If You Believe by Sage Rory John Gage breathed deeply as he stepped out of his Land Rover and into the parking lot of Station 51. A warm wind from the north was blowing down from the mountains, and Johnny could swear he smelled just a hint of pitch from the many pine trees up there. 'I should really go camping this weekend,' he thought of his next two days off. It wasn't technically the weekend as the days would be a Tuesday and a Wednesday, but to him, everyday off was the weekend. 'Only one night though,' he continued silently, taking another deep breath, 'but still...just to get out there for a while...maybe go to the lake for the night...go canoeing for a bit...that'd be worth it.' "Wake up," Chet ordered teasingly as he passed and noticed the dreamy, somewhat sleepy expression on the other man's face. "I ain't sleepin'," Johnny growled, annoyed at the interruption to his thoughts, and at the general reference to laziness he always felt accompanied such a comment, whether the speaker intended the reference or not. "Could'a fooled me," Chet needled on, putting an exaggerated 'zoned out' expression on his own face for a moment. "Oh get real," the darker man huffed, pushing by him and heading for the rear station door. Thoroughly entertained, and already bored with his morning, Chet trailed after Johnny, walking and moaning like a zombie from a bad Saturday night movie. As Johnny headed for the locker room to change, the curly headed man broke off his pursuit, and turned for the kitchen for a cup of coffee, which he hoped he might find, left over from the previous shifts morning pot. "Rrrrrrrrrrrrrr," he continued to moan, forgetting Gage could no longer hear or see him. The moment he stepped into the kitchen, Henry struggled to his feet and began to growl back, the hair standing up on end all along his neck. "Easy Henry, it's just me...your good old friend Chet." He walked over to pet the nervous hound dog, but as he raised his hand, Henry gave him a warning bark and snapped at him, catching only air in his mouth, but making his point very clear. "Get 'im Henry," Marco encouraged. Mike chuckled and went back to his newspaper. "Hey, that's not funny Marco," Chet complained. "I thought it was! Serves you right for trying to scare him...right Henry?" "I wasn't trying to scare him!" "Then what were you doing, Chet?" "Let me guess," Cap interrupted, having followed Chet into the kitchen as he'd left his office, "you were trying to annoy Gage." Chet opened his mouth to answer, but he had no defense. "Doubly serves you right then," Mike piped in from behind the sports section. "Oh what are you now Mike, Johnny's protector? You better let Roy know, cause he thinks HE has that job." "I have what?" Roy asked coming into the room in his uniform. "Ahh...nothin' Roy. You want some coffee?" "Sure Chet," Roy said holding up his cup and grinning when he realized Chet had just emptied it. "Looks like you need to make some more." "Now wait a minute, that was for you...he who finishes it--" "Uh uh," Marco disagreed, "Whoever empties it has to make it." "But I DIDN'T empty it, Roy got the last cup, I poured it for HIM!" "And don't think I don't appreciate it Chet. Thank you...thank you...from the bottom of my heart." "What's going on?" Johnny asked coming into the room as he adjusted his Paramedic pin on his uniform. "Nothing Johnny," his Captain told him, "Chet was just getting ready to make the coffee." "Oh yeah?" Johnny grinned from ear to ear, "oh no...." he added as the smile quickly slipped away. "Give it here, I'd like to actually be able to drink it this morning." "Amen to that," Mike agreed as he emptied his cup in anticipation of a John Gage pot. "Wait a minute," Roy ordered as he grabbed Johnny's wrist to prevent him from proceeding. The lighter man of the two began to rummage through the cupboards until he found what he was looking for. Placing a large bag of sugar victoriously on the counter, he smiled. "Okay Johnny, go ahead." Johnny shook his head as he began to make the pot again. "I swear Roy, you make yours so weak I don't even know why you bother." "You make yours so strong, it could take the paint off the side of a house!" "Amen to that," Mike grinned in agreement, pushing his cup over, letting Johnny know he'd be wanting some as soon as it was done. "His wife been making him go to church again?" Johnny whispered quietly into Roy's ear. "She must," Roy agreed shaking his head. "Hey Pal," Cap said to Chet as he took a mug away that the man had just picked up, "don't you think you better get dressed?" "Dressed?" "Into your uniform." "Nah Cap," Marco cut in, "Chet wants ta fight fires in corduroys today. He's making one of them...uh...statements." "You're whacked Marco," Chet replied leaving the kitchen. Minutes later he reappeared zipping up his fly. "Well that was fast," Johnny told him surprised. "Yeah, well, I don't want Mike gettin' all the coffee!" "Hey hey hey Mike! I made it, I get the first cup," Johnny insisted as Mike tried to pick up the finished pot before anyone else could get to it. "Here," Mike offered filling Johnny's cup in order to keep from having to put the pot down. "Thank you." "Your welcome," Mike smiled filling his own. Chet lifted his cup for a fill, but Mike set the pot down on the stove and pulled out a chair for himself instead. "What am I today, chopped liver?" Chet asked filling his own cup. "Nope, Menudo maybe," Marco offered. "Me-whata?" "Menudo." "What's Menudo?" "Guts soup," Johnny answered for him. "Guts soup? No way. No way that's a real thing." "Menudo's a singing group, isn't it?" Cap asked anyone. "It is too a real thing Chet," Johnny countered, "and it's guts soup." "No matter how many times you say it Gage, I ain't gonna believe ya." "He's right, so to speak," Marco told him. "What do you mean so to speak?" "It's soup made with the cow's intestines." "I think I'm gonna be sick," Cap offered, pouring most of his freshly poured cup of coffee down the sink. "No way Marco, I ain't falling for it." "Suit yourself Chet, but it's the truth." "Who would eat a soup made out of a cows guts?" "Lots of people Chet, I eat it!" "You DO?" Johnny asked surprised. "Sure, don't you?" "NOOoooooo! No WAY! That stuff looks dis-GUSTING!" "It's gooood Johnny!" "Oh I get it, you guys are still trying to get me to believe it. Well you can forget it. I'm no where NEAR as gullible as Gage." "I'm NOT--" Johnny started as the klaxons cut him off. "Station 51, respond to a report of a missing child. Thirteen-Seventy seven Grand View, One-three-seven-seven Grand View, cross-street Detroit. Time out 8:07." Mike grabbed the cup of coffee he had been letting cool for a few minutes and bottomed it out in one large gulp, though it had still been steaming. "GEEZ!" Johnny balked, "didn't that HURT?" "Yup!" Mike croaked painfully, "but I've gotta feeling I'm gonna need it." All of the men felt wide awake, with or without a sudden caffeine high, as they pulled into the bright sunlight of the new day. Thirty minutes later, due in part to morning traffic, they arrived at their destination. The home they were to respond to sat three houses from the end of a Cul-de-sac in a developing housing area. The house at the very end of the road was still being constructed, and its yard was currently a large mud-hole. "Oh thank god you're here! Elizabeth is missing and I've looked everywhere! No one's seen her since I put her in bed last night! No one! I've asked everyone!" "Ma'am," Cap jumped in hoping to calm her down and get some facts, "ma'am could you sit down on the curb ahhh--" "Bumper of the engine," Roy told him as Hank glanced down and noticed the dirt from the end house seemed to have washed into the road pretty much everywhere, including the woman's front curb. "Come sit down here for a minute mam. I promise you, we'll find--" "No you don't understand, Elizabeth is sick. She's been sick for a long time. She--" "Sick or not ma'am, it only means she couldn't have gotten as far away than if she'd been healthy, right? We'll help you find her. This here is Roy. He's a Paramedic. I think the first thing we need to do it make sure YOU are all right. We're gonna need you healthy so you can help us find your daughter. Okay?" "I'm just gonna put this around your arm here for a second. Try taking some deep breaths for me all right? Slow and deep," Roy encouraged her. "What ah...can you tell me your name?" "Of course I can, It's Katy Hewitt!" "Johnny, blood pressure is 180 over 90. Mam? I really need you to try to calm down okay?" "I'm fine really! I just need you to--" "Mam, we're gonna find your little girl, I promise," Johnny told her, pushing his helmet back on his sweaty head and flashing her a dimpled grin. "What's your little girl's name?" "I already told that one over there," the woman informed him with a nod of her head, "her name is Elizabeth and--" "Elizabeth is a really pretty name. About how old is she," Johnny asked with a casual tone. With a quick settling breath, she answered "ten." "Ten," Johnny repeated as Roy began to call the woman's vitals in. "Ten is a good age. Ten year olds are smart. Believe me, I know," he smiled remembering the year before when he'd been asked to supervise a tour for a small group of them at Rampart. "Yes, she is smart. Too smart some times, but what can you do." "Does she have an imagination...like...does she play any pretend games?" "Oh yeah, that's mainly what she does, pretend games." Johnny took in the house at the end of the road and looked at Roy. "Did you uh...did you check out that house down there? Maybe she decided to...PLAY...house...in her very own house, so to speak." "Oh no. None of the kids are allowed anywhere near that place. They all know to stay away from there, especially MY kids. She'd never--" "She's all right Cap," Roy informed the tall lanky man, "I think we just need to keep her here and try to keep her..." he spoke quietly as he gestured twice downward with one hand. "Okay, how about this. Where do YOU think she may have gone?" Johnny asked packing up the equipment and setting it to one side. "I don't KNOW! That's why I CALLED you!" "Okay...ma'am? Ma'am? We're gonna find her, but we ARE gonna need your help. You've got to try to stay calm for us, okay? Where have you looked already?" "I've been ALL through the house, the basement, the garage, the attic...she sometimes plays in the attic. I checked both bathrooms, her bedroom--" "Anywhere besides in the house?" "No. I asked the neighbors if they'd seen her outside and they all said NO!" "Okay ma'am, but she IS ten. Where else might she go? A friend's maybe? Have you called all her friends?" "SHE DOESN'T HAVE ANY FRIENDS! Not any that aren't relatives anyway? She's close to her cousins, but they live ten BLOCKS from here! She'd never try to make it that far! I still can't believe she left the HOUSE!" "Sounds to ME like the kid got fed up with house ARREST!" Chet mumbled quietly to his Captain. "Cap," Johnny spoke quietly as he walked over, removing his helmet for a moment to run his hand through his dampening hair caused by the heightening sun, "I'm not gettin very far. If she's hurt, we need to get moving. I say the first place we check is that house down there." "It seems to me to be the most logical place to start. Take Roy and check it out." "Roy?" Johnny called as he gestured with his head to the half-built house. "Chet, how 'bout you and Marco go in the house and do another, very thorough check with the lady," Cap ordered. "All she's gonna do it yell that she's looked there all ready," Chet complained not liking the idea of snooping around someone's house in the presence of the said someone. "I realize that pal, but there's no sense in wasting time when it will be the most logical place to check as soon at Gage and DeSoto are done over there. Just sweet-talk her into it." "Why couldn't he have had Gage sweet-smile her into it," Chet grumbled to Marco as they walked toward the woman who was now glaring at the backs of the two fireman walking directly toward the house where she'd insisted her child would not go. Chet flashed his biggest and bestest grin, but it still to Marco five minutes of talking before the woman would guide them inside. ~/~/~/~/~ "Nothin'," Johnny spit out as he came down the stairs with a mouth full of damp sawdust. "Nothin' down here either," Roy informed him. "Great, now what?" "You're asking me?" "You're the one with kids! Where would they go?" "About a million different places for just as many reasons." "Oh that helps." "Well at least the kid's ten, it's not like we have to worry about a little baby." "On the other hand, a ten year old can get a whole lot father than a little baby." "You're right there." "I guess we go back and try to ask some more questions." "After you," Roy coughed as he held up the plastic that covered up the opening for the front doorway. With a lopsided grin, Johnny opted to exit the building through the un-built wall. "Ya nut!" Roy laughed. ~/~/~/~/~ "Any luck?" Roy asked as he saw first Chet and then Marco and Cap come out of the house. Cap shook his head, "you guys neither huh," he iterated, saying aloud what he already knew. "Now what?" Chet asked. "Ma'am?" Johnny pressed on, "do you only have your daughter, or do--" "I have four kids. Elizabeth, Casey, Jennifer and Evan." Roy felt a stab in the stomach at the mention of the third child's name, and he felt grateful it wasn't the name of the one that was missing. "Where uh...where are the other kids?" "Jennifer is staying overnight at a friend's, and Casey and Evan went to the park early." Johnny fought hard the strong urge to roll his eyes. "Ma'am, have you CHECKED the park?" "No...no, she wouldn't go with them. Especially not without telling me." "Well ma'am, she has to be somewhere, maybe we should check the park. Where exactly is it?" "She wouldn't GO to the park." "Then where WOULD she go?" "I...I don't know," she admitted in defeat. "Maybe she did, but I just don't think she would. She can't keep up with the other kids and it just makes her sad. She prefers to just stay at home and read her books...play with her little animals. She's sick a lot so--" "She's kind of a home body?" Chet asked. "Exactly. She really doesn't GO out." "Before today," Cap reminded her. "Before today." "What kind of places would she like to visit? Has she ever talked about wanting to see some place...some thing?" Johnny asked "She's a real dreamer. She was always talking. She said a few weeks ago she'd like to go to Ireland to see the fairies." "Fairies?" "She read about them in a book. She's just young enough yet to believe that they just might be real. Or she did before Casey told her they weren't" "Where uh...where do fairies live?" Roy asked, "besides in Ireland. I mean--" "In the woods, near a small pond I think." "Is there a pond or a lake or a--" "No, not around here," Johnny told him looking around at the landscape. "Has she talked about anything else?" "Nothing I can remember right now. There's always something she's interested in. With kids, who can keep up?" "All right..." Cap jumped back in, "well...I guess we start by canvassing the neighborhood. Look in the backyards, side yards, ask questions, and hope we come up with something. Marco and Stoker start on the other side of the street. Chet and I will start here. Gage, you and Roy start at the bottom of the next block over and work your way out. We'll use the handy talkies in case any of us finds anything. Ma'am, do you have any recent photographs of--" "Yes, we just got their school pictures a few weeks ago." "Cap, uh...before we start the block," Johnny spoke as the mother began to pass out wallet sized photos, "I still think maybe Roy and I should check out that park...just in case." "Good idea John, go ahead, and let us know." "Sure Cap...Ma'am? Where is the park that--" "Never mind Johnny, I think I hear it," Roy told him as he started down the block. Johnny gave her an apologetic smile and hurried after his partner. "We'll find her," he told her once again. ~\~\~\~\~ "Man," Johnny mumbled as the two of them walked toward the sound of children's laughter, "ten...I just don't get it. She's awfully panicked over a ten year old." "Yeah, but she did say she's been sick." "Yeah...but still. She's kind of going overboard, don't cha think?" "Maybe a little, but most mother's do. You should have seen Joanne once when she lost Chris at the Mega-Super Market." "Oh yeah? When was that?" "Few years ago." "Oh...but...Chris was only three then, right?" "Yep." "See, that's my point. He's still only six now, but I bet Joanne doesn't get all balmy every time he gets out of her sight." "No...well...depends on where they are." "I still say she's going at least a little overboard." "I haven't disagreed with you Johnny." "Huh? Oh yeah...you didn't." Roy shook his head and smiled. A red-headed boy in a striped t-shirt ran at them, firing his cap pistol as he passed. "Nice kid," Johnny frowned as he tried to focus his eyes on the girls. He pulled his picture from his pocket and began to look for long blond hair. "HEY! Elizabeth?" he called spotting one. "Who, me?" "Yeah you, is your name Elizabeth?" "No, Kassy. Why?" "You about ten?" "NOOooooo! I'm TWELVE!" "Oh...well, do you know Elizabeth Hewitt?" "No," the young girl all but sneered. "Well thanks anyway," Johnny answered with a perplexed roll of his eyes as she ran off toward the swings. "Age is a sensitive thing with kids," Roy explained. "Huh?" "You asked her if she was ten. Now if you'd OVER estimated her age, she'd have been your friend for life!" "Oh really. She was a girl wasn't she? If I over estimated say...Dixie's age--" "She'd be mad." "Uh huh. So exactly WHEN do their feelings about age switch?" Roy thought for a moment. "I have no idea." Johnny shook his head. "Women are just too complicated." "There's another one," Roy said as he gestured to another blond girl running away from them. "It's your turn." "Why?" "I can only take so much rejection. Besides, you're used to it." "To WHAT!" "Funny blond-headed girls." "Oh," Roy answered quietly. "Hey there, wait up." "Yeah?" "Is your name Elizabeth Hewitt?" he asked quickly trying to compare her to the picture before she got away. "No." "Hey uh...do...do you KNOW HER?" he tried, but it was too late, she was long gone. "Could I help you?" a woman, and apparently a mother, offered as they walked by her park bench. "Well maybe. We're looking for a missing little girl. You ever see her around here?" he asked handing over the photo. "Oh, that's Elizabeth." "Yes!" Johnny smiled, "have you seen her here to--" "Here? No. She never comes to the park. Her brothers and her sister do, but not--" "I don't suppose you'd have any idea where she might have gone to, would you?" "Sweet-tooth!" Johnny exclaimed with a snap of his fingers. "Huh?" "Maybe she has a sweet tooth! Maybe she went for an ice-cream or to buy some candy. If her mother doesn't allow her to have a lot of it, it would definitely explain why she left without her mother know." "No. You're wrong there," the mother told him. "Katy let's Elizabeth have anything she wants." "REALLY?" "Yeah. She's stricter with the other kids, but with Elizabeth, RANDY NO! GET DOWN FROM THERE NOW! I told you if you climbed up there ONE MORE TIME WE WERE GOING HOME! NOW you can just GET movin'" "So much for that," Johnny muttered as he watched her hustle her son out of the park. "Well that wasn't very helpful. She pretty much agreed with everything the mother told us." "Great, so where did she go?" "I don't know. Should we keep looking here?" "For a while. No sense in not, and then having to come back." "I guess. I just wish we had a more definite place to start." "Me to Pally...me too." ~\~\~\~\~ A half an hour later, having split up with Roy to cover more ground, Johnny slumped into a swing to watch some three year olds play in a sandbox. A few minutes later Roy joined him to stand by his side. "She's not here, Roy," Johnny spoke with a note of defeat. "I know," he agreed, swinging his long since removed helmet by its strap, and peering into the sunlight as he heard some more children's squeals. "Come on," he added, giving Johnny a couple of pats on the back, "let's go see how far the guys have gotten canvassing the neighborhood." ~\~\~\~\~ Four more hours passed, and after having exhausted the neighborhood, the men found themselves all back at the Hewitt house, drinking water, and trying to come up with ideas to help them search. The Police had been called, and the mother nervously waited their arrival. Still, the men refused to start believing that the missing child may have been kidnapped, they just needed a more organized plan in searching to find her. Johnny drummed his fingers on the dining room table, willing his brain to come up with more ideas. Despite what the woman at the park had said, he and Roy had driven around to every possible place the child might go for sweets, including every gas station that ever sold a candy bar. No one had even seen her. "Ma-uh," a boy's voice called as it was followed by thundering footsteps, "I'm hu--" His surprise at what he saw in his kitchen made him loose his thought immediately. "MOM!" another boy's voice called as they all heard the front screen door slam. Moments later he ran smack into his younger brother, still standing open-mouthed in the arched kitchen doorway. "MOVE STUPID!" "Casey!" his mother scolded. "Sooorrrrrrry!" the boy sneered before looking up and becoming very shamefaced as he saw how many grown men were staring at him. "Mom?" he asked, his voice much weaker and lacking its former self confidence. "I have an idea, why don't you kids eat in the backyard today." "The backyard?" "Yes. You go on out and I'll...where's Jennifer?" "Huh?" "Jennifer, did you forget to stop and get her again?" "I'm so--" "Well never mind, I'll call over there and see if one of the other mothers can bring her back on their way home. Maybe Sheila--" "Mom? Did Elizabeth--" "No Casey. She just went...for a walk, and we're trying to figure out--" "A WALK?" "It's not what you think Casey," she hushed him eyeing his younger brother. "She went out this morning and we just don't know where yet." Evan's eyes turned into saucers and his mouth dropped open as his younger mind managed to decode the final part of the conversation. "Come on Evan," Casey said taking his younger sibling by the shoulder and pushing him toward the door to the backyard. "But--" "Come ON EVAN! The grownups need to talk about stuff, can't you see that stupid?" "CA-SEY! For God's sake! Why do you HAVE to keep calling your younger brother--" "Sorry mom," he sputtered out as he pulled the door closed. "Something was not right there," Roy spoke, getting to his feet and walking toward the backdoor. "I know," the mother added. "I've tried everything to get him to stop calling him names but--" Roy pulled open the door and stepped into the backyard. "...BELIEVED YOU!" Evan whined loudly. "No she didn't Evan! She's not stupid!" "She did too! She BELIEVED you!" "Who believed what?" Roy asked causing both boys to look up, guilt screaming from their faces. "NOTHING!" Casey insisted. "Casey told her he saw fairies in the cave." "Elizabeth." "Yeah!" "Tattle--" "Where is this cave." "There is no cave. I just made it up," Casey spoke cutting the younger boy off. "It's a mine thingy we found. It's our fort!" Even insisted, "and it's a hole in the rocks so it is TOO a cave!" "A mine's a mine and a cave's a cave, stu--" Casey faltered looking up at the large angering man. "Evan, come here," Roy ordered holding out his hand. "I DIDN'T DO IT! CASEY--" "You're not in trouble Evan...not with me anyway. But I do need to find your sister. I want you to come in and tell us everything you know about this place. Can you tell us how to get there?" "Nn...no. Casey knows the way. I always just follow him." "Casey," Roy spoke with a firmness that spoke volumes of its own, "you need to tell us where this cave is, NOW!" ~/~/~/~/~ "How much further is it?" Johnny asked wiping the sweat out of his eyes as he tried to keep up with the tow-headed boy on the bike. Casey had been unable to tell the Firemen how to get to the abandoned mine by way of streets, so Johnny suggested he follow the boy there, and use his handy talkie to radio the guys as best as he could, the roads they should take to get to the final destination. As he ran along behind the pedaling boy, he was beginning to wonder if it had been such a good idea after all. "I don't know," Casey answered his question without looking back to see if the old man was being able to keep up. Johnny rolled his eyes and tried to increase his speed as Casey started to pedal faster. For a couple more miles he ran, focusing on his breathing, and trying to keep from tripping on all the numerous rocks and exposed roots they were running over, on the narrow path they seemed to be following. Missing sight of a small stump, Johnny tripped and fell to his hand and knees. Spitting dirt from his mouth he called, "wait a minute." Casey kept on pedaling, getting farther and farther away. "I said WAIT a minute!" "WHAT?" Casey called over his shoulder. "WAIT A MINUTE!" Casey skidded to halt and turned around to see the tall thin man rubbing his hands gently on his pants, then examining his bloody palms. "What happened?" Casey asked very, impressed that the man wasn't crying. "I tripped, what does it look like?" "Oh," Casey said, picking up on the man's annoyed tone. "Just give me a minute to catch my breath, okay?" "Okay." "Damn it," Johnny cursed as he noticed a piece of gravel embedded in his palm, "I uh...I mean..." he stammered looking at the boy's innocent looking face. "It's okay," Casey told him, "my dad curses when he gets mad too. We each get a nickel every time we catch him at it." "Oh yeah?" Johnny grinned, carefully reaching into his pocket and handing the boy a coin. Casey grinned and looked at the shiny round piece. "This is a quarter," he honestly told the man handing it back. "It's okay, keep it. I just may be owing you the rest of it." "Squad 51, this is Engine 51, Gage? What is your status?" "Umm...we're still walking Cap," Johnny told him, pressing down the handy talkie button with one hand, while gesturing for Casey to start moving again with his other. "What road should we follow?" "I can't tell yet Cap, if this thing curves or we turn off on to something else again, you'd only have to back track if I sent you down the wrong road." With frustration evident in his voice, Cap replied, "keep in touch." "10-4" "He's mad," Casey told him pushing his bike along. "Nnnn...maybe a little." "At you or me?" Johnny grinned, "nah nah nah...just that it's taking a while." "Oh." Johnny took a deep breath in preparation. "You ready to get going again?" "Yeah." "Okay," Johnny puffed back as he fell into a jog. "How much farther?" "I don't knooowwww," Casey called back. ~/~/~/~/~ "Come on Johnny," Roy said aloud to himself as he rhythmically thumped on the steering wheel of the squad. He'd be the first to admit it should be Johnny who should follow the boy, but he was getting tired of waiting. "Cap?" Johnny's voice cracked over the handy talkie on the seat next to him, "I see the mine shaft...abooout...another half mile down from where I am now." "Where are you now?" Cap semi-growled back. He's was beginning to wonder if the other man's idea was going to work. "Give me a minute," Johnny answered, "gotta try to figure out where I am." Cap looked at Mike and shook his head. Mike's face remained emotionless as he set his hand on the key to start the engine the moment he knew where he was going. Three long minutes passed without a word from Johnny. Cap lifted the talkie to his lips, and was about to talk when sound from it startled him instead. "All right...take 110 to 96, left on 47, then...there's that...Mike, there's that fire break we were at earlier this year...when we got stuck in the canyon? Take that to 12. I see a road above the mine, looks about a hundred feet above...ahhh...is there another fire break off of 12? It's a dirt road looks like, not very even though." Mike grabbed the talkie and spoke for himself. "Yeah there is but...how far down are you?" "About a hundred feet below it." "No, down the road...going west right?" Cap felt entirely lost with Johnny's directions, and was glad Mike seemed to understand where he was going perfectly. "Yeah west, but...I don't know, maybe three miles?" "If you're a hundred feet or more below me I'm gonna need a marker." "I know, give me a minute." Two more minutes passed with no further word. "I hate it when he does that," Cap mumbled as he picked up the talkie to make contact himself. "I'm gonna hafta start a little fire--" Johnny squawked again before his Cap could press the button. "And I REALLY hate it when he does THAT!" "...use grass to make a lot of smoke. Radio dispatch and let them know what I'm doing in case anyone else sees it and calls it in. You're never gonna find us any other way." "10-4 Gage, will do, don't get carried away." "10-4" Mike started up the engine and began to drive according to Johnny's directions. Roy followed behind him, as glad as the Captain was that Mike seemed to know where he was going. Roy had no memory of a fire break that connected 47 to 12, but that was Johnny for you. He imagined Johnny must have gone hiking in the area at some time, then again, he'd been hiking just about every where at one time or another. "Smoke," Marco pointed out as they turned down the last fire break. "I see it," Mike told him. "That was a pretty good idea, wasn't it Cap?" Chet grinned. "So long as he doesn't set fire to the whole canyon and I have to explain why," Cap frowned back. The weather had been very dry of late, and many times, promised rains had never arrived. At the moment, there was a burning ban on all fires, hence Johnny's instructions about letting dispatch know what they were up to. Johnny stomped out his little smoke fire the moment he saw the engine stopping on the road above him. "Chet, take a couple canteens down there with you and soak that down thoroughly. I don't wanna take the chance that even a hot stone gets anything going again." "You got it Cap," Chet agreed as he began to tie a rope off to rappel down with. "All right gentlemen, let's get down there. Johnny, you need us to bring anything down?" he called over the talkie. "WATER!" "Chet, grab another--" "I got him Cap," Roy told him lifting a canteen that hung against the strap of the knapsack he decided to take down with him, just in case. A few moments later, he felt Johnny's hands on his back, helping to keep him from slipping as his feet touched the loose rocky bottom of the ground below him. "Is all the dirt around here this loose?" "Yup, water?" "Here," Roy grinned at his partner's sweat and dust streaked face. "Whoa, what did you do to your hands?" "Huh," Johnny squeaked between gulps. "Your hands," Roy asked snatching one to examine it. "Oh, I tripped." "No kidding." "Well ya asked me, didn't cha?" Johnny snapped back. Roy slipped the knapsack off to give his partner a quick cleaning and bandaging as he looked up at the other men coming down, and then over at the mine opening. "Have you--" "I called a few times, but I haven't heard anything. Didn't see anything on the way either. I take that back, she's out here somewhere, I think...maybe. What I saw was some sneaker tracks. Casey said he doesn't know of any kids who'd WALK out here so...I don't know. Could have been a kid walking their bike to rest or... There ARE sneaker tracks in the opening though...same kind...so maybe..." "--made by the same kid," Roy finished for him. "On the other hand, it seems as if a LOT of kids have been making this place into some sort of hideout. For a start, I smell some pot in there," Johnny told him, nodding toward the mine. "Anyway...if this IS where she decided to come to...with as far as it is from their house, and never having been out here before...if we don't find her in there...she's maybe..." Johnny didn't finish. He knew Roy would know what he was getting at, and as bad as finding her hurt in the mine might be, the fact that there was a good chance she never made it to the mine could be even worse. The day was hot, and getting hotter. A child without water, wandering around out there lost, would be harder to find, and less likely to make it, even if she wasn't injured. At the moment, they both hoped she was in the mine. "What happened to him?" Cap asked looking over Roy's shoulder. "Tripped," Roy told him, applying a final piece of tape. "He gonna need a tetanus shot?" "Nah," Roy grinned, standing and brushing the dirt from his pants, "his last one should still be good as least for another--" "ELIZABETH!" Johnny called out, walking to the mine and carrying his canteen with him. "ELIZABETH," Chet called out, joining him and giving the rotting wooden entryway a testing kick. "Watch it!" Johnny warned, yanking him out of harms way as dirt came cascading down. "Now THAT was really smart," Johnny hissed, spitting dirt out of his mouth for the second time that morning. "You all right?" Roy asked as the Irishman shook off his helmet and brushed off his turnout coat. "Yeah fine," he groaned, now brushing dirt out of his mustache. "Heee's all right," Johnny told him with a smile. Slowly, he began to examine the entrance again for himself. "Cap, the less we try to touch anything, the better off we're gonna be." "Agreed," Cap spoke, looking for himself. "All right, why don't you and Roy go in and see what you can find. I think the less people bumping around in there, the better too." "All right," Johnny told him, turning to put on his turnout and helmet that Marco had made sure was sent down. "Oh this is hot," Johnny groaned quietly as the heated canvas scratched against the dirt sticking to his already hot and sweaty skin. Picking up his handy talkie, and taking a backwards glance to be sure his partner was right behind him, he cautiously picked his way through the opening and into the mine. He was happy to feel the temperature drop, albeit only a few degrees, and he continued further down the long narrow path. "Here, you might want this," Roy told him, lifting a flashlight up against the back of Johnny's arm where he figured he'd be able to grab it. "Thanks." At the moment, light broke through the so called roof, between the narrow spaces of wooden planks that served to brace the opening; but only a little further in, there would be no light at all. "ELIZABETH?" Johnny called out. "ELIZABETH, ARE YOU IN HERE?" Roy added. "WE'RE FIREMEN, SO THERE'S NO NEED TO BE AFRAID. ARE YOU IN HERE? YOU'RE MOM'S WORRIED ABOUT YOU, IF YOU'RE IN HERE, YOU NEED TO CALL OUT TO US, OKAY?" Both men held their breath, wanting to be able to pick up on the weakest possible response. They heard nothing. As they walked further and further in, they called and waited until the tunnel split in two. "Now what?" Roy asked taking off his helmet to wipe the moisture from his face with his hand. Johnny wiped off beads of sweat that were running from his hair and down the side of his face, with his sleeve. "You left, me right?" "All right, but I'll call you every other minute. If I can't contact you, we turn back until we can." "Good deal," Johnny agreed, pushing in the button on his talkie a few times, and hearing the popping sound that came out of Roy's talkie every time he did so. "Cap," Roy called once Johnny had started down his tunnel, "it splits in here, so Johnny and I are splitting up, me left, him right. We'll keep in touch." "Copy that Roy, if either of you hits another split, you take every right, and Johnny should take every left, that way we can find each of you if need be, and you might even meet up again." "10-4 Cap," Roy agreed. "10-4," Cap heard Johnny answer. "ELIZABETH?" Johnny called loudly once he had let the button go, "ELIZABETH?" "Elizabeth?" came Roy's fading answer as he moved in his own direction. Johnny paused for a minute to listen to his partner's calling, then took a better grip on his flashlight, and continued further in. He could tell he was going downhill most of the way, which meant he was probably now down below the entry way where they'd come in, albeit further over. He tried to keep a feel for direction, but underground, twisting left, then right, then left so often, he soon had no way of knowing exactly which direction he was facing. In fact, a fear started growing in his heart that if he closed his eyes and rested for a few minutes, upon opening them again, he might not even know from which direction he had just come. Kneeling in the dirt, Johnny drew an arrow pointing the direction he was going, and the fear left his chest. "Johnny?" "Yeah," Johnny grinned hearing Roy's voice. "Kind of disorienting down here, isn't it? Maybe we should try to draw arrow's in the dirt to help us keep track of which way we're going." "Good idea Roy," Johnny laughed, making his arrow bigger with the toe of his boot. "ELIZABETH?" He waited to hear Roy's similar call, but heard nothing, so he knew, that without the handy talkie, Roy could no longer hear him. "Roy?" he called pushing in the button. "Yeah?" "Just uh...just checking in." "10-4," Roy grinned. The smile fell from his face when he saw what was before him. "Cap, it's Roy, I got another split, going right." "10-4," Cap answered. "You want me to follow in after Roy and take the other path Cap?" Marco volunteered. "No yet pal, two in there at the moment is enough," Cap told him as they watched more dirt slide down around the opening. Marco's eyes followed the wall of dirt up and over toward where the vehicles were parked. "CAP? MIKE NEEDS TO MOVE THE ENGINE NOW!" ~/~/~/~/~ Roy paused to take off his helmet and dry his face with his sleeve. Putting it back on he frowned. The hair stood up on the back of his neck as his ears picked up an eerie high pitched sound. "Johnny? Are you whistling?" he asked keying his talkie. The sound stopped. "Yeah...why, you hear me?" "Yeah," Roy smiled, comforted now by the sound. As they both continued on, Roy could hear it getting louder until it stopped completely and suddenly. "Johnny?" he asked with the talkie. "Yep?" "You okay?" "Yeah, just getting a drink of water." "Oh," Roy laughed. Dark places gave him the creeps. ~/~/~/~/~ "MIKE, BACK UP THE ENGINE!" Cap shouted at the top of his lungs waving his arms frantically. "BACK IT UP!" Without taking a moment to guess why, Mike started the engine and began to move back down the fire road. ~/~/~/~/~ Ahead of him, Roy could swear he saw a light flash, he pressed his own light against his leg to send him into darkness and blinked his eyes until he saw it again. "Johnny?" he called without using the talkie. "Yeah? Where are you?" "Keep coming," Roy told him, flashing his light a few times in Johnny's direction, then stopping to take a drink of water from his own canteen. Down the tunnel, Johnny came into view. "Man," he heard Johnny smile from behind his bright flashlight, "are you a sight for sore eyes." His friend suddenly turned back toward the direction he had just come from, where Roy could see the beginning of another tunnel off of the one they were on. "Johnny?" "Heard something," Johnny called starting down it alone. "Wait up," Roy called capping his canteen and picking up his flashlight. In a moment he heard something too, loud rumbling, and crashing, and the cracking of support beams as the earth above decided to give way. ~/~/~/~/~ Mike pulled back to safety, but felt sick at the sounds he heard below the ridge he'd just been on. Somewhere below him, in old man made tunnels, two of his stationmates were beneath all that dirt. "Mike, send down the shovels!" he heard his Cap call from below. Sprinting into action, he pulled out the shovels and filled up a stokes with as much other equipment as he could possible fit into it, then began to lower it down. ~/~/~/~/~ Roy rolled to his back and flashed his light against the roof of the tunnel. The cave-in seemed to be over, but dirt still slipped about, trying to find a steady resting place before it stopped its movement. Getting to his feet, Roy aimed the flashlight toward the tunnel where he'd been heading before the collapse. There was no tunnel. "John-NIE?" "Gage, DeSoto, can you read me? Come in." "I can hear you Cap," Roy answered. "Johnny, can you read me?" "Cap, we've had a cave in down he--" pebbles hitting him hard on the helmet caused him to pause and take a quick look up. "We had a cave in down here. Johnny...was right in front of me. Our tunnels connected. There was another tunnel off of this one that Johnny was starting to go down, but...it's collapsed in. It's...it's solid dirt. It's loose dirt but...I'm gonna need some help in here." "Chet, Marco, go. Help is on the way pal," he added into the talkie. He heard a hard bout of coughing come back at him the moment he let go of the button, and wondered for a second why Roy hadn't let the button go. He radioed in a possible Code-I waited for backup and word from his men. |