Fighting the Fire Page 17

  “You say Branson’s been causing fires.”

  “He started a fire a few weeks ago week and then one at Sally Parker’s house. The fire killed someone staying with her.”

  “I don’t understand. I’m the one…” the man’s words trailed.

  Cy took a step closer. “I know, but I think Jason wants us to feel the same pain he did when you killed his parents.”

  Leaning forward his father knocked a stack of expired T.V. Guides off the end table. “I did my time and got out of jail sooner than I thought. Why would he try and kill you off? That’s stupid. I wouldn’t give a shit if you died.”

  The muscles tightened in Cy’s arm under Mia’s grip. “I know.” Cy’s tone was cold and hard. “His mistake. And now another innocent person is dead because of you.”

  “I didn’t start the fire. Just like I didn’t cause that accident. The car’s brakes didn’t work that night. That was the cause of the accident.”

  “I know that was what you told the jury. The police didn’t believe you and automatically ordered the car checked mechanically. There wasn't a problem with the brakes. There are no guilty men in prison, right, Dad? Anyway, I just came to tell you to watch your back in case he shows up here.”

  His father’s gaze drifted for a second to the game show contestants shouting on the television. “My foot hurts like hell, are there more than six cans of beer in that bag? Maybe some Crown?”

  “Nope. Only beer. I stupidly thought you might want to wash some food down with the alcohol. It’s pre-made stuff that you can heat in the microwave. The microwave still works, doesn’t it?” Cy asked.

  “Don’t get that tone with me boy, or I’ll backhand you.” His father tried to sit up but flopped back into the recliner and groaned. He looked at Mia. “Come out here so I can see you.”

  Mia looked between the two men. Cy knew he looked like his father. His eyes had once been blue like Cy’s, but that had been a long time ago. Now, they were milky and grey. How could he have come from this cold-hearted man? But, she reminded herself, he didn’t. He came from the people who made him who he was today. People like Sally Parker and Malcolm West who loved him and told him that he was a good person.

  They were his family, not this sperm donor.

  It’s too bad that Jason Branson never saw that.

  Cy reached to stop Mia, but she stepped around him. “Hello, Mr. Brennon.” Mia pasted a warm smile onto her face.

  Narrowing his eyes, Cy’s father said, “Indian—huh, figures. Where’d he find you, the reservation?”

  “Nope never lived on one.”

  “Why are you with him? Couldn’t you do any better?” his father growled out the words.

  “Cy’s the best man I’ve ever known.” Mia squeezed Cy’s hand even harder.

  The man tipped his head. “Him? He should have died along with his mother. He’s nothing but a….”

  Mia quickly stepped forward and firmly grasped the man’s hand.

  “What the fu…” The man’s eyes fluttered, then rolled back in his head. He slumped down and his head dropped to his chest.

  Mia closed her eyes, concentrating until her body shook, and then drop his limp hand back in his lap. She turned to Cy. She brushed her hands together as if she was brushing off crumbs. “There, serves him right.”

  “Shit.” Cy ran a hand up through his hair and stared in disbelief. “Did you kill him?”

  “Kill him?” Mia repeated and then smiled. “Oh, hell no. I did the opposite. He’ll feel weird tomorrow and won’t know what to do with himself, because he’ll feel good. He’s surrounded himself with so much hate and self-loathing. I took some of that away. He’ll have a ‘happy hangover’ for a few days and then spend the next week wondering what your ‘injun girlfriend’ did to him.”

  “Really?” Cy questioned with a look of doubt still on his face.

  “How dare he talk to you like that when you just came over here to make sure he was okay. He has no right.” She shook her head and took Cy’s hand. “When we come back in a few days to bring him food, if he talks trash about you, I’ll zap him again.” She raised her hands and wiggled her fingers in Cy’s direction. She smiled, flipped her hair defiantly over her shoulder, and then headed to the door.

  “A happy hangover?” Cy kissed her sweetly. “I love you, but you know you’re crazy.”

  “I know.” She laughed. “I warned you what you signed on for. Come on, we’re both going to be late for work.”

  ****

  The last thing Cy did was unleash the dog from the front porch and lead him to jump in the back of the truck. “Come on, boy. I can’t leave you here.”

  “Man.” Mia laughed. “Your dad’s right, you are a lowlife. I can’t believe you’re stealing your father’s dog.”

  “He won’t even notice he’s gone.” Cy scratched behind the smooth black ears, and then he flipped his head in the direction of the house. “Okay Boomer, who would you rather live with, him or me?” The dog barked and licked his face. “See, he wants to come live with us.”

  “His name is so not Boomer, is it? You just made that up from what I said earlier.”

  “If we feed him, I doubt he cares what we call him. Besides, I always wanted a dog, and I kind of like the name Boomer.” Cy grew serious. “Thanks for understanding and what you said back there-. You know, taking my side?”

  “What’s past is past. That’s what someone told me. I’m trying my best to believe it.”

  ****

  Cy rounded the truck at the stoplight and pulled air in between his teeth. Just outside of town there was a dark plume of smoke over the tree line.

  “Where the hell did that come from?” Cy spoke out loud, more to himself. “It looks like a forest fire, but has to be close to the houses on the ridge.”

  He pressed his foot to the accelerator and the truck sped through town. Cy leaned over and flipped on the police scanner under the dash. It filled the cab instantly with voices and codes. His brows furrowed in concentration as he listened to the dispatch.

  Still watching the road, he pulled out his cell phone. Powering it on he looked at the screen. “Five missed calls from the station. Damn. I knew I shouldn’t have turned my phone off.”

  “You’re not working today.”

  “I’m always working.” He whipped the truck into the engine-house parking lot and was halfway out of the cab before the truck had come to a complete stop.

  “Damn,” he muttered under his breath.

  “What's the matter?” Mia asked, confused.

  “They’ve already gone. Listen to the radio. Try and hear an address. I’ll be back in a minute.” Cy disappeared into the building and slammed the door behind him. Mia watched the smoke in the distance grow thicker, as she tried to make sense from the dispatch.

  There was a thump as Cy threw his coat and helmet into the back. “Did you get the address?” he asked as he started the truck and then threw it into reverse.

  “I think so,” Mia said.

  “I guess I don’t need it.” He shook his head. “I can pretty much follow the smoke.” His mouth was set in a grim line as he peered out the front windshield to look at the sky. “With this wind, it’s going to be a bitch. If the fire’s not already on those houses on the ridge—it will be soon. This summer’s been bad, we usually have more rainfall by this time of the year.

  “What can I do?” Mia asked as he spun the truck up on the side of the road a few hundred feet back from where the fire engine stood.

  He yanked his gear from the back of his truck. “Take the dog and go to the cabin. I’ll catch up later.

  Cy grabbed the cotton, outback-style hat from his pocket and jammed it onto his head. He gave her a quick kiss and brushed a thumb over her cheek. “It’s okay, this is what I do for a living, remember? Don’t worry.” Cy already wore his turn-out pants and boots as he reached out, grabbing the rest of his gear from the truck bed.

  Adrenaline radiated off him. Was it like this fo
r every fireman as they entered a fire?

  Cy shoved the black helmet on his head and buckled the snaps down the front of his coat. Mario spotted him and came over. Cy dipped his head and listened to the information. He nodded once, looking toward the houses, then snapped the strap of his helmet under his chin.

  Fear coiled in Mia’s stomach as she watched a wall of flames sweep down the hillside and engulf the row of houses. The wind whipped her long hair around her face. She yanked it out of the way, trying to keep the dirt and debris from her eyes. With each gust, the flames leaped higher into the trees.

  Mia caught sight of Cy as he ran to get orders from West.

  Smokejumpers were high on the ridge, the sound of chainsaws pierced through the early afternoon air along with the crackles and snaps of burning timbers. Men stood in a line ten feet apart, while the others worked clearing branches. The shovelers were digging a fire-break scraping the earth away to bare dirt, in hopes that if the fire switched direction they could starve the oxygen and it would die out. The firemen concentrated on the houses.

  Acidic smoke filled Mia’s eyes. It burned the back of her throat as the wind shifted, and Mia sucked in a gulp of clean air. Cy shouted over his shoulder to Mario, as he hooked a hose to the tanker truck. Cy gaze skyward, she suspected, to judge the direction of the wind.

  She latched her fingers under Boomer’s collar and tugged him out of the truck bed. She put the dog in the cab. He wagged his tail and licked her hand. “It’s okay boy, he’ll be back soon.” Across the lawn, people stood in small groups clutching each other. The women cried, the men were glum, and the children looked terrified.

  Hands grabbed her suddenly, as she looked into the desperate face of a woman. The fear coming from the woman swamped Mia, and her vision turned dark. “Have you seen Taylor? Oh my God! Have you seen him?” Without waiting for Mia’s answer, the woman ran to the next group as her eyes searched the crowd. “Taylor?”

  Mia grabbed the side of the truck to steady her legs, but then she moved quickly toward the woman. “Ma’am. Ma’am. Who’s Taylor?” Mia asked.

  The woman turned. Tears streamed down her dirt and ash covered cheeks. “My son. Oh my God. Taylor. He’s only five!” she shouted over Mia’s shoulder, searching. “My older son, Alec, thought he saw him come out the back of the house, but now I can't find him. The fire happened so quickly, I thought both of them were out!” she cried. “He’s just a baby.”

  When Mia touched the woman’s arm emotions flooded her again. It filled her veins with the woman’s pain and despair. Mia sucked in a breath, fighting for control. She had never felt a mother’s love for a child. It was deep and all-consuming. A feeling she never knew from her mother. She let the hurt from the woman flow into her, through her.

  The woman stepped back and blinked. Her voice was barely above a whisper as she grasped Mia’s hand tighter and said, “You understand. You have to help me find him.”

  “Which house is yours?” Mia searched for Cy.

  “It’s the blue one in the middle.” The woman sucked in another sob as gusts of wind blew the flames, igniting the roof.

  Mia dropped the woman's hand and ran across the lawn. Burning embers swirled in the air burning her skin and hair.

  The woman’s house was a wall of flames. Molten tendrils licked up and over the roofline. Three houses had smoke coming from the windows as firemen and fire jumpers concentrated efforts on the first house closest to the tree line.

  “Cy,” she called, searching for him, or anyone who could help.

  Mia found Malcolm West and grabbed his sleeve. “There’s a little boy trapped in that house.” She pointed and yelled over the roar of flames and water. “His mother thought he came out with his brother, but she can’t find him !”

  West dropped his grip on the hose and tapped Cy’s shoulder.

  Cy spun. When he saw Mia, his eyes widened and he barked, “Why are you here? It’s too dangerous.”

  The captain cut him off, “There’s a child still in the blue house.” The fire was rampaging at full force, as tree after tree went up in flames exploding the air with the sound of sap snapping loudly. Dry grass and bushes blew like powder kegs, scorching to black in the fire’s path.

  “Get out of here!” Cy yelled and passed the hose He motioned for the men to move into his spot. The spray from the tanker truck arched over their heads as he and West rushed toward the house, but flames held them back.

  Mia saw the woman of the trapped boy run past her; she grabbed her arm and spun her on her feet. Darkness threatened to swamp her. She dragged the woman toward the back of the house.

  “Don’t. Let me go! I have to get him.” Terror choked the woman’s words. “You said you’d help. No one’s helping me.”

  “Listen to me.” Mia squeezed the woman’s arm until the woman’s eyes focused on hers. “You’re going to follow me. We’re going to get as close to the backdoor as we can.” The woman looked confused, as Mia continued and shot a glance at Cy. “If you want to get your son out alive, you have to trust me.”

  The woman nodded. The blistering heat came in waves as the wind pulled and pushed the flames closer.

  Moving quickly, she had to be sure the woman didn’t get trapped. “Listen to me,” she forced her voice to be calm. “If this is going to work, you have to do exactly as I say, or I won't help you.”

  She pulled off her shirt, baring her arms down to the camisole underneath, and ordered, “Grab my arms.”

  “How will that help?” the woman asked, confused.

  “Do you want your son out alive? Do it now!” Mia yelled and grabbed the woman’s hands. She placed them firmly on her arms.

  The woman's hands burned a path into Mia’s skin.

  Mia continued, “Don’t let go until I say that you can.” She could feel the energy pulse into her, the blackness of the terror from the young mother swirling and mixing with dark colors. Mia closed her eyes and let the power snap through her. “Don’t let go!” she cried through clenched teeth. The power built making her ears buzz like a swarm of bees were inside of her head.

  She bit her lip until she tasted blood and prayed, Please, let this work. Let my powers help someone.

  The ground shook under their feet followed by a loud snap. When Mia opened her eyes they were engulfed in the blue opalescent bubble. “You have to leave. But I promise I’ll bring him out.” She pushed the woman back out toward the grass.

  Before Mia entered the house, she looked back and saw Cy through the smoke. He threw up the face shield of his helmet. She couldn’t hear his cry but knew it was her name.

  Mia.

  She smiled at Cy and hoped he understood. “Don’t fail me now,” she said to her powers like they were Vegas odds. She had to do this. She had to see if she could help.

  The orange glow surrounded her, but she was encased in the blue shimmering orb. A cool breeze caressed her bare shoulders and arms.

  Don’t come after me, Cy. She sent another silent prayer. Stay safe. I need you.

  Smoke blocked her vision, and the crackling sound of burning wood was distant like hearing it with hands clasped over her ears. Inside the house, water leaked through the ceiling beams and ran in small rivers down the walls.

  Mia pushed forward, the orb protecting her path. She franticly searched the rooms. Inside the first bedroom model airplanes swung from the ceiling as if trying to take off. Yanking open the closet, she peered inside. Nothing. Mia knew she was running out of time. There was only a bathroom left at the end of the hall.

  Panic seized her as she moved toward the bath. What if the woman had been wrong? Maybe the boy was outside with his brother, and she’d sacrificed everything to find him. If her powers failed, the thought of never seeing Cy again made her choke on a sob.

  Mia threw open the door and movement caught her eye. Small fingers clutched the edge of the shower curtain and pulled it back. Mia yanked the curtain. There, huddled in the tub, was the little boy.

  His
face was streaked with soot and snot as he coughed and wiped a small hand over his nose. Fear filled his eyes. Was it fear from the fire or from seeing her?

  “It’s okay,” she tried to reassure him as she stepped closer.

  The boy whimpered and crawled back into the corner of the tub. “I want my mommy,” he wailed, as more tears broke free.

  “Your mommy’s right outside. I have this special bubble around me to keep us safe. Taylor, we have to go.”

  When Mia called him by name, the boy’s eyes widened, and he held his arms out toward her. “I wanna go to my mommy.”

  “I know you do, honey.” Mia scooped him up and into the safety of the orb. As she touched his round pink cheek with her hand, she could see the little boy’s colors. They were different, lighter. She’d never touched a child before or held one in her arms.

  Mia rushed down the hall and could see the orange glow of the fire around her. She opened the outside door but was met by a wall of flames. She tried to control her panic and drew the child tighter. The fire was on all sides, it ate away at everything in her path.

  She steadied her shaking knees and concentrated. Concentrated on keeping the protection around them. Using the fear from the little boy inside of her she was able to increase the shield.

  “You can do this,” she said to herself as she felt his wet face on her bare skin.

  She walked into the flames.

  Chapter 18

  What the hell was she thinking? He’d told her to leave, damn that woman! Cy thought the muscles in his arms would snap from the exertion as he frantically hacked a flaming tree branch blocking his way.

  Now Mia was inside the house which was a raging inferno and he had to get her out. She was just beginning to understand her powers, and he wasn’t sure she would be able to keep them long enough to do battle with this blow-torch situation around them. He tried to judge what the temperature was in the worst of the flames. He swallowed his fear.

  Too hot for a human to survive.

  “Damn it!” he growled.

  Spray from the tanker truck’s hose ran in rivulets off the front of his helmet. He swiped a glove across the shield trying to see through the streams. Cy drew the ax back for the hundredth time and hit the tree limb. Sparks flew skyward. Finally, he heard the large branch which blocked his way, break free. The captain was a few steps back but as soon as Cy stepped through the door, the tree collapsed. He knew West’s path was blocked.