The tension pulsed in the air as I followed Korbin and the others into the bay. Hansen and a fellow medic, Jeremy Daniels, stayed back at the station in case they were called on later, and I crawled into the squad truck with Korbin and Jake Finn. Behind us, Tanner and Nick followed in the second engine.
“Riding with the big dogs today, are ya?” said Korbin, winking at me from across the seat.
“Is that what you call yourselves?” I asked. “Does it make you feel tough?”
“Damn straight it does. So, watch and learn, newb.”
The police were already on the scene when we arrived, as was Ambulance Two from a neighboring station. They had dressed down on the ride there, ready to get in there and search the building. As soon as we pulled up, Korbin and Nick jumped out of the back of the truck, pulling on equipment as they went. As I helped Finn unload equipment from the back of the engine, I overheard one of the cops say that potential victims might still be in there, more than just one. They’d already put the order in for a second bus, so I knew Hansen would be joining us soon.
“We’re standing by for any victims,” said a pretty redhead paramedic as she opened the ambulance doors for the stretcher. Her partner rummaged through the trauma bag. The redhead glanced at me, and I swore a stormy expression clouded her face. “Where’s Erik?”
I opened my mouth to answer her, but Korbin spoke before I could, bowling over me.
“Right behind us,” he muttered. “They just called for a second ambo.”
“Everybody back up!” Jake yelled, throwing his arms out to the side to force the frightened onlookers a step back. The police officers stepped up, pushing the crowd back to a safer point. I tore my gaze away from the public to look at the building, facing the flames for the first time.
The fire in front of us was massive. In fact, it was so large that I took three steps back as a painful squeeze gripped my chest like a metal vice. Of course, I’d been trained for this sort of thing, but seeing it up close was a whole other ball game. I’d never seen anything so terrifyingly beautiful in my entire life.
And people were still in there, trapped. Frightened. On the verge of death, if not already there.
“What do you want me to do?” I asked, breathless. “How can I help?”
Korbin and Nick were already pulling on their SCBA’s, barely looking in my direction.
“Stay out of the way,” Korbin said. “That’s what you can do.”
“We need to vent the building, don’t we?” Finn called, but Korbin wasn’t listening.
“There may be people in there,” he said, but not to anybody. He looked at Nick, who nodded, and before anyone could stop them, they headed into the flames.
“Jesus. Shouldn’t we try to secure the building first?” I asked.
“It doesn’t look like they’re playing by the rules,” Finn grunted as he heaved the hose from the engine. “Here, help me with this.”
Over the radio, I heard Korbin tell Hansen that they’d just entered the building through the static and crackle.
“We’re a few minutes out,” Hansen replied. “Until I arrive, nobody else enters that building.”
Trembling with adrenaline and fear, I helped Finn hook up the water supply. In just a few minutes, we had enough of a stream bellowing from the hose that we could put it on the building in a steady flow. With every pop of the fire and crack of the foundation, I flinched, just waiting for the building to fall while Nick and Korbin were still inside.
“Korbin, any survivors?” Hansen asked into his radio. Finn and I took a deep breath to listen; if the building was clear, they were safe to come out.
“I think it’s clear here, Cap,” Nick said. The radio’s static blurred his voice, but an immense sensation of relief flooded through me. We might not all be best friends, but I wasn’t a monster. These guys were my crew. My family. “We’re getting ready to come out.”
“Keep that water on the building, Finn,” Korbin said. “—and d—”
An ear-splitting crack echoed through the air. I flinched, covering my face as three windows on the third floor shattered, spraying glass at our feet. Flames billowed from the now-open windows, roaring as the heat licked at the ledges of the building.
“Jesus.” I straightened up, brushing debris from my gear.
“Korbin?” I said into the radio. Only static greeted us.
“Paisley, what happened?” Hansen asked. “We’re almost there. ETA five minutes.”
“I think—I think they’re in trouble.” I pushed talk on the radio, repeating Korbin’s name again. Panic rose in my chest. There was nothing, no answer, except for the irritating buzz of static. I felt lightheaded suddenly, numb with fear.
“Shit,” Finn and I said together. I took a deep breath and clicked my radio again.
