Flesh and Bone

Rivers of sweat puddled in the small of her back as her hands gripped her rifle. The late afternoon sun blared without mercy into the windshield and bathed the cab of their truck in suffocating heat. Her body armor seemed to shrink in the desert furnace around her, making breathing a chore of its own. The convoy lumbered on towards some remote Iraqi province, sand flying off the tires of the truck in front of them. Glancing to the passenger seat next to her, her partner Chip glared ahead, eyes shifting behind his sunglasses. Music was emanating from somewhere in the truck, taking her by surprise. Chip seemed oblivious to the heavy melody, never taking his eyes from the road ahead. Growing louder by the minute, she scoured the cab in search of the source of the familiar tune.
“Chip, where the hell is that music coming from?” she asked. Yet he stared ahead, eyes shifting as if he hadn’t heard.
Over and over she questioned her partner about the music and each time he sat mute, never turning to her direction. The sweat streaming down her back turned cold and she shivered despite the inferno. Her hands began to shake on the rifle and she jumped when she felt a hand slap at her shoulder. Turning to find Chip grinning at her, an overwhelming sense of dread came upon her. Opening his mouth to speak, the lyrics of the mysterious music came from this throat.
“Click…click…BOOM!” Chip seemed to laugh.
Then her world went bright white.
Jerking awake, legs kicking at the duvet and her lungs screaming for air, Ryan scrambled wide eyed to the head of her bed. With the dream fading in the recesses of her mind, she gulped for air while surveying her bedroom. She was in her bedroom with the cherry wood bedroom suite and her phone blasting a Saliva song from the nightstand. With a still shaky hand Ryan drew it to her face and felt awash with calm to see the face of Mitch on the screen. Sliding the lock to the right, she answered with a dry voice.
“Hello.” Her voice grated into the phone.
“Morning sunshine,” Mitch’s jovial voice greeted her. “You up?”
Glancing at her bedside clock, Ryan was surprised to see it was just before eight. “Fuck no.” she ground out.
Laughing quietly, Mitch continued. “Well, wake up. Chief wants us at headquarters by 10.”
A new panic surged through her and her eyes flashed wide. It was one thing to get called in by the supervisor but, to get called in by the HMFIC was a whole other ball game. “What the fuck did we do?” She asked, once again becoming breathless as her heart began to pick up its pace and her mind racing back to the last shift week.
“He assured me we’re in the clear, just needs to talk to us.” He drawled. “When did you get in?”
“About two”, she breathed out, trying to slow her galloping heart. “got in about two. Would’ve been sooner but, hit a jam outside of Little Rock.”
“Sorry babe”, Mitch said soothingly. “Did you get the flowers I sent?”
“I did and they were beautiful. Thanks.” She replied, her mood turning somber.
“Do I need to swing by and get you?” he asked sympathetically.
“No, no. I’ll be fine. 10 you say?” Ryan asked, attempting to force her voice in a more chipper tone.
“Yeah, 10. And he said we dare not be late.” Mitch replied. “I’ll see you then. Let me know if you change your mind about the ride.”
“Sure thing.” She nodded before saying her good-bye.
Leaning her head back against the headboard, she sighed as she stared up at the ceiling. Her thoughts turned back to the last few days and the dream that still nagged at the corners of her mind. Feeling tears sting the corners of her eyes, Ryan ground her teeth and shook her head until her vision swam. Pushing all the thoughts to the side, she sprang out of bed with renewed purpose. Coffee, shower and beating Memphis traffic to get there on time.

The mid-October sun was above the skyscrapers as Ryan pulled her Charger into the back parking lot of Memphis City Fire and Emergency Service headquarters. The day was warming up nicely as she killed the engine and drew a shaky breath. In the four years she’d worked there, Ryan had never been called in by the Chief. Mild nausea started to sweep into her stomach as she opened the door and stepped from her car. Pressing the lock on the key fob, she steadied herself before turning and slowly making her way to the entrance. Although the mid-morning sun had chased away the dampness of early morning, a chill made its way up her spine. Relief swept over her as she spied Mitch’s back, standing just inside the entrance of the lobby. In her nervousness, Ryan hadn’t noticed she parked four cars down from his. Opening the door, she almost wanted to cry as Mitch turned and greeted her with his show-stopping smile. Forcing a smile, Ryan walked into his side embrace and muttered, “Still no clue why we’re here?”
“Nope but, guess we’ll find out soon enough.” He whispered back.
Notifying the Chief’s secretary of their presence, the pair took a seat in the hallway across from a display case of framed newspaper articles and awards given to the department over the years. After several minutes of silence, Mitch and Ryan glanced at each other and nervously giggled.
“Why do I feel like I’ve been called to the principal’s office?” she murmured.
“I’m feeling more like being in front of the Colonel”, he snickered back.
Ryan nodded in agreement. Looking down at her hands in her lap, she began to nervously drum her fingers on her knees. So lost in the tune in her head, she jumped when Mitch spoke.
“How was the funeral?” he asked.
Ceasing the tapping of her fingers, Ryan’s expression went pensive. Twisting her lips to the right, she didn’t meet Mitch’s eyes in her answer. “As well as expected, I guess. As good as a funeral goes. Once the estate is settled, I’ll have to go back and get what was left to me.”
Sighing deeply, Mitch stretched his arm out and encircled her shoulders. Lightly squeezing them, his voice deepened with compassion. “You know I’ll be glad to help if you need me.”
Nodding slowly, her words were autonomic, “Yeah, I know. Thanks, Mitch.”
The Chief’s secretary came out at that moment, snapping Ryan from her thoughts. “The Chief is ready for you both.” She smiled.
Taking one last look at each other, the pair rose slowly and marched down the hallway towards the door of which, once they were behind it, their fate was unknown. Before Mitch could raise his hand to knock, the door swung open and the Chief greeted them with a warm smile.
“Come in! Mitch. Ryan. Good to see you both”, as he nodded in each direction respectively, “good to see you.”
The pair nodded and stumbled over their return greeting. Directed to the oversize, pleather Queen Anne style chairs in front of the Chief’s desk, they took a seat with baited breath. The Chief closed his office door and made his way behind his desk. Opening two folders on his desk, he glanced over the contents before sitting back and tenting his fingers under his chin. Mitch and Ryan stole glances at each other, becoming more nervous by the second as they waited for the Chief to speak. Just when Ryan thought she’d burst with anticipation, the Chief leaned forward causing his chair to squeak loudly in the tomb like room.
“I know you’re wondering why I’ve called you in here today. Be assured, you’re not in any kind of trouble; quite the contrary. Both of your records are exemplary and your Battalion Chief speaks highly of you both. And that’s why you are here today.” He began.
Nodding along, Ryan and Mitch were almost on the edges of their seats. Stealing a sideways glance at each other, they quickly focused back on the man in front of them.
“We have a situation of utmost importance.” The Chief continued. “This has been a few months in the making and after careful consideration, you two were selected to carry out this mission.”
Ryan almost snorted in laughter. “Damn, am I in the Army again?” she thought to herself.
“You two will have a ride along, starting tonight.” He said. “And I know you’re wondering what makes this unusual. I know you’ve had ride-alongs before; students and the like but, this circumstance will require a great deal of discretion and that’s why you two are finding this out today.”
Mitch, having snapped from his nervousness began to speak. “What is it you would like for us to do?”
“Your ‘student’ is someone with quite a bit of notoriety. He will be coming here and there to ride along with you both. It is your job to teach him what it is to be a paramedic while maintaining his confidentiality and to a degree his persona. He has received first aid and CPR training; it’s not much different than some of the students you roll through internships. The difference is he needs first-hand experience on this to be able to perform his job.” The Chief pointed to the pair in turn.
Ryan and Mitch looked to each other, stunned and looked back at their Chief with the same dumbfounded expression. Their patriarch just smiled.
“I know this is confusing but, in a few moments we’ll be moving down to the conference room to let you sign the necessary paperwork. All of this had to be kept very secret and as much as we wanted to tell you both, our hands were tied until today.”
Ryan silently wondered who “we” was. Looking over at Mitch, he just shrugged in reply.
The Chief leaned back in his chair, causing it to squeak and groan, making Ryan jump despite herself. He was a handsome African American man; maybe in his late 50’s with greying at the temples and a time worn face. His deep voice, while it carried authority was smooth as silk.
“Mitch, it’s good to see you. How are things out in Station 5?” he focused on the person to his right.
“Very good Chief!” Mitch replied in his normal, chipper tone.
Turning his attention to Ryan, their commander smiled. “Ryan, I think we’ve only met briefly over the years. You’ve been with us four years now? I see you’re fairly new to Memphis. How do you like our city?”
“It was an adjustment sir but, I’m faring well.” Ryan replied with more confidence than she felt.
“I understand you and Mitch here were in the Army together?” the Chief returned, taking Ryan by surprise.
Stammering her reply, she simply breathed out, “Yes.”
Nodding his head, any further conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door. The Chief’s secretary slowly opened the heavy wood and glass door and addressed the Chief directly. “Chief Richardson, the gentlemen in the conference room are ready to see you all now.” She stated matter-of-factly.
Nodding his head in reply, the Chief stood and motioned for Mitch and Ryan to follow suit. Leading them out of his office, the secretary simply raised her eyebrows in question as the other two followed behind. Leading them through the winding hallways until they reached their destination at the back of the building, the conference room held two men in expensive looking suits and one man in more casual attire. They had laptops set up on the table in front of them along with stacks of papers and folders. Each stood up as Chief Richardson and his entourage entered the room.
Introductions were made around the room and although she couldn’t speak for Mitch, Ryan was a bundle of nerves. Mitch must’ve picked up on her nervous energy as he slyly squeezed her elbow in assurance. Each took a seat around the large table and the pair, feeling like the little fish in the pond, waited to learn of this clandestine assignment. The older gentlemen seated to their left took out a folder and began to speak.
“Mr. Bartlett there to your right is in the process of pre-production of a movie that will hopefully be a feature film. It is essentially about urban paramedics and their lives in and out of the job. The film has been cast and the reason we have called you here today is you both come highly recommended to assist in this. One of the lead actors wanted to gain ‘hands on’ training for his role in the film. My colleague and I are here to handle the legalities and I will let Mr. Bartlett explain the film side of things.” The older attorney spoke to the pair.
The younger attorney began. “We have quite a bit of paperwork for you to sign in regards to confidentiality agreements. You will not be able to discuss the film nor the person you’ll be training to no one; nothing on social media, no speaking to the media on this. As far as concealing his persona, we have decided to let you all work that out amongst yourselves. We expect utmost confidentiality and restraint in this matter. At the completion of the training phase, you will both be given impressive compensation for your time and dedication.”
Wide eyed, Mitch and Ryan just gazed at each other and back to the attorneys across the table from them. Mr. Bartlett to their right began to speak and Ryan sure hoped Mitch was listening because her head swam with all the information being thrown at them. The conversation volleyed around the room like a tennis ball and Ryan gave up trying to follow along. Numbly she nodded, casting Mitch doe-eyed glances on occasion. Before she knew what had happened, a pen was being thrust into her hand and a large stack of papers placed in front of her on the table. Page after page, she slowly applied her signature to the areas marked by sticky arrows. The words on the pages blurred and swam in her vision as she felt herself becoming anxious. By the time she reached the last page, she felt her chest constricting and the room becoming smaller. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Mitch stand and a hand come under her arm and jerk her upright out of her chair. More handshakes and forced pleasantries before Mitch all but pushed her from the room.
Making it out to the parking lot was an exercise in willpower and as the mid-day sunlight struck her face, it forced Ryan to suck in a harsh, deep breath. Turning to Mitch, she could barely restrain her shaky voice. “What the fuck was that?!”
Mitch half chuckled and shook his head, taking Ryan by the shoulders and turning her in the direction of their vehicles, steering her on. “Looks like we get to meet a movie star, pal.” He mumbled.