***
Courtroom, three hours later.
“Your honor I call Lieutenant Claire Johnson to the stand as a expert witness to the stand,” said the prosecutor.
Lusty went to the stand next to the judge.
“Lieutenant Johnson, how long have you been with the fire department?” asked the prosecutor.
Lusty replied, “I’ve been doing this job for ten years.”
“Lieutenant with your ten years with the fire department have you ever seen negligence like this before?” asked the prosecutor.
Someone replied, “Objection both hearsay and calls for conclusion,”
“Your honor this is her testimony and is what she knows,” said the prosecutor.
The Judge replied, “Overruled.”
“So Lieutenant as I was saying…” said the prosecutor, asking the question again before being cut off.
Lusty replied, “I have more times than I want to count. Been to so many of them but my company or Squad 525 or either of the Heavy Rescue Squads have removed dead bodies out. From my experience big corporations after a tragedy they just go right back to making money acting like nothing happened.”
“Lieutenant, what happens to companies who cut corners?” asked the prosecutor.
Lusty replied, “If nothing goes wrong they go back making money…”
“Objection speculation,” said the defense lawyer.
Lusty replied, “It’s not speculation, it's the truth. Last fire I went to where the company cut corners so they wouldn’t have to spend a dime to make the necessarily needed repairs that would’ve prevented that fire.
"Person I dragged out what he said to me was ‘I want to see my family’ before dying in my arms as I was carrying him out and that was before I left for my second maternity leave. You know what happened to that company? After the fire the company went right back to making money after doing the most basic and very little repairs. So don’t come at me about speculations!”
“Have you ever seen negligence and non compliance to the fire code?” asked the prosecutor.
Lusty replied, “Lots of times. That’s when we get called in not to fight fires but to remove dead bodies. Seen it more times than I want to admit. For the record it’s forty two times each time a lot of people died but the companies went to go and start making money again within twenty-four hours.”
***
In the hallway of the courthouse.
Lusty noticed a Court Security Officer walk away from his posted spot.
I feel like I’m about to be jumped, Lusty thought, Or about to be ambushed.
Lusty’s suspicion turned out to be right. Soon five men approached her and surrounded her.
“Going to assume you were either paid to beat me up or you work for the dumbasses in there,” said Lusty. “Well this won’t turn out well for the five of you. Go on, throw your first punch.”
One of the men did throw a punch only for Lusty to grab his arm and twisted it and broke it. She then kicked one of the other men in the nuts. One after Lusty with a Butterfly knife only for Lusty to bend his arm back and stick the knife into the guy’s eye then she kicked the same guy in the side of the face.
One man went behind Lusty to grab her only for her to break out, knock him down and elbow him while he was on the floor. She then grabbed one guy and smashed his face once into the metallic window sill then elbowed another guy in the face then the guy who she elbowed, she took her right hand and rammed her thumb into his eye.
The rest went to go and fight Lusty. Soon they were on the ground after getting their asses kicked by a woman.
“That’s how we do it in the Corps! Now stay down!” said Lusty who just expressed her father’s side.
“Don’t want to know what happened,” said Macaroni after she went to a vending machine to get a soda, “Want a sip?”
Lusty took the glass soda bottle and opened it without needing a bottle opener. Lusty then started to walk and Macaroni caught up with her.
“Why are we walking away?” asked Macaroni.
Lusty didn’t respond.
“Need a team to the third floor outside of courtroom 3D ASAP,” said a man over the PA system, “Got several injured people.”
Now Macaroni knew why Lusty started to walk away because they’ll just pin multiple assault charges against her even though it was self defense but they don’t see it like that because of how painful the fighting and beating she gave them was. Not adding that Lusty knows how corrupt the Justice system is and how since they were paid off to not be there when the five came to beat up Lusty but how since it’s the other way she knows what’s going to happen because she knows how huge big corporations pockets are.
After a few minutes while outside.
“I don’t think that guy’s eye isn’t going to be saved,” said Lusty, “But this will be interesting because courthouses are government property so the local cops won’t investigate it while the feds will but if it’s Mackenzie Smith-Ryan the fed then well she’s alright in my book and told corrupt people off by telling them to fuck off. But I think she might’ve gotten that from her mother who’s the Director of the EOD and is no nonsense.
"Also Captain Asyling she may be a cop but from what Linda and Dave told me that to Captain Asyling she has a zero tolerance for police corruption and the blue wall of silence is non-existent at the Ninth Precinct. I’ve heard that if she finds a corrupt cop within her precinct then she hands them a pink slip not caring who their friends are in high places where she has a shotgun that she’ll take to their leg.”
Macaroni replied, “They sound fun. It’s not like their in-laws.”
“Their cousins in law,” said Lusty, “One is from a family of Irish descendant cops and the other followed in her mother’s footsteps because she has daddy issues because Mackenzie’s dad wasn’t in her life and only time he was when he tried to convince her to join the Navy like her old man but she told him no and honestly I would be the same if my mom raised me for eighteen years and then out of the blue my dad wearing his dark olive drab military service uniform came and visited and wanted me to join the Marines.
"I would’ve told my dad that he can go and suck his own dick and that the only way I’m joining the Marines was by being drafted but that ship has sailed either way because of me being a mother even though Dave’s name is on their birth certificates but nobody sees that Linda is my baby's godmother and legal guardian but nobody sees that and I did want to go and join but while I don’t care what others think about me but everyone would see that as if I dropped my babies on the highway and abandoned them."
Macaroni replied, “In the Waterson family they would’ve watched them while you were away but how since Dave’s the father and his then girlfriend before turning into his wife Linda told him that it’s alright because you’re a friend and ally to them. But there’s a saying in the Waterson family and that is ‘Complacency kills’ .or in other terms they mean that smugness, self-satisfaction. Self-approval, self-approbation, self-admiration, self-congratulation is bad and people who only think about themselves are carried to victory without putting in the teamwork. Lot of family members I got are survivors or as I say they’re one tough sumbitches. But my family is full of Marksmen, Ghosts, Snipers, Commandos, Medics, Machinists, Team objectors, Immortals, Killers, Assassins, Scavengers, Interrogators, and Suppliers,”
“What the hell does that mean?” asked Lusty.
Macaroni replied, “Ghosts in my family, well their job requires… quiet. Snipers send some ‘love’ some long range, Commandos to them speed and violence make a great team, Medics to them they keep others and their team alive, Machinists to them they bring the right tools to fix and repair things, Team Objectors to them teamwork makes them, Killers they gear up and get evil, Assassins in my family to them they get close and personal, Scavengers are very resourceful, interrogators do the make them join or die thing, Suppliers do the give and you shall receive. Immortals go through hell and come out without a scratch, and Marksmen are sharpshooters. Your ex-girlfriend, she would be both dead weight and the weakest link. The gals in my family would beat the shit out of your ex if they meet her and if your ex throws money at them.”
“Zofia is a rich snob who’s mother still buys her daughter who’s twenty-six her mom still buys her stuff and if Zofia gets tired of one thing then her mother will buy something to replace it including vehicles,” said Lusty. “Her mom serves everything to her daughter on a golden platter with a diamond crust while her father wanted to raise her like a normal child, not a spoiled bitch who gets what she wants. The other day while on shift I heard Zofia in a phone booth and she was talking to her parents and her dad told her no and just use the car she has and not replace it because she doesn’t know how to change a flat tire.
"Her dad told her to fuck off and to either call a tow truck or to find out how to fix a tire by herself but her mom showed up an hour later in a new car. A majority of people I know grew up with parents who said ‘Suck it up’ when they got hurt’ Zofia grew up with ‘Sorry someone who hurted your feelings. If you stop crying I’ll go buy you something,’ and well Zofia she may be a tomboy and a bitch but to her even survival needs of cooking and eating to her she’ll say that it’s a traditional female role and don’t want to make anything.
"She probably spends a lot of money on take out food because she probably refuses to cook or go over to her parents house so her mom can make her dinner because Zofia refuses to cook and if she did cook she probably set her house on fire and if she did then Squad 141 my company during A shift I would just have my company just have her house burn to the ground because she gotten me illegally evicted out because she liked it.
"Oh nowadays since she’s a cop she thinks she’s untouchable because she’s a cop and how rich her parents are they’ll hire someone to kill whoever harms her even though when she said she’s a cop after Squad 141 firehouse was reopened I told her to give me a reason why I shouldn’t hit her that doesn’t involve me wanting to summersalt her. If my mom was alive she would’ve killed Zofia and she has killed someone before.”
“I bet your mother was nice,” said Macaroni, “But if she has killed someone before I bet they deserved it.”
Lusty replied, “My mother comes from one out of the five Little Bird Native tribe and since she was a teenager in the mid to late 1960s she faced a lot of racism and one day she was with a friend in the late 1980s and she got tired of all the racism against her where she had my dad’s Phoenix pistol and shot two people in the head and the place she went to go to and get something to eat but the people there refused to serve her because well she said that they refused to serve her because of her family and refused to act differently than how she was raised with her native heritage then she went back in to said place and shot and killed the same people who refused to service her of taking her order.
"When my mom left that place again to get into her friend’s car, when the cops came the second cop said a racial thing to my mom as they were drawing their guns out but my mom without hesitation she killed them too. She got tired of all of the racists and didn’t give a damn if they were cops or not. And my mom stayed in Eastside because that’s where she lived and worked and refused to leave that district, not adding cops with a brain know that going into Eastside is a death sentence for them if they start trouble.”
Some of the vehicles that they saw either go buy or parked down the street have a distinct WW II style green paint job with a white star on both the driver door and the front passenger side door.
“Welp I’m going to get my Tax forms early and keep them blank until January First,” said Lusty, “Don’t want to but I'd rather just get the papers now and do them on January 1st even though I’ll just get the same salaries as normal.”
“Lieutenant got an elevator call,” said Avalanche, “Come on.”
***
At a high rise building two blocks away.
Lusty took off her suit jacket but just wore her bunker gear boots and trousers but kept the white shirt on even though she prefers to be a blue shirt than a white shirt but Macaroni came with them but she wore Lusty’s turnout jacket and helmet.
“Never seen this before,” said Lusty, “Never seen an elevator slowly going down… Avalanche…”
Avalanche replied, “Already on it Lieutenant. Going to go and shut off the elevator.”
Lusty then decided to act without thinking and went underneath the elevator.
“Damn it,” said Dynamite, “Gallows go get the Hydraulic Rescue tools, get all or most of them or as many as you can carry! Now! Ándale! Ándale!”
Gallows started to run.
“What’s going on?” asked Captain Linda Richer-Waterson
Dynamite replied, “Elevator slowly going down and our Lieutenant is under there she slid under there to help the victim. She is probably playing cowboy. Elevator is slowly going down but got Irving to go get as many hydraulic rescue tools and got Avalanche to make sure the elevator is off.”
“James go and assist Avalanche to make sure the elevator is off,” ordered Captain Linda, “Kelso go get a Hydraulic Rescue Tool as well. Also get two pike poles as well!”
They did.
Avalanche radioed that the power is off but the elevator is still slowly going down. Soon Gallows soon came back carrying both of the Hydraulic Rescue Tools off of Squad 141 and used them to stop the elevator.
“Come on, let's get Lieutenant Johnson and the guy under this,” said Dynamite.
They were able to get the two out.
“Lusty don’t throw yourself in harm's way like that again,” said Captain Linda. “You may be a higher rank than me by one rank but just sliding under the elevator makes it sound like you have a death wish.”
Lusty replied, “Yeah I know, I just wanted a better assessment of the victim. Couldn’t see him by being in the hallway. The better way is to see’em face to face. Stupid and reckless what I did, yes it was stupid.”
***
Back at the firehouse.
Lusty was in her office minding her own business and just proofreading the last week run sheets for A shift.
“Do you know why men die sooner than women?” asked Zofia.
Lusty replied, “When men marry women who first seem to be all nice then soon find out they're married to a devil. When men are married to women like you they want to die sooner. It’s women like you why a lot of people don't want to be married because when dating either gender will be all nice and friendly. But when they marry then either gender takes the gloves off and be a bitch and an asshole and they don’t realize they married the monster under the bridge until it’s too late. Now fuck off or I’ll throw you out and I don’t give a damn if you’re a cop.”
Soon Macaroni entered.
“Who’s this?” asked Macaroni
Lusty replied, “My ex-girlfriend Zofia.”
“Well she can go or I’ll get rid of her,” said Macaroni
“You can’t talk to me like that!” said Zofia, “I’m a cop and I demand respect!”
Macaroni replied, “Yes and I have family members in the military in the US Military, the Little Bird Military and a few in the West German Bundeswehr. When the Third World War started back in ‘99 and reignited in ‘05 of how some civilian casualties here during the Soviet invasion the family members I got in the military they just said ‘One day it’ll be their land and their blood’ and just doing the same what the Soviets did here and that blowing away wave after wave of Soviet soldiers, who aren't even actual soldiers anymore but the young, the old, and the weak, while perfectly not willing to sacrifice millions of their own troops to drown Soviets in their blood, and smother them with their corpses. Or another family member of mines says that the Soviets are outgunned, outclassed and their tactics are failing or another family I got here in the Little Bird 18th Engineer Company of the 18th Infantry Division he says that whenever they come and face a Soviet defensive line that they have to punch through a maze of trenches and artillery? Burn'em out.
"Same family member, he told me that they’re just now mostly fighting desperate, tired, and weakened units, retreating or trying to surrender when the Allies overwhelm them but when they come across an injured soldier they don’t mercy kill them and do the humane thing they just let’em bleed out. Also last time I checked respect is earned not given and the only respect I’m giving you is that my fist ain’t meeting your throat and mouth. Go ahead cry to your mother she waitin’ for ya!”
Zofia was about to say something.
“Zofia just go because Macaroni will fight you right here right now!” said Lusty, “You may be a cop Zofia but that doesn’t mean a damn to Macaroni or her family. So just take a hike.”
Zofia replied, “No I don’t think I will.”
Macaroni just grabbed Zofia and dragged her out by force.
“I got a call from my mom last night,” said Macaroni, “She wants my dad to remove me off of his will because I get 100% of what my dad gets when he kicks the bucket but my mom wants everything that my dad has. I put my mom on speaker phone and my dad told her that it ain’t happening when the day I turned eighteen he had the will made to have me get everything. My mom said that she would sue or take me and my dad to court so she could get everything my dad has. She at first said that she would’ve been happy if she got at least 50% but that would’ve not ended well because that would’ve been gone quicker than you can say the number one. But my dad is leaving me a lot of things so far.”
Lusty replied, “Like what? My parents really didn’t have a will where to them it was when they died whatever I wanted I could take and what I didn’t want I could sell or give away or donate to charities. I definitely took my mother’s wallet because you don’t mind handmade leather wallets anywhere that ain’t a mom-and-pop shop or places that say they make homemade stuff. My mom made her wallet back in 1966 but she made her arrow quiver back in 1957 with her mother.”
“It’s a lot that my dad put in the will for me,” said Macaroni, “But it’s $200,000, a ‘68 muscle car, and the house my parents live in because my dad is going to evict my mom the moment the divorce is finalized. Oh my dad made a side account for his retirement and my mom doesn’t know because well you already know what my mom would’ve done within one second.
"But if my mom doesn’t get it through her thick head that she ain’t getting it and if need be I’ll take the next plane back to Alabama and go to court if a lawyer my mom gets thinks there’s a case. But knowing my mom she probably got a family member from her family to give her some money to get some nice clothing and take her to a lawyer’s office and present herself as a nice hardworking wife and mother who thought her husband would leave her something in his will when he passes. If need be I’ll go to the airport or use your phone on your desk to get myself the next plane ticket to the Huntsville International-Carl T Jones Field Airport in Alabama to go back home and that airport is an hour and five minutes from the town I’m from.”
Lusty replied, “Well I’m going to and hand out the disaster reporting book about how to fight a wildfire.”
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
“Why’s that?” asked Macaroni.
Lusty then played a movie for Macaroni as Lusty went to hand out the booklets made by the Little Bird Civil Defense and the Government of how to fight wildfires.
The ending credit says:
Written, Photographed, and Directed by the Fire Department City of Empire Cinematography Unit. The Fire Department City of Empire wishes to express sincere appreciation to the individuals and agencies whose cooperation helped make this picture possible.
“And since 1964 here on Little Bird we stop doing the Wildland–urban interface,” said Lusty, “Without consulting experts because of urban sprawl and don’t want to waste natural resources. But I think this city stopped being built in either the mid or late 60s but it was majorly built in the early 40s for housing for soldiers going through basic training and a place for them to live with their families. But since 1957 if something wants to be built then it needs to be approved by the Little Bird Land Development Committee which was made in 1947 to go and survey land and says that this land will be used for agriculture, this land will be used for residential, this land will be used for commercial and so on and what forth but they keep everything in check so Urban Sprawl doesn’t happen. But in the late 1940s, 1950s and early half of the 1960s this city faced urban problems where it became blighted.
"But that’s because many GIs and Marines, Sailors and Airmen/Airwomen moved out of cities and into towns that have well manicured lawns, safety for children, fun leisure activities, and good neighbors. Not adding they have schools, shopping centers, and places of worship and they had no need to return to cities. But everyone here was and still is chasing consumerism But one thing I can tell you is that TV and radio here is that when families come and sit down to watch TV or listen to the radio they know exactly what to expect and that broadcasters structured programming content around the "normal," dominant, values of white, middle-class Little Birdens. Therefore, the content centered around the concerns of the nuclear family.
“But everything in this city is within walking distance though and everything that was built from 1710 to 1937 was built when people walked more than they drove. This city is nothing but a grid pattern city but a lot of buildings were made when people either walked or rode on horse and buggy.”
***
At night.
At a fire in an apartment building.
Lusty was on the fourth floor.
“Dynamite you take the east wing with Avalanche,” ordered Lusty, “Irving and Gallow will take the west.”
Avalanche stayed with Dynamite but Avalanche told Dynamite about how she joyously sings about how she's quit her part time job due to the abuses placed upon her by her mean boss.
Lusty kicked open an apartment door and found an unconscious woman so she carried her out but went back in but the floor underneath her broke open but she caught the ledge and pulled herself up. But she also warned about a hole in the floor and they would need to find a new way to get around it by taking the side entrances.
***
A few days later.
Fire Department City of Empire HQ, Downtown Empire, Seventh floor.
“Lieutenant Johnson you can be seen now,” said a man.
Both Lusty and Dave got up.
“Sorry but you can’t come in, only Lieutenant Johnson can,” said the man.
Dave replied, “Alright then the fire department and the city of Empire owe Lieutenant Johnson a million dollars then. Violation of the Little Bird Union Act of 1935 which says that Union Representatives are permitted to participate in an interview that results in disciplinary action where denying said Union Rep from sitting in on it will cost the employer or the city or both a lot of money. So if I don’t go in then she ain’t going to go into the room. So it’s either I go in with her or the city of Empire will be writing Lieutenant Johnson a million dollar check and she’ll be a millionaire within the next five hours. So you want to take that chance? Oh don’t worry I’ll gladly tell the Fire Commissioner and the Mayor what dumbasses are here.”
Without taking that chance the man allowed Dave and Lusty to enter the office.
***
In the office.
“That woman is alive of what I did,” said Lusty
The man in a casual suit sitting behind a desk replied, “Yeah alive and suing us and the city for millions.”
“Well I did the right thing by doing my job,” said Lusty.
The man replied, “Well doing the right thing sometimes means not doing the right thing.”
“What the hell does that mean?” asked Dave.
“You’re suspended,” said the man in a casual suit sitting behind a desk.
Dave replied, “Suspending Lieutenant Johnson is stupid for doing her job."
“I’m sorry that saving lives is a damn stunt,” said Lusty
The man replied, “You got a big mouth and you’re quick on the trigger and that’s why your ass is in a sling. Sixty days suspended, non paid.”
“This is bullshit,” said Lusty.
The man replied, “What was that?”
“I said that this is bullshit!” said Lusty, “When did someone write that saving lives is now a crime that’ll end up in a lawsuit.”
Dave replied, “Suspending Lieutenant Johnson is just now going to reinforce the idea to other firefighters here in the city and on Little Bird not to save anyone without the chance of getting sued for doing their job.
"At this point you might as well just go to every fire house in this city and country and say ‘Don’t rescue people because that’ll probably lead to a lawsuit’ you know what suspend me as well but go down to Firehouse Sixteen and Firehouse One hundred and Forty One and tell them in person and tell them about this dumb thing.”
While Dave was tearing the guy up Lusty she left the office in anger but soon Dave left as well because he decided it would be tactically to withdraw from an argument before Dave would’ve done something that would’ve landed him in jail.
While Dave was driving Lusty back to her firehouse he decided to tell her a story about how the
instructors taught him the hard way that, as a firefighter, he has to focus on the job at hand and do all he can to help his coworkers and others, even if it's at a personal cost. In the story he tells, Dave had to stay and do his job while his father and uncle died on the job back in 2003 but he never got a chance to tell his father for the last time of how much he loved his father but unknown to Dave that his father was always proud of him and would’ve been proud of him even if Dave took another career choice even taking a white collared job or a job that paid pennies on the dollar and he knows that it doesn’t feel right and sometimes thinks that his father hated him before dying.
But Dave knew that his father wouldn’t leave the building that ended up killing Dave’s father and 2822 other firefighters who couldn’t get out of the skyscraper in time due to the concrete interfering with the radios and couldn’t escape in time before the building did a pancake collapse. But Dave spent almost a month digging hoping to find his father and uncle but they were found a month after they died. But Dave refuses to take the officer's exam to become a Lieutenant because that is what his father and uncle's ranks were when they died.
Lusty was going to say something but Dave told her that he’s happy being at the rank of Captain and doesn't want to be promoted to Lieutenant because he’s happy at the rank he’s at. He’s happily married and he’s happy with what rank he’s at and doesn't care that his father-in-law is a battalion chief. Lusty respects his decision because he doesn’t want to be another rank of just doing his job.
***
At night.
“Hey, why aren’t any of you inside saving people? My son is in there having a sleepover with his friends!” asked the same man who suspended Lusty.
Dynamite, who's the acting officer while Lusty’s suspended, replied, “Well we would go in and save them but how since our Lieutenant got suspended and this department is being sued for saving someone? We’re not going to get suspended by doing our job so if they want to be rescued then they have to save themselves. So neither my company nor 141 Truck will go and save them.”
The guy hated what Dynamite told him but to Madeline “Dynamite” Harmony it’s kind of an ironic echo.
After a few hours of fighting the fire, the home owner started to yell at Dynamite for not her nor her company or Ladder Company 141 saved them but just fought the fire but when the guy who suspended Lusty started to walk away but soon there was a hand on his shoulder and it was Dynamite. She more or less dragged him away from his son and told him to explain to the man who owns the house why they didn’t save them but they had to save themselves but the guy couldn’t explain to the homeowner without making it sound petty or without saying it that’ll sound stupid.
***
In the morning
Dynamite was in the officer's quarters just writing up the incident report in a pen and was writing it up in cursive.
“I would like to have a word with you!” said the man.
Dynamite ignored him and just stared at a photo on the desk and the photo is of Lusty when she was a child with her parents but the guy knocked the photo down and it cracked the glass.
“Mom and Dad, she lost both of them during her second shift as a probationary firefighter,” said Dynamite, “When she came here to HQ to ask for some time off to plan her parents funeral and what not but what was she told by people like you at HQ? The people like you at HQ told her to deal with it on her own time and that her time off requests were denied. I want to know why is it when a male goes to submit time off it’s 90% approved but when it’s a woman wants to use her time off then it’s always denied and just be told that if she has something to do then it can be done during her time off. So to let you know I don’t regret saying what I told you last night you suspended our Lieutenant for doing her job and I told you that we’re not going to do our job of saving lives until she’s either reinstated and this lawsuit goes away until then it’s a no and if you don’t like it then submit it in writing so I can put it into a paper shredder. Or as Lieutenant Johnson before you suspended her, Lieutenant Johnson says ‘That there are more people who play politician in HQ then actual Fire Breathers’ and the politicians in HQ will do anything and everything to keep the department safe.
"But when it comes to its members then it’s the era of responsibility for the individual members and officers unless someone is lucky to have friends at HQ to shield them. So if you don’t like it then look in the damn mirror pal I did the same thing as you did to our Lieutenant. Don’t like it I don’t care.”
Dynamite wasn’t playing to her, it's an eye for an eye where Lusty was suspended for doing her job then they’re not going to do their job. Even when the man told Dynamite that she and the rest of her company can lose their jobs over it but Dynamite snapped back with that if they weren’t facing a lawsuit and their Lieutenant wasn’t suspended then they would’ve done their job but how since they are facing a lawsuit and Lusty been suspended then they’re not going to do their job.
Dynamite even told the guy that their job well Dynamite quoted Lusty by saying “After all, it's our mission to protect human lives, and that includes the lives of criminals."
They met serial killer criminals who were in a courthouse being tried for murder who were a lot more friendlier than a snobby woman.
Dynamite then got her duffle bag ready and her olive drab duffle bag has the insignia of the Ninth Marine Division.
“Shift’s over but guess you’re going to keep following me and scold me about us not doing our job because you just more or less said to every firefighter here in this city that if they do their job of saving lives then they’ll get sued and the department will get sued for doing our job,” said Dynamite. “But please submit in writing of me hurting your feelings and when you do that then I’ll submit in writing of me using what you told our Lieutenant against you and you told her that ‘Well doing the right thing sometimes means by not doing the right thing,’ That's what you told Lieutenant Johnson and it’s an ironic echo that I used what you said to her and I used it against you.”
***
Lusty’s apartment.
“You know what Mom I’m going to go and get on the next flight back to Alabama!” said Macaroni on the phone, “I’ll go and get a lawyer and take you to court for Illegally changing my dad’s will so you get everything he’s leaving me and what you did is wrong and Illegal. I don’t care what court I have to go to in the State of Alabama to get you out of my dad’s hair… What have you done for me and my dad? Don’t make me laugh the only thing you did to me was birth me you never fed me, changed me, clothed me, or took care of me.
"My aunts and grandaunts were more of a mother to me than you! At least they fed me, clotheth me, and took care of me as if I was their own flesh and blood instead of their niece or grandniece! Also I’m not sorry that you drove from Fort Liberty North Carolina to Upstate, New York to take me away from my Great granddad and the farm I lived on with him and his granddaughter and they took care of my while my dad was deployed during the Gulf War aka Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm but they didn’t let me go back to North Carolina with you because my dad told them not to let me go with you.
"When I stayed with family I got clean clothes, three meals a day, rest and learned how to use my hands to fix stuff around the farm or on a ‘68 Chevelle. I learned more from my extended family in two years from 1989 to 1991 when my dad was deployed during Operation: Just Cause and during the Gulf War. You just used me as a meal ticket because a lot of people will give things to a woman who has a child and say that she’s a single mother but you took advantage of their generosity! I’ll see you within 24 hours mom! When I do see you again I’ll see you in court then I’ll see you in Hell!”
Lusty didn’t say anything even though she was in the living room reading the morning newspaper but after being suspended she went to the Empire Tribune Newspaper and more or less said of how ungrateful people are and how she’s suspended from the fire department for doing what they trained her to do even though she didn’t do anything wrong but done her job. Or as she said to the newspaper she said “We don’t do our job as we are trained to do it then we get into trouble but now we do our job and we get sued for doing said job then why do our job if we’re just going to get sued anyway.”
But what Lusty said also made everyone hate the woman who decided to sue both the city of Empire and the fire department because Lusty did her job as she was trained to do. But the lady who’s suing them wherever she goes people hate and when she went to the store to buy a few things the cashiers refused to ring her up because there’s no self check out or when she went to diners and restaurants to go eat somewhere the waiters or waitresses refused to take her order.
Lusty also put the guy who suspended her on full blast as well because the guy is an desk jockey bureaucrat who wants to save the face of the department but the type who’ll throw everyone else under the bus to protect himself and the department not the members. But Lusty hates people like him, people willing to twist reality any way they want to make themselves seem superior and hide their own inferiority.
To Lusty it’s kinda ironic that on Little Bird that people gotten lawyers to sue the police department but it always failed because Little Bird is a police state and the officers can commit any type of police brutality imaginable but nothing gets done because it’s a police state where the cops can do whatever the fuck they want and those who protest about it always find themselves on the receiving end of a nightstick.
But the newspaper also says that the woman who is suing and the department that they both just said no comment because they rather act neutral though while Lusty was reading the newspaper the phone in the living room of the penthouse rang so she answered it. She was called to HQ but Macaroni stayed behind at the apartment but she used the phone in Lusty’s apartment to call the Empire International Airport to book a flight back to the United States in the cheapest seat because she would rather be in the lowest class available on a plane than sit in the most expensive. It’ll be the same plane and it’s going to the same destination and she doesn’t see why she needs to spend a few hundred dollars more for a different seat closer to the cockpit.
But the next flight to Mackenzie “Macaroni” Waterson’s state she was raised for most of her life will leave at 4:00 PM because the flight she would be on wouldn't make it in time. After all, if she left Lusty’s apartment now by the time she gets to the airport the plane would already be taxing for take-off and that’s if she’s lucky if all of the lights were green.
But she just took the next one and paid for it over the phone with her bank card but she knows that if Lusty ain’t back by 2:00 PM then she’s leaving either way because she didn’t spend $550 bucks for a one-way ticket for nothing not adding she would have to go through airport security and wait for her flight and probably get a sandwich for twenty-five cents and a soda for fifteen cents. But when Macaroni did come to Little Bird for the first time she read that airports on Little Bird usually order double the amount of food and drinks on how fast they go through because it’s a lot cheaper.
“Going to go back to Alabama and put my foot up my mother’s ass,” said Macaroni as she went into Lusty’s armory which is Macaroni’s bedroom as well even though she and Lusty are dating they refuse to share the same bed because Macaroni wants Lusty to have her own space and privacy. Macaroni even mumbled how her mother shouldn’t have the title of mother because she ain’t a mother nowhere near it because Macaroni’s mother never loved her and never took care of Macaroni not even once. She uses the term mother as a derogatory term when talking about her mom because Macaroni’s mother is the definition of what not to do as a mother and Macaroni feels like she’ll be a better mother one day and she gladly babysits Lusty’s children when Macaroni doesn’t have to work her part-time job and not attending university.
***
Fire Department City of Empire HQ.
“Alright Lieutenant Johnson, they'll see you now,” said a woman.
Lusty replied, “Without my Union Rep here then I won’t go in. Get Captain David Waterson here because he’s my Union Rep and if you say no then I’ll be a millionaire by the end of the day if you or the department refuses him to be here.
After a half an hour later Dave arrived wearing his fire department service uniform that’s a white collared shirt, black full windsor tie, black suit jacket, black suit slacks, black loafer shoes, and white socks and a black hat as well.
“Was busy fixing an action figure for Bobby when I got called here,” said Dave.
***
Conference Room.
“This is Ms. Smith and her lawyer,” said the woman who went to go get Lusty.
Dave and Lusty sat down across from the two.
“To let you both know that these charges ain’t worth the paper it’s written on!” said Dave.
Ms. Smith’s Lawyer replied, “We wouldn’t be here if she didn’t do what she did.”
“And the instructors they taught us is to make educated assessments when it comes to engaging threats, and that protecting people currently in danger is more important to protecting someone not in danger,” said Dave defending Lusty. “These charges are ludicrous! No judge’ll look at this and say ‘Oh you got a case here we’ll get a jury or grand jury made.’ When is doing your job illegal? After this I’m going to file a lawsuit against you and the city of Empire DA’s office.”
The woman’s lawyer replied, “Why are you going to do that?”
“Because you’re doing your job that’s why,” said Dave using the same logic as the woman against her and her lawyer. “She is suing Lieutenant Johnson and the Department for millions because Lieutenant Johnson was doing her job so I’m going to sue you and the DA’s office because you’re doing your job.”
Lusty interjected, “Honestly I met racist cops who have more of a backbone than you two. But this city is full of systematic racists and everything in this city is Systemic racism and how since I’m mixed, biracial, and bisexual then I’m the enemy but if I was a God fearing Caucasian person then this entire department and city would have my back. But nipe you don’t see any other officer here. But when did doing your job become a crime? Do I regret saving her? Now I do should’ve just left her there to succumb to the smoke in the house.”
Dave just rubbed his eyes because what Lusty said meant that she would’ve left her behind to die but Lusty wasn’t going to take back what she said.
***
An hour later in the hallway.
“If you’re going to ask how’s the war is going well since day one our infantry well
Tanks, military vehicles, and technicals are a useful addition to our forces and our forces are trained so they can try and capture them by forcing the crew to bail out and our engineers restore them to working order.” said Dave. “We’ve been doing it since the Second World War but with better communications, it doesn’t end up like what happened in the Second World War if the captured Axis tanks don’t get destroyed by the Allies.”
Lusty replied, “Wasn’t going to ask but okay.”
“The only thing I know is that I know people who want the police department to start developing Pre-Crime from the book Minority Report.” said Dave, “This ain’t the future.”
Lusty replied, “My dad as a child he used to watch a science fiction show about the Empire Police Department Future Crimes Division where detectives could and would solve any crime before it happens. Don’t know the logic behind that and don’t know how you can charge someone with a crime if they haven’t done it yet. Don’t know how that’ll be possible and there won’t be any evidence that’ll be gathered to be used in court.
"But hey on this police state the policeman/woman/police officer is always right they never tell a lie and they’re your friend. They always told us that in school about how all of the cops are your friends but I always told my teachers that it’s a damn lie because if you’re rich then the cops will be there in like a damn instant bu nope and a lot of officers I met are racists who always do the opting for shooting first and writing the false report later. That could’ve been better though.”
***
At the store.
Lusty was shopping for some canned goods when she overheard Zofia.
“But dad…” said Zofia.
Zofia’s dad replied, “There is no but dad! I told your mother to let you figure out how to buy things yourself instead of her paying for every little thing for you! I told her half a million times but no, your mother wants to keep buying you stuff even when you get bored with something that’s new and you only have it for a day or two!
"I know your mother was buying you things behind my back but how since your mother enjoys buying you everything then you’ll have no problem telling her that she ain’t getting no more money from me and that I want her out of the house in thirty days and if you don’t believe me here’s a copy of the eviction notice I got from the court that says she has to be out within thirty days and she can go live with you because your mother loves to spend my money to pay your rent, pay your bills and pay for everything you want only to buy you something new within forty-eight hours!
"Why can’t you be like your ex-girlfriend because at least she has a lot more common sense than you! Sometimes I wish you weren’t my daughter! Also why are you still mooching off of your mother? You make nineteen more dollars than I do but I got to work sixty hours a week just to pay off the debt that your mother put me in because she won’t listen to me she always listen to you and I’m the only sole breadwinner while your mother just goes and spends all of my damn money! I swear I wish your ex-girlfriend was my daughter instead of you!”
Lusty overheard Zofia’s dad yell and scold her in the supermarket while Lusty was shopping but it kinda made Lusty smile a bit that Zofia’s dad was tired and finally put his foot down hard.
***
At home
Lusty went and put the stuff away but she made Macaroni a bite to eat but she was looking at a photo of a 24 year old caucasian man in a black and white photo.
“Who’s he?” asked Lusty.
Macaroni replied, “He’s my dead great-grand uncle. He’s dead.”
“How did he die?” asked Lusty.
Macaroni replied, “Before the Sullivan brothers my Grand Uncle Terrence Charlie Waterson Junior was in the First Infantry Division with his father, after the Sullivan brothers then Terrence Charlie Waterson Junior was taken out of the First Infantry Division and put in the Fifth Ranger Battalion from late ‘43 to June 6th, ‘44. He died at the Dog Green sector of Omaha Beach while his father Terrence Charlie Waterson Senior landed on the Easy Red sector of Omaha Beach during the First wave. Father survived and the son didn’t. Of course, his father had two things to say about it and that was he was sad that his son died but at the same time it’s war and people are going to die and he knew at least half of his adult sons would’ve died throughout the Second World War.
"But father and son were the same of both being Squad Leaders but they were also both B.A.R. Gunners because Junior was a machine gunner and was given the B.A.R but while the father was a squad leader and was supposed to have a Tommy Gun but he liked the B.A.R and kept it after the war but don’t ask me how because I have a uncle who fought in Vietnam who mailed home a Jeep by piece by piece, part by part. Even though Terrence Junior was born and raised in the borough of Manhattan. He hated the cold and his brothers and father joked that he would’ve ‘loved’ the Battle of the Bulge. He was a taxi driver for a bit before joining up two days before the Attack on Pearl Harbor.”
“I can tell you is that when the Soviets were here on Little Bird when they sent another army to help relieve the 5th Shock Army,” said Lusty, “It was a total failure for the Soviets. Imagine on D-Day but if D-Day was a total catastrophe for the Allies. That is what it was like for the Soviets when they tried to land reinforcements by sea to try and make another front. But I think artillery, mortars and tanks firing White Phosphorus and Incendiary rounds had a help with it. But the resistance members in the city of Fort Sunction also had a hand with it by using guerilla warfare against the Soviet occupiers but the Soviets acted out against the civilian population in the city but every time they did that made more and more people joined the resistance.
"Oh yes there were collaborators and they were handed off to the military and faced a firing squad. But on August 21st the resistance in the city fought alongside with the main Little Bird military engaging in brutal building-to-building combat but unlike the Soviets before the Little Bird military counter-attacked the Little Bird Military just treated trapped soviets as fish in a barrel where Aerial Recon and resistance fighters would rely firing coordinates for either the Navy, Air Force or Artillery to fire on heavily defended Soviet positions and sent special ops soldiers to eliminate their officers and other higher ranks.”
Macaroni then ate what Lusty made for her and double checked her bags before leaving to go to the airport.
***
(Madalinine “Dynamite” Harmony)
Firehouse 82. The next day
Dynamite got off of Squad 141 apparatus but noticed the sign on the firehouse which dates back to the early days of the Fire Department City of Empire first started and the sign says “Empire Fire & Rescue No. 82”
The station has two floors. The ground floor contains the fire engine garage but it’s all concrete with Engine 82, 82 Truck, and 19th Battalion.
The first floor is all concrete but there was caution tape on the floor that separated the three apparatus even though they were alongside each other. But there were Red Rack Gear Storage, Wall Mounted 20" Stalls enough of them for the sixty members but fifteen of the turnout gear ain’t on the wall mounted 20’’ stalls because they’re for off duty while the ones removed are for the ones on duty.
The second floor has red carpeting but the second floor contains the quarters of the firemen. The fire chief's office, the quarters that belonged to on duty firemen, and finally the kitchen and dining hall that’s all one big room.
Dynamite went to the second floor and found Marcus on the computer.
“Hey there Dynamite,” said Marcus, “Yes I know you were in the Marines I can see a Marine from a mile away even in Civilian life. What can I do for ya?”
Dynamite replied, “Have you been paying attention to what happened to Lieutenant Johnson?”
“I have and I even told HQ that if they fire Lusty for her doing her job then they might as well fire me as well if they fire her and that they might as well fire everyone else because it’s stupid to sue someone who’s doing their job. But I say that if it goes to court then a judge will throw the case out on how stupid it is. If it does go to trial then it’ll show that you can sue anyone for doing their job. What’s next, someone suing a cop and the police department when the cop arrests the guy or gal who just robbed a store or robbed a bank or burglarized someone’s house? Or sue a doctor for giving you a physical check up or by performing a surgery successfully or a butcher who sliced your meat the wrong way on one slice?”
Dynamite replied, “Yeah it’s stupid but me and Lieutenant Johnson think that Hell is divided into 7 circles corresponding to the Seven Deadly Sins. But honestly I talked it over with the rest of Squad 141 Able Shift and that it’s either they can reinstate Lieutenant Johnson or they can find a new whole crew for Able shift.
"And how since the war is going on there’s not a lot of people who can replace us where it’ll take months to find suitable candidates to replace them but the war will make that nearly impossible due to many of the suitable candidates are off fighting in the war in the LBAFCBRNNAD aka Little Bird Armed Forces Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear Nerve Agent Defense in either training rookie soldiers in training in protecting themselves from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Nerve Agent attacks but how the Soviets used Novichok chemical agents to help turn back the tide of the war because well Lusty says that the Soviets are like a cornered rattlesnake and that they’re becoming desperate and unpredictable for anything that turn back the tide of the war in their favor.”
Marcus understood where Dynamite was coming from so he decided to tell HQ about it because Dynamite is right. There aren’t a lot of people who can replace them because of the war and the department can’t force anyone to take specialized classes to be certified to be in a Squad Company without making the fire department more thin as it is because the ones who haven’t been drafted or went back to military service they’re exempted for defense of the homefront.
***
(Claire “Lusty” Johnson)
In the courthouse in a side room.
“So you’re suing the fire department and her for doing their job,” said the Judge, “Nope. I’m making a motion to dismiss this case. Suing someone for doing their job is very stupid and not a case. She did her job correctly and within the scope of her employment so you don’t have a case and no sane judge will take this case. Now if she broke your arm or leg or hurted you while saving your life then you would have a case but that didn’t happen. You got anything that’ll make this become a legitimate case?”
The lawyer replied, “But my client suffered from smoke inhalation.”
“That’s not her or the fire department’s fault,” said the judge, “Your client smelled smoke but just stayed there. From what it says here, the call came in at 12:04 AM and they got there at 12:09 AM. That's four minutes after they got the call and dressed up. From that time your client could’ve got out by herself but she stayed there by herself and could’ve gotten out easily. From the report that smoke was blowing out heavily from the fifth floor and above but it was thick on the fourth floor and the third floor and below there was light smoke. Where does a doctor say that she suffered from her?”
Without anyone saying anything for a minute the Judge did the motion to dismiss and threw out the case because there wasn’t anything there to say that Lusty intended to harm her. Since she did her job on how she was trained, the Judge saw that there was no case. It was just someone who thought she could get some easy money from the city but if the city could see that it was a frivolous lawsuit and that it wouldn’t hold up so that’s why no one from the city offered to settle it because they rather let it die out than admit something that they didn’t do.
“Even though you’re married and I’m dating your cousin once removed,” said Lusty, “But let me buy you lunch as a way to say thank you. Yes I know that we’re friends but you could’ve told me to fuck off and let me deal with it by my lonesome. But you stayed by me through thick and thin and I won’t accept no for an answer. Let me buy you or you and Linda lunch as a way of saying thank you.”
Dave allowed it because there isn’t a law or a rule that says that friends could go out for lunch or dinner even if one of the friends is married and both friends are the opposite gender. But Dave only accepted if he could pay at least half of the bill and leave a 5% tip for the waiter or waitress which Lusty allowed.
As they sat in the throwback buzz of a '60s style diner, Lusty and Dave delved into the heart of their personal histories. Dave, with a touch of pride and a hint of past pain, shared a defining moment from his youth. He spoke of a time when, at fourteen, he shielded his friends from blame after they crashed his father's car. His father, unaware of the truth, disciplined Dave severely, leaving scars both physical and emotional. Dave learned a hard lesson about truth and consequences, a lesson that shaped his adamant stance on honesty.
Lusty listened with a warm understanding, then wove her own narrative, one that lacked the material possessions like cars but was rich in familial love and discipline. She spoke of her father's fierce loyalty and willingness to cut ties with extended family who could not accept his wife or child. Her father revered his wife's heritage, and despite the family's disapproval, he honored the strength and values of the Little Birden tribes from which she descended. These tribes, once at odds, had unified to embrace peace and diplomacy, setting an example that deeply influenced Lusty's own sense of identity and familial pride.
Lusty even told Dave that her father gladly cut all contact with his mom, dad, and other family members when they just kept insulting his wife and me. But whenever I would ask about his parents and other family members my dad always told me that they died and to my dad they did die and had them remove him from their wills because if he wasn’t going to be apart of their family if they couldn’t accept his wife and Lusty but her dad never seen to be emotionally scared nor regret it and always said that he only needed his wife and their daughter in life and didn’t need no one else.
They gladly talked about it and how Lusty is happy to have a friend like Dave that she can talk to because he’s a friend that she can rely on and is a true friend not a fake one. When Lusty asked Dave why he became a firefighter union rep he told her that he thinks it might have to do with the fact that his grandfather was a New York City firefighter from 1921 to his retirement in 1966 but left twice to fight in the Second World War and the Korean War.
His father and Uncle were both firefighters as well and that he feels like he should look out for them from a legal point of view and make arguments to bureaucrats who want to hold individuals responsible and that’s how he knew that it’s illegal for union reps to be prohibited would cost the city a million dollars and that the guy even tried to block Dave from being there for Lusty but he knows that it ain’t a small town like Clearlake where in the town of Clearlake if a member of the Fire Department Town of Clearlake was facing a lawsuit or disciplinary action then someone at town hall would be slipped a bottle of whiskey or scotch and the charges magically disappeared.
But his hometown well he’ll say that everyone knows each other and that everyone leaves their doors unlocked because it’s one of those towns where it’s peaceful and quiet but it’s one of those towns that’s an nostalgic architecture and design rooted in American suburbs of the 1950s.
There was a TV on in the diner and what Lusty had during her testimony and examination sat with the jury and they came back with a guilty verdict. It made Lusty happy but Dave told her that in his home town that justice there is usually on the receiving end of a Second World War Americana styled weapon because his hometown police dept is very corrupt, more corrupt than the Empire Police Department.