Danger Zone (File One of The First Responders Files)

Chapter Forty-Seven

So not only are we supposed to lose Amanda Rollins in S24 of SVU, we're also supposed to lose Jay Halstead in S10 of Chicago PD. Losing one or the other, I could handle. Not both of two of my favorite characters! Maybe that's why 13.5K words of "The Big Heat" turned out much angstier than I originally intended . . .

Owen and his trio of arsonist chasers team up to catch their serial arsonist, but Owen gets thrown a curveball in the form of Gabriel Reyes, and Matt and Kelly work through several curveballs of their own, all with the same person in common. Apologies for not as much Buck and Eddie in this chapter, but it was very Strands, Reyes, and arsonist focused as an episode . . . so that's who we see the most of!

Enjoy "The Big Heat!"

***

It took nearly fifty minutes to drive from the warehouse to a shop for limes Carlos's and TK's house, and Owen held up the bag he stopped to get when his son opened the door. "I got the limes," he smiled sheepishly.

"Oh, thank God, I was about to call you," TK sighed in relief, holding the door open for him to enter. "I was getting worried when it hit half an hour and you weren't here."

"I know, I'm so sorry," Owen apologized, waving when he saw Gabriel stand from a chair, a woman who had to be Carlos's mother with him. "I got caught in traffic on MoPac – "

"Why were you on MoPac?" TK frowned.

"I could not find limes anywhere," Owen held up the bag pointedly. "Cinco De Mayo. Everywhere was out. I finally found a place off of Windsor."

Oh, thank you so much for going through the trouble, Owen," Carlos smiled, taking the bag from him. "This is my mother, Andrea . . . and you know my dad."

Owen smiled, extending his hand. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Andrea."

"You, too," Andrea shook his hand, then gestured to him. "But we kiss in this family."

Owen laughed in delight. He definitely liked Carlos's mother, and she had only said two sentences so far. "Hey, bring it," he nodded. "Let's go."

Andrea beamed as they kissed each other's cheeks, then Gabriel reached for his hand. "Good to see you again, Owen."

"You, too, Gabriel," Owen agreed, shaking his hand.

"Have a seat, I'll make you a warm plate," Carlos told Owen. "Can I get you something to drink? A margarita or a beer?"

"Uh, a beer," Owen nodded. "A beer would be great, thanks." Carlos nodded, heading into the kitchen, and Owen smiled at the Reyes parents as he sat. "Well, I know you probably hear it all the time, but you have raised a fantastic son."

Both Gabriel and Andrea smiled happily at the statement. "We're very proud, to be sure," Gabriel nodded.

"It's a tribute to who you must have been as parents," Owen noted.

"So is TK," Andrea smiled. "We couldn't be happier the boys are together."

Carlos ducked his head shyly, and TK beamed as he walked over. "Here you go, Dad," he handed the beer over.

Owen raised it to his lips, only to pause when he heard a phone go off. "Oh, that's mine," Carlos frowned, searching his pockets.

Two more phones went off in unison, and both Strands looked at each other in bewilderment. "OK, that's not good," TK swallowed, reaching for his phone from where it sat on the coffee table.

Owen was the first to find his phone, and his heart dropped when he saw the Caller ID. He answered at once, putting it to his ear. "What happened?" he demanded.