Embers

~25~ Priorities

Taylor's POV

Have you ever gotten such soul crushing news, that you can feel yourself almost leave your body? I hadn't. At least, not until I heard Ellie scream. Liam is in danger.

We always move as fast as we can to get into our turnout gear and leave for a call. This time it was different. Even though we got out of there quicker than we ever had, time stood still. In reality, we got to the home in less than 5 minutes. However, it felt like a lifetime. I'm sitting here in the passenger seat, doing nothing, waiting for this damn truck to get to Liam.

The squad truck hasn't even fully stopped, when I open my door and jump out. It's bad. If we find Liam before he's dead, it's going to be a miracle.

The entire house is already engulfed. The windows are busting out, the flames devouring them. I don't even know how I'm going to get into the home, let alone find Liam. But I'm going to. I wonder if this is how I'm going to die? I decide in less than one second that I was at peace with that. I've never cared for another person in this world the way that I care about that kid in there. I will die trying to save him.

As I'm putting on my mask and grabbing a set of irons, I feel a hand on my arm, stopping me.

"Going in there is a death sentence, Preston," Ryder says, sadness and defeat in his voice.

"Let me go, Chief. It's Liam," I say as I yank my arm free and run at a dead sprint for the house.

Now, what people don't tell you is running into a fire isn't anything like the damn movies. You can't see shit. Close your eyes for a moment—That's what it looks like when you're in a fire. The smoke is so thick, blackness engulfs you. I pull out my thermal imaging camera and start scanning the room. If he isn't in one of the first couple rooms, we're all gonna die. The ceiling is already starting to crumble.

"Liam, call out!" I scream, desperately searching every crevice of the room.

I see a shadow next to me and turn around. It's Greene.

"Get out of here. Ain't no reason you need to die too, man," I say. I've accepted the fact that I'm not making it home tonight. I don't want my best friend's life on my hands too.

"No way. He's family," Greene says simply, as he goes into the next room to start searching.

Then I see Diego. "Diego, get out now, that's an order!!!" I scream. My men are NOT going to die today.

"With all due respect sir, shut the hell up," Diego says.

Now normally, this wouldn't fly. Everybody knows that. Once given an order, you obey it. There is no exception in fine print...But I know my men. They will all die trying to save him. There's nothing I can do to change their minds, I would just be wasting time.

Suddenly, Greene yells "I've found someone!" We all rush over there. It's not Liam. It's his friend Duncan. Liam must be somewhere in this room too.

"Alright, fan out," I say to the rest of my men. Greene is carrying Duncan outside. At least Greene is going to survive now, I think, relieved.

Ashy plaster is falling from the ceiling in clumps. There isn't much time left before we get pinned.

"Lieutenant, Liam's not on this floor. It's all clear." Keegan says desperately. "He must be upstairs"

No!! If he's upstairs, he's already gone, I think to myself. That doesn't stop me from running up the stairs like a damn fool.

Luck is on my side. The staircase hasn't collapsed yet. I probably only have seconds to make it up there.