Jonas on his tail, their footsteps pounded the sidewalk, flashing their badges as they made it past the initial firefighters and police on the scene.
“Sean!”
Jerking his head around at the sound of his name, he saw Bill in full uniform making his way toward him. “We’re going up around the back. Your brother and Blay are on the ladders.”
“Harper?” he ground out, the blood rushing through his ears drowning out the commotion all around.
“Don’t know,” Bill said, his voice anguished. “Flames are coming out of her apartment.”
Bill turned and pushed his way back toward the front of the building. Sean had watched firefighters in action for years, always interested but never emotionally invested. Staring up at the building in desperation, he jolted when one of the glass windows exploded, other bystanders dropping to the ground while he rushed forward, his heart lodged in his throat.
“Jesus, fuck me,” he breathed, forcing his body to suck oxygen into his closed lungs, the acrid smell of smoke pouring from the building.
“They’re working it, Sean, they’re working it,” Jonas said, one hand clamped onto Sean's shoulder, halting his progress as the two men stared upward.
Several firefighters had gone through the front door, escorting residents out of the building and onto the sidewalk.
The hydraulic ladder moved to the third floor, its hose attached to the fire hydrant and water blasting through the window. The flames quickly died, followed by thick, choking, black, billowing smoke. “She can’t be in there. Please, dear God, don’t let her be in there.” He prayed in desperation as he pushed his way toward the firetruck.
He watched as another ladder extended toward the side of the building, two firefighters climbing up. One disappeared into the blackened hole of her apartment, and his breath halted in his lungs again as he stared in despair to see what would happen when they emerged.
A moment later, the firefighter stuck his head out and waved his hands toward a second firefighter climbing the ladder. A few seconds later, the first one assisted a female body out the window, long auburn hair blowing in the wind.
“Harper!” Sean bellowed, racing toward the ladder truck, unheeding the hands around that tried to halt him. Jonas pushed through, staying right with his partner.
“She’s alive, she’s alive!” Jonas yelled, giving Sean a shake.
It took several seconds for Jonas’ words to penetrate, but as the two firefighters on the ladder worked, he could see that they were assisting Harper, who looked dazed but not unconscious.
A scream from a bystander caused his gaze to jerk around, seeing a woman across the street pointing toward the roof. As though in unison, everyone looked up.
“Jesus Christ!” Jonas cried out, his shout echoed among the other rescue members that were around.
Another hydraulic ladder was swinging toward the roof, but Sean knew the man standing in front of them would never come down. His attention swung from Harper being assisted down the ladder to Daniel standing on the edge of the rooftop. “Daniel isn’t looking to be rescued. He’s looking to die.”
Almost on cue, Daniel threw his arms up in the air, and screamed, “It was never supposed to end this way! But I will rise again! I am The Phoenix!” With that he upended what looked like a bottle of liquid, pouring it over his body.
“Goddammit! What’s he doing?” the attending Fire Chief yelled.
Jonas, leaving Sean's side, hustled over. “That’s our serial arsonist.”
Before other firefighters had a chance to go up the ladder to get Daniel, he lit a match and dropped it at his feet. Screaming as the flames engulfed him, the rescue workers, first responders, and bystanders watched as he became a human torch before the ladder could reach him. A few seconds later, the firefighters were able to douse the flames on Daniel, but Sean no longer cared. He raced to the ladder truck, climbing upward to where Harper was being assisted down. Oh, Jesus, oh, Jesus. He pulled her from their arms, taking her weight, allowing his brother’s hands to help get her to the ground.
“Sir, we need to check her out,” a paramedic called out, attempting to take Harper from him.
A growl was his only reply, refusing to give her up, but Rory hopped down beside them and stared into his brother’s eyes. “Sean, let them do their job.”
Blay stepped to the other side of Sean and the two firefighters moved with him to the ambulance. He reluctantly stepped back as they strapped an oxygen mask on her face and