Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Fourteen

Closer and closer . . . and probably within a chapter or two, things will really be kicking off in Austin. That's not at all anxiety inducing.

Owen and TK debrief and have a few calls to make, Eddie does a remarkable impression of a pit bull, Sylvie and Gianna are sticking together (*whistles innocently*), Will and Jay debate just how insane our favorite CFD officers are, Buck makes a decision regarding Maddie, and Sylvie gets a very unexpected visitor.

Enjoy!

***

"How did you keep this from me?" TK asked in disbelief as he sat across from his dad, the two of them looking through the papers Radford had delivered them. "I mean, we were planning this in New York!"

"And I didn't want to get your hopes up if we weren't chosen," Owen answered, looking over the paperwork for the rig, his other hand absently scratching Buttercup's head, the dog's tongue lolling out of his mouth. "I thought we would be, but if we weren't . . . "

He shrugged helplessly, and TK sighed. "Touché." He surveyed the supplies, then leaned back in his chair. "So what's the game plan? I know what we wanted to do in New York, but is that something we want in Austin?"

"I'd like to see if we can," Owen nodded. "We have enough for three heavy rescue specialists with the officer, but we can just as easily find you a partner and add a ranking paramedic."

Two names immediately sprang into TK's mind, and he groaned, dropping his face into his hand. "Damn it."

"What?" Owen frowned, looking at him in concern. "That was our agreement, right?"

"Yeah, it was," TK grumbled. "I heard 'partner' and 'ranking paramedic' and had two people right on my mind."

Owen tilted his head. "Who would you have thought – " He broke off, eyes slanting towards TK's phone, which was face down on the desk. "Oh."

"Yeah," TK sighed. "Oh."

Owen hummed, then shrugged. "The worst that could happen is they say no."

TK's head shot up, his eyes wide. "Seriously?!"

"Back in New York, we were going to build this team together," Owen reminded him. "We rebuilt this firehouse together. We're going to build this crew together, and considering how comfortable you feel with these two? I am more than willing to make offers for them."

TK's eyes were wide and watering. "You're sure?"

"I am very sure," Owen nodded, looking serious. "Are you sure?"

TK swallowed hard. "Yeah, Dad. I'm sure."

He nodded. "Then all we need to do is ask."

***

Sylvie pursed her lips, sorting through everything on the ambulance. After two calls today, somehow their fentanyl had turned into a saline solution right under their noses . . . and Paramedic Chief Colson was gunning for her new partner. She had just lost Emily a few months ago, and this was her sixth partner at 51. She wasn't about to lose Gianna within such a short amount of time.

She was so concentrated on going through their supplies that when her phone rang, she didn't even look at the Caller ID before answering. "What?" she griped.

"Bad time?" TK asked apologetically.

Sylvie started in surprise, then looked at her phone. She frowned, putting her phone back under her ear. "This isn't your phone number."