Chapter Text
The Fire Talks
Chapter One
by GCS and Hotshow
DISCLAIMER: "Emergency!" and its characters © Mark VII Productions, Inc. and Universal Studios . All rights reserved. No infringement of any copyrights or trademarks is intended or should be inferred. This is a work of fiction, and any similarity to actual persons or events is purely coincidental. This story is only written for entertainment. No financial gain is being realized from it. The story, itself, is the property of the author.
The clicking of the gradually moving hands of the wall clock marked the time as the quiet fire house stood waiting for the next emergency call. Six men slept soundly in the dorm room. The peace was broken as the klaxons sounded bringing the men quickly to their feet. Slipping into their boots and turnout pants the six firemen scrambled for their positions on the engine or in the rescue squad, the captain pausing at the radio only long enough to write the call slips and acknowledge their response with dispatch. The two vehicles barreled out of the station with lights flashing and sirens blaring. They drove into the night snaking through the dark empty streets with practice and skill. They could see the yellow glow of a fire lighting the sky ahead. They could tell by the way the sky was glowing that this was going to be a big one. It was already a three alarm factory fire that was fully involved by the time the two vehicles from their station arrived on the scene. Firemen moved towards the burning inferno with hoses ready. A ladder truck company had already raised their ladder and firemen were on the way up it with hoses at the ready. A deluge truck had started spraying the roof and building front. What these brave firemen didn't know was that the fire like several before it had been intentionally set. The arsonist had doused the inside of the factory with an accelerant that would cause it to burn fast and true. This factory would not survive the rapidly moving flames.
The A-shift of Station 51 had completed their morning duty assignments and was now gathered in the dayroom. Roy and Johnny sat at the table sipping coffee. Roy read the newspaper sports page. Johnny was writing something on a legal pad. Mike sat across the table reading a novel. Marco walked over and flipped on the television to catch the news. Captain Stanley as he usually did was working in his office on reports. Chet was the last to enter the room having just finished cleaning the latrines. "What ya reading Mike?"
"A book Chet."
"Ha Ha…what book Mike?"
"Oh well it's a new novel I saw at the store. Looked interesting. It's about firemen," Mike held up the cover to show Chet the picture of the rescue squad and fire engine racing into the night on the front cover.
"What's it called?"
"The Fire Talks"
"Well what's it about?"
"I told you Chet it's about firemen."
"Okay okay you don't have to get testy." Chet pushed Henry over so he could sit down on the couch with the cup of coffee he had poured himself. "Move over dog. I want to sit down." Henry looked up at the stocky fireman and slowly moved out of the way only to turn back and plop his big head onto Chet's lap after he sat down. "Hey watch it Henry you're gonna make me spill my coffee."
"Hey guys the first fire in this book reminds me of one we fought a couple of years ago at a factory. I wonder who the author is." Mike proceeded to read the first paragraph to the group. "The clicking of gradually moving hands of the wall clock marked the time as the quiet fire house stood waiting for the next emergency call…"
Roy put the paper down and listened intently to Mike as he read aloud. Marco had joined them at the table. "Hey I remember the fire you're talking about. That place went up like a box of matches. We didn't have a chance at saving that building. The arson investigators decided it had been intentionally set," Marco shook his head as he remembered.
"You're right Marco I remember it started out as a three alarm call. I think a couple of firemen were injured before the chief called everyone out to surround and drown," Roy remembered as well.
"Who wrote that book Mike?" Chet asked from the couch.
"Fella named Chris J. Bean. I don't know any county fireman named Bean." Mike looked on the back of the book and on the last pages in the book to see if there might be a picture of the author.
"Hey I read a short story by that guy in the Firemen's Quarterly newspaper. He's really good. Where did you buy that book Mike? I think I'll pick up a copy," Roy had gotten up from his seat and moved over beside Mike taking another look at the book.
"I got it at the bookstore yesterday. They had a table set up in the new releases section."
"I think I'd like to read that too," Marco agreed with Roy. "How about you Chet?"
"Sure I think it sounds interesting."
Johnny still sat sipping his coffee and occasionally jotting something down on his notepad.
"What ya writing over there Gage?" Chet loved to torment his pigeon.
"Nothin' Chet."
"What's a matter Gage making a new list of nurses that dumped ya? Has there been so many you have to keep a list so you won't forget and ask them again?" Chet chuckled at himself.
"Shut up Chet!" Johnny cut his eyes towards the curly haired fireman, got up from his seat, rinsed his coffee cup and left the room. He went to the locker room and stored his notepad in his locker. He didn't want anyone to see the things he had written. Carefully putting it into his duffel bag Johnny zipped it up and sat inside the front of his locker propping his feet on the bench. Roy came into the locker room to check on his partner.
"You okay Johnny? You seem kind of quiet this morning."
"Yeah Roy, Chet just gets on my nerves sometimes."
"Well Junior I know what you mean. What do you think about that book Mike's reading? Sounds interesting don't you think?" Roy moved to sit on the bench thinking maybe he could change the subject and keep Johnny from going into a tirade about Chet. Sometimes Johnny could get hung up on something and talk about it for hours. Roy didn't want to spend the day listening to one of Johnny's rants.
"Sounds okay I guess."
"I think I'll pick up a copy. Do you want me to get you one?" Roy asked.
"Nah."
Roy could tell that his partner was in one of his moods and decided to leave him alone. "Well I'm gonna…" His statement was interrupted by the klaxons calling the squad to a woman in labor call. The two paramedics raced to the squad knowing that a woman in labor could mean anything from the first contractions to a quick delivery as soon as they arrived.
The two paramedics returned to the station after transporting the woman in labor to Rampart. It was her first child. She was probably just scared. They both knew she was not really in labor yet, but to be safe they had transported her to be checked out. The engine was out, so they had the station to themselves.
"Hey Johnny do you want some coffee?"
"Yeah Roy I'll be there in a minute. I want to get something out of my locker. Pour me a cup would ya?"
Johnny came back into the dayroom with his notepad and took the seat next to Roy where his coffee awaited. Roy glanced over at the legal pad and wrinkled his forehead. "What are you writing Junior?"
"Like I told Chet this morning it's nothing. It's just a list."
"Must be kind of private looks like your writing it in Lakota; you only do that when you don't want Chet to find out what it says."
"Yeah." Johnny chuckled. "I guess you're right. He always looks through my locker when he's planning one of his pranks. I bet it drives him crazy that he can't read my stuff. I'll have to remember to keep writing stuff in Lakota just to keep him guessing. Maybe I'll plant some slips of paper on a regular basis just to keep him on his toes." The two friends really laughed at that idea.
Roy noticed that Mike had left his novel over on the table beside the couch. He got up and went to look at it again. Plopping down on the couch beside Henry Roy flipped through the first few pages to the dedication.
This my first novel is dedicated to the men and women of the Los Angeles County Fire Department who on any given day devote their lives to fighting fire and saving lives. These fine men and women risk their own safety to secure that of the public. It is also dedicated to a group of five men who have become my brothers. One in particular who shall remain nameless, but who has helped me understand what family is. This is for you.
"Hey Johnny, this book really is written by an LA County fireman. It says so right here in the dedication."
Before Johnny had a chance to make a comment about the dedication they could hear the engine backing into the station. The four man crew came into the dayroom discussing their last run. "What's up guys? Did you have a rough one?"
"No it was just a little fire. Some kid torched his dog's house." Chet answered for the group.
"What?" Roy and Johnny said in unison.
"How'd he do that?" Johnny wanted to know.
"He decided that he needed a place of his own. He was kind of a small guy so he fit into the dog house. It was for a St. Bernard, so it was big. He wanted to keep warm and cook some hotdogs he had stolen from his mom's kitchen, so he built a little fire in the middle. Fortunately he was on the side by the doorway. The fire got hot and caught the dried wood on the roof. The mother called us, and the rest is history." Chet finished the story.
"Yeah it was amazing that the boy was able to get out without an injury. His mother was so upset." Marco smiled and continued, "The dog didn't look too happy either."
"You know I can see how the Chris J. Bean character could come up with enough stuff to write about. I mean we really get some strange runs. I'm looking forward to reading that novel. Did you guys see the dedication in the front of the book? I wonder which station the guy works out of. He's definitely from LA he dedicated the book to us. Firemen in LA I mean," Roy held up Mike's book.
Mike cleared his throat and held out his hand, "Ahem." Roy handed over the book smiling at his friend.
"What book?" Captain Stanley hadn't been in the dayroom earlier to hear about it.
"Fire Talks" by Chris J. Bean," Mike showed him the book. "Here read the dedication Cap. It's fiction, but the first response in the book sounds a lot like a factory fire we fought about three years ago. It was arson. The book is about an arsonist starting fires, the reasons behind why he does it and how they solve the case. I've only read a few pages, but it is really good."
Captain Stanley took the book from Mike and quickly read the dedication, "Well how 'bout that. I'll have to pick up a copy too."
"Hey Cap there's a book store a few blocks from here. Johnny and I could run over there and stay available. We could pick everyone up a copy," Roy suggested.
"Uh Roy? I uh don't…." Johnny started to say something but was interrupted by Captain Stanley.
"That's a great idea Roy. I don't think there is anything good on TV tonight anyway. I'd like a good book to read. However, you have to stay available." Stanley patted Roy on the back as he made his way over to the coffee pot for a refill.
"Come on Johnny let's go before we get…." He was interrupted by the klaxons. The six men ran to the waiting vehicles.
Their book club would have to wait.