sel, sweat, and old coffee. I was checking the rig, m

walked past me, his eyes scanning

Peterson," he said, his voice flat. He n

replied, my voic

as in his office, probably on a call about bud

wanted, had probably called him five times alr

ed a little. It was from a small kitchen fire a

smirk playing on his lips. "Chl

then, just like I di

orning quiet. A wildfire, fast-moving, up in the

, respond, Wildland Fire, Sector Del

Engine 7

air was thick with smoke,

t, a map spread before him. Eric was

onitor, a bird's-eye view o

ed at my captain, not me. "You're assigned to the north f

limited escape routes. I knew it, my c

thick you couldn't breathe, we heard it. A different kind of r

ne yelled. "It's

hose lines dropped, the heat scorching our backs as we p

a different battalion laying down a desperate

till pumping, when Marc Jones from Engine 12

d everyone else back from that sector when they saw the fla

nt cold. Tw

. Chloe was there, wrapped in a blanket, clingin

the command post, miles from any actu

I asked, my voice raspy from

closer. "You're overreacti

ce softening as he looked at her. "We had to

ecessary precautions were taken, Firefighter Peterson. The

cial treatment. I had almost died. My crew