away, and I hear the familiar sound of the lock slipping into place before he pulls the door closed. Alone in my kitchen, I replay that kiss over and over again until I have no other option but to take myself to bed.
CHAPTER 11
BULL
The fire truck pulls up out the front of Joe Porter’s old warehouse. Flames blaze around it, licking up the sides and sending thick clouds of smoke billowing up into the sky.
Truck two and three are on their way, but no one gets to an emergency faster than Chief. The boys and I pile out of the truck and instantly run to the back, grabbing all the equipment that we’ll need.
We have no idea what to expect here. All we got was a call from a passing driver, letting us know there was an emergency. No context, no information on what’s inside the warehouse, or if there are any people trapped inside. Preserving life is always the goal. Buildings can be rebuilt, but once a life is lost, it’s gone forever.
We pull our oxygen tanks on and strap our face masks into place before Chief grabs helmets and shoves them into our hands.
Knowing the other trucks are on their way, Jet, Ax, and I run for the warehouse, leaving Chief by the truck to prepare the hoses and meet with the other trucks. It kills him to be the one left behind, but in situations like this, we need someone on the outside, watching our backs.
Once we get inside the warehouse, we instantly start scanning our surroundings. The place is huge and appears to be abandoned and cleared out, but with this thick smoke, it’s almost impossible to tell. We’re going to have to check this place carefully, making sure we don’t miss a damn thing.
Having a life lost on my watch is not a good feeling. We train our asses off to do everything we can to save lives, so when one is gone, the weight that comes down on my shoulders stays with me, and it’s fucking heavy.
Ax goes off to the left while Jet takes the right, leaving me to go straight ahead.
Sweat instantly beads on my forehead, and I listen to the boys’ commentary through my radio, constantly checking in and keeping us all up to date with every little thing. We’ve done this enough times to know exactly what’s expected of us going into situations like this, so we no longer have to waste time putting a plan together. It’s as though we can read each other’s thoughts, we’re always on the same page and always ready to go, but that doesn’t stop us from going over the basics every time we climb up into the truck.
We have a routine. Chief always takes point, waiting out by the truck because he’s the best there is when it comes to saving lives. He was a trained paramedic before he moved into firefighting, and not knowing how long it’ll take before the ambulance gets here, he’s always our first point of contact. The amount of times that man has talked me through life-saving procedures without breaking a sweat astounds me.
Jet is the go-getter. He’s quick. He gets in and gets the job done, just like he does in his personal life. He doesn’t have the patience to wait out by the truck. He wants to be in on the action and making a difference in people’s lives. He can be a dick sometimes, but he’s one of the best guys I know.
Ax, on the other hand, I think he’s down for the adrenaline. He lives on the edge and has nothing to lose. He wants to be heroic while never wanting the title of being a hero. He’s selfless, but also the fucker you don’t want to mess with.
Me? I just want to make a fucking difference and keep my town safe the best way I know how. Even if that means running face-first into a burning building and checking room by room with my best friends at my side.
“Clear on the left,” Ax’s voice comes through my radio. “Checking the amenities now.”
“So far, clear on the right,” Jet responds. “Still have a few more rooms to check over here, though. What’s your status Bull?”
“So far, so good,” I tell him, continuing to search through the thick smoke as the building cracks and rumbles around us, reminding us just how quick we need to be. This warehouse wasn’t built to withstand a fire, and