by Stone, Piper
Tyler walked inside. “The fire is getting worse. Even with the snow falling, the blaze is going up the mountain in a firestorm. The explosions created a fire devil as well. The other jumpers are already on deploy mode. Time to get into gear .”
“Fire devil? That fast?” Riker asked, his voice strangled .
“Yeah, the wind is picking up, creating a whirlwind and destroying everything in its path. On top of everything, there’s a blizzard headed in our direction. This is going to be the fight of your lives, gentlemen. Get suited up.” Tyler shook his head .
“All right men. You heard your spotter. We’re taking out the new plane today. She’s gotta be on point.” Captain Phillips walked toward Landen. “Do you have a doctor’s note ?”
“Sir, I’m fine. I have to go on this mission.” Landen held his shoulders back. Yes, there was a twinge of pain, but nothing was going to stop him from fighting this fire .
The captain sucked in his breath. “I need you on this one, but I tell you what, when you get back from this mission, you are going straight to the hospital .”
“Yes, sir.” Landen glanced out the window. The snow continued to fall. For the first time in his life, he had real fear, far outweighing his experiences in New York .
“Get over here. Let me show you where we’re going,” Cooper commanded .
As Cooper highlighted the area, showing the men exactly where they’d be jumping into, Landen tried to concentrate. His entire world seemed to be locked into this moment. Explosions. A terrorist of the worst kind. His worst nightmare was coming true all over again .
“We’re dropping closer to the top of the mountain and the reports show there is already close to eighteen inches of fresh snow on an already packed and very icy surface. This isn’t the powder we’re used to, gentlemen. This has ice encased in every flake. That means every step is going to be treacherous and that is if the plane can reach the destination.” Antonio’s voice echoed .
The words reverberated in Landen’s ears. As the man continued to talk, highlighting the extreme danger, his fear turned into rage .
“Once we’re in, you follow my lead. Now, get suited up. The other team will begin dropping mud instead of water once we’re in place, but until then, the initial attack will be as always, establish scratch lines. The timbers are going up like matches according to all reports .”
As Landen raced toward the lockers, he knew at some point he’d have to come face to face with Montgomery Jeffries. And in truth, he’d have zero problem killing the man .
* * *
S hannon sat huddled in the passenger seat, her teeth chattering even though the heat was on full blast. She’d thrown on the clothes from the night before, taking Landen’s thicker coat and boots. But she was still freezing to death. She remained quiet as the fire investigator connected a phone call on his steering wheel, the dialing noises echoing .
“Yes, Sheriff Brennan James, please. This is Fire Investigator Frederick Nelson.” The investigator rubbed his eyes with one hand as he gripped the steering wheel with the other. Darting a glance in her direction, he cleared his throat. “They’re going to be just fine. That team of smokejumpers is the best in the business .”
“Yeah, I know. I’m more worried about what Montgomery will do .”
“That’s what I’m trying to take care of.” He tapped his fingers against the leather clad wheel and gazed out of the windshield. “Damn, that fire is burning hot .”
She peered out the window and shuddered. “How can you see anything with the amount of snow falling?” Since they’d left Landen’s cabin, the storm had increased in intensity, creating a near white out. She crossed her arms and had no idea what to think .
“Sheriff. Thank you for taking my call. I have corroborating evidence that the fire at the hotel was arson and I believe that I know exactly who set the fires .”
“What are we talking here, Fred?” the sheriff asked .
“Seems Montgomery has a sister, Crystal Wallace. Trust me when I say this. I need you to hunt her down and keep her behind lock and key .”
“A sister? Really? I had no idea .”
Frederick snorted. “Yeah, I know. Not what I expected. You also need to get a team out to Engine Company 16. James Sheffield should be considered a person of interest and certainly an accessory to arson .”
“16?” Sheriff James asked, his voice breaking up .
“Yes. 16. Can you hear me ?”
“Storm is getting worse, Fred. I have a lot of calls. 16 is already on the way to the fire .”
Frederick gripped the wheel, a long breath escaping from his throat. “Damn it! You need to find Montgomery .”
Just hearing the investigator say his name was disgusting. She huffed and looked out the passenger window .
“What’s the issue again, Fred ?”
The phone crackled .
Shannon looked over, studying the console and the decreasing bars indicating the reception. “You’re going to lose him .”
“Brennan. Can you hear me?” Frederick’s voice increased in volume .
The crackling continued .
A cold chill trickled down her spine .
“Brennan. Come in.” Frederick snarled then hit the end button. “We’ll stop by the Sheriff’s office. Unless you have somewhere else to go.” He looked over and grinned as he stopped at a light .
“No. I’ll just be waiting by a phone until…” She blinked several times. “Fred. Frederick. There’s a man with a gun.” Panting, she pointed her finger just as Frederick hit the gas .
“What?” he asked as he swiveled his head just in time to see —
Boom!
Eerrrr…
Shannon could hear the sound of the tires squealing as they spun, then the SUV moving, skidding along the road. She covered her head and —
Wham!
* * *
T he ride was bumpy, turbulence dragging the plane’s wings up and down. Every smokejumper gripped the rail above the windows, no one wanting to sit as they neared the mountain .
Tyler maintained position, watching the radar as well as the drop site. “This is going to be tricky going in. Damn it .”
“Tell the pilot to go in nice and slow,” Antonio directed .
“Where we’re trying to drop, there’s a huge precipice too damn close for my comfort.” Tyler glanced over at the jumpers. “Plus, the wind shear at this altitude is kicking our ass .”
Riker exhaled. “Seen this kind of fire before. You’d think the snow would help. Doesn’t. Makes seeing anything difficult, let alone you could drop off the side of a cliff with a single misstep .”
While the concept wasn’t comforting, at least Landen knew what to expect .
Whirr… Whoosh !
The plane dipped then tossed from side to side .
“I thought this new bitch was solid,” Boone threw out .
“The storm, dude. The storm,” Stoker answered .
Landen twisted to look out the window. Sparks were flying, mixing with flakes of snow, the effect a shower of mother nature. He could see how precariously close the flames were to the town. He gripped his rip cord, checking for the fifth time .
“You’re doing fine.” Riker offered .
“Yeah, this one makes me nervous on several levels .”
Bam! Clink !
The plane dipped again then rattled, shaking violently .
“Goddamn it!” Antonio huffed. “What’s going on up there, Tyler ?”
Tyler was already talking with the pilots. He rubbed his arm across his forehead. “Two miles out. We might have one shot at this .”
“Now or never, boys. Keep the helmets on and communication up. Call in as soon as you land. Got it?” Antonio asked, the tone demanding .
“Got it !”
Landen heard the rattling answers as the plane slowed upon approach. Then a sound reverberated inside just as Tyler slapped his hand down on the console .
“Stall!”
The creaking and crunching continued as the plane took a dramatic swing to the right, heading straight for the mountain range .
“Goddamn it !”
The jumpers were pitched back, several hitting the side of the plane. Scrambling to hold onto the safety bar, Landen hoisted himself into an upright position as the plane sputtered .
“We are not going to crash!” Riker yelled .
Suddenly, the plane swung around, gaining altitude, the sputter turning into a roar of the engines .
“We’re doing this again,” Tyler instructed, sweat beading down both sides of his face. “Get ready .”
Landen snapped on his helmet, and tried to control his breathing. He could tell every man was on edge, their bodies tense. This had to work. This fucking had to work .
“We’re coming around!” Tyler called. “One minute out .”
“This is it, jumpers. Open the door .”
Wind whirled into the plane as they made the final approach. Landen sucked in air as they crept forward .
“We’re going in five, four, three, two, Go !”
The team jumped from the plane, falling silently through a sea of white, headed toward an area they had difficulty seeing, but each man trusting the system .
Landen yanked on his cord, instantly dragged upward a solid fifty feet. As he began to fall, he looked down. They were dropping into the belly of the beast. He continued steering, even though the wind hindered the jump spot approach. He could only pray to God that they were on course .
Whoosh!
He tumbled to the ground, hitting feet first and rolling. Immediately disengaging his parachute, he struggled to stand, wind and snow whipping across his periphery of vision .
“Call out!” Antonio yelled through the communication speakers .
“Hansen, here .”
“Puevos, here .”
“Weaver, here .”
“Martin, here .”
“Lincoln, here .”
“Giovanni, here .”
Landen rushed forward until he realized there was one man who hadn’t called out. Riker. Turning in a full circle, he trudged through the snow, scanning the rocky perimeter .
“Sheffield. Call out. Where are you?” Antonio’s voice held concern .
The communication line was quiet .
“No!” Landen took giant steps, moving forward as quickly as the snow would allow .
“Sheffield, call out, now!” Antonio repeated .
The sound of the wind whistling through the trees as well as crackling timber were the only noises .
Landen turned again and could just make out another form .
“Sheffield, here .”
“Thank fucking God,” Boone said under his breath, but they heard. They all heard .
“Let’s go, men. We have to get the scratch lines in place now.” Antonio pointed toward the forest .
Wiping snow from his mask, he could see the massive fire, trees and limbs falling, embers floating all around them. He grabbed his ax and headed in the direction of the tree line. This was going to be a nightmare .
With every hard strike of his ax, every cut, the snow swirled around them. They worked alongside each other, a team in unison, every step mirrored .
“Keep going .”
They worked their way down a long path, setting the line as the fire continued to roar, creating a crown fire in every tall foliage, the flames jumping from tree top to tree top .
In the background, Landen heard at least two planes flying overhead, their engines rattling as they went by. As fire retardant was dropped, the mud covered every square inch of the area, raining down on top of the team .
What had to be at least three hours later, Antonio pulled them back, the break one of only a few. As they stood in a circle, he jerked up his mask, the others doing the same. “We’re making headway. I’ve been in contact with the other team. Several fire departments are on the backside, closing in .”
“What about the explosions?” Riker called .
“The Jeffries estate is in total ruin. There’s nothing they can do. We keep fighting,” Antonio said then wiped his mouth before squinting as he looked up at the snow. “The storm is getting worse. We have to go again .”
“Prevent. Protect. Preserve .”
While Landen wasn’t certain which jumper called out the motto, every man held up their arm, their fists clenched, their chants echoing against the driven snow .
“Prevent. Protect. Preserve. Prevent. Protect. Preserve .”
“Yes!”
They went back to work, trudging through the snow, cutting and hacking at the dense foliage. With every step, every hard swing, exhaustion threatened to settle in, yet they pressed on .
Crack!
Boom!
The sound was muffled but the vibrations as the massive tree hit the ground raced through the group .
Antonio stepped back, peering up into the trees. “We’re going to have some issues. The trees are at a breaking point. Keep your eyes and ears open .”
“Embers are flying everywhere!” Sawyer yelled .
“We will stop them before they reach the city,” Antonio shot back .
“I don’t like this shit. The fire is moving way too fast.” Riker moved out into a small clearing, shifting from right to left as he scanned the lower peaks .
Landen moved to his side, peering down at the towering flames. “Jesus Christ .”
Boom!
Both men jumped back as a flashfire of flames rolled up from somewhere below .
“Another damn explosion!” Landen hissed .
“Cars exploding from the gasoline,” Stoker flanked their sides, his shoulders heaving .
“Get moving!” Antonio commanded. A rush of wind scattered over them, pushing them back .
Landen was angry, enraged at the reason for the fire. He hacked, his grip slipping even with the gloves. Riker was beside him the entire time and there was no way this fire was getting away from them .
“Move down to the left .”
He followed orders, moving with the other jumpers. There was zero room for error. The snow made walking treacherous and he fell, grunting as a shower of embers rushed down over him .
“Come on. Get going!” Riker called as he helped Landen to his feet, pulling him several feet away from the trees .
Even though the wind roared, he could hear a line of trees falling, crashing to the ground. Their now almost silent booms still thudding against the snow .
Whoosh!
“Shit! That was close .”
Landen heard Sawyer’s voice and shielded his eyes. He could make out another group of jumpers or firefighters. He was unable to discern. After another ten feet, he hoisted his ax .
Wham!
This time a wall of flames came down, encapsulating Riker. Landen jumped forward, taking long strides just as another crack sounded from above .
“Move!”
* * *
S hannon shifted, a wash of intense pain shifting into every cell in her body. Moaning, she tried to open her eyes. A blinding light made it impossible to see anything. She tried once more, squinting so she could just make out a blur in front of her. “What ?”
“Oh my God. You’re awake. Shannon .”
She heard the voice, could almost recognize who. But where was she? Blinking, she could finally take the bright light. Then she felt a warmth on her arm, but everything else was so cold, so bitter cold. “Where am I ?”
“Honey, you’re in the hospital .”
“Jessica?” Squinting, she could just make out the girl’s face .
“Yes. God, you recognize me. I’m so glad. I was so worried.” Jessica hovered, her eyes filling with tears. “You’re okay. The doctors say you’re going to be okay .”
“What…” Shannon’s mouth was so dry. The hospital? What? She licked her lips and attempted to turn her head. Pain tore through her neck straight into her temples. Wincing, she could hear a beeping sound, one
beep right after another. “What happened ?”
“You were involved in a wreck… Yes, a wreck. The roads were icy .”
Even in her fuzzy state, she knew that Jessica was hiding something. “Wait. Landen .”
Jessica wiped her eyes and sat down on the chair beside the bed. “They’re fighting a fire. An explosion ?”
“Mmm… Yes. Mont… gom… ery .”
“What?”
“He started the fire.” A cough bubbled up from her throat. She almost panicked as she remembered the ride. Then the gunshot. “Inspector… he was…” Unable to finish the words, she coughed again, and bubbles of blood pushed past her lips .
“Stop talking. Okay? I’ll get the doctor .”
Somehow, Shannon managed to grab Jessica’s wrist. “Tell me .”
“I don’t know much about the inspector. He’s in surgery. That’s all I know .”
“Shot. We were shot.” She blinked and looked down the length of the bed, able to see she was hooked to several tubes. Fear slipped along her spine. “The fire. They okay ?”
“They’ve been gone almost thirty-two hours. They’re fighting to keep the line of fire out of town. Embers are flying everywhere, coating the western portion of the city. It’s bad and…” Her words trailing off, she looked away, her breath skipping .
Shannon could hear the concern in Jessica’s voice, the near panic. Panting, she struggled. She had to get out of this bed. She had to get to Landen. She had to …
“Stop. You’re going to rip out your tubes. Shannon. Breathe. Everything is going to be okay,” Jessica whispered. She grabbed a wad of tissue, wiping away the blood from Shannon’s mouth .
She could see tears in Jessica’s eyes. “What… aren’t you telling… me ?”
Jessica squeezed her hand, sniffing. “You need your rest .”
“Tell me !”
Hesitating, she closed her eyes, tears slipping past her lashes. “The last report said they were trapped, surrounded by a wall of fire from every direction. They can’t be airlifted out .”
“No!” She struggled again, this time setting off alarms. “This is… no .”
“They’re trained. Remember?” Jessica didn’t sound convincing .
“Turn on… the television.” The machine went wild .
