March 14th, 2006
Lusty was sitting outside of the firehouse reading a horror book. She soon heard sirens in the distance, and when she looked up, she saw three 1960s Americana-styled police cars fly by, with two having their single roof-mounted emergency light and the other one four strobe lights and a single rotatory light in the middle.
Avalanche came out, holding a cup of coffee.
“What’s going on today?” asked Avalanche.
Lusty replied, “Bomb scare in Empire Park.”
“And while we’re still at war too,” said Avalanche. “Not going to be perfect for whoever is doing this. When they’re caught, they will be charged with espionage and sabotage.”
Lusty replied, “Unless they’re rich, then they can just pay off the right person and get a slap on the wrist or what’s lesser than a slap on the wrist.”
“You really hate the law, I guess,” said Avalanche.
Lusty replied, “You have no idea.”
“Guess you would’ve hated my father,” said Avalanche, “He was a cop. The most corrupt and dirtiest cop in the whole world. Became a firefighter to spite him.”
Lusty replied, “If you’re from Las Adventure. Our version of Las Vegas. What are you doing out here in the city of Empire?”
“Long story, I guess,” said Avalanche, “You want the abridged version or the long one?”
Lusty replied, “I’ll take the abridged version.”
“You think being born and raised in a city with casinos and having legalized gambling in 1940,” said Avalanche, “My parents, I don’t know how they met or anything like that. My father was a jackass, while my dad was harsh to me. My mother tried to protect me and whatnot. I came home one day in middle school, and my mom wasn’t there. Dad said she had gone missing, but I entirely didn’t believe it.
"He said his entire precinct was looking for her, but I could see it in his eyes that it was a damn lie. In ‘98, right after high school, my dad gave me the Civil Servant exam to be a cop. Still, I put it on the table, left the house, signed up for the military, fought in the Allied-Soviet war of 99-2000, and returned. My father tried to have me become a cop, but I left, took the firefighter civil servant exam, and became a firefighter.”
Lusty replied, “Still doesn’t explain how you came out here.”
“Had a few guys from my old company hit on me,” said Avalanche, “One I kicked right in the balls, and the other needed stitches. The third one left before something bad happened. But before something happened to me, I’d put in a personal request to come out here for a new challenge. The next thing I knew was that I was told to come out here.”
Lusty replied, “If you don’t mind me asking. But what’s your real name?”
“My real name?” said Avalanche, “That woman is dead. I don’t want to talk about it. I’d instead be called Avalanche. Unlike you, Lusty. I would rather not be called by my real name where you don’t care. I’ve read about you, Ms. Claire ‘Lusty’ Johnson.”
Lusty replied, “What do you know about me from what you read?”
“Your birth name is Claire Marie Johnson. You’re twenty-six, almost twenty-seven,” said Avalanche, “You are currently single, you are cross-dominated, and you originally had a muscle car until you got into a ‘wreck’ caused by someone else. You’re trained in using shotguns and pistols, both semiautomatic and revolvers. You have a gun license and a license to carry. Zofia’s mother used the money she paid off the right people to evict you from your first home. You’re bisexual and proudly say it. You're Biracial, even though your skin color is white. You wanted to be a musician but instead became a firefighter because you thought there was too much competition as a musician.
"When you become famous, you would have to deal with the paparazzi, stalkers, fans, and obsessed fans. Another reason you didn’t become a musician was because you didn’t want to forget where you came from and didn’t want people to spread rumors about you. You own a guitar that your parents gave you on one of your birthdays. You suffer from commitment issues from what your ex-girlfriend did. You have seven daughters. And finally, according to your ex-girlfriend, you like to masturbate in your sleep but didn’t start doing that until Zofia gave you your first orgasm. You wanted to fight in the war, but you were exempted because you’re a single mother.”
Lusty replied, “Yeah, and I’d bet everyone in the Beauru of Law has a file about three feet thick on me. But that wasn’t always the case until 1948, during the Second Red Scare, to keep a tab and to separate Reds and hardworking people until it was changed in 1967 to separate people from hardworking people, patriots/loyalists, and the Hippies. Until it was readvised in 1971 to separate the Loyalists/Patriots, Capitalists, Intellects, Industrialists, Communists, Militarists, Environmentalists, and Religious. But the Government is like a Rogue Elephant. Murderous, Impatient, and never forgets. But every now and then, something knocks the hell out of this country. Rattles it so hard there’s nothing left but the foundation, but as painful as it is, we all hope it’ll be different so we don’t repeat the past, and maybe justice and peace will finally happen.”
The fire bell went off for a fire investigation.
***
At an office building. They could see some colored smoke, which they were confused about, but it made Lusty grab her walkie-talkie and say, “Squad 141 to dispatch. Give us a Level one HAZMAT and an EMS plan 2.”
She told her company to mask up as well.
When they went inside, Lusty walked up the stairs looking around, but she had never seen different colored smoke before. Lusty found a canister. She looked at it after picking it up. It has military markings labeled a smoke grenade, so she canceled HAZMAT.
She soon had to help someone who somehow got his arm stuck between the stairwell railing, and she had no idea how that happened. But she was able to get the arm out.
Lusty and her company worked as fast as they could to save as many as they could. But Lusty was also thorough in each room. The only reason she stopped was when she heard the alarm on her air tank go off, telling her that her air tank was low but still had enough for her to get outside.
As Lusty was changing her air pack, she ran back into Agent Mackenzie, who just came from Uptown. But Uptown was a different story because there was an explosion. Of course, Agent Mackenzie, being herself, thinks someone or a group of people is trying to divert the city’s resources intentionally doing a divide-and-conquer style.
Mackenzie was going to tell Lusty that the scene was a crime scene, but Lusty told her if she goes in there. Either gets hurt or killed, then it’s not her fault because it’s still unsafe until they can thoroughly ventilate to get rid of all of the different colored smoke from a smoke grenade.
Lusty went back inside with an ax in her hand, but she tapped it against her left leg and she started to smash the windows. But she made sure no one was walking where the glass would hurt or cut someone, but she has fun breaking windows even though she doesn’t do it for fun. However, since it isn’t a fire, she’s not doing it to ventilate the heat.
When they got gone ventilating the building, they allowed Mackenzie to take over to do her investigation. Lusty and her company packed up their gear and returned to their firehouse, where Lusty just started on the paperwork.
Kind of wish I didn’t become an officer, Lusty thought, I wouldn’t miss doing this paperwork. But when my babies start school, I would have to sign paperwork for if they should get free lunch, field trip permission slips, medical forms and whatnot that schools send forms home with their students.
I remember hearing when I was in high school that while they wanted to give me siblings but at the same time they’re glad they didn’t have other children because they hated doing the paperwork that the school sent home with me for them to sign, but they really did wanted me to have siblings but refused because of the poverty we lived in.
Once, they were living in a middle-class home and having two middle-class jobs until my mom was sued and fired for something she didn’t do, making my parents have them get lower-class jobs instead and move out of their home and into a rundown tenement building because some jackass wanted my mom to leave my dad and me to be with him. If this was the Wild West, I could see my dad and that jackass doing a duel with single-action revolvers, but I could see my parents either being gunslingers or Cowboy/Cowgirl.
***
In the kitchen.
The company was watching TV.
“And in downtown, both the police department and fire department are here to evacuate the block,” said a female news reporter, “Because abandoned vans have been parked here and there and a mass evacuation underway, but both the police and fire departments have sent a lot of manpower to evacuate over ten thousand office workers and tourists.”
Then Lusty walked by the kitchen and entered the locker room, where she opened her locker and got the revolver that she had bought. While she could hear what was happening, she had a gut feeling that they might walk into something later, but she wasn’t taking any chances of risking her company’s safety.
The delivery person arrived with Claire's eagerly awaited package, and she signed for it before opening it excitedly to reveal her new Tactical Tomahawk. As she held the sleek and sharp blade, she felt a sense of confidence in her ability to protect herself in any situation.
Lusty had purchased the tomahawk as an alternative to an ax and as a means of defense. She knew it was essential to be prepared for anything, and having a reliable personal defense weapon gave her a sense of security. Growing up, Lusty’s mom had a unique tradition of using a stonehead tomahawk instead of a kitchen knife. Although it was a cherished family heirloom, her mother always kept it hidden to prevent any accidents.
However, an incident occurred when Lusty’s mom had a deep scar on her hand while using her stonehead tomahawk and accidentally cut her hand. Despite this, Lusty still felt a connection to her roots and was grateful for the opportunity to create her own traditions with her new Tactical Tomahawk.
***
Mid-afternoon, 3:40 PM.
Inside of a building.
Lusty and her company were looking around where there was some smoke. She ordered her company to split up even though she knew it would be faster to search for any fire, but it’d be a bit riskier in case of a flashover in a room.
When Lusty walked into a room, she heard gunfire coming from a distance. She immediately contacted her team members to check on their status. They all responded that they were okay but hiding. After getting their status, she called for police support due to the gunfire in the distance. Outside, Lusty’s chauffeur/engineer radioed that they were getting shot at, and even random people outside were getting shot at as well.
Lusty then turned her radio down, but when she radioed for SWAT, she was told they would take at least fifteen minutes while they were extricating themselves from the mess going on downtown. It’s fifteen minutes at the earliest to two hours at the latest. Law enforcement across the city is spread very thin and has gaps, but Lusty did tell dispatch that they have an active shooter and need police assistance in a heartbeat.
***
Twenty-five minutes later.
Outside, several 1960s Americano-styled police cars pulled up with officers wearing body armor, combat helmets and wielding either Semiautomat Service Garand (M14 Battle rifle) with match grade barrel and adjustable iron sights and X16s (M16A1) with match grade barrels and either adjustable iron sights or red dot sights, and Commando Assault Carbines (Colt GAU-5). But both have a mix of a flash hider and a compensator. But a few have military-grade pump-action and semi-automatic twelve gauge shotguns and submachine guns.
But today, all officers have been given and authorized the use of deadly force, and for any suspect, there are no options for them to bribe a cop or be arrested because when police officers on Little Bird are given and told that the “use of deadly force is authorized.” Then they’ll shoot first then fill out the paperwork later. Since it’s during a war as well, then it’ll fall under National Defense as well of them protecting their country from anarchists, terrorists, or enemy spies, and any suspect shot would be a justified shooting of an armed suspect but unarmed suspect they’re taught to use less lethal weapons like the use of a nightstick. But unlike other countries, Little Bird doesn’t have a Civilian Review Board that overlooks what the Police Department does. Still, they somewhat have a Military Review Board that makes sure that cops receive military-level training and how to use military weapons and operate military vehicles like an APC and smooth transactions between the police and military run smoothly.
Soon, Mackenzie and her team came, but instead of wearing casual black suits, they wore black vests with "EOD" printed on the chest. They also wear black sunglasses, knee pads, navy blue pants, and only a black t-shirt under the tactical vest.
Soon, a truck came, and seven SWAESU/Special Weapons And Emergency Service Unit officers got out wearing dark blue uniforms and a helmet with goggles, a mask, knee pads, and tactical vests with "SWAESU BUREAU OF SPECIAL EMERGENCY" decals on the front and back. But they’re wielding Automat Service Garand (M14E2 automatic battle rifles), X16s (M16A1’s) with 4x32 ACOG scopes or red dot sights, and one has a Squad Automatic Weapon, and two have shotguns one with a Baker 390 Military Shotgun (Remington M870MCS) and a Police Tactical Shotgun (Remington Model 1100 Tactical with pistol grip stock).
“Hey, chief, anything you know about what’s going on inside?” asked Mackenzie.
Battalion Chief Marcus replied, “I got six firefighters on the inside. The last thing I know is that they have gone radio silence. Don’t know if they’re alive or deceased.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll get them,” said a SWAESU officer.
***
On the inside.
Lusty had her tomahawk drawn, and she held it tightly. She was nervous and scared.
The door she was behind opened, and soon a gunman walked right past her and didn’t see her, but Lusty felt her “inner fire” burning, so she recklessly snuck up behind the gunman, cut off the weapon strap, disarmed him, and stuck her tomahawk in the side of his throat.
Lusty soon crouched, walked out of the room, and after thirty seconds, she was staring eye-to-eye with another gunman. There was some quick gunfire and soon the gunman fell.
Now the cops are being helpful, Lusty thought, Now they’re doing their jobs instead of either being super heavy-handed or being too damn lazy to do their job or being paid to look the other way.
***
Outside, Lusty and Mackenzie went to talk, and the first thing that Lusty said was, “I know is that the past can’t be erased. Also, Mackenzie, what can you do in a bit of more detail like?”
“If this was the Wild West,” said Mackenzie, “My cousin-in-law, Asyling. She would’ve been like a town marshal. I’m more or less like a Federal Marshal.”
“Is it over?” asked Lusty.
Mackenzie replied, “Yes and no. Yes, it’s over, but no, because the rest of the group has gone and retreated to their fort that has palisade walls and three towers, as well as five more significant buildings, including a stable and a prison. It’s going to be raided, though.”
***
At a store.
Lusty longed for the days before the war. She looked at the prices in the aisles. They say—oatmeal $3.00, Cracked Wheat and Milk $3.00, Peach Cobbler $3.00, Roast Beef $5.00, Assorted Biscuits $2.00, Apple $0.40, baked beans $1.20, Bread $0.30, Canned Kidney Beans $1.50, Canned Peas $0.75, Peaches $0.75, Canned Peaches $1.50, Pineapples $0.75, Canned Pineapples $1.50, Strawberries $0.40/lbs, Canned Strawberries $1.20, Sweetcorn $0.50/lbs, Canned Sweetcorn $1.00/lbs, Bag of candy $1.50/lbs, box of candy $3.00/lbs, Carrots $0.25/lbs, sliced carrots $0.50, Cheese wheel $1.90/lbs, Cheese wedge $0.95/lbs, Oatcakes $4.00, Crackers $4.00, Ground Coffee $1.00, Peaches $0.50. Lusty also saw the price of Prime Rib it was once $1.50, but now it’s $5.00, and so’s chicken, which was once 0.90 cents/lbs, now also $5.00, Oranges and other fruits is $1.78/2 dozen, which they were once $0.89/lbs.
Man, I miss the good old days before the war, Lusty thought, Not going to bitch about it, though.
She fondly remembered a time when ground coffee cost only $0.50, peaches were just $0.25 per pound, and everything else was a lot cheaper. However, during times of war, prices tend to rise quickly to fund the war efforts. The last time the city of Empire and the entire country of Little Bird raised prices was from 1990 to 1991 during the Gulf War.
Although they claimed to support the war and were on the side of the Coalition, only the Little Bird Fifth Army, which included the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Marine Divisions, as well as the Tenth Marine Regiment, participated in the war. This consisted of 185,000 Marines backed up by 2,000 tanks, 1,000 IFVs, and several thousand attack aircraft.
The inflationary effects of war have caused significant price increases in various consumer goods such as bacon, eggs, sodas, and alcohol. The cost of bacon has soared to $2.00 per pound from its pre-war price of $0.91 per pound, while eggs now cost $2.00 per dozen compared to their previous price of $0.53 per dozen. Beverages such as sodas, which were once sold for $0.10 per bottle, now cost $0.40 per bottle, while alcohol bottles cost $1.00. It is expected that these prices will eventually return to normal, but historical evidence suggests that it may take a while. For example, after the Vietnam War, it took until 1978 for prices to return to normal, and similarly, after World War II, prices did not drop back to pre-war levels until 1949.
Unfortunately, Lusty can't say anything about it. The Little Bird Office of Military Economic Administration takes over the Little Bird Office of Civilian Price Economic Administration during times of war, similar to the United States Office of Price Administration during World War II. They set the prices during the war to prevent hoarding. Additionally, the Little Bird Military Office of Production Management takes over the Little Bird Civilian Office of Production and Agricultural Management. The latter military department has the agricultural department ship their harvested food to Little Bird military bases whenever they're in Europe or Russia. Most food is dehydrated, but they must feed twelve million soldiers, marines, and other military personnel. The remaining thirty million civilians in Little Bird get whatever the military doesn't order or require to be dehydrated or canned.
***
Back at the firehouse.
Lusty's eyes widened with wonder as she gazed upon the vibrant map of the Borough/County/State of Mountain, Little Bird's second-largest region. The vast area covered a whopping 989 miles in length and 494 miles in width, boasting breathtaking snow-capped mountains, lush forests, and rocky elevations. Meadows, prairies, and farmlands were scattered throughout, adding to its charm. With a sparse population of just 3,821,210 people, it was a serene paradise that had a soft spot for sports and guns - even if some of the weapons dated back to the 1890s.
As she explored the maps of the other regions, her heart was captivated by the Borough/State/County of Blueberry. Sprawling plains, dense forests, rolling hills, red-earth soil, and tranquil ponds made it a haven for nature lovers and hunters. The region was also rich in minerals, with bauxite, coal, iron, gold, nickel, aluminum, copper, zinc mines, and oil fields dotting the landscape. Its population of 4,666,069 people were mostly hard-working people or business tycoons, with limited career opportunities. They worked in the mines, joined the military, worked in the oilfields, were teachers, worked in factories, joined government jobs, or worked in transportation.
But it wasn't just Blueberry that piqued Lusty's interest - there was also the Borough/State/County of Strawberry. With its rugged landscape of dense jungle and vast open fields and farmland, it was a place of contrasts. The region was home to the city of Fort Sunction, the second most populated of all the regions with a staggering 8,231,665 people. What made Strawberry truly unique was its people - friendly, intellectual, and a tad arrogant and self-righteous.
And then there was the Borough/State/County of Cascade, Little Bird's most populous region with 10,669,969 people. Its flat terrain was home to dense jungles and mountain ranges, with some mountains being as short as the Blue Ridge mountains on the US East Coast and some being half shorter than the Rocky Mountains. Cascade was the political and military central hub, with the city of Chocolate serving as the capital of Little Bird. The region was home to numerous military bases, making it a popular residence for Little Birden soldiers and their families. The people here were both hardworking and down to earth, but some were self-obsessed and annoying.
The Borough/State/County of Starfish itt boasts a diverse terrain layout, with everything from lush jungles to sprawling swamps and marshlands. This unique landscape is what makes it the perfect location for three out of five Little Bird Marine Corps recruitment and training centers where Marine recruits are trained in amphibious warfare and know how to navigate wet terrain like nobody else.
But it's not just the terrain that makes Starfish unique. The people who call this state their home are some of the hardest-working individuals someone ever met. They put in long hours during the week and kick back and relax on the weekends. Some opt for a quiet Sunday at church, while others prefer to hit up a local bar and enjoy a cold one with friends and family. But this State/Borough/County is more rural and mostly dotted with small to medium towns with everyone in town knowing each other.
Lusty looked at more details about each Borough/State/County but she also decided to do paperwork instead. But Lusty runs her firehouse as if it was the Little Bird military and during A shift for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner, it’s a mix of meat, pork, and veggies whereas for breakfast, it’s usually scrambled eggs or fried eggs with bacon, sausage, and steak. But it was rare for Steak and Egg breakfast and brunches until October of 1945 when Little Bird Marines and Sailors returned from the war even though to Lusty she would get sick of it if she was in their shoes because the Little Bird Marines and Sailors usually ate Steak and Eggs for Breakfast and Dinner every day. It wasn’t until 1964 that they allowed other foods to their ranks and ships. Still, it wasn’t until 1967 when the Little Bird Navy allowed “Ship stores” to be onboard capital ships or the Little Bird Navy’s Aurora class Guided missile battleships, Clearlake class Aircraft carriers, and Forest class Guided missile cruisers.
Lusty strutted into her office, her boots clicking against the floor as she made her way to her chair. As she sat down in the luxurious rolling leather chair, the phone rang. With a professional and friendly tone, she answered the call. It was HQ, urging every firehouse in the city to eat healthier. They wanted them to ditch the meat, pork, and other semi-healthy and unhealthy foods for salads and other healthy options.
Lusty even asked if the city of Empire or the Fire Department City of Empire were or was going to hire seventeen cooks for all of the firehouses, but Lusty knew that her crew wouldn't be satisfied with just a vegan diet of fruits and veggies. They were a group of omnivores who craved a good balance of foods. She even joked about the "Danger Men Cooking" sign in the kitchen, while pointing to the food pyramid poster on the wall.
Lusty was well aware of why the sign was there - in schools, boys were supposed to take a home ec class that covered topics like paying bills, human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as textiles and apparel. But, as she pointed out, when boys took the class, they often paid more attention to personal and family finances than the cooking part, but when she once asked a guy why guys ignore the cooking part and she was told both that teenage boys only think about chasing skirts, sports and doing other teenage things. But the other reason why is well the person told her that cooking isn’t a male thing but that comment made Lusty punch the guy because she thought it was a sexist remark because of how the teenage male said it.
When Lusty was informed that the city and the fire department wouldn't hire or send someone to every firehouse to cook meals, she decided to keep eating a variety of meats, pork, chicken, fruits, and veggies. The last time she tried a diet of no-fat beans and rice, it only made her irritable, and she gave up after a week. It wasn't just because she didn't have someone to share the experience with, but because the food tasted so bland that the only way she could swallow it was by washing it down with a bottle of whiskey, and she wasn’t going to drink a bottle of whiskey three times a day.
Lusty found herself captivated by a book chronicling the audacious undertakings of the Little Bird Navy during the throes of World War 2. The narrative unraveled the Navy's daring exploration of rocket technology for ship-to-ship combat, a strategy designed to counter the mighty forces of the Imperial Japanese Navy, Royal Italian Navy, and Kriegsmarine. The plot thickened as the Navy also pondered a potential confrontation with the United States, devising a plan to cripple or sink the formidable US Navy's Iowa class battleships and powerful Essex-class carriers with their rocket innovations. Intriguingly, the book disclosed that this dispute never materialized.
A particular page held Lusty's attention, boasting a riveting photograph from 1944. It showcased all five fleets in a united front, an impressive naval force bristling with power and purpose. The picture painted a vivid tableau of twenty Cadence-class carriers, twelve Nightingale class Dreadnoughts, and twelve Aurora class battleships. It also featured two hundred Johnson class destroyers, four hundred Johnson ASW class destroyers, three hundred and fifty-seven Johnson class Destroyer Escorts, eighteen Cascade class Battlecruisers, thirty-two Falcones "Anti-Aircraft" cruisers, forty-six Thunderbird class Heavy Cruisers, forty-four Phoenix class Light Cruisers, and one hundred and twenty Salamander class submarines. The only missing piece in this formidable jigsaw was the Flurry class Escort carrier. The book did not shy away from the staggering statistics, revealing the astonishing combined weight of the warships in the photograph - a colossal 103,312,194 tons of steel and 613600 sailors.
To her, she was intrigued but she does like history, even the one that people don’t like because of it being dark and scary and a bad time.
Lusty then put the book down for a minute and went into the kitchen, and got a glass of soda. She overheard Avalanche say that she somewhat misses the military because whenever they were at the base at night, they always had soda, mostly orange soda, ice cream, or ice cream floats, and watched a movie, mostly a western. But Lusty told her that on her days off she can do that anytime she wants.
Lusty also noticed that Dynamite was reading a book, and before Lusty could ask what she was reading, Dynamite was reading a Little Bird Marine Corps Field Kitchen book of food they needed per week, and the page she’s on said, “APPLES 100 LBS, APPLE PEEL 21 LBS, WATER 66 LBS, DEHYDRATED APPLES 14 LBS, EGGS (1 CASE) 30 DOZ, SHELLS 7 LBS, WATER 27 LBS, DEHYDRATED WHOLE EGGS 10 LBS.”
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“What do or did you all ate in the Marine Corps for lunch?” asked Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “Since 1941 the Little Bird Marine Corps each Marine ration is two cheese bars, two cereal class 5 bars, 3 type XII style one enriched chocolate bars, one jelly bar, two fruit cake bars, three sticks Topps peppermint chewing gum, three sugar packets, three soluble tea product packets, one packet of pure soluble sugar, one packet of soluble cream product, one bottle water purification tablets (iodine) and one plastic bag or a unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, a cocoa disc, and a 1.5 oz tin of jam, or unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, one cookie sandwich, and one chocolate fudge disc or unit of 5 crackers, a packet of soluble coffee, a packet of powdered milk, a packet of granulated sugar, two cookie sandwiches, and a 1.5 oz tin of jam but all had 12 oz can of fruit. One sundry can contain the accessory packet mint or bubblegum chewing gum, toilet paper, granulated salt, and a flat wooden spoon and the cigarette packet, which is one 9-pack of cigarettes and a book of waterproof matches.”
“Thought research in the 1920s or 1960s or 1970s found smoking to be very harmful,” said Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “They did back in 1940s and 1950s, But the only reason why cigarettes are a part of the Little Bird Military’s rations or MRE like is because they help the soldiers and marines to calm their nerves and to escape the stress of battle and the war. I would usually save the cigarette packs I got and by the end of the week I would have seven, I would trade six with other marines and either get their fruit cake bars or cookie sandwiches. No Marine I knew ever traded their packs of gum but the Marines who didn’t smoke always traded their cigarettes for food or snack items. Like how in prison inmates use cigarettes as currency. Also yes I do smoke but only do once or twice a day.”
“Had you ever had any…” said Lusty.
Dynamite interrupted, “Great grandfather Little Bird Marine Corps sharpshooter, 1914-1919, Grandfather Little Bird Marine Corps sniper 1941-1944, uncle Little Bird Marine Corps LVT driver 1943-1945, another uncle Marine Corp Corpsman 1939-1944, father Marine Artillery NCO, Vietnam 1967-1975. Almost a hundred years my father's side of the family fought in the Little Bird Marine Corps.”
“Your father and uncle who was a Corpsman?” asked Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “Kamikaze. Hit the LST they were on. The only thing they found my Granddad was half of his right leg down to his foot, still in his Marine Combat uniform, an olive drab uniform, and a black combat boot. Same for my uncle, they only found part of his jaw and knew it was him when they did Dental Record Identification from a medical ship. For my grandfather, the only way they knew it was him was because of his charred and slightly destroyed dog tags. They took a piece of paper, took a pencil, and shaded where it revealed who it was, but they were both given burials at sea, though with the other view, marines who died on the ship it was that or keep their bodies to decompose on the ship.”
“Your father was in the Marines as well, but in an Artillery company?” asked Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “9th/12th. Ninth Marine Division, Twelfth Artillery Company. Father only told me one experience he had about when he got a fire mission only to find out a few minutes later…”
“A Marine ran up to your dad, giving him a note saying that they’re shelling fellow marines?” asked Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “How did you know?”
“My father was a Marine, an RTO like in the Ninth Marine Division, 12th Artillery Company and his job was to give the company officer the coordinates where fellow marines needed any fire mission support,” said Lusty. “He talked about how their job was to provide support to fellow marines in combat not to kill their own. My dad even told me that back in basic training back in 1969 when he dropped out when he misunderstood what his Drill Instructor said for the mortar range and said, ‘You shot outside of the coordinate zone and killed two of your buddies. Why is that? Was it because John was fucking your girlfriend or that Bob won’t give you any more handjobs?’ but he always told me that was the worst day of his life.”
Dynamite replied, “Yeah same. Also Lieutenant, no offense…”
“You can go back reading your book,” said Lusty, “I want to say you’re at Beed, braised pot roast that says 55 pounds beef, fresh from less tender cup, 8 pounds onions chopped, 1-pint vinegar, salt and pepper to taste—or Cake, marble with the same ingredients as for cake, white, with added coloring. After the batter is mixed, it should be divided into halves or thirds according to the number of colors desired. One portion should be left white; the other portions should be colored as follows: Chocolate- add 8 ounces cocoa or 6 ounces melted plain chocolate and still well. Pink, red, orange, ect.- These or other desired colors may be obtained by adding prepared commercial vegetable colorings until the desired color is reached. After the different portions are colored they are combined, stirring only enough to make a pleasing combination of colors. Or is it cake, quick of four pounds of fat (butter, lard or lard 30 eggs), 7 pounds soft flour, 6 ounces baking powder, ½ ounce cinnamon ground, ½ ounce nutmeg ground, 12 pounds sugar brown, eight milk, evaporated powder or 7 ounces of skim milk dissolved in 2 pints water.”
Dynamite replied, “How do you know?”
“My father had both the 1963 and 1975 Little Bird Marine Corps Field Kitchen cookbooks/recipes,” said Lusty, “My mother would make things from them—my mother when she could, would try to buy in bulk. Once, my mother went on a great day to go shopping because she had coupons, the prices were marked down, a majority of the stuff was on sale, and a lot of it, like meat, had a manager’s markdown. We bought a lot of ground beef that day. Once it was $0.87 for three pounds, it was marked down to $0.08 per pound. We must’ve spent like five bucks on ground beef and pork. You know what, it was fifty pounds of ground beef just for four bucks and my mother said, ‘And that’s a steal;’ But my mother always checked the coupons in the newspaper and always got the bi-daily store newspaper to see what would be on sale. What cookbook do you have?”
Dynamite replied, “Little Bird Marine Corps 1999 Field Kitchen Recipes cookbook. In the field, we primarily relied on our MRE-Ration things, but each one was random and mainly got the same as cigarettes. Do you want one Lieutenant? Want a Blue, Red, or White?”
“No thanks, I don’t smoke,” said Lusty.
Dynamite pulled out a red cigarette box and got a cigarette out and used a metallic flip lighter to light it.
“I have no idea what Red, Blue, and White coloring on cigarette boxes mean anyway,” said Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “Red is full flavor, Blue is menthol and White is Lights. You can go Lieutenant and not have your Negative A size cup from a foot and a half from me. But I got a C cup size.”
“Not interested in talking about my small breast size, if there was a size for me then it would probably be a Negative A,” said Lusty, “Also I’m happy that I have small breasts because I don’t get unwanted attention. I want to say you get more unwanted attention than a street walker.”
Dynamite replied, “Oh, I do get unwanted attention, and having bigger breasts ain’t all it turns out to be. But in high school, there was a girl who had slightly bigger breasts than me but we called her a slut behind her back because any male student who said hi to her she would have a one-night stand with. Me? Never dated someone in high school because I’m both Asexual and Aromantic. Also, streetwalker?”
“A prostitute,” said Firefighter Zack, “Got a brother who works with them. No, he isn’t a pimp but an escort who tried to get me to do it and said that it makes great money. Did it once so my brother could shut up even though I told him that I wasn’t comfortable with it even if I just drove a luxury car with tinted windows around the city, avoiding the paparazzi. On the first and only night I made $7500 bucks but the prostitute I drove around picking up random clients didn’t know she was friends with my then-girlfriend.
"Told my brother a million damn times I wasn’t comfortable with it, but no he kept reassuring me it was fine and whatnot. Should’ve told him to fuck off and go back to his coke and blow. Not adding, at night ya mostly see black sedans, and any sane person can tell by the two in the black sedans driving around at night are both Ad Vice and Narcos Detectives of the EPD and IPEB. I hate my brother even though he’s on Engine 82 in this same district. We don’t speak to each other but good for him he’s a firefighter and has an side job as a streetwalker escort.”
They all looked at him with a WTF look on their faces.
“Ad Vice and IPEB?” asked Dynamite.
Lusty replied, “Administrative Vice. They’re detectives who deal with offenses involving prostitution, narcotics, lewdness, lasciviousness, and obscenity. Vice detectives plunge themselves down into the ‘seedy underbelly of Empire’, overturning the most decrepit of stones to expose the city's drugs, druggies, pimps, pushers, prostitutes, bootleggers, bookies, mob lords, thugs, and gangsters. Like us, from time to time, Ad Vice detectives see the worst and lowest expectations humanity has to offer. But they’re easily more corrupted because, to them, they let the drugs they take and put them back out onto the streets, or they accept bribes. IPEB stands for Island Patrol Empire Barracks.”
“And where I’m from, nine out of ten cops are so corrupt you think they’re actually criminals in a Halloween costume,” said Dynamite, “Oh, I’m dead serious. And how Las Adventure is a gambling city, it felt like they just targeted mostly people who came out of the casinos to pull over.”
Lusty then decided to leave the kitchen and return to her office. But when she sat down, the fire bell went off for a building collapse in a midrise in their district.
***
On the scene.
Engine Eighty-Two's Captain turned to Lusty, the glint of the disaster reflected in his ash-smeared face. "Looks like you're Incident Commander now, Lieutenant," he said, his voice filled with the gritty resolve of a seasoned firefighter. "Floors four and five were amid renovations when the floors gave out. The construction guys managed to get out. But the third floor's a different story - it's home to a small firm with thirty to fifty employees. The ball's in your court now."
On Little Bird, the police and fire departments operated in seamless tandem, the mantle of Incident Commander was first bestowed upon the earliest arriving officer. However, as higher-ranking officers arrived, leadership shifted. Lusty was the Lieutenant, a rank that now made her the Incident Commander, at least until Battalion Chief Marcus arrived in about fifteen minutes.
"All right, Cap," Lusty commanded, her voice steady despite the situation, "Get your crew and Eighty-Two's ready to move. We'll send in a light footprint team. Something tells me this building is a ticking time bomb. It's held up by sheer stubbornness and nothing else. No heavy equipment, no power tools, no air packs. We need to minimize the weight we're adding. And for God's sake, watch your footing. If I say 'Out', it means now, not in a minute, not in five seconds. 141, stand by for RIT Rescue."
Avalanche cocked her head, "RIT Rescue?"
Dynamite jumped in, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "Rapid Intervention Team. Our sole purpose is to rescue our own if things go south. During an incident, we have no other function. We're on standby. Other places might have different rules, but here, we wait."
***
Five and a half minutes later.
An ominous creaking echoed through the air, followed by a cascade of shattered glass as windows from the third floor burst outwards.
A sense of urgency gripped Lusty. Snatching up her radio, she barked out, "Emergency, Emergency. All personnel evacuate the building now. I repeat, evacuate now!"
Her order was met with a desperate plea from a firefighter who claimed to have located a victim. He begged for more time. Lusty's heart was wrenched. She knew the perils of command, the terrible decisions it demanded. Lives hung in the balance. The firefighter argued for thirty more seconds, but Lusty knew he didn't have five.
The firefighter refused to leave a victim, but Lusty argued that when she gave the order to evacuate the building, she meant it, and when she meant to evacuate now, she meant now, not thirty seconds, not one minute, but ASAP.
Not even the Captain of Engine Eighty-Two could tell the guy under his command to get out because they have no time, and the place is now a ticking time bomb. But no, the guy refused to listen to his Captain and argued that while they may save others, they got to take care of their own as well and that they’re always understaffed and someone won’t just come to fill in the spot because one thinks he has more time than what he got.
Soon, there was another collapse, but the firefighter who was talking about his brother earlier ran into the building. After a few minutes.
“Mayday, Mayday, Squad 141-6 to Squad 141,” said the guy, “Requesting backup to extract.”
Lusty replied, “Where are you?”
“I’m twelve yards from the third-floor entrance southwest side,” said Firefighter Zack over the radio,”Debris is completely blocking the area. Requesting Squad for assistance to help extract.”
Dynamite replied, “Squad, let’s go!”
“Negative, stand down,” ordered Lusty, “Stay where you are. This place is a death trap. Not risking anybody else’s life.”
Zack said over the radio, “Squad 141, do you copy? Squad 141-1 do you copy?”
“Lieutenant, just send me,” said Avalanche, “I’m 145 pounds. I’m the lightest one here.”
Lusty didn’t reply. She just looked at them before looking at the building. She took off her helmet and turnout jacket and ran inside.
“Zack,” said Lusty before grabbing him to pull him back.
“We gotta get out now,” said Lusty, “We got to go now!”
Zack was behaving like a child, throwing a temper tantrum while Lusty was dragging him like a parent would do. Although Lusty has seven daughters of her own, she could have sent any of her other crew members who don't have children or don't plan on having them. Tragically, when Zack and Lusty emerged, the fifth and fourth floors collapsed, and Zack's brother did not make it out alive.
“For the record, Avalanche,” said Lusty, “I’m the lightest being 136 pounds. Yeah, it’s not the most appropriate time, though.”
After eight more minutes, Marcus arrived and took over as Incident Commander. He found out what happened, but he radioed that he needed a Rescue squad, an M.E or Coroner, and Technical Services to remove the rubble from the site. The only reason Marcus called for Little Bird Technical Assistance and Relief Agency or LBTARA is because in the city of Empire, they have specialist teams that can work Bridge Building, Debris Clearance, Demolition/Blasting, Electricity Supply, Emergency Supply and Maintenance, Infrastructure,
Oil Pollution, Search and Rescue, Water Damage / Pumping, Water Hazards, Water Supply and Treatment. But they were formed by German immigrants in the post-World War 2 era and former German Pioneers in World War 2. But they came out and helped to remove the rubble and they also had to cut through steel rebars as well.
It took some time but they were able to remove all of the debris and put them on special vehicles for some of it to be either melted down or destroyed or something. But they lined up with the Little Birden flag over Zack’s older brother’s body but they stood at attention until the coroner left. But as they were packing up their gear a Police Lieutenant came and put a sign on the door and the sign said in bold “THIS BUILDING IS CONDEMNED! KEEP OUT BY THE ORDER OF THE Little Bird Bureau of Human Welfare and by the Empire Police Department!”
People in the city of Empire have seen the same sign but different at night at the metro stations where chain link gates have closed at night since the start of the war but the sign just says “KEEP OUT BY THE ORDER OF THE EMPIRE PUBLIC TRANSIT AUTHORITY. TRESPASSERS WILL BE FINED $250 OR JAIL SENTENCE OF FIVE YEARS.”
***
Back at the firehouse.
Lusty sat, pen poised over the incident report paper, her mind replaying the sequence of events that unfolded upon her and Squad 141's arrival. As Battalion Chief Marcus approached, she could not commit the words to paper. It was her order that sent fourteen brave souls into the crumbling building, only thirteen of whom returned. A choice she now had to live with. Ever since she'd accepted the role of captain, the weight of each decision had pressed heavily upon her.
Marcus watched her, his gaze thoughtful. "You're familiar with Shakespeare's works, aren't you?"
Lusty looked up, confusion clouding her features. "Not entirely familiar with Shakespeare. Which play are you referencing?"
"Henry IV, Part 2," Marcus replied, his voice echoing with the wisdom of years. "In Act III, Scene i, Henry says, 'Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.' You know what that means?”
A frown creased Lusty's brow. "I'm unfamiliar with that play, and I don't understand what that quote means."
Marcus leaned against a wall, his gaze steady on Lusty. "Heavy is the head that wears the crown. It refers to the immense responsibilities that come with a position of power. Those responsibilities can cause constant worry, making it difficult to find peace or relaxation."
"This job, it's not for the faint-hearted," Lusty said, her voice echoing the toll of the difficult decisions she had to make in the line of duty. "Decisions that can mean the difference between life and death."
Lusty ran a hand over her face, the weariness apparent in her eyes. "I can tell you right now, sleep won't come easy tonight. It's beyond me how some can make such grave decisions and remain unscathed. Take my friend David Waterson from Sixteen truck, for example. His grandfather was a soldier through and through. Served in both World Wars and the Korean war. Started as a Private in the British Army during the First World War. He was only thirteen when he was thrust into the chaos. By the time the Second World War rolled around, and during his service in Korea, he'd moved up the ranks to Sergeant in the US 1st Infantry Division."
Lusty opened a drawer and pulled out an old, weathered letter, its edges frayed from age and constant handling. "Listen to this," she said, the rustle of the paper sounding loud in the quiet room. "This is a letter he wrote to his wife in 1945, during the Allied offensive in Berlin, just before the Soviets arrived. It’s his firsthand account."
She cleared her throat and began to read, "'It’s July 2nd, 1945, and we've evolved from an inexperienced force in North Africa to... this. But I can't fathom how any sane soldier can make the rank of NCO or Officer and be at peace with sending young men into the jaws of death. From '42, since our boots first touched the sands of North Africa, I've lost 34 young men under my command. All between the ages of 18 and 20, their lives barely began. No chance to work a full-time job, enjoy a date, or start a family. Their most significant life experience, apart from their untimely deaths, was surviving the Great Depression. Each promotion offered to me I turned down. Being a Squad Leader is already a waking nightmare, leading these boys into a brutal, senseless war. The guilt of sending my own squad members on scouting missions and into firefights, knowing they’d not return... it takes a toll on your mind and sanity.'"
Lusty paused, looking up from the letter. "I can continue if you'd like. He recorded his grandfather's words, you know. Every last one. But that’s what I would call a military family though."
Marcus replied, “What are you thinking about Lusty?”
“I’m thinking about taking a ride,” said Lusty.
Marcus replied, “Want me to take you or no?”
“Nah I’ll just radio that we’re going to be 10-8-2.” said Lusty, “You know the code that is used by any unit to indicate it is on the air outside its response area. When the unit returns to its response area, the dispatcher must be notified again using 10-8 to know that the company is back within its response area.”
Marcus replied, “So then you’re going to be going to the southern half of the city.”
Lusty nodded in agreement.
***
Uptown, Garmancy Street.
“Pull over here so we don’t block traffic on the one-way street,” said Lusty.
Soon Lusty got off and crossed the one-way street and soon stood in front of a four-story narrow concrete building. There was a bronze sign above the single garage door that says “E47 L47,” but another sign that was above the watch room window said “RESCUE 17” with gold paint on the inside of the sign.
Soon, she entered the single garage apparatus bay, and soon both a 1996 Saulsbury/HME and a 1991 Mack MR, both heavy rescue squads. The latter said “COLLAPSE RESCUE 17” not “RES17CUE,” but Lusty thought it was fun that they put their company number in the middle of Rescue.
“Of course, their mascot is Cerberus,” said Lusty.
She saw a blue wooden sign hanging from the ceiling, and it said, “WELCOME TO UPTOWN, EMPIRE, HOME OF THE RESCUE F.D.E.B RES17CUE.” It made Lusty curious on who made it because it looks as if it was just put up a few years ago.
Lusty found Captain Linda Richter-Waterson at her desk using a typewriter to type up her incident reports instead of writing it because when she writes she writes in cursive, after a page and a half, her cursive starts to be unreadable. So she just types it on a 1960s typewriter.
“How did you get that burn on your hands?” asked Lusty.
Linda replied without looking up, “My last shift back in 2000 back on Eighteen truck, We went to an airport fire. I went in by myself and a piece of metal fell trapping me. I tried to move it myself and gave myself a second degree burn, almost a third degree burn. Can I help you Lieutenant?”
“How can you deal with making decisions that can cause serious injury or death?” asked Lusty.
Linda replied, “It’s complicated. I can’t make decisions, but I have to, as does every other officer. Listen, when My father first became the 18th Battalion in ‘83, his first emergency was at a factory. He made a decision that got three of his brothers killed and a fourth-degree burn and scars on his back. But the sixteen SOC officers have to make more complicated decisions. Follow me, Lieutenant.”
Linda got up and escorted Lusty to a wall of photographs.
“This is the first photograph of Rescue Company 17, Lieutenant,” said Linda, “This photo was taken in 1925. They had acetylene torches, grappling hooks, breathing apparatus, power saws, axes, Lyle guns, and pike poles. The six in this photo are From left to right: A Bricklayer, a Carpenter, an Electrician, a Welder, an elevator man, and a Wood and leather craftsman. The guy in the tailored casual suit is Lieutenant, who was the founder and pushed the city council and the mayor into forming a Rescue Squad. He was a metal craftsman hobbyist. He had to make tough decisions than what problems they had to face back then. At least he didn’t make the stupid decision that the Little Bird Navy did back in 1949 of launching a land base rocket off the back end of the LBN CVAN-01 Cadence, which only went through all of its 75mm thick steel armored flight deck and made a giant conflagration.”
Lusty replied, “They had nuclear-powered aircraft carriers back in the 40s? Thought they had those in the 60s to now,”
“Pre-1964 Little Bird Navy hull classification CVAN meant Aircraft Carrier, Night, Attack,” said Linda, “From 1964 to now, it’s Aircraft Carrier Nuclear-powered Attack. Where were we? Oh, that’s right. When the Heavy Rescue Squads were formed, they had to learn from their mistakes and train probies not to make the same mistakes they made. But back then, a lot of things were new. Another reason was because of the Great War when Germans used their Zeppelins to bomb the British and French. So we learned from what was happening, and the Little Bird president in late 1916 said, ‘If homes and cities are going to be targeted, then we’re going to need better-trained firefighters to do search and rescue and better tools.’ But every city and town here on Little Bird interpreted it as ‘Needing a specialist unit that uses tools that could be instrumental in performing rescues of civilians and firefighters at structural fires as well as operating at ‘odd jobs’ and needed specialty trained specialists.’ And since the 1950s, we have been descendants of the original rescue companies.”
Before Linda could say something else soon the fire bell went off for Rescue 17 to go to a car in the water.
“It’s your company going underwater, not me,” said Lusty, “Got a phobia of being underwater…”
Linda interrupted while putting on her bunker gear trousers, “Yeah I know, You were with your grandparents, got into an accident when a truck hit the car, the car was underwater, your grandparents were D.O.A, you were scared and you were rescued by a member of the Fire Department City of Empire Dive Rescue Team. Hit the door button to close it when we leave.”
When they did leave Lusty did close their apparatus bay door and she and Squad 141 went back to their firehouse.
"Everything okay, Lieutenant?" Dynamite inquired, concern etched on her face.
Lusty responded with a touch of sarcasm, "Just peachy."
Dynamite pressed on, undeterred. "You still carrying that weight on your shoulders about what happened?"
Zack's voice turned solemn. "She's haunted by the regret of not sending help to save my brother. Making the decision to send assistance shouldn't have been so difficult."
Avalanche chimed in, her tone matter-of-fact. "Zack, being an officer is no walk in the park. We make decisions every day in our personal lives, like what to wear or what to eat. But those choices have little impact in the grand scheme of things. Lieutenant Johnson, on the other hand, faces life-or-death decisions. She deals with both administrative and operational choices, each with far-reaching consequences. And let me tell you, they're not easy."
She continued, emphasizing the complexities of their role. "During emergencies, officers like her must make timely, efficient, effective, and safe decisions. They need to consider many factors and devise a solid action plan. Newly promoted officers struggle with operational decisions. They haven't had as much experience making tactical choices as their seasoned counterparts. It takes time to weigh all the factors and reach a decision."
Avalanch paused, reflecting on the challenges faced by inexperienced officers. "You see, these rookies haven't witnessed enough incidents to have the necessary instincts and confidence in their decision-making. But with time and exposure to various situations, they learn and grow, becoming more adept at handling the pressure."
Her concluded, his voice filled with understanding. "So, Zack, remember Lieutenant Johnson is navigating a demanding path. It's not easy, but she's doing her best in the face of immense responsibility. Also, if your brother got out instead of arguing for more time, he would be alive. Also, don’t act like you would rather have seven people get killed instead of one! I highly doubt it. Don’t act like you know how to make a tough fucking decision. Sometimes, people make tough decisions without thinking about the consequences or underestimate the danger. Don’t think you had anyone in your family who had to make a tough decision!"
“It’s not like you or your family had to make a tough decision,” said Zack.
Avalanch replied, “My grandfather made a tough decision back in 1942. Cost him and his fighter Squadron their lives around the Germany-Austria border. They were shot down and captured by the Germans. He and another one of his wingmen were executed, while the other wingman was sent to one of those forced labor camps.”
“Sounds like your grandfather was a dumbass like Lieutenant…” said Zack.
Avalanch replied, “Finish that sentence, I’ll kill you! At least they tried to help save the world from tyranny from two out of three fascist countries. He tried to save his squadron from being captured by the Wehrmacht, even if it meant getting shot by soldiers armed with the Kar98 rifles. What did your father do during Vietnam? Did he fight the Communists, or did he protest a war he wasn’t in only to get beaten up by riot cops? Yeah, that’s what I thought, you big bad wannabe. So do Lieutenant Johnson and the rest of this company a Goddamn favor and be a man, not a child throwing a temper tantrum because your brother died and not him with six others! No, seriously, I mean, you say another bad word about my granddad or Lieutenant Johnson, then we’re going to have serious problems that not even God himself can protect you!”
“Just don’t even open your mouth, Zack,” said Dynamite. “You know, why don't you just shut the hell up for once? I swear, you care more about wanting pity and thinking about how getting six killed to save one is a better decision and keep running your mouth than you do about who has to listen to it. Just shut the fuck up for five minutes. I was a squad leader in the Marine Corps, and I had to make hard fucking decisions. I lost an engineer to the Reds in a booby-trapped house. Didn’t see a tripwire on the stairs because it was camouflaged with the stairs. I gave the order to search and clear the house, and his death is on my shoulders. So stop bitching about something out of your control.”
***
Back at the firehouse.
Lusty went to her office and played a vinyl record with soothing and relaxing music. She listened to it several times over, but it didn’t do the work, and it’s Renaissance music.
After forty minutes of listening to different Renaissance-era music, none of it calmed her mind. Then she went into the kitchen to talk to Zack by bringing him into her office, but when she told him she wanted to talk to him, he just said, “Maybe later, Lieutenant. "
“Damn it, Zack,” said Lusty, “If you don’t get in my office right now…”
Zack snapped, “You got my older brother killed! I’m going to have your badge for that! I can promise you that! No one should take orders from you!”
“You’re suspended until a month has passed,” said Lusty.
Zack replied, “I’m not taking any orders from you.”
“I said you’re suspended, so get out of my firehouse, or I swear I’ll throw you out face first!” Lusty snarled back, “No, seriously, I will throw you out, and I don’t care if you’re acting like a temper tantrum child!”
Zack left in a hostile and angry way.
“That could’ve gone smoother,” said Avalanche, “Are alright, Lieutenant?”
Lusty replied, “Don’t know who he is acting like a spoiled brat. Yeah, his brother may have died, but that doesn’t give him the right to act like a spoiled brat. The second shift here was when I was a probie back in ‘96. We went to a fire in a tenement building where I was raised. My parents were in there. They died the same day due to smoke inhalation.
"Their only day off since I don’t even know, and they died. Was I told to take some time off to process my parent's deaths and take time to move on and enter the process of moving on? Nope, I was told that my ass had to be here next shift, and I could take time to grieve and plan my parent's funeral when I was off shift. If he wants to act like he has a stick up his backside, then that’s his problem, not mine. He doesn’t have to live with that decision. I do. I feel sorry for him for losing his brother, but if he wants to think of me sending in thirteen others to go save his brother so all fourteen can die, then he’s dead wrong.”
“Lieutenant, if you don’t mind,” asked Avalanche, “But I’d like to go out and buy the company some Empire dogs?”
Lusty replied, “Sure go. You got five minutes—Italian sausage on a Chicago-style bun with mustard, onion, and bacon.”
Avalanche soon left to get eight hot dogs.
Lusty returned to her office and decided to read a book about the city of Empire. She learned that the weather was a nightmare for European settlers.
One Italian settler wrote, “The Natives, we haven’t seen them for two weeks now. They’re not the enemy but somewhat allies or friendlies. They probably got smart and got the hell out of this Godforsaken spot. They’re not our enemy. Our enemy is the jungle itself. The jungle and the rain. It has been raining for two months nonstop. Morale is low. It's the rain... and the mud. Horses, Carts and wagons are getting bogged down. Supplies aren't getting through. We can't even get the wounded to the hospital. Can’t even farm in this Godforsaken rain, but we’re not going to burn through our supplies if we can, but this rain won’t let up anytime soon. Can’t even walk without pulling our feet out of the deep mud.”
Lusty felt terrible for a lot of the European settlers who first immigrated to Little Bird because they had to deal with the dense jungle, bugs, wild animals, and dysentery and from May to August it rains a lot, with June being the worst, offender of it raining for 21 days in June from the 1st to the 21st it rains non-stop with June it rains 467 inches of rain where nowadays it’s helpful with firefighting and other stuff but it was a nightmare.
But from May to August, it rained 934 inches in total, but in May, July, and August, there were gaps for the sun and humidity to dry it all up. Some European settlers were lucky to take advice from the Nightingale tribe for survival while others didn’t but the European settlers didn’t fight with the Nightingale tribe because per 1 European settler with a musket, there were four Nightingale Thundergun Warriors, aka Nightingale Tribesmen armed with muskets. Not adding the Nightingale Elite Orions or Elite Stalkers who mastered stealth for infiltration raids to capture anything of importance, eliminate enemy officers or those in command and destroy enemy gunpowder storage. Not to use them and the other four Little Birden tribes were in a fifty long year war with Blister Canyon just mastering their stealth skills and archery skills.
Lusty went to read the newspaper on the desk but decided not to. She took a step outside and she just shook her head in disappointment because a lot of homes in the peaceful neighborhood are adding steel bars over their windows with a few adding steel bars over their front and back doors. She knew that it’ll help to protect against burglars but at the same time it’ll make their job more difficult with their entry and egress as well.
It wasn’t long until Avalanch returned and Lusty commented about how nice of a car she got, a Little Bird version of a 1966 Pontiac GTO.
***
At night at an apartment building.
“Hey what’s going on over here?” asked Lusty.
Dynamite replied, “Fire hydrant out of service. It’s spinning but no water is flowing.”
“There’s a standpipe at 1240 Starfish street just down the street,” said Captain Nova, “There’s another one at 1252 underneath the no loitering sign. There’s another hydrant two blocks south of here. Come on, we need water.”
Lusty replied, “Who is that lady?”
“Captain Rain man,” said Dave, “Joking, it’s Captain Nova.”
Captain Nova said over the radio, “E 1-6 to S 141. As soon as you got that line charged you’re gonna have to send me the booster water first.”
“Got it Capt,” said Lusty over the radio.
Dave replied, “Your decision, Lieutenant?”
Lusty gulped and said, “Take your company, get two to go ventilate the roof and take the rest of your company to the fourth floor. Half of my company will take the second and third floor while the other half will back up Engine Sixteen on the first floor.”
“It’s your decision and your decision stands,” said Dave. “Alright Sixteen to the fourth floor.”
While Lusty was still reeling from the decision she had to make earlier, she was happy that Dave, his company, Dave’s wife Linda, all of Engine 16 and Rescue Company 17 didn't hate her for her decision but a lot of them had been on the job for a long time. They came to know that whatever decision that an officer has to make they have to live with that decision where they may not understand tactical level decision making that an officer has to do. Still, they may think the other decision may be easier than what the officer had to make. But the members of Engine 16 don't argue with Captain Nova about her decision-making because she was a Lieutenant in the army and had to make decisions on a platoon level.
“Hey Lieutenant,” said Avalanche, “I want to apologize if I was out of line…”
Lusty interrupted, “Not another word, Avalanche. That is exactly the attitude I want from all of my crew members: ready to go save someone even if I have to give and repeat an order to stand down two or more times. I know it ain’t the time to tell stories but a lot of us think we might have a little more time when the evacuation order to get out is issued. I’ve been there, but in my case, I was sure I had one minute to go back and get someone. I got a scar on my back and one across my right eye that reminds me every single day about the price of playing ‘Beat the Clock,’ but it’s my job to make sure that you or anyone else under my command never gets any kind of reminder. You understand me?”
“Yeah, I got it, Lieutenant,” said Avalanche, “Had a few squadmates who always thought playing Beat the Clock was fun and always got an excitement rush. One day, their ‘excitement rush’ got them encircled by the Soviet 4th Army and slaughtered.”
The two just stopped talking but forced entry into every apartment door. It wasn’t long after they forced entry to the first door that above, they could hear a saw starting to cut through the roof, and to them, there was no sweeter sound than a saw because that meant relief from heat and smoke was on its way.
“I just know that when we get back to the firehouse, I’m going to bed,” said Avalanche.
Lusty replied, “I would, but just keep thinking about what happened earlier. It keeps replaying in my mind.”
Soon, there was a wall of fire that came out of the floor near them but that was enough for Lusty to radio for her and her company to back out and need water to come in now. Unbeknown to them, the residential apartment building they’re in isn't up to date with sprinklers and firewalls or firestops, which the residential building is violating the 1988 Safe Mid/High-rise Act which came into service after the First Interstate Building Fire in 1988 in Los Angeles.
Still, they were paying attention so they don’t have the same thing where mid and high-rises built from 1950 to now are required to have fireproofing, sprinklers and fire doors not to add other means of escape if fire blocks the main way out.
When they entered the hallway again, they were blocked by fire and were between fires so they couldn’t go down or up.
Lusty and Avalanche went back into the apartment, where Avalanche just ran and jumped out of a window and onto a tree. Still, she told Lusty to do the same that she’ll catch her even though Lusty told her that she was wearing 75 pounds of gear she would be knocked out of the tree, and that she should move. Lusty did run and jump and the two climbed down the tree.
“You know we're here to fight a fire, not star in an action movie,” said Dynamite. “Could’ve just radioed for a ladder.”
Lusty replied, “Well, we were trapped between three walls of fire. Yes, we know it was foolish and very reckless of us. The fire blocked our way down and up, so we had to leave the window. But we were in a trap situation. Going to take a hot shower when I get home.”
“How tight do you have your air pack?” asked Avalanche.
Lusty replied, “In training, we were taught not to have it too tight and not loose enough. It can come off easy. I have it tight enough it doesn’t carve into my skin, but I have it loose enough that I can have it come off when I want it to without needing assistance. I think the term is nice and snug.”
Then they knocked down the fire but went back to their search and rescue mode. But a majority of the lowrise apartment buildings were clear. They only found ten people inside of the building. While they were doing their secondary search, over the radio, they heard Dave say that he found a blocked door, and it led to an illegal auto body shop garage.
They need to keep the fire and heat away from the blowtorch fuel barrels because if the fire gets there. If they explode, they will lose the illegal auto body shop and part of the apartment building. Still, they’re going to need time to get the garage door opened or sawed through so the barrels and other flammable and explosive stuff can be removed safely rather than moving them near the fire.
Lusty went and got two rescue saws from Squad 141 apparatus, and she ran to their location and gave them the saws to cut through it. It took a while for them to cut through the thin aluminum garage door.
When they cut through the thin aluminum door, they quickly moved the flammable and some explosive stuff out. It took several hours for them to put the fire out, but they closed the illegal auto body shop.
***
In the morning.
“That A-Ration back at my place is gonna be gone within an hour,” said Dynamite.
Lusty replied, “A Ration?”
“Two sandwiches, cereal, fresh fruit, crackers, peanut butter, jam, a muffin, salt, pepper, and a drink.” Dynamite said, “But the sandwiches, cereal, fruit, jam, muffin, and the drink is always randomized. But traditionally, it uses sliced turkey breast, ham, roast beef, American, Swiss or Provolone cheese, chopped or shredded lettuce, tomatoes, and green peppers, but that’s in the LBMC. But around the frontlines, then it’s beans, chipped beef on toast. Alright Lieutenant, what’s on your mind?”
Lusty replied, “For the past half hour, I’ve been thinking about how much the military spends on food to feed the soldiers, marines, pilots, sailors, and other types of soldiers.”
“Overall, the Army, Marines, Navy, and Air Force have a budget combined of 411 million dollar food budget per year dollar food budget per year,” explained Dynamite. “The Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force each get allocated just $102,500,000. Combined, their budget is $840 billion. The Army gets $210 Billion, the Marines gets $210 Billion, the Navy gets $210 Billion, and the Air Force gets $210 Billion. Each branch has to allocate the money to food, vehicles, salaries, supplies, off-base housing allowance, off-base meal allowance, fringe benefits, maintenance, and training.”
Before Lusty went to get her children, she stopped by a street vendor that she had been stopping by ever since she first entered the fire academy. One reason she visits the same one is because it’s run by two disabled veterans a father-daughter duo, and Lusty likes to support military veteran-owned businesses, but that’s her way of saying thanks to people willing to sacrifice their lives to defend other people and their countries freedom or liberate other countries from tyranny. But to the two, Lusty was a wildcard because while yes, she would get either an Empire Hot Dog, or a Jumbo Empire Hot Dot/w Sauerkraut on the jumbo hot dog, Spicy Jumbo Italian, or a regular cheeseburger