Chapter 30: Collapse
The moment the distant explosions faded, replaced by the growing wail of sirens and the hiss of rising flames, Chief Ryan snapped into action. His voice roared over the chaos, sharp and commanding.
"Logan! David! Sasha! Get the trucks prepped now. I'm contacting neighboring districts for backup."
No hesitation. No room for it.
While the others scattered, I pulled out my phone, fingers moving fast over the screen.
Are you ok?
I sent the message to Sienna, my pulse racing harder than it had during any fire. No immediate response. My thumb hovered over the screen, debating if I should call instead, but Chief Ryan's voice cut through my hesitation as he re-entered the room, phone still clutched in his hand.
"Backup's coming, but they're stretched thin. Too many fires, not enough people. We're splitting into pairs to cover as much ground as possible until they arrive."
My heart sank with the weight of those words. We were on our own for now.
Ryan's sharp gaze scanned the room, landing on me. "Mr. Fox, you're with me."
It made sense. Pair the least experienced with the most. But it wasn't just strategy. There was something else in Ryan's eyes—trust, maybe, or the instinct of a leader who knew how to balance risk.
The others geared up quickly. Logan and David jumped into Engine 12, Sasha partnered with a rookie named Grayson, and within minutes, the trucks roared out of the station, sirens screaming into the burning city.