Chapter 07
I shiver slightly as the crew starts to pack away the gear. The nozzle is detached from the hose, which is left to drain, and the axes are being wiped off and stored— all while the smoke is still curling from their jackets.
They work fast, almost methodically, but I can see the strain on their faces. They must be exhausted.
I know I am, and I’ve only been watching from the side. It doesn’t feel right not to contribute, so I jump out of the truck and walk over to the team.
“Can I help?” I ask, my voice soft but steady.
Everyone tenses for a moment, and Elena spins around. Her blazing eyes immediately find mine. Her jaw ticks and her nostrils flare as she inhales shakily.
“I told you to stay in the truck,” she growls in a low voice.
I stare at her, puzzled. She seems so angry, while all I wanted to do was help. Does she really hate having me around this much? My stomach drops and my gaze glides over to the other crew members, but they have quietly returned to their chores, avoiding my gaze.
“Get. Back. Now.”
Elena doesn’t look at me as she barks her demand. Her shoulders are pulled up high and her jaw clenched. My body shudders and I feel my eyes sting with upcoming tears. I pivot and bolt for the truck before she can see it. This was a mistake. All of it.
Even though my heart feels heavy and I feel more like crying than anything else, I keep watching the crew as they wrap up. While Elena briefly talks to the police, the hose is being rolled up, and the firefighters brush the soot and grime off of their gear.
Then they all gather together to step under a gentle spray of water.
I blink as they get under it, one by one.
Gear, tanks, and all. The water running off of them is dark, oily, and disgusting.
And even if they are far enough away for me not to be able to make out their voices, the smell of burned plastic and smoke wafts over.
It is so strong that it almost makes me gag.
They move quickly after the shower. They step out of their gear and put it in red bags, then they wipe their faces clean, and march back to the engine.
I immediately scoot back when Rosa steps into the truck.
The smell that comes off of her stings my nose, and I suppress another gag.
She ignores me, tosses the bag into a special compartment, and then unclasps her tank.
It falls to the ground with a loud thud.
She reaches into one of the cabinets and pulls out a cylinder.
With a few rapid hand movements, she replaces the one in the tank.
My eyes are wide and by the time she turns around and sees me, she just smiles.
“It’s not as impressive as it looks, just simple muscle memory,” she says with a soft chuckle.
I feel my cheeks burn, but I chuckle too.
“Everything about this is impressive to me.”
Rosa gives me a quick wink as Rodriques and Rivera step in. They repeat the exact same steps as her, with the same fluidity. Nobody speaks, but by the time they finally sink down in their seats, I can feel the release of breaths they have been holding. They must be running on pure adrenaline.
I peek out of the truck to see where Elena is.
Not that I am looking forward to the confrontation.
She is speaking into her radio, and lifts her head just in time to meet my gaze.
I instantly hold my breath as if I am caught with my hand in the cookie jar.
Her eyes narrow slightly. Apparently she is done talking over the radio, as she grabs her red bag and strides towards me.
I scramble back into my corner while her heavy boots climb onto the metal step.
She glances at me once, her dark eyes stormy.
Then she tosses the bag, closes the compartment, replaces the cylinder, and sinks into her chair.
Fernandes closes the doors and Díaz makes the engine jump to life. Immediately the crew lets all the windows down. The fresh air floods in and I take deep thankful breaths, trying to push away the nausea. I never knew that the smell of burned plastic could be so pungent.
I consider asking some questions while we are still in the heat of the moment, but when I look at the crew, I see they are all tapped out.
White faces, strained muscles, and glassy eyes.
There is a certain aura around it, as if this moment is sacred.
So, I sink back into my seat, breathe deeply, and hold my tongue.
When I glance over at Elena, I see that she is staring at me. Her face is softer than before, but there is a small line between her brows. I blink once, before she turns her head and stares out the window. What is she thinking about?
***
The crew remains quiet, even as we return to the station. They silently clean the truck, their equipment, and eventually their gear. All while still being covered in soot and grime. They waste no time and spare no effort to have the Engine ready to roll out again.
Elena’s the last to leave the truck, but she moves swiftly.
I almost have to run to keep up with her.
Is it the adrenaline still pumping through her veins, or is this something personal?
She’s still angry with you. But why? I only wanted to help.
And why the hell am I allowing anyone to treat me like this?
She pauses at the end of the bay where two washing machines are thumping relentlessly. She hangs her red bag in a sealed cabinet with a haphazard sign on the door. I frown, but I am too tense to ask her about it right now.
Elena turns slowly and tosses me an empty plastic bag. I frown again.
“It’s for your clothes.”
“My clothes?”
“Yes. Follow me.”
She doesn’t explain any further but marches back through the hallways. After two turns I start to recognize it. She is taking me to the locker rooms.
Elena holds the door open for me and tilts her head. Her eyes roam over my body again, sending a shiver down my spine before she pulls open one of the lockers. A few seconds later she tosses me a shirt and pants.
“What is this?”
The muscle in her jaw rolls as her eyes meet mine. I can see her eyes blazing again and I shuffle uncomfortably, but refuse to look away. She sighs.
“You stepped out of the truck. You are contaminated.”
“Wh…what?”
Elena’s eyes soften for a moment, and she swallows. Her hand trembles as if she wants to reach out to me, but then she curls her fingers inward. She runs her other hand over her face, trying to compose herself. Something she does a lot, I’ve noticed.
“When you came to ‘help,’” she makes air quotes, “you exposed yourself to toxic particles.”
She turns away from me and starts taking off her shirt, revealing the muscles underneath. I gulp.
“That grimy feeling on your skin right now, that’s soot laced with chemicals. It causes cancer.” She glances over her shoulder, her eyes dark and stormy. “So, strip.”
Her order sends another shiver down my spine and makes heat pool low in my belly. Get a fucking grip, Maya. She is your subject! I curse at my bodily response and unprofessional attitude, but as Elena turns her face away from me, I catch the corner of her lip curling up. She did it on purpose.
After our shower, Elena guides me back to the breakroom. Díaz and Fernandes are lounging on the couches, and two other men sit in the chairs. They eye me up and down without even trying to hide it.
“New rookie, Gonzales?”
“Mind your own business, Torres.”
Rosa lets out a snort from the couch.
“Lighten up, lieutenant. The girl isn’t that bad.”
I feel my cheeks turn crimson at those words. So, Elena did think I was a pain in the ass. On my first day nonetheless. She didn’t even take her time to get to know me but apparently, she already has opinions. Great. Just fucking great.
Elena’s eyes flicker to mine, something weary in them. I just clench my jaw and look at the man she called Torres. Without thinking, I extend my hand.
“Maya Carter. A definite rookie when it comes to firefighting, but a professional pain in the ass.”
Everyone laughs. Everyone but Elena. She just furrows her brow and keeps staring at me as if she wants to say something. When I raise my eyebrow defiantly, she closes her eyes for a moment and then turns toward the coffee machine.
“Carter, you can stay here if you like. I have to deal with paperwork.”
She pours herself a cup and moves back toward the steel stairs without so much as looking at me. I glare over at Rosa who just shrugs. Fuck.
Before Elena reaches the last step, I trail behind her. By the time I catch up with her, I am panting. How does she walk so fast? Elena turns, half annoyed, half surprised.
“What are you doing?”
“I am shadowing you, so that includes paperwork.”
“I said to stay put. Do you ever follow orders?”
Her body tenses and her eyes blaze again. The look she gives me is so intense that I physically stumble back. My back hits the wall, making me gasp. But she doesn’t ease up. She steps forward, into my space, slamming her hand against the wall behind me.
“Just because the Chief allowed this… this charade, doesn’t mean you can do what you want. There are risks.”
Her breath is hot against my cheek, making me shudder.
The frustration is coiling off of her like waves crashing on the shore.
My pulse quickens and my hands tremble. She really doesn’t want me here.
This is never going to work. I feel a heat rise and grip my chest in an iron hold, making my eyes brim with tears.
“Don’t worry. Let me grab my stuff, and I’ll be out of your hair.”
My voice comes out more strained than I like, but I push her arm away regardless. Then I turn on my heels and walk away.