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Date Posted: 19:41:50 08/25/99 Wed
Author: an E! SISTERS Collaboration
Subject: HEART OF EVIL - PART ONE

Author: SALLY

Johnny Gage woke to the sounds of chaos -- and the sensation of searing pain shooting through his legs.

The world around him was a blur.

What was happening?

Where was he?

"Just hold still, Gage."

It took a moment before the voice registered...it was Brice speaking.

Craig Brice?

But...Roy? Where was Roy?


Author: Brenda

'What the devil happened?' Johnny's mind kept repeating over and over, trying to block out the pain.

Johnny shut his eyes, trying to concentrate on what was going on. His ears picked up the sounds of people milling about, the sounds of sobbing, the buzzing of activity.

Johnny gasped at a particularly strong stab of pain, which momentarily obliterated all conscious thought. After the worst of it had subsided, he concentrated on remembering what had happened.

He could still hear Brice's voice, feel his arm lifted as the BP cuff was put in place, but right now he didn't have the energy to speak.

'What the devil happened?' he thought to himself again. The last thing he remembered, he and Roy weren't even on a call -- so there couldn't have been a fire, or a building collapse or anything else.

He and Roy were 10-8 to the Heritage Square Center. With Mother's Day coming up, Chris and Jennifer had wanted to do something special for their mother and enlisted Roy's help. So he and Roy had stopped here to get the kids some wrapping paper to use for their gift, and Roy planned to purchase the Bracelet that Jo's best friend Susan had helped him pick out.

He had watched his partner with fondness and a little jealousy as he stood beaming, like a kid himself, as he had the jeweler wrap up the gift he knew was going to be a great surprise for his wife.

With the shopping done, they had headed past the post office to the burger joint next store down for lunch.

'Oh God!' Johnny thought in panic. The images that came crashing back into his mind -- the screams, the sudden bursts of deafening noise, the sound of breaking glass, forced his eyes open with a jolt...

Author: Tammy

He remembered it was a explosion!

But where was Roy?

He kept asking Brice over and over again. He tried to sit up but he became dizzy again. As lowered himself back down he spotted Roy to his left with other paramedics working over him.

Johnny (in the loudest voice he could:) called to Roy but it was too noisy! Then the pain hit him again and he was pulled back into the darkness!

Author: Sally

Subject: Roy tried to force open his eyes...despite the intense pain -- a hundred times worse than the Cobra Venom that had once invaded the sensitive eye tissue.

"Don't touch your eyes, Roy..."

"B...Bellingham?" Roy thought his own voice sounded odd -- distant, somehow.

"Yeah, man...just take it easy...."

"My....eyes...?" Roy moaned.

"Looks like ya have some glass in them. We're just gonna put some gauze around them for now and get ya over to Rampart...Brackett can have a look at ya."

Roy felt the cool dampness of saline soaked gauze being gently placed over his eyes...but it did little to help relieve the pain. "Glass?" he questioned, struggling to sit up. "How...?"

A strong hand held him down.

"Just take it easy....come on now...let me do my job."


Author: DiAnne

"Johnny! Where's Johnny?" Roy asked breathlessly. He became more and more agitated, hampering Bellingham's efforts. Roy was sure he had heard Johnny cry out in pain, then there was nothing, nothing but the unseen commotion all around him. He needed to see for himself that his partner was okay, but the bandages and the pain were preventing that simple feat.

Author: Debbie TT1

Chaos... was the only word that came to Hank Stanley, as Engine 51 pulled up to the scene. He felt his heart quicken, at the site of bodies... NO, people...everywhere.

As the engine rolled to a stop, Hank heard Stoker draw in a sharp breath. Following the Engineer's shocked gaze, he couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped his own lips. The squad or what was left of the squad sat smoldering in the parking lot... "Oh my God!"

Leaping from the Engine, Hank was quickly approached by the Battalion Chief.

Author: Debbie TT1

It seemed like hours... But it was probably only seconds before Johnny flirted, again, on the edges of consciousness. The pain in his legs was intense...maddening, but it was starting to pale in comparison to the growing pain in his right side.

"Uuunh.."

Johnny heard voices again. Brice, again. "He's starting to come around. Gage, can you hear me?"

"Roy?" It came out as a half whisper, half moan.

Tired. He was so tired. Johnny wanted, desperately to open his eyes, even if it meant seeing Brice, so he could find out about his partner.

"Gage, can you hear me? Do you know where you are? Can you tell me where you're hurt?"

'SHUT UP!' Johnny wanted to scream at the paramedic that he could feel leaning close to his face. He didn't feel like being bothered with Brice and his questions... He needed to find out about Roy, his partner...his friend. He tried again, "Roy?".

"No, Gage, it's Craig Brice. Bellingham is working on DeSoto. Now, why don't you tell me where you're hurting?"

Frustrated, Johnny struggled to open his eyes. 'Whoa! Somebody stop this ride...I think I'm gonna be sick.'

Author: Lorna

Chet ran to the side of his friends.

Johnny could feel the hands of Brice gently turning him to his side. As he was moved the intense pain returned.

"I'm...I'm okay..." Johnny said weakly. The words were a lie, but it was the only way that he would be left to lie still, if only briefly.

Off in the echoing distance he could hear Bellingham making contact with Rampart. He heard the moans of someone not far away.

"Roy....where's Roy?" A surge of pain overcame him and he was unable to fight the blackness again.

As Chet jumped from the engine, he was in shock to see the scene in front of him. Although he should have been watching for his Captain's lead, he instead ran to the side of his good friends.

"Will they be okay?" Chet asked of Bellingham and Brice.

Author: Brenda

Subject: Bellingham and Brice look up at Chet only briefly... and the grim look on their faces sent a wave of cold fear through him. Looking around him at the injuries, not only to his friends, he paled realizing it was lucky they were still here at all.

After the briefest of seconds, he pushed the fear away and set to work, helping Brice and Bellingham with the injured paramedics...

Author: Sally

"CHET -- I need ya over here...NOW!!" Hank Stanley... Ordered firmly.

For a second, Chet didn't move -- his eyes remained glued to the large, blood soaked area of Johnny's blue shirt...and the jagged piece of metal protruding from out of the paramedic's right side.

Johnny's soft moans and pleas for Roy pressed upon Chet's heart -- sure he always liked to tease Gage and use him as the Phantom's Pigeon....but still, he thought the world of the zany and unpredictable man. Reaching down, he gave John's shoulder a quick squeeze.

"Hey -- Gage..it's Chet...you hang in there, man. You hear me?"

Johnny responded to the sound of his comrade's voice by turning his head, his eyes opening a slit.

"Chet? Roy...what...about...Roy...?"

Chet glanced over to where Bellingham and an ambulance attendant were placing Roy onto a stretcher.

"He's gonna be okay...don't worry...Roy's gonna be fine."

"KELLY!!" Stanley roared.

"Comin'!" Chet responded, giving John's shoulder another squeeze, before leaping up and hurrying to help on the hoses.

Author: Stephanie TT2

Subject: Looking once more over his shoulder... Chet reached for the hose that Marco had waiting for him.

"Okay guys, let's get in there and get this thing nipped in the bud." Cap said.

Marco and Chet started towards the fire and started extinguishing the flames.

Cap looked over at his two paramedics. Roy was being put in the back of the ambulance. Johnny was being worked on by Brice.

"God I hope they are okay" Cap thought as he turned his attention back to the chaos that was still going on.

Author: Lorna

Subject: Marco's look was piercing

Captain Stanley could hear the commotion as Brice and Charlie worked on Johnny. He would have liked to see him being loaded into the ambulance with Roy which would be a sign that he was stable enough to transport. Instead he saw a constant motion between the biophone and the drug box.

As much as he would have liked to run over for a status report, he knew his place was here. Somehow his mind was not on his work. He watched as a second ambulance pulled up.

"Cap...Cap..." Marco shouted to get the Cap's attention. "Fire is out. Any word on how they are?" The look in Marco's eyes was piercing.

Author: Stephanie TT2

Subject: Cap looked over at Marco and could see the anger...in his eyes. He knew that the guys looked out for one another and when one was down there was so way of keeping the others from helping out.

"Cap, we're going to need the Air ambulance for Johnny!" Brice called out as he took another BP reading.
"You better make is fast, Gage is in critical condition and won't be able to make the ambulance ride," Brice added, as he started another IV in Johnny's other arm.

Author: Sally

Inside the ambulance, Roy felt intense FEAR -- Brice's words echoing over and over again in his cloudy mind...

"AIR AMBULANCE!...CRITICAL!....GAGE WON'T SURVIVE!"

"NO! JOHNNY!" Roy cried out, struggling against the restraining hold of the gurney straps and two pairs of sturdy hands.

"Take it easy, DeSoto..." he heard Bellingham instruct. "There's nothing you can do to help him right now."

Pulling his arms free, Roy torn at the bandages covering his eyes -- blinding him to what was going on.

"DeSoto, don't...!"

His hands were grabbed and pulled away from the blood soaked gauze....

"Johnny...I killed Johnny...I killed Johnny...!" Roy mumbled again and again...as the sounds of the ambulance sirens began to blast and the vehicle jolted into movement.

Author: Stephanie TT2

Subject: Back at the scene on the devastation, the arson guy had just arrived.

Captain Stanley went to introduce himself to the investigator.

"Hi, I'm Captain Stanley with the LA County Fire Department Station 51. I was told by the Chief to report to you when you arrived."

Extending his hand Agent Maxwell shook it with vigor. "My name is Agent Maxwell, but my friends call me Max".

With the strain of knowing that two of his men was injured in the explosion, all Cap wanted was to know the cause of the fire.

As the Agent Maxwell looked around he came to one area that looked like it was the starting point of the fire. Picking up a sign for different sizes of Pizza, he threw the sign back down on the pile of rubble.

"Well Captain Stanley, looks like the explosion originated here in the pizza parlor. Can't be sure till we start digging, but it looks like our best guess." Turning around to meet the Cap face to face, he noticed the strain and tension in his body.

"Um, Captain Stanley…you okay" Max reached out and put his hand on his shoulder.

"HUH, yea...just got two of my men injured here, and it all comes down to an explosion in a pizza place..." Cap said shaking his head.

Author: Lorna

The men were all startled as.... a handi-talki came to life in the rubble. The voice of Sam Lanier could be heard.

"The strangest things survive," Max said as he shook his head.

"But will my men survive?" asked Stanley of Max. The strong leader of station 51 dropped to his knees beside the handi-talki, all charred but still functioning.

Author: Tammy

Captain Stanley went to help load Gage onto the helicopter !

"How's he doing Brice?" Captain Stanley asked, with a touch of nervousness in his voice.

"He's lost a lot of blood," was Brice only reply as he jumped on the helicopter.

Johnny could feel the pain start again. Was he that bad, he thought, that he had to be taken by helicopter? He felt a Brice taking his BP and then back into the darkness he slipped.

Author: Mary Ellen

And yet even that darkness seemed to shine with a soft glow which shone all around him. He saw what looked like a female figure from which the glow seemed to emanate. Her whole being seemed to radiate towards Johnny a gentle softness that eased his pain considerably.

Johnny looked over this creature again and again trying to figure out who she was and why she was there. He noted that she was dressed in all white garments.

A Nurse?

But that was impossible! He'd only just now been loaded onto the air ambulance. They couldn't be a Rampart already, could they?

"Dixie?" He called out weakly.

"Who I am is of no importance at this moment, John Roderick Gage. What is important is your survival from this crisis." The mysterious figure said. "The next 48 hours will determine everything. During this time I will be with you always! Never feel that you have been abandoned, John Roderick. Even if everyone you know quit you, I shall never leave your side. Now be still and at peace, my cherished one."

Johnny felt a pulsating sensation stroking his head again and again. He was able to let go and relax for the first time since this whole chaos started. It would be all right. Everything was going to be all right. At least he wasn't alone in facing the challenge that lay ahead.

Author: Stephanie TT2

As Max made his way through what was left of the...mall, he moved his foot through the small pieces of concrete and pieces of metal. He noticed what looked like a timing device. Slipping on a latex glove, he reached down and picked up a battery connected with a wire.

Looking for his partner that had arrived after the fire departments had left, Max beckoned him to join him.

"Hey, Jack, have a look at this...I think we're looking at what caused the explosion. Looks like my first assumption was wrong."

"Why, what did you think is was, a gas explosion?" Jack asked as he reached out and took the battery and carefully inspected it.

"Yea…that's what I told the Captain of Station 51, that is was a gas explosion." Max said as he looked around at the devastation around him.

"Think we can get some prints off this. I'll have it delivered to the crime lab ASAP. Maybe we'll come up with something on it before the day is over."

Author: DiAnne

Meanwhile, watching all the action...stood a lone figure on a far off corner. With all the spectators that had congregated on the scene, no one would have noticed the solitary gawker with the wry smile. Enjoying the scene with evil glee, the figure smiled knowingly satisfied in a job well done.

Author: Brenda

"Listen to me Roy. You had nothing to do with what happened." Bellingham attempted to soothe the injured paramedic, but to no avail. "And don't worry. Charlie and Brice are going to..."

Even in Roy's semi-conscious state, Brice's name had an electrifying effect. Roy renewed his struggle against the restraining arms of Bellingham and the ambulance attendant, all the while mumbling to himself. Bellingham took a deep breath and increased the pressure against his friend's struggling form, thinking it was one of the longest ambulance rides he'd ever been on.

And he was concerned that Roy's head injury was worse then they'd first believed - with all Roy's muttering about killing Johnny. Although the police at the scene weren't exactly sure of the full explanation behind what had happened, there was no doubt that Roy had nothing to do with it. And with the severity of Roy's eye injuries, there was no way to get a better handle on the extent of his head trauma until he was x-rayed.

With that thought Bellingham silently wished for the thousandth time that Hal would speed it up a little and get them to Rampart soon.

Author: Brenda

Subject: Roy felt the ambulance lurch to a stop --and his heart nearly stopped with it. No one would tell him anything more about Johnny and Brice's words kept flashing back to him. 'Dear God, he's not going to make it this time.' His mind cried out. 'We should have gone somewhere else for lunch.' The thoughts were jumbled and wandered through his mind unbidden.

"Okay Roy, we're here at the hospital." His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Bellingham's voice, though it seemed far away. "The doctors are going to get you fixed up." Bellingham patted his shoulder reassuringly.

After that was a whirling of motion and sounds - being lifted from the back of the ambulance, the sounds of the gurney wheels on the hard tiled floor, the bustle of doctors, nurses and attendants, doctors barking out orders, the sounds of equipment clanging.

'Must be multiple cases in the ER right now,' Roy thought absently, listening to the volume of activity. Then he heard Dixie's voice, ordering the gurney, his gurney, he supposed, into treatment 3.

Then the next voice he heard, the soft hand that took his own, broke down the last of his defenses.

"Roy! Roy can you hear me sweetheart? Are you okay?" Joanne was frightened by the appearance of the blood soaked bandages covering Roy's face, the various cuts and scratches littering his body. She hurried to keep step with the attendants as his gurney was rushed toward the treatment room.

"Jo.....Joanne?" His voice cracked with fear and pain as he finally managed to get out the words.

"Yes, I'm here Roy. We're going to take good care of you." She struggled to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Jo..." Roy's voice was trembling and weak. "Johnny.....my fault..."

The rest of the conversation was cut short as Roy was wheeled into the treatment room...


Author: Sally

"BRICE....!! Brice...we need your help!!" Captain Hank Stanley shouted above the roar of the Helicopter engine. "We have three more victims!"

Craig Brice leaned toward the open doors, quickly scanned the area outside and saw several firemen pulling injured people from beneath a pile of rubble.

"Go ahead...we can handle this." Scott Adams, a member of the Life Flight crew, instructed.

Brice frowned. "I'm not sure...I mean it's not standard protocol..."

"Hell bells, Brice...nothing about this situation is standard protocol!" Adams snapped, practically shoving the reluctant paramedic out of the helicopter. "I said we can handle it!"

In the next instant, Adams reached out and yanked closed the heavy doors, securing the safety locks and latches.

"All right...let's go!!"

As the helicopter lifted off into the air, Adams made contact with his supervising Hospital, while his partner, Shelly Walker, made another assessment of Johnny's vital signs.

"UCLA...this is Life Flight 2 ...we're in route with a male, approximate age 27, victim of an explosion. Patient has suffered an impalement type injury in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen -- no obvious exit wound. It looks like some kind of metal plating-- an advertisement sign of some sort that has been splintered in the blast. It's about 2 inches wide and the part showing would measure about 5 inches in length. Excessive amount of bleeding is noted around the entry site, despite pressure dressing that are in place. Patient is also suffering from first and second degree burns on both legs. Stand by for updated vitals..."

"Pulse 120....Blood Pressure 86/40....respiration's are 25 and labored." Walker reported in crisp tones. "He's throwing PVC's all over the place."

Just as Adams began to report the information to their physician contact....

"He's gone into cardiac arrest!"

Author: Lorna

The sound of the helicopter could be heard overhead. The men who were working to clean up the fire area looked up and immediately knew one of their own was in trouble. The air ambulance is only called in extreme times.

Chet continued to work. The anger in his mind was translated into vigorous action. He wanted to run over and speak with Johnny before he was loaded into the helicopter, but he knew that Johnny needed to conserve his strength.

"Kelly, Lopez, Stoker, we've been relieved," came the solemn voice of the Cap. "Let's clean up and head over to Rampart."

With that all of the men, picked up their equipment and headed for the engine.

"What about the cause? When will we know the answers?" an angry Chet asked.

The Cap shook his head as all the men watched the helicopter take off in the direction of Rampart.

Author: Stephanie TT2

Mike watched as the helicopter lifted of. Looking over, he thought he recognized a long time friend.

"Hey cap, I'll be right back." Mike said as he headed towards the investigator.

"Okay Mike, but don't take too long. We need to get cleaned up so we can head to Rampart and see how Johnny and Roy are doing." Cap said as he wiped his face with a dirty cloth.

As Max took pictures of the area, he heard someone approaching him. As he turned around, he came face to face with his friend of many years.

"Hey Stoker, how are you doing." Max said reaching out his hand and shaking Mike's, then slapping him on the back.

"Well things could be better." Mike said as he looked over the total ruin of the shopping mall.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. Looks like this was a deliberate act. We found what looks like a timing device in the debris and sent it off to the lab to be examined." Max said looking off at the spectators that had turned up.

Mike swung his head around. "What do you mean? You mean this was all done on purpose?"

Surprised by Mike's reaction. "UM...yes. Look Mike I know that there were lot of people hurt here, but at least all of the victims have been recovered and are in the hospital."

"Oh man." Mike said as he ran his hand threw his hair.

"Max... I had two of my friends injured in this thing and now your telling me it was no accident?" Mike said as he looked around.

Max wasn't sure what to say. He had never known anyone injured in any of these "accidents."

"Look, Mike, I'm sorry. Do you know how their doing?" Max asked as he looked at Mike.

"Um...no. The life helicopter that just took off took Johnny and the ambulance took Roy. We've been relieved of duty and are heading back to the station to get cleaned up before we head for the hospital."
Mike said as he looked over at the engine with the guys of Station 51 waiting for him.

"Well I better get going." Mike said as he started to walk away.

"Hey Mike, keep me up dated on your friends. If one of them ...um...you know...." Max couldn't finish the sentence. Seeing the look on Mike's face was all it took.

Max watched as Mike headed back to the engine.

"I hope his friends make it," Max thought as he watched the guys drive off on Engine 51.

Turning around he caught the site of a rescue squad. As he started to walk towards it, he noticed the distinct markings of LA County 51.


Putting his hands in his pockets, he thought, "Now if I wanted to see the destruction of a building, where would I stand."

Slowly starting in a circle, Max surveyed the area and noticed one area that had not been
hit with any debris and noticed one individual with a grin on their face. Lifting his camera Max look several pictures of the people milling around, and most particular the person with the grin.

Author: Brenda

Subject: Joanne realized Roy was probably out of it, nevertheless she couldn't understand why he would say such a thing. She knew he'd never do anything to hurt Johnny. But then again, the whole situation was surreal - she still didn't understand what had happened...she didn't even know what condition Johnny was in.

Joanne saw her husband was still mumbling, his head moving slightly side to side. She stood there, clutching his hand as though it were a lifeline, trying to reassure both of them. "Roy, sweetheart, you're going to be okay. The doctors are going to take good care of you." She tried to soothe her husband, brushing the blood streaked blond hair away from his face. She continued to hold his hand, offering words of comfort, releasing her grip only long enough for them to transfer him to the exam table.

Joanne could hear Brackett giving orders to the attending staff, could hear the nurse giving her husband's vital signs, but only peripherally, her focus never leaving her husband. He continued to mumble incoherently. It was obvious that he'd had some kind of terrible trauma to his eyes, the blood soaked bandages causing her imagination to run wild - and pray to God that he would be okay.

Then suddenly Roy slowly turned his head, as though looking directly at Joanne. His next words were his most lucid and nearly tore her heart in two.

"Joanne...please...where's Johnny?" he begged.

The words were so sad and so plaintive, Joanne could no longer hold back the tears.

She leaned in close, stroking a bloodied cheek in comfort. "Okay baby...don't worry, I'll find out about Johnny..." Her heart plummeted as she realized he hadn't heard her, and felt his hold on her hand go lax, unconscious.

"Roy? Roy can you hear me?" She looked up at Brackett in alarm but he was already beginning his assessment and didn't acknowledge her. She felt someone take her shoulders from behind and turned to see Dixie. She refused to move however, and continued to watch her husband as tears rolled down her face.

Brackett, who wanted to remove the bandages, but not in Joanne's presence, signaled Dixie, who more firmly this time, pulled Joanne out of the room...

Author: DiAnne

Subject: The very essence of evil seeped into the expression of the solitary bystander. Through a smile only Lucifer could love, a hard, callous sneer escaped through thin lips.

"They think they're so smart, those men in uniforms. We'll just see how smart they think they are."

Dark smoldering eyes had watched as the ambulance had taken off, sirens blazing, lights afire. Still darker eyes, filled with morbid amusement, watched as the helicopter had been brought in, whirring off to it's destination with it's damaged cargo. An unnatural glee settled in as a great sense of satisfaction and accomplishment took hold, triggering a deep-throated laugh of unadulterated, amoral depravity.

Suddenly, from the besieged area of rubble and destruction, a man with a camera could be seen. The camera's lens was trained in that very direction. All thoughts and movements seemed frozen in time, if only briefly. The disturbed laughter ceased. The heinous smile faded. The eyes, so cold and unfeeling, grew thin and tense.

From his vantage point amongst the ruins of this once-quiet neighborhood, Max snapped his pictures feverishly. He hoped to get at least one good shot of the suspicious looking character overseeing the mass destruction. Somewhere, between frames, he realized the person had suddenly vanished from sight.

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