Revenge
By Sherry Powers
copyright 2002-2003

Authors Note: This idea came to me while I was transporting a psych patient one day...yeah, thinking about the guys while I was working. This is an intense story. Read at your own risk! Thank you.

Standing by the side of the grave, his mind went back to the events that brought him here. He thought it would be just another run. They would go in and stabilize their patient, get him transported to Rampart, then turn his care over to the doctors. They would then make themselves available and get ready for the next call.

He never thought his patient would die or that he would be injured so badly that he would almost lose his own life. His mind had replayed over and over the events that had taken place that day and he wondered what else he could possibly have done to change the outcome. But he knew in his heart that he would eventually have to accept the fact that he couldn’t have done anything differently.

"Why did this have to happen to you? It should have been me because I’m the one they were after; you had nothing to do with this. I’m so sorry."

Trying to stop the tears, he closed his eyes and his mind drifted back to the day when this whole mess started…

"10-4 Rampart, IV D5W TKO, monitor B/P and transport. Ambulance is arriving now, ETA is about…ETA, fifteen minutes." Johnny Gage said as he checked his watch while he spoke into the biophone.

The ambulance approached the scene with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Pulling up beside squad 51, the attendants got out to help the paramedics load the victim into the ambulance.

Upon hearing Johnny complain about them taking so long to get there, one attendant whispered to the other, as he said, "There’s Gage, he’s always thought that he was so much better than us. Well, after ten years we finally get to show him, he’s gonna pay for what he did. You think it’ll be him that rides in with the cop?"

"I don’t know, hopefully it will be. If he does then we can take care of both our problems…that cop and Johnny. But if he doesn’t, we’ll just have to take DeSoto and use him to get Gage because from what I’ve been able to find out, those two are really close and would give their lives for each other. But just remember something, if we do have to take his partner, I don’t want him hurt, I’ll be nice to him only because he isn’t involved in this. This is between Gage and me and I want him taken care of once and for all."

"Us…Gage and us you mean. He ruined my life to ya know so you aren’t the only one with a score to settle."

"Yeah, I know he did. And I figure that since Johnny has no family around he won’t be missed and it won’t matter to anybody…except maybe his partner…if he’s dead or alive."

Both laughed with sadistic laughs but became quiet as they neared the paramedics.

"Hey Roy, I’m gonna ride in with him." Johnny told his partner.

"Are ya sure you’re okay, you seem kinda bugged. I can ride in with ‘im if you want me to. 

"Yeah, yeah I’ll be okay. This is something I have to do I…I feel I owe it to him…but thanks anyway."

"All right then partner, I’ll meet ya at the hospital as soon as I’m done here."

"Okay, see ya there." Johnny said as he jumped into the ambulance and Roy closed the doors, giving them two taps.

After about five minutes en route Johnny’s patient started having difficulty breathing.

"Grab the resuscitator and be ready to help me with this airway." Johnny said.

As Johnny reached for the biophone to contact Rampart and give an update on his patient’s condition, he noticed that the attendant wasn’t doing as he had asked.

Again he said, "Hey come on, I’m gonna need some help here."

"Put the phone down and don’t worry about this guy, he’ll be dead in a few minutes. And if you try anything, you’ll be joining him."

With a bewildered look on his face, Johnny said, "Look, I don’t know what your problem is and right now I don’t care. I don’t have time for this and neither does this patient. Now get over here and help me. Rampart, this is Squad 51, how…"

But Johnny didn’t finish as he felt a gun being shoved in his chest and heard as the hammer was pulled back and the man reply, "Make the time. You aren’t running the show now, I am and you’ll do as I say. So lay the phone down, stay seated on that bench there and do as you’re told."

"Squad 51, this is Rampart, we read you but you seem to be breaking up. Please repeat."

Johnny slowly put his hands up as a sign of surrender, then he slowly and carefully put the biophone back down and said, "Okay man, just watch were you point that thing. Nobody needs to get hurt, just calm down and take it easy."

"I thought you’d see things my way. Okay Pete, we’re far enough away, cut the lights and siren…that thing is givin’ me a headache. Make a left up here at the next corner."

"51, do you copy?"

Johnny had been so busy working on his patient that he hadn’t been paying much attention as to where the ambulance was going. Looking out the window he saw that they were nowhere near Rampart Emergency. The fact was, Johnny wasn’t really sure where they were.

"51, do you copy? This is Rampart; go ahead with your transmission."

"If I don’t answer they’re gonna know something’s wrong." Johnny said.

"It really doesn’t matter if they know because there isn’t anything they can do about it anyway." The man answered.

"51, if there’s a problem we’ll stand by."

Johnny looked over at the biophone as he thought to himself, "A problem…oh yeah doc you could definitely say that. I have a very BIG problem on my hands."

Hoping to get some information as to what was going on Johnny asked, "Mind telling me where you’re taking me and why you want this guy to die?"

"You don’t need to worry about him or where you’re going right now, you’ll know soon enough. Just sit back and enjoy the ride, it won’t be much longer. As I said, as long as you do as you’re told and your medical training holds out, you just might walk away from this." 

"Enjoy the ride, oh very funny. Yeah, sure I’m gonna walk away from this, oh man, what have I gotten myself into this time?"

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Meanwhile back at Rampart, Roy walked up to the nurse’s desk to see if anyone knew where Johnny was. As Doctor Brackett came out of the base station, Roy noticed that he seemed to be worried about something but he decided to ignore it.

Laying the handi talki on the desk, Roy went over and poured himself a cup of coffee and after taking a sip he asked, "Hey Doc, how’s the victim Johnny brought in…where is that partner of mine anyway?"

Wishing he didn’t have to tell his friend, Brackett hesitated before he answered.

"Doc, what’s the matter…is something wrong?"

Turning to face his friend and finally answering he said, "I don’t want to discuss it here Roy. It may be nothing but let’s go to the lounge, I…I need to talk to you about something."

Roy saw the worry on Kel’s face began to deepen and he started thinking that maybe his friend was worried because something had happened to Johnny.

Even though he was afraid to ask, he set the coffee aside and grabbing Brackett’s arm to stop him, he said, "Wait Doc, we don’t need to go to the lounge, just tell me here. What’s wrong, has something happened to Johnny?"

"You always think the worse, don’t you?"

Roy only gave Brackett a slight smile as he said, "Well, if you had Johnny for a partner you would to…you know how he can be. Doc, if something is wrong, just tell me."

"Well, to be honest with you, I don’t really know what’s wrong Roy, if anything. Johnny was coming in loud and clear over the biophone and then suddenly…there was nothing. The ambulance hasn’t arrived and I’ve tried several times but…I can’t get Johnny to answer."

As Roy let out a sigh he leaned on the desk and said, "But I thought Johnny was here already, I just figured he was off somewhere chasing a nurse since I couldn’t find him. Do you think they were in an accident or maybe…maybe something happened to the patient and Johnny had to take care of him, I mean, he wasn’t in too great a shape when we picked him up. Or maybe it was just a malfunction in the biophone."

Roy knew he was reaching for straws but this was his partner, not to mention his best friend that was out there and he was worried.

"Something tells me that they weren’t in an accident, that isn’t what it sounded like. It could have been the patient but if that’s the case then why hasn’t Johnny reported in by now. And a malfunction in the biophone is a possibility…and I hope that’s all it is. But to me it sounded as if Johnny just stopped talking for some reason. And I know this is easier said than done, but try not to worry. I’m sure there’s a logical explanation for what’s going on."

"Yeah, I know, and worrying never helped anything anyway, but with it being Johnny, I just can’t help it. It’s a reflex reaction, I just automatically do it."

Kel smiled, knowing that every one of Johnny’s friends felt that way. After all, they all knew how accident prone Johnny seemed to be.

"Please Doc, try to reach him again, something…something just doesn’t feel right." Roy begged with a hint of panic in his voice.

As the two stepped back into the base station, Kel tried to keep the worry out of his own voice as he pressed the button and said, "Squad 51, this is Rampart Emergency how do you read?"

 Silence.

"Squad 51, come in please."

Still, nothing but silence.

The eerie silence made cold chills run up and down Roy’s spine.

Hearing his friends trying to reach him, Johnny looked up at his kidnappers and said, "See, I told you they’d know something was wrong. They know where I am and they know I should have already been at the hospital with this patient."

Smiling with an evil smile the man said, "No, they know where you are supposed to be, but not where you are Gage…big difference.  Nobody knows where you are…including you. You don’t remember me do you?"

Giving a small shrug of his shoulders Johnny asked, "No, should I…and how do you know me?"

"Oh now Johnny I’m hurt, we grew up together that’s how we know each other. Even though you didn’t hang out with my "type" of people, as I once heard you call us, we did meet one day. You do remember Tommy…don’t you…no, don’t tell me you’ve already forgotten about your best friend? Well, I’m not surprised, I guess since you moved out here to big ole’ LA and became a paramedic, you’ve forgotten about all the people you use to hangout with from back home."

"We’ve met before…I’m sorry but I just don’t…wait a minute…Tommy…you mean Tommy Parker?"

"That’s exactly who I mean."

"Also, you called him…Pete."

Johnny’s brain went into overdrive as he finally remembered and said, "Pete and Alan Thompson."

"Even though it’s been ten years Johnny, you have a very good memory. I’m glad you do remember."

"Of course I remember Tommy and I also remember both of you and what you did to Tommy and me. What do you plan on doing to me this time?" Johnny asked nervously.

Johnny remembered very vividly what these two men had done to him ten years before. He knew it was probably going to happen again…only this time he figured that it would definitely be worse.

"You really wanna know what I plan on doin’ to ya this time?"

"We…not just you but we!" came the voice from the front of the ambulance.

"Oh yeah that’s right, Pete’s sorta mad at ya to. Well bright boy, let me refresh your memory a little bit first. Due to the incident with Tommy, you cost me ten years of my life…"

"And you cost me four years Gage!"

"Pete ain’t too happy about it either, so trust me, you will pay for it but as I sat in prison for those ten years, ten long years, that gave me a lot of time to think. And you know what I thought about every second of everyday for those ten years Gage?"

"No, how about you tell me. I’m dyin’…ah waitin’…to hear all about it."

Johnny quickly corrected himself. He knew the word "dying" wasn’t exactly the best word to use…considering the circumstances he found himself in and the people he now knew he was dealing with.

"I’d be happy to tell you. Two little words, Johnny…Gage. Yep, all I thought about was you and what I could do to possibly get even with you for taking away ten years of my life. And you know what, I’ve come up with quite a few things that I could do to you but I think I’ll just keep it simple…quick and simple, although in my opinion you do deserve to suffer, which you might anyway. Tell me though, what do you think I should do to you?"

"I think you should end this now and let me go so I can get this patient to Rampart." Johnny quickly but calmly answered.

"You would think that way, but it isn’t gonna happen. I know you must be wondering what I…or we’ve finally decided to do but Gage my boy, you’ll just have to wait and wonder a little bit longer because right now you have other things to worry about. My brother Robbie needs your help. He was shot by this cop and he’s hurt bad and since you’re such a hotshot paramedic, you’re gonna save him. If you do, I’ll think about letting you go and you can go back and be with all your friends at the station. If you don’t save him well…you’ll be joining the cop…. which, now that I think about it, that’s probably gonna happen no matter what happens to Robbie."

"I already had that figured out." Johnny whispered to himself.

"They’re gonna shoot me, that’s quick and simple enough for Alan. I just know they are."

Suddenly hearing Roy’s voice coming over the biophone brought Johnny out of his thoughts.

"Johnny, this is Roy, can you hear me partner…come on, if you can hear me please answer me…come on, answer me."

As Johnny went for the biophone, he felt the gun in his temple as Alan said, "I wouldn’t if I were you, don’t even think about picking it up. Just take your hand away right now and don’t force me to splatter your brains all over the back of this nice clean ambulance."

"You know…come to think of it…I wouldn’t want that to happen either…I…I kinda like my brains where they are…what few I’ve got. Can I ask why you shot the cop?" Johnny asked in a shaky voice as he took his hand off the biophone.

Lowering the gun, Alan answered, "I didn’t, Pete did, but only after he shot Robbie. I think this pig got exactly what he deserved, don’t you?"

"No, I don’t. Nobody deserves this." Johnny said as he tried to keep the anger out of his voice while he checked on his patient.

The officer started bleeding more, his breathing became even more labored and he was becoming very cyanotic. Johnny took his patient’s B/P and it was dangerously low and he knew he needed to get an airway in. Johnny applied more pressure to his wounds to try and slow the bleeding.

"Hang on Donny…please just hang on."

"You just don’t listen, do ya Johnny? Well, I’ll have to take care of that to I guess."

Johnny got a frightened look on his face; not knowing what Alan was going to do.

Seeing this, Alan asked, "What’s wrong Johnny, ya scared?"

"Wouldn’t you be if some nut kidnapped you and you didn’t know what was gonna happen? I might act like it but I’m not calm ya know."

Alan only smirked at Johnny’s comment and slowly stood and while keeping his gun on Johnny, he started looking through the shelves in the ambulance.

"Alan, please let me go…let us both go, this man needs a doctor." Johnny begged.

Finding what he was looking for, he turned back to Johnny and said, "No can do. Stand up and turn around."

Seeing the rolls of tape Alan held in one hand and the gun he held in the other, Johnny knew he would be pushing his luck but he thought he would try anyway.

"Alan, don’t do this…please. I won’t try anything I promise."

"Stand up and turn around!"

As Alan pulled back the hammer, Johnny decided he wouldn’t argue but he did as he was told and as he stood and steadied himself, he turned around. Seeing that Alan had momentarily laid down the gun, Johnny thought that maybe he could take the chance and try to get away.

Quickly and unexpectedly, Johnny jerked his arm away from Alan and elbowed him in the stomach but before Johnny could turn around, Alan grabbed the gun and hit Johnny on the back of the head, knocking him unconscious.  As Johnny fell onto the bench, Alan roughly pulled his hands behind him and wrapped the tape tightly around his wrists as he talked to the unconscious paramedic.

"You never learn, do ya Johnny? Since you wanna play the hero…like you did the last time…and since you can’t keep your hands off that phone or the cop, maybe this will help."

Alan finished wrapping the last roll of tape around Johnny’s wrists then let him fall roughly to the floor.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"Doc, any news yet, did you ever reach Johnny?" Roy asked.

"No Roy, nothing yet. I still can't reach him."

"Where can he be…have the police been called?"

"Yes, Lieutenant Crockett said that he would meet all of you at the station in about an hour."

"Thanks Doc. I better get back there then, but I’ll keep you posted."

With that, Roy quickly left Rampart and made his way back to station 51.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

As Johnny slowly started coming around, he found himself lying on the floor.

"Oh man, what happened…why am I on the floor, did we have an accident?" Johnny mumbled to himself.

That thought disappeared as quickly as it came as Johnny realized that he was unable to move his arms and remembered the reason for that…Alan. As Johnny tried to sit up, he was unable to.

Looking up at Alan, Johnny said, "Alan…please…please help…me up."

Hesitating for a moment, Alan finally got up and jerked Johnny off the floor and pushed him down on the bench, all the while Johnny’s head was spinning wildly.

Finally getting the dizziness and nausea under control, Johnny asked, "Why did you do this? I was only trying to…to help this man."

Leaning forward in the jump seat Alan said, "You were also trying to get away, plus, I don’t want you to help him. That’s the whole point Gage my boy, he’s gonna die for what he did…and I’ve now decided that you are to. But since you did check him over, how’s he doing…is he gonna live?" Alan asked sarcastically, knowing Johnny could no longer help his patient.

Giving him an irritated look, Johnny answered, "I’m surprised that you really care."

"I don’t care. I was just asking…just making idle conversation."

"Figures. Well, he wasn’t doing too good at all. His B/P is way too low and he’s going into shock because of all the blood loss plus he’s having trouble breathing and needs an airway. Please let me treat him or you’re gonna get your wish. If I can’t treat him and get him to Rampart he is going to die."

"Sorry Johnny, you can’t treat him so he’ll just have to die." Alan said as he set back in the jump seat and kept the gun pointed at Johnny.

Having Alan pointing a gun at him was making him very nervous. Johnny knew with his hands bound he wouldn’t be in a position to try anything and that it was just a matter of time before Alan made good on the threats he had made against him ten years earlier.

"Look, there’s no where for me to go with this ambulance moving so would you mind pointin’ that gun someplace else? Take my word for it, with the way I’m feelin’ and my hands taped behind me I’m not gonna jump out." Johnny said, hoping Alan would take his eyes off him just long enough for Johnny to try and reach for his scissors.

But Alan wasn’t about to look away.

"Oh, I know you’re not, that’s the reason why I did it. But no, I don’t think I can do that. You’re slick Johnny, always have been and I won’t take any chances. You just sit there and be a good little hostage…I mean paramedic, and you won’t have to worry about me killing you…not yet anyway." Alan told Johnny.

It was killing Johnny to know that not being able to do anything was going to cause him to lose his patient.

As Johnny sat there and watched his patient’s condition deteriorate rapidly, Alan spoke up and said, "Don’t take it so hard Johnny, I’m sure you’ve lost patients before. Just chalk this one up as another life that you just couldn’t save. My, my, I have to say, payback is sweet."

As Johnny sat there trying to loosen the tape and having no luck, he became angrier and it was all he could do to stay seated on the bench as he said, "Payback…I thought payback was meant for the person you’re mad at and if I’m not mistaken I thought that was me. Some payback, letting an innocent person die for something that I did to you ten years ago. That’s real smart."

Seeing that Alan wasn't going to do anything to him, Johnny continued.

"Look, I’m sorry that you spent all those years in prison but you brought that on yourself. You really didn’t leave me much of a choice back then and after what you did to me…and Tommy, what did you expect me to do, just walk away and let it go as if nothing happened? I’m sorry, but I couldn’t do that, so if you have a problem with me then deal with ME, I’m the one who sent you to prison. But don’t take it out on this man, he had nothing to do with that…don’t make him lose his life because of it. Please let me help him."

Suddenly the ambulance jerked to a stop, almost throwing Johnny off the bench. "Well, I see that you haven’t changed much. You still rant and rave about everything, don’t you? I know he had nothing to do with that but this was just the luck of the draw Gage."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Johnny asked, being very confused.

"Simple Johnny. I have unfinished business with his paramedic, you just happen to be his paramedic, so he gets to die…and you are the one to blame. He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. And don’t give me that, you aren’t sorry. But, I gotta ask, is that a tone of irritation I detect in your voice?"

Sarcastically and angrily Johnny answered, "Ah, I’m surprised you’re smart enough to have noticed."

"You’re really pushin’ your luck Johnny so I’d watch it if I were you. Now listen and listen good. First off, you can’t treat him and that’s final. Second, none of this would be happening now if you had refused to testify about what happened to you and Tommy, but I guess you just had to play the hero. And third, you’re right, I do have a problem with you only because you did testify and I lost ten years that I can’t get back. And how can you sit there and say that he’s innocent? He isn’t because he shot Robbie and he will pay for that just like you will pay for what you did and I promise you I will have my revenge. So real slow and easy, get up and get out, you can just leave him here."

Opening the back doors, Pete pulled out his gun and kept it aimed at Johnny.

"No, I wasn’t a hero, but I did what I had to do, for both me and Tommy. But I can’t just leave this man here to die, I’m trained to save lives, I don’t take them…unlike you."

Johnny realized that he had said that with a little more anger and sarcasm in his voice than he had planned. He knew then that he was really in trouble. Hearing Johnny’s tone of voice set Alan off. Standing up, he took the back of his hand and he slapped Johnny across the face hard enough to make him fall off the bench and onto the floor. Being unable to break his fall he hit his head, hard, on the side of the gurney.

"Oh man, I don’t need anything else wrong with my head. I’m dizzy enough as it is."

Alan leaned over and jerked Johnny off the floor and threw him back on the bench. Holding the younger man around the throat and again pointing the gun at his temple, he angrily spoke to him as Johnny struggled to breathe.

"You and I are exactly alike Johnny, even if you don’t want to admit it…I also do what I have to do. I have to make you pay for what you did to me and I plan on doing just that. So unless you wanna die right now, you better shut your mouth and do as you’re told. You can leave him here…or you can die. His life or yours, which will you choose Gage?"

Johnny didn’t want his patient to die but he didn’t want to die himself. But he realized that his patient was too far-gone to be saved now. He tried to keep the tears from starting as Alan finally released the hold he had on the paramedic’s throat.

Being dazed and coughing, he wiped the blood coming from his head onto his shirt sleeve and as he tried to catch his breath, he whispered, "Alright…okay…I’ll…I’ll leave him here but…if your brother is hurt as…as bad as you say he is I’ll…I’ll need some more supplies…if I’m gonna help him. What I need is on those shelves…can you please take the…tape off and maybe help me carry some of this? Please, my hands and…and arms are asleep."

"No way Gage. You think I’m gonna give you another chance to try to get away? You just show me what you need, Pete and me will carry it." Alan said as he jerked Johnny up off the bench.

Standing and fighting the dizziness, Johnny told his captors what he needed, all the while looking for an escape route.

"Forget it Gage, you’d never make it out of here. Come on, you have my brother to take care of." Pete said, as he noticed Johnny looking around.

After he and Alan had gathered the needed supplies, Pete roughly pulled Johnny from the ambulance, causing him to stumble. As Johnny regained his footing, the two men carried the supplies but they kept their guns aimed at Johnny as they took him to the run down house. 

Johnny could hear Dr. Brackett calling him over the biophone.

"Squad 51, come in please…squad 51, do you read…squad 51 this is Rampart Emergency, can you hear me…come on Johnny, please answer me."

"I wish I could doc but…well, I’m a little tied up at the moment. I really need some help here...please." Johnny thought to himself.

"Don’t you think they’ll send somebody…out to look for me? They will you know, if they haven’t already."

Johnny knew that his friends probably weren’t looking for him yet but was hoping to get through to Alan and end this craziness without getting hurt...at least not any worse than the two cracks he had already taken on the head, although he wasn’t holding his breath.

"Well, if they do happen to find you I guarantee ya it’ll be too late…you’ll probably…no…you will be dead."

Hearing this made cold chills run up and down Johnny’s spine because he knew that Alan meant business since it was his testimony that had sent both him and Pete to prison. Johnny’s mind went back to that day in the courtroom when he had to testify against the two men.

Just days after being released from the hospital and still being quite weak and bruised, Johnny was helped into the courtroom by his parents. After being called to the stand, he was frightened as he sat there telling his story while the defendants stared coldly back at him. But it was the threats that were made after the verdict was announced that scared him more.

November 7, 1967…

"Will the defendants please rise? Alan Thompson, based on the facts in this case and the eye witness testimony of John Gage, this court finds you guilty on the charge of second-degree murder in the death of Thomas Michael Parker and the kidnapping, assault and attempted murder of John Roderick Gage. You are hereby ordered to serve the maximum sentence this court can impose, ten years. I only wish it could be more."

Being angry, Alan started toward Johnny but was stopped by the bailiff.

"Pete Thompson, although you did not kill Mr. Parker, you were involved in the kidnapping and brutal beating of Mr. Gage. You are ordered to serve four years for your involvement in that assault. When you are released you are ordered to stay away from Mr. Gage and his family and if you so much as break this order you will be returning to prison."

"You’re dead Gage." Pete mouthed to Johnny.

"Bailiffs, take the defendants into custody, this court is adjourned."

"I’ll get you for this Johnny and no matter where you go or try to hide I’ll find you and you’ll pay, you’re dead. Do you hear me, you’re a dead man Gage. I’ll kill you no matter what I have to do or how long it takes!" Alan shouted angrily at Johnny as he was dragged out of the courtroom.

"You are dead Gage, you just don’t know it yet. We’ll get even with you some day, count on that." Pete whispered to Johnny as he was quietly led from the courtroom.

"And if Alan and Pete don’t get ya, I will, I promise you that. So you better keep looking over your shoulder Gage, you never know when lightning will strike. It could happen at anytime or anyplace, you just never know." Robbie whispered to Johnny after he stepped up beside him.

Looking at Johnny’s parents, he added, "Mr. and Mrs. Gage, Johnny here is gonna pay for this. There isn’t any way you two can protect him…but don’t worry, we won’t make him suffer…too much."

Johnny just sat there, shaking as the threats were made while his mother and father sat with their arms around him, trying to comfort their son. Holding his head in his hands he tried to keep the tears from starting.  Somehow, he knew this wasn’t the end, he knew all of them were right, they would get even with him…someday.

Coming back to the present, Johnny took a deep breath as he tried to erase the memory of what had happened from his mind. Being pushed into the house, he was taken to a back bedroom where Robbie was lying on a pile of blankets and he saw that he was covered in blood. Johnny could tell that his breathing was shallow and very labored. He was diaphoretic and going downhill…fast.

"Well, it didn’t take long after they got out of jail for them to come after me…someday is here, man I’m in trouble now. Pally, you and the guys had better be looking for me…and if you aren’t…what are you waiting for?" Johnny thought to himself.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"Lieutenant Crockett, what do you think happened?" Roy asked with worry and panic in his voice.

"I really don’t know yet but I need to ask all of you some questions. Has Johnny ever done anything like this before, just disappeared during a rescue?"

The worry and panic faded and it was replaced with anger as Roy answered, "No, of course he hasn’t. Johnny would never do anything like that, he is a professional, he would never just take off during a run!"

"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply anything. But Roy, you…all of you have got to understand something, I have to look at this from every angle, good and bad. With him disappearing like this only one of two things could have happened, either Johnny left voluntarily or…"

Trying to calm himself and realizing what Crockett was saying, Roy replied, "Or he didn’t. Wait a minute, what are you saying…that Johnny’s been kidnapped…but why…who…who would do this? And I’m sorry to, I know you’re only doing your job and that you have to ask these questions but I’m just about ready to climb the walls here, I think we all are."

"I know you’re worried and that’s normal and I’d be wondering about you if you weren’t. So don’t worry about it, it’s okay. Right now, there’s no way of knowing who did it or why, if it’s a kidnapping for money that we’re dealing with, we’ll have to wait and see if we get a ransom demand. If we do, then we can take it from there."

"I thought every kidnapping was for money. Why else would they take Johnny?" Marco asked.

The men could see that the question Marco had asked was one that the Lieutenant didn’t really want to answer and that worried them even more.

Hank wanted an answer, as he knew the rest of his men did so finally he spoke up.

"Lieutenant, if they took Johnny and they do want money, then why haven’t we received a ransom demand already…what are they waiting for?"

"Cap, if it is money that they want, I don’t know why we haven’t heard from them. But maybe…maybe they didn’t take him for the money. I hate to think this way but it could be that whoever has him did it because of a grudge they have against him. It’s always a possibility that the person or persons who has him…has no intentions of letting him go…not alive anyway. It could be that they just want to hurt him before they…before they kill him, if they haven’t done that already."

"Kill him…but why would someone have a grudge against Johnny, what’s he ever done to anybody?" Mike asked.

"Well, since all of you know him so well and work so closely with him, maybe you can tell me. Has Johnny had any threats made against him recently that you might know of, maybe…maybe a family member of one of his patients that…well, didn’t make it and they hold Gage responsible for it. Or maybe someone he could have had a run in with a long time ago and they’re back and maybe wants revenge. Anything…anything at all that you can think of or have seen or heard that didn’t seem normal to you. Even if you don’t think it’s important it could be and it could lead us to Johnny."

Everyone thought for a moment but couldn’t think of anything. None of them knew why anyone would want to hurt Johnny because as far as they all knew, Johnny didn’t have any enemies.

Suddenly, Roy remembered something.

"Lieutenant, I don’t know if this means anything but about…oh how long ago was it…about four…maybe five months ago we responded to a pretty bad traffic accident. It involved a drunk driver and his wife who had hit some teenagers. The teenage driver was killed and his passenger was slightly injured and while Johnny was working on this guys wife…she died…she’d gone through the windshield, but of course, her husband wasn’t hurt, the man didn’t have a scratch on ‘im. But anyway, when he found out she was dead he blamed Johnny and he kept saying…shouting really, that Johnny had murdered her and that he was gonna pay. While I was checking him over he got away from me and went after Johnny at the scene and the police had to restrain him."

"Has Johnny had any more threats from this guy?"

"Well no…at least not any that I know of anyway, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t. Johnny…he’s the type that he keeps stuff like that to himself, not wanting us to worry."

"Do you remember this guys name and where he lives?"

"Ah…no, not right off hand I don’t. Cap, do you remember?"

Thinking for a moment Hank replied, "I remember that accident…he really went after Johnny, he even had to go to Rampart just to be checked over. Campbell…Campbell was his last name…Cory Campbell. His wife’s name was Faraah. From the way she looked I thought she was already dead…Johnny really tried to save her but she just didn’t have a chance. Let me see if I can locate the address."

Cap left the kitchen to go to his office to look for the information.

"Johnny worked his butt off trying to save her. Her husband was at fault but he blamed Johnny." Marco added as he also remembered the call.

Cap reappeared with a slip of paper with the address and said, "Lieutenant, I have it here. The last known address we have is 9284 Hollis Drive, Hollywood, CA. It’s in the rich part of town and I remember he was driving a Mercedes at the time of the accident. He figured since he was rich he was gonna get off with just a slap on the wrist…which basically he did."

Writing down the information Crockett smiled as he said, "Yeah, I know, these rich people think they are above the law. I know where this place is…the very rich part of town. Okay thanks Cap, I’ll check this out and get back to you on it. We would rather check it out and have it lead to a dead end then not check it out and have it maybe have lead to something. I really hope this will lead us to Johnny."

"I hope so to." Roy whispered.

"Are you doing anything to try and locate Johnny in the meantime?" Cap asked as he placed his hand on his worried paramedic’s shoulder.

"Yes Cap, until we find out exactly what it is that we’re dealing with we are looking for the ambulance. I have four search units from my department that are going in each direction that the ambulance could possibly have taken. We’ll find Johnny…sooner or later."

Chet, who had remained silent through out the conversation, finally spoke up and it was clear that he didn’t appreciate the last remark that Crockett made.

"Sooner or later…I’m glad to see how emotionally detached you can be from your work Lieutenant. Any later and Johnny could be dead!"

"Chet, Johnny is not gonna die so calm down. We’re all worried about him Lieutenant, he’s a very good friend of ours."

"I understand that Mike and we’re doing everything we can to locate Johnny. Just do me a favor, if any of you can think of anything else that could help, please let me know. Here, I want each of you to take one of these, I’ve written my home phone number on the back of these cards and you can call anytime of the day or night. We’re just as anxious as you all are to get Johnny back…safe and unharmed."

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Still fighting the dizziness and the pain in his head that was rapidly creeping up on him, Johnny walked over and leaning up against the wall to guide himself, he carefully knelt down beside Robbie.

Looking up at Alan and Pete, Johnny said, "Mind taking the tape off now? I can’t work on him with my hands bound behind my back."

Pete walked over and taking Johnny’s scissors, he cut the tape that bound Johnny’s wrists then threw them down beside the paramedic. After rubbing his wrists, hoping to get the feeling back in his hands, Johnny started working to stabilize Robbie as best he could. Taking his vitals he found his pulse and respirations were slowing and his B/P was falling.

"That’s not a good sign." Johnny thought.

He was having no luck in getting the bleeding to stop either. Counting, Johnny found four bullet wounds.

As he was setting up for the IV’s, Robbie came to for only a few moments and whispered, "Whether I…make…make it…or not…it…doesn’t…matter…you’re dead…Gage…even…even though I…may…have to…die…we finally…get…get payback…for…for Alan…and Pete…enjoy… what little…time…you may…have…have left…on…this earth…Gage…won’t…be…long…"

With that, Robbie again slipped into unconsciousness. This made Johnny even more nervous because he knew that they wanted him to pay for the years Alan and Pete had spent in prison. They had already taken care of Tommy and if Robbie did die, it would only give them an excuse for being able to "take care" of him.

"Pete, take the ambulance and get rid of it. We don’t want anyone finding it." Alan told him.

"What about the cop?"

"Leave him in there and run it off the road. He’s probably dead anyway."

Quickly standing and then wishing he hadn’t, Johnny waited for the room to stop spinning. As he tried to steady himself he said, "No…wait please, let me…let me go check on him. You just can’t leave him in there if he isn’t dead."

"Yes I can. But to show you what a nice guy I am, I’ll let you check on him. But Pete is going to be keeping a close eye on you so don’t try anything."

"All right, no problem."

Grabbing Johnny’s arm and pushing him toward the door Pete said, "All right Gage, let’s go. Check on your cop friend then get back in here and take care of my brother."

As Pete lead him out of the door Johnny was hoping that there was some way he’d be able to get away. He knew that Robbie wasn’t going to make it and when Robbie died, Johnny knew he would to.

Having no luck with Alan, Johnny hoped he could get through to Pete.

"Pete listen to me, there’s only so much that I’m gonna be able to do for Robbie, in fact, besides gettin’ him started on fluids, I’ve done just about all I can do now. I’m a paramedic, I’m not a doctor and what your brother needs right now is a doctor and an operating room. Please let me take him to Rampart."

"No way, no doctors and no hospitals, all they’ll do is ask questions."

"But that won’t happen, I promise. I know the three ER docs at Rampart, they’re friends of mine and they’re really good guys. They can help Robbie and they won’t ask any questions."

"I…I don’t know. I don’t think Alan will go for it but I…I know he probably needs a doctor."

"He does and he needs one now, I wouldn’t lie to you. Pete, do you really want your brother to die…does Alan? I really don’t think the two of you want that…if you did you wouldn’t have brought me here to try to help him."

"We brought you here for another reason…payback."

"Yeah…yeah I know that to. Look, don’t let your anger towards me cost these two men their lives, please…let’s get Robbie and my other patient to Rampart so we can help both of them, what do’ya say."

Johnny was sensing and hoping that he was getting through to him. But Johnny soon found out that he wasn’t having any luck that day.

"Shut up Gage, he isn’t gonna die, you’ll see to that because if he does, you do to, and I don’t think you want that to happen. Now check on the cop then get back inside!" Pete shouted as he pressed the gun into Johnny’s chest.

Johnny knew that he alone would have to treat Robbie the best he could.

"All right, just take it easy."

Johnny stepped up into the ambulance and by checking the officer, it only confirmed what he already suspected…he was dead.

"I’m sorry…I’m so sorry Donny." Johnny whispered softly to himself.

He knew that if he were going to try to get away he had to do it now. Trying to keep his emotions in check and his balance, Johnny slowly rose and turned to exit the ambulance. As he did, he quickly scanned the vehicle for anything he might be able to use as a weapon. The only thing he spotted was…the biophone.

"Well, I let it roll down a cliff once and that didn’t break it, I sure hope this won’t. I gotta take the chance and try to get away." Johnny thought.

Seeing that Pete wasn’t paying too much attention to him, Johnny quickly snapped the lid shut and hooked it and as he came out of the ambulance he swung the biophone at Pete, hoping to connect with his head.

Unfortunately, Pete saw Johnny coming toward him with the biophone and at the last second was able to get his arm up to block the blow. Only stunned, he fell to the ground but lost the gun, which gave Johnny time to run into the woods. Reaching for the lost gun, Pete fired…twice.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Back at Station 51, the crew was sitting around the table, worrying. Suddenly the doorbell rang.

"I’ll get it." Mike said as he pushed his chair from the table.

The men could hear Mike out in the bay.

Hi Lieutenant, come on in, Cap and the guys are in the kitchen."

Walking into the kitchen, Mike said, "Cap, Lieutenant Crockett is here."

"Hi Lieutenant, did you find out anything on the name we gave you?"

"Yes Cap I did, that’s why I’m here. I had a long conversation with Mr. Campbell and even though he did admit to blaming Johnny for his wife’s death and attacking him, he swears he had nothing to do with Johnny’s disappearance."

"He’s lying. He swore to get even, to make my partner pay so he knows where Johnny is and what happened to him…pick him up and make him tell you!" Roy angrily answered.

"He’s telling the truth Roy. Look, I know how bad you guys want Johnny back but this guy’s alibi checked out…we can’t pick him up. There is no way he could have possibly gotten anywhere near Johnny to do this…I’m sorry. I sure was hoping it would turn out to be a good lead though."

"We all were. So, where does that leave us?" Cap asked.

"I know this isn’t the news you wanna hear but it puts us back to square one until…or if…something turns up with the search."

Everyone was disappointed that the lead had turned nothing up but the crew could tell that Roy was having a much harder time accepting it. Suddenly, the phone rang, causing everyone in the room to jump.

"LA County Fire Department, Captain Stanley…yes he is…yes you may, hold on a minute please. Lieutenant, it’s for you, it’s your office."

"Thanks Cap. Lieutenant Crockett…yeah Max, have any of your teams found anything…uh huh…yeah I see…I want you to go on all the backroads and woods in the area, look everywhere…okay and keep me posted…good-bye."

"Well, any news on Johnny…did they find him?" Roy asked anxiously.

Shaking his head the Lieutenant answered, "No, I’m sorry Roy, nothing so far. I’ve instructed the teams to go on all the dirt roads and even into the woods in the areas where they’ve already searched and see if they can find anything. They’ll keep me posted on any new developments."

 "I can not believe that they can not locate one ambulance. I really don’t think they’re that easy to hide!" Roy replied angrily as he began to pace the room.

Cap and the others tried to calm Roy as Crockett answered, "Roy, they’re looking everywhere. They’re trying to find the ambulance…and Johnny."

"But will Johnny be found in time, what if he’s hurt…what if he’s…if he’s…?" Roy’s voice trailed off as he walked out of the kitchen.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"AAAAHHHHH!" Johnny cried out in pain.

Falling to the ground, he laid there gasping for breath and holding his left shoulder. Sitting up and removing his hand, he looked and saw the blood and felt the sharp pain going through his shoulder and arm as his head joined in.

"Oh no, I was right…I hate it when…when that happens…I’m gonna die…that’s what they’ve…had planned for me…all along…well like Alan said…quick and…and simple this time…unlike the last…last time they tried…Roy where…where are ya man…help me…please." Johnny mumbled to himself as he quickly crawled behind some bushes for cover while the pain and dizziness grew worse.

"Gage, you shouldn’t try to hide from me because if I have to hunt you down, when I do find you, I’ll kill you on the spot…so make it easy on yourself and come out now!" Pete shouted.

"Make it…easy on myself…yeah right…who’s he trying…to kid…he’s gonna kill me no…no matter what…I do… oh man…I feel…feel sick." Johnny whispered as he lost the battle and vomited.

"Gage, I hear you!"

"All right, I’m…I’m coming out. Just please don’t…don’t shoot!" Johnny shouted as he wiped his mouth on the tail of his shirt.

He came out into the open, knowing he didn’t have much of a choice.

Grabbing Johnny by the injured arm and pushing him toward the house, Pete said, "You shouldn’t have done that. I’d kill you right now but we need you to take care of Robbie. Now get back to the house and take care of my brother!"

"Okay…jus’ watch the…shoulder." Johnny said as he winced in pain.

Hearing the shots, Alan came running from the house and asked, "What’s going on out here, what did you do to Gage?"

Holding on to Johnny’s arm Pete answered, "Well Gage tried to get away…so I had to shoot him."

Seeing the obvious pain Johnny was in and the blood pouring from the wound, Alan grabbed Pete and shouted, "You did what!? You idiot, we need Gage alive, he has to take care of Robbie. Get him back inside the house and have him get back to work on your brother!"

As the three were making their way back to the house, Johnny could already feel himself getting weak.

Hoping to change his kidnapper’s minds, he said, "Guys…you know everything is…going wrong…you…you already have a…a dead cop…and if you kill me…it’ll be…that much worse…on you…just let me…let me go…please…"

As they walked up onto the porch, Pete was still holding on to Johnny’s injured arm.  As he roughly swung the paramedic around, causing more pain to shoot through Johnny’s body, he shoved him up against the wall.

"Do you want me to finish the job on you now Gage?"

"Yeah…yeah jus’ do it…go on…do it…at least bein’ dead will be…be better than what I…had to go through…the last time…do it…or are you…nothin’ but a coward…!" Johnny tiredly shouted.

After saying that, Johnny saw the look on Pete’s face as he realized that he had pushed the right button to set Pete off. As he closed his eyes and was preparing to die, Pete raised the gun, placing it over Johnny’s heart, as he was about to pull the trigger.

Alan placed his hand on his brother’s arm and calmly said, "Not now Pete. We need Gage…at least for the moment. Get ‘im inside."

As Johnny breathed a sigh of relief, Pete lowered the gun and said, "You’re one lucky man Gage, I’d go on and kill you now. If I’d had my way, you would have died ten years ago in that house. So if you wanna keep breathing, at least for a little while longer, I suggest you shut your mouth and get in there and help Robbie, move!"

After re-entering the house, Alan and Pete stood, watching Johnny as he checked on Robbie then as he started applying bandages to his shoulder to try and stop the blood flow.  They also saw how weak Johnny was already becoming.

Walking into the room, Pete tapped Johnny on the shoulder and said, "You’re supposed to be helping Robbie. Get to it Gage and quit worrying about yourself."

Breathing hard and still being angry Johnny said, "If you want me…to help him…then I have got to…to try to get this…bleeding stopped or at…at least slowed down..."

Pulling Pete to the side Alan whispered and said, "Pete, take it easy okay, he has to stay alive to keep Robbie alive. But I’ll tell ya what, after Gage has outlived his usefulness to us, I’ll let you kill him…that is, if he lives that long and he doesn’t die on his own."

As the two men looked at Johnny an evil smile spread across Pete’s face as he said, "It’ll be my pleasure."

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Captain Stanley had contacted Chief McConnikee and filled him in on what had happened. Since it was almost time for Hank and his men to go home, the Chief called and requested that B-shift come in early. He figured Johnny’s friends would want to help look for their friend. As soon as B-Shift had arrived to take over the station, 51’s A-shift was ready to leave.

Cap and the rest of the men quickly changed out of their uniforms and caught up with Crockett outside the station as Cap said, "Lieutenant, wait a minute. We’ve been released from duty early and my men and I would like to be involved in the search for Johnny."

Although Crockett was grateful for the extra help, he knew that these men were to close to Johnny to be involved with the search for their missing friend. If something had happened to Johnny, Crockett didn’t want the paramedic’s friends being the ones to find him.

He knew it wouldn’t go over well but holding up his hand to Cap, Crockett answered, "Captain Stanley, I know the Chief released you early so all of you could help and I appreciate the offer, really and I know we could use all the help we can get out there. But in my opinion you and your men are way too close to Johnny to be involved in this and just in case…"

Roy quickly interrupted and said, "In case what…you think he’s dead, don’t you? Lieutenant, you’re talking about my partner and my best friend and I’m not about to give up on him. Now I don’t know about Cap and the others but I am going to help you look for Johnny and there isn’t anything you can do to stop me. We look together or I look alone. Come on, the longer we stand around here the more time we’re wasting…time that Johnny could need!"

"Roy…wait!"

"Leave me alone!" Roy shouted as he walked over and leaned on Johnny’s Land Rover.

He was so worried about his partner and best friend that he needed a little time to be alone, to think and prepare himself for what he was afraid he might find…his partner and best friend…dead.

"Johnny please, all I want you to do for me is to be alright partner…please. We can’t lose ya Junior…I can’t." Roy whispered to himself.

As Crockett was going after Roy, Hank stopped him and said, "Give him a few minutes. Anyway, you’d be wasting your time because those two paramedics are as close as brothers and there is nothing you can say or do that will keep Roy from helping to look for his partner…nor will you keep the rest of us from helping.”

As Crockett was about to interrupt, Hank stopped him, as he continued.

“Look, we’ve seen a lot of death in our line of work and the last thing we want is for it to be one of us, but still, that’s our friend out there that’s missing and could possibly be hurt…or worse and we do understand that could be a possibility with Johnny. But we are going to help and as Roy said, we’re wasting valuable time. So where do we start?"

 ~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Johnny was growing weaker by the minute and the fresh bandages that he had reapplied to his shoulder were already soaked with blood. His pulse was very rapid, he was diaphoretic, his left arm was almost numb and he was feeling sick again. Leaning over to take Robbie’s blood pressure left him dizzy.

"40/20. Well, he isn’t gonna last much longer…and neither am I." Johnny thought.

As Alan walked in the bedroom he sat down on the bed across from Johnny and asked, "So, how’s my little brother doing?"

"Not…too good…if he doesn’t get to a…doctor soon…he isn’t gonna…make it…low B/P and he’s going into shock…losing too…too much blood…please Alan…end this now…for your brother’s sake…there’s nothing more…I…can do…both…of us…needs a…a hospital…" Johnny panted as he tried to keep from passing out.

Johnny had finally managed to start the IV’s in both arms and had them going wide open. He also had pressure bandages on Robbie’s wounds but nothing was helping. Much to Johnny’s dismay he knew that no matter how much fluid he got into Robbie or how many dressings he put on his wounds, until the source of the bleeding was stopped it wasn’t going to make much difference.

Because of the circumstances Johnny started thinking about his life, the things he had and had not done, the things he still wanted to do and the way he hoped he would die. He really wanted to die from old age, very old age. But if he couldn’t go like that then at least he hoped it would be in the line of duty at a fire, giving his life to save someone else. Losing his life that way was something he had been preparing himself for ever since getting into the fire service and he knew it could happen on any run. But being kidnapped, shot and bleeding to death was not exactly the way he had wanted to leave this world.

As Alan began to speak, it brought Johnny back to the present.

"Jeez Gage, you don’t look any better than Robbie does."

"Huh…oh thanks…I’d hate to feel…this bad…and keep it to myself…I’ve lost a lot…of blood…dizzy and…becoming very…weak…please Alan let…let me go…we both…can get to…a doctor…before it’s too…too late…for both of us…" Johnny begged.

"No, I don’t think so. I think that…"

Alan suddenly stopped when he heard Robbie gasping for breath. Johnny could sense that the end was near…for both him and Robbie.

As Johnny started trying to clear Robbie’s airway, Alan shouted and asked, "What’s wrong with him, do something for him…now!"

Hearing the commotion, Pete ran into the room.

"What’s going on in here?"

"I’m…trying to…told you…before…he’s in bad…shape…he needs a doctor…don’t have enough equipment to…take care…of him…"

Pointing the gun at Johnny’s chest and pulling the hammer back, Pete replied, "You better take care of him or I’ll take care of you Gage!"

Johnny felt for a pulse but one could not be found. Using his right hand, Johnny started CPR but it left him weaker and even dizzier and his injured shoulder didn’t like it too much either. But he tried to keep going because he knew that it was really his own life that he was hoping…trying to save. As the action of doing CPR left him exhausted, he finally realized that he had no choice…he had to stop.

After checking one more time for a pulse and praying that he would find one, Johnny looked up at Alan and Pete with both fear and sadness in his eyes as he quietly said, "I’m sorry…there’s nothing more…I…I can do…he’s…he’s dead…"

"Then so are you Gage!" Pete pressed the gun into Johnny’s chest.

Shutting his eyes tight and taking in a gulp of air, Johnny started thinking of his friends but mostly of his best friend, Roy.

 "I’m so sorry Roy. I hope you know what a good friend you’ve been to me. I’m really gonna miss ya Pally." Johnny thought.

"Please don’t…don’t do this…there was…nothing…I…could do…please…I don’t…want…to die…" Johnny begged for his life with the last little bit of breath he had.

Agitated and upset, Alan screamed, "To bad, I told you what would happen if he died Gage, you killed him and now it’s your turn to die. This will be my revenge for the ten years I sat in prison because of you!"

"No…no I didn’t…kill…him…and you…sat…in prison because…of…what you did…you murdered a…a kid…because he didn’t…want…to sell your…drugs anymore…!"

"No, I didn’t kill anyone, the gun went off by accident. It was a mistake!"

Johnny knew he would only be getting himself in deeper with Alan but he figured that if he was going to die anyway then he might as well go out with a big bang, so to speak, and tell Alan what he had always thought of him.

"An accident…yeah…sure…sure it was…you were…pointing it at me…so who are you…trying to…convince…me…or yourself…you…you kill people…you’re a murderer Alan…you… ruin other…people’s lives…just…like Tommy…and now…Donny…and you don’t…don’t care about anyone…but…yourself…you’re to…much of a…coward to…except response…responsibility…for what…you do…!"

"Shut up and stop stalling. I’ve been waiting for years to do this…good-bye Gage." Pete said coldly as he pulled the trigger and Johnny fell back onto the floor.

Looking at Pete, Alan said, "Let’s put him in the ambulance with the cop and you can take it and run it off the road. Then get back here as fast as you can."

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

As the men of station 51 gathered at the command post they were in a hurry to find their friend.

"Lieutenant, Johnny’s out there and he may need help, when are we going to get started?" Roy asked impatiently.

"Just as soon as we get all the teams together. Just calm down Roy, relax."

After Crockett said those words he regretted it. He could see that what Hank had told him earlier was true, Roy and Johnny were as close as brothers. When something was wrong with one of them the other went out of his mind with worry.

Hoping to make Roy feel better, he said, "I’m sorry Roy. I know you’re worried about your partner."

"Not just my partner…my brother." Roy whispered as he walked away from Crockett to join his friends.

"Lieutenant, the teams are ready sir." a uniformed officer told him.

"Okay thanks. Captain Stanley, if you and your men will come with me we’ll get you into teams and we can get started." 

As the men walked over to join Crockett, he said, "Marco and Mike, you two are with team one, Roy, team two, Chet, you go with team three and Cap, you’re with team four. Team leaders, as soon as you find anything, let me know immediately."

"Yes sir." everyone answered as they went their ways to find the missing ambulance…and Johnny.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

The jerking of the ambulance started to bring Johnny around. He was in extreme pain and bleeding very badly.

"Good thing I moved like I did or I’d be dead. It hurts, oh man it hurts." Johnny thought to himself.

Even though he was in pain, he knew he had to try to stay as quiet as possible or whoever was driving, he guessed Pete, would know he was still alive. Suddenly he heard the door open as he felt the ambulance going off the road. As it finally came to a stop, Johnny cried out in pain.

Trying to sit up only made him weaker and his head hurt more and he was beginning to feel the nausea coming on again. As quickly as he could, he made his way to the back of the ambulance and after finally getting the door opened, Johnny once again vomited. Sitting back, Johnny knew that if he wasn’t found soon he wouldn’t make it. No longer being able to stay awake, he hoped his friends were looking for him as he once again lost consciousness.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"Command post to team one, have you found anything?" Crockett asked hopefully.

"Team one to command post, negative Lieutenant, no sight of the ambulance yet." came the reply.

"10-4 team one."

Much to Crockett’s dismay, that was the response from all the teams.

"Gage and that ambulance has got to be here somewhere, they couldn’t have just disappeared into thin air." Crockett thought to himself.

Every twenty minutes the teams would report in and it was always the same…nothing found. He knew how discouraged the crew from 51 must be, after all, he was and he wasn’t even close to Johnny. He could only imagine what Johnny’s friends were going through.  For their sakes he hoped Johnny would soon be found…alive.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

As Alan saw Pete walking back to the house he asked, "Did you get rid of it?"

"Of course I did. Who do you think you’re dealing with, an amateur?"

"You did check to make sure Gage was dead, right?"

"No, why should I have checked? Look Alan, Johnny is dead and so is the cop. And even if Gage isn’t dead, by the time they find the ambulance…if they find the ambulance, he will be and you won’t have to worry about any witnesses being alive to finger us. We’re in the clear so stop worrying and relax. You aren’t having second thoughts because we did this are you?  Cause let me tell ya something, if you are it’s kinda too late."

"No, of course not. Gage and that cop got what was coming to them. You’re right, they’re dead and I should relax. Help me get Robbie in the car and let’s get outta here."

After placing Robbie in the back seat and covering him up, Alan and Pete quickly sped away.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

Just about the time that Lieutenant Crockett was ready to give up, the radio came to life with what he hoped would be good news.

"Command post this is team four, come in please."

"Go ahead team four."

"Lieutenant, we found the ambulance. We have one dead and one critically injured. Request an ambulance for transport and you better make it fast because he’s going downhill…he has vomited. Also request the other paramedic from 51. We are about six miles from your location going east, we are deep in the woods and they will have to walk in."

"10-4 team four."

Upon hearing this Roy, Chet, Marco and Mike each began making their way to where their friend was.

"One dead, one critically injured…he’s going downhill…vomiting…" kept repeating itself over and over in Roy’s mind.

"Come on partner, you better be the one injured, I can deal with that because I’ve done it before. But I can’t deal with it if you’re dead. Please, just hang on Johnny and I’ll be there as soon as I can." Roy mumbled to himself.

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"You hang on Johnny. We didn’t go through all this trouble looking for you just to find ya and have ya die on us. Besides, I think Roy would be kinda ticked off at me if you did and you don’t want that to happen… do ya? Roy and the others are on their way and we’ll get you to the hospital just as fast as we can so just stay with me Johnny…please don’t die on us pal."

Cap continued to softly talk to Johnny while he held his head in his lap and applied pressure to his shoulder.

Noticing the bleeding from the left side of Johnny’s forehead, Cap pushed his friend’s hair out of his eyes as he whispered to his paramedic, "Well Johnny, that doesn’t look too bad…which is good because you’ve lost too much blood already."

Suddenly, a smile found its way onto Hank’s face as he thought, "The Chief’s right Johnny, you DO need a haircut."

Looking back down at Johnny’s shoulder, the smile disappeared as Cap saw all the blood that had soaked through his friend’s light blue uniform shirt and also the large bandage he was using to try to control the bleeding.

As he reached for a fresh bandage, he could tell that Johnny was going into shock as he felt the weak and rapid pulse, clammy skin and took in his paramedic’s pale and diaphoretic features.

Johnny began to shiver violently as he slowly came around.

"R-Roy…help…help me…hurts…I’m…so cold…dizzy…feel sick…again…"

Grabbing a blanket and placing it over Johnny, Hank tried to comfort his paramedic as he softly said, "No Johnny it’s me, Cap…Hank.  Just take it easy all right, Roy’s on his way.  I know you hurt pal but just hang on for me, you’re gonna be fine."

Gasping for breath but trying to give a small smile, Johnny said, "Want…me…to call…ya Hank…I…know it’s…bad now…that’s…too weird…to say…think…I’ll…stick…to…callin’ ya…Cap…"

Finding himself smiling again, Cap softly answered, "That’s fine Johnny, anything you wanna call me is fine…well, almost anything.  And no, you aren’t that bad."

Cap was trying to take Johnny’s mind off his current situation but he knew that he hadn’t succeeded because Johnny didn’t even crack a smile.  He knew his friend was in too much pain and just wanted it to all be over.

Finally Johnny weakly spoke as he said, "Cap…please don’t…lie…to…me…I know…I’m… bad…he…shot me…cause I…couldn’t…save…his brother…tried to…I can’t…feel my…left arm…numb…help…me…please Cap…do… somethin’…cold…chest hurts…hurts to …breathe…please make…the pain…stop…I’m not…gonna…make it…I…I know it…so…cold…"

Johnny’s weak pleas for help brought tears to Hank’s eyes.  All Johnny wanted his Captain to do was make his pain go away. It made Hank angry to see his friend in so much pain, knowing he was unable to stop it, knowing he would have to wait till Roy arrived.

He knew, because of the pain that he couldn’t get Johnny very comfortable, but knew he could try as best he could to keep him as warm as possible. He wrapped the blanket around Johnny as he tried to warm up his friend, but he was careful not to hurt his already injured shoulder.

 "Yes you are Johnny, you are gonna make it so don’t you even think like that, you are not going to die…not if we can help it. I wish I could stop your pain pal but you’ve got to hang on till Roy gets here, he’ll be able to give you something. Who Johnny, who did this to you? Tell me."

"Al…Alan…" was all Johnny could softly whisper before he once again lost consciousness.

"How’s he doing Cap?" Crockett asked as he walked up to the open ambulance doors.

"Not good. He’s lost so much blood and he’s going into shock. We’ve got to get him to Rampart and fast before we lose him. Where is Roy?" Cap asked impatiently as he looked for his other paramedic.

"Cap, they should be here in a few minutes, I’m sure they heard that Johnny was found. The officer…he didn’t make it?"

"No." was all Hank could say as he looked back down at his friend, knowing that it could easily have been Johnny lying there dead.

"Roy and the others must be going out of their minds not knowing how Johnny is." Cap thought to himself.

Finally Hank heard the rest of his crew coming toward the ambulance, with Roy leading the way.

"How is he Cap?" Roy softly asked as he stepped up beside his partner.

Seeing all the blood his best friend was losing almost made Roy sick to his stomach and after momentarily looking away, he got his stomach under control. He knew that if they didn’t get Johnny medical attention right away he would lose his partner.

Not waiting for an answer from his Captain but turning back to face his friend he said, "Johnny, come on Junior open your eyes for me. He’s so cold, give me some more blankets."

Chet and Mike handed Roy more blankets to place over Johnny but it wasn’t helping, he was still shivering even though he was unconscious.

"Roy, he’s lost a lot of blood and he’s going into shock. Just before he passed out he told me his chest hurt and he couldn’t feel his left arm, said it was numb. He’s been shaking so bad and I can’t get him warm. He also has some slight bleeding from his head."

"Numb…possible nerve damage." Roy thought to himself.

"Thanks Cap, but with all the blood loss he’s gonna be cold…no matter how hard we try to get him warm. I know Johnny’s gonna be hurtin’ but with the possibility of a head injury, I can’t risk giving him anything for it. Where is that ambulance?"

Johnny began to come around again. Slowly opening his eyes but not being fully alert, Johnny began to struggle, trying to change his position to stop the pain that was going through his body.

"Roy…help…help me…hurts…so bad…gotta…gotta stop…pain…please…can’t…can't take…it…ROY!!"

"Johnny, wake up for me, you’re alright. That’s it, just take it easy and lie still, I’m here now…you’re gonna be fine."

"Roy…glad…you’re here…arm…numb…my…my chest…hurts…I can’t…can’t…breathe …thirsty…so thirsty…still dizzy…I’m freezing…get me…warm…’fraid I’m…gonna…gonna die…on ya…Pally…but I…didn’t…didn’t think…it’d hurt…so…much…"

Roy quickly replied and said, "Hey, I am not about to let you die Junior so don’t worry, we’ll get you to Rampart and you’ll make it. Cap told me about the bleeding from your head and I know you hurt, but since you do have a slight head injury, I can’t risk giving you anything for the pain…I’m sorry Johnny. You said you were dizzy, do you remember what you hit your head on…is you vision blurred?"

"Hit…my head…oh yeah…’member…now…on…the gurney…he…slapped me…hands were…taped…taped…behind me…I fell…he…hit me…on…the…back…of…my head…a gun…’s’not blurred…just doubled…don’t…worry ‘bout…it…hopefully I…I can…stand it…I see…two of ya…" Johnny whispered and slightly smiled as he tried to hold up two fingers, but was stopped by the blankets over him.

"He hit you on the back of your head to?"

"Roy, he has a bump forming back here."

"Thanks Cap. Okay partner, just lay still. Hang on Johnny, you need to try to stay awake so just stay with me. Marco, hook up the O2 for me. Mike, can you hand me some more bandages, I gotta try and get this bleeding stopped." 

"Roy, the ambulance will be here in about ten minutes. It’ll take some time coming through here to get Johnny and the officer and it’s gonna be a pretty bumpy ride going out." Crockett reported.

"Let’s just hope Johnny can last that long." Roy said to no one in particular.

"I don’t think he has that much time to waste. Cap, I don’t think Johnny is gonna be able to take being bounced around like that while we’re trying to get ‘im outta here. He’s in enough pain already."

"Any suggestions on how we can do this then pal?"

After thinking for a few minutes Roy said, "Yeah. Radio the ambulance and tell ‘em not to come off the road but to walk in and bring a couple of backboards, then we can carry Johnny and the officer out. I know it may take a little longer but at least Johnny won’t be in quite as much pain."

"Sounds good Roy. LA, Engine 51."

"Go ahead 51."

"LA, notify the ambulance that is en route to our location not to come off the road to where we are. We do want them to bring in two backboards and we will carry the victims out."

"10-4 51."

Fifteen minutes later but what seemed like an eternity for the crew of station 51, the ambulance attendants came running toward them with two backboards for Johnny and the officer.

"Okay, let’s get the backboards in here, load them up and let’s get them outta here. Load Johnny first, we gotta get him to the hospital…fast!" Roy ordered.

Mike, Marco and Chet carefully placed Johnny on the backboard.

Even though Roy already knew about the officer, he still whispered to his Captain and asked, "Cap, what about the officer?"

All Cap did was shake his head and softly said, "He didn’t make it. The rest of us will meet you at Rampart."

Getting Johnny on the backboard and securing the straps, Mike and Marco was carrying their friend to the ambulance when Johnny said, "Roy…Roy I’m…gonna…be sick…again…"

"Mike, Marco, let’s get him on the ground, turn him on his side, Chet, hold this equipment for me!" Roy quickly said.

Gently but quickly lowering Johnny to the ground and turning him on his side, he once again lost the contents of his stomach.

Wiping his mouth, Roy asked, "You okay now Junior?"

Weakly Johnny answered, "Yeah Pally…can’t…have much…left…in…there…can I…?"

"Do you remember how many times you’ve vomited Johnny?"

"Two…no three…three…so tired…cold…man…head really…hurts…dizzy to…Roy…I can’t…can’t…do this…anymore…hurts…so much…"

"Yes you can partner, you’ve jus’ gotta hang on a little bit longer…please try Johnny…please. I know you hurt, just take it easy."

"I’ll try…Roy…don’t…know…if I…" Johnny mumbled as he lost consciousness.

After they loaded Johnny and the officer into the ambulance and began the trip towards Rampart, Roy said, "Brad, call dispatch and have them notify Rampart. See if they can set up a link between us and them and make it fast…he’s getting worse."

"Dispatch, this is unit 96, we are transporting a critically injured paramedic. I have Squad 51’s paramedic on board but he has no equipment and he requests a link set up between us and Rampart Emergency."

"10-4 unit 96, stand by."

After a moment dispatch replied, "Unit 96, go ahead with your transmission to Rampart Emergency."

Taking the mic Roy said, "Rampart, this is Squad 51, how do you read?"

"Go ahead 51, we read you loud and clear." Brackett answered

"Rampart…we have a twenty-seven year old paramedic, he’s been…been shot three times in the upper left quadrant. He is pale and diaphoretic, skin is cold and clammy and he is unable to move or feel his left arm. Right now he is unconscious and was complaining of dizziness and difficulty breathing. There appears to be only one exit wound. We found ‘im Doc…its Johnny. Stand by for vitals."

"10-4 51, we’re standing by."

As Kel was waiting to get the vitals Joe walked into the base station and asked, "What have you got Kel?"

"51 has a shooting victim." was all Kel said as he handed Joe the pad.

Reading it he knew right away who it had to be as he said, "Johnny."

Nodding his head Kel answered, "Yeah, it sure is. Roy and the rest of the guys found him, he’s alive…so far."

"Rampart squad 51, vital signs are, B/P is 60/40, pulse is 120, weak and rapid, respirations are 30, labored and shallow. His pupils are sluggish but they are responsive. He has a laceration on the left side of his temple from hitting his head, that bleeding is under control, he was also hit on the back of the head with a gun, a bump is forming but no bleeding and he’s vomited three times. He has lost a considerable amount of blood from his shoulder and we…I…I have not been able to get that bleeding under control."

"10-4 51, start two IV’s of Ringers, wide open, keep applying pressure to the wound and immobilize the arm and shoulder, administer O2 and transport as soon as possible."

"10-4 Rampart, we have him on 6 liters of oxygen. We’re transporting now and our ETA is twelve minutes. Rampart, we are also transporting a Code F…it’s the patient Johnny was transporting."

"10-4 51, we’ll be ready for you."

Turning to Joe, Kel said, "Joe, let’s get treatment five ready. Better get six units of blood and have more standing by for the OR. We’ll probably need a vascular surgeon."

"I’ll get right on it Kel. I’ll call Matt Rogers and have him on standby."

~E!~E!~E!~E!~

"Hey…Roy?" Johnny whispered as he slowly came around.

"Yeah Johnny, I’m right here." Roy softly answered as he tried to keep himself between Johnny and the officer.

"Hurts…so bad…sorry…this…happened…tried to…get…away…big…big mistake…shouldn’t…have tried to…run huh…just…shot me…my arm…numb Roy can’t…can’t…feel it…still feel…a…a little…sick…my head…chest…hurts…I’m still…c-cold…" Johnny whispered with panic in his voice as the reality of how bad he was really injured finally began to set in.

Finally getting a glance over to the side, Johnny saw Donny lying there and tears started down the paramedic’s face as he whispered, "He’s dead…couldn’t…save…him either…I tried…Roy…I really…tried…"

As Roy took yet another blanket and placed it over his friend, Johnny winced in pain as it came in contact with his injured shoulder.

Seeing this Roy quickly said, "Sorry Junior, didn’t mean to do that. Yeah…yeah he is but I know you tried, you did the best you could so calm down, you have nothing to be sorry for. It wasn’t your fault, everything is gonna be all right. Just tell me who did this to you. Come on, stay with me, I have to know Johnny, who was it?"

Weakly Johnny answered, "Don’t worry…’bout it…used...to pain...my best…wasn’t good…enough…was it…Alan…Alan…Thompson…I…sent him to…to…prison… ten…years ago…he…hates me…wants…me dead…looks…looks like…he’ll…get what…he…wants…I ain’t…gonna make it…so…thirsty…tired Roy…need to…sleep…I can’t…stay…awake…any longer…feel…sick…"

"I’m not gonna tell you again partner, you are not going to die. What would I do without ya?"

 Seeing Johnny was closing his eyes, Roy spoke a little louder, hoping to keep Johnny awake.

"Johnny…Johnny come on, you have to stay awake. Please try Junior, stay with me. Do you feel like you’re gonna throw up again?"

Johnny slowly and very weakly answered, "You’d manage…fine…without me…nah…nothin’ left…can’t stay awake…jus’…’member…somethin’…for me…if anything…happens…to me…you’re my…best…best friend…do me…a…favor…’kay…"

"Nothing is going to happen to you partner, how many times do I have to say it."

"Roy…please…listen…to me…"

"Okay, calm down. Tell me what you want me to do Johnny."

"Call…mom and…and dad…tell ‘em…tell ‘em…I…love ‘em…so much…and that I’m…I’m sorry…this happened…did…didn’t want…it to…gonna…miss ‘em…I gotta…gotta… sleep…jus’…let…me…go…I’m hurt…too…bad…"

Hearing this made Roy even more worried about his friend. Even though Johnny didn’t talk about his family very much, Roy had learned from his best friend that his parents had been killed six years earlier in an auto accident. Roy saw that he had lost the battle to keep Johnny awake.

Roy gently touched the shoulder of his unconscious friend as he softly whispered, "You’re my best friend to Johnny. You are not goin’ anywhere because nothing is gonna happen to you so you just rest and you can tell me the whole story later. Trust me partner, your mom and dad knows you love ‘em. I got the feelin' they're up there watchin' out for ya." 

Roy began to wonder what Johnny had been into ten years ago but he vowed to fight to keep his partner and best friend alive.

"Brad, let’s step on it!"

~E!~E!~E!~E!~ 

Arriving at Rampart Roy was meet by Drs. Brackett and Early.

"Treatment five Roy." Brackett ordered.

With panic in his voice Roy said, "Doc, Johnny lost consciousness again about three minutes ago and his B/P has fallen to 50/30. He kept saying his chest hurt when he breathed and I still can’t get the bleeding stopped.”

Seeing the look on Roy’s face, Kel asked, "Roy, what's wrong…did something else happen?"

"Johnny, he asked…asked me to…"

"To what Roy?"

"To let him go, he wanted me to let him die…he said he was hurt too bad. Please Doc, you can help him…can’t you?"

Turning to Joe he said, "Joe, notify the OR and tell them we’re coming up right now. Let’s go! Roy, just take it easy, we’ll get him into surgery and we’ll do all we can, he won’t die if we can help it. Has he vomited anymore?"

"No. But he has complained about feeling sick but the last time was just before we loaded him into the ambulance."

Kel patted Roy on the shoulder as they wheeled Johnny out of the room and up to the OR.

"Hang in there Johnny, you’ll be fine partner." Roy whispered to his friend.

Ten minutes later the rest of 51’s crew arrived at Rampart. As they entered the lounge they found Roy sitting at the table with his head in his hands. They immediately thought the worse.

Hesitantly Cap asked, "Roy…Roy is Johnny alright…he isn’t…dead is he?"

"Oh…no Cap, I’m sorry if I scared you, I’m just scared and worried myself. Johnny’s still in surgery but I haven’t heard a word about how he’s doing. They took him up as soon as we got here."

"That means it’s bad, doesn’t it?" Chet gloomily asked.

Hoping to make everyone feel better, Marco said, "Come on Chet, Johnny’ll be okay. Don’t think that way."

Looking up at his friends Roy said, "I don’t want to think negative either but it’s pretty bad Marco. Johnny couldn’t feel his arm and I never could get the bleeding stopped. He was having trouble breathing so one of the bullets could have hit his lung."

"If he can’t feel his arm then what does that mean, is that gonna be permanent?" Mike asked.

"I don’t know Mike, it could be. He could have some nerve damage but if they can’t get the bleeding stopped it isn’t gonna matter anyway cause he’ll…sorry, I shouldn’t think that way."

Roy didn’t have to finish. Everyone in the room knew what could happen…they could lose Johnny.

Suddenly Dixie came into the room. "Hi guys."

Jumping to his feet Roy asked, "Dix, have you heard any news on Johnny?"