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“Bring it to the second floor. I don’t think we can get close enough to any of these windows on the third,” Drew said.
The four of them hightailed it back downstairs and made it to the windows as the ladder was maneuvering up to the window. They pulled in two hoses. Shawn and Kelly took one, Drew and Romeo the other.
Out in the hallway, they met with the crew who’d searched the first floor. “All clear on one.”
All six of them began their journey back up to the third floor. They could hear the water hitting the building from the outside. The aerial trucks must have arrived. That was good because this fire was a hot one. It only reinforced Drew’s thoughts that this might be another fire courtesy of the arsonist.
It took a while to get the fire under control. Every time they thought they’d managed to get everything, they’d find another hot spot. It was a big building and unlike the others the arsonist had hit, this one was probably only a month or so from taking on tenants. Once the main fire was out, they had to go room to room to make sure there were no live embers.
Finally, they got the last of it and made their way back downstairs. When they reached the first floor, something caught their attention and they all turned. They couldn’t see anything, but something or someone had made that noise. The first floor had been checked, so no one should have been down there.
“Hello?” Drew shouted into the darkness.
There was no answer, but they did hear what sounded like metal.
“We’ll check it out,” Shawn said. “You guys stay here.”
Shawn and Kelly were halfway down the hall when the figure of a man appeared and bolted into one of the far rooms. Kelly took off after him.
“Kelly wait,” Shawn yelled.
The rookie didn’t listen. He took off after the guy and Shawn had no choice but to follow.
Drew clicked the switch on his radio. “We’ve got a civilian inside the building. Shawn and Kelly—”
The sound of an explosion ended the transmission. Drew and the other guys automatically ducked in reaction.
“Is everyone all right? What the hell happened in there?” came across the radio.
“No idea. We’re gonna check it out. Shawn and Kelly are unaccounted for,” Drew said.
“Were they anywhere near that explosion?”
Drew swallowed, trying not to think the worst. “Yes.”
“I’m sending in the rapid intervention team.”
By the time the RIT got there, Drew was already on his knees next to Shawn. His friend was unconscious. Drew checked for any major injuries, but couldn’t find anything beyond some superficial wounds on his face from where his helmet had been knocked off. Chances were he had a concussion.
Romeo was beside him. The other team was checking on Kelly. It looked like the door had been rigged. When Kelly tried to follow the guy out, it had gone off. From what he could tell, Kelly’s injuries were much worse than Shawn’s were. Part of his jacket was torn and Drew could see and smell burnt flesh. Shawn had been collateral damage. Kelly had taken the bulk of the blast. The force of the explosion seemed to be concentrated near the door.
When he walked out of the building a few minutes later, the sun was coming over the horizon. They’d been at it all night.
Drew waited for the EMTs to load Shawn and Kelly into the ambulance and drive away with the sirens blaring before heading back to his truck and his crew. They had a couple of hours left in their shift and then he’d head over to the hospital to see how Shawn and Kelly were doing. It was a far cry from how he’d planned to spend his morning.
***
Something felt off. It took Beth a moment to realize it was because she was alone in her bed. Drew had to work last night. The only saving grace was that he was coming over this morning.
Sighing, she turned her head to look at the clock beside her bed. Beth was shocked to see that it was almost nine o’clock. She sat up and glanced around the room. There was no sign of Drew or the duffel bag he always brought with him.
Beth flung the covers off her and went downstairs to check her cell. Maybe he’d gotten held up at work or something—at least, that’s what she was hoping. She didn’t want to consider it might be something else.
The first floor was as empty as the upstairs. She went to the kitchen and removed her phone from the charger. There was one text message.
Went to the hospital. Call you later.
Her heart began pounding in her chest and all the air from her lungs seemed to disappear. Was he hurt? Of course he was. Why else would he have gone to the hospital? She hit the call button and tried not to hyperventilate while she waited for him to pick up.
