January 5th, 1996
At Firehouse Sixteen.
"Thought you would've stayed home to rest." said Captain Daniella
Dave replied, "I'm not the type that'll give in so easily. Also got nothing better to do so I'll work."
Dave then saw Probationary Firefighter Ashley walk by him whistling.
"Do I have or do we still have to work with her?" asked Dave, "I swear I'm so close I'm about to have a female relative of mines just knock her ass out!"
Capt. Daniella replied, "We can't do a damn thing about it."
"Why?" asked Dave''
Capt. Daniella replied, "Because of who her daddy is. Alderman Michael "Mike" Roark. We fire her daughter then makes our lives a living hell! So we get rid of her she'll be back like nothing happened."
Dave then reached into his Go bag and handed her a vanilla folder.
"If when her daddy wants to make our lives a living hell." said Dave, "His mayoral campaign will end quicker than it started. Here read this."
Capt. Daniella was reluctant to open it and read it.
"Where did you get this?" asked Capt. Daniella
Dave replied, "A magician never reveals his secrets."
"You know that this is a low." said Capt. Daniella, "Wouldn't this be considered blackmail? If the Alderman backs us into a corner."
Dave replied, "Would you want the rest of us to die which could've been prevented or let half of the city burn down? Honestly I don't care who her daddy is. Next time it won't be eighteen guys next time it might be a entire firehouse she let be killed because she doesn't want to do her job."
Dave then went to the locker room and placed his Go bag into his locker.
"I overheard what you and Daniella were talking about!" snarled Ashley, "I can make one phone call and I can have you blacklisted!"
Dave snapped back, "Your threats don't threaten me. I can make a phone call all of your family members will be labeled as terrorists and whoever talked to them, or whatever even the barista that your father sees everyday to get his cup of coffee will be killed. And you? I just got to make one phone call well tomorrow when you get into your car... Well kaboom."
"Is that a death threat?" asked Probie Firefighter Ashley
Dave replied, "No it's a threat that I'm going to slap you with a sandwich. What the fuck do you think it is!"
"Listen here you sorry son of a..." said Probie Firefighter Ashley
Dave interrupted, "No you listen! To you this job is nothing but a paycheck. You're only doing this job just for the money. I'm doing this job just to help people. If I were you I would put in my resignation and never come back."
"You made the wrong enemy!" said Probie Firefighter Ashley with a hostile tone
Dave replied, "No you made the wrong enemy!"
Probie Firefighter Ashley tried to hit Dave but ended up missing but Dave didn't.
"You can't hit a girl!" said Probie Firefighter Ashley in shock
Dave replied, "The Waterson's enemies don't have genders just enemies! You're just a straight up bitch"
"And you're finished!" snarled Probie Firefighter Ashley
Probationary Firefighter Ashley Roark then stormed out of the unisex locker room but before she did she leaned back in and said angerly "And you're a sexist prick asshole."
Dave replied, "I'm actually not. Honestly I don't care if women worked or not but I prefer the former. Also if one of my female relatives got their hands on you. They'll make your face look worst than a rotten tomato. Also my squad in the army is all women I'm the only man in the squad. But like I said enemies in my family don't have genders they're just enemies."
Probie Firefighter Ashley then went over to Capt. Daniella and told her that Dave hit her to make him look like a bad guy.
"Oh boo hoo!" sarcastically and unsympathetic said Capt. Daniella, "Go cry to your father. He's waiting for ya!"
Probie Firefighter Ashley then found out that nobody in the firehouse likes her and they all hate her guts. Not adding they're holding her reasonable for the deaths of everyone on Truck Company Sixteen, Super Pumper Three, and USAR Twelve because she left her position and didn't back them up when they needed her help.
Probie Firefighter Ashley then left the firehouse and Capt. Daniella predicted it that she went to go and tell her father.
"Well this is my final five months." said Capt. Daniella
Dave interrupted, "Before you move to Arson Investigation?"
"Yup." said Capt. Daniella
Soon the fire bell went off for a mid rise office fire in Uptown.
***
In Uptown.
"I have a bad feeling about this." said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Yeah fires in high rises and mid rises are tough to fight. Especially with the chimney effect as well."
"This should be fun." said Dave
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Dave then went over to Engine Sixteen and he grabbed a two and three quarter high rise pack attack line.
***
Forth Floor, East Wing.
Dave connected his hose to a standpipe and he went into a office space and saw fire nearly everywhere.
Great thing that I have this Air pack with me and this hose, Dave thought, Couldn't imagine how they would've fought this with buckets.
Dave then turned on the high-rise pack attack line and fought the fire but he also searched the big room including smaller rooms on the sides but he didn't find anyone so he entered another hallway and entered another big work room. Like before he turned on the attack line and sprayed the fire but he made sure he watched where he was aiming so he wouldn't hit a 1990's era computer and get electrocuted.
"Watch out! The ceiling looks weak!" said a firefighter over the radio
Battalion Chief Kai Richter, "Didn't think the building integrity would be so weak or weaking so far!"
Dave noticed some parts of the ceiling started to collaspe so he avoided it by using sounds when it started to crumble.
Dave then moved on to the next floor as firefighters from Engine Fourteen cleared the North side, Engine Fifteen cleared the South side, and Engine Sixteen cleared the West side while Engine Eighteen backed up all of them.
"Those upper floors are going to be a bitch!" said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "What do you mean?"
"Look at the upper floors." said Dave, "With a lot of smoke coming out that fast. It must be rolling on floors five to ten! And God help those people trapped in those elevators!"
Capt. Daniella replied, "Well let's finish swapping our air tanks with fresh ones. Then we'll get back in there. I bet those truckies up on the roof are having a fun time venting the roof if they're not doing search and rescue. And by judging how Fourteen Truck ladder is still above the roof it's safe to say that the firefighters on Fourteen Truck are still up there venting the roof."
Dave then swapped out his air bottle and gave the empty one to a Air Mask Unit to refill the air bottle and place it back on Engine Sixteen.
***
On the Fifth floor now.
"I'm getting to old for this shit." said Capt. Daniella
Dave replied, "My legs are going to be killing me. But when he have to bring all of these lines down is going to be additional weight! But we chose this profession and have to deal with it."
Dave then went over to a standpipe and connected his attack line to it and he fought the fires while Capt. Daniella went to rescue people they found which there wasn't a lot of people just five but wearing almost seventy five pounds of gear made it felt like it was going to take forever.
They kept doing the same thing over and over for the next few floors until they reached the eighth floor. Even though the eighth floor was underneath the roof it was still very hot and out of control.
"I believe this is the work of a arsonist." said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Will you put to bed your arsonist theory!"
"Nope." said Dave, "Faulty wiring wouldn't started this which it could over time but within what half a hour to hour. But it could be a arsonist but we have to keep this all open and consider all our options. I wanna say it's arson!"
When they were able to get onto the eighth floor they passed a conference room with shattered glass windows and shattered glass door.
"Oh my God that's a horrible way to go." said Dave
Capt. Daniella replied, "Doesn't matter how you go when you're gone. Highly doubt the Board of Executives didn't feel anything."
"I don't think so. Look closely." said Dave, "This entire floor is darker than the Lobby to Floor Seven. Fire is a wild thing that's hard to control though."
They continued until the fire was fully out but they then had to do salvage and overhaul which was a pain but they had to make sure the fire was completely extinguished and made sure there was no hidden hotspots that could reignite the fires.
***
Back at the firehouse.
Dave saw a man in a black casual suit.
The man crossed the street and approached Dave due to he was looking right at him. chapter though.
"I assume you're Dave?" asked the man
Dave replied, "I am. Can I help you?"
"I'm Alderman Michael 'Mike' Roark." said the Alderman, "I know you and my daughter have bad blood. But I want you to apologize to my daughter."
Dave replied, "Listen. I'm not going to apologize to your daughter. She brought this upon herself."
"If that's your stance." said Alderman Michael Roark, "So be it. Watch your back."
Dave just rolled his eyes.
***
Later that day.
Dave was walking back into the firehouse but he noticed Probationary Firefighter Ashley walking out with another woman wearing a suit holding a briefcase. Dave didn't say anything and just rolled his eyes when they walked by and he entered the firehouse he was called into Capt. Daniella's office.
Dave asked what's with the three higher ups are doing here and he was told to sit down but he refused wanting to stand so he was informed that Probationary Firefighter Ashley has filed a sexual harassment charge against him and while the investigation is on going he'll be suspended until the investigation is over.
Dave left the firehouse after getting what he wanted out of his locker and went home but when he was driving he noticed a car following him so he took the long way and drove down some alleyways and he lost the car that was following him.
Dave also went up to his apartment and went over to his rotary dial phone and placed in a few long distance phone calls.
There was a knock on his apartment door so Dave placed a suppressor on his Phoenix pistol and he looked through the peep hole. He saw two Caucasian males in tailored suits.
Dave could tell they're hitmen so he took cover and when his apartment door was kicked in but he waited for them to come into the kitchen/dining room before he killed them in quick succession he also closed his apartment door.
(((
Several hours later.
Two blue 1965 Morsel Modicum came and eight people got out and went up to Dave's apartment and Dave let them in.
"Thanks for coming Melody, Mackenzie, Amy, Judy, Paul, Harry, Mickey, and Jimmy." said Dave
Jimmy replied, "Don't thank us. This bitch messed with one of us she messed with all of us."
"At least we're not a big dysfunctional family." said Melody, "A attack on one of us is a attack on all of us. Guess we're a huge badass family. This bitch will be wishing she never thought about running her mouth at you."
Without needing more information his cousins went to go make Ashley Roark and her father's life a living hell which is something they're good at even if it's almost close enough to commit acts of terror.
In three days Dave's cousins did enough damage to scare them but the hearing soon came and it was the typical he said she said but Ashley said that it was 'Traumatizing'.
"Traumatizing? You know what's traumatizing! Seeing your older brother be blown into a bloody mess after a HE round from a North Korean T-62 tank or to see your baby sister be burnt alive by Napalm after a miscalculation from a Forward Air Controller from a Napalm strike from your own air force during the Second Korean War!" said Melody Waterson
Melody then got up and went into the hallway and she paced back and forth in anger.
***
Half a hour later.
Melody was sitting down on a wooden chair looking at a photograph of her brother and her sister with her in the middle.
The door opened and Dave asked if she's alright which she told him that she would do anything to talk to her older brother and baby sister again.
Dave then took his cousin back to his apartment but he was there for her. But their other cousins kept up their work in making Ashley and her father's life a living hell of course one night Paul, Harry, Mickey, and Jimmy wore a dark olive green camouflage and black leather fingerless gloves. Alderman Michael tried to bribe Dave's four male cousins with twelve thousand dollars but he learned that they're unbribeable.
They scared him and when they forced his head underwater for awhile which scared him but he threatened that the law will hunt them down which they didn't seem to scared but scoffed which sent a message to him that they're not scared.
Alderman Michael learned that he and his family pissed off the wrong one this time and there's nothing he can do to win this time. But they brought him to a park in city center badly beaten and they went their separate ways.
Dave then was allowed to go back to work for full duty but in the case every member had to attend a sensitivity training off duty but have to pass it and it's mandatory. And the day that when Dave was allowed back to work when Ashley appeared again and Probie Firefighter Daisy Bloom punched her right in the face.
Dave asked why she punched her and Daisy told Dave and reveled that she's a coach for Girls Tee Ball and and now she'll have to miss it for the whole month of January which she'll most likely be kicked off.
They also kicked Ashley out and went on their merry way. But it wasn't long until Engine Sixteen and Ambulance Five were dispatched for a person down with unknown causes.
***
At the scene.
When the men including Capt. Daniella got off of Engine Sixteen and one member went to get the medical bag was when they got shot at where all but one took cover on the other side of the fire engine while the EMT and Paramedic hid on the other side avoiding getting shot at but one of the men on Engine Sixteen got shot.
Capt. Daniella used her walkie talkie and said "Main this is Engine 1-6 we are getting shot at. We got a 10-47. We need police support at our location asap!"
When a few minutes passed Capt. Daniella asked dispatch where police support is at only for dispatch to reply "Negative. No one en route."
Dispite getting shot at Dave ran out and dragged the down but bleeding out firefighter even though he got shot but he shrugged it off. Despite his best work to keep the other firefighter who was shot bled out to death.
When Capt. Daniella radioed for police support Dave grabbed it and he angerly told dispatch that they need support now and he doesn't care if they have to broadcast it city wide for police support.
It took longer than nessacary but only two police cars came and the officers fired at the shooter only for a group of people fled and ran north but were blocked by the second police car.
***
At the Ninth precinct.
"Dave don't." said Capt. Asyling
Dave replied, "I want to know the names of the officers who didn't respond. I just want to talk to them."
"I wanna say there's going to be more than just talking." said Capt. Asyling, "But I'm going to do a through investigation."
Dave replied, "Yeah I'll break their teeth with a Halligan bar."
"I can arrest you right now just for saying that." said Capt. Asyling
Dave replied, "So my cousin's options of firing a Anti-Tank/Anti-Armor rocket or setting them on fire is a better option?"
"Point taken. But you cannot just go assaulting random policemen." said Capt. Asyling, "I know how corrupt and over heavyhanded the Clearlake Police Department is."
Dave replied sarcastically, "Yeah you know what it's like to be in a town with cops who are more inclined to shoot you than give you a ticket or a warning. But they'll turn a blind eye to a lot of crimes. The Clearlake Police Department? Half of the members will attack you at the slightest act of wrong doing and the other half will attack you on sight!"
Dave then walked out of the Ninth Precinct and went back to work which went by fast but the next day Dave got a newspaper.
The newspaper said "BREAKING NEWS: ALDERMAN MURDERED!"
Dave read it and when Alderman Michael "Mike" Roark was at somekind thing and his bodyguards, and the cops he was meeting with were killed in painful ways.
When Dave went home he heard the shower running but soon stopped where it was his cousin Mackenzie who was taking a shower and when she got out Dave asked who killed Alderman Michael and she told him that they did where she had a X16 (M16A1), Melody had a Semiautomat Service Garand (M14 Battle rifle), Amy with a CT759/Counter-Terrorist 1975 9mm (MP5A3), Judy had a Stoner 63, Harry had a MP5K, Paul had a SPAS-12, Jimmy had a XM117E1, and Mickey had a Police Special Purpose Shotgun (Ithaca M37) and that was that.
Dave was going to ask what'll happen to Ashley Roark but Mackenzie shrugged her shoulders because she doesn't know but Dave pointed out that he won't lose any sleep over it. But Dave's cousins went back to where they came from but no one wondered where Ashley went to. But firehouse sixteen had to wait to get a new member for Engine Sixteen which will either graduate in the summer or winter class of 1996, Also Dave was right where the fire in the midrise was determined to be a result of arson.