Page 3 of A Sudden Response

Joe placed her hands on her hips and nodded. “You’re absolutely right. What was I thinking?”

“It’s okay. I forgive you,” Eric said as he jumped out of the back of the ambulance and made his way to the trashcan to dump the bags of expired saline.

They were going to have to post something to remind the crews to double-check supplies when they picked them up at the hospital, Joe thought as she watched Eric grab a bottle of sanitizer and some rags before heading back to the truck. She grabbed her checklist off the bench seat only to have him toss a rag at her. She didn’t bother looking up from her paperwork as she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Did I mention that we have a third rider today?” Eric asked as he sprayed the stretcher and began wiping it down.

“Great,”Joe said, stretching out the word as she mentally prepared herself for the long night ahead. “Looks like I get to play babysitter for the entire shift.”

“I don’t think he’s going to be much of a problem. He looked capable,” Eric said, shrugging it off only to glare when she said, “I wasn’t talking about him.”

CHAPTER 2

“Everything okay back there, Greg?” Eric asked as he glanced over his shoulder.

“Yeah, everything’s fine,” Greg said as he turned around in the tech seat to answer him. “Um, when are we going to get a call?” Greg asked, trying to feign casualness as Eric and Joe shared a look.

The kid was a whacker.

A whacker was a term they used for someone in the field who took the job too seriously and thought they were Superman. They were full of shit, had absolutely no idea what they were doing, annoyed the shit out of everyone with their bullshit, and were usually the first ones to panic when the shit hit the fan. As entertaining as it was to seasoned EMTs, it could also be dangerous.

“Cause I’m ready you know. I don’t really need to third-ride, but Bill said it was policy. He said it was up to you to sign me off early so that I can get off the initial probation period. I wouldn’t have a problem with that. I mean, I don’t want to waste your night or anything,” Greg rambled on.

Joe bit her lip to stop herself from laughing while Eric glanced around the convenience store parking lot they were stationed at, trying to keep a straight face.

“I, um, really appreciate the offer, Greg. Thank you, but don’t worry about wasting our time. We like the company,” Eric said, feeling his lips twitch while Joe sat there, shaking with silent laughter.

They’d been training officers for six of the twelve years they’d worked as EMTs and they’d heard it all from their third riders. A few were honest about being nervous, the others hid it well until their first call, and, a few like Greg, liked to bullshit them right from the start. Definitely a whacker, Eric thought, biting back a sigh.

“I’ve been working as a lifeguard at a resort since I was sixteen,” Greg offered.

“Is that so?” Eric drawled, knowing that this was the point where Greg would brag, trying to convince them that he knew exactly what he was doing. It never failed to entertain them when a third rider thought they knew it all.

They had one guy outright refuse to listen to them while they were extricating a man from an overturned car and tried to correctthembecause he saw a movie where they dragged the guy out of the car by his head. Eric ended up having to punch the guy out before he paralyzed their patient.

“Yeah,” Greg said, nodding to himself. “Did that for almost ten years now. I’ve been teaching CPR and first aid for two years as well.”

Great.

He taught people how to watch a video and pass a written test, so he thought he was king shit now. This was going to be a long fucking night.

“Ever have to use your skills?” Joe asked, twisting in her seat to look back at Greg.

The guy averted his eyes as he said, “Oh, yeah, you wouldn’t believe the shit I saw on that job.” Which no doubt meant that he’d probably applied a band-aid to some kid’s skinned knee.

Joe gave him a warm smile. “That’s good. It means you’ll probably pick up on the way we do things around here quickly.”

Eric had to hold back a snort. Joe was always too fucking nice. Well, right now, she was, but if this guy’s bullshit got in the way of patient care, she’d tear him apart.

Greg nodded, looking thoughtful as he murmured, “True.”

“I’m going to run inside and grab a drink,” Joe said as she climbed out of the truck.

Eric watched her walk into the store and didn’t notice when Greg climbed out of his seat to do the same until he heard the man mutter, “Nice,” with an appreciative sigh.

“I don’t swing that way, cupcake,” Eric said as he shoved him back.

“Didn’t mean to crowd you,” Greg said, moving back to his seat.

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