Jaeger: "You're in a band, right? My Velvet Drapes or something?"
Markus: "This Velvet Oblivion, yeah. We just did a show a few nights ago at the Xenon."
Jaeger: "Hey, let me know when you guys play again. I'd love to come see you!"
Markus: "I think we're scheduled for a gig next weekend. I'll double-check with the guys and let you know."

As silence fell over the cab, Markus let his head fall back and closed his eyes. It had been a long day with very little to break up the hours. Some nights the radio was constantly crackling with activity, but tonight wasn't one of those.

Jaeger: "Could you believe that rain earlier? I thought I might have to build a boat after work at the rate it was coming down."

Markus exhaled slowly, keeping his eyes closed. Jaeger was a good paramedic, but notorious for her constant talking.

Markus: "At least it's stopped now."
Jaeger: "I remember before I moved out here I used to think it rained all the time. Like every day, constantly."
Markus: "It's a myth we like to perpetuate to keep people from moving here."
Jaeger: "I wonder how many people it's kept away."

Markus was about to respond when the radio was suddenly alive with a crack of static. Jaeger was instantly reaching for it, even before he'd had a chance to open his eyes.

Jaeger: "This is unit 17, go ahead."
Dispatch: "We have a 405 in progress over in your area. Address is 13000 Ravenscroft. Over."
Jaeger: "We'll be there in under two. Over."

Markus felt the air go out of the large cab of the ambulance. He'd always figured that sooner or later he'd have to answer a call for someone he knew, but until now he didn't realize that he never really believed it would happen.

Markus: "Jesus… my friends live there."
Jaeger: "We're less than two blocks away. We should get there in plenty of time."

Markus nodded, flipping on the lights and siren as Jaeger pulled the ambulance out of the parking lot of the small convenience store. He pushed aside his worries about which of his friends might be in need of his help that night, knowing that he couldn't afford to let his emotions get in the way of his job. No matter who it was waiting for him at the end of this short journey, they needed him to be 100% professional.