Chapter 18 #2
She’d grown up in Missoula. She knew exactly what to expect when it came to smokejumpers dealing with a fire. It wasn’t like having a couple of engines of firefighters swarming a house fire and hopefully managing to put it out within an hour maximum.
The look of fear in her eyes was real, raw, and it clawed at me.
“Sure. But let me call you. Okay? Finish the bandages. Promise?” I backed away, grabbing my keys from the counter.
“Of course. Just take care of yourself.”
When she eased off the counter, I hesitated. I’d never hesitated heading to a job before. Why now? Why with her? Because I cared about her.
We locked eyes and for a full five seconds, there was nothing and no one around us. The damn alarm text went off again and I sighed, heading for the door. I didn’t think she was going to follow.
Then she did. “Wait.” She closed the distance, placing her hand on my chest as she rose onto her tiptoes.
When she pressed her lips against mine, I could feel her body trembling.
She’d lost her entire family in a fire and had no understanding of how to handle anyone agreeing to jump into one without reservation.
I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close. The seconds were precious and I consumed her mouth, evoking far too many emotions within me.
As if on a timeline, she broke the kiss, immediately backing away. Her smile was there but faded away even before she returned to the kitchen.
Well, shit. I guess this was what it was like to have someone care about you enough to worry whether or not you came back.
* * *
The base was insane.
There was no other way to describe the activity as I pulled the truck into the parking lot.
I’d rushed, exceeding the speed limit, but it seemed as if everyone else was already engaged in whatever commands they’d been given.
I jogged toward the building, scanning the group, half of whom who already had their jump gear bags in hands.
At least two other vehicles pulled up, racing into a parking space. The entire scene was controlled chaos.
One of two aircraft was waiting, the pilot in the cockpit. The other it appeared was being fueled. Whatever the situation, the fire was enormous.
I pushed my way through several jumpers, many of whom I’d barely been introduced to.
With Missoula being the largest smoke-jumping base in the country, there were normally eighty jumpers on the payroll.
I’d heard given shortages, they were down to seventy-two, another recruit and myself being adding in the last week.
At least sixty if not more had been called to action.
“Hey. The captain is looking for you,” Raptor said as he grabbed my arm, already prepared and heading out.
“What’s going on?”
“Huge fire that started on the west face of Mount Sentinel. The fucker torched the M.” He acted as if I knew what the hell he was talking about.
I shook my head.
“The mountain is part of the University of Montana, the M on a peak for the school. The fire is threatening to roll down the mountain.”
Ah, shit. That meant lives were in danger. “Got it.” I rushed inside, still forced to push my way through several jumpers and administration personnel who were setting up for a long-haul event.
The captain was yelling at someone on his phone, waving for me to get my butt inside his office.
“Yeah? I need some help here, Mayor. The university needs to be evacuated now. And you need to have the campus checked for bombs.” The captain rubbed his eyes.
“Yes, there’s enough belief we could have an arsonist involved.
There are still a couple thousand students taking summer classes, several hundred staying in the dorms. And I need help.
” He fisted his hand, as frustrated as I’d seen him.
“We also have thousands of tourists in town for the weekend. We need to get a handle on this now.”
I moved closer and he rolled his eyes for my benefit, which shocked the hell out of me.
“I need you to make a call. Idaho. California. I don’t give a shit. With the weather reports, this could get out of hand.” As he pounded his fist on his desk, I had a feeling he was going to reach through the phone and strangle the mayor. “Thank you, sir. I really appreciate all your help.”
Only his tone had changed, the man not thankful at all. I resisted smiling as he ended the conversation, tossing his phone.
“Goddamn cocksucker,” Captain Daughtry spit out. He leaned over, staring down at his desk. “And if you repeat that, Viper, so help me God, you’ll be on plane washing duty for six months.”
“No, sir. Not a word.”
“Good.” When he lifted his head, I could tell how exasperated he was.
“We have the potential for a raging firestorm given the unpredictable weather pattern and the mayor decided to grill me on the budget. I wasn’t going to remind him he needed to take the argument to the forestry service.
Here’s the deal. We are already down in numbers as you well know.
Now, with six jumpers on vacation, one with a broken goddamn leg, and two others out at various family weddings they are a part of, we’re at a critical level.
That means your training has been cut short. ”
I was surprised, tension rocketing through me. I’d never been concerned about heading to a fire before. Maybe because there hadn’t been anything to lose before.
Grace.
With a slight shake of my head, I pushed thoughts of her aside.
“You don’t think you can do it?” he asked, obviously noticing my gesture. “If not, you need to tell me right now. I can’t have you up in the air or on the mountain and panic.”
“No, sir. I’m ready. Completely ready.”
He looked relieved, looking over my shoulder, a moment of recognition settling in. “Axe. My office.”
My entire body tensed but I remained quiet, even as Axe piled in, ready to go where I wasn’t.
“You boys know the drill. I can’t think of a better time than now for you two to start working together.
For your benefit, Viper, since you were called late, missing the team meeting we just had, both planes are headed up, one team dropped on the summit.
You guys are a part of that. The other will hit the west side.
You’re going to work your way down, trying to keep it from going over the other side.
We have several goals, the main one being the students at the university. ”
“Wouldn’t they be automatically vacated?” I asked.
Axe snickered, which garnered him a dirty look. “They’ve been through this drill a half dozen times.”
“Then why the fear?”
The captain hesitated before answering. “There’s some indication the fire was purposely set.”
That’s the reason he wanted the campus checked for explosives. Could be the same guy. Fuck. I’d left Grace all alone.
“Shit,” Axe said. “Same asshole?”
“We don’t know and we can’t care. Alright, gentlemen. Viper, suit up. A short flight and no room for error. Be safe out there and maintain radio contact. This one could take a while.”
Axe was out the door first, obviously waiting for me. “You’re late.”
“Yeah? Well, at least I’m here to have your back.” I refused to waste any additional time arguing with the man. We weren’t going to be friends. That was fine, but at some point I might not be able to tolerate his bullshit. Today wasn’t the day to pick a fight.
“Let’s just hope so, Viper. Let’s see if you can work with the big boys.”
Christ. I was sick of his shit.
I rushed into the locker room, grabbing everything I’d need.
In prison there’d been no luxury of decent equipment, no real budget for anything that mattered, including protective gear.
Everything had been handed down from previous men.
As I checked the contents of my bag as required by every jumper before every mission, I touched the fire-retardant blanket.
Something else we hadn’t been provided, two inmates losing their lives because of it.
No amount of complaining had done any good. I struggled into the fire-retardant suit, the rush of adrenaline exactly as I remembered. My thoughts turned briefly to Grace, but I had to walk away from my feelings and all concerns. If I didn’t, I would get myself or one of my team killed.
There was no place for lamenting. But I couldn’t help but grab my hatchet just in case. Not standard equipment, but I’d called it my good luck charm.
Time to head out.
There was no fanfare about boarding the plane.
The cargo hold was exactly as I’d remembered from the days of jumping with the Army, which allowed me to feel more comfortable the first time I’d been on the plane.
With the size of the Casa C-212, we carried a full load of twelve jumpers along with a spotter and the pilot.
Within a few minutes, I was strapped in, sitting across from Axe. He glared at me, studying my pack and the way I was dressed.
I noticed only one Beckett brother was on the flight. As I was reminded they’d lost a brother recently, I turned my attention to Axe. His brain was churning with whatever ugly thoughts were on his mind. Whatever.
The pilot began to roll down the airstrip and Rock stood up, using the VHF radio we all had attached to our suits.
“Buddy check!” Rock called out.
Axe begrudgingly turned to me, investigating my parachute pack and attachments before I did the same with him. The tension was thick, acidic, and threatening to go off at any moment.
“Alright, gentlemen, listen up. Welcome aboard flight six-six-six to hellfire. On board today to service your every pleasure is our pilot, John, the Bull Sampson making his inaugural flight. Let’s give him a Zullie welcome.” Rock was in his element, even rubbing his hands together.
I had no idea what that meant, learning quickly as everyone swirled their fists, wonking as several cheered. I didn’t raise my hand in celebration and why? Because Axe was obviously bothered by the new member. When he caught me looking at him, he shook his head, ignoring me altogether.
But the pain was still there.
“We also have the extraordinary spotter, the man who keeps us from tumbling off a mountain, Kevin Spot-On Daniels.”
This time I whistled.
“This mission is simple, but it’s not. Once we’re on the mountain, there’s one way off and that’s to get down by hiking down the mountain side.
I hope you didn’t have any plans tonight because this looks to be a tedious one.
Be advised the wind had already played havoc, constantly switching directions as a weather front comes in.
Not the best scenario but the only one we have. Any questions?”
“What about the hikers?” I asked.
Immediately, half the crew laughed as if I was an idiot.
“Nah, that’s a good question. What do we have ourselves on Saturday?
A holiday. Every tourist this side of Washington State is here enjoying our fine weather and exquisite scenery.
Now, hopefully they saw the smoke and decided to cut their day short.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be some diehards.
There always are. There were some determined to spend the night with their families, pets, you name it.
We have rangers working in tandem, but that doesn’t mean we won’t run into stragglers.
Stay alert. If you see one, call out. Don’t try and become a hero. You got it?”
“Got it,” half of us said at the same time.
“ETA, five minutes. Taking the scenic route so we get a bird’s-eye view of what is going on.”
We were prepared, all turning toward the windows. As the pilot made a soft turn, banking to the right, I could see the summit clearly.
And the forest surrounding it, several acres on fire.
We had our work cut out for us, but that was fine. We could do this.
“Line up, gentlemen, and let’s get the party started.”
We all lined up, prepared to jump. As the plane swung around, the cargo door was opened. We were in formation, ready to go, the spotter keeping a close eye on the electronics.
“Alright. Ready? Jumpers. Hit it!”
One by one, we jumped from the plane, heading for the dense terrain and the plumes of smoke.
And I couldn’t be more elated. I never had felt more alive.
With one exception.
When I was with Grace.