Blaze

by Piper Stone

  Shannon swung around, her lower lip quivering. “It’s the team. They…” Shooting a look at Megan, she walked closer. “There’s been an accident.”

  “What? What do you mean?” Stasha breathed, her heart racing.

  “The fire got too close. They were caught and unable to get out.”

  “What happened?” Stars floated in front of her eyes. “What happened?”

  Shannon gripped her hand. “I don’t know yet. I only heard that the fire rolled over them.”

  “What does that mean?’ Cognizant that the sheriff had moved beside her, she turned her head from right to left, trying to comprehend what she was being told. “What?”

  “Folks have started gathering at the hanger, waiting for any news,” Sheriff James said quietly. “The rescue team is there now.”

  “Rescue team? I don’t understand. Are they okay? Are they… Are they dead?” Stasha’s words echoed in her head.

  “We just don’t know yet. Come on. I’ll take you there. Come with me, Stasha. I know you care about Boone. I could see it in your eyes last night. Come with me.” Shannon held out her hand.

  “Yeah. Okay. Megan, let the patients know. Reschedule.” My God. My fucking God. This couldn’t be happening.

  “Yes, Dr. Parker.”

  Shannon remained quiet as she drove, weaving her way through traffic, her grip on the steering wheel tight. “I don’t know what I’ll do without him.”

  “Don’t think that way,” Stasha whispered as she stared out the window. She was unable to think clearly, her thoughts muddled, his face staying in the back of her mind. A quick look in the side mirror let her know the sheriff was following. Everyone was anticipating a tragedy.

  “I’ve faced this more than once. He has been in such dangerous situations, but this is not normal. They can’t live through a fire, not one on top of them. There’s no way.” Shannon huffed, her face pinched. “No fucking way.”

  “Do they have protection? Don’t they all have protection?” She could hear the near hysteria in her voice.

  Nodding, she jerked the wheel to the right. “Get the fuck out of my way!”

  Stasha breathed out and gripped the dashboard. “What kind of protection?”

  “Suits. There’s some kind of suit that is supposed to withstand the heat, but jumpers died years ago. They died. I can’t face this. Jesus. I’m supposed to be the strong one. I don’t have any idea if Jessica can survive this.”

  Stasha placed her hand on Shannon’s arm. “We all will. Together.” For the first time in so many years, she had a feeling that she could find friends. Good friends. Please, God. Save him. She was shaking all over. “What else do you know?”

  “They won’t say anything except the rescue team arrived. The fire moved on, destroying such a beautiful area. That’s it. Nothing more.”

  She studied the area as Shannon drove then looked up at the mountains. They were all around them. Beautiful. Majestic. Full of trees. As Shannon made another turn, she noticed several planes and a runway. “An airport.”

  “Mostly for the jumpers. This was a small commercial site until twenty years ago. There’s a private strip in the back, but the guys work out of here. The team. All ten of them. God. They were all on this mission.” Screeching around another corner, she pulled her truck to a stop, hitting the brakes hard. “Whatever you’re told, try and be strong.” Laughing, she cut the engine. “What the hell am I saying? I’m a freaking basket case.” She hissed and slapped her hand on the steering wheel. “I didn’t tell Landen enough times how much I love him. I didn’t say it. What’s wrong with me? What?” Her expression full of anguish, she twisted her head in Stasha’s direction.

  “He knows. I could tell. Trust that he knows.”

  “Yeah. Yeah.”

  They both climbed out of the truck and Stasha followed Shannon in through a door. While there were dozens if not close to two hundred people inside, including several reporters, the atmosphere was somber.

  “Shannon.”

  “Jessica.” Shannon headed for a pregnant girl, wrapping her arms around the crying woman. “It’s going to be all right.”

  “Is it? My baby can’t live without a father. He can’t.” Jessica sobbed.

  Stasha held back until Shannon beckoned her.

  “Jessica Dunn, meet Stasha…”

  “Parker,” Stasha mumbled. She looked up at the plane in the hanger then studied the various pictures on the walls.

  “Captain Phillips. Have you heard anything else?” Shannon asked as she walked toward an older black man.

  “Nothing else after the rescue team said they were going in. They had to wait until the area was secure. We should know something in less than an hour.”

  Stasha could do nothing but hold her arms. She was weak, every muscle tense and the fear mixed with a heady does of adrenaline. Her reaction wasn’t surprising. She’d fallen hard for the hazel eyed man, the cowboy who had a way with words, a passionate kiss and a level of understanding her that she’d never experienced.

  And he might die.

  “You were at the Stampede the other day.” Another girl walked closer, her eyes puffy.

  “I was. Stasha Parker.”

  “Laney Cavanaugh. Garcia is my fiancé. I just… You’re into Boone?”

  Stasha bit her lower lip as the tears rushed to her eyes. “He’s very special.”

  Shannon wrapped her arm around her shoulders. “He is. Boone is a gentle giant, a man we all love.”

  “Let’s keep the faith, ladies.”

  “This is Cooper McKenzie. He’s on the team as well,” Shannon offered as she patted Cooper on the shoulder. “You didn’t hear anything from Stoker before the mission?”

  Cooper looked at the floor. “Only as they were going out. They knew this one was dangerous.”

  “What about the ranch? Any idea?” Sheriff James moved in front of the captain.

  “I only heard the ranch is a total loss. Several of the horses perished in the fire but a majority were moved to safety.” Captain Phillips huffed. “Bastards. What the hell do they think they are doing?”

  “We’ll get to the bottom of it, Scully.” Sheriff James glanced at the reporters. “I think we should make a statement. Together.”

  Captain Phillips glared at the bank of reporters. “Yeah, you’re right.”

  “I’ll gather them together.” The sheriff nodded as he walked by, his face grim.

  “This just can’t be happening,” Jessica said, tears streaming down her face.

  The door opened, and Trinity rushed inside, running toward the group of women. “I just heard. What is going on? Are they safe? Are they alive?”

  “They don’t know anything yet,” Shannon answered as she watched the captain walking in the direction of the reporters.

  “They are all heroes,” Laney whispered.

  “Don’t count them out yet.” Jessica placed her hands on her stomach. “I know my Stoker. He’ll come back to me. I know he will. He did at Christmas and he will again.”

  Stasha blinked several times as the various groups of people moved forward, toward the captain and the sheriff. “What can they say?”

  “To keep hope. That’s all anyone can say.” Shannon flanked her side. “I just can’t believe this.”

  There was no way to describe the atmosphere or the way people were reacting. She’d heard the word hero more than once and she was beginning to understand the importance of the smokejumpers in the amazing town. She’d only been here a few weeks, but she could now understand what Shannon was trying to tell her the night before. The team was respected and to know them, to understand what was in their heart meant that you had to respect their choices. Danger. They couldn’t live without it.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for coming. I’m Captain Scully Phillips, in charge of the Jackals smokejumping team. While engaged in a difficult and treacherous mission, the entire team was faced with being cut off, zero access for escape. While there are alway
s precautions taken, the fire was one of the worst we’ve seen to date in the city limits of Missoula. What we know now, the entire team managed to contain almost forty percent of the fire using all means necessary before they were trapped. Given their expertise and…” The captain lowered his head, pressing his fist against his mouth. “Given their expertise and dedication, they managed to avert the fire away from our beloved city as well as other populous areas. We have them to thank for averting a larger disaster.”

  “Do you know the condition of the smokejumpers?” a reporter asked, sticking the microphone in the captain’s face.

  “Unfortunately, we do not at this time. News is expected at any minute. I assure you every rescue attempt is being made.”

  “Captain Phillips. Is it true that the team was relying on new fire-retardant blankets, ones like were used in the Arizona disaster a few years ago?”

  “They do have new fire blankets and given new materials, they were expected to perform under extreme conditions.”

  Stasha could see the strain on the captain’s face.

  “Captain Phillips. What about the fire? Wasn’t the fire at the Carter Ranch intentionally set?”

  “I can answer that one.” Sheriff James stepped in. “As you can imagine, the fire investigator will be combing through the evidence for some time. At this point, nothing is being ruled out.”

  “Look, there’s a phone call,” Shannon whispered as she tugged Stasha’s arm. Stasha noticed a young woman walking toward the captain.

  Jessica moved closer, her body swaying back and forth. “I can’t take this.”

  “She’s not doing well. Her blood pressure is far too high.” Trinity moved closer.

  “Sheriff James. Are you able to make a connection with the two fires in Billings?”

  Sheriff James shook his head. “As I said earlier. It’s too early in the investigation to know anything at this point.”

  “Look at the captain. He’s not happy,” Laney muttered.

  Stasha noticed the young girl by the captain’s side. She was the one who’d handed him the phone. When the man turned his back, tears slipped past her lashes. He couldn’t be dead. Not Boone. Not now when she’d just found him.

  Everything seemed to happen in slow motion as the captain lowered his head, holding the phone out. Sagging, he moved toward a bank of offices, placing his hand on the wall.

  “No. No!” Jessica moaned.

  “Hold on. We don’t know yet.” Shannon’s voice was strangled.

  “Look at him. They’re gone. Oh. God.” Trinity slumped against Jessica, wrapping her arm around the girl.

  Stasha found herself moving closer, pushing through the crowd of people, echoes ringing in her ears. When the captain turned around, finally facing the group, there were tears in his eyes. She could no longer hear anything, was unable to see as the man stepped closer to the members of the press.

  “Ladies and gentlemen. I’ve just learned that the jumpers are all…” Dropping his head, the captain was unable to hold back his emotions.

  The entire crowd was silenced, all learning forward.

  The girl next to the captain began to cry, her entire body shaking. She grabbed the phone out of the captain’s hands.

  “I’m sorry. I can’t… We’ve lost them,” Captain Phillips managed, the whisper full of despair.

  Tears and sobs erupted and for a few seconds, Stasha was unable to react. Then she realized she continued to move forward, in a complete daze.

  She heard the sound of the other women, those who so obviously loved the men in their lives weeping and she was unable to stop the tears.

  “Wait. Wait!” the girl yelled. “Yes, I’m here. I’m…” She reached for the captain, grabbing his arm.

  “This is Captain Phillips.” He clenched his fist around the phone. “Are you certain? One hundred percent?” He was shaking, his face pinched. “Oh, yes. I understand. Thank you. Thank you.” Almost dropping the phone, he took several staggering steps forward. “They are alive. All ten men are alive.”

  “Is everyone all right?”

  The buzzing sound was close, creating a whirlwind of air swirling around him. A voice? Did he hear a voice? Disoriented, Boone shifted but remained unable to move, unable to see anything in front of him. What was happening?

  “Can anyone hear me?” The male voice was insistent.

  “I’m… here.” His throat parched, his lips could barely form the words.

  “I don’t think anyone made it.” A female voice joined the first, coming closer.

  “I’m here!” Boone could swear his voice was loud enough. He struggled again, fighting against the strangling hold. What was holding him down?

  “Call it in. Let them know that no one was found alive. This is horrible. So fucking horrible.” Her voice breaking, a sob was followed by a strangled moan.

  “No. I’m alive.”

  This time the voice came from right next to him. Boone blinked several times as the memory rushed in. The extreme screaming of the flames. The roar of the wind.

  “Yes, this is Captain Rick Weston of the Missoula Fire Station number 6. We have line of sight for the smokejumpers. I’m… I’m sorry to report that they… That no one was found alive.”

  The statement startling, Boone reacted, pushing hard against his body’s natural reactions, fighting to find the strength to break free from his bindings. “I’m here!” His hand catching a piece of a foreign material, he concentrated, remembering finally that he was encased in a fire blanket.

  One that had kept him alive.

  Please God. Please let the others have survived.

  Gulping, he was unable to breathe, his heart racing, his blood pumping. Fight. You can do this. Fight.

  “Hold on! Get some men over here. We have survivors!”

  Boone stood on his back deck, a drink in his hand, a thank you in his heart. The vision swept through his mind again, creating a wave of relief, yet another of sickness. His team, the men he loved and would die for, were all alive. Breathing out, his breath scattered, the image of the bright sun sweeping over the barren land, the scorched trees and utter destruction would never leave him. “God.”

  The entire experience was one he wouldn’t be able to talk about for some time. There were no words to describe the moment the fire rolled over them, the roaring sound as the flames swept through the trees, claiming everything in its path. He remembered screaming and praying, two things he rarely did. Clenching his hand around the drink, he swayed back and forth. Every jumper had been stunned, standing silently in reverence for almost thirty minutes.

  The countless number of emergency workers, checking their vitals, standing in awe had been nothing more than a blur in his mind. They’d remained in shock as they were evacuated, leaving ground personnel to continue fighting what was left of the horrific fire. He was no longer certain he could do this any longer. He was lost, almost hopeless. The feeling was numbing.

  “A man so lost in thought must have a huge brain,” Stasha whispered, brushing her fingers up and down his back. Every move was gentle, loving.

  Exhaling, a smile crossed his face as he tipped his head and extended his arm. “I don’t know about a huge brain at this point. I think the experience shrunk every cell and muscle in my body.” He tried to laugh but the action was difficult. The smoke inhalation had been brutal, leaving him with a raspy voice. Somehow, Stasha didn’t seem to mind that his condition was limited. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “I wouldn’t want to be any place else. I just…” She nuzzled against him, leaning her head against his chest. “I didn’t understand about losing someone until this. I don’t even know what to think. When the captain said you were all gone… Anyway, I can’t think this way. You’re here. Safe.”

  “By the grace of some God, we’re all alive. If we hadn’t taken the blankets, we would all be dead.” The thought was sobering. The moment they’d touched down in the helicopter, he’d finally allowed himself to believe they
were alive. Seeing everyone on the concrete, waiting, clapping at their arrival was something he’d never forget.

  “I don’t know about God, but I do know everyone in this town loves your team. I don’t know who they all were, but their adoration was evident. Those wonderful people taught me so many things in those hours of worry. I grasped their strength and their love. I know that doesn’t make any sense.”

  Love. The word was almost chilling. “Yes, it does. We knew we were in dire straits, but we remained together. A team. We fought the good fight. The strength we shared kept our heads together.” Closing his eyes briefly, the vision remained. None of them would ever be the same.

  “I hope this means you’re staying on the ground and out of harm’s way for a few days. Weeks. Years.”

  He struggled to laugh again and took a gulp of his whiskey. Leaning against the railing, he took her hand, intertwining their fingers. “Smokejumping is my job and one I love. We never know what we’ll face but we are trained. I rely on them as they do on me. Without each other, we couldn’t go on. That was reinforced during this tragedy.”

  “I’ve been told. I listened but I don’t know, Boone. I just don’t know.” Stasha looked at the sky, her body shivering.

  “I truly believe that when we’re supposed to die, we will. It doesn’t matter where we are or what we’re doing. That’s how I go into the situations every time. I believe there is someone holding my hand, guiding me through the treachery. I’m not sure if it’s God or just a higher being, but I take comfort in knowing he or she is there. For all of us.”

  “I wish I had your strength. Your belief.”

  “You do. You just refuse to believe in your heart. Whatever happened in your life has forced you to lock down. I hope one day you can trust me enough to share.” Boone could see the tears slipping past her eyelashes. “I won’t push.”

  She turned in his direction, her eyes locked onto his. “When the helicopter touched down, I was sick to my stomach. We weren’t told if you were injured in any way. The moment, the very moment you stepped off that bird, I almost passed out. That’s not a pretty thought I know.” She laughed then groaned. A few seconds passed. “I just can’t stand by and wonder if you’re going to die.”