Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Twenty-Three

Not at all surprising that this is, once again, the longest chapter at 10.7K words . . . and I'm only a third of the way into the episode! Guess I know what I like writing! XD

The cavalry arrives, Owen surprises a few people, a team is assembled, Buck and TK are certainly Dumbasses, Chimney is still putting his foot in his mouth, and Eddie learns two Austin captains are crazy (but we already knew that).

Enjoy the start of the crossover!

***

Sylvie's horrified scream still haunted Owen's nightmares for days.

The captain jerked awake at the 126, and he took several deep breaths, heading straight for the bathrooms. He sharply turned the faucet on and splashed water on his face, bracing his hands on the sink and taking deep breaths. Sylvie is OK, he reminded himself. She's OK.

That was when he realized there was a figure in the mirror, and he frowned, turning around to look. He stared right into the dead eyes of Tim Rosewater, the orbs milky, his skin pale and clammy, burns and blood caking him.

He backed up against the sink, eyes wide, and Tim tilted his head. "Captain Strand?" he asked . . . but it wasn't his voice.

***

Owen blinked awake for real that time, and the fuzzy face of Grace Ryder appeared in his line of sight. "Captain Strand," she repeated. "The wind shifted."

Owen blinked again, then shot upright on his cot. He hastily left the tent, Grace at his side. He looked around the smokey air, coughing as he asked, "How long was I out?"

Grace checked her watch. "About an hour," she answered.

Owen nodded, hands on his hips and staring up at the massive wildfire glowing on the horizon. "That's about all I need."

***

"The weeks-long battle against the San Angelo fire continues at this hour, with officials now saying the blaze has consumed more than 180,00 acres with less than 5% containment."

"Whoa," Gallo twisted in his seat, eyes wide in shock as he listened to the live news on the rig's radio. "That's what we're driving into?"

"That's what we're arriving at," Stella pointed. "This is our section here."

"Resources here in West Texas have been stretched to their limits, but help is now arriving from neighboring states," the reporter continued. "Fire companies from Oklahoma, New Mexico, and as far away as California, Illinois, and the Carolinas are sending equipment and manpower to aid in this fight, a welcome sight to the embattled Texans on the front lines of this blaze, one that has to look a lot like the arrival of the cavalry."

Stella parked the rig where Boden directed her, and Matt turned down the radio. As the engine stopped, he opened the door and jumped out, immediately grimacing when he emerged into a haze of smoke. Mouch whistled, leaning out from his seat behind Matt. "Welcome to the jungle, am I right?"

"With the humidity?" Matt tilted his head side to side, watching as Engine 51 pulled up behind them, Squad 3 and Ambulance 61 parking to their right. "It might as well be."

"Oh, God!" Gianna recoiled as she stumbled out of the passenger's seat of the ambulance, the rest of 51 piling out of their rigs. "This is . . . "

"Hot?" Ritter supplied.

"A swamp?" Capp offered his own suggestion.

"Suddenly I'm glad we're paramedics and likely not going to actively go into the fires," Violet looked uneasy.