Chapter 06
The quick succession of Maya’s boots against the tiles alerts me. As I glance past my elbow, I notice that she has to take two steps for each single one of mine. I slow down enough so that she can keep up more easily, but not enough that she’d notice I did so.
“Are we heading back to the bay?”
Her voice comes out at a high pitch and I can’t help but grin. So, she did like it. Good girl. As soon as the thought crosses my mind, I blink.
But before I can think more about it, a deep vibration fills the hallway. Shit. I scowl as my feet are already pushing against the tile.
“Follow me and try to keep up,” I growl over my shoulder as I head for the bay.
Before she can reply, the radio on my belt crackles and dispatch comes through.
“77 Carrer de Pavia. Medium house fire, possibly started in the kitchen. Smoke and fire reported. Engine 2, ladder 1, rescue 4, command 2, respond. One resident evacuated with smoke inhalation. No entrapments reported. Proceed with standard procedure.”
Her first ride-along and it can’t just be a cat. Typical.
I pull the dark-blue polo over my head and rush toward the lockers at the back end of the bay. The overhead speakers buzz loudly as the rest of my crew storms in.
“Engine 2, ladder 1, rescue 4, respond to reported house fire. 77 Carrer de Pavia. Time out at 10:43.”
I toss my polo on a shelf, kick off my shoes, and jump into my bunker boots. As I pull the attached pants over my hips and my duty belt, I toss Maya a quick look.
“Remember what I told you?”
She stares at me for a moment, panting. God, she’s worse than a rookie.
“Your turnout coat,” I hiss, hoping my crew won’t hear it.
“Oh,” she stammers, and looks around dazed.
“You left it, didn’t you?”
Of course she did. I don’t even bother to look at her while I toss her my spare one from my locker.
“On, now.”
I pull the suspenders over my shoulders and tighten the waist. Then I throw on my jacket and snatch my helmet and gloves. I turn around to see Maya still fidgeting with the zipper on her coat.
There is no time.
My hand wraps around her bicep and I pull her with me.
“Zip up in the truck, we have to move.”
I basically shove her inside Engine 2 and hop in after her. Rodriques hands me the tablet from the front seat as Fernandes pulls the door shut. The sirens blare before we’re even out of the bay.
While I go over the blueprints of the building, I can feel Maya’s eyes on me. Not now. I study the exits and entrances and memorize each hallway by heart. The building is old. Not safe, not practical. It’s a good thing there are no entrapments.
Rodriques takes a hard left and we all shift in our seats. I hear Maya’s soft gasp and can’t help but smile at that. Cute.
Then I berate myself for losing focus.
I look at the layout of the street and see that we don’t have much advantage. Of course it’s small. If Ladder 1 is needed, our truck has to make room. Best to go in with a strategy.
“Rodriques, park off to the left, leave room for Ladder 1.”
“Yes, lieutenant.”
“ETA?”
“About forty seconds.”
The crew shifts in their seats, coiled with adrenaline and ready for action. Their jaws are set tight, and their eyes razor-sharp. The only one out of place is her. Maya. She leans heavily into her seat, white as a sheet.
“Maya, I need you to stay in the truck.”
“Wha… what?” She stammers.
“Sit in the doorway, observe, but stay inside the truck.”
She nods once, doesn’t ask why. Good. I can’t have her running around while I’m battling fire. If she stays, at least I know she’ll be safe.
The truck comes to a screeching halt and Fernandes has already yanked open the door.
We all move instantly. My eyes are on the building before anything else.
Thick black smoke pours from the second-floor window.
Flames lick the sides of it. The rest seems to be unaffected, for now.
A man wrapped in a tin-foil blanket stands shivering at the side.
“You the occupant?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Did everyone get out?”
“No, no… Baltizar is still inside.”
My heart speeds up and I glance over my shoulder at the building. I really don’t want to enter if I don’t have to.
“Baltizar?”
“Yes, my cat. Please, please save him.”
I grunt and then nod at him once, while reaching for my radio.
“77 Carrer de Pavia, small residential structure fire, one animal on second floor. Engine 2 initiating attack and rescue.”
I glance at my team. This one is on me. I wished for a cat on her first call, and fucking got it.
“Rodriques, Rivera, on the attack. Fernandes, with me.”
Rosa’s boots hit the ground just as quickly as mine as we storm toward the door. We check our equipment and oxygen, although this should be a quick in and out. Before we pass the threshold, we nod at each other once, and then we are engulfed in smoke.
***
It takes us eight minutes tops before we reemerge. Rosa holds a trembling Maine Coon which, other than some curled whiskers, is fine. We hand it over to one of the EMTs that cools it with a wet cloth and checks for smoke inhalation as if it were a human. Good.
I stride back toward the entrance while Fernandes speaks with the owner of the cat. The IC is issuing commands, but my gaze runs over the building. The flames have died out and the smoke starts to turn white.
“Rodriques, update?” I demand through my radio.
Fires can be deceiving. I know that like no other. Even if it looks controlled or put out, the timbers can flare up, setting everything ablaze again. I squint my eyes. My men are still in there and fire can spread rapidly in old buildings like this.
“The fire is controlled, boss. We got the seat of the fire,” Rodriques pants through the static.
“Any extensions?”
“No, lieutenant. It seems this fire was local. Knockdown is complete.”
“Good. Air time?”
“Seven minutes.”
“I want you out in five. Out.”
“Affirmative. Out.”
I run my hand over my soot-covered face and press my radio button one more time.
“Dispatch, Engine 2 here. ETA on the extra engine?”
The line crackles and then jumps back to life. Dispatch confirms a second engine is out and due to arrive in two minutes. Good. They can cool the place down as my crew grabs new air tanks.
My mouth runs dry from the heat, so I stride toward the truck to grab water.
My eyes fall on the small blond figure sitting in the doorway.
Maya, fuck. I’d forgotten all about her.
Her blue eyes are wide open and her jaw is slightly slack.
She has her arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She is scared.
I frown. Why? She is perfectly safe.
“Maya?” I ask as I move up beside her.
Part of me just wants to grab my bottle, but another part wants to know. If she is in shock, I have to act now.
But her eyes immediately find mine. There is a flicker there, something steady. Good.
“Are they still in there?”
“Who?”
“The two guys with the hose?”
“Rodriques and Rivera,” I say softly. “Yes. They are on the attack.”
“Attack?”
She frowns, a light crease forming between her brows. Before I can answer, her lips curl up.
“Because they attack the fire.”
I chuckle and nod. Smart girl.
“Are they winning?”
“Yes. The main flame is out.”
She nods, and then hesitates.
“It means we have to cool the place down now. To make sure there is no hot ash that can catch fire again.”
“Oh, like embers?”
“Like embers.”
“How long will that take?”
I lean past her into the truck to grab my bottle and my tablet. My fingers brush along her arm when I do and I shiver. What the fuck? I take a long sip and open the tablet as she stares at me with her big blue eyes.
When I open the thermal imaging app, I show it to her.
“Those white spots are the hottest areas. They need to cool down. Then we declare the fire under control.”
Maya nods and then looks at me intently.
“What?” I ask, shifting a bit nervously.
“I’m just glad you got out safely,” she whispers hoarsely, and then returns her gaze to the building.