"Alright. Group two! The same rules apply. Good luck!" After their thirty-minute break, they split up into their groups to get their information from dispatch. We all sit back in surprise when the lieutenant from 88 stays put on the training grounds, giving and receiving instructions from her team inside while she writes down possible solutions, asking for blueprints from dispatch. "Well, that's an interesting approach." Ross takes a seat next to me, sipping on her water as we watch the LIC talk to her team over her radio. She sticks up her hand and waves me over, surprising us even more. "Excuse me, lieutenant. Are there any bystanders at the scene who I can talk to?"
I look behind me to the battalion chiefs who nod their heads. Ross comes jogging up to us, pretending to be a concerned parent saying she left her children in the apartment. Lieutenant Connor compassionately calms Chief Ross down while conveying the new information to her team, earning her an impressed nod from our boss. "She's the only one who figured out that she's essentially playing captain and captains don't go into the danger unless it's three alarms or up." Ross takes a pen and gives her a bonus point on her scorecard, smirking at Chief Grimes who fought for Connor to be added to the list.
This simulation is set up to be an apartment fire. Dispatch got reports from tenants saying there was smoke coming from the ceiling. They need to enter four apartments on each floor to sweep, evacuate and find the fire. The first test is figuring out there is an apartment with kids trapped inside. Connor already passed that step by talking to the bystanders, which the other candidates will have to figure out on another way. "Dispatch. We have a locked door in 4C. Can you confirm if we are allowed to break it down?" Good, seems that Vic has caught on. "Yes, LIC Hughes. The building's tenant roster shows that there are two children in 4C."
This is when they get tested on the same as group one, where they need to stand back and trust their team. Formulate a plan and get the fire extinguished. The third test comes from the second lieutenant who was slipped a note before the simulation started. The note stated that when they receive a signal, they need to tell the LIC they feel dizzy. Where group one got tested on how well they handle the mistake of a probie, group two gets tested on humility. Will they be able to trust their second even when they can't see what they do, and reevaluate their plan of action? That is where most of the issues are within the department.
The firefighters with the titles and ranks have too much of an ego to listen to the advice of a seasoned coworker. If a LIC can't bring it upon themselves to listen to everything their team tells them, then they have no place to lead. Connor is already miles ahead of the rest of her group, using dispatch like a fountain of information. Asking them if there is a gas line, previous reports of other toxic materials or 911 calls from the same location for dizziness, nausea or people being found unconscious. She has her team on a tight timeline, instructing them to stay partnered up during their search and having them reserve oxygen.
Vic and Walker easily trust their seconds, brainstorming with them over possible causes. The two of them have a check-in policy in place, telling their teams to not breath in as much. We then have the ceiling rigged to collapse, making their toxicity devices going crazy. Now they have to make a choice. Evacuate and wait for the hazmat team or use the oxygen they have left to save the kids. Option one is the most practical and protocol driven response, but a good leader finds a loophole to save lives. Only one LIC evacuate immediately and calls in hazmat.
Connor's team has been one step ahead thanks to her expert problem-solving and they are the first to emerge from the building with both dummies. The other firefighter who isn't a lieutenant yet, lets the power get to his head and refuses to listen to his second, ignores his warnings and tries to play hero himself. He leaves his team to take the brunt of the collapsed ceiling and pass out from the toxins in the air. He only realizes his mistake and calls in an additional rescue team over the radio, a full two minutes after we told his team to drop to the floor over their comms.
The only point he scores with his battalion chief is when he stays with his team and tries to help them instead of running out. But he fails phase two completely because he leaves the two unprotected dummies in the toxic room with them, which ultimately lead to the death of everyone on the floor in this scenario. Walker stays put, evacuating each of her team members as they relay to her when we tell them they are feeling dizzy too. At the end, she and two of her probies walk out with the dummies.
Vic executes the plan I know I would've chosen if I were in there. She tells the probies to get out, ask her second to stay outside in the hallway, but to run his ass into fresh air at the first sign of dizziness. And she puts her own life on the line to find the kids. We instruct her second to wait for her, seeing how the hallway is clear ,and help her when she emerges. That's going to get her a little bit of heat from Ackhurst, but the rest of the chiefs look very impressed. "Well, it's clear who used to be her captain. This is some cowboy shit you would have pulled, Bishop." Ross bumps me in the shoulder, smirking down at me.
"That stunt will only get her written up." I nod my head at Chief Ackhurst who looks more amused than angry, full heartedly agreeing with him. "She saved two kids. It will make it worth it. Besides, it won't warrant a demotion, just a little disciplinary hearing and possible desk duty." He whacks group one's score card on top of my head, shaking his head as he walks towards Hughes to give her a scolding. Ross hands me her scorecard after signing off on it, showing me that my friend passed even with her little infraction. She smiles down at the table as she reviews the rest of the scorecards while I run to join the fire instructor.
"Is the simulation ready for phase three or do your men need more time to make this building safe, sir?" He thumps me on the shoulder, babbling about how insane the simulations have been and how much his trainees have learned from participating and observing things. "We're just waiting on one of the curveballs to show up, Lieutenant Bishop." I shake the hand of one of the other instructors who just showed up, before he hands me the clipboard I gave them this morning. "Everything's set in the second warehouse. Just give us the go ahead and we'll have dispatch put in the call for the help."
I smirk at the young instructor's excitement and thank them for helping out. Chief Ackhurst and the battalion chiefs are huddled up in a secret conversation and Chief Ross is congratulating Conner for her incredible performance today. "Great job, guys." I ruffle everyone's hair as I walk past them, praising their hard work and chatting with them as I move on to the next one. "Okay, so that was marginally harder than my captain's exam." Gibson hands me a bottle of water from the cooler he's sitting on, glaring at me.
"Yeah, no. I second that. The captain's exam was hard as hell and I needed a day off from how sore my muscles were, but this fucked my brain up completely. It was like living in one of those word puzzles and getting blindsided on every turn." I punch Nelson in the stomach when he grabs me in a headlock, whispering into my ear like a mosquito. "You feel dizzy, you feel dizzy, you feel dizzy." Letham throws him with a snack wrapper, laughing at his friend's joke. "Yeah, Bishop. What was with the hypnosis? I thought I was going crazy for a second up there."
I slap both of them away, sticking out my tongue at them when they pretend to be dizzy. "How was the lecture from the union chief?" Hughes throws her head back on a groan when my question sparks a whole new set of laughter from our group. "He told me to leave the heroic bullshit to you. Apparently, he can only deal with one pain in the ass lieutenant at a time." I snort on my own laugh, lifting my bottle to cheers it with hers. "All I got from that is that they already think of you as a lieutenant. Mixed with some good advice. Don't try to channel me in calls or you'll never get promoted again."
She snorts on her sip of water, thumping on her chest when it goes down the wrong pipe. "Oh shit, Hughes. Bishop's right. You did great." We all nod our heads in agreement when she starts acting shy. "Speaking of doing great. We're all going out tonight to celebrate. Carina has been planning things since they heard you guys made the list. You're all invited, of course." I furrow my brow when Gibson and Hughes share a knowing look with each other. "Oh, will you two actually be joining in the festivities? Rumor on the street is that the long drought is finally over, and you sex monkeys never leave the house anymore." I punch Gibson in the shoulder, knowing his sister filled him in on what happened last night.
"I'm glad to hear you haven't lost your touch. Brooke is very impressed." I roll my eyes at my friends who are clutching at each other's arms as they laugh. "Do you want a party or not?" They both pull me into a hug, telling me too not be so sensitive. The only thing that would have made this day better, is if Becks were here too. But he made it clear that even though his name made the top five a few times, he was not in the right headspace to be in charge again. He's been my rock in keeping my clouds away, so if the responsibility of being a LIC could lead him to start drinking again, I'm going to protect him from it too.
But if he ever feels ready to be a captain again, I will have his back at every step of the way. "Lieutenant Bishop. Would you mind running through the specifics of the last phase with me?" We all swallow our laughs and stand at attention when Chief Ross joins our small group. "Of course, Chief." I say my goodbyes to my friends and take her over to the table where the fire instructor is sitting. He plays the video that we created the simulation around, filling her in on every step. "This is more a psychological test. I had Dr. Lewis assist in the planning of it."
I pull the binder out of my bag, handing her a copy of the last version of the LIC exam, I sent out yesterday. The first page is the summary of changes and how we'll incorporate the psych test into a practical simulation. "We asked some of the retired captains and chiefs what they're hardest calls were, what they would've changed if they could have, and how it affected them from that point on." I flip the binder to the page with the typed-out stories of twelve veteran firefighters, Captain Hererra's most famous story included.
"We created the simulation to throw them with every curveball that could possibly rip the floor out from underneath their feet. This is to see how well they can adapt to impossible situations, whether they'll be able to take accountability and sacrifice a part of themselves for the greater good. And then we're going to whack them with the worst of it all, make it as personal as possible and see if they have the self-control to put the call first." She asks the fire instructor to play the video of the simulation again, using the summary in her hands to imagine it.
"Lieutenant Bishop. Are you ready?" Chief Ackhurst hands me the list of names with the top eight, nodding his head at the candidates still lounging around and chatting amongst each other. "Yes, sir. Just filling Chief Ross in on what she can expect." He nods his head in understanding before he raises his voice to a booming level, making the LIC candidates fall over each other to get into formation. "Congratulations to each and every one of you. The way these simulations were handled, only justifies why you are the best of the best. If you haven't made it past phase one or if you don't advance to phase three, please know that you can all be extremely proud of how far you've come!"
We all stand at attention while Ackhurst gives his speech before handing over the reins back to me. "Lieutenant Connor. Congratulations. You had a perfect score in phase two, which puts you at the top of the leaderboard." The crowd erupts in cheers, everyone congratulating her, from the chiefs to the instructors to the trainees. "Lieutenant Gibson. You topped the time in round one, which brings you to a close second." Another wave of applause echoes around us as he and Connor shake hands. I announce the other six names, meaning that the two firefighters who scored the least in each round got eliminated. We dismiss everyone but the top eight, the necessary instructors and the graduates who will be the field teams again.
"Okay. The last phase is exactly as the one before, except you'll be going in blind. Dispatch got a call that a skyscraper is on fire, but there are no reports of what started it, how big it is, how many people are inside. For all you know, you could be walking into 9/11." I ignore Ross's furious gaze as it burns a hole in the back of my head. "You are first on scene, waiting for your team to arrive. This is your call. You need to investigate and make a call on how many alarms this gets. There are no rules in a situation like this, so you need to be confident in every one of your decisions because it is life or death."
I watch the traces of fear enter some of their eyes. "This simulation will test every morsel of knowledge you possess. It will push your bodies to their limits. And it will teach you some things about yourself that you didn't even know existed. If you feel like it's too much, know that there is no shame in giving up. This is about you knowing how far you can go." The candidates start looking at each other with widened eyes before they bring their attention back to me. "Every one of you have been given a station. Read the printed scenario on the table and begin. There is an instructor behind every station, who will liaison with you as your dispatch. Good luck!"
They sprint to their stations, which is strategically placed far enough away from each other so no one can eavesdrop. The battalion chiefs are in charge of grading the LIC's again, observing them at each station. Ross and Ackhurst offer assistance as they walk up and down the training grounds. I've been elected the points person for the instructors who have questions about what they're allowed to tell the LICs, and I have to que everything that happens. This time, all eight candidates stay outside the building and send in their teams.
Once again, giving each candidate a floor to handle. "We have multiple dummies, LIC. And the fire is out of control." I walk past Gibson's station, watching how he works through everything in his head. The battalion chief behind him, takes notes on his clipboard while he observes Jack. In the same fashion, Chief Finley is behind Connor, looking over her shoulder as she takes notes. "Visibility is non-existent, LIC Connor. We don't know where we're going." She rolls the blueprints out in front of her, asking her lieutenant for anything solid to pin their location from.
"Okay, okay. Clip yourselves to the redline and fight the fire from the stairs onwards. If you split up at the first office from the stairs, you'll find two floor-to-ceiling windows on both directions. It should provide enough ventilation for a preliminary sweep on the way back." I nod my head at the fire instructor, who tested this exact scenario this morning. Should the added oxygen reignite the fire, it will move away from their escape route. The battalion chief grading Hughes gives her an impressed nod.
Carina
How is my comandante doing?
I ignore the text message on my watch, seeing how I have Chief Ross behind me. She tells me to go check on the LIC on the end on the other side of the training grounds, asking if we're allowed to guide them in the right direction. "They'll lose points." She asks Chief Ackhurst the same question and he confirms what I just said. While I walk over to the other side, I quickly take out my phone to text back my wife whose new nickname made the whole simulation fly out of my mind. I really need to switch my phone off so I can concentrate after this.
Maya
I'm gonna need you to call me that tonight.
Carina
Ha! I'll call you anything you want if you do that thing with your tongue.
Maya
Carina! I'm at work!
Carina
You started it, bella.
Maya
Vic and Jack in the last phase.
Party's a go.
I'll see you later. Love you!
Carina
Eviva!
Love you, comandante!
My very sexy wife has me smiling and basically skipping over the parking lot. Good grief, if my father could see me now. Being so lovestruck in the middle of the LIC exam, that having my wife call me her comandante is so much better than being the actual commander for the day. I stop at the lieutenant's station, asking Blackwell where he's at before giving him a hint. "The blueprints should lead to a window." The LIC looks up from the blueprint, asking me about a flashover. He reworks his plan and only fall a few steps behind.
When I get to the next station, the first window shatters and a cloud of smoke erupts from it. I can hear the fire instructor's irritated mumble from where I'm standing. "There's a ventilation button next to the window." I roll my lips back into my mouth to bite back on my laugh. Chief Ackhurst tells him to let it go, while he hands him a few dollar bills to cover the damage. "Start the sweep and get me a number of survivors." Walker starts a flow chart with all the information her team provides her, making sure she doesn't miss anything.
The teams in the building find the most visible survivors. The cardboard printouts are the survivors who can walk out of the building themselves, which have envelopes with witness statements taped to them. The dummies either have a yellow, red or white tape around them, marking them as severely injured, critically injured or dead. There is also a button on every pretend survivor to keep track of who they've found. "Our preliminary search found seven civilians who we sent out by themselves, five who are injured and need to be carried out, three in serious condition and two dead."
I look around to the other stations, curious to see how the other LICs react to the news. Ross and I head to the raised stairs landing, we started the day on, so we can observe all the stations at once while the firefighters start carrying out the survivors and running back with stretchers. "Hate to admit it, Bishop. But this is impressive as hell." My elbow slips off the rail as I look at her in surprise. "I'm sorry. Is that a compliment? From the fire chief?" She glares down at me, shaking her head in disappointment. "I can take it back, you know?" We both crack a smile when I zip up my lips.
"So, when are you hitting them with the first curveball?" I lean back on the railing, giving the fire instructor a thumbs up. "As soon as they do the second sweep." There is one more dummy to be found, with a life-threatening injury but who has an important witness statement. The LIC will either have to let them die or break protocol to save them. The impossible situation with an impossible solution. They'll have to take accountability when Chief Ackhurst goes off on them. "Okay. So, are they going to throw their team under the bus, take the punishment or follow protocol but sit with a moral dilemma?"
She cringes when she connects the dots. "This bomb is really bothering you, isn't it?" I start twirling my wedding ring around my finger, not really wanting to talk about it. "I know you haven't let it go, Bishop. This is your moral dilemma, just like it's mine. I'm asking you what I can do to help?" She looks sincere enough, and I could use the help with the investigation to make more time for my wife. "Detective Yates and Agent Tate have been sharing their leads with me to follow up. I think I need to go back to where they kept Joseph hostage. We're missing something and I think there's a clue just hidden in there somewhere."
She looks around to make sure no one is listening, not entirely shutting the secrecy off. "Meet me there in the morning? Two sets of eyes are better than one. Since we can't share this with anyone else, we can at least use each other's expertise to get the cops involved." I furrow my brow, not believing my ears right now. Maybe I won't tell her that Carina knows just yet, not until I know I can trust her fully. She's still dating Sullivan, so her judgement isn't that great. "I guess it can't hurt having a former vet's help."
Ross sticks out her hand for me to shake, offering a truce. "Excuse me, Chief Ross. Lieutenant Bishop? Chief Ackhurst asked me to let you know the LICs have all passed the second step." I thank the trainee who's playing messenger for us, instructing him to tell the fire instructor to ignite the fire in the hidden rooms. "Another moral dilemma?" The LICs all start running around to adapt to the newest development. "More like an ethical one." She raises her brow at me to explain my reasoning.
"You know how it's not our choice who we save or treat?" I wait for her to nod her head, understanding the next step. "Drug dealers in the hidden room?" I smile at her, loving how quickly she figured it out. "They need to evacuate the survivors by the severity of the injured, not based on their own personal feelings." So many firefighters have had an issue when we had to treat the drunk driver before the innocent victim, just because their injuries were worse. Every fiber of your being is telling you to use all your resources on the wronged party, but a good leader should always put feelings aside and value every life equally.
Ross and I start walking around the stations again, checking in and making sure the simulation is on track. When the tensions are running high, and the LICs' spirits are reaching breaking point, the last test starts. We're back at Gibson's stations, when at the exact que from Chief Ackhurst, all the LICs' radios crack to life. "LIC, we have a problem..." Gibson checks on all his notes, shaking his head because there isn't supposed to be any new issues. All of the survivors have been evacuated, the fire in the hidden room should be close to being extinguished and the structural integrity is holding strong.
"We've located a group of survivors in the hidden room." A frightening wave of silence settles around the training center as the bomb is about to get dropped. "Some of them are severely injured. The fire won't go out and our oxygen levels are low." Gibson scratches at his head, flipping through his notes. "How severe are the injuries?" He calculates the amount of time each of his team members will have with the percentage of oxygen they have left. The battalion chief behind him, gives him points for his problem-solving skills. Some survivors are going to have to be left behind to ensure the firefighters in the building make it out alive.
He instructs them to get out of the room, so the civilians don't overhear the plan. "We have one critical patient, and four less severe injuries, but none of them are walking out of here." Gibson cracks his knuckles, and starts running through every possible solution, only for it to be thrown out the window because the survivors outnumber his team. The survivors are too heavy for one firefighter to carry out two civilians. The fire is too out of control for the firefighters to run out and back in time. Backup is also too far out. And dispatch just announced that the fire has spread to other floors through the secret room, so the LIC can't run into the building to help themselves.
Formulating a plan has left the LICs with having to make a split-second decision. "There is something you should know, LIC Gibson..." A few seconds later another voice comes through the radio, and all around us the same happens with the other LICs. The last test is making their choice as personal as possible. "...Jack? Babe. It's me." Isobel's voice completely floors Gibson and he starts running towards the building without a second thought. "Think about what you're doing, son." The battalion chiefs have been given permission to forcefully stop the LICs from making a rash decision and offer them a choice.
The best thing the LIC can do now is to give up their command to the most senior person here, which will be the battalion chiefs grading them. Vic, Connor and the lieutenant at the end immediately make that choice. One of the LICs push their battalion chiefs out of the way to run into the building to their loved one, failing on protocol alone. Gibson, Walker, Letham and Nelson begrudgingly make their way back to their station to try and find another solution. Letham realizes that the only choice is to sacrifice his brother, which leads him to throw in the towel and ask Chief Blackwell to make the choice for him.
Nelson surprises us all by freezing up before making the selfish choice. He demands that his dad gets saved over the other survivors. He feels the consequences when his battalion chief fails him and tells him that his dad's injuries were too severe, and he would have died from getting carried down the stairs. Which means he sacrificed two innocent lives for nothing and still lost his loved one. "Lesson learned." Chief Ackhurst whispers it next to me, and Ross shakes her head. "It's also going to leave a scar." We all make our way to Walker and Gibson, eager to see if any other LIC is going to make a bad decision.
Gibson asks to talk to his girlfriend, explaining why he has to let her go and stays on the radio with her until his team exits the building. It's clear that he's reminding himself that this is just a simulation by looking around at the absence of chaos to be able to make the worst decision ever. "I love you, Iss. You know that right?" An emotion I can't decipher flickers through his eyes when he looks at me while saying those words. I furrow my brow, trying to figure out what he's thinking. The light bulb goes on over my head just before he unclips his radio.
He is mere seconds away from advancing his career. From everyone in our station, he should have been promoted to captain years ago. If he wasn't as loyal to 19, I can guarantee he would have been first choice for any captaincy in the department. I admire how well Isobel knows him, when she reads his hesitation through the silence on his radio. "It's okay to care this much, Jack." I smile at his girlfriend's subtle way of reminding him that none of this is real and their relationship will survive this small sacrifice for his career. God, this woman is perfect for him.
I can't imagine having to make that choice, and that's just from knowing one of my dearest friends are up there. Would I be able to stay as calm as Gibson if it were Carina up there? My job hasn't meant nearly as much to me as my wife over the last few months. I don't think I'll be able to listen to Carina's last words after telling my team to leave her behind without sacrificing my own life for hers. Let's be honest. I don't think I would've been strong enough to let the love of my life die alone.
If I made it to phase three, I probably would've given up command and forced my way into that building. We're all willing to risk our lives for the greater good, but if anyone is laying down their life for my wife, it's going to be me. God forbid, if Carina were to ever die, my life would end anyway. What the hell has happened to me? A year ago, I would've easily blocked my wife's presence out, if it meant I'd get a promotion. Poor Walker clearly feels the same way because her face is devoid of any emotion as she works through every possible solution that will get her the highest mark.
We anxiously stare at her working through all the decisions she's made so far to find a solution that will get everyone home to their families. "I ordered a jumping cushion to be inflated when they found the first group of survivors in the hidden room. Has it been actioned, Chief?" The battalion chief's eyes meet mine in question and I nod my head because she's had enough time and manpower to get it done while they we're carrying the survivors out. "I'll allow it." The last standing LIC jumps into action, running back to her radio.
"Okay, this is what you're going to do. It's only a three-story drop. Get the critical injured patient on a backboard and two of you start making your way down the stairs. The rest of you, get the remaining survivors to the window on C-side. Reed, you looked pretty jacked. What's your weight?" She pulls out a calculator to do a quick calculation while she rechecks the injuries. "Reed. You're strapping two survivors to your body. Jump so you fall on your side. Breaking a limb is better than burning to death in that building."
The instructor immediately jumps onto the comms to instruct his recent graduate not to jump when we hear the probie's panicked voice on the monitor. "The critical patient's injuries would have ultimately led to their death, but she got everyone out." We all start clapping for her as her battalion chief writes pass in all red caps on her score card. When she sees her niece being carried out by one of the recent graduates, she finally breaks down sobbing as the walls around her heart breaks away.
I walk over to a hunched over and hyperventilating Gibson as soon as Chief Ackhurst sounds the alarm, putting an end to the exam. He places his hand over mine on his shoulder when he feels the squeeze. "Fuck, that was brutal, Bish! I kind of hate you a little now." He wipes the tears from his cheek, shaking his arms out to get rid of the uneasy feelings running through him. "I'm sorry, man. You have every right to hate me for a while. I feel sick just from watching this, so I can't even imagine what you're feeling."
He glares at me as he looks up at me and Chief Ross when she joins us to congratulate everyone. "Hughes, Connor, Smith, Letham, Gibson and Walker. Great job! You all passed phase three with flying colors. We'll just need a few minutes to combine your scores with the previous phases to see if you passed the threshold to be promoted to Lieutenant-In-Charge." Chief Ackhurst congratulated each of them as he says their names. The battalion chiefs excuse themselves to start the debate.
"While we're waiting for the results, I just want to congratulate you all once again. Do not feel disappointed if you didn't make it as far as you would have liked. You have all set the bar for our future leaders. The LIC exam has officially replaced the captaincy exam. The Lieutenants in Charge who passes today will get preference as soon as the next captaincy position opens up. We will also have an annual LIC exam going forward, to make sure no talent falls through the cracks." The LIC candidates all look around at each other, clearly impressed by the quality of the exams and what it will mean for future firefighters.
"Due to your exemplary performance today, we will be offering you all a second chance to become the next wave of LICs. We'll have another exam in six months, and you will be given the choice to participate in the phase you didn't progress in. After that, only the top five contenders of each year will be considered for the LICs. Our goal is to have at least one LIC at each station by the third exam, whereafter we'll only be having the exams to fill up open positions." The energetic and excited spirit is contagious as the firefighters start planning study groups.
"For the Lieutenants-In-Charge who passed, you will act as floating captains between the stations until each station has its own LIC. Part of your duties will be reporting to your battalion chief and your captain on any bright stars within your shifts. As for the rest of you, you can all rejoin your normal shift rotation. There will be no more substitutions between different station. That includes you, Lieutenant Bishop. Thank you for all your hard work." Chief Ackhurst steps up to shake my hand as well, a glimpse of pride on his features.
"Will it be possible for Lieutenant Bishop to participate in the next exam? It's clear that she's respected among the numerous stations, which would make her a perfect fit for a LIC?" The rest of the firefighter in front of us noisily agree with Chief Ross's question. I feel honored that she would stand up for me, but I meet the remorseful eyes of Chief Ackhurst and give him a comforting smile. I knew the risks of starting this project and don't regret a moment of it. "Unfortunately, Lieutenant Bishop created the exam which means she will never be able to take it herself."
Chief Ross's flabbergasted gaze falls on my face while the shocked gasps echoes through the firefighters, trainees and instructors in front of me. "It has been an honor getting to work with each of you over the last few months. I've truly learned so much by being a part of your districts and expanding my way of doing things. I have absolute faith in every one of you and I know that you'll share your gained experience and knowledge with the next generation. Whoever gets promoted from this day forward, I know that you are all worthy of the title."
The few lieutenants that I've started to refer to as my friends all rush forward to pull me into a hug. "This isn't fair. If anyone deserves the title, it's you. Your leadership is what's gotten us this far. Who's going to keep up our reaction times when you're no longer there to bust our balls?" I wave their praise off, not particularly comfortable with the compliments. "You should all know the drills to keep your stations running smoothly. I mean you've all done them enough times that they're permanently seared into your minds."
Gibson and Hughes pull me to the side when everyone settles down and takes a break while they wait for the scores. "Are you kidding me? You willingly signed off on never getting promoted again?" I shrug my shoulders and look at all the stripes on my superior's uniforms, at peace with the sacrifices I've made for the greater good. "It's a good thing, you guys. This way I won't have the added pressure to try and kill myself in order to prove I'm worthy of a promotion I'll never get. Now I can get back to enjoying my work and not bring the stress and disappointment home anymore."
Jack shakes his head like he can't believe his ears and Vic looks between the two of us like we're both aliens. He blows air into his cheek, furrowing his brow as he sees his girlfriend waiting for him on the sidelines with the recent graduates. I look between them when their eyes lock and Gibson's breath gets caught in his throat from the look of absolute adoration on her face. "Fuck this. If the year we've both had has taught me anything. It's that life is too short." He smiles at her like she's the pathway to eternal serenity and she waves back at him with so much pride.
He turns slightly away from her so he can face me with a serious expression. "I need a favor and you're not allowed to bust my chops after everything you just put me through." I nod my head at him, already suspecting where this is heading. "I'll have them set up the greenhouse for you and ask Beckett to stop by the station on his way to the restaurant to pick it up for you?" His smile turns wobbly as tears pool in his eyes. I quickly pull out my phone to text Carina, Molly and Mrs. Devous, knowing they'll be able to keep the secret until Jack goes down on one knee in front of the love of his life.