May 25th, 1999.
Lusty returned to work after being put on maternity leave and giving birth a month earlier when she named her twin daughters Lily and Rose. The best news is that her old neighbors in the Eastside watch her twin daughters while she’s at work because they did the same when she was a baby when her parents worked.
Lusty was welcomed back but she looked as usual as if she was never pregnant but put herself back into shape after birth so she doesn’t feel fat or anything.
Lusty just put her bunker gear trousers/w suspenders on and to her, she never felt glad to wear her gear again.
Lusty went into the kitchen and since the Third World War started on January 1st, 1999 that’s the only thing the news has mostly been talking about is how the war is going on. Lusty remembered how some of her neighbors in her apartment building told Lusty that she shouldn’t have a child because of the war going on and at the turn of the millennium and the Y2K scare which Lusty doesn’t believe in.
“So what did I miss while I was out?” asked Lusty.
Lusty really didn’t miss anything besides just some fires and a fuel tanker that crashed into a closed bookstore but that accident happened on the same night that Lusty went into labor on April 25th. The other thing is that the Engineer/Chauffeur John Rodrieguze got engaged and Lusty thought he got engaged to a woman until he corrected her that it’s a man because he’s a closeted gay person because his siblings don’t approve so he’s keeping it a secret.
The fire bell went off for a fire in the Starfish tunnel. The tunnel was built in the interwar period.
Lusty knows that if any emergency on a bridge or in a tunnel connected to either the other side of the city or to Port Serina, Blister Canyon the police Special Weapons and Emergency Service Unit is also notified as well. But the Starfish tunnel connects the district of Emerald Pastors to The Ports.
***
The western end of the tunnel.
Ready to get back in the game, Lusty thought, Damn straight I’m ready to get back in the game! Well firefighting ain’t a game but just ready to get back to work!
Lusty grabbed a firehose with a coupler.
“There are reports of a fuel tanker in the tunnel,” said Lieutenant Autumn> “We’re afraid it may blow but our main job is to fight the fire and save lives. Some reports say part of the tunnel caved in at the center. Exercise extreme caution!”
I would wonder why a fuel tanker would go through a bridge or a tunnel, Lusty thought, But at the same time, there are only two ways to the city which are through the bridges and tunnel or go through the entire country of Little Bird to enter through the east side of the city.
***
Inside of the tunnel.
Lusty cracked her neck and fingers, and she’s ready to get back to her job but during her maternity leave that didn’t stop her from staying in physical fitness and keeping her knowledge up and not losing it.
I know that my mission is to rescue all survivors, Lusty thought, Others will help as well to rescue survivors and fight fires as well.
Lusty didn’t walk or run but she did a jog but if she had to fight any fire she either stood in place and used her weight against the pressure of the fire hose pressure or she would get down on one knee if she wanted to be down lower to the ground.
Good thing that it ain’t during rush hour, Lusty thought, Or there be a lot more cars and other vehicles in here. Probably not a lot of people but got to check each one though.
Any vehicle Lusty did find or was going to go by she would search for anybody but she never found anybody in the vehicle which meant to her that the people in their vehicles were able to get out and whatnot.
Lusty also kept her phobia of being underwater in check but she doesn’t know that the Starfish Tunnel goes underwater.
I still can’t believe Zofia was charged with a misdemeanor, Lusty thought, And not with felony harassment so she can still be a police detective or whatnot because if it was a felony then she can’t. But no she just has been charged with a misdemeanor and she’s in university again just studying law to be a detective. She probably is the type of police detective who probably breaks into people she hates houses and plant evidence to frame them for crimes they didn’t commit. Wouldn’t surprise me if she breaks into my apartment to frame me for a crime.
After some time the smoke in the tunnel started to vent where the tunnel’s HVAC system came on so the smoke could leave instead of going out through the tunnel entrances/exits.
***
At the center of the tunnel, there was a wall of rubble as the center part of the tunnel caved in but the outer wall of the tunnel is still standing strong and hasn’t collapsed.
There was an unconscious male so she ran over to the guy. Soon Dave came over.
“I’ve seen this guy on TV,” said Dave, “He’s a higher-up in the city government. Come on, let's get him out of here.”
Lusty replied, “Yeah I know I saw him on tv. The same day Linda told me that she didn’t care and told me that she told you to donate your sperm but she also told me that she won’t be mad at me but encouraged me to do so. But to her, she sees it as helping a friend so she ain’t mad. Linda is a very nice woman and I think you two would be friends.”
They both grabbed an arm and walked while carrying the guy out with the guy’s arm around both of the back of their necks.
“Dave if you don’t mind me asking,” asked Lusty, “But why are you still wearing the outdated rubber three-quarter boots and rubber jacket with yellow stripes? This department got new turnout gear a couple of years ago but why are you still wearing the old uniform?”
Dave replied, “Because when I was a kid and a teenager it mostly saw my father and uncle wearing this on emergency calls and whenever they had to go on a fire call or something like that. So it kinda has a sentimental feeling because my granddad wore a uniform like that and so does my dad and uncle and I also like it. As the saying goes ‘can’t teach an old dog new tricks because I prefer to wear this and there’s nothing you or anybody can say about me switching over.”
“Fair point,” said Lusty, “Even though I live in a nice apartment in Downtown but every night when I’m home I think I’m going to wake up in the tenement building I was raised in. I had and have no problems living in the place and I’m glad living there because at least I’m not like Zofia!”
When they were getting near they entered the tunnel. There was an electrical popping sound.
“RUN!” said Lusty.
Dave and Lusty started to run while carrying the person. A spark landed in a puddle of gasoline and it ran all the way to the fuel tanker and blew up which Lusty and Dave got down. After a minute and there was no fire over them the two got up and got the survivor up.
“Who are you two?” asked the survivor after getting up.
Lusty replied, “Johnson. Claire Johnson.”
“Mine is David Waterson,” said Dave.
***
Back at the firehouse.
“Ten months of not being in work,” said Lusty. “That was hard but that’s our job.”
Lusty got off of Squad 141’s apparatus.
“Hey Lieutenant, you got a minute?” asked Lusty.
Lieutenant Autumn replied, “Yeah Lusty? What is it?”
“I’m planning on taking the Captain exam in 2000 or 2001 whenever it gets announced next,” said Lusty, “And I was hoping you can help me prepare for it.”
Lieutenant Autumn replied, “Okay then. But I’m going to tell you what my Captain and also my Lieutenant told me. That is ‘If you want to take it. Study and lean on your off time not now.’ In other terms you do it on your off time and now.”
Lusty understood what he meant and he was more or less saying no to her. So when she’s home she’ll read how to be an effective leader and whatnot.
Lusty spent the rest of the day when not on a call she just read a book on how to be an effective leader.
***
The following morning.
“Can I help you?” asked Lusty.
The guy replied, “Yeah I didn’t give you permission to put your hands on me!”
Lusty walked out of the firehouse and there was a limo with the same guy who she and Dave saved yesterday.
The guy acted as if he had his underwear in a bunch. Lusty had a facial expression and gave him a look that says “Back up and get away from me or you’re going to meet the ground” look.
Dave walked up behind the guy and kicked him right in the ass.
“You two better watch your backs for now on!” said the guy.
Lusty used her right hand and used her hand and her mouth to mock the guy. He shoved her.
“Put your hand on me again and we're gonna have problems!” said Lusty.
The guy shoved her twice and after getting shoved for a third time Lusty grabbed the guy’s right arm and twisted and turned it and she nearly broke his arm in a heartbeat.
“Next time your arm is getting broken,” said Lusty, “And I’ll break it so hard that it’ll never heal!”
Before the guy left he told them that they have to watch their backs from now on.
“You want me to follow you home?” asked Dave.
Lusty replied, “Nah but I got a question. Have you been threatened like that before?”
“I have before when I was seventeen,” said Dave, “Someone put a five hundred thousand dollar bounty on me. Just put a round in the chamber with a loaded magazine, run a few red lights, don’t take the same way home, and if someone follows you through the red lights and stop signs then you take care of business.”
Lusty replied, “I wanna know more of that story. What did you do?”
“Story for a different day,” said Dave, “Just don’t take the same way home and take different routes.”
Lusty replied, “Thanks for the information.”
Lusty got in her car. She checked her Phoenix Pistol and turned the safety off. When she went to one of her old neighbor’s houses in the Eastside she made sure she wasn’t followed and took the long way. But she was happy to see her twin daughters.
Lusty wanted to pay her old neighbor for watching her twin daughters but her old neighbor rejected and refused payment as she returned the favor when Lusty watched her old neighbor's baby when he was an infant.
Lusty made it home safely but she locked her door and she even slid the leather loveseat against the door as an extra security measure. She even opened her weapon locker and got the shotgun she had which she held upside down and she chamber-loaded the shotgun before putting the other seven shells into the tube.
Lusty stayed in her bedroom but had the curtains opened though to get some sunlight.
Lusty sat at her desk and thought about writing down some lyrics for a new song but she was suffering from writer’s block because writing music isn’t easy. Doesn’t help that she wrote fifty-one different songs throughout the course of her pregnancy.
Lusty looked through her notebook that has the songs she had written and the songs are either rock and roll or country-style songs.
Lusty was visited by Dave again and she was happy to see a friendly face.
“Got friends and family running on Economist Sean Johnson,” said Dave. “Just waiting back to hear from them. Some say he’s a Records Clerk, others say that he’s an Economist.”
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
Lusty replied, “Probably got friends in higher places. If he’s an Economist then he can make our lives a living hell. Well, I can always quit and focus on my armored car guard career and musician career. But everyone else in the fire department can make a living hell.”
There was a chirping sound. Dave pulled something out of his pocket.
“My cousin Mackenzie again,” said Dave, “She got something.”
Lusty interrupted, “What did she say?”
“I’m getting to it,” said Dave, “She says that the guy is an Economist and works alongside the city comptroller. Wow, he makes five times as much more than what an economist makes. He makes 130k a year not $7,924.37 a year. Gonna see a friend.”
Lusty replied, “What friend?”
“Another woman named Mckenzie,” said Dave. “She’s a twenty-three-year-old hacker where nothing is safe from her fingertips. Gonna see if she can find a backdoor or something more than not adding what others can’t find she can find. But she can find anything even if it doesn’t have a digital fingertip.”
Lusty replied, “Not going to say how creepy that is. But can you…”
“Bring her here?” said Dave, “Yeah I can.”
***
After an hour.
“And done,” said Mckenzie, “Economist Sean Johnson. He’s thirty four years old, he’s married, has five children.”
Lusty replied, “Get to anything useful,”
“I’m getting to it,” said Mckenzie, “Also either brush your teeth or eat a breath mint!”
Mckenzie typed on her mobile workstation.
“He has a private vault in a casino,” said Mckenzie, “He got three million, seven hundred and fifty-seven dollars in cash, half a million dollars worth of twenty-four kart gold bars, four million dollars worth of diamonds, and some priceless paintings. He owns a warehouse which he stores luxury cars and a majority of the cars are on the police hot sheets for stolen cars. Owns several illegal businesses. He’s also ‘rumored’ to run the Westside Viceroys. He also spends most of his time at a gentlemen's club.”
Dave replied, “I’ve heard of the Westside Viceroys remember hearing on the news back in ‘95 in which a patrol until pulled one of their members over for speeding and well the driver and passenger killed the two cops, and the Empire police retaliated by going after the Westside Viceroys in which they had a hundred members now only down to seven. I remember hearing that what the police did well the city attorney said ‘What the police did just saved the city thousands of dollars from trialing them’. Good riddance.”
“Yeah but he owns a fleet of luxury cars,” said Mckenzie, “Owns two mansions and put a down payment on another mansion but in the city of Fort Sunction. But I know how to fuck with him and make him our three personal bitch though.”
Lusty replied, “Like how?”
“Criminal stuff,” said Mckenzie, “But I sent a virus to his office computer and I red-flagged both of his credit cards. He can’t get cash out of an ATM for at least a day and his credit card company with him will need at least seventy-two hours to get his credit back on track. Oh, what’s this? I think the media would love this!”
Lusty replied, “What is it?”
“As I said either go brush your teeth or take a breath mint,” said Mckenzie, “Also this. 43% of his income is from him secretly siphoning money from every government job you know the fire department, police department, transportation, sanitation, public works, education, healthcare, city parks, and utilities you know power and water. He just takes enough that nobody even notices. If you like I can submit an anonymous tip to the news outlets. That probably tells him that he messed with the wrong ones.”
Lusty replied, “Nah the media would just be an easy way out in which the police would just arrest him but who knows he'd probably turn the story around. If I know corrupt politicians they always turn stuff around. Also, is this what you do all day?”
“Yup,” said Mckenzie, “On my way over here I looked you up. Claire ‘Lusty’ Johnson. You got your nickname because it’s short for Lyristic. Don’t know how but who cares. You are currently twenty-one years old. You were born on March 14th, 1978. You’re one hundred and thirty-four pounds, you’re five foot and nine inches tall, your eye color is green, and your hair color is dark brown. Your mother's name is Misty Johnson and your father’s name is Claude Johnson. You are a firefighter, armored car guard, musician, and mother. Your annual income is $ 18720 before tax or after tax, it’s $12400. You own a black 1968 muscle car that’s in tip-top shape. You also got both an ID card and a driver’s license. You got your driver’s license at the age of sixteen while in high school but you failed your written exam four times and failed your driving exam twice because the first time you were half an inch too close to a fire hydrant which by law you need to be three feet from a fire hydrant but you were two feet and ten and a half inch. The other time you were too close to the curb.
“How you failed your written test is because you thought the railroad sign was something else. You also thought the Yield sign meant to stop. You also thought that the speed limit sign was optional speed, not that they can’t drive any slower or faster than the posted speed. Well, there are two posted speed signs, one for normal weather and one for inclement weather. At least you know that when driving in inclement weather you know that driving slower is safer and better to have your windshield wipers and headlights on. You mostly got B’s and A’s in school because you kept your head up in school. Out of seven classes in high school, you were the only one in your classes not to be a result of teenage pregnancy and not be one either.
“Your ex-girlfriend is a stuck-up bitch and sued you for no reason and tried to get a restraining order out against you three times but all of them failed though. You also donate a lot of money that helps children get a good education, and other programs that help less fortunate people and a program that’s run by the city that restores ruined buildings into livable buildings.”
Lusty replied, “I’m not in the mood to talk about my ex. Wish we could get rid of her but no the courts didn’t charge her with felony harassment but just sentenced her three times with misdemeanor harassment and she’s going to graduate this year and be a police detective. I can see her trying to break into my apartment and frame me for homicide or whatnot. Also, I’ve lived in a tenement building and got rudely awakened when part of the ceiling opens up and fifty gallons of water fell on me at four or five in the Goddamn morning.”
“I can change that,” said Mckenzie, “Just a few taps of my keyboard and I can pull up Zofia’s file. Their criminal record.”
Lusty replied, “No don’t. Because if you do then she’ll just come at me twice as hard and won’t be worth it. Zofia is the type while yes she’s stuck up but not entirely worth it.”
“If need be I can put in her car's license plate is expired,” said Mckenzie, “Yeah her mom bought her a new car last week a nice 1969 executive luxury car with AC and with other stuff in it that’s considered a luxury. Nice too. Damn her mom paid eight thousand dollars for it all with cash and paid another seven thousand with additional stuff like having it with bullet-resistant glass for $3500 and she spent $1153 for a sports-tuned engine. Your ex is a spoiled bitch if her mom is willing to buy her a modified luxury vehicle for $12653.”
Dave replied, “I don’t like that color. Sea Spray color? I’ve seen better color hell police cars have better colors.”
“If you can have it taken away then go for it,” said Lusty, “Stuck-up bitch needs to be put in her place.”
Mckenzie worked her magic and decided to go back to her apartment to do what she does best. She thanked the Little Bird Army for her training because she was both a Cyber Operations Specialist and a Cyber Warfare Officer.
***
The following day. Lusty was heading back to work.
While driving across an intersection a vehicle came and rammed her car at full speed flipping it upside down. Despite being badly hurt she got out of the car and started to run especially when the people of the other vehicle started to open fire at her.
She ran into an alleyway and hid behind a dumpster when she saw a police car coming down the alley.
“You head around the front,” said a cop. “I’ll cover the back.”
The second cop walked away holding a shotgun while the first cop stayed at the driver-side door.
Lusty ran around when the first cop turned around; she kicked him against the door and gave the cop a punch before getting into the police car. She put the manual transmission into reverse and floored it. The second cop didn’t shoot because the windshield was level ten bullet-resistant glass.
Did I just steal a police car, Lusty thought, Well I can cross that off of the list that I was hoping not to do in my life. Gotta get out of Downtown and to somewhere safe. I never thought I would’ve stolen a police car but hey the people trying to kill me won’t mind.
***
Squad 141’s firehouse.
“Well I had the most exciting morning,” said Lusty, “Nothing like an SUV ramming me in the side to flip me upside down. Doesn’t help that I stole a police car but I was in a flight or fight response.”
Lieutenant Autumn replied, “You stole a police car? I threw a Molotov Cocktail through one when I was fifteen. Got caught up in a riot back in the late 60’s I was young and stupid but that didn’t stop my dad from taking a stick to me and the day after I graduated from high school my dad gave me a ride to a Little Bird Armed Forces Recruitment building and he told me that I had to learn the hard way. Didn’t help that at night during the riot my dad told me that I was lucky that the cops didn’t shoot me.”
“My dad told me that if I rioted,” said Lusty, “He and my mom would have dragged me down to the police station to turn me in.”
The morning was quiet and went by fast. But Zofia stopped by.
“Lusty, I have a feeling that you’re responsible for having my new car towed and repoed!” said Zofia.
Lusty replied, “It wasn’t me. Could’ve been someone else you pissed off or someone who your mom pissed off. Not me, if it was me then your new car would’ve been burned or underwater.”
“My gut is telling me that you’re behind it,” said Zofia. “So where is my car?”
Lusty replied, “How about you go cry to your mama so she can go bang a corrupt higher-up in the city government so that guy can go and send the entire police force to look for your car? I don’t know where it is and if I did know I wouldn’t say. I just give you a lie if I did know.”
“I’m going to keep my eye on you, Lusty!” said Zofia.
Lusty replied, “Yawn. Gotta do better than another threat.”
Zofia did leave because the last time Zofia came to Squad 141’s firehouse Lusty besides calling the cops three times but Lusty had to restrain herself from taking an Ax to Zofia’s head.”
Throughout the morning Lusty noticed a black SUV outside of Squad 141’s firehouse which Lusty found creepy until she got the feeling she was being stalked. So she used the rotary dial phone in the firehouse to call the police.
Lusty also pulled out the card that Dave gave her a couple of years ago and with permission as long she had her radio with her on. She left the firehouse and entered a payphone booth down the street but she closed the door.
While the phone was ringing she noticed two males standing by the same black SUV as her which confirmed that she was being followed. Lusty called for a new car in which she didn’t get a muscle car but this time, but a 1964 Wasp Air (1964 Chevrolet Bel Air) with leather seats.
Then Lusty left the phone booth.
“Claire Johnson,” said a man in a three-piece suit, “You need to come with us.”
Lusty replied, “Like hell. I’m not going anywhere with you two.”
“You don’t have a choice in this,” said the other man.
When one of the men grabbed her Lusty punched the guy and slammed the other guy’s face into her right knee but she smashed the guy’s head into a parked car and slammed the other guy’s head into the sidewalk.
She entered the firehouse. “Well I know I’m being followed. Had a gut feeling and well I wasn’t wrong but I was right. Lieutenant? Is it okay to take some time off so I don’t put the rest of the firehouse in danger?”
Lieutenant Autumn agreed because it’s Lusty's decision not to put her co-workers in harm's way.
Lusty took the subway to the Eastside. Her old neighbors thought she should be at work but she told them what was going on. Yes, Lusty did move out of the Eastside but she’ll always be one of them. To them, the people who are after her are their enemies as well.
One of her old neighbors gave Lusty the keys to his car and told her to bring the people after her so they can deal with them. Lusty did but she went right to Economist Sean Johnson’s office and told him to send who he wants exactly after her right outside of the tenement building she lived in.
When Lusty got back she got out of the car and some black SUV came where people came out with rifles and shotguns.
“If I was all of you,” said Lusty. “I would turn around and leave or something bad could happen.”
Some of the people who got out of the SUV’s. Some of them pumped their shotguns. Lusty gave a whistle and soon some windows on the tenement buildings opened and the people there aimed their rifles at the people. Knowing that they were outnumbered and outgunned they decided to turn tail and tactically retreat.
Lusty was happy that her old neighbors had her back even though she did move out but to them while yes she did move out of the neighborhood but she never let that side of her leave her body.
Lusty just stayed in her old neighborhood for the whole day but she was happy that her old neighbors haven’t turned their backs on her but they’ll still gladly defend her though.
***
At home.
Lusty locked her door but when she entered one of three bedrooms. One is her bedroom, the second one is the nursery for the twin daughters and the third one is her homemade armory where she keeps her weapons which she keeps under lock and key.
Lusty also had the TV on to a soap opera which was interrupted by the news. Lusty was paying attention and that it was a press conference. It was at city hall in which the Economist had convinced the city’s comptroller to shrink the city’s fire department by half which would close seventeen out of thirty-four firehouses.
The news anchor also mentioned that the stated closures of seventeen firehouses would be effective on June 1st and one of the firehouses on the list of being closed down is Squad Company 141.
There was a knock on Lusty’s apartment door where Lusty loaded her Phoenix Pistol but the front door was kicked and broken down. Someone fired at her but she took cover and fired back and killed her four attackers. She decided to call the police and they saw that it was a clear case of self-defense and her defending her home. So they just radioed for the coroner but a homicide detective came and all the evidence showed what the arriving officers saw that she defended her home, her twin daughters and herself.
After some time the hacker named Mckenzie returned and due to Dave’s at work so she returned to Lusty.
“Got some news,” said Mckenzie, “The Economist he’s going to fraud the soldiers and marines when they return home. You know just praise them for their thankless service but will give them false promises with helping them with their PTSD and trauma but just exploit it. Also when you see Dave again give him this.”
Mckenzie gave Lusty a waterproof solid-state drive because USB Drives weren't widespread yet.
“Also I’ve been doing some more digging,” said Mckenzie, “He has his own army of bodyguards he calls ‘Fixers’ and well that’s just a fancy word for bodyguards and hitmen but just watch your back they’re no joke. The only thing these guys know is force and they only know and they don’t care that you’re a woman or if you’re a mother they don’t care.”
Lusty replied, “I know these types of people but they can be defeated all the same.”
“Well I did some extensive research on Economist Sean Johnson’s computer and looked through the files,” said Mckenzie, “He’s going to pocket half of the budget of the fire department budget for his own gains but I bet the news would love this. Also, I’ve found every secret he has too and I mean the type of secrets that he doesn’t want his family to see.”
Lusty replied, “Great, keep digging.”
“Oh I am,” said Mckenzie, “This is just quality gold. And he just sent several anonymous complaints to the LBACT or Little Bird Anti-Corruption Team. I love this country because we have specialized teams that’ll launch an investigation that’ll bring corrupt individuals to justice while other countries don’t. I’ve even filed a digital police report as well… I could’ve but no that wouldn’t be lasting but quick.”
Lusty replied, “Good work. Can I get you anything?”
“Yeah a bottle of root beer,” said Mckenzie, “And Jellybeans.”
Conveniently, Lusty had a bowl of jellybeans on the counter and a two-liter bottle of root beer in her fridge.
After several days passed.
Economist Sean Johnson was arrested when Mckenzie anonymously sent the exact locations of what he had stolen and all the evidence. She anonymously sent the media all of Sean Johnson’s stuff that he has done and what he wanted to do as of her exposing him wanting to more or less steal half of the city’s fire protection budget to fund his own lavish lifestyle. If it wasn’t for law enforcement getting to him first an angry mob would’ve got to him first instead.
Lusty also gave Dave the SSD card which he gave to his extended family members. Also, Mckenzie wired some of Economist Sean Johnson’s money into her offshore account with a small amount going into her bank account.
After a week off and going back to work she was happy she still had a firehouse to go back to work in which it was shut down for some time. Squad 141 and sixteen other firehouses were shut down for a few days before being forced to be reopened by both public pressure and other members of the city advisors snapping in the mayor’s ear. It was mostly public pressure when the residential neighborhood of Riverview both Squad 141 and Firehouse 82 was shut down which frustrated a lot of people in which half of the population thought it was because 84% of the population of the district of Riverview is of African descent, 10% is white and the remaining 6% is of Hispanic descent.
But while it took a few weeks, when the seventeen firehouses were closed ninety-five people died because of the longer response times or no fire companies could respond because of already being out on a call. Not adding it added a strain on the current firefighters that weren’t affected by the closures and some of them were close enough to resign because of the number of calls they had to go on but a lot stayed but at least it only lasted for three weeks.