A few weeks later, with the summer going from hot to hell, they’d gone after one fire and then they were off to the next. Many of them set intentionally by various arsonists for various reasons. Each morning, Dane eyed Cal thinking, Today is your death day, pal. But then, as she and Matthew discovered, Cal stuck close to Tuck and once, during a particularly difficult fire, she thought her chance was there. She watched as Cal chopped and shoveled with his Pulaski tool with his back to the flames, a rookie mistake. Tuck wasn’t in sight. She’d motioned to Matthew and took a few steps toward Cal, when suddenly Tuck stepped around from behind the trunk of a nearby tree. He eyed her with a dead serious glare and shook his head.
She was too far away to hear if he mouthed any words, but none were needed. His message was loud and clear. Don’t you even, it said. Tuck was protecting Cal, but he didn’t seem to like the job. Not just from her—the others also took jabs at Cal when Tuck’s back was turned. Only she meant to kill him outright. The others only meant to menace him.
Turning away, Dane continued on her way then. She wouldn’t hesitate again. She didn’t need this job. In fact, the more she thought about events of her past, she had other things to do. This was only her way of healing and gearing up for what needed to be done.
“All right,” Tuck said one morning, “this is it.” He’d prepared them for the very real possibility that they might have to fly into a city. They practiced for this scenario a few times. It still made them nervous. No one had ever done anything like what they were suggesting before. Those fires were set intentionally. Many of the local fireman either abandoned their jobs due to the chaos or died trying to the fight the fires themselves. As a result, manpower was slim, volunteers more so and fires were allowed to spread to the point everyone feared the entire city might burn to the ground. Only the inner, most expensive streets were spared until now. It was as if all resources were there only for the famed street, the Magnificent Mile.
“Chicago,” Tuck said. Groans erupted. “I know. Instead of a forest of trees, we’re jumping into a forest of buildings. Let’s go. Gear up. We do what we’re called to do.”
Matthew piped up, “Tuck, when we trained, we figured a city the size of Missoula…not Chicago. Do we have backup?”
“What do you mean?” Tuck said.
“Will someone watch our backs, like the military or police? I don’t mind fighting fires, I just don’t like being shot at while I’m doing my job.”
There were murmured agreements amongst the team. Tuck put his hands on his hips. “Look,” he shook his head, “we’re on this one alone. I don’t have to tell you how screwed up the country is right now. But we’re it, the last defense. People are literally burning alive there trying to escape. We’re there to hold off the fires for the rescue teams to come in.”
“Let them burn,” Cal said in a deadpan tone.
No one acknowledged his comments.
“Look, I understand the concern. That’s why we’re called to come in. I’ve been assured there will be armed guards there with us,” Tuck said.
Hmmm…Dane thought, as Matthew threw her a cautionary look.
“Cal, you’re with me,” Tuck said, like a parent calling to a disobedient child out of constant repetition.
“Oh, I thought I’d get to join one of the other teams this time,” Cal said.
“Keep it up, Cal,” Tuck said without even looking at him.
Dane briefly thought to offer Cal a position on their team, flashing ankle bracelet and all, but then discarded that idea right away, knowing Tuck would be suspicious of her intentions.
“I don’t know why we’re still standing here. Suit up; let’s go! The plane’s waiting,” Tuck ordered, and the fire team scrambled.
Though it made her nervous to return to Chicago, she thought, This is it. This is Cal’s last day if I have anything to say about it.