Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Seventeen

I love how pretty much everyone has concluded that the more drama, the better for the wildfires. Glad to know we see eye to eye, because that was what I was hoping people would choose. XD

The fallout begins here! The 118 and 51 learn of Buck and Sylvie's departures, the two arrive in Austin, Kelly stops a blow-out that leads to an interesting friendship, May doesn't pull her punches, the Chicago family plots, and Owen . . . well, he's already regretting his decisions.

***

"I still can't believe they actually ended up cleaning all the rigs."

Kelly snickered as he and Matt walked onto the apparatus floor of 51, all five vehicles still in pristine shape. "You said they were supposed to, remember?"

"I was half-joking," Matt eyed the rigs. "But . . . good on them for taking a threat seriously."

"Ask, and ye shall receive," Capp playfully bowed from the Squad table, only to yelp when Tony smacked the back of his head with a newspaper. "Hey!"

"Clowns," Kelly rolled his eyes.

"And all yours, boss," Joe smirked as he joined the table.

Kelly frowned, immediately noticing the rigidness of his second in command. "You OK, Cruz?"

"Hmm?" Joe blinked. "I'm fine, Lieutenant. Think I just slept wrong last night."

Kelly frowned, seeing Joe still looked uneasy. "If you're sure."

"Boden has the briefing right at 8," Tony added. "And the floater for Herrmann should be here by then. Both are sticking around for the briefing, but after that – " He made a poofing noise and motion to indicate Herrmann was gone.

"Good," Matt checked his watch; they still had five minutes until the briefing. "He's been looking forward to this vacation for a while."

Capp peered past the officers, then frowned. "Not so sure I'm liking the floater already."

"What?" Kelly frowned, turning to look. "Oh."

Matt twisted as well to see none other than Grainger grab his duffel from his vehicle and lock his car before jogging up the drive. "Huh," was all he had to say.

"Oh, good job using your words, Case," Kelly scoffed.

"Shut up, Sev," Matt punched his friend in the shoulder. "You weren't much better!"

"Neither of you did a good job," Joe smirked.

"Cruz!" both men glared at the same time.

"Yep. That's me. Good job."

Capp snickered as Tony hid his smile behind his newspaper. "I'm beginning to wonder what side of the bed you woke up on this morning," Kelly glowered.

"The right one," Joe leaned back in his chair with an innocent smile. "Hi, Lieutenant."

"Hey," Grainger nodded, slowing his pace once he reached the apparatus floor. "Cruz, right?"

"That's me."

Grainger nodded, then gave a smile to Matt and Kelly. "Good to see you both again."

"You, too," Kelly took the olive branch offered. "Are you the floater for Herrmann?"

"Yeah," Grainger nodded. "Got assigned from the higher-ups. Not even sure who it was. The chief of our battalion wasn't the one who volunteered me."

Matt blinked in surprise. "That's odd," he looked at Kelly. "Usually the battalion chiefs and the deputy district chiefs shuffle floaters where they're needed."