Johnny slipped through a slit between the edge of a curtain and doorframe. When he reached the other side, the vision in front of him was staggering. The furniture was that of a giant. There was a huge bed, dresser, nightstand and exercise bike. He sidestepped in wonder and shock, his dry mouth wide open, his eyes squinting in the new light from the morning sun shining in a window. Then an all too familiar throbbing in his head returned with a vengeance, causing Johnny to close his eyes to ward off the pain. I can't believe this. . .it has to be an hallucination! Suddenly memories of times before came flooding back to the paramedic. The huge hail stones, the ant lion pit, nearly drowning in a mud puddle, the mouse, a giant cat and Melvin in the alley. . .he had squirted Johnny with something before. . .and Johnny had shrunk. The realization that it had happened again, in addition to the effects of the fumes he had been breathing in, and his injuries, sent Johnny stepping back until he met with the wall. Johnny felt himself sway as another dizzy spell washed over him. The massive bedroom furniture faded in and out of focus. His mind whirling, he tried to think of what he should do. If he was really that small, the chances of being found were slim to none. No one would be looking for a tiny person. The familiar pain in his ribs and finger, not to mention the fact he was already dehydrated and getting worse, were reminders to Johnny that he had better find a way to get help and do it soon. He spotted a pair of giant tennis shoes against the wall about seven inches from where he was now. It would take him awhile to get to them, but he had an idea and the shoes would play a big part. With determination once again set in, Johnny weakly headed for the footwear as he followed along the wall. After a few steps, his vision narrowed to a pinpoint and he lost his battle with consciousness, collapsing on the floor where he sank down among the threads of the green long-shag carpet. ================== "Lookin' good," Doctor Wilson said as he hung the updated chart at the foot of Melvin's bed. He smiled at the nurse who had recently given Melvin some pain medication in his IV, then glanced back at the patient. "All your vitals are normal. How's your headache now?" Doctor Wilson had agreed to take care of Kel Brackett's patient until the doctor returned in the morning. Brackett and Early had informed him of their concerns. So far, it looked like Melvin was going to emerge with little permanent damage. "It's clearing. I. . .I'm okay." "I'd like to ask you a few questions," the doctor said, smiling. " 'Kay." "Can you tell me your name?" Melvin paused. "Mr. Meyers," he replied quietly. "That's part of it. . .okay, day?" "Um. . .not sure." "Can you remember what happened?" Melvin tried to recall the events that brought him to Rampart. He remembered two firemen over him. . .one had dark hair, a familiar face. John! "Uh, firemen." "Anything else?" "They uh. . .both brought me in?" "Usually that's standard pactice." "One had dark hair?" Wilson looked to the nurse for confirmation. At her nod, he answered. "Yes." Maybe it was John. But didn't someone there say he was gone? Maybe that part was a dream . . . "Uh, Doctor?" "Yes, Mr. Meyers. . ." Melvin was afraid with Johnny seeing him, the fireman might've remembered more about what had happened months ago when he was kidnapped. The best defense he had now was to pretend to not remember who he was. Maybe they'd let him off on sympathy, if nothing else. "I. . .I don't remember anything. I don't know who I am." He closely watched the doctor's reaction. "But you just said your name was 'Mr. Meyers.' That was the right answer." Melvin mustered as many tears as he could in his eyes. "I was. . .was  just repeating what you'd called me. I don't know who I am." The doctor and nurse frowned, while Melvin smiled inwardly. They were buying his act. =================== The rest of the night had been quiet for A-shift at Station 51. When the engine had returned, Roy tried to approach the captain about his idea as to Johnny's whereabouts, but the words just wouldn't come. He kept picturing Hank's expression last time he had to suggest Johnny might be smaller than they were used to seeing him.  Now with morning and the end of a shift fast approaching, Roy decided he would talk to Captain Stanley as soon as the next shift took over. ================== The two policemen walked out of Rampart and got into their car. Looking back at the hospital, one man shook his head. "I haveta' wonder if Mr. Meyers really has amnesia." "No matter. He wasn't inside the building when it happened anyway." The driver nodded, and turned the key in the ignition. "And he has plenty of witnesses who do remember that." ================== "You what?" Stanley asked, a familiar feeling coming over him. "Roy, you led me on this idea once. . .much to my doubt it was true, let me remind you. . .no. . .it just doesn't happen." "Cap, I agree. It doesn't happen, but just think about it. . .suppose it did. Suppose Johnny, by some wild chance, got into something in that apartment that. . ." Roy stopped, lowering his eyes to the floor. "Never mind. It does sound crazy now that I say it." Still, I can't shake this hunch. . . Roy looked back up to the captain's face. "Can we just go into that apartment and look around?" "We did look around the apartment. Twice. And the cops did. . .twice, as I understand it." "Yeah but, Cap," Roy protested, "they weren't looking for a small. . .I. . .look, I can't help it. I just think we need to go take another shot at it." Hank sighed. "I'll see what the police say. But this doesn't mean I buy it." Roy nodded. "Right." "Okay. . .because I don't." "Right, Cap." Hank watched Roy as he left the office. "I really don't believe it," he said, in an effort to convince himself. ==================== Kel Brackett sat at his desk and listened as Doctor Wilson updated him on Melvin Meyers. He twitched his mouth and rubbed his chin as he gave the new development thought.  "He has no idea who he is?" "That's what he claims," Wilson explained. "He said he only knew his name since we used it when we talked to him." "The x-rays didn't show that serious of a head injury. So it must be related to the chemical. If he's telling the truth." "You think he's faking?" "I'm not sure." Brackett picked up a paper mask that the police had found in Melvin's apartment. "But if he used this type of protection from the fumes, it's possible he breathed some in, and if they were strong enough. . .well, we don't know exactly what the stuff was." He shook his head. "And I get a feeling Mr. Meyers isn't going to remember much about what he was making, either." "Should we both go talk to him? He's been on medication, but may be able to answer some questions." "Yeah. Let me try to call John Gage's partner before he leaves the station. Then we'll go up." =================== Captain Stanley was heading to the parking lot when Roy rushed out of the dorm. "Cap!" Hank turned and stopped. "What is it?" "I just got a phone call from Brackett," Roy explained, somewhat breathless. "They found evidence of an unknown chemical in Melvin's system, and it looks likely he was mixing the stuff." "How is he?" Roy frowned. "He says he doesn't remember who he is." The captain's expression turned to concern. "And he's the one who might know what happened to John." "I thought you didn't believe it?" "I don't. . .but I don't have any better ideas." He motioned for Roy to follow him towards the parking lot. "Where're we going?" "To Rampart. Maybe we can get some answers." Roy followed, a grin spreading across his face. He'll never admit it, but he believes it more now. =================== With minimal damage to the third floor, and only in two apartments, residents in Melvin's building had been allowed to go back inside their apartments a few hours after the fire was out. Only a few residents from the third floor and those on the second floor who lived below them, were forced to find another place to stay. An older woman to whom Melvin had given a key to his apartment in case of an emergency peered down the hallway from her doorway. Inside apartment 212, Johnny lay in a deep state of unconsciousness where he had toppled to the floor. All the pain he had been feeling from his injuries no longer registered in his idle mind. A key turned in the lock of the apartment door and in walked the neighbor lady. Ignoring the yellow crime scene tape in front of the door, she ducked under and stepped inside. Looking around at the livingroom, the woman shook her head. What a mess. She continued into the bedroom, where the place was equally messy. The woman put her hands on her hips and shook her head again. Going back into the livingroom, she opened a closet and pulled out a canister vacuum cleaner. Parking it near the couch, she began to pick a few items up off the floor here and there. "I'll have this cleaned up for Mr. Meyers before he gets home from the hospital. It'll be a nice surprise." She glanced back at the yellow tape in the doorway and walked over to it, closing the door. "My, my he sure needs to learn to pick up after himself. I'll just get it straightened and vacuumed, then leave." ===================== Roy and Captain Stanley entered Rampart Hospital through the emergency doors. Not seeing Brackett anywhere in the corridor, Roy walked over to Dixie's desk. "Hi, Roy!" Dixie gave a forced smile. "Any word on Johnny yet?" "No, but hopefully he'll be found today." Roy looked around. "Is. . .um. . .is Brackett handy?" Dixie shook her head. "He's in room four with a patient the guys from 36 just brought in. I have a feeling he'll be awhile." "Can you tell us what room Melvin Meyers is in? We'd like to talk to him." "Sure, but he's on medication, so he may not be very alert." "We'll take our chances," Hank said stepping forward. "Room 224." "Thanks, Dix," Roy said. He and the captain headed for the elevator. ===================== Melvin eyed the men carefully as they walked in the doorway. He recognized them instantly. Not wanting to give anything away, he kept quiet as they approached his bed. "Hi," Roy said, nodding in acknowledgement. "We heard you'd finally woken up. How're ya feelin'?" "Not too well," Melvin replied weakly. "You remember us?" Stanley asked, somewhat surprised. "I remember you were standing over me." He looked at Roy. "Two firemen were helping me." "Is that all you remember?" Roy asked. "Yeah. . ." Melvin paused. Something was up. . .had John told them already?  "Wha. .  .where's the other guy?" "You mean the other fireman?" the captain asked. Melvin nodded, as he gave an apprehensive look at Roy, then at Stanley. "Well, we were hoping maybe you could tell us. Seems he went into your apartment to look for a rat and that's the last we've seen of him." Roy watched for a reaction to Hank's words. It was total surprise. If Melvin recalled anything, he was certainly a good actor. "You mean he's missing?" "Yep. So, can you help us?" A rush of thoughts were running through Melvin's mind…had Johnny shrunk? Was he still in the apartment? Had John told them about his previous experiences and was this a set up? He would have to find a way to get released from the hospital soon and see what was up. He kept his face expressionless as he gave his answer. "No, I'm sorry. . .all I remember is two firemen helping me. I don't even know why." ==================== Roy and Hank stood outside of Melvin's room. "Think he's hiding something, Roy?" "Hard to say. . .you?" "I want to talk to Brackett. If what they think is true, no matter where John is, he's likely to have taken in some of that same chemical." Roy glanced back at the door to Melvin's room as they walked down the hall. I hope you slip up soon, if you're lying. ================== The woman in Melvin's apartment vacuumed the livingroom carpet thoroughly, taking off the wand and using the hose to suck up dirt along the bottom edges of the walls. It was taking her longer to be so detailed, but she wanted to get the place as clean as possible. Turning off the vacuum, she sighed. Her next project was the bedroom. There was more straightening to do in there first, but she hoped to be done within an hour. Still unconscious and unaware of the danger awaiting him, Johnny laid motionless, unseen in the deep threads of the carpet. ===================== Melvin lay in the bed, thinking more about what the two visitors had said. John had vanished in his apartment. Could it really be the new formula he was making worked on a person? On poor, unsuspecting John, again? He hadn't had a chance to try the latest combination of chemicals out on anything to know how well they worked. . .or for how long. I wonder if it's possible. . .? Nah. . .surely he wouldn't have gotten into the stuff while he was searching for Bruce. But if the room was still dark. . .and it spilled on him. . . A smile spread across Melvin's face. I'll be famous after all! He closed his eyes, giving in to the drowsiness of the medication. Dreams of walking across the stage on the Mike Douglas show played over and over in his mind. ==================== After talking to Brackett and finding out no one else had been affected by the chemicals in the apartment, and that to the best of his knowledge Melvin was telling the truth about his memory loss, Roy and Captain Stanley headed for the apartment building.  It took some fancy talking on Hank's part, but he was finally able to convince Melvin's landlady that they should be let into apartment 212. As the three approached the door, they could hear the faint hum of a vacuum cleaner coming from inside. "That's odd," the lady said. "No one's supposed to be in there." Roy and Hank looked at each other, neither wanting to admit what they were thinking. But they both wanted the door opened as soon as possible. Roy looked at the keys in the woman's hands. "Can you open the door now so we can get in?" He asked, a tinge of impatience in his voice. "Oh, certainly. I'm sorry." She smiled. "I was just trying to figure out--" "Ma'am," Hank interrupted when she still hadn't unlocked the door. "We're kind of in a hurry." "I'm talking too much, I know," she said as she slipped the key in the hole. The door now open, the three ducked under the yellow tape. Roy and the captain hurried to the room where the sound of the appliance was coming from. Both stopped in their tracks when they saw the carpet had been vacuumed completely except for a small area near the nightstand. They glanced behind them at the newly vacuumed livingroom.  Roy felt his stomach knot. We're too late. Unless . . . "Stop!" Roy shouted, surprising even himself at the urgency in his voice. The startled woman with the vacuum dropped the hose, the end of it firmly attaching itself to the floor next to the nightstand. The landlady was puzzled as she watched Captain Stanley run over and shut off the noisy appliance. A hushed silence fell on the room. Roy wandered over near Hank. "Cap, I. . .well, we're probably. . .I mean. . ." "Don't say it, Roy. Just do what you have to do." Roy nodded solemnly, as he opened the canister vacuum to retrieve the bag. The two women watched as the paramedic dumped the contents on the floor. "I just cleaned that!" The one lady protested. Hank held up his hand to silence her. "Ma'am, we'll clean it up." "Well, what's he looking for?" Not wanting to answer, the captain escorted the ladies out of the room, leading them to the couch. "You two just wait here, and we'll be done in a minute." He smiled reassuringly. The ladies nodded hesitantly. Not sure of anything that was going on, they sat in silence while Hank went back into the bedroom. "Well?" Stanley asked as he watched Roy spread out the assorted dirt and lint, sifting through it. "I don't see him." Hank was surprised at the relief he felt. I must be losing my mind. If headquarters gets word of this, I'll never make chief . . .looking for one of my paramedics in a vacuum cleaner bag. Geesh! "You know, he could've gotten out of this apartment." He reminded Roy. "Yeah. But can we look around?" "Sure. . .why not?" I can't believe I agreed to any of this. "Oh and Cap--" "I know. . .be careful where I step." As they walked into the closet with the curtain door, they stepped past a pair of shoes that were up against the bedroom wall. Little did they know that underneath one of the shoes was the prize they were looking for. The woman who had cleaned the apartment had set the shoes aside to sweep where they had been. She forgot to return them to their rightful place when she moved the vacuum to another spot.  =================== Johnny moaned, moving his head slightly. He could hear voices, but they sounded muffled. "R. . .roy? Cap?" He rasped.  He tried to move, but something was pinning him down. It was hard to breath with the pressure pushing him into the carpet. Struggling, Johnny finally maneuvered onto his side. His energy spent, the dark-haired paramedic once again passed out. ===================== The two men stood outside the apartment in the hallway. Both ladies already gone, they pondered what to do next. "What do you think the cops will say once they find out we crossed their crime scene tape?" Roy asked. Captain Stanley snorted. "I'd say once they see how well that lady cleaned up the place before we even got here, it won't matter. Anything that might've been a clue is gone now." Roy stared at the closed door, the tape still in front of it. "I was so sure he was in there." "He has to be somewhere." Stanley motioned towards the stairwell with his head. "C'mon. Let's go. We'll find him." Roy nodded and followed. =================== It had been awhile since he passed out, but Johnny slowly regained consciousness. The heat between the rubber sole of the shoe and the carpet threads was suffocating. Using all of the energy he could muster, Johnny slid himself out from underneath, rolling on to his back. He sucked in the cleaner air, trying not to over do so as not to hyperventilate. Blinking his eyes, Johnny looked around to familiarize himself with what was going on and why he was in the situation he was in. The humongous furniture wavered in and out of focus. Johnny closed his eyes and shook his head. . .an act he immediately regretted. His head throbbed with every move. Opening his eyes again, he stared at the giant objects around him. Oh man. . .I've gotta be dreamin' The pain in his side and finger returned, reminding him that he had been through quite an ordeal. He couldn't recall any of it, but judging by how he felt, it must have been a doozy. As a sudden wave of nausea hit, Johnny turned onto his left side and vomited. He pushed himself back from the mess and glanced once more at his surroundings. The large object in front of him swam in and out of focus. To Johnny, it was at least the size of a double-decked bus. He could see something trailing down off of it. Squinting, the image became clearer. A shoe? Shoes. . .shoe laces. . .ropes. . .ropes to climb up or down. Johnny struggled to his feet and walked unsteadily over to the shoe. As he reached it, he fell against the side and clutched the lace. Not wanting to waste any time, Johnny started to climb the shoe using the lace as a rope. Once he got to the top, he could pull it out, hole by hole, and use it as a rope if he needed it to get out of where ever he was. As it was, the going was slow. With one bad finger, and as weak and sore as he felt, Johnny couldn't climb as easily as he normally would. ================== Roy tossed and turned as he tried to get some sleep. He couldn't shake the feeling he and Hank had missed something. Finally giving up on sleep for the moment, he laid on his back and stared at the ceiling. What did we miss? He ran his mind over what they had done. Nothing jumped out at him as anything unusual. Roy's eyelids grew heavy and he slipped into a deep sleep without even realizing it. ==================== Johnny was near the top of the shoe. With one final pull, he got himself near the top lace hole. Getting up on his hands and knees, he began to work the lace out of the hole. The lack of food and water caught up to him and Johnny lost his grip with his good hand as a dizzy spell once again washed over him. He toppled off of the shoe, landing on the carpet below. Johnny groaned as pain ricocheted through his body.  I'm never gonna make it out of here. Johnny lay still for a few minutes as he tried to gather his senses. He couldn't give up. But when he looked in the direction of the livingroom, the distance to the next room was greater than the length of a football field. The paramedic moaned as he turned on his side. =================== Melvin watched as Brackett looked over the latest vitals written on the chart at the foot of the bed. After taking a long rest with assorted dreams of being on the television talk show circuit, Melvin was anxious to find his ticket to fame. "How does it look, Doctor?" Melvin asked. "Your vitals are good. . .but I'm still concerned about the memory loss." "What if I remember everything?" Brackett quickly looked up from the chart in his hands to the patient. "You aren't going to tell me you suddenly have your memory back, are you?" Realizing the mess he'd gotten himself into, Melvin decided to go another direction. "No. As a matter of fact I'm not," he replied indignantly. "But I'm not going to stay here any longer than I have to." Kel gave a long look to his patient. He hung the chart on the foot of the bed and folded his arms across his chest. "Mr. Meyers, you need to stay here under observation until we're sure everything's okay. And you can't just go walking out on the street not even knowing who you are." "Well, one thing I do remember is that you can't make me stay if I want to leave." "No, but I'd strongly urge you against it. You've just woken up from a drug-induced sleep. You're certainly not one hundred percent yourself yet." Melvin gave the matter thought. The doctor was right and he knew it. But his chance at finding John before anyone else was slipping away the longer he was in the hospital. Priority came first. "I want my clothes. I'm getting out of this place." "Now, look," Brackett began, annoyed, "you need to stay here where someone can keep an eye on you." "No. I need to get out of here. Let me have my wallet and my clothes." "Mr. Meyers. . ." the doctor sighed. "Normally I can't force a patient to stay. But you have a memory loss. So you aren't considered able to decide these things for yourself." "You gotta be kiddin'?" Brackett shook his head. Some days . . .  "No, I'm not." Melvin frowned. "Okay. You win. But I'm not happy." "Well, making you happy isn't my job. Getting you well is." Meyers watched as the doctor walked out of the room, the nurse following behind him. Now alone in the room, he looked around. The closet was on the left side next to the bathroom. Melvin got an idea. ================== Not having the energy to get up, or even the presence of mind to know why he was down, Johnny remained on the floor. He was starving, dehydrated, hurting, and worn out. He decided there was nothing left to do but wait for someone to come find him, no matter who it was. Johnny hoped whoever lived in the place would come home. ================== After waking up from a long nap, Roy was sitting in the livingroom watching a game show. He still was thinking about his lost partner when Joanne walked into the room. "Roy, would you mind running to the store to get us more milk?" Roy looked up from watching the television screen. A little distraction wouldn't hurt, even if it were real simple. "Not at all. Let me get my shoes on." He got up and walked over to the front door where he had left his tennis shoes. Sitting down in a nearby chair, he began to put them on. As Roy was tying the second shoe he suddenly realized what they had missed at the apartment. The shoes in the bedroom! I wonder. . . Hurriedly tying his shoe, Roy grabbed his keys and ran out the door. ===================== The nurse opened the door to Melvin's room and could see his shape under the covers. Following instructions from Doctor Brackett, she walked over to the bed to wake the patient up for a regular check. As she got closer, she could see there was no head. . .quickly pulling back the covers, the nurse revealed a line of pillows off of both beds in the room. She reached for the call button to notify Brackett Melvin was AWOL. ====================== Melvin rode along in the taxi, watching the scenery go by. His escape from Rampart had been easier than he thought. No one noticed the small-framed man as he had carefully walked down the hallway and into the stairwell. He was unsteady, and the blood dripped from where his IV was, but all in all it had gone smoothly. Now he was on his way to find his ticket to fame. John Gage was going to be on The Mike Douglas Show as a little guy whether he wanted to or not. Melvin wasn't going to lose his chance again. If John was tiny, he would put the paramedic in a glass jar and keep him til he could get them booked on the show. Melvin was excited as the taxi neared the area where his apartment was. ================= Roy drove above the speed limit trying to get to the apartment as soon as possible. He prayed no cops would stop him. By luck he didn't pass by any. He was almost to the apartment building when he heard sirens. Pulling over to the side of the road, he let the fire truck pass him. It was then he noticed the smoke rising up into the sky. ==================== Parking across the street from the apartment building, Roy got out of his car and looked in disbelief. The building was on fire again. Only this time it was bad. Thoughts running through his mind, one word came out of his mouth. "Johnny!" At that instant another voice was heard saying almost the same thing. "John!" Roy turned to see Melvin standing beside him looking up at the building. The blonde paramedic was curious as to how and why Melvin Meyers was out of the hospital and why he was here now. But finding his partner, who he believed to be in the building, was more of a priority. Roy ran over to the captain from Station 110. "DeSoto! What are you doing here?"  A concerned look came over the captain's face. "Don't tell me you live in these apartments." "No. . .no, I'm looking for a friend. . .uh, John Gage." "I haven't seen him. But the evacuees are over there across the street." He pointed to a cluster of people standing in a parking lot, staring up at the blaze on the third and second floors. "Did anyone get taken to the hospital?" "No. We got everyone out." "Thanks," Roy said as he turned to check out the crowd. He glanced at Melvin as he walked by. "John's not there." "Where?" Roy wondered. "In the crowd. He's not there." Roy turned around and looked at the flaming building. God, Johnny, what if you are in there? No time to waste, he grabbed Melvin by the arm and pulled him to the captain. "Cap, Johnny's in that building." The captain shook his head. "We got everyone out, DeSoto." Roy glared at Melvin. "Now's your chance to speak out. If you can remember, that is." "Yeah, sure." Meyers said nervously shifting on his feet. "He's in my apartment . . .number 212." "You certain of this?" Melvin and Roy both nodded. The captain called over two of the paramedics on the scene and filled them in. As they put on their air masks, Roy tried to think of a way to explain the condition they may find Johnny in. Now that I have them going in, how do I tell them he may be the size of a toothpick? Well, here goes. . . "When you go in, look for. . . he could be. . ." Roy couldn't get the words to come out. "Just look closely at the floor. . .anything blue,  pick it up." The men exchanged puzzled glances. Not sure what to make of Roy's instructions, they ran into the building in search of Gage. ==================== Johnny had smelled the smoke when the fire first spread. He tried calling out for help, but his dry, raspy throat would barely make a sound. Still not sure as to where he was and why, the young paramedic allowed himself to drift into unconsciousness. =================== Thompson and Larson, the two paramedics sent in to the building, made their way to Melvin's apartment. They paused a moment when they saw the yellow tape across the doorway.  "No wonder we didn't check this place. . .I never expected anyone to be in here!" "Why would Gage be in there?" Thompson wondered. Larson shrugged. "We'll find out more about that after we get him out." Thompson motioned for Larson to step back, as he kicked in the door. They ducked under the tape and hurried into the apartment, their eyes scanning the area  as they moved through. When they entered into the bedroom, they could see Johnny on the floor through the smoke filled haze. He was lying on his back, his eyes closed. "Holy shit!" Thompson's muffled voice sounded. "John!" Both men rushed to the injured man's side. When they got close they could see his swollen finger  and assorted scratches and bruises on his body. Larson placed his fingertips on Johnny's neck to check for a carotid. The pulse was rapid and weak. Thompson noted that the unconscious paramedic was barely breathing. "We gotta get him out of here now! We'll have to do a grab and go!" Larson nodded and got at Johnny's feet while Thompson gingerly sat him up, and put his arms under Johnny's. The two men stood and quickly carried their charge out of the smoke filled room. The men continued down the stairs and towards the front door of the building. Larson looked behind his partner, where the fire was now spreading near the top of the stairs. The building was going to be a total loss, but at least now they knew they had gotten everyone out. Thank God Desoto showed up when he did. ================== Roy felt both disbelief  and relief when he saw the two paramedics carry out his full-sized partner. Johnny was still in his uniform, although it looked like it had seen better days. Actually both Johnny and his clothes looked rough. Melvin followed behind Roy as he trotted to where Johnny was being laid out on the ground. Their helmets and masks now off, Larson set up the oxygen for Johnny while Thompson contacted Rampart. "Rampart, this is squad 8. How do you read?" "We read you clear," came Brackett's reply. "Rampart we have a male, 25 years of age, he's unconscious and suffering from smoke inhalation," Thomson watched as his partner palpated Johnny's ribs. Getting an indication there was an injury, he continued. "Victim also has possible fractured ribs on the right side and an apparent broken left index finger. There's also a knot on the back of his head. Pupils are sluggish, pulse is rapid and weak, blood pressure is 100/70. We have him on six liters of O-2." Larson grabbed a small amount of skin on Johnny's arm and pinched it. When he let it go, the skin slowly fell back into place. "Add dehydrated to the list," he told Thompson. Roy watched the paramedics work on Johnny. It was reminder of how it felt to be on the other end of the call. Melvin stood back in awe at the work the men were doing. He was astounded at the firemen still fighting the blaze, the selflessness Larson and Thompson showed running into a burning building in search of Johnny and the care they were now giving . . .the same kind of care John and Roy had started to give him. Suddenly Batmobiles and secret caves seemed not be so special anymore. Melvin saw a new kind of hero in action and they were all wearing turnout gear. And in the middle of the commotion was the hero who had talked bank robbers into giving themselves up eight months before. Now in a soiled blue uniform, battered from an ordeal Melvin had likely brought about. . .once again. How could he ever make it up to John? A fulfilling feeling washed over him as he realized what he was going to do. He would try to become a firefighter himself. After all, he could still seek his fame on the Mike Douglas Show. The formula had to have worked, that was the only explanation for John being in his apartment. Melvin looked at the burning building. It would take him a while, but he would have to make a new batch of formula since the stuff in there had either been spilled or burned up. Melvin stood lost in his own thoughts as Roy walked to the ambulance. DeSoto  watched as the stretcher with Johnny was brought over to the back. As it was lifted, Johnny's brown eyes opened slightly. "Hang in there," Roy said, as he patted Johnny's right shoulder. Johnny gave a weak nod and closed his eyes again. Once the patient was situated in the ambulance, the doors were shut and the sirens filled the air before fading in the distance. Roy walked over to where Melvin still stood. "So, were you released or did you just walk out of Rampart?" Melvin averted his eyes. "I. . .I snuck out." "You want a ride back?" The chemist sighed. "Yeah. . .I do. Guess I have some explainin' to do." "I'd say so." The two men went over to Roy's car and got inside. Roy was glad to be getting the patient back to where he belonged, but also was hoping he would get some answers before they got to Rampart. ===================== Two days later, Johnny was still at Rampart Hospital. He was doing much better, although his recollection of the ordeal was sketchy at best. Once more, he wasn't able to recall actual events. What was real and what may have been imagined were meshed together in memory. As he peeked in the doorway, Roy expected to find a bored friend in need of a visitor. Instead he found Johnny in the company of someone famliar. "Roy!" Johnny said, his voice still raspy from the smoke and the dryness he'd suffered. "Come on in." Roy opened the door the rest of the way and walked towards the bed. "How're ya feelin'?" "Better. Much better." The younger paramedic glanced at his current visitor and back to Roy. "You remember Amy, don't you? " "Oh yeah, hey," Roy grinned, as he noticed Amy was holding Johnny's right hand open. "Good to see you again." Amy let go of Johnny's hand and stood up. "Well, I guess I'd better go. See you later, Johnny," she said as she started for the doorway. Johnny looked at Roy and shrugged. Turning his attention back to Amy, he watched as she disappeared from view. "Bye!" "Kind of rude, wouldn't you say?" Roy asked. "Nah. . .she's just not happy you tried to get me to dump her." "I tried--" Roy couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Johnny, you've been stringing her along for eight months now. I was trying to get you to do the right thing by her." He paused, giving it more thought. "Who told her, anyway?" "I must've. . .but I think I was pretty out of it when I did, because I don't really remember it." "Uh huh. I seem to recall someone else who tried that approach to hide something." Johnny splayed his hand across his chest. "Roy! I'm not hiding anything. Honest!" "Never mind. But I thought you didn't like her. . .how come the sudden change?' "Melvin." "Melvin?" Johnny nodded his head. "He told me we inspired him to want to become a firefighter. Now if you ask me, the guy's too skinny for the job--" He paused when he saw Roy raise his eyebrows in question. "Look, I'm skinny, but I'm tough. . .Melvin's just skinny, period. He'd be better off as a dispatcher. Anyway, I figure since I first met the guy, I've had two major blank outs in my life and have been hospitalized both times." "So?" "So, a palm reader can come in pretty handy," Johnny snorted at his own joke. "With Melvin in the fire department, no telling what might happen if we meet into each other. This way I'll have an idea if danger is looming in my future and I can keep my distance." Roy shook his head. Although his partner did have a point . . .Johnny and Melvin together was a scary thought. But to rely on an orthopedic palm reader?  He decided the conversation was best ended. "I better get home to Jo and the kids." Roy started to turn away. "Hey, Roy?" The older paramedic looked back at his friend. "Yeah?" "Um. . .did. . .I mean. . .do you believe people can be shrunk?" Roy wasn't sure what to say. He had gone on that theory to find his partner, and there was certainly no logical explanation as to why Johnny was in the apartment building a day and a half after he disappeared. His injuries were consistent with a fall of some sort, but there wasn't anything in the apartment for a man to fall from. Roy cleared his throat. "I'd like to see it before I believe it." "Yeah. . ." Johnny said quietly, disappointment in his voice. "Me, too, I guess." An awkward moment passed as neither man knew what to say next. Finally Roy broke the silence. "Get some rest, partner. You sound terrible." Johnny nodded and Roy walked out into the hall. He stood just beyond the doorway to Johnny's room, giving the younger man's question thought.  At the same time, Johnny was giving his own question consideration. =================== Weeks later, things had once again returned to normal around the station.  It was early one afternoon, and Johnny tried to find something on television to pass the time between calls. As he flipped through channels, Chet and Marco pulled over a couple of chairs from the table. "Whoa! Wait. . .Gage, go back to that last channel," Chet said, sitting forward in his chair. He watched as Johnny complied. "Oh good! It's the Mike Douglas Show." "Hey, John. Isn't that your buddy Melvin on there?" Marco asked as he pointed at the screen. "He's not my--" Johnny stopped in mid sentence, his mouth open in surprise. "So, you say this stuff really shrinks people, Mr. Meyers?" Mike Douglas was asking. "That's right. And it only takes a small amount  absorbed in the skin." "Okay. Well, after a word from our sponsor, we'll be back with our firefighter trainee/chemist to see just how well this really works." Johnny absently pulled over a chair and sat down without taking his eyes off the screen, his mouth still open. Chet glanced over at him and grinned. "Ah, c'mon, John. Don't tell me you believe in that stuff." "Huh? No. . .no," Johnny shook his head. "I can't believe he got on the Mike Douglas Show." Captain Stanley, Mike, and Roy wandered over and stood behind the others as the commercials ended. "Welcome back to the show. We're here with Melvin Meyers who claims he has a secret formula that can shrink people. And I guess if it works, they'll have to rename the show because I'll be too small to host it anymore." The captain and Roy exchanged nervous glances, while Johnny's right leg took on a nervous bounce. The others were too absorbed in the moment to notice. "Well, here goes nothing," Mike Douglas said as he held up his arms and allowed Melvin to spray him with formula. Johnny, Roy and Hank held their breath waiting for something to happen. When nothing did, the feelings were a mixture of disappointment and relief. "Ah man," Chet whined. "What a joke." "As you can see, I'm still here with Mr. Meyers.  Let's go to another commercial break and we'll be right back." As the camera panned back, Mike Douglas suddenly disappeared off the screen. "Di. . .did you see that?" Johnny exclaimed. "He disappeared!" "Uh. . .it could've been a trick," Captain Stanley explained. "You know they can do amazing stuff with cameras." "I don't know, Cap," Chet said as he shook his head. "It looked pretty real to me." The men continued to stare at the television screen as an announcement came on saying the remainder of the show was cancelled due to technical difficulties. Six men exchanged wondrous glances as each one thought about what he really believed, no one daring to make a comment. Chet slowly stood up and walked towards the doorway to the apparatus bay. "Well, I think I'll clean the latrine." "Here, I'll help," Marco said, getting up. "The engine needs polishing," Mike added, also leaving the room. The three left in the room continued to look at each other and back to the screen. Finally Johnny stood up and shrugged. Turning the channel he said, "Well, there's always the Merv Griffin Show." My thanks to Kenda for the beta read and the kick-start for an ending! *Mike Douglas and Merv Griffin don't belong to me anymore then the E! guys do, but hopefully if they saw they were in an E! fic, they would find it flattering. return to main menu