Forged in Flames

Chapter 2

The next three days Frankie and his team began working out schedules, bunk assignments and duty rosters. They each selected a day of the week when they would stay in the firehouse with the recruits as the station's Captain, with Frankie taking Fridays to allow his staff to enjoy their weekend. Since Kyle was staying on campus through the entire program he volunteered to take Saturdays and they all agreed to alternate Sundays.

Frankie settled into his office while the other settled into various classrooms in the building. Kyle Ervin and Stephen moved into the bedrooms on the second floor so they wouldn't have to drive home every night. They checked off each of the trucks and made sure they were response-ready. Next, they prepared the breathing apparatus and organized the recruit's uniforms to be ready for issuing on orientation day. With the help of volunteers and other instructors, the campus was clean polished and brought to a brand new shine in no time.

On Friday Wayne made his way to the center to offer assistance. Frankie smiled when he pulled up and waved for Wayne to join him in his office. Frankie sat behind his desk and waited for Wayne to shut the door before the smile left his face and he tore into him.

"Alright you want to tell me what the fuck I did that you stuck me here?" he shouted.

Wayne was taken aback for a moment and held his hands up trying to calm Frankie, "Look I needed someone here I could trust, I've got some issues to deal with and it's just not something I can do right now man."

Frankie shook his head, "Where have you been the past week? I haven't heard from you, Scott had to tell me I was promoted to Captain, what the fuck is going on?"

Wayne tried to avoid the question, "I'm sorry, with this trial and I was feeling sick, I had to take something off my plate, but I'm fine man, I honestly thought you'd understand you're the only one I believe in enough to do this bro."

Frankie squinted, "Sick, sick like how, talk to me Miller."

Wayne tried to play off what he had been going through, "I caught a bit of a bug and it threw my BP out of whack is all, it was really nothing serious. But I can't do my job and do this job justice, so I thought I could trust my best friend to take over without trying to rip my head off."

Frankie took a breath, he knew Wayne wouldn't have punished him with a promotion, and he knew sometimes things happened but he couldn't help but feel like something else was going on.

"So you're sure nothing else is going on, you just thought I'd understand what you were doing and go with it."

Wayne chuckled, "Yes man, come on you were already on the list for instructors, so I just decided to let you run the place. Who'd they replace you with anyway?"

Frankie looked shocked at him for a minute, "You mean you don't know who's here?"

Wayne thought for a second, "Well Stephen, Ervin, that Lieutenant from Charleston and Kyle were scheduled, but things were a mess. I asked Scott to make sure the last spot was filled for me, why, who did he send?"

Frankie calmly walked around his desk and handed Wayne Stevens' personnel file. Wayne looked it over and nodded. He looked up at Frankie confused like he didn't see a problem.

Frankie looked out the window and saw Nikki walking across the lot towards her car, he pointed to her. "That's Nick Stevens bro."

Wayne looked at the slim and attractive brunette in shorts and a crop top, then back to Frankie, then the file. Nikki was from Christine Childers Station, a very open minded Captain, she must've respected Nikki's privacy and not mentioned to command that Nikki was transgender. Wayne began to chuckle.