In Flames // 9-1-1 Fox (seasons 1-4)

seventy-one

Aside from the sound of trees turning to ash and nature being destroyed all around them, the ride up the mountain was silent. Monroe didn't speak to her the entire drive and Mariana certainly wasn't going to make an effort. So much for southern hospitality.

"I only count seven kids! IC said there was supposed to be eight," Eddie shouted over the roar of the ATV engines. Mariana didn't even give Monroe a chance to stop before she was hopping out with her gear bag and heading for the kids.

"Yep, and a counselor. Hey!" Judd yelled. "Back up. We're here now. We're gonna get you all down, the mountain, okay? Mariana and Eddie's gonna check everybody out, make sure they're okay."

Everyone started talking again as Mariana threw Eddie his stethoscope and wrapped her own over her neck.

"Hey, hey, hey. Who's missing?" Judd asked as Mariana grabbed one of the kids to check him over.

"Mr. Gomez," another kid answered. "He left last night looking for JJ and he never came back."

She tilted the kid's chin up, inspecting the small laceration on his jaw and the dilation of his pupils. Pretty reactive so no concussion but it looked like he had hit his head on something.

"JJ run away?" Paul theorized.

"No, man. He was out doing his solo."

"Solo?"

"Yeah, it's two nights mandatory alone in the woods. It builds character and self-respect, but it's usually well-monitored," Judd replied.

Mariana gave the kid the go ahead and motioned over the next one.

"You know that how?" Paul asked.

"Mr Gomez have a cell phone?" Judd ignored him.

"He's the only one that does. We're not allowed!"

"No call in eight hours, it could just be bad reception," Marjan pointed out.

"Or something else," Eddie said.

Mari raised her head to follow his line of sight to the man wrapped in a blanket and stumbling towards them. Marjan and Eddie caught him first as he fell and Paul leaned over the man.

"Hey, where's JJ?"

"Couldn't find him," the counselor gasped out before his eyes shut. Eddie leaned down and listened for a beat before raising his head to lock eyes with Mariana.

"He's not breathing."

"Get him on that table," Mariana ordered as she sprinted over to grab her medic pack. She carried it back over to where Eddie and Marjan were checking over the guy and handed it to him. Judd had the kids move back to give them some room.

"IV. We need to run a line." His order was easily understood by her and she grabbed the kit and set it up. She passed the saline bag to Paul and quickly tied the tourniquet on Gomez's upper arm so she could find the vein. Eddie flipped the man's arm over to give her access and he tapped the vein a few times.

"Good," she announced and he pulled his hand away so she could easily slide the catheter needle into the vein with practiced ease. Eddie taped down the needle and Mariana released her hold on it, snapping off the tourniquet as she moved.

"Marjan, bag him," Mari instructed as she pressed two fingers against his neck.

"I'm not hearing any air escaping. Lungs are intact," Eddie muttered.

"Then why isn't his chest rising?" Paul asked.

Mariana backed up so Eddie could open the man's shirt. He cursed under his breath and she winced at the sight of the heavy burns across the counselor's chest.