Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Twenty

"Lieutenant John Vasquez," Stokes confirmed. "He was a tank gunner at Desert Storm. Wife says he's been despondent since they buried his daughter on Friday. She was 27. Served two tours in Afghanistan."

"She died in Afghanistan?" Owen guessed.

"No, she died here."

***

Owen's sigh was audible over the headsets on Ladder 126. "We'll keep pace. Strand out."

Judd shook his head sadly from the officer's seat. "Poor bastard."

"I'd understand what he was doing if she died in Afghanistan," Mateo frowned. "Why steal a tank here?"

"Wonder how she was buried?" Marjan suggested from the wheel. "Military funeral?"

Paul was searching a tablet in his hands, then he straightened. "Cap!" he called through his headset to Squad 9. "I think I know where this guy's going!"

***

Owen frowned, then felt a phone tap his shoulder. He took the phone offered and read the daughter's obituary, and he gulped when he saw the title.

Soldier Takes Own Life After Local VA Denies Treatment.

He hastily reconnected to Stokes. "He's headed to the VA Hospital!"

***

Owen was in the center of a storm of people, yelling to be heard over panicked clamor. "Come on, people! We gotta evacuate! Let's go, let's go!"

Stokes wove through patients being wheeled out of the hospital and first responders rushing to help. "You sure about this?" he asked.

"His daughter was denied care at this facility," Owen nodded, then a distant rumble caught his attention. Stokes's eyes widened comically as the hulking form of the tank appeared at the end of the road. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure," Owen sighed dryly, clapping his hands. "Alright, come on!" he barked. "Let's move it! Move, move, move, move!"

Paul and Mateo burst past him to reenter the hospital, them Marjan stumbled out, panting heavily. "There's still a lot of sick folks in there, Cap," she gasped out.

Judd put a steadying hand on her back, the acting officer of Ladder 126 looking at his captain in concern. "Cap, we haven't even hit the east wing yet!"

"We should call it," Stokes said. "We need to consider our people's safety, too."

Owen watched Nancy rush to help an evacuating patient, and Tim almost crashed into an IV pole as he took over for an exhausted nurse. "What about his people?" he pointed out, walking down the steps of the hospital to put himself in the tank's path.

***

"Elena?"

"Oh, mi amor . . . what are you doing?"

"They forgot about her, Elena! Our baby! Everyone forgot her! I'm gonna make them remember."

"John, stop! Listen to me! These people, they wanna help us!"

"What people?"

Grace took a deep breath, hearing the vitriol and hate in John Vasquez's voice. "Mr. Vasquez?" she said. "My name is Grace Ryder. I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher. I do have a friend on the line. He has something he'd like to say to you."

***

The click on the radio signaled the line was transferred, and Owen took a deep breath. "Mr. Vasquez, this is Captain Owen Strand, Austin FD. I wanna say how sorry I am for your loss. No one should ever have to feel what you're feeling. I understand you wanna blame the government for what happened to your daughter, for denying her sacrifice. I know how painful that feels."