Save Me (An Eddie Diaz 911 Fanfiction)

This Is The Life We Choose

There were few times in Jane Thomas's life where she wished she were wrong. Calling it that the bomber from the other day was going to strike more than one time, is one of those times. As it was, the woman they'd rescued had somehow survived the blast, a second victim was clinging to life in the hospital, and the 118 had just been dispatched to Brookside Elementary School when an unclaimed and unrecognized backpack had been spotted.

Once they arrived on the scene with the Bomb Squad, the firetrucks made a barricade and ushered all of the children to take shelter behind them. It was loud as Jane helped one teacher corral a group of preschoolers into place.

"It's alright," Jane assured the little ones, some of whom were crying, and others were trying to use the mania to run off. "It'll be just fine. Here, follow Miss Mabel and get as close to the truck as you can get without going under it." She leaned down and had to scoop up a little boy with spikey black hair when he tried to run around the truck and put him in the middle of his class. Jane bit her lip to keep in a laugh at the discouraged expression on his little face.

"Stay tucked in," Chimney encouraged the elementary schoolers from his position between the trucks, "stay tucked in."

"You guys are doing great," Buck encouraged.

"You really are," Jane agreed, sending a nervous looking little boy a sweet smile of comfort. "You are all so great and so brave. Do you need any more help?" She looked at the teacher who looked worried, but less harried than she had before Jane had stepped in.

"No, thank you," she nodded towards another teacher, "Thomas is right there if something happens. You do what you need to do."

"Great," Jane gave a parting smile before jogging over to her crew of Buck, Chimney, and Hen and saw that they were joined by Athena.

"Teacher spotted it out there after recess," Athena reported to the firefighters, referencing the backpack that they all feared was a bomb. Nobody claimed it."

"Yeah, but it's not a package," Buck said, "I thought this guy sent his bombs through the mail."

"Maybe he changed his M.O.?" Chimney offered up.

"Many arsonists' M.O. evolves over time as they perfect their craft, fix their mistakes," Jane said thoughtfully, "But if this is a bomb, my bet is he inspired another bomber. This would be too big a change from individual attacks. Our guy is more personal, seeking revenge. This would be someone who wants to hurt society."

"I agree," Athena said. "He probably just inspired some other crazy."

"I hate this," Jane said as they looked on, waiting for the signal that the bomb was going to go off. "The Bumm Squad always has to make this so flipping dramatic."

"Alfred sends his well wishes to you to, by the way," Athena told the young woman wryly.

"I just bet he did," Jane snarked back. "He was so happy when I left the arson investigator's office, if only so he didn't have to deal with me as much."

"I wonder why?" Chimney asked rhetorically. "You are a ray of sunshine."

"I am," she agreed brightly, and then they all hushed as they got the signal. Controlled detonation.

"All units be advised," the Bomb Squad leader announced, "Fire in the hole."

"All right," Jane jogged back to the preschool and kindergarten crowd. "Tuck in little ones! Stay tucked into the truck as tight as you can be."

Then, as the countdown started, Jane leaned over the children, in her firefighter jacket, and braced herself for impact, just hoping that if this was bad that the children wouldn't get hurt.