Chapter One

"Chet, Johnny, knock it off!" Everyone jumped at the sharpness of Hank's voice.

"S…sorry, Cap." Chet stammered.

"Yeah, sorry," Johnny added.

Hank lowered his head as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen, his hands supporting himself on the doorjamb. "Just keep it down, please. I…I have a headache." Hank turned to leave.

Roy took a step toward his senior officer. "Cap, you've been having a lot of those lately. Maybe you should let me and Johnny take a look at you."

"No, I'm fine. Don't worry about it, Roy." Hank hurried away. The sound of his office door closing could be heard from the where the crew sat at the kitchen table.

"Man, what's with Cap lately?" Chet asked, still stung by the harsh words.

Roy remained near the doorway and stared down the bay at the office door. "I don't know. He sure has been miserable lately."

Johnny turned toward Mike who was leaning against the counter near the sink. "What's your take on this, Mike? Any clue what's eating, Cap?"

Mike shook his head then took a sip of his coffee. "No. He's been very distant for over a month now. I've tried to talk to him about it but he just shuts down."

Johnny turned back to look at Roy, concern creasing his brow. "You don't really think there is something wrong with him physically, do you, Roy?"

Roy shrugged and came back into the kitchen to refill his coffee mug. "It's hard to tell. You know Cap can over react and stress himself out. Remember when he thought he had arthritis?" Everyone nodded and Johnny allowed himself a small smile at the memory. "I don't know what else to do right now except to let him know we are all here to talk." There was a murmurs of agreement from the crew.

The phone rang but Hank picked it up in the office before anyone could answer it. Roy turned from pouring his coffee when he heard the muffled sound of his captain yelling at whoever it was on the phone. He ran a nervous hand through his hair as everyone stopped to listen. He was grateful when the yelling died down. Roy watched the light on the kitchen phone stay lit for a few moments then go out as Hank ended the call.

"Man, this sucks," Chet said. "We've got to do something."

"Maybe I should try talking to him again," Mike said placing his coffee mug down. The tones sounded but only for the Squad.

Johnny and Roy placed their coffee mugs in the sink next to Mike's and headed into the bay. Hank was already responding and handed Roy an address slip.

"Thanks, Cap," Roy said as he took the paper and handed it to Johnny.

As Roy made his way to the construction site accident, the squad radio blared out a multiple alarm fire at a factory off Wilmington Avenue. They glanced at each other as they heard Engine 51 respond.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we get called to that later," Roy said with concern.

"I was thinking the same thing," Johnny replied.

Johnny waited for Roy who was still with their patient in the exam room. He leaned back against the base station and watched as Dixie rushed from room to room, making sure everything was in order and all patients were being taken care of. She smiled at him as she made her way back to her desk.

"Well, hello there, Tiger."

"Hey, Dix. How's our patient doing?"

"Fine now that you got him here. Looks like a clean break and his head wound isn't serious. Roy should be out soon."

"Busy here today, huh?"

"It has been a madhouse," Dixie said with a sigh. Roy joined them at the desk. "Thanks for the help in there, Roy."

"Oh, no problem. Glad to lend a hand," Roy replied.

The handy talkie in Johnny's hand beeped.

Squad 51, what is your status?

"Squad 51 available from Rampart."

10-4, Squad 51, stand by for response.

"Bet it's that factory fire that the Engine got called to."

Squad 51, assist Engine 51, 2332 233rd Street. Two Three Three Two 233rd Street. Cross street Wilmington. Time out 1621.

Johnny responded "10-4, Squad 51."

"See ya, Dixie," Roy said as Johnny waved and trotted down the hall.

"Be careful out there," Dixie called after them. As always, Dixie sent up a prayer for her two favorite paramedics before returning to the mound of charts in front of her.

Less than ten minutes later, Johnny let out a low whistle as he saw the black smoke pluming into the sky. "Man, she's a monster," he said quietly as he picked up the radio mic. "Squad 51 on scene."

Squad 51, join Engine 51 at the east side of the structure.

"10-4 LA, Squad 51 out." Johnny hung up the mic and pointed to an opening where Roy could maneuver around the multiple fire apparatus to reach the east side of the burning structure. Once they located Engine 51, Johnny jumped out of the squad and made his way to Hank's side. Roy joined them.

"What's going on Cap? Any injuries?"

"None, thankfully. I need you to take another line in with Chet and Marco." Hank pointed to where one of their lines snaked inside the building.

"Got it, Cap. Come on Roy."

Hank watched his paramedics as they made their way to the doorway. Roy had the nozzle with Johnny behind him. When Johnny gestured back, Mike charged the hose and the paramedic team entered the building. Hank came to Mike's side and studied the gauges carefully. "Keep an eye on them, Mike."

"Sure thing," Mike replied as he deftly kept one eye on the gauges and the other on the scene in front of him.

Hank joined with two other station captains to discuss the ever-changing plan to overcome the raging fire consuming the old factory building. After speaking to them, Hank moved back toward the engine and saw Mike making adjustments, his face awash with concern.

"What's going on, Mike?"

"Not sure yet, Cap. One of the lines has been shut down suddenly."

"Which one?"

"Roy's line is down. Chet's is still up and running…but…I don't know. Something's wrong."

Hank placed a hand on Mike's shoulder as he pulled his handy talkie from his pocket. Before he could contact his men inside the device crackled and he put it to his ear for a moment to listen. Hank pushed the button. "HT 51, this is Engine 51, come in." When there was no reply, Hank looked around to see if there were any teams available to help him look for his men but there were none. He removed his helmet and moved to strap on his mask. "I'm going to go check on them, Mike."

Mike didn't have a chance to respond before Hank rushed into the smoky doorway.

Just inside, Hank met up with Roy who was assisting a limping Chet out the door.

"You okay, Chet?" Hank said loudly to be heard through the air mask.

"Just a twisted knee," Roy replied. "Part of the ceiling came down. Johnny is trying to free Marco up there." Roy pointed up at a set of stairs to Hank's right.

"Get Chet outside. I'll go help Johnny," Hank instructed. Roy nodded and continued on as Hank made his way through the debris-strewn hallway.

Once upstairs, Hank called out, "Johnny?"

"In here," came the muffled reply.

Hank rushed toward the sound of Johnny's voice, making his way around the ceiling wreckage in the room that appeared to be an office. He spotted Johnny trying to lift a ceiling beam off his downed crewmate. Hank was relieved to see Marco was fully conscious and also trying to lift the beam from where it pinned him sitting upright against the far wall.

Straddling Marco's legs with his own, Hank took hold of the beam with both hands. "On three," he instructed. "One, two..." With his help, Johnny could finally lift the beam high enough for Marco to slide out from under it. Marco slid out from between Hank's legs and once he was far enough away, Hank nodded to Johnny and they dropped the beam back down.

Johnny then moved to Marco's side as he attempted to get to his feet. His right arm protecting his left shoulder. "Hang on, Marco. Not so fast."

"I'm okay. Let's get out of here."

Johnny glanced back at Hank who pointed toward the door where he had come in. "If you think he can make it on his own, go ahead, John." Johnny nodded affirmatively and took hold of Marco around his waist. Just as they reached the doorway, the building shook as an explosion from the west side rocked the structure.

Johnny and Marco quickened their pace and were halfway down the stairs when Roy came up to help.

"Come on," Roy shouted. "This place is gonna go!" Seeing that Johnny had a good hold on Marco and Hank was coming down behind them, Roy turned back and retreated toward the doors but before he reached them, another blast shook the building. He grabbed onto a nearby wall to steady himself before turning to see Johnny and Marco in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Roy rushed toward them but as he did he spotted a ceiling beam coming loose above the staircase.

"Cap, look out!" Roy's warning came too late as the beam broke loose behind Hank and swung down at an angle cracking into the back of Hank's helmet. Roy rushed passed the fallen Johnny and Marco to try to stop Hank's fall. Roy simultaneously reached with his left hand to grab the stair railing while his right caught Hank's limp form across the chest.

Johnny had gotten up from where he fell and looked up in horror as Roy threw Hank over his shoulder and carefully turned to make his way down to the first floor. "I've got him, Johnny. Let's get out of here now."

Johnny pulled Marco to his feet once more and wrapped his left arm around his waist again. Marco was dazed but managed to throw his right arm over Johnny's shoulder and get his feet to start moving toward the exit.

Once they were safely outside, Mike came running up to Johnny and Marco. "No, Mike, help Roy. Cap's been hurt."

Mike's stomach clenched in fear as he looked beyond Johnny to see Roy carrying their senior officer. He could tell Hank was unconscious. "What happened, Roy?" Mike asked as he turned toward the squad and the waiting blankets he had spread out for Chet and Marco.

"Beam let loose and hit him as he was coming down the stairs." As Roy approached the blankets, Chet pulled himself up and moved aside. "Oh man, Cap!"

Mike reached up and eased Hank off Roy's shoulder and together they gently laid him on the ground. Roy removed Hank's helmet and tossed it aside. He supported Hank and examined the back of his head before laying him down. Mike was there with another blanket, still folded, to support Cap's bleeding head. "Thanks, Mike."

Everyone looks back as smoke and debris exploded from the doorway. Station 8's crew moved in to battle the blaze.

Marco brushed Johnny's ministrations away. "I'm fine, Johnny. Go help Roy with the Captain."

"Let me be the judge of whether you are fine or not and I'm right here if Roy says he needs help. Now let me take your coat off." Marco sullenly complied and let Johnny slide his turnout coat off his injured shoulder, never taking his eyes off his fallen Captain.

Johnny handed the BP cuff to Roy as he took down Marco's respirations and pulse. Roy completed his notes on Hank and handed the cuff back to Johnny then picked up the biophone. "Rampart base, this is Squad 51, how do you read?"

Go ahead 51, Morton's voice came from the speaker.

"Rampart we have two Code I's. Patient number one is a 41 year old male who has been struck by a beam on the back of the skull. Vital signs are, BP 108/64, pulse 56 and thread, respirations 14. Pupils are equal and reactive but sluggish. Patient is unconscious and unresponsive, Rampart."

51 where exactly was he struck?

"From what I can tell it is the lower parietal area near to the lambdoid suture."

10-4, 51. Start him on D5W TKO. Transport as soon as possible and keep me apprised of any changes in vitals.

"10-4 Rampart, IV D5W TKO." Roy handed the biophone to Johnny who then called in with Marco's vitals. "Mike, can you direct that ambulance I hear?" Roy looked up but Mike was already in the street, waving down the ambulance driver.

"Johnny, I'll go in with them. Hey, are you sure you are okay? You looked like you both fell pretty hard."

"Yeah, I'm fine, Roy. Thanks. I'm sure we'll all be bruised up after that. Right, Marco?"

"I'm fine," Marco said trying to sit back up but Johnny held him down on his good shoulder.

"Look, just relax. You at least get to go in the ambulance with Cap."

"I do?" Marco asked and Johnny nodded. "Okay then, I'll go."

Johnny looked over at Chet. "You can ride with me, Chet. You need to have that knee checked."

"Okay, Johnny," Chet answered sadly. He was worried about his captain and was glad he would be at the hospital with him.

After getting Hank on the gurney and into the ambulance, Roy and Johnny helped Marco into the back of the ambulance across from him. Johnny closed the ambulance doors and slapped them twice. He then turned to assist Chet into the squad.