by J. R. Tate
As they got off the truck, Lieu briefed them on the situation. “Fire on the third floor. Two apartments down on the end of the hallway. Reports say there is a family still up there. McGinnis and Walsh, go in and report back. We need to get in there fast or we’re gonna lose the fire. Stay together. Do not split up!”
Michael ran in, taking the nearest stair case two steps at a time. He could feel Gregg right behind him, wishing it was Daryl instead. He hated having someone back him that he couldn’t trust. Maybe it was him being neurotic. His judgment could be clouded by what Eva had said in that he was subconsciously jealous, but it didn’t matter. This was the first time in his years with FDNY that he couldn’t trust the man going into the belly of the beast with him.
They approached the third floor, which had zero visibility from the thick smoke. Getting low to the ground, Michael looked back at Gregg and they began to crawl to the apartment that the witness had reported was on fire. Smoke was seeping from underneath the door. Michael checked the door knob that was hot to the touch. Standing up, he felt of the wood. His palms were sweaty against his gloves. Fires like this were creepy. Once the door was opened, there was no telling what the fire would do.
“I’m gonna open the door. As soon as I do, get as low to the floor as you can,” he said to Gregg. Walsh didn’t reply, but got on his belly. Taking a deep breath, Michael crouched down and reached up, turning the knob. A bright flash of orange and blue flames exploded from inside, just as Michael had predicted. Hugging the floor with his entire body, Michael felt the extreme heat, but just as soon as it blew up, the flames had retreated back into the living room.
Looking up, Michael waved for Gregg to follow him inside. Continuing to crawl in his stomach, he yelled out.
“FDNY! Is there anyone in here?”
The roaring fire was so loud that if anyone responded, it would’ve been amazing if they could hear. Michael went from room to room, scanning the obvious hiding spots. So far, he had no luck in finding anyone. He looked back to find Walsh who was nowhere to be found.
“Gregg?”
The smoke rose up toward the ceiling, swiveling and churning as if it were a storm brewing over his head. As Lieu had said, the fire was getting out of control. Where the hell was his partner? It wasn’t good practice to split up when Lieu had specifically said to stick together. His temper was flaring, but right now was not the time to lose his cool. He had to find the victims and get out, or he would get lost himself.
He scooted toward the bathroom, and a sense of relief rushed over him. Queuing his radio, he cleared his throat. “Lieu, I found two kids in the bathroom of the first apartment.”
“You and Walsh bring them out. We’ve got a hose on its way right now.”
“I have no visual on Walsh.”
“Can you bring them out yourself? Since it’s a central apartment unit, we can’t get a ladder up to you. We are losing the entire third floor. You need to grab them and get out now! I’ll find out Walsh’s status!”
Michael sized the kids up, holding his hands out to keep them calm. “Don’t worry, I’m here to help you. Are your parents home?”
The girl, who appeared to be a little older, shook her head no. “They are at work.”
“Okay, well I’m gonna get you both out.” With the visibility almost zero, he would have to carry them both. What kind of parents left kids this young at home alone?
Hoisting them both in each arm, he let out a groan and pushed through the thick smoke. Even with his mask on, the toxic air stung his lungs. He had to hurry or it would poison the children even worse. He knew it was against protocol, but when they got into the hallway where the smoke wasn’t quite as thick, he took his mask off and let each one of them get a puff of the air. Replacing his equipment, he kept moving forward, still keeping an eye out for Walsh. Hopefully he was scanning the rest of the area for victims.
The floor shook beneath his feet. The weakening building was about to give way. If the floor collapsed, they would tumble three stories, possibly four if the building had a basement. The chances of survival were practically nonexistent. His legs screamed in pain. Each stair case he came to was impassable.
Stopping in a far corner, he called Lieu on the radio again. “Lieu, none of the stairwells are safe. Where the hell do I need to go?”
“What’s your location?”
Michael looked around, trying to grasp his bearings. He felt disoriented from lack of good air. Each of the children were sluggish. In a few short minutes they would lose consciousness.
“I’m uhh, I’m on the back side of the third floor. There is a window. Can you get the ladder up here? It’s our only way out. I still don’t know where Walsh is.”
“North side?”
“Yes sir, north side. Hurry Lieu. I’m not sure how much more time we have.”
He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. They burned under his lids. It felt like hours, but a firefighter knocked on the window behind his head. The ladder was there for their rescue, and Michael moved back as they knocked the glass out. He handed each kid over first, and then made his way out of the smoky building. The fresh air had never felt so good.
When he reached the bottom, he made his way back to where his crew was located. Avoiding the suggestions to get checked out, he double checked on the children who were instantly carted off for observation. He noticed Gregg standing by the truck, bottle of water in his hand, completely unscathed. His anger grew as fast as the fire, and he balled his fists up as he approached him.
“What in the hell happened up there?”
Gregg put his hand up to hold Michael back. “I had to go search the other areas.”
“I seem to remember that our direct orders were to stay together.” Michael got up in his face, his hand gripping Gregg’s collar tight.
“You are a super hero, why would you need me following and being practically useless?”
Michael grit his teeth, right on the verge of swinging at him. “You know as well as anyone that we need more than one for eyes up there. I couldn’t see a damn thing! That was a fucking probie move and you know it, damn it!” His voice was loud now, echoing off of the buildings surrounding them.
Gregg smirked and a small smile parted his lips. “Viper. Need I say more, Hero?”
His response hit Michael hard, and he loosened his grip on Gregg’s shirt. No one knew that was Viper’s nickname for Michael. The evil look on his face made Michael’s skin crawl.
“How in the hell did you know that, Gregg?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Before Michael could say anything else, several guys from their group came and pulled him away, including Lieu and Captain Rooker. In the midst of the scuffle, Michael still couldn’t take his eyes off of Gregg. He knew something wasn’t right about him, but what the hell was this all about and how did Gregg know the nickname? Maybe it was a coincidence. The word hero got tossed around the firehouse a lot.
Both he and Gregg kept eye contact until they went to the other side of the truck. Lieu handed him a bottle of water and a towel. “Wipe your face off. And please enlighten me on what that was all about.”
Michael took a long pull off of the bottle, savoring the cold that went down to his stomach. “Nothing! It was nothing. Where the hell was he?”
“We’re gonna pull him aside and find out exactly what happened. It didn’t go unnoticed. You need to calm down. The last thing we need is a brawl between our men right here on the scene of a call with so many civilians watching. You had a good save today. The kids are gonna be fine. Just think about that right now.”
Michael nodded, feeling sick to his stomach. If only the situation were that simple. Gregg knew more than was ever talked about among the firehouse. What he wanted to know was how much he knew, and how the hell he found out. Most of all, why? Why was Gregg targeting him out of nowhere and why was Viper’s name in the middle of it all again?
***
After avoiding Greg
g for the rest of the tour, Michael was glad to see it was quitting time. Aside from a few minor calls, the day had dragged on, especially since he had closed himself off from everyone. Captain Rooker had talked to Gregg, but Michael had no clue on how far it had gone and what had come out of it. The only thing on his mind was how he had known so many details about Viper. Every time he thought about it, it made his hair stand on end.
He decided to take a detour on the way home. Eva’s raging hormones were not something he wanted to deal with. With the stress he was feeling, it was likely he’d say something he truly didn’t mean.
Tucking his hands into his jacket, he ducked his head and walked down the sidewalk. Streetlights began to flicker on and more people were out on the streets, headed to bars, restaurants, and dates. Michael noticed the outside sitting areas for food establishments were filling up. He couldn’t help but notice the drinks people were devouring and how an ice cold beer sounded so good.
Picking up his pace, he turned right at the end of the street instead of heading back to the apartment. It would’ve been wise to just go home to Eva, his foundation in his weak demeanor, but he chose to go a different direction. Several bars lined the street, some obvious with their drink specials posted on signs out in the walkway - specials about whiskey, domestic beer, and happy hour.
Michael paused in front of one of the bars, eyeing the patrons inside. They all looked like they were having a blast. Women laughed at their partner’s jokes and hung onto their arm, insinuating that the party was just beginning. His palms were moist and he licked his lips. How good would three fingers of Woodford Reserve be? It would be so warm, trickling down his throat to his stomach. Michael could feel the soothing burning sensation.
Two other couples pushed past him and went inside, no hesitation from them as they found a spot at the bar and began their night of drinking. He took one step forward but stopped himself. No. He couldn’t do this. He had a baby on the way. His fiancé was at home, alone, pregnant and emotional. It would be wrong. But damn it, the craving was so strong. Just one drink. Who was he kidding? One drink? There was no such thing as one drink when it came to Michael McGinnis.
Backing up, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and crossed the street to a quieter place. He dialed the first number that came to mind, trying to calm down. The phone rang a few times and he hoped he wouldn’t have to leave a message. He needed to actually have a conversation.
“Hello?”
Michael’s heart rate slowed at the sound of his younger brother’s voice. “Hey Casey. You’re not at work?”
“No. I worked earlier. What’s up, man?”
He sounded coherent, which was soothing to Michael. Casey was an added worry on his plate that would never go away. He ran his hand down the back of his head and paced in front of the bench, rather than just sitting and relaxing. “We just… you know. We just haven’t talked in a while. Wanted to see how you were doing.”
“Things are good down here. Still hot as hell. Isn’t it supposed to be fall?”
Michael smiled, relieved to have a normal conversation. “Just remember that when I’m up her freezing my ass off and you’re enjoying those mild days. It’s your first fall down there in Texas. They really as crazy about football as it’s portrayed on TV. You know, like that TV show Friday Night Lights?”
“It’s worse. High school football, college football. Don’t get me started on the Cowboys. I’m starting to feel the passion with it too. I’m gonna take in a few games.”
Michael nodded as if Casey could see him. “That’s good, man. Glad to hear it.” He wondered if he should tell Casey about Eva. With it being so early in the pregnancy, he was hesitant to tell a lot of people.
“So Mikey, why did you really call?”
His question threw him off guard. He was a lot more in tune than Michael gave him credit for. “What do you mean?”
“I can tell, big brother. Being here in rehab and talking with others has really fine-tuned me. What gives?”
Michael finally sat down on the bench and watched the heavy pedestrian traffic mingle together. “I had a craving. Thought who better to talk to than someone who has totally kicked his addiction in the ass?”
Casey let out a deep breath. “I’m glad you called. What’s stressing you?”
What wasn't stressing him? He didn’t need to burden Casey with the possibility of Viper being back in his life.
“Just the job. Usual life stuff that has piled up,” he lied, not wanting to reveal too much.
“This is gonna sound so damn cliché, Mikey, but it works. They say the average craving lasts about twenty minutes. Try to fight it for that long and it’ll pass. Get home to Eva. Nothing better than having the love of a good woman to support you.”
Casey couldn’t have been more right. “Thanks, Casey. Appreciate it.”
He hurried down the street, making the few blocks quickly. Eva was standing at the sink when he got home, her back facing him. Easing behind her, he wrapped his arm around her waist and moved her loose hair from her neck with his free hand, lightly kissing her neck. He felt her shiver under his touch, and he moved his hand over her stomach, lightly caressing over the fabric on her shirt.
“Work late?” She asked, leaning into his body.
“No,” he replied, nibbling on her ear. “Took a little walk.” It was best to not tell her about the craving. He didn’t like how she freaked out when it happened. It was because she cared, but then he’d have to deal with her hovering around him like a vulture, and with her crazy mood swings, he wasn’t sure it was the best thing to add to the equation.
She turned and faced him, a look of concern on her face. “You okay?”
Michael nodded and kissed her forehead. “I’ll survive. I had a good chat with Casey. Things are as good as they’re gonna be right now.” He released his arm and leaned against the counter. “How are you feeling?”
“Aside from barfing up everything I’ve eaten today, I guess I can’t complain. There’s some Chinese takeout in the fridge if you want it. I just didn’t have the energy to cook, I’m sorry.”
It was best not to mention Gregg’s mishap at the call earlier. What Eva didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, and hopefully he was overreacting with the Viper stuff.
“Chinese sounds just fine.” He looked her in the eye, getting lost in the bright hazel color that seemed to be standing out more than usual. “I love you, Eva.”
“You sure something didn’t happen today?”
“I’m positive, babe. I had a good save with a couple of kids. Other than that, things were pretty normal. Everything is just fine.” He said it, not to convince her, but to convince himself. Were things fine? Was Viper rearing his ugly face again, or was it all in his imagination? He wanted that constant nightmare to completely fade from his memory. Was it too much to ask for?
Chapter Ten
“NYPD reports that there were two more warehouse fires across Manhattan last night, and they have reason to believe that they are all connected. More details to come as the investigation progresses.”
Michael heard the TV down the hall, and looked at the alarm clock. It was a little after six AM and Eva wasn’t in bed. Slowly walking to the living room, he found her wrapped in a blanket and lying on the couch, the only thing appearing from the covers was her face, which was engrossed on the news. Sitting in the recliner next to her, he tried to catch the last bit about the fires, but was too late.
“What was all that about more warehouse fires?”
She tossed the remote toward him. “Rewind it. I’d summarize it but you’ll probably want more details.”
Michael watched the short news report, his stomach sinking. It was as if the nightmare with Viper was repeating. He was jumping to conclusions, but this seemed so similar. Leaning back in the chair, he took a deep breath.
“This is gonna make work so much fun. What are you doing up? Have insomnia to add to your problems?”
She looked ove
r at him, her expression speaking volumes. She was not amused by his comment and looked back to the TV without saying anything. He was wide awake now, but wasn’t scheduled for work for a few more hours.
“I’m gonna go for a jog. Need anything while I’m out?”
Eva shook her head no and still didn’t speak. He hoped what she had told him about the first trimester was true. Hopefully the harsh emotions and mood swings would settle down in a few weeks.
He ran about two miles before heading back to the apartment. He wanted to beat Gregg in to work, just to avoid any awkward situations from the get go. Eva was a bit more talkative and had breakfast cooked for him before leaving. To his surprise, Gregg wasn’t there, nor was he scheduled for a tour that day. Michael’s nerves calmed and he didn’t ask any questions about where he was.
The front page of the newspaper was about a possible serial arsonist in New York with a small write up about speculation, but not much on a person of interest or suspect. He scanned over the article. It was Viper’s style, but he brushed that assumption aside. He had to stop pinning everything on him. There were millions in New York. A similar scenario was possible.
He flipped to the sports section where things wouldn’t seem so dramatic. Before he could get to the first article, he saw Lieu’s hand over the page, pulling it from Michael’s grasp. Looking up, Michael was about to say something witty, but the look on his face was serious. His brow was creased and he wasn’t acting like he usually did when he wanted to rile Michael up.
“What gives, Lieu?”
“McGinnis, there’s a couple of cops out by the rig. They’re asking to speak with you.”
Michael scooted his chair back, running his clammy hands down the side of his pants. “Dang, you called me McGinnis. I guess that means you’re not playing around.”
Lieu shook his head no. “Care to let me in on what the hell is going on?”
Standing up, Michael folded up the newspaper. “I’ll let you know as soon as I find out.” His immediate thought was something had happened to Eva. Hurrying down the stairs, he saw two detectives standing out on the sidewalk, their body language overbearing as they saw him walking toward them.
