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Lachesis Publishing
www.lachesispublishing.com
Copyright ©2009 by Laura Marie Henion
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NOTICE: This work is copyrighted. It is licensed only for use by the original purchaser. Making copies of this work or distributing it to any unauthorized person by any means, including without limit email, floppy disk, file transfer, paper print out, or any other method constitutes a violation of International copyright law and subjects the violator to severe fines or imprisonment.
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CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Dedication
First One In, Last One Out
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
About the Author
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First One In,
Last One Out
by
Laura Marie Henion
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www. lachesispublishing.com
Published Internationally by Lachesis Publishing
Kingston, Nova Scotia, B0P 1R0, Canada
Copyright © 2009 Laura Marie Henion
Exclusive cover © 2009 Keith Rosario
Inside artwork © 2009 Carole Spencer
All rights reserved. The use of any part of this publication reproduced, transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher, Lachesis Publishing, is an infringement of the copyright law.
A catalogue record for the print format of this title is available from the National Library of Canada
ISBN 978-1-897562-10-9
A catalogue record for the ebook is available from the
National Library of Canada
multiple ebook formats are available from
www.lachesispublishing.com
ISBN 978-1-897562-11-6
Credits: Erin Haley, Tracy Jones, editors
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any person or persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Acknowledgements
To my family, mom and friends, I thank you for all the support and encouragement. To Daddy for your continued technical support and wisdom, I thank you.
To my husband Tim and my three children I love you always.
A special thank you to Paul Rooney—a volunteer firefighter with the Stony Point Fire Department. With more than 21 years of experience and devotion to protect and serve the community he lives in, Paul is an excellent example of what a true firefighter is all about. I commemorate his commitment to the job and the community he lives in, his knowledge base, training and expertise, as well as his fellow volunteer firefighters.
Thank you and God Bless all of you who volunteer to protect and serve your community.
A special thank you to Keith Rosario—Police Officer, Paramedic and photographer. Keith's special gift of photography helped to create the unique and authentic cover for this book.
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Dedication
First One In, Last One Out is dedicated to our men and women in uniform who put their lives on the line every day to keep the rest of us safe here at home. United We Stand!
To the true Heroes of society who search, locate and rescue placing their own lives on the line to save those in trouble. They come in all forms, wearing all types of uniforms working all types of jobs but their main goal is to provide safety, security and hope.
They know who they are. They do not live in fear, they are willing to put their lives on the line and they live by the motto: First One In, Last One Out.
We Thank You.
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First One In, Last One Out
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Prologue
Katie was smiling so much today her cheeks were beginning to ache. The realization made her laugh as she leaned her head against Bradley's shoulder.
"What's so funny McKeller?” he asked, just as they approached the line of people waiting to enter The Club.
"Nothing,” she said, then embraced his arm tighter, leaning in closer against him. Their fingers entwined and he gave her hand a loving squeeze. Her heart leaped.
The music from the various bands could be heard blasting and permeating through the club and Katie watched a few people swaying to the music. The crowd grew more congested the further they walked from the main entrance and she felt Bradley pull her closer to him.
She looked up into those big blue eyes of his and her heart soared. Just the other day, he had told her he loved her. She was excited and nervous and a little unsure about their relationship. They had only been dating a matter of months but the attraction was instant.
Bradley held Katie's hand as they approached the staircase.
She glanced at his backside and the snug fitting jeans. He was lean and fit and had the most loveable personality.
Bradley caught her staring at him and they exchanged an erotic glance before she blushed and shyly turned away.
A moment later his lips were pressed against her knuckles as he simultaneously pulled her body closer to him.
He kissed her temple and whispered something but she couldn't hear. The place was so crowded, they were wedged between strangers.
"We should probably head up a floor or two. It's way too crowded down here!” he yelled in an attempt to be heard over the crowd. Katie nodded her head in agreement.
They finally found a spot that overlooked the large dance floor below.
Tonight was ‘By special invitation only’ and somehow Bradley had been able to get tickets from a fellow fire fighter who worked in the same ladder company.
Katie glanced at Bradley as she swayed her hips to the music. The enthusiasm and excitement that surrounded them was breathtaking.
She felt Bradley's hand slide around her waist then his palm lay flat against her hip.
Absorbing the cologne he wore and the casual royal blue polo shirt that brought out the deep ocean color of his eyes, she couldn't help but touch him, and placed the palm of her hand against his chest. It was firm, and thoughts of their love making from the night before instantly popped into her mind.
She glanced away just as Bradley caught her staring.
"Why are you blushing McKeller?” he teased pulling her closer as he placed his hand gently under her chin.
As he tilted it up towards him, she had no time for a verbal response. His lips covered hers softly at first then more deeply until Katie remembered where they were and slowly began pulling away.
Bradley released her lips then touched her forehead with his own.
"I love you Katie. I'm never gonna let you go."
Katie smiled wide then gave Bradley a hug.
They continued to listen to the music and enjoy the evening.
"Would you like a drink? I see a waiter over there.” Bradley pointed to the waiter who stood about 15 ft away from them, carrying a full tray of drinks.
"Sure. I'll come with you."
"Why don't you save our spot?"
She followed his line of sight towar
ds a group of people waiting for their chance to take any open spaces.
Katie smiled in agreement then watched Bradley cross the room.
She took a moment to absorb the sights around her. The dance floor below was so crowded with people it looked uncomfortable. Yet, people made the best of it, were smiling, laughing and enjoying the fast beat of the music.
She glanced over her shoulder and watched Bradley take the two glasses from the waiter and converse with him.
That was Bradley. He was so friendly and outgoing. He could strike up a conversation with anyone. Katie smiled at the thought. He was a great guy, her mom and brothers would like him.
Suddenly, Katie thought she felt the floor shaking and then what sounded like an explosion. She grabbed the railing to balance herself. She questioned the likelihood that the floor would shake and leaned over the balcony to look at the dance floor. She couldn't be certain that it was an explosion and then the second explosion hit.
She watched the debris scatter across the dance floor, submerging the crowd in an ocean of black smoke.
In an instant she looked back towards Bradley, trying to maintain her balance as the flooring beneath her feet shifted. There was a frightened look in his eyes, as the intensity of the rumble sent her falling to the floor.
Crowds of panicking people fled for the staircase, knocking into her, literally stepping over her, when suddenly the lights began to flicker before going out completely.
Katie was lost in a sheet of complete darkness as fearful screams replaced the cheerful music from only moments ago.
She couldn't see in front of her as she pulled herself to a sitting position and the floor continued to move below her. Another explosion rung out then a burst of red and orange flames filled the air, past the balcony all the way to the ceiling.
Then came the smell of smoke, the alarms blaring.
Katie was crying, yelling for help. She could feel the force and the intense heat of the fire in the air as it smacked against her face. The explosion shook the whole building. She fell to the floor again in an attempt to gain balance as if she could control the movement with her hands. She could feel the concrete flooring bow and sway below her belly. It was as if she were on a boat instead of multiple floors high in a stationary building. In minutes the club was ablaze, Katie could not see, she could not breathe as her lungs filled with smoke.
She lost sight of Bradley for what seemed like minutes then suddenly she felt his hand, heard his voice.
"I'm here Katie. Hold my hand, stay low, we'll get out!” he yelled, then coughed. Katie held on tight.
Her eyes stung, the sound that surrounded them was fierce. Screams of terror seemed to echo around them, muffled by crackling noise and the flooding fire. The flames were building and building as flashes of red and orange shot up again through the center of the club from the ground floor. Another explosion from beyond the railing sent flames past the third floor and to the highest ceiling above them.
Although she could not hear the sirens or any signs that help was on its way, Katie knew they were coming. The firefighters had to be responding. This was what her father and brothers fought against every time they entered a fire. They would come, they had to be on their way.
She closed her eyes against the multiple bursts of flames. There was nowhere to escape. She hadn't a clue or an instinct as what to do next.
She felt the weight of Bradley's body guarding her against the flames and keeping her close to the floor. She could feel the muscles in his thighs and forearms as he squatted above her. They inched their way closer to the exit.
She cut her hands on broken glass, grasped at the carpeting as they crawled away from the balcony. Bradley urged her to follow his directions.
He's a firefighter ... he knows what he is doing.
She continued to hear the heart wrenching sound of people screaming in pain and terror, but she knew that with Bradley's determination she would survive.
There were sirens in the distance, fire engines honking loudly and fire alarms buzzing throughout the building. Her ears ached, her heart pounded and she cried.
"They're coming in Katie. Let's get to the stairs,” Bradley told her while they continued to crawl along the floor.
They crawled slowly, unsure of the right direction but took advantage of the flashes of light that illuminated what stood just a few feet ahead of them. As the electricity flickered on and off she thought she saw an exit ahead but the sleeve of Bradley's shirt was partially blocking her view.
He wasn't headed for the closer staircase. It was now engulfed in flames. Katie instantly thought of all the people who tried to exit that way.
Crowds of them flooded towards that staircase. Did any of them make it out alive?
She could feel the weight of Bradley's body, the way he turned himself into armor, guarding her body from fire and debris. One arm held her close around her waist. She wanted to nuzzle her face against his chest, close her eyes and pretend it was not real. Thank God Bradley was here beside her, leading her to safety.
They were on the third floor of The Club. There was one exit sign barely visible with only the letters X and T flashing above the door that led to the staircase. The floor under their feet continued to sway and creak. The heat was unbearable.
Suddenly there was a rumble, and she felt Bradley stop in place.
What is that sound?
He squeezed her hand then abruptly let go of it, shoving Katie farther ahead of him. She landed on her shoulder.
Why did he push me away?
"Swoosh!"
The floor gave way to a burst of fire and another explosion. The impact sent Katie in a different direction. She went soaring through the air. She screamed and screamed while her body fell through the hole. The fire raged beneath her, she was descending towards it when suddenly her body made contact with the solid metal flooring. Katie landed on a half broken stairwell. Bradley fell two more floors to his death. The fire swallowed him up.
"Bradley! Bradley!"
Katie was screaming and crying, the pain in her hip was enormous, her ribs protruded through her skin. Her heart ached, she could not breathe. She attempted to reach for Bradley. A sudden loneliness and non-existent feeling came over her.
As she stretched her hand over the side of the stairwell, the flames hit her fingertips, forcing her back. The fire was penetrating the floor she lay on, searing her hip. Katie pulled herself closer against the wall, screaming out to Bradley. “Help!"
She covered her eyes and cried.
Fourteen Months Later
Earl Redding Jr. stared at the building containing the historic restaurant. His gaze focused on the words Jolly Avenue that stood out on the burgundy colored street sign. He recalled often eating at the restaurant for business meetings and personal affairs. Business meetings set up by his fat, obnoxious, know it all boss. Redding felt no remorse for killing him. The man was worthless and had cost him everything. His life was over, his career was over and the time he spent in the psych ward would forever be in the past. His body shook at the thought of being eternally trapped like that again, with feelings of being out of control, a victim to some doctor's mind-raping interrogation in an attempt to figure out where ‘he’ had gone wrong.
"I didn't go wrong!"
Redding instantly felt the anger and the frustration caused by his boss, the police, the doctors at the institute and society itself.
He had little hope for any future outside of the ward, because of his constant nightmares, paranoid feelings and accusations of misdiagnosis and abuse against the doctors. That was until he realized that the voices were real. Not figments of his imagination or his mind's attempt to justify taking another human beings life or his need to seek violence as a resolution to conflict. The so-called ‘professionals’ insisted that Redding created the voices himself. They almost had him convinced. To think about how close he came to falling for the enemies’ tactics made his determination to please his master even greater
. They were weak-minded fools. Trained by the spies his master warned him about. He could sense the power and control running through his veins, through the 6 ft of trim, muscular flesh. Redding was in excellent physical condition. He had to be, in order to battle the many spies who were out to destroy his mission.
He smiled wide then laughed quietly. Looking around to be sure no one followed him, he glanced at the street sign one last time before entering the building. The street would not be so ‘jolly’ once he got through with it. He heard his master's command and entered the building undetected.
"Yes Master. I understand, Master,” he whispered his response as he embraced the flow of adrenaline, like the rush some military commanders must have felt prior to setting out to accomplish a mission and catch the enemy off guard. Carefully, meticulously he set the traps, prepared the gravesite for the clueless, misguided, fools. They would realize too late that they did not have a chance and that once the master chose you to die there was no means of escape. Redding worked diligently and followed his master's directions. He wanted to feel complete and was determined to serve his master's every wish. He had a life now, a future and owed it all to the pact he made with the Devil.
Instantly he thought about the club fire he had set months ago. The destructive fire took many lives, the building was fully destroyed and he was victorious in his mission. He would hold onto that successful feeling forever. It brought him such personal pride, never mind the public's attention. The media continued to cover the story and follow the police on their quest to find the person responsible. Redding laughed.
They referred to him as a monster, an insane criminal that had to be stopped.
No one can stop me ... not with the Devil on my side.
The perspiration lay gently against his brow and there was giddiness inside him, yet he focused on the task. His master provided him with intelligence and capabilities he was unaware he possessed. In the beginning, he was slow, intimidated and unable to keep up with the orders. He needed his master's guidance, training and push to overcome his fears. Now, he was more confident and capable of working diligently to complete each task. The smoldering, summer heat could not affect his ability to do his job. He wiped one sweaty palm against his dirty, camouflaged jeans then entwined the wires. Redding continued to place each device where his master commanded. Each precise location was set up to destroy as many people as possible. The sequence of steps to ensure their detonation became second nature to him. His fingertips were steady and quick, his mind sharp as he worked robotically, completing each series of steps so that there would be no mistakes. Finally, he connected them to the bombs themselves.
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