Chapter One
Cam
"Engine One, Truck One, Ambulance Forty-One, residential fire at Monroe and Oakley," the voice said over the loud speaker. I looked over at Danny Newsome and then ran as fast as I could to grab my gear and hop on the truck.
"C'mon, Connor, let’s move!" Newsome yelled at me. "Let's go, let's go!"
I shot Danny a grateful look as he swung up into the seat next to me just before the engine pulled out of the station. Driver Mike Kelly turned on the siren as he drove like a bat out of hell down Van Buren toward the fire. I gritted my teeth and looked out the window. Cars pulled to the side as the siren screamed its warning and the city blocks rushed by. The houses along the way became a blur as Kelly pressed harder on the gas pedal and flew toward the fire.
Danny and I were ready to jump out before the engine came to a full stop. We grabbed the huge hoses and hauled them to the hydrants while the rest of the squad began pulling out the tools we'd need once we got inside. I unscrewed the cover on the hydrant and twisted the metal end of the hose onto the threads before tightening it. Danny grabbed the metal bar we used and cranked the lever that opened the water flow.
"Ready!" I yelled as I ran toward the house aiming the nozzle at the flames leaping out of the windows, but the more I sprayed the higher the flames leapt. I cursed under my breath as I braced myself and held the stream on one spot knowing that if I could put it out, all would not be lost. I could feel the sweat running down my body inside my jacket and felt my uniform being drenched as I held my ground.
"Cam!" Danny called. "Cam, ease up, the guys gotta go in! Let 'em in!"
I braced myself against the porch railing and kept aiming the water at the flames that were quickly consuming the house. Danny tried to pull me back, but I shook him off and continued my one-man attempt at putting out the fire. Danny pulled at me again, but this time I shoved him hard and moved forward with a singular goal in mind.
"Connor!" Chief Riley shouted as I ran up the stairs and into the house spraying water into the flames. "Connor, step down!"
"No, Chief, I won't!" I shouted back. "I'm not gonna lose it!"
"CONNOR! That's an order not a request!" Chief yelled as he grabbed my arm and yanked me off the porch. "Get your ass off the porch and let the guys get in there and fight the damn fire!"
"No, no, no!" I yelled as I flailed against the Chief's grip. "Let me go! Let me go!
"QUINN!"
Chief Riley pushed me to the ground and stood over me daring me to get up. The next thing I knew, I was rubbing my elbow and cursing as a warm wet tongue bathed my face. I shook my head and opened my eyes to find myself face to face with Tesla, my big yellow Lab. She was frantically licking my face as her tail wagged a mile a minute. Her breath was terrible, and I threw up a hand to stop the onslaught.
"Get back, girl," I grumbled as I gently pushed her away from my face. "I don't need a bath right now."
Tesla sat down and began softly whining and pawing at me as I leaned against the bed and held my head in my hands. I felt like crying, but like many, many times before this, the tears wouldn't come.
I looked up at the clock and realized I had to be at the station in two hours. That would give me just enough time to take Tesla for a run, make coffee, and grab a hot shower before I had to face another day of fighting Chicago fires.
"C'mon, girl," I said as I patted my dog on her head and smiled down at her. I was rewarded with a furious tail thumping on the floor as I said, "Let's go for a run."
Chapter Two
Alex
"Miss Pierce, did you hear me?" the formidable brunette woman said as she gripped a clip board and looked over the top of her cat eye glasses. She was dressed in a stiff, navy suit under which she wore a cream colored blouse buttoned up to her neck, and on her feet were sensible pumps, the kind that looked professional but could be worn all day without pain. She was a sensible woman who didn't have time for nursing students who didn't pay attention.
"Yes, Mrs. Rikka, I heard you," I said as I stepped forward and received my security badge and locker number. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Miss Pierce, I'm going to recommend that while you're here at Chicago General, you pay closer attention when people speak to you," she said, narrowing her eyes. "If you are not going to listen, then there is absolutely no point in you being here. Am I understood?"
"Yes, ma'am," I nodded as my face turned red with shame. I'd been listening until my best friend, Liz Baker, had elbowe
d me and asked if I'd brought my lunch. Now I was worried that I'd incurred the wrath of our nursing supervisor, Mrs. Fran Rikka, and that I'd pay a heavy price for it the rest of the year.
"Old bitch," Liz muttered under her breath as she flipped her flaming red ponytail and wrinkled her nose as if she'd smelled something bad. "She doesn't need to be dressing us down on the first day."
"Well, I wasn't listening to her," I admitted.
"Alex, you're going to need to grow a backbone, babe," Liz said as she slipped her arm through mine and pulled me down the hall toward the cafeteria. "Otherwise they're going to eat you alive!"
"I just think it's better to follow the rules and be polite," I said defensively. "I don't see what's wrong with that!"