Chapter Text
Root of All Evil 2: Love of Money
by Robin R Neher
When the crew of 51's arrived for duty the Monday after Johnny Gage's sudden departure, it was with a sense of loss. The guys all knew it was their fault Johnny was gone.
"If only we hadn't been so blind." Mike Stoker whispered. "Gold fever sure ravaged this station."
"No kidding!" Marco Lopez agreed as he and Mike changed into uniform in the station's lockeroom. "You guys were so dazzled by the possibility of money, you all stepped all over Johnny!"
"Now, you wait just a minute!" Mike growled, angrily.
"C'mon , Mike! Johnny's gone cause of your greediness!" Marco insisted. "No wonder poor Johnny left! I wouldn't want to stay here either if I were him!"
Marco finished changing and closed his locker door, then left the lockeroom. Roy came in shortly after. Mike pinched his nose.
"Roy, you smell like you've been rolling in garbage!" Mike exclaimed, nasally.
"No thanks to my loving wife!" Roy DeSoto griped. "Ever since that thing with Johnny, Joanne's been treating me like trash!"
"What do you mean?" Mike asked.
"Mike, My wife kicked me out! I've been sleeping at the garbage dump!" Roy told the Engineer.
"So, that's what that smell is!" Captain Hank Stanley gagged as he entered the lockeroom. "Roy, go get a shower!"
"Yes, Sir." Roy replied, heading toward the latrine.
"Poor Roy." Cap shook his head. "It's hard to make ends meet when you have a family."
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A few minutes later, a clean fresh smelling Roy emerged from the latrine. After getting into uniform, Roy was summoned to Cap's office.
"Now, Roy, tell me why you're living in a garbage dump." Hank ordered.
"Joanne kicked me out." Roy replied.
"I heard that part! Why are you sleeping in a dump?!" Cap demanded.
"Cap, it's kind of a personal project." Roy explained. "After Johnny left, I realized he was right! We were all holding our hands out for money that wasn't even ours! I decided to live for a month as a homeless person!"
"I see. Seeing how the other half lives, Huh?" Cap replied.
"Yeah." Roy nodded. "Cardboard box and the whole nine yards!"
"Hmm. You've just given me an idea, Roy." Hank smiled. "Get ready for roll call."
"Okay, Cap." Roy nodded.
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Meanwhile, at station eight, Johnny Gage was laughing uproariously as he worked under the hood of squad eight.
"What's so funny, Johnny?" Captain Hubert "Stoney" Stone asked.
"Stoney, I'm laughing all the way to the bank!" Johnny giggled. "Remember that Lottery ticket?"
"Yeah," Stoney replied.
"I went to the lottery commission yesterday. I won $1000." Johnny told his old friend. "That Lottery ticket that I was waving around at 51's was just a blank piece of paper! I had the real ticket in my pocket the whole time!"
"But what about what you gave Captain Stanley?" Stoney asked.
"Cap, do you honestly think that I'd trust anyone with my winning lottery ticket? The one that I gave Stanley was a losing ticket that I played six months ago!" Johnny laughed.
end part 1