Playing with Fire

Chapter Forty - Otis

Everly

"Are you out of your mind?"

I turned my head and looked back at my brother who was walking behind Kelly and I.

"Did you really take a swing at Otis?"

Kelly stopped walking and I sighed as he unwrapped his arm from around me and turned around to face my brother. This was my last shift at the firehouse I could really go without all the drama.

"Tried to and I might try again. You need to get your guys in line."

I put my head down.

"Maybe my guys aren't the problem."

"The hell they're not."

"Before your buddy Rice got here, Otis and Cruz were just as much family to you as Capp and Tony."

"I know Rice. He's not a ducker."

"You better be damn sure."

"Yeah, and you better keep Truck on their side of the fence."

"Oh, that's always a great move. Drawing lines between Truck and Squad. Like when you decided Squad doesn't vent right before Darden went up in flames."

I lifted my head and looked at my brother.

"Did you really just say that?"

"I'm just trying to make the point..."

I shook my head.

"We got the point. Loud and clear."

I shook my head as I turned around and walked inside the firehouse.

I put my head down and walked to the locker room. I knew Kelly was following me but I didn't feel like talking right now.

I quickly changed into my uniform and made my way to the common room looking for Otis. He wasn't in there so I checked the apparatus floor and found him cleaning a saw by the truck.

"Otis. Outside."

Otis gave me a look and I nodded my head for him to follow me outside. Otis followed me outside and I shook my head as I turned around to look at him.

"Rice's mask malfunctions once, and you decide he's a ducker."

Otis sighed.

"Because we couldn't find anything wrong with his regulator."

I crossed my arms across my chest and shook my head.

"Which begs the question, why are you snooping around his gear?"

"Look, it's not just the mask, Casey. There's also the time he
went back for his Denver bar."

I shook my head.

"Yeah, I almost forgot. The Denver bar, that clinches it."

"Look I don't think we're overreacting here. What I do think is Severide is being blinded by his friendship with that guy."

I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair.

"You guys can't go around talking smack about a member of Severide's team and not expect him to tear you a new one! This is my last shift and I don't want to hear another word about this. Got it?"

"You got it Casey."

I nodded as I turned on my heel and made my way back inside and walked over to the ambulance.

I pulled open the back door of the ambulance and climbed inside and pulled out the inventory sheet from the first cupboard.

"Casey."