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The scene was a complete zoo. Sirens and shouting ensued around them. The police had secured off the perimeter to allow the fire departments to work.
Jobs like this were hazardous. With the different levels of the building, it could be a death trap. From what he’d found out, the building had been completely abandoned. They didn’t just go up in flames.
Someone had set this building on fire.
The usually suspected reason for arson on buildings like this was so someone could collect an insurance payout.
Dalton assessed the building and agreed with Anton. There would be no saving it. The towering flames shooting out the broken windows were too dangerous.
“Let’s just try to contain it and make sure it doesn’t light the other buildings around it. We’re going to have to let this baby burn its way out. Let’s notify everyone else.”
“Will do.” Anton jogged away toward one of the other fire engines from another district.
Dalton approached Case, who was walking away from the building. He tore off his respirator with a scowl on his face.
“Pull the men back. It’s too dangerous. I don’t like the way the building is looking,” Dalton announced. He eyed the building and the way the flames had engulfed it. It would only be a matter of time before parts of it collapsed.
He wouldn’t want to risk his men’s lives.
“A couple of our men are just inside the entrance trying to spray the base—”
A large screech filled the air. Dalton turned toward the sound. The front of the building wobbled to the side then it came tumbling down to the ground.
Dalton’s heart stopped. He froze for two seconds, then his feet took off, running toward the building. Smoke and dust billowed in the air. It decreased visibility around them.
A figure stumbled out of the rubble.
Knox.
“Were you the last one?” Dalton demanded, helping Knox move away from the building.
Casey came on the other side of Knox and helped.
“Max,” he gasped for air. He tore his mask off his face and breathed in deeply then fell into a fit of coughing. “Max was still in there. He was right behind me.”
Dalton paused.
Not Max.
“Get him to a medic,” he ordered Case.
“I got him,” he grunted, taking the weight of Knox.
Dalton turned back toward the building. Without hesitation, he secured his mask and pulled the shield down over his face. He switched on his air pack and ran into the building.
The heat greeted him, but he ignored it.
He assessed the area, and it was heavily damaged. Flames danced along the ceiling, or what was left of it.
Something caught his eyes to the left.
Movement.
“Max!” he shouted and rushed toward his longtime friend. He jumped over giant chunks of the building and arrived at Max’s side.
He instantly took in that Max’s left side was being crushed by a part of the ceiling.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Max shouted.
