Burnt Skies

Chapter 5: Help

"Do you truly think he's the reason they died?"

She shrugs, "I have no idea. But he hasn't given me much reason to believe otherwise," Maria spots a stressed out redhead on the sidewalk, "That must be Abby."

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Maria gets into the back of jeep as she calls Athena, "Hey, do you see the BOLO on Patricia Clark?"

"Yeah, I see your BOLO right here- Patricia Clark, 75 year old white female. They got me riding a desk right now, but I'll keep my ears open. For now, you're gonna have to settle for Officer Nash."

"I don't think settle was the right word to use there, but thanks anyways Sergeant," Maria hangs up her phone. 

Buck looks over to Abby, reassuring her, "She won't let us down. And we have this," He turns on the operator radio Maria installed, "So if a call comes in about your mom, we can be first on the scene."

Abby comments, "Kind of a bummer we had to meet under these circumstances. I mean, especially with our only on the phone plan."

"Worst first date ever, right?" Buck jokes, causing Abby to laugh as Maria keeps to herself. Her facial expressions, however, can't be controlled.

"I've probably had worse."

"Like what?"

Abby scoffs, "Well, to be honest, it's a little fuzzy. It's been a while since I've been out on a date."

Buck guesses, "How long? Like a few weeks?"

"Try more like almost a year."

"What? I mean, that's not possible. Maria, I would understand having that problem."

Maria glares at the firefighter, "Don't make me punch you, Buckley."

Buck smirks back at her in the rearview mirror, "If it's anything like your slapping, I think I'll be fine. Anyways," He turns back to Abby, "I mean, who do you have sex with? You've not had sex in almost a year?"

"You consider hooking up with a girl in a fire truck a date?" Maria looks to the firefighter.

"No, I haven't had sex in-in-in a year," Abby says as Buck is almost fully turned towards her while driving.

"Not even with yourself?"

Maria shakes her head, "You are so diving deeper than you have a right too."

Abby corrects him, "I didn't say that. Although I am more, a, you know, human contact, you know, touch of skin kind of person. It's just really hard to feel sexy with your mom dying in the dining room."

Dispatch comes over the radio, "Respond to 800 Comstock Ave. TA into power pole. High voltage wires down in swimming pool. Three year old child trapped."

Maria doesn't even have to look at the cross streets they are on, "That's two blocks from here."

"Truck's been dispatched, they'll get it," Buck tells her.

"Yeah, but it'll take them eight to twelve minutes to get there. I mean, this I know cause I do it every day. We should go We can't just pass it by. Come on."

Giving in, Buck stops next to a turned over motorcycle and where a van had ran into a power pole. Maria runs to the backyard where she hears yelling as Buck and Abby check on the people right in the front.

Once Buck and Abby catch up with her, the mom cries, "Please help. There's a power line in the water and Alex jumped in to try to save the baby."

"Alex, he's your husband?" Buck asks.