad 36 finished transmitting Marco’s status over the base station radio.

 

“. . .and transport as soon as possible,” Kel Brackett finished directing as his colleague joined him. The young nurse beside him who’d jotted down the information they’d received stepped away a moment to answer the telephone. 

 

“Good news?” Doctor Early wondered.

 

“Some. So far just Marco Lopez from 51’s has been found, and he’s in remarkably good condition, considering. Which gives me hope the others could be the same. . .if they find them soon enough.”

 

“Don’t forget, Roy mentioned Johnny had the drug and trauma boxes with him. He knows what to do with ‘em if he’s forced to act on his own.”

 

Brackett gave it a few seconds thought before replying, “If he’s able to.”

 

Doctor Early nodded and glanced at his watch. It had been so many hours since Roy first informed them of what happened.

  

~*~*~

 

Shadow lay in the small kennel at the veterinarian clinic, staring out between the thin bars that were keeping him inside. Though he was still feeling miserable, the little pup didn’t understand why he hadn’t been ‘rescued’ from the place by John or Ruth. He didn’t like the vet or feeling ‘trapped’, and just wanted to go home.

 

The sound of a door opening got him to lift up his head in anticipation. But when it turned out to be a blonde-haired lady in a white lab coat who checked in on him earlier, Shadow laid his head back down and just eyed her as she knelt down to talk to him.

 

“Oh, don’t look so sad, Shadow,” the middle-aged woman soothed as she opened the kennel door and petted the puppy. “You’ll feel better soon. I wish you could understand what’s going on. But hopefully in a few days it’ll all be behind you anyway.”

 

After another pat on his head, she closed the door and secured it. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

 

Shadow watched her walk to the door, still not lifting his head from the blanket he was on. He licked with his tongue a couple of times, gave a small sigh and closed his eyes.

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth was watching the nightly news when her telephone rang. She immediately got up from the couch and hurried into the kitchen, lifting the receiver off the cradle as soon as she got to it.

 

“Hello,” she couldn’t mask the anxiousness in her voice, but it wasn’t the call she’d hoped for.  Though her son had previously contacted her about his children checking out okay, he now was wondering if she’d gotten any news on his cousin. 

 

“No, no word on John.

 

“Well, the vet called earlier this evening and said there seemed to be a slight improvement with Shadow. 

 

“Okay, I sure will.

 

“Love you too.”

 

After placing the receiver back in its cradle, she looked at the clock across the room.

 

“10:22 and no word on John. . .all those hours of being buried in rubble. . .is his luck going to be with him this time?”

 

She leaned against the wall near the phone, her gaze shifting to the floor, her eyes then closing as she gave a silent prayer for her nephew.

 

~*~*~

 

“Well. . .you seem to be. . .doin’ better,” Johnny weakly stated as he sat back after once again completing an assessment of Chet’s condition. “Now if we just. . .had some water.”

 

Aside from being parched, the curly haired fireman was feeling better as far as his head injury was concerned. Though he still had a headache and minimal dizziness, he was able to sit up, ignoring Gage’s recommendation he remain lying down.

 

Kelly once again scrutinized his friend, this time in the dimming beam from Johnny’s flashlight that was on the floor. Pain was etched in the paramedic’s features. He knew Gage was feeling sicker as time passed. Despite his efforts in trying to keep conversations going between them with as many topics as he could think of, including everything from their first year together at Station 51 to what their chances were on the next engineers’ exam, Johnny was struggling to remain aware of what was being said. Many of his responses hadn’t made a lot of sense. In the latter part of their discussions, it was only when Chet called out Gage’s name a few times that he would pay more attention.

 

But the slow and methodical way Johnny moved, even when shifting his position slightly as he sat resting, led Chet to believe his earlier suspicions were correct; there was more wrong than the paramedic was letting on.

 

“Who’s gonna check you out?” Chet rasped.

 

“I told ya. . .before. Doesn’t matter. . .can’t do anything. . .without the supplies.”

 

“What about your injuries?”

 

Gage looked at him in surprise. He then tried to hide it and shrugged, which only gave away more when he couldn’t stop a grimace. With a sigh, he explained, “I’m okay. . .just feel like. . .hell.”

 

Chet frowned. He wasn’t buying it. “C’mon, John. You’ve been acting like it hurts to even breathe.”

 

“Chet. . .I told ya. . .I’m all right. I’ve just got the worst case of . . .somethin’. . . I’ve ever had. . .in my life.”

 

But all he got in answer was a look of doubt.

 

Realizing he wasn’t going to get away with playing his troubles down any longer, the paramedic gave in. “Okay.  Okay. . .I think I may have. . .fractured a couple of ribs . . .on my left side. . .when I hit the floor.”

 

The fireman nodded. That explained a lot. “Anything else?”

 

“Just my shoulder. . .and my elbow’s sore. . . hip hurts. . .”

 

“Maybe you oughta lie down for a change.”

 

Gage shook his head slightly, his eyes once again closed as he tried to swallow despite being parched himself. “I’ll never . . .get back up.”

 

“What’s it matter? Where’re you gonna go?” Chet wondered, looking around.

 

With a wry grin, the paramedic slowly scooted back to his usual spot after picking up his flashlight. Once in place, he leaned his head back and turned off the light.

 

“’Night, John Boy,” Chet said, not happy about having to give in on his efforts but trying to let Gage know he was okay with it for now. Much to his surprise, he got a response in kind back, only not quite what he wanted to hear.

 

“G’night, Mary Ellen. . .”

 

But he’d take it. At least he’s still got his sense of humor.

 

~*~*~

 

“Have you heard anything on the others?” Marco asked as Kel Brackett returned to the treatment room with two orderlies and a gurney.

 

The doctor shook his head. “No. I wish I could give you some good news, but they’re still searching.”

 

The fireman eyed the IV in his own arm. He wondered if Johnny was able to give himself and Chet or Mr. Hanson one as well. The thought of the paramedic administering his own IV again brought a slight grin to Marco’s face. He recalled a time when Johnny had to do it after being bitten by a rattlesnake and was not very happy about having to sticking himself.

 

But more thoughts on the possibilities of what could have happened to the men made the smile quickly fade.

 

“I hope they find them soon.”

 

“You and me both,” the doctor stated. “If they were as lucky as you, they’ve got an excellent chance to hang in there for quite some time, but that might be asking for too much luck.”

 

“Can I go back and help look for them?”

 

“I’m afraid not, Marco. I know you’re starting to feel more like your old self, but you were pretty dehydrated. It’s better if we keep you here the rest of the night for observation.” Seeing the disappointment on his patient’s face, Brackett added, “Someone will come up to your room to let you know as soon as any word comes in. I’ll make sure of that.”

 

Johnny and Roy always spoke highly of the doctor, so Marco took the answer with no protest, trusting him to keep his word on the latter.

 

~*~*~

 

Sitting in the cab of the squad dozing, Roy woke to Mike Stoker gently shaking his shoulder. Though the paramedic hadn’t expected to be able to fall asleep when he’d been sent to get some much needed rest, he was so exhausted that it had only taken him several minutes to do so.

 

“I thought you’d like to kno --”

 

Roy immediately sat up straight and reached for the door handle simultaneously. “You found Johnny and Chet?”

 

Mike stepped back to allow the door to open. “No, but they found Mr. Hanson.”

 

“When?” Roy glanced at his watch. It was very early in the morning and he’d been asleep for a couple of hours.

 

“About fifteen minutes ago.”

 

“Alive?”

 

It was then Mike had to deliver the bad news. “Yeah, but they aren’t sure he’s gonna make it. When I told Cap, he went over to check; he said the guy’s in pretty bad shape.”

 

Roy eyed the destruction ahead as they hurried to where the rescue efforts were still underway.  He could only hope Johnny and Chet had Marco’s kind of luck when the building came down.

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth tossed and turned most of the night, unable to fall asleep for more than several minutes at a time. Her worry for her nephew not subsiding, she finally gave in and by three in the morning was sitting at the kitchen table flipping through a McCalls magazine to pass the time while she waited for another phone call; one she wasn’t even sure she wanted to get.

 

~*~*~

 

The effects of Johnny’s illness and injuries grew worse as the night wore on. Even with his shallow breathing, his left side had been hurting more so with every breath he took.

Too weary to remain sitting upright any longer, he gave in and slowly eased himself onto his right side as he lay on the cement floor.

 

Johnny shivered as another chill ran through his body despite that fact he was very feverish. He swallowed convulsively as another bout of nausea hit. After a few seconds that seemed more like minutes to him, the feeling passed and the paramedic absently rubbed at his forehead as a non-ending massive headache continued to throb. With all that, plus feeling achy and being dehydrated, Johnny was physically and mentally exhausted; bit by bit, he was losing the battle to stay aware of his surroundings.

 

Chet listened to Gage, trying to decipher what he was going through as they remained in pitch blackness. Finally, he couldn’t hold back any longer and turned on the flashlight, more than ready to stand his ground if Johnny tried to tell him he shouldn’t worry about him. But no protests came.

 

Alarm registered when he saw just how bad off his friend was. Despite feeling weakened from dehydration himself and still dealing with a headache, Chet crawled over to the paramedic.  

 

Johnny opened his eyes slightly, squinting against the beam of light shining on him. He turned away, rolling onto his back and closing his eyes as he draped his right forearm over them. A groan escaped from his slightly parted dry lips as he licked in an attempt to moisten them.

 

“Aren’t you better off. . . on your side?”

 

Gage lifted his arm and eyed Chet, a look of confusion on his face.

 

“Man, a few hours ago, you were joking around,” the curly-haired fireman commented. “I didn’t think you’d get this bad so soon. It’s gotta be more than a flu bug, John.”

 

Johnny’s brow remained furrowed in puzzlement, then recognition registered and his expression changed to one of misery. “Man. . .” he moaned.

 

Wondering how much longer they’d be trapped in the stale-aired confines, Chet looked up and listened for any sound. The only thing he’d been able to hear was a faint noise from machinery.

 

Another groan had him looking down at Gage again. The paramedic was slowly rolling onto his right side; he helped him until Johnny was set.

 

Though they’d only discussed the possibilities of Mr. Hanson’s where-a-bouts a few times since being caught in the explosion, he now wondered if the man was out safe somewhere while Johnny was in dire need of medical help with none likely very soon.

 

What I wouldn’t give to see Roy right about now.

 

~*~*~

 

Hank Stanley looked over from where he was once again assisting with the rescue efforts as Roy and Mike slowly and carefully approached after making their way to the roof area that was now a new section to search. Though the previous searched areas hadn’t been completely cleared, enough debris had been removed to reveal what few void spaces existed within and thus far none had contained Johnny or Chet.

 

Growing confident that the two had been more toward the rear of the building at the time of the explosion, the men on the scene were working their way back from rather than across the most forward area.

 

 “Did you get enough rest?” Hank asked with concern when Roy was closer. The paramedic looked beat.

 

“Yeah. . .yeah, I did,” he replied, rubbing at his left eye.

 

The captain then shifted his attention to Mike. “You need to take a longer break?”

 

The engineer shook his head while Roy commented, “I know we’re gonna get pulled off duty in a few hours and sent back to the station so B-shift can be on call. But can I volunteer overtime with the crew that replaces us here?”

 

He looked at Roy a moment with equally weary eyes, then sighed. “I know it’s not what you want to hear, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

 

“Cap--”

 

But before Roy could say more, Hank raised a hand to silence him.

 

“I wanna be here when John and Chet are found just as much as you do. But we’ve been running on adrenaline since yesterday morning, with only a few catnaps to refresh ourselves. That’s only gonna keep us going for so long before one of us . . .any of the men here,” he added with a wave of his hand, “Collapses from pure exhaustion or causes a miscue of sorts from fatigue. We won’t be doing anyone. . .ourselves or John and Chet . . .any favors. Headquarters is already lining up what crews to send to relieve us. They want fresh men on the scene and I have to agree with them. . .it’s better.” He didn’t want to mention what it would do to them if they found Johnny and Chet deceased and they were already worn down beyond what was considered healthy. Until the two were found at all, he refused to allow himself to entertain any thought that they might not be alive.

 

Roy nodded in resignation. Though he might not be able to carry on with normal life at home until Chet and Johnny were found, he’d at least have his wife Joanne and their kids to help him cope. And Jo would make sure he got as much rest as possible so he could help in rescue efforts later if needed.

 

I hope it doesn’t take that long. . .they’ve been buried long enough as it is. . .

 

He hoped that he’d soon be visiting them in a standard room at Rampart.

 

~*~*~

 

Marco woke to the quietness of the hospital room after a somewhat restless sleep. Not sure of the time and wondering if there was any word on his comrades yet, he reached over with his left hand and pressed the call button, being careful of the IV still in his arm. After a few moments, a nurse entered the room.

 

“What can I do for you, Mister Lopez?”

 

If he wasn’t so worried about his friends, he would have certainly taken advantage of the situation and flirted with the cute nurse before Johnny or Chet had a chance. The thought of the two competing for her attention brought a smile. But with things as they were, he quickly shoved that thought aside, the grin fading, and kept his focus on their situation.  “Has there been any news on John Gage or Chet Kelly?”

 

She shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. I wish I could give you some, but we haven’t gotten any word on them. Just that the missing construction worker’s been found.”

 

Being that she knew of Johnny from his many trips to the hospital, both as a patient and a paramedic, the nurse was very anxious for news on the two trapped firemen herself.  Word had spread through the hospital that Gage was one of the victims involved in the building collapse and much of the staff throughout had listened for reports on television when time allowed in hopes of getting updates. So far rescuing Mr. Hanson had been the only big news in hours and that came from the ER downstairs.  

 

“How is he?” Marco wondered. “Do you know?”

 

“Not really. I couldn’t tell you anyway since you’re not a relative of his. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to wait till it’s reported on TV.”

 

That’s when the fireman remembered the television mounted on the wall of his room.  Seeing where his attention was, the nurse handed him the remote control that had been on the portable tray table out of his reach.

 

“Here you are. But I don’t think you’ll get anything right now. Maybe before too long though,” she said as she glanced at her watch.

 

“What time is it?”

 

“Four fifteen in the morning.”

 

The nurse then headed for the door, adding, “I’ll be right back to update your chart. I’ll see what I can do about getting that IV out of your arm soon as well.”

 

Marco just nodded as he pressed the ‘on’ button to the TV.  The IV was the least of his concerns.

 

~*~*~

 

With the overnight care, including continued treatment with Chloramphenical for the Spotted Fever, Shadow’s health was slowly improving by the hour. Though the puppy wasn’t anywhere near a stage where he would be able to go home right away, the vet was very optimistic on his chances of a complete recovery when he arrived in the early morning to check on him.

 

Shadow was very grateful when the door to his kennel had been opened and he was lifted out. He was hoping that John and Ruth were there and he’d no longer be caged alone. But he’d only ended up on a cold metal examination table where the vet poked and prodded, causing the pup to quiver.

 

Where were the people he felt safe around? Had they given up on him? He was afraid they wouldn’t come back for him; they’d never left him this long before. Unable to communicate his fears, he didn’t get any assurances they would be.

 

Once back in his confines, he lay down and faced the wall, ignoring the water bottle with the angled steel spout that hung upside down attached to the side of his kennel.

 

~*~*~

 

Chet licked at his dry lips and frowned at the dimming beam from his flashlight. He’d had it on continuously since finding Johnny so ill, and the batteries were wearing down. If his went out, all they’d have left was Johnny’s flashlight which had already shown signs of wearing down the last time it had been on.  

 

What’re we gonna do if they don’t find us soon?

 

He could still hear the faint sound of machinery, but nothing more yet.

 

 This place was huge. What if the majority of it came down in the explosion? How will they know where to look? It’s gotta be like searching for a needle in a haystack . . .

 

The only thing he could be sure of is that no one would stop searching for them as survivors. Firemen didn’t give up so easily.

 

A low groan once again brought his attention to Gage. The paramedic’s face was in a grimace; an expression Johnny had held the majority of the time. He was obviously in pain. The way he often brought a hand up to rub at his forehead indicated to Chet that he more than likely had one hell of a headache in addition to everything else. He had shivered off and on from chills, and Chet had considered covering him with his turnout coat.  But he figured it would increase the body heat, possibly causing Johnny to dehydrate at a faster rate.

 

Chet’s own overall condition was deteriorating as time passed without food or water and lack of medical care, but despite feeling weakened and dizzy from everything, his main worry stayed with his shiftmate.

 

The fireman thought back to a few years before when Johnny had been so ill from the Monkey Virus. Before anyone knew he’d contracted it, he’d gone down on a scaffold to rescue a cardiac victim. It was while trying to assess the unconscious man that the illness had suddenly come to surface and caused the paramedic to pass out, fall off the platform and hang suspended in the air with his weight supported only by his safety-belt.

 

Chet never forgot the moment when his co-worker’s limp body had been pulled up onto the roof of the building after Roy went down to get both victims set. Johnny’s arms hung down lifelessly as he was brought across to the flat surface and laid on his side. It was only after Marco gave him a sternal rub a short time later that the younger man had come around. And he’d looked much like he did now that afternoon, except for the small cuts on his face.  

 

It couldn’t have come back, could it? They didn’t know a lot about it. I wonder if part of the virus could have stayed hidden and dormant somewhere in him? 

 

“If that’s the case. . .” 

 

How long does he have before. . .

 

No, he didn’t want to go there. But the fever Gage had now was a major symptom then too. Only this time it didn’t seem to be as high. . .yet.

 

How would he know if that’s what it was? And what could he do to keep Johnny alive if it was the case?  

 

Chet glanced around their dim surroundings, letting out a cough in the increasingly stale air. There was just nothing for him to use to make Johnny’s situation, or his own, any better.

 

He looked down at Gage, who was now peering at him in return with narrowed glassy eyes. “You. . .you okay?”

 

The curly-haired fireman nodded. “Yeah. But I hope they get us outta here soon.”

 

Chet decided then that the best thing he could do for them both was remain as alert as possible for when the rescue personnel got closer.

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth couldn’t stay at home any longer. Though she knew it was probably the wrong thing to do, she was on her way to see first-hand where her nephew was trapped. She had to know if it was as devastating as the news had made it sound or if reporters had played it up as they often did to build in added drama.

 

As she pulled up to the scene, a gasp escaped from her lips and her right hand instinctively covered her mouth. It was as bad as they’d said. Pictures on the news had shown the destruction, but it looked a hundred times worse to see it right there in front of her.

 

~*~*~

 

Roy glanced at his watch as he took a swig of water. He was on what would be his last short break before they had to report back to the station.  Now that the time to leave was only a couple of hours away, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to if they hadn’t found his partner and Chet by then.

 

How could any of them just walk away and go to the comforts of home knowing their shiftmates were buried and going through who knows what?

 

I’m kidding myself if I think I’m gonna get any rest.

 

He glanced toward a civilian car that had just arrived on the scene. A woman climbed out, only to be stopped by a police officer.

 

Roy watched as she pointed in the direction of the squad, then the damaged building. Gut feeling had him trotting over to intervene.

 

~*~*~

 

Johnny heard a familiar slightly gravely voice talking as he was trying to work his way through another bout of nausea. He also was having to cope with the throbbing in his head and ever present sharp pain on his left side. As he slowly turned onto his right side again, he opened his eyes to slits and looked up at the source of the one-sided conversation, wondering what was going on. It wasn’t until he took in the surroundings within his immediate view that he recalled where they were.

 

“. . .was stealing all. . . the attention from you and Roy. What was his name. . .Wilson? Wait. . .don’t tell me, I’ll get it.” The words stopped for a moment before he continued. “I know it was Tim. . .no, Tom. . .Tom Wheeler. See? I told ya. . .I’d get it. I have a mind. . .like a steel trap. It’s in the Kelly. . .genes. You know. . .I’ll bet he never got. . .as much news coverage. . .as we will. Just think of all the. . .the chicks that’ll be wanting to meet us. You know how chicks. . .love a guy who needs ‘um.”

 

 

“Chet. . .”

 

“Why I can see it . . .now. They’ll have to put . . .a guard at the door. . .to our room ta keep ‘um away.”

 

“Chet.”

 

The fireman glanced down.

 

“What’re. . .what’re you. . .doin’?” Johnny panted.

 

“Trying to keep busy. You know. . .to stay alert. . .so I can lead the guys to us. . . when they get close.”

 

“Careful. . . might just . . .decide. . . ta leave us . . . here.”

 

Despite having just been zinged, Chet couldn’t do anything more than roll his eyes. It was one of the few lucid moments Gage had had for quite awhile.  

 

~*~*~

 

Roy wasn’t the only fire department member who’d spotted the woman with the police officer. Captain Bill Garner from Engine 18 was also hurrying over to the pair to see who she was and why she was there.

 

As both approached, they overheard part of her explanation, worry and fear evident in her voice.

 

“-- not supposed to be here, but I told you, my nephew’s trapped in what’s left of that building! I’ve been up most of the night wondering if he’s okay or even alive and I just need to see first hand what’s going on.” She paused a moment as she tried to calm herself down. She knew better than to fly off the handle. Scared or not, she needed to keep her composure. After a few brief seconds and a deep breath later, she continued. “Look, I just need to talk to someone who can give me more information or let me know how he is. If they’ve had any contact with him at all. I won’t get in the way.”

 

“Ma’am, the media--”

 

“I can’t wait for information from them like some distant observer. They’re usually three steps behind what’s going on anyway.”

 

Garner spoke as he and Roy stepped up beside the two. “Is there anything I can help with here?”

 

Ruth looked at him with hopeful eyes. “Please. I’m not trying to cause any trouble, but I need to know if there’s any news on my nephew.”

 

“Are you Johnny’s aunt?” Roy asked.

 

“Yes, yes. . .I’m his Aunt Ruth.” Relief registered on her face when she looked at the name tag on his shirt. “You must be his partner he’s always talking about.”

 

The senior paramedic nodded with a slight smile. It was the best he could do for the moment.

 

“Do you know if John’s okay?” she asked, her gaze shifting from Roy to the captain and back to Roy again.

 

Captain Garner gently reached out and placed his left hand on her back. “Come with me and I’ll try to give you as much information as I can.” He directed his attention to Roy, who he’d spared having to spend time away from the rescue efforts to explain the current progress, or lack there of. “Go back to finding your partner and Chet Kelly. I’ll make sure she gets what she needs and is well taken care of.”

 

“Okay.” He looked at Ruth with sympathetic eyes and gave his best reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, we’ll find ‘im.” He hoped the fear inside that they may not find him alive didn’t come through in his tone of voice.

 

~*~*~

 

Marco lay in bed waiting for when Doctor Brackett would be in to give him a final check and release him. He was sure that he recovered enough to leave. Though he felt tired from lack of sleep and worry about his friends, Marco also knew that could easily be taken care of at home. His relatives would likely be waiting on him hand and foot just to be sure he got plenty of rest. He glanced over at the telephone on a nightstand near the bed. His mother had called the night before, telling him he was to call her as soon as he got word of his release so she and her sister Bonita could come and pick him up.

 

As he entertained the thought of going home, another person entered his mind. The construction worker. . .Mr. Hanson. He wondered if he would be getting the same opportunity before too long.

 

I hope he wasn’t in too bad of shape.

 

Marco still hadn’t gotten word on Johnny or Chet – good or bad. ‘No news is good news’ was a well-known saying, but times like this, it sure didn’t apply. No update on missing fire fighters in any kind of a mishap was hard to accept. But the morning news was about to come on the TV, so he could be hearing more soon.

 

The fireman watched intently as the morning anchormen introduced themselves, then got on with an update on the warehouse explosion and collapse. By the time they were done, he knew two things. Mr Hanson was still in very critical condition, and Johnny and Chet were still missing.

 

Marco rested his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes. He gave a silent prayer for Mr. Hanson to pull through and for his shiftmates to be found alive soon.

 

~*~*~

 

The time that Roy had been dreading came all too soon. It was after 8:00 in the morning and they had been relieved by a crew from Station 116 so they could end their twenty-four hours on duty. B-Shift would be able to operate a normal shift out of Station 51.

 

Roy kept his eyes on traffic and the road ahead, only once allowing himself to glance at the empty passenger seat. He couldn’t believe he’d actually left his partner behind, not knowing exactly what kind of shape he was in or if he was even still alive; it was the hardest thing he’d ever had to do since being in the fire department.

 

But as bad as he felt, Roy knew it had to be just as hard, if not much worse, for Captain Stanley. He was very close to his men, his theory being that a close-knit crew worked much more efficiently than one with any distance between them, including the officer in charge. And now two of the men under his supervision were lost; their chances of survival growing slimmer as time wore on. Although the hope that Johnny could put the medical equipment he had with him to use helped to alleviate a small portion of the fear.

 

Then there was Gage’s aunt. The woman had tried to put up a brave front once she’d been briefed, but the worry on her face and in her voice said otherwise. She was very scared and could not bring herself to leave the scene though he and the captains had suggested it. 

 

Roy thought back to the brief conversation he’d managed to have with her before he left. He’d done his best to keep it all positive for her benefit. But he didn’t know if he’d sounded convincing since he wasn’t so sure on the situation himself.

 

”Johnny’s a survivor. If anyone can come out of this okay, it’s him. I’m sure he wouldn’t let Chet give up either.”

 

Ruth sighed as she looked past Roy to the destroyed building. “I know. But it’s been so long.”

 

“People have been trapped in collapsed buildings after earthquakes for longer than this and made it. They aren’t always in the best of shape, but when the will to survive is strong, it helps them to pull through. With what Johnny’s had to overcome within the past few years. . .the monkey virus and the rattlesnake bite, to name a couple. . . I’d say his will is pretty strong.”

 

“I just hope they find them today; John and your other friend . . .Chet. I don’t think I can go another night of not knowing how John is.”

 

Roy nodded in understanding. He couldn’t fathom what the waiting was going to be like either. Being involved in the rescue helped to push away the worry and put the focus on just getting the job done. In an attempt to get her mind momentarily off her nephew and hoping he wasn’t going to stir up more bad news, he hesitantly asked, “How’s Shadow doing?”

 

“Better. Just slightly, but better. They haven’t gotten the test results back yet, but another vet. . .uh. . .had seen the symptoms before. He said it sounded like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.”

 

Roy’s eyes widened in surprise. Johnny’s said he’s always careful about checking himself and Shadow over for ticks.

 

Ruth continued, “They treated it as that and the medicine they’re giving him seems to be working, so I’d say the tests are probably going to confirm it. He was in too bad of shape to take any chances in waiting.”

 

“Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever,” Roy repeated as he came out of his thoughts. He felt guilty about it, but he was grateful it was Shadow who had contracted the disease and not Johnny.  Especially considering where he’s at right now.

 

Still, he was hit with a little twinge of added worry. Nah, Johnny was fine, he reassured himself. Besides, what’re the odds of *both* of them getting sick with the same thing?

 

~*~*~

 

Once they’d made it back to the station and turned the duty over to B-Shift, Mike, Hank and Roy headed for the rear parking lot.

 

“Did they get the replacement drug and trauma boxes okay?”

 

“Uh, yeah,” Roy answered, his mind still on something else. “Yeah, they were here before we got back. The guys were keeping an eye on them till the squad was available.”

 

He didn’t want to mention it to the others; it wouldn’t do any good to now. But he still couldn’t shake the gut feeling that something more might be wrong with Gage than they’d realized.

 

“At least we got some good news,” Mike stated. “You know, about Marco.”

 

“That’s where I’m headed next,” the captain informed them. “I’m going to get over there to see him before he leaves.” He glanced at his watch. “I believe he said it would be around 9:00 when the release papers would be ready.”

 

“Tell him I said to take it easy.”

 

“I will, Roy. And don’t worry. I’ll call you if I get any news from headquarters on John and Chet.”

 

The senior paramedic nodded and gave a wan smile. “Thanks, Cap.” He rubbed at his gritty, tired eyes.

 

Now all Roy would be able to do was wait and hope his instinct was wrong.

 

~*~*~

 

Chet swore inwardly when his flashlight became useless. It hadn’t quite gone out all the way, but it was so dim he’d had to switch to using Johnny’s. It was still putting out a strong enough light that Chet had hopes it would last awhile. It was already nearly noon and there’d been no sign of anyone reaching them yet.

 

He looked at Gage in deep concern. The few times the paramedic had opened his eyes, the pain and confusion in them was obvious. Even when Chet talked to him, Johnny didn’t seem to grasp what he was saying. The fireman knew the illness, exhaustion and the dehydration together had really done a number on his friend. His worry that Johnny may come out of this with permanent damage to his organs or that he may not even survive intensified.

 

Chet had grown much weaker himself, often wavering into a hazy mindset, only to pull himself out of it now and then.  He’d given up on talking to keep himself alert. All it did was make his mouth and throat drier. And half of what he said hadn’t made sense to him.  Chet wasn’t sure if that was because even the most sensible conversation by anyone would be hard to follow now or that he couldn’t process the sentences coherently from his brain to his mouth.

 

Exhausted, he closed his eyes. His head dropped forward, his chin resting near his chest, as he dozed.

 

~*~*~

 

Johnny felt like he was lying in the desert. He was so hot and his mouth so dry – that had to be where he was. But then why did the ground feel so cool compared to him? Shouldn’t it be baking in the sun as well?

 

When he opened his eyes slightly, he realized there was no sun. Maybe that was why the ground wasn’t hot. But then why was he?

 

The more he tried to reason it out, the less he could think. His head hurt, he still felt a sharp pain in his side every time he took a breath. His shoulder was sore. Heck, his whole body ached. Why? What did any have to do with the other?

 

He’d caught a glimpse of his blue shirt. He had to be working. But where was Roy?

 

He tried to call out for his partner, but hardly had the strength. He heard his own raspy voice in a whisper, “Rrrro—oy?”

 

No answer. Johnny closed his eyes and drifted back to unconsciousness, shivering as he was hit with another bout of the chills.

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth watched anxiously while the firemen on the scene continued their search through the rubble. She’d promised to stay out of the way so the captains now in charge allowed her remain nearby.

 

She glanced at her wrist to check the time before recalling that she didn’t have her watch. In her haste to get there earlier, she’d not put it on. Ruth had already looked at her bare wrist often, each time forgetting she’d left her watch at home.

 

I guess I’m doing good to remember my own name right now.

 

But one thing she did remember was that she’d need to call the vet again before too long to see if Shadow was still improving. John would want her to keep tabs on the little fellow. That thought brought another to her mind.

 

What if John doesn’t make it? How will Shadow do without him?

 

She shoved those grim thoughts away. She had to keep hope. The firemen on the job obviously hadn’t given up despite the fact that they’d been at it for hours with no sign of the missing men. They were working as quickly as possible, determination on their faces.

 

Ruth sighed, hoping that at any moment she would hear the words, ‘we found them’.

 

~*~*~

 

Just as he’d expected, Roy tossed and turned in bed as he tried to finally get some sleep after lunch. He looked at the alarm clock, wondering how much time had passed. It had already been over an hour since he’d laid down to rest.

 

I wonder how Cap and the others are doing. . .

 

He doubted any of them would be able to relax much. And it wasn’t just the worry about Johnny and Chet that was hard on them. It was also the fact that no one knew yet exactly how the newly built warehouse was set to come down in the first place. With the rescue being top priority and what was left of the building, besides debris, unstable, the police hadn’t been able to investigate very much; they’d only been able to ask some of workers on site questions and no one seemed to have any answers. All anyone knew was the obvious; that two explosives of sorts were set by ‘someone’ or ‘someones’. And it was possible the person or people who did it were trapped in the rubble somewhere as well. What if someone to blame was with Johnny and Chet? Would that person have done something to them?

 

All these thoughts ran through his mind now that he wasn’t busy with the rescue efforts.

 

Roy considered giving up on sleep for now, but figured Joanne would talk him into going back to bed anyway. He could imagine her words in his head without even having to hear her say them.

 

You know not getting any sleep isn’t going to help anyone. Not yourself or Johnny. If they don’t find him today, they’re probably going to need you there again tomorrow and what kind of shape will you be in if you don’t get any rest? You might even make the situation worse.

 

He once again eyed the clock before turning onto his back and looking up at the ceiling.

 

Maybe if I lay here long enough, I’ll fall asleep. . .eventually.

 

The blond paramedic knew one thing for certain. The less a person tried to fall asleep, the more likely they would be able to.

 

~*~*~

 

Shadow was growing sadder by the hour. He really missed Ruth and John. Without them, his desire to do anything decreased.

 

The vet and his daytime assistant stood near the kennel looking in on the listless pup.

 

“I don’t understand it. Gladys said he was doing much better during the night.”

 

“He was. Even this morning I could see the difference. It could be we had the wrong diagnosis after all,” the vet explained. “But I have a feeling it’s something else.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Well, just like any young one, I think he needs to see his ‘parents’; owners in this case.”

 

“Should I give Ruth a call?”

 

He nodded as he gave another glance at the mopey Shadow. “He can’t go home yet, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have her come by.”

 

The assistant hurried out toward the main desk where the phone was located.

 

~*~*~

 

Joanne DeSoto slowly opened the door to their darkened bedroom and peeked inside. She could tell by Roy’s breathing that he was asleep. She wasn’t sure her husband would be in a deep enough sleep to not be disturbed by the sound of her coming in, so she very quietly closed the door again and made her way downstairs.

 

“I’m glad he’s getting some amount of rest,” she said to herself. Suddenly the phone rang, startling her. Like Roy, she was hoping for a phone call with news on John Gage and Chet Kelly. But at the same time she wasn’t sure she would be ready for what news may come.

 

Joanne hurried to lift the receiver before the second ring was complete. She didn’t want the phone to wake Roy up. Once she had the receiver in place, she hesitantly spoke.

 

“Hello?”

 

The voice on the other end brought both relief and worry. It was a friend of hers from down the block, which meant there still was no news on the missing men.

 

~*~*~

 

Roy startled awake and bolted upright in bed immediately after the telephone's first ring. But he figured Joanne had answered it right away, because by the time he was able to grasp that it was actually a real phone making the sound, it had stopped. He eyed the phone beside the bed, tempted to pick up the receiver to listen for a moment. But respect for his wife’s privacy kept him from doing so. If it was about Johnny, she’d let him know.

 

He remained sitting as his mind once again wandered to the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever notion. He’d been able to dismiss it earlier. Now the ‘what if’ concerning that was nagging in the back of his mind, along with everything else. Roy waited anxiously to see if Joanne came in with any news.

~*~*~

 

Chet came to a level of awareness and licked his dry lips as he opened his eyes, slowly lifting his head to glance around. It took a few seconds to recall exactly where he was. The room had grown dimmer, the batteries of Johnny’s flashlight getting weaker. He looked over at the paramedic.

 

“Johnny,” he rasped, in hopes of getting a reaction of some sort. But Gage’s face only held pain and discomfort in the features, his eyes closed as he groaned slightly.

 

Chet rubbed at his own sore neck. It hadn’t helped him at all to fall asleep sitting up with his head hanging down.

 

Just then, he shot his gaze upwards as he thought he heard the sound of scraping. It was very brief and over quickly, but he’d been certain it was real. Chet waited for more, ignoring the added strain looking up was putting on his neck. When no more sound came, he called out as loudly and clearly as he could, “Hey! We’re down here! We’re here!”

 

Still met with silence, his shoulders slumped as he looked across to Gage. There had to be something more he could do to help his ill comrade; to help them both.

 

~*~*~

 

With Shadow on her mind and reassurance she would be allowed to return to the premises, Ruth left the warehouse disaster to call the vet’s office for an update. However, just as she opened her front door, the phone started ringing. Ruth hurried in and picked it up on the third one – it was the vet’s assistant’s second attempt to get in touch with her.

 

Having the information on Shadow’s demeanor and its likely cause, she was torn between what to do next. Ruth knew her nephew would insist she see Shadow if he could have input. But at the same time, she was anxious to return to the warehouse in the event he was found.

 

Putting what she figured would be John’s wishes to the forefront, she went to reassure Shadow that someone was still there for him. That he hadn’t been abandoned again.

 

Now holding him on her lap and petting him, Ruth couldn’t help but let her tears flow as all the stress and worry over John came to the surface. Having Shadow without him around when he normally would have been off duty to see the pup was harder than she’d thought it would be.

 

“Oh, Shadow, he has to be okay. He just has to.”

 

Sensing her need for some reassurance as well, he licked the back of her right hand as it rested near his chin.

 

~*~*~

 

Two of the fire fighters involved in the rescue efforts carefully moved aside some fairly large pieces of wood and part of a beam, and were hopeful when their efforts revealed a six by nine inch hole into a yet undiscovered void space. Lying on his stomach, one shone his flashlight into the area. He didn’t see anyone, just more debris sitting at an angle a couple of feet below. But just as he started to push himself up, a sound caught his attention and had him peering back inside.

 

“I heard something,” he anxiously reported.

 

“You sure?” his partner questioned as he squatted down beside him.

 

“Yeah. Listen. Sounds like someone’s banging on something.”

 

Barely hearing it as well, the other hollered and waved for the remainder of the crew to be silent. Within seconds, everyone was still.

 

With the men quiet, each could hear the sound from below, though not all clearly.

The captain on the scene glanced quickly at his crew. “Let’s get on it! Just keep it safe. We don’t want to bring the place down on anyone.”

 

The men jumped into action as he radioed the information to another captain on the scene.

 

~*~*~

 

When Joanne didn’t come into the room after several minutes, Roy couldn’t help but pick up the receiver to see if she was still on the phone. When he discovered she no longer was, he wasn’t sure what to think. Either she hadn’t gotten any news or she didn’t want to wake him with bad news. There was no way he could wait any longer to find out which it was. He had to know. He quickly got out of bed, put on a pair of jeans over his boxer shorts and headed for the door.

 

As Roy entered the kitchen, Joanne turned in surprise from the sink where she was washing dishes.

 

“Roy! What are you doing down here?” A sudden realization brought a frown. “The phone woke you up earlier, didn’t it,” she said with a sigh. “I’m sorry.”

 

Roy shook his head, not in answer to her statement, but to indicate she needn’t be sorry. “It wasn’t your fault. Who called?”

 

“Marcy Higgins.” She dropped her dish rag in the soapy water and turned to face him. “I really should’ve checked to see if you were awake afterward.”

 

“It’s okay, Jo. I probably would’ve been awake and getting up soon anyway.”

 

 

She knew he was right. She shifted her gaze from him to the clock on the wall. It was late afternoon. Chet and Johnny had been missing for over thirty hours by her husband’s account. The waiting and not knowing was hard on her, she could only imagine what it was doing to Roy.

 

She was about to say what was on her mind when the telephone rang, startling them both. Roy stepped over to it and anxiously picked up the receiver. He could feel his heartbeat quicken in both hopeful anticipation and uncertain fear that it would be news on Johnny and Chet.

 

“DeSoto residence.

 

“Uh. . .no. . .no, you didn’t. I was already awake.”

 

He nervously chewed his lower lip as he listened to the person on the other end of the line, his concerned gaze meeting Joanne’s.

 

~*~*~

 

Chet paused to regain some strength before banging once again on the damaged metal light fixtures just above his head. He had picked up his flashlight, deciding it may as well be put to some use after all. It proved to be about the only thing he could find that was easy to grasp.

 

When he heard a faint yell acknowledging that help was on the way, he let the flashlight drop from his grip and his shoulders sagged in exhaustion. He eyed his roommate with added concern. Johnny was out, period. He didn’t know if the paramedic had been in and out of consciousness while he was out himself. So he wasn’t sure if this was a new development or an ongoing thing. All he did know for certain was that Gage was in bad shape, he’d certainly been in better, and it was imperative they get medical help soon. 

 

~*~*~

 

Roy placed the receiver back on its cradle and quickly explained, “That was Cap. He just got a call from Headquarters that at least one victim’s been located in the rubble. They don’t know who yet, but we’re gonna go there to find out.”

 

“How would they not know who it is?”

 

“Apparently some sort of contact was made from underneath the debris,” he called over his shoulder as he hurried out of the room.

 

Joanne stood pondering the news a few seconds before following behind her husband. “Wait! Roy, what if it’s not Johnny?”

 

When he stopped and turned to look at her, she continued. “What if they find him somewhere else in the rubble and he’s not. . .” The expression on Roy’s face was unreadable, but she could sense he didn’t want her to finish the thought. She sighed before adding, “Are you sure you should be there before anyone knows more for certain?”

 

“Jo, he’s my partner. I shouldn’t’ve agreed to leave him there to begin with. I should’ve been there still looking for him and Chet. As stubborn as either of them can be, I’m sure they would’ve done that much for me; for any of us.”

 

She leaned against the wall, her eyes moist with tears. “I’m worried about you. I just don’t want you to hear or see something you might not be ready for. You’re trained for this kind of thing on the job, but you’re still human. And Johnny’s not just your partner. He’s your best friend.”

 

“I know, but that’s all the more reason I should be there.”

 

“Okay.” Joanne’s voice cracked slightly. She wiped at her eyes as he went upstairs to change. All she could do now was hope everything worked out for the best.

 

~*~*~

 

After a difficult parting from Shadow, Johnny’s aunt returned to the warehouse lot. As she got out of her car, she saw that Roy and others who were there earlier in the morning were back; the men were in their civilian clothes.

 

Her heart raced and her stomach knotted up. Her legs felt like they’d turned into rubber and each step forward seemed to take extra effort to complete.

 

In her mind, there could be only one reason for Roy to be there.

 

John. . .

 

Her whole body began to tremble as she approached the men. They were talking with an on-duty captain, having just gotten to the scene themselves.

 

 

~*~*~

 

The work of getting to Johnny and Chet was tedious. Some of the beams and floor section that had fallen had to be cut with a k-12 to avoid having to dig through the rubble longer.

 

Finally there was a large enough hole for the paramedics on duty there to climb in through. Because of the urgency of the situation, there wasn’t time to shore up the sides for added support. They had to go into the void as it was, being extra cautious as they moved about. Their own flashlights in hand, the two carefully eased themselves down with Gage and Kelly. Once in, they glanced around, one going immediately to Johnny, the other to Chet.

 

~*~*~

 

“He’s burning up,” Troy Peters stated as he touched Johnny’s skin. “He’s gotta be at least up around 104.” He noticed Johnny shiver as if he was chilled.

 

His partner Gary Tipton was busy with a very lethargic Chet Kelly after setting down the trauma and drug boxes that were handed to him. As he checked Kelly’s pupils for a response to the beam of his penlight, he asked the fireman, “How long has Gage been sick? Do you remember?”

 

“Uh. . .yeah. . .yeah.” He had to give it careful thought. He wasn’t sure how long Johnny had seemed ill, but he couldn’t recall the paramedic acting 100% healthy from the time they were first trapped. “He. . .uh. . .since yesterday.”

 

“We’ve gotta get him outta here asap,” Troy said as he glanced up at the hole they’d come through. He then looked at Johnny, who was still unconscious, oblivious to their presence. Troy did a quick sternal rub that elicited a groan. He then checked Gage’s vitals as he asked Chet, “Did he complain about any injuries?”

 

Chet nodded. It took him a few seconds to recall some of what Johnny had mentioned to him. “Left ribs. . .a couple maybe fractured, it hurt to breathe. His left shoulder. . .and hip,” he rasped. The only thing he’d forgotten was the left elbow Johnny had said was sore.

 

When he was done with the vitals, Troy gently palpated the ill paramedic’s left side, which resulted in another low moan. He lifted the HT up to his mouth and relayed the information to another fire fighter up above who was standing by with the biophone. Gary reported Chet’s condition, which Troy also relayed. The two waited for official instructions from Rampart as they gathered the supplies they were sure would be needed from experience.  

 

~*~*~

 

Dixie and Kel Brackett knew they’d be hearing from the paramedics on the scene soon. They’d gotten word of the discovery over the radio located near the base station that monitored the communication between fire department members.

 

“They’ve been trapped for so long, Kel,” Dixie commented with deep concern in her voice.

 

The doctor nodded slightly. “But don’t forget, they’re both in excellent condition from the type of work they do. So unless they sustained any serious injuries, they might come out of this better than the average person would. We can only hope.”

 

“Rampart, this is Squad 116, how do you copy?”

 

The two exchanged an apprehensive glance. “Looks like we’re about to get our answer,” Kel stated as he quickly stepped over to the other radio. He pressed the transmit button. “Go ahead, 116. We read you loud and clear.”

 

~*~*~

 

Ruth breathed a momentary sigh of relief when Captain Stanley informed her that Johnny and Chet had been located and were in the process of being rescued. He didn’t know the men’s conditions yet, but did get the bad news that they hadn’t had the drug or trauma boxes with them after all. However just knowing that her nephew had been found alive was enough for the moment.

 

Roy kept silent in thought as he struggled with the feeling of uselessness from not being in there with his partner and Chet. And from the guilt of having left the premises with them still trapped.

 

Johnny’s not gonna let me forget that one for awhile, even if it *wasn’t* my idea to begin with.

 

At least he hoped Gage wouldn’t. 

 

He shouldn’t.

 

Hank noticed the distraught expression on his senior paramedic’s face and excused them from Ruth and the other captain as he pulled Roy aside.

 

“You wanna talk about it?”

 

Roy could see the concern in Hank’s features. As he’d expect, the captain was aware there was more going on inside than just worry over the two trapped men. DeSoto shifted his gaze to the damaged outer shell of the warehouse, then brought it back to Hank.

 

“I should’ve stayed this morning, Cap. But instead I left my partner. . .no, my best friend,” he corrected, thinking of Joanne’s words, “in a pile of rubble”

 

“You didn’t have a choice. We had orders from headquarters to end our shift. We’d been at work on this for over twenty hours with only a brief nap here and there. . .no solid rest. . .and stats show accidents happen on the job when exhaustion comes into play. You wouldn’t be of any help if something happened to you during the rescue efforts.”

 

“But we’re supposed to watch out for each other.”

 

“And you do.” Hank placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Roy, we left John and Chet in the hands of a fresh crew. It wasn’t easy for any of us, but it was the best thing we could’ve done and I’ll bet they’ll be the first to agree.”

 

Roy once again looked toward the building. “In my head I know you’re right. But--”

 

“Your heart says otherwise,” Captain Stanley finished. “I wouldn’t expect you to feel any differently, Roy. I’m fortunate to have a crew that’s more like a family and despite some differences, we all really care about one another.”

 

The blond paramedic sighed. “Thanks, Cap.”

 

Hank opened his mouth to add something when they were waved over by the other captain.

 

~*~*~

 

Shadow lay in his kennel facing the outer bars so he could keep a watch out for Ruth. Now that he’d been back in the confines awhile again, he missed the brief freedom he’d had while she was there.

 

The pup let out a whimper. He just wasn’t happy about anything at the moment.

 

In the meantime, the vet got his confirmation on the Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

 

~*~*~

 

It wasn’t long before Johnny was out of the confines, Chet shortly behind him.

 

With his ribs taped as a precaution, the still unconscious paramedic was placed in a stokes, his IV tucked up under one shoulder. An oxygen mask was placed over his nose and mouth and the oxygen tank laid between his lower legs. Troy Peters and another fire fighter quickly carried him toward one of the waiting ambulances as Gary Tipton tended to Chet once again.

 

~*~*~

 

The captain in charge on the scene no sooner received the words ‘They’re out’ over his handie talkie, when Roy and Hank were on their way over to see their missing crew members. Ruth immediately followed them, tears in her eyes. Tears of joy, yet at the same time worry.

 

The threesome met into the men with Johnny as they came away from the damaged building. Roy looked down at his unconscious partner. Johnny’s skin was unnaturally pale underneath the traces of grime and dust. His face had specks of dried blood on it from the many nicks.

 

“How bad?” Hank asked as they followed alongside the stokes.

 

“Critical.”

 

The captain nodded and glanced at another stokes being carried out from the building.

 

“Roy, go with John to the ambulance. I’m going to check on Chet.” He didn’t wait for a response as he trotted away.

 

“Has he come around at all?” Roy asked, trepidation in his voice.

 

Troy answered as they continued on at a brisk pace. “He responded to stimuli and he opened his eyes part way a couple of times. But he hasn’t been alert enough to know what’s going on. Chet said he’s been pretty sick since yesterday.”

 

“Sick?” Roy and Ruth questioned simultaneously.  The two exchanged a worried glance.

 

Troy nodded. “Chet mentioned a monkey virus, but I thought Gage beat that a long time ago. But we figured Chet’s kinda disoriented himself, so. . .”

 

“He did beat it. As far as I know it wouldn’t come back.” He thought about Shadow again and wondered if Ruth was thinking along the same lines he was.

 

~*~*~

 

“Hey, Cap,” Chet gave a weak smile, his eyelids droopy as he fought to stay conscious.

 

The captain followed alongside as the curly haired fireman was carried toward the ambulance.

 

“How’re you doing, pal?”

 

“Nah. . .not so good. Tired. Hungry. Headache. . .” His voice was clear having been given some water to drink before being brought out. “Wherz Gage?”

 

Hank looked over at the others. Johnny was being secured onto a stretcher near the rear of an ambulance.

 

“He’s on his way to Rampart.”

 

Chet just nodded and closed his eyes. His buddy of the past thirty-some hours was getting the medical care he’d needed. He could finally rest easier himself now.  

 

~*~*~

 

“Can I ride in with him?”

 

Roy looked at Johnny’s aunt as she listened to Troy explain, “Yes, ma’am, but you’ll have to ride up front.”

 

A look of disappointment registered on her face.

 

“I’ll take you in if you don’t feel up to driving,” Roy offered. “Or I’m sure Cap will. We’ll both be heading over there ourselves.”

 

“Oh no, that’s not necessary. I just wanted to stay beside John if I could.” She paused a brief second, then spoke again. “Do you think he’s got the same thing as Shadow?”

 

Roy shrugged. “I don’t know. . .” He looked at the end of the stretcher where Johnny’s feet were evident underneath the blanket. He’d gotten Gage to open his eyes once more for a fleeting moment when he’d patted the younger man’s right shoulder and reassured him he was going to be okay. Ruth had chimed in as well. He hoped Johnny was at least able to grasp that they were there. 

 

The two watched as the doors were quickly closed. The driver trotted around to the left side of the ambulance and climbed inside. Seconds later the vehicle pulled away, lights and siren in use.

 

Ruth hurried to her car while Roy trotted over to see how Chet was fairing. As soon as he got word on his other shiftmate, he’d be on his way to Rampart to follow up on his partner.

 

~*~*~

 

Johnny groaned, the sound raspy from his still parched throat, and once again opened his eyes. He squinted in the brightness of the ambulance and looked up at Troy in confusion before closing them again.

 

Feel. . .so hot. . .

 

Gage had no idea where he was. He just wished someone would get him out of the heat.

 

~*~*~

 

Roy and Hank left the scene once Chet was on his way to the hospital. As he drove to Rampart, the senior paramedic thought about his partner and Shadow.

 

If ever an owner and pet were meant for each other, those two were it.

 

Only Johnny could end up sick at the same time as his dog. I wonder if they *do* have the same thing. . .

 

He’d have to get with Brackett and fill him in. He knew that for the moment, it could be any number of things making Johnny ill, but the information could help decide what tests to run first.

 

At least Shadow’s improving. Maybe Johnny’ll have that part of his luck too.

 

~*~*~

 

Now at Rampart, Troy and one of the ambulance attendants transferred a very limp John Gage from the stretcher to the examination table. As Brackett went to work on his patient, trying to bring him to any level of consciousness, Troy hung the IV on a pole while a nurse swapped out the oxygen equipment.

 

Before placing the new mask on him, the nurse waited as Dixie took his temperature. After a short time, the head nurse announced, “104.5, Kel.”

 

The doctor frowned. It had already increased since leaving the site of the disaster.

 

“Chet said something about a monkey virus,” Troy offered, still doubting it was the case, but knowing any information could help right now.

 

Brackett shook his head. “I don’t think so. I had that virus at the same time Johnny did and have never had a relapse. It’s not entirely out of the question; we haven’t ever dealt with it after time to know if it can lay dormant and come back to the surface later. But it’s unlikely. I’d say it’s something else.”

 

A bewildered Gage lolled his head to the side and moaned, his eyes open to squints, bringing the doctor’s attention immediately back to him.

 

“Johnny?”

 

The paramedic shifted his gaze upward, then to the other side as he took in his new surroundings with a muddled mind. He wasn’t in the dark place anymore. But though the surroundings looked familiar, he couldn’t bring his thoughts together to comprehend where he was. Suddenly he noticed a familiar face nearby . . . “Dix. . .”

 

His voice was barely audible under the oxygen mask, but enough that everyone heard it. She gave a reassuring smile, hiding her concern. “That’s right, Johnny. I’m here. You’re at Rampart now. You’re going to be okay.” She brought her gaze to meet Kel’s. It was a small development in his awareness, but definitely in the right direction.

 

~*~*~

 

Once Roy and Hank arrived at the hospital, Ruth and the senior paramedic consulted with Kel Brackett and the doctor had his likely answer on Johnny’s illness.

 

In addition to requesting x-rays on Gage’s ribs, he ordered an array of blood tests. In the meantime, a cooling blanket was already put in use to help reduce his body temperature.

 

When the results from the tests were back later, despite their suspicions, Roy and Ruth were amazed that both Johnny and Shadow did indeed have the same illness. With luck there was no permanent damage evident to his internal organs. However he’d suffered three cracked ribs, a severely bruised shoulder and hip, along with dehydration in addition to the spotted fever. Thus antibiotics, plenty of fluids and a lot of rest would be what he needed to make a full recovery.   

 

“Is Shadow still improving?” Roy asked once Ruth got off the phone after talking to the vet.

 

“Yes. Now that they know what it is for sure, they can be a little more aggressive with his treatment.”

 

“Maybe we’d better keep them apart after all. That dog has a way of following in Johnny’s footsteps . . .so to speak.”

 

“I think this time John followed in his.”

 

“Yeah,” Roy conceded. “I guess you’re right.”

 

~*~*~

 

Walter Hanson passed away from his injuries and no suspects were found right away for the two bombs that had been set.  Unfortunately, no one would ever know if he had anything to do with it or not. They could only hope he did and that he wasn’t the innocent victim of someone who could strike again someday.

 

But no evidence was found in his home and his wife claimed he was as happy with his job as anyone else. . .complaining some, but over small matters, nothing that would amount to destroying a project he was working on.

 

 

~*~*~

 

Chet was released after two days and back to work in five. Johnny had to stay several days beyond and took six weeks to return, having to wait for his ribs to heal. He spent most of the off with Shadow and searching for an apartment he could afford that allowed pets.

 

Having had to miss his date with the girl he’d met in the park, Johnny also missed the opportunity to get to know her better. By the time he felt well enough to contact her again, Betsy already met someone else – a man who owned a dog grooming business.  

 

~*~*~

 

Now on his way to the station for his first day back on duty, Gage smiled as he reflected back on his reunion with Shadow after being apart for several days.

 

Johnny walked up the sidewalk to his aunt’s house and knocked on the front door. He could hear barking as he waited for an answer.

 

Soon Ruth opened the door and Shadow was just behind her still barking. . .until he saw who had knocked.

 

The paramedic never would’ve believed a dog could reveal so much emotion. But in seconds, Shadow’s barking stopped, his ears perked up and his tailed wagged as he ran to Johnny. He then brought his front feet up over and over, making little jumps of joy around Johnny’s feet.

 

Ruth and her nephew smiled at one another as he slowly squatted down.

 

“C’mere, boy.”

 

Johnny picked up the pup. Once in his arms, Shadow licked his chin. He didn’t mind the wet ‘kisses’. It was just good to see his little buddy was healthy again.

 

As he pulled into the parking lot, he broke away from those thoughts. It was time for another reunion of sorts.

 

~*~*~

 

Johnny walked into the dayroom where the others from his shift were already in place. Mike and Marco were at the table with a cup of coffee in front of each and a plate of assorted donuts in the center of the table. Roy was sitting on the couch and Chet stood near the stove, anxious for Gage’s return.

 

Once Johnny was in the room, Roy got to his feet and walked toward his partner. “Welcome back.” The two had already discussed his guilt over leaving Johnny and Chet in the collapsed building. Gage assured him it was not a big deal to him; Chet had agreed. Both would rather Roy get rest and perhaps avoid getting injured himself from exhaustion. But Johnny was also quick to point out he’d have found a way to stay if the situation was reversed, even if they tried to drag him away. Recalling the remark brought a smile to Roy’s face. He also had to grin at his partner’s gaping expression when he’d later jokingly reminded the younger man he still owed him a quarter from the morning before the disaster occurred.

 

“Yeah, John,” Chet added. “We really missed ya.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“How does it feel to be at work again?”

 

“It feels great, Marco. It feels great.”

 

“Man, you were as sick as a dog there for awhile,” Chet commented.

 

Johnny looked at him with an eyebrow raised. Coming from any of the others, the remark would have been taken as the common cliché. But with Chet, he suspected more.

 

The others had the same thought and eyed the curly haired fireman with disbelieving expressions.

 

“What?” Chet’s purposely innocent gaze traveled from one shiftmate to another. “Well, he was!”

 

With no one’s expression changing, he defended, “Ah c’mon. He and the mutt are both fine now. I thought they were open game. . .”

 

“Chet--”

 

“Hey, pal,” Hank Stanley interrupted Johnny’s comeback, and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good to see you here again.”

 

Johnny gave one more disapproving glance at Chet before turning to his captain. “Thanks, Cap.”

 

Hank removed his hand from his shoulder. “How’s the new apartment? Are you used to it yet?” 

 

“Gettin’ there.”

 

“Who’s watching Shadow while you’re here?” Mike asked. “Is he at your aunt’s?”

 

“No, I think we’ve given my Aunt Ruth enough gray hairs for awhile. And as long as we visit her, she’s okay with the change.” The dark-haired paramedic then grinned wide.  “Michelle’s watching him. She lives next door. And she loves dogs; has one of her own in fact. A little girl dog.” He shrugged. “I guess you could say Shad and I are back in action and hittin’ it off with the chicks.”

 

Here we go again, Roy thought.

 

Johnny spotted the donuts on the table and stepped forward, then reached for one with raspberry jelly in the center. “I sure missed these,” he said as he took a bite. But he didn’t have the food in his mouth longer than two seconds before he was running for the trashcan and spitting it out.

 

“Chet!”

 

“Uh. . .welcome back?”

 

The anger on Gage’s face had the fireman off in a run out the door and across the apparatus bay, Johnny right on his heels. Chet’s trailing voice could be heard hollering, “But I owed you one, remember?”

 

“You gotta wonder how they survived in that cramped space together,” Hank remarked to the others. 

 

“All I know is Johnny and his dog are alike in another way.”

 

“Whatayou mean?”  Roy asked, not sure what Mike was referring to.

 

“We all remember how Shadow growled at Chet every time he’d see him. Well, by the look on Johnny’s face, I’d say right now he likes Chet about as much as Shadow does.”

 

The four men smiled at the thought. When Shadow wasn’t taking after Johnny, it seemed the paramedic sure made up for it by taking after him . . . in certain instances, anyway.

 

  

 

 

This story is dedicated to my dog, Gage, who lived up to his namesake with assorted owies. From simple little things all the way to being bitten by a rattlesnake last year and surviving it. It was my talking about his Gage like instances that brought a friend of mine years ago, then Sue C., to suggest I do a story about Johnny having a puppy with similarities to himself. Sadly my Gage died suddenly and unexpectedly June 26th of this year at the age of 7 years. He was a loyal dog and is greatly missed by us and his buddy Luey, our other dog, who is also the other inspiration for Shadow. 

 

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