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All's Fair In Love And War
“GAGE!” Captain Hank Stanley’s voice bellowed.
“Now what?” Johnny sighed. He picked up the rag he’d been polishing the squad with and walked toward the sound of the irate captain’s voice. If we don’t get this inspection over with soon, I may not live through it! “Uh, Cap? Did you call me?” Johnny asked sheepishly. The stony look on Stanley’s face caused Gage to suddenly get serious.
“Yes, I did,” Stanley barked. “What is the meaning of this?” He held up a woman’s brassiere.
Johnny felt his face turn as red as the squad. “Um,” he gulped, “I-- I-- uh.” He stopped and scratched his head. “Where did-- did that come from?”
“I was doing locker inspections, Gage. Guess which locker this was in?”
Johnny opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
“I’ll tell ya which locker it was in,” Stanley supplied. “Yours, Gage!” Before John could defend himself, Hank continued. “Those inspectors will be here within the next two hours. Now, do you have any other hidden paraphernalia I need to know about? There’s not a girl that goes with this hidden somewhere, is there?”
John pinched his face in thought. Chet Kelly, I’ll get you for this! “Cap, I never saw that before in my life. It must be the Phantom’s idea of a joke.”
Hank shook his head. “I specifically told Kelly the Phantom was NOT to make an appearance this week.”
“Honest, Cap. I’ve never seen that before. I have no--” Before he could continue, the tones sounded.
Stanley glared at the paramedic. “We’re not finished,” he said sternly, “I want to see you back in this office - -”
Johnny ran for the squad. Roy watched in amusement as his partner slid into his seat and put his head back and sighed.
“Wanna talk about it?” DeSoto asked as he pulled out onto the busy highway, siren screaming.
The radio beeped twice. “Squad 51, LA.”
“Squad 51,” Johnny replied.
“Squad 51 - cancel.”
“Squad 51, 10-4.” Gage looked at his partner with worried eyes. “Man, Roy, I don’t know what I’m gonna do . . .”
“I know I’m going to be sorry for asking this, but why don’t you just tell me what’s going on!”
“Okay, okay . . .” He had decided that he had to tell someone and who better than Roy? At least Roy wouldn’t yell at him like Cap did. “It started at the end of last shift. I came into the apparatus bay and saw Chet with some girl snuggled up against the engine. Their clothes were a bit disheveled, but I didn’t think much of it at the time.”
“She must be the new ‘love of his life’ he’s been telling us about.”
“Guess he wasn’t blowing smoke after all.”
Roy and Johnny walked in the kitchen, Johnny sat at one end by Henry, and Roy sat facing him at the other.
“Uh, Johnny,” Roy interupted, “are you sure she was a real girl?”
“Roy, I know a real girl when I see one. I’ve been out with a few.”
“I know you have... but Chet? Hmmmm, maybe there’s hope for the old boy after all.”
“I doubt it seriously, but anyway... according to one of the guys on C-shift, Chet arrived for work unusually early.”
“Roy, you know Chet as well as I do! He NEVER gets to work early. On time yes, early never. Roy! Don’t you see where I’m going with this? The facts speak for themselves.”
“Facts? What facts, Johnny?”
“Roy! Weren’t you listening?”
“Okay, try and follow me here, Roy! Chet arrived for work unusually early, had a girl with him, their clothes are a mess,” Johnny was getting louder with each sentence, “they both had wet hair, AND THE CAP FOUND A BRA IN MY LOCKER DURING INSPECTION!”
Roy was headed for the refrigerator when he stopped dead in his tracks. He turned quickly to look at his partner.
“WOW! Wait a minute, Partner, you left out some very important details in your story. Wet hair? disheveled clothes? A-- A BRA?” He paused. “Johnny, you don’t think?”
“That’s exactly what I think, Roy.”
“Oh shit, Chet and a girl here in the station. Wait a minute,” Roy asked, “How’d the bra get in your locker?”
“Good question. That’s what Cap wants to know, and because he found it in my locker it’s my ass thats in a sling.” Standing up, Johnny pounded a fist onto the nearby table. “Dammit, Kelly, when I get my hands on you...”
Johnny raked his fingers through his hair with such vehement exasperation that uprooted strands floated onto his shoulders. “I’ll tell you one thing, Roy,” he burst out again, “that twisted leprechaun had better have enjoyed himself with that girl because I’m gonna wring his neck! I KNOW he planted the damn thing!”
Despite his partner’s distress, Roy found himself hard-pressed to keep a serious demeanor. “Are you certain that’s how it got in there? It could have fallen out of your jacket pocket or something...”
Johnny stared as if his partner had made his last statement in Swahili. “ROY!!” he exploded, his voice sliding up the scale with outrage.
“Well, there was that one Joanne found under the car seat, when we traded cars that shift. Then there’s that lacy number Jen pulled out from under your couch cushions last month.”
“Now, wait a minute! That’s different!” Johnny began. The tones interrupted his defense.
“Squad 51, woman down, Brennen’s Market, 118 West Madison. 118 West Madison. Cross street, Harlan. Time out: 8:45.”
The manager met them in front of the store. “She slipped and fell. Now she says she can’t stand, says her ankle hurts,” he informed the paramedics. “She’s in Aisle Four.”
The partners approached the anxious knot of shoppers and employees in the cereal aisle. The onlookers parted and Johnny’s stride faltered. “That’s HER!” he hissed under his breath.
“HER who?”Roy asked in a whisper.
“Chet’s girl!”
If he could have, Johnny would have turned right around and walked out of the store. How could he face the woman thinking what…what he was thinking? As he and Roy approached the woman, Johnny felt his face flame as variations of Cinderella flashed though his mind. Would the bra fit? It took all his willpower to keep his eyes on the pretty dark-haired woman’s face, and to not let his gaze drop to... to other areas of her anatomy.
“Hi, Miss, what seems to be the problem?” Roy asked, giving Johnny a nudge and nodding towards the woman’s feet.
Johnny nodded and stepped over boxes of cereal strewn in the aisle, silently thanking Roy for doing the talking. He owed him one.
The woman shook her head in exasperation. “I was trying to get a box of Special K down from the top shelf, but I couldn’t quite reach it, so I stepped onto the bottom shelf and reached up, when all of a sudden, a dozen boxes of Special K came tumbling down on me. I jumped back and must have twisted my right ankle.”
Very carefully, Johnny removed the woman’s sandal, trying his best to remain professional and detached, but wondering how the hell Kelly could have ended up with a woman as attractive as this one. “Can you move your foot at all?”
She tried, and grimaced, shaking her head. “Not much.”
Gently, Johnny ran his hands over the joint, noting some swelling that was already taking place and trying to ignore the smooth texture of her skin. “There’s some swelling down here, Roy.”
Roy nodded and set-up the biophone. “Rampart, this is Squad 51, how do you read?”
While Roy established the connection to Rampart, Johnny continued his examination. “Do you have pain anywhere else? Your knee or hip?” Automatically, Johnny’s gaze roved farther up the woman’s leg, checking for any abnormalities. Nope, definitely no abnormalities. He swallowed hard.
“No, everything else is fine,” she replied, her tone amused.
Johnny’s head whipped up and their eyes locked. She broke into a wide grin, her eyes dancing. “You know, if you rub it real hard, a genie might pop out of my big toe.”
Johnny glanced down, mortified to find his hands still holding her foot, absently rubbing her ankle. He dropped her foot like a hot potato. “Sorry.”
“Aaahhh!” she groaned as her injured foot banged against the ground.
“Aw, man, I am so sorry!” Johnny put his hands out to pick her foot up, then stopped and pulled them back, and finally undecided, turned a pleading gaze to his partner. “Roy?”
DeSoto shook his head as he spoke into the bio-phone. “Rampart, there is apparently considerable tenderness in the foot and ankle.” It was a struggle not to laugh at Johnny’s discomfort around the young woman. Of course, had he been the one having to explain the particular piece of lingerie in his locker that appeared to belong to this, well, very attractive young woman he might have felt equally uncomfortable. He decided to come to his partner’s rescue… again. “Johnny, I think we’re gonna need a splint.” Roy waited a moment for a response. When none was forthcoming he tried again. “Johnny… Splint?”
Gage blinked as if coming out of a trance. “Huh?”
“Go get a splint.” Roy instructed, talking as if to a very small child.
“A splint… Oh, yeah. I’ll be right back.”
Despite her pain the young woman giggled as Gage hurried from the store. “He’s cute,” she gushed. “Does he always get so flustered around women?”
Only young, pretty ones whose bras are found in his locker, Roy thought to himself. “No,” he explained to the patient. “He’s just had, uh, an unusual day today. Not acting like himself.” Roy inwardly cringed at his statement. In fact this whole episode was typical Gage normal but she didn’t need to know that. “Do you hurt anywhere else, Miss…?”
“Peterson,” she offered. “Cindi Peterson.”
“All right Miss Peterson, do you hurt anywhere else?”
“A little on my derriere,” she admitted. Johnny returned at just that moment, nearly tripping over the cereal boxes at her statement. Mentions of other parts of her shapely anatomy were not what he needed to get his mind back on the job. He took a deep breath and forced himself to start thinking like the trained Paramedic he was. “This might hurt a bit, Miss,” he warned the patient as he knelt, preparing the splint.
“Please, call me Cindi,” she insisted. “You’re both taking such good care of me. I really want to thank you.”
“All part of the job,” Johnny replied, carefully placing and securing the splint around her ankle. He looked up, his eyes catching Cindi’s eyes a second time. It was as if the world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
Roy’s voice broke through their mutual reverie. “Rampart says to transport without an IV.” He took a close look at his partner as the ambulance attendants made their way into the store. This wasn’t good. They had no idea who this girl was, what she had been doing with Kelly in the station or how her bra had ended up in Johnny’s locker. Even if they got all those answers the fact remained she had been at the station with Chet Kelly, not John Gage. All Station 51 did NOT need was to have Kelly and Gage feuding over a girl. “I’ll ride in with her.”
Johnny looked sharply at his partner but the expression on DeSoto’s face told him there would be no arguing this call.
“Maybe I’ll see you at the hospital,” Cindi offered as she was loaded onto the gurney.
“Yeah,” Gage replied, the smile returning to his face. “I’ll stop in and see how you’re doing.”
John backed the squad into the receiving area of the hospital. He was running behind, due to packing up the equipment. Roy had already entered the hospital with Miss Peterson.
Roy exited the examination room just as John turned into the corridor.
“Hey, how’s she doing?” Johnny asked.
“She’s fine, it’s just a really bad sprain,” Roy answered.
“Great!” said John. He made a move to enter the exam room. Roy stopped him.
“Don’t bother,” Roy said.
“What? I promised her I’d see how she was doing,” said Johnny.
“Johnny, she was with Chet, no matter what the circumstances. Just let it go.” Roy said.
Before John could answer him, Dixie stepped out of the exam room.
“Hey Johnny, I was hoping you would still be here,” she said.
“What’s up, Dix?” Johnny asked.
“Cindi Peterson, the patient you just brought in, asked me to give you this when I saw you,” Dixie handed him a folded up piece of paper.
Roy looked at the paper, then at Johnny. “What is it?” he asked warily.
John opened up the paper and grinned. He looked at Roy, “Nothing much, just her phone number.” Johnny looked like the cat who just got the canary.
Before Roy could say anything, the handi-talkie burst to life.
“Squad 51, are you available?”
“Squad 51, available,” John answered.
“Stand by for response.”
Johnny stepped out of the treatment room, pulling the door closed. Man, the messes people get themselves into. He made a bee-line for the base station and the pot of coffee he knew would be waiting there. Just for me.
Dixie looked up as Johnny grabbed a cup and filled it from the pot. “Interesting run?” she asked innocently.
John snorted. “You could say that.” He paused and chuckled. “You could say a lot of things about it.” He looked around. “Roy here, yet?”
“I haven’t seen him.”
Johnny took a sip of coffee. “Oh, Cindi Peterson. How is she?”
“You mean ‘is she still here.’” Dixie laughed.
“I don’t!” Johnny smiled, the picture of innocence. “I just asked how she was. But, if she happened to be here . . .”
“You just missed her. She checked out about 5 minutes before you got here.”
“Oh.”
Roy walked up to the base station. “I knew I’d find you here.”
“Just waiting for you,” John returned, setting the cup down. “See ya, Dix.”
John and Roy walked back out to the squad, barely missing being mowed down by a senior citizen in a wheel chair.
“Watch where you’re walking, Sonny-boy!” The old man called as he whizzed past.
“He was talking to you,” John said with a smirk as they stepped out of the emergency entrance to the squad.
“Not me. I’m Junior.”
“Well, I’m Pally.” Johnny opened the squad door. He picked up the mic. “Squad 51 returning to quarters.”
As Roy pulled out of the hospital parking lot, he looked over at his partner. Johnny was still wearing the cat-who-ate-the-canary look. “You’re not seriously thinking about calling her, are you?”
Damn! I was hoping he forgot about that. “Well, I can’t very well not call her, can I?”
“Yes, you can.”
“That would be rude,” Johnny declared. “She’d think I didn’t like her.” He looked over at Roy. “Calling her can’t hurt.”
“You call her. Then you go out. Then what?”
Hmmmm…the answer to that one could be interesting. Johnny chuckled.
“And what about Chet?”
“What ABOUT Chet?” Johnny’s eyebrows waggled mischievously and his teeth gleamed in a wicked grin.
“You wouldn’t!”
“Oh, wouldn’t I? Listen, Roy, he’s gotten me plenty of times. Time for a little payback.”
Roy directed his attention back to the traffic. “He’ll kill you.”
“Roy--look,” Johnny insisted, a sense of frustration beginning to surface at his partner’s unwillingness to see his side of things. He stopped, then finished lamely, “You just don’t understand.”
“So enlighten me,” Roy suggested. Traffic stopped for a red light, and Roy could give the junior paramedic his full attention. He did so, a knowing smirk pasted across his face.
“Well--why shouldn’t I ask her out? It’s not like she’s married or anything!” Johnny leaned with his back against his door, his expression a curious mixture of Scared Child and Determined Adult.
“You mean ’All’s fair in love and war’?” Roy hooted.
“Well, yeah.” Whatever that means.
“What makes you think she’ll go out with you, even if you ask?” The light changed and Roy eased the truck forward.
“Hey, SHE gave ME her phone number!”
True. However... “How do you know she isn’t just using you to get at Chet?” There, that ought to make him think.
“What do you mean?” Johnny was highly indignant. “Listen, Roy, I know women, and Cindi isn’t like that.”
“What if she’s just trying to get you to ask her out so that Chet will get jealous? Maybe all she wants is a little more attention from him.”
“Roy, HER bra was in MY locker! How do you know it wasn’t HER idea to put it there?”
Roy blinked. “Run that by me again?”
“Well, maybe it was her way of telling me it’s ME she really wants. Did you ever think of that?” Johnny sat back with a satisfied grin. “She digs me, Roy.”
“You know, Johnny, when they made you they broke the mold,” muttered Roy.
“I know, Pally, I know,” Johnny agreed.
And rumor has it the mold-maker was severely punished, too, Roy thought.
Aloud he said, “I still say you’re way out of your league here, Junior.”
Johnny by now was feeling too good about his prospects to listen to his partner. He shook his head good-naturedly. “Well, after I call her, we’ll know which one of us is right, won’t we?”
Too true, Roy thought, almost sadly.
By the time he had parked the squad, Johnny had taken to whistling cheerfully, if tunelessly, and he fairly bounced out of the vehicle and into the day room, where both he and the whistling came to an abrupt stop.
Cindi sat at the table, Chet to her right, Marco on her left, and Mike across the table.
Not realizing that his partner stopped so suddenly, Roy walked right into Johnny. "Johnny!"
Looking into the day room, he saw Cindi sitting at the table with the guys. "Are you going to stand there all day?" he asked Johnny who seemed to be frozen in place. When Johnny didn’t move Roy gave him a push sending his stunned partner into the room.
"Hey guys," Chet said. "Cindi has been filling us in on how you guys helped her at the supermarket."
"She did?" Johnny asked.
"Yeah, I can’t believe she was talking about you being so professional Gage," Chet said with a laugh.
Roy just shook his head and walked over to the stove to get a cup of coffee and watch what was going to happen.
"Shut up Chet," Johnny griped, walking over to get himself a cup of coffee as well.
Captain Stanley stuck his head into the day room. "Marco, can I see you for a moment in my office?"
"Sure Cap," Marco said, getting up and following the Captain out the door.
"Why don’t you come sit over here, Johnny?" Cindi said with a smile.
"No, I’m okay over here."
Roy pushed his partner towards the seat. "Yeah, go ahead Johnny, have a seat. You look a little tired."
Johnny flashed an angry look at Roy as he walked over to the chair and sat down. "So how’s your ankle?"
"Oh it’s much better now," Cindi said. "You guys did a great job, thanks."
"Don’t thank Gage too much," Chet cut in. "His head is big enough."
Cindi looked over at Johnny. "Oh I don’t..." she started saying, her hand wondering under the table. Finding Johnny’s knee she gave it a tight squeeze, "...think I’ve thanked him enough yet."
Johnny shifted uncomfortably in his chair, casting an anxious look at Cindi, and then at Chet, who was smiling, unaware. "Uh, Cindi, how long have you and Chet...uh...known each other?" he asked, removing Cindi's wandering hand from his thigh.
"Oh, not long. About, what?--Three weeks?" Cindi replied and let her fingers do the walking--right onto the paramedic's biophone. She stroked her fingers across his dial.
Gage jerked upright, pushing his chair back from the table. "Coffee, anyone?" he asked, his voice quavering, and walked quickly to the pot on the stove. He grabbed a cup, bobbling it a bit, and poured a steaming cup, then leaned against the stove, a safe distance from Cindi's roving hands, holding the mug with both hands in a deathgrip. "Three weeks, huh?" he asked, his voice unnaturally high.
"You're a little jumpy, Gage. You sure you need more coffee?" Chet asked cynically.
Before the automatic response of, "shut up, Chet," could leave his lips, the tones sounded and sent the entire company to a four alarm blaze that kept them busy for the next three hours. When they returned to the station, dirty, hungry, and exhausted, Cindi was long gone. She'd left Chet a note in his locker, promising him untold ecstasies when next they met--or at least that was Chet's interpretation of "Can't wait to see you tomorrow."
"Eat your heart out, Gage," he grinned, waving the note under Johnny's nose, then disappeared into the showers.
Johnny just nodded, too tired to think. He unbuttoned his sweat-soaked shirt, and kicked off his shoes. Cindi had felt him up...he hadn't imagined it. So what was the deal with this chick? Maybe Chet had found himself an honest-to-goodness nymphomaniac.
He wondered how Chet felt about threesomes, and the thought of seeing Chet au naturel sent his libido plummeting into his socks. "Uuuuggggghhhh!" he shuddered. Chet walked by, towel around his waist and Johnny averted his eyes and hurried into the showers to wash off the sweat and try to forget about Cindi.
The rest of the evening was busy for the paramedics. So busy, that he and Roy came into the station long after the rest of the crew had retired for the evening. Without exchanging a word, they wolfed down cold lunchmeat sandwiches, stripped, showered and collapsed into their bunks, exhausted. Within minutes, Johnny could hear the sound of Roy's gentle snoring. The entire crew was asleep--except him.
Johnny tossed and turned, unable to convince his mind to rest, despite his weary body's begging. Thoughts of Cindi kept running through his head, jiggling him awake. He remembered her bra, remembered holding her tiny foot, stroking her painted toe, and most vividly, he remembered her hands fondling him.
Stop it! he demanded of his sex-sodden brain. She's Chet's girl.
He turned onto his side and fluffed his pillow. He thought about football. That didn't work. He turned again, lying on his stomach, but that was uncomfortable in his present state of arousal. Reluctantly, and out of desperation, he thought of Chet nude. That did the trick. His mind and body both quieted, he turned, and flipped the pillow over. His finger caught on something. "What the....?" he muttered and pulled a pair of women's panties out from under his pillow. His eyes grew wide, and he quickly stuffed his find under the covers.
He glanced furtively around the room to make sure no one else had seen him pull the tiny black lace bikinis from under his pillow. The room was quietly vibrating with the sound of five men in slumber. He slipped his head under the covers, held the panties to his face and hungrily breathed in Cindi's scent, like a starving man inhaling the air outside an Italian restaurant. Another breath, and he was up and into his bunkers, heading for the shower room. He slipped into one of the stalls and examined his find carefully, reverently.
What about Chet? he heard Roy's question echo through his mind as he fingered the flimsy apparel. What about Chet?
"Fuck Chet," he whispered, wrapped the panties around his painfully swollen hose and charged the line.
Five minutes later, the fire in his pants extinguished, Johnny was back in his bunk, fantasizing about ways to kill Chet Kelly as he drifted off to sleep.
The next morning was unusually quiet for Station 51 and the guys were all glad for the break. After breakfast, Marco helped Chet with the dishes while Roy and Johnny worked on the squad.
Johnny rolled out from under the vehicle. "Hey Roy, I'm going to call her."
"Who?"
"Cindi Peterson."
Roy wiped the dipstick. "She's Chet's girl."
"Well she won't be for long. I tell you, she WANTS me!" Man, if you only knew! Johnny chuckled to himself again recalling the sensation of her touch. He didn't dare tell Roy about Cindi's panties, his plot to assassinate Chet Kelly or the nocturnal hose test.
"Sure." Roy knew all to well that Johnny had something devious swimming around in his head, and concluded that if his partner didn't feel comfortable telling him, then he really didn't want to know about it.
Roy closed the squad's hood and put the tools away without another word to his partner. Johnny disappeared into the day room. Roy followed reluctantly, curious how this current little drama would play out.
Johnny headed for the payphone and produced a small scrap of paper from his shirt pocket. He looked back over his shoulder at Roy and grinned sheepishly. "Uh, can I borrow some change?"
"Sorry Romeo, I'm tapped."
"I've got change John," Chet offered.
"Uh, thanks Chet."
"Don't mention it. So are you calling your girl?"
Johnny begins to dial, "Yup."
Chet sits down on the sofa. "So what's her name?"
Placing his index finger on the hook, Johnny turned toward him. "Why?"
"Call me curious."
"Curiosity killed the cat." Roy said smiling as he poured another cup of coffee. He took a seat at the table to watch the floor show.
Chet folded his arms across his chest. "So, what's her name?"
"Uh-Diana"
Chet nodded. "I'll bet she's a real looker."
"You could say that," Roy interjects.
"Thanks Roy." Johnny said as he shifted his weight from one foot to another.
"Maybe we should double date sometime. I'm sure Cindi would dig that."
With that comment, Roy inhaled a little coffee and started to cough uncontrollably.
Chet jumped up from the couch. "Quick John! He's aspirating. Do you want me to get the esophageal airway?"
"You do Kelly and I'll show you where to stick that airway," Roy growled.
Instead of the airway, Chet opted to get Roy a glass of water. Johnny stood steadfast at the payphone, gripping the receiver so tight his knuckles turned white.
Roy regained his composure and queried, "Are you going to call her?"
"Yes, don't rush me!" Johnny dropped the coins into the phone and dialed the number.
She picked up on the third ring. --Hello?--
"Hi babe, it's me!"
--Who are you trying to reach?--
"It's Johnny." He turned his back to his friends and whispered a clarification: "It's John Gage."
--Oooooh Johnny! How are you?--
"Great! I was just calling to make plans for tomorrow night."
--Mmmmm. you're very confident. Did you like your present?--
Just the sound of her voice was enough to arouse him. Hell, he thought to himself. You'd think I never got laid.
"Yes, it's just what I always wanted." He smiled to himself and patted the pants pocket that held the delicate treasure.
Cindi giggled and cooed, --You're cute and funny. I'd love to go out with you tomorrow but I've already made plans with Chet.--
A feeling of jealousy clouded Johnny's judgment. "Well Chet Kelly suggested we double with him and his girlfriend, Cindi."
--What!?!--
Johnny turned and flashed an evil grin at Chet. "I think it's a great idea."
With that, Roy pushed himself away from the table and left the room. He's gone way off the deep end now, boy.
---Well, I'm game. I'll try anything once. Remember that.---
Johnny stopped in front of Cindi's apartment and knocked on the door. He was just a tad curious to see what would happen tonight.
His mouth dropped to the floor when Cindi opened the door. She stood there in a flimsy white silk robe that left nothing to the imagination. He looked over her shoulder, hoping that Chet wasn't there.
Cindi took his arm and pulled him into the apartment and shut the door. "Johnny, I'm glad you're here."
He looked around the room and back at her. "Uh, is Chet here?"
She grinned. "No. He called to say he wouldn't be able to make it tonight because of an emergency. So we've got the place all to ourselves."
Johnny gave her his boyish grin. "Good, I was kinda having second thoughts about our conversation yesterday. Me in a threesome with Chet kinda scared the crap out of me."
Cindi laughed. Johnny reached into his pocket and pulled out her bra and undies. "Um, I think I have something that belongs to you."
Laughing, Cindi reached for them, but John held them behind his back. "Oh no, if you want them........come and get them!"
She looked at Johnny and could see that he was becoming aroused. She slowly walked over to him and slid her arms around his waist. Reaching up and nipping on his earlobe she whispered. "Keep them as a souvenir from me. I don't think I'll be needing them tonight anyway, will I?" She let her hand slide to the front of his jeans to stroke him.
Johnny groaned and dropped the garments. He brought his hand up and untied the sash that held her robe together, letting it fall open. He bent and took one of her nipples into his mouth and lightly sucked. Grasping her behind the knees he lifted her into his arms. "Which way to the bedroom?"
Cindi was hot for this man now and silently pointed to her bedroom door. Johnny carried her in and laid her on the bed. He removed her robe and tossed it behind him. Taking his clothes off, he slid in bed beside her to finish the job they had started in the living room.
Johnny slid his hand down to her parted thighs to find her wet and ready. He groaned into her mouth as she pulled him between her legs. He thrust into her deep and started to carry them to bliss. They were both on the verge of cumming when they heard a startled cry from the bedroom door.
An hour earlier:
Chet Kelly looked at his watch again. 6:30 YES! I can still make my date tonight!
After towing his sister's car to the shop and giving her a lift home, he decided to surprise his new girlfriend, Cindi. They hadn't known each other long, but he felt in his heart that she was meant for him. I think I'll introduce her to Mom next week...
He pulled into the parking lot at the apartment complex where Cindi lived about thirty minutes after their date was originally scheduled. He didn't notice John Gage's Land Rover parked across the street. He grabbed the single red rose he'd purchased minutes earlier and got out of the car.
I bet I'm really gonna surprise her!
He knocked on the door.
No answer.
After knocking again to no avail, he turned the knob. It was open. "Cindi?" he called. He stepped towards the bedroom, drawn by a small sound.
"Cindi!!!??!!" Chet couldn't believe the sight before his eyes. John Gage, in bed with my girlfriend?
Johnny jumped out of the bed, covering his privates with the blanket from Cindi's bed. "Now, Chet, this isn't what it looks like," Johnny stammered.
"You son of a bitch!" Chet yelled, unable to control his anger.
"Okay, so it IS what it looks like, but I can explain." Johnny backed against the wall, casting an eye on his underwear that lay on the floor a few feet away. Just let me get the hell outta here...
Cindi looked on from the bed, amused. "Come on, Chet, we were just having a little fun."
Chet shook his head. "What happened, Gage? Your date canceled on you so you decided to screw mine instead?" Chet's face was red with rage.
Johnny couldn't remember ever seeing him so angry. How the hell am I gonna get out of this?
The amused look still on her face, Cindi shook her head in disgust at the two. She got out of the bed and placed herself between the two angry men.
"Now, Chet . . ." She crooned sweetly, playfully fingering the buttons on the man's shirt. "Instead of wasting all that energy on being mad, why don't you join us? There's always room for one more, right, Johnny, honey?"
"Nooooooooo!" Johnny screamed as he lurched forward in bed. Oh shit...
that was the worst dream I've ever had... On second thought that wasn't a
dream... that was a fuckin' nightmare! Me in a threesome with Chet? No way!
No where! No how!
"Oh geez," he said aloud. Sitting up, Johnny turned to look at the clock.
What am I going to do about my date with Cindi? Either my conscience is
getting the best of me or Roy is beginning to make sense. Well, whichever
it is, one thing's for sure... I just can't do this to Chet, even though
there are times I would like to wring that little leprechaun's neck.
Fooling around with his girl would definitely be crossing the line.
Just at that moment the door bell rang.
"Hi, Johnny," Cindi cooed.
"Uh, Cindi, what are you doing here? I mean... our date isn't for another
2 hours."
"I know, Sweetie, but I couldn't wait another 2 hours to see you," she said
as she fingered his belt buckle. "Besides, I have this great bottle of wine.
I thought we could relax a little before we go out."
"Re--relax? I don't think that's possible when you're around!" Johnny stuttered.
"Now, Cindi, I-- I really think we need to talk." Johnny began backing up.
"Johnny, you don't really want to...talk, do you?" Cindi purred as she felt
her way up and down Johnny's chest.
"Well, I suppose a little wine first wouldn't hurt. I'll get the glasses."
Cindi walked up behind Johnny as he ws getting the glasses and slid her hands
around his waist and then down to his crotch.
"Cindi!" Johnny jumped. "I-- I-- I thought we were gonna have some wine and
talk."
"What I have in mind is much better than wine or talk," Cindi said as she
continued massaging Johnny.
Johnny's mind was racing... Oh shit, I'm in big trouble. Oh, God, I'm
in really, really big trouble!
"Cindi," Johnny said backing away, "WE REALLY HAVE TO TALK!"
"Okay, but let's have some wine first," Cindi said as she turned her back
to Johnny to pick up the glasses off of the counter.
Several minutes later they were sitting on the couch.
"Cindi" Johnny began as he sipped the wine, "we have to get something straight...
you're Chet's girl and..."
Cindi lunged forward and pulled Johnny into a passionate kiss.
"Mumm, Cindi, Cindi," Johnny murmured. "STOP!" He pushed her away. "I can't
do this."
"It's okay, Johnny, I'm not Chet's girl! Not really." He was just a means
to an end... "You're the one I've wanted from the beginning."
"What?! What is this? Some kind of sick game?"
"Johnny, baby, I promise this is no game. Relax, Honey, I'm gonna
make you feel sooo good."
It was then Johnny realized he felt anything but good. His chest was on fire
and he was having trouble catching his breath.
"Cindi," Johnny said, gasping, "something's wrong. My lungs feel like they're
on fire."
"What?" Cindi cried. "It wasn't suppose to make you sick!"
"What? What wasn't? Wine? You put something in the wine?" Johnny coughed.
"It it was just an herb, an aphrodisiac."
"Cindi," Johnny gasped, "c-- call Roy, now!"
Cindi couldn't believe what had happened. "Where's the number?"
Johnny pointed to the phone. There was an address book sitting beside it.
Cindi picked ip up and began leafing through it. I can't find it!
She was beginning to panic. She looked at Johnny again. He needs help!
I'll just call the fire department!
Squad 51's B-shift arrived with in minutes. Roy, who was working a double,
entered the familiar apartment, Dwyer right behind him. Roy ran to Johnny's
side.
"Johnny? Johnny can you hear me? It's Roy."
Johnny couldn't respond even though he could hear ever word Roy was saying.
What's wrong with me Roy? I-- I can't move, can't talk, hard to
breathe...
Roy looked up at Cindi. "Cindi, do you have any idea how he got this way?"
Roy asked.
"It--it wasn't suppose to do this," Cindi sobbed.
Dwyer shot Roy a look as he set up the biophone and began to assess Johnny's
vitals.
Johnny tried to speak, move. A horrible paralysis gripped him, however, and
he felt the world slipping away.
"Cindi, I need you to tell me what happened here," Roy said, struggling to
maintain his calm.
"It, was an herb I got at a Chinese market...I put it in his wine. Oh, Roy,"
Cindi cried. "I didn't think...."
"You sure as hell didn't think!" Roy muttered. "What herb did you use?"
"The market said all I need was just a little, but I..."
Roy put his hand on her arm insistently. "Cindi, what did you give him? How
much did you use?" He was trying desperately to remain calm, but he could
hear the pitch of his voice rise at the end.
"The whole thing. I used the whole thing!" Cindi sobbed louder.
Shit!
Dwyer was attempting to insert the airway that had been ordered. "Roy," he
called, "there's too much swelling in his throat. I'm having trouble getting
the airway in. Tilt his head back a little farther."
Roy gently tilted Johnny's head back. It was then he saw the tear spill down
the side of Johnny's face.
Scared, Roy, I'm so scared. What's happening to me?
Roy placed his hand on Johnny's face. "It's okay, Johnny, I'm right here.
You're gonna be just fine. Try to relax."
"Oh, Johnny, I'm so sorry..." Cindi cried, reaching out to touch him.
"Okay the airway is in" Dwyer reported. "Let's get him------Roy! Respiratory
arrest!"
Time seemed to freeze; to hang suspended for a split second, then his heart nearly slammed out his chest as Dwyer's words penetrated Roy's mind. He blinked and looked down at Johnny's abdomen, willing it to rise. He gave Johnny's shoulder a shake. "Breathe, dammit, breathe!"
Reaching into the equipment box, he snatched the Ambu-bag out, connecting the tubing to the oxygen before attaching the bag to the airway. Grimly, Roy began pumping air into his best friend's lungs.
"BP is eighty over forty. He's going into anaphylactic shock, Roy," Dwyer said as he pulled off his stethoscope and grabbed the biophone.
Cindi, hovering over Roy's shoulder, asked, "Is that bad?"
Roy ignored her, concentrating on Johnny. He didn't like the way Johnny looked. His face was ashen and his eyes were now closed. To see his normally animated partner so still and lifeless was terrifying.
The bag was getting hard to squeeze and Roy wondered if he was even ventilating his partner. "Listen for breath sounds, Dwyer." He knew he sounded abrupt, but he couldn't help himself.
Complying with Roy's request, Dwyer listened and shook his head. "Very diminished and I think I hear a stridor in his upper airway."
"Damn! Get Rampart on the biophone!"
"What's a stridor?" Cindi had moved around to the other side of Johnny, altenately twirling her hair with one finger and then reaching out to stroke Johnny's arm.
It's what you're going to have when I'm through choking you! Roy thought, but managed to bite back the retort. His eyes narrowed when he saw her reach out to stroke Johnny's arm again. "Don't touch him!"
Cindi pulled back as though she'd been bitten, her eyes innocently wide. "I didn't mean to do this to him!"
Roy started to send back a scathing comment, but stopped to listen to Rampart's orders.
"....an IV with lactated ringers. Ten-four, Rampart." Dwyer hung up the phone and proceeded to start the IV.
It took only a few moments to get Johnny ready for transport, but those minutes were amongst the longest of Roy's life. Finally, they were loading the stretcher into the ambulance, with Roy carefully climbing in while still bagging.
"Can I go with you?"
Roy's head whipped up, impaling Cindi with his glare. "Not in here, you don't, but you'd better get your ass down to Rampart and bring that container that held the aphrodisiac."
Dwyer closed the ambulance door, and gave it a thump.
It was one of the most anxious ambulance rides of Roy's career. Johnny continued struggling to breathe despite the airway. Rampart ordered epinephrine but its effect was minimal. As his friend's lips and fingernails tinged blue with cyanosis his anger at the young woman's stupidity grew.
If Johnny didn't make it.... The joy of personally strangling Miss Cindi Peterson would almost be worth the resulting trip to prison. Roy forced the murderous thoughts from his mind as he took another set of vitals. The ambulance made the final turn into Rampart, backing up to the Emergency Room doors.
Dixie waited to direct the patient as the attendants pulled the stretcher from the vehicle. Roy came with it, still squeezing the ambu bag as he fought to get oxygen into his partner. He glanced up in time to catch the Dixie's startled look of concern as she recognized the patient.
"Two," was all she said, maintaining her professionalism as she led them into Treatment Room 2. Dr. Brackett hurried into the treatment room, swerving slightly to avoid the departing attendants and their stretcher. Turning his attention back to his patient he hesitated momentarily as he recognized the young man lying on the treatment table.
"Gage?" Brackett turned to DeSoto.
"What happened, Roy?" he asked as he began assessing the situation himself.
"Johnny had a date tonight." Roy answered unable to keep the anger he felt out of his tone of voice. Though both noted it neither Brackett nor Dixie brought attention to the fact. The paramedic continued. "Apparently she wanted to make sure something happened so she slipped some herb she bought into the wine."
"What herb?" the doctor demanded.
"She couldn't remember the name." Roy nearly spat out the words. "And instead of using a little bit like she was instructed, she decided to use the whole damn thing."
Brackett and Dixie exchanged surprised glances at the virulent response.
"I told her to bring the container here so it could be analyzed."
"We don't have time for an analysis." Brackett concluded having finished a cursory examination. He was not pleased with what he found. "Breath sounds are practically non-existent on both sides even with the airway. We're going to have to do a tracheotomy." He turned to the second nurse in the room. "Shelby, I want X-ray down here for a chest series and I want a full blood work-up, stat. Also, get Dr. Costner from Respiratory down here."
"Yes doctor."
He turned back to Dixie. "Prepare the trache tray and give him another amp of epinephrine."
Finally Brackett turned to Roy. "If we don't get Johnny breathing again, fast, it's not going to matter what she gave him."
As the doctor turned away Roy again caught Dixie's glance as she prepared the equipment. Her eyes spoke eloquently of her degree of concern. Other people and equipment began to arrive, Brackett barking orders as he worked feverishly to help his patient, his friend. Roy was pushed further from the treatment table. With one last look at Johnny he left the room.
Dwyer was waiting patiently, slouched against the wall just outside the door. He stood upright when he spotted DeSoto. "How's Johnny?"
Roy sighed. "They have to do a tracheotomy. He was barely getting any oxygen through the airway."
Dwyer let out a low whistle. That was rough. He nodded his head towards the waiting room. "The herb lady showed up just after I did. I took the package and gave it to Shelby a couple minutes ago. She sent it to the lab immediately."
"She damn well better hope they can figure out what the stuff is and come up with a treatment." Roy threatened darkly. His eyes scanned the waiting room, the look in them enough to send a chill of uneasiness down his current partner's spine.
Dwyer knew he had to keep Roy away from Cindi Peterson. "I called Captain Stanley while you were in there. He said he was going to let the rest of the guys know and then he'd be right down."
Roy's only response was a slight nod of the head.
Knowing they weren't going anywhere soon Dwyer resumed his slouch against the wall.
It was about twenty minutes later that Dr. Brackett emerged from the treatment room looking a little less anxious but still deeply concerned. He acknowledged Dwyer's presence but directed his words at Roy. "We got the trache in and he seems to be breathing somewhat better. That doesn't mean he's out of the woods yet. There's fluid starting to build in his lungs so we have to watch for pneumonia. He also isn't reacting to any neurological stimuli, almost like a total paralysis. We won't know what's causing that until we get the tox report back from the lab."
Just that moment Hank Stanley made his way into the ER, immediately spotting the trio and hurrying over to where they stood. He quickly greeted them before going straight to his main concern. "How's Johnny?" "I didn't mean to kill him!" Cindi blurted.
"WHAT?"
"Oh for Christ Sake!" Roy glared at her. "Johnny's not dead!"
The rest of the guys from 51 filtered in. Dwyer swore softly under his breath when he spotted Chet.
"Cap! Roy! What happened? Where's John?" Chet's face showed the concern and affection for Johnny that he usually kept hidden.
"Brackett's still in with him, Chet. We don't know yet." Roy said quietly. Shit, he thought, may not have to kill Cindi after all-Chet will probably do it for me.
Chet sighed and nodded, then his eyes widened in alarm when he noticed Cindi.
"Cindi! What are you doing here?"
"Easy Chet-" Dwyer began.
"We were on a date...things were getting real hot, and then-" she burst into tears.
"A DATE? What the hell was Johnny doing on a date with my girl?" Chet exclaimed.
"Oh shit," Mike said softly.
"What he said," Marco echoed.
"Your girl?" Cindi laughed, "Now that's funny."
Chet's eyes were dark with hurt. "But the notes..I thought you really liked me." he swallowed hard, "and all along you were using me to get to Gage. And he went for it. He knew how I felt about you and he..." his voice trailed off as he turned away.
"Lady, you're a real piece of work. Any way you can possibly hurt my friends more?" Roy muttered.
"Chet! Pal..now we don't know everything that happened yet. I agree that its a..well..rather..odd situation, but right now we've just got to hope Johnny will be okay. That's all that matters right now." Hank said gently.
"Yeah. He has to get well."
"There you go."
"So I can kill him!"
Before anyone could reply, Brackett walked over.
"Doc, how is he?" Hank asked.
Kel folded his arms across his chest. "Well, he's stable. We've managed to reduce some of the swelling in his airway, but we've got a long way to go.
The lab report on that stuff she gave him just came back. It was loaded with Bee Pollen."
"Johnny's allergic to bee stings." Roy blurted, "he can't even eat honey."
Kel nodded. "Threw him right into anaphylactic shock. If Johnny hadn't recognized what was happening and gotten her," he jerked his head toward Cindi, "to call Roy, there's no way he would have made it. Not a chance in hell. Johnny's a very lucky man."
"Is he gonna be all right, Doc?" Chet's voice was quiet.
"We think so Chet. We've done all we can, now it's up to his body to flush that crap out of his system. He'll need the trach for awhile."
"Can I see him?" Cindi asked.
"Like hell you will," Roy snapped.
Kel looked back and forth between them. "I don't think that would be a good idea. Besides I think Vince will want to have a talk with you."
"Vince?"
Roy smiled. "Yeah. OFFICER Vince."
Hank shook his head. "What a mess."
Chet looked up. "You said it Cap," his voice was choked.
"Chet-" Roy started.
Ignoring him, Chet stood up and walked away.
"Roy? Honey? Roy, wake up!" Joanne DeSoto shook her husband. Good grief! He is in DEEP tonight. Joanne shook him again. "Roy!" She reached up and turned on the night table lamp. "Roy!" she repeated.
"Huh? Wha--?" Roy rolled toward her and blinked sleepily.
"Honey, wake up, you're having a dream," Joanne whispered. "Are you all right?"
"Hm...?" Roy brushed his hand across his face. "Oh, yeah...I was dreaming about Johnny and his date...."
Joanne kissed him lightly. "Now, why are you dreaming about Johnny and his date?"
"Hell if I know," he murmured drowsily.
"Well, as long as you're awake...."
Roy was suddenly wide awake. "Joanne DeSoto, you are wicked."
Joanne purred demurely. "Mm-hm...."
As is often the case, their middle of the night love-making was intense and mutually satisfying. Afterwards, lying entwined and sweating lightly, Roy's fingers continued to softly stroke Joanne's back as she nestled against his chest.
"So, tell me about your dream," she murmured sleepily into him.
Roy laughed softly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
"Must've been scary--you were muttering and moaning."
"No," Roy smiled, "I think that was after you woke me up...."
"Well, that, too," Joanne agreed, lifting her head and kissing him on the cheek. She propped herself onto an elbow and traced designs on his chest. "What were you dreaming about?"
"Johnny and his date and everyone at the station and the hospital...."
Joanne's eyebrows disappeared into her bangs, reappearing after a long moment.
Roy shrugged. "You asked." He sighed and put a hand behind his head. "I dreamed that Johnny's date tried something to make their date more romantic and it backfired, and Johnny ended up in the hospital. And I was one of the paramedics who responded to the call." He shook his head as if to wave away the images, and yawned widely. "It was really weird."
Joanne shifted again, laying her head on his shoulder and wrapping her arm across his chest. "Well," she told him drowsily, "it's a good thing it was only a dream. You can go back to sleep any time."
Roy's hand drifted to her shoulder, curving around so that his hand cupped her breast once more. She lifted her body so that her breast rested more comfortably in the palm of his hand and kissed his nipple, her eyes searching his seductively.
"Why, Roy DeSoto, what they say about you isn't true, after all. You're not too old at all...."
"Would you like to come in?" Cindi smiled innocently up at Johnny as she fit the key into the lock of her apartment door.
"Well....sure." Hm...don't often get asked in on the first date. Or on the second one, since there often wasn't one, but Johnny didn't let his thoughts get that far. He followed Cindi into her apartment.
Again, as he had when he had picked her up earlier, he admired its simplicity, the muted browns and greens offering a soothing palette to the eye. He closed the door behind him and watched as Cindi slid out of her shoes and dropped her purse casually to the floor. She turned and cocked her head at him, and for an instant Johnny could have sworn she had she had pursed her lips at him.
"How 'bout a drink?" she was saying.
"Uh...sure," stammered Johnny.
Cindi led the way into the living room, where a small portable bar housed her meager liquor supply. "Hm," she said, studying the contents of the tray. "Scotch or...scotch?" She flicked her eyes at him again.
Johnny blinked. The words "bedroom eyes" flashed into his mind. "Uh...scotch, I guess." He watched almost dreamily as she poured the liquor into two tumblers.
"Ice?"
He nodded dumbly.
Cindi swayed across the room and into the kitchen.
Johnny swallowed hard as he followed her motion. Cindi wore a short, tight white dress that nicely accentuated her ample bosom and shapely hips. Long bare legs, perfectly tanned, led to...parts Johnny desperately wanted a part of. He swallowed again and thought of the panties under his pillow.
Cindi sashayed back out of the kitchen and handed Johnny his drink, peering at him over the rim of her glass as she sipped her own. Johnny stared back hungrily. Their eyes locked for a moment.
Slowly, Johnny set his drink down on the nearby table. He reached out and removed hers from her hand. Cindi didn't protest. Wordlessly, Johnny took her hand and led her to the open door on the right that led to the bedroom.
"Wait." Cindi paused in the doorway and pressed a button on the wall. Soft music welled up from unseen speakers. Moving to the bedside table, she pressed a switch and low light illuminated the room. Before she could straighten, she felt Johnny's hands on her hips, gently caressing her buttocks, lifting back to her waist. She turned to face him.
Johnny reached up and cupped her breasts through the fabric of the dress, leaning forward to kiss her hungrily on the lips. Cindi's lips parted, and Johnny's tongue found its way into her mouth. She felt him press against her, the bulge below his waist pulsing beneath his pants.
Johnny's hand shifted back to her hips, buttocks, down to her thighs as he pressed his lips against her neck. Cindi moaned. Reaching down, she pulled at his belt buckle, feeling it give easily.
Johnny made a soft gurgling sound deep in his throat as Cindi fumbled with the button on his pants and slid the zipper down. Her fingers found their way inside, gripping him gently through the fabric of his shorts. He groaned almost painfully as she touched him. This was where he had been last night....in the shower at the station. Opening his eyes, he stared intently at Cindi and reached around to undo her dress.
"No," she whispered. She pushed his hands back toward her hips, sliding them onto the sides of her dress and lifting. Following her lead, Johnny gently pulled up her dress until it was past her hips. She gyrated slowly against him. Johnny's hands moved again, this time back down under the dress, finding only bare skin. He stopped, surprised, then grinned. "Oh, Cindi," he breathed.
"I gave them to you," she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck and opening her mouth once more against his.
Johnny reached between her thighs. "Oh, my," he murmured. He turned her, pushing gently, and she dropped onto the bed. Johnny watched her eagerly as she pulled at his pants and dropped them to the floor.
"Come on, fireman," she cooed, lying back and gazing up at him, "put out my fire...."
Johnny certainly didn't need a second invitation.
They drowsed lazily for a while when they were finished.
"Thank you," Cindi murmured sleepily.
"For what?" Johnny blinked contentedly.
"For....that. I wanted you from the minute I met you in that grocery store."
Johnny flushed. Oh, wow...and I acted like such a fool then. A thought occurred. "Cindi?"
"Hm?" Her voice was barely audible.
"Uh, Cindi....what about Chet?"
"Chet? Chet can..."
"Wait a minute," Johnny said shaking her awake. "Chet can what?"
She sighed. "Come on Johnny, I'm tired."
Sitting up, causing Cindi's head to fall onto the mattress, he looked down at her. "We have to talk about this."
"Look Johnny," Cindi said propping herself up on her elbows. "Chet's a big boy, he'll get over this."
"So you're just going to dump him?"
"Why are you so uptight about this? I thought you wanted this too?"
"I.I did, but he's my friend."
"That's not what I've heard or seen," Cindi said sitting up.
"Chet would never admit it to anyone, but we are friends," Johnny said. "We are good friends." He wiped his face with his hand. What the hell have I done?
Cindi moved closer to him. "Awww come on Johnny," she said tracing an invisible line down his chest. "You know how the saying goes, all's fair in love and war." Her mouth replaced her finger. She tongued the invisible line heading southward.
"Cindi, you don't understand," Johnny moaned. "I have to work with the guy."
Cindi wasn't hearing him, and Johnny knew it. The sensation running through his body was overwhelming. He let out a loud groan once Cindi's hot mouth found his stiff member.
Laying back down, Johnny groaned aloud and smiled. "Oh well, all is fair in love and war."
Johnny awoke to find Cindi sprawled out like a cat across his chest. He would have been content to leave her there if not for the insistent ache of his bladder. Johnny managed to slip out of bed undetected. Light from a street lamp seeped through the blinds and illuminated the short distance to the bathroom.
He closed the door quietly behind him and turned on the light. Several pairs of pantyhose hung across the shower rod and a pair of panties lay discarded by the bathroom scale. Johnny lifted the toilet seat and relieved himself.
After washing his hands and face, Johnny paused and stared long and hard into the mirror. Suddenly the full weight of the past few days' events fell upon his shoulders. "Oh shit," he breathed.
At first, he tried to convince himself that he was really doing Chet a favor. Sure, the sex wass beyond fantastic but the reality was that Cindi was not the type of girl to fall in love with. This is where Chet made a huge mistake; a mistake that Johnny was too logical to make. Johnny reasoned that if Cindi had no qualms about going after him while she was dating Chet, then obviously, if the opportunity presented itself, she would probably do it again.
Johnny sighed heavily; he really did care about Chet. How can I tell Chet without telling him??? The mirror kept silent.
His thoughts shifted to Cindi: sexy, passionate and highly skilled. "All is fair in love and war." Cindi's words seemed to echo throughout the room.
"But this isn't love," he muttered. Johnny turned his back on his reflection and leaned against the sink. He shook his head slowly. "Is it my problem if Chet can't see that?"
The man in the mirror wasn't very forthcoming with answers, so, Johnny had to answer his own question again...
"No. My problem is that if it's not love, why the hell am I here? Besides the obvious, I mean."
"Maybe the problem is that you talk to yourself?" Cindi asked, her voice quivering with anger.
Johnny whirled around, nearly giving himself whiplash in the process. "Hi...I uh...uh...thought you were asleep."
"Yes, I suppose you did." Cindi walked into the bathroom as if she owned it, which, she did, and perched on the side of the tub. She stared daggers at Johnny. "So, you're worried about Chet and you don't know why you're here other than for a quick fuck, because you don't love me, and you were just using me, is that it?"
"You have excellent hearing." Johnny tried to smile and failed, miserably.
"I do."
"Cindi, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, it's just...."
She jumped up and raked her nails across his face, drawing blood. Johnny stared at her in shock as he held his stinging cheek. "I'm also an excellent actress. Chet certainly won't like the story I'm going to have to tell him." She smiled grimly.
"What are you talking about?" Johnny angrily dabbed at his bloodied face. "You're gonna tell him we slept together and then you went nuts? Go ahead."
"No. I'm going to tell him you forced yourself on me, and that I tried to fight you off, but you were too strong..." she started to weep, convincingly. "I might even have to...have to...report you to the police."
Johnny's eyes grew wide. "Cindi...you wouldn't."
"Oh, wouldn't I? I'll tell them how you..." She ripped the nightgown she was wearing and let it fall from her shoulders, "...tore off my gown." Then she walked from the bathroom. Johnny followed, stunned, hoping to talk some sense into her. "Then you threw me onto the bed, but I fought you." She flung the bedcovers onto the floor, and then hugged herself, digging her fingers into her own flesh so hard that it left angry red marks on her upper arms. "You held me down." She flung the lamp from the nightstand and it shattered on the floor. "But still I fought. I nearly got away, but you were too strong." She wrapped the lampcord around her wrist, pulling it tight as blood welled up. "You tied me to the bed. Then you...then you raped me."
Johnny shook his head. "You're crazy. No one will believe that." He said the words, but doubted them himself. She was right. She was a hell of an actress.
"Maybe. Maybe not." She unwrapped the lampcord from her wrist. "There's just one more thing. Two days ago someone broke into my apartment. The only things they took were a bra and a pair of black lace panties. The police have a report on file. They said it might be a peeping Tom, or a rapist, and that I should be extra careful." She smiled, then threw back her head and laughed. "You wouldn't know anything about missing lingerie, would you?"
Oh god. Cap had found the bra in his locker and the panties were at his home, covered with his cum. He'd never get home before the cops picked him up. His voice quavered. "No one will believe you. You...you gave me your phone number."
"Yes. I thought you might be able to help me pick out a nice birthday present for Chet since you're such good friends. Poor Chet. He's going to be so...heartbroken." She sat down on the bed, crossed her naked legs and grinned up at his horrified expression. "Your face is scratched. You neglected to use a condom, so I think the police might be able to get a semen sample. I'm bruised. Your fingerprints are all over my house, and your captain knows about the bra in your locker. Chet told me that he found it and went after you. It's my word, the word of witnesses, and a world of physical evidence against what? Your word? You'll tell them I did this to myself? Who do you think they'll believe?"
Johnny's jaw dropped. He pinched himself and left a bloody fingerprint on his arm. This was no dream. She had him right where she wanted him
"What do you want, Cindi?"
"Hmmm." She flipped her long dark hair back, and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. "Well, I'd ask for money, but firemen don't make that much. I'd ask you to love me, but you don't seem willing to do that. You do seem willing to fuck me though, and you're a pretty good lay. So that's what I want."
"What? You think I'm going to sleep with you again?"
"Oh, I think you're going to do whatever I tell you to." She stood up, walked past him and sauntered into the living room, out of his sight.
"Oh, shit. What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he muttered, grabbed his clothes and followed her. She was holding the phone in her hand.
"I just dialed the police. You have until they answer to decide...." She held the phone to her ear. "One ringy-dingy."
"Cindi, don't do this."
"Two ringy-dingies..."
"What do you want?"
"I want you to do whatever I tell you to."
"You want a slave..."
"Very perceptive. Slave. That has a nice sound to it." She smiled. "Four ringy dingies."
"I can't. I won't."
"Your choice." She spoke into the reciever. "Hello? Police? I need to talk to an officer..."
Johnny's hand snaked out and pulled the phone cord from the wall.
She smiled triumphantly. "I'll take that for a yes."
Johnny glared at her. She laughed in his face. "Fix the phone cord. Then come into the bedroom. Don't bother getting dressed."
He watched her go, then sat down heavily on the sofa. "Damn, damn, damn. This is what happens when you think with your nuts, Gage," he whispered. He thought about leaving, running away, but knew she'd be on the phone to the cops before he got to his Rover. He thought about confessing to Roy, to Chet, to everyone, and throwing himself on the mercy of the court, but he knew enough about the white man's justice to know that one look at poor, bruised, whimpering Cindi, and even his best friends would be questioning whether he had done it or not--never mind what the cops would say. He didn't want to go to jail. He didn't want to sleep with Cindi, but that seemed to be the lesser of the two evils.
He couldn't believe that he was resisting sex. But somehow, this filthy blackmail made sex as undesirable as latrine duty. He seriously doubted that he could get it up and wondered if she'd call the police for his lack of erection. He got up from the sofa and stuffed the outlet back into the wall angrily, then checked the phone. Too bad...he had a dial tone. From the bedroom, he could hear Cindi humming happily. He stood, and decided it was time to face the music. How bad could it be? he asked himself. A beautiful chick who wants nothing more than sex? He'd do what she wanted; spanking, bondage, whatever, and then get the hell out and never come back. He took a deep breath, and walked into the bedroom to meet his fate. What he saw stopped him in his tracks....
Johnny stopped dead in his tracks as he entered the bedroom. It was dark except for candles burning on the dresser and nightstands. Cindi was dressed in black leather and had a whip in one hand and two sets of handcuffs in the other. A very evil grin decorated her face. Johnny looked around the room and back at Cindi.
"What the hell is the matter with you?"
Cindi laughed. "Oh, there's nothing wrong with me that my little love slave can't fix. Are you ready to play Johnny?"
Johnny slowly shook his head. "No way! I'm not going to be part of anything like this."
Cindi laughed again and it sent chills up Johnny's spine. "I don't think you have any choice in the matter do you?"
Johnny stared at her for a minute then quietly spoke. "You know what? I do have a choice in this." He started pulling on his clothes as he looked at her and spoke. "I would rather spend the rest of my life in prison than be a part of your maniac scheming. He pulled on his boots and looked up at her once again. "I'm a paramedic for god's sake. I save lives, I help ease people's pain. I don't inflict pain on anyone nor is anyone gonna inflict pain on me."
He turned around and headed back into the living room and stopped when he heard her call his name.
"Johnny!" Cindi cried as she came into the living room. "If you walk out that door I'm calling the cops and then I'm calling Chet. By the time I'm threw with you, you won't have a friend, a job or a life left."
Johnny turned as he opened her apartment door. "Go ahead, because if I live my life letting you blackmail me into doing things I don't think are right, I might as well be dead anyway. Go ahead Cindi, have your fun."
He walked out of the apartment and headed for his truck. He got behind the wheel and took a deep breath. Now what was he supposed to do. He started the vehicle and headed for the one person who was always there for him. He pulled up into Roy's driveway and got out of his truck. He slowly walked up to the door and rang the bell.
Roy and Joanne were sitting watching TV when they heard the doorbell ring. Roy got up and walked into the foyer to answer the door. He opened the door to see Johnny standing on his front step with four bloody welts on his cheek and a look of fear in his eyes.
"Johnny? What the hell happened to you? Are you alright?"
Johnny looked up at Roy and shook his head. "Roy, I'm sorry to bother you but I need to talk to you. I need your help."
Roy took Johnny's arm and pulled him inside the house. "Johnny.......what's wrong?"
Johnny looked Roy in the eye and quietly said. "I'm headed for prison and I don't know how to defend myself. Roy.......help me."
After hearing Johnny's story, Roy shook his head in disbelief. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into?"
"God, Roy, I wish I knew. There's probably already an APB out on me now!" he said as he paced. Suddenly he stopped his nervous movements. "Do you think I can get a flight to Mexico tonight?"
Roy studied his partner for a minute. "You're serious!" he said incredulously.
Johnny sighed. "I just don't know what to do! I should have listened to you. I never should have gotten involved with that-- that she-devil!"
"Well, I hate to say I told you so, but--"
"Yeah, yeah, I know."
"Listen, why don't you sleep here tonight, and we'll ride to the station in the morning together," Roy suggested.
Johnny agreed, and was soon settled on the DeSoto's couch for the night. He awoke at every sound, thinking it was the police coming to take him in, or Chet coming to kill him, but nothing happened.
The next morning, John and Roy rode to the station together. Before they got inside, Stanley greeted them in the parking lot.
"John, Roy," he greeted. "Um, John, I need to see you in my office, Pal."
Oh shit... "Sure, Cap," Johnny swallowed hard.
Johnny followed Cap into the office. The sight before him caused him to turn around in an attempt to leave, but his escape was cut short by Cap, who grabbed his elbow. "You're not going anywhere, Pal. You have some explaining to do!"
Inside the office sat Police officer Vince Howard, fellow firefighter Chet Kelly, and Cindi.
"He's the one!" Cindi called out, pointing an accusing finger at the obviously panicking Gage.
"You bastard!" Kelly yelled as he got up quickly and grabbed John by the shirt collar.
"Now, Kelly, you gotta listen to me!" Johnny sputtered. "What she's saying isn't the truth!"
"Like hell it isn't! I ought to kill you for what you did!"
Johnny felt himself begin to hyperventilate. "I swear, I did nothing to harm this woman. She made it all up!"
"I'm sorry, John, but I'm going to have to place you under arrest," Vince spoke seriously.
Just as John was certain he was going to pass out, a bright light flashed before his eyes.
"What the?" John asked, as Roy stood before him with a camera in hand.
Everyone stood stock still, until Chet Kelly could stand it no longer! He burst out laughing, and was soon joined by the others in the room, including Cindi.
Johnny stood still, too bewildered to speak.
"It was a joke!" Kelly spat. "And you fell for it! Hook, line, and sinker!"
Johnny shook his head. "A joke?"
He looked at the faces around him and realized it was true. Then he focused in on Chet Kelly. "Better hang around, Vince. I might not be wanted for rape, but I may be wanted for murder before the day is over."
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